Fantasy Football Today: Week 8 injury news, rankings updates, and #AskFFT mailbag

Good morning and welcome to Sunday of Week 8. Let's get those lineups set, but first, we had some late breaking news Sunday morning with Calvin Ridley being announced as inactive due to personal reasons. That shakes up the rankings quite a bit and puts a lot of Fantasy players into a tough situation -- he was a top-10 WR for me.

I'm downgrading Matt Ryan for this game, but he's still a viable starting option. We'll likely see more of Cordarrelle Patterson this week, which has been a theme of the past few for the Falcons. However, it also likely means more opportunities for Mike Davis, with Patterson likely to play more at WR. And Russell Gage enters the starting discussion as more like a WR3/4.

Today's newsletter has updates on all of the injuries you need to know about Sunday, with my analysis of how you should approach each player as of early Sunday morning. Adam Aizer and Heath Cummings updated you on the latest news and answered some start/sit questions on this morning's FFT podcast, and Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, and Heath are on CBS Sports HQ from 10 a.m. ET to kick off of the 1 p.m. games to answer your questions and keep you updated on all of the news you need to know on the FFT live show.

Make sure you check both out, but if you want more direct answers to your questions and other news updates, I've got two more ways for you to win: Go to Twitter and use the hashtag "#AskFFT", where our whole team will be answering questions all morning; and go to the FFT YouTube channel to chat with Adam and I from 11:30 until kickoff. We'll be there right up until kickoff answering as many questions as we can, so make sure you're in the chat early to get your questions in.

Here's the rest of our preview content to get you ready, and check out my updated position rankings at the bottom of the newsletter to help with any early lineup dilemmas you may have:

Week 8 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: QB | RB | WR
Starts, sits and sleepers for every game
Cheat Sheets: PPR | Non-PPR
Week 8 Position Previews: QB | RB | WR | TE
My Week 8 Rankings: Flex Top 150 | QB | RB | WR | TE

Week 8 Injury Report

Quarterbacks

Out: Taysom Hill (concussion), Zach Wilson (knee), Tyrod Taylor
Expected to play: Baker Mayfield (shoulder)
Questionable: Dak Prescott (calf)

Prescott is a legitimate game-time decision for this one, it sounds like, and since game time is at 8:20 tonight, you probably need to start someone in the earlier games if you have them. If you want to wait and see if Prescott is going to play, see if Daniel Jones is available, since he has a good matchup against the Chiefs on Monday night. Jones is QB15 for me this week.

If Cooper Rush has to start for the Cowboys, that would be a significant downgrade for all parties involved. We saw how bad this Cowboys offense was without Prescott in 2020, and Rush has attempted just three passes in his NFL career.

It's also disappointing to see that Taylor won't be back this week. Hopefully he'll be ready to go next week, because he would be a pretty dramatic upgrade for the Texans offense over Davis Mills as a whole.

Running backs

Out: Saquon Barkley (ankle), Miles Sanders (foot/ankle), Tevin Coleman (hamstring), Chris Evans (hamstring)

Devontae Booker should continue to see a healthy role for the Giants in a good matchup, and he should be good for 15-plus touches. I'm viewing him as an RB2. As for Sanders' replacement, it'll be some combination of Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, and maybe Jordan Howard. Gainwell is the best starting option of the bunch, but there is enough ambiguity about his role that he's outside of my top-24 even in PPR.

Expected to play: Austin Ekeler (reserve/COVID-19), Alex Collins (groin), Antonio Gibson (shin), D'Andre Swift (groin), Jamaal Williams (hip)

There was a lot of concern about Ekeler after he was placed on the injury report Thursday and missed both Thursday and Friday's sessions, but all indications are he's going to play his typical role. That is good news for those of us relying on Ekeler, but also because there just isn't an obvious replacement for him in the Chargers offense. Hang on to Joshua Kelley just in case Ekeler suffers a setback, but I'm still treating Ekeler like a top-10 RB.

Otherwise, you've got somewhat tough decisions about Collins and Gibson to make. Not because of the injuries, just because they aren't necessarily great plays right now. I would lean toward starting Gibson as a top-20 guy, while Collins is a fringier option, even against a great matchup like the Jaguars. This just isn't a great offense right now and he isn't involved in the passing game, which makes him very touchdown dependent.

Wide receivers

Out: Kenny Golladay (knee), Julio Jones (hamstring), Antonio Brown (ankle), Corey Davis (hip), Donovan Peoples-Jones (ankle), DeSean Jackson (team decision), Dyami Brown (knee), Curtis Samuel (groin), Terrace Marshall (concussion), Preston Williams (undisclosed)
Legitimately questionable: T.Y. Hilton (quad), Sterling Shepard (hamstring), Kadarius Toney (ankle), Kendrick Bourne (shoulder),

It sounds like Hilton may be able to play, but I wouldn't necessarily want to start him even against a great matchup if I can avoid it. Shepard and Toney may be able to make their returns from injury this week, and I would be excited to use them against the Chiefs defense if they did. But because they're still very questionable at this point, I don't think I can take the risk. If you have Mecole Hardman or Darius Slayton, you might be able to get away with waiting, but neither is a reliable option, so it may not be worth the risk if you have other viable options.

Expected to play: Odell Beckham (shoulder), DeVante Parker (shoulder), Jerry Jeudy (ankle)

You probably don't want to start either of those first two guys. Beckham is dealing with injuries in both shoulders right now, while Parker is returning to a very tough matchup against the Bills. Tua Tagovailoa has been playing pretty well of late, so stashing Parker isn't a bad idea, but I can't trust him in his first game back against this defense.

Now, Jeudy? He's going to be a tough call. He's got such a great matchup against Washington that I'm inclined to start him as a top-36 WR.

Tight ends

Out: Eric Ebron (hamstring), Dawson Knox (hand), Jimmy Graham (reserver/COVID-19)
Legitimately questionable: Evan Engram (calf), Jonnu Smith (shoulder),

Ebron's absence creates the possibility of a Pat Freiermuth breakout game, which is worth keeping an eye on. Freiermuth has shown flashes, including a seven-catch, 58-yard game in Week 7, and could be in line for his biggest role of the season. He's an intriguing streamer in deeper leagues.

Expected to play: Rob Gronkowski (ribs)

Gronk has been the No. 1 tight end in points per game this season, so his return is very good news for those of you with him on your team. I don't expect he'll keep up that kind of pace, but he's a must-start tight end moving forward as long as he's healthy.

#AskFFT Mailbag

Get your questions answered right now on Twitter with "#AskFFT". For next week's mailbags, email me at Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com. Here are some of your questions from this morning:

Eric: Should I roll with Ekeler or should I go with Elijah Mitchell who plays in the earlier slate of games?

Since it sounds like Ekeler is going to play, I would have an awfully tough time sitting him. However, if I had someone like Cordarrelle Patterson, I would consider it. I like Elijah Mitchell this week, but not nearly enough to consider sitting Ekeler. Ekeler just has so much more upside thanks to his passing game role. If there was more doubt about his availability, that would be a different thing, but as things stand, you probably want to start him.

Jason: Who do I start: Cordarrelle Patterson, Darrel Williams, or Chuba Hubbard? I need a running back and a flex, and I could wait on Sterling Shepard as the flex as well.

I wouldn't hate using Shepard if we knew he was going to play, but seeing as we likely won't know that until Monday evening, he's out. Which makes this a pretty easy call for me: I'm viewing Patterson as a top-12 running back moving forward until something about his role changes. The Falcons have given him 14 carries in consecutive games and he is playing a sizable role as a wide receiver, with nearly half of his 46 offensive snaps last week coming in the slot or split out wide. It's just too valuable a role to sit.

Kathy: Jerry Jeudy or Javonte Williams?

Generally speaking, my preference would be to give Jeudy a week to show he's healthy before I throw him back in my starting lineup, but that isn't a hard and fast rule. And, in this case, with Jeudy playing against what has been a worst-in-the-league Washington pass defense, I'm strongly considering him, especially since Williams is still in a timeshare with Melvin Gordon, leaving him very touchdown dependent. There could be opportunities for him to get into the end zone this week, but I'd rather just roll with Jeudy's upside.

Al: Who should I flex this week: Cordarrelle Patterson or Diontae Johnson?

Aren't 10-team leagues the best? I view both players as must-start options this week, and I've already talked about why I like Patterson so much. But I like Johnson just as much -- he's a top-eight WR for me. The Browns are a tough matchup, but he had 14 catches for 213 yards against them last season, so I have a hard time sitting Johnson.

Eric: Just had someone drop Darnell Mooney. I've been carrying Allen Robinson, is it smart to swap Robinson for Mooney. My other receivers are DeAndre Hopkins, Emmanuel Sanders, Jaylen Waddle, Christian Kirk & your favorite, Kadarius Toney!

You could use another wide receiver, but I'm not sure this move is really worth doing. As long as the Bears offense remains as dysfunctional as it has been this season, I don't think either Mooney or Robinson is going to be an upgrade for you over any of those guys, and if the Bears offense does start to figure things out, I still think Robinson has more upside. Look at it this way: The most likely outcome is Mooney is maybe slightly better than Robinson but neither is a top-40 WR, but Robinson is probably the only one of the two with top-24 potential, slim as it might be.

Updated rankings

Here are my latest rankings as of Sunday morning:

Quarterback

Josh Allen vs. MIA -- There might not be a quarterback who dominates a single team more than Josh Allen does with the Dolphins. He's averaged 32.9 points per game against them in seven career games, compared to 23.9 for his career.
Patrick Mahomes vs. NYG -- No, I'm not particularly worried about Mahomes. Yes, the Chiefs offense has been uncharacteristically shaky and he's coming off one of his worst games ever. However, he's still been one of the best Fantasy QBs in the league, and this is an excellent matchup. You shouldn't even be thinking about sitting him, and I hope I don't have to tell you that.
Tom Brady @NO -- The Saints have allowed the second-fewest Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season, and they might actually be a rare team who might be able to slow Brady down. He had two touchdowns and five interceptions in his two games against them last season, and they have nine interceptions to six touchdowns allowed this season. Brady should be able to overcome that, but there's more risk here than most weeks.
Jalen Hurts @DET -- This might be the rare game where Hurts doesn't need garbage time to put up a good Fantasy game -- although, for what it's worth, I think those criticisms of Hurts are overblown and reflect the play calling and state of the offense more than anything about him. He remains a must-start Fantasy option.
Justin Herbert vs. NE -- Here's another elite Fantasy QB with a tough matchup, as the Patriots rank 10th in points allowed to quarterbacks. But if the Saints aren't enough to scare me off Brady, the Patriots won't scare me off Herbert.
Matthew Stafford @HOU -- There's the classic dilemma of a great player in a game his team figures to win easily. The Rams probably won't need to throw the ball much in this one, and they've been surprisingly happy to limit Stafford's attempts in situations like that -- Stafford has 30 or fewer pass attempts in three of seven games so far. Of course, if the Rams do go up by three scores in the first half, say, Stafford probably plays a pretty big part in that. You're starting him.
Kirk Cousins vs. DAL -- The Cowboys have been an opportunistic defense, but not necessarily a good one, surrendering the eighth-most points to opposing quarterbacks this season, including two touchdowns per game. Cousins will probably have to throw quite a bit in this one, and is a strong starting option.
Joe Burrow @NYJ -- Like with Stafford, there's a chance the Bengals are in a position to sit on the ball, limiting Burrow's opportunities. Burrow is less of a sure thing than Stafford, but I can't sit him against a defense allowing the eighth-most Fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
Carson Wentz vs. TEN
Ryan Tannehill @IND -- A.J. Brown is back to himself, so I'm back on Tannehill as a fringe QB1. It's been a difficult season for him for Fantasy, but I'll bet on things getting better -- his 3.1% touchdown rate is less than half his 2020 rate. That'll improve moving forward. I would feel better if Julio Jones were playing Sunday, of course.
Trevor Lawrence @SEA
Daniel Jones @KC -- It's an excellent matchup, as the Chiefs are allowing the second-most points to opposing quarterbacks. And Jones should be in position for a lot of volume playing opposite Mahomes. If either Sterling Shepard or Darius Slayton are back, that would be even better -- Jones could be in line for a very big day. Do I need to move him up?
Matt Ryan vs. CAR
Taylor Heinicke @DEN
Tua Tagovailoa @BUF -- This is where I perceive a pretty sizable drop-off in the rankings. Tagovailoa has played very well over the past two weeks, putting up 59.9 points combined, but the Bills have allowed the fewest points to opposing quarterbacks per game and they put constant pressure on the Dolphins in Week 2, eventually knocking Tagovailoa out with that rib injury.
Teddy Bridgewater vs. WAS
Dak Prescott @MIN -- Prescott has a calf injury and is legitimately questionable for Week 8. I would try to avoid using him if I can, given the late kickoff Sunday night.
Sam Darnold @ATL
Jameis Winston vs. TB -- Revenge game narrative! The Saints have been happy to limit Winston's attempts with Michael Thomas out, and if their defense can remain stout against Brady, they'll be happy to continue to do so. There's a chance this turns into a shootout, but I wouldn't want to start Winston even if it does.
Jared Goff vs. PHI
Ben Roethlisberger @CLE
Jimmy Garoppolo @CHI

Running back

Derrick Henry @IND
Najee Harris @CLE
Alvin Kamara vs. TB -- The Buccaneers have been a tough team to run against, so hopefully the Saints continue to feature him in the passing game -- he has 19 targets over the past two weeks. He'll continue to see a huge role in the running game even in the tough matchup, but he'll probably need a good game as a receiver to live up to this ranking.
Ezekiel Elliott @MIN
Dalvin Cook vs. DAL
Austin Ekeler vs. NE
D'Andre Swift vs. PHI
Cordarrelle Patterson vs. CAR -- I don't know if I'm quite ready to just say Cordarrelle Patterson is the lead back for the Falcons, but a 14-4 split between him and Mike Davis is hard to ignore. Davis still played nearly as many snaps as Patterson in Week 7, including more lined up in the backfield, but Patterson is clearly the better Fantasy option, at the very least, especially if he's going to split his time between running back and wide receiver as he has been of late.
Leonard Fournette @NO -- This is a pretty tough matchup for Fournette, but as long as he's in the role he is, where he is getting at least four targets per game, you can't go away from him. He just has too many ways to put up points as Tom Brady's primary running back.
James Robinson @SEA
Darrell Henderson @HOU -- I think this ranking might be too low, but it's more about how much I like the guys ahead of him. In theory, you would think the Rams might limit his usage in a game they can win easily, but Henderson played 82% of the snaps in a 38-11 win over the Giants two weeks ago, in a game Henderson actually left briefly with an injury. They talked about wanting to limit him in the preseason, but Sean McVay hasn't actually shown any interest in doing that.
Nick Chubb vs. PIT -- Chubb had 253 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Steelers last season, and with Kareem Hunt out, you have to think he's a pretty good bet for a touchdown in this one. One thing that will be interesting to watch will be whether D'Ernest Johnson simply slides into Kareem Hunt's role after his eye-opening performance in Week 7, or if Chubb might see a bigger passing game role with Hunt sidelined. You can make an argument Chubb should be higher than this, obviously, but you should be starting him in all circumstances either way.
Jonathan Taylor vs. TEN -- Taylor has at least 110 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in his last four games, which highlights the upside he has every week. However, it's interesting to note that his usage in those four games hasn't been dramatically different than it was when he was a disappointment through the first three games -- he's gone from averaging 14 carries and three targets per game to 15.8 carries and three targets. The truth is, he doesn't get the same kind of touches some of the elite Fantasy RBs do, which leave him more reliant on touchdowns and big plays than most. Maybe this ranking is too low, however as with the previous two, you should be starting Taylor in all circumstances.
Joe Mixon @NYJ
Khalil Herbert vs. LAR -- Herbert has been too good to relinquish the starting role to Damien Williams at this point, but can we count on him to play 75% of the snaps moving forward, or was that role mostly a result of Williams not having his usual conditioning after missing a game due to COVID? If you could count on Herbert for 3-5 targets every week in addition to 15-plus carries, he would be in the RB1 discussion.
Antonio Gibson @DEN -- I swear I didn't group the five players since Henderson together on purpose, but they are all different versions of the same player type. None of them are likely to make a big impact in the passing game most weeks, so you're mostly counting on a bunch of carries and a touchdown to get to where you want them. It's possible, and for the most part they all have good matchups, but Gibson's injury and his nearly nonexistent role on third downs and in obvious passing situations gives him a fairly narrow path to an RB1 finish. He can get there, but you can't count on it every week at this point.
Devontae Booker @KC
Chuba Hubbard @ATL
Darrel Williams vs. NYG -- Booker, Hubbard, and Williams are all in similar spots as backups thrust into big roles due to injuries who have had their ups and downs to date. All three have pretty good matchups, but they rank in the lower end of the RB2 tier because you just can't be sure how much work they'll get or how productive they'll be. But all three are pretty good starts.
Michael Carter vs. CIN -- I think Carter can and should be an RB2 moving forward, but it's going to depend on how much the Jets want to lean on him in the passing game. I think he's unlikely to see enough carries or be consistently productive enough in the running game to have much value there, but if Joe Flacco or Mike White end up leaning on him for five or more targets most weeks moving forward, he'll probably end up in that RB2 range. That is almost certainly the Jets best plan moving forward, but whether it's one they'll commit to remains to be seen.
Elijah Mitchell @CHI -- Mitchell has at least 17 carries in three of four games, and there really is no question he's the 49ers lead back. However, he also has almost no passing game role -- just four targets in four games -- so he's pretty touchdown dependent. He has a high weekly floor, but like the next guy on the list, his path to 15-plus PPR points almost entirely runs through the end zone.
Damien Harris @LAC -- Harris has a decent matchup yet again, and he's coming off consecutive games with 100-plus yards and a touchdown, so he's riding high. The Patriots will probably give him 14-plus carries yet again, and he'll be a low-end RB2 unless he gets into the end zone. Same as always, pretty much.
Myles Gaskin @BUF -- Gaskin might be the hardest player to rank this week, and if I'm being honest, I'd rather just not. With Malcolm Brown going on IR, however, I do think Gaskin's role should be a bit more predictable moving forward. Hopefully that means double-digit carries, a healthy target share, and more opportunities near the goal line. That should make him an RB2 most weeks, and it's worth noting that he has averaged 13.3 PPR points in three games against the Bills over the past two seasons.
Alex Collins vs. JAX -- It's a great matchup against the Jaguars, but Collins now has 47 yards or fewer in two of his three starts and he's stuck in what looks like a pretty miserable offense without Russell Wilson. Matchups matter, but it's hard to get excited about 15 carries and one or two targets in this offense right now.
Zack Moss vs. MIA
David Johnson vs. LAR -- With Mark Ingram traded, Johnson should see a bigger role in the running game, even if Phillip Lindsay might still lead the team in carries -- though that is by no means a guarantee. However, with his passing game role in addition to whatever increase in carries Johnson gets, he might actually be a pretty good starting option the rest of the season, especially if Tyrod Taylor returns and injects some life into the offense.
Mike Davis vs. CAR
Kenneth Gainwell @DET
Melvin Gordon vs. WAS
Javonte Williams vs. WAS -- I'm just going to keep Gordon and Williams right next to each other in the rankings until they give me a reason to separate them. That's how the Broncos use them, after all.
J.D. McKissic @DEN
Tony Pollard @MIN
Devin Singletary vs. MIA
D'Ernest Johnson vs. PIT -- Johnson should have earned a bigger role for himself with his Week 7 performance, but the question is whether that role is something like eight carries spelling Chubb or if he might handle some of the passing game work while also getting double-digit carries most weeks.
Jamaal Williams vs. PHI
Brandon Bolden @LAC
Damien Williams vs. LAR
Boston Scott @DET
Ty Johnson vs. CIN
Nyheim Hines vs. TEN
Alexander Mattison vs. DAL
Jerick McKinnon vs. NYG
Jeremy McNichols @IND
Phillip Lindsay vs. LAR

Wide receivers

Cooper Kupp @HOU
Tyreek Hill vs. NYG
Stefon Diggs vs. MIA -- Diggs hasn't been quite as good as he was last season, but I'm still viewing him as more or less the same player. He's still tied to an elite quarterback and he's on pace for just nine fewer targets over 16 games than he earned last season. He's still unquestionably one of the elite receivers in Fantasy.
Justin Jefferson vs. DAL
Ja'Marr Chase @NYJ -- If you're wondering when Chase might finally get tripped up, this is a contender. Not that I'm worried the Jets will slow him down; I'm just worried the Bengals might only throw the ball 25 times. Of course, I'm still treating him as an elite WR, because as he has shown time and time again so far, he's the kind of player who only needs on target to make you regret doubting him.
Deebo Samuel @CHI -- Samuel just keeps on rolling, and the only thing I'm worried may slow him down is the ascension of Trey Lance to the starting QB spot. That won't be happening in Week 8, so I'm not worried about it.
A.J. Brown @IND
Diontae Johnson @CLE -- After having just two targets and two catches in Week 5, Johnson bounced back with nine catches on 13 targets the following week. He's one of the best bets in the league for double-digits in any given game and belongs in the borderline-elite discussion in PPR.
Terry McLaurin @DEN
Mike Williams vs. NE -- The Patriots are a tough matchup, but everything I've seen from Williams, Allen, and the Chargers offense makes me think I should trust them anyway. Williams is coming off a sub-par outing against the Ravens in Week 6, one of two in his final three games leading into the bye, but he's just been too good to doubt this season.
Keenan Allen vs. NE
D.J. Moore @ATL -- When I first plugged Ridley's data into my spreadsheet where I begin my rankings process, he came out as WR2. Obviously, I needed to adjust that, given Moore (and the Panthers passing game as a whole) struggles over the last three weeks. However, Moore is seeing legitimate WR1 usage with 73 targets in seven games, and he's taking on the Falcons, who just gave up four passing touchdowns to the Dolphins and have allowed 15 in six games to date. He's still a No. 1 WR.
Chris Godwin @NO
Mike Evans @NO
Courtland Sutton vs. WAS -- We'll see how Jerry Jeudy's expected return impacts Sutton's usage, but I'm not going to be too concerned about that when he gets to play against one of the best matchups in the game -- arguably the worst defense against the pass right now, in fact. I'm starting Sutton pretty confidently this week and still viewing him as a WR2 moving forward based on what we've seen. The question is more about how Jeudy looks coming off his high-ankle sprain.
Robert Woods @HOU
Michael Pittman vs. TEN -- Pittman had four catches for 105 yards in Sunday's game, and he was even better than that, drawing two pass interference penalties that could have been touchdowns and led to goal-to-go situations for the Colts. I'm still curious to see what his target share looks like when T.Y. Hilton is healthy, but facing a great matchup this week, Pittman belongs in your lineup.
Chase Claypool @CLE
CeeDee Lamb @MIN
Jaylen Waddle @BUF
Brandin Cooks vs. LAR -- I don't feel good about this one at all. I wouldn't feel good about ranking Cooks much higher or lower either, though. He's still seeing a massive share of the Texans targets, which makes me wary of going against him in any game. However, this is a tough matchup, one that makes it hard to expect him to turn things around at this point.
Tee Higgins @NYJ -- I don't understand why Higgins has been so inefficient this season, averaging 6.0 yards per target after putting up 8.4 as a rookie in a worse situation. If you believe Higgins is better than this, he's a viable buy low option, because he's still seeing a healthy target volume, with 43 in five games. Chase has dominated headlines and the spotlight, but there's still room for Higgins to thrive here.
Amari Cooper @MIN
DeVonta Smith @DET -- It still feels like there's a lot of room for Smith to improve here. He's seeing the kind of targets we want most weeks, including nine in two of his last three. But outside of Week 1 and 4 we're still waiting for him to take a step forward. If you've been frustrated with Smith, I understand, but I take that as reason for optimism, considering how many rookie wide receivers tend to play better in the second half. There could be a breakout coming.
Marvin Jones @SEA
Adam Thielen vs. DAL
Emmanuel Sanders vs. MIA
D.K. Metcalf vs. JAX -- I can't bring myself to sit Metcalf, but I can't give him a full-throated endorsement at this point with Geno Smith as his starting quarterback. He had 17.6 PPR points in Week 7, but that very easily could have been a one-catch, 12-yard showing if the defensive back made a better play on his long touchdown. Metcalf is the kind of player who can make himself worth starting with one target, but he doesn't have much of a floor these days.
Jakobi Meyers @LAC
Cole Beasley vs. MIA
Jerry Jeudy vs. WAS
Darius Slayton @KC -- We'll see if Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney play this week, as all four are making progress in their recoveries. If none of them play, Slayton is probably a starting caliber Fantasy option, but if more than one returns, it'll be tough to trust him even in a good matchup.
Laviska Shenault @SEA -- Shenault's role has fluctuated since DJ Chark's injury -- seven targets in the game he missed, then three, then 10 in Week 6. He hasn't had a great game for Fantasy yet, regardless of his workload, but he's too talented to remain this quiet, right? I thought so coming into the season. I'm less sure every week.
Russell Gage vs. CAR
Jarvis Landry vs. PIT
DeVante Parker @BUF
Jamison Crowder vs. CIN
Darnell Mooney vs. LAR
Tyler Lockett vs. JAX
Odell Beckham vs. PIT
Robby Anderson @ATL -- I'm really struggling with Anderson. I'm a big believer in staying steady when it comes to how I view a player's talent level, and I think he's a lot better than he has shown so far this season. If he keeps getting as many targets as he is -- 38 in his past four games! -- I figure he has to play better. And against this matchup, how could he not have a good game? Well, he had 14 yards on nine targets in Week 7 against the Giants, so how could you even trust him?
Mecole Hardman vs. NYG
Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. PHI

Tight end

Travis Kelce vs. NYG
Kyle Pitts vs. CAR
T.J. Hockenson vs. PHI -- I know Hockenson has been a disappointment, but unless you have Pitts or Kelce, I'm keeping him active. There just aren't many tight ends you can count on for the kind of volume Hockenson gets regularly. He has 20 targets over the past two games.
Rob Gronkowski @NO
Mike Gesicki @BUF -- Gesicki has been excellent this season, averaging 71.2 yards per game since he was held without a catch in Week 1. He's benefited from the absences of DeVante Parker and Will Fuller, and at least one of them is still out this week. It's a tough matchup against the Bills, but Gesicki has been such a focal point for Miami of late that you probably have to keep him active.
Dallas Goedert @DET -- Goedert had a decent game in his first without Zach Ertz, but a 15% target share wasn't exactly what we were hoping for. Still, that feels more like a floor than the ceiling, so I still view Goedert as a must-start tight end moving forward.
Noah Fant vs. WAS -- Fant is getting the usage we want, but the results have mostly just been fine -- four games with double-digits in PPR points, but only two games with more than 13. Teddy Bridgewater has taken a step back after a hot start, but luckily they've got arguably the worst pass defense in the league on the schedule this week. Fant should be set up for a big game against this matchup, but with Jerry Jeudy expected to return from IR, the Broncos' passing game hierarchy could be somewhat tough to predict. Still, Fant remains worth starting every week.
Dalton Schultz @MIN -- Schultz has at least 58 yards in each of his past four games with six or more targets in all but one game. This sure looks legit, though with Dak Prescott questionable, he's less of a sure thing this week
Jared Cook vs. NE -- And that's the end of the "worth starting every week" tier this week. Cook has two games with more than 30 yards, so you're hoping he finds the end zone. That's the case with pretty much everyone else here.
Ricky Seals-Jones @DEN -- Seals-Jones has had three good games in a row since taking over as the Football Team's starting tight end, and he's playing basically every snap, so you can keep rolling with him.
Tyler Higbee @HOU
Hunter Henry @LAC -- Henry has touchdowns in four straight games, which is great. If he doesn't score, things are going to get pretty ugly, because he has just 14 catches for 155 yards in those four games otherwise. He's a touchdown-or-bust tight end who has been getting a ton of looks near the end zone, but he's still a touchdown-or-bust tight end.
Dan Arnold @SEA -- Darnold got thrown into the Jaguars offense with just a few days to prepare and had 15 targets in three games, including 13 over his past two while seeing his role expand. I wonder if we might be overlooking him a bit too much coming out of the bye against a good matchup?
Evan Engram @KC
Pat Freiermuth @CLE -- Freiermuth had his best game of the season going into the bye, with seven catches for 58 yards. Will he see an expanded role coming out of the bye? It's entirely possible, so view him as a potential sleeper with some upside.
Tyler Conklin vs. DAL
Cole Kmet vs. LAR
David Njoku vs. PIT
Austin Hooper vs. PIT
Mo Alie-Cox vs. TEN
Anthony Firkser @IND
Tommy Sweeney vs. MIA -- With no Dawson Knox, Sweeney figures to step into a larger role coming out of the bye. Whether that will be enough to make him Fantasy relevant in a crowded receiving corps remains to be seen, but he's worth watching.
Gerald Everett vs. JAX