Week 8 Rankings

Updated 11/1 at 12:00 PM ET. Re-added John Brown. Added Antonio Gates. Moved Ladarius Green down. Ticked Michael Floyd down.

You knew Doug Martin was back, but did you know he already has more 47 rushing yards (541) than he did in all of 2014? And on 25 fewer carries? In five fewer games and 135 fewer snaps, Martin also surpassed his 2014 reception, receiving and touchdown totals. This isn’t some surface-level “back.” Martin is back back.

Looking almost Sproles-ian quick, Martin has saved his career, and put himself in line for a nice payday next offseason. Involved in all phases of the offense even as Charles Sims averages 10.5 touches, Martin has ripped good (Carolina), bad (Jacksonville) and average (Washington) defenses alike.

For Week 8 he gets Atlanta’s shaky unit. The Falcons are allowing just 3.7 yards per carry and 79 rushing yards per game, but have been smashed for a league-worst 10 touchdowns. And though Dan Quinn’s defense has largely bottled up backs on the ground, it’s been eviscerated by them through the air, coughing up 64 receptions to runners. No one else has allowed more than 48. On the whole, only the Browns and Chargers have allowed more fantasy points to enemy backs.

The RB29 by average draft position, Martin enters Week 8 No. 4 in rushing yards per game (90.2), and No. 11 in yards per carry (4.96). Now there’s a pick who could win you a league.

Week 8 Quarterbacks

QB Notes: On pace for a league-record 5,605 passing yards, Philip Rivers is averaging 44 attempts per game. He’s thrown the ball at least 48 times in three straight contests. Now he gets a Ravens defense allowing the second most fantasy points to quarterbacks. Rankings are rarely this easy. … Tom Brady is averaging 3.2 more fantasy points than any other quarterback, but has a stiff short week test in the Dolphins’ rejuvenated defense. The ‘Fins still have one of the league’s shakiest secondaries, but are one of only eight teams holding signal callers to a sub-60.0 completion percentage. Miami’s QB rating against is a solid 86.6. No one shuts Brady down, especially at home, but he should be slowed enough that he won’t be this week’s top play. … Can Andy Dalton finally get some respect? The QB2, Dalton has tossed multiple scores in 5-of-6 starts, and is completing 67.4 percent of his throws while averaging over nine yards per attempt. Fresh off Cincinnati’s bye, he has a delightful matchup in the Steelers’ bottom-six (by yardage) pass defense.

Carson Palmer has yet to be held below 20.0 fantasy points. In complete command of one of the league’s best receiver corps, Palmer is close to matchup proof. … Ben Roethlisberger’s return from his four-game absence isn’t a given, but he’ll immediately slide in as a top-five option if he starts against Cincinnati. Big Ben has averaged 360 yards in his two complete games, which is all the more impressive considering he did it without Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant. Ben was carving up the Rams’ ferocious defense upon going down in Week 3. Roethlisberger could be a league-winner down the stretch. … Cam Newton is 26th in passing yards … and sixth in average fantasy points. Newton is on pace for 11 rushing scores, which would be his highest total since his rookie season. Newton’s lack of a receiver corps matters not for roto purposes. … This is low for Aaron Rodgers — perhaps too low, and something I’ll continue to mull as the week progresses — but the Broncos’ defense has obliterated everything in its path this season. Opposing passers have posted a 5:9 TD:INT ratio in six games, and mustered a 69.6 QB rating. Rodgers is always capable of making something happen, but has a low Week 8 ceiling.

Drew Brees is dinking and dunking more than ever, but has cleared 300 yards in 4-of-6 starts, and yet to throw for fewer than 255. Still a dynamo at home, Brees will be hosting a Giants defense allowing a weekly 288 through the air. … Merely the QB23 by average points, Eli Manning has been held below 200 yards in back-to-back games, and three times in seven starts. 24.8 percent of his yardage came against the hapless 49ers in Week 5. Manning remains a QB1 for a juicy matchup with the Saints — who are allowing the most fantasy points to enemy quarterbacks — but is starting to lose the benefit of the doubt. … No. 10 could be argued as either too high or too low for Ryan Tannehill. Too high because he’s on a short week against Bill Belichick. Too low because he’s coming off one of the best starts by any quarterback this season, and is quietly the QB10 on the year. It’s come against two bad teams, but Tannehill is averaging 26.6 fantasy points since Dan Campbell took over as head coach.

The good: Andrew Luck has tossed multiple touchdowns in 4-of-5 starts. The bad: The same is true of picks. The confusing: Through it all, he’s the QB4. The Panthers have played arguably the league’s best pass defense, but no matter his real-life struggles, Luck simply can’t be left outside the top 12. … Sandwiched between Joe Flacco and Derek Carr in average points, Matt Ryan’s QB1 status can no longer be assumed. Ryan has nearly as many turnovers (eight) as scores (nine). For Week 8, his saving grace is a home matchup with a Bucs defense that’s allowed 15 passing touchdowns in six games. … Russell Wilson has one multiple touchdown performance in seven starts. It feels like a fluke — Wilson is on pace for career highs in both passing yards and rushing attempts — but Seattle isn’t going to have to do a whole lot to beat the Matt Cassel “led” Cowboys on Sunday. … The Lions’ firing of OC Joe Lombardi was about one thing: Sparking Matthew Stafford. The Chiefs’ pass rush is a major concern for Detroit’s horrid line, but only the Texans have allowed more passing scores than Andy Reid’s defense. … Ryan Fitzpatrick is the QB12 on the strength of five multi-score efforts in six starts. Averaging a modest 245 yards, Fitz’s floor is more compelling than his ceiling.

Jay Cutler’s point totals in three games since returning: 22.1, 22.1 and 22.9. The Vikings have allowed only eight passing touchdowns, but are not a shutdown matchup. … Joe Flacco has four games with at least 25 fantasy points, and three with fewer than 17. He seems more likely to bust than boom against the Chargers’ solid secondary. … This is a generous ranking for Peyton Manning. Very generous, in fact. I’ve decided to give the Gipper one more chance coming off his bye. If it doesn’t happen now, it never will. … Coming off his best game of the year, Teddy Bridgewater gets a Bears defense allowing the sixth most fantasy points to quarterbacks. Stefon Diggs could prove a boon to both Bridgewater’s floor and ceiling. … If Marcus Mariota can play, it will be against a Texans defense fresh off the most embarrassing effort by any D in 2015. … It’s a nice matchup for Alex Smith in London, but those haven’t meant much this season. Smith has seven touchdowns in seven starts, and four scores over his past six games. … Derek Carr is one of this year’s true breakout players, but has his toughest matchup of the year in the Jets.

Don't forget, for the latest on everything NFL, check out Rotoworld's Player News, or follow @Rotoworld_FB or @RotoPat on Twitter.

Week 8 Running Backs

RB Notes: Devonta Freeman has 155 more yards from scrimmage and four more touchdowns than any player in football. He’s a no-brainer weekly No. 1. … Le'Veon Bell averaged 25 touches and 126 yards from scrimmage in four games without Ben Roethlisberger. With Ben back, the former may decrease slightly, but the latter should increase slightly. … Through three starts, Todd Gurley is averaging 144 rushing yards and 6.36 yards per carry. He’s gone from injury question mark to matchup proof. With Freeman, Bell and Gurley rampaging, the top three could be locked in for the rest of the season. … Matt Forte is averaging 15.8 fantasy points in three games since Jay Cutler’s return. He has a nice matchup in a Vikings defense allowing 4.5 yards per carry. … If you take out Adrian Peterson’s two best carries over the past two weeks, he’s averaged 1.39 yards on 43 totes. Granted, big plays have always been part of Peterson’s game, but perhaps he’s already fatigued after spending 2014 at home. How he fares against a Bears Run D allowing 4.5 yards per carry and 125 yards per game will be instructive.

Marshawn Lynch finally came alive in Week 7, and now gets a Cowboys defense allowing the fourth most fantasy points to opposing runners. … Justin Forsett has just 98 yards on 29 carries (3.37 YPC) over the past two weeks, but will be squaring off with a Chargers defense allowing a truly incompetent 5.3 yards per carry. Forsett is capable of monster weeks. This could very well be one. … Mark Ingram was producing like an RB1 before Week 7, but wasn’t running like one. Then he stung the Colts for 143 yards on 14 carries (10.21 YPC), ripping off chunk after chunk. The Giants’ run defense got off to a hot start, but has been exposed by Darren McFadden, DeMarco Murray and Carlos Hyde over the past three weeks. … Chris Ivory is a top-five back when healthy. He’s practicing in full for Week 8, but deserves pause after tweaking his quad on the first carry of last Sunday’s loss. The Raiders also boast one of the league’s better run defenses. … Lamar Miller could easily be higher after exploding for 53.4 points and 354 yards from scrimmage over his past two games. Working against him is a short week, and a Patriots run defense that bends more than it breaks.

No. 2 in the league in rushing (567 yards), Chris Johnson gets a Browns defense allowing the most ground yards in the league. The only thing working against Johnson is an offense where most of the scores come through the air. … Having vanquished Knile Davis with extreme prejudice, Charcandrick West now gets a Lions defense that’s allowed 10 rushing touchdowns in seven games. … Finally running well, Jonathan Stewart has a juicy matchup in a Colts defense that just got hammered by Mark Ingram. … Danny Woodhead is tied for 15th in receptions (37). Even in standard leagues, that will play at RB2. … The Seahawks are a rough matchup for Darren McFadden, but his usage promises to be through the roof one week after he seized control of the Cowboys’ backfield. Especially with Joseph Randle (oblique) sidelined, DMC should see 20 touches even if he isn’t running well. That’s an RB2 workload worth betting on. … Frank Gore’s rate stats are impressive, but his workloads continue to be managed. He has a low ceiling against the Panthers’ elite defense. … Giovani Bernard/Jeremy Hill remains difficult to project on a weekly basis, but I’ll roll Bernard in a game that figures to be an up-and-down, high-scoring affair with Ben Roethlisberger back under center for the Steelers.

With James Starks dealing with a hip injury, Eddie Lacy’s latest “committee” threat may end up lasting all of one (bye) week. I have full confidence in Lacy’s ability to catch fire down the stretch, but it will be tough to get a hot streak off the ground against the Broncos’ elite defense. Wade Phillips’ unit is surrendering just 3.6 yards per carry. … Coming off a -3-yard effort, LeGarrette Blount will be running behind a banged up line on a short week against a defense that’s found its legs. Blount’s touchdown potential keeps him locked into the top 24, but a patented “Blount Game” where he grinds his opponent into submission is unlikely. … Latavius Murray goes from his best matchup of the year to his worst. The Jets are allowing a league-low 3.4 yards per carry and 72 yards per game. Gang Green has permitted only two ground scores, and 27 running back receptions. … I’m guessing one of the Broncos’ bye-week adjustments was committing to Ronnie Hillman as their lead back. That doesn’t mean there will be zero C.J. Anderson involvement, but it’s hard to see how Gary Kubiak could come away from seven days of film study without deciding Hillman should be the guy.

Dion Lewis is one of 2015’s best stories, but he’s a leap of faith just four days after sitting out with an abdominal injury. That being said, Lewis does offer much higher upside than you’d typically find at No. 23. … Alfred Blue will lead the Texans’ post Arian Foster committee, but could quickly get bogged down in an unpredictable timeshare with Chris Polk and Jonathan Grimes. He does have a plus Week 8 matchup in a Titans defense allowing the league’s fourth most rushing yards. … Running at less than 100 percent, Carlos Hyde will likely be slamming into brick walls in St. Louis. … It’s a big week for Theo Riddick, who will either see his involvement ramped up or scaled back after the Lions fired OC Joe Lombardi. Riddick has just one fewer catch than Danny Woodhead. For now at least, he’s firmly on the FLEX radar in standard formats … Antonio Andrews is the Matt Asiata Memorial Play of the week. … With “Orleans Darkwa” stealing carries from Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen has the only semi-predictable floor in the Giants’ backfield.

Week 8 Receivers

WR Notes: Julio Jones gets the Bucs, who have allowed a league-worst 15 touchdown passes, for Week 8. DeAndre Hopkins will be squaring off with the Titans, who are allowing the second fewest passing yards. That, coupled with Brian Hoyer’s Week 7 exposure, gives Julio the edge. Of course, there’s no wrong answer. … Antonio Brown in Ben Roethlisberger’s two starts: 18/328/2. That does not include the 9/86 he put up in the first half of Week 3 before Roethlisberger got injured. Mercifully, “Vick, Interrupted” is over. … A.J. Green in two games against the Steelers in 2014: 19/306/2. Mike Tomlin’s secondary hasn’t gotten any better in the past 10 months. … The WR5 by total points over the past three weeks, Calvin Johnson gets a Chiefs defense allowing the most fantasy tallies to rival wideouts. Jim Caldwell should force the downfield issue with his superstar receiver six days after firing OC Joe Lombardi. … Odell Beckham finds himself in the quietest stretch of his career, but has still caught at least five passes in all but one game. He might finally explode against a Saints defense allowing 8.4 yards per attempt. New Orleans’ starting corners are Brandon Browner and Delvin Breaux. Breaux fell down on not one, but two T.Y. Hilton touchdowns in Week 7.

Alshon Jeffery played like an alpha WR1 in his Week 6 return, catching 8-of-11 targets for 147 yards and a touchdown. If he wasn’t 100 percent healthy then, he definitely is after the Bears’ Week 7 bye. … No one is allowing more passing yards than the Raiders. Even with Eric Decker muscling in on his turf a bit, Brandon Marshall is a cinch top-eight option. … Keenan Allen’s hip wasn’t an issue in Week 7, and the third-year wideout is now sitting on 62/690/3 on the year. He’s leading the league in catches, and is third in both yards and targets. The Ravens, who are allowing the second most fantasy points to receivers, aren’t going to slow him down. … Peyton Manning’s struggles have scarcely affected Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders’ numbers. Both players are in the top 15 in catches, and top 20 in yards despite having their bye in Week 7. Demaryius has drawn fewer than 10 looks only once. Emmanuel, twice. Target monsters with big-play ability, neither will be falling out of the top 15 any time soon.

This might seem reactionary on Larry Fitzgerald, but it has less to do with his slow Week 7 than the healthy return of Michael Floyd. With Floyd and John Brown both fighting for targets in Arizona’s humming offense, Fitz is a tough-sell as the weekly top-five option he was before Floyd got cooking. … Julio Jones and Amari Cooper are 1-2 in yards after the catch. No. 3? Slot dynamo Julian Edelman. Miami’s defense has improved dramatically since firing Joe Philbin, but still has plenty of soft spots in its secondary. Finding them is Edelman’s specialty. … The early signs suggest Dez Bryant (foot) is ready to return from his six-week absence. At less than 100 percent with Matt Cassel at quarterback, Bryant won’t be the top-five option we’ve come to expect, but would offer unlimited upside as a WR2. … Mike Evans finally blew up in Week 7. No. 13 might be his lowest rank the rest of the season. … Getting ready to retire, Steve Smith Sr. is the WR8 amongst wideouts with at least four appearances. San Diego rolls into town with a decent secondary, but matchups haven’t mattered for Sr.

Martavis Bryant has averaged 19.2 points without Ben Roethlisberger. He could truly explode with his All-Pro quarterback finally back in the fold. … Coming off his best game of the year, T.Y. Hilton is quietly sixth in yardage. Unfortunately, he’s headed outdoors for Week 8, where he must do battle with DPOY candidate Josh Norman. … Randall Cobb had the Pack’s Week 7 bye to get right after his Weeks 4-6 slump, but is returning on the road against the league’s best secondary. He’s just a mid-range WR2. … The WR18 by average points, Eric Decker might be this season’s most underrated WR2. … This is probably too low for Jeremy Maclin, but he’s coming back from a concussion, and it’s a deep week at wideout. The Lions are allowing an astounding 9.1 yards per attempt, propping the door wide open for big plays. … Amari Cooper has been a rookie revelation, but is sentenced to Darrelle Revis Island for Week 8. … Stefon Diggs has been crazy efficient since barreling onto the scene, averaging a league-leading 3.27 yards per route run. He’s caught 19 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown in the process, blowing by Mike Wallace for the Vikings’ yardage lead. Diggs is going to find the creases in a Bears defense getting smoked for weekly big plays.

Jarvis Landry has been all over the field since know-nothing coach Joe Philbin was fired, but you can bet he was Priority No. 1 for Bill Belichick in this week’s game-planning sessions. … John Brown’s boom potential is through the roof, but the second-year wideout has surpassed 75 yards only once in 2015. As is the case with Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd’s return doesn’t help. Brown (hamstring) could end up sitting. … Donte Moncrief deserves better than No. 24, but it figures to be a tough week for Indy in Carolina. … It was just one bad game for Travis Benjamin, but now he has a date with Patrick Peterson. That renders him a WR3. … Averaging only five targets, James Jones is a sucker’s play against the Broncos’ elite defense. … Locked into two-receiver sets, Rishard Matthews’ perception has yet to catch up with his WR3 reality. … It’s of the “floor” variety, but Michael Crabtree has established himself as a legitimate WR3. … Marvin Jones has WR2 upside, but a WR5 floor. … Nate Washington is a dirt cheap No. 3 receiver for DFS purposes. … Davante Adams isn’t worth firing up in his tough return matchup. … Obviously Brandon LaFell belongs on benches after last week’s six-drop performance.

Week 8 Tight Ends

TE Notes: Rob Gronkowski is averaging 15.7 yards per reception, which would be a new career best. … Greg Olsen set a new career high in yardage (1,008) last season, but is on pace to break it by 163. His role has unfolded exactly as expected for the receiver-less Panthers. … Tyler Eifert is the TE2, but has continued to rotate huge afternoons with pedestrian ones. Expect him to “boom” against a Steelers defense allowing the third most fantasy points to tight ends. … Only Gronk has more receiving yards than Gary Barnidge at the tight end position. The 30-year-old journeyman has not only broken out, he’s proven matchup proof. He has a stiff test in a Cardinals defense allowing the fewest fantasy points to tight ends, but if the past seven weeks are any indication, he’ll pass it.

“Waiting For Travis Kelce” is starting to feel like the 21st century’s “Waiting For Godot,” but the second-year starter has now gone 5/70 in back-to-back games. The TE8, Kelce gets a Lions defense allowing the ninth most fantasy points to tight ends. Averaging 14.4 yards per catch, Kelce’s big-play ability is overdue to find the end zone. … Martellus Bennett is averaging 12.3 targets since Jay Cutler’s Week 4 return, but has turned them into a modest 21/174/1 line over three games. Bennett’s floor is amongst the highest at his position, but averaging 8.6 yards per catch, his ceiling is limited. … Delanie Walker has at least seven catches in three of his past four games. … Coming off an 8/140 effort, Jimmy Graham could muster only 2/31 in last Thursday’s win over the 49ers. Now he gets a Cowboys defense allowing the third fewest fantasy points to tight ends. The Seahawks’ actions haven’t matched their words when it comes to getting their big offseason acquisition more involved.

Quietly averaging six catches per game, Jason Witten remains a top-10 option even though he’s on his third quarterback. … Is the time finally now for Eric Ebron? The second-year pro has already surpassed his rookie receiving total, and went for a career-high 89 yards in Week 7. The Chiefs have a stingy tight end defense, but further featuring Ebron could be an adjustment for a team that just fired its offensive coordinator. … Ladarius Green has lots of theoretical upside if Antonio Gates misses another game, but also lots of competition for targets. He’ll be dealing with a Ravens defense allowing the second fewest fantasy points to tight ends. … Ben Watson had two separate 25-yard receptions end at the one-yard line last weekend. Drew Brees’ security blanket is fast becoming a plug-and-play TE1. … With the Broncos’ elite secondary poised to make things difficult for Randall Cobb and James Jones, Richard Rodgers isn’t a bad bet to find the end zone. … If you want the puntiest punt play in DFS history, fire up Jeff Cumberland against the Raiders’ league-worst tight end defense.

Week 8 Kickers

Week 8 Defense/Special Teams