Malik Willis Emerging as QB2 Option for Week 8 0mLink copied!

Oct 31, 2026, 5:38 AM ET

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is still and Indianapolis Colts running back, as the beginning of this sentence would suggest, and has denied rumors that he wants out of Indy. In fact, he's been loyal to the organization for his entire tenure, and has shown so with his fantastic play as the team's starting running back. He has RB1 upside in each game he plays, no matter the strength of the opposing defense. The Jacksonville Jaguars, who the Colts will face in Week 8, have one of the best run defenses in the NFL. They allow just 3.2 yards per carry to opposing running backs, which is comfortably the lowest mark in the NFL. That doesn't matter because Taylor is an elite RB. You start him no matter what and hope for the best. Usually he does very well. You can't blame him for having a bad game with the state of the Colts offense, but he overcomes it on a weekly basis. He's a clear RB1 for fantasy football in Week 8.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 4:11 AM ET

When the Indianapolis Colts take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8, they'll have their top slot wide receiver, Josh Downs, healthy and active. He's not been very productive this season, though. Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones, to the detriment of the team, has opted not to get the ball to Downs, and instead focus on his outside receivers and tight ends. Downs is separating very well this season -- he has no issues with getting open, but just isn't getting the ball as much as he should be. With just 12 receptions over the past four games combined, he's not been start-worthy in any fantasy football leagues this year. He requested a trade away from the Colts, likely due to his lack of involvement, but remains with the team for now and will be active for Week 8. He should be on benches in all leagues for now, and his current value in redraft leagues is very low.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 3:26 AM ET

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (groin) should be started in all fantasy football leagues for Week 8, when he takes on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Warren is good to go for Sunday's game against the Jaguars after missing the last two weeks with a groin injury. They're not a soft defense against tight ends by any means, but with Colts WR1 Alec Pierce (heel) sidelined with a heel injury, Warren has been the clear No. 1 target in the passing game when healthy. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones has played poor football this season, but Warren can thrive in PPR fantasy leagues even when he's not gaining a lot of yardage, as his receptions alone have made him fantasy relevant. Jones appears to have regressed massively from last season, but still targets Warren heavily -- it's been the team's other pass-catchers that have been mostly unproductive this season. The Colts offense may look ugly, but Warren can still produce for fantasy managers.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 3:23 AM ET

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones is probably best left on the benches outside of deep superflex leagues for Week 8. He's not even a top-24 QB in fantasy football this season despite not having had his bye week yet. With five total touchdowns and 10 turnovers on the season, he's arguably been a detriment to his teams offense as he continues to recover from the torn Achilles tendon he suffered late last season. The Colts will be without their top wideout, Alec Pierce (heel), as he recovers from a heel injury. He will at least get back his top remaining target, tight end Tyler Warren, who's been cleared to play in Week 8. Jones is a low-end QB2 when he's not having one of his awful turnover-ridden games and an unstartable player when he is. It's best to look elsewhere to fill your QB and superflex spots in your lineups this week.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 3:14 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy is coming off multiple double-digit PPR fantasy point performances in his last three games. Though some of those points were scored in garbage time, it's nice to see him more consistently involved in the offense and getting targeted on passes that have the potential to score enough points to be fantasy relevant. There's always risk when starting a team's WR3 in fantasy football, but that risk could be mitigated by playing against the dismal Arizona Cardinals pass defense. They rank near the bottom of the league in yards per pass attempt, PPR fantasy points to wide receivers, and passing touchdowns given up to opposing offenses this season. We could see a shootout result in enough fantasy points to go around for Cowboys WRs CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens (hamstring/shoulder), and Flournoy to all have great games. Treat Flournoy as a WR4 with upside in deeper leagues for Week 8.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 3:11 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey righted the ship of his rough season in Week 7 by making all three of his field goal attempts and not missing an extra point, finishing with 14 fantasy points. He's struggled with accuracy this season, making just 80 percent of his field goal attempts. But the Cowboys should have an easy time running up the score against the hapless Arizona Cardinals defense in Week 8. Interestingly, kickers don't fare particularly well against them in fantasy football, though that could be due to them allowing 3.5 touchdowns per contest this year. Arizona is bottom-8 at stopping opposing teams in the red zone. Aubrey may kick more extra points than field goals, but he's at least a decent starting option, as it's better to kick extra points than have an offense get completely shut down. Treat Aubrey as a low-end K1 for Week 8.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 3:02 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has cooled off massively over the last few weeks after a solid start to the season. He's almost entirely touchdown dependent to have good fantasy football production this season, as he's too far down the list of priority targets in the passing game for Dallas. Competing with wide receivers CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens (shoulder/hamstring), and Ryan Flournoy, as well as running back Javonte Williams for targets simply isn't a recipe for success. The matchup is great in Week 8, though -- the opposing Arizona Cardinals are a bottom-10 fantasy defense against opposing tight ends this season. Ferguson will probably need a touchdown or two to be worth starting in fantasy, but there's a solid chance he could do that against Arizona, who allows 2.4 passing touchdowns per game to opposing teams. That's the fourth-highest of any team this year. Ferguson is a decent option if you don't have a TE to start this week, but there's plenty of risk that he doesn't score.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 2:57 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott should not be left out of starting lineups in any fantasy football leagues in Week 8. He gets a home matchup with the Arizona Cardinals, who are simply a bad team with a bad defense that's been torn to shreds by opposing quarterbacks this season. If you simply started the QB that faced Arizona each week, you'd have gotten an average of 22.3 fantasy points per game, which would rank as the No. 2 overall quarterback in fantasy football if it were done by one player. The Cardinals are abysmal against the pass, allowing nearly eight yards per pass attempt to opposing QBs. That's a recipe for disaster against an excellent passing offense with two high-quality WRs. Prescott should comfortably eclipse the 20-point mark, making him a lineup lock in all leagues for Week 8.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 2:45 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland put up another double-digit fantasy score last week against the Broncos. In the 30-16 loss to Denver, Ryland was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, converting from 26, 30, and 41 yards out. It was a decent follow-up to his huge day in Week 6, wherein he hit six field goals in Arizona's shocking 18-16 win over the Rams. Ryland is tied for the third-most field goals made (17) and attempted (19), and has at least eight fantasy points in five of Arizona's first seven games. In Week 8, the Cardinals face the Cowboys in what is expected to be a high-scoring affair. If the shootout comes to fruition, Ryland will be afforded some extra opportunities to cash in. Fantasy managers in the market for an option at kicker in Week 8 can pick up and start Ryland with confidence.--Dan Stephens
Source: NFL.com

Oct 31, 2026, 2:42 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (shoulder/hamstring) is dealing with multiple injuries and is listed as questionable for Week 8, but it looks like he'll be able to play. He's set to face one of the NFL's worst pass defenses in the Arizona Cardinals. They allow the second-most pass yards per attempt to opposing defenses this season, and don't fare well at slowing down opposing wideouts. Pickens has been a clear second fiddle to Cowboys WR1 CeeDee Lamb this season, which hasn't been ideal for his fantasy production, but he's seen 30 targets combined in his last three contests and turned in double-digit PPR fantasy points in each. While he doesn't have the high-end WR1 ceiling he had last season when Lamb is on the field this year, he's still a must-start WR2 with plenty of upside in a fantastic matchup. The Cowboys passing offense is playing good football right now, and Pickens can't be benched.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 2:39 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride enjoyed his best game of the season last week against the Broncos, catching 10 of 13 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown. Through the first seven weeks of 2026, McBride leads the league in receptions (59), ranks second in targets (78), and fifth in target share (30.1%). McBride's next stop will be against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Dallas is in the middle of the pack when it comes to fantasy points allowed to tight ends, but that may be because so few of their opponents utilize their tight ends comparably to Arizona's use of McBride. The Cardinals' offense is flowing through the fifth-year star, and that should remain the case in Week 8. McBride has entered set-and-forget territory and should be locked into fantasy lineups for Sunday.--Dan Stephens
Source: NFL.com

Oct 31, 2026, 2:38 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is healthy and ready to face one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL in Week 8. He's a must-start, elite WR1 option with week-winning potential against the Arizona Cardinals, who are the second-worst pass defense in the NFL by yards per pass attempt allowed to opposing passers. They also allow the 12th-most PPR fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts. It's a dream matchup for the WR2 overall in PPR fantasy football leagues. He would have had a shot at being the WR1 overall over Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba were it not for a quad injury that saw him pulled from his Week 5 game early and limited in Week 6. Lamb is in his prime and is one of the best separators in the NFL. Arizona is no match for his skills, and expect a monster performance from a potential future Hall of Fame wideout in Week 8.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 31, 2026, 2:34 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has been relatively quiet since his surprising eight-catch, 75-yard performance in Week 1 against the Chargers. Bourne has been used almost exclusively as Arizona's slot receiver in three-WR sets, so Marvin Harrison Jr.'s departure hasn't brought extra opportunities, but his utilization remains stable, netting him 22 targets (equal to that of Michael Wilson) in the last three weeks. Bourne's steady workload and a Week 8 matchup against the Cowboys set him up for a potential boom game. Dallas has allowed the fourth-most receptions and third-most receiving yards to receivers lined up in the slot this season. If Arizona stays consistent in how they have been using Bourne, the results should be far better this week. He projects as a WR4 and is startable in deep leagues or as a desperation flex for teams missing players on bye in Week 8.--Dan Stephens
Source: NFL.com

Oct 31, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (ribs) was a limited participant in practice all week but carries no designation for Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys. As long as Wilson can play through the pain, he stands a good chance of getting his season back on track. The trade that sent Marvin Harrison Jr. to Houston was thought to open the door for a boon in production, but in the three games since, Wilson had four catches in each contest and averaged 39 receiving yards and 8.4 fantasy points per game. Things should pick up against Dallas, who have given up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. The Cowboys' defense is allowing 25.7 points per game and ranks 26th in red zone scoring allowed. Wilson projects as a WR2 and, despite his recent shortcomings, should be in fantasy lineups for Week 8.--Dan Stephens
Source: NFL.com

Oct 31, 2026, 2:25 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier (toe) whiffed on his opportunity to operate as the team's lead back during Jeremiyah Love's (ankle) two-week absence. While Love was out, Allgeier totaled 26 rushing attempts and just 57 yards. Furthermore, he was outproduced by his own backup, Bam Knight. Their relative performances invite speculation over which back might have the most to gain operating behind Love in Week 8. Arizona's upcoming matchup is against the Cowboys, who have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards and fourth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs through the first seven weeks of 2026. Even with the soft matchup, Allgeier is hard to trust given his recent performance and concerns about his health. Thanks to a recent toe injury, Allgeier's only participation in practice this week was a limited session on Friday. Allgeier projects as an RB3/4 and is a risky start in fantasy for Week 8.--Dan Stephens
Source: Arizona Cardinals

Oct 31, 2026, 2:21 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) missed the last two weeks of action while nursing an ankle injury, but he will be back to work in Week 8 against the Cowboys. Love started the week with two limited practices but was a full participant on Friday and carries no designation heading into the weekend. Outside of Week 3, when he racked up 109 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 26 touches, Love's rookie season has been something of a dud. He has a good chance to turn things around against Dallas. Through Week 7, the Cowboys have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards and fourth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Last week, a hobbled Saquon Barkley (hamstring, back) and Dameon Pierce (undisclosed) combined for 109 yards and two touchdowns on the ground against Dallas. Love is projected on the RB2/3 border and can be plugged into starting lineups this weekend.--Dan Stephens
Source: Arizona Cardinals

Oct 31, 2026, 2:17 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett's fantasy performance in 2026 has been inconsistent, but he will be a good streaming option in Week 8. Last week was another good showing, going 27-for-48 for 272 yards and one touchdown against the Broncos. The prolific passer has now put up 35 pass attempts or more in six of his first seven games and now leads the league with 40.3 pass attempts per game. Arizona's tendency to let Brissett air it out sets up a potential boom game against the Cowboys on Sunday. Dallas has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season, with twelve passing touchdowns to just two interceptions. Brissett is a definite start in two-QB formats and is a worthwhile streamer in single-QB leagues for Week 8.--Dan Stephens
Source: NFL.com

Oct 31, 2026, 1:41 AM ET

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins has been falling out of favor recently. Not only has his snap count dropped significantly, but his total volume is also trending in the wrong direction. Just last Sunday, in Week 7, Dobbins had just six rushing attempts for 23 rushing yards. He did somewhat salvage his fantasy performance with a rushing touchdown, but the low volume makes him an incredibly risky fantasy play going forward. In fact, he played just 23% of the snaps last week, taking a backseat to both RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman. Denver's backfield dynamic could look different any given week, but for now, we would strongly avoid starting Dobbins on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had just 36 rushing yards in his last game against the Chiefs, and he was equally underwhelming in that game, too, despite Coleman not being quite as involved yet in the season opener.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 31, 2026, 1:37 AM ET

Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (ankle) does not carry an injury designation into Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Surtain, who has been a full participant for three consecutive practices, has been cleared to play in Sunday's divisional battle. This is great news for Surtain and Broncos fans, as the star cornerback had missed the previous three weeks with an ankle issue. When Surtain is healthy, he is one of the best defensive players in football. Over his last two full seasons, he has five interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 92 tackles. His return comes at a great time for the Broncos, as he'll give them an extra weapon on defense as they face off against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Back in Week 1 against Kansas City, Surtain played 69% of the snaps but had just three tacles and zero forced turnovers.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Denver Broncos

Oct 31, 2026, 1:34 AM ET

The Washington Commanders' defense hasn't been a fantasy DST to target so far this season. Still, a Week 8 matchup against the Tanner McKee-led Eagles, without DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (hamstring), offers some intrigue. Coordinated by Brian Flores disciple Daronte Jones, the Commanders have modeled their defensive identity after Flores, with Washington's 42.3% blitz rate trailing only the Minnesota Vikings. Despite that, Washington ranks just 21st in pressure rate (34.1%) and tied for 18th in takeaways (eight). In addition, starting defensive tackles Javon Kinlaw (knee) and Daron Payne (foot) are out for Sunday night, and Payne is likely to miss significant time. That duo has led a major improvement against the run for Washington and will be a major blow against an Eagles offensive line that's getting healthier, plus a healthy Saquon Barkley. However, with McKee under center, the Eagles had 222 yards of offense (3.6 yards per play) against the Panthers and 321 yards (5.2 yards per play) against the Cowboys. Both defenses rank in the bottom 12 for defensive EPA/play, and Washington does too. Washington could produce a similar result to those teams on Sunday night and, ideally, force a turnover or two, as they have done in four consecutive games. Washington is RotoBaller's eighth-ranked defense in Week 8.--Kyle McCarthy
Source: Pro Football Reference