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Week 8 Risers and Fallers: Alfred Blue, Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle & More

Week 7 is in the books, and there are still five undefeated teams left standing in the NFL. Fantasy football managers with a matching 7-0 record are just as boastful, but the fantasy gods are vengeful and do not take kindly to such hubris. Even the teams at the top of the table need to manage their roster closely and build for the future or one bad day or late-season injury will spell doom.

While Lamar Miller and Todd Gurley have started to show signs of breaking out and Tom Brady continues to flaunt his perfect life both on and off the field, they are certainly owned in your league and now their value is too high to make a favorable trade. But while the waiver wire is short on big names, there is still value to be found.

 

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

Week 8 Fantasy Football Risers

Alfred Blue, RB – Houston Texans

It was tough to watch Arian Foster go down with a season-ending Achilles injury, especially in a game that the Houston Texans had no chance to win, but the Texans offense will have to move on without him. Alfred Blue has the first shot at picking up his touches.

Even though the Texans have struggled this year, Foster and DeAndre Hopkins have produced solid point totals week-to-week. On top of that, Blue, Nate Washington, Jaelen Strong and Cecil Shorts III have all had at least one big week. The game before Foster came back from his offseason injury, Blue ran for 139 yards and scored a touchdown, and although Blue is not the pass-catching threat that Foster is, Blue has outgained Foster by 71 yards in three fewer carries.

The Tennessee Titans defense poses a strong test for Blue this week and the schedule does not get much easier, but there should be plenty of garbage time available for Blue to pile up yards.

Darren McFadden, RB – Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have been praying that one of their running backs would step up and grab the starting role vacated by DeMarco Murray. Rumors out of Cowboy camp during the bye week pointed to Christine Michael getting his shot, but it was veteran Darren McFadden that rose to the occasion.

McFadden has always had talent. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry over his first four seasons but he missed 19 games over that span due to injury. If 'Run DMC' can restore some of that magic, he'll have a solid offensive line to run behind. McFadden adds to his value by being a trusted receiver. He caught nine passed in week five and has 225 career receptions.

The Seattle Seahawks make for a tough matchup this week, but McFadden should get most of the carries, especially if Joseph Randle isn't on the field.

Teddy Bridgewater, QB – Minnesota Vikings

Teddy Bridgewater is still learning how to be an NFL quarterback, but he has shown flashes of why he was once considered the top-rated college QB prospect. Along with the protection afforded by having Adrian Peterson in the backfield, Bridgewater is in a great position to have a strong finish to the season.

He threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns last week against Detroit and should continue his hot streak this week against the Chicago Bears. On top of the favorable matchup, the emergence of Stefon Diggs as a weapon in the passing game has further opened up the field.

If Teddy has another strong week in Chicago, it would be smart to stash him as a backup since he will see the Bears again when they come up to Minnesota for Week 15, right in the middle of the fantasy playoffs.

 

Week 8 Fantasy Football Fallers

Jordan Matthews, WR – Philadelphia Eagles

It was another tough week for Jordan Matthews as he managed just three catches for 14 yards in the Philadelphia Eagles' 27-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The sophomore receiver is still getting plenty of targets, but he hasn't been the touchdown threat he was in his rookie season and has struggled to catch the ball.

Part of the problem may be an injury that he's been reluctant to speak about. Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reported that Matthews suffered a ligament injury in his hand, and that could help explain the six passes he's already dropped this year.

Matthews will benefit from a bye this week that will allow him to rest his hand. Although Sam Bradford has run a stuttering version of Chip Kelly's offense, Matthews is still a consistent scorer with tremendous upside going forward.

Ameer Abdullah, RB – Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have struggled to score points and they've been especially bad at running the ball. Ameer Abdullah leads the team in rushing and he's yet to break 50 rushing yards in a game. Abdullah's talent was evident back in preseason, but the rookie cannot overcome being part of the worst rushing team in the league with raw talent alone.

To make matters worse, the Lions now have to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to play in the final London game of the season to face a Kansas City Chiefs defense that excels against the run. Abdullah has a bright future in front of him, but it's going to be a grind for the rest of this year.

Matthew Stafford and the Lions' passing game have strung together two solid games in a row and they should be able to exploit a weak Chiefs secondary. That could open up a little space for Abdullah, especially in the screen game, but points will be scarce for him on the pitch in London.

Joseph Randle, RB – Dallas Cowboys

Since Darren McFadden is rising, Joseph Randle must be falling. Although the Dallas Cowboys put him at the top of the depth chart to start the season, it never felt like they trusted him there. Despite averaging over 4.0 yards per carry this year, Randle has had a series of running backs nipping at his heels.

Now Randle is dealing with an oblique injury that took him of this week's game in the first quarter and could see him miss this week's game against the Seattle Seahawks. If he's forced to miss an extended period of time, Randle could find himself without a spot in the backfield when he returns.

Randle is another player on this list that has a very high ceiling. In limited action last season, he averaged 6.7 yards per carry, but with DeMarco Murray acting as the workhorse, opportunities were very limited. They'll be limited once again as he slips further and further down the depth chart.

 

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