RADIO
Gunnar Helm Still a Bad Fantasy Option Despite Favorable Matchup
Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm continues to play a significant role in the team's offense without generating much fantasy production. The second-year tight end played 84% of Tennessee's offensive snaps against Cleveland last week but managed just three receptions for 24 yards on four targets. Despite playing nearly 80% of the team's offensive snaps this season, Helm has struggled to establish a consistent connection with quarterback Cam Ward and is averaging fewer than four PPR fantasy points per game. This week's matchup against Cincinnati offers some encouragement, as the Bengals have allowed 14.8 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, the 11th-most in the NFL. The absence of leading receiver Carnell Tate (shoulder) could also open up additional opportunities for Helm in the passing game. However, his limited looks and Tennessee's overall offensive struggles make him difficult to trust even in a favorable matchup. Helm remains a touchdown-dependent TE2 who should stay on fantasy benches outside of much deeper leagues.
Source: The Football Database
Source: The Football Database
Filip Chytil Added to Injured Reserve
Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil (upper body) has been placed on Injured Reserve. The Canucks made the move Friday after Chytil couldn't practice because of an upper-body injury. He has re-aggravated an injury that sidelined him for the first eight games of the season. Injuries have ruined many campaigns for Chytil, who has already missed more games than he's played in 2026-27. In seven outings, he's contributed two assists. The Canucks recalled Jacob Quillan from the minors to fill Chytil's spot on the roster. Brendan Gallagher could see regular action again until Chytil returns, though he has zero fantasy value.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Jalen Smith Cleared to Play Friday
Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (finger) is available for Friday's game against the Boston Celtics, according to The Athletic's Joel Lorenzi. Smith had been questionable with a finger sprain after logging 30 minutes in Wednesday's loss to the Knicks. The 26-year-old has started all five games while Nic Claxton (hamstring) remains sidelined, averaging 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 23.4 minutes. Tobe Awaka (ankle) is also available, giving Chicago another option up front, but Smith should continue handling the bulk of the center minutes until Claxton returns.
Source: Joel Lorenzi
Source: Joel Lorenzi
Harold Fannin Jr. Could Be Counted On In Week 8
Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. saw a season-high nine targets in Week 7's win over the Titans and will look to stay involved in Week 8 at the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fannin Jr. caught six passes for 91 yards against the Titans last week but did not find the end zone. He has three touchdowns on the season including one receiving touchdown in the first meeting between the Browns and Steelers. He caught three catches for 27 yards against the Steelers in Week 4. Fannin Jr.'s involvement in the passing game has been hit or miss this season and he has performed to some highs and lows so far. He caught two touchdown passes against the Panthers in Week 3, but caught one pass against both the Jets and Ravens in Weeks 5 and 6 respectively. If Fannin Jr. can find some consistency, he should be one of the top fantasy tight end options. With the Steelers secondary potentially making things tough for Browns wide receivers, Fannin Jr. could find some room to make some plays this week.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Treylon Burks Questionable to Play in Week 8
Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks (foot) is listed as questionable to suit up on Sunday night against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. Burks sandwiched limited practices on Wednesday and Friday this week around a DNP on Thursday, putting him up in the air to play this week. With Washington's game coming on Sunday night, it is almost impossible to trust the 26-year-old former first-rounder as a deep-league flex in Week 8, even with Terry McLaurin (knee) out for the season. Even if Burks is cleared to play on Sunday Night Football against the Eagles, rookie Antonio Williams could be the better bet for the WR2 role in Washington alongside veteran Stefon Diggs in the Commanders' passing attack. If Burks does not get the green light to play this weekend, Dyami Brown would likely operate as the team's WR3. In his second season in D.C., Burks has caught only nine of his 17 targets for 152 yards, although he has already hit paydirt a career-high two times.
Source: Washington Commanders
Source: Washington Commanders
Tony Pollard Faces Tough Matchup Against Bengals
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard is coming off the best fantasy performance of his career, exploding for 129 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries while adding three receptions for 26 yards against Cleveland. Pollard's 36.5 PPR fantasy points marked a new career high, surpassing his previous best and rewarding fantasy managers who were brave enough to trot him out in their starting lineups. The veteran running back has now accumulated 478 rushing yards through seven games, ranking ninth in the NFL, and has seen his workload increase significantly with Tyjae Spears sidelined. Spears has already been ruled out for Sunday's matchup, positioning Pollard to once again dominate Tennessee's backfield touches. However, Cincinnati presents a challenging matchup, allowing just 16.2 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, the third-fewest in the league. The Bengals also held Derrick Henry to just 45 rushing yards on 2.6 yards per carry last week. Tennessee's status as a double-digit underdog introduces additional game-script concerns, and fantasy managers should temper expectations following Pollard's career-best outing. Nevertheless, his expected volume makes him a decent RB2/flex despite the difficult matchup.
Source: The Football Database
Source: The Football Database
Joel Eriksson Ek Evaluated for Injury
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (undisclosed) is under evaluation for an injury, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. The Swedish forward was hurt in Thursday's loss to the Islanders and met with team doctors on Friday. It's unclear whether he will get the green light to play Sunday against Washington. Eriksson Ek has a four-game point streak, scoring in three of those games. Overall, he has five goals and 12 points in 15 games this season. Danila Yurov and Ryan Hartman are candidates to take over first-line center duties if Eriksson Ek isn't healthy enough to play Sunday.
Source: Michael Russo
Source: Michael Russo
KC Concepcion Jr. Looks To Build Off Career Game
Cleveland Browns wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. had the best game of his career in Week 7's win over the Titans with eight catches on 10 targets for 129 receiving yards and no touchdowns. Concepcion Jr. has yet to find the end zone this season and will face a tough Steelers' secondary in Week 8. In the first meeting between the two teams, Concepcion Jr. had five catches for 64 receiving yards on eight targets. The rookie out of Texas A&M is up to 30 catches this season for 315 yards, good for 10.5 yards per catch. Concepcion Jr. will look to build on his last outing and could be matched up with Jalen Ramsey a lot as Ramsey is the nickel corner for the Steelers and Concepcion Jr. often lines up in the slot. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson seems to be building trust in Concepcion Jr. as the weeks go on. The next step is for Concepcion Jr. to find the end zone. It's hard to trust Concepcion Jr. as a starting receiver until he puts back-to-back solid weeks together.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Cam Ward Cannot Be Trusted in Week 8 at Bengals
Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward continues to struggle to establish himself as a fantasy option, having thrown for more than 200 yards just once through seven games while failing to record multiple passing touchdowns in any contest. Ward has been particularly disappointing in recent weeks, averaging under 7 fantasy points per game over his last 3 outings, the worst in the NFL. Those numbers would actually place him near WR45 over that time. Cincinnati presents a somewhat favorable matchup for quarterbacks, ranking 15th against the position and having just surrendered respectable fantasy performances to Malik Willis and Tyler Huntley over their last two games. However, Cincinnati's defense ranks seventh in pressure rate, creating additional concerns for a Titans passing offense that has struggled to consistently move the football. Ward remains a desperation play even in Superflex formats and should be left on waivers in standard one-quarterback leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Stefon Diggs Cleared to Play on Sunday Night Football
Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs (hand, hamstring) is off the final Week 8 injury report and will be active on Sunday night against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Diggs was held out of the first practice of the week on Wednesday with hand and hamstring injuries, but he was a full-go on Thursday and Friday, paving the way for him to play this weekend and serve as the WR1 for quarterback Jayden Daniels with Terry McLaurin (knee) out for the season. The 32-year-old Diggs has been surprisingly productive in his first year with the Commanders, scoring four times in his first five games, including in the Monday night loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6, when he caught six of seven targets for 44 yards. Diggs will have a higher target share going forward, especially if Treylon Burks (foot) cannot play on Sunday night, although he will also attract more attention from opposing secondaries. Against an Eagles defense looking to bounce back, Diggs is ranked as the No. 21 fantasy WR this week at RotoBaller.
Source: Washington Commanders
Source: Washington Commanders
Carter Hart Dresses as Backup Friday
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (undisclosed) will serve as the backup in Friday's matchup with New Jersey, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. He's available after skipping Tuesday's game against Ottawa with an undisclosed injury. Adin Hill will guard the crease against the Devils. Vegas will start next week with a back-to-back, so both netminders should get action. So far, Hill has outperformed Hart, who is 4-3-1 for the season and has allowed 2.76 goals with a .889 save percentage. Hill has won five of his six starts.
Source: Danny Webster
Source: Danny Webster
Denzel Boston Looks For Breakthrough In Week 8
Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston has had two poor performances in a row over the past two weeks against the Ravens and Titans, respectively, and will look to bounce back against a good Steelers' secondary in Week 8. Boston caught four passes on seven targets when the Browns hosted the Steelers earlier this season but didn't find the end zone. Boston has just four catches in the past two games combined in a bit of a dry spell. He is still averaging 22.3 yards per reception this season, however, and has three receiving touchdowns. Boston has emerged as the big-play threat in the passing game for the Browns, but lately he and quarterback Deshaun Watson have struggled to connect on the deep ball. Boston will be covered by Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr., and potentially by Jalen Ramsey on a few plays. The matchup is a tough one for a rookie wide receiver, but he showed he could handle it alright in the first meeting between the two teams. Look for Boston to be a boom-or-bust option in Week 8, and he should have a good game if he can connect on a deep ball or two.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Ladd McConkey Cleared to Return in Week 8
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (concussion) is off the Week 8 injury report and will play on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, according to Noah Furtado of The Athletic. The Chargers will also have receiver Tre' Harris available, which is good news for quarterback Justin Herbert as the Bolts look to upset the Rams for their first win of the 2026 season. The 24-year-old McConkey was able to clear the league's concussion protocol after coming off the team's Week 7 bye and will now look to get going in what has been a disappointing campaign so far through seven weeks. McConkey has been banged up and has just 13 receptions on 18 targets for 200 yards and one touchdown in his five games played. He looked like a future star in his rookie season in 2024 with an 82-1,149-7 line, but he regressed in Year 2 and has looked even worse so far in 2026 in L.A.'s dysfunctional offense. In a bad matchup this weekend, McConkey profiles as a WR3/flex option for fantasy managers in point-per-reception leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Noah Furtado
Source: The Athletic - Noah Furtado
Connor Zary Undergoes Knee Surgery
Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary (knee) will be out week-to-week after undergoing surgery. Zary failed to impress in two NHL games at the start of the season and has skated with the Calgary Wranglers in the AHL recently since being waived earlier this month. Zary has four points (one goal, three assists) in six AHL games. While his form has been good enough to earn another opportunity in the big league, his knee injury will prevent that for a while. Zary, a former first-round pick, has amassed 87 points (39 goals, 48 assists) in 193 career NHL games.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Quinshon Judkins Holds Good Value in Week 8
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins is coming off of his best fantasy game in Week 7 against the Titans when he rushed 17 times for 96 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Judkins shredded the Titans defense for 5.6 yards per carry and capitalized with multiple rushing touchdowns for the first time this season. Week 8's matchup against the Steelers should be a tough one for Judkins who will look to carry his momentum into Pittsburgh. The Steelers rank No. 7 in rush defense, allowing just 91.0 rushing yards per game with just four rushing touchdowns allowed all season. Judkins performed pretty well in the first matchup between the Browns and Steelers, rushing 17 times for 53 yards and a rushing touchdown and catching six passes for 43 receiving yards. Despite Judkins' tough matchup on the road, he holds good fantasy value and should be able to post some solid returns this week. Start Judkins with confidence as a high-end RB2.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
