October 24, 2025
Chicago Bears tight end
Cole Kmet (back) has been ruled out for his team's Week 8 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens due to a back injury. Kmet suffered the injury during his team's Week 7 win over the New Orleans Saints and did not practice at all this week. With Kmet sidelined, Bears rookie tight end
Colston Loveland should have his best opportunity of the season to break out. The 21-year-old rookie has had a quiet start to his NFL career, recording eight catches for 78 yards on 13 targets across five games. Loveland has yet to play more than 67% of the Bears' offensive snaps in any game this season, but that should change in Week 8 against Baltimore. Given his lack of production so far, it will be tough for fantasy managers to trust Loveland as a starter. Still, Loveland may be a player to stash in case he has a big week and Kmet's injury proves to be a long-term ailment.
--Will BradySource: Chicago Bears
October 24, 2025
New York Giants quarterback
Jaxson Dart (ankle) is off the injury report and good to go for his team's Week 8 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. In six games (four starts) so far this season, Dart has completed 60.2% of his pass attempts for 791 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. The 22-year-old rookie has also been one of the NFL's most dynamic rushing quarterbacks, recording 178 yards and three touchdowns on 37 rushing attempts. Week 8 will be Dart's second game in three weeks against Philadelphia. In Week 6, he recorded 253 total yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles. Dart profiles as a low-end fantasy starter in single-QB formats and a must-start quarterback in two-QB leagues in Week 8.
--Will BradySource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
October 24, 2025
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said that quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is questionable to play in Week 8 against the Miami Dolphins due to a knee injury. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's D. Orlando Ledbetter also reports that Morris said Falcons backup quarterback
Kirk Cousins has taken more reps later in the week. Through six games, Penix Jr. has completed 61% of his pass attempts for 1,409 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. If he is unable to play against Miami, the Falcons have one of the most experienced backups in the league in Cousins. In 14 starts for Atlanta last season, the 37-year-old Cousins completed 66.9% of his pass attempts for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. Should Cousins get the start in Week 8, he would profile as a solid fantasy QB2 but should likely be avoided in single-quarterback formats.
--Will BradySource: Atlanta Journal-Constitution - D. Orlando Ledbetter
October 24, 2025
New York Giants wide receiver
Darius Slayton (hamstring) is off the injury report and will play in Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles, per Dan Salomone of Giants.com. Slayton has missed each of New York's last two games due to a hamstring injury. Before getting hurt, the 28-year-old had recorded 12 catches for 166 yards on 18 targets. Upon his return to the lineup, Slayton should slot in alongside wide receiver
Wan'Dale Robinson as one of the top two targets for Giants quarterback
Jaxson Dart. In the lone game Slayton has played this season without star Giants wideout
Malik Nabers (knee), he earned a season-high six targets. Slayton profiles as a low-end flex option for deep-league fantasy managers in Week 8 against Philadelphia.
--Will BradySource: Giants.com - Dan Salomone
October 24, 2025
Following a four-week stretch that saw him put up nearly 60 yards per game and three scores, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Tyquan Thornton has fallen off the fantasy radar. He's seen two of his lowest snap counts of the season over the past two weeks, while making only one catch.
Rashee Rice, in his first game back from a six-game suspension, was targeted nine times on only 19 pass routes, signaling that he has stepped right back into being the focal point of the team's passing offense, and he'll only continue to see the field more as he plays himself back into shape. What's left of the team's pass work opportunities will be divvied up between
Travis Kelce,
Xavier Worthy, and emerging rookie
Brashard Smith, leaving Thornton on the outside looking in. While his speed will always make him a big-play threat, his occasional spikes will be too rare and difficult to predict to give him any fantasy value moving forward.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
October 24, 2025
After missing the team's first practice of the week on Thursday, Kansas City Chiefs running back
Kareem Hunt (ankle/knee) will reportedly get back to work in some capacity on Friday. Hunt is dealing with a bone bruise that could have contributed to his season-low 15 snaps in a Week 7 win over the Raiders. With the Chiefs playing on Monday night, Hunt will have an extra day to recuperate, so his Saturday practice participation should be monitored. While Hunt has seen his workload decrease over the past few weeks, a full absence on Monday night would put
Isiah Pacheco in a position to see his heaviest usage of the season against a Commanders team that has been middle of the pack at defending the run. Rookie
Brashard Smith, coming off a season-high 14 carries, also has flex appeal in a matchup that sees Washington without starting quarterback
Jayden Daniels and the Chiefs favored heavily at home.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Pete Sweeney
October 24, 2025
In his first game back from a six-game suspension, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Rashee Rice was on the field for 33 of his team's 81 offensive snaps against the Raiders, and OC Matt Nagy says he will continue to be brought along gradually. While a ramp-up is to be expected, the good news for fantasy managers is that 22 of those 33 snaps came on passing plays, and Rice was targeted a staggering nine times on the 19 routes that he ran. It's clear the team intends to run the passing offense through their third-year star, and as he sees more involvement, he should be viewed as a locked-in WR1, rewarding managers who held onto him through his lengthy absence. While
Patrick Mahomes might see a dip in the rushing numbers that have made him one of the best fantasy quarterbacks to begin the year, the tradeoff is an electric receiver who can rack up yards and fantasy points with the ball in his hands.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Pete Sweeney
October 24, 2025
Tennessee Titans wide receiver
Calvin Ridley (hamstring) has been ruled out of Sunday's divisional matchup with the Colts, according to interim head coach Mike McCoy. This marks the second straight game missed by Ridley, after battling through injury in a Week 6 loss to the Raiders. In his absence last week, it was the Titans' rookie pass catchers who were leaned on, as
Elic Ayomanor,
Chimere Dike, and
Gunnar Helm combined for 14 targets, with Dike connecting on a long touchdown grab from
Cam Ward. While Ward's lowlights from last week included an unforced fumble that led to a defensive score, he still posted a season-high completion percentage and passer rating. While the Titans' offense has left much to be desired, and they face another formidable opponent in the Colts, desperate fantasy managers can throw a dart at Ayomanor or Dike in a week that sees six NFL teams on a bye.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Turron Davenport
October 24, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (hamstring) was a full participant in Friday's practice, and head coach John Harbaugh said the team will "see where it's at going forward." After beginning the week with two limited practices, Jackson's ramp-up is a positive sign for his availability when the Ravens host the Bears in Week 8. With Baltimore off to an unexpected 1-5 start, there is an urgency to get their two-time MVP quarterback back onto the field as soon as possible. Jackson exited the team's Week 4 loss to the Chiefs before missing two games and getting an additional week's rest with a Week 7 bye. While
Cooper Rush started and struggled in the previous two games, Harbaugh has indicated that
Tyler Huntley would start on Sunday if Jackson is unable to go. Jackson's status should be monitored by all when early-game inactives are announced, as his presence heavily affects the fantasy value of Ravens pass catchers
Zay Flowers,
Mark Andrews, and
Rashod Bateman.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Baltimore Ravens
October 24, 2025
If Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (hamstring) cannot play on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that
Tyler Huntley, not
Cooper Rush, would be in line to be the potential replacement in Week 8. Rush started the team's last two games before the Week 7 bye with Jackson out, but the 31-year-old veteran went 25-for-39 passing for 251 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions in two blowout losses to the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams. Huntley, 27, would definitely be more attractive than Rush for fantasy managers desperate for a QB2 streamer in Week 8 in superflex leagues. The 27-year-old has six years of NFL experience and has made 14 starts in his career (nine with Baltimore). Huntley's rushing ability alone would give him more upside. In five starts in 2024 with Miami, he went 86-for-133 for 829 yards, three touchdowns, and three picks, adding 26 carries for 135 yards and two more scores.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
October 24, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
David Njoku (knee) is listed as questionable to play in Week 8 versus the hosting New England Patriots on Sunday, according to Mark Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Njoku missed the blowout win over the Miami Dolphins last Sunday due to his knee injury, and he's in danger of missing his second straight game. There has been optimism that Njoku will be able to return this weekend, but his status for Sunday's game in Boston might come down to the wire on Sunday morning. If he misses a second straight game, rookie
Harold Fannin Jr. would once again be a clear top-12 option at the TE position in fantasy. The 29-year-old has become more of a high-end TE2 in fantasy this year because of Fannin's presence and immediate production in his rookie year. In six games so far, Njoku has 23 catches, 223 yards, and only one touchdown for the Browns.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
October 24, 2025
Miami Dolphins wide receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee) said on Terron Armstead's podcast that he's undecided if he wants to continue his playing career after suffering a season-ending left-knee injury on Sept. 29 against the New York Jets. "At the end of the day, I feel like that decision is based upon how I feel and where my mindset is at the moment," Hill said. "I'm happy with the career that I've had. I love playing football. I love it, but it takes a lot. It takes a lot on you mentally, it takes a lot on you physically." The 31-year-old had back-to-back 1,700-yard receiving seasons in his first two years in Miami, including a league-leading 1,799 yards in 2023. However, the five-time All-Pro had a down year in 2024 with 81 catches for 959 yards, his lowest totals since 2019. The Cheetah's contract with the Dolphins runs through next season, but at this point, it's unclear if he even wants to play football again.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
October 24, 2025
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver
Josh Downs (concussion) has cleared the league's concussion protocol and is ready to suit up for Sunday's divisional game against the Tennessee Titans, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59. A concussion sidelined Downs for the Week 7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, but he'll return this weekend after missing just one game with his head injury. The 24-year-old should slot back in to WR2 duties behind
Michael Pittman Jr., making
Alec Pierce a more volatile flex play for fantasy managers this Sunday in a game where the Colts probably won't need to air the ball out. Before his head injury, Downs was on the rise, catching 12 of his 15 targets for 96 yards and a touchdown in the previous two games. The former third-rounder has 26 receptions, 217 yards, and one touchdown in six games in 2025 and will be in play as a WR3/flex in Week 8 now that he's officially back.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX 59 - Mike Chappell
October 24, 2025
A Carolina Panthers spokesman said on Friday that Carolina Panthers quarterback
Andy Dalton will start in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, regardless of
Bryce Young's (ankle) availability, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. Young suffered a high-ankle sprain in last week's win over the New York Jets and is listed as doubtful to play this weekend. Dalton has been preparing all week with the first-team offense to face the Bills, and the Panthers have already generated their game plan around the veteran signal-caller. Buffalo's defense is banged up, and Dalton has plenty of weapons on offense to surprise some folks, but fantasy managers shouldn't treat him as much more than a low-end QB2 option as a game manager for the Panthers in his first start of 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
October 24, 2025
Miami Dolphins tight end
Darren Waller's pectoral injury is not season-ending, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. Waller suffered a pectoral injury in the Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns and was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday, but he should be able to make it back this season. However, the 33-year-old veteran will need to miss at least four games and will not be eligible to return for Miami until Week 13. In the meantime, the team will have to make due with a combination of
Julian Hill (ankle),
Tanner Conner, and
Greg Dulcich at the position in an offense that already lost star receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee) for the year. Fantasy managers should be avoiding Miami's TE situation until Waller can return. Waller, who came out of retirement after not playing at all in 2024, got a late start in 2025 due to another injury, but he scored four touchdowns in his first three games before getting injured in Week 7.
--Keith HernandezSource: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
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