NFL Week 8 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Sunday’s games

PFF’s fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2026.

For fantasy players looking for additional data and tools, PFF+ provides access to fantasy and betting resources, the Mock Draft Simulator and more for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Those who want to dive even deeper can sign up for PFF Pro, which comes with an upgraded Premium Stats Pro experience, revamped player and team pages, enhanced data and visualizations and programmatic data access for modeling.

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A 50/50 split at running back for the Buccaneers: Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell shared the backfield evenly.

Irving played 64% of snaps over the first seven weeks, which included 77% on early downs, while Gainwell was the primary back in passing situations. This made Irving a fantasy-viable running back, and Gainwell has been the subject of trade rumors.

In this game, Irving still led on early downs, while Gainwell took all of the passing snaps. The reason the two rotated more this week was obvious, and that’s because Irving tallied 27 carries in this game. He was great on his runs, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Gainwell ran 25 times for 140 yards. It’s possible Tampa Bay continues to focus much more on its running backs going forward, given the success of the run game this season relative to the pass game, making it less likely the Buccaneers will trade Gainwell.

It’s also worth noting that Sean Tucker was active and didn’t appear on the injury report, but he didn’t take an offensive snap. This either shows how far ahead Gainwell is ahead of Tucker on the depth chart, or it’s at least possible the Buccaneers wanted to showcase Gainwell for a trade. Regardless, we can expect Irving to still see enough snaps each week to make him a must-start every week going forward despite the decrease in snap rate this week.

Emeka Egbuka misses a second straight week: Egbuka was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a foot injury, didn’t practice on Friday and was ruled out.

Tampa Bay spent the first six weeks with Egbuka and Chris Godwin as the lead receivers and Ted Hurst III and Tez Johnson splitting the third spot. The Buccaneers used all four significantly in 12 personnel. Last week with Egbuka out, the three remaining Buccaneers receivers were consistently on the field in 11 personnel. David Sills V was activated off injured reserve last week, and while he rarely played in 11 personnel, he allowed Tampa Bay to continue a four-man mix in 12 personnel.

This week, Sills took on a larger role. He out-snapped Hurst and Johnson in 12 personnel, and he also took some reps from Johnson in 11 personnel.

Obviously, the fact that the Buccaneers aren’t completing any passes makes it difficult to trust any of these wide receivers. Godwin has been the subject of trade rumors. If Godwin is dealt, we could see Egbuka back to a full-time role, and these three other receivers rotating for the other spots. Jalen McMillan could also return in a few weeks, which would further complicate the rotation. That means that if Tampa Bay makes a deal at wide receiver, then there probably won’t be a clear waiver-wire target from the group.

Monitor Zachariah Branch’s health: Branch left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury and didn’t return.

Atlanta has started the year with Drake London as one outside receiver, Jahan Dotson leading a two-man rotation with Chris Blair for the other outside spot, and Olamide Zaccheaus heading a two-man deployment with Branch for the slot role. Last week, Branch handled 78% of the 11 personnel snaps as Zaccheaus was out with a shoulder injury. Atlanta also ran more 12 personnel snaps last week.

Zaccheaus was back this week, although he was limited in practice all week and ruled questionable. On the first three drives, Branch played five of a possible 13 snaps, while Zaccheaus only played one. While it’s possible this was entirely because Zaccheaus was questionable, it’s also feasible Branch was supposed to see more playing time going forward. 

Branch suffered a hamstring injury on a kickoff, and he was quickly ruled out. This left Zaccheaus as the Falcons’ third receiver for the rest of the game, and he played 24 of a possible 40 snaps. The fact that Zaccheaus was able to play so much further suggests Branch might see more playing time in the future if he’s healthy. However, there is a chance Branch will be sidelined, leaving Zaccheaus as the slot receiver.

Neither is worth considering too much in fantasy leagues, unless one of them starts seeing a higher target rate.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Atlanta running back Brian Robinson Jr. didn’t practice all week with a hamstring injury and was ruled out on Friday, his second straight absence. The Falcons elevated running back Khalil Herbert from the practice squad to be their backup, similar to last week. 

• Bijan Robinson has played in at least 78% of the Falcons’ offensive snaps in four straight weeks after playing 77% or less in each of the first four.

• Falcons wide receiver Beaux Collins was a full participant in practice all week with a hip injury and was questionable but remains on injured reserve.

• Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts saw his playing time dip to 55% for a second straight week, down from his season average of 59%. However, this was his fifth consecutive game of having at least 20% targets per route.

• Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell didn’t practice on Wednesday with a hip injury, was limited in practice on Thursday and was upgraded to full on Friday. He was questionable but was active.

Las Vegas Raiders @ New York Jets

Mike Washington Jr. takes the lead role in Las Vegas: Washington played the majority of offensive snaps for the Raiders, which included 25 carries for 83 yards.

Ashton Jeanty has been the lead back for the Raiders, playing 70% of snaps over the first seven weeks. His playing time dipped in Weeks 5 and 6 due to ankle and foot injuries. He hasn’t appeared on the injury report the last two weeks. In one of his games in a smaller role, Dylan Laube took over as the passing-down back. In the other, Washington saw a larger role on early downs. Last week, Jeanty’s playing time was close to normal, playing 72% of snaps, although he was rotated out significantly on early downs.

This week, the Raiders used a classic two-man backfield, with Washington as the early-down back and goal-line back, while Jeanty was the receiving back. Jeanty caught three passes for 64 yards, but only ran twice for nine yards. This usage stayed consistent throughout the game, including Washington dominating snaps in the fourth quarter as the Raiders tried to close out the win, which is typical when a team uses this kind of committee.

Ideally, Raiders beat writers will get to the bottom of why Las Vegas made this change and whether they will continue it going forward. Regardless, Washington will be a top waiver-wire target this week, just in case Las Vegas continues to use this rotation. Even if the change seems temporary, Las Vegas gave Washington 25 carries in a game once, so it could do it again.

Jack Bech complicates the Raiders’ wide receiver rotation: Las Vegas’ slot receiver returned to practice on Monday and was activated from injured reserve on Saturday.

Las Vegas started the season with Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker as its outside receivers, with Bech joining in 11 personnel. The Raiders averaged 23 snaps per game out of 11 personnel, and Bech played 98% of those snaps. He also rotated in at times in 12 personnel at 22% and single-receiver sets at 12%. In Bech’s absence, the Raiders largely abandoned three-receiver plays. From Weeks 3-5, Las Vegas averaged seven 11 personnel snaps per game. In each of the last two games, the Raiders ran it once each.

With Bech back, he returned to playing 100% of the 11 personnel snaps, but the Raiders only ran four plays out of 11 personnel. Bech still had a large role, playing 48.4% of the single-receiver sets while also rotating in at times in two-receiver sets.

Bech was held without a target, but his return impacted the playing time of Tucker and Nailor. Tucker played a season-low 54% snap rate and 63% route participation rate. Nailor’s 67% route participation rate was a little higher than usual, but his 46% snap rate was the lowest for a game he’s started and finished this season.

This is great news for Michael Mayer, as his route participation rate remained a high 74%. That is not only solid for a tight end; it’s also exceptional for a second tight end option. Mayer caught five passes for 53 yards and can be considered the second-best receiving option in the Raiders’ offense behind Bowers, especially if Tucker continues to lose some snaps to Bech.

Adonai Mitchell has a breakout performance: Mitchell caught seven passes for 142 yards, while his new competition for targets Omar Cooper Jr. was held without a reception.

Mitchell started the season as a clear starting receiver on the outside for New York, played 99% of 11 personnel snaps and 93% of 12 personnel snaps over the first two weeks. He was playing opposite Garrett Wilson. Cooper was only a slot receiver for a few snaps before landing on injured reserve, with Isaiah Williams taking over. Mitchell was also placed on injured reserve, and when he was out, Cooper had his first breakout performance with over 100 yards and a touchdown.

Mitchell made his return in Week 7, but not in the same role. He played 72% of 11 personnel snaps but only 28% of the 12 personnel snaps, a significant decrease from the start of the year. Cooper remained one of the primary receivers in 12 personnel, and had another big game with 100 more yards and a touchdown. This made it seem like Mitchell would simply be the third wide receiver for New York going forward.

This week, Wilson and Mitchell were the favorite targets for New York, with Mitchell making several chunk plays. Since he was healthier, he was more consistently on the field in 11 personnel, taking 95% of those snaps. However, he only played 23% in 12 personnel, with Cooper remaining ahead of Mitchell in that personnel grouping.

It’s fine to consider Mitchell a top waiver-wire target, but it will be hard to know which Jets wide receivers to trust going forward. Their route participation rate was nearly identical, as most of Cooper’s additional plays were run plays. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to see their route participation rates differ in future games if these snap rates continue.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Raiders activated wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. from injured reserve on Tuesday. He’s been a full participant in practice for four weeks and wasn’t on the injury report at all this week, but he was a healthy scratch.

• Las Vegas wide receiver Malik Benson was a healthy scratch after playing in the team’s last game.

• Jets running back Breece Hall missed his fifth straight game due to a quad injury. He was limited all week and was ruled questionable on Friday. It’s at least possible Hall is traded before the trade deadline with how well Braelon Allen has played. If Hall remains with New York, we should expect some kind of committee, where Hall won’t necessarily be a must-start.

• New York running back and returner Kene Nwangwu returned after missing last week with a knee injury.

• Jets tight end Mason Taylor left with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter with a left leg injury. Because it was so late in the game, it’s unclear how serious the injury is.

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Dylan Sampson leads the Browns’ backfield in snaps: Quinshon Judkins played a season-low 39% of the Browns’ offensive snaps.

Judkins has spent all season as Cleveland’s early-down back, playing 75% of such snaps but only 20% of third downs. Sampson suffered an injury early in Week 1 and didn’t play his first offensive snap until Week 7. He took on the third-down role, but also played more on early downs than Raheim Sanders or Jaleel McLaughlin had in the past.

This week, Sampson led on early downs, but it was entirely due to the game script. Judkins still led the team in rushing attempts at 11 compared to one by Sampson. The backfield split was very reminiscent of Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears in Tennessee, or when Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren were the backs in Pittsburgh. Any time the team was losing, the receiving back played more, and the early-down back didn’t have a great fantasy game. 

Going forward, we should similarly expect Judkins’ fantasy value to be just fine if the Browns are leading or close for most of the game, but Sampson will have similar games to this one when the Browns are playing from behind.

Monitor Jaylen Warren’s health: Warren appeared injured after a third-quarter fumble pileup and didn’t play as much over the rest of the game.

Warren’s playing time was a topic of discussion after he dominated in Weeks 3-5 while Rico Dowdle was out due to injury. His playing time dropped to 75% in Week 6 and 62% in Week 7. Despite the decrease in playing time, Warren was still playing well and was averaging 5.5 yards per carry on the season.

This week, Warren played 71% of snaps in the first half, which was a step up relative to last week. The Steelers had a two-score lead heading into the second half, so they rotated backs a little more frequently. Warren appeared to not be 100% after a pile on a fumble. This led Dowdle to play eight snaps in the fourth quarter to three by Warren. Warren finished playing 58% of snaps, his lowest rate since Week 1.

Warren averaged 8.4 yards per carry on his 17 carries, while Dowdle only averaged 3.7 on his. As long as Warren is fine, he is safe to keep in fantasy starting lineups going forward. It will be worth seeing if he appears on the injury report this week.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Browns activated quarterback Dillon Gabriel from injured reserve on Monday. He was held out as a healthy scratch, but was their emergency third quarterback ahead of rookie Taylen Green.

• Browns running back Audric Estime was held out as a healthy scratch, his second straight absence.

• The Browns waived tight end Carsen Ryan on Monday, added him to the practice squad on Wednesday and elevated him on Saturday.

• Pittsburgh wide receiver Ben Skowronek was inactive due to a calf injury, his third straight absence. He was limited in practice all week and was ruled questionable on Friday. 

• The Steelers signed wide receiver Brandon Smith off their own practice squad on Saturday. He has been their third receiver in three-receiver sets each of the last three games. The Steelers elevated wide receiver Brandon Johnson from the practice squad on Saturday for the third straight game.

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions

Vikings turn to a three-man backfield: None of the Vikings’ running backs reached a 40% snap rate.

Minnesota started the year with Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason in a two-man rotation. Mason landed on injured reserve after Week 1, leading Jones to play 80% of snaps over the following four weeks. DeeJay Dallas was the primary backup, splitting third-down snaps with Jones. Rookie Demond Claiborne was the main backup on early downs.

Mason returned last week, where Jones got the start, Mason played more on the following few drives and then Jones left early with a knee injury. Jones didn’t practice Wednesday with a knee injury, was limited Thursday, was upgraded to full Friday and was active. Dallas was elevated from the practice squad, while Claiborne was a healthy inactive for a second straight game.

Jones and Mason split early-down snaps, with Dallas also getting some early-down work. Dallas was also the central third-down back for the first time. Jones handled all of the two-minute drill and short-yardage work, giving him a lead in snaps. Mason led the backfield in touches at eight, but only averaged 2.5 yards per carry.

The Vikings have been a team linked to running backs in the trade market, and the fact that Dallas was seeing an uptick in snaps over Jones and Mason further suggests Minnesota might be making a move for a running back sometime over the next nine days.

The Lions are the latest team to embrace 13 personnel: Detroit used 13 personnel nearly as much this week as the first seven weeks combined.

The Los Angeles Rams implemented 13 personnel more than any team in recent history last season. While no team has integrated it more than Los Angeles this season, several teams are turning to it more than they had in the past. The Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills both used it over 100 times over the first seven weeks, while another six teams have at least 50 snaps in 13 personnel. The Lions were in the bottom half of 13 personnel usage, with just 23 snaps.

This week, Detroit ran it 19 times, with Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright and Tyler Conklin as the three tight ends. Typically, when a team employs more 13 personnel, that means less 12 personnel. That wasn’t true this week, as Detroit ran 12 personnel on 34 snaps, its second-most such snaps this season.

That left Detroit in 11 personnel for only 16 plays, which meant a notable decrease in plays for Isaac TeSlaa. It was usually TeSlaa or Jameson Williams in for 13 personnel, so Amon-Ra St. Brown also played notably less than usual. St. Brown’s route participation rates have steadily declined this season. He ran a route on 92.5% of the Lions’ pass plays over the first four weeks, and that has dropped to 86.5% over the last three. In recent years, wide receivers like Tyreek Hill and Puka Nacua have excelled with lower snap rates and high target rates, and St. Brown has taken a small step toward following that trend, as his targets per route has been 32% or better in each of the last three games.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (shoulder) and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday, but both practiced in full Thursday and Friday.

• Detroit third-string running back Jacob Saylors suffered a neck injury on a special teams play in the first half and was ruled out in the second half. He has only taken two offensive snaps this season.

• Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison has seen increased playing time in the slot over the last two weeks. He had a 22.7% slot rate over the first four weeks and a 37.6% slot rate over the last two.

• Ben Yurosek has remained the Vikings’ second tight end option ahead of Gavin Bartholomew with Josh Oliver out. It’s unclear if Oliver will miss the entire season or not, but he’s not expected back anytime soon.

Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars

The Colts play Jonathan Taylor and Josh Downs: Both players have been heavily rumored to get traded, but Indianapolis still played both.

Indianapolis has recently fired its general manager and traded away Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner. The Colts’ lead receiver in Downs has requested a trade, while the Colts appear willing to trade Taylor. At times, when it seems like a player is about to get moved, that team doesn’t play those players so they don’t suffer an injury. For example, the Arizona Cardinals didn’t play Marvin Harrison Jr. the week before dealing him.

Taylor and Downs not only played, but they also spent most of the game playing more than usual. Taylor started the season playing 88.9% of snaps, which was exceptionally high for a running back over one game, let alone three. The last four weeks, he’s played a more reasonable 73.0% of snaps. This week, he played 79.2% of snaps before garbage time. Given the blowout, he didn’t play during the last 13 plays. That was his highest snap rate before garbage time since Week 3.

Downs similarly averaged 81.5% of snaps over the first seven weeks, playing nearly all of the 11 personnel snaps, 79% of the 12 personnel snaps and mostly leaving the field for 13 personnel. This week, he played 89.6% of snaps before garbage time, making it his highest pre-garbage time rate all season. This was largely because the Colts stuck with 11 personnel more than usual while playing from behind. Downs only played three of the final 13 snaps with Anthony Richardson Sr. at quarterback.

It’s unclear if either player will be with the team next week, but their usage in this game didn’t give an indication the Colts plan on trading them.

Tyler Warren makes his return for Indianapolis: Warren missed the last two games with a groin injury.

The Colts were stuck using a four-man rotation over the last two weeks, with Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree playing in most 12 personnel snaps, Will Mallory handling the bulk of 11 personnel snaps and Pharaoh Brown taking some of the 12 and 13 personnel snaps. While Warren was back, Ogletree was questionable for this game with a knee injury but played. Indianapolis didn’t seem too concerned about Warren’s return or Ogletree’s injury, as Brown was a healthy inactive.

Warren averaged 91.1% of offensive snaps over the first five weeks, with most of his lost snaps coming in 12 personnel in running situations. His playing time was down slightly over the first 11 drives of the game, as he played 85.4% of snaps. Warren was taken out of 11 personnel slightly more than usual, with Mallory typically being the one cutting into his snap count. He only played in three of the final 13 snaps as Indianapolis largely turned to backups.

Warren’s fantasy value should be fine going forward, and if anything, he may see a higher target rate if the Colts trade away more offensive assets.

Brian Thomas Jr. returns to his usual role: Thomas was back to playing in nearly all of the 11 personnel snaps after getting benched last game.

Jacksonville has used Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers as its primary wide receivers, while Thomas has needed to split time with Josh Cameron for the third receiver spot. Thomas has played more in 11 personnel, while Cameron has played more in 12 and 13 personnel. Travis Hunter didn’t play much on offense early in the season but had slowly but surely gained more offensive snaps. Thomas was held without a catch each of the last two weeks, and he didn’t play a single offensive snap in the second half, while Hunter had his best offensive game of the season in Week 7.

This week, Thomas was on the field for eight of the 15 pass plays in the first half, compared to just three each by Cameron and Hunter. Thomas also caught a 12-yard touchdown pass. The Jaguars were up 28-0 at halftime, so they only used Hunter for one snap total in the second half. The Jaguars’ lead caused them to deploy more 12 and 13 personnel throughout the game, leading Cameron to play just as much as Thomas. But when the team was in 11 personnel, Thomas was on the field more than in past weeks.

The Jaguars have remained adamant they aren’t looking to trade Thomas, but if the right price comes along, it wouldn’t be surprising if Thomas is moved.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Jacksonville wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was limited on Wednesday and Thursday with hamstring and ankle injuries and didn’t practice on Friday. He was questionable but played.

• Colts wide receiver Anthony Gould was limited in practice on Wednesday with a concussion, upgraded to full on Thursday but was still ruled out on Friday. That marked his second straight absence.

Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills

The Bills were briefly at full strength at wide receiver: DJ Moore was active this week after missing two games with a shoulder injury.

Buffalo started the season with DJ Moore as one outside receiver, Keon Coleman leading a rotation with Joshua Palmer for the other outside spot and Khalil Shakir playing in the slot. Moore left Week 2 early, played a somewhat limited role in Week 3 and then exited Week 4 early. Moore sat out Weeks 5 and 6 before the Bills’ Week 7 bye, while Palmer also missed some time. Fourth-round rookie Skyler Bell received some playing time during those weeks, as did practice squad player Trent Sherfield. With Moore and Palmer active for this game, Bell was a healthy inactive.

Buffalo started the game easing Moore and Palmer into action. On the first three drives, the Bills ran eight plays out of 11 personnel. Coleman and Shakir played all eight, while Moore played five and Palmer three. They also ran six plays out of 13 personnel, with all three outside receivers splitting two snaps each.

Palmer suffered a hamstring injury at the start of the fourth drive. He was initially deemed doubtful and was ruled out in the second half. This ended the rotation, and all three receivers were consistently on the field in 11 personnel. Buffalo started using 12 personnel more often, with all three healthy receivers rotating for the two spots. Greg Dortch was the only other active wide receiver, but he is mostly on the roster for his special teams play.

While Moore would ideally see more playing time in 12 and 13 personnel going forward, he can safely return to fantasy starting lineups. If Palmer misses time, that makes Shakir and Coleman a little more viable.

Derrick Henry’s playing time dips below 50%: Henry hasn’t seen as much playing time on offense each of the last two weeks.

The Ravens’ backfield isn’t typically mentioned in this article because their running back usage has been very consistent in recent years. Henry is the early-down back, and Justice Hill is the receiving back. Rasheen Ali is the only other running back to see playing time this season, with all seven of his snaps coming in garbage time. Hill has taken 131 of the 134 snaps on third-and-medium or long, and two-minute drills this season.

Henry played 78% of the normal early-down snaps over the first six weeks. That fell to 59.1% last week and 67.7% this week. His overall playing time has similarly dropped, particularly this week as Baltimore was consistently playing from behind.

Henry hasn’t had a run of more than 20 yards in five straight weeks, and this was his third straight game under 60 rushing yards. Given Lamar Jackson’s injury, it’s possible Henry won’t become all that much more effective this season. It’s not out of the question that Baltimore considers trading Henry. He will be 33 before the end of the season, and Baltimore might not be primed to make a playoff run considering it is currently last in its division.

Mark Andrews’ role continues to shrink: Andrews played a season-low 22.2% of snaps in 12 personnel.

Baltimore has used a four-man rotation at tight end in recent weeks, which includes Andrews, rookies Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas and veteran blocker Nick Vannett. The mix has slowly but surely evolved to have the rookies get more involved.

Hibner’s playing time has gradually been on the rise in 12 personnel. He played 42% of those snaps over the first three weeks, and that has increased to 78% over his last three games, largely coinciding with Durham Smythe landing on injured reserve. This week, he played 100% of those snaps for the first time. Josh Cuevas joined him for four of those plays, Vannett three and Andrews two.

The team also rotated more in 11 personnel on early downs more than usual. All four tight ends played 3-to-8 snaps in those situations. This left Andrews only on the field for 38.1% of early-down 11 personnel snaps, his second-lowest rate of the season.

Andrews is a clear player to cut given Lamar Jackson’s injury. This is his sixth consecutive game under 30 receiving yards. While it wouldn’t give the Ravens much cap relief, it’s possible Baltimore becomes a seller at the trade deadline, in which case the 31-year-old tight end could get traded.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson was back in the lineup after missing his third straight game with an ankle injury. However, he injured his right hand on his first offensive snap and was ruled out for the game shortly after. After the game, it was announced he will have surgery, go on injured reserve and possibly miss the rest of the season.

• Similar to the last three weeks, Tyler Huntley took over as the Ravens’ quarterback. Huntley suffered a toe injury in the second quarter, leading emergency third quarterback Joe Fagnano to take over. Huntley was initially ruled questionable but was ruled out in the second half.

• Ravens wide receiver Elijah Sarratt was held out as a healthy scratch, his fourth straight absence.

• James Cook III left briefly in the fourth quarter to get examined for a possible concussion, but he was cleared to return and took one more snap before the Bills turned to backups.

• Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers returned to practice from the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday. He was limited in practice all week with a knee injury and remains on the physically unable to perform list.

• Buffalo tight end Dalton Kincaid was limited in practice all week with a chest injury and was questionable but active. His playing time was down a little bit relative to other recent weeks, but his route participation rate was not impacted. His targets per route were slightly up, leading him to catch four passes for 86 yards and a touchdown.

Tennessee Titans @ Cincinnati Bengals

Titans gain one receiver and lose another: Last week, Calvin Ridley was inactive with a hip injury; this week, Carnell Tate was out with a shoulder injury.

The Titans’ wide receivers were relatively healthy over the first six weeks, with Ridley and Elic Ayomanor rotating at X, Tate as their Z receiver and Wan’Dale Robinson playing in the slot. Last week, it was obvious how the team would replace Ridley since he was already in a rotation. Ayomanor simply took all of the snaps he and Ridley would ordinarily handle. This week, it was less obvious, as all three other starters as well as backup Chimere Dike all have experience playing Z at some point in the last two seasons. While Tennessee elevated K.J. Osborn off the practice squad last week, Xavier Restrepo was the receiver promoted this week.

Tennessee opted to use Dike as a direct replacement for Tate. There were a few plays with Robinson, Ayomanor and Ridley on the field, but that also happened when Tate was healthy. Dike ended up having a big game with five receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. Tennessee stuck with 11 personnel for the entire contest, allowing Robinson to also have a notable performance with six receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown.

The Titans have their bye week next week, which will ideally be enough time for Tate to be ready to play. This means Dike should be left on the waiver wire, as he will likely see limited playing time in their next game despite his strong performance.

Gunnar Helm had his best game but worst snap rate: Helm caught five passes for 76 yards, nearly doubling his receiving yardage total on the season.

Helm has spent the year in a two-man rotation at tight end, playing 77.6% of the offensive snaps including 71.7% in 11 personnel on early downs, 75.0% on third downs and nearly all of the 12 and 13 personnel snaps. Daniel Bellinger has taken all of the other 11 and 12 personnel snaps, while David Martin-Robinson has mostly played in 13 personnel.

While Helm had seen enough playing time to be a fantasy sleeper, he only caught 12 passes for 84 yards and no touchdowns in his first seven games. This week, his playing time dropped to a season-low 63.6% of snaps. This was entirely due to a stronger rotation in 11 personnel on early downs, with Bellinger subsequently seeing a significant increase in snaps in 11 personnel. Tennessee also opted to stick with 11 personnel for nearly the entire game, so Bellinger’s overall snap rate didn’t improve. Despite this, Helm had a much higher target rate than usual, leading to his best receiving game of the season.

Considering this was just one matchup, which came in a week where he was rotated out more, Helm should be left on the waiver wire in most leagues.

Mike Gesicki reached a season-high 67.6% snap rate: Gesicki has scored a touchdown in five straight games and could become a more reliable option.

Gesicki has shown flashes in his three seasons in Cincinnati, but hasn’t been consistent because of the Bengals’ tight end rotation. Drew Sample has played 49% of snaps this season as an early-down blocking option. Over the years, either Erick All Jr. or Noah Fant has joined Sample for most two-tight end snaps, leaving Gesicki to mostly play on third downs. Even Tanner Hudson has complicated Gesicki’s playing time over the years as another receiving choice.

Hudson and All have both been placed on injured reserve in recent weeks, and each is expected to miss the rest of the season. Cincinnati brought back Cam Grandy, who had been on the team in the past, but was on the Minnesota Vikings‘ practice squad. The Bengals also have rookie Jack Endries, giving Cincinnati four tight ends like usual.

Cincinnati did not have its usual rotation. Grandy only played three snaps while Endries just played 12 despite the team running 74 offensive snaps on the day. All had averaged 20 snaps per game. A lot of those plays went to Gesicki. He played 67.5% of 11 personnel snaps on early downs and 90% on third downs, which were both season highs. He also played 68.4% of 12 personnel snaps, up from his season average of 53.8%.

Gesicki caught four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. Typically, when Gesicki has had a spike week, he’s been someone to ignore off the waiver wire unless there was a wide receiver injury. The recent tight end wounds mean this time could be different.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Cincinnati wide receiver Mitch Tinsley was a healthy inactive after suiting up last week. This left the Bengals with only four active wide receivers.

• Colbie Young had missed Weeks 4 and 5 and returned last week to only seven offensive snaps. This week, his role increased to 19 snaps, taking time from Dohnte Meyers.

• Titans running back Tyjae Spears didn’t practice all week with a knee injury and was ruled out on Friday, his second straight absence. Similar to last week, Michael Carter took over as the receiving back.

• In recent weeks, Tennessee elevated Kalel Mullings from the practice squad as its fourth running back. This week, Nick Singleton returned after three straight healthy scratches to be the fourth back.

Arizona Cardinals @ Dallas Cowboys

Monitor the health of Jeremiyah Love and Bam Knight: Neither running back was able to complete the game, leading Tyler Allgeier to have his best game of the season.

Arizona started the season with Love and Allgeier in a 50-50 split, with 175 snaps for Allgeier and 173 for Love over the first five weeks. Love played more on early downs, while Allgeier played more on passing downs.

Love missed the last two games due to an ankle injury, but he was limited on Wednesday and Thursday and upgraded to full on Friday. During that time, Allgeier played 78 snaps over the past two weeks to 75 by Bam Knight. Instead of the rushing and receiving splits that Love and Allgeier had, the two were used interchangeably. Evan Hull was the third back over the last two weeks, although he didn’t take an offensive snap. He was a healthy scratch this week.

Allgeier wasn’t at 100% this week either. He didn’t practice on Wednesday with a toe injury but was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday. He wasn’t given a game status. This left Love as the featured back in the first quarter. He played 15-of-21 snaps, while Allgeier remained the third-down back. On early downs, Knight took two snaps to only one by Allgeier, sparking two carries. Love suffered another ankle injury, which caused him to miss the rest of the game.

In the second quarter, Knight dominated snaps, 16 to four by Allgeier. The two split third-down snaps, while Knight was the early-down back. However, Knight suffered a concussion and didn’t play the rest of the game.

This left Allgeier as the last man standing, and he took all 40 snaps in the second half and overtime. While Love managed 2.6 yards per carry and Knight 2.7, Allgeier put together a dominant performance, running 11 times for 147 yards and a touchdown while also catching five passes for 44 yards and a touchdown. Allgeier will be a must-start option as long as Love and Knight are both out. Even when they are back, Allgeier has potentially played well enough to keep him a large part of the Cardinals’ offense going forward.

Allgeier was dropped in several leagues after the emergence of Knight, so it’s worth seeing if he’s available on your waiver wire. He should be among the top options in leagues where he isn’t rostered.

Arizona continued to deal with wide receiver injuries: Kendrick Bourne suffered an ankle injury, Reggie Virgil was helped off the field late in the game and Michael Wilson played with broken ribs.

The Cardinals’ wide receiver room was straightforward at the start of the year, with Michael Wilson playing in all situations, Marvin Harrison Jr. joining him in 12 personnel and Kendrick Bourne mixing in in 11. They traded Harrison, leading Jalen Brooks to be the new outside receiver, but Brooks suffered a season-ending wrist injury. 

This week, Simi Fehoko and rookie Reggie Virgil rotated throughout the game at X receiver. Through regulation, Virgil had a slight lead at 38 snaps to 32. However, Virgil was unable to finish the game, leading Fehoko to conclude the matchup.

In the slot, Bourne consistently played in 11 personnel like usual, but he went to the locker room a few plays early with an ankle injury and didn’t return. Devin Duvernay took over as the slot receiver for the rest of the game.

At Z, Wilson also missed a little time, and then played with broken ribs. When he was out, both Virgil and Fehoko were on the field in 11 personnel, while Fehoko was the receiver playing in 13 personnel. He commented after the game that he intends to continue to play even if he’s not at 100%.

While a lot of the backup receivers saw a couple of targets each, this led to more targets getting funneled to Michael Wilson and Trey McBride. Even if Wilson isn’t 100%, the loss of Brooks and the potential absence of Bourne will lead Wilson to be a must-start player because of how few options Arizona has on offense.

Monitor George Pickens’ health: Pickens was questionable this week with shoulder and hamstring injuries.

Pickens played 85% of snaps over the first six weeks, with an 88% snap rate in 11 personnel, 81% in two-receiver sets and 53% in single-receiver sets. CeeDee Lamb typically joins him in two-receiver sets, and Ryan Flournoy accompanies them for 11. Pickens has dealt with injuries over the last two weeks, leading him to get rotated out more than usual. He appeared on the injury report a week ago with a shoulder injury, and this past week, he added the hamstring injury. His rates have dropped to 75% in 11 personnel, 56% in two-receiver sets and 16% in one.

It’s been Flournoy who has taken advantage of the situation, playing the majority of snaps in single-receiver plays and taking most of the vacated snaps in two-receiver sets. That didn’t necessarily lead to more targets this week, but it did lead to the only receiving touchdown by Dallas this week.

It will be worth monitoring how much Pickens practices this week. If he completely sits out for any practices, then it could be time to make a backup plan. It also makes sense to add Flournoy off waivers in deeper leagues. If Dallas decides to give Pickens a game or two off, then Flournoy would be worth inserting in fantasy starting lineups. Even if Pickens doesn’t practice as much but plays, it could be Flournoy who steps us as a receiver.

Monitor Jake Ferguson’s health: Ferguson only managed four offensive snaps before an ankle injury caused him to miss the rest of the game.

Dallas has spent the season with Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford as its primary tight ends, with Spann-Ford recently taking some time from Ferguson on early downs. Luke Schoonmaker has been the third tight end, siphoning time from Ferguson in 12 personnel in recent weeks. The Cowboys started the game down one tight end, as Schoonmaker was inactive with a groin injury. This led Dallas to elevate James Mitchell from the practice squad.

Dallas started the game moving even more in Spann-Ford’s favor. On the first two drives, Spann-Ford played all nine snaps, while Ferguson played three and Mitchell two. Ferguson played one snap on the third drive, then left with an ankle injury and was quickly ruled out.

Spann-Ford played the clear majority of snaps over the rest of the game, only losing a few reps to Mitchell. It’s unclear how much he would have played this week had Ferguson stayed healthy, or how much he would play if Schoonmaker was active, but it appears clear Spann-Ford is the top tight end on Dallas’ depth chart going forward.

Spann-Ford has caught a couple of passes in each of the last three games but hasn’t scored a touchdown this season. He’s a solid player to add in deep leagues where most lead tight ends are rostered, but it seem unlikely he will be ranked among the top 12 fantasy tight ends anytime soon.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Cardinals benched Jacoby Brissett late in the third quarter. Considering Gardner Minshew II found much more success against the Cowboys defense and completed the comeback, it wouldn’t be surprising if Minshew is the Cardinals’ starting quarterback next week. Arizona is expected to turn to Carson Beck at some point this season, and this could accelerate that timeline.

• Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin didn’t practice all week with a rib injury and was ruled out on Friday, his second straight absence.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Los Angeles Rams

The Chargers are finally healthy at wide receiver: The Chargers had all their top wide receivers healthy for just the second time this season.

The Chargers’ lead receiver, Ladd McConkey, has dealt with rib, foot and head injuries, leading him to either miss or play a limited role in all but one game this season. Quentin Johnston missed Week 5 with a chest injury, while Tre’ Harris missed Week 6 with a hamstring injury. McConkey was a full participant in practice all week, while Harris was limited to start the week before practicing in full by the end.

This allowed Theo Wease Jr. to be a healthy scratch for Los Angeles. Backup Brenen Thompson was out with quad and hamstring injuries, but he wouldn’t have seen much playing time even if he were healthy.

The Chargers used the same rotation in this game as they did in Week 3, which many expected when the season began. McConkey and Johnston played in two- and three-receiver sets, Harris joined them in three-receiver sets, and Harris played in most single-receiver sets. McConkey had a big game, catching four passes for 86 yards. The Chargers are expected to play from behind in most games going forward, which should mean more passing attempts. While McConkey has been a bust from a fantasy perspective so far this season, it should be safer to start him now that he appears healthy.

Rams adjust without Colby Parkinson: Parkinson didn’t practice all week due to a rib injury. He was listed as questionable on Friday but didn’t play.

When everyone is healthy, Parkinson is the primary tight end in 11 personnel on early downs, while Terrance Ferguson plays on third downs. The two play in 12 personnel, and Davis Allen joins them in 13 personnel. Ferguson remains on injured reserve. The last time Parkinson and Ferguson missed a game, Tyler Higbee was the primary tight end, Allen joined him in 12 personnel while rotating in 11 personnel on early downs, and the team largely abandoned 13 personnel despite having second-round rookie Max Klare.

This week, Higbee and Allen again rotated in 11 personnel on early downs, while Higbee handled third downs. However, the team was without Davante Adams (injured reserve). Los Angeles opted to use more 13 personnel rather than give its backup wide receivers significant playing time. Klare played 25 of 54 snaps, all in 13 personnel. This also meant significant playing time for both Higbee and Allen.

While the tight ends received plenty of playing time, Los Angeles focused primarily on the running game. Puka Nacua accounted for nearly half of the targets and 11 of the team’s 17 completions. Los Angeles has some favorable matchups in the future, but it will be hard to trust Higbee despite his role if he isn’t seeing targets.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Los Angeles continued its recent running back rotation, rotating by drive but with Williams often taking a snap or two on Corum’s drives. Williams also played the two-minute drill snaps, as usual. Williams will be the better fantasy option if the Rams continue this rotation, but Corum could take on a larger role if he keeps playing well.

• The Rams added kicker Joshua Karty to the practice squad on Wednesday and elevated him on Saturday. The Rams were one of the few teams with two active kickers, as Brandon McManus was also active.

• The Chargers continued their three-man running back rotation, with Keaton Mitchell and Omarion Hampton splitting early-down work, while Kimani Vidal served as their receiving back. Vidal ended up leading the Chargers in snaps because they were playing from behind. This remains a backfield to avoid.

• Oronde Gadsden had a good game, with five receptions for 52 yards, but his route participation rate was below 60% for the second straight game, and Charlie Kolar continued to play most early-down snaps in 11 personnel. David Njoku is eligible to return from injured reserve, although it’s unclear when he will be ready. Once he returns, Gadsden’s playing time will decrease further.

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins

New England adjusts without TreVeyon Henderson: Henderson missed Thursday and Friday practice due to illness. He was initially listed as questionable but was ruled out Saturday.

Henderson missed Week 1 and played 60% of snaps in Week 2, but his playing time has slowly but surely declined this season. Rhamondre Stevenson has been the featured back, while Corey Kiner has started to cut into Henderson’s playing time. With Henderson out, the Patriots signed Lan Larison from the Patriots’ practice squad Saturday.

Stevenson played 77% of the Patriots’ offensive snaps, his highest rate since Week 1, the other game Henderson missed. Stevenson has dominated snaps on third downs, during two-minute drills, in short-yardage situations and at the goal line all season. His playing time has fluctuated in normal early-down situations. He’s played more than 70% of snaps in those situations in the two games Henderson has missed and less than 70% in the other games. Kiner was the primary backup, while Larison also mixed in for a few snaps.

While it’s entirely possible that Henderson is legitimately dealing with an illness, it’s also possible the Patriots kept him out because they plan to trade him. His playing time has been declining in recent weeks. Usually, when someone has an illness and can’t play, they aren’t ruled out until the day of the game rather than the day before. When someone is out with an illness, teams usually elevate a practice squad player rather than signing someone to the 53-man roster. Larison had been elevated only once this season, so he was still eligible, and the Patriots elevated only one player this week, so they had room to elevate a second. The Patriots signing Larison to the active roster suggests they plan to keep him there, so unless they plan to use four running backs going forward, they may move on from Henderson.

Patriots adjust without A.J. Brown: The Patriots’ lead receiver couldn’t play due to ankle and knee injuries. He was limited Wednesday, didn’t practice Thursday or Friday and was listed as questionable Friday.

New England started the year with Brown as one outside receiver, Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs rotating at the other spot, and DeMario Douglas playing in the slot. Since then, Brown has spent time on injured reserve, while Hollins and Doubs are currently on injured reserve. This allowed Efton Chism III and Kyle Williams to rotate at an outside spot. This was the first time all three outside receivers were out. The Patriots elevated wide receiver Ryan Miller from the practice squad Saturday to give them four receivers.

New England largely turned to Chism and Williams as the primary receivers, with Williams playing Brown’s role as the X receiver, while Chism played Hollins’ and Doubs’ roles as the Z receiver. Miller mostly played in single-receiver sets. Douglas has played only 13% of the snaps in 12 personnel this season, but this week, he played a season-high 30% of those snaps.

While Chism and Williams stepped up in playing time, Douglas has scored at least 16 PPR points in three of his last four games. It’s generally difficult to trust someone who plays only in 11 personnel, but if he can continue to play at least some snaps in 12 personnel, he can be in some fantasy starting lineups. Williams made one big 43-yard touchdown catch, while Chism finished with a team-high five receptions. However, once one of the other receivers returns, they will be back to a rotational role, and once two return, they will be backups.

Monitor Hunter Henry’s health: Henry suffered a foot injury in the second quarter and was unable to return.

Henry has spent the season rotating out more than usual, with Eli Raridon becoming more involved in the offense. Raridon has played more than 50% of snaps over the last two weeks, including 36% of the early-down snaps in 11 personnel. The Patriots have also had Cameron Latu cut into Henry’s playing time in 12 personnel at times. Despite this, Henry has remained fantasy-relevant, in part because of the injuries at wide receiver.

New England started the game with its usual tight end rotation, but Tanner Arkin also mixed in for a few snaps. After Henry’s injury, Raridon became the featured tight end. He played 92% of the Patriots’ offensive snaps throughout the game, taking the clear majority in 11 personnel and all snaps in 12 and 13 personnel. He caught only one pass for 5 yards, but he still has a solid 1.9 yards per route run on the season. Raridon becomes a top waiver-wire target at tight end, depending on Henry’s health.

Ollie Gordon II reaches 80% of snaps for the second straight week: Gordon remains Miami’s clear featured back, despite other running backs being healthy.

Gordon has spent the last four games as Miami’s lead back with De’Von Achane out for the season. He’s played 74% of the offensive snaps, playing at least two-thirds of snaps in all situations. Part of that was because he’s played well; part was also due to a lack of other options. His primary competition is Jaylen Wright, but Wright had logged at least one limited practice each week from Weeks 3-7. He’s appeared on the injury report this season with a foot injury, a stinger and a quadriceps injury. Miami also added Kayton Allen from the Commanders, and it seemed reasonable to expect Allen might see more playing time as the year progressed.

Allen has been on the team for a month now, and Wright logged full practices all week for the first time since Week 2. Despite this, Gordon played a season-high 85% of early-down snaps. He remained the primary back during two-minute drills and in short-yardage situations. He saw a drop in third-down snaps only because Miami started using fullback DJ Herman as the third-down back for a few plays. Swapping fewer third-down snaps for more early-down snaps should help Gordon’s playing time going forward.

Gordon has been a must-start, and that will continue as long as he stays in this role.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Dolphins elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez from the practice squad Saturday.

• Dolphins wide receiver Jared Wayne was limited Wednesday and Thursday with a knee injury and upgraded to a full participant Friday. He wasn’t given a game status but didn’t play. Instead, Jalen Tolbert was active.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

Broncos adjust without RJ Harvey: The Broncos’ receiving back suffered a knee injury in practice on Thursday and landed on injured reserve on Saturday.

The Broncos have used four running backs this season: J.K. Dobbins, Harvey, Jonah Coleman and Tyler Badie. Denver has typically used a three-man rotation among whichever backs were healthy. Harvey missed Week 2 with a hamstring injury, Coleman missed four weeks while on injured reserve, and Badie landed on injured reserve before Week 7. This was the first time this season that two of their backs were out with injuries, so Denver elevated Cody Schrader from the practice squad.

Denver still fielded a three-man rotation, but fullback Adam Prentice was the third back and took nearly half of the third-down snaps. Prentice wasn’t part of the rotation in other situations, leaving more opportunities for Coleman and Dobbins. Denver started the game with Dobbins as the lead back, playing eight first-quarter snaps compared to five for Coleman. As the game progressed, Denver turned more and more to Coleman.

In the second quarter, Coleman played 16 snaps to Dobbins’ five, including an eight-to-one advantage in carries. In the second half, Coleman played 19 of a possible 21 snaps. Coleman ran 11 times for 41 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 63 yards. Dobbins averaged 1.9 yards per carry.

Coleman was already the top waiver-wire pickup last week, but he is still available in several leagues. He is a must-add in those leagues. There has been talk of Denver considering trading for a running back, but the team might reconsider based on Coleman’s 100-yard performance.

As for Dobbins, you can drop him in most leagues. He will likely still receive five to 10 carries per game, but that’s not enough to put him in fantasy starting lineups. He is just a handcuff at this point. Once Harvey returns, Dobbins could be phased out of the offense completely.

Jaylen Waddle plays in a limited role: Waddle didn’t practice Wednesday due to a chest injury but was limited in practice Thursday and Friday. He was listed as questionable but was active.

Waddle typically plays only one-third of the Broncos’ offensive snaps, taking 84% of the snaps in 11 personnel, 59% in 12 personnel and barely any in single-receiver sets. Courtland Sutton plays a similar role with slightly higher snap rates in all three situations, while Troy Franklin has been the third receiver with Pat Bryant injured.

This week, Franklin was the primary player in 12 personnel ahead of Waddle. In 11 personnel, Marvin Mims Jr. rotated in more often than usual. Luckily, Waddle managed a touchdown while playing less than half of the team’s offensive snaps.

While the touchdown was good to see, it’s likely not safe to put him in fantasy starting lineups until he is healthier and the Broncos start passing the ball more often.

Rashee Rice returns to a part-time role: Rice returned after missing the last two games with hamstring and knee injuries. He was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday before being upgraded to a full participant Friday.

Kansas City started the season with Rice and Xavier Worthy each playing around 80% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps, with Tyquan Thornton joining them in 11 personnel. Jalen Royals played only 22 snaps over the first three weeks, while Cyrus Allen played five. Rice suffered his injury the following week, while Thornton suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4.

Over the last two weeks, Worthy and Royals were the primary two receivers, with Andrew Armstrong joining them in 11 personnel. Allen rotated in for Royals at times in 11 personnel.

This week, Worthy was on the field almost every snap. Kansas City used a four-man rotation for the other spots. Rice played only 53% of snaps but was on the field at a higher rate on passing plays. Allen also received a notable increase in snaps relative to Armstrong and Royals. He played more than either of them in 11 personnel but less in 12 personnel. There was a similar tendency for Rice to play on passing plays, leaving Armstrong and Royals on the field more often in running situations.

Several wide receivers are rumored to be traded over the next week, and the Chiefs are among the top teams looking to acquire a receiver. If that happens, we could continue to see an ugly rotation, as someone would need to lose snaps while Allen’s playing time continues to rise. That likely means fewer snaps for Worthy, and it’s also possible Rice never returns to playing 80% of snaps.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Evan Engram’s playing time has decreased throughout the season. He played 63% of the early-down snaps in 11 personnel over the first four weeks compared to 41% over the last four. He’s played less than 25% of snaps in 12 personnel in each of the last two weeks after playing at least 25% in each of the first six.

• Courtland Sutton briefly left the game to enter the blue medical tent but was able to return shortly afterward.

• Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce similarly left briefly with a lower-body injury but was able to return to his usual role shortly afterward.

• Emmett Johnson caught five passes for 128 yards and a touchdown, but he played a season-low 12 offensive snaps. He may seem like a good waiver-wire target considering his fantasy production, but his role has been decreasing on early downs rather than increasing.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders

Coming soon!

Table Notes

• Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, such as offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats exclude these plays.

• Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy is a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may credit the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.

• Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.