While we’re all on the edge of our seat, awaiting the completion of NFL Week 8 that comes with Monday night’s riveting battle between the Seahawks and the Rams, we can take a few moments to look at some of the top performances over the weekend that have numerous fantasy owners wondering if they could have the next big thing or just a simple flavor of the week. All too often, we see owners freaking out over a certain guy who lights it up one week only to see him become a waste of FAAB dollars or waiver priority as he puts up subpar results for your starting lineup the rest of the way. But there are certainly those who emerge from the shadows and are able to provide you with strong and sustainable numbers. Here’s a look at some of those guys from Week 8 as we try to sort out who’s who.

Marvin Jones, WR CIN – What better place to start than Jones who lit it up in Week 8 with eight catches for 122 yards and four touchdowns against what has typically been a strong Jets pass defense. Jones has actually been on people’s radar for a couple of weeks now after back-to-back weeks (Weeks 6 and 7) with a touchdown and now after this performance, if he was somehow still on your waiver wire, he’s about to get snatched up. With an increase in targets over the last few weeks, it would appear that Jones is very much a part of the Bengals regular offensive game plan and is being sought out by quarterback Andy Dalton with favorite-target A.J. Green blanketed in double-teams every time he steps out onto the field. This game has definitely sent out a warning shot to defensive coordinators everywhere and we’re going to start seeing Jones draw a little more attention in coverage. What that should ultimately do is free up Green and both will start to see more one-on-one coverage from the corners with the safeties hanging back deciding where best to help out. Jones probably won’t ever see another game like this, but as long as Green is also on the field with him, he should be able to continue to produce at a consistent and high level.

Roy Helu, RB WAS – OK, so he was a total waste in your starting lineup this week, but I wanted to include him here as a lesson to all of you who started him ahead of more productive options this week because you got fish-hooked by his Week 7, three-touchdown game. Touchdown vultures can be some of the biggest pains in the ass because they tend to come up super-short on yards and if they don’t find the endzone, then they’re useless to you. Sure, a Shanahan-run backfield can be a pain to read, but we saw Alfred Morris run with the job last season and there’s no indication that Shanahan wants anything different this year. Sometimes, he’ll see something in the defensive match-up that seems to favor the use of Helu, but that is certainly not a regular occurrence. He’s scored in just two of Washington’s seven games this season and has now come up relatively empty in two of his last three games. He simply cannot be counted on for any sort of consistent production.

Andre Ellington, RB ARI –The rumors of Ellington supplanting Rashard Mendenhall as the lead back in Arizona have been swirling around for some time now and Mendy’s toe injury looks like it just ushered in a new era for the Cardinals. Ellington may not be the strongest runner between the tackles, but he’s absolutely dynamic when he takes it to the outside or catches a pass out in the flat thanks to a slick, cut-and-run style and tremendous speed. It really just comes down to opportunity now and if the Cardinals do indeed stick with him, which they obviously should, he should prove to be a solid producer whose game should lend greater support to Carson Palmer and help open up the passing game. The Week 9 bye is a bit ill-timed as it now gives Mendenhall a chance to heal and compete for his job, but in the end, talent should win out and Ellington should be the guy to own moving forward.

Andy Dalton, QB CIN – Come on now people. It’s time to lose those preconceived notions and start realizing that you can, in fact, win a fantasy championship with a ginger quarterback. Dalton has been flying under the radar for some time now, but the more he’s blossomed this year, the higher his profile is getting. With three-straight games of over 300 yards passing with 11 touchdowns to just two interceptions, Dalton is finally providing consistent production worthy of a QB1 in most leagues. We can thank the support of a legitimate (not great, but legitimate) running game, a pair of quality tight ends and the emergence of Marvin Jones. Once the double-teams start coming off A.J. Green, the balance will be complete, the 6-2 Bengals could entrench themselves as a dominant force and the team to beat in the AFC, and Dalton will be front and center for all the action.

Kenny Stills, WR NO – During the preseason, Stills popped onto a number of people’s radar as it looked like he and Drew Brees were a match made in fantasy football heaven. But the season opened, Jimmy Graham dominated the targets, and while Stills posted 86 yards in Week 1, it was more like a Devery Henderson-esque performance where he was looking like more of a boom-or-bust type player. The season continued with little else from Stills and, for the most part, he’d fallen off the radar. But during Week 6, with Graham hurt and Marques Colston still sucking, Stills managed to find the endzone for the first time this season. The bye week passed and then, despite the return of Graham, Stills managed to wrangle in three catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns. But will it last or were we simply looking at a crappy Bills pass defense incapable of keeping receivers out of the endzone? With Graham healthier than the week before, the return of Lance Moore, the hope that Colston remembers how to play the game, and the lack of consistent targets, I’m hesitant to go all-in on Stills just yet. I’m sure someone in your league will break the bank on him, but he’ll probably drop him soon after his next lousy week which could be a lot sooner than later.  

Jason Campbell, QB CLE – I just wanted to include him hear because I always like to hear the laughter of longtime fantasy owners when you even remotely suggest that Campbell could actually be an asset. With no ground game support and only two legitimate targets in Jordan Cameron and Josh Gordon, Campbell is going to get smacked around early and often when teams realize that this is the same guy who they smacked around like seven years ago. Stay away. Stay far, far away.

Howard Bender has been covering fantasy sports for over a decade on a variety of web sites. You can find his personal musings on RotobuzzGuy.com and for questions, thoughts or comments, you can follow him on Twitter at @rotobuzzguy or email him at rotobuzzguy@gmail.com.