Targets are paramount when it comes to evaluating pass-catchers for fantasy football. There are no receiving yards, touchdowns, or receptions without a target. We want the players on our rosters in fantasy football who will earn these targets because targets are the most important thing to look at when trying to separate one pass-catcher from another on a base level. Sure, the player that earned 160 targets may be a better fantasy option than the player who earned 110, but that doesn’t take into account the offenses these players are in, the target share percentages on their particular team, how deep down the field these targets were earned, and so on. Each week, we’ll take a weekly team-by-team look into these target earners and separate the wheat from the chaff. 

We're through eight weeks of the NFL season, and we just had an abbreviated bye week in Week 8 with just the Chiefs and Chargers, but six teams for Week 9, so we'll go through some team and player usage tendencies here in our Target Report. Before we get into the Target Report for Week 8, let's dive into a legend of terms we'll be referencing:

Bye Weeks:

Week 8: Chiefs, Chargers

Week 9: Browns, Cowboys, Broncos, Giants, Steelers, 49ers

Week 10: Ravens, Bengals, Patriots, Jets

Week 11: Jaguars, Dolphins, Seahawks, Buccaneers

Week 13: Cardinals, Panthers

Week 14: Falcons, Bears, Packers, Colts, Saints, Commanders

Note:

Start Your Studs: Players you should be starting in all formats, regardless of matchup. Use your judgment in shallower leagues where players who are typically startable are plentiful.

Keep Them Rostered: Players that should be rostered in all formats assuming 12-team leagues with six-player benches. League size designations or other designations (bench stash, etc.) will be in parenthesis next to players for deeper leagues. As always, this is a general recommendation; depending on your league, use your best judgment.

Example: Terrace Marshall (14), Alexander Mattison (bench stash).

Dump ‘Em: Players that you should be dropping from your rosters. Use your judgment in deeper leagues where players with usefulness on waivers aren’t as plentiful.

NFL Week 8 Target Report

Arizona Cardinals

Look, DeAndre Hopkins is #GOOD. He definitely has not lost a step and is trying his best to make up for lost time with 27.1 fantasy points per game (PPR) and a gargantuan 37.5% target share over the last two weeks. Full confidence in Hopkins being a top-five fantasy receiver from now until the end of the season.

Quietly, Rondale Moore (7-92-1, eight targets, 98% routes) has eight targets in three of his last four contests, with two top-24 fantasy performances including a WR6 finish in PPR in Week 8. He was in the slot most of the time, and we love this in more PPR-centric formats. 

Can somebody tell Robbie Anderson that his routes are supposed to go UP after a 10-day layover before his next game? He was traded to Arizona, ran 21% of routes last week and then this week, was only at 11%. The Cardinals had more pass volume this week, and he still couldn’t gain? That doesn’t bode super well.

Week 8 Arizona Cardinals Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: DeAndre Hopkins, James Conner (when healthy), Kyler Murray, Zach Ertz

Keep Them Rostered: Rondale Moore, Eno Benjamin (start with Conner out, roster and stash as handcuff/contingent play when Conner is healthy), Robbie Anderson (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: Darrel Williams was placed on IR with a hip injury, so he can be safely dropped in all formats.

Atlanta Falcons

Somehow, this game turned into a game that was pretty fun and interesting. The Falcons passed the ball a little bit as Marcus Mariota had the most passing yards (253) since Week 3 and passing attempts (28) he’s had since Week 1’s 33.

Perhaps Arthur Smith was feeling some heat from his team’s “leather helmet” approach as at least one of their top draft picks from the last two seasons was involved in the passing game. Kyle Pitts (perhaps you’ve heard of him) got in the end zone and put up a 5-80 line on nine targets and 87% routes. Finally, a #good outcome!

Besides a long Damiere Byrd touchdown (190 air yards — third in Week 8) and a Tyler Allgeier touchdown catch, it was still a difficult day for Drake London (4-31, five targets, 90% routes) as he was lost in the shuffle just a bit. Despite Byrd’s air yards and touchdown, there’s not nearly enough meat on the bone for the Falcons’ passing offense for Byrd to be viable in fantasy.

Cordarrelle Patterson was designated to return from IR on Wednesday, so we’ll see if Patterson can suit up in Week 9 or if it will be Caleb Huntley and Allgeier toting the rock for the Falcons for another week.

Week 8 Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Kyle Pitts, Cordarrelle Patterson (when healthy)

Keep Them Rostered: Drake London, Tyler Allgeier, Caleb Huntley

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Baltimore Ravens

In a game where both Mark Andrews (shoulder, ankle) and Rashod Bateman (foot) left in the first quarter, it opened the door for somebody (anybody!) to take the lead in the passing game. The “Likely”-est of candidates (please don’t click away) wasn’t Isaiah Likely (6-77-1), but he was the best option here for the Ravens. He ran routes on 81% of dropbacks, which led the team on the night. Likely would be a borderline TE1 play in Week 9 if Andrews can’t suit up.

After Likely, Demarcus Robinson had a solid night (6-64, eight targets) on 54% of routes. The only wide receiver that should garner any fantasy consideration would be Devin Duvernay (4-31, four targets, 70% routes), but even he is a stretch considering Baltimore’s run-happy ways and how up and down the entire receiver corps is with snaps and routes.

Week 8 Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Mark Andrews (when healthy), Lamar Jackson

Keep Them Rostered: Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, Isaiah Likely (deep 12 & 14 team), Kenyan Drake, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: Demarcus Robinson doesn’t run enough routes to justify being rostered outside of an injury to the receivers ahead of him.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills were out in front of this game handily with a 24-7 score and then in a scene all too familiar to Packers fans, the Bills went full-on Mike McCarthy and sat on the lead and allowed the Packers to put up some points and make the game much closer than it was at 27-17. Make no mistake: the Bills looked dominant and clearly the better team.

Stefon Diggs is #good.

Diggs (6-108-1), Gabe Davis (2-35, seven targets, 87% routes) and Dawson Knox (2-10-1, three targets, 77%) were the only other Bills to earn more than two targets in Week 8, as the Packers just ran the ball even when down 17 points in a sort of Atlanta Falcons tribute piece. To be fair, it was the only way they could move the ball effectively. That dumbed down the number of plays the Bills ran as well as Josh Allen’s season-low 30 dropbacks. Not worried at all for Davis or even Knox here despite the touchdown-saving day for fantasy managers.

The Bills added Nyheim Hines from the Colts at the trade deadline, so this is a big hit to James Cook’s fantasy value going forward. It could take a little bit of a hit to Devin Singletary, but the team trusts him enough in high-leverage situations for him to stay pretty even in fantasy value pre and post-trade.

Week 8 Buffalo Bills Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis

Keep Them Rostered: Dawson Knox, Devin Singletary, Nyheim Hines, Isaiah McKenzie (deep 12-& 14 team), Khalil Shakir (deep 14-team) 

Dump ‘Em: James Cook

Carolina Panthers

Will this suffice? Just this video? No?

What a throw by P.J. Walker to DJ Moore (6-152-2, 11 targets, 97% routes) and hey, there just might be hope yet for this passing game! It would be a total Panthers move to replace him with the corpse of Sam Darnold when he’s healthy, and I wouldn’t put it past them. But it’s clear that Walker gives them the best chance to move the ball from the quarterback position.

The Panthers’ 459 air yards comfortably led the NFL in Week 8 and Walker’s 12.8 aDOT was second only to Josh Allen. Any quarterback who is not afraid to throw the ball deep is somebody we want to pay attention to in fantasy, even if it’s inefficient at times because the shots will hit eventually due to just general variance.

Terrace Marshall was even out earning targets (4-87, nine targets) and if he’s going to be running 95% of routes on a weekly basis with Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey out of town plus an open target tree after Moore, then we’ve got to take notice. If he’s not added in your league, he’s definitely worth a stash.

With Chuba Hubbard out for Week 8, D’Onta Foreman earned 68% of snaps and was worked into most situations. It remains to be seen if Foreman can hold off Hubbard to remain a fantasy RB2, but it’s encouraging with his workload and production (26-108-3, one target) in Week 8.

Week 8 Carolina Panthers Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: DJ Moore

Keep Them Rostered: D’Onta Foreman, Chuba Hubbard, Terrace Marshall (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Chicago Bears

Bless you if you’ve been rugged into having to start a Chicago Bears’ pass-catcher in your fantasy football lineup. I truly feel for you. There should be a GoFundMe or something for the destitute fantasy managers forced to succumb to the pain and anguish that is rostering a Chicago Bear. May you never feel that pain.

Fun fact: Justin Fields is the overall QB2 in the last four weeks. 

I'll wait for you to lift your jaw off the ground.

Proof that it doesn’t matter if you don’t throw the ball over 200 yards (he’s done it just once in those four weeks) or throw for multiple touchdowns (also once in four weeks), if you have rushing upside, it can carry your quarterback score and mitigate those substandard passing days.

There are a lot of substandard passing days with this offense with no volume to speak of with just 23 pass attempts. Darnell Mooney (5-70 on five targets) was fine, and Cole Kmet (2-11-1, two targets) caught his first touchdown since 2020.

Will Chase Claypool help? He was added at the trade deadline from Pittsburgh, and hey, Claypool could be a big help. Again, the problem in Chicago is the passing volume. And even just dropping back to pass. Chicago just won’t do it so the need to be efficient with what little passing there is is vital. Per NBC Sports Edge’s Pat Kerrane, Claypool has been double-teamed on 29% of his routes. Among receivers with 200+ routes run, only DK Metcalf, Cooper Kupp, CeeDee Lamb, Davante Adams, and Ja’Marr Chase. Perhaps this could be a good sign for Mooney going forward if Claypool commands this kind of coverage. Definitely a wait-and-see situation.

I wrote too much about the Chicago Bears. Lord, help me.

Week 8 Chicago Bears Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: None right now.

Keep Them Rostered: Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Justin Fields, David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Cincinnati Bengals

Well, the first week without Ja’Marr Chase was #not a success.

Two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Tyler Boyd (3-38-1, five targets) and Tee Higgins (3-49-1, six targets) salvaged their fantasy days. Joe Mixon (7-32) earned a team-high nine targets if you’re into that. It can be much better for the Bengals and let’s hope it does because this was U-G-L-Y and a national television audience saw it.

At least that national television audience got to see a grown-ass man touchdown:

Week 8 Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Ja’Marr Chase (when healthy), Tee Higgins, Joe Burrow

Keep Them Rostered: Tyler Boyd, Hayden Hurst, Samaje Perine (14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Cleveland Browns

The Browns were just shy of 66% running the ball and that’s because they held the Bengals scoreless through three quarters. That’s going to take the wind out of the passing sails every time with just 23 pass attempts. Luckily (for those who roster Amari Cooper), Cooper went a bit wild with a 5-131-1 line plus an interception on a reverse. Only six Browns players even earned a target, including Donovan Peoples-Jones who put up a nice line (4-81, four targets) in a week that very few people used him.

Also disappointing was Harrison Bryant (no targets, 42% routes, 74% snaps) who was a popular streaming tight end and filled in for an injured David Njoku. Njoku now gets a week off as the Browns go on bye.

This is also your one-month warning on Deshaun Watson if you need a quarterback for the stretch run. He has games against the Ravens, Saints, and Commanders in the fantasy playoffs. Juicy.

Week 8 Cleveland Browns Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Amari Cooper, Nick Chubb, David Njoku

Keep Them Rostered: Kareem Hunt, Deshaun Watson (if you have room on your roster)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys almost put up a 50-burger on the Bears in Week 8 as half of the touchdowns were scored by Tony Pollard’s magnificent day. Pollard ran for an efficient 131 yards and three touchdowns and added a reception for 16 yards. The wild thing is he did this on just 53% of snaps. Owner/GM Jerry Jones is insistent that the injured Ezekiel Elliott will remain the starting running back though, for “reasons”. By “reasons”, I mean “money”.

76% of the targets were split by the typical volume-earning pieces: CeeDee Lamb (5-77-1, seven targets), Dalton Schultz (6-74, seven targets), and Michael Gallup (4-49, six targets). The other touchdown was scored by backup tight end Jake Ferguson.

The Cowboys were almost at an even split with run/pass in this one despite scoring a bunch and have trended this way since Dak Prescott returned to the Cowboys lineup. 

Week 8 Dallas Cowboys Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott, Dalton Schultz

Keep Them Rostered: Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, Michael Gallup

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Denver Broncos

So here’s the deal: the Broncos are on bye in Week 9, but if Greg Dulcich is still available for some reason, go scoop him now. Based on utilization right out of the gate in Week 6, he’s been a top-12 TE in fantasy each week with double-digit fantasy points. His athletic profile and penchant for the deep ball at the tight end position make him a cheat code. He led the Broncos in air yards (114, second-highest of Week 8 among tight ends), receiving yards, and put up a 4-87 line on five targets on 91% of routes. Do I need to say more?

It was a rougher trip across the pond for the Broncos' offense, as is the theme of the season, but the Broncos found a way to pull it out with a dud from Courtland Sutton. Sutton only caught one of his four targets for 13 yards on his typical high-90% routes share.

Jerry Jeudy was the other non-Dulcich producer for Denver with 6-63-1 on seven targets and 97% routes. His touchdown was of the tip-pass variety that still counts as a passing touchdown on the stat sheet.

The Broncos acquired Chase Edmonds from the Dolphins in the deal that sent Bradley Chubb to Miami. This further muddies this backfield, and I wrote about the Chubb/Edmonds deal right after it happened if you’d like to get my extended thoughts about it from both sides.

Week 8 Denver Broncos Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Greg Dulcich

Keep Them Rostered: Russell Wilson, Latavius Murray, Chase Edmonds, Melvin Gordon, KJ Hamler (deeper 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Detroit Lions

Quite a bit of passing volume on both sides as D’Andre Swift was back! Head coach Dan Campbell admitted he probably brought Swift back too soon as he said he wasn’t 100% from his ankle and shoulder injuries. Swift still played 33 snaps — most among Lions running backs. He received 10 opportunities in total with a touchdown and 33 total yards. We’re hoping it’s a gradual climb here for Swift rather than start and stop.

In the passing game, we also got a full game out of Amon-Ra St. Brown, where he led the Lions with 10 targets and a 7-69 line on 95% of routes. The other big route runner was Kalif Raymond, who ran 95% of routes as well with a much deeper 20.3-yard aDOT and 3-76 on four targets.

This is important because one of the biggest pieces of the Lions for the last several seasons was moved at the trade deadline to the rival Minnesota Vikings — T.J. Hockenson.

Hockenson’s departure opens up not just a starting tight end role for Brock Wright and/or James Mitchell, but opens up targets across the middle for St. Brown and an easier path for targets to any of the outside receivers like Josh Reynolds, Raymond, DJ Chark, or Detroit’s first-round pick, Jameson Williams when he returns later in the season. 

Until then, they’ll be in a bunch of shootouts thanks to:

This seems #bad.

Week 8 Detroit Lions Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Amon-Ra St. Brown, D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams (if Swift is out)

Keep Them Rostered: DJ Chark, Jared Goff, Kalif Raymond, Josh Reynolds, Jameson Williams (priority hold), Brock Wright (14 team), James Mitchell (14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Green Bay Packers

Back in my day, the Packers could pass the ball with the best of them, and Aaron Rodgers could do no wrong.

Now he’s throwing the ball short distances and long passes to empty spaces and looking like a sour puss while doing so. It’s a tough scene. To make matters worse, the Packers couldn’t even pony up a draft pick to get the man some pass-catching help while half of the corps is hurt. A tough scene.

To say that the Packers are struggling to pass the ball is an understatement. With Allen Lazard out, the (supposed) plan was to involve Christian Watson more in that regard. He was hurt in the first quarter and played all of six snaps.

It seemed like the “cutting back snaps” remark from earlier in the week was levied at rookie wide receiver Romeo Doubs, but he was the most productive receiver on the night with 4-62 on seven targets and 88% routes. Doubs probably dodged a bullet there with Watson leaving the game. And now he can’t come off the field. So, success? That’s how it works, right?

Besides Robert Tonyan’s 5-35 line on six targets and Aaron Jones’ 4-13 on five targets, no other Packer had more than one reception as they were fully content on #EstablishingTheRun well into the third quarter. That did actually work better than the passing game, somehow.

File away Samori Toure if he can work his way into the pass-catching equation. He caught his first NFL touchdown on his lone catch (four targets) for 37 yards on a really nice play that saw Toure improvise to get free in the end zone. Rodgers definitely noticed that, so we’ll see if that leads to anything more for him.

Week 8 Green Bay Packers Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Aaron Jones, Allen Lazard

Keep Them Rostered: Aaron Rodgers, Romeo Doubs, AJ Dillon, Christian Watson, Sammy Watkins (14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Houston Texans

Brandin Cooks was waiving his thumb down a Houston highway looking for any of the other 31 NFL franchises to pick him up at the trade deadline, but it was not to be. Needless to say, Cooks was #not happy.

Thus, he remains the only pass-catcher worth a fantasy roster spot from the Texans. He put up a team-leading 4-73 line on six targets in Week 8.

That’s if he plays:

Week 8 Houston Texans Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Dameon Pierce

Keep Them Rostered: Brandin Cooks, Rex Burkhead

Dump ‘Em: If Dameon Pierce siphoning off a large chunk of pass routes from Burkhead remains a thing (from 45% in Week 7 down to 23% this week), then it’s sayonara Burkhead from fantasy consideration. Hold for one more week in deeper leagues.

Indianapolis Colts

In quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s first start, the Colts did skew run heavy, and as a result, Ehlinger only had 23 pass attempts and 201 passing yards, with the only touchdown coming from Nyheim Hines, who was traded to Buffalo at the trade deadline.

Michael Pittman was the typical top target in this offense, with nine targets and 7-53 on 96% of routes. After last week’s 96% routes, Alec Pierce (3-65, five targets) fell back down to 68% — definitely not ideal.

This passing game is a work in progress with Ehlinger under center, and only Parris Campbell ran routes higher than 61% amongst the rest of the Colts. Fair to say that everybody involved gets a tick down for fantasy value. Even more, if Jonathan Taylor cannot go with his ankle injury — the same one that has already kept him out for a couple of weeks.

Week 8 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Jonathan Taylor (when healthy), Michael Pittman

Keep Them Rostered: Alec Pierce, Deon Jackson (now the contingent back if Taylor is out), Parris Campbell (barely rosterable in 12 team leagues)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars were very quiet across the pond in this one — especially in the passing game. Andrew Cooper’s favorite tight end, Evan Engram (4-55-1, six targets, 94% routes) scored the only receiving touchdown. Christian Kirk was pretty quiet with a 3-40 line on seven targets.

The loudest Jaguar in Week 8 was EASILY Travis Etienne, who in his first week without James Robinson, absolutely dominated the Broncos with 156 rushing yards, catching all three of his receptions for six yards, and a touchdown. Etienne played almost 80% of snaps and 57% of routes, as JaMycal Hasty chipped in with minimal snaps (22%). Etienne is in bellcow mode, and you LOVE to see it.

Week 8 Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Travis Etienne

Keep Them Rostered: Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, Trevor Lawrence, Zay Jones (deeper 12 & 14 team), Marvin Jones (14 team), JaMycal Hasty (14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Kansas City Chiefs

Bye week in Week 8

Week 8 Kansas City Chiefs Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, JuJu Smith-Schuster

Keep Them Rostered: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kadarius Toney, Jerick McKinnon (deeper 12 & 14 team), Isiah Pacheco (deeper 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: The Kadarius Toney trade likely spelled doom for Skyy Moore's hope to be a 2022 contributor to the Chiefs. I’m fine dropping him.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders scored zero points. Derek Carr was pulled after throwing for 101 yards and an interception. Jarret Stidham came in and completed eight passes to close the game; four of which were to Mack Hollins (7-64, eight targets, 93% of routes).

Davante Adams was abnormally quiet (1-3, five targets) and his 65% routes share was clearly a result of the Raiders getting the main guys (Josh Jacobs - 55% snaps) out after getting down several scores in the second half.

No Darren Waller meant lots of Foster Moreau, who ran 95% of routes and led the Raiders in targets with nine and put up a 6-31 line.

Week 8 Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller (when healthy)

Keep Them Rostered: Hunter Renfrow, Derek Carr, Mack Hollins (deep 12 team), Foster Moreau (should be rostered with Waller out, dropped when Waller returns)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Los Angeles Chargers

Bye week in Week 8.

Week 8 Los Angeles Chargers Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Austin Ekeler, Justin Herbert, Mike Williams (when healthy), Keenan Allen (when healthy)

Keep Them Rostered: Gerald Everett, Josh Palmer, DeAndre Carter (deeper 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Los Angeles Rams

Cooper Kupp (8-79-1, 12 targets) was less good than usual, but him being less good is still better than most wide receivers. So he’s #good.

That said, this offense is not AS broken as the Packers, but still a bit broken. It doesn’t help that Tyler Higbee (2-15, six targets, 42%) has been hurt and came out and back in with a neck injury, so that explains the routes run percentage for the week. Allen Robinson (5-54, seven targets, 89% routes) had a middling game. Only one other non-RB even had a target

This is the likely culprit of why the Rams haven’t been as potent this season:

Week 8 Los Angeles Rams Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Cooper Kupp

Keep Them Rostered: Tyler Higbee, Allen Robinson, Darrell Henderson, Matthew Stafford, Ronnie Rivers (14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Miami Dolphins

I’m not sure if you all heard this news, but the Miami Dolphins offense is pretty, pretty #good.

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are as dynamic a duo as you’ll find in the NFL and both have immense potential weekly — especially with Tua Tagovailoa back under center. Remember when we faded Hill in drafts? Those were fun (sad) times.

Hill put up a monstrous and Week 8-leading 222 air yards to go along with his 12-188 on 14 targets. He’s doing all this on a 15.9-yard aDOT. He’s being targeted deep downfield, with frequency, and most importantly, with efficiency. That’s a SCARY combination.

Waddle hasn’t been too bad himself, with an 8-106-2 line with a shorter 9.9-yard aDOT

Outside of a Mike Gesicki touchdown on a five-week low of 58% routes (which coincided with Durham Smythe’s rise in snaps/routes), no other Dolphin put up more than two receptions or 25 yards receiving.

The Dolphins did jettison Chase Edmonds to Denver and then brought in one of head coach Mike McDaniel’s former backs, Jeff Wilson from San Francisco. It would not surprise me if this backfield ended up in a full split as Wilson is a much better runner than Edmonds could ever hope to be. Edmonds fell out of favor, and that could have been scheme-related. That shouldn’t happen to Wilson. The pseudo-bellcow role of Raheem Mostert could be in danger, but we have to see how it shakes out. This week seems to be safe for starting Mostert though.

Week 8 Miami Dolphins Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Tua Tagovailoa

Keep Them Rostered: Raheem Mostert, Mike Gesicki, Jeff Wilson 

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings only had six pass-catchers with targets in this one, but it was the same condensed passing attack of Justin Jefferson (6-98, eight targets) and Adam Thielen (6-67 on seven targets). Neither caught touchdowns — those went to K.J. Osborn and Johnny Mundt.

The addition of T.J. Hockenson is pretty big, especially because the trade happened between two NFC North teams. With Irv Smith reportedly out two months with an ankle injury, Hockenson will step right in and compete with Theilen for the second target on the team. Hockenson in Detroit had to compete for underneath targets with Amon-Ra St. Brown (season-long 5.8-yard aDOT), and the two seemed to infringe a bit on each other’s turf so to speak. Now, that area will be pretty free, with Jefferson running off and demanding coverage. 

It’s definitely a positive move for Minnesota, and it could pay big-time dividends quickly.

Week 8 Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, T.J. Hockenson, Dalvin Cook

Keep Them Rostered: Kirk Cousins, Alexander Mattison, K.J. Osborn (deeper 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: With this ankle injury, it’s pretty safe to drop Irv Smith here as he’ll come back very late in the season to the TE2 role in Minnesota.

New England Patriots

The Patriots were right about even with their pass/run ratio, but even with only 194 yards passing, the majority of the passing game (62% of targets) was focused on two players: Jakobi Meyers and Rhamondre Stevenson.

Meyers is a gift that keeps on giving in the double-digit rounds with 9-60-1 on 13 targets. No other wide receiver or tight end besides Jonnu Smith (3-10, four targets) had more than two targets. Stevenson was the other big winner, with 71 yards rushing and 72 yards receiving as he caught all seven targets.

Damien Harris was still involved with 41% of snaps, but this was Stevenson’s backfield. I think I said this before but I’m likening Stevenson’s situation right now to where Javonte Williams was before his injury in Denver, with Stevenson catching passes and getting all-around rushing work and Harris as a capable spell and possible red-zone siphon like Melvin Gordon.

Week 8 New England Patriots Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Jakobi Meyers, Rhamondre Stevenson

Keep Them Rostered: Damien Harris, DeVante Parker (when healthy), Hunter Henry (deeper 12 & 14 team), Tyquan Thornton (deeper 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

New Orleans Saints

Alvin Kamara is #good. 

He went scorched earth on the Raiders who had zero answers for him. Kamara combined for 158 total yards, a 9-96 line on 10 targets, and three touchdowns. It’s a great thing Andy Dalton likes to check down because that’s been the best thing for Kamara. As long as Dalton is in there at quarterback, we know that the receiving component will consistently be there for Kamara.

Outside of Kamara, Chris Olave (5-52, seven targets, 81% routes) had an okay day for a Saints team that didn’t really need to pass that often in the second half. Sometimes it’s just that easy.

Week 8 New Orleans Saints Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave

Keep Them Rostered: Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry (both Thomas and Landry need to come back and get into games to keep being rostered), Taysom Hill (total wild card but totally startable in 12-team leagues if you’re not risk-averse), Andy Dalton (deeper 12 and 14 team), Mark Ingram (deeper 12 and 14 team), Juwan Johnson (deeper 12 and 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: If you’re starting Marquez Callaway and/or Tre’Quan Smith because of the lack of Thomas/Landry in the lineup, you can go ahead and jettison them. There’s not enough passing volume to support even one, let alone both.

New York Giants

I don’t want to say the other shoe dropped for the Giants, buuuuuut… the other shoe might have dropped for the Giants here in Week 8.

There just wasn’t much production for the no-name Giants’ pass-catchers with only 176 passing yards and zero receiving touchdowns. Four Giants topped 80% of routes: Darius Slayton (5-66, six targets), Marcus Johnson (1-3, six targets), Tanner Hudson (3-58, five targets), and Wan’Dale Robinson (2-15, three targets).

It’s still not really a pass-catching group to target although Robinson would be the one to target if there was one. Hudson might be a sneaky option too considering the state of the tight end position.

Week 8 New York Giants Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Saquon Barkley

Keep Them Rostered: Wan’Dale Robinson, Daniel Jones, Darius Slayton (deep 12 & 14 team), Tanner Hudson (deep 12 and 14 team), 

Dump ‘Em: If you’re still holding onto shares of Richie James and David Sills, they’ve been effectively phased out of the regular rotation of pass-catchers, so they’re easily dropped in all formats.

New York Jets