NFL Team Performance Trends Week 8 (Fantasy Football)
In this article, I’ll be diving into NFL team performance trends going into Week 8. The stats displayed in this article all reference the graphics at the end of the article. For general reference, EPA stands for expected points added; the term is used frequently in the article and measures the expected points generated by a given play. Essentially, it is a measure of how efficient (good or bad) a player or team is.
Let’s jump into things.
Offensive Takeaways
The Colts continue to ROLL. They lead the league in offensive efficiency with a 0.2 EPA/play, and face a Titans team with -0.06 EPA/play defensively. This should be another masterful performance from Jonathan Taylor. Look out for Josh Downs and Michael Pittman to succeed as well, as the Titans have defended poorly against WRs, but well against TEs, allowing 2.28 points per touch to TEs, which is near the bottom of the league. Silencing Tyler Warren could help out the other air threats in this one.
The Cowboys are rolling offensively, with a 0.16 EPA/play, and play a Denver defense that has struggled lately; if you see their EPA trend chart below, you will see the defensive efficiency drop in later weeks. Don’t expect your Dallas players to slow down here.
Kansas City is all of a sudden one of the most efficient teams in football, both offensively and defensively. They are RED HOT, looking at their EPA trend lines, both sides of the ball are skyrocketing upwards. They play a banged-up Commanders team, making them a fountain of opportunity on both sides of the ball, especially on offense. Washington has put up negative EPA on the season, putting the Chiefs in position for another win and dominant performance.
What teams are on a downward trajectory offensively? Surprisingly, the Buccaneers, Seahawks, and Bills. Looking at their EPA trend lines is not promising – while the Seahawks are on bye, the Bucs have an easier matchup in the Saints, which will hopefully allow them to pick up some steam again. The Bills come off their bye week, into the Panthers, another easier matchup. Look for the Bills to bounce back offensively here.
The Browns are red hot defensively and have a 0.06 EPA/play on the season. While the Pats’ offense has been electric lately, posting a 0.08 EPA/play on the season, it might be the week they slow down; shy away from starting Rhamondre Stevenson, Kayshon Boutte, and Stefon Diggs if possible, as they face a difficult defensive opponent in Week 8.
Defensive Takeaways
While you might have lost faith in rookie Mason Taylor, the Jets play the Bengals in Week 8, who have allowed 3.18 points per touch to TEs on the year, the most in the NFL. Taylor’s fantasy season is likely over with the Jets QB in flux, but he could be a strong spot start this week.
The Bears continue to struggle against WRs, allowing a league high 3.22 points per touch. While Lamar Jackson will likely not play in Week 8, Zay Flowers can still be a viable option.
On the flip side, the Ravens’ defense has greatly struggled against RBs, allowing 1.03 points per touch to them on the year. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai will be strong fantasy options in Week 8 because of this matchup. Monangai saw a large number of touches during Chicago’s huge win in Week 7, so it’s safe to assume he will see similar opportunity against a roughed-up Baltimore squad.
Looking for a QB to stream? Look no further than Michael Penix Jr., who faces the Dolphins in Week 8. Miami has allowed the highest points per touch to QBs on the season (0.62), making Penix a viable option. The Jets have also struggled against QBs, allowing 0.54 points per touch, giving Joe Flacco the opportunity to shine again in Week 8. Last, but not least, Andy Dalton is another option if needed at QB, as the Bills have had difficulty against QBs in 2025, allowing 0.5 points per touch to the position. While he definitely shouldn’t be your top option, or your second option, if all else fails, Dalton could work for a week.
The Broncos WR core could be in for a huge week, facing the Cowboys, who have allowed a high 3.05 points per touch to the position this season. Marvin Mims and Courtland Sutton could have a field day in Week 8.
As for spot starts for defenses, look toward the Texans, who have a high 0.15 EPA/play and face the 49ers in Week 8, as well as the Patriots, who face the Browns (-0.13 EPA/play) and the Bucs, who play the Saints (-0.10 EPA/play).
