The Fantasy Footballers Podcast Recap: Week 8 (Fantasy Football)
As we head into Week 8, Andy, Mike, and Jason deliver more episodes of news and advice you need to make rational decisions! Remember to listen to The Fantasy Footballers podcast, available wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Monday – Week 7 Studs & Duds + Andy Freaks Out!
Bank on It Smartly
As Mike mentioned on the show, Tony Pollard scored a combined 47.3 points through the first six weeks of the season. He scored 35 in Week 7. The Ballers unanimously agreed that you cannot rely on Pollard to produce like this.
Tony Pollard among RBs in Weeks 6-7, per @SumerSports:
44 carries (1st)
205 rushing yards (1st)
182 yards after contact (1st)
3 TDs (1st) pic.twitter.com/zzennHcIdO— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) October 26, 2026
Despite only seeing three targets, Caleb Douglas produced 70 yards and two TDs. Jason is eager to see what Douglas can do this season as a day two rookie. The Dolphins played in a positive game script, leading to more rushing attempts and a lower total passing volume, which you should not bank on for the rest of the season. Jason and Andy would bank on it, while Mike hesitantly agreed.
The Cleveland Browns’ first-round rookie WR KC Concepcion Jr. was targeted on 36% of his routes, ending the game 8/129 and adding 23 rushing yards. The Ballers lean on the don’t bank on it side because of target competition alongside Denzel Boston and Harold Fannin Jr.
News
Jonathan Taylor trade rumors circulate while fanbases like Minnesota’s and Seattle’s hope to acquire the all-pro RB. Christian McCaffrey dealt with a thigh injury in Week 7. Aaron Jones left with an MCL sprain. Both Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Cam Skattebo dealt with hamstring injuries.
Jonathan Taylor when asked if he’s OK with being part of a rebuild:
"You think we’re rebuilding?"
Reporters: Based on this week, yeah.
Taylor: "We going out there trying to win … No one goes out there to wave the white flag and surrender."
(via @RomeovilleKid)…
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) October 29, 2026
Studs
QBs
Joe Burrow led all QBs in fantasy scoring in Week 7. He threw four passing TDs in a comeback victory against the Baltimore Ravens. Burrow has finished as a top-10 QB in four consecutive games. Drake Maye, Bo Nix, and Malik Willis all scored over 25 points, in large part due to them all rushing for a TD. Geno Smith, Michael Penix Jr., and Kirk Cousins were some of the best waiver wire plays of the week.
RBs
Tony Pollard killed Andy’s team (as well as mine) in Week 7. His 155 total yards and three TDs contributed to the best performance of his career. Bucky Irving, Quinshon Judkins, and Rhamondre Stevenson all scored over 20 fantasy points on the week. Cam Skattebo came back from being benched and ran for 124 yards and a TD against the Atlanta Falcons. Emanuel Wilson ran for 100 yards and a TD in a win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
RHAMONDRE STEVENSON‼️
📺 Prime Video pic.twitter.com/heXDiTFnzW
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 23, 2026
WRs
Jaxon Smith-Njigba continued his dominance with 9/150/1 against the Chiefs. Tee Higgins recorded 148 receiving yards and a TD, while Zay Flowers posted 137/1 in the same game. Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown both dominated against the Green Bay Packers, with Jaymo catching two TDs, and Amon-Ra recording 153 receiving yards. Tre Tucker and Omar Cooper Jr. fought against regression and had over 100 yards and a TD on five catches.
TEs
Last year’s Inaugural Meow Man of the Year Mason Taylor scored two TDs against the Miami Dolphins. Trey McBride caught 10 passes for 111 yards and a TD against the Denver Broncos while running 53 routes. NFC North TEs Colston Loveland and Tucker Kraft both had great games as well.
Duds
QBs
Brock Purdy struggled against the Atlanta Falcons in the San Francisco 49ers’ first loss of the season. Patrick Mahomes never got anything going against the Seattle Seahawks. NFC South QBs Baker Mayfield and Bryce Young still would have been a bad start if you combined their performances, as Baker had 64 passing yards and Bryce threw two INTs.
RBs
It has not started snowing in Vermont, so Derrick Henry struggled against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. He had 45 rushing yards with 47 yards coming after contact! Kenneth Walker III rushed 14 times for 36 yards in what was supposed to be his revenge game. Chuba Hubbard’s bad performance came with a terrible game script, as the Panthers went down early and Hubbard only rushed seven times. J.K. Dobbins conceded a work to RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman against the Arizona Cardinals.
WRs
Nico Collins caught two passes for six yards, while Marvin Harrison Jr. ran four routes on six snaps. Garrett Wilson saw three targets and was visibly frustrated with Geno Smith. Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown also gave duds in Week 7.
A frustrated Garrett Wilson with Geno Smith on the sidelines
(via @JNRadio_Glenn)pic.twitter.com/qW2Whn04xG
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) October 25, 2026
TEs
Isaiah Likely only caught two passes for 12 yards after finishing the first six weeks as the TE1. Juwan Johnson and Sam LaPorta both caught one pass in their games. Tyler Higbee failed to come through as an opportunity-based play with Davante Adams out with a hamstring injury, recording 14 receiving yards on three targets.
Tuesday – Week 8 Waivers + JT Trade Watch
News
The Philadelphia Eagles’ injury report is full at RB. Saquon Barkley, Dameon Pierce, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley, and Carson Steele all have various injuries. Christian McCaffrey is dealing with a hamstring strain, but the 49ers believe he will be available after their bye week. Amon-Ra St. Brown is dealing with an ankle injury but should be available in Week 8. Jadarian Price had his 21-day practice window opened.
Waiver Wire
RBs
Jonah Coleman was the Ballers’ highest priority waiver pickup across the board for Week 8. The opportunities he saw as a rookie coming off IR were inspiring, and they suggest spending around $10-15 FAAB on him.
WRs
The Ballers all had KC Concepcion Jr. as their WR2 on waivers this week, but Jason’s doubt of Antonio Williams kept Concepcion as their consensus WR1. None of the waiver wire WRs this week are worth significant FAAB, as there are plenty of rookies to choose from between Concepcion, Williams, Caleb Douglas, Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, and Ja’Kobi Lane.
Rookie WRs averaging over 1.5 yards per route run.
A mix of the stable season-long starters and some small-sample-size wonders. pic.twitter.com/coTvAGFHI8
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) October 27, 2026
TEs
Andy is particularly high on Chig Okonkwo’s rest-of-season outlook with Terry McLaurin’s season-ending knee injury opening opportunities. T.J. Hockenson is Jason’s highest priority pickup, while Brenton Strange lands at the top for Mike.
Full Stream Ahead
Andy – Geno Smith vs LV
This lines up to be a revenge game for Geno Smith. Andy believes Geno is out for revenge against the team that he was in (at least in part) the reason why they received the first overall pick last season. Geno is rostered in 26% of leagues on Sleeper. The Las Vegas Raiders rank 27th in yards per attempt and 25th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sept. 25, 2025.
Jason – Sam Darnold vs CHI
The Seattle Seahawks are 3.5-point home favorites with a 25-point implied team total. The Chicago Bears are last in yards per play allowed and 26th in explosive pass rate allowed. Sam Darnold is the most rostered QB of the three at 42%, but should be in line for a solid performance against the Bears in Week 8.
Mike – Jacoby Brissett @ DAL
The Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys facing off means fantasy points for all/ The 54.5-point over/under is tied for the second-highest of the week. The Cowboys’ defense is last in EPA per dropback and explosive pass rate allowed, while also being 26th in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to QBs. If you want an easy way to be involved in what should be a shootout in this game, Brissett might be the easiest way to get in.
Wednesday – Second Half Sleepers + Trade Targets, ROS Outlooks
News
Lamar Jackson will return from his ankle injury in Week 8 and is believed to be at 100%. Despite their fire sale of Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks and DeForest Buckner to the 49ers, Colts ownership does not want to trade Jonathan Taylor. Tyrone Tracy Jr. was placed on IR with a hamstring injury.
Second-Half Sleepers
Andy – Colston Loveland
Colston Loveland had a rough start to what was supposed to be his breakout campaign in 2026. His first three weeks of the season came with a 10% target share, and he scored 5.9 total fantasy points. However, his target share over the last month has been 25%, and he had a target share of 40% last week. He has the third easiest rest of season schedule for TEs this year. Andy is confident that Loveland can continue his stretch of improved play for the second half of the season.
Colston Loveland this season:
Weeks 1-5:
23 targets, 13 receptions, 110 yards, 0 TDsWeeks 6-7:
19 targets, 13 receptions, 134 yards, 2 TDs pic.twitter.com/COi2WhmD3L— Underdog (@Underdog) October 23, 2026
Jason – Ja’Kobi Lane
Ja’Kobi Lane was a day-two pick for the Baltimore Ravens out of USD in the 2026 NFL Draft. He suffered a fractured wrist in Week 1 and missed four games after an offseason filled with hype. Last week, he saw a 65% route share and has already seen five red zone targets in three games. The Ravens have the 10th easiest rest-of-season schedule for WRs, and Lane looks to be a clear second-half breakout rookie.
Mike – Antonio Williams
Terry McLaurin’s season-ending knee injury clears a simple path for day-two pick Antonio Williams to produce. Williams received a lot of offseason hype, but it died down when the Washington Commanders signed Stefon Diggs. He has the sixth most targets for a third-round rookie WR to start their career over the last decade, behind Scary Terry. Commanders HC Dan Quinn said, “Antonio Williams is one that you’d see getting more targets” when talking about who will step up without McLaurin. Washington has the 8th easiest rest-of-season schedule for WRs.
The Ballers’ bonus picks were Jeremiyah Love, Terrance Ferguson, Jonah Coleman, and Sam Darnold. Ferguson and Darnold could be on your waiver wires, so make sure to check and see if any of these players are available in your leagues.
Thursday – Starts of the Week + Week 8 Games, Bears Mean Business
News
The Chicago Bears acquired DT Jeffery Simmons and a fifth-round pick from the Tennessee Titans for two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick. Jaylin Noel was placed on IR due to a turf toe injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Starts of the Week
Thursdays are when the Ballers give their weekly picks for starts of the week. The Ballers’ picks are meant to give you confidence in players you might have hesitancy to plug into your lineup for a multitude of reasons.
Fantasy Forecast
BAL @ BUF (BUF -3, O/U 54.5)
This game should be the best of the week. Lamar Jackson should go right back into your lineup as he returns from a high-ankle sprain. Derrick Henry has been the RB40 and RB44 over the last two weeks. However, the Bills have a run-funnel defense, and the Yeti should bounce back in Week 8. Zay Flowers is an auto-start, and Jason’s second-half sleeper Ja’Kobi Lane could be slotted into your FLEX spot. Josh Allen and James Cook are auto starts as usual, while D.J. Moore and Dalton Kincaid could be solid plays if they are cleared to play.
Lamar Jackson.
Josh Allen.Ravens vs Bills
Sunday 1:00PM ET on CBS and @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/kZgZvb3MX0— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 30, 2026
TEN @ CIN (CIN -10, O/U 46.5)
Chase Brown is Mike’s start of the week at RB in what should be a firework show for the Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Burrow is the Ballers’ QB2 this week, while Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are also auto starts. Tony Pollard ranks as the RB20 despite his career game last week. Carnell Tate will miss this game with a shoulder injury, so Wan’Dale Robinson could see an increased workload.
ARI @ DAL (DAL -7, O/U 54.5)
The no-defense game of the week is between the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott, Michael Wilson, and George Pickens are all starts of the week. Jacoby Brissett was Mike’s full-stream ahead. Start Javonte Williams, Trey McBride, and CeeDee Lamb. Jeremiyah Love is a questionable start, but he is a second-half breakout candidate for Jason.
MIN @ DET (DET -3, O/U 46.5)
The Minnesota Vikings’ defense has been spooky for fantasy players all season. Jared Goff and Sam LaPorta can be benched if you have better options this week. Start Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jameson Williams for the Detroit Lions. T.J. Hockenson is Jason’s start of the week at TE. Start Justin Jefferson, but the rest of the Vikings are shaky starts. Use the ballers start/sit tool to figure out your best plays this weekend.
Friday – Halloween Show! Week 8 Matchups + Spooky Start/Sits
News
Christian Watson suffered a broken rib and entered an ambulance, but returned to the game while the Packers beat the Panthers in Lambeau 27-19. Carnell Tate was ruled out for Week 8 with a shoulder injury. Lamar Jackson has been cleared and will play against the Bills. Emeka Egbuka was ruled out with concussion/foot injuries. AJ Brown was a DNP on Thursday and Friday with a knee injury. RJ Harvey was added to the injury report Thursday with a knee injury. Saquon Barkley was cleared to play in Week 8, while DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks were ruled out.
Christian Watson said he was coughing up blood and broke a rib, but everything else checked out fine at the hospital so he got the OK to play. pic.twitter.com/kHt3QHYE7D
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) October 30, 2026
Fantasy Forecast
IND @ JAX (JAX -10, O/U 46.5)
Trevor Lawrence and Bhayshul Tuten are starts of the Week for Andy and Jason this week. Parker Washington is a weekly starter, while Brenton Strange could be a high-floor play at TE. Jonathan Taylor is the only player on the Colts you can trust this week. Tyler Warren is dealing with a groin injury, but could be plugged into your lineup if he plays
KC @ DEN (KC -1.5, O/U 40.5)
Both Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix have been inconsistent for fantasy football so far this season. Kenneth Walker and Travis Kelce are the best plays in this AFC West matchup that projects to be low-scoring. Jonah Coleman is a second-half sleeper and could be played this week, while should be benched. Rashee Rice was cleared from his hamstring and knee injuries and can be put back into your lineup.
NE @ MIA (NE -7, O/U 43.5)
Drake Maye‘s fantasy value drops if AJ Brown does not play this week. Rhamondre Stevenson should be played, while TreVeyon Henderson should be benched. Ollie Gordon II and Caleb Douglas are interesting plays if you are willing to start Dolphins in a negative matchup.
AJ Brown single-game season-highs this year:
Catches – 3
Drops – 4 pic.twitter.com/Ly1wtArbJ7— Underdog (@Underdog) October 23, 2026
Fantasy Faceoff
Andy
QBs: Josh Allen more than 224.5 passing + rushing yards
RBs: Javonte Williams more than 17.5 rushing attempts
WRs: Zay Flowers more than 8.5 targets
TEs: Daniel Bellinger less than 6.5 yards longest reception
Jason
QBs: Trevor Lawrence more than 179.5 passing yards
RBs: Jaylen Warren more than 14 rushing attempts
WRs: Josh Downs more than 32.5 receiving yards
TEs: Michael Mayer more than 25.5 receiving yards
Mike
QBs: Dak Prescott less than 9.5 rushing yards
RBs: Jaylen Warren more than 23.4 receiving yards
WRs: Zay Flowers more than 6 receptions
TEs: Brenton Strange more than 14.5 receiving yards