The Yahoo team delivers their most steadfast Week 8 fantasy football predictions.
Jayden Reed bounces back
Fantasy managers are understandably frustrated with Jayden Reed. Reed’s season has been a bit chaotic and much of that is beyond his control. He started the season with an overall WR1 week, cooled off for two weeks while Jordan Love was out and then had an overall WR2 finish when Love returned. Since then, his production has been very mediocre and the Packers’ offense is turning out to be what we expected — a system with a ton of weapons where Love spreads the ball around, making it extremely difficult for any receiver to have that top-five upside.
If there were ever a week for Reed to return to the top five, it’s this week against Jacksonville. The Jags have one of the worst pass defenses in the league and have been consistently lit up through the air. I like all Packers receivers in this matchup, but Reed in particular should thrive. Reed has been limited this week in practice with an ankle injury, so monitor his status. — Tera Roberts
Javonte Williams continues rolling
Javonte Williams has quietly seen a strong role in the Broncos offense the past month of the season. During this time, he’s earned 16.5 opportunities per game and a strong 17% target share. This target share would rank second among all RBs this season behind only Alvin Kamara. This strong usage hit a ceiling performance in Week 7, the best performance of his career.
In Week 7, Williams produced three explosive runs of 10+ yards and totaled 111 yards and two touchdowns. This week, Williams finds himself in an even better matchup as he takes on the Panthers. Carolina allows the most rushing yards per game and the most fantasy points to RBs this season. You may be tempted to sell high on Williams, but I believe you should hold onto him for at least one more week. Start Williams against the Panthers. — Sal Vetri
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Tyreek Hill gets right with Tua Tagovailoa back
A good general rule in fantasy is that when a player emphatically tells you to start him in a given week, you should probably go ahead and do it. If he busts, you are free of all guilt and regret.
On Wednesday, Tyreek Hill told us in the most direct way possible that it’s time to roll with him in fantasy again, with full confidence. With Tua Tagovailoa back at the controls of Miami’s offense and a friendly matchup on the schedule, Hill is likely to erupt. He’s facing an Arizona pass defense that gives up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing receivers and ranks dead-last in the league in yards per attempt allowed (8.3).
Hill enters the week as the WR43 on the season, but he’s about to make a big move up the leaderboard on Sunday. Consider him a top-five option this week and rest-of-season. — Andy Behrens
Patrick Mahomes gets his revenge
Patrick Mahomes is unlikely to start performing up to his early ADP expectations moving forward, but he’s a strong start this week. He’s due for TD regression while ranking sixth in red-zone passes but just 22nd in touchdowns, especially with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins.
Let’s also take a quick trip down narrative street: the Raiders beat Mahomes in Kansas City on Christmas Day the last time these teams met and then mocked him with a Kermit the Frog puppet in training camp. Mahomes responded “it will get handled,” and his personal trainer tweeted “we will remember.” Mahomes is out for revenge Sunday. — Dalton Del Don
Cade Otton eats without Evans, Godwin in the lineup
All the talk this week in the wake of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans’ Monday Night Football injuries was surrounding the wide receivers. Overall, I don’t know if we have any clarity on how that room will play out, who will man the slot, etc. The young players are not all that impressive on film, and veteran Sterling Shepard is by far their most reliable presence. The actual big “winner” in the new-look pecking order is likely to be Cade Otton.
The tight end is second on the team in route run this year and has been targeted on 20% of those looks. That number figures to come up now. Baker Mayfield trusts him. Even if some of these wide receivers have slot experience, they don’t bring the “power slot” element that Godwin provides; perhaps Otton can step into those looks as a blocker and YAC option. It’s not a coincidence that Otten is second on the team behind Godwin in screen and shallow crossing targets this year. In a high-scoring matchup against the Falcons, Otton will make my top-10 tight end rankings this week, and perhaps going forward. — Matt Harmon