Top 10 Fantasy Football Takeaways Week 8
Oronde Gadsden Does it Again
In case you somehow didn’t already know, National Tight End Day was on Sunday. However, the fun got started early for the big guys, as Chargers rookie TE Oronde Gadsden scored 16.2 half-PPR points against the Vikings on Thursday.
This was Gadsden’s second straight big game, as well as his sixth straight week setting a new career high in route participation rate (this week, it was 88%, so he is running out of room to grow). He has now averaged an 18% target share and a 21% air yards share in the Chargers’ pass-heavy offense over the last three weeks, with over 100 receiving yards per game.
Going forward, Gadsden is a fantasy TE1. Yes, playing alongside three talented receivers means he is going to have some down weeks. But the ceiling he has shown in his last two outings is a rare thing at the tight end position. If he’s still available in your league, change that, even if you don’t need a TE.
Aaron Jones Returns
Gadsden’s breakout encore wasn’t the only significant fantasy happening on Thursday night this week. Veteran RB Aaron Jones returned for the Vikings, and he immediately operated as the team’s RB1. This was a heavily negative game script for Minnesota, so there weren’t many RB touches to go around. But Jones led the backfield in each of snap share (53%), carries (five), route participation (47%), and targets (four).
Unsurprisingly, the big loser in this equation was Jordan Mason. The former 49er played just 16 snaps (34%) and saw just four carries and one target. Going forward, Mason will likely see more work in better game scripts. But, until proven otherwise, Jones is the best fantasy option in this backfield.
Cam Skattebo Goes Down
Unfortunately, arguably the biggest story of Sunday was a tragic one, as breakout rookie Star Cam Skattebo suffered a gruesome injury in the Giants’ loss to the Eagles. Tyrone Tracy Jr. was the next man up in New York’s backfield, and he should be added in all formats as a weekly RB3/low-end RB2. There really isn’t much more to say, aside from a prayer to the fantasy gods that Skattebo will return at his usual 150% in time for 2026.
Cyclone Watch in Houston
Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel seem inextricably linked. They were a dynamic duo for the Iowa State Cyclones in 2024, then they were both selected by the Texans in this year’s draft. Now, they both had breakout performances in the same week. Higgins set a career high with 11.4 half-PPR points, while Noel posted a new career high with five catches en route to his own solid 8.8-point outing.
With that said, there is a clear superior option out of this duo, and it is Higgins. The second-round pick had a team-high 79% route participation rate on Sunday, while his third-round counterpart was down at 45%. Higgins also led the team in targets, albeit with just one more than Noel and veteran Xavier Hutchinson (seven to six).
Going forward, the big question is whether Higgins has done enough to be the team’s WR2 ahead of Hutchinson when Nico Collins returns. If he has, he could emerge as a viable flex play down the stretch of the fantasy season, like many rookie receivers before him. Meanwhile, Noel is just a stash option for deep leagues, as his path to fantasy reliability is still unclear.
Saquon’s Big Day Ends Early
After a record-breaking debut season in Philadelphia, Saquon Barkley’s 2025 follow-up has been mostly disappointing. Inconsistencies in the Eagles’ offense have cut into his volume, and a lack of big plays has cratered his efficiency. That changed this week, as he broke his first two runs of over 20 yards on the season, including a classic 65-yard touchdown. Add in a receiving TD, and we have our first true boom game of the season from the reigning RB1: 31.4 half-PPR points.
However, this performance could have been even bigger. Barkley exited this game in the third quarter with a groin injury and did not return. He reportedly could have played through the issue if the game were closer, but this is still a situation to monitor.
After Saquon’s departure, Tank Bigsby served as the Eagles’ RB1. He was effective, racking up over 100 yards on just nine carries, breaking off multiple chunk plays. Even if Barkley is fine going forward, Bigsby’s stock rose this week, as it is now clear that he is the handcuff to roster in Philadelphia.
Second-Round Rookies Show Flashes
It’s been a long season for anyone who invested in TreVeyon Henderson or RJ Harvey. Part of the thesis of drafting rookies is that they will peak late in the season when it matters most, but neither back has really shown any signs of being a fantasy difference-maker … until this week?
Harvey’s big day was flashier, as he scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) en route to a massive 23.6-point day. But Henderson, who had been arguably the league’s least efficient rusher coming into this week, also flashed. He racked up 75 yards on just 10 carries against the Browns’ truly elite run defense — meanwhile, Rhamondre Stevenson totaled 34 yards on his 17 carries.
However, neither player solved the biggest issue keeping them from fantasy relevance: volume. Both Harvey (28% snap share, 30% rush share, 3% target share) and Henderson (22% snap share, 38% rush share, zero targets) saw usage more or less in line with their season averages. This week was a step in the right direction, but both are still a long way from being startable in classic, shallow leagues.
The Colts Keep Rolling
We are roughly halfway into the 2025 fantasy season, and the Colts and “Indiana Jones” are the favorites for fantasy story of the year. Hitting on a surprise breakout offense is one of the best ways to dominate a fantasy league, and the Colts are hitting that brief and then some. After absolutely shellacking the Titans on Sunday, here is where the Colts’ key players rank in half-PPR points per game:
- Daniel Jones — QB7
- Jonathan Taylor — RB1 (and it’s not close)
- Michael Pittman Jr. — WR12
- Alec Pierce — WR47
- Josh Downs — WR51 (okay, these last two weren’t that exciting)
- Tyler Warren — TE5 (that’s more like it)
I don’t have much in terms of actionable takeaways for this blurb — if you have any of the Colts’ top options on your roster, just sit back and watch the points roll in.
Rashee Rice’s Second Game Back
In his first game back, Rice played a part-time role but saw absolutely bonkers per-route numbers. This week, he stabilized in both directions, posting a healthy 73% route participation rate and falling to a still-elite-but-not-gamebreaking 31% target per route run rate. As a result, his fantasy production was similar: 21 half-PPR points after scoring 19.7 last week.
Right now, Rice is the overall WR1 in points per game. We should expect him to slow down — his target volume is elite, especially near the end zone, but he’s not going to continue averaging 1.5 TDs per game. In games where he fails to score, there’s a chance his 2.7-yard ADOT will result in a surprisingly low floor, especially in formats other than full PPR. But he’s also the clear engine of what is once again arguably the league’s best offense — he is a no-brainer weekly WR1.
The Panthers’ Committee Remains 50/50 … For Now?
In Week 7, the Panthers literally had their two running backs, Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, alternate drives. Dowdle, who dominated in the previous two weeks with Hubbard sidelined, was far more efficient, leading many to expect his role to expand in Week 8. It didn’t, as Carolina once again perfectly alternated with one back per drive (and Hubbard got the first drive).
However, Dowdle was once again far more effective, with 6.75 yards per carry to Hubbard’s 2.83. And Dave Canales’ comments after the game indicate that he is finally willing to ride the hot hand, at least a little, going forward. Carolina’s head coach mentioned wanting to give Hubbard, a veteran and team captain, a chance, but he said it in the past tense. And then he said, “We cannot ignore the fact that Rico has been exceptional in the couple of games.” All signs point toward Dowdle seeing the majority of carries in this backfield going forward, which could allow him to return to RB2 status with how efficient he has been of late.
The Browns’ New TE1?
Veteran TE David Njoku missed half of Week 6 and all of Week 7 with a knee injury. In his absence, exciting rookie Harold Fannin Jr. took over as Cleveland’s top tight end. But when both were healthy, Njoku had consistently been the preferred option: In Weeks 1-5, he averaged a 74% route participation rate to Fannin’s 56% (although they had identical 13.7% target shares).
This week, Fannin saw more routes than Njoku for the first time, posting a 63% participation rate to the veteran’s 53%. There’s a chance that this was simply a result of Njoku being limited in his first game back, but we could also be seeing a changing of the guard. Fannin made the most of his increased role, catching six of eight targets for 62 yards, a TD, and a career-high 15.4 half-PPR points (Njoku also had a solid day thanks to a TD of his own).
This is all relevant because the Browns lead the NFL in targets to the tight end position. Both Njoku and Fannin are also capable playmakers, so either one could be a weekly fantasy TE1 if they can just consolidate the clear majority of that volume. Right now, Fannin seems to have the edge, and it makes sense to assume Cleveland would tilt toward their rookie as they reach the end of a losing season. But Njoku could also reclaim the top spot as he returns to 100% health, so this is a situation worth monitoring.
