Week 8 of the NFL’s regular season means it’s the halfway point in the fantasy football season. It’s time to make that push toward a championship.
Given the circumstances of injuries and lackluster play of top stars, figuring out your lineup going forward will be a giant headache the rest of the way.
Let’s take a look at the possible top 100 players in fantasy for Week 8.
Fantasy Projections
Quarterbacks
At first glance, Aaron Rodgers might be too high this week.
The Green Bay Packers travel to Denver to take on the Broncos, anchored by their dominant defense. This is your friendly reminder that the Broncos have allowed only 17 points per game (third-fewest in the NFL) and have allowed a season-best 192 passing yards per game.
Those reasons alone should cause red flags to be waved. However, Rodgers may be a great play this week and could crack the code of Denver’s defense.
First, more help is on the way for Rodgers. Wide receiver Davante Adams should be back for Green Bay on Sunday, according to head coach Mike McCarthy per ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. Adams hasn’t played since Sept. 28 against the Kansas City Chiefs. While Rodgers has thrown five touchdowns to two interceptions in the last three games since then, he’s thrown fewer than 300 yards in each contest.
Second, while Denver’s defense has been dominant, it’s given up numerous penalties in bad situations.
ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold notes that while the Broncos are near the bottom in penalties; it’s the timing of them that’s been the problem.
It isn’t really the total number of penalties that has derailed the Broncos, but rather the timing of some of them. Denver has been flagged 52 times this season, well behind the league-leader, Buffalo (72). Seventeen other teams have been flagged at least 50 times this season.
In all the six most-penalized Broncos players this season are defensive players, with Miller and safety David Bruton Jr. — who has a full plate of special teams duties as well — leading the way. And the Broncos’ defenders have had a knack for ill-timed 15-yarders, those of the roughing-the-passer or personal foul variety.
If the Broncos give Rodgers enough chances, he’s going to make Denver pay. The return of Adams will provide the reigning MVP another weapon to test the Broncos’ talented secondary of Chris Harris and Aqib Talib. And if there’s one quarterback who could outduel Peyton Manning and keep Green Bay rolling, it’s No. 12.
Fantasy Projections
Running Backs
How great of a year has it been for Chris Johnson? James Palmer of NFL Network gives us an idea.
The former 2,000-yard rusher has found new life with the Arizona Cardinals and is one of the key reasons why the Cardinals lead the NFC West and are a legitimate contender later this year.
CJ2K ran for 122 yards on 18 carries Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens, with 62 of those coming on one long run.
If Johnson runs well for the Cardinals, they win. Johnson averaged 4.2 yards per carry in the month of October, which is impressive, but the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in which he had 14 carries for 40 yards dropped that average considerably.
After a big-time day on the ground for Johnson on Monday, he’ll get a chance to surge for the rushing lead on Sunday when the Cardinals travel to Cleveland to take on a Cleveland Browns team that is dead last in the league defending the run.
The Browns give up an average of 151 rushing yards per game.
If you’re afraid of any inconsistencies from Johnson this week, no need. Cleveland gave up 111 yards to Ronnie Hillman two weeks ago, and Todd Gurley gashed the Browns’ front seven for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
In short, give Johnson some space and he’ll make Cleveland pay on Sunday.
Fantasy Projections
Wide Receivers
Stefon Diggs is the first Minnesota Vikings rookie receiver with two consecutive 100-yard games since 1998. Some guy named Randy Moss was the one to do that.
Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk had the best compliment for the rookie out of Maryland.
With Mike Wallace being inconsistent, Diggs has become the No. 1 target for Teddy Bridgewater. Diggs has caught 13 passes for 237 yards in his last two games, and caught his first career touchdown pass Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
While the Vikings are heading to Soldier Field to take on the disappointing Chicago Bears, the Minnesota offense could be in for a rough day. Despite Chicago’s lack of winning early on, the defense is still good. The Bears have allowed 220 passing yards per game, which is sixth-best in the NFL.
Fortunately for Minnesota, it has a guy named Adrian Peterson who can take the pressure off the passing game. Peterson had 98 yards on 19 carries Sunday in Detroit, which was a bounce-back performance from his 60-yard performance against the Kansas City Chiefs a week prior.
If Peterson can have a remotely decent game, that should give Bridgewater enough time to find Diggs in the passing game. That should happen, because the Bears allow 125 rushing yards per game. This time next week, we should be talking about Diggs with three straight 100-yard games.
Fantasy Projections
Tight Ends
Who says Cam Newton doesn’t have anyone to throw the ball to? When in doubt, find Greg Olsen.
The Carolina Panthers’ star tight end only had six fantasy points on Sunday in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles, but he got his numbers. Olsen had three catches for 65 yards. A touchdown would’ve made for a great day.
Olsen’s day was slightly forgotten behind Newton’s three-interception night. No doubt, the Carolina quarterback needs to play better. One way to do that is get No. 88 the ball, and that will be a recipe for success Monday night when the Panthers take on the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts defense rebounded in the second half on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, holding Drew Brees and company to only seven second-half points after falling behind 27-0 in the third quarter. Chalk that up to the Saints taking their foot off the gas.
If Newton can find Olsen early and get into a rhythm, the tight end could have a game like he did in Seattle, where he caught seven passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.
This should be a big night for the Panthers.
Fantasy Projections
Defense/Special Teams
All it may take for the Seattle Seahawks to get back on the right track is to play a couple of inept offenses.
They got that last week against the San Francisco 49ers, and that should be the case on Sunday when the defending NFC champions head to AT&T Stadium to take on the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys supposedly cracked the code behind the Legion of Boom’s blueprint in Dallas’ stunning win last year in Seattle. Dez Bryant, Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray were all in uniform for the Cowboys that day.
This year, the Cowboys will trot out Matt Cassel, possibly Darren McFadden and Terrance Williams against the Seahawks. After the New York Giants picked off Cassel three times in five pass attempts, this is the perfect two-game stretch for the Seahawks defense to establish its dominance once again.
It’s going to be a long day for Cassel, especially if he doesn’t put enough strength on the ball like he did in New York, as evidenced from Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News.
If you have Seattle’s defense in your back pocket, now would be the time to start it.
Fantasy Projections
Kickers
When in doubt, trust Stephen Gostkowski. The Patriots will forever score plenty of points, and this Thursday against the Miami Dolphins will be no different.
Miami’s defense will play well enough to force New England to kick some field goals. Gostkowski is the closest thing to automatic that there is in the NFL.
All fantasy stats courtesy of ESPN.com.
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