Week 8 of the 2025 fantasy soccer season featured big performances by a number of star working backs, but additionally a number of disappointing efforts by a couple of of the league’s finest fantasy choices.
Who have been the massive winners and losers?
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft provide their analyses.
Leap to a subject:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Biggest injuries and what’s next
Rating fantasy winners of Week 8
1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts: His sheer dominance of the division-rival Tennessee Titans continued on Sunday, as for his third consecutive recreation towards them, he scored three touchdowns and no less than 32 fantasy factors. Taylor’s 37.4 fantasy factors represented a season finest, in addition to his fourth 30-point efficiency prior to now six weeks. He and the Colts’ offense are on a large sizzling streak to start 2025, and it ought to proceed right into a Week 9 assembly with the Pittsburgh Steelers and their disappointing-to-date protection. — Cockcroft
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Takeaways from James Cook dinner’s good fantasy recreation
Liz Loza breaks reacts to James Cook dinner’s large fantasy recreation vs. the Panthers.
2. James Cook III, RB, Buffalo Bills: Is there any query now that his 2024 breakthrough was wholly official, and that he is one of many league’s finest working backs? Cook dinner rushed for 216 yards, two touchdowns and scored 33.6 fantasy factors, tops amongst all gamers from the 1 p.m. ET video games, giving him a whopping 138.2 factors by way of seven video games. Seven of his 19 carries went for double-digit yardage, a profession finest, as he and the Payments romped over the Andy Dalton-led Carolina Panthers. Count on a way more aggressive contest in Week 9 towards the Kansas City Chiefs, although Cook dinner stays a fantasy RB1 for that recreation. — Cockcroft
3. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Barkley left the sport towards the Giants on the finish of the third quarter with a hamstring harm, so we’ll have to observe his standing all through the upcoming bye week. Earlier than exiting, nonetheless, Barkley produced season-highs in whole yards (174), touchdowns (two) and factors (33.4). His pace was up on his 65-yard landing run. There’s the house run means we have been ready for this season. Barkley additionally had 4 receptions for twenty-four yards, which included a landing on a nine-yard move from Jalen Hurts. If Barkley cannot go when the Eagles return from the bye in Week 10 versus the Packers, Tank Bigsby (19.4% rostered) would elevate into the No.1 function. — Bowen
4. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets: Whereas his 32.86 fantasy factors did not characterize a profession excessive (43.10, in Week 16 of 2023), Corridor’s efficiency in Week 8 was arguably his private finest in 4 years within the NFL. He shredded a foul Cincinnati Bengals protection for 7.4 yards per carry, 4 speeding performs for double-digit yardage, and capped his day with the profitable, four-yard passing landing to tight finish Mason Taylor. You learn that proper; the Jets are off the schneid after beginning the yr 0-7. Corridor stays a rumored title on the commerce block, and maybe this effort highlighted what he would possibly do on a extra well-rounded offense. If he stays in New York past the Nov. 4 deadline, nonetheless, he’ll face back-to-back difficult matchups towards the Cleveland Browns (Week 10) and New England Patriots (Week 11) following his crew’s Week 9 bye. — Cockcroft
5. Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots: In a troublesome matchup versus the Browns’ protection, Maye’s 26.28 factors led all quarterbacks by way of the early window. Maye stayed environment friendly as a thrower, finishing 18 of 24 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns. Huge performs down the sector, too. Plus, Maye produced on the bottom, speeding for 50 yards on seven carries. Maye has now rushed for 50 or extra yards in back-to-back video games, and he has scored 23 or extra factors in 4 of 5. With a Week 9 recreation versus the Falcons, I am going to have Maye locked-in as a top-5 participant on the place, and I do not assume that actually adjustments a lot transferring ahead. He is a star. — Bowen
6. Joe Flacco, QB, and Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals: Whereas the Bengals’ protection melted down in spectacular style, shedding a heartbreaker, 39-38, to a New York Jets crew that started the season 0-7, their offense remained as stable because it has been in every of Flacco’s three begins since being acquired from the Cleveland Browns. Flacco scored 24.32 fantasy factors, whereas Brown totaled a season-high 25.5. Flacco’s arrival has breathed new life into this offense, which once more ought to be capable of pile up fantasy factors towards a so-so Chicago Bears protection in Week 9. — Cockcroft
7. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins: Regardless of unexpectedly popping up on the harm report midweek with points with each of his hamstrings, in addition to his dealing with a suboptimal matchup towards the hot-starting Atlanta Falcons protection, Waddle scored 20.9 fantasy factors, solely two-tenths of a degree shy of the large receiver lead from the 1 p.m. ET video games. That he did it whereas principally aligned throughout from Mike Hughes, who up up to now had been the Falcons’ best-performing cornerback in protection, made it all of the extra spectacular. Although his offense had seemingly been given up for useless after final week, Waddle seems like a viable fantasy WR2 for Week 9’s matchup towards the underperforming Baltimore Ravens protection. — Cockcroft
8. Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Los Angeles Chargers: Within the Thursday evening win over the Vikings, Gadsden caught all 5 of his targets for 77 yards and a landing (18.7 factors). Look, that is two straight video games with a landing for Gadsden, and he has averaged 20.0 PPG over his previous three. Gadsden is a simple mover at 6-foot-5, which creates catch and run alternatives within the Chargers offense, plus he can work the seams/third stage for quarterback Justin Herbert. Gadsden will likely be a TE1 in my ranks for the Week 9 matchup versus the Titans, and he is nonetheless out there in over 30% of ESPN leagues. Go get him. — Bowen
9. C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans: The Texans completely managed tempo within the win over the 49ers, holding the ball for nearly 42 minutes. And Stroud produced his finest numbers of the season (21.72 factors) — with out No.1 receiver Nico Collins (concussion). Stroud distributed the ball to 10 totally different targets, finishing 30 of 39 passes, whereas topping the 300-yard passing mark for the primary time this season. With a Week 9 recreation versus the Denver protection, Stroud will slide again right down to the QB2 ranks, however he can be utilized as a matchup-based streaming possibility over the second half of the season. — Bowen
10. Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos: Franklin’s season-high 26.9 factors within the win over the Cowboys led all large receivers by way of the late window on Sunday. A preferred streaming pickup with six groups on a bye this week, Franklin caught six of a team-high eight targets for 89 yards, and he scored two touchdowns. Franklin has now seen 19 targets over his previous two video games — with no less than two finish zone targets and a landing in every. Along with his utilization climbing, and his function increasing in Sean Payton’s offense, Franklin ought to be a precedence waiver add this week. Franklin is at the moment out there in over 55% of ESPN leagues. — Bowen
Rating fantasy losers of Week 8
1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers: I wrote about McCaffrey this week. The run recreation upside there with tight finish George Kittle again on the sector. All good, proper? Not on Sunday within the loss to the Texans. Sure, the 49ers’ incapability to ascertain any sense of rhythm/tempo performed a serious function right here, as Kyle Shanahan’s crew had the soccer for under 18:38 minutes. Tough. However CMC was nonetheless a bust in Week 8, as he completed with a season low 9.8 factors — after scoring 22 or extra in seven straight video games. McCaffrey managed simply eight carries for 23 yards, and he added three receptions for 43. McCaffrey (and your entire 49ers’ soccer crew) will look to rebound within the Week 9 matchup versus the Giants. — Bowen
2. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons: Place a number of the blame for his 5.8 fantasy level efficiency — his worst since Weeks 7 (0.3) and 15 (0.4) of his 2023 rookie marketing campaign — on the Falcons offense, which struggled mightily with each quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and high receiver Drake London (hip) sidelined. That stated, Robinson nonetheless warrants some himself, having averaged 2.8 yards per carry, been stuffed as soon as on his 9 carries and speeding for 12 yards fewer than anticipated (per Subsequent Gen Stats). His fantasy managers are absolutely hoping for the wholesome returns of these two gamers in order that Robinson’s rebound chances are high glorious for his Week 9 assembly with the New England Patriots. — Cockcroft
3. Baker Mayfield, QB, and Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Fantasy managers who see the Buccaneers’ 23-3 victory over the New Orleans Saints will likely be upset to study that neither of those gamers exceeded 6.5 fantasy factors, nor did anybody from the offense besides Sean Tucker (10.2) attain double digits. The Buccaneers’ protection did a lot of the soiled work on this recreation, and by the early phases of the third quarter, neither Mayfield nor Egbuka have been wanted to contribute a lot statistically. That will not be the case towards higher offenses, such because the New England Patriots (Week 10), Buffalo Bills (Week 11) and Los Angeles Rams (Week 12), the Buccaneers’ subsequent three opponents after their Week 9 bye. — Cockcroft
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Is Rico Dowdle nonetheless price a fantasy begin?
Matt Bowen breaks down why the return of Chuba Hubbard makes Rico Dowdle a low-end flex play for Week 9.
4. Rico Dowdle, RB, Carolina Panthers: Within the blowout loss to the Payments, Dowdle (5.4 factors) was out-touched by Chuba Hubbard 12 to eight, regardless of averaging 6.8 YPC. And it is simple to query this Panthers backfield break up after we can see the noticeable distinction in Dowdle’s play pace. He merely brings extra juice to the Carolina run recreation. Nonetheless, with out No.1 utilization, Dowdle’s worth will proceed to slip. He is a greater match for deeper codecs in Week 9 at Inexperienced Bay. — Bowen
5. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys: That Denver protection is a troublesome matchup for quarterbacks, however I nonetheless anticipated extra from Prescott given his latest run on manufacturing. After 4 straight video games with 22 or extra factors, Prescott had a season-low 6.62 factors in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. Prescott didn’t throw a landing for the primary time since Week 1, he accomplished solely 61.3% of his throws and he was intercepted twice. Tough day for Dak, who will look to bounce again with a extra constructive Week 9 matchup versus the Cardinals protection. — Bowen
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Is Caleb Williams nonetheless a viable fantasy starter?
Matt Bowen explains why you possibly can nonetheless be ok with beginning Caleb Williams in Week 9 towards a porous Bengals protection.
6. Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears: Ben Johnson’s opening play scripts work. And the Bears had alternatives early in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens to attain touchdowns. However with an absence of pink zone execution, and only one offensive rating on the day, Williams completed with 11.8 factors. Certain, Williams accomplished 25 of 38 passes for 285 yards, plus he rushed for an additional 24 yards (on three carries). Not unhealthy. With out the scoring performs, nonetheless, and a late interception that actually put Chicago in a troublesome spot, Williams had a below-average recreation. The Bears get the Bengals protection up subsequent in Week 9, and that is a constructive matchup for Williams. He may be began in 12-team leagues for that one. — Bowen
7. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots: He went from scoring 16.8 fantasy factors in Week 7 to five.9 on Sunday, and lo and behold, these got here with him dealing with matchups at reverse extremes on the spectrum! Stevenson’s yards per carry common (2.4) towards the Cleveland Browns was lower than half what it was towards the Tennessee Titans (4.9) every week in the past, and it is significantly troubling in gentle of rookie TreVeyon Henderson turning three of his personal 10 carries for double-digit positive factors. The 2 would possibly see a narrowing of their rushing-chores hole Week 9 towards the Atlanta Falcons. — Cockcroft
Damage affect
Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants
What we all know: He caught his ankle beneath a defender on a throw from Jaxson Dart within the second quarter and was carted off the sector in an Aircast. Skattebo was identified with a dislocated ankle, and per Adam Schefter was taken to a neighborhood hospital for additional analysis.
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How a lot of successful did Jaxson Dart’s fantasy potential absorb Week 8?
Tristan H. Cockcroft explains why Cam Skattebo’s harm can have a direct affect on Jaxson Dart’s fantasy upside transferring ahead.
What’s subsequent: Tyrone Tracy Jr., who totaled 34 yards on eight touches after Skattebo’s departure, will reclaim the Giants’ beginning working again job, making him a must-add in any of the season-high 58.2% of ESPN leagues wherein he’s out there. Devin Singletary, who caught a 28-yard move late within the recreation, will again Tracy up and warrants a stash in deeper leagues. Count on the Giants’ passing recreation to take a big step backward with each Malik Nabers (knee) and now Skattebo sidelined. — Cockcroft
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns
What we all know: He left Sunday’s recreation within the third quarter with a shoulder harm, ending his day with solely 4.7 fantasy factors. The Browns have been trailing by two scores on the time.
What’s subsequent: There is a good probability that the Browns have been merely taking precautions with Judkins’ harm, contemplating the sport end result, and the crew does have a Week 9 bye to assist him heal. Ought to this be a lingering problem, nonetheless, Dylan Sampson would take over because the crew’s starter with Jerome Ford backing him up. — Cockcroft
