Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and was removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 8 game against the Los Angeles Rams. Jones was limited in practice on Monday and Tuesday with a hamstring injury, but the team likely was being cautious with him on a short week. Jones ranks 12th among running backs in half-PPR fantasy points per game (14.9), and the Rams have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to the position. That said, the veteran clocks in as a fringe RB1 in the Week 8 rankings, making him a virtual must-start in most leagues.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) is officially listed as questionable to face the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football in Week 8. The two-time Pro Bowler suffered an ACL tear late in the 2023 campaign and has yet to make his 2024 debut. However, he turned in limited practices all of last week and this week, so he could be ready to suit up. Fantasy managers holding Hockenson should stay ready, as this could be a true game-time decision. Hockenson was pacing for over 1,000 receiving yards last season with multiple quarterbacks at the helm, and with how well Sam Darnold is playing, he could become an immediate fantasy football factor. The Rams have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this year. That said, managers who do not have a clear top-10 tight end this week might as well roll the dice on him if he is active for this important NFC bout.

From RotoBaller

Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman DeForest Buckner (ankle) has been designated to return to practice ahead of the Week 8 game against the Houston Texans. The former first-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 2 game against the Green Bay Packers and has been on the Injured Reserve list ever since. Whenever Buckner returns to the Colts' lineup, it will be a much-needed addition for a team allowing the second-most rushing yards per game (159.9) this season. The three-time Pro Bowler collected at least seven sacks in each of his first four seasons with the Colts, and he posted 26 run stuffs between 2022 and 2023.

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Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) is practicing on Wednesday, according to head coach Dan Campbell. The 27-year-old is dealing with a knee contusion and briefly exited last week's win against the Minnesota Vikings before returning. His participation in practice is promising for his Week 8 availability against the Tennessee Titans, but fantasy managers should monitor his status throughout the week. Montgomery had his worst fantasy outing of the season in Week 7, posting just 6.5 half-PPR points. He posted at least 14.5 half-PPR points in each of his first five games and should continue to be started in 12-plus team leagues. Although the Tennessee Titans have had one of the best defenses in the NFL up to this point, the Lions' offense is potent, and Montgomery has a great role as a primary goal-line rusher.

From RotoBaller

New York Jets defensive end/outside linebacker Haason Reddick is on the practice field on Wednesday for the first time since being traded from the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. The 30-year-old reported to the team's facility on Monday and is beginning preparation for the Week 8 game against the New England Patriots. There's no official word on whether or not Reddick will suit up on Sunday, but all signs are pointing toward him making his team debut. Reddick has posted at least 11 sacks in each of his last four seasons, and he played for the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, and Eagles during that stretch. When at full strength, he'll provide a boost to a strong front seven that already ranks eighth in defensive sacks per game (8.0).

From RotoBaller

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton is not practicing on Wednesday for what is being called "a day off" by team reporter Joe Person. Dalton was involved in a car accident on Tuesday, but he and his family did not sustain any serious injuries. His excused absence from practice is likely a precautionary measure. The former second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011 has started the last five games for the Panthers following the benching of 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. Dalton has been up-and-down in his 14th NFL campaign, completing 66.3% of his passes for 989 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions. Young will handle valuable first-team reps in Wednesday's practice, but it remains to be seen if he will get back the QB1 duties sometime this season.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) is not practicing on Wednesday to begin Week 8 preparation. The third-year back out of Cincinnati did not play in Week 7 due to a hamstring injury and could be at risk of missing the Week 8 contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Luckily for Cleveland, star running back Nick Chubb returned last week for his first game since Week 2 of the 2023 campaign. However, Chubb could only rack up 25 yards on 13 touches last Sunday, though he did score a touchdown. Quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is out for the season, and Jameis Winston might provide a slight upgrade for the Cleveland offense. However, with Amari Cooper out of town, the unit as a whole is likely to remain a bottom-10 offensive attack in the NFL.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey will take over the play-calling duties ahead of the Week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Dorsey was the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator in 2022 and some of 2023 before being fired. Stefanski called the plays for the first seven weeks of the season, and the Browns rank dead last in yards per game (253.9) and points per game (15.6). The Browns will also start Jameis Winston at quarterback following the season-ending Achilles injury suffered by Deshaun Watson, and star running back Nick Chubb is back in action. Amari Cooper is also out of town, so there are a lot of changes coming to the Cleveland offense. That said, the unit is still likely to remain one of the bottom 10 offenses in the NFL moving forward.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles) is set to undergo surgery on Friday with Packers team physician Dr. Robert Anderson to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon, according to Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot. Watson suffered the season-ending injury in the Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and is facing a ninth-month recovery timeline. The former first-round pick by the Houston Texans did not flash in his first two seasons with Cleveland, and his 2024 season was off to a disastrous start. He completed 64.3% of his passes for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions as Cleveland got out to a 1-6 record. Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston is expected to be the starter moving forward, and Watson's future with the Browns is uncertain.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said the team will see how quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger) progresses from the finger injury he suffered in the Week 7 loss to the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, but he will practice on Wednesday. Stefanski would like to see how DTR throws in practice this week before the team makes a decision on who will back up Jameis Winston in Week 8 against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. The good news is that DTR's injury won't require surgery. If Thompson-Robinson is inactive on Sunday, Bailey Zappe would serve as Winston's backup with Deshaun Watson (Achilles) out for the year. Thompson-Robinson won't start in Week 8, but he could be an option to start in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Chargers if Watson struggles against Baltimore.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | The Titans have traded wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: This move had been rumored for a couple of days and now it's official. Hopkins will slot in as Kansas City's top receiver, but it's fair to wonder just what he may have left in the tank at this point. He's still recovering from an early season injury and really just hasn't looked like himself in some time. The opportunity is there for him again, but the Chiefs offense is not, well, the Chiefs offense any longer. Patrick Mahomes has been charged with simply managing football games as the Chiefs have started riding their defense in recent seasons. Hopkins' production should improve (it can't get worse), but expecting him to produce numbers like he used to is likely to leave dynasty managers disappointed. If you can somehow fetch a second round rookie pick for him, that seems like a move to make.

Dynasty | The Browns will start quarterback Jameis Winston at quarterback this week. Dynasty Analysis: This may or may not be a permanent change. The Browns are up against it at 1-6 and need a spark. With Dorian Thompson-Robinson nursing a finger injury and Deshaun Watson tearing his Achilles, Cleveland really has no choice. We know what to expect with Winston - he's going to have monster games and absolute disasters. He's worth a pickup for teams ravaged by injuries, but buyer beware.

The Seattle Seahawks traded linebacker Jerome Baker and a fourth-round draft pick on Wednesday to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for linebacker Ernest Jones IV, according to sources. In addition to sending Jones to the Seahawks, the Titans also traded receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Chiefs on Wednesday. Tennessee acquired Jones in the offseason, but they are now pivoting after a rough start to 2024. Baker, a third-rounder by the Miami Dolphins in 2018, had 30 tackles (17 solo), a sack, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in five games for Seattle before the trade. Jones, meanwhile, had racked up 44 tackles (29 solo) and two pass breakups in his six games with the Titans. He'll be heading back to the NFC West after spending his first three years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Cleveland Browns will officially start veteran quarterback Jameis Winston in Week 8 against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens with Deshaun Watson (Achilles) out for the year and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger) nursing an injury, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. With Watson done for the year, the Browns also signed Bailey Zappe to their active roster, and he could serve as Winston's backup if DTR is inactive on Sunday. Winston has appeared in five games in 2024, completing six of 12 pass attempts for 83 yards and a touchdown, which came in the Week 7 loss to the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals. The 30-year-old has plenty of NFL experience, but Thompson-Robinson could eventually take over the starting gig if Winston plays poorly. In an offense lacking explosive weapons now that Amari Cooper is out of town, Winston will be a low-end QB2, at best, in fantasy this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn told reporters on Wednesday that rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels (ribs) will not practice after injuring his ribs in the Week 7 win over the Carolina Panthers. Backup Marcus Mariota will take first-team repetitions in practice, and it appears to be trending toward Mariota making the start in Week 8 against the visiting Chicago Bears. Daniels' injury doesn't appear to be very serious, but it doesn't mean that he'll start this weekend. The Commanders called the 23-year-old second overall pick week-to-week on Monday, so fantasy managers should have already made alternate plans in case he's ruled out this Sunday. If Daniels is out in Week 8, Washington's offense won't have nearly as much upside, while Mariota will be in play as a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk (concussion) is in the league's concussion protocol, according to head coach Jerod Mayo. Polk was diagnosed with a concussion in the Week 7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday and is now in danger of missing a Week 8 divisional clash against the New York Jets this weekend. The 22-year-old second-round selection will eventually need to be cleared by an independent neurologist later this week if he wants to suit up on Sunday. In his first seven NFL games in 2024, Polk has been inconsistent with drops and has just 10 catches on 26 targets for 78 yards and a touchdown, so he's been completely unreliable in fantasy. If Polk is inactive against the Jets, it will open up more snaps for Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osborn behind Demario Douglas.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | The New Orleans Saints have signed running back Alvin Kamara to a two-year contract extension. Dynasty Analysis: He gets a two-year, $25 million extension that will keep him in New Orleans through 2026. Kamara has been effective as usual this year, posting overall RB5 numbers, despite playing in an offense that's been pretty up and down after an explosive start. This will effectively take him off the trade market and while a massive drop-off in production is likely to start occurring soon as he continues to age, Kamara seems like a solid target for a contending team looking for veteran running back help now that his future is secured and the Saints have again committed heavily to him financially.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) is officially out for Week 8 against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons and will undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday after aggravating his hamstring injury in Monday night's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Buccaneers aren't going to put Evans on Injured Reserve, but they don't expect him back until around their Week 11 bye. Chris Godwin is also out for the rest of the season after dislocating his ankle on Monday, so Tampa's receiving corps is going to be very thin for at least the next several weeks. Both rookie Jalen McMillan and Sterling Shepard were popular waiver-wire pickups in fantasy leagues on Wednesday, and Trey Palmer should also enter the starting mix in three-receiver sets moving forward. Quarterback Baker Mayfield's fantasy stock takes a big hit.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans LB Ernest Jones was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for LB Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick, per sources on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

From TheHuddle

The Kansas City Chiefs' plan is to get newly acquired wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (leg) ready to play this Sunday against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8, according to sources. It's still early, though, and the Chiefs will know more about Hopkins' availability later this week. The Chiefs gave up a conditional fourth-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for Hopkins after JuJu Smith-Schuster aggravated his hamstring injury in the Week 7 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Smith-Schuster won't play in Week 8. The Chiefs have also lost both Rashee Rice (knee) and Marquise Brown (shoulder) for the year, so it felt inevitable that they'd trade for receiver help as they look to become the first team to three-peat in the NFL. The 32-year-old Hopkins was dealing with lower-leg soreness at the end of the Week 7 contest, but it's considered minor. Nuk's fantasy value receives a massive boost with this trade.

From RotoBaller