The Los Angeles Chargers defense is an excellent choice in Week 8 fantasy football lineups. Taking on the New Orleans Saints who will almost surely be without quarterback Derek Carr (oblique), the Bolts defensive unit could be one of the highest rated of the week. They slipped a bit in Week 7, scoring just three fantasy points, but they've been a top-12 fantasy defense in every other week but one. With Joey Bosa (hip) potentially ready to return and give the defensive line a boost, the Chargers are a high-floor and high-ceiling option in the DST slot.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (ankle) is off the injury report ahead of the team's Week 8 road outing against the Seattle Seahawks. The 27-year-old picked up an ankle injury during the Bills' 34-10 dismantling of the Tennessee Titans last Sunday but was still able to log 31 snaps (56%). Despite beginning the week tagged with a DNP, Knox upgraded his participation over the ensuing two practices -- culminating with a full session on Friday. He'll now head into Week 8 without a designation. It's fantastic news for the Bills, as they'll now have both starting tight ends available Sunday, with Dalton Kincaid (collarbone) also off the injury report. Look for them to garner their usual snap counts in their primary roles against one of the better pass defenses in the league on a per-play basis.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce expects defensive end Maxx Crosby (ankle) to play this Sunday when the team squares off against the Kansas City Chiefs. Crosby opened the week with a full practice session on Wednesday but was downgraded to a non-participant a day later. However, it was apparently just a day of rest for the veteran, as he'll likely be active for the team's home tilt against the undefeated reigning Super Bowl champions. The 27-year-old's ankle injury held him to two DNPs and a limited practice last week, though he'd eventually play his typical allotment of snaps in their Week 7 loss to the Rams. It's excellent news for the Raiders' defense, as they'll need all the help they can get against KC and their newly acquired star wideout DeAndre Hopkins.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker is a smart choice in Week 8 fantasy lineups. Dicker finished as the highest-scoring fantasy kicker in Week 7, finishing with a difference-making 21 points after kicking five field goals and accounting for all of the Chargers scoring. He was the sixth overall kicker the week before that, and could easily repeat a top-six performance in Week 8 against the New Orleans Saints. The Chargers offense has been able to move the ball fairly well, but they've struggled greatly in crossing the goal line, leaving Dicker with plenty of opportunities to put up three points.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is not an exciting fantasy option in Week 8 lineups. Herbert is coming off his best performance of the season in Week 7, where he scored 14.8 standard fantasy points and finished as the overall QB17. We all know his ceiling is much higher than that based on his talent, but even in a Week 7 game where he did almost nothing wrong, his team was still unable to find the end zone even once. In this offense, Herbert is limited to QB2 status despite his clear QB1 skills. He should be somewhere right around last week's QB17 ranking this week as well.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins has an excellent matchup in Week 8 against the New Orleans Saints. Dobbins is the overall fantasy RB18 so far this season, and that's even with two real duds in Weeks 3 and 4. He's averaging just under 93 yards per game and the Saints defense has allowed the fourth-most rushing yards and the third-most rushing touchdowns per game so far this season. With the backfield pretty much all to himself, Dobbins is a clear RB1 option with a high floor in this matchup.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Kimani Vidal is not a fantasy option in Week 8 when the Bolts take on the New Orleans Saints. Vidal showed a spark in Week 6 but was then mostly uninvolved in Week 7. He's the clear backup to starter J.K. Dobbins, but unless Dobbins misses time, Vidal seems like he'll remain in a backup/change of pace role for now. He's worth rostering and keeping on the bench, but he shouldn't be in a starting lineup outside of the deepest formats.

From RotoBaller

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Thielen was able to get through a few limited practices this week, but the team has decided to hold him out for at least one more game. This is not good news for quarterback Bryce Young who will be without both Thielen and Diontae Johnson (ribs) on Sunday. That being said, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Jonathan Mingo are going to be the primary receivers for Young. None of them have brought much to the table recently. Hopefully Thielen can return next game as it looks like he is making progress.

From RotoBaller

Per head coach Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is expected to suit up for the team's Week 8 matchup. Tashan Reed of The Athletic reported the news. Meyers returned to practice on Wednesday after logging three DNPs the week prior but was listed as a non-participant on the Raiders' Thursday report. However, it was evidently just a day of rest for the 27-year-old. Las Vegas will undoubtedly benefit from his presence after he missed the last two contests with his ankle ailment. The former New England Patriot will slide back into his WR1 role for the team, pushing fellow wideouts DJ Turner and Tre Tucker back down the ranks. Meyers will return for a tough outing Sunday against the Raiders' division-rival Kansas City Chiefs.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) hasn't been able to practice this week and is considered doubtful ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Carr is set to miss his third game in a row due to a lingering oblique injury. Spencer Rattler could continue starting under center, but won't have an easy test against a strong Chargers secondary. It sounds like Carr is making progress, so maybe a Week 9 return is possible. The 33-year-old should give this offense a boost once he's eventually able to get back on the field. Fantasy managers should prepare to be without Carr for at least one more game.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (ribs) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. It finally appears that Hill will be back in action for the first time since Week 4. The 34-year-old has only put together one good performance through his three games. However, Hill could be more involved with quarterback Spencer Rattler under center. The Saints enjoy using Hill all over the field, but he doesn't seem to have a consistent role. He should be considered a boom-or-bust TE2 for Week 8.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (quad) is considered questionable ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Higgins was fine throughout the week, but must've suffered a quad injury in practice. This puts Higgins is serious danger of missing Sunday's game considering it's already Friday. If he sits, Andrei Iosivas would shift into the No. 2 role while rookie Jermaine Burton would become the third wideout. Iosivas has been quiet throughout most of the season, but the absence of Higgins would give him some streaming appeal. Also, Ja'Marr Chase would likely become even more important to this offense, so his value would see an uptick as well.

From RotoBaller

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will make his team debut against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8. Head coach Andy Reid officially confirmed that the veteran wideout will play this weekend. The Chiefs offense has been crushed by injuries, so they made a move and acquired Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans. Hopkins has been quiet with only 15 receptions for 173 yards and a touchdown this season, but should see an immediate boost playing with Patrick Mahomes. It's worth noting that it's a new system and playbook for Hopkins, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be fantastic right away. He should be a fine flex option against a struggling Raiders defense.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger) appears to be ready to go for the Week 8 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Thompson-Robinson was forced to exit during last week's loss due to a right middle finger injury. It appears to be a minor issue, so Thompson-Robinson will serve as the No.2 option behind Jameis Winston on Sunday. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said that Winston starting was from a gameplan standpoint, which means Thompson-Robinson could see time as the starter at some point. The 24-year-old is worth stashing for QB needy fantasy managers in dynasty leagues, but isn't likely to see much action or any at all as the backup.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. should be viewed as a WR3 with boom-or-bust potential in Week 8 when the Cardinals travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins. Harrison Jr.'s target share has officially become a concern for fantasy managers, as he has just five catches on 15 targets in the last three weeks. This includes Harrison Jr. being knocked out of the Week 6 matchup with the Packers due to a concussion. Fantasy managers should not make any rash decisions regarding Harrison Jr. yet. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has a ton of upside and is WR22 in the latest RotoBaller rankings for Week 8. Harrison Jr. should remain in fantasy lineups despite the lack of recent fantasy production.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner should be viewed as a solid RB2 with a high floor when the Cardinals travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins in Week 8. Conner shined on Monday night with 21 touches for 152 yards in the crucial win over the Chargers. That performance further solidified Conner as the Cardinals' offensive feature back and focal point. He has been a workhorse and a tackle-breaking specialist, having broken 15 tacklesthe most in a game this seasonon Monday night. As the Cardinals travel two time zones to play against a solid defense, they will likely continue their run-first approach, providing Conner plenty of opportunities. Managers should look to start Conner in Week 8.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride is a must-start at the position every week moving forward. The Cardinals travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins in Week 8, who have the No. 3 ranked defense against tight ends in fantasy. However, that should not concern fantasy managers, as McBride has emerged as the Cardinals' No. 1 passing option. He leads the team in targets, and that trend is likely to continue as the Cardinals frequently scheme plays for McBride to get the ball. Fantasy managers should have full confidence in McBride for the foreseeable future.

From RotoBaller

New York Jets defensive end Haason Reddick is set to make his New York Jets debut on Sunday against the New England Patriots according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The 30-year-old has been sidelined all season due to a contract dispute. However, he returned to practice this week and will now make his Big Apple debut against their division rival, New England Patriots. Reddick has tallied double-digit sacks in each of his past four seasons with a high of 16 in 2022. Reddick will bring a significant boost to the Jets pass rush and makes their unit a top option this week facing a weak New England offense.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray should be viewed as a mid-tier QB1 in Week 8 when the Cardinals travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins. The team has been committed to creating more opportunities for Murray to use his legs in recent weeks, with at least six carries per game over his last three outings, including multiple touchdown runs of over 40 yards. This bodes well for Murray's fantasy outlook, as rushing stats are a significant driving force behind the top-ranked quarterbacks in fantasy. The Dolphins have a strong pass defense, which could lead the Cardinals to rely more on Murray's legs, making him a strong fantasy start in Week 8 against Miami.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) was ruled out for Week 8 according to Scott Petrak of The Chronicle Telegram. Ford was able to return to practice on Friday after sitting out on Wednesday and Thursday but did not progress enough to suit up this weekend. As a result, Ford will now set his sights on returning to action in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Chargers. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Nick Chubb to operate as the lead runner against the Baltimore Ravens with Pierre Strong Jr. serving as the No.2 option.

From RotoBaller