Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has been quiet this season but could finally break through for fantasy purposes against the New York Giants in Week 8. Warren dealt with injuries to begin the campaign and started to look more like his explosive self last week. He took the field for over 50% of the Steelers' offensive snaps for the first time in 2024 and saw more opportunities in the passing game than backfield mate Najee Harris with Russell Wilson at quarterback. With this contest shaping up to be a low-scoring, defensive-oriented affair, Pittsburgh should be expected to rely heavily on its ground game against a Giants defense allowing the eighth-most rushing yards per game. We haven't yet seen enough from Warren to consider him a weekly fantasy starter, but he's worth considering as a low-end flex option for fantasy managers in a pinch this week.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers kicker Anders Carlson will kick off to the Dallas Cowboys at home in Week 8 on Sunday Night Football. The former Auburn Tiger and Green Bay Packer is the third kicker the 49ers have deployed this year, after Jake Moody (ankle) and Matthew Wright (shoulder) both were injured on tackle attempts. Last week, Carlson made field goal attempts from 55 and 24 yards but missed an extra point. Carlson has a big-league leg but has struggled with accuracy during his short career, leading the NFL in missed field goals in 2023 and missing five extra points, including playoffs. The 49ers offense has been brutally decimated with injury, so the days of assuming they'll get their kicker plenty of opportunities may be put on hold. This uncertainty along with Carlson's struggles make him a risky start this week. He's the K20 in RotoBaller's rankings this week.

From RotoBaller

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce has had some big plays this season, however, they've come on few catches. The 24-year-old owns a superb 25.5 yards per reception average thus far but has just 15 total catches in seven games. One of those catches was a 60-yard touchdown back in Week 1 versus the Texans, which is his opponent in Week 8. It was Anthony Richardson who threw him that ball and it will be Richardson under center again this week, while Houston has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Whether or not that translates to fantasy points for Pierce again seems like more of a roll of the dice with the second-year QB's poor completion rate (48.5%), so view the former second-round draft pick as a boom/bust candidate in the rematch versus the Texans as a WR5.

From RotoBaller

New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (groin) is off the injury report and is expected to play on Monday evening against the Pittsburgh Steelers according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Burns opened the week as a limited participant in practice but was then downgraded to a non-participant on Friday. However, he was able to return in a limited capacity on Saturday. Burns has tallied at least one sack in each of the past three games and tallied 27 tackles (18 solo) through his first seven games in the Big Apple. In addition, the former Panther had registered one forced fumble with six pass deflections this season. With Burns set to play, the Giants defense is worth a look as a deep-league streaming option facing the Pittsburgh Steelers.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (hamstring) was downgraded to out for Week 8. Spears did not suit up last weekend but returned to practice this week in a limited capacity. However, he was unable to progress enough and will now set his sights on returning in Week 9 to face the New England Patriots. Spears has been deployed as the No.2 option out of the backfield this season behind Tony Pollard and has only averaged a mere 22.8 rushing yards per game with just one score. Fantasy managers should expect Pollard to see a heavy dose of work on Sunday afternoon but faces a tough challenge as the Lions have allowed the second-fewest PPR points to opposing running backs this season.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz is one of the better Week 8 options when his team takes on the Carolina Panthers. Lutz has been outstanding this season, knocking through all 12 of his extra-point attempts while drilling 17-of-18 field goal tries (94.4%). The 30-year-old gets an excellent matchup this Sunday against a Panthers squad that's allowed 34.7 points per game to their opponents -- the highest mark in the league. With rookie quarterback Bo Nix playing sound football in his first taste of NFL action, the former Georgia State Panther should continue to be among the fantasy leaders at the kicker position. Lutz ranks as RotoBaller's K7 ahead of Sunday's outing.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell continued what has been a sensational 2024 campaign in Week 7 and will stay at home this week for a Monday night showdown against the New York Giants. While it is worth noting that the Giants have not surrendered a ton of production to fantasy kickers, and that this contest is expected to be the lowest-scoring bout of the week, there are reasons to be optimistic about Boswell in this matchup. The Steelers are running the ball at the second-highest rate in the NFL and both defenses have done a good job keeping opponents out of the end zone. In what should be a slow-paced duel, Boswell could be called upon often, especially if New York can prevent Pittsburgh from pushing the ball downfield. There are many kickers in more enticing game environments this week, but Boswell has been steady enough to earn a permanent spot in fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos tight end Lucas Krull will face the Carolina Panthers in Week 8 this Sunday. The third-year tight end was the team's second-leading receiver in Week 7's 33-10 domination of a depleted Saints squad. Despite being listed as the second-string option behind teammate Adam Trautman on Denver's depth chart, Krull has out-targeted, out-received, and out-gained Trautman over the last three weeks. Still, even in a juicy matchup against a porous Panthers defense, the 26-year-old will not be a viable fantasy option. The former undrafted free agent is RotoBaller's PPR TE31 ahead of the Week 8 outing.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has been underwhelming in recent weeks and will look to get back on track against the New York Giants in Week 8. With Russell Wilson under center, Pittsburgh's passing attack was much more exciting last week, but Freiermuth ceded a surprising amount of opportunities to fellow tight end Darnell Washington. The Giants have been stout against opposing tight ends all season, surrendering the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Because this contest is expected to be slow-paced and Freiermuth seems to have only a few guaranteed targets, it will be difficult for fantasy managers to rely on him as anything more than a TE2 on Monday night.

From RotoBaller

Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman DeForest Buckner (ankle) was activated off the injured reserve and will return to action on Sunday. In a corresponding move the Colts waived running back Evan Hull. Buckner has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during the second week of the season. In the season opener, Buckner had a productive afternoon as he tallied six tackles (five solo) with 1.5 sacks. Last season, the lineman posted a career-high 81 tackles with seven pass deflections and eight sacks. Buckner should expected to return to his typical starting role on Sunday afternoon facing the Houston Texans.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens finally got rolling this season with Russell Wilson at quarterback in Week 7 and could continue heating up against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Pickens has been Pittsburgh's clear top option in the passing game all year but his talents seem to align perfectly with Wilson's style of play. Although the Giants have been solid defensively in 2024, Pickens' near-30% team target share keeps him in fantasy WR2 territory. It's worth noting that this contest is expected to be incredibly low-scoring, so while expectations should be managed, Pickens could still certainly end up on the receiving end of a few if not all deep balls from Wilson. Fantasy managers can confidently deploy him as a top-24 option in Week 8.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys running back Dalvin Cook was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad on Saturday and is expected to make his Dallas debut on Sunday evening in San Francisco according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The veteran running back joined the Cowboys during the last week of August but has yet to see any regular season action. Fantasy managers should monitor his usage on Sunday evening as he could eventually work out a role going forward. Top option Rico Dowdle should be expected to continue to operate as the lead back as he has averaged 62.8 total yards per game with 11.0 PPR points per game while Ezekiel Elliott and Deuce Vaughn have been very unproductive serving as change-of-pace options. Cook is worth taking a flier on in deeper 14+ team formats for the time being.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Will Dissly (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Dissly did not participate during Wednesday's and Thursday's practice but returned to practice on Friday in a limited capacity which is a promising sign for his status this weekend. Last weekend, the 28-year-old tight end saw a hefty 11 targets and was able to bring in eight of them for a season-high 81 yards. With wideouts Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey also listed as questionable, the Chargers may lean heavily on their rushing attack facing one of the worst rushing defenses in football. Fantasy managers should expect J.K. Dobbins to be heavily involved on Sunday and be viewed as a high-end RB2.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris got off to a slow start this season but has turned in two consecutive 100-yard performances with a touchdown. He should have a good shot of continuing this productive stretch against the New York Giants in Week 8. The Giants have given up the eighth-most rushing yards per game in 2024 and were carved up for 269 yards on the ground by Saquon Barkley and the Eagles in Week 7. Pittsburgh's defense has been elite and will likely make things difficult for New York's offense on Monday night. The Steelers should be expected to lean on the running game led by Harris with Jaylen Warren mixing in. Harris arguably looks the best he ever has through four years in the NFL and should be fired up as a solid fantasy RB2 in this matchup.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele will square off against the Carolina Panthers this Sunday in Week 8. Vele recorded just one catch on three targets for 20 yards in last Thursday's win over the Saints, the lowest totals of his career thus far. It's a stark contrast to the 78 yards on 4-of-6 receiving he racked up the week prior, but in his defense, rookie quarterback Bo Nix was asked to do less in the win over New Orleans as opposed to the loss against the Chargers. The rookie wideout gets a juicy outing against a sieve-like Panthers defense this Sunday. Still, the seventh-round pick in this year's draft is not a reliable fantasy option just yet. His early career involvement, however, is encouraging. As RotoBaller's PPR WR74 ahead of Week 8, the rookie wideout is little more than a desperate dart throw.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (ankle) was added to the injury report and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Dugger initially opened the week as a limited participant during Wednesday's practice but then upgraded to full participation on Thursday. However, seeing Dugger return to the injury report and now carrying a designation is not a positive sign for his status on Sunday. Through six games this season, the 28-year-old has tallied 35 tackles (26 solo) with one sack and one forced fumble. If he is unable to suit up, fantasy managers in IDP formats should expect Jaylinn Hawkins to see an increase in snaps.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | The Dallas Cowboys are considering elevating Dalvin Cook from the practice squad this week. Dynasty Analysis: Cook was signed to the practice squad at the beginning of the season and poised to be a part of the offense early, but that never materialized. With Dallas struggling in the run game thus far, they may have nothing to lose by seeing what Cook may have left in the tank. The former All-Pro is again roster worthy in dynasty leagues, but expectations should be tempered.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson had successful surgery to repair his torn Achilles. Dynasty Analysis: The good news is the surgery should be enough to get him back on the field in 2025. The bad news is the fact nobody may want him after his disastrous tenure in Cleveland and an image that has taken more hits than most ever have. Watson is still under contract with the Browns and they'd have to swallow a massive amount of money to move forward. However, with just one win on the year and a season spiraling down the toilet, they may just have to draft a quarterback this Spring and swallow their pride. Watson is going to be cut in most dynasty leagues this week if he hasn't been already.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is slated to return as early as week ten. Dynasty Analysis: Nothing is imminent here as the 49ers have still failed to open the practice window for McCaffrey. Still, things seem to be trending in the right direction. This is a delicate situation for San Francisco as McCaffrey would clearly give the team a much needed boost, but bringing him back too soon could put him at risk of rupturing his Achilles, a potentially career and franchise-altering injury. McCaffrey will return to the RB1 ranks whenever he comes back but his dynasty value is starting to sink a touch.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has cleared concussion protocol and will start this week against Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: The entire Earth is going to hold its collective breath as Tua returns from his latest scary incident. His return should give the entire offense a collective boost, but every football fan is more concerned about his long-term health at the moment. On the plus side, the experts have cleared him and they certainly know more than the general public. Tua should be a QB1 moving forward but his dynasty value has likely hit its apex as one more head injury could end his career.

From Dynasty League Fantasy