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Week 8 delivered in a big way. We got upsets wins for the Rams, Patriots, and Browns, we got big plays from special teams, and we were gifted a beautiful Hail Mary from Jayden Daniels (my first L take of the 2024 draft - kid's a baller). Let's hope Week 9 continues a trend of good football.
Week 9 Power Rankings
Teams to Note
Los Angeles Rams (Rose 4 spots)
With Kupp and Puka back in the fold and this defense coming to life, the Rams have found a spark that they've been missing all season. They used the Lions' blueprint to beat the Vikings last week, and showed the NFL that they're still a threat.
Minnesota Vikings (Dropped 4 spots)
This isn't so much on the loss to the Rams, but more so the injury to Christian Darrisaw. Losing one of the best left tackles in the league would impact any team, and the Vikings will feel it more than most other teams would. KOC will have to work his magic once again to keep this battered team competitive.
Deadline Headline: Updates
We had some really solid under the radar moves since my last blog dropped. The Seahawks added Ernest Jones IV from the Titans for Jerome Baker and a 4th round pick, which is a sneaky good addition. Also worth nothing that the Titans basically turned a 5th round pick into a 4th and 6th rounder from the Rams and Seahawks respectively, as Tennessee traded for Ernest earlier this year.
Josh Uche was traded to the Chiefs in exchange for a 6th rounder in 2026, and he'll provide some pass rush depth in hopes of getting his contract renewed. The Pats made out pretty well considering he would've walked in free agency for nothing at the end of the year.
Right as I was finishing this blog, the Ravens made an awesome move to acquire Diontae Johnson and a 6th rounder for just a 5th round pick. The Ravens needed some help in the WR room, and Diontae gets an electric upgrade at the QB position.
Some other names to look out for are Azeez Ojulari, Za'Darius Smith, Brandon Scherff, and Mike Williams. I expect Azeez and Za'Darius to be more attractive names in the market as of right now.
Week 8 Awards
Awards | AFC | NFC |
Offensive MVP | Jameis Winston | Kyler Murray |
Defensive MVP | TJ Watt | Zack Baun |
Special Teams MVP | Calvin Austin III | Kalif Raymond |
Trench Tyrant | Laremy Tunsil | Jake Matthews |
Relentless Rookie | Kamari Lassiter | Marvin Harrison Jr |
Winners to Note
Zack Baun
The highest graded LB in Week 8 was on fire against the Bengals. Baun has shown he's a perfect fit for this defense all year, and this past game was his magnum opus. He recorded 10 tackles, 6 stops + TFLs, and forced a fumble that sealed the victory for the Eagles. He also posted an 87.9 coverage grade, and recorded 1 pressure on just 5 pass rushes.
Kyler Murray
Kyler put the COD jokes to bed with a massive performance in a must-win game. He cooked one of the best pass defenses in the league for 307 yards and 2 TDs, while hitting 3 big time throws and posting an adjusted completion rate of 89.7%. He also avoided 9 pressures for 0 sacks, and ran for 19 yards, including a game winning carry where he had virtually no room to get a first - and he got it anyways.
Jameis Winston
Was Jameis perfect Sunday? Not even close, but to put the franchise on your shoulders after tons of controversy and being named the QB3 just a week prior is worthy of winning AFC MVP this week. He sliced and diced one of the best defenses in the league, and after making a few mistakes, he refused to crumble and delivered some great throws. He was nails on Sunday, and gave the Browns much needed hope.
Photo: Jason Miller/GettyImages
Fantasy Football
Week 8 Recap
Points | QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex |
Player | Jameis Winston | Jaylen Warren | DeMario Douglas | Mark Andrews | Jakobi Meyers |
Projected | 11.8 | 9.1 | 9.4 | 8.0 | 9.3 |
Actual | 23.56 | 7.9 | 3.2 | 14.6 | 17.2 |
Difference | 11.76 | -1.2 | -6.2 | 6.6 | 7.9 |
Result | Boom | Push | Bust | Boom | Boom |
Season Totals: 12 Booms / 14 Pushes / 14 Busts
Week 9 Prediction
QB: Daniel Jones vs Washington Commanders (proj. 14.9 points)
Danny Pennies has been on the struggle bus this season, but I think he ends up having a solid performance against a division rival. No analytics, all vibes with this pick.
RB: Kendre Miller vs Carolina Panthers (proj. 4.7 points)
Kendre hasn't gotten the ball enough to warrant his selection here, but he's gotten yards when there were none to be found. I think the Saints roll through Carolina with ease and he gets some second half touches that break big.
WR: Cedric Tillman vs Los Angeles Chargers (proj. 10.5 points)
Since Amari Cooper was traded, Cedric has commanded 20 targets and produced 180 yards, both of which lead the team these past two weeks. Cedric is the Browns WR1 moving forward, and this is the last week he'll be projected this low.
TE: Brenton Strange vs Philadelphia Eagles (proj. 2.9 points)
With Christian Kirk out for the season, and some uncertainty with BTJ for this week, expect the Jaguars to deploy a ton of 12 personnel, with Evan Engram in the slot, and Strange at the true TE position. After Kirk got hurt early in the 4th quarter, Brenton hauled in 4 receptions for 52 yards to close out the game - he'll get plenty of usage this week.
Flex: Jalen Coker vs New Orleans Saints (proj. 5.0 points)
With Diontae Johnson getting traded, and Jalen Coker being used more and more these past four games, now's the perfect time to add him. In the three games where he's played more than 25 passing snaps, he's hauled in 11 receptions for 176 yards and 1 TD, which comes out to 11.53 fantasy points per game. He's a sneaky good option, and may have some fantastic end-of-season upside.
Week 9 Game Predictions
AFC Games
Texans vs Jets (TNF)
Raiders vs Bengals
Dolphins vs Bills
Broncos vs Ravens
Chargers vs Browns
Patriots vs Titans
NFC Games
Saints vs Panthers
Commanders vs Giants
Cowboys vs Falcons
Bears vs Cardinals
Lions vs Packers
Rams vs Seahawks
Cross Over Games
Jaguars vs Eagles
Colts vs Vikings (SNF)
Buccaneers vs Chiefs (MNF)
**Bye Week: 49ers, Steelers
Record from Week 8: 10-6
Season Record: 70-53
Photo: Jeff Dean/Associated Press
Final Notes
Next week, I'll be dropping my picks for Midseason Awards, breaking down the major shifts in my Power Rankings from the Preseason until now, and we'll be naming the Midseason All-House Team!
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