NFL Week 8 fantasy football, betting cheat sheet: Puka Nacua might play Thursday

Welcome to the (refined and improved!) Week 8 NFL fantasy and betting cheat sheet, a one-stop-shop for The Athletic’s game previews, injury and weather updates, and expert analysis. Bookmark this page and check back often, as we offer regular updates Thursday through Sunday to assist with fantasy lineups and betting decisions.

The latest NFL news and headlines

Last updated: 1:40 p.m. ET, Oct. 24

Injury news | Weather report
Featured games | Week 8 best bets
Survivor pool strategy | Fantasy football player rankings

Injury news

Updated through 1:40 p.m. ET Oct. 24

Thursday Night Football

Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams (ankle) — Expected to play
Trade rumors surround Kupp heading into Week 8, but according to Rams coach Sean McVay, Kupp is expected to play, elevating the entire Rams offense. QB Matthew Stafford benefits the most, as his top target comes back to the field.

GO DEEPER

Cooper Kupp trade rumors: Ranking the best fantasy football fits

Puka Nacua, WR, Rams (knee) — Questionable
The Rams have opened Nacua’s 21-day practice window after the star WR’s stint on IR. He is questionable for Thursday’s game but a report from NFL.com Thursday suggested Nacua might be available against the Vikings. If Stafford could somehow get both Nacua and Kupp on the field, his fantasy production would increase dramatically.

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Vikings (knee) — Questionable
Hockenson’s status ahead of Week 8 remains up in the air. In 2023, Hockenson ranked fourth among tight ends in PPR points. Unless you’ve got a top-5 TE, Hockenson is worth a start sight unseen.

Sunday 1 p.m.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins (concussion) — Questionable
If Tua takes the field Sunday, those with stock in Dolphins skill position players can rejoice. Tagovailoa will receive a warm welcome from fantasy managers (especially those in Superflex leagues) who held out hope he’d see the field again this season, particularly as WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle could finally live up to their early-draft potential. .

Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers (ankle) — Out/Injured Reserve
Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers (hamstring) — Out
Godwin was placed on IR Wednesday and will undergo ankle surgery. With Mike Evans also ruled out for Sunday’s game, Jalen McMillan could see a larger target share and more opportunities for fantasy points. TE Cade Otton to absorb targets left behind by the Bucs’ top two receivers.

Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jaguars (hamstring) — Questionable
Etienne didn’t play against the New England Patriots last week in London and Tank Bigsby rushed for 118 yards in his absence. Etienne practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday, but even if he plays, this backfield could be a committee moving forward.

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts (ankle) — Questionable
While Taylor remains questionable for the Colts AFC South divisional matchup against the Texans, Indianapolis’ star RB was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and could see the field this week. Whenever he’s ready, say goodbye to RB Trey Sermon, but maybe keep RB Tyler Goodson as a handcuff.

Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts (back) — Questionable
Pittman has been dealing with a back injury for a couple of weeks now. He’s played in every game since his name landed on the injury report the first time, but while he was at Wednesday’s practice, he did not take the field. Until QB Anthony Richardson finds his passing groove, Colts receivers are not guaranteed fantasy points.

Deshaun Watson, QB, Browns (Achilles) — Out/Injured Reserve
Watson hit the IR after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Week 7. Jameis Winston is set to start Week 8 after Dorian Thompson-Robinson suffered a finger injury when filling in for Watson last week. Renee Miller wrote in her Thursday column for The Athletic that Winston could elevate a number of his teammates. He has ignited offenses before and the Browns, and coach Kevin Stefanski, need a spark.

Will Levis, QB, Titans (shoulder) — Questionable
Levis is a long shot to play Week 8, meaning Mason Rudolph will lead the Titans in an uneven matchup against the Detroit Lions. I’m not sure any Titans players are viable starters this week. But Jake Ciely has Tony Pollard as RB26 for Week 8, and he should see a heavy workload as the Titans will need to establish the run and keep the ball away from the Lions’ high-powered offense.

Jameson Williams, WR, Lions — Suspended
It’s not an injury but Williams faces a two-game suspension after violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown stands to benefit (as if he needs it), and TE Sam LaPorta has the chance for a big game with more targets available.

Sunday 4 p.m.

Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders (ribs) — Questionable
Daniels did not practice Wednesday, and his status for Week 8 is up in the air. QB Marcus Mariota was a viable fill-in last week, but this week, the Commanders face a top-10 (in almost all categories) Bears defense. The Commanders need Daniels, and fans want a Daniels-Caleb Williams shootout. With Mariota in, Terry McLaurin can still be started, as the two players showed good chemistry last week.

Andy Dalton, QB, Panthers (thumb) — Doubtful
After spraining his thumb in a car accident, Dalton will not start Week 8. Instead, Bryce Young will reclaim his role as starter. Young has a 49.5 passer rating on the season, so use caution when deploying any of the Panthers’ receivers, including Diontae Johnson, who has only been fantasy-relevant when Dalton’s under center. The Panthers hope Dalton will be available to backup Young.

DK Metcalf, WR, Seahawks (knee) — Questionable
Metcalf sprained his MCL in Week 7 and will be reevaluated on Friday to determine his status. In his absence, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have so many targets to share, making them both viable fantasy options if Metcalf can’t go.

Jonathon Brooks, RB, Panthers (knee) — Questionable
Yet to make his NFL debut, Jonathon Brooks was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and has a chance to take the field in Week 8. Even if he does, Brooks may not see a full workload, but Chuba Hubbard’s production should be monitored.

Aidan O’Connell, QB, Raiders (thumb) — Injured Reserve
O’Connell landed on injured reserve after suffering a thumb injury in Week 7. That means QB Gardner Minshew gets a second chance to lead the Raiders, but against Kansas City’s defense, Minshew could have a rough week. Outside of TE Brock Bowers, there are no sure fantasy plays on this Las Vegas team, but you could always gamble on RB Alexander Mattison.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Chiefs (hamstring) — Out
Smith-Schuster has already been ruled out for Week 8. New WR acquisition DeAndre Hopkins is ready to step in and take as many Mahomes targets as he can.

Sunday Night Football

Deebo Samuel, WR, 49ers (illness) — Questionable
In Week 7, fantasy managers with Samuel had a rough week, as Samuel came out of the game early, needing oxygen due to pneumonia. Ahead of Week 8, Samuel is still battling the illness. Meanwhile, teammate WR Brandon Aiyuk hit the injured reserve list. The next receivers up are Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall, and TE George Kittle could have a massive Week 8 with the receiver injuries.

Monday Night Football

As of Thursday, there are no fantasy-relevant injuries ahead of the Monday Night Football matchup between the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Weather report

Outdoor games only

So far this year, weather has impacted very few games, and that trend continues. But one matchup will almost certainly be affected by precipitation this week.

According to Rotowire, there is a 96-percent chance of rain for the Week 8 matchup in Seattle between the Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo Bills (5-2) vs. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

Bills QB Josh Allen’s career completion percentage drops 2.4 percent when playing in the rain, from 63.2 percent to 60.8 percent, per Trumedia. His touchdown-to-interception ratio also decreases from 2.3 without rain to 1.5 with rain. Since 2018, in games when Allen has started, the Bills have gone 7-6 in the rain. In those games, Buffalo averaged 204.08 passing yards compared to 234.12 without rain. On the ground, the Bills averaged 147.3 rushing yards in the rain against 126.54 without. Allen is an every-week starter for fantasy, regardless of the weather. But history suggests a decrease in production this week from the Bills QB, who is very much in the MVP conversation.

Meanwhile, Geno Smith has played in only three rain games while with the Seahawks, and in those games, his completion percentage dropped from 67.7 to 62.1. His total passing yards per game also took a hit, decreasing from 241.5 to 197.33. However, Smith’s rain games came under Coach Pete Carroll, and a new system means a new rainy-day strategy. Under Mike Macdonald, Smith averages 270.86 passing yards per game versus 224.20 under Carroll.

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III is a strong and safe play this week. He’s averaging 22.3 PPR points per game as is, and he may get even higher usage in the rain.

Wondering what the weather impact is on fantasy production? Jake Ciely has you covered like a poncho in rainy season.

Featured games

Find live updates here. Check out our Week 8 previews here. Game-specific previews are available on the day of the game. 

Thursday night

Minnesota Vikings (5-1) vs. Los Angeles Rams (2-4)

• Venue: SoFi Stadium — Inglewood, Calif.
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• TV: Prime Video
• Streaming: Fubo (try for free)

The Rams are desperate for a win and mired in Cooper Kupp trade rumors heading into Week 8 and the Vikings, led by Comeback Player of the Year candidate Sam Darnold, are favored on the road.

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is having (another) career year and is on track for a 1,000-plus receiving-yard season. He already has five touchdowns, and his athleticism makes him an excellent endzone target. WR Jordan Addison continues to run loads of routes (28.25 per game) and is targeted an average of five times each game. He had a fantasy-acceptable Week 7 and could be deployed in the flex position if necessary. Aaron Jones is an easy weekly plug-and-play, but he has the potential for a week-winning game against a 30th-ranked Rams rush defense.

The Rams may get back some fantasy-relevant players at the receiver position. While Kupp is very much on the trade block, he is expected to play Week 8 and should get his usual substantial target share (30%-plus) if he does. Puka Nacua is also questionable heading into the week and could see the field. Rams RB Kyren Williams is a talented back  averaging 19.4 PPR points per game, but the Vikings give up the second-fewest rush yards per game. You have to play him but temper expectations.

Read the full preview here.

Sunday afternoon

Chicago Bears (4-2) vs. Washington Commanders (5-2)

• Venue: Northwest Stadium — Landover, Md.
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS
• Streaming: Fubo (try for free)

Jayden Daniels’ rib injury may delay his first meeting against No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams and the Bears. Assuming he plays, Daniels (who has the NFL’s best completion percentage) will look for top targets WR Terry McLaurin and TE Zach Ertz. Backup Marcus Mariota showed he, too, has chemistry with McLaurin when filling in for Daniels last week.

With or without the rookie quarterback, the Commanders will lean on a strong running back room that includes Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler. Robinson Jr. is an every-week starter, and McLaurin is a good flex option, regardless of the QB under center.

Williams’ top targets have been WR D.J. Moore (47), WR Rome Odunze (31) and TE Cole Kmet (49). Veteran receiver Keenan Allen, who has missed games due to injury, follows closely behind, and as Williams improves, Allen is likely to see more volume. After a slow start, the Bears rookie QB has played well in his last three games, averaging a completion percentage of 74.1 percent and a passer rating of 122.8. The biggest question mark for the Bears is D’Andre Swift. As Jake Ciely points out, while Swift has played well in his last three games against mediocre to terrible teams, Roschon Johnson has been heavily utilized on third and fourth downs.

Read the full preview here (available Sunday).

Sunday night

Dallas Cowboys (3-3) vs. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

• Venue: Levi’s Stadium — Santa Clara, Calif.
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock, Fubo (try for free)

Niners QB Brock Purdy will need to get creative and spread the ball with Brandon Aiyuk out and Deebo Samuel recovering from pneumonia. WR Ricky Pearsall could have a breakout game, while RB Jordan Mason (dealing with an ankle injury), was held in check by the Chiefs in Week 7. Currently listed as questionable, Mason has a good chance to play.

For the Cowboys, Dak Prescott looks to get back on track after some bye-week rest that followed an embarrassing 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions. CeeDee Lamb may not be living up to his preseason ADP, but he has 467 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the year, and the talent to win weeks. Ciely has Lamb ranked as the WR6 for Week 8 and teammate TE Jake Ferguson as the TE9. Running back Rico Dowdle, however, is ranked as RB33, and fantasy managers can bench (or drop) the struggling back, who is averaging only 41 rushing yards per game. If you’re looking for a flex option, Jalen Tolbert is an option with the second-most targets this season for the Cowboys.

Read the full preview here (available Sunday).

Monday night

New York Giants (2-5) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

• Venue: Acrisure Stadium — Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN, ABC
• Streaming: ESPN+, Fubo (try for free)

Can Russell Wilson keep the starting quarterback job? Playing well in the Steelers-Giants matchup will help. Wilson showed chemistry with WR George Pickens (111 yards receiving, TD) in his strong Week 7 debut. Najee Harris benefited from an effective passing game as well, finishing with over 100 yards on the ground and a touchdown.

Giants QB Daniel Jones was benched for Drew Lock late in the team’s 28-3 loss to the Eagles but head coach Brian Daboll said Jones will start Monday night. While Malik Nabers may struggle to reach his season-long ceiling with Jones under center, the star rookie WR has had many week-winning performances and is averaging 85.4 receiving yards per game. Darius Slayton had a big Week 5, but Wan’Dale Robinson leads the team in targets, which makes him a decent flex option dart-throw.

The Giants backfield has become somewhat of a committee with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary. Tracy has been targeted more as a receiver and is running more efficiently than Singletary. For those deciding between the two, Jake Ciely ranks Tracy (RB34) above Singletary (RB40).

Read the full preview here (available Monday).

Week 8 best bets

Austin Mock scours his weekly projections to spot the top values on the board.

Bet picked Thursday: Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams under 48 (-110)

I’m not totally in love with this total, but it’s a big enough edge for me that I can’t pass it up. The Rams have been reportedly shopping wide receiver Cooper Kupp, so there is a chance he doesn’t play this week, which obviously helps. I think the Vikings have a good matchup against this Rams offensive line as well, and hopefully they bounce back after getting gashed against the Lions last week. — Mock

• Worst price to bet: Under 47.5 (-110)

See all of Mock’s best bets for Week 8.

Survivor pool strategy

A weekly guide to staying alive from Renee Miller and Adam Gretz. Odds from BetMGM as of Thursday.

There are eight games this week with lines of six points or more, including four with lines of eight points or more. Kansas City, Detroit and Baltimore all reach double digits as favorites.

If you have already used those three teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers at home on Monday night (where they are historically dominant) against the New York Giants could be an intriguing pick, while the Green Bay Packers should be able to beat a bad Jacksonville Jaguars team on the road. If you really want to get bold? The New York Jets should be able to beat that New England Patriots team that has their own head coach calling them soft, while the Denver Broncos present the always trusty “pick against the Carolina Panthers” approach. –Adam Gretz

Read the full Week 8 “Survival Pool Picks” column.

Jake Ciely’s Week 8 fantasy football player rankings

Jake’s top QB, RB, WR and TE for the week?

Lamar Jackson, Breece Hall, Justin Jefferson and Brock Bowers.

Get Ciely’s full Week 8 rankings. Plus sleepers and projections.

(Top photo of Puka Nacua: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images))