Week 7 was another rough injury week for fantasy managers, particularly at the receiver position. Chris Godwin and Brandon Aiyuk suffered season-ending injuries. Mike Evans and DK Metcalf suffered potentially multi-week injuries. Deebo Samuel, DeMario Douglas, and JuJu Smith-Schuster each barely played before exiting. Yowza.
To assist with your most difficult lineup decisions, you’ll find my Week 8 fantasy football rankings below. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception), and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format.
Our team at the USA TODAY Sports Network also has you covered for all your fantasy football needs. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Need to know who the best starts and sits of the week are? We have an article for that. We also have fantasy defense rankings, kicker rankings, and a trade value chart to help with all your trade decisions.
Given the volatility of this league and fantasy football in particular, these rankings will be updated up until a half hour before the Sunday afternoon games kick off. Let’s get to it.
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Week 8 fantasy football quarterback rankings
STOCK UP: Bo Nix has finished as a top-20 quarterback in five of his seven starts, including three top-13 outings in his last five games. He’s an excellent streamer against a Panthers defense that’s allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
STOCK UP: Tua Tagovailoa is set to return this week, and he’ll get a delicious matchup to boot. In 2024, the Cardinals have ceded the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing signal-callers. Three passers have exceeded 23 points against Arizona.
STOCK DOWN: Patrick Mahomes finished as the QB19 in Week 7, which means he’s now ranked as the QB14 or lower in 11 straight games. A matchup with the Raiders provides some reason for optimism, but it’s tough to trust the two-time MVP as anything other than a QB2.
STOCK DOWN: Anthony Richardson has ranked as the QB19 or lower in three of his four full games this season, which is not what his drafters were hoping for entering the 2024 campaign. The Texans have been generous to quarterbacks, but it would take a real leap of faith to start Richardson.
Week 8 fantasy football running back rankings
STOCK UP: Kareem Hunt has totaled 200 scrimmage yards and three scores on 52 touches over his last two games. It’s as if it’s 2017 all over again. As one of the heaviest favorites on the Week 8 slate, expect the Chiefs to lean on Hunt once again versus a Raiders front that’s giving up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.
STOCK UP: Javonte Williams erupted for 111 yards and two scores against the Saints in Week 7, and now he gets an even tastier matchup in the Panthers. Carolina is giving up 4.0 more half-PPR points per game to backs than any other team.
STOCK DOWN: Chuba Hubbard finished as a top-10 back for three straight games after Andy Dalton took over at quarterback, but his outlook is trending in the wrong direction for Week 8. This week, he’ll be facing a Broncos team that just limited Alvin Kamara to 24 yards on 13 touches, and he’ll be doing it with Bryce Young behind center. In two games with Young, Hubbard finished as the RB66 and RB26.
STOCK DOWN: Devin Singletary played just 22% of snaps and totaled six touches in Week 7, as he appears to be in a timeshare with Tyrone Tracy Jr. There are better options on waivers in most leagues.
Week 8 fantasy football wide receiver rankings
STOCK UP: George Pickens racked up five receptions, 111 yards, and one touchdown in his first game with Russell Wilson behind center for the Steelers. He’s a top-15 play in a favorable matchup with the Giants this week.
STOCK UP: Romeo Doubs led the Packers in routes, target share, and air yards in Week 7 versus the Texans. He’s an intriguing play against a Jaguars secondary that’s allowing the fourth-most points to opposing wide receivers.
STOCK DOWN: Josh Downs averaged 10 targets, 8 receptions, and 72.3 yards in three games with Joe Flacco but managed just one reception for 3 yards in Anthony Richardson’s return. With the gunslinger spraying the ball all over the stadium, Downs is nothing more than a bench stash.
STOCK DOWN: Wan’Dale Robinson tallied a season-low 5.3 half-PPR points in Week 7 and will now get an even stiffer test this week. The Steelers have surrendered the 10th-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers in 2024.
Week 8 fantasy football tight end rankings
STOCK UP: Cade Otton recorded season-highs in targets (10), receptions (8), and receiving yards (100) in Week 7, and he’ll now be thrust into a bigger role with Chris Godwin out for the year and Mike Evans out until Week 12.
STOCK UP: David Njoku finished tied with Brock Bowers for the most targets in the league in Week 7 (14), posting a 10/76/1 line in the process. He now gets an upgrade at quarterback with Jameis Winston getting the start, and it comes against a Ravens team that’s allowed the most receiving yards to tight ends this season.
STOCK DOWN: Dalton Kincaid has finished higher than TE14 just once all season, and he has yet to eclipse 60 receiving yards. The matchup is not one to shy away from, but Kincaid is more of a TE2 than a TE1 at this point.