Fantasy Football News

The backfield is depleted for the Philadelphia Eagles, and veteran running back Elijah Mitchell could be thrust into a meaningful role against the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football in Week 8. He is currently on the practice squad and will need to be elevated to the active roster for the second week in a row, but that is just a formality. Starting running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring/back) is available and will likely draw the start, though his exact workload remains uncertain. The team also signed running back Jaydon Blue from the practice squad to the active roster on Oct. 28. However, fellow tailbacks Dameon Pierce (undisclosed), Tank Bigsby (abdomen) and Will Shipley (foot) are all currently on injured reserve, while Carson Steele (shoulder) was waived from injured reserve with an injury settlement earlier this week. Mitchell played 14 offensive snaps and 15 special teams snaps in a 38-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 7. He recorded three carries for 11 yards and three receptions for 23 yards. Barkley, who was already dealing with a hamstring injury, suffered a back injury against the Cowboys and only played 10 offensive snaps. Barkley made the most out of his limited touches, recording seven carries for 62 yards and a touchdown, to go along with two receptions for nine yards. Pierce left in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury after playing 42 offensive snaps and recording 14 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown, while adding one reception for one yard. Washington allows 100.5 yards on the ground per game (14th in the NFL) and, according to Pro Football Reference, just 14.4 fantasy points per game to running backs (sixth-best in the NFL). Through 29 career games, Mitchell has recorded 330 rushing attempts for 1,534 yards and nine touchdowns, while adding 31 receptions for 181 receiving yards and one touchdown. Mitchell ranks as RotoBaller's No. 42 running back for Week 8. With Barkley available, it is unclear how many touches Mitchell gets on Sunday. Mitchell should not be started, but could be worth picking up as a bench stash.

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has once again rebounded from being limited in practice mid-week, and now faces a tough road matchup against the New York Jets. A calf issue limited the 23-year-old at practice on Wednesday, but he has since been a full participant leading up to Sunday's intriguing East Coast matchup. Bowers caught six of eight targets for 73 yards in Week 7, which is solid for the average tight end but tepid by Bowers' standards. He was targeted fewer times than wide receiver Tre Tucker for the first time this season in that game. Still, Kirk Cousins likes to air the ball out to Bowers, and it's unlikely his target share will decrease even if Jack Bech (forearm) returns from IR or if Dont'e Thornton Jr. makes his season debut. He will be going up against a Jets defense that is ranked fifth overall against the pass this season but has allowed 200-plus yards in the air two weeks in a row. Bowers is a solid TE2 in Week 8.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper has another opportunity to see increased targets and make an impact in a Week 8 matchup against the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football. With starting wide receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) ruled out for a second consecutive week, Cooper will need to up his production against the Commanders to show he has fantasy value. Last week with Smith and Wicks out, Cooper led Philadelphia's offense in offensive snaps with 61, but he ranked fifth on the team in targets (three) and recorded just one catch for 17 yards. Through seven appearances, Cooper has tallied nine receptions (on 18 targets) for 156 yards (17.3 yards per catch) and four touchdowns. He has frequently found the end zone this season, and according to Pro Football Focus, he ranks second in the NFL with 4.90 fantasy points per touch (half-PPR), but Cooper has not been consistent. He is hard to trust as a fantasy football option - especially with quarterback Tanner McKee still finding his footing in his new starting role. With Wicks and Smith out again, Cooper will continue to play a significant number of snaps, along with rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon, while Elijah Moore and Hollywood Brown should also see targets. Tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) will remain a focal point of the offense as well. McKee targeted Lemon and Goedert a combined 15 times against the Cowboys, and connected with them on 12 passes. Cooper will look to get more involved against a Washington defense that gives up 254 passing yards per game (27th in the NFL). Additionally, per Pro Football Reference, the Commanders allow 23.0 fantasy points per game to wide receivers (25th in the NFL). Cooper is currently rostered in just 7% of Yahoo leagues, and he ranks as RotoBaller's No. 56 wide receiver for Week 8. Fantasy managers do not need to hurry to add Cooper.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. should continue his steady workload in Week 8 against the New York Jets. The 23-year-old rookie was questionable to play in Week 7 due to foot and back injuries, then managed six carries for just 27 yards. But Week 8 could be a different story against a Jets defense that is allowing 127.7 rushing yards per game and six rushing touchdowns through Week 7. Washington has slowly taken on a heavier workload as de facto RB1 Ashton Jeanty struggles with efficiency in the ground game. That trend should continue as long as the Arkansas product stays healthy. He is a waiver-wire target and a solid streaming option against New York.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty should have a productive day at the office as his team takes on the New York Jets on the road. Jeanty continues to struggle with efficiency on the ground, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry. However, his receiving work has kept him in the fantasy conversation, like when he caught all eight of his targets for 61 yards and a touchdown in Week 7 against the Rams. The Jets defense ranks 24th against the rush (127.7 yards allowed per game) and allowed 103 yards to Ollie Gordon II in a Week 7 loss to the Dolphins. Jeanty should maintain a heavy workload against New York, even with Mike Washington Jr. healthy this week. The former Boise State product is an RB2 option for Week 8.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring/back) enters a Sunday Night Football matchup against the Washington Commanders without an injury designation. While Barkley is good to go and will likely start against Washington, his exact workload remains unclear as he continues to work through injuries. In a Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Barkley was highly efficient, recording seven carries for 62 yards (8.9 yards per carry) and a touchdown, in addition to two receptions for nine yards. However, Barkley, who entered the game with a hamstring injury, played just 10 offensive snaps after suffering a back injury during the game. It will be interesting to see if Philadelphia allows Barkley to play without limitations against the Commanders or not. With multiple injuries in the backfield, the Eagles signed running back Jaydon Blue to the active roster earlier this week and are expected to elevate tailback Elijah Mitchell from the practice to the active roster ahead of Sunday night as well. Mitchell earned 14 offensive snaps against the Cowboys and tallied three carries for 11 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and three receptions for 23 yards (7.7 yards per reception). Barkley will lead Philadelphia's backfield at Washington, but Mitchell and Blue could play roles. With Tanner McKee still settling in at quarterback, the ground game for the Eagles will be important against the Commanders. Against Washington in Week 1, Barkley recorded 15 rushes for 83 yards (5.5 yards per attempt). Through five appearances in 2026, Barkley has recorded 43 rushes for 244 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and one touchdown, while adding six catches for 17 yards (2.8 yards per reception). Washington allows 100.5 rushing yards per game (14th in the NFL), and 14.4 fantasy points per game to running backs (sixth-best in the NFL, according to Pro Football Reference). Barkley ranks as RotoBaller's No. 18 running back for Week 8, but it is wise to leave him in your lineups.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins remains a strong weekly fantasy play as his team prepares to face the host New York Jets. The 38-year-old completed just 59% of his passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Vegas' fourth straight defeat. Still, head coach Klint Kubiak maintains that Cousins is the Raiders' de facto starter, as the veteran leads the league with 16 touchdown passes. Plus, Cousins' 1,877 passing yards through seven games rank third behind only Rams QB Matthew Stafford and Packers starter Jordan Love. The Week 8 matchup will be interesting: the Jets' defense has allowed just 187.7 average passing yards per game, but it also allowed Drake Maye and Malik Willis to pass for over 200 yards over the last two games. Cousins is a solid QB2 for Week 8.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Hollywood Brown is poised to play a fairly significant role against the Washington Commanders in Week 8 due to injuries within the team's wide receiver room. For a second consecutive week, starters DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) have been ruled out, which should lead to more targets for Brown against the Commanders. With Wicks and Smith out in a Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Brown saw five targets, which ranked third for the Eagles, and recorded two receptions for 30 yards (15 yards per reception), which marked Brown's first two catches of the 2026 campaign. Brown played 36 offensive snaps against the Cowboys, working ahead of fellow wide receiver Elijah Moore (22 snaps). At wide receiver, Brown will work alongside Moore, rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon and Darius Cooper, while tight end Dallas Goedert will remain heavily involved in the passing game. With Tanner McKee at quarterback and injuries all throughout Philadelphia's offense, the Eagles are working to find consistency in the passing game. Week 8 brings a good matchup against a Washington defense that allows 254 passing yards per game (27th in the NFL). Pro Football Reference also shows that the Commanders give up 23.0 fantasy points per game to wide receivers (25th in the NFL). Brown is rostered in exactly 0% of Yahoo leagues, and he does not have much fantasy relevance right now. But with injuries to the starters, Brown's usage is something to monitor.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will take on the Tennessee Titans at home in Week 8. Higgins racked up the yards against the Baltimore Ravens in last week's victory. The wideout had six catches for 148 yards and a touchdown in the 35-13 win in Week 7. Higgins has arguably been the better WR in the high-powered Cincinnati wide receiver room this season, outscoring Ja'Marr Chase while not being a first-round pick for fantasy. Higgins will get the chance to continue his strong start to the season against a beatable Titans defense at home this weekend. Higgins has been playing great football through the first half of the season and should continue playing well as long as Joe Burrow is throwing him the ball. Higgins is ranked WR11 in our RotoBaller Week 8 PPR rankings, making him a low-end WR1 for this week's contest.

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (neck) was a limited participant during Friday's practice session. He practiced in full on Thursday, but he has been downgraded now. It's never a good sign when a player gets downgraded mid-week, but he'll still get another chance to practice on Saturday ahead of Monday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Fantasy managers should check back on Saturday for another update on his status. Loveland is coming off back-to-back 60-plus-yard performances and is finally giving fantasy managers consistent value. His absence could mean that rookie Sam Roush gets the start in Week 8, but there's still time for Loveland to get cleared ahead of Monday's game.

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe) was a non-participant during Friday's practice session. This is now back-to-back practice sessions that Monangai has missed while managing thumb and toe issues. The 24-year-old hasn't played since Week 4, and it doesn't seem likely that he'll suit up against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8. There's still one more day of practice, so hopefully Monangai will at least be a limited participant on Saturday. If he remains out, D'Andre Swift could see increased touches, while Roschon Johnson serves as the primary backup for Monday's game against the Seahawks.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (shoulder) doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's Week 8 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Gibbs was absent from practice on Wednesday, but he has been cleared to play after getting in back-to-back full practice sessions. Fantasy managers should expect Gibbs to continue getting his workhorse workload and shouldn't be worried about this shoulder problem impacting his performance. The Vikings rank as the 10th-best run defense, and they've only allowed three touchdowns on the ground this season. It's not an ideal matchup for Gibbs, but he's the best running back in the league, so he's obviously a must-start every week.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase will face the Tennessee Titans at home in Week 8. The Bengals superstar racked up five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over the Baltimore Ravens. Chase has not reached 100 receiving yards in any game this season and this week is as good a spot as any to change that. The Titans defense is not a unit to avoid this season and Chase is a must-start player every week regardless of the matchup. Chase has not given fantasy managers any of his vintage week-winning performances this year, but they're likely on the way given his immense talent and strong offensive environment. Chase is ranked WR4 in our RotoBaller Week 8 PPR rankings, making him a no-doubt WR1 at home this Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will face the Tennessee Titans at home in Week 8. Burrow has been one of the best fantasy quarterbacks since Week 3, scoring at least 22 points every week in 4-point per passing touchdown leagues. The Bengals star sandwiched the team's Week 6 bye with four-touchdown performances in Weeks 5 and 7. Burrow passed for 292 yards and four touchdowns in the 35-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens last week. The LSU alum will get the chance to continue his strong play against the Titans in Cincinnati. The Tennessee defense has been an easy matchup for opposing quarterbacks this season so Burrow is set up to smash yet again. Burrow is ranked QB3 in our RotoBaller Week 8 rankings, making him one of the best options at the position this week.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. St. Brown tweaked his ankle during last week's win over the Green Bay Packers. He sat out practice to begin the week, but the injury isn't significant enough to keep him out of action. He'll be ready to go for this huge NFC North matchup against the Vikings. This won't be an ideal matchup for St. Brown against the No. 2 defense against the pass this season. Despite that, St. Brown is listed as RotoBaller's WR6 and is a must-start in all fantasy formats.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) will miss his second consecutive game after being ruled out for Sunday's Week 8 matchup against the Washington Commanders, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Wicks did not participate in Wednesday's estimated practice or Thursday's session and remained sidelined Friday. His absence removes another experienced target from Philadelphia's passing attack, with DeVonta Smith (hamstring) also unavailable. Wicks has recorded 19 receptions for 284 yards and one touchdown in six appearances, ranking second on the team in receiving yards. He played 56 of Philadelphia's 61 offensive snaps against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4 while Smith was sidelined, illustrating his importance to the receiving rotation. Makai Lemon should continue handling an expanded role after leading the Eagles with seven receptions against Dallas last week, while Darius Cooper and Hollywood Brown could see additional opportunities.

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (knee) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Spears sat out during last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns and will miss another game here due to a knee injury. His absence last week opened up additional playing time for lead back Tony Pollard. The veteran back carried the ball 25 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Fantasy managers should certainly not expect Pollard to perform at that level again, but the absence of Spears should increase his value. The Bengals rank in the middle of the pack against the run, allowing 116.3 yards per game. Pollard sits as Rotoballer's RB21 and should be an RB2 option with Spears once again on the sideline this weekend.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 8 matchup against the Washington Commanders, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Smith was listed as a nonparticipant on Wednesday's estimated injury report, missed Thursday's practice, and remained sidelined Friday. He will miss his second consecutive game and fourth in the past five weeks due to the lingering hamstring injury. The 27-year-old has caught 26 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns in four appearances this season, including seven receptions for 75 yards and a score against Carolina in Week 6. Rookie Makai Lemon stepped up against Dallas last week, catching seven of eight targets for 67 yards and a touchdown. With Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) also ruled out, Lemon should remain Philadelphia's leading wide receiver option, while Dallas Goedert offers another established target for quarterback Tanner McKee.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (hip) holds a questionable tag ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite getting in a full practice session on Friday, Ridley will get slapped with a questionable tag for this weekend. The veteran wideout sat out during last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns. When healthy, Ridley hasn't been much of a fantasy option this season anyway. Heading into Week 8, Ridley has five receptions for 81 yards and zero touchdowns. He ranks as Rotoballer's WR89 and is barely on the fantasy radar right now. His absence would mean an expanded role for Elic Ayomanor, who saw seven targets last weekend. He might be able to offer deep league flex appeal if Ridley is unable to play.

The Minnesota Vikings' season hasn't quite gone to plan for quarterback Kyler Murray, but the Minnesota offense certainly will have a chance for a statement against the division rival Detroit Lions. The former Heisman winner missed most of the first two weeks with a concussion and hasn't finished higher than 15th among fantasy quarterbacks in any game this season, but a solid rushing floor and an enticing matchup have him on the fringes of being a QB1 option this week. The Lions have allowed more fantasy points to quarterbacks than any other team, ranking 32nd in air yards allowed, tied for 32nd in passing first downs allowed, and 31st in passing touchdowns allowed. Murray, to his credit, has rushed for 90 yards in the past two weeks and not committed a turnover in three straight games. As RotoBaller's No. 13 quarterback this week, Murray has potential for a big day, but managers in one-QB leagues may want to weigh their options.