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Fantasy Football Week 8 Reaction & Week 9 Lookahead - Massive Jonathan Taylor Tilt Week

SI Fantasy analyst Roy Larking goes through the biggest storylines from Week 8 in the NFL from a fantasy perspective, including every Colts running back not named Jonathan Taylor having a big day vs the Lions.

Roy Larking

Le'Veon Bell Revenge Game Dud

After a highly anticipated "revenge game" matchup against his former team, new Chiefs RB Le'Veon Bell did not have the output many of us expected in KC's blowout win over the Jets.

Despite being up multiple touchdowns midway through the third quarter, Bell rushed just six times for seven yards while catching three passes for 31. He finished with 6.1 PPR points and no touchdowns on the day.

Both Bell and rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire had just six carries on the day despite a game script that heavily favored running the ball as time went on, but it didn't come to fruition. There is optimism, however, as the Chiefs host the Panthers next week. Carolina has given up the fourth most fantasy points-per-game to opposing running backs so far in 2020.

J.K. Dobbins Starting to Heat Up?

After waiting all season for his opportunity, Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins had his best day of the season filling in for the injured Mark Ingram with 15 carries for 113 yards as well as one reception for eight yards.

Dobbins will still have to find a way to make up for splitting carries with Gus Edwards, but even in a loss to the Steelers, Sunday's performance should make fantasy managers who stashed Dobbins early on feel good about their pick ahead of the fantasy playoffs.

J.K. Dobbins Headlines Corey Parson's List of Week 8 Buy Low Candidates

Jonathan Taylor's No Good, Horrible, Very Bad Day

Indianapolis Colts running backs accounted for three of the five touchdowns on the day vs the Detroit Lions, but none of them went to RB Jonathan Taylor.

The second-round draft pick out of Wisconsin carried the ball 11 times for a measly 22 yards and watched his counterparts soar. Nyheim Hines caught three passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns, while Jordan Wilkins got the bulk of the carries: 20 for 89 yards and a rushing TD of his own.

The Lions entered the season giving up 114 yards/game to opposing running backs, so it appeared Taylor was in prime position to pounce. Instead, he managed just over 5 PPR points.

While it may seem bleak for fantasy managers who have Taylor on their roster, SI Fantasy analyst Ben Heisler believes this is the ideal time to buy low on him.

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Rookie DeeJay Dallas Productive as Seahawks Starter

With Chris Carson (foot) and Carlos Hyde (hamstring) both sidelined, Seattle rookie RB DeeJay Dallas stepped in and had a big game against San Francisco. Dallas posted 41 rushing yards and one touchdown while handling 18 of the Seahawks 28 rushing attempts. He also caught all five of his pass targets for 17 yards and a score. That was good for 22.80 points in SI fantasy football leagues. Fantasy owners need to monitor the progress of Carson and Hyde as they are close to returning. Dallas will have his role reduced once the Seattle backfield returns to full health.

DaeSean Hamilton Leads Broncos’ Big Comeback

Filling in for injured WR Tim Patrick, Hamilton stepped up and caught 4-of-5 targets for 82 yards and one TD during the Broncos' 31-30 victory over the Chargers. Patrick is the Broncos’ leading receiver but was scratched due to a hamstring injury. Hamilton hauled in a 40-yard score from Drew Lock that helped Denver erase a 24-3 third quarter deficit. The Broncos visit Atlanta in Week 9 and Hamilton should be considered as a waiver wire pickup if Patrick remains sidelined. If Patrick returns, Hamilton will drop down to the fourth or fifth receiving option on the Denver depth chart.

Damien Harris Steps Up For New England

Taking over as the Patriots lead running back, Damien Harris racked up 102 rushing yards and one TD against the Bills. Harris handled 16 of the Pats 34 rushing attempts and averaged 6.4 yards per carry. It’s concerning that Harris is not part of the New England passing attack as he has just two catches and 26 receiving yards over four games. He also stands to lose touches to Sony Michel (quad) who is eligible to return from IR this week. Prior to the Patriots current four-game losing streak Michel posted 117 rushing yards, on just nine attempts, during a 36-20 Week 3 home win against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Carson Wentz Continues as a Turnover Machine

Philadelphia defeated Dallas 23-9 in Week 8 but Wentz tossed two interceptions and lost two fumbles. That boosts his league-leading turnover total to 16 through eight games. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins and Giants QB Daniel Jones are second with 11 each. Two TD passes salvaged his fantasy day somewhat but Wentz finished with a career low 123 pass yards. Philadelphia has a bye in Week 9 before visiting the New York Giants. Despite his struggles, Wentz will be a sneaky play in DraftKings DFS contests in Week 10. He posted 33.55 fantasy points during the Eagles 22-21 Week 6 win over the Giants.

Tua Tagovailoa Struggles During First NFL Start

Replacing QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who posted 1,670 total yards and 12 TD during the first six weeks, Tagovailoa stepped in as the Dolphins starter in Week 8. He completed 12 of 22 pass attempts for 93 yards and a 3-yard TD pass to DeVante Parker. It's good news that he survived a strong test from Aaron Donald and the LA Rams fierce pass defense as he was sacked just once. The Miami defense and special teams both scored long touchdowns to help Tagovailoa post his first career victory. Miami doesn’t face a highly ranked pass defense during the next five weeks but Tua is a risky fantasy starter.

Miami Dolphins Post Top DEF/ST Fantasy Points

Skill position players receive the bulk of fantasy owners’ attention but players shouldn’t forget about the DEF/ST position. Miami provided an example of that as their DEF/ST unit racked up 22 points during the Dolphins 28-17 Week 8 win against the Los Angles Rams. Andrew Van Ginkel returned a sack-fumble 78 yards for a touchdown to give Miami a 14-7 lead. The Rams went three-and-out on their next possession and Jakeem Grant returned the ensuing punt 88 yards for a score. The Dolphins DEF/ST is a viable streaming option - especially in Week 12 when Miami visits the NY Jets.

New York Jets are Grounded Across the Board

Fielding one of the worst units, in recently memory, the New York offense has produced six touchdowns and the Jets are averaging 11.8 points per game. The Jets have scored one TD during the last three games. There are 20 NFL players with six or more rushing/receiving touchdowns. In addition to a lack of fantasy production – the Jets are 1-7 against the spread during their 0-8 start to the 2020 NFL season. Kansas City was -19.5 point chalk at the DraftKings Sportsbook and crushed New York 35-9 in Week 8. The Jets lone cover was an 18-10 loss in Week 7 to the Buffalo Bills as -9.5 point underdogs.

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Roy Larking
ROY LARKING

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