San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (toe) is not expected to play in Sunday's Week 8 contest against the Houston Texans, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Specifically, Rapoport said that Purdy is "not quite yet" ready to return from his multi-game absence. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since Week 4 and has only appeared in two games so far, leaving Mac Jones as the team's fill-in starter. Jones has been serviceable through five starts, completing 67 percent of his passes for 1,404 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. He'll get the nod again in Week 8, while Purdy directs his focus toward a potential return against the New York Giants in Week 9.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) was seen wearing a walking boot following the team's win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Hampton has required the boot ever since Week 5, when he injured his ankle and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. The rookie was spectacular when healthy, averaging 5.6 rushing yards per carry as the team's primary running back, as well as 5.7 receptions and 0.7 touchdowns per game. Fantasy managers are surely ready for Hampton to return so that he can continue to offer RB1 production, but they may have to be patient given that the rookie still hasn't been able to shed his boot. Kimani Vidal remains the lead running back in Los Angeles for the time being.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will return to the starting role in Week 9 if he's fully healthy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. McCarthy has missed five consecutive games, leaving Carson Wentz as the team's starting quarterback. The veteran is now 2-3 while filling in for McCarthy, and the urgency to hand the reins back to the Michigan product could be growing after Wentz struggled in the Vikings' 37-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night. Rapoport cautions that while the starting job will belong to McCarthy, he's only going to play if he's fully healthy. The 22-year-old will now have 10 days to get healthy before a quarterback decision must be made in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson caught seven of his 11 targets for 74 yards during Thursday's Week 8 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers. Jefferson was heavily targeted by quarterback Carson Wentz, who made yet another start in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy (ankle). The star receiver had a relatively modest showing by his standards, finishing with fewer than 75 yards for the first time since Week 1. He remains Wentz's No. 1 target, but his upside is capped when the offense struggles to stay on the field. Jefferson will look to bounce back as a solid WR1 against the Detroit Lions in Week 9, especially if McCarthy can return from his five-game absence.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison caught three of his four targets for 26 yards and a touchdown during Thursday's Week 8 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers. Addison's trip to the end zone came on a four-yard reception with fewer than five minutes remaining in the third quarter. The touchdown salvaged his fantasy performance and brought him to four consecutive games with double-digit fantasy points (PPR). He's averaging 16.0 fantasy points per game since his season debut in Week 4, which is tied for the 17th-highest average among all NFL receivers during that span. He's a solid low-end WR2 heading into Week 9 against the Detroit Lions.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey caught six of his 10 targets for 88 yards and a touchdown during Thursday's Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings. McConkey had a relatively underwhelming start to the season, but he seems to have turned a corner with 27 catches and three touchdowns over his last four games. Since Week 5, he is averaging 18.8 fantasy points per game (PPR), which ranks as the eighth-most among all NFL wide receivers during that span. McConkey's rapport with Justin Herbert continues to solidify, and he should be treated as a low-end fantasy WR1 going forward. He'll face off against the struggling Tennessee Titans in Week 9.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 18 of his 25 pass attempts for 227 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception during Thursday's Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings. He also took two sacks and rushed for a season-high 62 yards. Herbert has been an effective fantasy quarterback all season long, but he has truly taken his game to the next level over the last three weeks. During that span, he has a total of eight touchdowns. He does have three interceptions in that timeframe as well, but fantasy managers will tolerate the slight uptick in turnovers if he continues to throw to the end zone at such a high success rate. Herbert will continue to rank as a mid-range QB1 heading into a very favorable Week 9 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal totaled 23 carries, 117 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown during Thursday's Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings. He also caught one of his two targets for an additional 10 receiving yards. The 24-year-old capitalized on a positive game script and turned in a high-volume, high-efficiency performance on primetime. He has been quite effective since taking over for Omarion Hampton (ankle), averaging 16.7 rushing attempts, 2.7 receptions, 100 scrimmage yards, and 0.7 touchdowns per game over the last three weeks. Los Angeles is rumored to have serious interest in an external running back addition, but until that comes to fruition, Vidal will remain the Bolts' lead back. He has firmly established himself as the preferred option over Hassan Haskins, who had just one carry for three yards on Thursday Night Football.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) missed another practice on Thursday, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Pearsall, who sprained the PCL in his right knee in the Week 4 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, is trending towards missing his fourth straight game this weekend when the team heads to Houston to take on the Texans. The 25-year-old will most likely officially be ruled out for Week 8 action on Friday. Pearsall's next chance to return to action will be in Week 9 against the New York Giants. Now that tight end George Kittle has returned from Injured Reserve, Pearsall will have more competition for targets in San Fran's passing game whenever he returns. The former first-round pick had 20 catches on 29 targets for 327 yards and no touchdowns in four games before he injured his knee. Fantasy managers should keep him on their benches.

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (toe) was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday due to a turf-toe injury, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Although Purdy is making progress after aggravating his turf-toe injury in Week 4, he is trending toward missing his sixth game of the year since he has been unable to upgrade to a full practice. The 25-year-old initially suffered a turf-toe injury in the season opener and missed Weeks 2 and 3 before returning in Week 4. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday that it would be a "stretch" for Purdy to return this weekend. His next chance to return will come in Week 9 against the New York Giants if he's ruled out for the Week 8 contest this Sunday against the Houston Texans. It's shaping up for Mac Jones to make yet another start against a tough Houston defense this Sunday. He'll be a low-end QB2 streamer in superflex leagues, at best.

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After being activated from Injured Reserve earlier in the day, Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) is officially active and will return to play against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football. Jones is returning to action this week for the first time since injuring his hamstring in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. It's surely a boost for Minnesota's ground game, but on a short week after he returned to practice on Tuesday, it seems unlikely that the 30-year-old veteran will see more touches in the backfield over Jordan Mason, who has been serving as the team's lead back when Jones was on IR. The Chargers were just dominated on the ground by Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, but Jones is an extremely risky lineup option on a short week without much practice time. Mason is the better play against the Bolts.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (chest) was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday due to a chest injury. Diggs' chest injury isn't considered serious, so the 31-year-old veteran pass-catcher should be able to play without any restrictions for this Sunday's upcoming matchup against the visiting Cleveland Browns. The four-time Pro Bowler is still searching for his first touchdown of the member of the Patriots, but he has been impressively efficient while working with improved quarterback Drake Maye so far this year. Diggs has caught 39 of his 44 targets for 456 yards and is coming off a seven-catch, 69-yard performance in the Week 7 win over the Tennessee Titans. Diggs and the Patriots' passing game will face a difficult matchup against Cleveland's defense this weekend, where he should be considered more of a low-end WR2 play.

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New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (ankle) was limited on Thursday for the second straight day this week due to an ankle injury. Kamara has been dealing with an ankle injury for three weeks, but it hasn't kept him from playing in any games, and he should be fine to suit up for a divisional clash this Sunday versus the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fantasy managers should be comforted by the fact that the 30-year-old veteran played a season-high 84% of the offensive snaps in last week's loss to the Chicago Bears after backup Kendre Miller (knee) suffered a season-ending torn ACL. The Bucs have been a top-10 matchup for opposing RBs this year in terms of half-PPR points allowed per week, but Kamara is also averaging a career-low 3.6 yards per carry in seven games for the 1-6 Saints. With six teams on bye in Week 8, Kamara is still more of a low-end RB2 for fantasy purposes with minimal upside.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) was limited in practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week due to a bone bruise in his knee. However, he told reporters on Wednesday that he was feeling good after he injured his knee late in the Sunday night loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7. When asked if he plans to play this Sunday against the visiting Miami Dolphins, the second-year signal-caller said, "Yes, that's the plan." The 25-year-old southpaw has completed only 61% of his 195 pass attempts through six games in 2025, throwing for 1,409 yards, five touchdowns, and three picks in his first full year as Atlanta's starter. The matchup in Miami is an excellent one, but the Falcons may not need to rely much on Penix's left arm. Fantasy managers should consider the Washington product as a midrange QB2 play this weekend.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (knee) upgraded to a full practice on Thursday after he was limited by a knee injury on Wednesday. Mayfield came out of the Monday night loss to the Detroit Lions a little banged up, but he should be just fine to play this weekend in a divisional clash on the road in New Orleans against the Saints. It's a plus matchup and a good spot for Mayfield to bounce back after one of his worst games of the season in Week 8, when he went 28-for-50 for 228 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. With that said, fantasy managers must also consider the health of Tampa's offensive weapons at Mayfield's disposal. Veteran receiver Mike Evans broke his collarbone on Monday night, and the Bucs will be without receiver Chris Godwin (leg) and running back Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) for another week. Still, as long as impressive rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) plays, Mayfield should be in play as a midrange QB1 against the 1-6 Saints.

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The Miami Dolphins listed wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (hamstrings) as a limited practice participant on Thursday due to injuries to both hamstrings, but they also cited rest for the reason he had a cap on his reps in the second day of practice this week, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Although mid-week additions to the injury report usually aren't a good thing, the 26-year-old should be able to suit up for the Week 8 contest this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons as long as he doesn't miss Friday's practice. The entire Dolphins offense went off the rails in last week's blowout loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and Waddle had only one catch on four targets for 15 yards. The previous two weeks, though, he had six grabs, 205 yards, and a touchdown on 17 targets. Waddle should bounce back as a volume-based WR3/flex in fantasy on the road against Atlanta.

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New York Jets running back Breece Hall (knee) was limited in practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week while he manages a knee injury, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Head coach Aaron Glenn called Hall day-to-day earlier this week, but he could come down with a questionable tag for this weekend's game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday if he is unable to upgrade to a full practice on Friday. Ultimately, Hall should play in Week 8, but his status is worth monitoring going into Friday. The Jets' offense has been a mess in 2025, which has torpedoed the 24-year-old's fantasy value. Veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor could make the start over Justin Fields against the Bengals this weekend, but the Jets are trending towards missing receiver Garrett Wilson (knee) for a second straight game. At this point, a trade out of New York might be the only thing to save Hall's fantasy value this season.

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Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (calf) was limited in practice for a second straight day this week on Thursday with a calf injury, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Jacobs popped up on Green Bay's injury report last week with an illness and a calf injury and was listed as questionable to play in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals. He ultimately suited up and scored two rushing touchdowns for the third straight week, but he also played a season-low 55% of the offensive snaps while running for 55 yards on a season-low 13 rushing attempts. It's possible that Jacobs could be questionable again heading into Sunday night's contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8 if he doesn't upgrade to a full practice on Friday, but it feels likely that he'll end up playing this weekend, barring a setback. The Packers are most likely trying to keep Jacobs fresh for Sunday night's primetime game, where he'll be a must-start RB in fantasy if he's active.

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New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson played a season-low 14% of the offensive snaps in the Week 7 blowout win over the Tennessee Titans, and he watched backfield mate Rhamondre Stevenson handle a season-high 75% snap share. The second-round rookie had a season-low two rushing attempts for five yards and wasn't targeted in the passing game for the first time in seven weeks. Per the Boston Herald's Doug Kyed, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said Henderson's lack of involvement was "circumstantial" and that the Ohio State product should see more of a normal role this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. The Pats essentially went with the hot hand in Stevenson in Week 7 after he established a nice rhythm as the lead back. Henderson has plenty to work on and is only averaging 3.6 yards per carry in his first NFL season, and right now, there's no clear path for him to unseat Stevenson as the lead back in New England. Henderson will be a tough sell as an RB3/flex in fantasy this week against a stingy Browns defense.

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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Thursday that there is not only hope but also "evidence" that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) might be able to return "relatively soon," according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. Aiyuk is attempting to return from a serious knee injury that included a torn ACL and MCL that he suffered last October, and the former first-rounder is apparently making good progress in his rehab. Still, there is no clear timetable for when the 27-year-old wideout might make his 2025 debut, and the Niners have yet to open his 21-day practice window for him to return from the Physically Unable to Perform list. When Aiyuk finally does return to the practice field, it could take the full 21 days before he's officially activated and joins the 53-man active roster. Fantasy managers stashing him will want to temper expectations for any 2025 contributions.

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