Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota will make his third start of the season on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect much production in a difficult matchup. Mariota has been serviceable in his limited action, completing 64.6% of his passes with a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, while adding some mobility outside the pocket. However, he now faces a Chiefs defense that ranks among the league's best, allowing the fifth-fewest yards per game and just 17.7 points per contest, good for third in the NFL. To make matters worse, Mariota could once again be operating without two of his top pass-catchers as Deebo Samuel (heel) and Terry McLaurin (quad) both remain questionable. With limited weapons and a brutal defensive matchup, Mariota lacks fantasy upside and should remain on the waiver wire in all formats outside of deep superflex leagues.

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Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (oblique) was limited in practice on Wednesday, raising some concern about his status for Week 8 despite the benefit of extra rest over the team's bye week. Kincaid has quickly emerged as one of the most reliable tight ends in fantasy football, scoring three touchdowns in five games and catching 83.3% of his targets while operating as a featured weapon for Josh Allen. Even after missing one contest, his 287 receiving yards lead the team, and he also holds a team-high three scores through the air. The Bills will travel to face the 4-3 Carolina Panthers in what has quietly become a tougher-than-expected matchup, making Kincaid's health even more critical for Buffalo's passing attack. Fantasy managers should monitor his practice progression closely, as another limited session or downgrade could put his Week 8 availability in jeopardy.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (hamstring) did not participate in Wednesday's practice and remains questionable for Week 8 as he works his way back from a lingering soft-tissue injury. Kirk has not appeared in a game since October 5 and was unavailable for Monday night's loss to the Seahawks, marking yet another setback in what has been a frustrating stretch for the veteran receiver. Dating back to last season, Kirk has struggled to stay on the field, playing in just eight games in 2024, and durability has become a growing concern. When healthy, however, Kirk has proven to be a reliable playmaker. His last full season came in 2022, when he delivered 84 receptions for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. With Nico Collins (concussion) also uncertain for Week 8, Houston could desperately use Kirk's return, but fantasy managers should monitor practice reports closely before trusting him in lineups.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (concussion) did not practice Wednesday after exiting Monday night's game against the Seahawks when the back of his head hit the turf. Collins remains in the league's concussion protocol and should be considered questionable for Week 8 against the San Francisco 49ers. The fifth-year receiver has seen a modest start to the season, totaling 26 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns, but he still leads the team in receiving and remains C.J. Stroud's most trusted target in a struggling passing attack. With Collins' availability in doubt, Houston may be forced to lean on depth options Xavier Hutchinson and Jayden Higgins, while tight end Dalton Schultz could also see a bump in volume. Fantasy managers should monitor practice reports closely.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker is expected to see an uptick in opportunities in Week 8 with Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) ruled out. Tampa Bay relied heavily on Rachaad White last week, giving him a massive 90% snap share, but that workload isn't sustainable long term and the team is likely to rotate in a second back more frequently. Tucker has been used sparingly this season with just 11 carries for 34 yards and one touchdown, but he is the clear favorite to slot into the No. 2 role behind White this week. Still, Tucker remains more of a watch-list name than a priority waiver pickup in fantasy leagues, as White continues to dominate both rushing and receiving work in Tampa Bay's offense. Managers in deeper formats may consider adding Tucker as a speculative bench stash.

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Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton appears to be trending toward a Week 8 start against the Buffalo Bills, with starter Bryce Young sidelined by a high-ankle sprain. The veteran is expected to step in for his seventh start as a Panther. Across his six previous starts with Carolina, Dalton has averaged 225 passing yards per game, throwing nine touchdowns and six interceptions. When Dalton entered the game last week in New York, Xavier Legette immediately benefited, hauling in four of five targets for 60 yards and serving as the only Panthers wideout to record a reception from Dalton. The chemistry between the two could carry over into this week's matchup against a struggling Bills defense that has given up big performances to Drake London and Stefon Diggs in back-to-back weeks. While Dalton remains a risky fantasy start in both 1-QB and Superflex formats, his presence should boost the fantasy outlooks of playmakers like Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette, both of whom are strong starting options in Week 8.

Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden broke out in Week 7 against the Colts, recording seven catches for 164 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. Gadsden's snap count has increased each week this season as he's worked his way into a full-time role at tight end. Over the last two games, he's run 69.2% of routes and caught seven of eight targets for 68 yards in Week 6 before upping that to a season-high 78.7% in Sunday's breakout performance. There's plenty of competition for targets in the Chargers' offense, but Quentin Johnston's return in Week 7 after missing Week 6 with a hamstring injury didn't cut into Gadsden's role, as Johnston had his quietest game of the season with just two catches on six targets for 30 yards. Gadsden is a good option to start on Thursday night against the Vikings.

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (hamstring) returned to the public portion of practice on Wednesday, Oct. 22.

Fantasy Spin: Jackson's exact participation will be determined later when the practice report comes out. However, it is a good sign of his chances to play in Week 8. If he plays, he should be considered a reliable QB1 in your fantasy lineups immediately.

From TheHuddle

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) was seen on the practice field on Wednesday in the portion of practice open to the media, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. It was Jackson's first appearance at practice since straining his hamstring on Sept. 28 against the Kansas City Chiefs. He "mostly did warmup throws" with the media watch but did also "run around a little bit." The 28-year-old two-time MVP missed Weeks 5 and 6 with his hamstring strain and had last week's bye to heal up. The Ravens have been optimistic that he will return to play in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears, but nothing is set in stone just yet. We'll check back on Jackson's official practice status later on Wednesday, but he might need to practice in full by Friday to be cleared to suit up this Sunday. If Jackson is active against Chicago, he needs to be returned to all starting fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane has 89 more touches than the next closest Dolphins RB this year. "I am looking to (diversify the offense), but there are a lot of factors that play into that for it to be executed," head coach Mike McDaniel said when asked by ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques whether he was OK with the current RB split or if the team is looking for ways to "diversify the offense." McDaniel pointed to the game against the Buffalo Bills as the ideal touch distribution for their backfield, when Achane had 12 carries and rookie Ollie Gordon II had nine carries. Through seven games in 2025, Achane has a healthy 212 touches. Fantasy managers are surely happy about that, but the touch distribution could change if the Dolphins can be more competitive in games. It sounds like Miami would like to get Gordon more work, but things just haven't worked out that way. Until further notice, Achane is a set-and-forget RB1 with a high floor given his hefty volume.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (collarbone) is scheduled to have surgery this week to fix the broken collarbone that he suffered in Monday night's loss to the Detroit Lions, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Evans suffered a clean break of his clavicle, and the Buccaneers "should have Evans back in eight weeks or fewer." Head coach Todd Bowles said on Wednesday that the 32-year-old veteran wideout will be "touch and go" to return during this year's regular season, which means fantasy managers in redraft leagues can probably let go and replace him going into Week 8 action. However, if the Bucs make the postseason, Evans could be in play to rejoin the team if everything goes smoothly during his rehab. In the meantime, with Chris Godwin (leg) set to miss a third straight game this Sunday against the Saints, rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka, Sterling Shepard, and Tez Johnson will operate in starting three-wide sets for Tampa.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Wednesday that wide receiver Chris Godwin (leg) will not be back this Sunday to take on the division-rival New Orleans Saints in Week 8, according to FOX Sports' Greg Auman. Godwin got a late start to the 2025 campaign while recovering from a season-ending dislocated ankle that he suffered in Week 7 of last year, and then suffered a fibula injury that will now keep him out for a third straight game. In addition to Godwin's injury, Tampa lost future Hall of Fame wideout Mike Evans (collarbone) for most of the rest of the season when he fractured his clavicle in Monday night's loss to the Lions. Fantasy managers who have been stashing Godwin will be keeping their fingers crossed that he'll be able to return after next week's bye to take on the New England Patriots in Week 10. With Evans now potentially out the rest of the year, Godwin figures to be heavily involved in the passing attack next to rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka whenever he returns.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Wednesday that running back Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) will not make it back for Sunday's divisional contest against the New Orleans Saints in Week 8, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Irving will be missing his fourth straight game due to a foot sprain and a subluxation of his shoulder. However, with Tampa's bye coming in Week 9, perhaps he'll be ready to make his return in Week 10 when the team takes on the New England Patriots on Nov. 9. With the 23-year-old set to miss yet another game, Rachaad White will be in play as an RB2 in all fantasy formats while making his fourth straight start as the lead back for the Buccaneers, with Sean Tucker handling backup duties again.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin (leg) has been ruled out for Week 8.

Fantasy Spin: Tez Johnson had four catches for 58 yards and a TD on nine targets last week. He'll be a sneaky good WR3 option against the New Orleans Saints.

From TheHuddle

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (hamstring), who suffered a low-grade hamstring strain on Sunday in the loss to the Dallas Cowboys, will not play on Monday night in Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Veteran Marcus Mariota will make his third start of the season. Fantasy managers will have to go in another direction this week, but hopefully the second-year signal-caller can make it back to play in the Week 9 contest against the Seattle Seahawks. After a phenomenal rookie season in 2024 in which he nearly led the Commanders to the Super Bowl, the 24-year-old QB will now miss his third game of his second season due to an injury after previously sitting out Weeks 3 and 4 with a knee sprain. Mariota can still use his legs to pick up yards and could be getting both receivers Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel) back from injuries, but he'll be a tough QB2 sell in fantasy against a stout Chiefs defense on the road.

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The Miami Dolphins placed tight end Darren Waller (pectoral) on Injured Reserve on Wednesday due to the pectoral injury he suffered in the Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Waller will now be sidelined for at least the next four games. In a corresponding move, the Dolphins promoted tight end Greg Dulcich to the active 53-man roster. Waller won't be eligible to come off IR until after the team's Week 12 bye to face the New Orleans Saints in Week 13 on Sunday, Nov. 30. In the meantime, the 1-6 Dolphins will try to get by with Julian Hill, Tanner Conner, and Dulcich at the TE position. None of them are really worthwhile waiver targets in standard-sized fantasy leagues in the Dolphins' struggling offense. The 33-year-old Waller got a late start to the season after coming out of retirement, but he scored four touchdowns in his first three games before injuring his pec last Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins TE Darren Waller (pectoral) was placed on the Reserve/Injured list Wednesday, Oct. 22. TE Greg Dulcich was elevated from the practice squad.

Fantasy Spin: Up until last week, Waller had a TD in every game he played. If you have an IR spot, you can stash him. He's not expected to be out the rest of the year. Dulcich will be a meager TE2 option.

From TheHuddle

New York Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor (knee) is dealing with a knee injury this week and is considered day-to-day, according to head coach Aaron Glenn. Although nothing has been confirmed, the Jets are reportedly heading towards naming Taylor as the starter over Justin Fields for their Week 8 contest this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, although it's unclear if Taylor's new knee injury will factor into the final decision. The 36-year-old veteran played the second half of the team's 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday after Fields was benched at halftime. Taylor was unable to lead the Jets to their first win, going 10-for-22 passing for 126 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. The matchup this weekend against Cincy's porous defense is a good one, but Taylor still won't be much more than a desperation low-end QB2 play in superflex leagues if he makes the start over Fields.

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New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that wide receiver Garrett Wilson (knee) is considered day-to-day, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Wilson suffered a hyperextended knee in the Week 6 loss to the Denver Broncos in London and did not suit up in Sunday's loss to the Carolina Panthers. The 25-year-old appears to have a shot at returning this weekend when the Jets square off against the Cincinnati Bengals, but it will likely come down to how much he can do at practice this week. Wilson is the team's clear No. 1 receiver and has 56 targets through six games played, so the Jets desperately need him back with the team expected to give veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor his first start of the year in Week 8. Wilson's fantasy ceiling has been low in New York's struggling passing attack, and it's unlikely that Taylor will be much of an improvement. If Wilson sits out again this weekend, Josh Reynolds will again serve as the Jets' WR1.

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New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that running back Breece Hall (undisclosed) is day-to-day on Wednesday as the team begins preparations to face the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Hall, whose name has been thrown around in trade rumors with the deadline approaching, came out of the Week 7 loss to the Carolina Panthers with some bumps and bruises, but he should be fine to suit up this weekend against the Bengals. The 24-year-old hasn't been awful this year as a runner, but the Jets' offense has been abysmal, especially in recent weeks. Hall just hasn't had any room to run, and the team's non-existent passing attack has been a big reason why. He had 11 carries for only 38 yards last Sunday, adding two catches for 14 yards. Hall should have more room to run against Cincy, but the Jets moving to backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor won't inspire much confidence.

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