Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz completed 15 of 27 pass attempts for 144 yards with one touchdown and one interception in Thursday night's 37-10 loss to the Chargers. He took five sacks for a loss of 27 yards and fumbled, but was able to recover it. It was not a pretty game for Wentz as he clearly battled through the left shoulder injury that he entered the game with. The 32-year-old was under heavy duress for much of the night, with the Minnesota offensive line also missing multiple starters. And he also wasn't helped out by the run game, as the running backs combined for just 34 yards on 11 carries for the game. Wentz was able to at least provide decent floor games for Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but it was a game to forget for the Vikings. J.J. McCarthy (ankle) should be expected to be ready for Week 9's matchup in Detroit, but more will be known on his status in the coming days.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnson did not see a target in Thursday night's 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Johnston has trended in the wrong direction after a remarkable first four games of the season, catching 22 of 36 targets for 337 yards and four touchdowns. The third-year wide receiver missed Week 6, but he has totaled just six catches on 10 targets for 70 yards and a touchdown in three games since, with Week 8 marking the low point. It was the first game of his career in which he was held without a target and the third game without a reception. The emergence of rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden has made it difficult for all the Chargers' pass catchers to be involved consistently, and Johnston may be the odd man out. He'll look to bounce back in Week 9 when the Chargers go on the road to face the Tennessee Titans.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen caught four of his five targets for 44 yards in the team's 37-10 win on Thursday night over the Minnesota Vikings. Allen was coming off a vintage performance in Week 7 against the Colts, catching 11 of 14 targets for 119 yards and a touchdown. But the 33-year-old took a backseat to the young Chargers' playmakers in Week 8, with second-year wide receiver Ladd McConkey leading the way with 88 yards and a touchdown, while rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden continued his emergence with 77 yards and a score. The Chargers played from ahead for the vast majority of this game, leading to the running backs carrying the ball 36 times as they aimed to milk the clock for the most part. The 33-year-old wideout should bounce back in Week 9 as the Chargers face the Titans on the road.

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Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Brashard Smith played his highest snap share of the season in Week 7 against the Raiders and could continue to see his role expand in the coming weeks. Head coach Andy Reid spoke glowingly of Smith in Thursday's press conference, noting that "we're going to keep utilizing his talents." The star quarterback shared a similar feeling about the rookie running back, saying, "he's made a ton of progress." The seventh-rounder out of SMU handled a season high 19 touches for 81 total yards last week against the Raiders and figures to be a big piece of the puzzle in Week 8 against the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football. Veteran running back Kareem Hunt (knee) also missed Thursday's practice, which would open up opportunities for Smith if he is unable to go. He is a viable flex play in Week 8 with many teams on bye.

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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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