The rookie finally had his breakout in Week 7, with 81 rushing yards on 13 carries (6.2 YPC) and his first TD (17.4 half-PPR points). He also set career highs in touches and yardage. Monangai is still behind D’Andre Swift on the depth chart, but the gap may be closing. In Week 8 he draws a tasty matchup against Baltimore’s leaky run defense (one of the worst in the league), giving him flex appeal as well as handcuff value to Swift.
Brashard Smith (KC - RB)
FAB: 2–4%
OWN%
N/A
Kansas City’s backfield might have a new spark in the rookie Smith. In Week 7 he led the Chiefs RBs with 19 touches, totaling 81 yards as the team blew out the Raiders. Notably, Smith caught 5 passes (4 of them before halftime), indicating he could be the go-to receiving back for Andy Reid. If that role sticks, Smith offers PPR upside in KC’s high-powered offense. The Chiefs face Washington in Week 8, a favorable matchup for running backs. Keep in mind it’s still a three-man committee (with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt sharing work), but Smith is a worthwhile upside add.
Tyjae Spears (TEN - RB)
FAB: 5–10%
OWN%
N/A
Spears is a speculative add who could see his role grow. He missed the first month with an injury but has averaged about 8 fantasy points over the past two games since returning. The Titans’ season is spiraling at 1–6, and although veteran Tony Pollard currently leads their backfield, the team may start involving Spears more to spark the offense. His snaps and touches could increase in the coming weeks, making him a stash with upside (especially for the second half of the season).
Isaiah Davis (NYJ - RB)
FAB: 1-5%
OWN%
N/A
Davis is another forward-looking pickup. With the trade deadline looming, Breece Hall’s name has been in rumors and he’s also banged up. If Hall gets traded or shut down, Davis would likely step into the Jets’ RB1 role (with rookie Braelon Allen still on IR). The Jets offense has been awful, so this is purely a speculative bench stash – you wouldn’t start him unless Hall actually misses time. But if you have room, add Davis now in case the backfield gets handed to him.
WR
Kayshon Boutte (NE - WR)
FAB: 5-10%
OWN%
N/A
The Patriots’ rookie is emerging as a playmaker. With first-overall pick Drake Maye quickly elevating New England’s passing game, Boutte has become a red-zone weapon. He erupted for 26.3 fantasy points in Week 6 and followed up with 55 yards and a TD in Week 7 – his third touchdown in two weeks. His target volume is still modest, but his knack for big plays and scoring makes him a valuable pickup during the heavy bye weeks. He can slot in as a boom/bust flex.
Troy Franklin (DEN - WR)
FAB: 2–3%
OWN%
N/A
Franklin’s usage is trending up in Denver’s offense. In Week 7 he saw 10 targets, though he only caught 3 (for 57 yards) – one being a wild deflected pass that he took for a touchdown. That play salvaged his day and shows his playmaking ability. Overall, the second-year receiver is second on the Broncos in most receiving stats and is only four targets off the team lead. Now he gets a dream Week 8 matchup: the Broncos host Dallas, one of the most generous defenses to WRs in fantasy. Franklin’s a viable flex, especially if you need a one-week spark.
Darnell Mooney (ATL - WR)
FAB: 3%
OWN%
N/A
The veteran Mooney returned from a hamstring injury in Week 7 and immediately led the Falcons with 68 receiving yards (on 3 catches) in his first game back. As he gets back to full speed, his role should grow – he was a near every-down player earlier in the year. In Week 8 he’ll face the vulnerable Dolphins secondary, a prime opportunity for Mooney to post his first top-25 WR finish of the season. Consider him a solid plug-in for 10+ points as your WR3/Flex during the bye weeks.
Malik Washington (MIA - WR)
FAB: 3–4%
OWN%
N/A
Washington is an under-the-radar pickup with significant upside. In an unlikely turn, he could soon be the No. 1 WR in Miami – Tyreek Hill is done for the year, and Jaylen Waddle was helped off late in Week 7 (and is a trendy trade candidate). Washington has already been seeing around 6 targets per game over the last three weeks since Hill went down. If Waddle misses Week 8 (or gets traded), Malik would be Tua’s top WR by default. Even if Miami’s offense is shaky, volume is volume – that makes Washington a great speculative add who could pay off in a big way.
Xavier Legette (CAR - WR)
FAB: 1%
OWN%
N/A
Legette, a rookie, is coming off a career-best 4/104/1 stat line in Week 7, which was good for 24.2 fantasy points and a top-10 finish among WRs. He showed strong chemistry with veteran QB Andy Dalton, who targeted Legette 5 times in just one quarter after replacing an injured Bryce Young (connecting on 4 of those for 60 yards). With Bryce expected to miss Week 8 due to his ankle, Dalton will likely start, and that bodes well for Legette’s continued involvement. Carolina’s offense isn’t high-octane, but Legette should see opportunities as a big-bodied target. He’s a worthwhile flier for deep leagues or WR-needy teams.
TE
Oronde Gadsden II (LAC - TE)
FAB: 6–8%
OWN%
N/A
Gadsden is the top tight end pickup and potentially a season-changer at the position. The Chargers’ rookie has posted back-to-back breakout games: after a 7-catch, 68-yard effort in Week 6, he erupted for 7 catches, 164 yards and a TD in Week 7 (22.4 fantasy points, finishing as the TE2 for the week). In fact, Gadsden now has 308 receiving yards in his first five games – the most by any NFL tight end in the Super Bowl era. Justin Herbert clearly trusts him, targeting Gadsden 17 times over the last two weeks. Given the shallow TE landscape, Gadsden offers elite upside (he could be a top-5 TE rest of season).
Mason Taylor (NYJ - TE)
FAB: 3–5%
OWN%
N/A
Taylor is a rookie tight end who could benefit from the Jets’ quarterback switch. Earlier this season, he logged back-to-back top-12 fantasy finishes at TE when the offense was clicking, though he cooled off in recent weeks. Now, with the more veteran Tyrod Taylor likely taking over at QB, there’s hope for a renewed Taylor-to-Taylor connection in New York. Mason Taylor has shown flashes of athleticism and could become a security blanket over the middle. He’s a decent streaming option for Week 8 (vs. CIN) and beyond if you’re desperate at TE.
Colston Loveland (CHI - TE)
FAB: 1–2%
OWN%
N/A
Loveland is an intriguing deep-league stash at tight end. The 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, he has been brought along slowly, but Week 7 showed signs of life: he saw his largest workload of the season after Cole Kmet exited with a back injury in the third quarter. Loveland caught 3 passes for 24 yards – nothing spectacular, but if Kmet misses Week 8, the rookie could step in as Chicago’s primary pass-catching TE. Notably, the Bears face the Ravens next, and Baltimore’s defense has been woeful against TEs. That matchup, plus an expected increase in snaps, makes Loveland a reasonable upside gamble for those with roster space.
QB
Jaxson Dart (NYG - QB)
FAB: 10–15%
OWN%
N/A
The rookie has been on fire and looks matchup-proof. He dropped nearly 30 fantasy points against Denver’s vaunted defense in Week 7 (his second straight top-5 QB finish), and he’s averaging ~21.9 fantasy points per start so far. Dart has a rare blend of passing and rushing ability (3 rushing TDs in his last 4 games) and has yet to finish worse than QB16 in any start. He even schooled the Eagles defense when he faced them two weeks ago, so you can confidently stream him in Week 8 or make him your weekly start.
Joe Flacco (CIN - QB)
FAB: 2–4%
OWN%
N/A
Flacco has enjoyed a late-career resurgence with the Bengals. The 40-year-old was the QB6 overall in Week 7, torching Pittsburgh for 342 yards and 3 TDs. He’s averaging ~22.4 fantasy points over his two starts in Cincinnati after tripling his production from a rough stint in Cleveland. With back-to-back favorable matchups (vs. the Jets in Week 8, vs. the Bears in Week 9) on deck, Flacco is a solid streaming option for the next couple of weeks.
Tyrod Taylor (NYJ - QB)
FAB: 1-2%
OWN%
N/A
Taylor could take over as the Jets’ starter after the team benched Justin Fields in an 0–7 start. If he starts, Taylor brings dual-threat ability and actually posted a QB9 finish in a spot-start back in Week 3 (17.7 fantasy points). An inviting matchup against a porous Bengals pass defense awaits in Week 8, which gives Taylor some appeal as a desperation streamer. Just temper expectations (the Jets’ offense is dead-last in passing yards).
DEF STREAM OF THE WEEK
Indianapolis Colts (IND - DST)
FAB: 5–10%
OWN%
N/A
The Colts are the top streaming defense for Week 8. They have a juicy matchup against the Titans, who have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing defenses this season. In fact, Indianapolis’ defense already scored 15 fantasy points the last time they faced Tennessee, and the Titans offense can’t get out of its own way right now. The Colts D has logged 13+ points in three games this year, so their ceiling is proven. Start them with confidence.
Atlanta Falcons (ATL - DST)
FAB: 1–5%
OWN%
N/A
Atlanta’s defense is a sneaky streamer for Week 8 thanks to an opponent in turmoil. The Falcons get the Dolphins, who are suddenly in disarray – Miami has allowed a top-10 fantasy defense in each of the last two weeks, including giving up 25 DST points to a middling Browns unit in Week 7. The Falcons D isn’t an elite unit (only one game above 10 points so far), but they’re solid and might be catching Miami at the right time. With the Dolphins offense looking shaky (turnovers, injuries, trade rumors), Atlanta has a chance to post its best fantasy outing of the year. It’s a boom/bust play for Week 8.
Buffalo Bills (BUF - DST)
FAB: 1–5%
OWN%
N/A
The Bills have underwhelmed defensively in 2025 (just 28 total fantasy points over their first 6 games), but they’re a prime bounce-back candidate this week. Buffalo comes off a bye to face the Carolina Panthers, who will likely be starting veteran Andy Dalton with Bryce Young injured. This is a get-right matchup: Carolina’s offense was already struggling even with a healthy Young, so with Dalton under center, the Bills should be able to tee off. Expect a well-rested Buffalo defense to bring pressure and create turnovers against one of the league’s weakest offenses.
