Happy Tuesday! Week 8 gave us plenty to talk about.
Mike Washington might have just taken Ashton Jeanty's job, Tyler Allgeier exploded for 191 total yards and 2 TDs, and a ton of backfields are changing FAST.
We've got some big waiver decisions, a few concerning injuries, and plenty to sort through before Week 9.
🏈 TNF reminder: Jaguars @ Ravens, Thursday, November 5 at 8:15 PM ET.
Let's get into it.
Inside Today’s Roundup:
What We Learned 🧠
Waiver Wire Report 💰
Beliefs Changed 🔄
Injury Fallout 🏥
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🧠 What We Learned
Scott Barrett, Brett Whitefield & Ryan Heath break down the biggest takeaways from Week 8 - the breakouts, usage shifts, and changing beliefs that matter moving forward.
🚀 Bhayshul Tuten Has Taken Over Jacksonville's Backfield
Tuten exploded for 159 total yards and 2 TDs against Indianapolis, but his workload is the bigger story. He handled 73% of Jacksonville's backfield carries through three quarters, before the blowout brought in the backups.
Tuten has now commanded at least a 70% carry share in three of his last four games, averaging over 19 FPG during that stretch. He's also getting roughly half the carries inside the 10-yard line. Ryan Heath views him as a borderline RB1 for the rest of the season, and the usage backs that up.
🐴 Jonah Coleman Is Taking Over in Denver
Coleman dominated the Broncos' backfield against Kansas City, handling 85% of the weighted opportunities even when accounting for the first half, when JK Dobbins was still playing. He also took all five carries inside the 10-yard line and earned a 16% target share.
With RJ Harvey injured and Dobbins losing work, Coleman has a clear path to a featured role. The one thing to monitor is Denver's reported interest in trading for Jonathan Taylor, which could completely change the outlook.
📉 Kyren Williams Is Losing Ground to Blake Corum
The Rams' backfield has quietly become a near-even split on the ground. Over the last three games, Williams has just five more carries than Corum, while Corum has three more rushing yards. They've also split carries inside the 10-yard line evenly.
Williams still runs more routes, but he's drawn only eight targets over those three games. Ryan noted that Williams may actually be more valuable in competitive games where Los Angeles needs to throw. In games the Rams control, Corum is getting enough work to make the two much closer in fantasy value.
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💰 Waiver Wire Report
Our team breaks down the best available options, the injury-driven opportunities worth monitoring, and how much FAAB you should actually spend.
🔥 THE PRIORITY ADDS
Mike Washington, RB, LV | 6–8% FAAB
Washington may have just taken over the Raiders' backfield. He handled 25 of 28 RB carries against the Jets, finishing with 83 rushing yards on a 60% snap share while Ashton Jeanty managed just two carries.
The most encouraging part is that Jeanty was healthy enough to play, yet Washington still dominated the rushing workload. He also received eight carries inside the 10-yard line, though he failed to score.
The Opportunity: Washington could settle into 15–20 carries per game, with Jeanty handling more of the receiving work. He also has bell-cow upside if Jeanty misses time.
The Take: Brett and Scott both placed Washington in S tier. There's a chance this was a one-game benching for Jeanty, but Washington's role has grown enough to make him a priority add in most 12-team leagues.
Tyler Allgeier, RB, ARI | 5–7% FAAB
Allgeier erupted for 147 rushing yards, 44 receiving yards, and 2 TDs against Dallas, scoring 36.1 fantasy points. Jeremiyah Love suffered another ankle injury, while Bam Knight exited with a concussion.
Love is unlikely to play in Week 9, and Knight's status is also uncertain. That leaves Allgeier with a chance to handle nearly the entire backfield against Seattle.
UPDATE: Love is being placed on the IR…go get Allgeier. Feel free to overspend here if you need immediate value; the backfield should be his for a month plus.
The Opportunity: Allgeier could be an immediate fantasy starter if both Love and Knight sit. He also looked excellent with Gardner Minshew providing a spark to Arizona's offense.
The Take: Brett and Scott put him in S tier, alongside Washington. He's arguably the better pickup if you need production right now, but his long-term value is less secure with Love and Knight potentially returning.
Seth McGowan, RB, IND | 5% FAAB
McGowan is one of the most interesting speculative adds ahead of the November 10 trade deadline. Jonathan Taylor has been the subject of trade rumors, and McGowan has already started getting more opportunities, including a season-high 11 carries in Week 8.
The Opportunity: If Taylor is moved without another starting RB coming back, McGowan could step into a 15-plus-touch role. Indianapolis also has favorable upcoming matchups against Dallas and Miami.
The Take: This is a lottery ticket, not someone you should plan to start immediately. Brett and Scott placed him in C tier, but the potential payoff makes him worth stashing before any trade news breaks.
👀 THE NEXT WAVE
Not every pickup needs to start right away. Here are a few more players worth adding or stashing.
Adonai Mitchell, WR, NYJ | 3–5% FAAB: Mitchell caught 7 passes for 142 yards and a TD on nine targets in Week 8, while Omar Cooper Jr. went without a target. Mitchell runs more routes in two-WR sets, but the Jets' crowded rotation makes him a volatile weekly play.
Antonio Williams, WR, WAS | 2–4% FAAB: Williams led Washington with 7 targets and 5 receptions in its first game after the bye, playing 83% of the snaps. With Terry McLaurin out, he has a real opportunity to establish himself as a regular contributor.
Terrance Ferguson, TE, LAR | 2–4% FAAB: Ferguson is nearing a return from his ankle injury, and Davante Adams' absence leaves a major opening in the Rams' passing game. He could become a significant receiving option down the stretch.
J.J. McCarthy, QB, NYG | 1–3% FAAB: McCarthy is rostered in just 9% of Yahoo leagues and has a favorable upcoming schedule. Brett and Scott see a path to low-end QB1 production, making him an appealing option for QB-needy teams.
Ryan Flournoy, WR, DAL | 2–4% FAAB: Flournoy has scored 11-plus fantasy points in four straight games and is pushing for a bigger role behind CeeDee Lamb. He's a viable bye-week fill-in with additional upside if Dallas loses a starting WR.
Kaelon Black, RB, SF | 1–2% FAAB: Black has seen his carries increase in consecutive games, and Christian McCaffrey is managing a hamstring issue. His standalone value is limited, but he'd become a major pickup if McCaffrey misses time.
🚫 DON'T CHASE THE BOX SCORE
Emmett Johnson, RB, KC: His 128 receiving yards and a TD against Denver were impressive, but much of that production came on a busted coverage. He's still primarily a Kenneth Walker handcuff, not someone to chase for immediate production.
Nicholas Singleton, RB, TEN: A Tony Pollard trade could create an opportunity, but Brett and Scott were skeptical that Singleton would capitalize on it. He's a deep-league speculative add rather than a priority claim.
📌 THE TAKEAWAY
Washington and Allgeier are the two backs to prioritize this week. Washington has the more intriguing path to sustained value, while Allgeier could be the better short-term play if Arizona's injuries leave him with the backfield to himself.
If you miss both, stash McGowan before the trade deadline. And if you're looking beyond RB, Mitchell, Williams, and Ferguson offer some of the most interesting receiving upside on waivers.
Read the full Week 9 Waiver Wire Report for our team’s breakdown of every player who could matter this week and what you should spend.
🔄 Beliefs Changed
Week 8 forced Scott Barrett, Brett Whitefield & Ryan Heath to reconsider a few takes they entered the weekend believing. Here are the biggest changes:
Mike Washington Jr. // Imagn Images
🚨 Ashton Jeanty - Is He Still an RB1?
The Raiders made one of the most surprising backfield decisions of Week 8, giving Mike Washington 25 carries to Ashton Jeanty's two. Washington even handled eight carries inside the 10-yard line, while Jeanty was largely relegated to receiving work. This wasn't a case of Jeanty leaving with an injury, either. He was available, but Las Vegas simply chose to feature Washington on the ground.
So what does that mean for Jeanty's rest-of-season value? Ryan Heath still gives him roughly a 60% chance to reclaim the lead rushing role in Week 9, but there's now a real possibility Washington keeps the early-down and goal-line work. Jeanty caught three passes for 64 yards, showing he can still contribute as a receiver, but that role alone won't support the RB1 expectations managers had entering the season. Until we see Jeanty regain meaningful rushing volume, it's hard to treat him as a locked-in RB1.
📈 Harold Fannin Jr. - Is the Breakout Finally Here?
Harold Fannin Jr. might be turning his season around. After averaging roughly 25 receiving yards per game earlier in the year, he followed a nine-target, 91-yard performance in Week 7 with 10 catches for 154 yards in Week 8. That 154-yard outing was the most receiving yards by any Browns player since Week 13 of 2024.
Brett wondered whether Fannin is following a similar trajectory to Colston Loveland: a slow start followed by a strong second half. Scott also pointed out that fantasy production can be especially volatile at tight end, and a player doesn't need to deliver every week to finish among the position's best. Cleveland's game script helped inflate the numbers, but 19 catches across two games is difficult to ignore. Fannin is moving into the weekly starter conversation, especially for managers who have been streaming the position.
👀 Braelon Allen - What Happens When Breece Hall Returns?
Braelon Allen's emergence is starting to change expectations for Breece Hall's return. Allen has now posted back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, something Hall has never accomplished in his NFL career. Scott also believes Allen might be a better fit for Frank Reich's zone-heavy rushing scheme, while Hall has historically been more effective on man/gap runs.
Before his injury, Hall was commanding roughly 70–75% of the Jets' backfield expected fantasy points. Ryan now expects something closer to a 60/40 split in Hall's favor, potentially even 55/45, when he returns. That's a meaningful downgrade from the workload fantasy managers were counting on. Allen has played well enough to remain involved, making him more than a temporary injury replacement. Hall still has the talent to lead this backfield, but his path back to a bell-cow role looks considerably less certain.
Listen to the full Week 8 recap for more on which players are rising and falling in their evaluations.
Injury Fallout
Jeff Mueller breaks down every notable situation in this week’s Injury Report, but these are the ones with the biggest fantasy fallout heading into Week 9.
Lamar Jackson // Logan Bowles, Getty Images
Lamar Jackson, QB, BAL - Right Thumb Ligament Surgery. Jackson's return from his ankle injury lasted just a few plays before he dislocated his right thumb and tore a ligament. He's headed for surgery and injured reserve, with Mueller warning that he may not return this season.
Fallout: Baltimore's passing game takes a massive hit, especially with Tyler Huntley also dealing with turf toe. Zay Flowers' fantasy outlook is particularly concerning, and the Ravens may need to trade for a quarterback before the deadline. Jackson managers should secure a replacement rather than count on a playoff return.
Projected Return: Week 15–2027
Jeremiyah Love, RB, ARI - Right High Ankle Sprain. Love suffered another ankle injury in Week 8, this time to his right ankle, while his previous left high ankle sprain still isn't fully healed. Mueller expects him to miss at least three weeks, with injured reserve a possibility (now confirmed).
Fallout: Tyler Allgeier becomes a priority waiver pickup after his huge Week 8 performance. With Bam Knight also in concussion protocol, Allgeier could handle nearly the entire backfield in Week 9. Love managers should prepare for a multi-week absence that could extend through Arizona's Week 14 bye.
Projected Return: Week 13–16
DJ Moore, WR, BUF - Left Knee Hyperextension. Moore hyperextended his knee in Week 8 but told reporters afterward that he was OK. Mueller believes a mild sprain or bone bruise is possible, though more significant bruising could cost him multiple games.
Fallout: Moore has been producing WR1 numbers when healthy, so another absence would be a frustrating setback. Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid could see additional opportunities, although Buffalo's passing game has been more effective with Moore on the field. Monitor his practice participation before making Week 9 lineup decisions.
Projected Return: Week 9–11
Jeremy McNichols, RB, WAS - Foot Injury. McNichols exited Week 8 early and was seen limping toward the locker room. Mueller expects him to miss several weeks.
Fallout: Washington's backfield could look different in Week 9, with McNichols potentially unavailable for multiple games. Rachaad White is worth monitoring for additional opportunities, particularly in the passing game, as the Commanders adjust their RB rotation.
Projected Return: Week 11–13
Jake Ferguson, TE, DAL - Low Ankle Sprain. Ferguson exited Week 8 with a low ankle sprain. Mueller notes that these injuries often allow players to return the following week, although a short absence remains possible.
Fallout: Ferguson managers should have a backup ready, but there's no reason to assume he'll miss significant time yet. His practice participation will determine whether he's a viable Week 9 starter or whether managers need to stream the position.
Projected Return: Week 9–11
Read the full article to be up to date on every injury that happened in Week 8.
📝 A Note from Scott Barrett
Our betting team at Fantasy Points is off to an incredible start in 2026.
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In Week 8 alone, our team added another 15 units. If you've been thinking about joining, now's a great time to check out what we're doing.
— Scott Barrett, CEO of Fantasy Points
Best of luck out there…hope the waiver wire treats you well.
See you this weekend 🤝
- Sean
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