Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings: Jaylen Warren and Tee Higgins Rise

It is time to set our fantasy lineups and with that in mind, let's follow the data to analyze some of the biggest risers and fallers in my Week 8 fantasy football rankings to help you make those start-sit decisions.

Note: As you read through this article each week, you'll notice the use of Utilization Report tables and references to the Utilization Score. How does the Utilization Score work? Read this.

Risers in the Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings

See below for the biggest risers in my Week 8 fantasy football rankings.

Jaxson Dart is a top-12 fantasy QB in Week 12.

Dart has averaged 22.6 fantasy points per game over his first four starts. Over that span, he is the No. 2 quarterback in fantasy football.

The Giants' late first-round pick is the latest example of how valuable dual-threat quarterbacks can be in fantasy. He averages 44.5 rushing yards per game—third behind Lamar Jackson (48) and Josh Allen (46.7)—over the four-game stretch. His 0.75 rushing TDs per game are tied with Bo Nix for first. The rushing TDs are likely to come down, given that Dart isn't the same threat inside the five-yard line as guys like Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen, but he has plenty of room to give and still be extremely valuable.

He has averaged only 198 yards as a passer, but has 1.75 TDs per game. He demonstrated an impressive ceiling last weekend against one of the league's toughest pass defenses in the Broncos with 283 yards and three TDs.

The matchup against the Eagles isn't favorable on paper. The Giants carry the second-worst team total (18.3) as seven-point dogs. Matthew Freedman's NFL Betting Game Model likes them even less with a team total of 17.7 and a spread of 11 points.

There is no doubt that Philadelphia will be looking for revenge after New York pulled off an upset victory in Week 6. The Giants took the Eagles to the woodshed with a 34 to 17 victory and Dart scored 23.6 fantasy points.

Projection Model (using my PPR projections):

Xfinity Best (ceiling): 24.6
Median: 18.0
Floor: 14.0

Dart's legs provide us with a solid floor and if he goes off through the air, we get a boxscore boom, which is really nice on a week with six teams on bye. He is my QB12.

QB Rapid Fire: Upgrades & Pending News

Justin Herbert | Chargers: Starting tackle Joe Alt is trending towards playing on Thursday night. RaShawn Slater's replacement, Trey Pipkins, also has a chance to suit up. Herbert ranks ninth in points per game (20.2) despite having to deal with constant harassment from opposing rushers. The Vikings started the season hot, but opposing passers have enjoyed 31-yard and 0.5-TD per-game boosts over the last four weeks. Herbert ranks first in the NFL with 273 passing yards per game and ranks sixth in TDs with 1.86 per contest. I am the highest of all the Fantasy Life rankers on Herbert as my QB6. He comes in even higher in my projections at QB6 and boasts an Xfinity Best ceiling of 25.5 points.
Aaron Rodgers | Steelers: Rodgers ranks 19th in passing yards per game at 211, but his 2.33 passing TDs per game are second behind Matthew Stafford. Freedman's betting model likes the Steelers much more than the market. Per oddsmakers, the Steelers are three-point dogs, but our Oracle has the Steelers as 0.8-point favorites—get your bets in, folks! Revenge season is here and Rodgers is a viable streamer with six teams on bye—he is a borderline QB1 in Week 8.
Marcus Mariota | Commanders: With Jayden Daniels confirmed out, Mariota will take on the Chiefs in Week 8. It sounds like Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel are trending in the right direction, which is key for the passing attack. If they are good to go, Mariota is a decent streaming option if you are hurting in a deep league—he has averaged 31 rushing yards in games where he played 80% or more of the snaps over the last three years. Mariota is a mid-range QB2 that offers QB1 upside thanks to his rushing ability.

Jaylen Warren is a mid-range RB2 against the Packers.

Warren was in the middle of a backfield takeover when a practice injury in Week 4 derailed things. In his first game back in Week 6, the Steelers used more of a three-man committee in a 26-3 romp over the Browns. However, last week in a 31-33 loss against the Bengals, the dual-purpose back regained the role we saw before his injury. He was the clear-cut RB1 with an 86 Utilization Score and 19.8 fantasy points.

In three games where Warren has held the No. 1 role, he has averaged 16.8 fantasy points. His average Utilization Score over that span is an 84. His historical comparisons based on that score have averaged 16.4 points, with 61% notching an RB1 season.

The Packers have been the toughest matchup against opposing RB rooms this year, holding them to a -9 DvP fantasy boost. But opportunities are king in fantasy football, and Warren is trending up, which makes him an upgrade despite the tough out.

Disclaimer: Touting anything associated with an Arthur Smith offense can be hazardous. He is the king of flipping trends on their head. Still, even if we look at Warren across his entire sample, he has 67% of the rushing attempts and a 13% target share. He has plenty of outs.

Projection Model:

Xfinity Best (ceiling): 23.7
Median: 15.0
Floor: 11.0

Warren is a mid-range RB2 with RB1 upside in Week 8.

RB Rapid Fire: Upgrades & Pending News

D'Andre Swift | Bears: Chicago is a 6.5-point underdog against the Ravens, which will challenge Ben Johnson's newfound resolve around the run game. In two games since their bye, the Bears have a -9% dropback rate over expectation (DBOE). In four games prior to the bye, they had a 1% DBOE. The good news for Swift is that he can play in all game scripts. He has handled 58% of the rushing attempts this year and is the primary passing-downs back. The Ravens have conceded the No. 5 fantasy boost to RB rooms at 3.3 points per game. Swift is a low-end RB1 in Week 8 and offers a significant 24.4 Xfinity Best ceiling projection in PPR.
J.K. Dobbins | Broncos: Six byes and a matchup against the Cowboys will save many fantasy managers from benching Dobbins after four- and nine-point fantasy outings. The truth is that his role is just as strong as ever with rush shares of 64% and 70% in those two games. He isn't very involved as a receiver, but the Broncos have a solid offense and he has handled 71% of the rushing attempts inside the five-yard line. Dallas has sanctioned the No. 3 fantasy boost to RB units at 6.5 points per contest and Denver boasts the No. 2 team total using Freedman's model. Dobbins is a borderline RB1 against the Cowboys.
Alvin Kamara | Saints: With Kendre Miller (ACL) out for the season, Kamara is in for a larger role moving forward. I walked through his full range of outcomes for the rest of the season this week in the Utilization Report. The TLDR version: Kamara hasn't been uber productive on his opportunities, but the Utilization Score is solid with 94% of his comparisons achieving top-24 RB status. Kamara plays a Bucs defense that can be stingy against backs not named Jahmyr Gibbs, but the volume bump we are expecting is the bigger takeaway. Kamara is a mid-range RB2 against Tampa Bay and offers a pretty juicy Xfinity Best ceiling of 21.8 PPR points.
Chase Brown | Bengals: I am not going to lie. This one has me a little skittish. Brown's workload isn't what it was to start the season. However, he looked better last week and the saving grace here is an uptick in overall expectations around the offense with Joe Flacco. The oddsmakers have also regained confidence, making the Bengals 6.5-point favorites with a healthy 25.5-point team total. Of course, they are playing the Jets (probably without Garrett Wilson), but a few weeks ago, this might have been a three-point line. Brown is a mid-range RB2 with six teams on bye and his Xfinity Best ceiling ranks 16th at 21.5 points.
Rhamondre Stevenson | Patriots: Stevenson has taken over the New England backfield. In two games without Antonio Gibson (ACL), he has hogged 74% of the snaps and 62% of the rushing attempts. This is yet another example of a riser that has a tough matchup, but his underlying utilization trends are the more important takeaway. Having said that, we can't get too carried away because the Browns have been the fourth-toughest matchup against RB corps, holding opponents to a -4.1 fantasy boost. On a positive note, the Patriots are seven-point favorites, which could afford the ground game more opportunities. Stevenson carries a 20.6-point Xfinity Best ceiling and is a low-end RB2 against Cleveland.
Kimani Vidal | Chargers: Vidal faltered in the Week 7 boxscore with only 7.5 fantasy points, but he remained the clear No. 1 option for the Chargers with a 65% snap share and 69% rush share. In two games without Omarion Hampton, Vidal has an 80 Utilization Score. It's a small sample, but his historical comps have averaged 14.8 points. Haskins has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Vidal is a low-end RB2 despite facing a Vikings defense that has held opposing backfields to a -3.0 fantasy boost. Vidal offers a solid 19.8-point Xfinity Best ceiling.
Aaron Jones | Vikings: Jones is trending towards a return in Week 8 against a Chargers defense that has provided a 5.8-point fantasy boost to opposing rushing attacks over the last four games. Mason should still be the primary ball carrier, but Jones could see 30 to 40% of the rushing attempts while handling much of the passing-down work. Jones is a borderline RB2 if active.
Woody Marks | Texans: Marks hasn't lived up to the breakout hype from earlier in the season, but he has quietly led the Texans backfield over the last three games. Over that span, he has a 50% snap share with 39% of the rushing attempts and an 8% target share. Those aren't massive numbers, but with Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk trending towards not playing, he could be a primary option in the passing attack against the 49ers. Last week, he notched an 11% target share. His receiving TD pushed him to a 12.5-point fantasy performance. Marks is a high-end RB3 with a sneaky 17.8-point Xfinity Best ceiling.

Tee Higgins ascends to top-15 territory in the Week 8 fantasy rankings.

Joe Flacco has reignited the Bengals passing attack, averaging 281 yards and 2.6 TDs in his two starts. On one hand, our small sample alarms are going off. On the other hand, those numbers aren't that far off from his 2023 to 2025 averages: 269 yards and 1.8 TDs.

In Week 7, Higgins notched his best fantasy performance of the season with 21.6 points and an 85 Utilization Score. He hit season highs in catchable targets (six) and catchable air yards (66).

With Flacco at the helm, Higgins has averaged 16.4 fantasy points. Again, it's a small sample, but this is a player we know can perform at a high level with competent quarterback play. Higgins' closest Utilization Score comparisons averaged 15 points. His cohort notched a top-12 season 26% of the time and managed a WR13 to WR24 campaign 53%.

The Bengals bring a solid 25.5-point team total to the table. There is some risk of this game getting out of hand, leading to a more ground-centric game. However, my level of concern isn't huge given the underperformance of the backfield paired with Cincinnati's 5% DBOE in two games with Flacco. This coaching staff has shown a willingness to stick with the pass through thick and thin.

Projection Model:

Xfinity Best (ceiling): 21.3
Median: 14.1
Floor: 10.4

Higgins is a high-end WR2 against the Jets in Week 8.

WR Rapid Fire: Upgrades & Pending News

Chris Olave & Rashid Shaheed | Saints: Olave received his second callout as an undervalued asset in three weeks in the Week 8 Utilization Report. The TLDR version is Olave has the No. 7 WR Utilization Score (83), and his historical comparisons have smashed. A whopping 77% snared a WR1 to WR12 season. He didn't practice on Wednesday (ankle) but is expected to play. While Shaheed isn't in the same rare air, his underlying data is also positive. He has a 20% target share on the season with 11.2 fantasy points per game. The Bucaneers have been beatable through the air, boosting opposing WR rooms by the ninth-most at 2.4 points per game. Olave is a top-12 WR, and Shaheed is a high-end WR3 option in Week 8. Xfinity Best ceilings: 21.9 and 18.6.
Rome Odunze | Bears: Odunze has been quiet in the last two outings with 5.2 and 5.1 fantasy points. As I mentioned above in the Swift write-up, the Bears have leaned into their run game since their bye. However, that commitment will get tested with the Ravens favored by 6.5 points. That could work out well for Odunze. Marlon Humphrey didn't practice on Wednesday, and Baltimore has boosted opposing passing attacks by 20 yards and 0.5 TDs per game. Odunze is a low-end WR1 with a 21.6-point Xfinity Best ceiling.
Zay Flowers | Ravens: Lamar Jackson (hamstring) was limited in practice on Wednesday, but is trending towards playing. Flowers has been quiet without Jackson, but is in a great spot in Week 8 against the Bears. The third-year WR always pops in my rest-of-season projections (you can see them by toggling to the 2025 season under period and selecting Aggregate under provider on the projections page). While touchdowns aren't his forte in the role Baltimore plays him in, Flowers can win at every level of the field. He leads the Ravens with a 30% target share and 72 Utilization Score. Baltimore carries the No. 3 team total (28.5), and the Bears have boosted opposing pass catchers by 5.3 fantasy points per game. Flowers is a low-end WR1 with the No. 7 Xfinity Best ceiling on the slate at 22.9 points as long as Jackson is active.
Romeo Doubs | Packers: Doubs is the Packers' top WR through seven games, averaging 13.1 points per game. He has been in a near-full-time role since Week 3. Over that span, he has averaged 14.5 points with a 74 Utilization Score and a 24% target share. Doubs gets a choice matchup against a Steelers secondary that has boosted passing attacks by 61 yards and 0.3 TDs per game. Doubs is a mid-range WR3 with an 18.9-point Xfinity Best ceiling projection.
Alec Pierce | Colts: Pierce has been the Colts' top deep threat over the last three seasons. However, he is on pace for a career-high 18% target share. That is an okay-but-not-good mark, but his 64.5 catchable air yards per game rank ninth in the NFL. Deep ball catch rates are notoriously volatile, but right now, Indianapolis is vibing. They carry the highest team total on the slate at 30.8 points. Pierce is a low-end WR3.
Troy Franklin | Broncos: Franklin's grip on the WR2 role in Denver has loosened over the last four games, but he is clinging to life. The Giants exposed the Broncos' pass defense in Week 8, and Patrick Surtain can't cover all three of the Cowboys' passing game options, opening the door for a shootout. Dallas has been toasted by opposing WR rooms for the No. 1 fantasy boost at 8.5 points per game. Oddsmakers like the Broncos this weekend (26.3 team total), but Freedman's model loves them with a 29.2-point team total. Franklin is a borderline WR3 with a sneaky 15.5-point Xfinity Best ceiling.
Tez Johnson | Buccaneers: With Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving out, the Bucs are short on playmakers. In a larger role over the last two games (77% route participation rate), Johnson has averaged 13.7 fantasy points. He hasn't been a high-end target earner (14%), but Mayfield has missed him on a couple of other big-play opportunities. Tampa Bay sports a top-six team total at 26 points. Last week's SICKO start is a borderline WR3 with WR2 upside against the Saints.
Elic Ayomanor | Titans: The Titans' passing offense remains shaky, but Cam Ward has delivered 265, 222, and 255 yards in the last three games. Ayomanor ranks second on the team with an 18% target share, and the team's leader, Calvin Ridley, is unlikely to play in Week 8. While the Colts' offense has been lights out, their defense has provided the No. 2 fantasy boost to opposing WR corps at 7.0 points per game. Ayomanor is a boom-bust WR4 option with six teams on bye.
Calvin Austin III | Steelers: Austin is trending toward a return in Week 8, and the Steelers face a Packers defense that has struggled over the last four games. Green Bay has given up 272 yards, boosting opponents by 34.7 yards per contest. They have been hammered with 2.3 passing TDs (0.5 boost) as well. Austin is a WR4 option with a 13.4-point Xfinity Best ceiling.
Jaylin Noel & Jayden Higgins | Texans: With Nico Collins and Christian Kirk not practicing on Wednesday, the Iowa State rookies could find themselves in much larger roles this weekend. Noel would be the primary upgrade if Kirk is out, and Higgins would benefit if Collins can't go. Noel flashed last weekend with a 27% targets per route run rate (TPRR), scoring 11.7 fantasy points. Both are low-end WR4s with upside against a banged-up 49ers offense giving up 265 yards and 1.8 TDs over the last four games.
Luther Burden III | Bears: Burden was a candidate for the SICKO start of the week, but once you get to that section, you will see why I can't use him. Still, he fits the criteria of guys we want to target as a long-shot start because if the levy breaks on Burden, he will sit at the top of waiver wire columns. His playing time has ticked up since the bye with 39% and 33% route participation rates, and his 25% TPRR leads the team. While that number is a bit inflated due to designed looks, Burden is a playmaker, and DJ Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus aren't performing at a high level. The door is open, y'all. Burden is a WR5 prayer option in deeper leagues.
Chimere Dike | Titans: I can see your disgusted face. Two Titans pass catchers in the risers section!?!? What are we doing here!?!? I hear ya, but Dike's role is growing. Over the last two games, he has notched season-high marks in route participation (66% and 67%), and last week he popped for 16.9 fantasy points. His 18% TPRR is two points higher than Ayomanor's, and he operates from the friendly confines of the slot 72% of the time. He was another candidate for the SICKO start at WR. Dike is a WR5.

TE Rapid Fire: Upgrades & Pending News

Harold Fannin Jr. | Browns: David Njoku (knee) got in a limited practice on Wednesday but is questionable for the Week 8 tilt against the Patriots. Fannin had a subpar fantasy output with 7.6 points as the starter last weekend. However, the underlying data remained strong with a team-leading 28% target share. Fannin appears to be headed for fantasy stardom. While the Browns' offense could subdue him from reaching those heights this year, he is still a TE1 anytime we don't have Njoku. Fannin is my TE6 with the assumption of no Njoku, but would fall to mid-range TE2 territory with Njoku in the lineup. Without Njoku, his Xfinity Best projection is 17.1.
Oronde Gadsden II | Chargers: Last week's SICKO start was a massive smash, with a 93 Utilization Score and a whopping 29.4 fantasy points. If you want the full range of outcomes on Gadsden's rest-of-season outlook, I wrote it up in the Week 8 Utilization Report. As far as his outlook this weekend, Gadsden plays a Vikings defense that has been vulnerable against passing attacks over the last four games. Minnesota has green-lighted a 31-yard and a 0.5-TD boost to opposing pass catchers. Gadsden still has some boom-bust to his game because this offense is crowded with three good WRs, but that is partially offset by the Chargers' pass-first offense with an outstanding QB in Justin Herbert. Gadsden is a low-end TE1 with high-end TE1 upside.
Cade Otton | Buccaneers: Otton has a 21% target share over the last two games with Tampa Bay's receiving corps in shambles. He has a 76 Utilization Score with 11.8 points per game over that span. This weekend, the team won't have Evans or Godwin, leaving room for Otton to keep things rolling against the Saints. Otton is a low-end TE1 streaming option with a sneaky 16.1-point Xfinity Best ceiling.
Dalton Schultz | Texans: Ian Hartitz is going to be triggered when he sees Schultz's name on the list. While I agree with Ian that Schultz isn't a game-breaking TE, he is the Texans' No. 2 target this season with a 19% target share. He has a 68 Utilization Score with 12.8 fantasy points per game. Last weekend, with Kirk out and Collins exiting the game with a concussion, he scored 18.8 fantasy points, leading the team with a 22% target share. That scenario could repeat itself in Week 8 against the 49ers, that has struggled over the last four games with injuries mounting (see Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins above). Schultz is a low-end TE1 in my rankings, but the projection model likes him slightly more as the No. 6 option. His Xfinity Best ceiling of 17.3 points is the fifth-best on the slate. This assumes Collins and Kirk are out. He will fall to low-end TE2 territory if they are active.

Sicko Starts For Week 8

I want to throw in a few names for all my fellow fantasy managers who are in a SICKO league. If you are in a 12-team league with three starting WRs and two flexes, these are for you! Or you are in a more typical setup, but need a name to help get you through injuries; these are for you!

We are looking for players with a rostership under 50% who aren't in many starting lineups.

Let's go, you sickos.

Week 1: Daniel Jones (hit), Jerome Ford (miss), Rashod Bateman (miss), Hunter Henry (hit)

Week 2: Trevor Lawrence (hit), Tyrone Tracy Jr. (miss), Kayshon Boutte (hit), Juwan Johnson (hit)

Week 3: Tyrod Taylor (hit), Tyler Allgeier (miss), Wan'Dale Robinson (miss), Cole Kmet (hit)

Week 4: Jaxson Dart (hit), TreVeyon Henderson (hit), Troy Franklin (hit), Cade Otton (miss)

Week 5: Jaxson Dart (hit), Rhamondre Stevenson (hit), Malik Washington (miss), Mason Taylor (hit)

Week 6: Trevor Lawrence (hit), Kimani Vidal (hit), Isiah Bond (miss), Mason Taylor (miss)

Week 7: C.J. Stroud (miss), Kendre Miller (injury), Tez Johson (hit), Oronde Gadsden II (hit)

Joe Flacco | QB | Bengals

Flacco is rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues and is in 18% of starting lineups.

Okay, this is weird. Up until now, I have focused the QB SICKO start on dual-threat options. But with six teams on bye, the pickings are slim, y'all!

Despite that, Flacco still checks one of our other primary criteria: focusing on players who could have value beyond this week. Yes, he is a statue at this point, but Flacco has delivered fantasy goodness over the last two years, except for his four games with the Browns to start this season.

2023 to 2024: 17.6 PPG (excludes starts with the Browns in 2025)
2023 to 2025: 15.0 PPG (includes starts with the Browns in 2025)
2025 with the Bengals: 22.4 PPG

I always give folks a hard time about cherry-picking samples. It isn't a great practice. But there are times when it makes sense to do it based on context. I think we can all acknowledge that the Browns' offense is a dumpster fire this year, despite some promising young players.

That 17.6 PPG mark would place him as the QB14 this year—in the same range as Jared Goff (17.2). If Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and the pass-first nature of the Bengals unlock additional upside, he could be closer to names like Matthew Stafford (19.5 PPG).

Projection Model:

Xfinity Best (ceiling): 20.0
Median: 16.2
Floor: 12.9

Flacco is a borderline QB1 in Week 8.

Kyle Monangai | RB | Bears

Monangai is rostered in 30% of leagues but starts in only 9% of lineups.

The Bears have morphed into a run-first operation since their bye with a -9% dropback rate over expectation (DBOE). We will see how well that holds up as 6.5-point dogs against the Ravens, but Monangai's value is on the rise.

Last weekend, he saw his most extensive workload of the season, handling 13 rushing attempts and collecting two targets. He has reached a 30% snap share in both games.

At a minimum, Monangai is looking like the clear-cut RB2 behind Swift, who has been battling through injuries. That alone makes him worth rostering in deep leagues. If something happened to Swift this weekend, the rookie would climb to the top of waiver wire targets for Week 9.

Additionally, he could offer some standalone value this weekend if the Bears can keep things close. I realize that feels scary, but remember, finding an RB with any projectable volume that is rostered less than 50% of the time isn't easy.

The Ravens have surrendered 21.4 fantasy points per game to opposing rushing attacks on the ground alone—the primary area Monangai supplements Swift. That is good for a 4.2 fantasy point boost.

Projection Model:

Xfinity Best (ceiling): 10.4
Median: 5.6
Floor: 4.0

Monangai is a borderline RB3 with six teams on bye.

Troy Franklin | WR | Broncos

Franklin is rostered in 26% of Yahoo leagues and is in only 13% of starting lineups.

Franklin's grip on the WR2 role in Denver has loosened over the last four games, but he remains the top option behind Courtland Sutton. Sutton leads the team with a 21% target share, with Franklin sitting at 19%.

Franklin has had issues with drops, but that isn't a sticky stat over time for most players. He has also had some big-time near misses on massive plays. He ranks 22nd in uncatchable air yards per game at 40. As a second-year player, he is still someone who could surprise us the rest of the way and is on a better offense than my other SICKO WR candidates listed in the risers above.

The Giants exposed the Broncos' pass defense in Week 8, and Patrick Surtain can't cover all three of the Cowboys' passing game options, opening the door for a shootout. Dallas has been toasted by opposing WR rooms for the No. 1 fantasy boost at 8.5 points per game.

Oddsmakers like the Broncos this weekend (26.3-point team total), but Freedman's model loves them with a 29.2-point team total.

Projection Model:

Xfinity Best (ceiling): 15.5
Median: 9.4
Floor: 6.7

Franklin is a borderline WR3 against the Cowboys.

Colston Loveland | TE | Chargers

Loveland is rostered in 22% of Yahoo leagues and starts in 4% of lineups.

Loveland has played better over the last three games, notching a 27% TPRR. The challenge has been playing time, with a 42% route participation rate.

This weekend, we could see the playing time open up in a big way with Cole Kmet questionable due to a back injury that knocked him out of Week 7. Kmet didn't practice on Wednesday.

Loveland owns the No. 3 Super Model rating (88) since 2018, behind only Kyle Pitts and Brock Bowers. The model looks at aspects of a college player's game across production, film, and draft capital. It adjusts for competition, teammate target competition, and age. In the model, Loveland's closest comparisons collected a top-12 fantasy finish 80% of the time in their first three seasons.

If he booms in Week 8 against the Ravens, it could open the door for a takeover the rest of the way. With DJ Moore struggling, this passing attack needs a No. 2 option to step up, and the team invested Round 1 NFL Draft capital in him.

Projection Model:

Xfinity Best (ceiling): 11.3
Median: 7.0
Floor: 5.1

Loveland is a mid-range TE2 with TE1 upside this weekend.

Alternate: Mason Taylor (34% rostered, 22% starter)

If Kmet ends up playing, we can flip to Taylor. He is playing the No. 1 matchup for tight ends against the Bengals. Cincinnati has sanctioned an 8.3-point fantasy boost to the TE position in 2025, and the Jets could be without Garrett Wilson again in Week 8.

Taylor doesn't offer the same best-case ceiling as Loveland's superior talent profile, but his path is less encumbered. He has already taken over the TE1 role for the Jets. He has an 84% route participation rate over the last three games.

He is also the safer start this weekend if that is your jam. He is a low-end TE1 with an Xfinity Best ceiling of 15.6 points.

Players Mentioned in this Article

Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings: Jaylen Warren and Tee Higgins Rise

Risers in the Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings