🚑 A Big QB Injury Changes Everything
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, we break down the Vikings outlook after losing Kirk Cousins, Week 8 overreactions, an injury round-up, and more.
Whoa, the Cowboys dominated the Rams! Let me see how many points Tony Pollard scored…
In today’s Fantasy Life Newsletter presented by BetMGM:
- The Vikings lose their QB
- QUICK HITTER: Best Bet for MNF
- Pete’s Weekly Wrap-Up: Gus Bus, baby
- Week 8 injury round-up
- Overreaction Monday: The Titans shock the world
- It’s 10/30. Take it away, Peter Overzet…
It was another rough Sunday on the injury front, but none more impactful than what happened to Kirk Cousins in Green Bay yesterday:
You knew it was bad the second it happened, and now Cousins is set to miss not only his first game due to injury, but the rest of the season.
Similar to the aftermath of the Aaron Rodgers injury in Week 1, we are all left to pick up the pieces…
😭 What happens to the Vikings now?
There’s no way to sugarcoat this. It’s a devastating blow all around.
The Vikings, who currently sit at 4-4, have essentially zero viable options and will likely turn to 5th-round rookie Jaren Hall:
Perhaps the Vikings will try to do what the Jets have presumably tried, and pry Jacoby Brisett away from the Commanders, but that seems unlikely.
Instead, we are looking at a wholesale downgrade of the entire offense for fantasy purposes:
There’s no way Justin Jefferson is rushing back to play with one of those aforementioned QBs, especially with his contract situation looming.
The breakout season for Jordan Addison is officially derailed.
Maybe T.J. Hockenson can hold onto back-end TE1 value, but any Top 5 scenarios are fully off the table.
Don’t even bother asking about the Vikings running game. They could barely get anything going even with Cousins around (50 combined rushing yards yesterday between Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers), so it’s a lost cause now.
I wish I had a sliver of optimism to leave you with, but it’s best to just move on to acceptance.
If you need a pick me up, read on for the top performers from Week 7, including the surprise breakout of QB Will Levis…
💵Game 3...Monday Night Football...
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Peter is here to share his six big takeaways from Week 8. Take it away, Pete...
🤯 Welcome to the big leagues, Will Levis
Well, no wonder Levis looked dumbfounded earlier this week when a reporter insinuated that he might rotate with Malik Willis.
There’s no need to share when you spend the entire game tossing darts for TDs.
He finished the game with 238 yards and 4 TDs, which is tied for the most passing TDs by a player in his debut in NFL history.
The hat trick went to DeAndre Hopkins (more on him below from Kendall), but it was his TD throw to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine that stole the show:
Rolling out of the pocket, throwing off the back foot across the field, hitting Westbrook-Ikhine directly in stride…wowzers. He’s here to stay.
🔥 CeeDee Lamb is back
It’s been a mediocre year for Lamb…up until Week 8, that is. CeeDee torched the Rams broken secondary for 158 yards and 2 TDs on his way to finishing as the highest-scoring WR on the week.
Lamb was used all over the field and became the second-fastest Dallas WR to hit 4,000 receiving yards (56 games).
Now if only the Cowboys could locate Tony Pollard. Inquiring minds would like to know where he is…
🚀 Sam Howell can’t stop slinging it
The Eagles won the war, but Howell won the fantasy battle.
The up-and-down second-year signal caller currently sits as the QB1 on the week after throwing for 397 yards and 4 TDs against the Eagles.
Despite entering the game having taken 40 sacks, Howell limited the damage to just one on Sunday.
You’ll never get any consistency with Howell, but he is the perfect boom/bust QB2 to keep stashed on your team for the right matchups.
The most impressive thing? He even brought Jahan Dotson along for the ride.
🧨 Alvin Kamara is a smash
I thought Kamara’s receiving production was unstainable. And maybe I was right?
He had “only” 4 receptions vs. the Colts, but he still totaled 110 total yards from scrimmage, as well as one receiving TD and one rushing TD.
His receiving TD was particularly impressive, as he fought through multiple defenders to get into the end zone.
Perhaps his greatest gift, though, is dodging a team sickness…
🎉 Trey McBride enters the TE1 conversation
We urged you to pick up McBride last week, and he didn’t leave us hanging:
- 13 targets
- 10 receptions
- 95 yards
- 1 TD (with an assist from his teammates!)
- 25.5 fantasy points
It’s a beautiful thing when talent and opportunity come together. It’s just a shame they buried him behind Zach Ertz for this long…
🚌 The wheels on the Gus Bus go round ‘n round…
Hopkins wasn’t the only player to secure a hat trick on Sunday. The other honor goes to Gus Edwards, who totaled 94 yards from scrimmage along with his 3 TDs.
It’s the second straight week a sleeper RB has come out of nowhere to finish at the top of the RB ranks (D’Onta Foreman did it last week).
What else is there to say?!
🐎 The Denver Broncos pulled off a big upset. Taylor shouldn’t have skipped the game.
🦁 Two of the best WRs in the game square off on Monday. Everything you need for the MNF Betting and DFS showdown slate.
🚑️ A Week 8 injury round-up. Woof.
🙌 The best catch from yesterday. I see you, Jerry Jeudy.
😡 I think Bill Belichick is mad. Hard to tell, though.
🤔 What’s up with Cooper Kupp? It’s been a rough two games.
🕰️ CMC is inevitable. What a streak.
😠 More Arthur Smith shenanigans? Sure seems like it.
🤮 The Giants were on the struggle bus yesterday. What an egregious box score.
We're humans who play fantasy football, which means we are prone to overreact. Today, Kendall overreacts to the Titans and Eagles in Week 8…
It might have been Halloween weekend, but more importantly, it is trade deadline eve. The deadline this year is on Tuesday, October 31st, and we could potentially see a lot of movement.
If you don’t remember last season, a record 11 trades involving 13 players were made on the NFL's trade deadline day, which is insane. Now, we could potentially see movement from the Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
Where there's smoke there’s (usually) fire, so here are some rumors that we have seen recently.
I think Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy is all but dealt. The rumors around him have been swirling for weeks, and he has been linked the most to the Panthers, who have said they have wanted to add another receiver.
Hunter Renfrow is a name that has also been floated around from the Las Vegas Raiders. He has not been effective this year, being the No. 4 receiver on a team with names like Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers.
Ultimately, I’m PUMPED for the trade deadline this year because some teams really need to decide if they need more help (yes, we are looking at you, Chiefs and Bills). Here’s hoping for complete chaos.
🏆️ Congratulations Nuk, you are no longer a Titan
HAVE A DAMN DAY, DEANDRE HOPKINS!
Just when you thought all hope was lost, he scores 34.80 fantasy points.
I mean come on, four receptions for 128 yards and three touchdowns?! I think this is just what other teams needed to go out and get him. I know that it was reported that trading Hopkins or Derrick Henry was unlikely, but I think after Sunday things might turn around.
The Titans really never want to consider themselves out of playoff conversations, but this might finally be the year they start selling.
One domino has already fallen after they traded safety Kevin Byard to the Eagles early last week. Hopkins could be a solid addition to a team that is desperate for wide receiver help. His value might never be higher, either!
I am also a firm believer that Henry could also be on the move. On the surface with Adam Schefter’s report that the Titans won’t trade him, there was also this line that I think everyone needs to see:
“This doesn't mean he won't be traded by Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline -- the Titans simply told Henry they don't intend to move him.”
It’s time to move on from both Hopkins and Henry. Let’s usher in this youth movement of potential young stars and get the future started now.
💪 AJ Brown is (add Peter Overzet voice) a GROWN ASS MAN
Holy. Crap. AJ Brown?!?!
I wanted this game to be a bigger DeVonta Smith game, but I really can’t be mad with how Brown has been playing this season. Here are his last six games:
- 9 catches, 131 yards
- 9 catches, 175 yards, 2 TDs
- 6 catches, 127 yards
- 7 catches, 131 yards
- 10 catches, 137 yards, TD
- 8 catches, 129 yards, 2 TDs
💪 BONUS OVERREACTION
Will Levis should be the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans moving forward?! (HIDES)
