Last Saturday's identified fantasy "pressure points" -- guys whose values likely would change significantly in the following 48-72 hours -- included Travis Hunter, Jameson Williams, Zach Charbonnet, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Major question marks surround dozens of players each week. Our decision to invest or divest in any of them might mean winning or losing that week . . . and making or missing the playoffs.
Here's who I believe is the biggest fantasy pressure point for each Week 8 team:
Texans -- Houston invested second- and third-round draft picks this year on wide receivers, which now makes a lot more sense with Nico Collins and Christian Kirk sidelined. I'd be surprised if CJ Stroud can feed both Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, leaving managers to guess whether Noel's Week 7 breakout (paired with Higgins' Week 7 o'fer) are indicators of what's to come.
49ers -- Is 32-year-old George Kittle still a must-start TE?
Ravens -- At the moment, Lamar Jackson is questionable. Let's assume he starts for the desperate 1-5 Ravens. How much would his presence help Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews, each of whom has only one great fantasy performance this season?
Bears -- As discussed since the summer of 2024, Caleb Williams has all the playmakers he needs to be a great fantasy QB. But he remains somewhat middling (QB13 in points per game) and has the second-worst completion percentage among the top 23 fantasy quarterbacks. Can he elevate his receivers in a very favorable matchup?
Panthers -- Is 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette pushing to be Carolina's #1 WR over 2025 first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan?
Bills -- James Cook averaged 1.25 touchdowns and three catches in Buffalo's first four games (all victories). He didn't score or get a reception in their last two contests (both losses). I'm betting that the Bills feature him more prominently through the air -- elevating his floor -- in a nearly must-win game.
Eagles -- If you're desperate for a WR streamer, Jahan Dotson is one of Week 8's top "unrosterable" fliers due to AJ Brown's absence. The fairly speedy Dotson has averaged a 65% snap share the past three weeks and hasn't dropped a pass since 2023 (about 70 targets ago).
Giants -- This franchise has had only one top-10 fantasy TE since 2004. In Jaxson Dart's four starts, Daniel Bellinger has averaged a fringe-relevant 7.3 points, while 2024 fourth-rounder Theo Johnson has averaged 13.1. While it comes at the expense of Wan'Dale Robinson and secondary wideouts, it signals Dart's commitment to feeding his tight ends.
Patriots -- For sixth or seventh time, Rhamondre Stevenson vs. TreVeyon Henderson. Because even if I don't mention them, something notable surely will happen.
Browns -- Last weekend I shared that the last Cleveland WR to collect double-digit fantasy points was Cedric Tillman in Week 2. That's still the case. Per today's podcast episode, I believe Jerry Jeudy is a prime real-life trade candidate, because the Browns probably would get more value unloading him than they would keeping him.
Bengals -- Can Joe Flacco -- who looked essentially finished seven years ago -- continue to be a (huge?) net plus for Cincy's recently ceiling-capped receiving corps?
Jets -- On the "plucky" side, this team lost by only two points to the currently 4-2 Steelers, 5-2 Bucs, and 5-2 Broncos. On the "current reality" side, is anyone -- even Breece Hall -- a fairly reliable fantasy starter against the beatable Bengals D?
Falcons -- Kyle Pitts is tied for 25th in TE red-zone targets, compared to 11th in his breakout 2021 rookie campaign. Back then, Matt Ryan averaged 233. passing yards and 1.2 passing TDs per contest. Michael Penix is averaging 235 and 0.8. The challenge? Drake London and Bijan Robinson account for 52% of Penix's targets. Back in 2021, Pitts was Ryan's #1 target, in part because the other option were RBs Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis, as well as WRs Russell Gage and Olamide Zaccheaus. The first and only time Pitts scored that year was the first of 12 games alpha receiver Calvin Ridley missed. Perhaps people like me haven't understood that Pitts' "greatness" frequently has hinged on the rare times he's been thrust into a rare alpha role.
Dolphins -- Miami plays again on Thursday, which will be their final game before the NFL trade deadline. I'm bracing for strange happenings between now and then, which might include reduced roles for Jaylen Waddle and/or De'Von Achane if they are, in fact, on the verge of leaving town.
Saints -- With Kendre Miller out for the season, it's once again Alvin Kamara's backfield. Now post-prime and running behind a weakened offensive line, his days in New Orleans might also be numbered. If you have bench space, deep-leaguers should stash sixth-round rookie Devin Neal just in case.
Buccaneers -- Tez Johnson is averaging 12.4 points in the past three weeks. On the podcast two weeks ago, I tagged him as the best fantasy bet among Tampa Bay WRs not named Emeka, Mike, or Chris. With two of those three sidelined, Johnson remains a fascinating streamer.
Colts -- While Jonathan Taylor obliterates defenses, it's interesting that in the past two weeks, 32-year-old Ameer Abdullah has five touches on eight snaps while rookie 22-year-old "handcuff" DJ Giddens has zero touches on five snaps. I decided to drop Giddens, because he's no longer assured of a meaningful fantasy role if Taylor gets hurt.
Titans -- Tony Pollard vs. Tyjae Spears vs. none-of-the-above. So it goes for a team averaging less than one offensive touchdown per game.
Broncos -- Courtland Sutton remains the #1 wideout. WRs 2 thru 4 are 23 years old or younger and are still jockeying for consistency.
Cowboys -- Who's Dallas's most valuable offensive player? Possibly the most unlikely dominant fantasy performer: Javonte Williams, who's enjoying a career year after a devasting 2022 injury appeared to alter his long-term trajectory. Williams elevates the entire offense. He's leading the league with 30 rushing first downs and is the overall RB6. He's also never been utilized this much. Is it sustainable?
Steelers -- Their TE trio collectively exceeded 50 fantasy points last week. They're on pace for 162 combined targets. Before last week, none of them were streamable. Is that still the case?
Packers -- With Christian Watson expected to return (though with a questionable snap count), Matthew Golden and Romeo Doubs are still little more than decent streamers.
Chiefs -- Isiah Pacheco's 16 touches last week tied for his highest volume in 12 games. His rushing TD was his first in 13 games. Hard to know if he's undervalued or overvalued.
Commanders -- Washington's receiving corps finally appears to be healthy, though they'll be without Jayden Daniels. Can Terry McLaurin regain his fantasy footing?
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