The Week 8 Fantasy Preview for Thursday Night Football was curated by senior staff writer Steven Pintado using statistics from the Fantasy Points Data Suite. If you want access to these stats (and dozens of other proprietary figures) sign up here and use promo code NERDS to save 25% on a Data Suite or All-In subscription. Without further ado, let’s dig in to the TNF fantasy preview!
TRADE ALERT: DeAndre Hopkins Traded to Kansas City
The Tennessee Titans are trading veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs.
- The Chiefs receive DeAndre Hopkins
- The Titans receive a conditional 5th round pick
- Becomes a 4th if the Chiefs make the Super Bowl and Hopkins plays 60% of the snaps.
What It Means for the Tennessee Titans
This trade could greatly impact both sides. For the Titans, it’s a downgrade for whom is playing quarterback. Hopkins had 17% of the total receiving yards for the Titans per Fantasy Points Date Suite. It will give a fantasy boost to Tyler Boyd (now a risky flex option for our lineups). Fantasy managers who have been upset by Calvin Ridley will hopefully rejoice, as Ridley should continue to see a high target share without Hopkins on the field. We won’t want to rely on any of the Titan’s passing game for fantasy success.
What It Means for the Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes is averaging a career-low 31 pass attempts in 2024 per Pro Football Reference. Sadly, Hopkins isn’t joining a pass-happy Chiefs offense we’ve known in years past, but he is a reliable pass catcher with strong hands for the football in contested situations. Hopkins’ arrival is unlikely to boost Mahomes into an elite fantasy producer once again. However, it should aid Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy to have another player that opposing defenses have to game plan for. I wouldn’t expect a significant bump to their weekly fantasy value.
What It Means for DeAndre Hopkins
Hopkins joining the Chiefs is likely better for NFL football than fantasy football. He is still a potential flex option in fantasy. The important question is where will Hopkins line up for the Cheifs? Chief’s slot WRs averaged15.1 FPPG this season. In the past 3 seasons, Hopkins ran 16.27% of his routes from the slot. Hopkins isn’t much of a YAC receiver as since 2018, he has averaged 263 yards per season (PFR), and this year, he has 7 yards after the catch. This season, Hopkins is ranked 106th vs. Man and 63rd vs. Zone in average separation score (FPDS).
Fantasy Assessment
If you don’t require a flex wide receiver’s services, I’d look to sell high on DeAndre Hopkins for a 2025 (or 2026) 2nd round pick.
Minnesota Vikings (5-1) vs Los Angeles Rams (2-4)
Game Summary | TNF Fantasy Preview
- Thursday Night Football: 8:15 PM
- SoFi Stadium
- Field Type: Turf
- Weather: Indoors
- Minnesota Vikings are favored (-3) with an Over/Under of 48.5
- Stream on Prime Video
| Team | Def. Rank Vs. QBS | Def. Rank Vs. RBS | Def. Rank Vs. WRS | Def. Rank Vs. TES | Def. 2 Man % | Def. Zone % | Offensive Plays Ran | Points Per Game | Pass Yards Per Game | Rush Yards per Game |
| Vikings | 14th | 7th | 31st | 21st | 19.2 | 75.3 | 57.8 | 28 | 213.8 | 119.3 |
| Rams | 16th | 26th | 19th | 32nd | 17.3 | 81.7 | 61.2 | 19 | 212.8 | 100.3 |
Quarterbacks | Fantasy Preview
| Minnesota Vikings | ||||||||||||
| Player | Fantasy Rank (6 PPT) | Week 8 Ranking | Confidence Start Rating | FP/G | A/G | SCRM | YDS/G | 1 Read % | YAC % | Press % | ADOT | CHk % |
| Sam Darnold | 12th | High QB2 | 87% | 20.5 | 27.3 | 4.0 | 245.0 | 64.6 | 40.8 | 38.3 | 9.3 | 10.4 |
| Los Angeles Rams | ||||||||||||
| Player | Fantasy Rank (6 PPT) | Week 8 Ranking | Confidence Start Rating | FP/G | A/G | SCRM | YDS/G | 1 Read % | YAC % | Press % | ADOT | CHk % |
| Matthew Stafford | 34th | Low End QB2 | 55% | 10.2 | 33.0 | 0.5 | 231.5 | 67.2 | 48.5 | 30.7 | 7.6 | 5.6 |
- Matthew Stafford has been under 15 fantasy points in his last 5 games.
- The Vikings have allowed a QB1 performance in 2 of the previous 3 games.
Running Backs | Fantasy Preview
| Minnesota Vikings | ||||||||||||||
| Player | Fantasy Rank (PPR) | Week 8 Ranking | Start % | FP/G | ATT/G | ATT % | TGT % | Off. Snaps/G | i5% | i20% | EXP Run % | MTF/ATT | YACO/ATT | YBCO/ATT |
| Aaron Jones | 11th | Low RB1 | 90% | 16.6 | 14.2 | 52.1 | 13.9 | 59% | 75 | 57.1 | 8.2 | 0.18 | 3.31 | 1.91 |
| Ty Chandler | 66th | Outside the Top 48 | 40% | 4.2 | 7.3 | 27.0 | 3.6 | 33% | 0 | 19 | 2.3 | 0.07 | 1.5 | 1.93 |
| Los Angeles Rams | ||||||||||||||
| Player | Fantasy Rank (PPR) | Week 8 Ranking | Start % | FP/G | ATT/G | ATT % | TGT % | Off. Snaps/G | i5% | i20% | EXP Run % | MTF/ATT | YACO/ATT | YBCO/ATT |
| Kyren Williams | 6th | Mid RB1 | 95% | 19.5 | 19.3 | 76.8 | 7.5 | 86% | 84.6 | 83.8 | 0.9 | 0.12 | 1.94 | 1.82 |
| Blake Corum | 85th | Outside the Top 48 | 25% | 2.1 | 4.0 | 10.6 | 0.7 | 10% | 22.2 | 13.6 | 0 | 0.06 | 2.31 | 1.69 |
- The Rams defense has allowed a 70-yard rusher in every game this year.
- Opposing running backs against the Vikings have had 3 or more receptions in the last 3 games.
Pass Catchers | Fantasy Preview
| Minnesota Vikings | ||||||||||||||
| Player | Fantasy Rank (PPR) | Week 8 Ranking | Start % | FP/G | Off. Snaps/G | TGT/G | TGT % | RTE/G | SLOT RTE % | YAC | EZTGT | 1READ % | MAN WIN RATE | ZONE WIN RATE |
| Justin Jefferson | 7th | High WR1 | 98% | 19.4 | 88% | 8.5 | 30.9 | 29 | 34.9 | 168 | 5 | 38.3 | 36.4 | 13 |
| Jordan Addison | 36th | Low WR3 | 70% | 11.4 | 73% | 5.0 | 18.0 | 25 | 32 | 11 | 1 | 24.3 | 25 | 15.8 |
| Jalen Nailor | 60th | Outside the Top 60 | 45% | 8.3 | 63% | 2.8 | 9.7 | 21 | 45.2 | 49 | 4 | 12.1 | 46.2 | 8.1 |
| Johnny Mundt (TE) | TE35 | Outside the Top 24 | 45% | 4.6 | 64% | 3.0 | 9.7 | 21.0 | 30.9 | 36 | 1 | 3.7 | 7.9 | 8.1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | ||||||||||||||
| Player | Fantasy Rank (PPR) | Week 8 Ranking | Start % | FP/G | Off. Snaps/G | TGT/G | TGT % | RTE/G | SLOT RTE % | YAC | EZTGT | 1READ % | MAN WIN RATE | ZONE WIN RATE |
| Cooper Kupp | 3rd | Low WR1 | 90% | 19.9 | 76% | 13.5 | 35.5 | 35 | 68.1 | 66 | 1 | 52.1 | 24 | 22.5 |
| Demarcus Robinson | 76th | Outside the Top 60 | 35% | 6.5 | 92% | 4.2 | 13.1 | 31 | 35.5 | 18 | 4 | 14.9 | 31.7 | 11.3 |
| Tutu Atwell | 51st | Mid WR5 | 50% | 9.5 | 58% | 5.7 | 16.6 | 21 | 35.7 | 88 | 0 | 23.9 | 26.2 | 8.5 |
| Cobly Parkinson (TE) | TE24 | Low TE2 | 55% | 6.8 | 83% | 5.7 | 16.6 | 27.0 | 20.7 | 114 | 3 | 14.9 | 21.6 | 5.8 |
- The Rams’ secondary has allowed only one receiver over 40 yards in the last 3 games.
- Los Angeles has allowed a tight end over 60 yards in 3 of the previous 5 games.
- Slot receivers against the Vikings have over 90 yards in 4-straight games.
- Minnesota has given up back-to-back 50-yard tight end performances.
If you’re looking for more advice on how to traverse the new fantasy landscape after the recent trades of Amari Cooper and Davante Adams, be sure to check out Senior Nerd Mychal Warno‘s Dynasty Trade Advice for Week 8:
Are you interested in joining the #NerdHerd? Use the code “COACH” for 15% off any membership. Sign up here and get an edge on all of your league mates today! You can get access to the DynastyGM tool (including our Trade Calculator and new Trade Finder), the Prospect Film Room, an extra weekly podcast, full rankings, and much, much more!
Table of Contents | Fantasy Preview
| Quarterbacks | |
| FP/G | Fantasy Points per Game |
| YPA | Passing Yards per Attempt |
| SCRM | QB Rush Attempts per Game |
| YDS/G | Yards Per Game |
| First Read % | Percentage of Throws to the QB’s 1st Read or Designed Throws |
| YAC % | Percentage of Passing Yards that come after the catch |
| Press % | Percentage of Dropbacks Under Pressure |
| ADOT | Average Depth of Target |
| Running Backs | |
| FP/G | Fantasy Points per Game |
| ATT/G | Attempts per Game |
| ATT % | Team Carry Share |
| TGT % | Team Target Share |
| Off. Snaps/G | Offensive Snaps per Game |
| i5 % | Percentage of Team’s Inside-the-5 Carries |
| i20 % | Percentage of Team’s Inside-the-20 Carries |
| EXP RUN % | Percentage of Runs to go for 15+ Yards |
| MTF/ATT | Missed Tackles Forced per Attempt |
| YACO/ATT | Yards After Contact per Attempt |
| YBCO/ATT | Yards Before Contact per Attempt |
| Pass Catchers | |
| FP/G | Fantasy Points per Game |
| Off. Snaps/G | Offensive Snaps Per Game |
| TGT/G | Targets Per Game |
| TGT % | Team Target Share |
| RTE/G | Routes Run Per Game |
| SLOT RTE % | Percentage of Routes Run from the Slot |
| YAC | Yards After the Catch |
| EZTGT | Endzone Targets |
| 1READ % | Percentage of Team’s 1st Read and Designed Targets |
| MAN WIN RATE | Percentage of Routes against Man Coverage with a Positive Separation Score |
| ZONE WIN RATE | Percentage of Routes against Zone Coverage with a Positive Separation Score |
