Week eight of the NFL season is officially over, which means we have much new information to analyze. That said, let’s dive right into the Top 10 dynasty football takeaways from week eight.
Takeaway #1: Will Levis Is the Future?
In just one game of football, Levis has dramatically shot up in value. After waiting his turn, Levis went out there and crushed it, throwing for 238 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. After the game, Levis said all the right things about Malik Willis, and he looks like a true locker room leader.
I’ve seen enough. Levis is now the Titans QB1pic.twitter.com/8vp5h1fAvP
— SteveBradshawFF (@SteveBradshawFF) October 29, 2023
There’s no reason the Titans should go back to Ryan Tannehill. The team is 3-4 and needs to see what they have in Levis. We know the potential is there for Levis, and after his first start, he looks like a possible star in the making.
#2: Malik Willis is Cooked
Piggybacking off takeaway number one, the rise of Levis means the end for Willis. He has a rushing upside, but that’s about it. Although Willis got a chance in week eight, Levis took over and ran away with the starting spot.
After playing in 11 total games, Willis has thrown for 350 total passing yards, zero touchdowns, and three interceptions. On the ground, Willis has 144 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. It’s safe to say the Willis experiment is over.
#3: Kirk Cousins Could Be Finished
Heartbreakingly, Cousins tore his Achilles, and an MRI will be taken to confirm. This could very well be the end of the road for the 35-year-old signal caller. His future with the Vikings was uncertain, but now he’s almost 100% gone.
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that he’ll get another job. Depending on how bad the injury is, this may be the end of the line for Cousins.
#4: Vikings Pass Catchers Take a Massive Hit for 2023
Cousins is almost 100% out for the season, which kills the Vikings pass catchers for 2023. If you’re a contender with Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn, T. J. Hockenson, or Justin Jefferson, this is a massive blow.
It’s unlikely that the Vikings will grab another quarterback before the trade deadline. Instead, they’ll be forced to go with their fifth-round pick, Jaren Hall. There’s no possible way Hall will be able to support Addison, Osborn, and Hockenson as Cousins did.
#5: Jaylen Waddle Is Back
Before week eight, Waddle had a horrible start to the year. In weeks one through seven, he was the WR34 with 13 PPG. In the long term, this was never an issue, but contenders have been needing a big game from him.
Jaylen Waddle ice cold pic.twitter.com/wKtFrIdRMi
— DolFans Weekly – Jason Sarney (@Jason_Sarney) October 29, 2023
Waddle was his usual self in week eight, with seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown, good for 25.1 fantasy points. This will make Waddle return to his normal value, and he’s now a contending asset again.
#6: Javonte Williams Is a Trap
Please don’t fall for this “big” Javonte Williams game. The fact is that he had 27 carries in which he averaged 3.1 YPC. This is horrible efficiency, and even though he had a receiving touchdown, he split the work with Samaje Perine.
If you can sell Williams, you should 100% do so. However, in the grand scheme of things, this 18-point game changes nothing.
#7: A. J. Brown Isn’t Human
After being out-produced by DeVonta Smith early in the year, Brown has gone on an absolute tear. Not only has Brown been unreal from a football perspective, but he’s gone nuclear in fantasy.
UNREAL. @1kalwaysopen_
— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2023
📺: #PHIvsWAS on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Quwvdzpx7G pic.twitter.com/vwFT61DBjb
If you remove weeks one and two, Brown is the WR1 in fantasy with 25.8 PPG. Even with weeks one and two, Brown is still the WR3, averaging 21.6 PPG. Brown is 26 years old, and he’s a phenomenal piece for a contender and any team building toward 2024 or 2025.
#8: Marvin Harrison Jr. Continues to Dominate
Heading over to our college football update, we have Harrison dominating once again. The debate is raging on where he should be drafted in the top three. Harrison just helped Ohio State take down Wisconsin with a 6-123-2 performance.
Harrison looks like a bonafide stud and has rebuilders drooling over him. With the rise of Harrison and the fall of these other quarterbacks, the possibility of him being the 1.01, even in a Superflex, is arising.
#9: Drake Maye Has Another Rough Week
Of the top quarterbacks who had a rough week, one of them was Maye. In his last two games, Maye and North Carolina have been taken down by Georgia Tech And Virginia. This is a bad look for Maye, as he didn’t play great in either game.
Against Virginia, Maye had 347 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception but only completed 50% of his passes. Facing off against Georgia Tech, Maye threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns, but that wasn’t enough. You shouldn’t be overacting, but it’s something to note for the 2024 draft class.
#10: Michigan Cheating Scandal Raises Questions About J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy was being drafted aggressively high in Superflex mock drafts just a few weeks ago. With the Michigan cheating scandal being unmasked, you have to revalue McCarthy as a player. It’s obvious that the sign stealing has helped Michigan, but how much is the question?
There’s no reason that anyone at Michigan would jeopardize their job if stealing the signs had no benefits. This isn’t to say we should be disregarding everything McCarthy has done, but it’s definitely worth mentioning when evaluating his play.
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