2024 Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings: WR

Davante Adams attempts to do more than just tackle opposing interceptors, George Pickens wonders if last week was the start of a beautiful Russell Wilson connection, and Amari Cooper searches for even more production in his second game as a Bill.

Other positions: Quarterback | Running Back | Tight End/Kickers/Defense

Week 8 Receivers

WR Notes: Justin Jefferson has established a sky-high floor without really reaching his ceiling. It gets a little harder with the expected Thursday evening return of T.J. Hockenson (knee). … CeeDee Lamb comes off bye having yet to reach 100 yards in a game. The vibes, meanwhile, continue to curdle in Big D. Either way, Lamb has yet to catch fewer than four passes or post under 60 yards. … The only time Drake London caught fewer than six balls was Kirk Cousins’ immobile Week 1. Surrendering the fourth most passing yards, the Bucs are a potential smash spot. … Tyreek Hill has finished in the top 50 one time since Week 1. Are we being overly optimistic about Tua Tagovailoa’s return? Well, Hill was the WR4 overall in the opener, and the Cardinals have one of the league’s worst pass defenses. So, probably not. … Can the case be as bullish for Jaylen Waddle? Like Hill, Waddle’s only real usable game came in Week 1, though he’s also caught fewer than four passes one time all year. Rush returning him to the top 24 does not feel particularly risky.

Was it one bad day for Malik Nabers or the beginning of the end of this Daniel Jones-led offense? We know Nabers isn’t the problem. There might not be any solutions if Jones is going to play this poorly. The Steelers are an even worse matchup than the Eagles were in Week 7. We keep Nabers in the top 10 because of what had been the league’s best usage floor. One game doesn’t knock us all the way off the trail. … Stefon Diggs keeps punching the clock as a usage-based, zero-ceiling WR1. Maybe the Colts will finally provide some of the latter after Diggs scored two touchdowns against them in Week 1. … What about Tank Dell? Well, uhh, what about Tank Dell? His zero-catch Week 7 was as disappointing as it gets. It wasn’t only fantasy managers who were disappointed. C.J. Stroud exited the contest saying he has to do a better job getting his No. 2 wideout involved. He also doesn’t really have much of a choice. It’s either Dell or Dalton Schultz for an offense dying for big plays. I’m expecting a squeaky wheel game vs. Indy.

Cooper Kupp (ankle) is returning. Will Puka Nacua (knee) join him? We know Jordan Whittington (shoulder) won’t. Although Nacua ultimately seems unlikely to play, it’s difficult to gauge Kupp’s true ceiling. Mentioned in trade rumors after a lengthy absence, will Kupp be on a snap count in his return? Maybe. It’s still worth finding out on the WR1/2 borderline. … Davante Adams’ Jets debut was a dud, like everything else Gang Green this season. There is finally a schedule let up for Aaron Rodgers and company against the Patriots. The Pats cough up the ninth most passing yards, all the more “impressive” seeing as they haven’t been in many competitive football games. … Unlike most rankers, I don’t like having Jayden Reed in the WR1 mix. He is averaging just five targets over his past three games in an increasingly competitive targets environment. He nevertheless maintains the benefit of the doubt because of: 1. His well-established ceiling. 2. His quarterback’s aggressiveness. 3. His amazing Week 8 matchup. … Beyond Reed, Romeo Doubs is the only Packers wideout who has shown anything in the way of “consistent” WR3/4 value. Dontavion Wicks and Christian Watson do both offer unusual upside for WR4s.

Brian Thomas Jr.’s usage remains anything but primo. The results have been another story. He’s in a good Week 8 spot in the highest totaled game on the slate. … DJ Moore is another wideout whose usage has taken a turn for the WR2. The Bears have gotten more balanced on offense while spreading the ball around more. Is Moore’s WR1 moment already over? It could depend on whom the Commanders trot out at quarterback. Right now, it doesn’t look like it will be Jayden Daniels. … Which, of course, is catastrophic news for Terry McLaurin. “Scary” got there with Marcus Mariota in Week 7. That was against the truly pathetic Panthers. The Bears come off bye with more interceptions (seven) than passing touchdowns allowed (four). It’s just not a good setup for McLaurin without his QB. … With Brandon Aiyuk (knee) done for the season, Deebo Samuel (pneumonia) is pushing to play. It’s fair to wonder what kind of results Samuel might produce on one lung. That leaves Ricky Pearsall as something of a next man up/last man standing with Jauan Jennings (hip) yet to resume practicing. On the field for almost every play in his NFL debut, Pearsall could sneak into the top 36.

How do you solve a problem like Marvin Harrison Jr.? With, uhh, freakin’ … you just keep playing him? That’s kind of all I have. MHJ’s down-field usage makes for extreme volatility, but he’s overdo for a boom. The super-injured Dolphins haven’t been giving up a ton of passing yards, but it’s partly because of a tissue-soft schedule and teams not need to throw against the Tua-less offense. … “Irrelevance” is maybe strong, but Diontae Johnson definitely won’t be WR2 relevant with Bryce Young back under center. … DeAndre Hopkins is a Chief. It’s one thing to immediately thrust Kareem Hunt or Mecole Hardman back into their old offense. It might be a little more complicated for Nuk, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he posts top 20 results in his K.C. debut. We’ll hedge on the WR3/4 borderline in the ranks. Hopkins’ arrival perhaps lowers Xavier Worthy’s usage floor but also makes it more likely his touches will be higher value since he won’t need to be force-fed the kind of grittier targets he isn’t ready for. … I’m guessing Cedric Tillman’s Week 7 feature over Jerry Jeudy had something to do with his Dorian Thompson-Robinson practice squad chemistry. Ever-disappointing Jeudy gets the Week 8 rankings advantage.