Fantasy Football Week 8 Review

After a high-scoring and record-setting week in the NFL there are more than a few stats to keep in mind as we head to the second-half of the fantasy football season. As players continue to slump, injuries allow backups to emerge, and past stars return to former elite status, there are several players and important trends to make a note of as you position yourself for a championship run.

Important Trends of Week 8:

• With a total of 50 fantasy points, Ben Roethlisberger scored more in Week 8 than he had in Weeks 5-7 combined. Hopefully you played him this week, but with just three games of over 20 fantasy points on the season this kind of production shouldn’t be expected on a weekly basis.
• After scoring just 45.15 fantasy points in the first four weeks, nobody is playing better than Tom Brady in fantasy football who now has 120.6 points in the four weeks since (1,268 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and no interceptions). A player many, including myself, suggested should be released at the end of Week 4 has returned to the top of the fantasy elite in less than a month’s time.
• Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning are the only players without a game of under 20 fantasy points so far this season.
• DeMarco Murray has 206 rushing attempts through eight weeks. The record is 416 rushing attempts by Priest Holmes in 2006. Don’t wait too long to sell-high on the oft-injured running back.
• After scoring a combined 13.1 fantasy points in the first three weeks of the season, potential bust Eddie Lacy has scored 72.6 fantasy points in the five weeks since, fifth most among running backs.
• After 51.3 fantasy points in the first three weeks of the season, Giovani Bernard has 41.2 fantasy points in the five weeks since. The 5’9” running back was reportedly injured at the end of the Ravens and the Bengals have yet to release a statement on the matter. Time to sign backup Jeremy Hill if he’s a free agent in your league.
• Another victim of early season success, Julio Jones has one double digit game and 37 total fantasy points in the five weeks since after putting up 52.5 points in Weeks 1-3.
• On the opposite end of the spectrum, after 18.6 fantasy points in the first three weeks of the season, T.Y. Hilton has scored 80.50 fantasy points in the five weeks since, finishing with only one single digit fantasy performance (Week 5, nine receptions for 90 yards against Baltimore).
• Demaryius Thomas has four straight games of over 100 receiving yards (626 total yards in four weeks).
• In the past three weeks, Randall Cobb has scored 48.8 fantasy points, while Jordy Nelson has socred 33.2 fantasy points. Randall Cobb has only one game without a touchdown in 2014.
• Since Calvin Johnson went down, Golden Tate has scored 66.3 fantasy points in four weeks, while Mohammed Sanu has scored 38.6 fantasy points in the three weeks A.J. Green has been out. Clearly the more talented receiver of the two, Tate remains a WR1 until Calvin returns. Green is set to return in Week 9, ending Sanu’s development as a solid fantasy option.
• Antonio Gates has 9 touchdowns through eight games in 2014. His career high is 13 touchdowns. Gates turns 35 in June and will go down as a true pioneer in the NFL.
• After 49.7 fantasy points and three touchdowns in the first four weeks of the season, Delanie Walker has scored just 21.8 fantasy points and one touchdown in the four weeks since. He’s played for three different quarterbacks during that span.
• With 18 targets on the season, Tim Wright has 17 receptions and three touchdowns. On 22 receptions Dwayne Allen has six touchdowns.
• In four road games the Bills Defense has scored a combined 49 fantasy points, against Chicago, Houston, Detroit, and the New York Jets. In four home games the Bills Defense has scored 31 fantasy points, against Miami, San Diego, New England, and Minnesota.
• Aside from a total of 4.00 fantasy points in two games (Week 2 at Buffalo and Week 6 against Green Bay), the Dolphins Defense has scored double digit fantasy points in every other game, a total of 76 fantasy points in five weeks. Miami is an elite fantasy defense, depending on the matchup.
• At home the Texans Defense has a combined 49 fantasy points in three games (an average of 16 points). On the road the Texans Defense has a combined 30 points in five games (an average of 6 points). Bottom line: Start the Texans Defense when in Houston.