Everything that happens in the NFL has some additional context when viewed from a fantasy football perspective. From position battles to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy football.
Our Fantasy Football Buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN fantasy writers and our NFL Nation reporters, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around the league.
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Giants lose Skattebo, backup QBs stumble for Falcons, Panthers
By Tristan H. Cockcroft
Over a 31-day span, the New York Giants have been struck with disaster.
On Sunday of Week 4, star wide receiver Malik Nabers tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee, an injury that required season-ending reconstructive surgery. This Sunday, the Giants lost rookie running back Cam Skattebo, the No. 5 running back in fantasy points from Weeks 3 to 7 (100.9), to what might be a season-ending ankle injury. Skattebo was injured when his ankle was caught under a defender in the second quarter, and he was carted off the field in an air cast.
Skattebo was quickly ruled out and diagnosed with a dislocated ankle, and it seems likely that his season is done. The Giants managed only 13 points and 149 total yards across six offensive drives after the running back’s departure; surrendered three touchdowns to the rival Philadelphia Eagles on their five offensive drives during that same time span; and will be in much tougher circumstances going forward should Skattebo’s season indeed be done.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., dropped in nearly 29% of ESPN leagues over the past four weeks, stepped in as the Giants’ three-down back following Skattebo’s injury and will occupy that role ahead of Devin Singletary moving forward. Tracy is a top Week 9 pickup in all formats, though he doesn’t bring as much of a dynamic skill set to the table as Skattebo. Tracy did, however, manage five games of 15-plus fantasy points in his final 12 contests in 2024, and he’ll see enough volume to be a matchups-oriented RB2/flex.
The injuries are a real shame for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who now loses two of his best playmakers in the passing game. Dart’s mobility should still keep him in the superflex/2QB radar, or make him a matchups play in standard formats, but he’s less likely to accomplish much as a passer going forward.
More Sunday takeaways
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On the Eagles’ side of the field, Saquon Barkley left the same game at the conclusion of the third quarter after injuring his hamstring on a 28-yard run. Fortunately, he had scored a season-best 33.4 fantasy points for his managers by that point. It seems likely the Eagles were merely holding Barkley out with a big lead, and they do also have a Week 9 bye to afford him time to heal, but his departure keeps him on the list of injuries to monitor. Tank Bigsby stepped in as the clear lead back following Barkley’s departure, turning nine carries into 104 yards thanks to five of them going for double-digit yardage. If you’re a Barkley manager, it’s something to bear in mind as you consider when to invest in an insurance policy ahead of the fantasy playoffs. That’s a tough sell now, with a bye week ahead of us, but any question about Barkley’s health going forward will make Bigsby a must-stash.
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A pair of offenses ran by fill-in quarterbacks delivered miserable performances, as the Kirk Cousins-led Atlanta Falcons lost 34-10 to a bad Miami Dolphins team, while Andy Dalton and the Carolina Panthers were hammered 40-9 by the Buffalo Bills. Cousins was stepping in for the injured Michael Penix Jr. (knee), and while it’s fair to point out that he was also missing top wide receiver Drake London (hip), he couldn’t find chemistry with almost anyone but tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., whom he targeted almost entirely near or behind the line of scrimmage. The Falcons’ struggles led to an especially poor fantasy output from Bijan Robinson, despite the running back facing one of his softest matchups, and fantasy managers can only hope that Penix is ready to return in time for Week 9. Dalton, meanwhile, started in place of Bryce Young (ankle) and targeted Tetairoa McMillan 10 times for 16.9 fantasy points for the rookie receiver but otherwise couldn’t get much of anything done through the air. Similarly to Penix, fantasy managers can only hope Young is healthy for Week 9.
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Speaking of quarterback fill-ins, Joe Flacco‘s installation as the Cincinnati Bengals‘ starter continues to pay teamwide fantasy dividends, even if the team lost a heartbreaker to the previously winless New York Jets. Flacco scored 24.32 fantasy points and has averaged 23.0 in his three starts for his new team, emerging as a viable superflex/2QB quarterback. Running back Chase Brown scored a season-best 25.5 points and has now averaged more than 6 yards per carry in back-to-back weeks. Ja’Marr Chase has scored at least 21 points in four straight games, and Tee Higgins has scored 11-plus in four straight after averaging only 7.4 across his first four games. With the Bengals’ defense as shoddy as it is, this high-octane offense should continue to rack up fantasy points on offense behind the much more sound arm of Flacco going forward.
Week 8 scoring leaders through 1 p.m. ET games
1. James Cook III, RB, Bills — 33.60 points
2. Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles — 33.40
3. Breece Hall, RB, Jets — 32.86
4. Drake Maye, QB, Patriots — 26.28
5. Chase Brown, RB, Bengals — 25.50
6. Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles — 25.36
7. Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers — 25.28
8. Joe Flacco, QB, Bengals — 24.32
9. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins — 24.20
10. Josh Allen, QB, Bills — 23.22
Injury updates: McLaurin ready to roll, Watson on the verge of return
By Stephania Bell
Terry McLaurin, WR, Commanders (quad): This finally looks to be the week that McLaurin returns from the quad injury that has sidelined him since Week 4. There was some early optimism last week that he might be active in Week 7 after returning to practice Wednesday, however a post-practice workout didn’t yield the desired results and McLaurin was held out of competition another week. He addressed the rationale when speaking with reporters Friday. “I’m an explosive athlete, so a lot of things that are part of my game, I need to feel that are at 100 percent before I can put myself out there because I’m not only hurting the team, but I’m hurting myself,” McLaurin said.
The awareness of his limitations at full speed and the wisdom of holding off another week before playing in a game (plus one extra day with this being a Monday night game) should contribute to him looking like his pre-injury self on the field. It also hopefully helps mitigate his re-injury risk, something that accompanies all soft tissue injury recoveries when returning to play. With Jayden Daniels sidelined due to a hamstring injury, the extra week of practice between McLaurin and Marcus Mariota (who will start in place of Daniels) can only help heading into the team’s big matchup against the Chiefs.
Christian Watson, WR, Packers (ACL): Somewhat quietly, Watson may be approaching his season debut on Sunday. It was earlier this year when he tore his ACL (January 5, 2025), during Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season. The Packers’ decision to open Watson’s practice window on Oct. 6 hinted at him being close to returning, but his increase in football activity has been gradual. He is now approaching the end of his 21-day practice window and must either be added to the 53-man roster or be placed on injured reserve. Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Friday that “ultimately that’s going to be a medical decision.”
There are several possible options:
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The Packers could opt to activate him before the game and have Watson play.
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The Packers could wait until after the game against the Steelers and activate him at that time.
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The Packers could activate him pregame and have him available but opt not to utilize him until the following week, barring an injury situation to other starters.
The hope is that any pregame transaction would come with some clarity as to his role.
It’s worth noting that wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf) will be out Sunday, wide receiver Matthew Golden was a late add to the injury report (Friday, hip) and is listed as questionable (although he appears likely to play), and wide receiver Jayden Reed remains on injured reserve as he recovers from surgery to repair a fractured collarbone and a Jones fracture in his foot.
The biggest injury risk for players like Watson coming off an ACL reconstruction is a secondary compensatory injury, most often a lower extremity strain on the same leg (i.e., hamstring, calf, quad), although opposite leg strains are known to happen as well. Given Watson’s extensive history of hamstring strains, he presents a greater risk. Watson had sought expert advice related to hamstring injury prevention in the offseason prior to the 2024 season and had shown improvement on that front. Still, coming off an ACL surgery, the hamstrings are often the most challenging muscle group to restore to pre-injury function, especially when it comes to acceleration. There will be a lot to watch when Watson returns, and the best indicator of his return to health will be how he fares after four quarters of football.
Not everybody eats on ‘Thursday Night Football’
By Eric Moody
How you feel about your fantasy team this morning likely depends not on if, but which Chargers you started Thursday night as Los Angeles put 37 points on the scoreboard against the Vikings.
Oronde Gadsden II caught all five of his targets for 77 yards and a touchdown while playing 76% of the offensive snaps and leading the Chargers in routes run. He’s now posted three straight games with 11+ fantasy points, including two with 18 or more. Gadsden remains firmly on the TE1 radar in Week 9 against a Titans defense that has allowed the ninth-most total yards per game.
Kimani Vidal operated as the Chargers’ lead back with Hassan Haskins ruled out (hamstring) and Omarion Hampton on injured reserve. He dominated the backfield in snaps, routes run and touches (24), finishing with 19.7 fantasy points. The second-year running back next faces a Titans defense that’s allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs.
Ladd McConkey led all Chargers wideouts in routes run, targets (10) and fantasy points (20.8). He’s now recorded nine or more targets and at least 15 fantasy points in three straight games. Keenan Allen played fewer than 50% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps for the first time this season as Los Angeles leaned more on one- and two-receiver sets. He’s primarily used in three-receiver sets with McConkey and Quentin Johnston, a role that naturally shrinks when the Chargers are ahead. Although his snap count dipped, Allen still saw solid target volume when on the field, and his usage should continue to vary based on game script.
Johnston was on the field for nearly as many snaps as McConkey and Tre’ Harris and ran the third-most routes for the Chargers, yet Johnston finished with zero targets. His quiet outing may have been due to a lingering hamstring issue and Los Angeles’ run-heavy approach against Minnesota. Still, his total lack of involvement is concerning, making him a risky flex option next week.
Aaron Jones Sr. returned from a four-game absence due to a hamstring injury and led the Vikings backfield in snaps, routes run and touches (7), while Jordan Mason had just five touches. However, this data should be taken with a grain of salt, as game script severely limited Minnesota’s ability to run a balanced offense. The fantasy value of Jones and Mason, as well as Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, depends heavily on quarterback play and the health of the offensive line. The Vikings’ 164 total yards marked their lowest offensive output under Kevin O’Connell.
Lamar Jackson‘s status uncertain for Sunday
By Stephania Bell
Prior to the Baltimore Ravens‘ Week 7 bye, there were hints that Jackson — who injured his right hamstring in Week 4 — would be returning the following week. Well, he did return somewhat … to practice on a limited basis. While it was encouraging for Jackson to be back at practice, without seemingly much progress on the field since then, it could be a little longer for his return to full game action.
Although offensive coordinator Todd Monken said Jackson looked “really good” on Thursday, he did not sound certain about his availability for this weekend. It’s worth noting the Ravens host the Chicago Bears on Sunday and then travel to Miami just days later to play the Dolphins onThursday.
For a player like Jackson who expects to run — even sprint — throughout the course of a game, returning off a hamstring strain with a second game looming on just three days rest is a high-volume demand. With official player game status designations yet to emerge for Sunday, it appears at least uncertain whether Jackson will play this week or take a few additional days.
Friday, 8 p.m. addendum: Jackson’s status remains uncertain on Friday evening with his questionable designation but there is a bit more information. He upgraded to a full practice session Friday leaving teammates like backup quarterback Tyler Huntley saying, “He’s getting back into the swing of things and he looks good.”
Still, the team needs to see how he responds to the uptick in work Friday and, if positive, hope things remain that way on Sunday morning before declaring him the starter. As of now, the path is clear for Jackson to take the field Sunday if there are no setbacks in the interim and he feels like he can go for four quarters. If Jackson is unable to play, Huntley will get the start.
Oct. 24: Inside the numbers: A closer look at Mahomes, Ferguson, McMillan and more
By Tristan H. Cockcroft
In fantasy football, numbers are king.
Numbers make or break our fantasy matchups, but they can also tell us compelling stories that we can use to make future decisions regarding the numbers players could give us in future weeks. Possessing a thorough understanding of the numbers, and what they tell us about player skills, can make all the difference in our future matchups as well as trade and pickup analysis.
Two critical ESPN Fantasy tools help provide you this next-level insight:
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First, Mike Clay’s Expected Fantasy Points leaderboards recalibrate players’ contributions to reflect how each player should have done based on the level of opportunity provided to him over the course of the season. This tool also uses information calculated by Clay’s Expected Touchdown Leaderboard, which determines the number of touchdowns an average player should have scored, given the player’s number of carries or targets and their location on the field. Both tools are a good way of identifying players who might progress or regress to the mean in coming weeks.
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Second, my Consistency Ratings catalog which players have been the most consistently reliable fantasy performers week over week. These calculate the rate at which players earned your “start” for the week by ranking among a standard ESPN league’s total available lineup spots at the position, as well as offer insight as to which players score closest to their weekly averages.
Using these tools, let’s take a stroll through Week 8’s notable takeaways:
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Patrick Mahomes‘ return to form as fantasy football’s top-scoring quarterback has been one of 2025’s top storylines to date, after he endured back-to-back disappointing seasons. He has already finished top seven at his position for the week six times, more such finishes than he had in the entirety of either 2024 (four) or 2023 (five), and he has one of the deepest groups of receivers in his career.
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Although George Pickens‘ role expanded significantly as a result of CeeDee Lamb‘s injury — Pickens averaged 26.3 fantasy points during Weeks 4 through 6 — don’t underestimate the contribution of tight end Jake Ferguson in recent weeks. Ferguson, the No. 1 tight end for the season by total or average fantasy points per game, has scored 2.2 more touchdowns this year than he should’ve been expected to, thanks in large part to nine red zone targets over the past four weeks. That three came in Week 7, Lamb’s return to the lineup, was encouraging for Ferguson’s chances of maintaining weekly-starter fantasy value, but there’s bound to be a degree of regression for the tight end with the Cowboys’ passing game back at full strength.
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Fantasy managers seeking to trade for a wide receiver should take a closer look at Carolina Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan, whose 25% target share ranks 15th and whose eight red zone targets are tied for 11th in the league. McMillan’s average weekly finish at his position ranks 32nd, but he would’ve been expected to score 1.1 more touchdowns and 11 fantasy points than he has thus far.
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Sam LaPorta, the No. 1 tight end in fantasy as a rookie in 2023, has seen his per-game production drop in each of the past two seasons, and it’s now 10.7 through seven weeks of 2025. Additionally disconcerting is the fact that his production to date has been fueled by good fortune, as he has scored 20 more fantasy points than expected, largely because, per Next Gen Stats, he has totaled 92 more receiving yards than expected, second most at his position. LaPorta has finished more weeks outside the top 20 at his position (4) than within the top 10 (3), a level of production that labels him more of a matchup than a weekly fantasy option.