• Ladd McConkey has his breakout game: The Chargers rookie notched his first 100-plus-yard outing, first multi-touchdown outing and first performance of 20-plus PPR points.
• A dud for Kenneth Walker III: The Seahawks fell behind early and abandoned the run game, leading to a shaky stat line for Walker.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
BOOMS
RB De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Achane appears all the way back after cracking 10-plus PPR points in only one of the four games Tua Tagovailoa missed. He exploded in Week 8 for 147 total yards and one touchdown on his way to 26.7 PPR points.
If Achane managers' teams managed to stay afloat while Tagovailoa was out, things look great. In Tagovailoa's four starts this season, Achane is averaging 26.4 PPR points a game (first among running backs).
Although Raheem Mostert took two touchdowns at the goal line, Achane played 37 snaps and got a touch (rush or reception) on a team-high 43.2% of snaps while also ranking second on the team in targets.
As long as Tagovailoa is at the helm, Achane is going to help fantasy managers win a lot more matchups this season.
Going Forward: Elite RB1 as long as Tua Tagovailoa is starting
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
A 23.1 PPR-point performance was just what Marvin Harrison Jr.‘s managers needed. However, this comes after three weeks of single-digit points, and one goose egg in that span, naturally leading to some benching this week.
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Five of Harrison's six receptions went for 15 or more yards, and he generated a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted by Kyler Murray in Week 8.
Hopefully, this is the start of Harrison trending up as his rapport with Murray continues to grow.
Going Forward: High-end WR2 with WR1 potential
WR Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
The rookie enjoyed the best game of his young career in Week 8, notching his first 100-plus-yard outing, first multi-touchdown outing and first performance of 20-plus PPR points. McConkey's 29.1 PPR points made him the WR2 of Week 8.
McConkey appears to have fully earned the trust of quarterback Justin Herbert. He saw three contested targets and caught all of them for 74 yards and two touchdowns, one of which came when Herbert was pressured.
All of this earned McConkey an 87.9 PFF overall grade in Week 8, ranking third among wide receivers.
Going Forward: High-end flex play with potential to keep moving up the rankings
BUSTS
WR Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
It was a frustrating week for Jayden Reed's managers, who got only 7.5 PPR points in what many thought would be a smash spot against a weak Jacksonville secondary.
Reed was out-snapped by Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, and his 13.7% threat rate was the lowest among the team's qualifying wideouts. On top of that, running back Josh Jacobs carried the Packers' offense in Week 8.
Temperature Check: Not worried, but monitoring usage
RB Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
This was more of a game-script problem for Walker than anything else. The Seahawks were down two scores early in the second quarter, and the deficit only continued to grow, so the game plan shifted to throwing the ball. Walker handled only nine rushing attempts as a result.
Zach Charbonnet recorded only three carries but accounted for the Seahawks' lone touchdown in Week 8.
There is not a whole lot to look into with Walker this week; it’s just the way the game script played out.
Temperature Check: Not worried at all. Still an RB1
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
St. Brown being on a “busts” list feels undeserving when the Lions won 52-14 and he scored a touchdown.
However, the Lions' run game dominated in Week 8. Their backfield duo handled 22 of the team's 39 touches, going for 171 yards and three touchdowns (David Montgomery recorded a passing touchdown). St. Brown finished with only two receptions for seven yards and a touchdown, equaling 8.7 PPR points.
Similar to Kenneth Walker III, St. Brown fell victim to the game plan after his team established a hefty lead early and did not need to pass the ball. Jared Goff threw only 15 passes for 85 yards, so there was no chance for a “Sun God” boom week.
Temperature Check: Still a high-end WR1
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