Will the Jaguars prioritize involving Calvin Ridley more in their offense?
With the midpoint of the NFL season approaching, fantasy football enthusiasts have much to discuss. ESPN fantasy analyst Eric Moody interviews NFL Nation reporters each week to address pressing questions and analyze the aftermath of games. As we head into Week 8, here’s what our crew had to say about some key storylines.
1. Will the Jacksonville Jaguars get Calvin Ridley more involved in the offense?
The involvement of Calvin Ridley in the Jaguars’ offense depends on how teams defend him. For instance, the Saints utilized bracket coverage and a safety over the top to neutralize Ridley’s deep threat. In such cases, Offensive Coordinator Press Taylor won’t force targets to Ridley. A lack of outside threat due to Zay Jones’ absence has also been challenging. However, as Jones won’t play this week and with expected rain in Pittsburgh, anticipate a subdued game from Ridley against the Steelers.
2. Has Calvin Ridley lost fantasy trade value?
Eric Moody, alongside Daniel Dopp and Field Yates, assesses Calvin Ridley’s fantasy stock after a recent rough patch. Ridley’s trade value relies on various factors such as individual team defensive schemes and offensive circumstances. Though Ridley has struggled in recent games, his trade value should not be overlooked when considering the overall picture.
3. Has the Houston Texans’ backfield become a committee involving Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary?
The Houston Texans’ offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has expressed his desire to establish a committee backfield involving Pierce and Singletary. While Pierce has received significantly more carries than Singletary so far this season, both players had an equal number of carries in the Texans’ Week 6 win against the New Orleans Saints. This trend is expected to continue, given Pierce’s yardage per carry average of 2.9 compared to Singletary’s 3.9.
4. How will the Carolina Panthers divide backfield touches between Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard?
Carolina Panthers coach Frank Reich confirms that backfield touches will be distributed by committee, with the decision of who gets more based on the player’s current performance. Although Hubbard has shown more productivity compared to Sanders, the Panthers have not given up on Sanders just yet. It is expected that Hubbard will start, but Sanders appears determined to turn his performance around. Fantasy players should exercise caution when considering either player.
5. What impact will Sam Darnold’s presence have on Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle?
While there is hope that quarterback Brock Purdy will clear the concussion protocol and play on Sunday for the San Francisco 49ers, Sam Darnold may be the alternative option. If Darnold takes the field, the Niners’ offensive strategy is not likely to change significantly. However, keep an eye out for Darnold’s aptitude for deep passes, as he has displayed a high percentage of throws traveling 20-plus air yards when starting for the Carolina Panthers. This could benefit Aiyuk, especially if faced against the Bengals.
6. Can we trust Jordan Love, Christian Watson, and Aaron Jones in lineups as the Packers strive to break their recent slump?
Given the Minnesota Vikings’ propensity to employ a blitz-heavy strategy, the Green Bay Packers might face a challenging game, particularly for quarterback Jordan Love. Despite Jones and Watson being relatively healthy, issues with the offensive line might make this Love’s toughest game. Thus, it may not be the right time to rely on Love, Watson, or Jones in fantasy lineups.
7. Will the Atlanta Falcons depend on Drake London and Kyle Pitts in the passing game against the Tennessee Titans’ formidable run defense?
The Atlanta Falcons have consistently incorporated Drake London and Kyle Pitts into their passing game. London has received at least seven targets in each of the last three games, while Pitts has been targeted at least five times. The issue for Atlanta has been turnovers, not passing productivity. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect this trend to continue against the Titans. Additionally, keep an eye on Bijan Robinson, who may have a breakout game after facing scrutiny for limited playing time in Week 7.
8. Can we have confidence in DeAndre Hopkins or Treylon Burks with Will Levis or Malik Willis at quarterback?
The Tennessee Titans’ offense has been inconsistent, making it difficult to trust Hopkins or Burks. Burks is set to return after a knee injury, but both he and Hopkins have struggled to find the end zone this season. Additionally, the Titans have had a low success rate in their red zone trips. While Hopkins might see increased targets if either Levis or Willis plays, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly is likely to rely heavily on the rushing attack while Ryan Tannehill is out.
9. What is the Arizona Cardinals’ plan moving forward with Kyler Murray?
Murray is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, making it unlikely that he will play. However, the Cardinals will continue to bring him along in practice, gradually increasing his participation with the first-team each week.
10. How should we handle the Chicago Bears’ RB room against the Los Angeles Chargers?
Field Yates provides insight into the Chicago Bears’ running back situation for Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers. With D’Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson, there will likely be a distribution of touches. Johnson has been cleared from concussion protocol, and while Foreman showcased his value to Chicago’s offense with a strong performance against the Raiders, Johnson’s return may reduce Foreman’s fantasy value. Nonetheless, Foreman should still have a significant workload while Johnson adjusts after missing the last two games.
