Thursday Night Football
Minnesota @ L.A. Rams
Team Totals: Vikings 25, Rams 22.5
I delayed writing up Vikings-Rams due to trade rumors surrounding Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp and the injury statuses of Kupp and T.J. Hockenson. (There is some guesswork here.) … With Hockenson (knee) looking likelier than not to make his season debut, Sam Darnold has a chance to finally play a 2024 game with his full supporting cast. L.A. has yielded the NFL’s sixth-most yards per pass attempt (7.9) and 10th-highest QB rating (95.6) while ranking bottom six in sacks (11). Darnold is a low-end QB1 with mid-range QB1 upside. … Off Week 8’s injury report, Aaron Jones is all systems go after averaging 17.5 touches for 105.5 yards and 0.5 TDs over the Vikings’ initial six games. He warrants RB1 treatment against a Rams defense allowing the NFL’s seventh-most fantasy points to RBs.
UPDATE: T.J. Hockenson (knee) will not play against the Rams, leaving tight end duties to Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver. Mundt ran 23 routes compared to Oliver’s 15 in Week 7’s loss to Detroit.
Darnold’s 2024 targets: Justin Jefferson 51; Jones 22; Jordan Addison 20; Johnny Mundt 18; Jalen Nailor 16. … Jefferson has 90+ yards and/or a touchdown in all six starts with Darnold. He’s fantasy’s most consistent elite WR1. … Addison has been fairly quiet in the box score so far this season, but Week 8 presents him with a plus offensive environment in a fairly high-totaled game. I’m locking in Addison as an upside WR3 play here. … I’m skeptical of how much Hockenson will play in his first game back from last December’s ACL/MCL tear, especially considering he’s never caught a pass in his career from Darnold. Hockenson’s return would still be enough to eliminate the likes of Mundt from serious fantasy consideration. Nailor would remain playable on single-game DFS slates.
Matthew Stafford is a two-QB-league starter only with Cooper Kupp (ankle) questionable and Puka Nacua (knee) likely still out against a Vikings defense surrendering the league’s 10th-lowest completion rate (63%) and fourth-lowest QB rating (78) while ranking third in the NFL in sacks (24). … Leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns (8) and averaging 21.7 touches per game, sheer usage has rendered Kyren Williams matchup-proof. Even coming off Los Angeles’ Week 6 bye, Williams out-snapped No. 2 back Blake Corum by a 49-to-6 margin against the Raiders. Williams is a first-tier RB1. Corum is a bench stash. Williams’ TNF matchup is improved by the absence of Vikings top tackler LB Blake Cashman (toe).
Sidelined since Week 2, Cooper Kupp (ankle) is tentatively expected to return against the Vikings, although trade rumors surrounding Kupp warrant caution regarding the extent of his Week 8 usage. I’m chalking him up as a boom-bust WR3. … Puka Nacua (knee) seems likely to sit one more week after turning in a limited practice regimen. Nacua has been out since Week 1. … The Rams ruled out Jordan Whittington (shoulder), leaving Tutu Atwell, Demarcus Robinson, and Tyler Johnson as L.A.’s healthiest wide receivers. My opinions as to their Week 8 target and usage distributions are irrelevant; I admittedly have no idea. My meaningless lean would be to Johnson because he’s a blitz beater, and the Vikings blitz at the NFL’s highest rate. … Yet to exceed 52 yards in a 2024 game, Colby Parkinson’s fantasy appeal remains tied to touchdowns. The Vikings have allowed two tight end TDs this year.
Score Prediction: Vikings 24, Rams 23
Editor’s Note: This Matchup was written by John Daigle, with input from Evan Silva.
Philadelphia @ Cincinnati
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