| | | | Friday, October 30, 2020 | | Friday is going to be a big day for your Fantasy lineups for Week 8. As things currently stand, plenty of stars' status for Week 8 remain up in the air pending Friday's injury reports, including (but not at all limited to) Michael Thomas, Aaron Jones, Joe Mixon, Jamison Crowder, Chris Carson, Allen Robinson, Milers Sanders … the list goes on. And, unfortunately, if you had anyone except Julio Jones in Thursday's game between the Panthers and Falcons, you probably got your week off to a pretty rough start. That's not what you want. | | I want to help make sure you're in the best situation possible for Week 8 no matter what you're staring down. In Today's newsletter, I've got a recap of Thursday Night Football and then a preview of every game left on the Week 8 schedule, including the latest injury notes, advice on your toughest lineup decisions, and something to look out for in each game. | | As always, if you want to send in a question — about your lineup, about trade offers, about life — hit me up at Chris.Towers@CBSInteractive.com with the subject line "#AskFFT " and you may find an answer in Sunday morning's newsletter. Make sure you leave no stone unturned in your quest to set the perfect lineup with everything our Fantasy team has produced for Week 8: Start 'Em & Sit 'Em | Dave Richard's Week 8 Preview | QB Start 'Em & Sit 'Em | RB Start 'Em & Sit 'Em | PPR Cheat Sheet | Non-PPR Cheat Sheet | Trade Values | Biggest Questions | QB Preview | RB Preview | WR Preview | TE Preview | Rest-of-Season Rankings | Cut List | Waiver Wire | Winners and Losers | Believe It or Not | | | | TNF Recap: Panthers Falcons | | | | Welp. That was one of the most disappointing Fantasy games of the season. Teddy Bridgewater was a total bust against a cake matchup, while Matt Ryan only scored thanks to a rushing touchdown. Julio Jones was excellent, but no other receiver reached even 60 yards in this one. As forgettable a game as you're like to see this season, and if you had multiple players in this game, you might be well behind schedule for Week 8. | Injuries: Calvin Ridley (ankle) — Left in the second quarter and was unable to return, which is never a good sign. The extra time off is obviously helpful, and nobody sounded overly concerned after the game, but we'll still need to keep a close eye on this one heading into Week 9 — and with the Falcons on bye in Week 10, it wouldn't be shocking if they opted to rest him … Teddy Bridgewater (neck) — Bridgewater had to leave this one after taking a cheap shot to the head and neck, sitting out one play to receive treatment. He played through it, but just keep an eye on this one for Week 9.
The big takeaway: Uh … I'm not sure there is much to take away from this game. This was a weird, disjointed game from the start, with the Falcons dominating time of possession but not really doing much with it, settling for three first-half field goals. It was interesting that Todd Gurley was off the field for several drives in the first half, but he was back out there in the second, putting in another Todd Gurley performance — 18 carries, 46 yards, and a touchdown with no catches. Brian Hill may look more explosive, but even in a game where he actually got a chance to build some momentum, it was all Gurley in the second half.
That's all, folks: Mike Davis came in like a lion but went out like a lamb. After racking up at least 20 PPR points in each of his first three games starting in Christian McCaffrey's absence, Davis combined for just 28.8 over his final three. McCaffrey will be back on the field in Week 9 and is sure to take back his role as one of the most heavily involved running backs in the NFL. Thanks for the help, Mike!
Possible waiver adds: Curtis Samuel (46%) — This game highlighted why Samuel's skill set is so intriguing, as he scored yet another rushing touchdown lined up as a running back and also hauled in a long touchdown, Bridgewater's only one of the day. His role is still just a bit too small to be something you can rely on every week, but if anything were to happen to D.J. Moore or Robby Anderson, Samuel would be a fascinating Fantasy option … Brian Hill (19%) — I don't believe the Falcons are going to turn the starting running back job over to Hill at any point unless Gurley suffers an injury, but it's clear he's the preferred backup if anything were to happen to Gurley, and it's clear that it is the situation propping Gurley's value up, not anything special about Gurley. If Hill ever gets that opportunity instead, he would likely do just as well, which makes him a viable handcuff to stash.
| | | | Week 8 Game Previews: Injury updates, what to watch and more | | | | All lines from William Hill Sportsbook. For more game-by-game Fantasy advice, check out Dave Richard's Week 8 preview. "The line wants us to believe" analysis from Dave. | | On bye: Cardinals, Jaguars, Texans, Washington | | Steelers at Ravens, 1:00 p.m., Sunday | | Line: BAL -4.0; o/u 46.5 Implied totals: Steelers 21.25, Ravens 25.25 The line wants us to believe: The undefeated Steelers are overrated. If anything, the Steelers are savvy on offense and opportunistic on defense. Baltimore's run game will need a spark (J.K. Dobbins?) if they're to compete. Ben Roethlisberger's short-pass game should keep the Steelers close on the scoreboard (and keep the pass rush off his back). I'm kind of thinking the oddsmakers want you to take the Steelers and the points, but I genuinely feel that's the better way to lean. Toughest lineup decision: J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards — Start as No. 3 RB. Assuming Mark Ingram is sidelined by his ankle injury, which seems like a safe assumption at this point, Dobbins and Edwards should split the work evenly. I don't love the situation for either, but Dobbins should get to double-digits in carries and should be the pass-catching back — for whatever that's worth on a team that averages just 3.7 targets to running backs over the past two seasons — while Edwards figures to be the lead runner and first goal-line option. Given how many injuries there are at RB this week, both may fit in your lineup, but I'm not viewing them as must-starts. What we're watching for: I'm most interested in seeing if Lamar Jackson and Marquise Brown can get on the same page a little more often in the second half of the season. Even after their bye week, Brown still ranks eighth in the NFL in air yards, with a whopping 45% of the Ravens total on the season. However, Brown has converted just 56% of his air yards into actual yards, a poor mark, so there's definitely room for improvement. Brown caught seven of 15 attempts 20-plus yards downfield last season for four touchdowns, but is at just five for 16 with one touchdown so far. If they can get back to last year's pace, the upside here is considerable. Injuries: Diontae Johnson (ankle) — Johnson left Week 7 (again) with the injury and didn't practice Wednesday, but told reporters he will play through the injury … Eric Ebron (elbow) — Ebron has received regular time off during practice, but this is a new injury, so it's one we'll want to watch to see if he's cleared to play Friday. He's just a low-end starting option if he does play, however … Mark Ingram (ankle) — Did not practice either Wednesday or Thursday and seems to be trending toward missing this game. | | Rams at Dolphins, 1:00 p.m., Sunday | | Line: MIA +3.5; o/u 46.0 Implied totals: Rams 24.75, Dolphins 21.25 The line wants us to believe: The Rams' win on Monday was meaningless. The key word there? Monday, as in the Rams played then, then practiced for a few days before flying to Miami. Not exactly the best scenario for a good but tired team against a well-rested and rejuvenated Dolphins squad with a shiny new quarterback. There's no chance the Dolphins would have made this move if Tua Tagovailoa wasn't ready. You're trapping yourself if you pick the Rams. Toughest lineup decision: Darrell Henderson/Malcolm Brown —Start. The Rams want to play conservative, with a lot of work for the running backs, which makes both viable options each week. We'd prefer to see Cam Akers get more work and Brown get less, but that hasn't happened yet, so continue to expect Henderson to be the primary rusher, with Brown seeing around 60-70% as many carries but with more passing work. What we're watching for: It's all about Tua Tagovailoa's debut. My expectation is he'll be better than your average rookie — he's an elite prospect and the Dolphins decided to make the change despite Ryan Fitzpatrick playing well — but that's no guarantee, and this is a tough first test. The bigger question is, what does the offense look like with Tagovailoa? DeVante Parker was obviously Fitzpatrick's top target, but that may not necessarily be the case with a new QB — though I expect it will be. But Preston Williams could very easily emerge as a favorite of Tagovailoa, or he could opt to lean on Mike Gesicki and Myles Gaskin more. This is our first chance to see it in action. Injuries: DeVante Parker (groin) — Parker returned to practice on a limited basis Wednesday, and is trending toward playing barring a setback … Tyler Higbee (hand) — Limited on Wednesday after sitting out Week 7. He was also limited Saturday before being ruled out for Monday's game, so we'll want to see a full practice. Though, even if he does, Higbee is just a low-end option at this point unless Gerald Everett (illness, DNP Wednesday) is out, which doesn't seem likely. | | Jets at Chiefs, 1:00 p.m., Sunday | | Line: KC -19.5; o/u 49.0 Implied totals: Jets 14.75, 34.25 The line wants us to believe: That there's only one way to make this game interesting. The Jets have lost by 20 points three times this year, and only sloppy offenses have let them hang around. Kansas City's defense has started playing better and too many injuries for the Jets make it hard to believe they'll hit their 14.75 implied point total. So what the heck? Take the Chiefs. Toughest lineup decision: Le'Veon Bell — Start. I don't care too much about the revenge game narrative, I care about a line that should allow for a lot of garbage time. Bell nearly matched Clyde Edwards-Helaire in routes run in Week 7, so don't be too worried about his lack of targets. Both Chiefs backs will probably see double-digit touches, and there should be no shortage of scoring opportunities, making Bell a viable starter even in a part-time role. What we're watching for: Do the Jets start to turn toward the young guys more. It's already happened at running back, with LaMical Perine playing 63% of the snaps over the last two games, but Frank Gore still had the same number of carries last week. Hopefully that starts to change, and hopefully Denzel Mims continues to see a significant role (79% snap share in Week 7 debut) and starts to make some plays. The Jets need to see what they have in these two, and Fantasy players can at least hypothetically get excited about them. Injuries: Jamison Crowder (groin) — Upgraded to a limited practice Thursday, so he's still definitely not in the clear for Week 8. We may not know Crowder's status until Sunday … Breshad Perriman (concussion) — Did not practice Thursday, seems like a long shot to play. Make sure you add Denzel Mims if you've got the roster spot to spare … Sammy Watkins (hamstring) — Continues to be held out and probably needs at least another week, if not longer. | | Vikings at Packers, 1:00 p.m., Sunday | | Line: GB -7.0; o/u 51.0 Implied totals: Vikings 22.0, Packers 29.0 The line wants us to believe: The Vikings will keep it close. Couldn't they have gotten away with minus-8 or minus-9 here? Minnesota's pass rush is tame and its secondary is beat up. Expect Aaron Rodgers to attack the flats and sidelines all game long as the Packers roll to a convincing win. Toughest lineup decision: Kirk Cousins — Start if you're desperate. Cousins is always a pretty iffy start because of the chance the Vikings just sit on the ball and have him throw, like 23 passes. But, as seven-point dogs, you have to think there will be more volume there, and when you're throwing to guys like Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, more volume is a good thing. If you're in a tough spot, Cousins could be a good start chasing points. What we're watching for: These two teams don't really have many questions at this point. The Vikings are going to run their offense through Dalvin Cook and funnel targets to Thielen and Jefferson, while the Packers will lean heavily on Jones (or Jamaal Williams, if Jones doesn't play) and Davante Adams, with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Robert Tonyan on the periphery of Fantasy relevance. The only real question comes if Allen Lazard is able to play, because he was on a very strong pace before his injury. Injuries: Dalvin Cook (groin) — Expected to return this week after sitting out one game plus the bye … Aaron Jones (calf) — Has not practiced yet this week, so it looks like it's going to be another Williams game. Williams should dominate touches yet again, and is a must-start RB … Mason Crosby (calf) — Crosby injured his calf in the previous game and is at risk of missing Week 8 … Allen Lazard (abdomen) — Lazard has been designated to return from IR and is practicing this week, though it's not yet clear if he'll play. He had 13 catches for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns in three games before the injury, and is well worth stashing if you've got the roster spot. | | Colts at Lions, 1:00 p.m., Sunday | | Line: DET +2.5; o/u 50.0 Implied totals: Colts 26.25, Lions 23.75 The line wants us to believe: Detroit's last two wins were flukes. Making the Lions underdogs at home is a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for those people brave enough to take the Colts, whose defense should be healthy and whose offense should get back to basics with the run game. It's the side the oddsmakers don't want you on. Don't be surprised if Philip Rivers connects on a handful of deep throws. Toughest lineup decision: D'Andre Swift — Start. Week 7 was more than a little bit of a letdown for Swift, who went from a season-high 14 carries to just nine, while Adrian Peterson had 11. But he's still the guy in the passing game, with at least four targets in three straight, and he's still getting goal-line work. The Colts are a tough defense, but with so many injuries and bye weeks to contend with, Swift should still be in your lineup. What we're watching for: These are both teams that I'd like to see switch their style up a bit, and the Lions especially would do well to be more aggressive in the passing game. That unlocked a ton of Fantasy potential for Matthew Stafford last season, so it's been frustrating to see them go back in their shell. So, as in every game for the Lions, I want to see Stafford push the ball down the field. So far, he has just one game where he has averaged more than 10 intended air yards per game, something he did six times in eight games in 2019. Injuries: Mo Alie-Cox (knee) — Upgraded to a limited participant in practice Thursday, but you probably don't want to rely on him with Trey Burton back. | | Raiders at Browns, 1:00 p.m., Sunday | | Line: CLE -2.5; o/u 51.0 Implied totals: Raiders 21.25, Browns 25.25 The line wants us to believe: ... in Baker Mayfield. If not for his late heroics last week, the Raiders might be favored here. There's less to trust with the Raiders, especially considering how well the Browns run defense has been playing. I would expect Kareem Hunt, not Mayfield, to be the reason why Cleveland pulls away, but they will pull away. Toughest lineup decision: Rashard Higgins — Sit. With Odell Beckham out of the picture for the rest of the year, you might look to Higgins as a beneficiary of his absence, and you'll probably be right. But that doesn't mean he'll be a good Fantasy start. Higgins has played at least 70% of the snaps in a game nine times in his career, and has just three games with more than 47 receiving yards. Bet on Jarvis Landry, Harrison Bryant, David Njoku and Kareem Hunt being more impactful in a game where the Browns, as usual, probably won't throw much. What we're watching for: It's all about how the Browns go about replacing Beckham. You just got my expectation, but I am not a fortune teller. It's entirely possible Higgins has taken a step forward and is ready to be a true go-to option for the Browns, or maybe Donovan Peoples-Jones, the sixth rounder from Michigan who played his most significant role in Week 7, will be featured more. It's entirely possible Beckham's absence does create a real opportunity somewhere, even if I wouldn't necessarily start anyone right away. Injuries: Austin Hooper (abdomen) — Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, and seems likely to sit out another week recovering from the emergency appendectomy last week … Bryan Edwards (foot/ankle) — Returned to practice this week, but that's not a guarantee that he'll be back, and it's not clear what kind of role he is going to have when he does return, given the emergence of Nelson Agholor. | | Titans at Bengals, 1:00 p.m., Sunday | | Line: CIN +5.5; o/u 53.0 Implied totals: Titans 29.25, Bengals 23.75 The line wants us to believe: Joe Burrow gives the Bengals a chance, even against tough competition. This Titans team is something else, down two scores last week and still running the ball -- and still making defenses pay. The Bengals have lost three good players from their D-line just in time for Derrick Henry to rumble 20 times. Maybe it's a sucker line because they're not giving Cincinnati more points, but the Titans should win, even if it's a higher-scoring game than they'd like it to be. Toughest lineup decision: Ryan Tannehill/Joe Burrow — Start. Both should be good starters in this one, but the potential of some windy weather may scare some Fantasy players off. Maybe we'll get to Sunday and see 25 mph winds with 35+ mph gusts, but as of now, I'm not concerned enough to get them out of my lineup. What we're watching for: Against a pretty easy matchup, I'd like to see a Jonnu Smith bounce-back game. You can forgive a down game against a defense like the Steelers coming off an injury, but I'll be a little bit worried if Smith doesn't stand out against the Bengals. Injuries: A.J. Brown (knee) — Just like last week, it looks like Brown rested his knee, and this may be the case moving forward. He had six catches, 153 yards, and a touchdown while playing 93% of snaps last week, so there's no need to worry here … Joe Mixon (foot) — Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, so it's shaping up to be another Giovani Bernard game. You're starting him if he starts. | | Patriots at Bills, 1:00 p.m., Sunday | | Line: BUF -4.0; o/u 41.0 Implied totals: Patriots 18.5, Bills 22.5 The line wants us to believe: Buffalo's offense really is in trouble. Maybe it is, but the Patriots' offense is in even bigger trouble. Both teams have quarterback and run game issues to start fixing, but the Bills' receiving corps has more playmaking potential. That's the side I want to be on, even in a projected low-scoring matchup. Toughest lineup decision: Cam Newton — Sit. I believe Newton will pull out of his present slide, but with his top two receivers out, the smarter move is to wait for him to prove he's out of it. This game has the lowest over/under on the schedule, and I'm not sure anyone on this Patriots offense is worth trusting in this one. What we're watching for: I want to watch Josh Allen closely in this one, because it should set up pretty well for him. The Patriots aren't a great matchup, but they haven't been the same suffocating matchup they were last year, and their offensive woes should allow for the Bills to play their game plan. Allen has struggled when he's been put in situations where he has to press, so I'd like to see a game where he's comfortable like the first week w weeks. Injuries: Julian Edelman (knee) — Underwent a procedure on the knee Thursday and is likely to miss a few weeks. This is an injury that has been bothering him all season, so hopefully better days are ahead once he recovers … N'Keal Harry (concussion) — Hasn't practiced this week, seems unlikely to play … John Brown (knee) — Practiced in full Wednesday and Thursday, should be able to play. Brown was limited in Week 6 by the injury and sat out Week 7, so hopefully the time off let him get back to full speed. | | Chargers at Broncos, 4:05 p.m., Sunday | | Line: DEN +3.0; o/u 44.5 Implied totals: Chargers 23.75, Broncos 20.75 The line wants us to believe: Denver's not as bad as the score suggested last week. Wow, they sure want you to take the Chargers, don't they? Truth is, Drew Lock played erratically last week. If he does it again behind that offensive line against Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, there's no way the Broncos will be able to compete. I'm sure the oddsmakers are thinking Justin Herbert is due for a let-down, but he's been in tougher spots on the road and come through remarkably. Toughest lineup decision: Justin Jackson/Joshua Kelley — Sit. With injuries and bye weeks, that might be easier said than done, but this is not a situation I want any part of right now. There's just no clarity on how the work will be split up, and the Chargers aren't blocking well enough to make a time-share super valuable. Worse still, they split the passing work in Week 7, so there isn't an obvious way to lean for PPR . A frustrating outcome after Jackson had 20 touches in Week 6 before the bye week. What we're watching for: The Broncos have leaned heavily on their tight ends, with Noah Fant and Albert Okwuegbunam each seeing seven targets in Week 7, while 29.6% of their total targets have gone to tight ends overall this season. Both could be Fantasy relevant moving forward if that continues, especially if Tim Patrick doesn't play in Week 8. Injuries: Tim Patrick (hamstring)— Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, seems like a long shot to play … Phillip Lindsay (concussion) — Limited practice Thursday, a good sign for his chances of playing in Week 8. He still needs to be fully cleared from the concussion protocol, but this is progress. | | 49ers at Seahawks, 4:25 p.m., Sunday | | Line: SEA -3.0; o/u 54.0 Implied totals: 49ers 25.5, Seahawks 28.5 The line wants us to believe: That previous games don't matter when these teams meet. Honestly, how in blazes is Seattle favored by a field goal?! I can't figure it out, which is the first sign of a trap line. But I can't see the 49ers staying within less than three points against Russell Wilson and their bitter rival. If it's a trap, I'm falling in. Toughest lineup decision, 1a: JaMycal Hasty/Jerick McKinnon — Start/Sit. I honestly don't know what to make of this, but Hasty feels like the safer option given what we saw from him in replacing Jeff Wilson last week, along with how well Wilson ran the ball. McKinnon could definitely be the go-to back like he was the first time Raheem Mostert was out, but it's hard to trust that when he wasn't getting that opportunity in either of the last two games when injuries struck. McKinnon's pass-catching makes him the higher upside play, and if you want to take the chance, I don't blame that. But it's a risk. Toughest lineup decision, 1b: Carlos Hyde/DeeJay Dallas/Travis Homer — Start Hyde if he plays. I'm tempted to say start Dallas if Hyde doesn't play, but we just don't know what to expect from him as either a runner or receiver; Dallas has just six touches in 23 snaps. However, he's also the only back who has even practiced for Seattle this week, so if you're desperate, sneaking a waiver claim for him through before the weekend just in case isn't the worst idea. Injuries: Deebo Samuel (hamstring) — Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, might miss next week, too … Jeff Wilson (ankle) — Expected to be placed on IR … Chris Carson (foot) — Did not practice Thursday. May try to practice Friday, but seems like a long shot to play … Carlos Hyde (hamstring)/Travis Homer (knee) — Neither injury sounds particularly serious, but neither player has practiced this week, so you can't assume they're playing. Friday will be key. | | Saints at Bears, 4:25 p.m., Sunday | | Line: CHI +4.5; o/u 43.5 Implied totals: Saints 24, Bears 19.5 The line wants us to believe: The Bears loss on Monday was a blip on the radar. Why else would they only get four points against the Saints? The Saints defense nearly blew it last week against the Panthers and the offense is down to Alvin Kamara, Jared Cook, Tre'Quan Smith and scraps for Drew Brees to throw to. With or without Allen Robinson, this is a bounce-back game for the Bears. Toughest lineup decision: Darnell Mooney — Interesting sleeper. With Allen Robinson likely sitting out due to a concussion, Mooney figures to step into a larger role, and I'm excited to see what he can do with it. I'm not saying he's a must-start guy, but Mooney is one of the fastest players in the league, and he's already established himself as one of the Bears' best options. He's a boom-or-bust sleeper in Week 8. What we're watching for: It's hard to say what to watch for in a game where one team may be down its top-three receivers while the other is missing far and away its best offensive player. This game has one of the lowest totals on the schedule, and injuries make it hard to pinpoint who might actually stand out. Alvin Kamara is an obvious must-start, and David Montgomery gets too many touches to bench, but there isn't another player you have to start here. The only thing that could make this interesting is if Michael Thomas (hamstring) makes a surprise return. Injuries: Michael Thomas (hamstring) — For what it's worth, Thomas did return to practice on a limited basis. It still feels like a long shot that he'll play, but I wouldn't have the courage to bench him if he was active … Allen Robinson (concussion) — In the protocol, and hasn't been cleared for a return to practice yet. Proceed as if he won't be available. | | Cowboys at Eagles, 8:20 p.m., Sunday | | Line: PHI -9.5; o/u 43.0 Implied totals: Cowboys 16.75, Eagles 26.25 The line wants us to believe: Dallas can find some points this week. The Cowboys just got their doors blown off by Washington and the Eagles have been very competitive for the past several weeks. Even with Dallas' reinforcements on the O-line, the Eagles' defense should be primed to keep them out of the end zone. Toughest lineup decision: Amari Cooper/CeeDee Lamb — Start? Honestly, I would probably not start Lamb, though I can't exactly come up with a good argument for either with Ben DiNucci likely to start at quarterback. DiNucci dropped back to pass seven times in his Week 7 debut and was sacked three times. Cooper is just a low-end No. 3 WR in my eyes for this week, with Lamb further down. What we're watching for: It sounds like Jalen Reagor is going to make his return in Week 8 from a torn ligament in his thumb, and Dallas Goedert (ankle) has an outside chance to play, too. Carson Wentz is getting his weapons back, and he gets to face the awful Cowboys defense — there's a reason he's Jamey Eisenberg's Start of the Week! I'm curious to see how much Reagor plays, and whether he cuts into Travis Fulgham's No. 1 WR role. Remember, Reagor looked like he was trending toward behind the team's top option before a torn labrum in his shoulder in training camp knocked him off track. He's well worth stashing now that he is healthy. Injuries: Miles Sanders (knee) — Did not practice yet again Thursday. It's Boston Scott time again, it seems … Alshon Jeffery (calf) — Did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, so it's at least another week; he might not be worth waiting for at this point … Andy Dalton (concussion) — Did not practice, unlikely to play. | | Buccaneers at Giants, 8:15 p.m., Monday | | Line: NYG +12.0; o/u 45.0 Implied totals: Buccaneers 28.5, Giants 16.5 The line wants us to believe: The Giants are pushovers. It's not true -- they've hung tough in each of their past four games and were a dropped pass away from winning last week. Tampa Bay's offense might be down Chris Godwin, but the defense should be in a spot to turn over Daniel Jones a couple of times. Four of Tampa Bay's five wins have been by 14-plus points, but something tells me the Giants find a way to lose by 9 or 10. Toughest lineup decision: Ronald Jones/Leonard Fournette — Start . I mean, look, you've gotta start someone at running back, and Week 7 was actually sort of promising, because at least we finally saw clearly delineated roles. Jones was still the lead runner, and he got a late touchdown inside the 10-yard line, so expect him to handle the majority of the goal-line work moving forward. Fournette got 11 carries of his own, but especially made his presence known in the passing game, catching six of seven targets for 47 yards, compared to just one catch on two targets for Jones. Bruce Arians called Fournette his "nickel" back, and he should have that passing game role moving forward. There's room enough for both in a game the Buccaneers should dominate. What we're watching for: Of course, we've been wrong about the Bucs backfield before. Coming into the season, the assumption was that Fournette was brought in to supplant Jones, and then Jones got 17 carries in Week 1; when many assumed Jones would be the lead back, Fournette rushed for 103 yards on 12 carries, while Jones was the forgotten man in Week 2; Jones then out-touched Fournette 15-8 in Week 3 before Fournette's injury. Arians has zagged when we've expected him to zig, so maybe that happens again? We haven't seen any predictability in Tampa's backfield, and with the fluctuation we're about to see in the passing game with Antonio Brown eligible to return in Week 9, some stability at running back would be nice. Injuries: Chris Godwin (finger) — Going to miss at least one game, and Arians told reporters Wednesday it would be "optimistic" to just assume Godwin will be back in Week 9 … Devonta Freeman (ankle) — Did not practice, and it's looking like Wayne Gallman will be the lead back for the Giants. He's a low-end starting option if you need one, though the matchup is about as tough as it gets … Sterling Shepard (shoulder/toe) — The shoulder is a new one, though being limited to start the week is usually a good sign. Shepard should be the Giants' No. 1 option in the passing game, but he's just a No. 3 WR in Week 8. | | | | | | | | SEC on CBS | | NFL on CBS | LSU and Auburn will square off on Saturday at 3:30 PM ET in the SEC on CBS Game of the Week on the Plains at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Watch live on CBS and the CBS Sports App!
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