Roschon Johnson
1.1 projected
A backup behind a workhorse. He is the hole in your lineup.
You are down 9.60 to nothing with all seven starters still to play, and that is the good news. The bad news is that one of those seven, Roschon Johnson of the Chicago Bears, is projected for 1.1 points. You have an open bench spot and $39 of waiver money. Use both today.
LordHaveMRSA
0.00
WhoottieBoys
9.60
Thursday night is in the books. You had nobody in it. Seven starters left, your opponent has six.
Zonovan Knight
7.4 projected
Free agent. Leads the Cardinals in rushing. Add him today.
DJ Moore
Questionable
Non-contact jersey two days running. His status decides your flex.
Where the matchup stands
Projected finish: roughly 102 to 115
Your seven starters project to about 102 points as currently set. His six remaining starters plus Coker land near 115. That gap is almost entirely your second running back slot, and it is fixable before Sunday.
You are 3-4, eighth of twelve on points scored (719.16), against WhoottieBoys at 1-6, dead last in the league. This is the most winnable game left on your schedule and you should not need heroics to take it.
He is ahead 9.60 to 0.00 only because Jalen Coker of the Carolina Panthers played Thursday night and you had nobody in that game. Coker caught two of five targets for 36 yards and a touchdown. That is the whole lead.
Thursday night, and what it meant for you
Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers) - 30 of 41, 288 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception
Efficient night spread across three receivers. Christian Watson (Green Bay Packers) led with 8 catches for 113 yards on 10 targets, Matthew Golden (Green Bay Packers) took 13 targets for 7 catches, 79 yards and a touchdown, and Tucker Kraft (Green Bay Packers) added 6 for 53 and a score.
Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers) - 23 of 41, 209 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, sacked six times
Ugly. A 36.2 quarterback rating and six sacks. Tetairoa McMillan (Carolina Panthers) saw eleven targets and turned them into six catches for 58 yards, which tells you how little was available downfield. Chuba Hubbard (Carolina Panthers) ground out 81 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown - volume, not efficiency.
Nothing to claim from Thursday
Every player who did damage last night is already owned in your league. Christian Watson belongs to Gridiron Guru 23, Matthew Golden to markc1281, Tucker Kraft to vargy, and Jalen Coker to the man you are playing. The waiver story this week is elsewhere.
Green Bay Packers 27, Carolina Panthers 19, at Lambeau Field. Nobody on your roster was involved, so this costs you nothing directly - it only put your opponent on the board first.
The problem: your second running back
Roschon Johnson (Chicago Bears) - projected 1.1 points
This is not a slow start, it is a non-role. He scored 1.30 points in Week 7 and was inactive or unplayed in the three weeks before that. D'Andre Swift (Chicago Bears) is handling the Chicago backfield as a workhorse - meaning he takes nearly all the meaningful carries - and Johnson is the change-of-pace back behind him. Starting him is close to fielding six players.
You have no alternative on your own roster
Cam Skattebo (New York Giants) is your only other running back and the Giants are on a bye this week, along with the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers. Dameon Pierce (Philadelphia Eagles) is on injured reserve. The second running back slot can only be filled by a running back, so no wide receiver can cover for you here.
The good news: your bench has an open spot
Dameon Pierce sits in your league's one injured-reserve slot, which does not count against your fourteen roster spots. You are carrying thirteen active players. You can add a running back today without dropping anybody.
Waiver and free-agent targets
| Player | Why | Bid |
|---|---|---|
| Zonovan Knight (Arizona Cardinals), Running Back | The clear top add. He has led the Cardinals in rushing in back-to-back weeks while Tyler Allgeier (Arizona Cardinals) nurses a toe injury. Projected 7.4 points at Dallas on Sunday at 1:00 PM. Healthy, no injury designation. | $10-12 |
| Josh Downs (Indianapolis Colts), Wide Receiver | Projected 10.1 points, which is better than your current flex starter. A real slot role in a good offense, at Jacksonville on Sunday at 1:00 PM. Worth a claim even if you only use him as insurance. | $6-8 |
| Samaje Perine (Cincinnati Bengals), Running Back | The fallback if Knight gets claimed ahead of you. Projected 7.1 points, catches passes, and full point-per-reception scoring rewards that. Less upside, more floor. | $3-5 |
| Tyjae Spears (Tennessee Titans), Running Back | Highest projection of the free-agent running backs at 7.5, but he is listed as questionable. Do not spend on a body you may not be able to start. Third in line behind the two above. | $2-4 |
You have spent $61 of your $100 FAAB - the season-long budget you use to bid on waiver pickups - leaving $39 and the third waiver priority. Spend some of it. A $10 bid that turns 1.1 points into 7.4 is worth more than $39 sitting unused in Week 13.
Injuries, byes and practice news on your roster
DJ Moore (Buffalo Bills) - shoulder, questionable
Reported in a non-contact jersey for a second straight day as of Thursday evening and not yet cleared for contact. He has given you 2.7 points total since Week 4 and zeros in three straight weeks. Even if he is cleared, he is a coin flip. Check the Friday game-status report before you set your lineup.
Keon Coleman (Buffalo Bills) - healthy, but volatile
No injury designation. His last four games: 23.6, 7.7, 15.9 and 0.0. That zero in Week 7 is the reason he is a question rather than a lock. If Moore is ruled out, Coleman's target share climbs and he becomes the better play; if Moore suits up, Coleman is a gamble.
Cam Skattebo (New York Giants) - bye week
Listed as questionable, but it is academic. The Giants do not play in Week 8. He scored 19.1 points in Week 7 and is worth holding.
Dameon Pierce (Philadelphia Eagles) - injured reserve
Parked in your injured-reserve slot, costing you nothing. Leave him there.
Start/sit before Sunday 1:00 PM
| Slot | Player | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterback | Drake Maye (New England Patriots) | Lock. Projected 22.1 at Miami, 4:25 PM. He has gone 27.2, 39.5, 23.8 and 28.4 in his last four. Your most reliable asset. |
| Running Back | Kyren Williams (Los Angeles Rams) | Lock. Projected 19.7 against the Chargers, 4:05 PM. |
| Running Back | OPEN - add one today | Do not start Roschon Johnson (Chicago Bears) at 1.1 projected points if you can help it. Claim Zonovan Knight (Arizona Cardinals) and start him instead. |
| Wide Receiver | Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams) | Lock. Projected 21.7. Has not scored under 14 points in a month. |
| Wide Receiver | Tre Tucker (Las Vegas Raiders) | Start. Projected 10.6 at the Jets, 1:00 PM. He has put up 7.5, 26.7 and 21.3 the last three weeks, so the projection looks light. |
| Tight End | Trey McBride (Arizona Cardinals) | Lock. Projected 19.3 at Dallas, 1:00 PM. Coming off 27.1 points. |
| Flex | Keon Coleman or Chris Godwin Jr. | The call. Chris Godwin Jr. (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) projects 10.2 and has been boringly steady - 9.1, 7.0, 7.7, 6.7. Keon Coleman (Buffalo Bills) projects 7.7 but swings between 0 and 24. If DJ Moore is ruled out Friday, start Coleman. If Moore plays, take Godwin's floor. |
Daylight saving time ends Sunday morning, so the early window kicks off at 1:00 PM Eastern. Both of your real decisions involve Buffalo Bills receivers playing in that window, which means you need the Friday injury report before you lock in.
Bench notes and the rest of the room
Xavier Worthy (Kansas City Chiefs) - projected 9.1 at Denver, 4:25 PM. His last four: 11.0, 0.0, 14.3, 4.1. Not reliable enough to displace Godwin, but keep him.
DeMario Douglas (New England Patriots) - projected 9.4. Scored 19.6 in Week 6, then 5.3. A decent emergency flex if both Buffalo receivers look wrong on Sunday morning.
Geno Smith (New York Jets) - projected 17.1. Pure insurance behind Drake Maye. Nothing to do here.
Teams on bye in Week 8: Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers. Only Cam Skattebo affects you.
Remaining Week 8 schedule, all US Eastern: twelve games Sunday November 1 starting at 1:00 PM, with Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams at 4:05 PM, Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos and New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins at 4:25 PM, Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders at 8:20 PM, and Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks on Monday November 2 at 8:15 PM.