NFL Game Previews: Week 8 Matchups

Miami (+14.5) at Pittsburgh, 43.0 o/u – Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

Could the Dolphins be getting ... better? I mean it's not like they had anywhere to go but up. After getting blown out in four straight games to begin the year, they've come out of their bye with two losses by a combined 11 points. Progress! They weren't exactly facing offensive juggernauts in Washington and Buffalo, but the defense still looked like something closer to an NFL-caliber unit, and Ryan Fitzpatrick breathed some Fitzmagic into the offense last week. Now he has to face a defense coming out of its own bye, and which has shown marked improvement since Pittsburgh lost three straight to begin the season. Rookie linebacker Devin Bush in particular was a force in Week 6, and the return of something close to the Steel Curtain would take a lot of pressure off Mason Rudolph under center, even if it might not do much to turn around a very disappointing, Roethlisberger-less campaign for JuJu Smith-Schuster.

The Skinny

MIA injuries: C Daniel Kilgore (questionable, knee), CB Xavien Howard (questionable, knee), S Reshad Jones (questionable, chest)

PIT injuries: LB Mark Barron (questionable, hamstring)

MIA DFS chalk: none

PIT DFS chalk: James Conner (MIA 31st in rushing yards allowed per game, 32nd in rushing DVOA, 32nd in passing DVOA vs. RB), Steelers DST (t-2nd in takeaways, MIA t-31st in points per game, 29th in sack percentage allowed)

MIA DFS tournament plays: none

PIT DFS tournament plays: Rudolph (MIA 32nd in passing TD percentage allowed), Jaylen Samuels (see Conner), Smith-Schuster (MIA 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1, 30th in DVOA against deep throws), Vance McDonald (MIA 31st in DVOA vs. TE)

Key stat: PIT is t-27th in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 40.0 percent (6-for-15) of RZ possessions; MIA is 32nd in red-zone defense at 69.6 percent (16-for-23)

Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the mid-50s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Mark Walton leads the MIA backfield with 50 yards. Fitzpatrick throws for 230 yards and TDs to Preston Williams and Albert Wilson but gets picked off three times, one of which Minkah Fitzpatrick (no relation) returns for a score. Conner erupts for 130 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. Rudolph throws for a career-high 270 yards and TDs to JuJu and McDonald. Steelers, 35-14

Seattle at Atlanta (+3.5), 53.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The Seahawks' loss last week to the Ravens looks ugly on paper, but it's tough to draw conclusions from a game in which the margin of difference was two defensive TDs. Russell Wilson did have his worst game of the year, but he wasn't going to be able to save Seattle's bacon every week. Fortunately their Audubon tour continues with the Falcons, a team in such disarray that conspiracy theories involving Dirk Koetter sabotaging the offense to get Dan Quinn fired and claim the head coaching job for himself are starting to look plausible. Koetter probably won't have to lift a finger if Matt Ryan can't play through his ankle injury, as the dropoff in talent from him to backup Matt Schaub is steep. Atlanta still has a deep receiving corps even after trading Mohamed Sanu, but Julio Jones is back to merely gaining lots of yards while Calvin Ridley and the surprising Austin Hooper score the TDs. Even if Ryan plays, he's had very little luck this year trying to climb out of the holes the defense is digging — the Falcons are 31st in the league in points per game allowed at 31.9, better than only the Dolphins.

The Skinny

SEA injuries: LT Duane Brown (questionable, biceps), RT Germain Ifedi (questionable, knee), DE Ezekiel Ansah (questionable, ankle)

ATL injuries: QB Ryan (questionable, ankle), RB Ito Smith (out, concussion), LG James Carpetner (out, knee), CB Desmond Trufant (out, toe)

SEA DFS chalk: Wilson (ATL 28th in passing yards allowed per game, 30th in passing TD percentage allowed), Tyler Lockett (ATL 29th in DVOA vs. WR1)

ATL DFS chalk: none

SEA DFS tournament plays: DK Metcalf (ATL 31st in DVOA vs. WR2)

ATL DFS tournament plays: Devonta Freeman (SEA t-28th in rushing TDs allowed)

Key stat: SEA is 14th in third-down conversions at 41.6 percent; ATL is 32nd in third-down defense at 54.9 percent

Weather forecast: indoors

The Scoop 

Chris Carson bangs out 120 yards and a touchdown. Wilson throws for 320 yards and three TDs, finding Metcalf, Lockett and David Moore. Freeman manages 80 scrimmage yards and a score. Schaub starts and throws for 230 yards and a TD to Hooper but gets picked off twice. Seahawks 34-14

Denver (+5.5) at Indianapolis, 43.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The Broncos acknowledged reality when they dealt away Emmanuel Sanders earlier this week, but they won't be able to fully commit to the rebuild until Drew Lock comes off IR and takes the starting QB job from Joe Flacco. Until then, they might still have just enough talent to cost themselves draft position with untimely upsets — their two-headed backfield can be effective, Courtland Sutton might be a legit No. 1 WR, and it's not like Von Miller is going anywhere. The Colts aren't a likely candidate, though. Sure, they did lose at home to the Raiders earlier in the year, but they were hit hard by injuries at the time. T.Y. Hilton is now 100 percent, and Darius Leonard's return turned the defense around last week against the Texans. Jacoby Brissett continues to surprise, and it's possible he learned something while playing behind Tom Brady his rookie year — in fact, Brissett's 14:3 TD:INT through six games is better than the future Hall of Famer's 11:4 mark through seven contests for the Pats.

The Skinny

DEN injuries: none

IND injuries: TE Jack Doyle (questionable, groin), CB Pierre Desir (questionable, hamstring), CB Kenny Moore (questionable, knee)

DEN DFS chalk: none

IND DFS chalk: Hilton (DEN 26th in DVOA vs. WR1)

DEN DFS tournament plays: Phillip Lindsay / Royce Freeman (IND 31st in rushing DVOA)

IND DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: IND is sixth in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 65.2 percent (15-for-23) of RZ possessions; DEN is third in red-zone defense at 38.1 percent (8-for-21)

Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop

Freeman carves out 80 combined yards and a score, while Lindsay adds 60 scrimmage yards. Flacco throws for 230 yards and a TD to Sutton. Marlon Mack picks up 90 combined yards and a touchdown. Brissett throws for 260 yards and two TDs to Hilton, who tops 100 yards. Colts, 24-20
 

Tampa Bay (+2.5) at Tennessee, 45.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The Bucs headed into their bye on a two-game losing streak, and there's really no one person to blame for the club's 2-4 record. OK, sure, Jameis Winston's five INTs are probably to blame for the Week 6 loss to the Panthers, but he didn't commit a turnover when they lost to the Saints. If there's been one consistently awful aspect to the team it's been the secondary, though. Tampa Bay's defense is the only one in the league coughing up more than 300 passing yards a game, and it's middle of the pack at best in other aerial categories. That's led to 30th place in scoring defense, having surrendered more than 30 points in five of their six games. The Titans' passing offense was as bad as the Bucs' passing defense heading into last week, but the switch to Ryan Tannehill at QB added a definite spark. Not only did the former Dolphin throw for more than 300 yards, young wideouts Corey Davis and A.J. Brown actually made an impact for once. The Tennessee defense has been strong all season — fourth in scoring (16.0 points per game allowed), top 10 in sacks and passing yards allowed per game — but if the offense starts carrying its share of the load as well, it could emerge as the class of the AFC South.

The Skinny

TB injuries: TE O.J. Howard (out, hamstring), RG Alex Cappa (out, forearm), RT Demar Dotson (questionable, hamstring)

TEN injuries: TE Delanie Walker (out, ankle), RT Jack Conklin (questionable, thigh), LB Rashaan Evans (questionable, shoulder)

TB DFS chalk: none

TEN DFS chalk: none

TB DFS tournament plays: Scott Miller (TEN 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3), Buccaneers DST (TEN 32nd in sack percentage allowed)

TEN DFS tournament plays: Tannehill (TB 32nd in passing yards allowed per game), Titans DST (TB 30th in sack percentage allowed)

Key stat: TB is 20th in third-down offense at 35.5 percent; TEN is fourth in third-down defense at 31.0 percent 

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 60s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Ronald Jones leads the TB backfield with 60 combined yards, but Peyton Barber scores a short TD. Winston throws for 230 yards and touchdowns to Chris Godwin and Cameron Brate but gets picked off twice. Derrick Henry grinds out 70 yards and a score. Tannehill throws for 330 yards and three TDs, finding Brown, Davis and Jonnu Smith. Titans, 31-21
 

Arizona (+9.5) at New Orleans, 48.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The Cards have parlayed a soft patch in their schedule into a three-game winning streak, climbing back to .500 in the process, but never mind all that. The team had David Johnson active last Sunday and gave him the first carry of the game ... and then put him in mothballs, letting Chase Edmonds fill the feature-back role and erupt for 150 scrimmage yards and three TDs against a hapless Giants defense. Fantasy GMs with DJ shares, and even those who had scooped up Edmonds on spec but left him on reserve with Johnson apparently well enough to play, reacted with fury on social media, especially after some absolutely lethal Twitter trolling by the club. Just a masterful performance by the organization all around, really. I can't help but applaud. Of course, there's now a huge question going into Week 8 over which Arizona RB will start, whether whoever starts actually sees a starter's workload, or whether Edmonds' massive outing will create a timeshare even if/when Johnson gets healthy. The Saints don't present a terrible matchup for the Cards' backfield either, sitting middle of the pack in YPC allowed (18th) and passing DVOA vs. RBs (14th). The latter is more likely to be a factor, though — New Orleans is in firm control of the NFC South at 6-1, and Teddy Bridgewater has been playing like Teddy Icewater since Drew Brees got hurt, posting a 9:2 TD:INT with a 69.7 percent completion rate in his five starts. Brees is practicing and could return Sunday, and Alvin Kamara — who missed last week's game after the Saints politely gave everyone plenty of notice regarding his absence — could be back on the field as well, giving the team more than enough weapons to outpace the Cards' offense, especially if Kyler Murray struggles to handle the Saints' pass rush (ninth in sack percentage, fourth in pressure percentage).

The Skinny

ARI injuries: RB Johnson (questionable, ankle), WR Christian Kirk (questionable, ankle), LB Jordan Hicks (questionable, calf), LB Haason Reddick (questionable, knee)

NO injuries: QB Brees (questionable, thumb), RB Kamara (questionable, ankle), WR Tre'Quan Smith (questionable, ankle), TE Jared Cook (questionable, ankle)

ARI DFS chalk: none

NO DFS chalk: Kamara (ARI 31st in passing DVOA vs. RB), Michael Thomas (ARI 27th in DVOA vs. WR1, 29th in DVOA against deep throws)

ARI DFS tournament plays: Murray (NO t-31st in rushing TDs allowed to QB)

NO DFS tournament plays: Brees / Bridgewater (ARI 29th in passing TD percentage allowed), Ted Ginn (ARI 29th in DVOA against deep throws), Cook (ARI 32nd in DVOA vs. TE)

Key stat: ARI 31st in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 34.6 percent (9-for-26) of RZ possessions; NO is t-25th in red-zone defense at 65.0 percent (13-for-20)

Weather forecast: indoors

The Scoop

Johnson sits again, but Edmonds only manages 70 combined yards this time around. Murray throws for 240 yards and a TD to Larry Fitzgerald while running for 40 yards and a score of his own. Kamara plays and piles up 110 combined yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, while Latavius Murray also finds the end zone. Brees returns and throws for 270 yards and a second TD to Thomas. Saints, 28-17
 

Cincinnati (+13) vs. L.A. Rams in London, 48.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

There hasn't been much chatter about Andy Dalton losing his job, but somebody on the Bengals has to be thinking about it, right? Their 0-7 start isn't solely the fault of the team's QB, but Dalton's repeated meltdowns haven't helped matters. Maybe it's the club's lack of a clear heir apparent that's giving the Red Rifle so much job security — backup Ryan Finley is a fourth-round rookie, and No. 3 Jacob Dolegala is an undrafted rookie. Getting A.J. Green back at some point might perk up Dalton, but that's not happening this week, and Green could always get dealt by the trade deadline. The Rams have already made a big splashy trade, and Jalen Ramsey's arrival seemed to turn the defense completely around last week as they trounced the Falcons. Even when facing one of the worst secondaries in the league Jared Goff couldn't complete 60 percent of his passes, though, and the offense seems increasingly dependent on Todd Gurley's health. He's been productive at less than 100 percent lately, scoring five TDs in his last three games (while also sitting one game during that stretch), and facing a woeful Cincy front seven should allow him to maximize whatever touches he gets.

The Skinny

CIN injuries: WR Green (out, ankle), LT Cordy Glenn (out, coach's decision), LT Andre Smith (questionable, ankle), CB Dre Kirkpatrick (out, knee)

LAR injuries: RB Malcolm Brown (out, ankle), LB Clay Matthews (out, jaw)

CIN DFS chalk: none

LAR DFS chalk: Gurley (CIN 32nd in YPC allowed, 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game, t-28th in rushing TDs allowed, 28th in passing DVOA vs. RB), Cooper Kupp (CIN 28th in DVOA vs. WR1, 32nd in DVOA against deep throws)

CIN DFS tournament plays: none

LAR DFS tournament plays: Robert Woods (CIN 30th in DVOA vs. WR2, 32nd in DVOA against deep throws), Rams DST (CIN 31st in giveaways)

Key stat: CIN is the only team other than MIA not to score more than 23 points in a game this season

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-40s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop 

Joe Mixon manages 60 combined yards and a TD. Dalton throws for 230 yards and gets picked off twice. Gurley dashes for 80 yards and a touchdown, while Darrell Henderson catches a TD pass. Goff throws for 290 yards and two more scores, hitting Kupp and Gerald Everett. Rams, 34-13
 

Philadelphia (+2) at Buffalo, 43.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Consecutive whuppings at the hands of the Vikings and Cowboys have the Eagles looking decidedly unplayoff-y. Carson Wentz getting outplayed by Dak Prescott in the latter contest has the QB taking the heat for the team's erratic performance, but it's the defense that keeps coming up small. You can't expect to win many games coughing up 37 or 38 points. The secondary got a healthy Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills back last week, and it didn't make a lick of difference — this is a unit that finished 30th in passing yards allowed last year and is 27th this year, so maybe it's DC Jim Schwartz who should be on the hot seat. The Bills survived a Ryan Fitzpatrick revenge game last week, and while it's ridiculous to be assigning playoff seeds in Week 8, they appear to be a solid lock for a wild card — they probably aren't going to catch the Patriots given the limitations of an offense led by Josh Allen and Frank Gore, but their remaining schedule still features rematches with the Jets and Dolphins, plus home games against Washington and Denver, as well as clashes with erratic clubs like the Steelers and Browns. It's hard not to see them with double-digit wins in December.

The Skinny

PHI injuries: RB Darren Sproles, (out, quad), WR DeSean Jackson (out, abdomen), LT Jason Peters (out, knee), LB Nigel Bradham (out, ankle)

BUF injuries: WR Duke Williams (questionable, shoulder)

PHI DFS chalk: none

BUF DFS chalk: none

PHI DFS tournament plays: none

BUF DFS tournament plays: Josh Allen (PHI 27th in passing yards allowed per game), Bills DST (third in points allowed per game)

Key stat: BUF is first in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 68.8 percent (11-for-16) of RZ possessions; PHI is t-17th in red-zone defense at 56.0 percent (14-for-25)

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the mid-50s, 13-14 mph wind, 25-50 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Miles Sanders leads the PHI backfield with 70 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown. Wentz throws for 210 yards and a second score to Zach Ertz. Gore grinds out 50 yards. Allen throws for 240 yards and a TD to John Brown while running in a score of his own, and Tremaine Edmunds returns a Nelson Agholor fumble to the house. Bills, 21-17
 

L.A. Chargers (+4) at Chicago, 40.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Somehow, the Chargers seem to have hung onto their aura as a playoff-caliber team this year, even though they've played like anything but. At 2-5, they have the same record as a Broncos squad that just traded away Emmanuel Sanders, but there's no sign the Bolts are similarly willing to face reality. Of course, their most tradable asset hasn't done anything to improve his market value, as Melvin Gordon has stumbled to a 2.3 YPC in three games since ending his holdout, with the team losing all three. A clash with a Chicago defense that ranks fourth in YPC allowed (3.6) probably isn't going to turn him around. The Bears aren't doing a whole lot better at 3-3, though. Mitchell Trubisky's return to the lineup last week didn't exactly spark the offense to life — they wound up with 25 points, their second-highest total of the year, but until a couple of garbage-time scores their only TD came on a Cordarrelle Patterson 102-yard kickoff return. David Montgomery has been a huge disappointment considering the Bears traded up to get him, and he has yet to top 81 scrimmage yards in a game. Whether it's Trubisky's fault or Matt Nagy's, this is a team that can only seem to win when the defense does something extraordinary, and a triple-teamed Khalil Mack can't make that kind of impact on a weekly basis.

The Skinny

LAC injuries: WR Keenan Allen (questionable, hamstring), K Michael Badgley (questionable, groin), DE Melvin Ingram (questionable, hamstring)

CHI injuries: none

LAC DFS chalk: none

CHI DFS chalk: none

LAC DFS tournament plays: none

CHI DFS tournament plays: Trubisky (LAC 28th in passing TD percentage allowed), Tarik Cohen (LAC 30th in passing DVOA vs. RB)

Key stat: CHI is eighth in red-zone offense when they get there, scoring a TD on 64.3 percent of RZ possessions, but their 14 red-zone trips ranks 30th; LAC is 28th in red-zone defense at 66.7 percent (10-of-15)

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 50s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Austin Ekeler leads the LAC backfield again with 80 combined yards. Philip Rivers throws for 250 yards and TDs to Hunter Henry and Mike Williams. Montgomery gains 70 scrimmage yards, while Cohen zips for 70 yards and a receiving score. Trubisky throws for a season-high 280 yards and a second touchdown to Allen Robinson. Bears, 23-14
 

N.Y. Giants (+7) at Detroit, 49.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Kyler Murray won last week's meeting of rookie first-round QBs in the sense that the Cards won the game, but Daniel Jones was the only one putting up semi-acceptable passing numbers. The Giants' signal caller has been picked off at least once in four straight games since that comeback victory over the Bucs, but he's also thrown a TD in four straight, so it's not like he's been hopeless. If the team can start leaning more heavily on Saquon Barkley and keep the kid out of situations where he feels he has to make a big play (or seven), it might have more luck. Of course, New York's defense knows a thing or two about allowing the opposition to run all over it and keep the quarterback from having to air it out too much. Chase Edmonds' huge performance last week has everyone wondering what Ty Johnson might be able to do this week as he steps in for Kerryon Johnson, but Detroit's offense wasn't having much success on the ground before now and might not be able to take full advantage of this soft matchup. Their own run defense is suspect as well with multiple injuries at DT and rankings of 26th in YPC allowed and 28th in rushing yards per game allowed. Then again, even if Barkley goes off, Matthew Stafford might not have too many problems slicing up a Giants secondary that ranks 31st in YPA allowed.

The Skinny

NYG injuries: WR Sterling Shepard (out, concussion)

DET injuries: RB Kerryon Johnson (IR, knee), CB Darius Slay (out, hamstring)

NYG DFS chalk: none

DET DFS chalk: Kenny Golladay (NYG 31st in DVOA vs. WR1)

NYG DFS tournament plays: Daniel Jones (DET 30th in passing yards allowed per game), Barkley (see above)

DET DFS tournament plays: Ty Johnson / J.D. McKissic (NYG t-31st in rushing TDs allowed, 29th in passing DVOA vs. RB), Danny Amendola (NYG 31st in DVOA vs. WR3), Lions DST (NYG 32nd in giveaways)

Key stat: NYG is 19th in third-down offense at 37.9 percent; DET is 26th in third-down defense at 45.6 percent

Weather forecast: indoors

The Scoop 

Barkley busts out for 140 scrimmage yards and two TDs. Jones throws for 260 yards and a touchdown to Evan Engram. Ty picks up 60 combined yards and a score, while McKissic adds 70 scrimmage yards. Stafford throws for 310 yards and two TDs to Golladay, who tops 100 yards. Lions, 30-27
 

N.Y. Jets (+6) at Jacksonville, 41.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

OK, sure, it's probably not fair to judge any team this year by how they look against New England, but wow was that an ugly performance by the Jets. Turns out, C.J. Mosley might have been a bigger loss than Sam Darnold when determining the impact of the team's early season misfortunes — without the former Raven healthy and anchoring the middle of the defense, the unit has coughed up 30 or more points in three of its last four games. The Jags have yet to beat a team with a winning record, but that's not an issue this week. Gardner Minshew Mania has faded along with his numbers, and Nick Foles could reclaim his starting job in a couple of weeks if the rookie doesn't pick up the pace. Not that Minshew's been bad — he has a 7.1 YPA and 8:1 TD:INT in his six starts — but his 58.2 percent completion rate during that stretch leaves a lot to be desired, and he's failed to top 50 percent in the last two games, including one against the hapless Bengals. Don't worry too much about D.J. Chark if the Jags switch back to the veteran at QB, either. His spectacular TD grab in Week 1 that started his breakout campaign came on the play Foles got hurt.

The Skinny

NYJ injuries: TE Chris Herndon (doubtful, hamstring), LT Kelvin Beachum (out, ankle), LB Mosley (out, groin)

JAC injuries: QB Foles (IR-R, collarbone), WR Dede Westbrook (questionable, neck)

NYJ DFS chalk: none

JAC DFS chalk: Leonard Fournette (NYJ t-31st in rushing TDs allowed)

NYJ DFS tournament plays: none

JAC DFS tournament plays: Jaguars DST (NYJ t-31st in points per game, 31st in sack percentage allowed)

Key stat: NYJ is 32nd in third-down offense at 20.5 percent; JAC is 18th in third-down defense at 41.1 percent

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 80s, less than 10 mph wind, 5-30 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Le'Veon Bell rattles off 90 combined yards and a score. Darnold throws for 240 yards and a TD to Demaryius Thomas but gets picked off twice. Fournette bangs out 120 yards and a touchdown, while Ryquell Armstead also scores his first NFL rushing TD. Minshew throws for 220 yards and a score to Chark while running for a touchdown of his own. Jaguars, 31-13
 

Carolina (+5.5) at San Francisco, 41.5 o/u – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

Decision time for the Panthers is inching closer. Cam Newton's rehab workload is increasing and he's traveling with the team this week, though there's still no timetable for his return. Kyle Allen is a perfect 4-0, though, and his 7:0 TD:INT and 65.6 percent completion rate suggest that record's not just the product of a surprisingly stingy secondary backing him up. The young QB gets by far his toughest test yet this week in the 49ers, even if he did get Carolina's bye for extra prep. San Francisco's defense has been the best in the league among teams that have faced a real schedule, and it's given up 10 points combined in the last three games, stifling Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield (OK, and Case Keenum too) during that stretch. Allen's an unlikely candidate to solve this group, especially if he's not on the field much while Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida scamper all over a Panthers run defense that ranks 24th in YPC allowed, 23rd in rushing yards per game allowed and 30th in rushing DVOA. Oh, and just in case Jimmy Garoppolo does need to air it out, they just added Emmanuel Sanders to their patchwork WR corps, giving other defenses somebody to worry about other than George Kittle.

The Skinny

CAR injuries: QB Newton (out, foot)

SF injuries: WR Marquise Goodwin (questionable, personal), LT Joe Staley (doubtful, lower leg), RT Mike McGlinchey (out, knee)

CAR DFS chalk: none

SF DFS chalk: Coleman (CAR 30th in rushing DVOA), 49ers DST (second in points allowed per game, t-4th in takeaways, first in sack percentage)

CAR DFS tournament plays: Panthers DST (t-2nd in takeaways, second in sack percentage)

SF DFS tournament plays: Breida (see Coleman) 

Key stat: CAR is t-13th in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 60.0 percent (12-of-20) of RZ possessions; SF is second in red-zone defense at 23.1 percent (3-for-13)

Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the high 60s, 16-17 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Christian McCaffrey gains 80 scrimmage yards. Allen throws for less than 200 yards and a TD to Curtis Samuel. Coleman runs for 80 yards and a touchdown, while Breida adds 60 combined yards and a score. Garoppolo throws for 230 yards. 49ers, 20-13
 

Oakland (+6.5) at Houston, 51.5 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

The Raiders crashed back to earth in Lambeau last week, and they're looking like a gate-keeper sort of club at this point. The three teams that beat them handily are on the short list for possible Super Bowl berths (the Packers, Vikings and Chiefs with a healthy Patrick Mahomes), while the two good teams Oakland's beaten aren't in that tier (Indy and Chicago.) That's probably about their ceiling — the defense is nothing special, and while Josh Jacobs has looked pretty good, having Derek Carr guide your offense puts a definite cap on its upside. That makes this a surprisingly meaningful game for the Texans. Can they prove they're legit by stomping a team that really good teams have stomped, or will they get dragged down to the Raiders' level like the Colts were? Deshaun Watson has plenty to prove after a 2:4 TD:INT in the last two games, giving them perhaps a better chance to do the stomping if he snaps out of his funk.

The Skinny

OAK injuries: RB Jacobs (questionable, shoulder), WR Tyrell Williams (questionable, foot), RT Trent Brown (questionable, calf), LB Vontaze Burfict (out, suspension)

HOU injuries: WR Will Fuller (out, hamstring), RT Tytus Howard (out, knee), CB Johnathan Joseph (questionable, hamstring), CB Bradley Roby (questionable, hamstring)

OAK DFS chalk: none

HOU DFS chalk: Watson (OAK 31st in passing yards allowed per game, 31st in passing TD percentage allowed), DeAndre Hopkins (OAK 30th in DVOA vs. WR1, 31st in DVOA against deep throws)

OAK DFS tournament plays: Carr (HOU 29th in passing yards allowed per game), Keelan Doss (HOU 28th in DVOA vs. WR2), Hunter Renfrow (HOU 30th in DVOA vs. WR3)

HOU DFS tournament plays: Kenny Stills (OAK 29th in DVOA vs. WR2, 31st in DVOA against deep throws), Darren Fells / Jordan Akins (OAK 29th in DVOA vs. TE)

Key stat: The two teams are nearly in lock-step on third downs. OAK second in third-down offense at 50.0 percent, but 29th in third-down defense at 47.9 percent; HOU is fourth in third-down offense at 48.8 percent but 27th in third-down defense at 46.2 percent

Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the low 70s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Jacobs plays but manages only 60 yards. Carr throws for 300 yards and TDs to Renfrow and Trevor Davis. Carlos Hyde runs for 50 yards, while Duke Johnson leads the HOU backfield with 90 combined yards and a receiving score. Watson throws for 280 yards and a second touchdown to Stills while running in a TD of his own, and Hopkins tops 100 yards. Texans, 29-20
 

Cleveland (+13) at New England, 44.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

If any team needed a bye to get their heads straight, it was the Browns. Sitting at 2-4, they aren't completely out of the AFC North race thanks to their win over the Ravens, but that was also the only time this season they've really looked like the team everyone expected them to be. Nick Chubb and Myles Garrett have been about the only players on either side of the ball to show up consistently, and while the time off may have done some good, they get the worst possible opponent this week to prove it. The Pats have simply crushed everything in their path so far, with a dominant defense allowing Tom Brady to show occasional signs of age without hurting the team in the standings. New England reinforced its battered receiving corps by picking up Mohamed Sanu, a player who seems like he could be a perfect fit for the Pats' no-nonsense passing attack. If Baker Mayfield can't avoid the spooky fate that befell Sam Darnold last week, though, or the weather works against the Pats, Sanu's contributions will probably be superfluous.

The Skinny

CLE injuries: RB Kareem Hunt (out, suspension)

NE injuries: RB Rex Burkhead (questionable, foot), WR Julian Edelman (questionable, chest), WR Josh Gordon (IR, knee), RG Shaq Mason (questionable, ankle), S Patrick Chung (questionable, head)

CLE DFS chalk: none

NE DFS chalk: Patriots DST (first in points allowed per game, first in takeaways, third in sack percentage, CLE 30th in giveaways)

CLE DFS tournament plays: Browns DST (fourth in sack percentage)

NE DFS tournament plays: Brady (CLE 27th in passing TD percentage allowed), Sony Michel (CLE 31st in YPC allowed, 30th in rushing yards allowed per game)

Key stat: CLE is 30th in third-down offense at 29.6 percent; NE is first in third-down defense at 14.3 percent

Weather forecast: overcast, temperature in the low 50s, 11-12 mph wind, 85-90 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Chubb gets held to a season-low 50 combined yards. Mayfield throws for 210 yards and a TD to Odell Backham but gets picked off twice. Michel bangs out 70 yards and a score, while James White adds 60 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Brady throws for 270 yards and TDs to Sanu and Phillip Dorsett. Patriots, 31-10
 

Green Bay at Kansas City (+4), 47.5 o/u – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT

Welp, so much for that marquee prime-time quarterback matchup. Aaron Rodgers at least is in fine form after firing five TDs last week (and running for one as a bonus), and he's once again marching into the MVP conversation. The fact that he's producing big numbers without Davante Adams and with only a cardboard standee of Jimmy Graham at tight end instead of anything close to the player Graham was even in his Seattle days makes Rodgers' performance all the more remarkable. Opposing him will be ... Matt Moore. Sigh. Patrick Mahomes is sidelined with a knee injury, and while the 35-year-old Moore looked decent enough in relief last week, targets like Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce don't have anywhere near the explosive upside they do when Mahomes is in the lineup. The defense did show up last week in Denver, so maybe the offense doesn't need to score 40 to win this one, but that was against Joe Flacco. Keeping Rodgers in check, even a little, is another matter.

The Skinny

GB injuries: WR Adams (doubtful, toe), C Corey Linsley (questionable, back)

KC injuries: QB Mahomes (out, knee), LT Eric Fisher (out, sports hernia), LG Andrew Wylie (out, ankle), DT Chris Jones (out, groin), DE Frank Clark (out, neck)

GB DFS chalk: Aaron Jones (KC 30th in YPC allowed, 29th in rushing yards allowed per game, t-28th in rushing TDs allowed, 29th in rushing DVOA)

KC DFS chalk: none

GB DFS tournament plays: Jamaal Williams (see Jones), Packers DST (t-4th in takeaways)

KC DFS tournament plays: none

Key stat: GB is t-3rd in red-zone offense, scoring a TD on 65.4 percent (17-for-26) of RZ possessions; KC is t-9th in red-zone defense at 50.0 percent (15-for-30)

Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 50s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Jones runs for 70 yards and a touchdown, while Williams adds 50 scrimmage yards. Rodgers throws for 240 yards and TDs to Geronimo Allison and Allen Lazard. LeSean McCoy leads the KC backfield with 80 combined yards and a score. Moore throw for 260 yards and TDs to Hill and Kelce. Chiefs, 27-21

Washington (+16) at Minnesota, 42.0 o/u – Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EDT

How 'bout them Nationals, huh? Washington's football team remains a bigger mess than the field it played on last week, and even the Dolphins' offense showed more life in Week 7. Case Keenum won't get paroled from his thankless job until at least after the club's Week 10 bye, and injuries keep piling up in the backfield — Terry McLaurin remains the only skill player who seems like he belongs in an NFL starting lineup. The Vikings, on the other hand, are firing on all cylinders, having successfully rope-a-doped the entire league with Kirk Cousins' 10-attempt volume in their opener. He's probably been the best QB in the NFL the last three weeks, all Minnesota wins, topping 300 yards in all three games with a 75.6 percent completion rate, 10.8 YPA and 10:1 TD:INT. Of course, he wasn't exactly facing elite secondaries during that time, but that won't change Thursday — Washington's 97.6 QB rating against nestles them snugly between the Giants and Eagles, two of the Vikings' opponents during that stretch. Dalvin Cook hasn't been forgotten either, galloping for 421 scrimmage yards and three TDs during that stretch. The defense did allow more than 21 points last week, the first time all season that's happened, but against the Keenumstone Kops, giving up too many scores shouldn't be a problem. Even if Adrian Peterson  plays through multiple ankle sprains and decides it's time for a revenge game, that might only be enough to cover the gigantic spread.

The Skinny

WAS injuries: RB Peterson (questionable, ankle), RB Chris Thompson (out, toe), TE Vernon Davis (out, concussion), LT Trent Williams (out, contract dispute), CB Josh Norman (questionable, thigh/hand)

MIN injuries: WR Adam Thielen (out, hamstring)

WAS DFS chalk: none

MIN DFS chalk: Vikings DST (WAS 30th in points per game)

WAS DFS tournament plays: none

MIN DFS tournament plays: Bisi Johnson (WAS 32nd in DVOA vs. WR2)

Key stat: WAS is 31st in third-down conversions at 24.7 percent; MIN is 13th in third-down defense at 37.1 percent

Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop

Wendell Smallwood starts for WAS and gains 70 combined yards. Keenum throws for less than 200 yards but does hit McLaurin for a TD. Cook thunders for 140 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. Cousins throws for 270 yards and two scores, finding Johnson and Kyle Rudolph. Vikings, 31-10

Last week's record: 10-4, 8-6 ATS, 4-9-1 o/u
2019 regular-season record: 63-42-1, 48-58 ATS, 48-53-5 o/u
2018 regular-season record: 160-94-2, 112-134-10 ATS, 113-139-4 o/u
Lifetime record: 699-426-5, 518-570-42 ATS, 414-442-18 o/u (o/u not tracked in 2015)