Week 8 in the NFL was an absolute fantasy football nightmare for so many, with stars like Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers putting up goose eggs. It makes you wonder if this really was the “craziest week of the season” for anyone trying to navigate their lineups, because it sure felt like it. We know chaos is the main ingredient in this league, but even I was dizzy by the time Sunday’s early games wrapped up.
When Zero Points Hits Harder Than a Sack
Imagine rolling out a starting lineup with guys like Lamar Jackson, Zay Flowers, Tre Tucker, and Omar Cooper Jr. If you did, you were staring down a massive zero from all of them. Jackson was the only one knocked out by injury with a busted thumb, and honestly, once he and then Tyler Huntley went down for the Ravens, you basically had to cross Flowers off your list too. That’s brutal. But it wasn’t just the injured. Baker Mayfield went 0-for-3 on passes for the Buccaneers, yet somehow still earned a 39.6 rating! His opponent, Michael Penix Jr., had an even rougher day with four picks, 125 passing yards, and a dismal 12.0 rating. Ouch.
The pain didn’t stop there. Drake London managed just one catch for eight yards. Minnesota football games always feel like a tax on offense, and this week was no exception, with the Lions winning 19-15. Remember counting on Jacoby Brissett at Dallas? He got benched, then watched Gardner Minshew dial up three touchdown passes. Jonathan Taylor in Jacksonville only mustered 23 rushing yards. Parker Washington on the other side? One catch, as the Jaguars spread the ball to 11 different players, none getting more than three targets. And if Ashton Jeanty was your guy, he’s basically been benched for Mike Washington Jr. It was just one punch after another.
The Dead Zone RBs Who Are Saving Your Season
After all that silliness, how do we refresh the palate? Look no further than some of those “Dead Zone” running backs. Tony Pollard was almost a punchline during draft season, right? That back-nine running back on a lousy team? But the dude seems to survive every year, no matter what. He actually collected four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons before this year. And while his first quarter this season was slow off the mark, he gets decent volume every single week. And the last two games? He’s been absolutely shredding. It started with a monster 25 carries for 129 yards and three touchdowns against Cleveland, then he followed it up with 137 total yards and two scores Sunday at Cincinnati. Ohio just can’t get past Pollard fast enough. It’s also encouraging to see him stepping into a receiving role with Tyjae Spears hurt, snagging six catches over the last two games. Yeah, his bye is in Week 9 and the schedule looks rough, but show Pollard some respect. The one-win Titans are still going nowhere despite his surge, so maybe we’ll even hear his name in NFL trade discussions.
Then there’s Jaylen Warren. For most of the year, we’ve talked about him as a better real-life player than a fantasy player. His lack of touchdowns held him back, but that wasn’t really his fault. This week, though, Warren merged those two streets beautifully in the romp over Cleveland.
This is the NFL, right? Pure chaos. One week you’re celebrating a clutch win, the next your star QB is putting up a bagel. Better reset the mental hard drive, because Week 9 is already knocking, and you know it’s bringing more surprises.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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