Dave Richard's Week 8 Fantasy stock watch: Jonah Coleman takes Broncos backfield by storm

How would you describe Week 8? Fun? Chaotic? Depressing? You could make the case for almost any adjective. 

One word I'd use to describe it? Telling. 

We're starting to see the contenders separate from the pretenders. Teams with genuine playoff potential have continued to step up while those that do not have been fading. Some examples: The Broncos, Lions, Steelers and Buccaneers found ways to win, while the Browns, Falcons and Cowboys lost and might have that foul stench of mediocrity hanging from their nostrils. And the poor Ravens might have caught the biggest whiff with Lamar Jackson going on the shelf for potentially the entire season. 

Similarly, you're probably beginning to see the contenders separate from the pretenders in your Fantasy league. Those teams with three or fewer losses are feeling good, while everyone with four or five losses is feeling the pressure. Six or more losses? Might be time to either throw a Hail Mary via some transactions and lineup calls, or throw in the towel.  

Our daily Fantasy Football Today podcast includes a must-watch Sunday night livestream every single week after the late-afternoon games end. It's our chance to react to what happened across the league and give an initial prognosis on what will happen moving forward. It's a great place to celebrate ... or commiserate.

So while there are far more than two winners and two losers from this week's games, here are the winners and losers I gave on our show. These are players whose Fantasy values seemingly changed in Week 8.

Week 8 Fantasy Winners

Broncos RB Jonah Coleman

The Broncos rookie running back owned the second half of the Broncos win over the Chiefs and played a massive role in their victory, putting them into the red zone late with a 51-yard catch-and-run, then scoring from five yards out. This is the second straight week where Coleman looked like the Broncos' best running back, improving his target volume out of the backfield. Therefore, unless Denver makes a move to acquire a RB via trade, Coleman has No. 2 RB potential each week. 

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson

Hockenson has posted 13 or more PPR points in three of his past four games, with the single miss coming in a contest where he left early due to a concussion. He has built a noticeable connection with Kyler Murray, particularly on seam routes where Murray trusts him to get up high and bring down second-level passes. While Minnesota's upcoming schedule features tough defenses that historically defend the tight end position well — namely Green Bay, San Francisco, and New England -- Hockenson remains a startable asset, even if it's as a low-end starter. Perhaps the tougher matchups will mean more passing and thus more targets.

Week 8 Fantasy Losers

Cardinals WR Omar Cooper Jr.

Congrats -- you had as many Fantasy points as Cooper did! This was a tough one to see coming after consecutive smash weeks where Cooper won not only on the vertical plane but also on short-area throws. As it turned out, Geno Smith leaned into Adonai Mitchell on downfield throws and Garrett Wilson on a bunch of shorter-range stuff, completely cannibalizing Cooper Jr.'s target opportunities. Cooper is barely on the No. 3 receiver Fantasy map after a week of bupkis.

Seahawks WR DK Metcalf

Metcalf had a brutal outing that was highlighted by a severe drop on what should have been a major big-play gain. Even if you add that play back in, his line would have been completely flat since he only had the one reception for four yards despite seeing six targets. There are legitimate questions about whether or not he's worth holding onto through his Week 9 bye -- of course there's potential every week, but he also has more than 8 PPR points in three games and more than 13 PPR points in two games. Most folks will probably hang on to Metcalf, but expectations should be revised. 

For a deeper dive into the full game-by-game breakdown and additional start/sit advice, check out the full episode on the Week 8 Winners & Losers Fantasy Football Recap.

Week 8 Fantasy stock watch: Jonah Coleman storms into the spotlight Dave Richard 3 min read

Week 9 Fantasy risers and fallers: Coleman surges, Henry stumbles Heath Cummings 5 min read

Week 8 Fantasy winners and losers: Rice, Moore shine as Pickens fades Jamey Eisenberg 3 min read

Week 8 Fantasy Football standouts: Week 9 early waiver wire adds Dan Schneier 3 min read

Week 8 Fantasy Football Injuries: Lamar likely to make his return Heath Cummings 5 min read

Week 8 Fantasy football rankings, projections, PPR strategy Ross Kelly 3 min read

Week 8 Fantasy PPR cheat sheet: Gibbs, Nacua lead must-start picks Dave Richard 3 min read

Week 8 Fantasy start/sit: Mahomes in trouble, Geno Smith gets the nod Dave Richard 20 min read

Week 8 Fantasy sleepers: Makai Lemon adds a sweet twist to lineups Jamey Eisenberg 4 min read

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