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The Week 8 Fantasy Preview for Thursday Night Football was curated by senior staff writer Steven Pintado using statistics from the Fantasy Points Data Suite. If you want access to these stats (and dozens of other proprietary figures) sign up here and use promo code NERDS to save 25% on a Data Suite or All-In subscription. Without further ado, let’s dig in to the TNF fantasy preview!

TRADE ALERT: DeAndre Hopkins Traded to Kansas City

The Tennessee Titans are trading veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs.

• The Chiefs receive DeAndre Hopkins
• The Titans receive a conditional 5th round pick
  • Becomes a 4th if the Chiefs make the Super Bowl and Hopkins plays 60% of the snaps.

What It Means for the Tennessee Titans

This trade could greatly impact both sides. For the Titans, it’s a downgrade for whom is playing quarterback. Hopkins had 17% of the total receiving yards for the Titans per Fantasy Points Date Suite. It will give a fantasy boost to Tyler Boyd (now a risky flex option for our lineups). Fantasy managers who have been upset by Calvin Ridley will hopefully rejoice, as Ridley should continue to see a high target share without Hopkins on the field. We won’t want to rely on any of the Titan’s passing game for fantasy success.

What It Means for the Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes is averaging a career-low 31 pass attempts in 2024 per Pro Football Reference. Sadly, Hopkins isn’t joining a pass-happy Chiefs offense we’ve known in years past, but he is a reliable pass catcher with strong hands for the football in contested situations. Hopkins’ arrival is unlikely to boost Mahomes into an elite fantasy producer once again. However, it should aid Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy to have another player that opposing defenses have to game plan for. I wouldn’t expect a significant bump to their weekly fantasy value.

What It Means for DeAndre Hopkins

Hopkins joining the Chiefs is likely better for NFL football than fantasy football. He is still a potential flex option in fantasy. The important question is where will Hopkins line up for the Cheifs? Chief’s slot WRs averaged15.1 FPPG this season. In the past 3 seasons, Hopkins ran 16.27% of his routes from the slot. Hopkins isn’t much of a YAC receiver as since 2018, he has averaged 263 yards per season (PFR), and this year, he has 7 yards after the catch. This season, Hopkins is ranked 106th vs. Man and 63rd vs. Zone in average separation score (FPDS).

Fantasy Assessment

If you don’t require a flex wide receiver’s services, I’d look to sell high on DeAndre Hopkins for a 2025 (or 2026) 2nd round pick.

Minnesota Vikings (5-1) vs Los Angeles Rams (2-4)

Game Summary | TNF Fantasy Preview

Team	Def. Rank Vs. QBS	Def. Rank Vs. RBS	Def. Rank Vs. WRS	Def. Rank Vs. TES	Def. 2 Man %	Def. Zone %	Offensive Plays Ran	Points Per Game	Pass Yards Per Game	Rush Yards per Game
Vikings	14th	7th	31st	21st	19.2	75.3	57.8	28	213.8	119.3
Rams	16th	26th	19th	32nd	17.3	81.7	61.2	19	212.8	100.3

Quarterbacks | Fantasy Preview

Minnesota Vikings

Player

Fantasy Rank (6 PPT)

Week 8 Ranking

Confidence Start Rating

FP/G

A/G

SCRM

YDS/G

1 Read %

YAC %

Press %

ADOT

CHk %

Sam Darnold

12th

High QB2

87%

20.5

27.3

4.0

245.0

64.6

40.8

38.3

9.3

10.4

Los Angeles Rams

Player

Fantasy Rank (6 PPT)

Week 8 Ranking

Confidence Start Rating

FP/G

A/G

SCRM

YDS/G

1 Read %

YAC %

Press %

ADOT

CHk %

Matthew Stafford

34th

QB3

45%

10.2

33.0

0.5

231.5

67.2

48.5

30.7

7.6

5.6

• Matthew Stafford has been under 15 fantasy points in his last 5 games.
• The Vikings have allowed a QB1 performance in 2 of the previous 3 games. 

Running Backs | Fantasy Preview

Minnesota Vikings
Player	Fantasy Rank (PPR)	Week 8 Ranking	Start %	FP/G	ATT/G	ATT %	TGT %	Off. Snaps/G	i5%	i20%	EXP Run %	MTF/ATT	YACO/ATT	YBCO/ATT
Aaron Jones	11th	Low RB1	90%	16.6	14.2	52.1	13.9	59%	75	57.1	8.2	0.18	3.31	1.91
Ty Chandler	66th	Outside the Top 48	40%	4.2	7.3	27.0	4.2	33%	0	19	2.3	0.07	1.5	1.93
Los Angeles Rams
Player	Fantasy Rank (PPR)	Week 8 Ranking	Start %	FP/G	ATT/G	ATT %	TGT %	Off. Snaps/G	i5%	i20%	EXP Run %	MTF/ATT	YACO/ATT	YBCO/ATT
Kyren Williams	6th	Mid RB1	95%	19.5	19.3	76.8	7.6	86%	84.6	83.8	0.9	0.12	1.94	1.82
Blake Corum	85th	Outside the Top 48	25%	2.1	4.0	10.6	0.5	10%	22.2	13.6	0	0.06	2.31	1.69

• The Rams defense has allowed a 70-yard rusher in every game this year.
• Opposing running backs against the Vikings have had 3 or more receptions in the last 3 games.

Pass Catchers | Fantasy Preview

Minnesota Vikings
Player	Fantasy Rank (PPR)	Week 8 Ranking	Start %	FP/G	Off. Snaps/G	TGT/G	TGT %	RTE/G	SLOT RTE %	YAC	EZTGT	1READ %	MAN WIN RATE	ZONE WIN RATE
Justin Jefferson	7th	High WR1	98%	19.4	88%	8.5	30.91%	29	34.9	168	5	38.3	36.4	13
Jordan Addison	36th	Low WR3	70%	11.4	73%	5.0	12.12%	25	32	11	1	24.3	25	15.8
Jalen Nailor	60th	Outside the Top 60	45%	8.3	63%	2.8	10.30%	21	45.2	49	4	12.1	46.2	8.1
T.J. Hockenson (TE)	N/A	High TE2	70%	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Johnny Mundt (TE)	TE35	Outside the Top 24	40%	4.6	64%	3.0	10.91%	21.0	30.9	36	1	3.7	7.9	8.1
Los Angeles Rams
Player	Fantasy Rank (PPR)	Week 8 Ranking	Start %	FP/G	Off. Snaps/G	TGT/G	TGT %	RTE/G	SLOT RTE %	YAC	EZTGT	1READ %	MAN WIN RATE	ZONE WIN RATE
Cooper Kupp	3rd	Low WR1	90%	19.9	76%	13.5	13.6%	35	68.1	66	1	52.1	24	22.5
Demarcus Robinson	76th	Outside the Top 60	45%	6.5	92%	4.2	12.6%	31	35.5	18	4	14.9	31.7	11.3
Tutu Atwell	51st	Mid WR5	55%	9.5	58%	5.7	17.2%	21	35.7	88	0	23.9	26.2	8.5
Cobly Parkinson (TE)	TE24	Low TE2	55%	6.8	83%	5.7	17.17%	27.0	20.7	114	3	14.9	21.6	5.8

• The Rams’ secondary has allowed only one receiver over 40 yards in the last 3 games.
• Los Angeles has allowed a tight end over 60 yards in 3 of the previous 5 games.
• Slot receivers against the Vikings have over 90 yards in 4-straight games.
• Minnesota has given up back-to-back 50-yard tight end performances.

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If you’re looking for more advice on how to traverse the new fantasy landscape after the recent trades of Amari Cooper and Davante Adams, be sure to check out Senior Nerd Mychal Warno‘s Dynasty Trade Advice for Week 8:

Are you interested in joining the #NerdHerd? Use the code “COACH” for 15% off any membership. Sign up here and get an edge on all of your league mates today! You can get access to the DynastyGM tool (including our Trade Calculator and new Trade Finder), the Prospect Film Room, an extra weekly podcast, full rankings, and much, much more!

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