Fantasy: Trading Post - Several top wideouts available for cheap
The eighth week of the NFL season was another that didn't feature all that many injuries, leaving fantasy owners to look elsewhere in hopes of improving their teams.
Here's a look at players worth targeting this week, and others who might be worth selling off.
Carson Palmer
Week 8 line: 20-of-42, 329 yards, 2 TDs
Fantasy owners savvy enough to stash Palmer during his injury scare are yielding big dividends from that decision right now.
The nerve issue in Palmer's throwing shoulder is a thing of the past and the USC product is putting up QB1 numbers week in and week out in Bruce Arians' pass-happy offense.
With some top flight receiving options at his disposal in Michael Floyd, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Ellington and an emerging John Brown, Palmer figures to stay on the QB1 radar the rest of the way. VERDICT: BUY
Nick Foles
Week 8 line: 36-of-62, 411 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 14 rushing yards
Expected to join the QB1 conversation after coming on strong a year ago, Foles has instead been a disappointment in year two.
Few Eagles have reached fantasy expectations with the exception of Jeremy Maclin, but Foles may be the biggest bust of the bunch.
Making curious decisions and missing open targets, Foles is more of a fringe QB2 than QB1 at the moment. Coming off a game in which he fared well statistically due to the volume of throws Chip Kelly asked him to make, now is the time to unload the Arizona product. VERDICT: SELL
LeSean McCoy
Week 8 line: 21 carries, 83 yards, 3 receptions, 14 yards
Fantasy owners that used the first overall selection in their drafts on McCoy are happy to see the arrow on his season finally pointing upward.
In addition to posting his three best rushing totals of the season in the last three weeks, the Eagles are slated to get center Jason Kelce back on Sunday against the Texans. Kelce ranked out as Pro Football Focus's No. 1 overall center in 2013.
With only one touchdown to his name thus far, McCoy owners may be willing to part with the Eagles' top back for a low-end RB1 and another piece. VERDICT: BUY
Alfred Morris
Week 8 line: 18 carries, 73 yards, TD, 1 reception, 12 yards
Something about playing the Dallas Cowboys always seems to get Morris's motor running.
After a good showcase game on Monday night, fantasy owners should be looking to unload the diminishing fantasy asset who has become completely touchdown dependent in an offense that won't offer him many opportunities to score.
A mobile quarterback always helps an interior runner like Morris, so Colt McCoy's willingness to pull the ball in and go around the corner certainly helped his running back's cause, but it's difficult to imagine Robert Griffin III posing much of a threat outside of the pocket upon his return, given the severity of his injury. VERDICT: SELL
Brandon Marshall
Week 8 line: 3 receptions, 35 yards, 10 targets
There are a number of top-flight wide receivers that could fill this spot – Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones are two others that come to mind – but Marshall tops the list.
There is so much wrong in Bearsland right now that it almost feels like one would want to stay away from the situation altogether, particularly coming off an atrocious 51-23 defeat at the hands of the New England Patriots.
But a Bears defense that has been awful all season took another hit with the loss of Lamarr Houston for the season. That means Chicago figures to continue to be involved in a lot of shootouts.
Marshall's usage has been just fine, with 29 targets over the last three weeks despite a trip to Revis Island over the weekend. Marshall hasn't found the end zone since Week 4 despite grabbing five touchdowns in the first four weeks of the season, but the Bears continue to fling the pigskin in the red zone, opting to go to the air better than two-thirds of the time inside an opponent's 20-yard line. VERDICT: BUY
Golden Tate
Week 8 line: 7 receptions, 151 yards, TD, 15 targets
Tate has been winning weeks for fantasy owners over the last month, but the good times are about to come to an end.
Tate's uptick in performance has coincided with Calvin Johnson's Week 3 injury against the Green Bay Packers. With the Lions now entering their bye week, Johnson, as well as other offensive weapons like Reggie Bush and Joique Bell, figure to come out healthy on the other side.
Tate will continue to have value in one of the league's most fantasy-friendly offenses, but his stock is about to come crashing down. Get out now and let someone else stash him during the bye week. VERDICT: SELL
Greg Olsen
Week 8 line: 1 reception, 16 yards, 3 targets
Few players in the midst of such terrific seasons at a scarce position have gotten as little press as the Panthers' tight end, so owners may not even realize what they're holding on to.
Coming off a one-catch performance, fantasy's No. 5 tight end presents a great buy-low opportunity. The Seattle Seahawks made a point of taking Olsen away on Sunday, and they did just that. But on a week-to-week basis the Miami product will remain the focal point of the Panthers' passing attack and figures to go back to putting up big numbers, even against a schedule that's tough as nails. VERDICT: BUY
Jordan Reed
Week 8 line: 7 receptions, 40 yards, 7 targets
For all the talent Reed may have, he just hasn't been able to stay on the field consistently in his pro career.
Similar to Morris, use Reed's Monday night performance as a showcase opportunity to unload him. The ESPN crew spent big portions of the game talking up the Florida product and fantasy owners across the country were soaking all that in.
For all the talk of how much potential Reed has, he hasn't been able to find the end zone this season, offering standard-leaguers 9.2, 5.4 and 4.0 points respectively over the last three weeks. VERDICT: SELL