Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, October 26, 2025, 1 p.m. ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Network: FOX
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen: START, QB1
You don’t need me to tell you to start Josh Allen, but did you know he grew up a San Francisco 49ers fan? He said before the draft that it would be a “dream come true” to play for his childhood team.
Running Back
James Cook III: START, RB1
Ty Johnson: SIT
Ray Davis: SIT
You don’t need me to tell you to start James Cook, but did you know he grew up a Miami Dolphins fan? He’s a Miami native and said in an interview before the draft, “I’m a Dolphins fan.”
Wide Receiver
Khalil Shakir: START, WR3
Keon Coleman: FLEX, WR5
Joshua Palmer: SIT (Likley OUT, potential to be placed on IR)
Considering Josh Allen is the reigning MVP and perennially in the QB1 overall conversation for fantasy, it’s pretty remarkable how mediocre the fantasy options Buffalo receivers have been since the departure of Stefon Diggs. Nearly half of Keon Coleman‘s total points came in Week 1, and he’s been under 10 points in four of six games. Khalil Shakir has maintained a similar role to last year, but the emergence of Dalton Kincaid has eroded some of the floor that made Shakir so valuable last season, despite his limited ceiling. Joshua Palmer has been a major disappointment and could find him self on IR with an ankle injury suffered in Week 6. The Panthers have been stingy to opposing wide receivers, allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to the position, allowing just three 100-yard games and four touchdowns to the position. Coleman has the talent to go nuclear any week. Starting him is a huge risk. Shakir is only a WR3 this week based on the number of receivers out on bye.
Tight End
Dalton Kincaid: START, TE1
Dawson Knox: SIT
Keep an eye on practice reports as we head into the weekend. At the time of writing, Dalton Kincaid was limited at practice with an oblique injury that caused him to miss Week 6 versus the Falcons. Not the type of news you want to hear coming out of the bye. If he’s active, Kincaid has emerged as one of Allen’s most trusted weapons and is a locked-in TE1. If he misses again, don’t bother with Dawson Knox.
Defense/Special Teams
Buffalo Bills: STREAMER
Considering Andy Dalton is starting for the Panthers, Buffalo is a decent streamer for Week 8. But I would much prefer to avoid starting a D/ST with just five turnovers and allowing nearly 800 yards of total offense over their past two games.
Carolina Panthers
Quarterback
Bryce Young:Likely OUT with a high ankle sprain.
Andy Dalton: SIT
Andy Dalton had a few games of fantasy viability last season, but over his final three starts, Dalton totaled 450 passing yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. Great hair. Not so great quarterback.
Running Back
Rico Dowdle: START, RB2
Chuba Hubbard: FLEX, RB3
Trevor Etienne: SIT
The emergence of Rico Dowdle while Chubba Hubbard was out has turned the Panthers’ backfield into a fantasy nightmare, with the two talented backs alternating drives, both doing enough to stay on the field but cannibalizing each other’s fantasy value. Dowdle outtouched and outproduced Hubbard, with 17 carries for 79 yards compared to 14 carries for 31 yards for Hubbard. You would hope that if Dowdle continues to grossly outperform Hubbard, the 50-50 split would shift. But for now, it’s an ugly timeshare. With Bryce Young set to miss at least a week and likely more, the Panthers could and should lean on the run. Against Buffalo, there’s an opportunity for both to put up decent numbers.
Wide Receiver
Tetairoa McMillan: START, WR2
Xavier Legette: FLEX, WR4
Jalen Coker: FLEX, WR5
Don’t overreact to Tetairoa McMillan‘s poor performance pairing with Xavier Legette‘s career-best game. It’s been a theme all season against the Jets, with Sauce Gardner shadowing opposing WR1s, the WR2s have had strong performances. That’s not a knock on Legette, but McMillan is still far and away the top receiver on this team. Dalton under center could be a boon to the Panthers’ pass catchers upside, but Tet is the only one I trust starting. Legette and Jalen Coker can be desperation flex plays, but they’re best left on your bench facing a Bills defense allowing the 11th-fewest points to the position. I expect a hefty helping of the run from Carolina.
Tight End
Ja’Tavion Sanders: SIT
Ja’Tavion Sanders isn’t on the fantasy radar.
Defense/Special Teams
Carolina Panthers: SIT
The Panthers’ defense has shown some promise this season, but they’re only a streaming option in the very best of matchups. Buffalo is not that.