Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, November 1st at 1:00 PM ET
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Betting Odds: Indianapolis -2.5, 50 total via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
Philip Rivers (Start, QB2)
Will the real Philip Rivers please stand up? While the Colts never viewed Rivers as a long-term solution, QB seemed to be the position where an upgrade would push the team into serious playoff consideration, and Rivers was seen as that upgrade. Six games into the NFL season, Rivers has two games with more than 350 passing yards and four games with under 250. Fantasy managers who stuck with Rivers were rewarded in Week 6 as he easily had his best game of the season tossing for 371 yards and three TDs despite a terrible late-game INT. Detroit has been generous in the TD department to opposing QBs this season, surrendering at least one in every game. Yardage has been a bit tougher to come by as the Lions give up just under 250 yards per game. Indianapolis is a team that is built to win with a strong ground game and solid defense, which limits Rivers’ upside and places him squarely in the QB2 tier for Week 8 for fantasy managers.
Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor (Start, RB1), Nyheim Hines (Start, Flex)
As the season has progressed, Jonathan Taylor has slowly seen his share of the snaps increase and it would stand to reason production will soon follow. Taylor’s snap percentages from Week 3 through Week 6 have been 40%, 45.8%, 55.4%, and 58.7% and he has seen a slight increase in passing game involvement as well. Detroit ranks 26th in the NFL in average rushing yards allowed at 131 and has also been susceptible to RBs who play a role in the passing game allowing 5-7 completions to RBs per game. There is a chance Taylor could be fully unleashed coming out of the team’s BYE and RB coach Tom Rathman hinted Taylor’s time might be close. “He’s done everything that he needs to do,” Rathman said. “It’s just about getting experience. The more he gets, the better he’s going to be.” Fantasy managers should treat Taylor as a solid RB1 option against the Lions in Week 8.
Taylor’s increased snap percentage has not come at the expense of Nyheim Hines who regularly sees 20-25 snaps per game and makes his mark in the receiving game. Hines’s work in the receiving game is the only thing keeping him relevant for fantasy managers, however, and that is primarily only in PPR leagues. Hines has been unable to put together a big game but can usually be counted on for 3+ receptions and a handful of carries to pad his final numbers. If Taylor’s workload continues to increase it will diminish Hines’s value and right now Hines is no more than a low-end flex option in PPR leagues. Fantasy managers in standard leagues should look elsewhere for fantasy production in Week 8.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
T.Y. Hilton (Start, WR3/Flex), Zach Pascal (Sit), Marcus Johnson/Michael Pittman (Sit), Trey Burton (Start, TE2)
It looks as if the days of T.Y. Hilton approaching or exceeding 1,000 receiving yards and a handful of TDs are firmly in the rearview mirror. Hilton is still seeing plenty of snaps, 93.7%, and 94.6% the last two weeks, but opportunities have been hard to come by. Hilton has seen double-digit targets just once this season and has yet to top 70 yards in a game or find the end zone. The Colts are 12th in the NFL in the percentage of rushing plays at 44.09% which decreases the values of all the receiving options. Hilton may see enough volume against a porous defense to turn in a solid fantasy day, but fantasy managers would be wise to consider Hilton no more than a WR3 or Flex option with some upside in Week 8.
The season-ending injury to Parris Campbell opened the door for Zach Pascal to take on a larger role in the Colts offense. Pascal leads the team in snaps on the season with 324 but he trails Hilton in almost every statistical passing category except for TDs in which Pascal has two to Hilton’s zero. Like was mentioned above, the Colts prefer to let the running game and defense dictate game flow limiting the upside of the team’s WRs. As a result, the volume just isn’t there for me to recommend Pascal as a viable fantasy option this week. Perhaps the matchup can push him into desperation Flex consideration but fantasy managers should probably pass on Pascal in Week 8.
There is some belief Michael Pittman could return to play this week against Detroit as Indianapolis activated him from injured reserve but there is no guarantee he’ll play. If Pittman misses again, Marcus Johnson will likely continue as his replacement. Neither player brings much value to the WR position for fantasy purposes and both can be benched this week.
It’s been a bit of a revolving door at TE for Indianapolis but Trey Burton’s return from injured reserve and his usage since seem to indicate he is the player fantasy managers will want to focus on. Burton is seeing a 15.7% target share which is more than double that of Jack Doyle. Again, the relative lack of opportunities for pass-catchers in this offense combined with Detroit’s ability to keep TEs at bay makes Burton an unattractive option this week. Fantasy managers should consider Burton no more than a mid-TE2 in Week 8 and can likely find a better option.
Detroit Lions
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford (Start, QB2)
Matthew Stafford has regularly finished as no better than a QB2 every week this season and surpassed 300 passing yards for the first time against Atlanta last week. Stafford is going from one of the worst passing defenses to one of the best this week curtailing his upside and pointing to another QB2 finish in Week 8. The emergence of an average to above-average rushing attack has also contributed to Stafford’s lower-than-expected statistics. Indianapolis has held three QBs below 200 yards in seven weeks and has only allowed one to exceed 300 yards (Joe Burrow in Week 7). The Colts have also been opportunistic intercepting 10 passes and allowing just seven TDs. The matchup combined with Detroit’s rushing offense will limit Stafford to nothing better than a QB2 in Week 8.
Running Backs
D’Andre Swift (Start, RB2), Adrian Peterson (Sit, Deep Flex), Kerryon Johnson (Sit)
Over the last two weeks, D’Andre Swift has led Detroit in snaps at RB but Adrian Peterson is still seeing enough opportunities to limit Swift’s upside. Peterson and Swift are getting almost the same number of touches each week but Swift has been more efficient with his touches and sees the majority of the work in the passing game. Peterson may get the “start” each week but Swift looks like the better player right now. Swift’s involvement in the passing game gives him the edge for fantasy managers and should push him into the RB2 ranks in Week 8. Peterson is too TD-dependent to be trusted as anything other than a deep flex option this week.
Kerryon Johnson has been the odd man out thanks to Swift’s ascension and Peterson’s agelessness. Johnson is still regularly seeing double-digit snaps but his involvement in the offense is marginal at best. Fantasy managers can feel free to drop Johnson as it doesn’t appear as if he will become a viable fantasy commodity this season.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Kenny Golladay (Start, WR1), Marvin Jones (Sit), Danny Amendola (Sit), T.J. Hockenson (Start, TE1)
After missing the first two weeks of the season due to a hamstring injury, Kenny Golladay has stepped right into a WR1 role for fantasy managers this season. Golladay has either eclipsed 100 receiving yards or scored a TD in every game he’s participated in this season and has led the team in targets in each of those contests. Indianapolis has been tough against WRs this season but has allowed two WRs to surpass 100 receiving yards and have allowed six TDs to WRs. Golladay should see enough volume and has a penchant for making incredible catches that should give fantasy managers a sense of relief as they slot him in as their WR1 in Week 8.
The only WR to see more snaps than Golladay every week is Marvin Jones but Jones has been unable to instill confidence in fantasy managers who might consider starting him. Jones hit his season-high of 80 receiving yards last week and has just one TD on the season. Jones will inevitably have a “boom” game sometime this season, but Week 8 doesn’t seem like a likely time given the tough defensive matchup. Fantasy managers should keep Jones on their benches this week.
Danny Amendola has done exactly what’s been asked of him by the Lions, but his role doesn’t provide for an enticing option for fantasy managers. Amendola thrives in the short and intermediate area of the field and is a sure-handed option when a third-down conversion is needed. Amendola almost has to score a TD to be fantasy relevant and that’s something he’s yet to do this season. Look elsewhere for a fantasy WR in Week 8.
T.J. Hockenson has been one of the steadiest TEs for fantasy managers this season as he’s paced the Lions in targets with 31 and also leads the team in TD receptions with four. The Colts has yet to allow a receiving TD to a TE but Hockenson shares the team lead in red-zone targets with nine on the season. Hockenson is a valuable part of the passing offense and is a matchup nightmare with his size and athletic ability. Hockenson should sneak into the TE1 tier this week for fantasy managers and is a solid TE option in Week 8.
Snap counts courtesy of Fantasy Data.
-Bryan Sweet (@FantasyFreakTN on Twitter)