Fantasy Injury Updates: Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Patrick Mahomes, Sam Darnold affecting Week 8 start 'em, sit 'em calls

Billy Heyen

Fantasy Injury Updates: Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Patrick Mahomes, Sam Darnold affecting Week 8 start 'em, sit 'em calls image

Quarterback injuries have been a prominent part of the NFL season, but they haven't led to too many questionable tags. For Week 8, both Drew Brees and Matt Ryan could turn into game-time decisions, and, perhaps shockingly, there's chatter that Patrick Mahomes might join them. The fantasy start 'em, sit 'em ramifications are huge for these QBs, so you know injury updates will be at a premium up until we get official word on their active/inactive statuses.

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WEEK 8 NON-PPR RANKINGS
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Is Drew Brees playing Week 8?

Brees "may be a game-time decision" for Week 8, Sean Payton told reporters Wednesday. The Saints host the Cardinals on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Brees hasn't played since Week 2 due to his right thumb injury.

New Orleans has a Week 9 bye, so it wouldn't be shocking to see Brees held out and return in Week 10. If Brees is back, you have got to start him against a bad Cardinals team. If Teddy Bridgewater starts again, he'll be a borderline QB1. Michael Thomas and whoever the Saints start at TE should be started no matter what, but if Brees were back, someone like Ted Ginn gets a slight bump in value as a boom-or-bust FLEX.

Week 8 DFS Lineups: 
Y! Cash | Y! GPP | FD Cash | FD GPP | DK Cash | DK GPP

Will Matt Ryan play Week 8?

Falcons head coach Dan Quinn won't rule Ryan out for Week 8, but the Atlanta QB sat out Wednesday's practice. He sustained an ankle injury Sunday on a strip sack by Aaron Donald.

If Ryan is out, the whole Falcons offense takes a hit with Matt Schaub at QB. Ryan has a favorable matchup against the Seahawks if he plays. Julio Jones and Austin Hooper both should be fantasy starters regardless, with Calvin Ridley looking a lot better if Ryan is out there.

WEEK 8 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end

Is Patrick Mahomes playing this week?

After Mahomes injured his kneecap on Thursday Night Football last week, many feared the worst, but multiple reports indicated he may only miss three games. However, Mahomes was back doing some throwing at Chiefs practice Wednesday, and Andy Reid won't rule him out for Week 8 yet.

It's highly unlikely Mahomes plays against the Packers on Sunday night, but it's encouraging that the news around Mahomes surrounds a potential early return instead of a setback. Matt Moore makes most of the Chiefs offense avoidable for fantasy, but Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce should still start.

MORE WEEK 8 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup Builder

Sam Darnold injury update

Darnold missed Wednesday's practice with a toe injury and is expected to be limited for Thursday's practice. Signs point to him playing Sunday against the Jaguars coming off a nightmare Week 7 game against New England.

Hopefully Darnold isn't "seeing ghosts" in Week 8. Starting Week 9, the Jets have a string of cupcake matchups which starts with the Dolphins, so Darnold could have a good middle stretch of the season.

 

Billy Heyen