Having a great quarterback isn't necessary for success in fantasy football, but just like their real-life counterparts, losing a starter to injury can spell doom for everyone involved. "Spooky Season" might be coming to an end, but not before Brock Purdy and Trevor Lawrence inflict a little more pain and fear into your decisions in the lead-up to their Sunday kickoffs.
It's already been a rough week for QBs, as Justin Fields (thumb), Daniel Jones (neck), Ryan Tannehill (ankle), and Deshaun Watson (shoulder) have already been ruled OUT. The last thing fantasy owners need is either Purdy or Lawrence to be sidelined, as well.
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these starting quarterbacks and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 8 fantasy landscape.
WEEK 8 INJURY UPDATES: RBs | WRs/TEs | Josh Palmer
Is Brock Purdy playing Week 8?
UPDATE: Purdy is officially ACTIVE.
Purdy (concussion) seemed destined to miss the 49ers' Week 8 contest after suffering the head injury during Monday night's game in Minnesota. However, the second-year signal-caller logged a limited practice on Thursday and was upgraded to a full participant on Friday. He then cleared concussion protocol on Saturday, putting him in line to start on Sunday when the Niners battle the Bengals at 4:25 p.m. ET. Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated that would be the case if Purdy was cleared, telling reporters he would start if that ended up happening.
WEEK 8 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Purdy isn't exactly a "must-start," but this situation is an interesting one considering he was able to clear to league's protocol on a short week when most players haven't been able to. While the news is definitely positive, it brings more questions than answers considering the reality that others have faced. We are not doctors and definitely won't claim to be, but we are concerned about what happens if Purdy starts taking a lot of hits on Sunday. While San Francisco owns an explosive offense, we're hesitant to start Purdy in fantasy unless he's truly the only capable quarterback you have. Proceed with caution, especially after what we saw happen with Tua Tagovailoa in 2022.
WEEK 8 DFS: DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Is Trevor Lawrence playing Week 8?
UPDATE: NFL Network's James Palmer reported Sunday morning that Lawrence is expected to play against Pittsburgh.
UPDATE 2: Lawrence is officially ACTIVE.
Lawrence (knee) was limited in practice all week, but he should be ready to go when the Jaguars take on the Steelers at 1 p.m. ET. Despite being officially listed as "questionable," Lawrence played on Thursday night in Week 7 and looked unbothered by the knee injury that threatened his availability in that game. There was no greater indication of Lawrence's health than the fact that he turned in his best rushing performance of the season, carrying the ball eight times for 59 yards, looking spry while doing so.
WEEK 8 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start 'em, sit 'em
Because of Lawrence's performance in Week 7, we don't have any concerns about starting him in Week 8. He hasn't posted gaudy numbers, but the third-year pro has been a steady option for fantasy owners in 2023. Coming off a long week of rest by nature of Jacksonville's mini-bye, we have even more faith in Lawrence, who should scramble even more with T.J. Watt and Pittsburgh's pass rush threatening to bring the heat all afternoon.
