For those who missed it, the New England Patriots resoundingly crushed the New York Jets on Monday Night Football and then there was an announcement on Tuesday about the acquisition of underrated wide receiver Mohamed Sanu from the Atlanta Falcons. Perhaps you think this is a minor move, but Sanu averages more than 10 PPR points per game, and only 15 wide receivers boast more catches. The Falcons are a complete mess. The Patriots are completely dominant, and Sanu moves up in our rest-of-season rankings, perhaps in a surprising way to some.
Then, on Tuesday, the San Francisco 49ers decided it was a good time to trade for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, and I agree. As with Sanu, Sanders rose in these rankings because he joins a better situation. Make those trades, fantasy managers!
With that, time for the updated rest-of-season rankings as we head into Week 8. Yep, seven weeks down and for many of you, we are halfway through the fantasy season, if not more. Do not wait to make roster upgrades, whether of the free agency variety or via trades. As always, we combine the rankings with a little stock watch as well. Enjoy!
QB stock up
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans: His first start of the season went nicely, with efficiency and a pair of touchdown throws. It hardly means Tannehill is a fantasy star, but he did have periods of relevance back in his Miami Dolphins days, and there are several weapons, a good running back and we presume tangible coaching in place. If one is relying on the likes of back-end starters Case Keenum, Andy Dalton and Joe Flacco, not to mention current Dolphins starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, I choose Tannehill over them.
QB stock down
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: The obvious choice to drop because of the dislocated kneecap, but not too far. While I think Mahomes returns in Week 13 after the bye, that could change based on how fill-in Matt Moore plays, too. It seems worth pointing out that even before Week 7, Mahomes was not the top fantasy quarterback in actual scoring, even though we constantly ranked him at the top anyway. Remember, no QB has finished atop the fantasy leaderboard in consecutive seasons since ... Daunte Culpepper a long, long time ago. (Ask your grandparents.) Anyway, for now, Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson are all worthy options for the No. 1 spot, but I went with that order for now, with Mahomes a tad ahead of Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers: Rainy weather certainly played a role in Garoppolo failing to shred a shred-worthy Washington Redskins defense on Sunday, but this is how we separate fantasy and reality. Yes, the 49ers have yet to lose. Garoppolo averages 12.6 fantasy points per game, which is less than Dalton, Derek Carr and the now-benched Marcus Mariota. It is, however, more than Baker Mayfield.
RB stock up
Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals: David Johnson is having a terrific season and Sunday might not alter things at all. Edmonds scored touchdowns in each of the two games prior to Sunday, but Johnson, even after his disappointing 0.2 PPR points, remains the No. 9 running back entering Week 8. Johnson did not aggravate his ankle injury. I think the team realized it could roll over the Giants without him. So, fantasy managers, overreact if you prefer, but I think Johnson warrants borderline RB1 status in Week 8. I think Edmonds is worthy of flex status, however, because he is good and the team trusts him. Perhaps he is Austin Ekeler or Tarik Cohen moving forward.
Mark Walton, Miami Dolphins: Kalen Ballage punched in a short touchdown run and Kenyan Drake is catching passes, but Walton earned 14 rushing attempts in Sunday's loss and is trending nicely. He is averaging 4.6 yards per carry, while Drake is not. Perhaps it means nothing in this offense, but I think Walton has a chance at fantasy relevance as soon as this week in Pittsburgh.
Ty Johnson, Detroit Lions: The Maryland product got his first chance at reasonable playing time when Kerryon Johnson left with a knee injury, and while Ty Johnson did little special statistically, we must prepare for Kerryon Johnson missing time. By the way, Kerryon Johnson has rushed for more than 50 yards in one game this season and has just nine catches. He was falling from RB2 status anyway before the injury. Still, the schedule shows the Giants and Raiders up next. That works and fantasy managers should add Ty Johnson in case he gets his chance.
RB stock down
Mark Ingram II, Baltimore Ravens: Averaging 15.8 PPR points per game is terrific, but Ingram has been held in reasonable check the past four games since his Week 1 and Week 3 outbursts, and he still is not catching many passes. Being touchdown-dependent is dangerous. I would just be careful in trading for Ingram when he might be more of a flex choice than a safe RB2.
David Montgomery, Chicago Bears: We keep waiting for this rookie to emerge, but the Bears seem disinterested in establishing him as a high- or even modest-volume option. Montgomery saw four touches in the loss to the Saints. That is all! It seems many of us have wildly overrated his immediate impact and that of Philadelphia's Miles Sanders, but keep them rostered in case things change in November. Meanwhile, Oakland's Josh Jacobs is the lone rookie running back averaging more than 52 rushing yards per game.
WR stock up
Marvin Jones Jr., Detroit Lions: Well, the guy just scored four touchdowns, so we have no choice but to move him up some, but just be careful in how much you trust Jones for fantasy. The week prior, if you recall, he caught two passes for 17 yards. He scored one touchdown in five games before Sunday. Back when Jones had his first four-touchdown game, in October 2013, he caught eight passes for 89 yards and nary a touchdown in the next four games. It hardly means that will happen again, but this 43.3 PPR-point game from Sunday is rather aberrant, too.
John Brown, Buffalo Bills: Perhaps Brown sits on your bench and you rarely think about activating him, but he and Michael Thomas are the lone wide receivers to surpass 50 receiving yards in every game. That is the list. Brown's fantasy floor is high and next up are home games with the dysfunctional defenses of the Eagles and Redskins, then the Browns and Dolphins. Brown deserves flex status, at least.
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos: His worst PPR game of the season featured 8.0 points, and he has seven or more targets each week. Call this yet another instance of how one does not have to like the quarterback to like the emerging wide receiver. Plus, with Sanders being dealt to San Francisco there is no question which Denver wide receiver should lead the way in targets.
WR stock down
Josh Gordon, New England Patriots: Not his first time on this unfortunate side of the Stock Watch ledger, but the Sanu trade cannot help his value. Gordon missed the Monday massacre with a knee injury that is perhaps worse than expected. Regardless, Gordon, yet again, has disappointed fantasy managers and there is little sign of an uptick in production.
Will Fuller V, Houston Texans: Few argue his talent, but Fuller pulled a hamstring Sunday and figures to miss several weeks. Durability is defining his fantasy value, as Fuller missed 15 games in 2017-18. The other issue is what we discussed with the Lions' Jones above: Fuller scored 53.7 PPR points in Week 5 versus Atlanta. In his other six games, he has scored a total of 43.3 PPR points. Time to move on.
DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles: Jackson scored 17.7 PPR points in Week 1 and has not caught a pass since due to an abdominal injury, yet he remains rostered in more ESPN leagues than DK Metcalf, Robby Anderson and every Packers wide receiver not named Davante Adams. Even if Jackson returns soon, can he stay on the field? For now, his time in the rankings has ended.
TE stock up
Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders: Perhaps it took his first touchdowns of the season to get really noticed, but Waller not only has more fantasy points than Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Zach Ertz, but he had outscored Kittle and Ertz prior to Week 7. The time to stop relying on preseason ADP occurred in Week 1. If you also have one of the other top tight ends, use them at flex. Waller starts. With Kelce losing his QB for an undetermined number of weeks, Waller could be the top tight end in the sport. For now, I leave him third because Kelce remains great and Kittle faces the Cardinals twice in the next few weeks, and that defense ignores tight ends.
TE stock down
Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans: The younger, healthier Jonnu Smith is playing more snaps than Walker and doing as much in the passing game, negating much of the value for the aged veteran being trusted in so many leagues based on reputation. Walker returned quickly from his broken ankle from last season and scored a pair of touchdowns and 22.5 PPR points in Week 1. We loved it. In his past four games, perhaps dealing with ankle woes, he has five catches on 10 targets, and 10.7 PPR points. Move on.