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Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Week two was a fun one for some of the rookie crop, most notably Jeremy Hill, Sammy Watkins and Terrance West. It wasn’t nearly as much fun for the NFL, which is still scrambling to stop the PR maelstrom they’re up against in the wake of the Ray Rice video, several other domestic violence cases and the new accusations against Adrian Peterson. It’s getting to be a mess, but that’s not the sort of thing we dive into here at the Rookie Report. Let’s let others deal with those issues, and talk about what to do with the rookies for week 3.

Rookies to Start:

RB Jeremy Hill, CIN (Wk. 3: vs. Ten.): Week 2 more closely resembled how the Bengals intend to use Hill than week one did. The bruiser ran for 70+ yards and a score and caught for 22 more yards. The Titans, meanwhile, were busy getting steamrolled by DeMarco Murray and the Dallas running game. With A.J. Green still dinged up, expect the Bengals to hammer Tennessee on the ground, and I think Hill is a very good bet to score another TD. He’s a great flex play this weekend.

WR Sammy Watkins, BUF (Wk. 3: vs. SD): It’s hard to envision Watkins duplicating his stat line from last week, but he’s clearly the focal point of the Bills’ passing game right now. I would expect that to continue in week 3 and San Diego’s secondary hasn’t been great thus far. Michael Floyd and the Cardinals torched them in week 1. I’d roll with Watkins as my WR3.

Borderline Rookies:

RB Terrance West, CLE (Wk. 3: vs. Bal.): West got it done in a surprising week 2 victory over the Saints. The Ravens boast a tougher run defense than New Orleans. West is still going to see a high volume of carries and could be a decent flex option, but I doubt he puts up the kind of points he did a week ago.

WR Brandin Cooks, NO (Wk. 3: vs. Min.): Cooks was disappointing last week vs. Cleveland, but he still makes a reasonable WR3 in PPR leagues going forward. The Mark Ingram injury could actually get him more work as a runner and in the short passing game. Expect a minor bounce back this week.

WR Mike Evans, TB (Wk. 3: @Atl.): Evans is sort of a roll of the dice this week. He has been a big part of the Tampa passing game, but his fantasy numbers haven’t been fantastic. Atlanta is likely to be playing from ahead, and their secondary isn’t very good. It’s a decent week to take a shot on Evans, but know there’s some bust risk.

WR Kelvin Benjamin, CAR (Wk. 3: vs. Pit.): Kelvin didn’t do much damage in week 2, but he’s too big a part of the Panthers’ offense to not be considered in fantasy. It isn’t exactly a tasty matchup, but I’d expect Benjamin’s numbers to fall somewhere in between his lines from week 1 and week 2.

WR Allen Robinson, JAX (Wk. 3: vs. Ind.): Banged up for much of the preseason, Robinson finally looked healthy in week two, coming up with 4 catches for 75 yards. He has the size to physically dominate DBs, and I think he will be the best Jaguars receiver going forward. I think another 70 yards is likely in a game that will be played from behind again.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Derek Carr, OAK (Wk. 3: @NE): This is going to be a weekly tradition before long. The Patriots just forced 4 interceptions from Matt Cassel, and I think their defense has a chance to be scary. Carr seems just cocky enough to test Darelle Revis. I doubt he wins that matchup. It could be another long day for Carr and the Raiders.

RB Bishop Sankey, TEN (Wk. 3: @Cin.): Even if Sankey didn’t have some climbing to do up the depth chart, Cincy is a brutal matchup. Don’t expect much even if he sees extended work and keep him benched.

RB Isaiah Crowell, CLE (Wk. 3: vs. Bal.): This is one call I think might backfire on me. Crowell is touchdown dependent right now as long as West sees the majority of the carries. He has some value, but against a better defense this week, I don’t think he matches his rushing yards from a week ago. I do think he could overtake West for the starting gig eventually.

RB Andre Williams, NYG (Wk. 3: vs. Hou.): Williams still isn’t seeing enough action to warrant a fantasy start. It’s still mostly Rashad Jennings. Until his role increases, you have to leave Williams benched, especially with the offense looking anemic so far.

WR Marquise Lee, JAX (Wk. 3: vs. Ind.): The Jaguars quarterback play has been pretty bad so far, and Lee has been inconsistent. He hasn’t done much damage outside of garbage time in week 1. He’s going to have some solid PPR weeks, but I wouldn’t count on this being one of them. His value should rise once Blake Bortles takes over.

WR Jarvis Landry, MIA (Wk. 3: vs. KC): Landry gets mention this week because it looks like he’s worked his way into the WR3 role in Miami, a role that has made Rishard Matthews and Brandon Gibson playable at times. It’s worth noting he had the lowest drop rate in college last year of any rookie wide receiver. He will become a trusted target before long.

Deep League Sleepers:

QB Teddy Bridgewater, MIN (Wk. 3: @NO): I only mention Teddy because Matt Cassel threw 4 picks last week. Adrian Peterson is out for the foreseeable future, so this offense will need a QB that isn’t just a game manager. That isn’t Cassel. He’s still yet to complete a pass more than 15 yards downfield through 2 weeks. Another bad performance could be enough to get Teddy on the field. He should be squarely on the 2QB league radar.

QB Blake Bortles, JAX (Wk. 3: vs. Ind.): Speaking of starting QBs on the hot seat, Chad Henne’s should be scalding before long. The Jags haven’t had any semblance of an offense so far, and I’m sure the fans in Jacksonville are already clamoring for Bortles to take over. The Jaguars want to hold Bortles off as long as possible, but if things continue the way they’re going, they won’t be able to wait much longer. Blake could have mid-level QB2 upside if he gets the starting job.

RB Jerick McKinnon, MIN (Wk. 3: @NO): Like I mentioned above under Bridgewater, Peterson isn’t coming back any time soon. Matt Asiata isn’t exactly a stud. McKinnon is worth a stash in deeper leagues. He’s a raw prospect, but one with great athleticism (more than Asiata at least).

RB Damien Williams, MIA (Wk. 3: vs. KC): The Dolphins took some big hits last week losing Knowshon Moreno and Lamar Miller during the course of the game. They went out and signed Daniel Thomas back to the roster this week, but Williams was impressive in the preseason and beat out Thomas for a roster spot. Miller is likely to play this week, but Williams is likely to see the change of pace work. If Miller doesn’t play, treat Williams as a deep league flex option this week.

RB Alfred Blue, HOU (Wk. 3: @NYG): In the preseason, it looked like Jonathan Grimes was the number 2 back behind Arian Foster, even when the depth chart came out with Alfred Blue listed as number 2. By now, it’s become clear that it’s Blue’s job. He isn’t fantasy relevant yet, but it’s hard to imagine Foster stays healthy all year with his current workload. Blue could be a great speculative add in deep leagues.

WR Davante Adams, GB (Wk. 3: @Det.): It’s become pretty clear that Adams is pushing Jarrett Boykin for the WR3 spot in Green Bay, and might completely surpass him. This is a pass heavy offense with no tight end to speak of. The GB number 3 is a fantasy relevant role, and Adams is worth a roster spot in 12-team leagues.

WR Ryan Grant, WAS (Wk. 3: @Phi.): After DeSean Jackson went down in week 2, Grant shined in the blowout win over Jacksonville. He clearly has a great rapport with Kirk Cousins, but he will need DeSean out again to be fantasy relevant this week. He’s an interesting WR3 option in 12-team leagues if D-Jax doesn’t play. As of now though, Jackson is expected to suit up.

That’s it for this week. Hopefully it helps you come away victorious. I’ll end this the same way I end every week: Good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It’s just a game.

Well, it just doesn't feel like a proper NFL season until Arian Foster goes on the IR, am I right? Now that balance has returned to the universe (I was kicking myself for not drafting him when he was available late), we can look forward to the Week 8 rankings. This week, we have to deal with Buffalo, Philadelphia, Washington and Jacksonville taking a bye week. That's plenty of good fantasy players on bye, however there's plenty more to choose from - check out our waiver wire picks if you need any more help.

Derek Carr has a tough draw this week, facing the Jets, but at least he gets to do it at home. Last week, Tom Brady showed that the Jets are vulnerable to the pass, throwing it a whopping 54 times. Carr can have similar success as long as he doesn't turn the ball over, and despite the matchup, needs to be starting in all 2-QB formats. Matthew Stafford should remain on your bench, people. His ECR this week is still way up at 8, but he had an injury to his non-throwing hand and has to deal with the circus of going to London. The Chiefs have had a chance to gain some confidence, beating up on Landry Jones and Teddy Bridgewater this week. Stafford won't be an insurmountable challenge for them.

Dion Lewis practiced on Tuesday and should return to the Patriots lineup on Thursday night, healed up from his abdomen injury. He can be fired up as a solid RB2 as the Patriots look to re-establish their run game. The Pats ran the ball 9 times in Week 7, a number that is not at all sustainable. Just make sure the Pats aren't messing with the injury reports and verify he's playing when Thursday night rolls around. It's not certain who will emerge in Houston as the main back, but one thing IS certain - don't start Chris Polk, even though he might look like a tempting flex play.

Nate Washington had a great time collecting lots of garbage points in Miami on Sunday, and look for him to be in a similar high-volume role this week if Cecil Shorts is still out. The Texans throw the ball more than any other team (including the Chargers!) and they need guys there to soak up targets. Washington is the only decent receiver other than DeAndre Hopkins on that team, so there's plenty of balls to go around. Stay away from Brandin Cooks this week. Marques Colston is back, Willie Snead has been involved a lot in the offense, and Ben Watson has become a decent facsimile of Jimmy Graham. There isn't enough consistent work for Cooks to be an every week start. Try to sell high on him if you can.

Having tight end problems? Well, if they're fantasy football related, try a nice relaxing Crockett Gillmore for your pains. Gillmore is the second best target on his team and is going up against a Chargers team that got beat badly through the air last week. He's a good replacement if you're tired of trotting out Kyle Rudolph or Jordan Cameron.

Injuries abound in week 8 of the NFL, so the waiver wire is extra important this week. Make sure to take a long look at some trade options as trading deadlines come up. Also, check out the injuries from Week 8 to make sure you aren't missing anyone.

Quarterbacks

Tyrod Taylor, BUF – Coming off the bye week Tyrod Taylor will be healthy and ready to go. Before his injury Taylor had 106 fantasy points through 5 weeks. His week 9 match up with Miami is round two for the year with the divisional opponent. When they last faced in week 3 Taylor put up his best numbers of the season going 21 of 29 for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is owned in 39% of leagues right now.

Derek Carr, OAK – Since his week 6 bye, Derek Carr has 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Carr is a good streaming quarterback play as he averages over 30 pass attempts per game. He continues to show improvement in his second year and has outscored players like Ryan Tannehill and Cam Newton, both of whom are owned in over 85% of leagues. Carr’s matchup with Pittsburgh in week 9 is neither really good nor really bad. He did just pick apart the Jets defense though.

Running Backs

DeAngelo Williams, PIT – At 32 years old DeAngelo Williams continues to hold value. LeVeon Bell went down this week and is out for the rest of the season. When Bell went down Williams stepped in and on 9 carries amassed 71 yards. His overall production topped 100 yards as he added 39 yards on 4 catches. He will be a popular pick up this week on the waiver wire. He’s only owned in 24% of leagues.

Jeremy Langford, CHI – The Bears’ Matt Forte suffered an injury this week and will be out at least a couple of weeks. Jeremy Langford stepped in as the every down back when Forte exited. Despite his crucial drop late in the game, Langford was used in a way that makes him valuable to fantasy owners heading into week 9. I will mention that there are rumors of the Bears signing Monte Ball. This is important for two reasons; If Ball is signed this diminishes Langford’s value, and could point to a potential serious injury with Forte. Either way Matt Forte owners will want to add depth at the position on the wire.

Wide Receivers

Kamar Aiken, BAL – Injuries are piling up this season and Steve Smith Sr. couldn’t avoid being bit by the bug either. Kamar Aiken will take over WR1 duties on a brutally thin Baltimore wide receiving corps. That being said there is value in Aiken as he steps into this role. He has value built on his targets this season. He seen 6+ targets in 5 of the 8 games they have played. Baltimore is heading into a bye week for week 9 but you can’t sleep on Aiken. He should be picked up in most formats this week.

Malcom Floyd, SD – Keenan Allen was another casualty this week and all reports indicate he will miss some time. At 34 years old Malcom Floyd is passed his prime, but he will be leaned on in Allen’s absence. At 6’5 Floyd is a huge target and that proved valuable already in week 8. He had 2 TD catches on 6 targets in week 8. Floyd has a decent matchup against Chicago in week 9 before the Charges head into the bye. If you are looking for a guy to plug Floyd is still available in 80% of leagues.

Tight Ends

Benjamin Watson, NO – The Saints are on a 3 game winning streak and Benjamin Watson has had his two best games in those last three weeks. In week 6 Watson had 127 yards on 10 catches and a TD. Last week we saw similar production with 9 catches for 147 yards and a TD. We all know that the Saints famously utilized the TE position and Watson may finally be stepping into that role. He is owned in 53% of leagues, but with tight end production lacking this season Watson is a good add heading into week 9

Kicker

Blair Walsh, MIN – 55 points over his last 3 weeks has Blair Walsh on the waiver radar this week. Minnesota continues to improve as a team behind Teddy Bridgewater. This has been paying off for Walsh in a big way. Double digits are always a welcome sight from your kicker. Three straight weeks in double digits is a good trend and those players streaming kickers should grab Walsh heading into home match up with the Rams.

Defense/Special Teams

Cincinnati Bengals – Cincinnati is coming off of a huge game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Defensively they kept their team in the game which ultimately lead to a victory. They will be riding that high heading into a great match up with Cleveland in week 9. The icing on the cake is Josh McCown being a question mark with a short week ahead. This Thursday night match up give McCown little time to heal which means Johnny Manziel will be the Cleveland QB. The only thing Maziel does better than grabbing negative headlines off the field is turning the ball over on the field. Bengals are widely available and should be picked up for week 9. It should also be noted they have some good match ups coming up with Houston, St Louis and Cleveland again in 3 of their next 4 weeks following week 9.

The final week of the regular season has arrived and it’s do or die time, unless, of course, you’ve already clinched your spot, in which case, congrats! For the rest of us, we still need to win to get into the playoffs. This late in the year, rookies will play a huge role, so make sure to check out our Weekly Rookie Report.

Derek Carr is a good start this week, facing the Chiefs in Oakland. Crabtree and Cooper have been very good this year and should continue to help Derek Carr to top 10 QB numbers.

Matt Stafford is a good sit tonight. He faces the Packers, and even when he beat them earlier in the year, he only put up a little over 16 points in a standard league.

Matt Jones has a good matchup this weekend when the Cowboys are in town. If you need a flex starter, look for Jones to do well as the Redskins seem to always play well at home, and Dallas is falling apart.

Shaun Draughn might seem like an ok start this week, but the numbers really aren’t there to support it yet. He might be start-worthy later in the season, but leave him on the bench for this week’s game in Chicago.

James Jones should return to the scoring column again this week, as there will be no focus on him by the Detroit defense. He’s still the second best WR on the team, and Rodgers knows he needs to rely on familiarity to break the Packers out of this slump.

Brandon LaFell can remain on your bench this week, with Amendola coming back. Even without Gronk in the lineup, I don’t see LaFell taking on a properly large role – it would have happened by now if it was going to.