Fantasy ballers: Three can't-miss players for Week 8

There are no guarantees in life, but these three players are as close as it gets in Week 8 of fantasy football. 

Davante Adams (WR) New York Jets

Once Adams was traded to New York, fantasy managers hoped he and quarterback Aaron Rodgers could turn back the clock to 2021 when the two combined for 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns with Green Bay. Adams saw Rodgers’ first target against the Steelers on "Sunday Night Football" but finished with just three catches for 30 yards and six fantasy points in his Jets’ debut.

The 31-year-old receiver should do better against New England this week. The once-proud Patriots defense currently ranks in the bottom 10 of NFL teams for yards, passing yards and points allowed per game. Jaguars’ rookie Brian Thomas had 89 yards and a score against them in Week 7, and the Patriots should be even more generous to a player like Adams after a long trip home from London.

Joe Mixon (RB) Houston Texans

Mixon’s two touchdowns and 115 yards couldn’t get the Texans by the Packers last week, but they were good enough for 26.40 fantasy points, the fourth-most among running backs. He ranked second in Week 6 with 102 yards, a score and 27.20 fantasy points.

In other words, Mixon shows no ill effects of the shoulder injury that sidelined him from Weeks 3-5. He does, however, look every bit the running back that led the Bengals with 1,034 yards in 2023. This week, the Texans play the Colts, a team they beat 29-27 in Week 1 thanks to Mixon’s league-leading 159 yards on the ground. 

Indianapolis is giving up 24.07 fantasy points per game to running backs and allowed Miami running backs De’Von Achane, Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Wright to rush for 160 combined yards in Week 7.

Brock Purdy (QB) San Francisco 49ers

Purdy had one of the worst games of his young career against the Chiefs, completing just 17 passes for 212 yards with three interceptions and no touchdowns. He did have a pair of rushing scores, rendering his miscues irrelevant with 20.18 fantasy points, eighth-most among quarterbacks last week.

This week, Purdy will face a Cowboys team that appeared to start their bye week early by giving up 47 points to the Lions in Week 6. He’ll be without wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 7. It's currently unknown when fellow WR Deebo Samuel will return, as he was hospitalized on Monday due to pneumonia.

San Francisco hopes to get Jauan Jennings, the team’s leading receiver, back from a hip injury that kept him on the sideline for Week 7.

Thanks to injuries, the Cowboys' defense barely resembles the unit that allowed the fifth-fewest yards and points per game last season. This year, only four teams have allowed more fantasy points per game (19.03) than Dallas, making them the perfect opponent for Purdy in Week 8.