Week 8 fantasy football takeaways: Buy the dip on Rico Dowdle

Dowdle is unquestionably the better running back right now, and head coach Dave Canales is starting to admit it. 

"We cannot ignore the fact that Rico has been exceptional in a couple of games and then in the opportunities he's had over the last two weeks," Canales said, per the team's website. "He's made some excellent plays, loved the tempo and violence that he's running with, and these are all things that we're talking about and working through this week as we look back on these last four games and really taking a snapshot of what's been successful for us. These are conversations that we do definitely have to have."

Don't be fooled by Justin Fields again

Fantasy owners might be tempted to keep rolling with Fields after his 20.86-point performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, but don't let Week 8 fool you. Fields has only four solid fantasy performances this season against the Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers, four of the worst defenses in the NFL. He scored fewer than 5.0 fantasy points against the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos and Panthers

Don't forget the New York Jets were prepared to replace Fields with Tyrod Taylor before the veteran was ruled out with a knee injury in Week 8. Fields is nothing more than a matchup-dependent backup. 

Oronde Gadsden II is no fluke

It's time to take Gadsden seriously as a top-five fantasy tight end. Over his last three games, the rookie has recorded 22 targets, 19 catches, 309 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Justin Herbert's top three wide receivers were all healthy for the last two games, and Gadsden was still a focal point of the passing game. 

The Los Angeles Chargers are designing plays specifically for Gadsden in the screen game and down the field, and that won't stop as long as he keeps performing like this.