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Week 8 Fantasy Football Bold Predictions

Week 8 Fantasy Football Bold Predictions

Today, I’ve got a series of bold predictions for you that the general public would give less than a 1 in 10 shot of happening. Please understand, these are not my projections. My projections are much closer in line to what the industry consensus looks like. It is worth noting, however, that there is substantial variance any given week that can lead to Bennie Fowler going for two touchdowns or Ed Dickson receiving for 170+ yards. Those things will happen each week, and this is my crack at giving you a heads up on which players will be the big surprises.

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#8 Ameer Abdullah will be a top 10 RB

It is quite clear at this point that Abdullah is not the bell-cow first-round running back type that we thought he might become. That doesn’t mean, however, that he is no longer a big-play threat. Abdullah can still break big runs with the best of them, so he is bound to find his way into the end zone again sooner or later. So far this season, Abdullah is top 10 in carries per game, so we can expect another 15+ carries with him coming off the bye in a matchup where Detroit would be much better off running than passing. 
Final Prediction: 17 carries, 82 rushing yards, 1 TD, 2 receptions, 11 receiving yards

#7 Josh Doctson will be a top 15 WR

There has been a lot of hype surrounding Doctson on the FantasyPros Football Podcast this week and for good reason. Gruden has been talking him up and he flat out stole the #1 receiver job from Terrell Pryor who saw his snaps cut in half last week. It isn’t as though he is the #1 for Shaun Hill‘s St. Louis Rams or Cody Kessler‘s Cleveland Browns. Rather, he has Kirk Cousins, who is a near lock at 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns throwing to him. Expect the breakout to begin with a huge increase in targets this week against the Cowboy’s secondary.
Final Prediction: 5 receptions, 60 yards, 1 TD

#6 Austin Hooper will be a top 5 TE

Last week, Matt Ryan threw the ball to Hooper for just one reception. You can panic and drop him, or you can recognize that he had 16 targets the two previous games as is moving toward being a big part of this offense. The Jets have been among the easiest teams in football for opposing tight ends, so if there is a week for him to perform like a quality tight end, you are looking at it.
Final Prediction: 6 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD

#5 Amari Cooper will finish as a top 5 WR again

The bounceback isn’t quite complete for the Raiders’ star. No, I did not say that in jest and it shouldn’t be considered hyperbole. He is the only receiver in NFL history with 2 seasons of over 1,000 yards by the age of 23. Last week, he saw a ridiculous 19 targets. The second highest total in the league was just 13. He should see double-digit looks again in Week 8 as he sits on the better side of the cornerback coverage versus Buffalo.
Final Prediction: 8 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD

#4 Bilal Powell will surpass 100 yards

Last week, in Powell’s return from injury, he was just 21 snaps. The Jets are apparently eager to get him back up to a normal workload this week. Granted, Matt Forte is still in the fold, but over the past 11 Jets’ games, Powell has seen 30+ snaps 6 times. In 5 of those contests, he has at least 100 total yards and that includes some stellar opponents. This week, New York plays the Falcons, who have been bottom five against fantasy running backs this season.
Final Prediction: 12 carries, 84 rushing yards, 4 receptions, 31 receiving yards

#3 The Panthers will finish as the #1 DST

Two weeks ago I was thrilled about the Saints defense and it went perfectly. I have a similar sense about this game, as the wind should be howling at over 20 MPH for most of the game with stronger gusts. This does not bide well for Jameis Winston who has little regard for ball security. He is a gunner who tries to squeeze balls into double coverage, and if he continues those tendencies in this wind, Carolina could have a huge day.
Final Prediction: 16 points allowed, 4 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 3 sacks, 1 TD

#2 John Ross will be a top waiver wire pickup next week

Anthony Amico pointed out on Twitter this morning that the Colts have surrendered an amazing 37 big passing plays of over 20 yards. The next most in football is all the way down at 24. Now, you may be discouraged about John Ross because he hasn’t played much at all, but the Bengals say he is finally healthy. We are talking about a top 10 pick who is an absolute burner. He needs just 1 big play to get back on the fantasy radar.
Final Prediction: 4 receptions, 125 yards, 1 TD

#1 Will Fuller will not be a top 50 WR

You may be in love with Fuller because of his 5 touchdowns. I am on the other side, as I see just 8 receptions and limited targets expected in the future. It isn’t like he is some kind of touchdown machine. Rather, Fuller is a little guy who weighs 175 pounds soaking wet. If he even gets 4 receptions, his odds of scoring are low, but 4 seems like a dream considering the Texans line him up on the same side of the field that Richard Sherman will be waiting on.
Final Prediction: 2 receptions, 19 yards

**Bonus Super Duper Bold Prediction**
Wendell Smallwood finishes as a top 15 running back. With significant wind expected in Philly and a blowout likely in store, we can plan on Philly using their running backs much more than usual. Smallwood has been seeing an increased role lately, and this week lines up perfectly for him as the 49ers have given up 6.6 receptions per game and 75 yards through the air to running backs this season. Smallwood is the primary pass catcher and has big play ability so don’t be surprised to see him end up close to 100 yards in this contest.

Thanks for reading and happy football season!

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