Week 8 was filled with some phenomenal plays from DeAndre Hopkins‘ “reception” to Latavius Murray‘s 360 goal-line leap. Chances are, you caught all the highlights, but may have missed some of the finer details of the game film. Fortunately, my week always starts by watching each and every play thanks to NFL Game Pass’ Condensed Game Film. While I watch, I’m jotting down all kinds of notes to share with you so let me tell you about my top takeaways from the week.
You can watch condensed games too with a free trial from NFL Game Pass
#5) Courtland Sutton could be a breakout WR in the second half
We will find out within 24 hours if Demaryius Thomas is going to be dealt to New England, Houston or perhaps a sleeper team. If he leaves, Sutton is going to obviously be the biggest beneficiary in terms of targets, but can he actually produce with those opportunities? The answer is a resounding yes. The rookie is spectacular and I’d argue, the best pure football player in the class above Calvin Ridley, D.J. Moore and Keke Coutee. Each and every game, he uses his length and spectacular athleticism to make a big play and Week 8 was no exception. I’m expecting major numbers from him in the second half so be sure to pick him up in case Thomas is dealt.
#4) D.J. Moore is remarkable with the ball in his hands
We spent all season wondering if the Panthers were ever going to use their 1st round pick, and while we don’t quite know what the future holds, I can tell you that he looked excellent in his first week of substantial touches. With Torrey Smith out, Carolina allowed Moore to touch the ball nearly 10 times and he went for over 100 yards from scrimmage. He is a special talent after the catch, much like Golden Tate or Robert Woods, and while he still has areas of his game to improve, he is the type of player that offers a WR2 ceiling in fantasy football if he were to grow into a more significant role moving forward.
#3) Tyler Boyd is still improving each and every week
At the start of the season, Boyd was an afterthought with A.J. Green, John Ross, Joe Mixon and Tyler Eifert all seemingly ahead of him in the receiving pecking order. Suddenly, Boyd emerged on the scene thanks to a few big plays that seemed to be flukes. The play broke down with Dalton under pressure and Boyd ran into open space. While it certainly takes instincts and awareness to find that kind of seam, it didn’t seem as though there was much more to Boyd’s game, but the matter of the fact is that he has continued to grow as a complete receiver. His body control has stepped up to a whole different level and he high-points the ball like a real weapon. He will never be a DeAndre Hopkins, but we may be looking at a Doug Baldwin type of weapon.
#2) Derek Carr is much better than he is given credit for
I’ve seen the comments from disheartened fantasy owners and Raiders fans alike. You all think Carr is a scrub and needs to be replaced in Oakland pronto. I strongly disagree. His offensive line has been a disaster and this week they seemed to get it together. When Carr was given time, he looked terrific. You could watch the game tape then flip over to the Rams with Jared Goff and notice little difference. The real difference, of course, is the scheme, weapons and especially protection, but Carr has a big arm, top-notch intangibles and enough awareness to win in this league. If Oakland decides to move on from him in the off-season, you should be crossing your fingers that he ends up with your team. Don’t forget, after all, just how awful Goff looked in the wrong system with an abysmal offensive line.
#1) Patrick Mahomes may be on his way to being an all-time great
I give up, ok? Mahomes isn’t just better than average, he isn’t just the product of a superior coach or the tremendous weapons surrounding him. While all of those are useful, the matter of the fact is that Mahomes looks absolutely phenomenal on tape regardless of those factors. You could stick him in the worst possible situation and I’m confident his performance would be sufficient to make his team compete (see Brett Favre). Over the last four weeks, he has been a bit more of a gunslinger, which is about what we expected, but the kid continues to make big throw after big throw, moving out of the pocket, tossing dimes off the run, and always keeping his eyes downfield. We are seeing the start of a potentially historic career.
Additional Notes
- The Browns offensive line is a trainwreck, holding Baker Mayfield back
- Evan Engram appeared to finally be 100% physically
- Andrew Luck‘s velocity is all the way back to pre-injury form
- Joe Mixon is a bonafide star running back
- Aaron Jones has nitro boosters on his cleats
- Stefon Diggs is every bit as phenomenal as Adam Thielen
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS
