TNF Game Preview: Week 8 (2024)
The Minnesota Vikings’ undefeated streak was broken this past Sunday when they lost to the Detroit Lions 29-31. It’s a short turnaround for the Vikings, who are headed to Los Angeles this Thursday to face the 2-4 Los Angeles Rams team.
The Rams will be getting their star receiver Cooper Kupp back in the fold. Having lost Puka Nacua in Week 1 to a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury and Kupp in Week 2 to an ankle injury, the Rams have struggled to find their groove the past couple of weeks. Will this all change with Kupp back on the field? In Week 1, Kupp had 14 receptions, 110 receiving yards, and one touchdown. Last season, though he was surpassed by teammate Puka Nacua in touches, Kupp still had four games with 100+ receiving yards. He just may turn the needle for the Rams this week.
Let’s look at how the other Rams playmakers have fared this season thus far.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford is currently ranked QB26, with a 66.7% completion rate, and is averaging a meager 9.9 fantasy points per game. Having both Kupp and Nacua on the field in Week 1, Stafford had 14.7 fantasy points and was QB13 on the week. Kupp may be the answer to bumping Stafford up this week.
Without Kupp and Nacua the past couple of weeks, Stafford has only had Tutu Atwell, Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and rookie Jordan Whittington in the receiving corps. Atwell is, at this moment, the ‘best’ Rams wide receiver currently ranked WR55. Having 332 receiving yards total this season and averaging 9.5 fantasy points per game, Atwell has been a deep flex option for fantasy managers these past couple of weeks. The other receivers are ranked as follows: Robinson at WR73, Whittington WR75, and Johnson WR85. None of these other receivers have made a difference for the offense. Will Kupp be the answer?
Cooper Kupp returning to my lineup this week: pic.twitter.com/NfwzyDkF0R
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) October 23, 2024
In addition to those playmakers, the only tight end of note is Colby Parkinson, ranked as TE22, who has had just 197 total receiving yards this season and is averaging 6.8 fantasy points per game. Again, another player that is not moving the needle for this team.
The difference maker and only player providing consistency this season for the Rams has been running back Kyren Williams, who is currently ranked at RB5. With a total of 436 rushing yards, 71 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns, Williams is averaging an astonishing 19.8 fantasy points per game. He is a surefire start in fantasy each week and is again this week.
Let’s now flip to the other side of the ball to the Minnesota Vikings, my home team.
Quarterback Sam Darnold is currently ranked QB14, much to everyone’s shock coming into this season. He’s averaging a 66.5% completion rate and 17.1 fantasy points per game due to having serious weapons on the offensive side of the ball. There’s a reason this team is 5-1. Darnold has been able to steer this ship successfully, putting the team on track to be playoff-bound.
On the receiving end of Darnold’s passes many times this season is wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who is ranked WR4. This is a stat no one is surprised at. Jefferson can catch passes that no one else can. He can run routes no one has even imagined. With an average of 19.4 fantasy points per game, a total of 531 receiving yards, and five touchdowns this season, Jefferson is elite. There is only one JJ. Making the Vikings offense a one-two punch, rising talent Jordan Addison is currently ranked WR68. Though he’s only played four games this season due to being sidelined with an ankle injury at the beginning of the season, Addison is making serious contributions to this offense. Rounding out the Vikings receiving corps is Jalen Nailor, who is ranked WR60 with an average of 8.6 fantasy points per game, 213 total receiving yards, and three touchdowns so far this season.
In the past offseason, the Vikings brought in former Green Bay Packers star running back Aaron Jones to rule the run game. And rule it, he has. Currently ranked as RB11, Jones is averaging 16.9 fantasy points per game and has 443 rushing yards, 190 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. He is dominating the run game, contributing to the team’s receiving prowess, and making defenses step up their game to try to stop him. Look to him to dominate once again this week.
Aaron Jones!!pic.twitter.com/NZv2YezuxW
— Fantasy Life (@MBFantasyLife) October 20, 2024
Will this week mark the return of veteran tight end T.J. Hockenson? He’s listed as questionable, and if he makes his way back to the field, the Minnesota Vikings offense will become unstoppable on all counts.
Now it’s time to get the magnifying glass out and take a closer look at this particular match up.
Expecting it to be high-scoring, the point total for the game is set at 48, with the Vikings favored to win. The moneyline odds are set at -160, and the point spread is -3. The Vikings are coming off a tough loss to the Lions and need this win to bolster their confidence again. Shaking out to be a pivotal Week 8 game, the Rams also need this win to get their team back on track. There’s a lot on the line for this squaring-off between Stafford and Darnold.
As you look at your players on your fantasy teams or ones to place your bets on, let’s look at how these respective defenses are doing against the different positions.
The top area to target will be the Los Angeles Rams wide receivers, as the Minnesota Vikings are giving up the most fantasy points to this position at an average of 44.49. This translates into Cooper Kupp and Tutu Atwell being the ones to set your eyes on. Despite the Vikings giving up the fourth most receiving yards, temper your expectations on receiving touchdowns as they’ve only allowed seven total on the season. For narrative sake alone, though, won’t we all like to see one Stafford to Kupp touchdown this week and feel that magic connection once again.
The Rams are tougher when it comes to the wide receiver position. They are the 12th toughest defense against this position, allowing an average of 29.73 fantasy points per game. I might fade Nailor in this match up, but we can’t ignore the one-two punch of Jefferson and Addison. Especially not Jefferson. Elite talent transcends any kind of matchup situation.
Both of these defenses are even-keeled in what they allow the quarterback position, with both allowing an average of ~15 fantasy points per game. If you have to choose between these quarterbacks for your fantasy team, I would lean Darnold due to the array of weapons and what he’s proven this season thus far. That said, Stafford should improve this week due to Kupp’s return.
In looking at running backs, Aaron Jones gets the edge here as the Rams are allowing the tenth most fantasy points to this position, in particular on the rushing side of things. They are the 12th easiest at giving up rushing yards to this position, allowing an average of 121 rushing yards. But you should fade Jones on his receiving work due to the fact the Rams are the 12th toughest for receiving backs, only giving up around 31.8 receiving yards to this position.
On the other side, the Vikings defense is staunch against the run. They are the fourth toughest when it comes to rushing yards, only allowing an average of 72 rush yards per game. Does this mean we should fade Williams? I say no, as Williams has proven to be an elite running back and is the one piece of the Rams offense that has been consistent. Consistency and eliteness transcend any matchup situation.
What can we take away from all this? This Thursday, we will see big-time playmakers and big-time plays being made. We will get to see Stafford and Kupp reunite again. Perhaps we will see Hockenson make his way to the field again, and if so, the Vikings’ offense will be taken to the next level.
There are a lot of questions coming into this foray. Was the Vikings’ loss in Week 7 just because they went against the strong Lions team? Should we expect an automatic win in this game, or are there internal breakdowns that coach Kevin O’Connell needs to identify and fix? If linebacker Blake Cashman is absent again, does that ease up the pressures and give Stafford more room to get the ball out? Are the Rams doomed this season, or is there a chance to turn things around, especially with Kupp’s return? What difference will Rams linebacker Troy Reeder’s absence give to Darnold and what he’s able to do? I am hoping we solidify the fact that the Vikings team is legit this season and hasn’t been a facade.