Here are 15 random and AFC-based deep thoughts from a wildly entertaining Week 8.

But first, let's revisit a nugget from last week:

Fantasy owners, DO NOT be surprised if Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (six catches, 78 yards, two TD on Sunday) scores multiple touchdowns next week against the Rams. In his three-year career, Gronk has already pulled off that feat—in back-to-back outings—four times.


OK...back to the present.

1. Congratulations, Peyton Manning. It only took 14 healthy seasons and 215 career games to accomplish the following feat: Four straight games of 300 yards passing and three or more TD passes. And now, I've drawn the labor-intensive homework assignment of researching the all-time record for such a stat.

2. Just think of the numbers Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (222 yards passing, three TD) would have put up against the Redskins—the NFL's worst pass defense entering Sunday—if Heinz Field hadn't been battered by the early stages of "Frankenstorm" (best storm nickname...ever!). Consequently, Mike Wallace (seven catches, 62 yards) missed on a golden opportunity for 140 yards and/or two touchdowns. That aside, he's still a great play against the Giants next week, weather permitting.

3. Stevan Ridley (127 yards, one TD vs. St. Louis) has been the ultimate feast-or-famine back in fantasy circles. Four clunkers...and four superb games of 100-plus total yards and at least one touchdown. If only there was a method for distinguishing greatness from mediocrity before the games occurred.

4. If you enjoyed watching Demaryius Thomas (seven catches, 137 yards, one TD vs. New Orleans) fleece the Falcons and Saints for 15 catches, 20 targets, 215 yards and two touchdowns in Weeks 2 and 8...just wait 'till he takes on the erratic Panthers (Week 8) and Buccaneers (Week 13).

5. I may have walked away from Chiefs-Raiders wondering why Jamaal Charles tallied only 10 yards on eight touches (five carries), but hey, at least I wasn't alone. Which brings me to this: There's no point in implementing statistical probability for high-end talents like Charles...if Kansas City's head coach cannot distinguish star players from Shaun Draughn during games.

6. Poor Andrew Luck (325 total yards, one TD vs. Tennessee). Given the season-long health of fantasy's elite quarterbacks, he likely hasn't logged more than two or three starts in standard 12-team leagues—despite six games of 20-plus fantasy points. As a result, his marketability on the trade front isn't particularly high.

7. My fantasy opinion of Brandon Lloyd (two catches, 28 yards, two TD) did not change much from Sunday. In PPR leagues, he's an automatic flex starter. And for standard-scoring leagues, Lloyd's viability shall be determined on a weekly basis. It's the proper stance for a wideout with a 50 percent or less catch-to-target ratio in four of his last five games.

8. Prior to Sunday, I would have lost a ton of money betting against the following: The road-ready Dolphins hanging 30 on the Jets, but with Reggie Bush netting just 65 total yards (and zero scores). That aside, Bush remains a healthy lock for sizable numbers against the Colts in Week 9.

9. Jacksonville's Cecil Shorts (eight catches, 116 yards vs. Green Bay) has now collected double-digit targets in consecutive weeks—a telltale sign the unheralded receiver is ready to start in 12-team PPR leagues. And if Shorts can be found on waivers this week, by all means, move heaven and Earth to land him.

10. It's weird watching Carson Palmer (209 yards passing, two TD) play with a lead for three-plus quarters. A mere 14 completions and 28 pass attempts. To be fair, though, he should have finished with three touchdowns. Denarius Moore, despite his success against the Chiefs (five catches, 96 yards, one TD), would probably kill for another chance at that easy end-zone drop in the second quarter.

11. Cleveland's Josh Gordon (three catches, 46 yards vs. San Diego) gets a relative free pass for his middling numbers in the Browns-Chargers quagmire. In exchange for that, I expect Gordon (17 catches, 379 yards, four TD) to break precedent against the Ravens next week—in the form of four or more receptions.

12. It's anyone's guess where the Chargers are headed in the real world, but I can safely predict that Ryan Mathews (104 total yards vs. Cleveland) will average 108 total yards per game from Weeks 9-16. Book it!

13. Kenny Britt (three catches, 34 yards) has temporarily forfeited the right to be a weekly starting option in 12-team leagues. Yes, he had a touchdown called back against the Colts, but it was his penalty that spoiled the end-zone party. Bottom line: It's hard to remain tantalized by an athletic freak who's only averaging 35 yards per game.

14. I couldn't be happier with Rashad Jennings' stealthy fantasy goodness (115 total yards) against the Packers. It was a sweet, timely reminder that Jacksonville's running game isn't completely hopeless without Maurice Jones-Drew, should the 2011 rushing king miss substantial time to a foot injury.

And for what it's worth, I don't expect MJD back at any point this season. (There, I said it.)

And finally...

15. I'll buy Shonn Greene (106 total yards vs. Miami) as a must-have RB3 from this point forward (standard-scoring leagues), regardless of who's quarterbacking the Jets (Mark Sanchez/Tim Tebow).

It's simple math, really:

Three straight games of 100 total yards and/or one touchdown + a slate of Jacksonville, Tennessee and San Diego for Weeks 14-16 = Ohhhhh, yeah! (cue Kool-Aid Man redux)


Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.

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The following countdown touts the 15 most decorated fantasy stars from the Sunday portion of NFL Week 8 (standard-scoring leagues).

This week's list includes one sack-loving defense, two all-world tight ends, three under-25 receivers, four elite quarterbacks and five running backs who gleefully grabbed the fantasy spotlight during the bye weeks for Arian Foster, Ray Rice, Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller.

If this was a points-per-reception countdown, Steve Smith (seven catches, 116 yards), Cecil Shorts (eight catches, 116 yards) and Miles Austin (nine catches, 133 yards) likely would have clinched spots, as well.

Finally, there are no kickers in this week's salute to excellence. Maybe next time.

Enjoy the show!

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Here are four revised Sunday/Monday countdowns for fantasy Week 8—involving quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends (standard-scoring leagues).

Some of the rankings have been modified to support new developments from the NFL's official injury list.

But as stated many times in this blog, I am not one to overreact to a star player listed as "questionable" prior to kickoff.

My rationale: If a guy practiced twice over the three-day period of Wednesday through Friday, I assume he'll play and garner roughly 70 percent of his standard touches, targets or pass attempts.

One last thing: Consult the NFL Weather Map before rendering final decisions on quarterbacks and receivers.


Top 25 Quarterbacks For Sunday/Monday

1. Peyton Manning vs. New Orleans
2. Drew Brees @ Denver
3. Aaron Rodgers vs. Jacksonville
4. Tom Brady vs. St. Louis (London)
5. Robert Griffin III @ Pittsburgh
6. Matt Ryan @ Philadelphia
7. Eli Manning @ Dallas
8. Matthew Stafford vs. Seattle
9. Tony Romo vs. N.Y. Giants
10. Ben Roethlisberger vs. Washington
11. Andrew Luck @ Tennessee
12. Michael Vick vs. Atlanta
13. Cam Newton @ Chicago
14. Carson Palmer @ Kansas City
15. Philip Rivers @ Cleveland
16. Brandon Weeden vs. San Diego
17. Matt Hasselbeck vs. Indianapolis
18. Jay Cutler vs. Carolina
19. Mark Sanchez vs. Miami
20. Alex Smith @ Arizona
21. Sam Bradford vs. New England (London)
22. Ryan Tannehill @ N.Y. Jets
23. Blaine Gabbert @ Green Bay
24. Russell Wilson @ Detroit
25. John Skelton vs. San Francisco
25a. Brady Quinn vs. Oakland


Top 40 Running Backs For Sunday/Monday

1. Matt Forte vs. Carolina
2. LeSean McCoy vs. Atlanta
3. Jamaal Charles vs. Oakland
4. Chris Johnson vs. Indianapolis
5. Darren McFadden @ Kansas City
6. Frank Gore @ Arizona
7. Marshawn Lynch @ Detroit
8. Ryan Mathews @ Cleveland
9. Reggie Bush @ N.Y. Jets
10. Willis McGahee vs. New Orleans
11. Ahmad Bradshaw @ Dallas
12. Rashad Jennings @ Green Bay
13. Michael Turner @ Philadelphia
14. Alfred Morris @ Pittsburgh
15. Steven Jackson vs. New England (London)
16. Stevan Ridley vs. St. Louis (London)
17. Mikel Leshoure vs. Seattle
18. Darren Sproles @ Denver
19. Trent Richardson vs. San Diego
20. Shonn Greene vs. Miami
21. Alex Green vs. Jacksonville
22. Felix Jones vs. N.Y. Giants
23. Jonathan Dwyer vs. Washington
24. Vick Ballard @ Tennessee
25. LaRod Stephens-Howling vs. San Francisco
26. Jonathan Stewart @ Chicago
27. Phillip Tanner vs. N.Y. Giants
28. Montario Hardesty vs. San Diego
29. Kendall Hunter @ Arizona
30. Michael Bush vs. Carolina
31. Daryl Richardson vs. New England (London)
32. Mike Goodson @ Kansas City
33. William Powell vs. San Francisco
34. Pierre Thomas @ Denver
35. Jacquizz Rodgers @ Philadelphia
36. Daniel Thomas @ N.Y. Jets
37. Donald Brown @ Tennessee
38. DeAngelo Williams @ Chicago
39. Peyton Hillis vs. Oakland
40. Joique Bell vs. Seattle


Top 50 Receivers For Sunday/Monday

1. Demaryius Thomas vs. New Orleans
2. Roddy White @ Philadelphia
3. Marques Colston @ Denver
4. Calvin Johnson vs. Seattle
5. Victor Cruz @ Dallas
6. Mike Wallace vs. Washington
7. Jeremy Maclin vs. Atlanta
8. Wes Welker vs. St. Louis (London)
9. Reggie Wayne @ Tennessee
10. James Jones vs. Jacksonville
11. Larry Fitzgerald vs. San Francisco
12. Julio Jones @ Philadelphia
13. Denarius Moore @ Kansas City
14. Miles Austin vs. N.Y. Giants
15. Malcom Floyd @ Cleveland
16. Eric Decker vs. New Orleans
17. Brandon Marshall vs. Carolina (blame dip on nasty Chicago weather)
18. Dez Bryant vs. N.Y. Giants
19. Randall Cobb vs. Jacksonville
20. Dwayne Bowe vs. Oakland
21. Hakeem Nicks @ Dallas
22. Antonio Brown vs. Washington
23. DeSean Jackson vs. Atlanta
24. Lance Moore @ Denver
25. Josh Gordon vs. San Diego
26. Brandon Lloyd vs. St. Louis (London)
27. Kenny Britt vs. Indianapolis
28. Steve Smith @ Chicago
29. Michael Crabtree @ Arizona
30. Brandon Gibson vs. New England (London)
31. Nate Washington vs. Indianapolis
32. Jeremy Kerley vs. Miami
33. Darrius Heyward-Bey @ Kansas City
34. Brian Hartline @ N.Y. Jets
35. Sidney Rice @ Detroit
36. Andre Roberts vs. San Francisco
37. Cecil Shorts @ Green Bay
38. Titus Young vs. Seattle
39. Kendall Wright vs. Indianapolis
40. Donnie Avery @ Tennessee
41. Chris Givens vs. New England (London)
42. Davone Bess @ N.Y. Jets
43. Donald Driver vs. Jacksonville
44. Leonard Hankerson @ Pittsburgh
45. Golden Tate @ Detroit
46. Santana Moss @ Pittsburgh
47. Brandon Stokley vs. New Orleans
48. Stephen Hill vs. Miami
49. Justin Blackmon @ Green Bay
50. Kevin Ogletree vs. N.Y. Giants


Top 25 Tight Ends For Sunday/Monday

1. Rob Gronkowski vs. St. Louis (London)
2. Tony Gonzalez @ Philadelphia
3. Heath Miller vs. Washington
4. Jason Witten vs. N.Y. Giants
5. Brandon Pettigrew vs. Seattle
6. Vernon Davis @ Arizona
7. Martellus Bennett @ Dallas
8. Antonio Gates @ Cleveland
9. Dustin Keller vs. Miami
10. Brent Celek vs. Atlanta
11. Greg Olsen @ Carolina
12. Jermichael Finley vs. Jacksonville
13. Marcedes Lewis @ Green Bay
14. Jared Cook vs. Indianapolis
15. Jacob Tamme vs. New Orleans
16. Jimmy Graham/David Thomas @ Denver
17. Brandon Myers @ Kansas City
18. Coby Fleener @ Tennessee
19. Benjamin Watson vs. San Diego
20. Robert Housler vs. San Francisco
21. Logan Paulsen @ Pittsburgh
22. Dwayne Allen @ Tennessee
23. Lance Kendricks vs. New England (London)
24. Anthony Fasano @ N.Y. Jets
25. Jordan Cameron vs. San Diego


Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.

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The following countdown touts the 50 most valuable fantasy plays for Week 8, citing Sunday/Monday games only.

To clarify, this listing doesn't project the 50 highest scorers for the weekend in standard-scoring or points-per-reception leagues. If that was the case, we'd have quarterback after quarterback occupying the penthouse spots, and that would be extremely boring to read...and write (especially since The Fantasy Blog already has a top 25 countdown for quarterbacks).

This slideshow went heavy on running backs, wide receivers, quarterbacks and tight ends—the lifeblood positions of fantasy champions—but there was also room for one defensive/special teams unit.

On the flip side, there was no space for Packers wideout Jordy Nelson, who's iffy with a hamstring injury.

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The following countdown details seven playmaking stars whose fantasy values have noticeably declined since the preseason—for various reasons.

As a result, each one could be had for a reduced-market trade price before Sunday's slate of games, provided prospective owners can push the right buttons during negotiations.

Good luck...and enjoy the show!

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Here are some mini-revelations off the Buccaneers' surprisingly easy 36-17 win over the Vikings on Thursday night:


1. So much for doubting Doug Martin against quality defenses, when playing on the road

The Tampa Bay rookie steamrolled Minnesota for 214 total yards (135 rushing) and two touchdowns—easily one of the three best fantasy outings of the season (among tailbacks).

It was also the official coming-out party for Martin, in terms of being an automatic starter in 12-team leagues (RB2 or flex) from this point forward, regardless of scoring rules.

As an aside, I'd like to pretend that Martin was higher on my board of Top 40 Tailbacks For Week 8...but in this techno-savvy age of web screengrabs, it's best to just shut up, admit defeat and humbly take my medicine.


2. The Vikings defense can no longer be deemed 'elite' against the run

When Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III racked up 320 total yards (138 rushing) and three touchdowns on Oct. 14, I didn't throw a lot of blame the Vikings' way. After all, Griffin is a freak of nature, and his game-clinching, 76-yard touchdown run didn't occur until the waning moments of that game.

And when Arizona's LaRod Stephens-Howling netted 145 total yards (104 rushing) and one TD against Minnesota last week, I figured it as a consequence of the Vikings' grand plan of mass-blitzing QB John Skelton and rolling coverages toward receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

But Martin's monster night changed everything, so much that the Vikings' dominance-against-the-run for Weeks 2 through 5 (70 yards per game) has become a fading memory.

By extension, I see great things for Seattle's Marshawn Lynch and Detroit's Mike Leshoure in Weeks 9 and 10, respectively.


3. Josh Freeman and Christian Ponder had totally different experiences from their nearly identical stats

**Freeman and Ponder each completed 19 passes.
**Both QBs had completion percentages in the low- to mid-50s.
**Freeman had 261 total yards...and Ponder totaled 263 yards (251 passing).

And yet, Freeman easily had the better fantasy outing, tossing a touchdown in each of the first three quarters (Erik Lorig, Mike Williams, Doug Martin). Ponder, in turn, only accounted for one score, hitting Percy Harvin on an 18-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Last week, remember how Freeman notched 300 total yards in back-to-back games for the first time in his four-year career?

Well, on Thursday, he became the first Bucs QB since Vinny Testaverde (1989) to pass for three or more touchdowns in three consecutive games.

Looking ahead to Week 9, Freeman has earned the right to start in 12-team leagues (against the Raiders), but the same cannot be said about Ponder against the Seahawks.


4. It's rare for another back to obscure Adrian Peterson in a 1-on-1 battle, especially when AP rolls for big yardage

Doug Martin logged 32 touches (29 rushes) for 214 yards and a per-touch average of 6.69 yards.

On the flip side, Peterson needed only 16 touches to earn 127 total yards (123 rushing), with a per-touch average of 7.93 yards.

Let the above stats stand as Exhibit A for why fantasy owners should not spend a lot of time researching their lineups, leading up to the Thursday/Sunday/Monday slate of games.

Very few  experts had the 5-2 Vikings falling to the 2-4 Bucs at home.

And even a smaller subset of NFL enthusiasts had Tampa Bay tabbed for a 19-point rout...with Martin doubling Peterson's overall touches.

The message here: We're powerless against the scoreboard gods. So please, don't overthink the lineups. 

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.

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Here are 20 fun facts involving some of fantasy's biggest stars leading up to NFL Week 8, which includes the annual game abroad at England's Wembley Stadium (Patriots-Rams).

Hopefully, these numbers-based revelations will help bring clarity to your lineup dilemmas.

To view my smartphone-friendly cheat sheet for this weekend, click here.


1. In his last five home games against the 49ers (2007-11), Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald boasts averages of 6.8 catches, 91.8 yards and one touchdown.

2. There is zero excuse for benching Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin on Sunday. In his last two games against the Falcons (2010-11), Maclin boasts absurd averages of 10 catches, 165 yards and two touchdowns.

3. Bears tailback Matt Forte (476 total yards, 1 TD) has per-outing averages of 208 total yards and 1.5 touchdowns in his last two games against the Panthers.

4. My Sunday endorsement of Miles Austin is more a reflection of his four-year track record (218 catches, 2,368 yards, 29 TD from 2009-12) than his five-game history against the Giants (as a starter)—4.2 catches, 58.6 yards and 0.6 touchdowns.

5. In Rashad Jennings' brief history of logging 20-plus touches (two games), the Jaguars tailback notched 100 total yards and one touchdown each time.

6. For what it's worth, Vincent Jackson has a grand total of three catches and 47 yards in two career games against the Vikings (while with the Chargers). But it's probably not sufficient cause to bench an electric talent who's just days removed from 216 yards and one touchdown (against the Saints).

7. Michael Vick's track record against the Falcons (as a starter) is incomplete—just one outing of 267 total yards and two touchdowns last year. So, let's shift the focus to Vick's home averages in 2012: 355 total yards and 1.66 touchdowns per game.

8. Through six games, Philly's LeSean McCoy has tallied 100 total yards and/or one touchdown five times. As a supplement to that, Atlanta's defense has allowed 100 combined rushing yards in every game to date.

9. Falcons wideout Roddy White (37 catches, 553 yards, 4 TD) has per-outing averages of 6.5 catches, 81 yards and one touchdown in his last four games against the Eagles.

10. The hysteria from Heath Miller's incredible start (four scores for Weeks 1-3) has died down a bit, but that's no reason to doubt the tight end moving forward. For Weeks 6 and 7, Miller collected 12 catches, 17 targets, 120 yards and one touchdown. And this Sunday, he draws the NFL's worst pass defense (Washington).

11. How's this for consistency: In three career games against the Cowboys, receiver Victor Cruz  caught six balls each time. And in that span, he averaged 10 targets, 103 yards and 0.33 touchdowns.

12. Through six games, Tony Gonzalez has reached the PPR-elite threshold (among tight ends) of five catches, 75 yards and/or one touchdown five times. Of equal importance, he's the only one of his positional brethren to draw double-digit targets in three games.

13. Upon joining the Dolphins last year, Reggie Bush didn't crack the century mark in total yardage until Week 8 (120 vs. the Giants). And after that, Bush produced 96 total yards and/or one TD for the next 10 games (including this season).

14. Green Bay's Jordy Nelson (17 catches, 243 yards, 4 TD in his last two games) has ascended to the elite strata of receivers without a bonanza of targets. For the season, Nelson has collected nine-plus targets just four times.

15. Fantasy owners have a 50-50 chance of correctly guessing when Vernon Davis will score against Arizona—Week 8 (Oct. 29) or Week 17 (Dec. 30). From 2008-11, Davis tallied a touchdown in one of two annual games against the Cardinals, but never both.

16. Brandon Marshall has faced the Panthers only once in his seven-year career, catching five balls for 48 yards four years ago (December 2008). And that middling performance was curiously sandwiched between outings of double-digit receptions when Marshall had Jay Cutler in Denver.

17. Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew has been off the mark of late, catching only eight balls for 75 mundane yards in the last two weeks. But in his last four home games (dating back to last year), Pettigrew has robust averages of seven catches, 70 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.

18. Darren McFadden has waited three years to play again at Arrowhead Stadium, even though the Chiefs and Raiders are division rivals. For 2008 and '09, DMC averaged 114 total yards and one touchdown at Kansas City.

19. Through seven games, Cardinals wideout Andre Roberts (29 catches, 389 yards, 5 TD) has collected six-plus targets six times, and the one "clunker" game of one target (Week 2) entailed a touchdown.

And finally...

20. In a six-game period from 2009-11, Eli Manning passed for 300-plus yards on the Cowboys five times. So, why am I having such difficulty attaching a top-five ranking for the week?

Maybe the Cowboys' new-and-improved secondary (ranked No. 3 against the pass) can be a mild form of fantasy Kryptonite for the often-super Manning.

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.

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Piggybacking off the success of The Fantasy Blog's smartphone-friendly cheat sheets for standard-scoring and points-per-reception leagues back in August...

Here's an all-encompassing, iPhone-friendly cheat sheet full of Week 8 insight and predictions:

 Standard Scoring

 
Points Per Reception

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