Fantasy Football Week 8: Ryan Mathews Still a Standout Bust Among Week 8 Fallers

QB

Brett Favre, MIN

It’s not just that Brett Favre is hurt.

It’s that Brett Favre has reverted to his turnover-prone self once again. He isn’t letting the game come to him like he did last season. He is rushing his throws and making poor decisions.

His poor Week 7 performance cost his team the game despite having a chance to win at the end. 

Favre completed 16 of 29 passes (55.2 completion percentage) for 212 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Although I expect Favre to play Week 8, I don’t expect him to be effective against the Patriots.

Other Notable Performances and Notes

Donovan McNabb: 17-of-32 (53.1 completion percentage), 200 yards, TD, two INT

Kevin Kolb, PHI: 26-of-48 (54.2 completion percentage), 231 yards, TD, two INT

Tom Brady, NE: 19-of-32 (59.4 completion percentage), 159 yards, TD

Colt McCoy, CLE: 9-of-16 (56.3 completion percentage), 74 yards

Alex Smith, SF: Out up to three weeks (shoulder)

Tony Romo, DAL: Expected to miss six to 10 weeks (broken collarbone)

Last Week’s Falling QB in Week 7

Jay Cutler, CHI: 26-of-40 (65.0 completion percentage) for 281 yards, TD, four INT, fumble

RB

Ryan Mathews, SD

Mathews has failed miserably to live up to his preseason hype.

Granted, Mathews has been injured at times this season.

Still, his performances when healthy have made it perfectly clear he is a huge bust. He is not as involved in the passing game as people thought he would be.

He has shown a tendency to fumble already.

Mike Tolbert vultures touchdowns at the goal line and has been more effective running the ball in general.

Against New England, Mathews rushed just eight times for 15 yards and caught two passes for seven yards.

Mathews has an even more difficult matchup Week 8 against Tennessee.

Ray Rice, BAL

My preseason No. 1 overall pick has not performed remotely close to my predictions.

Rice had a good day running the ball with 16 carries for 72 yards against Buffalo Week 7. However, Willis McGahee scored from two yards out and carried the rock 11 times for 64 yards. The Ravens still have no desire to use Rice at the goal line.

Last year, Rice was a reception machine. He had just one reception for one yard against the Bills.

Hopefully the bye week helps Rice’s fantasy owners and he surges in the second half of the season.

Other Notable Performances and Notes

Ronnie Brown, MIA: Nine carries, 14 yards, two receptions, 20 yards

DeAngelo Williams, CAR: 19 carries, 44 yards, four receptions, 19 yards, fumble

Jonathan Stewart, CAR: 14 carries, 29 yards

Rashard Mendenhall, PIT: 15 carries, 37 yards, one reception, six yards

Felix Jones, DAL: Nine carries, 35 yards, three receptions, 27 yards

Last Week’s Falling RBs in Week 7

Jahvid Best, DET: BYE

Cadillac Williams, TB: Four carries, 12 yards, eight receptions, 34 yards, TD

WR

Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ

First dealing with a knee injury, Fitzgerald has been plagued by poor quarterback play for most of the season.

I never thought a player of Fitzgerald’s caliber would be hampered this much by the rest of his team.

Fitzgerald had a favorable matchup against the Seahawks but turned in just three receptions on 10 targets for 30 yards.

Fitzgerald has had an up and down season due to the quarterback play. It seems Fitzgerald does well every other week, so hopefully he can bounce back Week 8.

Steve Smith, CAR

Smith has fared well when Matt Moore plays at quarterback. Smith returned Week 7 after missing time with a knee.

Smith caught four passes for 50 yards. He finished the game but had to leave during it due to cramps.

Owners have to hope rookie David Gettis continues his fantastic play in Week 8 so defenses can’t shift all of their attention to stopping Smith. Still, Smith is a good play against St. Louis.

Other Notable Performances and Notes

Wes Welker, NE: Four receptions, 25 yards

Derrick Mason, BAL: Two receptions, 48 yards

Michael Crabtree, SF: Four receptions, 31 yards

Miles Austin, DAL: Three receptions, 38 yards

Robert Meachem, NO: Two receptions, 31 yards

Last Week’s Falling WRs in Week 7

Mike Sims-Walker, JAX: Three receptions, 38 yards, TD

Donald Driver, GB: Held without a reception

TE

Tony Moeaki, KC

Compared to most tight ends, Moeaki had a decent game with three receptions for 42 yards.

However, in the beginning of the season Moeaki looked like he was Kansas City’s next Tony Gonzalez. Moeaki is a big target for Matt Cassel over the middle of the field and in the red zone.

Moeaki should pick it up against Buffalo, but it is disappointing that this bright young tight end has been limited by the rest of his offense over the past three weeks.

Other Notable Performances and Notes

Bo Scaife, TEN: Three receptions, seven yards

John Carlson, SEA: One reception, three yards

Jermaine Gresham, CIN: Four receptions, 26 yards

Tony Gonzalez, ATL: Two receptions, 27 yards

Brent Celek, PHI: Two receptions, eight yards

Last Week’s Falling TE in Week 7

Chris Cooley, WAS: Seven receptions, 57 yards