Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2019 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Deshaun Watson (Texans)
As expected, the Raiders horrific secondary had no answers for Watson. The rising star signalcaller threw for 279 YDS and 3 TD's while adding another 46 YDS on the ground in an ugly, but hard-fought comeback victory. Watson will look to make it 3 fantasy MVP performances in 4 weeks when the Texans travel to London to take on the Jaguars this Sunday.

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Drew Brees (Saints), Matthew Stafford (Lions)

LVP: Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
Cousins didn't really take advantage of his opportunity to stick it to the Redskins. He put together a clean, but very pedestrian game (285 YDS, 0 TD's, 0 giveaways) in his 1st showdown with the team that repeatedly refused to commit to him as their long-term franchise QB as the Vikings cruised to a 20-9 victory last Thursday night. The $84 million man will look to return to the level of the dominance he displayed earlier in October when the Norseman travel to Arrowhead Stadium for a showdown with the Chiefs banged-up secondary.

Dishonorable Mentions: Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Jacoby Brissett (Colts), Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

Running Back

MVP: Tevin Coleman (49ers)
What a comically dominant performance this was. It only took Coleman 13 touches to gain 118 YDS and score 4 TD's in a blowout win over the Panthers. Coleman has been a scoring machine (6 total TD's) since returning from an ankle injury at the beginning of the month and should be a high-end RB2 for a Week 9 matchup with the Cardinals.

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Jones (Packers), Latavius Murray (Saints), Christian McCaffery (Panthers)

LVP: Le'Veon Bell (Jets)
Despite facing a much more favorable matchup, Bell was every bit as ineffective this week as he was last week against the Patriots vaunted D. The Jaguars stuffed Bell every single time he touched the ball on Sunday afternoon, which resulted in him finishing the game with a depressing 35 YDS (23 rushing, 12 receiving) on 12 touches. Horrible offensive line play, game script issues and Adam Gase's questionable at best playcalling have prevented Bell from having success during his inaugural campaign with the Jets. However, there's legitimate potential for things to get rosier as they are about to enter a very favorable portion of the schedule that includes dates with the Redskins, Bengals and Dolphins (2x).

Dishonorable Mentions: Ty Johnson (Lions), LeSean McCoy (Chiefs), Derrick Henry (Titans)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
After a quiet couple of weeks by his standards, Evans was due for one of his patented inhuman explosions. He absolutely ruined a damn good Titans secondary, who did a great job containing Chris Godwin, amassing 198 YDS and 2 TD's on 11 catches. A matchup with a very burnable Seahawks secondary is up next for the freakishly gifted 6th year pro.  

Honorable Mentions: Cooper Kupp (Rams), Kenny Golladay (Lions), Julian Edelman (Patriots)

LVP: Corey Davis (Titans)
In a development that shouldn't shock anybody whose familiar with him, Davis followed up a terrific outing with a porous one. The Titans de facto #1 wideout was largely invisible against the Bucs wretched secondary, securing just 2 catches for 9 YDS. Unless you're absolutely desperate for a FLEX/WR3 play, Davis shouldn't be in your lineups this week against the Panthers.

Dishonorable Mentions: Marvin Jones Jr. (Lions), Kenny Stills (Texans), D.J. Moore (Panthers)

Tight End

MVP: Austin Hooper (Falcons)
It's kind of hilarious that Hooper is putting together a career year while a complete meltdown is happening around him. The 4th year tight end was once again a bright spot for the reeling 1-7 Falcons as they got their teeth kicked in by the Seahawks-securing 6 catches for 65 YDS and a TD. Hooper has been the top fantasy tight end through 8 weeks by a pretty wide margin and he appears set to remain an elite option when the Falcons return to action in Week 10 against the Saints.

Honorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Evan Engram (Giants), George Kittle (49ers)

LVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)
Where art thou Zach Ertz? The star tight end was a non-factor yet again, only managing 20 YDS on 2 catches versus a feisty Bills defense last Sunday. With a healthy Carson Wentz under center and a ton of injuries at WR, Ertz has been an inexplicable flop in 2019. He'll be a low-end TE1 against the Bears in Week 9. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Gerald Everett (Rams), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Jimmy Graham (Packers)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Patriots
Freddie Kitchens, Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb were the latest group of helpless souls that got to feel the wrath of the Patriots defense as their bumbling offense surrendered 5 sacks, 3 takeaways (2 FUM REC, 1 INT) and a TD to the league's scariest unit. Greg Roman and John Harbaugh are going to have to get really creative for Lamar Jackson to not get eaten alive by this group in primetime this Sunday night. 

Honorable Mentions: 49ers, Jaguars, Steelers

LVP: Bears
In an excellent all-around week for fantasy defenses, the Bears merely passable performance (17 points allowed, 1 sack, 1 INT) against the Chargers is the one that let down the highest volume of owners. Chuck Pagano's group will look to rebound against a decent-to-good Eagles offense in Week 9. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Bills, Panthers, Packers

Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers (2018 Edition)

Quarterback
MVP: Deshaun Watson (Texans)
Watson finally delivered an outing worthy of his high ADP. While his yardage total wasn't overly impressive (253), his 5 TD passes made his outing against the Dolphins a gift for his fantasy owners. The sophomore signalcaller has been a bit better of late, but will receive a serious test when the Texans travel to Denver this week.  
Honorable Mentions: Cam Newton (Panthers), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Jared Goff (Rams)

LVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Brees took a back seat (120 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT) on a night where the Vikings sloppy play (a fumble an INT and turnover on downs deep in their own territory) took them out of the game early in the 2nd half. The 39-year old should have much better numbers this Sunday when the Rams' undisciplined secondary come to the Superdome.
Dishonorabe Mentions: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Tom Brady (Patriots), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Running Back
MVP: James Conner (Steelers)
Move over Jimmy Haslam because the Browns have a new owner and his name is James Conner. The Steelers running back lit up the league's 30th ranked defense for 212 scrimmage YDS (146 rushing, 66 receiving) and a pair of rushing TD's on 29 touches. Conner finished the season series against Cleveland with 404 total YDS and 4 TD's, which goes a long way in showing why the Steelers haven't really missed Le'Veon Bell this season.
Honorable Mentions: Todd Gurley (Rams), Marlon Mack (Colts), Joe Mixon (Bengals)

LVP: Chris Thompson (Redskins)
The Redskins pass-catching back's return to the field after a multi-week absence was pretty uneventful. Thompson only managed 22 YDS (13 rushing, 9 receiving) on 5 touches in a blowout win over the Giants on Sunday afternoon. With Adrian Peterson handling early down work and yet another rib injury potentially limiting his upside, Thompson will be a very shaky start if he's healthy enough to play against the Falcons.
Dishonorable Mentions: Isaiah Crowell (Jets), Corey Clement (Eagles), Carlos Hyde (Jaguars)

Wide Receiver 
MVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Evans record his 2nd straight huge game by registering 179 YDS and a TD against the Bengals poor secondary. There will continue to be weeks where Evans underwhelms regardless of who is under center, but his role on a team that relies on a vertical passing attack to make plays and has a defense that can't slow anyone down is enough to make him a weekly WR2.
Honorable Mentions: Marvin Jones Jr. (Lions), Sammy Watkins (Chiefs), DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)

LVP: T.Y Hilton (Colts)
This is one of the more head-scratching failures of the season so far. On a day where Andrew Luck was sharp and just about every other healthy body in the Colts receiving corps was feasting against the Raiders laughably bad defense, Hilton reeled in just 1 catch for 34 YDS. The Colts undisputed top WR has a date with a banged-up Jaguars secondary in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers), Doug Baldwin (Seahawks), Kenny Golladay (Lions)

Tight End
MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Sammy Watkins was the king of the Chiefs offense this week, but Kelce still put together a nice performance against the Broncos on Sunday, finishing the day with 79 YDS and a TD on 6 receptions. 2018's top fantasy TE so far will be in the running for this honor yet again in Week 9 when the Chiefs square off against the Browns porous secondary.
Honorable Mentions: Jared Cook (Raiders), O.J. Howard (Buccaneers), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

LVP: David Njoku 
It was a very sad week for the tight end position with 3 notable starters putting up goose eggs, but no one had to wipe away more tears than Njoku. His only target against the Steelers was nullified by an offensive pass interference call, which helped make his donut the most disheartening of the bunch. Njoku, who has been notably better since Baker Mayfield became the starting QB, will look for redemption against the Chiefs horrific defense this Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: C.J. Uzomah (Bengals), Benjamin Watson (Saints), Jimmy Graham (Packers)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Patriots 
The Bills talent-barren offense continue to provide opposing defenses with golden opportunities to murder them. The Patriots slow, generally untalented defense looked like the '85 Bears against Derek Anderson and co., posting 3 sacks, an INT, a fumble recovery and a TD in a 25-6 victory on Monday Night Football. This dominance will likely become a distant memory when they square off against the Packers this Sunday night.
Honorable Mentions: Bengals, Redskins, Saints

LVP: Ravens
The league's top scoring defense got absolutely destroyed by the Panthers, registering 0 sacks or takeaways in an ugly 36-21 loss on Sunday. They won't be a strong play for their Week 9 home tilt against the Steelers.
Dishonorable Mentions: Colts, Vikings, Texans 

Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks) 
In the year's most explosive quarterback showdown to-date, Russell Wilson came out on top. The Seahawks QB torched the Texans defense for 482 total yards (452 passing, 30 rushing) and 4 TD's through the air in a 41-38 shootout on Sunday afternoon. With the absence of a reliable running game, Wilson has put this offense on his back and with a pretty favorable schedule on the horizon, he should remain a top-tier QB1 throughout the 2nd half of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Deshaun Watson (Texans), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Josh McCown (Jets)

LVP: Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
Dak Prescott played the type of boring, mistake-free game (159 total YDS, 0 TD's or takeaways) against the Redskins that is completely acceptable in real life, but underwhelms in the fantasy game. With Ezekiel Elliott's suspension potentially going into effect this week, Prescott will be in a position to make more plays in the passing game, which could rise his fantasy stock.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Kirk Cousins (Redskins), Phillip Rivers (Chargers) 

Running Back
MVP: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
For a 2nd consecutive week, Ezekiel Elliott dominated the fantasy leaderboards at the running back position. After a fumble on his 1st carry of the game, Elliott went onto be the catalyst for the Cowboys offense with 150 YDS and a TD on 33 carries. Elliott has been excellent once again this season and if his 6-game suspension finally sticks this time around, it will be a devastating loss for all of his fantasy owners.
Honorable Mentions: LeSean McCoy (Bills), Jerick McKinnon (Vikings), Melvin Gordon (Chargers)

LVP: Jay Ajayi (Dolphins)
Jay Ajayi's underwhelming 2017 season continued with a monumental dud in Week 8. Like the rest of his teammates not named Kenny Stills, Ajayi had a horrific outing against the Ravens last Thursday, managing just 23 rushing YDS on 13 carries against the Ravens bottom-ranked rush defense. Ajayi will look to turn his season around as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles following a stunning trade from the Dolphins, but faces an incredibly difficult test as the Broncos #1 run defense comes into Lincoln Financial Field to face the Bird Gang in Week 9.
Dishonorable Mentions: Devonta Freeman (Falcons), Ameer Abdullah (Lions), Christian McCaffery (Panthers)

Wide Receiver
MVP: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
The Seahawks might've won the game, but DeAndre Hopkins put together the most impressive fantasy line of any receiver in Sunday's ridiculous shootout in Seattle. Hopkins turned his team-high 8 receptions against the artists formerly known as the Legion of Boom into 224 YDS and 1 TD. The play of Deshaun Watson has revitalized Hopkins after a disappointing 2016 campaign and as long as Watson continues to play at a high level, he will be a legit WR1.
Honorable Mentions: JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers), Will Fuller V (Texans), Paul Richardson (Seahawks)

LVP: Devin Funchess (Panthers)
On a week where most of the top wideouts put up at least subpar numbers, Devin Funchess ended up being among the few starting-caliber WR's that laid an egg. Funchess only managed to secure 2 receptions for 11 yards against a Buccaneers secondary that has allowed the 3rd most fantasy points to receivers this season. Funchess, who has been a very pleasant surprise this season, will look to redeem himself against the Falcons mediocre secondary in Week 9.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brandin Cooks (Patriots), Nelson Agholor (Eagles), T.Y Hilton (Colts)

Tight End
MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs) 
Travis Kelce's importance to the Chiefs offense was on full display this week. Kelce's excellent performance (7 REC/133 YDS/1 TD) kept this unit afloat on a night where Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt struggled, and helped them secure an impressive 29-19 win over the rapidly-collapsing Broncos. Kansas City's star tight end will look to get in the endzone for a 3rd straight week against a surprisingly stout Cowboys defense that has allowed the 4th least fantasy points to TE's this season.
Honorable Mentions: Jack Doyle (Colts), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)

LVP: Hunter Henry (Chargers)
Hunter Henry became the latest tight end to underachieve against the Patriots porous pass defense. Despite reeling in both of his targets, Henry only managed to pick up a mere 11 YDS on an afternoon where the Chargers were inexplicably reluctant to throw the ball. Henry won't be worth starting in a Week 10 tilt versus the Jaguars elite secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Jets), Tyler Kroft (Bengals)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Baltimore Ravens
The contingent of Dolphins fans that wanted Matt Moore to start over Jay Cutler are likely backtracking following the abundance of offensive atrocities that occurred under his watch. This Ravens defense spent 4 quarters demoralizing the career backup, dumping him for 3 sacks and returning a pair of INT's for TD's in a 40-0 loss last Thursday night. Dean Pees' troops should expect much tougher sledding against a Titans offense that has only surrendered 3 sacks and turned the ball over 1 time in their past 2 games.
Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers

LVP: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins were a popular streaming pick this week with the likes of the Jaguars, Rams and Packers on bye. Of course, Miami turned around and royally screwed all of the unlucky SOB's that were forced to put their trust in them. A pair of 2nd-half pick 6's by the Ravens and a blocked field goal were the only things that prevented this sorry-ass performance (0 sacks, 0 takeaways) from being a Hall-of-Fame-caliber fantasy disaster. Despite their solid pass-rush and generally decent output prior to Week 8, the Dolphins aren't worth rostering as a full-time starting defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions

2015 Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Drew Brees made up for his disappointing fantasy performances in the early stages of the season in a major way in Week 8 by putting an absurd 505 yard, 7 TD performance against the Giants. Not even a pair of ugly INT's including a freak pick 6 stemming from Willie Snead's inability to control a routine pass in the 4th quarter could put a damper on Brees' magical afternoon as he became the 8th quarterback in NFL history to throw 7 TD in a game. While Brees has had his share of struggles this season (this was only his 3rd multi-TD performance in his 7 starts this season) and he faces a surprisingly stout Titans secondary in Week 9, you'd be insane to bench him after a performance like this. 
Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Tom Brady (Patriots)

LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers) 
Even bonafide fantasy studs lay an egg every once in a while. Aaron Rodgers had the single worst fantasy performance of his entire career against the Broncos suffocating defense in Week 8,  picking up just 77 yards through the air and failing to throw a single TD. Rodgers was able to soften the blow from his rough passing day a bit by adding 31 yards on 2 rushes, but that wasn't nearly enough salvage his horrid fantasy performance. Rodgers has another rough matchup in Week 9 as the Packers go up against a Panthers defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest fantasy points to QB's this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)

Running Back
MVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
The 49ers were the latest team to fall victim to the wrath of Todd Gurley (aka the St.Louis Rams offense) as the rookie phenom picked up 146 total yards (133 rushing, 13 receiving) and a TD on 23 touches. Gurley is in the midst of one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NFL history and you should be absolutely giddy if you're lucky enough to have him on your roster.
Honorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Dion Lewis (Patriots)

LVP: Chris Johnson (Cardinals)
Chris Johnson's unexpected resurgence since joining the Arizona Cardinals has been one of the biggest surprises in all of fantasy football this season. However, Week 8 was not particular kind to the 30-year old running band. His 109 yards on the ground against the Browns league-worst rush defense was completely respectable, but a pair of lost fumbles tarnished his fantasy day. Johnson is entering a really rough patch in his schedule as the Cardinals have to face Seahawks and Bengals after their week 9 Bye, but he should remain a viable RB2 during the push for the fantasy playoffs.

Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Odell Beckham Jr. once again proved why he's the real deal with his week 8 performance. Beckham Jr. burned the Saints secondary for 130 YDS and 3 TD on 8 receptions in Sunday's absurd shootout at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Beckham Jr. hasn't been as consistently lights out as he was during his inhuman rookie campaign a year ago, but he's still a top-flight WR1 who has a very good chance of finishing the year as a top 5 fantasy WR.
Honorable Mentions: Tavon Austin (Rams), Brandin Cooks (Saints), Julio Jones (Falcons)

LVP: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
Peyton Manning played his sharpest game of the year so far in the Broncos beatdown victory over the Packers in Week 8, but Emmanuel Sanders didn't benefit much from Manning's strong outing. Manning frequently looked Demaryius Thomas' way (11 targets, 8 receptions, 168 YDS), which left Sanders to pick up a mere 22 yards on 2 receptions and 5 targets. Sanders has looked excellent in 2015 in spite of Manning's struggles and he should be able to get back on track against the Colts horrendous secondary in week 9. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), James Jones (Packers)


Tight End
MVP: Benjamin Watson (Saints)
I doubt even the biggest Benjamin Watson supporters thought that he would become the primary cog in the Saints passing attack after Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills were traded this offseason. Watson was the primary beneficiary of Drew Brees' absurd performance in Week 8, leading the team in both receptions (9) and receiving yards (147) while also pulling in 1 of Brees' 7 TD's on the afternoon. Watson has seemingly emerged as the top target in the Saints spread-the wealth passing attack over the past few weeks and is a rock-solid TE1 option for those aren't fortunate enough to have Rob Gronkowski or Gary Barnidge on their roster.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Gary Barnidge (Browns)

LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert put the first real clunker of his breakout 2015 campaign, registering just 39 yards on 4 receptions against a Steelers defense that has gotten killed by TE's all season long. Eifert has a good shot of returning to the realm of fantasy glory in Week 9 against the Browns suddenly vulnerable defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Bears), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

Defense
MVP: Houston Texans
The Texans defense has arisen from their coma. This unit didn't show any of the problems that have plagued them through 2015 as they picked up 7 sacks, an INT, a fumble recovery and allowed just 6 points against the Titans offense in Week 8. This dominant performance must be taken with a grain of salt as The Texans dominated a lowly Titans team that was without their starting quarterback and has next-to-no talent at the skill positions. Until they are able to string together a few impressive performances in a row, the Texans D can not be started with any sort of confidence.
Honorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals


LVP: New York Jets
You wouldn't know that the Jets had one of the league's best defenses if you watched them played in Week 8. The Jets allowed 34 points and failed to register a takeaway or sack against the surging Raiders offense on Sunday. To be fair, the Raiders have quietly assembled one of the best offensive lines in the league and Derek Carr has done a tremendous job of limiting turnovers this season (3 INT's and 2 lost fumbles in 7 starts), but it's still odd to see a defense that has been so great all year long be so ineffective for an entire game. The Jets should be able to bounce back in Week 9 against a Jaguars squad that is averaging 2 turnovers and 3.7 sacks allowed over their past 3 games.
Dishonorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers

Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Remember when people said Ben Roethlisberger didn't have it anymore? Roethlisberger showed the world that he can still dominate with his video-game like 522-yard/6 touchdown performance against the Colts on Sunday afternoon. What makes Roethlisberger's performance that much more impressive is that it came against a Colts secondary that had only allowed 2 passing touchdowns in their previous 4 games. While its highly unlikely he'll repeat these numbers again, Roethlisberger has another solid matchup against the Ravens in Week 9.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Andrew Luck (Colts), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

LVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Cam Newton wasn't completely horrible on Sunday, its just that his presence in fantasy was pretty much invisible. Newton finished Sunday's home loss against the Seahawks with 171 yards through the air, 22 yards on the ground, 0 touchdowns and an interception. Newton has struggled a bit over the last couple of weeks, but with a soft schedule in the second half of the season and his health back to 100%, look for him to become a top-end QB1 in the coming weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Joe Flacco (Ravens), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Tony Romo (Cowboys

Running Back
MVP: Arian Foster (Texans)
Arian Foster is a beast. Foster once again carried the Texans offense with 173 total yards (151 rushing, 22 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 receiving, 1 rushing) in their victory over the Titans on Sunday. If it wasn't obvious already, Foster is a weekly must-start in fantasy.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Mark Ingram (Saints)

LVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
After a strong start to the year, Marshawn Lynch has cooled down substantially over the past few weeks. Lynch had another subpar outing against the Panthers erratic defense on Sunday finishing the game with a mere 62 yards on the ground on 14 carries. Lynch's lack of volume is a bit distressing, but he's far too important to this offense to become a weekly non-factor. Lynch has a potentially huge bounceback game against the Raiders ghastly run D in Week 9.
Dishonorable Mentions: Joique Bell (Lions), Ben Tate (Browns), Shane Vereen (Patriots)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
In a relatively off-day for the Eagles explosive offense, Jeremy Maclin still thrived. Maclin tormented the Cardinals defense with his 12 reception, 187-yard performance on Sunday afternoon. Maclin has looked great all year long coming off the torn ACL that sidelined him for all of 2013, and has nicely filled the top wideout role that DeSean Jackson had in this offense a year ago.
Honorable Mentions: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

LVP: Jordy Nelson (Packers)
For the first time all season, Jordy Nelson was silenced. Nelson was held to just 25 yards on 3 receptions in the Packers contest with the Saints on Sunday night. Nelson's lack of production is actually shocking given the fact that Aaron Rodgers threw for 418 yards in this game. Nelson faces the banged-up Bears secondary when the Packers return from bye in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Julian Edelman (Patriots), Brandon Marshall (Bears)

Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Rob Gronkowski was back in kill mode against the Bears on Sunday. Gronkowski took advantage of the Bears injuries at linebacker and safety, and finished the game with 149 yards and 3 TD's on 9 receptions. Gronkowski is 100% and barring one of his trademark late-season injuries, he could challenge Julius Thomas for the title of top fantasy tight end in 2014.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Heath Miller (Steelers), Martellus Bennett (Bears)

LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
With Cam Newton struggling, Greg Olsen got almost completely shut out on the Sunday against the Seahawks. Olsen ended up with just a single catch for 16 yards in a game that was dominated by strong defensive play. Clunkers like this shouldn't come up too often from now until the end of the season. As Newton's safety belt, Olsen will arguably be the prime beneficiary from the Panthers soft schedule in the latter stage of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos), Charles Clay (Dolphins), Jared Cook (Rams)

Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins defense were the latest team to take advantage of the Jacksonville Jaguars horrendous, turnover-prone offense. The Dolphins picked up 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, a fumble recovery, blocked field goal and 2 touchdowns in their victory on Sunday. The Dolphins have shown a pretty strong pass rush and a decent ability to take the ball away, so they're a solid, unheralded fantasy option for owners looking for a defense.
Honorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns

LVP: Detroit Lions
Week 8 was actually a pretty strong week for defenses as basically every defense that was supposed to put up big numbers ended up delivering. The sole exception to that was the Detroit Lions; who picked up a disappointing 2 sacks and 1 INT against a struggling Falcons offense. The Lions certainly weren't awful, but their output was still disappointing given the matchup and how well they've played this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles

Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Even with relatively quiet days from Jimmy Graham (yards-wise, he still scored twice) and Marques Colston, Drew Brees massacred the Bills secondary for 332 yards and 5 TD's. Brees remains one of the highest quality options at quarterback from a fantasy standpoint because of the Saints inability to run and a number of very favorable matchups coming up for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Andy Dalton (Bengals), Matthew Stafford (Lions), Cam Newton (Panthers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)

LVP: Robert Griffin III (Redskins)
Just when he was on the verge of a breakthrough, Robert Griffin III put up a very poor performance against the Broncos on Sunday. Griffin couldn't get much going through the air (132 yards, a touchdown and 2 INT's) and got buried when he tried to run (5 carries for a measly 7 yards.) Making matters worse for RG3 owners, he took a late-game shot from Broncos defensive tackle Terrence Knighton that resulted in him leaving for the rest of the game with a knee injury. Both the Redskins and Griffin himself insist he's fine, but it's still not a good thing watching someone coming off a major injury like him get knocked out of a game. RG3 has been looking better of late so as long as he's healthy, I expect him to put up good numbers most weeks for the rest of the year.
Dishonorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Eli Manning (Giants), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

Running Back
MVP: Andre Ellington (Cardinals)
Andre Ellington made an extremely strong case for being the starting running back for the Cardinals on Sunday against the Falcons. With Rashard Mendenhaal out, Ellington split carries with Stepfan Taylor (who struggled mightily with 38 yards on 14 carries) and showed his extreme potential as a runner. Ellington burned the Falcons for 154 yards on 15 carries including an 80-yard touchdown. The rookie has looked far stronger than the rest of the Cardinals backfield and even when Mendenhaal returns, Ellington should get his fair share of carries and may even earn the starting job if he keeps up his high level of play.    
Honorable Mentions: Eddie Lacy (Packers), Frank Gore (49ers), Darren McFadden (Raiders), Knowshown Moreno (Broncos)

LVP: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
Monday Night Football has not been kind to superstar running backs the last couple weeks. A week removed from Adrian Peterson's underwhelming performance in primetime against a week run defense in the Giants, Marshawn Lynch did the exact same thing against a horrible Rams run D. Lynch somehow only got 8 touches for 23 yards on the night. This especially makes no sense since Russell Wilson was getting drilled all night and got sacked 7 times. Lynch has been one of the few brightspots at RB1 this year, so I expect him to return to form against a battered Buccaneers team on Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: LeSean McCoy (Eagles), Steven Jackson (Falcons), Darren Sproles (Saints), Joesph Randle (Cowboys)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Ladies and gentleman, Calvin Johnson. In yet another inhuman fate, Johnson gouged the Cowboys all game long for a near-record 329 yards on 11 receptions and a touchdown. What's even harder to comprehend is that he could've done even more if he didn't run out of gas on a 87-yard reception in the 1st quarter and get tackled twice at the 1-yard line. Johnson honestly isn't a human being and his fantasy owners will sorely miss his contributions this week while he's on bye.
Honorable Mentions: Marvin Jones (Bengals), Jordy Nelson (Packers), Josh Gordon (Browns), Dez Bryant (Cowboys)

LVP: Pierre Garcon (Redskins)
Pierre Garcon was a victim of RG3's poor showing, only managing 46 yards on a Broncos secondary that has been getting passed on all season. Garcon's big play ability has been silenced over the past few weeks, but he's bound to get back on-track with the amount of targets he gets. He's still an explosive receiver with WR2 ability, he's just currently slumping for no apparent reason. The Redskins face an inconsistent Chargers secondary this week, which makes this game a prime comeback contender for Garcon.
Dishonorable Mentions: Eric Decker (Broncos), Hakeem Nicks (Giants), Marques Colston (Saints), Anquan Boldin (49ers)

Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Even on the weeks were Jimmy Graham is contained, he finds a way to establish fantasy value. Graham only had 37 yards on the afternoon, but pulled in a pair of touchdown grabs in the redzone in the Saints victory over the Bills. Graham is playing hurt at the moment with a foot injury he suffered against the Patriots a couple weeks back. He might not put up the insane numbers he did at the beginning of the year while's he playing through this injury, but is still a big scoring threat every single week.
Honorable Mentions: Vernon Davis (49ers), Tim Wright (Buccaneers), Jordan Reed (Redskins), Jordan Cameron (Browns)

LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
A week after his glorious return, Rob Gronkowski faltered against the Dolphins on Sunday. He did have a touchdown revoked due to a penalty, but even with that the Dolphins did a good job slowing him down all game long. Gronkowski is the centerpiece of this otherwise wildly erratic Patriots receiving corps, so as long as Gronkowski is out there, he's going to get a ton of targets. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Thomas (Broncos),  Jason Witten (Cowboys), Tony Gonzalez (Falcons), Jeff Cumberland (Jets)

Defense
MVP: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals caught the Jets on a bad Geno Smith week and made them pay all game long. The Bengals managed 4 sacks and a pair of pick 6's on the day and provided one of the few bright spots on a pretty mediocre week for fantasy defenses.
Honorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots

LVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have been the top dogs amongst fantasy defenses all year long, but that didn't come out this week. They somehow managed to put up a rare stinker against a Browns offense that has gives the ball away non-stop managing only 1 sack and a fumble recovery on the afternoon. The Chiefs have a big chance to return to domination this week against the Bills, that just allowed 4 sacks and 3 turnovers to a inferior Saints defense on Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions