Fantasy Football: Bhayshul Tuten bringing the explosives, plus more key stats from Week 8 that may go overlooked

In fantasy football, you have to look back to move forward. Fantasy points are the goal, but how a player gets there is the key. Analyst Joel Smyth breaks down eight numbers to know from Week 8 in order to win your matchup in Week 9 and beyond.

25-2

The Las Vegas RB carry split between Mike Washington Jr. and Ashton Jeanty, favoring Washington. Jeanty's 69% rush share vanished in a flash. The long-awaited fear came true on Sunday as Klint Kubiak went with Washington as the RB1, with Jeanty still managing injury and struggling behind the Raiders offensive line. Jeanty only played 25 snaps, 15 being pass routes, bringing in three of his four targets. Kubiak denied the idea that Jeanty was limited due to his comments to the media earlier this week, making his future very scary for fantasy managers. When Jeanty was getting elite fantasy volume, it was only equaling low-level RB1 numbers. Now without it, Jeanty could be unplayable, with a passing-down role being the only thing to hang onto.

Washington had all six goal-line carries, ultimately facing the same fate as Jeanty with zero scores, for what it's worth. 

3

Targets for Quinshon Judkins since Dylan Sampson returned in Week 7. Prior to last week, Quinshon Judkins had 50% of his fantasy points in PPR leagues come from receiving, one of the highest in the NFL, although we think of him as a bruiser. Well, with Sampson back in the lineup, he's back to being a bruiser only. It can work as it did last week in a big way, rushing for two touchdowns and 96 yards versus a porous Titans defense, but when it matchups against teams such as Pittsburgh, it becomes much more difficult. Cleveland simply winning games has been huge for Judkins. However, when the Browns are forced into pass-heavy weeks, he's just not on the field enough. Sampson's 47 routes to Judkins' 19 in the last two games have resulted in the Browns starter being limited to 6.2 receiving points. He's no longer game-script proof. 

6

Fantasy opportunities for Jonah Coleman at the goal line in Week 8, including one target resulting in a penalty. Elite usage for the rookie in the most important area of the field, ultimately getting into the end zone on his sixth chance. The Broncos will throw to their running backs plenty in the red zone and even at the goal line. With Coleman having both the RJ Harvey receiving role combined with his usage on the ground, the touchdown potential is tremendous. Coleman had all five running back targets and, in the second half, had 8-of-8 RB touches. Denver is a top-10 team in RB fantasy points, and it's looking like Coleman will have the valuable work with an amazing ROS schedule ahead: CAR, LV, PIT, MIA, NYJ, LV, BUF, NE.

4

Explosive plays by Bhayshul Tuten in his last two games, after four in his first five games to begin the season. Tuten was having a solid fantasy start to his sophomore campaign with a slowly growing role and a couple of touchdowns. The volume kept growing, the Jaguars offense kept cooking but something was missing. The RB who was constantly bursting through holes at blazing speeds wasn't breaking off the huge explosive plays, and if he did, they were called back by penalties (so many times). That's all changed the last couple of weeks. Entering Week 6, Tuten had four explosive plays for 8.3 fantasy points. Since then, his four explosive plays have gone for over 33 fantasy points. The ability was there, the luck wasn't and, for Tuten believers, it's all come together. Tuten should be seen as a borderline RB1 the rest of the season. 

29.6%

The rate of targets per route for Rashee Rice in his return, 0.1% higher than his 2025 season mark. Rice built off his last full game with another high-volume performance, bringing in seven of his eight targets for 53 yards and a TD. Rice had plenty of work underneath and was the main target in the receiving game, with three designed targets, including one more called back by penalty. Off the hamstring injury, Rice was limited in his routes as a whole, only on the field for 64% of pass plays. As the season continues, Rice’s playing time and efficiency can increase over time, not just from the hamstring, but from his preseason injuries as well. 

0.50

Fantasy points per route run by DJ Moore, 13th among WRs. The injuries have been frustrating and have likely killed your fantasy team multiple times already, but when he has been on the field, Moore's been what you drafted him to be. The volume is that of a WR1. He's led the Bills in targets in all three games he's completed, getting downfield shots that have been proven valuable with Josh Allen at QB. The passing volume in Buffalo won't be consistent, but Moore being tied to a top-five offense as the clear No. 1 option makes him a great asset. Because of the injuries and limited time, Moore still may not be seen as a top fantasy WR, but I believe he deserves to be with the volume he's seen in the Buffalo offense. 

15

Fantasy PPG for Jaylen Waddle when Bo Nix throws for 200+ passing yards. That has been half of the Broncos' eight games, with Nix averaging 136 yards in the other weeks. It's been a rough start for the Broncos' passing attack, and I've stood on the same point with Waddle, being: he'll go as the offense goes. It hasn't just been him. Denver's WRs are 27th in fantasy points in 2026 after ranking ninth in 2025. Nix only has one game over 225 passing yards, Week 2 versus Jacksonville (Waddle's best week), compared to eight games of over 240 yards last season. The new Broncos WR has still led the team in targets in six of the last seven games and can be a second-half riser if Nix can also be a second-half riser. Everything positive from the preseason is still there, and if Nix can build on the last couple of weeks, Waddle can fight his way off the bust list. 

25.7%

Targets per route run for Adonai Mitchell this season, the highest on the Jets, and 15th among all NFL wide receivers. I don't need to continue talking about Geno Smith's love for his young wideout, but it is an important note for Mitchell's potential and Garrett Wilson's as well. Mitchell won't suddenly be a stable fantasy WR2, but will have the ceiling potential we've seen already from him and Omar Cooper Jr. He will also have the same floor as Cooper on Sunday: 0 points on 0 targets. Wilson still got his, but it's yet another obstacle for the early-round fantasy WR to overcome. The Jets have said they need to get Wilson more targets, but I find it hard to believe it gets much better with Mitchell, Cooper, and others consistently making their mark.

https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/article/fantasy-football-bhayshul-tuten-bringing-the-explosives-plus-more-key-stats-from-week-8-that-may-go-overlooked-171332471.html