With six teams having a bye in Week 8, there were two fewer games than in Week 7. There were still a lot of good performances by players who weren't owned by very many fantasy teams (albeit there were not any at the tight end position).
Here are the best performances from players who were mostly unowned (or at least not started in the majority of leagues) in fantasy football leagues in Week 8. Each week, one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, and one tight end will be highlighted.
To see the Week 7 team, click here.
Quarterback
Josh McCown, New York Jets
Week 8 stats: 257 passing yards, two passing touchdowns
McCown gets the nod for the second straight week at quarterback.
While he was one of the top quarterback fantasy adds heading into Week 8, he still was owned in less than 26 percent of ESPN leagues. Expect that number to rise much higher after his fourth straight game with at least two touchdown passes.
Running backs
Matt Breida, San Francisco 49ers
Week 8 stats: 17 rushing yards, four receptions, 39 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown
The rookie seventh-round pick scored his first career NFL touchdown on Sunday. Breida’s 17 rushing yards were unimpressive as he was averaging just 20.8 in San Francisco’s first seven games, but his four receptions and 39 receiving yards are both season-highs.
Rex Burkhead, New England Patriots
Week 8 stats: 15 rushing yards, seven receptions, 68 receiving yards
Burkhead missed weeks 3-6 due to injured ribs and played just 13 snaps in his first game back in Week 7.
He ran for 31 yards, but it was hard to see him as fantasy relevant when the Patriots also have Mike Gillislee, Dion Lewis, and James White at running back. While he received two fewer carries on Sunday than he did in the previous game, his seven receptions and 68 receiving yards easily surpassed his previous career-highs of four and 41 respectively.
Wide receivers
Paul Richardson, Seattle Seahawks
Week 8 stats: six receptions, 105 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns
Richardson had three touchdowns entering Week 8, but just 16 receptions for 269 yards. In 15 games last season, the 25-year-old finished with only 21 catches for 288 yards and one touchdown. In what was a crazy game on Sunday against the Houston Texans, quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 452 yards and four touchdowns.
Richardson now has five touchdowns on the season after scoring just two in his first career 31 games.
Travis Benjamin, Los Angeles Chargers
Week 8 stats: five receptions, 64 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown, 14 rushing yards
Benjamin was a solid fantasy starter in 2015 with the Cleveland Browns, as he finished with 68 catches for 966 yards and five touchdowns. His numbers dipped last year in his first season with the San Diego Chargers, and he entered Week 8 even less involved than the previous year. In the four games from weeks 4-7, the 27-year-old only caught five passes for 81 yards. He caught a 24-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter to cut the Chargers deficit to five against the New England Patriots, but it wasn’t enough as New England prevailed.
Tight end
Eric Tomlinson, New York Jets
Week 8 stats: one reception, 20 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown
As can clearly be seen, it wasn’t a very strong week for tight ends who aren’t owned in most fantasy leagues. Tomlinson gets the nod because his one catch was a touchdown. It was the first career score for the second-year tight end and his fifth career reception.
