Sunday Aftermath: Lamar Jackson's latest injury, Jonah Coleman's emergence, and more
· Yahoo Sports
Some injuries have takeaways. Others have ramifications. Such is the case with Lamar Jackson and his thumb. For the 4-4 2026 Ravens, the question is whether their season is over. For the NFL franchise the Baltimore Ravens, the query is larger: Has their franchise player played his final down for the team? That’s a question for another day.
Visit sport-tr.bet for more information.
Today, the fallout is swift and debilitating. Jackson will miss at least four games on injured reserve and perhaps all nine of the Ravens’ remaining contests. They are in an even bigger lurch than losing a two-time MVP would typically put you in as they are also down their backup, Tyler Huntley. He’s battling a case of turf toe. It's expected to last weeks.
All of this as the Ravens have just 72 hours to prepare for Thursday evening’s game against the Jaguars. That means, absent a trade or free agent Hail Mary, it will be 25-year-old undrafted rookie “Joe Fagnano” under center vs. the Jags. It also means it will be a loss for the Ravens, and perhaps a complete loss for fantasy managers.
That’s because, for as well as Zay Flowers has played, there isn’t a whole lot that can be done when your quarterback is suddenly a guy who was playing for UConn this time last year. You will start Flowers, but you will no longer be counting on him to win your matchups. You just hope he doesn't lose them. It’s not quite as clear cut with Derrick Henry, but it’s ultimately difficult to envision the Big Dog on your bench. You just pray he cashes in one of the Ravens’ 1-2 red zone trips with a touchdown. For every other Raven, it’s see you whenever Jackson returns, which might be next year — or never.
Five Week 8 Storylines
Ashton Jeanty gets benched on early downs. Speaking during the week, Jeanty said the Jets couldn’t tackle. The Raiders coaching staff took care of that for them. Jeanty was sent to the pine, getting out-carried 25-2 by Mike Washington Jr. Message sent. We are less sure if it was received. That’s because Jeanty gained just 10 fewer yards on 20 fewer touches. He posted 73 tallies to MWJ’s 83. Washington got stuffed on one short-yardage carry after another, including at the goal line. Perhaps Klint Kubiak and company realized the Raiders’ rushing struggles aren’t all Jeanty’s fault after all. Fantasy managers have realized that Jeanty now has a touches dogfight on his hands, but with his dominance of the high-value handles through the air, Jeanty is probably still the preferred play on the digital gridiron.
Jonah Coleman looks like the real deal in Broncos’ backfield. Although Coleman out-carried J.K. Dobbins just 11-7, he was the recipient of the Broncos’ goal-line work. He was also the only Denver running back to earn a target or catch a pass. The feared three-man committee with Tyler Badie or Cody Schrader never materialized. Fourth-round rookie Coleman is now 3-for-3 when it comes to earning a demonstrated commitment from famously fickle running backs coach Sean Payton. It’s time for fantasy managers to take notice, and get over their worries of Badie’s re-emergence. Even with only two teams on bye for Week 9, Coleman has earned his place in the RB2 ranks.
Vikings miss their shot in their easiest matchup. The Lions have the worst, or at least the most injured, pass defense in the NFL. Kyler Murray threw for 210 yards against them. It just isn’t going to happen for this ever frustrating, now clearly declining quarterback. It wasn’t happening for anyone in a Minnesota uniform on Sunday, as Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr.’s backfield committee produced thoroughly mediocre results. That could become a weekly occurrence with defenses realizing they are not going to be threatened by Murray. Although the Bills are a perfectly fine Week 9 matchup, we have gathered enough data points to know that for fantasy purposes, this offense is low-end WR1 Justin Jefferson and not a whole lot else,
Cam Ward finally makes real, tangible progress. Seemingly playing faster and looser, Ward had the first 300-yard game of his career. He averaged more than 9.0 yards per attempt for only the second time as a pro. Both his seven carries and 41 yards rushing were new career highs. Ward played a complete game, something made even more impressive by the fact that he was missing electric No. 1 receiver Carnell Tate. This being the Titans, the effort still came in a loss, but that’s now back-to-back encouraging performances for a quarterback who opened up 2026 as one of the league’s most disappointing players. Perhaps Ward will soon find himself in the streamer mix, but it won’t be in Week 10 when the Titans come off bye against the Jaguars.
Colts hit rock bottom, await trade deadline. The Colts did not compete in Jacksonville, not that they even wanted to. They did manage a pity touchdown for Josh Downs, who has somewhat absurdly requested a trade ahead of next Tuesday’s deadline. Maybe he’ll get it. The Colts certainly don’t need to keep their No. 3 wideout around for the rebuild. Although Downs has rather convincingly failed his latest fantasy test, he could still resuscitate his WR3 case if he ends up in the right landing spot. Meanwhile, the “right landing spot” would be just about anywhere else for Jonathan Taylor, who was used sparingly against the Jags, handling a season-low 62.3 percent of the snaps. As he awaits his fate, fantasy managers cannot wait any longer to take fliers on Seth McGowan and even second-year pro DJ Giddens.
Don't forget, for the latest on everything NFL, check out Rotoworld’s Player News, or follow @Rotoworld_FB or @RotoPat on Twitter/Bluesky.
Five More 8 Storylines
Things come undone for Cardinals — who still stun Cowboys. The Cardinals lost their No. 1 running back, No. 2 receiver and No. 3 running back to injury. They benched their starting quarterback. They, as you saw in the headline, won. Just another day in Jerryworld. While the media focus will be on the Cowboys’ misery, the fantasy focus shifts to the Cardinals’ quarterback. Who will it be for Week 9 in Seattle? Probably not Carson Beck. He has been banged up of late, and there would be perhaps no worse spot for a rookie to make their NFL debut. It’s also unlikely to be Jacoby Brissett following his benching. That leaves one option — Minshew Mania himself, Mr. Gardner. Will it work for long? No. Will it even work in Week 9? Also no. Does it build the Cardinals’ needed bridge to Beck? Yes. It’s also just enough to keep Michael Wilson and company fantasy relevant against the mighty Seahawks.
Emmett Johnson finally gets more involved as pass catcher. I’ve said it on so many podcasts I’ve lost count — “maybe this is finally the week the Chiefs get Emmett Johnson more involved as a receiver.” Sunday in Denver was finally that week, with Johnson leading the Chiefs in both aerial yards and yards from scrimmage while also posting the team’s longest gain, a 73-yard touchdown. Johnson was also grinding out tough gains on the ground, and might have finally made this a two-back backfield. That is nothing against Kenneth Walker III. It is something against the Chiefs’ skill corps talent. They are as starved for play-making ability as any team in the league, and besides Walker, it appears no Chief has more of it than rookie Johnson. If you’ve been stashing him on the deepest recesses of your 12-team league bench, it might finally be time to dust him off in Week 9 against the Jets.
Adonai Mitchell re-emerges to make Jets’ receiver corps more confusing than ever. We know not to overreact to one-game sample sizes like Mitchell’s Week 7 doughnut in his return to the lineup. But in our defense, it felt like more than one game. That’s because Mitchell’s marathon absence and dud of a return coincided with rookie Omar Cooper Jr.’s two-game hot streak. You could forgive us for connecting the dots. Well Sunday the dots scattered and fled. Mitchell had the best game of his career as Cooper failed to even see a target, let alone a catch. The takeaway is pretty much as feared: With Garrett Wilson still leading in looks, Mitchell and Cooper will be difficult to project on a weekly basis. Although they have the talent for more, they are best treated as boom/bust WR4s in this good but not great offense.
Chargers look just as broken coming out of their bye week. You could dress it up with whatever stats you like, fancy or otherwise, but the main takeaway is that the Bolts simply stunk yet again. There is so little talent on offense, and seemingly no one with a plan to scheme around that overriding problem. That leaves Justin Herbert as a sitting duck, and a panicked-processor too often making the wrong read because he just doesn’t want to get hit again. Although most fantasy players long ago gave up any hope of a turnaround, this dud coming out of the Chargers’ open date confirms Herbert is now a bottom-five quarterback, and no one besides Ladd McConkey has a real argument to be in 12-team league lineups, including Omarion Hampton.
Hunter Henry injures foot vs. Dolphins, further depleting Pats skill corps. It didn’t matter for Drake Maye, who continued to successfully play pitch-and-catch, point guard football, but it is becoming a real problem for fantasy managers. Unlike the case at wide receiver — where none of DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams or Efton Chism are compelling 12-team league fill-ins for AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs — Henry at least has a 1-for-1 replacement in rookie Eli Raridon. The rook has made plays whenever given the chance this season, and with tight end up looking mighty thin in the 8-14 range, Raridon is very much worth a flier heading into Week 9.
Questions
1. See what happens to the NFC East on days J.J. McCarthy doesn’t play?
2. Did the Chiefs ever consider it might be more beneficial to focus on scoring a touchdown rather than getting the clock to 0:00?
3. How does Gardner Minshew go Roger Staubach mode every time he sets foot in Jerryworld?
Early Waivers Look (Players rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues)
QB: Geno Smith (@KC), Sam Darnold (vs. AZ), J.J. McCarthy (@PHI), Michael Penix Jr. (vs. CIN), Baker Mayfield (@CHI), Deshaun Watson (@NO)
RB: Seth McGowan, Kendre Miller, MarShawn Lloyd, Mike Washington Jr., Chris Rodriguez, Emmett Johnson, Dylan Sampson, Kenneth Gainwell, Devin Singletary, Elijah Mitchell
WR: Adonai Mitchell, DeMario Douglas, Malik Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Caleb Douglas, Ryan Flournoy, Pat Bryant, Treylon Burks, Kyle Williams
TE: Chig Okonkwo, Dalton Schultz, Michael Mayer, Gunnar Helm, Eli Raridon, Darnell Washington, Oronde Gadsden
DEF: Browns (@NO), Cowboys (@IND), 49ers (vs. LV), Lions (@MIA), Chiefs (vs. NYJ), Giants (@PHI)
Stats of the Week
As you have surely seen by now — the Bucs became the first team since 1974 to win a game without completing a pass.
Via Lindsay Rhodes: “Baker Mayfield didn't complete a pass today and had a higher passer rating (39.6) than Michael Penix (12.0).”
Via Mike Sando’s Pick Six column: “Over the past four seasons, the Cardinals are 3-0 against Dallas and 15-41 against everyone else.”
Awards Section
Week 8 Fantasy All-Pro Team: QB Joe Burrow, RB Tyler Allgeier, RB Bhayshul Tuten, WR Tee Higgins, WR Ja’Marr Chase, WR Adonai Mitchell, TE Brock Bowers
Week 8 All Bank Examiner Squad: QB Bryce Young, RB Ashton Jeanty, RB Jeremiyah Love, WR Drake London, WR George Pickens, WR DK Metcalf, TE Tyler Warren
Tweet of the Week, from Ian Hartitz: “70 seconds of horrific Justin Herbert interceptions.”
Tweet of the Week II, from Carrington Harrison: “I’ve already scheduled a nap for Eagles/Cowboys on Thanksgiving.”