Week 8 lineup, 2026
Pick a week. The chart is that week's roster: the NG Data projection, the ESPN Projection, and the league score. Miss is the score minus the projection. Closer is the smaller absolute miss. A new week shows up here after it is archived. Send that week's ESPN box score and the ESPN column gets filled in.
Week 8 · published
5 finished games have both projections. NG Data missed by 9.9 points on average. ESPN Projection missed by 12.6. NG Data was closer on 4. ESPN Projection was closer on 1.
Starters
| Slot | Player | Opp | Matchup | NG Data | ESPN Projection | Score | NG Data Miss | ESPN miss | Closer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Bryce Young | GB | PLAYED | 12.1 | 16.9 | 10.4 | -1.8 | -6.5 | NG Data |
| RB | Kenneth Walker III | DEN | AVERAGE | 19.4 | 19.9 | pending | — | — | — |
| RB | Jahmyr Gibbs | MIN | DANGER | 19.3 | 24.6 | 0.0 | -19.3 | -24.6 | NG Data |
| WR | George Pickens | ARI | GOOD | 16.8 | 14.0 | 0.0 | -16.8 | -14.0 | ESPN Projection |
| WR | Jameson Williams | MIN | AVERAGE | 15.3 | 11.1 | pending | — | — | — |
| TE | Tucker Kraft | CAR | PLAYED | 16.1 | 10.8 | 17.3 | +1.2 | +6.5 | NG Data |
| D/ST | Patriots D/ST | MIA | ELITE | 6.5 | 5.8 | pending | — | — | — |
Why this matchup was eliteNE defense has averaged 5.6 fantasy points over 7 games. MIA's offense has given opposing defenses 7.8 points per game (league 5.4). MIA ranks 3 of 32 in fantasy points given up to opposing defenses. Rank 1 has given up the most. This matchup is elite because that rank is in the top quarter: the offenses that have been the easiest to defend. 7.8 per game is 1.44 times the league average of 5.4. Projection for this week is 6.5. |
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| K | Will Reichard | DET | DANGER | 10.6 | 11.2 | 0.0 | -10.6 | -11.2 | NG Data |
| FLEX | Braelon Allen | LV | AVERAGE | 13.7 | 10.8 | pending | — | — | — |
| Total | 130.0 | 125.1 | 27.66 | ||||||
Bench
| Slot | Player | Opp | Matchup | NG Data | ESPN Projection | Score | NG Data Miss | ESPN miss | Closer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BN | Xavier Worthy | DEN | DANGER | 6.7 | 8.2 | pending | — | — | — |
| BN | David Montgomery | bye | BYE | 0.0 | — | bye | — | — | — |
| BN | Brenton Strange | IND | GOOD | 12.3 | 9.8 | pending | — | — | — |
| BN | 49ers D/ST | bye | BYE | 0.0 | — | bye | — | — | — |
| BN | Mason Taylor | LV | AVERAGE | 10.3 | 8.7 | pending | — | — | — |
| BN | DeMario Douglas | MIA | AVERAGE | 10.2 | 11.1 | pending | — | — | — |
| Total | 39.5 | 37.8 | — | ||||||
How the number is made
PPR uses nflverse fantasy_points_ppr for skill players and kickers. Defense scoring is the common points-allowed tiers plus sacks, interceptions, fumble recoveries, defensive touchdowns, safeties, and blocked kicks. A player's number is his recent form (last four games weighted toward the latest, blended with the season) times how many PPR points that defense has allowed to his style, shrunk toward the position when the sample is small. Styles: receiver air yards, running-back catch share, and run gap. Pass defense splits are air yards: under 0 screens, 0-9 short, 10-19 medium, 20+ long. Kickers are scored from the kick log because nflverse fantasy points for kickers are zero: extra point made 1, missed extra point -1, field goal 3 inside 40, 4 from 40-49, 5 from 50-59, 6 from 60, missed field goal -1. Named routes such as slants are not in the 2026 charting file. A free agent is marked high value only if he has played at least three games, played in week 6 or 7, and projects at least 2 points over the weakest starter who still has a game left. A quarterback or kicker projects for this week only if he is the starter on the current depth chart and is not Out. Injury status, practice, and the injury name come from the official NFL.com injury page. Out projects at 0. Doubtful keeps 35 percent of the matchup number. Questionable keeps 85 percent. The injury, the practice note, and that cut are part of the start/sit number. Elite means the opponent ranks in the top quarter of defenses by points allowed to that style, and rank 1 has allowed the most. Each published week is frozen the first time it is built. Actual points are filled in after the game. History is weeks 1-7. Week 8 games that already have a final score use the actual points.