Fantasy Football Panic Meter After Week 8: Davante Adams, Cole Kmet, Kenneth Walker III, Joe Burrow and More

Week 8 of the NFL season has wrapped up, so now it’s time to recap the previous week of action.

Here, we’ll continue our panic meter series, where we identify players who struggled this past week and then determine how panicked fantasy owners should be. Here’s last week’s story. Check back soon for the one-hit wonder or here to stay series article!

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Wide Receivers 

Drake London and Davante Adams are two wideouts I want to write about this week.

London had just 34 yards on four catches and six targets in week 8. It was his second-worst fantasy outing of the season, with the worst one coming back in week 1.

London had scored in three straight games coming into week 8, which helped prop up his fantasy scores, but he also had at least 60 yards in those contests. London has actually gone for at least 50 yards in all but two games this season.

It should be pretty obvious by now that London’s poor week 8 showing isn’t one to get too worried about. I’d put his panic meter at a 2, and that’s only because it happened earlier in the season. I expect London to bounce back in week 9 and remain one of the better fantasy options in the league.

Adams had four receptions on six targets for 54 yards in week 8. In his first game with the Jets, Adams had just 30 yards on three catches and nine targets.

The targets are a decent amount, but the catches and yardage have been underwhelming since Adams was traded. Garrett Wilson is still the clear No. 1 wideout in New York, and Adams looks like a flex-level starting option right now.

Adams’ panic meter sits at a 4, and it could continue to rise in a hurry if he doesn’t get going soon. I’d probably start him one more time, but if he underperforms again, Adams might sit on my bench until he proves he can deliver in the Jets’ offense.

Tight Ends

Brock Bowers and Cole Kmet are the tight ends we should discuss this week.

Bowers has been one of the better fantasy tight ends this season, so his five catches for 58 yards might not look too bad, but it was easily his worst outing in the past month. 

He had five targets in the contest, which was his lowest amount since week 4. Bowers had more fantasy success when Aidan O'Connell started, while not performing as well when Gardner Minshew was behind center.

I’m not too overly concerned yet, especially because Bowers still delivered a double-digit fantasy outing, but it’s definitely a little concerning. I’d put his panic meter at a 3. I think he’s going to post some good fantasy scores the rest of the season, but the quarterback situation definitely scares me a bit.

Kmet had a 14-yard catch on his only catch and targets in week 8.

It was a disappointing outing after Kmet had at least three catches and 34 yards in four straight games. After the team’s bye in week 7, I figured they would keep finding ways to get Kmet involved, but instead he had his second-worst fantasy outing of the season.

A lot of Kmet’s fantasy value is based on the performance of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, and the QB has not consistently delivered this season. Kmet is going to be a frustrating fantasy player, with up-and-down fantasy showings because of Williams’ inconsistencies.

I’d put Kmet’s panic meter at a 4. He might become a player you can only trust in the most favorable matchups.

Running Backs

Kenneth Walker III and Breece Hall are two running backs worth discussing this week.

Walker finished with just 12 rushing yards in week 8, getting there on nine carries. He added 33 receiving yards on four catches and five targets to avoid a truly terrible fantasy outing.

Walker has been a fantasy stud since returning from an early-season injury. What’s most concerning about his performance in week 8 is that his opponent (Buffalo) is one of the worst in the league when it comes to slowing opposing backs.

I think this was just a one-game blip for the Seahawks’ offense and Walker, but I’m at least a little concerned. I have Walker’s panic meter at a 3.

I’d still feel confident starting him going forward. But if he has another anonymous showing, we might have a problem on our hands. If you are worried about Walker, it might be time to sell, because his schedule ahead is not favorable.

Hall rushed for 80 yards on 16 carries and added a nine-yard reception across three targets. It wasn’t a bad fantasy outing, but I bring him up because he lost 12 carries and a touchdown to backup Braelon Allen.

The Jets’ offense has a lot of issues to sort out, and it makes Hall a risky fantasy player going forward. It had looked like Hall clearly owned the backfield, but week 8’s game makes me pause on that thought.

I’d put Hall’s panic meter at a 3 as well. I still think he’s going to get plenty of touches every week, but his fantasy production might vary wildly based on if he scores. He’s got a very favorable schedule ahead, and that makes me a little less worried.

Quarterbacks

Joe Burrow and Geno Smith are the quarterbacks I want to discuss this week.

Burrow threw for 234 yards, one touchdown and one interception in week 8. He added 15 rushing yards. 

It was the second straight average fantasy outing for Burrow, after he had been average or better in weeks 2-6. He hasn’t topped 235 passing yards in any of the past three games.

I’d put Burrow’s panic meter at a 5. He was a bit underrated, in my opinion, after the first six weeks, but now simply looks like an average fantasy quarterback. 

A reason Burrow’s panic meter sits at a 5 is because his schedule ahead is pretty tough. The Bengals have plenty of playmakers in place to help Burrow out, but I’m definitely concerned after the past two weeks and knowing tougher matchups await.

I bet Burrow will be part of my big QB start decision stories most Thursdays going forward, so check back for that story to see how he stacks up against other QBs.

Smith had 212 passing yards, no touchdowns and an interception in week 8. He had 16 rushing yards and finished in single digits for fantasy points for the first time this season.

Smith only has one game with multiple touchdown passes this season, and now has back-to-back showings with under 215 passing yards. He’d been a streaming option because of big yardage outputs, but without those, Smith is a below-average fantasy player.

I’d put Smith panic meter at a 7. After a strong start to the season, the Seahawks have struggled over the past month. A lot of that has to do with facing better opponents, but the team is simply struggling.

I really could have put the panic meter higher for Smith, but I gave him a little pass because DK Metcalf missed week 8. Smith will most likely remain in the QB start decision story as well, so again, be sure to check back for that.