After finally seeing some points scored (actual TOUCHDOWNS!!) in the Thursday Night game in Week 7, the Week 8 Thursday Night contest offers some optimism for an encore. Even after their dismal showing last week against the Panthers, Tom Brady and the banged-up Buccaneers still have a plethora of weapons on offense. A win for them would keep them on top of the weak NFC South and go a long way towards “righting the ship” for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, after a meteoric start to his fantasy season, Lamar Jackson has cooled off lately. A win for Baltimore likewise keeps them in first place atop a winnable division. Both teams have plenty of motivation, but the only standings we’re concerned with at the moment are in our fantasy leagues. There should be fantasy points a-plenty tonight. Belly Up Fantasy Sports is here to help you claim your share.

Note: All point totals and rankings are PPR unless otherwise noted.

Week 8 Thursday Night Preview: Ravens’ Offense

It was a struggle for the usually-potent Baltimore offense last week against the Browns. Lamar Jackson failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season. Jackson would complete just nine of 16 pass attempts on the day. Justice Hill lost a potentially devastating late-game fumble. Mark Andrews never got going, managing only a four-yard rush on the day. The Ravens averaged only 4.0 yards per play, about two yards per play lower than their season average. In the end, it took a Browns’ penalty and a blocked field goal attempt for the Ravens to win. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.

It wasn’t all fantasy doom-and-gloom for the Ravens, however. One week after learning starting running back J.K. Dobbins would be missing more time due to his knee, Baltimore welcomed Gus Edwards back to the unkindness. Rashod Bateman also returned from injury and picked up where he left off, leading the Ravens’ wideouts in receiving. Justin Tucker was once again perfection in purple and black. The Ravens should enter the Week 8 Thursday Night showdown with weapons at every level.

Ravens’ Offense Big Question

The Buccaneers’ defense presents a significantly more formidable challenge than the Ravens saw last week. Tampa Bay is ranked sixth overall in scoring defense, and seventh in total yardage allowed. From a fantasy standpoint, they allow the sixth-fewest half-ppr points per game to opposing running backs. It will be key for the Ravens to get off to a good start offensively. One way to do that would be for Andrews to look like the top-flight tight end talent we know him to be. Regardless of how many passes the Ravens attempt in a given game, more than two of them need to be in Andrews’s direction. The Buccaneers are a good matchup for Andrews; they’ve given up the 10th-most half-ppr points to opposing tight ends. Owing to a balky knee, Andrews has not practiced all week, even in a limited capacity. The Ravens need him to be healthy and active.

The other fantasy key for the Ravens will be to continue their dominance on the ground. It’s not a great match-up for Edwards, but that’s where Jackson comes in. Lamar hasn’t scored a rushing touchdown since Week 3. He’s otherwise been every bit as effective as a rusher in that timeframe, but a rushing score would really help out his fantasy managers. Tampa is pretty middle-of-the-road against opposing quarterbacks, so there’s plenty of hope and opportunity for Jackson to get back to early season form. He’s a locked-in starter in all formats. If Andrews is declared healthy, he’s a must-start as well, albeit riskier than usual due to the knee. Edwards and Bateman make good low-end number two’s at their respective positions. Justin Tucker is as sure a thing as exists in the world of kickers. Don’t overthink it. Play him in spite of the matchup.

Week 8 Thursday Night Preview: Buccaneers’ Offense

Coach Todd Bowles couldn’t sugar coat it after the Buccaneers’ awful performance against Carolina (the team’s fourth loss in five games since starting the season 2-0.)

Coach Todd Bowles said the Bucs are in a “dark place,” right now and they have to see if the older guys can still play and if the younger guys.are good enough to play.

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) October 23, 2022

That’s an interesting quote from the coach of the league’s oldest team. The Buccaneers have not looked good lately, yet they find themselves in first place thanks to the continued aspirational mediocrity of the rest of their division. The formula is still working just good enough- for now.

There are definite problems with this team, and we’re not even talking about Tom Brady’s homelife. While Brady certainly seems distracted, he hasn’t necessarily been the problem for this team. Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. And every time a whistle blows, a Tampa Bay offensive lineman is lost to injury. At least, that’s how it’s seemed this season. Leonard Fournette is overall RB6, but has the lowest average yards per rush of any top-10 back and has been buoyed by his league-leading three receiving touchdowns at the running back position. Tampa Bay is last in the league in rushing offense, putting more pressure on their 45 year-old quarterback to throw. Brady is third in the league in pass attempts.

Buccaneers’ Offense Big Question

Fortunately for the Buccaneers and their fantasy managers, this is a good matchup for a team that wants to throw. The Ravens give up the seventh-most half-ppr points to opposing quarterbacks, and the sixth-most to opposing wideouts. That should bode well for Brady, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin. I recommend both Evans and Godwin as potential WR1-types in the Week 8 Thursday Night game based on the matchup. I can’t in good conscience put Brady out there as a starting option, however, until he shows a little more. He’s been prolific in attempts and yardage, but has only thrown more than one touchdown in a game once this season. Skip him if you can, although this is as good a matchup as he’ll likely see this year outside of two late-season matchups with Arizona (Week 16) and Atlanta (Week 18).

Russell Gage and Cameron Brate will miss the game with injuries, and Julio Jones is- shockingly– questionable to play. Cade Otton is as good a dart-throw at tight end as just about anyone else. He’s coming off a game in which he caught four of five targets for 64 yards. That kind of production at tight end is something you can live with if you’re without Travis Kelce or Gerald Everett this weekend. Otton might also make for a good last-second pickup if you’re waiting on Andrews’s status for the game. If you drafted Fournette, you drafted him to start as your top back. It’s not a terrible matchup, and his volume thus far has cancelled out his inefficiency. I know Tampa’s DST has been good, but the Ravens give up the second-fewest points to opposing DST’s. Look elsewhere if you can.

Betting Lines (Courtesy of Quarter4):

Favorite: Tampa Bay (-1)

Over/Under: 46

Notable Props: Mark Andrews receptions (5.5); Gus Edwards rushing yardage (55.8); Chris Godwin receptions (6.6)

Challenge Chase!

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