New York Jets vs. Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Football Matchup Breakdown For Week 8

What a difference a month makes. The perfect case in point for not overreacting to early-season results pits the Raiders against the Jets in a battle to stop the bleeding. Can you believe that over four weeks, these two squads combine for a lone win between them? Oh yeah, probably …

Jets (2-5) vs. Raiders (3-4) Matchup Breakdown For Week 8 Fantasy Football

• Spread: Jets -1.5
• Total: 44.5
• Score Prediction (from our NFL Betting Game Model): NYJ 23, LV 21

*Fantasy Football Rankings listed are Fantasy Life's half-PPR consensus ranks at the time of writing.

Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Preview For Week 8

From the moment Vegas drafted Fernando Mendoza first overall, the writing’s been on the wall — and if the rumors are any indication, it’s been a long time coming, but a change is going to come, even with HC Klint Kubiak telling reporters Kirk Cousins is the team’s starting QB, stating, “There is no controversy.”

As an objective analyst without silver-plated skin in the game, these losses don’t belong to Cousins — he’s thrown just three picks in six games, while eating just five sacks in the last four. Conversely, the old man doesn’t run whatsoever, and has failed to complete 60% of passes in three of four during the recent slide.

Las Vegas boasts a very top-heavy pass-catching room, with Brock Bowers atop the totem pole. In fact, it’s so much that defenses know if they can just limit him, let alone take him away, there’s not much else in terms of dynamism behind him. Bowers is such a stud; he’s going to get his regardless, but notice the difference from his first three games (23.8 points/game) and the last two (12.1 points/game). Tre Tucker really stepped up in his place (24 points/game, 24.4% target/route, 2.56 yards/route), but it’s unsustainable for the long term, having occurred on just a ~52% catch rate.

Defenses will continue to dare the Raiders to beat them with the deep ball since Vegas’ run game continues to be so ineffective (-0.19 EPA/attempt, 3.0 yards/carry, 37.4% success, 4.6% explosive rush rate). First-round draft capital or not, Ashton Jeanty’s very much reminiscent of Christian McCaffrey’s 2025 campaign — wrought with inefficiency (3.1 yards/carry, -0.27 EPA/attempt, 26.4% negative rush rate), but saved by receiving volume (17.3% team target) plus a goal-line role (21 red zone carries). Mike Washington’s clearly the better ball carrier (4.9 yards/attempt, 3.42 yards after contact/carry, 12.5% explosive rush, 17.5% negative rush rate), but remains so limited in pass protection that seeing him on the field tips off the defense to Kubiak’s intentions. Long story long, it’s a mess.

• Start: Ashton Jeanty (RB12), Tre Tucker (WR22), Brock Bowers (TE2)
• Sit: Kirk Cousins (QB16)
• Sleeper: Michael Mayer (TE27)

New York Jets Fantasy Preview For Week 8

New York’s losers of two straight plus five of six and suddenly early hopes for a dark horse run have all but dissipated. With that, there’s still an extremely strong core of young, talented players going forward if Gang Green can figure out their situation under center.  Yes, I know Geno Smith posted a representative start versus Miami Sunday (287-3-1), but let’s be honest — it all came in garbage time chasing a previously winless team at the time. Smith threw for all 87 yards in the first half. Not great. He’s taking entirely too many sacks (21), without the challenging depth that was such a big part of his calling card for so many years (6.6 air yards/attempt, 31.4% throws to sticks, 7.6% deep shot rate). Simply put, those traits don’t jive in combination. Cries for fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik haven’t started just yet … give it time.

Jets’ fandom aside, it’s fair to grade the rest of the NYJ skill position players among the best in the league. The problem is, without a great quarterback to facilitate all the weaponry, guessing who produces and when will continue to frustrate fantasy gamers. Garrett Wilson's an obvious stud — he’s also the WR40 in points/game over the last month. Yuck. Ditto for Kenyon Sadiq, who hasn’t posted a top-40 finish since his breakout, getting thoroughly outtargeted by Mason Taylor; a decent player in his own right.

Then there’s Adonai Mitchell, who’s pretty clearly been Wally Pipp’d (look it up, kids) in 12-personnel by emerging star, Omar Cooper. The first-rounder’s currently on fire, posting back-to-back top-10 WR finishes on excellent advanced metrics (23.5% target/route, 4.27 yards/route). Cooper’s obviously going to play a crucial role for NYJ going forward, but we should all fully expect duds baked into the cake so long as the Jets keep running plays at the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL.

To any minors out there, cover your eyes and ears; I'm about to use the “C-word”. Breece Hall remained on the sidelines for Week 7’s tilt against Miami with a full expectation to return against Las Vegas. Hall’s obviously too good to play second fiddle, but Braelon Allen’s done entirely too much for this team to get phased out completely. I’m starting Hall once for old times’ sake where I got him, but it’s time. Prepare yourself for a full-blown committee, which could, should, and would ruin both players’ fantasy value. YUCK.

• Start: Breece Hall (RB23), Garrett Wilson (WR17), Omar Cooper (WR36)
• Sit: Braelon Allen (RB31), Adonai Mitchell (WR57)
• Sleeper: Mason Taylor (TE24)