The Carolina Panthers will face the Denver Broncos in Week 8. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding RB Jonathon Brooks.
Is Jonathon Brooks Playing in Week 8?
Week 10 status: QUESTIONABLE
Jonathan Brooks (knee) practiced in a limited capacity all week. He sandwiched a pair of capped practices around a scheduled day off last Thursday, so his ability to put together back-to-back limited sessions to kick off this week is a good sign for the rookie second-round pick as he gets back into football shape.
Brooks is doubtful for Week 8, indicating the Panthers will give him more time to recover before activating him from the reserve/non-football injury list.
We’ll continue to monitor the Panthers’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Jonathon Brook’s Rest-of-Season Fantasy Outlook
Brooks tore his ACL against TCU on November 11, 2023, and is nearing his NFL debut. How the 1-6 Panthers go about using their second-round pick is anyone’s guess, but for our purposes, things appear to be pretty straightforward.
Chuba Hubbard is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and 17.9 touches per game for Carolina, giving them every excuse to ease in Brooks, understanding that the rookie isn’t going to save their already lost 2024 season. This may not sound ideal for those of us who invested in Brooks this summer, but I actually like how this lines up because it means you don’t have to guess.
You’re benching Brooks. You are in a position to wait and see. Is it possible that Brooks is given enough work to be Flexed with time? It is, but I need to see it, maybe twice, before acting on it. He could well play before the Week 11 bye, but I’d be surprised if he is of fantasy lineup consideration before Thanksgiving.
The idea that Carolina could treat Brooks like Las Vegas did Zamir White last season is my hope and why I’m holding in spots where I have a competitive team. The Raiders used last December as a trial run for what the next season was going to look like. With Hubbard a free agent after this season, there is a path to similar usage.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 8 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Jonathon Brooks’ Fantasy Points Projection in Week 8
Brooks is projected to score zero points in Week 8.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Jonathon Brooks’ Week 8 Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 2:30 PM on Friday, November 8. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Weekly Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 10 RB PPR Rankings
1) Saquon Barkley | PHI (at DAL)
2) Kyren Williams | LAR (vs. MIA)
3) Alvin Kamara | NO (vs. ATL)
4) Derrick Henry | BAL (vs. CIN)
5) Bijan Robinson | ATL (at NO)
6) De'Von Achane | MIA (at LAR)
7) Joe Mixon | HOU (vs. DET)
8) Christian McCaffrey | SF (at TB)
9) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET (at HOU)
10) Aaron Jones | MIN (at JAX)
11) Breece Hall | NYJ (at ARI)
12) Jonathan Taylor | IND (vs. BUF)
13) James Cook | BUF (at IND)
14) D'Andre Swift | CHI (vs. NE)
15) Chase Brown | CIN (at BAL)
16) James Conner | ARI (vs. NYJ)
17) Tony Pollard | TEN (at LAC)
18) David Montgomery | DET (at HOU)
19) Kareem Hunt | KC (vs. DEN)
20) Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG (at CAR)
21) Najee Harris | PIT (at WAS)
22) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS (vs. PIT)
23) Rhamondre Stevenson | NE (at CHI)
24) J.K. Dobbins | LAC (vs. TEN)
25) Chuba Hubbard | CAR (vs. NYG)
26) Rico Dowdle | DAL (vs. PHI)
27) Austin Ekeler | WAS (vs. PIT)
28) Tank Bigsby | JAX (vs. MIN)
29) Rachaad White | TB (vs. SF)
30) Bucky Irving | TB (vs. SF)
31) Javonte Williams | DEN (at KC)
32) Raheem Mostert | MIA (at LAR)
33) Tyler Allgeier | ATL (at NO)
34) Jaylen Warren | PIT (at WAS)
35) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX (vs. MIN)
36) Ray Davis | BUF (at IND)
37) Justice Hill | BAL (vs. CIN)
38) Devin Singletary | NYG (at CAR)
39) Braelon Allen | NYJ (at ARI)
40) Tyjae Spears | TEN (at LAC)
41) Roschon Johnson | CHI (vs. NE)
42) Cam Akers | HOU (vs. DET)
43) Antonio Gibson | NE (at CHI)
44) Isaac Guerendo | SF (at TB)
45) Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN (at KC)
46) Miles Sanders | CAR (vs. NYG)
47) Kimani Vidal | LAC (vs. TEN)
48) Jordan Mason | SF (at TB)
49) Blake Corum | LAR (vs. MIA)
50) Samaje Perine | KC (vs. DEN)
51) Jeremy McNichols | WAS (vs. PIT)
52) Jonathon Brooks | CAR (vs. NYG)
53) Trayveon Williams | CIN (at BAL)
54) Sean Tucker | TB (vs. SF)
55) Dare Ogunbowale | HOU (vs. DET)
56) Jaylen Wright | MIA (at LAR)
57) Julius Chestnut | TEN (at LAC)
58) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI (at DAL)
59) Trey Benson | ARI (vs. NYJ)
60) D'Ernest Johnson | JAX (vs. MIN)
61) Jordan Mims | NO (vs. ATL)
62) Carson Steele | KC (vs. DEN)
63) Trey Sermon | IND (vs. BUF)
64) Emari Demercado | ARI (vs. NYJ)
65) Ty Johnson | BUF (at IND)
66) Dalvin Cook | DAL (vs. PHI)
67) Tyler Goodson | IND (vs. BUF)
68) Audric Estimé | DEN (at KC)
69) Ty Chandler | MIN (at JAX)
70) Eric Gray | NYG (at CAR)
71) JaMycal Hasty | NE (at CHI)
72) Hunter Luepke | DAL (vs. PHI)
73) Will Shipley | PHI (at DAL)
74) Hassan Haskins | LAC (vs. TEN)
75) Dameon Pierce | HOU (vs. DET)
76) Keaton Mitchell | BAL (vs. CIN)
77) Alec Ingold | MIA (at LAR)
78) Joshua Kelley | NYG (at CAR)
79) Patrick Ricard | BAL (vs. CIN)
80) C.J. Ham | MIN (at JAX)
81) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS (vs. PIT)
82) Adam Prentice | NO (vs. ATL)
83) Deuce Vaughn | DAL (vs. PHI)
84) Ezekiel Elliott | DAL (vs. PHI)
85) Ronnie Rivers | LAR (vs. MIA)
86) Craig Reynolds | DET (at HOU)
87) Michael Burton | DEN (at KC)
88) Raheem Blackshear | CAR (vs. NYG)
89) Travis Homer | CHI (vs. NE)
90) J.J. Taylor | HOU (vs. DET)
91) Kendall Milton | CIN (at BAL)
92) Isaiah Davis | NYJ (at ARI)
93) Avery Williams | ATL (at NO)
94) Chris Collier | BAL (vs. CIN)
95) Jake Funk | JAX (vs. MIN)
96) Blake Watson | DEN (at KC)
97) Kyle Juszczyk | SF (at TB)
98) Jamaal Williams | NO (vs. ATL)
99) Cordarrelle Patterson | PIT (at WAS)
100) Khalil Herbert | CIN (at BAL)
101) Jeff Wilson Jr. | MIA (at LAR)
102) DeeJay Dallas | ARI (vs. NYJ)
103) Patrick Taylor Jr. | SF (at TB)
104) Sione Vaki | DET (at HOU)
Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos Insights
Carolina Panthers
Team: The Panthers have created pressure on just 21.9% of their blitzes this season (the NFL average nets out around 41%).
QB: Andy Dalton has failed to average even six yards per pass attempt in all four games since that shocking performance, throwing an interception in each of those contests (held without a touchdown toss in two of them).
Offense: The Panthers have scored 37 points in three October games (they are allowing 38 PPG in those games).
Defense: The Panthers allow 34.7 PPG (243 total points allowed). That’s tied with the 2020 Dallas Cowboys for the most points allowed through seven games in the last 50 seasons.
Fantasy: Jonathan Brooks’ debut is coming, but Chuba Hubbard has scored in four of his past five games and has been an RB2 or better in six straight.
Betting: Since the start of last season, the Panthers are 3-8 ATS on the road when the total closes under 45 points.
Denver Broncos
Team: The Broncos are seeking to improve to 5-3. They haven’t been above .500 through eight games since 2016, when they were 6-2.
QB: Bo Nix scrambled on 21.2% of his dropbacks in Week 7 vs. the Saints, tied with Jayden Daniels for the highest scramble rate in a game this season.
Offense: The Broncos averaged 6.1 yards per rush in Week 6 vs. the Chargers and 6.4 yards per rush in Week 7 vs. the Saints. It’s the first time Denver has averaged at least six yards per rush in consecutive games since 2011 (Weeks 8-9), during Tim Tebow’s stint as their starting QB.
Defense: The Broncos had a season-high 21 pressures in Week 7 vs. the Saints. That included six pressures from Zach Allen, who has accounted for 35% of Denver’s pressures this season (third-highest among interior linemen behind Chris Jones and Kobie Turner).
Fantasy: Courtland Sutton was not targeted for the first time in his career in Week 7. Sutton’s 28 routes run without a target were tied for the second-most by a wide receiver this season, trailing Justin Watson of the Chiefs (31 in Week 5, also vs. the Saints).
Betting: Under tickets have cashed in eight of Denver’s past nine played on extended rest (this is their first game of 2024) – they’ve covered eight of their past 11 such games.