The Tennessee Titans will face the Detroit Lions 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 QB Will Levis.
Is Will Levis Playing in Week 8?
Will Levis continues to be hindered by the right shoulder injury he suffered in Week 4. He did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday, while Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan said his club will likely give Levis another week to recover.
Last week, Levis was limited on Wednesday and Friday but fully practiced on Thursday. Despite being listed as questionable, Levis was not active for Sunday’s game.
This may be a soft benching for the 2023 second-round pick, who has thrown five touchdowns and seven interceptions in five games. After all, he is practicing in a limited capacity.
However, it’s not as if replacement Mason Rudolph exactly lit the world on fire while completing 25 of 40 passes for 215 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the Titans’ 34-10 loss to the Bills.
The Titans are averaging -0.19 EPA per play with Levis on the field, which would rank 30th in the NFL. With Rudolph on the field, the Titans are averaging -0.17 EPA per play, which would rank 28th.
We’ll continue to monitor the Titans’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Will Levis in Week 8?
Levis (AC sprain in his right shoulder) was forced to sit out Sunday, but if he is the answer to your fantasy lineup concerns, you’re very much asking the wrong questions.
There are flashes of fantasy viability on a week-to-week basis (12+ rushing yards in all four healthy games this season and 66.4% completion percentage, up from 58.4% as a rookie), but they are offset by inconsistent decision-making that makes sustaining drives a near impossibility.
The second-year QB will have his job back when healthy, but I found it telling that Mason Rudolph had no issue in completing 12 of his first 15 passes for 100 yards and a score. He spread those 12 completions around to six different players, with four of his teammates having a 10+yard gain.
Levis’ development is slow, if not non-existent, at this point in time. And with DeAndre Hopkins now a Chief, projecting that to change in a meaningful way is irresponsible. That combination makes him the rare QB who I’d consider sitting in a Superflex setting.
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.
Will Levis’ Fantasy Points Projection in Week 8
Levis is projected to score 6.7 fantasy points in Week 8. This includes 100.4 passing yards, 0.6 passing touchdowns, and 0.5 interceptions. It also includes 1.8 rushing attempts for 8.1 yards and 0 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Will Levis’ Week 8 Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 6:00 AM ET on Thursday, January 2. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Weekly Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 18 QB PPR Rankings
1) Lamar Jackson | BAL (vs. CLE)
2) Jayden Daniels | WAS (at DAL)
3) Baker Mayfield | TB (vs. NO)
4) Joe Burrow | CIN (at PIT)
5) Sam Darnold | MIN (at DET)
6) Jared Goff | DET (vs. MIN)
7) Jordan Love | GB (vs. CHI)
8) Bo Nix | DEN (vs. KC)
9) Justin Herbert | LAC (at LV)
10) Kyler Murray | ARI (vs. SF)
11) Bryce Young | CAR (at ATL)
12) Drake Maye | NE (vs. BUF)
13) Russell Wilson | PIT (vs. CIN)
14) Geno Smith | SEA (at LAR)
15) Joe Flacco | IND (vs. JAX)
16) Caleb Williams | CHI (at GB)
17) Michael Penix Jr. | ATL (vs. CAR)
18) Aaron Rodgers | NYJ (vs. MIA)
19) Mason Rudolph | TEN (vs. HOU)
20) Aidan O'Connell | LV (vs. LAC)
21) Mac Jones | JAX (at IND)
22) Kenny Pickett | PHI (vs. NYG)
23) Tanner McKee | PHI (vs. NYG)
24) Cooper Rush | DAL (vs. WAS)
25) C.J. Stroud | HOU (at TEN)
26) Drew Lock | NYG (at PHI)
27) Carson Wentz | KC (at DEN)
28) Jimmy Garoppolo | LAR (vs. SEA)
29) Tyler Huntley | MIA (at NYJ)
30) Davis Mills | HOU (at TEN)
31) Dorian Thompson-Robinson | CLE (at BAL)
32) Joshua Dobbs | SF (at ARI)
33) Spencer Rattler | NO (at TB)
34) Jacoby Brissett | NE (vs. BUF)
35) Taylor Heinicke | LAC (at LV)
36) Bailey Zappe | KC (at DEN)
37) Sam Howell | SEA (at LAR)
38) Tua Tagovailoa | MIA (at NYJ)
39) Josh Allen | BUF (at NE)
40) Patrick Mahomes | KC (at DEN)
Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions Insights
Tennessee Titans
Team: The Titans have only trailed at halftime in one of their six games this season. However, Tennessee is outscored 94-43 (-51) in the second half, which is the worst second-half point differential of any team this season.
QB: The decision-making has been an issue, but Will Levis’ completion percentage is 15 points higher this season than last when under pressure (55.6%).
Offense: Think things are working better with Mason Rudolph instead of Levis? The Titans are averaging -0.19 EPA per play with Levis on the field, which would rank 30th. With Rudolph on the field, the Titans are averaging -0.17 EPA per play, which would rank 28th.
Defense: The Titans are allowing a league-low 5.7 yards per play-action pass this season
Fantasy: Calvin Ridley has proven to be the definition of empty calories when it comes to targets over the past two weeks – three catches on 17 targets for 42 yards. Him being targeted on 28.3% of his routes over that stretch is great, but let him serve as a reminder that limitations under center can tank the value of any player, even if the role is strong.
Betting: The Titans have covered six of their past eight indoor games (average cover margin: +7.5 points).
Detroit Lions
Team: The Lions have a plus-62 point differential through six games played. It’s their second-best point differential through six games in the last 40 years (+
QB: Jared Goff has posted at least a 140 passer rating in three straight games. That’s tied for the longest streak in NFL history, along with Aaron Rodgers (2011), Kurt Warner (1999), and Roger Staubach (1971).
Jared Goff was under pressure on a season-high 51.7% of his dropbacks against the Vikings, finishing 10-of-11 for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns under pressure.
Goff is averaging a league-high 11.6 YPA under pressure this season; no other QB is over 9.0.
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Offense: The Lions didn’t average more than 2.36 points per drive in any of their first three games this season. Since, however, they’ve been at 2.82 or better, averaging a difficult-to-comprehend 3.53 points per drive over that stretch.
Defense: In Weeks 3-6, the Lions blitzed on just 28.4% of opponent dropbacks, spiking to 38.9% last week in Minnesota without Aidan Hutchinson.
Fantasy: Sam LaPorta has three finishes as a top 12 tight end and three finishes outside of the top 20.
Betting: Since the start of the 2021 season, the Lions have had the best home ATS team in the league (20-8, 71.4%).