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 WR Xavier Legette.
Is Xavier Legette Playing in Week 8?
Legette is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any setbacks, he is on track to play this weekend.
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.
Should You Start or Sit Xavier Legette in Week 8?
The rookie has had his moments this season, but they haven’t come recently or under Bryce Young, which introduces more risk than reward into his fantasy profile (34 receiving yards so far in three October games).
Young is averaging a hard-to-comprehend 4.6 yards per pass attempt this season with zero scores on 65 attempts and a QB+ grade since the beginning of last season, which nearly broke our model.
Diontae Johnson projects as the clear target leader on this team, and I’m not confident he provides value in a standard-sized league – a secondary option that could well see some Patrick Surtain coverage on the perimeter isn’t of any interest to me in anything besides Hail Mary DFS lineups.
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.
Xavier Legette’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 8
Legette is projected to score 10.4 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 2.1 receptions for 61.9 yards and 0.3 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Xavier Legette’s Week 8 Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 11:45 PM ET on Saturday, January 25.
Conference Championship WR PPR Rankings
1) A.J. Brown | PHI (vs. WAS)
2) Terry McLaurin | WAS (at PHI)
3) DeVonta Smith | PHI (vs. WAS)
4) Khalil Shakir | BUF (at KC)
5) Xavier Worthy | KC (vs. BUF)
6) Hollywood Brown | KC (vs. BUF)
7) DeAndre Hopkins | KC (vs. BUF)
8) Keon Coleman | BUF (at KC)
9) Dyami Brown | WAS (at PHI)
10) Mack Hollins | BUF (at KC)
11) Amari Cooper | BUF (at KC)
12) Curtis Samuel | BUF (at KC)
13) Olamide Zaccheaus | WAS (at PHI)
14) JuJu Smith-Schuster | KC (vs. BUF)
15) Jahan Dotson | PHI (vs. WAS)
16) Jamison Crowder | WAS (at PHI)
17) Luke McCaffrey | WAS (at PHI)
18) Justin Watson | KC (vs. BUF)
19) Johnny Wilson | PHI (vs. WAS)
20) Parris Campbell | PHI (vs. WAS)
21) Nikko Remigio | KC (vs. BUF)
22) Ainias Smith | PHI (vs. WAS)
Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos Insight
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.
