Fantasy Football fool’s gold: 3 players you should believe in, 2 players you shouldn’t in Week 8

After spending the past few weeks navigating the first wave of bye weeks, Week 8 offers an oasis for weary fantasy football managers.

All 32 teams are in action this week, meaning full strength lineups can be deployed with confidence, although some crippling injuries (our heart goes out to those rostering Brandon Aiyuk) have made key pickups a necessity for Week 8.

Those who feel good about their situations should also use this space to plan ahead for future byes and/or contributors to success down the stretch. With that in mind, let's dive into the weekly fool's gold report for the breakout contributors in the fantasy sphere for Week 7.

Fantasy Football Fool's Gold: Week 8 Report

Tyler Goodson, RB, Indianapolis Colts

The continued absence of Jonathan Taylor due to injury has led to some uncertainty in the Colts' backfield. With Trey Sermon failing to seize his opportunity to be the RB1 while Taylor sits, Indianpolis gave Goodson his biggest workload of the season on Sunday and he responded nicely with a team-high 51 rushing yards and a score.

The rushing responsibilities were split relatively evenly between Sermon and Goodson, with the latter garnering a 14-to-9 touch advantage, but those who watched the game could tell that Goodson was the more prolific ball carrier. Anthony Richardson's struggles in the passing game could lead to a more run-heavy game plan for Indianapolis, which is still trying to contend for a wild card spot in the AFC with a 4-3 record after seven games.

The downside for a potential Goodson claim is that it looks like Taylor is on the way back and could return to practice as soon as Wednesday. Taylor will assume RB1 status upon his return, rendering Goodson as more of a handcuff option in the event the injury-prone star finds his way back to the sidelines in the future.

Verdict: Bust

Ray Davis, RB, Buffalo Bills

One of the more popular sleeper backs in the preseason, Davis was sparingly used over the first five weeks of the season with Buffalo using veteran James Cook as their bellcow back. Cook had to miss Week 6 due to injury and the Bills unleashed Davis, who torched the Jets' vulnerable run defense for 97 yards on 20 carries.

That performance earned Davis a complementary role in Week 7 even with Cook active and Davis gained 41 yards on five carries with a touchdown in a blowout win over the Tennessee Titans. It was encouraging to see Davis not get mothballed as soon as Cook returned, which is a good sign that the Bills plan on getting the talented rookie more involved going forward.

While this situation isn't a committee at this juncture, Davis is a respectable bench add to help fill a need for fantasy owners when messier bye weeks approach in the coming weeks. An injury to Cook would also shoot Davis into starter's reps, which he showed he could handle against New York in Week 6, making him a trustworthy add for now and the future.

Verdict: Trust

Jauan Jennings, WR, San Francisco 49ers

We've discussed Jennings in this space before after his explosive performance in Week 3, but he faded into the background in Weeks 5 and 6 before suffering a hip injury. That issue kept Jennings sidelined during the Super Bowl rematch on Sunday, but his fantasy outlook improved significantly thanks to Aiyuk's gruesome knee injury.

Tests revealed that Aiyuk tore multiple ligaments in his knee, requiring season-ending surgery and pushing Jennings back into a starter's role. While Deebo Samuel figures to slide into the No. 1 role going forward, he did play only three snaps on Sunday due to injury and is prone to missing time thanks to his physical style of play, which could lead to weeks where Jennings is the 49ers' top pass catcher.

Week 3 has offered proof that Jennings has a good rapport with starter Brock Purdy, who will look to bounce back from a rough outing against Dallas' leaky defense on Sunday night in Week 8. Jennings is firmly on the WR3 radar going forward and even if he misses the Cowboys' contest he will be walking into an expanded role after San Francisco's Week 9 bye.

Verdict: Trust

Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills

The big Amari Cooper trade was designed to get Josh Allen a true No. 1 receiver and the odds are high that Cooper eventually claims that title. There will also be an acclimation period as Cooper learns a new system, which could hurt his fantasy prospects and help those of some of the existing playmakers who benefit from Cooper's presence as a threat, including rookie receiver Keon Coleman.

Buffalo saw Coleman have a strong day in Week 7, turning a season-high seven targets into four receptions for 125 yards. While Khalil Shakir has functioned as the Bills' No. 1 to this point, he is best suited for a slot role, leaving Coleman as Buffalo's top boundary receiver opposite Cooper and the beneficiary of some deep shots from Allen.

It is important to remember that the Bills invested a first round pick in Coleman and want to see some return on their investment as the season progresses. Even with Cooper likely to see more target volume in the coming weeks, Buffalo wants to take shots down the field with Allen and Coleman figures to be the beneficiary as his blazing speed can make him a matchup nightmare for opposing cornerbacks.

Grade: Trust

Russell Wilson, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

The controversial quarterback change in Pittsburgh paid off for Mike Tomlin as the Steelers saw Russell Wilson add an element of verticality to their passing game in a blowout win over the New York Jets. While the efficiency numbers weren't great for Wilson, who completed just 16-of-29 passes in the win, he took frequent shots downfield to big-play machine George Pickens, which helped him gain 264 yards through the air and toss a pair of touchdowns.

The upcoming schedule appears favorable to Wilson, who gets the hapless Giants in Week 8, but it is important to note that the Jets' secondary was severely banged up on Sunday night. New York entered the game down three starters in the defensive backfield and lost two more safeties to injury over the course of the game, which may have inflated Wilson's passing stats at this juncture.

The presence of Wilson is great for Pickens, a deep threat who wasn't getting nearly enough big play shots with Justin Fields under center, but the Steelers still figure to operate as a run-first team that may even incorporate Fields for some packages going forward. Wilson's Week 7 performance may represent the peak of his value, which means he's more of a streaming play (admittedly one who would have been perfect to use if Week 8 wasn't bye-less) than a weekly starter.

Verdict: Bust