Thursday Night Football DFS Picks – Vikings vs. Chargers

Week 8 begins with an exciting matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers. The Vikings are slated to be without J.J. McCarthy which means we get another week of Carson Wentz under center. That certainly changes our expectations in what’s projected to be a relatively even game. Los Angeles is favored by 3.5 points with the over/under at a respectable 44.5 points. Now, let’s jump into my Thursday Night Football DFS picks and rankings to help you set a winning lineup.

More Week 8 Fantasy Football Fun!: | Sneaky Starts | Fantasy Football Waiver Wire | Weekly Sleepers & Streamers | Starts & Sits | Skrip’s Week Winners | NFL DFS | NFL Player Props | IDP Analysis | Bold Predictions | Survivor Picks | NFL Injury Report | Dynasty Trade Targets | Weekly Rankings | Dynasty Risers and Fallers

Thursday Night Football DFS Notes

Mason Runs With It

Aaron Jones is close to returning from a hamstring injury. While it’s possible that happens this week, it’s more likely Jones won’t return until Week 9. That means it will be Jordan Mason who will, once again, dominate the touches in Minnesota’s backfield.

Aside from one week, Mason has carried the ball between 13 and 16 times. Overall, Mason has 84 carries for 380 yards and four touchdowns on the season. While not elite, he’s been relatively consistent. This week, Mason faces a Chargers defense that’s ranked 25th in DraftKings points allowed to opposing running backs.

It Might be Tough for Herbert

Justin Herbert’s off to a strong start this season with 19 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions. That comes along with 1,913 passing yards over seven games. He has at least one touchdown per game and four with multiple touchdowns.

Consistency is key here, but Herbert might struggle tonight. The Vikings ranked 5th against opposing quarterbacks from a DK perspective, and that success should continue tonight. However, all it takes is one or two big plays from Herbert to make things work.

Wentz is Capable

By no means is anyone going to say that Carson Wentz is the answer at quarterback. It’s not ideal, but the veteran has also done a solid job in his four games under center this season. Before J.J. McCarthy returns, it appears that Wentz will get one more game.

While he threw for 313 yards last week, it was also the first game in which he didn’t throw a touchdown pass. That was the second game in which Wentz broke the 300-yard mark, so we know that’s capable. At the same time, there’s no reason to overinvest.

Now That’s a Game

Prior to the season, there was some optimism surrounding Oronde Gadsden. The fifth-round pick has upside, but what we saw last week was simply insane. All Gadsden did was catch seven of nine passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. That was the second straight week in which the rookie caught seven passes (68 yards two weeks ago), as it’s beginning to become a trend. There’s certainly space for Gadsden in Los Angeles’ offense, and he proved he’s up to the task.

Vidal Will Bounce Back

After he carried the ball 18 times for 124 yards two weeks ago, things looked drastically different for Kimani Vidal last week. He gained just nine yards on 20 carries, but we can also blame the game flow, as the Chargers were trailing all afternoon.

It’s a good sign that Vidal was also involved in the passing game as he caught four of five targets, albeit for just 15 yards. With Hassan Haskins now injured as well, the backfield truly belongs to Vidal, and he should bounce back.

Jefferson is Still Really Good

Yes, Justin Jefferson only has one touchdown on the season. That makes it hard to truly believe in the star receiver and invest in him. At the same time, though, he’s still averaging 17 DK points and 88 yards per game. Jefferson had double-digit targets in each of the past three weeks, and I’d expect Wentz to continue looking his way regularly.

The Veteran Won’t Quit

In five of seven games, Keenan Allen has double-digit DK points. The veteran has jumped right back into playing a key role in the Chargers’ offense, and his connection with Herbert continues to be strong. With 44 catches for 435 yards and four touchdowns, Allen continues to be a solid option.

Don’t Forget About Me

While it’s been a rough start to the season for Ladd McConkey, I’m not sure we should give up just yet. Yes, it might be difficult in a tough defensive matchup for the Chargers this week, but there will still be some opportunity. McConkey has two touchdowns in the past three weeks with 21 catches for 196 yards as he looks to turn the corner.

Check out all of our Week 8 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings

TNF DFS Picks and Rankings

Make sure to check out all of our Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!