Fantasy Football Week 8 Rankings: WR

For most No. 2 receivers, the loss of their teams' best receiver would give them a boost in fantasy stock, as the quarterback would theoretically start throwing more balls to the former No. 2. For Wes Welker, the effect has been the complete opposite.

Throwing Week 17 of 2009 out the window, when Welker suffered a serious injury early in the game, last Sunday's four-catch, 25-yard effort marked the former PPR beast's worst game since Week 13 of 2007, when he caught just three balls for 18 yards against the Ravens. Adding to the problem, Welker hasn't scored a TD since Week 2 of this year, and his prospects to do so moving forward are looking bleaker by the quarter.

Deion Branch, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski have all become reliable receivers for quarterback Tom Brady, and unlike Welker, those three options generally aren't double-covered. Until defenses ease up on Welker, it's going to be tough sledding for him.

You're probably still using Welker in your league with six teams taking a break, but you're not happy about it. I wouldn't expect much more than 50 yards against Minnesota in Week 8.

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1. Reggie Wayne, IND vs. HOU
2. Calvin Johnson, DET vs. WAS
3. Andre Johnson, HOU at IND
4. Miles Austin, DAL vs. JAC
5. Percy Harvin, MIN at NE
6. Pierre Garcon, IND vs. HOU
7. Brandon Marshall, MIA at CIN
8. Randy Moss, MIN at NE
9. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI vs. TB
10. Kenny Britt, TEN at SD
11. Terrell Owens, CIN vs. MIA
12. Hines Ward, PIT at NO
13. Roy Williams, DAL vs. JAC
14. Braylon Edwards, NYJ vs. GB
15. Marques Colston, NO vs. PIT
16. Santana Moss, WAS at DET
17. Brandon Lloyd, DEN at SF
18. Steve Smith, CAR at STL
19. Chad Ochocinco, CIN vs. MIA
20. Mike Williams, SEA at OAK
21. Dwayne Bowe, KC vs. BUF
22. Greg Jennings, GB at NYJ
23. Mike Williams, TB at ARI
24. Davone Bess, MIA at CIN
25. Santonio Holmes, NYJ vs. GB
26. Mike Wallace, PIT at NO
27. Wes Welker, NE vs. MIN
28. Nate Burleson, DET vs. WAS
29. Lee Evans, BUF at KC
30. James Jones, GB at NYJ
31. Dez Bryant, DAL vs. JAC
32. Steve Johnson, BUF at KC
33. Patrick Crayton, SD vs. TEN
34. Deion Branch, NE vs. MIN
35. Mike Sims-Walker, JAC at DAL
36. Steve Breaston, ARI vs. TB
37. David Gettis, CAR at STL
38. Donald Driver, GB at NYJ
39. Mike Thomas, JAC at DAL
40. Kevin Walter, HOU at IND
41. Buster Davis, SD vs. TEN
42. Anthony Gonzalez, IND vs. HOU
43. Jabar Gaffney, DEN at SF
44. Anthony Armstrong, WAS at DET
45. Danny Amendola, STL vs. CAR
46. Brian Hartline, MIA at CIN
47. Blair White, IND vs. HOU
48. Michael Crabtree, SF vs. DEN
49. Dexter McCluster, KC vs. BUF
50. Jordan Shipley, CIN vs. MIA
51. Nate Washington, TEN at SD
52. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ vs. GB
53. Robert Meachem, NO vs. PIT
54. Early Doucet, ARI vs. TB
55. Bryant Johnson, DET vs. WAS
56. Brandon Gibson, STL vs. CAR
57. Roscoe Parrish, BUF at KC
58. Jacoby Jones, HOU at IND
59. Brandon LaFell, CAR at STL
60. Lance Moore, NO vs. PIT
61. Greg Lewis, MIN at NE
62. Deon Butler, SEA at OAK
63. Arrelious Benn, TB at ARI
64. Joey Galloway, WAS at DET
65. Darrius Heyward-Bey, OAK vs. SEA
66. Legedu Naanee, SD vs. TEN
67. Devery Henderson, NO vs. PIT
68. Brandon Tate, NE vs. MIN
69. Golden Tate, SEA at OAK
70. Sammie Stroughter, TB at ARI
71. Josh Morgan, SF vs. DEN
72. Eddie Royal, DEN at SF
73. Danario Alexander, STL vs. CAR
74. Mardy Gilyard, STL vs. CAR
75. Jacoby Ford, OAK vs. SEA
76. Justin Gage, TEN at SD
77. Antwaan Randle El, PIT at NO
78. Demaryius Thomas, DEN at SF

• Maybe Kenny Britt needs to take the first 22 minutes off every week. The talented but troubled receiver was yanked from a starting role after a night club altercation on Friday of last week. After doing a little sleuthing, coach Jeff Fisher didn't see a reason to deactivate Britt. You know the rest of the story: Britt sat out the first one-and-a-half quarters before coming back to catch eight passes for 225 yards and three TDs. Vince Young is expected back, and if Britt can avoid suspension, he'll be in line for another big week.

• Davone Bess and Steve Johnson have been scoring machines as of late, with Johnson scoring in four straight games (five TDs total) and Bess working on a three-game scoring streak. Of the two, Bess has a much easier matchup this week, which gives him a slightly higher spot on our rankings. Johnson's fantasy stock could come down to Kansas City's game plan; if the Chiefs decide to stick Brandon Flowers on Johnson, he's hosed. If Flowers draws Lee Evans in coverage, Johnson should have a huge game.

• With Troy Smith slated to start at quarterback, Michael Crabtree's fantasy stock takes a serious hit. Add in the fact that he'll almost surely draw Champ Bailey in coverage during the 49ers' London-based game against the Broncos, and Crabtree could very well be held catchless this week. He's only a Week 8 fantasy option if you truly have nowhere else to turn.

• We loved Danario Alexander last week, and we still do, but Mardy Gilyard's return to the lineup muddles an already-murky WR rotation in St. Louis. Someone should eventually emerge from the mess, and it very well could be Alexander, but none of the St. Louis receivers should be used until one separates himself from the pack.