Fantasy Football Week 8 breakouts: Isaiah Davis earns a role worth stashing in leagues now, plus more

Week 8 was a return to the household names in Fantasy Football with breakouts from Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor and James Cook, among others. There weren't too many surprises -- but Week 8 of the Fantasy Football season did bring some new players to the forefont with breakout performances that belong on your Fantasy Football radar now. On the Fantasy side, we received more data on how each offense plans to utilize its personnel. Our expectations for backfield touches, targets in the pass game, snap shares, and overall usage are often not met, and that's when we have to pivot.

In Week 8, several players jumped on the Fantasy Football radar. This could be the start of something special for some of these players, and you'll want to get well ahead of your Week 9 Fantasy Football waiver wire by putting these players on your radar. For more on every player we discuss below, you'll want to make sure to check out Jamey Eisenberg's in-depth waiver wire column on Monday afternoon.

Isaiah Davis, RB, Jets 

Davis showed signs of promise in Week 7 and was placed closely on all our radars at Fantasy Football Today when Breece Hall was limited in practice this week. Hall ended up playing -- and having a dominant game himself -- but Davis continued his upward trajectory. What is most promising about his role moving forward is the work he got in the pass game. The Jets appear to have found a new way to move the ball and it's by using their backs as an extension of the run game. Davis totaled 44 yards receiving on five receptions. He also added 65 yards rushing on just seven carries. 109 total yards on 12 touches -- he is the Jets' second-best playmaking option for touches for as long as Garrett Wilson is sidelined. 

Troy Franklin, WR, Broncos

Franklin racked up 82 receiving yards and a touchdown on five receptions in Week 8. He finished with seven targets and was a clear focal point of the passing game in the first half before the Broncos jumped out to a massive lead. Franklin has struggled to find consistency in Fantasy, but he continues to produce and the Broncos offense is trending up. 

Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Texans

With Nico Collins (concussion) sidelined for Week 8, the expectation was that Houston's rookie receivers would pick up the slack. While both Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins did make their splash plays, Hutchinson was a more consistent piece of the Texans' offensive game plan. Hutchinson finished with six targets and turned them into five receptions for 69 yards and a TD. Hutchinson has been a red zone favorite for C.J. Stroud and will have FLEX appeal if Collins is forced to miss another game in Week 9. 

Samaje Perine, RB, Bengals

Perine has taken a bigger role in the Bengals offense of late -- and with Joe Flacco at the helm -- this is an offense you want exposure to. Perine took nine carries for 94 yards and scored a touchdown on a long run. He also added a catch to get him to the 100 yards (total) mark. Perine is a handcuff for Chase Brown but will continue to offer FLEX appeal in the deepest of leagues and in the right matchup.

RJ Harvey, RB, Broncos

If Harvey was released in your leagues and he's sitting on the waiver wire -- make sure you amend that fast. Harvey finally looked like the explosive player you drafted him in the middle rounds of your Fantasy drafts to be in Week 8. He scored three touchdowns -- two on the ground and one through the air. Denver is likely to look to use Harvey's explosion as a weapon in their offense more in the second half of the 2025 season. 

Jayden Higgins, WR, Texans 

Higgins continues to prove capable of making big plays for the Texans offense in Collins' absence. While he finished with just 34 yards receiving (and a touchdown) on four receptions, he was heavily involved from a volume standpoint. Higgins led the Texans with eight total targets. If Collins misses Week 9, Higgins has FLEX appeal. 

Pat Bryant, WR, Broncos

Last week we featured Chimere Dike in this column as an up-and-coming third-round rookie draft pick who started to get more involved in his offense of late and cashed in with points (in Week 7). Now, in Week 8, Bryant continues his steady drumbeat of more involvement in the Broncos offense followed up with big plays in the pass game.