Vikings vs. Rams TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Sam Darnold, T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison, Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford, Ty Chandler, Tutu Atwell

Thursday Night Football in Week 8 might bring some much-needed fantasy football help to rosters considering all of the injuries of the last two weeks. Three huge stars -- Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and T.J. Hockenson -- might make their respective returns in this exciting game between the Minnesota Vikings and L.A. Rams. (UPDATE: T.J. Hockenson has been ruled out for Thursday Night Football)

Hockenson has been out since last December after tearing his ACL. Nacua left early in Week 1 and has not played since with a knee injury. Kupp missed most of Week 2 and has been out after a severe ankle injury. Both teams are desperate to add more playmakers to their offenses and Thursday night might just be the time it happens.

I will bring you Thursday Night Football analysis all year, focusing on who to start, who is on the fence, and who should find the bench. Let's dive into this next awesome Thursday night matchup for Week 8 of the 2024 season. Good luck, RotoBallers!

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Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams - 8:20 p.m. EDT

Notable Injuries:

• T.J. Hockenson (Minnesota - TE) - Questionable - OUT
• Puka Nacua (L.A. - WR) - Questionable  - Knee (Puka Nacua has been activated off of IR and plans to play)
• Jordan Whittington (L.A. - WR) - OUT - Shoulder

Vikings vs. Rams Matchup Breakdown

Normally, a 5-1 team matched up against a 2-4 team on Thursday Night Football wouldn't look like much of a matchup, but this one has real-life and fantasy football implications running through it.

Primetime in LA.#RamsHouse | 🎟️ » https://t.co/mmkxzZqvY7 pic.twitter.com/AgZPxdBNYl

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 23, 2024

In Week 7, the Lions were finally able to show how to carve up this Vikings defense and the Rams will look to copy that game plan with innovative run plays, and short, chain-moving throws to reliable receivers in the middle of the field. Cooper Kupp's return should open up more lanes for Kyren Williams and that duo likely touches the ball on more than 50% of the Rams' offensive snaps.

Minnesota comes into Week 8 against the Rams looking to finally have its offense firing on all cylinders with T.J. Hockenson. The Vikings are already tied for seventh with 2.7 offensive touchdowns per game and they will be lined up against a Rams defense ranked 24th with 3.3 red-zone trips per game to opponents.

Must-Starts for Fantasy Football Lineups

Aaron Jones (RB, MIN)

Aaron Jones has been unbelievably steady this season and is now the RB14 in total points and the RB11 in half-PPR points per game this season. He has dealt with various minor ailments, but keeps producing every week, including 19.1 points last game. The Rams have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs this season.

Justin Jefferson (WR, MIN)

If you aren't starting Justin Jefferson against a Rams team that allows 7.4 yards per pass attempt (27th in the NFL), you don't deserve to have Jefferson on your roster. He is in the conversation to be ranked as the consensus WR1 this week.

Full clip of #Vikings WR Justin Jefferson talking about being on the verge of his breakout game:

“I’m definitely sick of having these 80-90 yard games. I definitely got to get over that hump of 100 yards, that’s definitely my plan.”

🎥: @Vikings YouTube https://t.co/DeI9GPCy1a pic.twitter.com/TK0Ber0BVH

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 22, 2024

Kyren Williams (RB, LAR)

The Vikings are now in the conversation with the Lions, Chiefs, and Ravens as one of the best rush-defense teams in the league. It should be a tough matchup for Kyren Williams, but his volume is so good that he can be an RB1 even if it's not the most efficient game on the ground.

Williams has not scored fewer than 13 fantasy points in a game this season and is RB3 in total half-PPR points.

Cooper Kupp (WR, LAR)

We have to assume that if the Rams are bringing Cooper Kupp back for a Thursday night game instead of giving him 10 more days to heal, he must be completely healthy. Knowing this, it's worth revisiting the fact that Kupp played 100% of the Rams' snaps and had 21 targets in the Week 1 game after Puka Nacua was injured. He will be Matthew Stafford's favorite target in this game.

Rams listed WR Cooper Kupp as a full participant in today’s practice ahead of their Thursday night game vs. the Vikings.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2024

Solid Starts for Fantasy Football Lineups

Sam Darnold (QB, MIN)

The Los Angeles Rams are last in the league in yards per completion this year (11.6) and they are 26th in passing touchdowns allowed per game (1.6). With T.J. Hockenson potentially back in this game, I think the passing game really opens up for Darnold and puts him firmly in the QB8-QB12 conversation in Week 8.

Jordan Addison (WR, MIN)

Jordan Addison has had a roller-coaster season so far, playing in Week 1, missing two games with injury, coming back with 20 fantasy points, and then averaging 5.1 fantasy points in his last two games. However, with the Vikings projected for the third-most points among all teams in Week 8, the targets he has been seeing (16 in the last three games) finally pay off.

Matthew Stafford (QB, LAR)

Fun fantasy fact about this game: Both Minnesota and L.A. are giving up 15 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Both teams have allowed 10 passing touchdowns in six games this year. But the Vikings have intercepted the ball 11 times in those six games, compared to just five for L.A.

Matthew Stafford gets his favorite weapon back in this game, so that puts him on the startable bubble this week. But I can think of about 15 quarterbacks I would rather start, especially in a week with no teams on bye.

Puka Nacua (WR - LAR) - UPDATE: Puka Nacua has been activated off of IR and plans to play

Reports out of Wednesday night and Thursday morning are providing more optimism that Puka Nacua will play. While I'm still skeptical that the Rams would bring both receivers back at the same time, we would need to at least consider putting Nacua in our lineups if he is active. Personally, I would rank him around WR32 this week and would knock Cooper Kupp to around WR10 if they both play.

The #Rams get Cooper Kupp back (for the final time?) tonight against the #Vikings — and there is now optimism Puka Nacua potentially could return as well. @gmfb @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/BHcqTBJNyW

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 24, 2024

Consider Sitting for Fantasy Football Lineups

T.J. Hockenson (TE, MIN)

UPDATE: T.J. Hockenson has been ruled out for Thursday Night Football

The Rams have not been good against tight ends this season, allowing the fifth-most yards and fifth-most touchdowns to the position. No other team has allowed more than their 10.8 fantasy points per game. However, I have to think the Vikings take it easy on Hockenson. He likely plays no more than 30% of the snaps.

The Minnesota #Vikings have signed OLB Bo Richter to the active roster and released TE Robert Tonyan.

A sign that TJ Hockenson will be returning soon...👀 pic.twitter.com/Ri8XJ9HYFZ

— Vikings Nation (@vikingsnationmn) October 22, 2024

Ty Chandler (RB, MIN)

Ty Chandler has not been the elite handcuff running back everyone expected him to be. Even with Aaron Jones perpetually banged up, Chandler has not scored more than 4.9 half-PPR points in any of the last five weeks. Last week, Chandler only played 18% of the snaps.

Tutu Atwell, Jordan Whittington, Tyler Johnson, and Demarcus Robinson (WRs, LAR)

UPDATE: Jordan Whittington has been ruled out for Thursday Night Football

Let me reiterate. Cooper Kupp played 100% of the snaps and saw 21 targets in the Week 1 game where Puka Nacua went out early with an injury. I'm not saying none of these four guys will have a fantasy-friendly game. Good luck picking which one.

If I had to choose one, I would go with the hot hand and hope Tutu Atwell can come close to repeating his nine-target, six-catch, 51-yard game.

Colby Parkinson (TE, LAR)

In six games played this season, Colby Parkinson has one with more than six half-PPR fantasy points. That's a hard pass. In addition, the Vikings have allowed just the 20th-most receiving yards to opposing tight ends.

Kirksey’s Thursday Night Football Picks

Current Spread: Minnesota -2.5
Over/Under: 48

Yes, the Rams might get Cooper Kupp back in this game, which would be a huge boost to the offense. However, the Rams would also need to get back Braden Fiske and Troy Reeder, and maybe get Aaron Donald and Deacon Jones out of retirement to stop this Minnesota offense.

Even on the road (and SoFi Stadium often has a road-team-friendly crowd), the Vikings should be able to easily put up points here with both Jefferson and Jones presumably healthy and ready to roll.

Minnesota comes into L.A. and wins by a score of 31-20.

The Pick: Minnesota -2.5, OVER 48

2024 Record:
Spread (4-3), Over/Under (5-2)

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