Fantasy Football: 4 Unexpectedly Great Week 8 Performances

Jerick McKinnon, RB, Minnesota Vikings

NFL.com Start Percentage: 45%

Week 8 Fantasy Points: 20.2

Jerick McKinnon finished as the third-best running back in Week 8, but only 45 percent of owners started him. We typically only profile players who get the start in 40 percent or below in fantasy leagues, but this situation is worth talking about.

It's possible that his start percentage was so low because teammate Latavius Murray had a big game in Week 7. It's true that the Minnesota Vikings have given both McKinnon and Murray a similar number of rushing attempts since Dalvin Cook's season-ending injury. It just so happened that Murray made the most of his opportunity two Sundays ago.

McKinnon is the better starter in fantasy, though, because he's more involved in the Vikings' passing game. Even in non-PPR leagues, he's getting, on average, four more opportunities per game to rack up some yardage. It's also worth noting that Murray has gotten more opportunities (attempts plus targets) than McKinnon just twice this season.

Honorable Mention

Alex Collins was the RB7 in Week 8, producing 14.3 points while getting the start in under two percent of NFL.com leagues. Collins looks like a better rusher than teammate Javorius Allen, which makes him worth adding off the waiver wire prior to Week 9.