The Athletic has live coverage of NFL Week 8.
The best play in football this season has been a Drake Maye deep ball. Nothing else is particularly close.
Maye is now 14-for-18 with five touchdown passes, 414 yards and zero interceptions on pass attempts targeting a receiver 20+ yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). His passer-rating on such throws is 158.3 — which, of course, is perfect. Maye is currently leading the NFL in completion percentage (75.2%), and somehow, he’s actually at his most accurate when bombing deep (77.8%).
Also, for the record, it’s not as if his deep attempts are traveling just barely beyond 20 yards:
Drake Maye’s 39-yard TD pass to Kayshon Boutte traveled 52.6 yards in the air, Maye’s 2nd of the season over 50 yards by air distance.
Maye is the only QB this season with multiple TD passes that traveled over 50 yards in the air.#NEvsTEN | #NEPatspic.twitter.com/n6UJtMDbXD
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 19, 2025
Simply put, Maye has been ridiculously efficient and productive over the past seven weeks. He’s averaging 8.6 yards per attempt, the second-highest average in the league behind Sam Darnold’s 9.1. He’s now on pace for 4,235 passing yards and 486 rushing yards on the season. NFL talking heads should not be allowed to have the MVP conversation without tossing Maye’s name in the mix — people are definitely doing it, but it should not be allowed.
However, if you want to poke holes in the MVP case that not enough people are making, it would be fair to note that Maye has not exactly faced a murderer’s row of defenses. The combined record of his year-to-date opponents is 17-30. Maye has not yet seen a top-five defense. Five of the Patriots’ seven opponents rank in the league’s bottom half in terms of total yardage. He’s faced three different one-win teams.
But this week, the degree of difficulty for Maye is elevated. Cleveland comes to town, which means a visit from a verifiably elite defense (if also another sub-.500 team). The Browns rank first in the NFL in total yards allowed, third in yards per play, third against the pass and fourth against the run. It’s a unit that stops everything equally well.
Maye’s average time to throw is among the highest in the league, which, of course, might lead to trouble against a Myles Garrett-led pass rush.
New England is a serious favorite against Cleveland this weekend because the respective offenses of these teams are not comparable in any way. They are barely playing the same game. Dillon Gabriel either can’t or won’t throw downfield, averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt. He’s the knife the Browns are bringing to gunfights.
Still, we’re about to learn a few very important things about Maye as he finally faces an upper-tier defense. If he delivers the usual 200-something yards with rushing goodies and multiple scores against Cleveland, we can wave him into the matchup-proof QB club. It’s an exclusive group that probably only includes a half dozen names.
Oronde Gadsden’s breakout enters its third week
After last week’s 164-yard performance against the Colts, it seems unlikely any Gadsden doubters remained. If there were, they have now retreated deep underground.
Gadsden gave us another terrific fantasy line on Thursday night, snagging all five of his targets for 77 yards and an early score. His exceptional yards-after-catch ability was again on display, this time for a national audience.
Herbert to Gadsen for 41 yards!
MINvsLAC on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/3TYvSWoEh6
— NFL (@NFL) October 24, 2025
The Syracuse rookie has caught 19 passes for 309 yards and two touchdown spikes on 22 targets over his last three games. He has fully vanquished Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin — not a significant fantasy concern — and he may be becoming a problem for Quentin Johnston as well. We can’t rule it out.
After three consecutive stellar games, Gadsden has entered un-benchable territory in fantasy. He’s attached to a healthy passing environment and seeing consistent downfield opportunities. There aren’t five tight ends in the game I’d prefer over Gadsden for the balance of the season.
Kimani Vidal also gave us another useful performance on Thursday, thumping his way to 127 scrimmage yards and one touchdown (and nearly a second) on 24 touches. He gained 73 of his yards after contact and generally delivered a convincing impression of Omarion Hampton.
It remains to be seen if Vidal has done enough to keep the Bolts from venturing into the trade market for backfield help, but he’s earned a meaningful rest-of-season role no matter how the team proceeds.
Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard get yet another friendly matchup
Within a four-game stretch that culminates this week, the Panthers will have faced the NFL’s three most generous run defenses. Rico Dowdle tortured the first two, rushing for a combined 389 yards against Miami and Dallas. This week, he and Chuba Hubbard will presumably take turns shredding Buffalo’s squishy-soft run D. The Bills have allowed a league-worst 5.8 yards per carry.
Last Sunday, Dowdle and Hubbard were basically alternating series, taking turns. Rico played 33 snaps to Hubbard’s 38. Dowdle looked friskier and enjoyed a more productive afternoon (96 total yards), but we should note that Hubbard was returning from a multi-game absence. Both backs deserve your attention in Week 8, given the quality of the matchup.
Carolina hasn’t played a game as big as this one in years, and they should enjoy an overwhelming advantage on the ground. It may not be enough against Josh Allen, but fantasy managers can still benefit.
Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel return to full practice
If you told me these two had never practiced in full on the same day for the Commanders, I couldn’t immediately refute it. I’d need to do a little research.
McLaurin and Samuel were both back in business on Thursday, which is clearly a great sign regarding their availability for Monday night’s matchup at Kansas City. Unfortunately, Jayden Daniels (hamstring) won’t be throwing to them, but he shouldn’t be sidelined for long. Marcus Mariota becomes a playable streaming option at QB if Washington’s receiving room is back to full strength.
A.J. Brown is once again vaguely injured and posting riddles on social media
Oh no! Dora and Boots can’t cross the bridge unless they answer Grumpy Old Receiver’s latest riddle! Can YOU help them?
No, just kidding. No need to be alarmed. The most recent AJB mystery isn’t too worrisome.
Brown recently posted another mildly cryptic thing online, which sparked inane discussion, but this particular message seemed pretty innocuous, a non-event. The greater concern attached to Brown at the moment is his availability for the rematch with the Giants. Brown is battling another hamstring issue, and he was a non-participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. We’re not panicking just yet, but some level of activity on Friday would be appreciated.
Nico Collins not looking likely for Sunday
Collins always seemed like a long shot after suffering a concussion in Monday night’s loss. He hasn’t yet returned to practice for Houston, nor has Christian Kirk (hamstring). C.J. Stroud will be forced to lean heavily this week on tight end Dalton Schultz and the rookie receiving duo from Iowa State, Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. We haven’t seen any positive signs from Higgins yet this year — he was shut out on three targets against Seattle — but Noel has flashed occasionally in the return game and was useful in Week 7. Noel caught four balls for 77 yards against the Seahawks, earning Stroud’s attention late in the game. As a desperation flyer in a terrible bye week, he’s a solid option.
