Minnesota now sits at 3-3 in a tightly bunched NFC North, but the Vikings dropped two of the last three games. Los Angeles is a tick better at 4-3, losing three of the last four games and searching for answers a running back. In this edition of the Stokastic’s NFL DFS picks series, we’ll provide our Vikings-Chargers Week 8 TNF DFS plays for the NFL Showdown action from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
NFL Thursday Night Football Week 8 DFS Picks: Vikings-Chargers
NFL DFS Picks for Thursday Night Football Week 8: Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $11,800
FanDuel: $13,400
Fantasy Points
DraftKings: 17.17
FanDuel: 13.60
Justin Jefferson was on the field for 98% of the offensive action in five of the six games, including three games of 100%. In the three games since returning from his suspension, Jordan Addison played on 96%, 75% and 93% of the plays, with Jalen Nailor sliding back to a 60% role.
Adam Thielen is the fourth wideout, and he is the only other player to see action at this position since Addison returned, averaging around 10 plays per game. Five different receivers had games of 95-plus receiving yards against the Chargers this season, though Los Angeles ceded only three touchdowns to wideouts.
From a fantasy point-per-dollar perspective, Addison looks appealing, and he does pop off for big games. Jefferson is always the apex predator, with the duo working well together to help split the defensive attention. Nailor is viable on DraftKings ($3,600), though not so much on FanDuel ($4,600) given the higher salary and half-PPR scoring format.
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Minnesota Vikings Positional Preview
Quarterback | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
J.J. McCarthy is still recovering from his high ankle sprain, but the Vikings may be giving him more time to be comfortable with the pace of facing NFL defenses. Carson Wentz is dealing with left shoulder issue, though keep in mind he is a righty. If he is unable to go, it will be UDFA Max Brosmer, who signed to the Minnesota practice squad last year. He spent five seasons with New Hampshire, including a medical redshirt season. He was the starter his final two years before playing one with the University of Minnesota. The 24-year-old appeared in two games this season, throwing four passes.
Wentz has been mediocre at best, flashing a couple times but otherwise being humdrum. Considering that he has lines available at the sportsbooks, that is a pretty good indicator he will play since books prefer to stay away from voided bets or parlay slots. Looking at the OddsShopper Live Odds page, Wentz is -114 for over 224.5 passing yards, -116 for more than 11.5 rushing yards and -136 to throw for a touchdown.
Last week, Daniel Jones became the first opposing quarterback to throw multiple touchdowns against Los Angeles, though Patrick Mahomes and Jaxson Dart each had one passing and one rushing against the Chargers.
Running Back | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
Aaron Jones is questionable, having been out with a hamstring injury suffered in the second game of the season. If he plays, he is unlikely to be pushed too hard, though it does muddle things with Jordan Mason and rookie Zavier Scott. There are no odds posted yet for Jones (again, injury reporting through into Thursday morning is sparse), with coach Kevin O’Connell saying he is hopeful the veteran is ready soon, but the team has 21 days to activate him after designating him as returning to practice from his injured reserve stint.
The matchup against the Chargers has been productive for opposing ball-carriers, with the lead rusher posting 79 or more yards on the ground in each of the last five games and combining for nine touchdowns.
If Jones is out, then Mason is a fine option and Scott is a lottery ticket. If Jones is in, then Mason will still be the preferred play, and it makes sense to avoid having this duo together on most lineups. If both were healthy and at their early-season salaries, pairing them together would be a different answer with the changed calculus.
Be sure to tune into the Stokastic TNF Live Before Lock Show at 7:30 p.m. ET for all of the up-to-date DFS analysis and information.
Tight End | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
T.J. Hockenson had a season-high nine targets on Sunday, though that is more of an outlier than a new baseline expectation. In the three preceding games, he had six, five and six opportunities, which is more in line with expectations tonight. Hockenson is yet to crack 50 receiving yards, and he has one lonely touchdown through six games.
Josh Oliver is good for a target each game, though he has only seven for the season. No other tight ends had any passes thrown their way. Hockenson will be on the field for around 80% of the offensive sets, with Oliver getting approximately half of that playing time if the season-long trendlines hold. The other tight ends stepped between the lines just five times on offense over the last three games.
Kicker | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
Will Reichard is steady this season, converting 13 of 14 (93%) field goal attempts and remaining perfect for his career on 50 extra-point efforts. He also converted 12 of 16 (75%) from 50-plus yards in his nascent career after being a sixth-round pick from Alabama in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Defense | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
Minnesota collected at least two sacks in every tilt, totaling 16 in six games. Los Angeles allowed three per game, which are the sixth most in the league. The Chargers ceded 10 turnovers, with the Vikings around average at one per contest.
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NFL DFS Picks for Thursday Night Football Week 8: Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $10,400
FanDuel: $13,400
Fantasy Points
DraftKings: 20.48
FanDuel: 19.56
Justin Herbert has the passing game humming for Los Angeles, posting 261.6 yards per game to trail only Dallas (268.4) and San Francisco (271.3). Though his interceptions are up (six) from a miniscule three last year, Herbert is also pacing to throw 30-plus touchdowns.
Herbert is also running more, and while he is well behind the other prototypical “running quarterbacks,” he tallied 26.6 yards per game, which is above his 16.3 career average. Despite being down to a third-string running back, Los Angeles has a trio of terrific receivers and a rookie tight end that may be in the midst of a breakout.
This all works together to have Herbert as a foundational play in all single-game formats, including being considered for the multiplier slot.
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Los Angeles Chargers Positional Preview
Running Back | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
Najee Harris is done for the season, rookie Omarion Hampton (ankle) is likely out for another month and now Hassan Haskins (hamstring) is out. That leaves second-year man Kimani Vidal looking like a strong play, with Nyheim Miller-Hines likely to be the RB2 and also returning kickoffs.
Tonight the Stokastic NFL DFS stat projections have Vidal for 17.5 carries and 69.4 yards, with Miller-Hines seeing 2.1 for 4.5 yards. Vidal is projected to lead the position at a 10.7% target share, equating to a median projection of 3.6 targets, 2.7 receptions and 18.4 yards.
Amar Johnson and Scott Matlock are the likely candidates for RB3, though combined they project for 1.7 offensive opportunities. Jaret Patterson also signed to the practice squad last week, and he has the most similar profile to Haskins as an early-down runner. We need more information as to who is elevated and active. In two season with Washington (2021 and 2022), Patterson appeared on offense in 20 games, recording 85 carries for 344 rushing yards and two touchdowns, with 12 targets for 10 catches and 73 yards. He also returned four kickoffs for a 24.3-yard average. All four backs are at the minimum salary, where available.
Wide Receiver | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
Things are crowded with the return of Keenan Allen after a one-year sojourn in Chicago and former first-rounder Quentin Johnston suddenly putting everything together for a Year 3 breakout. Last year Ladd McConkey was in the mix for the Rookie of the Year Award, finishing with 112 targets, 82 receptions, 1,149 yards and seven scores.
Now he is the third wheel, though to his credit, he did have himself a big game in Miami with seven catches for 100 yards and a score while Johnston was sidelined due to an injury. McConkey had a whopping 15 targets as the Chargers tried to keep pace with Indianapolis on Sunday, and he had seven looks in five of the seven tilts thus far, so all hope is not lost.
The popularity for the three amigos is heavily influenced by salary, with McConkey ($7,600, 47.3%), Allen ($7,800, 38.1%) and Johnston ($8,000, 27.5%) seeing an inverted relationship that is price sensitive.
It is a similar story on FanDuel, though it the cap hits are further apart, with McConkey ($7,800, 46.4%), Johnston ($9,200, 25.4%) and Allen ($10,200, 25.3%) in the same order but for better reasoning. Expect the gap between McConkey and Johnston to close towards Allen from either side.
Tight Ends | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
Oronde Gadsden II was a fifth-round selection from Syracuse this spring, getting rave reviews during training camp, though working through inconsistencies like most rookies. The last two games saw him earn 17 targets for 14 receptions, 132 yards and a touchdown. He is the son of Oronde Gadsden, who bounced around practice squads, the AFL and the World League before getting a gig with the Miami Dolphins as a 27-year-old rookie.
Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin each missed time with injury, and it looks like Gadsden took a significant step forward in consolidating this role. He still needs work as a blocker, but he clearly is the most dynamic player of the bunch.
Kicker | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
Cameron Dicker continues to live up to his “Dicker the Kicker” nickname, converting all 15 field goal attempts, along with his 14 PATs. He has just one attempt this year from 50-plus, though in the two preceding seasons he was a stellar 16 of 20 (80%), so it is just happenstance that he does not have more long-range opportunities this season.
Defense | Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8
Los Angeles has just seven takeaways, but Minnesota has been generous with 11 thus far. On the flipside, the Vikings suffered nearly four sacks per game, which is among the dregs of the league, while the Chargers are accruing about 2.5 each outing.
NFL DFS Picks for Vikings-Chargers NFL DFS Picks for TNF Week 8: Rankings
Top 10 NFL DFS Showdown Picks for Vikings-Chargers
- Justin Jefferson: Gets edge on DraftKings with full-PPR scoring.
- Justin Herbert: He is the preferred FanDuel option, just barely.
- Carson Wentz: Though he had only one game with more than 20 fantasy points, he had 14-plus in the other three.
- Kimani Vidal: Consolidating the backfield touches keeps him ahead of the rest of the top 10, though there is still a gap between him and the top 3.
- Jordan Addison: The clear WR2 who can put up a WR1 fantasy game.
- Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey: Better on DraftKings with full-PPR scoring.
- Quentin Johnston: The preferred FanDuel click, with McConkey just behind when accounting for salary (see above for breakdown).
- Cameron Dicker: Solid option, decent price and homefield familiarity.
- Oronde Gadsden II: Will lightning strike a third time?!
- Will Reichard: We need salary savers.
Secondary Options
- Jordan Mason: If Jones remains out, swap Gadsden and Mason for both sites.
- T.J. Hockenson: Salary is appropriate for projected opportunities; now he just needs to make good on his talent.
- Jalen Nailor: Just enough chances to stay out of the next section.
Lottery Tickets
- Los Angeles DST: Need a splash play to be relevant, though Wentz could easily oblige.
- Aaron Jones Sr: Unlikely he is rushed back before he is ready, though expecting an immediate return to his early-season role is also not likely.
- Minnesota DST: Meh.
- Nyheim Miller-Hines and Jaret Patterson: They at least played in actual NFL games. Miller-Hines has been in the kickoff return mix since joining L.A., replacing Haskins in that role.
- Scott Matlock: Sees limited action for the Chargers, though spends more time as a defensive lineman. Five targets last year and one this season.
- Amar Johnson: Well behind the other running backs; still waiting to make his NFL debut. Did get some preseason work with Green Bay before being cut.
- Josh Oliver, Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly: Will actually be on the field but still behind the minimum salary RBs, depending on which are active.
- Adam Thielen, Tre’ Harris, Derius Davis and KeAndre Lambert-Smith: Not much to see here these guys; Davis sees action for punt and kickoff returns, though he easily could be inactive; similar story for Lambert-Smith who returns kickoffs.
- Tai Felton, Myles Price and Tucker Fisk: Fisk could be inactive; Felton is the secondary kickoff returner, while Price is the lead kickoff and punt returner.
- Ben Yurosek, C.J. Ham and Keandre Lambert-Smith: Sorry Folks, park’s closed … moose out front shoulda told ya.
