Each week, Yardbarker highlights the most important people leading into the week’s NFL games.
From players to coaches and beyond, here are the 10 most important people to keep an eye on in Week 8.
Head coach Jerod Mayo | New England Patriots
Mayo’s first season as head coach of the Patriots is forgettable so far. On Sunday, following a loss to Jacksonville in London, he called New England (1-6) a “soft football team across the board,” something former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick took issue with. Mayo hasn’t earned the trust and respect of the players enough to call his team out publicly in that manner. If the Patriots lose to the 2-5 New York Jets on Sunday at home, Mayo could be on his way to losing the locker room.
QB Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers
The Niners (3-4) are depleted on offense. The return of RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles tendinitis) is nowhere in sight, WR Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 7 and WR Deebo Samuel spent time this week in the hospital with pneumonia. So Purdy must produce with a more limited offense — something he didn’t do against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 when he tossed three interceptions in a 28-18 loss.
Next up for Purdy and the 49ers is a “Sunday Night Football” matchup at home against the Dallas Cowboys (3-3). This game could have big playoff implications. Purdy ranks No. 3 in passing yards with 1,841, but if the 49ers are to beat the Cowboys, he’ll have to play a clean game.
QB Marcus Mariota | Washington Commanders
No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels has played sensationally, but he suffered rib injuries in Week 7, leaving his status unknown for Sunday’s game at home against Chicago (4-3). NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that Daniels did not practice Wednesday and Mariota took first-team reps with things “trending toward” him starting.
In Week 7, Mariota was brilliant in relief of Daniels during the Commanders’ 40-7 win over the Carolina Panthers, going 18-of-23 for 205 yards and two passing touchdowns and 34 yards rushing.
QB Daniel Jones | New York Giants
Jones was benched in favor of Drew Lock in a 28-3 loss in Week 7 to the Philadelphia Eagles. However, he will start on “Monday Night Football” at Pittsburgh (5-2). Jones has played poorly this season, and another benching seems imminent because there’s no evidence his play will improve.
Jones, who ranks 25th in ESPN Total QBR (47), has thrown just six touchdown passes this season, tied for 21st in the league. This is the sixth season in the NFL for Jones, an average QB at best. His time starting in the league seems to be dwindling.
RB Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts
Taylor hasn’t played since Week 4, when he suffered a high-ankle sprain against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he could be back Sunday at Houston (5-2). The Colts (4-3) are 3-0 without Taylor, but they’re a much better team with their franchise back on the field — especially paired with a starting QB in Anthony Richardson who’s thrown six interceptions and only three TD passes this season.
Taylor’s production and presence take some of the burden off Richardson and the Indianapolis passing game, which will be a key to victory versus the Texans. In 2024, Taylor has 349 yards rushing (4.8 yards per carry) and four rushing TDs.
QB Tua Tagovailoa | Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa has missed the past four games after suffering the third diagnosed concussion of his career. The Dolphins (2-4), who face the 3-4 Arizona Cardinals at home Sunday, are 1-3 without him. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said he hopes Tagovailoa (40-for-62, 64.5 completion percentage, 483 yards) will clear concussion protocol and be ready to play. Per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, Miami WR Tyreek Hill said Tagovailoa’s return to practice this week “almost made me cry.”
WR DeAndre Hopkins | Kansas City Chiefs
Tennessee traded Hopkins to the WR-needy Chiefs on Wednesday for a conditional fourth-round pick. It’s unknown if he will play Sunday at Las Vegas (2-5), but QB Patrick Mahomes noted that head coach Andy Reid does a great job of getting players up to speed on the offensive schematics quickly. Hopkins will bolster the Chiefs at wideout, a position that’s depleted after season-ending injuries to Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) is also hurt.
QB Bryce Young | Carolina Panthers
Young hasn’t started since Week 2 after his benching in favor of journeyman Andy Dalton. However, Dalton suffered a sprained thumb in a car accident earlier this week and won’t play Sunday at Denver (4-3). Young, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, is off to an awful start to his career (59.5 percent completion percentage) and may not get many chances to get things turned around before Carolina moves on from him. His career starting record is 2-16.
QB Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are 3-4, but Burrow has played sensationally and Cincinnati is riding a three-game winning streak. Burrow ranks No. 4 in touchdown passes (14), No. 6 in passing yards (1,759) and No. 4 in QBR (72.6). On Sunday at home, he faces the 4-2 Philadelphia Eagles, which crushed the lowly Giants 28-3 in Week 7.
RB Derrick Henry | Baltimore Ravens
Henry leads the league in carries (134), rushing yards (873) and rushing touchdowns (eight). He could surpass 1,000 yards on the season at Cleveland (1-6). Per Pro Football Talk, Henry’s average of 124.7 yards per game has him on pace for 2,120 rushing yards, which would break Eric Dickerson’s season record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 during a 16-game season.