Week Eight player rankings

Updated Nov. 1, 2009 @ 12:31 p.m. ET

The following player rankings are based on expectations for this week only, not for the entire season, taking into account this week's specific matchups and injuries. The initial rankings are compiled before the release of the NFL's early injury report and are updated Thursday to reflect the status of each player.

We base our rankings on the following scoring system: For skill-position players, one point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards, one point for every 30 passing yards, six points for a TD run or catch, four points for a TD pass, two points for a two-point conversion run or catch, two points for a two-point conversion pass. For kickers, three points for FGs of 18-39 yards, four points for FGs of 40-49 yards, and five points for FGs of 50-plus yards. Defensive rankings are based primarily on points allowed, yardage allowed and sack potential.

Glossary of notations

INJ — player has an injury that may affect productivity or availability.
UP — player was moved up on draft board after original posting.
DOWN — player was moved down on draft board after original posting.
Not listed — player is temporarily sidelined due to injury or suspension but otherwise would be ranked.
INACTIVE — on game day, player has been designated inactive (posted shortly before kickoff, when available).

Players and/or notations added after the original posting are shown in boldface.

Note: Remember to check back for late-week and weekend updates, as well as game inactives (when available) in the 90 minutes preceding the 1 p.m. Sunday kickoffs. You'll also find regular updates in Michael Blunda's "Finding Paydirt" blog, including Sunday mornings.

Byes: Bengals, Chiefs, Patriots, Steelers, Buccaneers, Redskins

QUARTERBACKS

Peyton Manning, Colts vs. 49ers Drew Brees, Saints vs. Falcons Philip Rivers, Chargers vs. Raiders Jay Cutler, Bears vs. Browns David Garrard, Jaguars at Titans Aaron Rodgers, Packers vs. Vikings Matt Schaub, Texans at Bills Brett Favre, Vikings at Packers Matt Ryan, Falcons at Saints Tony Romo, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Donovan McNabb, Eagles vs. Giants Kurt Warner, Cardinals vs. Panthers Eli Manning, Giants at Eagles Kyle Orton, Broncos at Ravens Joe Flacco, Ravens vs. Broncos Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks at Cowboys Marc Bulger, Rams at Lions Matthew Stafford, Lions vs. Rams — UP (he'll start)
Mark Sanchez, Jets vs. Dolphins Chad Henne, Dolphins at Jets Alex Smith, 49ers at Colts Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills vs. Texans Vince Young, Titans vs. Jaguars Jake Delhomme, Panthers at Cardinals Derek Anderson, Browns at Bears JaMarcus Russell, Raiders at Chargers

Not listed: Trent Edwards, Bills

RUNNING BACKS

Adrian Peterson, Vikings at Packers Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars at Titans Steve Slaton, Texans at Bills Chris Johnson, Titans vs. Jaguars DeAngelo Williams, Panthers at Cardinals Steven Jackson, Rams at Lions Michael Turner, Falcons at Saints Matt Forte, Bears vs. Browns Ray Rice, Ravens vs. Broncos Ronnie Brown, Dolphins at Jets Frank Gore, 49ers at Colts Thomas Jones, Jets vs. Dolphins LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers vs. Raiders Kevin Smith, Lions vs. Rams Joseph Addai, Colts vs. 49ers Marion Barber, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Marshawn Lynch, Bills vs. Texans LeSean McCoy, Eagles vs. Giants — UP
Ryan Grant, Packers vs. Vikings Darren Sproles, Chargers vs. Raiders Brandon Jacobs, Giants at Eagles Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants at Eagles — UP
Knowshon Moreno, Broncos at Ravens Felix Jones, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Beanie Wells, Cardinals vs. Panthers Mike Bell, Saints vs. Falcons Ricky Williams, Dolphins at Jets Reggie Bush, Saints vs. Falcons Tim Hightower, Cardinals vs. Panthers Pierre Thomas, Saints vs. Falcons Willis McGahee, Ravens vs. Broncos Julius Jones, Seahawks at Cowboys Chris Brown, Texans at Bills Chester Taylor, Vikings at Packers Correll Buckhalter, Broncos at Ravens Shonn Greene, Jets vs. Dolphins Fred Jackson, Bills vs. Texans Jamal Lewis, Browns at Bears Jonathan Stewart, Panthers at Cardinals — INJ
Justin Fargas, Raiders at Chargers Jason Snelling, Falcons at Saints Michael Bush, Raiders at Chargers Jerome Harrison, Browns at Bears Tashard Choice, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Justin Forsett, Seahawks at Cowboys LenDale White, Titans vs. Jaguars Edgerrin James, Seahawks at Cowboys Brian Westbrook, Eagles vs. Giants — INJ (INACTIVE) Donald Brown, Colts vs. 49ers — INJ (INACTIVE)

Not listed: Darren McFadden, Raiders; Leon Washington, Jets

WIDE RECEIVERS

Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals vs. Panthers Roddy White, Falcons at Saints Miles Austin, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Marques Colston, Saints vs. Falcons Reggie Wayne, Colts vs. 49ers — INJ,
DOWN Vincent Jackson, Chargers vs. Raiders Mike Sims-Walker, Jaguars at Titans DeSean Jackson, Eagles vs. Giants — UP Andre Johnson, Texans at Bills Brandon Marshall, Broncos at Ravens Donald Driver, Packers vs. Vikings Greg Jennings, Packers vs. Vikings T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks at Cowboys Sidney Rice, Vikings at Packers Steve Smith, Panthers at Cardinals Anquan Boldin, Cardinals vs. Panthers — INJ Calvin Johnson, Lions vs. Rams — INJ, DOWN (INACTIVE) Steve Smith, Giants at Eagles Devin Hester, Bears vs. Browns Hakeem Nicks, Giants at Eagles — UP
Austin Collie, Colts vs. 49ers Torry Holt, Jaguars at Titans Derrick Mason, Ravens vs. Broncos Mario Manningham, Giants at Eagles — INJ (INACTIVE) Nate Burleson, Seahawks at Cowboys Johnny Knox, Bears vs. Browns Percy Harvin, Vikings at Packers — he's active

Steve Breaston, Cardinals vs. Panthers Kevin Walter, Texans at Bills Jeremy Maclin, Eagles vs. Giants Pierre Garcon, Colts vs. 49ers Donnie Avery, Rams at Lions Patrick Crayton, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Roy Williams, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Braylon Edwards, Jets vs. Dolphins Terrell Owens, Bills vs. Texans Lee Evans, Bills vs. Texans Devery Henderson, Saints vs. Falcons Lance Moore, Saints vs. Falcons Kenny Britt, Titans vs. Jaguars Jerricho Cotchery, Jets vs. Dolphins — INJ, UP Mark Clayton, Ravens vs. Broncos Michael Crabtree, 49ers at Colts Nate Washington, Titans vs. Jaguars Josh Morgan, 49ers at Colts Dennis Northcutt, Lions vs. Rams — UP
Kelley Washington, Ravens vs. Broncos Jacoby Jones, Texans at Bills Earl Bennett, Bears vs. Browns Eddie Royal, Broncos at Ravens Justin Gage, Titans vs. Jaguars Michael Jenkins, Falcons at Saints Mohamed Massaquoi, Browns at Bears Bryant Johnson, Lions vs. Rams — UP Malcom Floyd, Chargers vs. Raiders Jabar Gaffney, Broncos at Ravens Keenan Burton, Rams at Lions Robert Meachem, Saints vs. Falcons Davone Bess, Dolphins at Jets Brandon Stokley, Broncos at Ravens Louis Murphy, Raiders at Chargers Isaac Bruce, 49ers at Colts Danny Amendola, Rams at Lions Brian Hartline, Dolphins at Jets Ted Ginn Jr., Dolphins at Jets Dwayne Jarrett, Panthers at Cardinals
Jerheme Urban, Cardinals vs. Panthers Greg Camarillo, Dolphins at Jets Bernard Berrian, Vikings at Packers — INJ David Clowney, Jets vs. Dolphins — INJ, DOWN Chaz Schilens, Raiders at Chargers — INJ

Not listed: Anthony Gonzalez, Colts; Muhsin Muhammad, Panthers

TIGHT ENDS

Dallas Clark, Colts vs. 49ers Owen Daniels, Texans at Bills Antonio Gates, Chargers vs. Raiders Tony Gonzalez, Falcons at Saints Jason Witten, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Jeremy Shockey, Saints vs. Falcons Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings at Packers Vernon Davis, 49ers at Colts Greg Olsen, Bears vs. Browns Zach Miller, Raiders at Chargers Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars at Titans John Carlson, Seahawks at Cowboys Donald Lee, Packers vs. Vikings Todd Heap, Ravens vs. Broncos Tony Scheffler, Broncos at Ravens Brent Celek, Eagles vs. Giants Dustin Keller, Jets vs. Dolphins Kevin Boss, Giants at Eagles Brandon Pettigrew, Lions vs. Rams Randy McMichael, Rams at Lions Desmond Clark, Bears vs. Browns Alge Crumpler, Titans vs. Jaguars Bo Scaife, Titans vs. Jaguars
Jermichael Finley, Packers vs. Vikings — INJ

Not listed: Dante Rosario, Panthers

KICKERS

Nate Kaeding, Chargers vs. Raiders John Carney, Saints vs. Falcons Nick Folk, Cowboys vs. Seahawks Robbie Gould, Bears vs. Browns Ryan Longwell, Vikings at Packers Matt Stover, Colts vs. 49ers Neil Rackers, Cardinals vs. Panthers Mason Crosby, Packers vs. Vikings David Akers, Eagles vs. Giants Matt Prater, Broncos at Ravens Lawrence Tynes, Giants at Eagles Jason Hanson, Lions vs. Rams Steven Hauschka, Ravens vs. Broncos Kris Brown, Texans at Bills Dan Carpenter, Dolphins at Jets Jay Feely, Jets vs. Dolphins Josh Scobee, Jaguars at Titans Rian Lindell, Bills vs. Texans Olindo Mare, Seahawks at Cowboys Jason Elam, Falcons at Saints Rob Bironas, Titans vs. Jaguars Joe Nedney, 49ers at Colts Josh Brown, Rams at Lions John Kasay, Panthers at Cardinals Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders at Chargers Phil Dawson, Browns at Bears

Not listed: Adam Vinatieri, Colts

DEFENSES

Please go to corresponding website for complete details.