2023 NFL Pick Em Confidence Pools: Week 8 Predictions

NFL Week 8 games get underway tonight and it’s time to make those football picks straight-up for your confidence pools and pick em contests. And what a way to start as Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head north to take on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. It’s a redemption game for the Bills after last week’s unexpected loss to the New England Patriots, but are they overlooking the Bucs and a stout defense run by head coach Todd Bowles? He may not be Bill Belichick, but he’s pretty good in his own right and has experience facing Allen and Bills head coach Sean McDermott. But that’s just one game here in Week 8 and with no bye weeks, we’ve got a full slate of games. I don’t think we’re at the point in the season where you need to be taking too many chances, but if you’re at the bottom of the standings, maybe you start thinking about some contrarian picks. Let’s see where we’re at.
In an effort to help you with your pools, I will provide you with my picks each week. In addition to full game breakdowns I do for my own research, I will also use money lines which at least show you how Vegas and the books are leaning. Sometimes the lines offer you a clear-cut decision, but you also need to explore some of the intangibles of each match-up and maybe have more of a gut-feel as to what may happen in a particular game. That’s where ranking your predictions becomes so important.
- Season Standings: 61-45
- Season Points: 537
Ready for NFL Week 8? Let’s get it!
Game | Pick | Confidence # | Money Line |
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins | Dolphins | 16 | -455 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Buffalo Bills | Bills | 15 | -440 |
Las Vegas Raiders at Detroit Lions | Lions | 14 | -395 |
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos | Chiefs | 13 | -310 |
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders | Eagles | 12 | -290 |
Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals | Ravens | 11 | -395 |
Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Chargers | Chargers | 10 | -410 |
Cleveland Browns at Seattle Seahawks | Seahawks | 9 | -192 |
Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers | Texans | 8 | -162 |
New York Jets at New York Giants | Jets | 7 | -148 |
Los Angeles Rams at Dallas Cowboys | Rams | 6 | 200 |
Cincinnati Bengals at San Francsico 49ers | Bengals | 5 | 145 |
Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers | Jaguars | 4 | -142 |
Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans | Falcons | 3 | -142 |
New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts | Saints | 2 | -112 |
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers | Packers | 1 | -108 |
Related Articles & Links
- NFL Best Bets & Player Props
- NFL Week 8 Match-Up Report
- 2023 NFL Week 8 Survivor Picks
- 2023 NFL Seasonal Stats
Player News
Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk reports that the NFLPA is appealing the ruling in regards to a potential collusion case regarding fully-guaranteed contracts.
Per Florio, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to pause everything in the post-ruling process indefinitely, but by choosing to file the appeal of the January 14 hearing, that’s no longer the case. It will now go forward, with a three-member appeals panel considering the ruling.
Rams RB coach Ron Gould told reporters that Kyren Williams has looked “more explosive” during the offseason.
Williams put together a solid season, but his 27 explosive rushes — runs for more than 10 yards — were tied for just 11th in the NFL last year. The 24-year-old has competition in the backfield with Jarquez Hunter and Blake Corum in the fold, but if Williams can show the ability to break off more big carries on top of being one of the best short-yardage backs in the NFL, he should remain the bellcow for the Rams again in 2025.
Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post mentions Marvin Mims as a potential number two wide receiver option behind Courtland Sutton.
Mims has yet to break out in the NFL, but the 23-year-old took a big step forward last season, registering 39 catches on 52 targets for 503 receiving yards with six touchdowns. He has made the Pro Bowl twice as a return man and only played on 27 percent of the Broncos’ offensive snaps last season, so he will need to be given a larger role if he’s truly going to emerge in this offense. He led the team in catches of 40 yards or longer, so he can break a big play when given the chance, but he’ll need to beat out second-year receivers Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele if he’s going to see an uptick in snap share.
Bijan Robinson said the Falcons have “outlandish goals” for the team’s rushing production in 2025.
Robinson and the Falcons believe they can improve on the ground after finishing 2024 with the league’s tenth most rushing yards and ninth most rushing scores. They were seventh in rush EPA and first in rushing success rate. “If he touched the ball every play and the defense knew, we’d still make big-time plays. He’s that guy,” QB Michael Penix said of Robinson. “He’s the guy that when you go to a Little League game, and there’s that one kid that never gets tackled, that scores every time, that’s him but in the NFL. As many times as we can get the ball in his hands, we’re going to do it.” It’s the latest sign the Falcons will be a run-first team in 2025, as they were in the final month of 2024. That could mean more consistent usage for Tyler Allgeier, though Robinson will remain the workhorse back in Atlanta.
The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reports Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs (knee) is likely to miss “at least the first couple games of the regular season.”
The All-Pro tackle underwent knee surgery this week and will miss training camp and the preseason. He could be back sometime in September, though that seems optimistic right now. Bucs coaches said in June that Wirfs sitting out minicamp was strictly precautionary and that he would be ready for training camp. Instead, he will start the season on the PUP list, which will cost him at least four games. It’s an outsized loss for the Bucs offense. Pro Football Focus graded Wirfs as 2024’s top pass blocking offensive lineman. He allowed just one quarterback hit over 16 games. Wirfs’ absence will likely impact Baker Mayfield and the team’s pass catchers.
Philly Voice’s Geoff Mosher believes Eagles RB Will Shipley is the offensive player most “under the microscope.”
Shipley was a fourth-round pick out of Clemson last year and played sparingly out of the RB3 role. Mosher is watching how the 22-year-old will step up to fill the back-up running back role that Kenneth Gainwell - who departed for the Steelers - occupied last season. Gainwell was important in pass protection and a good presence when Saquon Barkley was out on possessions for blitz pickup and pass-catching. Mosher says, “if Shipley can show growth in those areas, he could undertake Gainwell’s role and give the offense even more optionality.” The Eagles added AJ Dillon in the offseason, though Dillon is more of a downhill-runner than a third-down back for the RB2 role. Shipley won’t have much value in redraft leagues, but could find his way to production through filling in an open role in the Eagles backfield.