Weekend Weather: Weather: Week 8 Forecasts
Week 8 is knocking on the door and brings a relatively light list of weather concerns for the Sunday NFL slate. A wide band of wet weather will be present in the middle portion of the United States on Saturday, leading to plenty of precipitation on Halloween. This weather front will primarily dissipate by Sunday however, leaving the vast majority of the NFL schedule dry as the Week 8 schedule resumes. Remember, there is another “International Series” game on tap this week as the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions will be playing in London, so we will be scanning weather forecasts from Oakland, California to Wembley Stadium in search of potential interference from Mother Nature. Bundle up as we take a look at weather forecasts for hosting NFL cities in Week 8.
Cause For Concern
Wind and rain could be making an appearance in the three games listed below, but no drastic fantasy decisions need to be made at this time outside of kickers who may be impacted by wind.
Arizona at Cleveland (1:00 PM ET): FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland will enjoy comfortable conditions as the Arizona Cardinals come to town. 61 degree temperatures are in the forecast with cloudy skies and just a 20 percent chance of rain expected. Wind will be the main concern in this game with gusts expected to range from 15-25 mph. The quarterbacks in this contest will likely be safe, but downgrade kickers Chandler Catanzaro and Travis Coons and opt for safer plays.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (1:00 PM ET): No serious weather concerns are in the forecast for Ben Roethlisberger’s return to the field, but winds will be worth monitoring prior to kickoff between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Cloudy skies and 64 degree temperatures are in Sunday’s Pittsburgh forecast, along with 15 mph winds. These conditions should have very minimal impact on the passing games of both teams, but kickers Mike Nugent and Chris Boswell may need to be downgraded if conditions look blustery on Sunday morning.
Indianapolis at Carolina (8:30 PM ET, Mon): The worst Week 8 weather conditions will be found in Carolina on Monday night when the Panthers host the Indianapolis Colts. Chances of rain making an appearance during this game currently sit at 100 percent, so expect soggy football on Monday. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid 50’s and wind won’t be a major factor, but both the Colts and Panthers could be leaning on their running games more than normal if rain is pouring at Bank of America Stadium. Rain is far from a death sentence in fantasy football, but be aware that passing opportunities may be limited if the precipitation reaches high levels.
Worry-Free Weather
The five games below have reasonable forecasts for Sunday and should be in no danger of experiencing weather interference.
Detroit at Kansas City (6:30 AM ET, London): The Lions and Chiefs will square off at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday and weather will be of no concern for this game. Mostly sunny skies and virtually no wind will welcome these teams to London, with 60 degree temperatures expected to make playing conditions quite comfortable. All fantasy options in this game should be trusted as usual.
Minnesota at Chicago (1:00 PM ET): Solider Field will see fantastic weather on Sunday as the Bears host the visiting Minnesota Vikings. Sunny skies and 64 degree temperatures are in the Sunday Chicago forecast with no wind impact expected. Feel free to fire up all relevant fantasy options in this game as normal.
San Diego at Baltimore (1:00 PM ET): Clouds will hover over M&T Bank Stadium early on Sunday before sunshine moves in as the Baltimore Ravens host the visiting San Diego Chargers. Insignificant wind and 70 degree temperatures will make for enjoyable conditions for Ravens fans in attendance. Joe Flacco, Philip Rivers, and all other recommended fantasy options can be started as normal in this matchup.
New York Jets at Oakland (4:05 PM ET): Temperatures will be just under 70 degrees at kickoff between the Jets and Raiders on Sunday, with partly sunny skies and reasonable winds in the forecast. The only matter of concern surrounding this game is a chance of showers on Sunday evening in the Oakland area. Rain is expected to move in later in the day, which has the potential to make an appearance near the end of this game. There is currently no need to downgrade any fantasy options in this contest, but be aware that rain may be present in the second half if the weather front moves in earlier than anticipated.
Green Bay at Denver (8:30 PM ET): Skies above Sports Authority Field at Mile High will be crystal clear on Sunday night when the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers kickoff, with just 5 mph winds expected. Temperatures will be chilly however, as the thermometer will plunge to 39 degrees once nightfall arrives in Denver. These conditions will be nothing new to the players from Green Bay, so expect this highly anticipated game between 6-0 teams to have no weather interference.
Home Teams Are Dome Teams
Five Week 8 games will be played in domes or stadiums with retractable roofs, including Dez Bryant’s return to action in the game between Seattle and Dallas.
Tampa Bay at Atlanta (1:00 PM ET)
San Francisco at St. Louis (1:00 PM ET)
New York Giants at New Orleans (1:00 PM ET)
Tennessee at Houston (1:00 PM ET)
Seattle at Dallas (4:25 PM ET)
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