NFC and AFC Players of the Week (NFL Week 8)

49ERS RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY, VIKINGS LB ZA’DARIUS SMITH & SEAHAWKS TE WILL DISSLY NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 8

Running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY of the San Francisco 49ers, linebacker ZA’DARIUS SMITH of the Minnesota Vikings and tight end WILL DISSLY of the Seattle Seahawks are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 8 (October 27, 30-31).

OFFENSE: RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
• McCaffrey registered eight receptions, 149 scrimmage yards (94 rushing, 55 receiving) and three total touchdowns (one passing, one rushing, one receiving) in the 49ers’ 31-14 win at the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. He became the fourth player with a touchdown pass, rushing touchdown and touchdown reception in a single game since 1970.
• This is the first-career Offensive Player of the Week award for McCaffrey and he becomes the first San Francisco running back to earn the honor since Frank Gore (Week 14, 2009).
• McCaffrey is the first-ever former Stanford running back to win the award and is the first Cardinal to win since quarterback Andrew Luck (Week 11, 2018).

DEFENSE: LB ZA’DARIUS SMITH, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
• Smith recorded seven tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and a pass defensed in Minnesota’s 34-26 victory over Arizona. It marked the most tackles for loss and sacks of any player in Week 8.
• This is the third-career Defensive Player of the Week award for Smith and first with the Vikings:
o 2018 (with Baltimore): Week 6
o 2020 (with Green Bay): Week 4
o 2022 (with Minnesota): Week 8
• He is the first Vikings linebacker to earn the honor since Eric Kendricks (Week 1, 2016).

SPECIAL TEAMS: TE WILL DISSLY, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
• Dissly forced a fumble and later recovered a fumble, both on punt coverage, in Seattle’s 27-13 victory over the Giants.
• This is the first Player of the Week Award for Dissly and he is the first Seahawk to win Special Teams Player of the Week since running back Travis Homer (Week 13, 2021).
• Dissly becomes the third former University of Washington player to earn the honor, joining kicker Jeff Jaeger (six-time winner) and punt returner Jaydon Mickens (two-time winner).

TITANS RB DERRICK HENRY, BRONCOS DE DRE’MONT JONES & PATRIOTS K NICK FOLK NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 8

Running back DERRICK HENRY of the Tennessee Titans, defensive end DRE’MONT JONES of the Denver Broncos and kicker NICK FOLK of the New England Patriots are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 8 (October 27, 30-31).

OFFENSE: RB DERRICK HENRY, TENNESSEE TITANS
• Henry rushed for 219 yards and two touchdowns in Tennessee’s 17-10 win at Houston, the most rushing yards by a player in a game this season. It marked Henry’s sixth career game with at least 200 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, the most in NFL history.
• This is the seventh-career Offensive Player of the Week award for Henry and first this season:
o 2018: Week 14
o 2019: Week 17
o 2020: Weeks 6, 17
o 2021: Weeks 2, 6
o 2022: Week 8
• Henry joins Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes as the only players to win a Player of the Week award in each of the past five seasons.
• He extends his record for most-ever Player of the Week awards by a Titans player and ties Shaun Alexander (seven-time winner) for the most by a former Alabama running back.

DEFENSE: DE DRE’MONT JONES, DENVER BRONCOS
• Jones recorded seven tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack in Denver’s 21-17 victory over Jacksonville in London. He was the only player in the AFC to total three tackles for loss in Week 8.
• This marks the second-career Defensive Player of the Week award for Jones, also earning the honor as a rookie in Week 16 of the 2019 season.
• Jones joins Greg Kragen (two-time winner) as the only Broncos defensive linemen ever to win the award multiple times.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K NICK FOLK, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
• Folk converted all five of his field goal attempts – from 31, 42, 49, 45 and 52 yards – as well as his lone point after attempt in New England’s 22-17 road victory over the Jets. He became the first kicker to covert four field goals of at least 40 yards in a game this season.
• This is the eighth-career Special Teams Player of the Week award for Folk, and fourth with the Patriots:
o 2007 (with Dallas): Week 5
o 2010 (with New York Jets): Week 5
o 2013 (with New York Jets): Weeks 1, 9
o 2020 (with New England): Weeks 9, 12
o 2021 (with New England): Week 5
o 2022 (with New England): Week 8
• Folk joins Stephen Gostkowski (six-time winner) and Adam Vinatieri (eight-time winner) as the only Patriots kickers to earn the honor at least four times.