Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 8: Tyrone Tracy Jr., Wan’Dale Robinson

The New York Giants (2-5) will look to avoid a three-game losing streak in Week 8. They travel to the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) in a prime time game on Monday night.

These teams are opposites in terms of their starting positions at the halfway point of the schedule. The Giants are desperate for a win as they avoid a three-game losing streak and watch the season turn away from them.

The Steelers are looking to keep pace with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North after Russell Wilson started on offense for the franchise’s first time last Sunday night.

Aside from Malik Nabers, the rest of the fantasy-relevant players for New York are matchup-based players, which isn’t the case with players like Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Wan’Dale Robinson on Monday night.

Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Tyrone Tracy Jr.

The Giants’ rookie running back took advantage of his opportunity when Devin Singletary was out of the lineup for two weeks, but is coming off a difficult performance against the Philadelphia Eagles with Singletary back in the lineup.

Although he beat Singletary, he only got his hands on the ball nine times and managed a total of 32 yards. This week could see a similar outing for Tracy Jr., who faces one of the better run defenses in the league.

According to Pro Football Reference, the Steelers have the fifth-lowest PPG allowed to running backs. A closer look at Next Gen Stats also shows that this is not a favorable match for the rookie.

Pittsburgh has kept its opponent within the tackles with targeted runs against negative rushing EPA in six of its seven games this season, tied for the most games in the NFL. Overall, opposing offenses have resulted in a -22.5 rushing EPA on such runs, the fewest in the league.

The Giants are one of only two teams in the NFL that have not posted a positive rushing EPA on designed runs between tackles in any of their games this season.

The Steelers have allowed a league-low -80 rushing yards above expected in rushing yards between tackles and opposing running backs. They have also allowed the lowest EPA per carry (-0.22) and the third-lowest success rate (32.9%) to running backs on such carries.

New York ran between tackles on 62.2% of its designed runs, the highest rate in the league.

Their running backs have generated the lowest EPA per carry (-0.39), the second-lowest success rate (30.9%) and the ninth-fewest rushing yards above expectations (-14) on carries between tackles this season.

Tracy Jr. is a risky flex player, so it’s best to choose a better option on your rosters if possible.

Verdict: Sit ‘Em

Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Wan’Dale Robinson

In fantasy football, it can be logical to bet on players who will see a lot of goals. Wan’Dale Robinson has the second-most targets (67) in the NFL entering Week 8. But he only turned those into 43 catches for 303 yards and two touchdowns.

In this matchup, he faces a defense that allows the ninth-fewest PPG to wide receivers, per Football Reference. In Pittsburgh’s last four games, three receivers rushed for at least 80 yards and allowed just three touchdowns at the position.

If there was a receiver on the Giants’ offense who was likely to rush for at least 80 yards and a touchdown, it would be Malik Nabers, not Robinson. The best effort he had this season was 11 balls for 71 yards on 14 scores, and that was without Nabers.

Nabers is the only option to trust New York’s offense, so fantasy football managers should keep Robinson on their bench Monday night.

Verdict: Sit ‘Em