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topicnews · October 25, 2024

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em

Sit-and-start advice for fantasy football should always be relative and league-dependent. Many launches and seats are also obvious, so in this column we’ll focus instead on fringe options that require real consideration. Good luck with your Week 8 lineups!

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns

Njoku scored a league-high 14 goals last week with the loss of Amari Cooper and gets a big upgrade at QB starting Sunday with Jameis Winston. Njoku has posted a 31% first read target rate over the last two weeks and has an extreme pass funnel defense; The Ravens have allowed an NFL-low 51.7 RB rushing yards per game but the most passing yards this season. Baltimore’s opponents have the third-highest passing rate in the league (66.3%). Winston threw a touchdown during his only drive last week, making Njoku a top-three tight end.

Rashod Bateman becomes a flexible option if Zay Flowers sits.

Tennessee Titans @ Detroit Lions

Montgomery has been training intensively this week after briefly leaving the last game with a knee injury. The Titans are not an easy defense, but the Lions ran for 144 yards last week against a strong Vikings D. Jameson Williams is out and the Lions have the league’s highest implied team points total this week (28.5 points). Detroit is also the biggest favorite (-11.5) on the board, so the script should be extremely favorable against a team starting Mason Rudolph and likely missing both top wideouts.

The Lions’ D/ST is a top-three starter this week.

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans

Stroud will still miss Nico Collins but he is in a good position to bounce back from one of the worst games of his career last week. Stroud has a YPA of 8.7 and averaged 311.1 passing yards with 22 total touchdowns in 11 home games during his career. He also has a 6-0 TD:INT ratio through three games against the Colts, who have allowed the fifth-most scheduled fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. The Texans have the third-highest implied team total this week (26.5 points), so Stroud starts at home.

Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Doubs clearly leads Green Bay with a first read target rate of 26% in games with Jayden Reed (20%), Dontayvion Wicks (17%) and Christian Watson (9%). He is also the leader in targets and aerial yards when Doubs, Reed and Watson have been on the field together this season. The Packers get a Jaguars defense that allows outside receivers the most fantasy points, and Reed and Watson were both limited in practice on Thursday due to ankle injuries. Green Bay is projected to score the second-most points this week (27.5); Doubs is a top-30 WR.

Arizona Cardinals @ Miami Dolphins

Miami has averaged fewer points per game than the last two winless teams and the Bryce Young-led Panthers, but will get a huge boost with the return of Tua Tagovailoa. Waddle has averaged 47.7 receiving yards with no touchdowns in 12 career games without Tagovailoa, but in 41 games with him he has averaged 75.2 receiving yards with all 19 touchdowns.

Be sure to check Waddle’s status after he was limited throughout practice this week with a quadriceps injury. He could also have an expanded role if his health cooperates, as Tyreek Hill wasn’t added to the injury report until the end of the week with a foot problem. The Dolphins are expected to score 25.5 points with Tagovailoa back against a Cardinals defense that has pressure rate issues, allowing Waddle to return to the fantasy lineup.

New York Jets @ New England Patriots

The game script limited Stevenson’s touches last week, and he should be healthier after returning to full practice on Thursday. Stevenson hasn’t fumbled in two straight games and Jets opponents have averaged the eighth-most rush attempts in the league. Stevenson has 5.2 YPC and averaged 85.0 rushing yards and 1.0 TD in two home games this year, and Drake Maye is giving the offense some life. The Jets have allowed the 12th-most scheduled fantasy points to running backs when excluding receiving, allowing Stevenson to be used when needed. The Patriots are touchdown underdogs and have a low total, but running back is thin this week.

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucky Irving is battling a foot injury this week that could affect his availability (or snaps), while Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are out. White (and Sean Tucker) will play a larger role in a fast-paced matchup. Tampa Bay’s games this season have averaged a whopping 55.6 points, and White should score even more than usual. He’s a good flex option this week.

Jalen McMillan is a sleeper, especially when he moves to the slot.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Cincinnati Bengals

Higgins has a 27.4% target rate and the 12th highest air yards percentage (38.3%) this season – both of which are well ahead of Ja’Marr Chase (19.8%, 28.3%). The Eagles have given up the sixth-fewest fantasy points to running backs, but the ninth-most to wide receivers. Higgins ranks in the top 10 in fantasy points per route run against man, a coverage that Philadelphia has used at the league’s seventh-highest rate.

New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Chargers

Dobbins has averaged a YPC of just 3.1 since hitting 9.9 in the first two games of the season. There are some concerns given that he is returning from Achilles tendon surgery, but Dobbins should get a ton of volume on Sunday. New Orleans has allowed Kareem Hunt, Sean Tucker, Bucky Irving and Javonte Williams a combined 525 yards and six touchdowns over the past three weeks. The Chargers are home touchdown favorites against a reeling Saints team that will likely start Spencer Rattler, so the script should be favorable.

Buffalo Bills @ Seattle Seahawks

Cooper was on the field for just 34% of Josh Allen’s dropbacks in his first game in Buffalo, but had a TPRR of 42% and led the team in fantasy points. Riq Woolen and Tre Brown, Seattle’s top cornerbacks, are injured and/or out, and Cooper’s role will certainly play a larger role in Sunday’s fast-paced matchup. Cooper can be a top-20 WR moving forward after the major upgrade at quarterback.

Sit down, Geno Smithwho will miss DK Metcalf and who will receive a run-funnel Buffalo defense in the open.

Chicago Bears @ Washington Commanders

Allen scored two touchdowns in his last game but is only the WR49 in expected fantasy points. Allen could return from the bye healthier after suffering a heel injury, but it’s also possible that Rome Odunze has a rookie push after the bye. Caleb Williams has undoubtedly shown growth and will continue to improve, but his last three games have come against three of the league’s easiest matchups; He received 6.0 YPA and took 11 sacks with a 2:4 TD:INT ratio on the road to open his career.

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This match was moved to prime time, but the total score is only 43.0 points as Marcus Mariota is likely starting for Jayden Daniels. Washington’s defense has also improved dramatically, allowing the seventh-fewest EPA/playing time over the last three weeks. The Commanders also produced the fourth-fewest fantasy points for the slot last month, so Allen deserves consideration on the bench.

Carolina Panthers @ Denver Broncos

Williams has averaged 5.1 YPC and 16.8 chances created over the last four games (after Tyler Badie’s injury). He gets a prime matchup against a Panthers defense that gives running backs the most fantasy points by far this season. The Broncos are double-digit favorites at home against a Bryce Young-led Carolina team that has surrendered an NFL-high 13 rushing scores. Denver has the fifth-highest implied team total (26.5 points). Williams is one of the top 15 RBs this week.

Sit down, Chuba Hubbardwho was great but is held back by a terrible situation. Carolina will start Young in an offense missing Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen against a Denver defense that is allowing an NFL-low 4.4 yards per play. The Panthers have a paltry total of 16.5 points. Hubbard has averaged 131 yards of offense and 19.4 fantasy points (0.5 PPR) in three complete games without Young this season; he averaged 59.3 YFS and just 9.9 fantasy points in four games with him (H/T RotoViz).

Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas Raiders

It’s unlikely Mahomes will meet his early ADP expectations going forward, but he’s off to a solid start this week. He faces a TD drop while ranking sixth in red zone passes but only 22nd in touchdowns, especially with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins.

Let’s also take a quick trip down the narrative road. The Raiders beat Mahomes on Christmas Day in Kansas City, the last time these teams met, and then taunted him with a Kermit Frog doll in training camp. Mahomes replied: “It will be sorted out,” and his personal trainer tweeted: “We will remember it.”

Mahomes is out for revenge on Sunday.

Sit Alexander Mattisonwho will have to deal with a negative game against a Chiefs defense that allows the running backs the fewest fantasy points by a wide margin. No one has even reached 60 rushing yards in a game against Kansas City this season.

Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers

Dallas’ offense improved significantly after last season’s bye, and the Cowboys hope that will be the case this year as well. They are ranked 20th after leading the league in 2023. But Prescott finished as a top-10 QB just once in six games this season, and San Francisco opponents have the fourth-lowest passer rating (78.7). The Cowboys have the eighth-lowest implied team total (20.5 points) in a week with many QB alternatives.

New York Giants @ Pittsburgh Steelers

George Pickens gets a huge fantasy boost with Russell Wilson in the starting lineup, and so does Najee Harris. He shares snaps with Jaylen Warren, but his share of runs against light boxes has nearly doubled compared to his time with Justin Fields. The Giants have allowed the ninth-most scheduled fantasy points to running backs, and the Steelers are six-point home favorites on Monday night.

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