Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
Fantasy football sit-and-start advice should always be relative and league-dependent. Many starts and sits are obvious too, so we will instead focus on fringe options in this column, the ones that take real thought. Good luck with your Week 8 lineups!
Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland BrownsStart: David NjokuNjoku saw a league-high 14 targets last week with Amari Cooper gone, and he gets a big upgrade at QB with Jameis Winston starting Sunday. Njoku has earned a 31% first-read target rate over the last two weeks, and he gets 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 opponents have the leagueās third-highest pass rate (66.3%). Winston threw a touchdown during his only drive last week, so Njoku is a top-three tight end.
Rashod Bateman becomes a flex option if Zay Flowers sits.
Tennessee Titans @ Detroit LionsStart: David MontgomeryMontgomery has practiced in full this week after briefly leaving the last game with a knee injury. The Titans arenāt an easy run defense, but the Lions ran for 144 yards against a tough Vikings D last week. Jameson Williams is out, and the Lions have the leagueās highest implied team total (28.5 points) this week. Detroit is also the biggest favorite (-11.5) on the board, so game script should be highly favorable facing a team starting Mason Rudolph and likely missing both its top wideouts.
The Lionsā D/ST is a top-three start this week.
Indianapolis Colts @ Houston TexansStart: C.J. StroudStroud will continue to miss Nico Collins, but heās in a good spot to bounce back from one of the worst games of his career last week. Stroud has gotten 8.7 YPA and averaged 311.1 passing yards with 22 total touchdowns over 11 games at home during his career. He also owns a 6:0 TD:INT ratio over three games versus the Colts, whoāve allowed the fifth-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. The Texans have the third-highest implied team total (26.5 points) this week, so start Stroud at home.
Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville JaguarsStart: Romeo DoubsDoubs easily leads Green Bay with a 26% first-read target rate in games with Jayden Reed (20%), Dontayvion Wicks (17%) and Christian Watson (9%). He also leads in targets and air yards when Doubs, Reed and Watson have been on the field together this season. The Packers get a Jaguars defense allowing the most fantasy points to outside receivers, and Reed and Watson were both limited in practice Thursday with ankle injuries. Green Bay is projected to score the second most points (27.5) this week; Doubs is a top-30 WR.
Arizona Cardinals @ Miami DolphinsStart: Jaylen Waddle
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 Tua Tagovailoaās return. Waddle has averaged 47.7 receiving yards with zero touchdowns over 12 career games without Tagovailoa, but heās averaged 75.2 receiving yards with all 19 of his touchdowns over 41 games with him.
Make sure to check Waddleās status after being limited throughout practice this week with a quad injury. He could also be in for an expanded role if health cooperates, as Tyreek Hill was a late-week addition to the injury report with a foot issue. The Dolphins are projected to score 25.5 points with Tagovailoa back against a Cardinals defense that struggles in pressure rate, so Waddle can return to fantasy lineups.
New York Jets @ New England PatriotsStart: Rhamondre StevensonGame script limited Stevensonās touches last week, and he should be healthier after returning to a full practice Thursday. Stevenson hasnāt fumbled in back-to-back games, and Jets opponents have averaged the eighth-most rush attempts in the league. Stevenson has gotten 5.2 YPC and averaged 85.0 rushing yards and 1.0 TD over two home games this year, and Drake Maye gives the offense life. The Jets have allowed the 12th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points to running backs when excluding receiving, so Stevenson can be started if needed. The Patriots are touchdown underdogs and have a lowly total, but running back is thin this week.
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersStart: Rachaad WhiteBucky Irvingās status is in question with a foot injury, while Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are out. White (and Sean Tucker) will see an expanded role in a matchup that should be fast-paced. Tampa Bay games have averaged a whopping 55.6 points this season, and White should see even more targets than usual. Heās a fine flex option this week.
Jalen McMillan is a sleeper, especially if he moves to the slot.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Cincinnati BengalsStart: Tee HigginsHiggins has a 27.4% target rate and the 12th-highest air yards share (38.3%) this season ā both marks are well ahead of JaāMarr Chaseās (19.8%, 28.3%). The Eagles have ceded the sixth-fewest fantasy points to running backs but the ninth-most to wide receivers. Higgins ranks top 10 in fantasy points per route run versus man, a coverage Philadelphia has used at the leagueās seventh-highest rate.
New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles ChargersStart: J.K. DobbinsDobbins has averaged just 3.1 YPC since getting 9.9 over the first two games of the season. Thereās concern given heās returning from Achilles surgery, but Dobbins should get a bunch of volume Sunday. New Orleans has allowed Kareem Hunt, Sean Tucker, Bucky Irving and Javonte Williams to total 525 yards and six touchdowns over the last three weeks. The Chargers are touchdown home favorites against a reeling Saints team likely starting Spencer Rattler, so game script should be favorable.
Buffalo Bills @ Seattle SeahawksStart: Amari CooperCooper was on the field for just 34% of Josh Allenās dropbacks during his first game in Buffalo, but he had a 42% TPRR and led the team in fantasy points. Seattleās top corners Riq Woolen and Tre Brown are banged up and/or out, and Cooperās role is sure to grow in Sundayās fast-paced matchup. Cooper can be a top-20 WR moving forward after the huge upgrade at quarterback.
Sit Geno Smith, who will be missing DK Metcalf and gets a run-funnel Buffalo defense outdoors.
Chicago Bears @ Washington CommandersSit: Keenan AllenAllen scored two touchdowns during his last game, but heās just the WR49 in expected fantasy points. Allen could return from the bye healthier after playing through a heel injury, but itās also possible Rome Odunze sees a rookie post-bye bump as well. Caleb Williams has unquestionably shown growth and will continue to improve, but his last three games have come against three of the easiest matchups in the league; heās gotten 6.0 YPA and taken 11 sacks with a 2:4 TD:INT ratio on the road to open his career.
This matchup was moved to primetime, but the total sits at just 43.0 points thanks to Marcus Mariota likely starting for Jayden Daniels. Washingtonās defense has also dramatically improved, allowing the seventh-fewest EPA/play over the last three weeks. The Commanders have also yielded the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the slot over the last month, so Allen deserves bench consideration.
Carolina Panthers @ Denver BroncosStart: Javonte WilliamsWilliams has averaged 5.1 YPC and 16.8 opportunities over the last four games (after Tyler Badie was injured). He gets a prime matchup against a Panthers defense allowing by far the most fantasy points to running backs this season. The Broncos are double-digit home favorites against a Bryce Young-led Carolina team thatās ceded an NFL-high 13 rushing scores. Denver has the fifth-highest implied team total (26.5 points). Williams is a top-15 RB this week.
Sit Chuba Hubbard, whoās been terrific but is held back by a terrible situation. Carolina will be starting Young on an offense missing Diontae Johnson against a Denver defense allowing an NFL-low 4.4 yards per play. The Panthers have an anemic 16.5-point implied team total. Hubbard has averaged 131 yards from scrimmage and 19.4 fantasy points (0.5 PPR) in three full games without Young this season; heās averaged 59.3 YFS and just 9.9 fantasy points during four games with him (H/T RotoViz).
Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas RaidersStart: Patrick MahomesMahomes is unlikely to start performing up to his early ADP expectations moving forward, but heās a solid start this week. Heās due for TD regression while ranking sixth in red-zone passes but just 22nd in touchdowns, especially with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins.
Letās also take a quick trip down narrative street; the Raiders beat Mahomes in Kansas City on Christmas Day the last time these teams met and then mocked him with a Kermit the Frog puppet in training camp. Mahomes responded āit will get handled,ā and his personal trainer tweeted āwe will remember.ā
Mahomes is out for revenge Sunday.
Sit Alexander Mattison, who will be dealing with a negative game script against a Chiefs defense allowing the fewest fantasy points to running backs by a wide margin. No one has reached even 60 rushing yards in a game against Kansas City this season.
Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ersSit: Dak PrescottDallasā offense showed big improvement after the bye last season, and the Cowboys hope the same happens this year; they rank 20th in scoring after leading the league in 2023. But Prescott has finished as a top-10 QB just once over 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) during a week with many QB alternatives.
New York Giants @ Pittsburgh SteelersStart: Najee HarrisGeorge Pickens gets a huge fantasy boost with Russell Wilson starting, and Najee Harris does too. Heās sharing snaps with Jaylen Warren, but his percentage of runs against light boxes nearly doubled compared to his time with Justin Fields. The Giants have allowed the ninth-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points to running backs, and the Steelers are six-point home favorites Monday night.
