This should be a fun week for Fantasy quarterbacks to see who you start, whether due to injuries, guys on a bye or just playing the matchups. Hopefully, a lot of the fill-in options will deliver.
In Week 8, you have Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott on a bye. Patrick Mahomes (knee) and Matt Ryan (ankle) are out, and Cam Newton (foot) isn't ready to return.
That's a lot of star power.
In their place, Fantasy managers could be looking at a few quarterbacks you never expected to be using as starters, including Ryan Tannehill, Mason Rudolph and Daniel Jones. All three have the chance to be good based on amazing matchups.
Tannehill is coming off a strong performance in Week 7, and Rudolph just had his bye to get over the concussion he suffered in Week 5 against Baltimore. We're glad he's back to face the Dolphins in Pittsburgh on Monday night. Tannehill gets Tampa Bay at home, and that's a great situation.
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As for Jones, he's struggled of late, but he gets to take on a struggling and beat up Lions defense. Hopefully, he plays at a high level.
I'm excited for all three as streaming options, and this could be a great week of quarterback production if they all deliver, especially with Drew Brees (thumb) back. While it's not ideal being without Mahomes, Jackson and Prescott, you have options to help you in Tannehill, Rudolph and Jones, with all three needed to potentially save the day.
Editor's Note: Projections are provided by CBS Sports and not Jamey Eisenberg. Projected points are for PPR leagues.
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Start 'Em & Sit 'Em
Start of the Week
Quarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
Tight end
DST
Kicker
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Start of the Week
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The Lions are going through a change this week with Kerryon Johnson (knee) being placed on injured reserve. While there's a chance Ty Johnson or J.D. McKissic turn Detroit into a power-running team, once again it will be Matthew Stafford and the passing game carrying the Lions offense.
And if you have Stafford on your Fantasy team, you should love it.
He's been a solid Fantasy quarterback this season, scoring at least 28 points in three of six starts, while averaging 23.2 points per game. He just had his best performance of the season in Week 7 against Minnesota in the game where Kerryon Johnson got hurt, scoring 36 Fantasy points, and he should build on that this week against the Giants.
Only two quarterbacks have failed to score at least 21 Fantasy points against the Giants this year, and I'm confident in Stafford taking advantage of this matchup. The strength of this offense is with Stafford throwing to Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, T.J. Hockenson and Danny Amendola, as well as Ty Johnson and McKissic out of the backfield.
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Stafford is averaging 36.3 pass attempts per game, and it's a good thing the Lions are allowing him to challenge downfield. His 8.03 yards per attempt is the best of his career, and he should be able to torch this secondary. He's also averaged 27.3 Fantasy points per game at home this season.
I can see Stafford finishing Week 8 as a top-three Fantasy quarterback. He's the catalyst of this Lions offense, and he should be a star for your Fantasy team this week.
- I'm starting Stafford over: Jared Goff (vs. CIN), Aaron Rodgers (at KC), Tom Brady (vs. CLE), Philip Rivers (at CHI) and Carson Wentz (at BUF)
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Quarterbacks
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Allen just had his best game of the season in Week 7 against Miami with 25 Fantasy points, and he has another favorable matchup this week against the Eagles. Three of the past four quarterbacks against this defense have scored at least 22 Fantasy points, with the lone exception the Jets when Luke Falk started for the injured Sam Darnold (mono) in Week 5. Allen has scored at least 20 Fantasy points in three of his past five games, and he's someone to trust once again at home this week, especially with the Eagles playing their third-consecutive game on the road.
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Goff is coming off his best game of the season in Week 7 at Atlanta, and I expect him to have a solid encore this week against the Bengals in London. Cincinnati's defense is banged up in the secondary with Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and William Jackson (shoulder) hurt, which should allow Goff to post just his fourth game with 20-plus Fantasy points this season. He has yet to do that in back-to-back games, so hopefully that happens this week after he scored 28 Fantasy points in Week 7. The Bengals have allowed four quarterbacks in a row to score at least 21 Fantasy points, and five quarterbacks have hit that mark against Cincinnati in 2019.
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Minshew Mania could be coming to an end soon now that Nick Foles (collarbone) is back practicing this week. But we don't have to worry about that for Week 8, and Minshew is a solid starting option against the Jets. He's scored at least 21 Fantasy points in all but two games this year, and I expect Minshew to be the second quarterback to score at least 20 Fantasy points against the Jets this season. They've been stingy against opposing passers, with Tom Brady's 22 Fantasy points in Week 3 the season high, but I don't think that's an indication of this defense being good. Minshew Mania should run wild once again in Week 8.
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I'm going back to Winston as a low-end starter this week coming off Tampa Bay's bye, but I can understand if you want to replace him with any of the other streaming options in Ryan Tannehill, Teddy Bridgewater or Mason Rudolph. They're safer, but I don't know if they present as much upside, especially with the Buccaneers getting right tackle Demar Dotson (calf/hamstring) back for this game. Two of the past three opposing quarterbacks against the Titans have scored at least 20 Fantasy points, and Winston has averaged 28.7 Fantasy points in his past three games coming off a bye. Winston also scored at least 21 Fantasy points in three games prior to his meltdown in Week 6 against Carolina in London. Winston will be better this week, and he's a low-end No. 1 option this week.
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Like Winston, I can understand going with Tannehill, Bridgewater or Rudolph this week over Murray. He has a tough matchup at New Orleans, but I still expect him to deliver quality Fantasy production, even if it comes in garbage time. The Saints have allowed an average of 22.1 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and five of seven quarterbacks have scored at least 21 points against this defense. Murray has scored at least 20 Fantasy points in three of his past five games, and I expect he will have to do some heavy lifting this week against the Saints, especially with his legs. I consider him a low-end starting option this week.
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Sleepers
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Tannehill did a nice job in his first start for the Titans in place of Marcus Mariota against the Chargers in Week 7. He passed for 312 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, and he scored 22 Fantasy points. We'll see what he can do for an encore in Week 8, but Tannehill should be considered a solid streaming option against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have allowed four quarterbacks in a row to score at least 21 Fantasy points, and they allow an average of 22.7 Fantasy points to quarterbacks for the season.
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In deeper leagues, consider Jones as a low-end starter this week against the Lions. Detroit has allowed three of the past four opposing quarterbacks, including two in a row, to score at least 22 Fantasy points. Jones has been terrible as a Fantasy quarterback aside from his big outing against Tampa Bay in Week 3. But given the matchup, he could be useful as a low-end starter in Week 8.
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Rudolph gets the Dolphins this week on Monday night, which is a great matchup for him. Every quarterback this season against Miami has scored multiple touchdowns, and the Dolphins allow the most Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks for the season at 29.0 points per game. Rudolph only has one game with more than 20 Fantasy points since taking over for Ben Roethlisberger (elbow) in Week 2, but this is a great week to trust him as a streamer.
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Sit 'Em
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Garoppolo got a new weapon this week with the 49ers trading for receiver Emmanuel Sanders from Denver. I'm hopeful Sanders will make an immediate impact on San Francisco's passing attack, but it might not happen this week against the Panthers. This is a tough matchup against a good Carolina defense that has allowed just two quarterbacks to score at least 20 Fantasy points this year. Garoppolo has scored at least 20 Fantasy points just once this season, which was Week 2 at Cincinnati, and he's averaging just 14.3 Fantasy points per game for the season. He's barely an option in two-quarterback leagues this week against Carolina, which is coming off its bye.
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Wentz is more of a bust alert than a must-sit option, but I would try to bench him if you can. He struggled in Week 7 at Dallas with eight Fantasy points, and his offensive line and receiving corps are banged up. It would be tough taking on Buffalo at full strength, and the Bills defense has allowed just one quarterback to score more than 20 Fantasy points, which was Ryan Fitzpatrick last week. I'm concerned about Wentz scoring multiple touchdowns in this matchup, and I'm replacing him in several leagues of my own.
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Even though Patrick Mahomes (knee) is trying to practice this week, he's not expected to play against the Packers. That should give Moore the chance to prove himself in Andy Reid's offense. You can use Moore in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues, but I don't consider him a quality starter in one-quarterback formats. The Packers allow an average of just 15.6 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and the Chiefs offensive line woes should show up even more without Mahomes to bail them out.
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Mayfield coming off a bye should be a good thing, but it will be tough for him heading to New England. The Patriots defense is amazing, having allowed just five scoring drives, 3.96 opponents yards per play and leads the NFL in interceptions (18). Mayfield has one game with exactly 20 Fantasy points this season, which was Week 6 against Seattle, and he's averaging just 12.3 Fantasy points per game. He's barely an option in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues.
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Bust Alert
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Rivers was better than expected in Week 7 at Tennessee with 25 Fantasy points, and he eliminated the turnovers that plagued him in the previous two games when he had four interceptions. He's still worth using as a low-end starter in most leagues, but I expect him to be under 20 Fantasy points in this matchup at Chicago. While the Bears just gave up 31 Fantasy points against Bridgewater in Week 7, they are allowing just 14.7 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks for the year. Rivers should struggle in his second game in a row on the road, especially against a tough defense like the Bears.
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Running Backs
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Trusting Michel is always risky, especially in PPR. And we could see a scenario where Rex Burkhead (foot) plays this week, which would make this backfield even more clouded. But Michel's workload has been a constant for the majority of the season, with six games of at least 15 carries, including three outings in a row with at least 19 total touches. He's scored a touchdown in four of his past six games, and he's facing a Browns defense this week that allows the third-most rushing yards per game at 154.0. Cleveland has also allowed four touchdowns to running backs in the past two games. Michel is a quality No. 2 running back in all leagues, with his value higher in non-PPR. And James White is also worth starting this week in PPR, especially if Burkhead is still out.
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I hope the Chargers go back to Ekeler in a featured role instead of continuing to force the ball to Melvin Gordon. It's clear this team is having trouble opening holes up front because of a banged-up offensive line, and using Ekeler in space, whether in the run or pass game, makes more sense. He's had one bad outing so far this season, which was Week 6 against Pittsburgh when he scored just five PPR points. Otherwise he's scored at least 14 PPR points in his six other games, and he has two games in his past three outings with at least seven catches. The Bears are among the league leaders in receptions allowed to running backs this year with 45, so Ekeler is a must-start PPR option this week and at least a flex in non-PPR leagues.
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It probably seems risky to trust a running back facing the Saints, which is fair. New Orleans hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 29 games in a row, and only three running backs have found the end zone against the Saints this season. But there have still been four running backs to score at least 12 PPR points against New Orleans this year, and they each had at least 13 total touches. It would be a shock if Edmonds had fewer than 13 total touches if he sees the majority of work again for the Cardinals in place of David Johnson. Now, we don't know what's going to happen with Johnson this week after he had one carry in Week 7 at the Giants but was basically rested in favor of Edmonds. If Johnson is back as the main guy this week then Edmonds should be reserved in all Fantasy leagues. But Edmonds has at least 14 PPR points in three games in a row, and I'm hopeful he stays hot, even in this tough matchup on the road.
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I'll gamble on Johnson going right from the waiver wire and into your lineup this week as the replacement option for Kerryon Johnson. Ty Johnson should inherit the majority of the 19.2 touches that Kerryon Johnson was averaging through Detroit's first five games of the season. He'll share with J.D. McKissic in some capacity (consider McKissic a sleeper this week), but I like Ty Johnson's chances to be a No. 2 running back in all leagues. He's facing a Giants defense that has allowed eight running backs to either score or gain at least 100 total yards this year, and Edmonds just went off against them in Week 7 for 148 total yards and three touchdowns.
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This feels like a squeaky wheel game for Montgomery after what happened to the Bears in Week 7 against the Saints, and then what coach Matt Nagy said following the game. On Monday, Nagy said in a news conference, "I know we need to run the ball more. I'm not an idiot." This was after Chicago had just seven running plays in a loss to New Orleans at home. Montgomery has been a disappointment so far this season, including the past two games against Oakland and New Orleans when he combined for 13 carries for 31 yards and a touchdown, as well as three catches for 24 yards. He needs more work, and he needs to get into a rhythm. We'll see if that happens this week against the Chargers, who have allowed four touchdowns to running backs in the past three games. I can understand your trepidation to play him this week, but I would stick with him as at least a No. 2 running back in all formats.
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Sleepers
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James Conner (quad) is expected to be fine for Monday's game against the Dolphins, but Snell should still get a decent workload with Jaylen Samuels (knee) banged up. In Week 6 against the Chargers, Snell had 17 carries for 75 yards, as well as one catch for 14 yards. Miami allows the most Fantasy points to opposing running backs, so taking a flier on someone like Snell this week makes sense if you need help at running back or flex.
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Todd Gurley came back in Week 7 at Atlanta, and he will hopefully be fine moving forward, especially this week against the Bengals. But if Henderson remains the No. 2 running back this week with Malcolm Brown (ankle) hurt, then he's worth a look as at least a flex option. Henderson had 12 total touches against the Falcons in Week 7, and Cincinnati is No. 2 in Fantasy points allowed to running backs. In a desperate situation, Henderson can be a plug-and-play guy this week.
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Williams is a borderline starter in all leagues, and he's scored at least 12 PPR points in three of the last four full games he's been able to play. While he only had seven total touches in Week 7 against Oakland, he still played 40 percent of the snaps in tandem with Aaron Jones. He also had four catches for the second week in a row, which is good for his value in PPR. The Chiefs are No. 7 in Fantasy points allowed to running backs.
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The positive for Singletary in Week 7 against Miami was he got a season-high seven carries. The downside was he had no catches and scored fewer than 11 PPR points for the first time all year. He should bounce back this week against the Eagles, especially in the passing game. Philadelphia is among the league leaders in receptions allowed to running backs with 42, and four running backs have already caught at least six passes against the Eagles this year. I like Singletary as a flex option in PPR this week.
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Freeman has done a nice job in each of the past two weeks, and he's a borderline starter in all leagues, especially PPR. He has at least 12 PPR points in each of his past two games against Tennessee and Kansas City, and he has at least four catches in five of his past six outings. He just scored for the first time in Week 7 against Kansas City, and he should once again be heavily involved in the passing game while working in tandem with Phillip Lindsay.
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Gordon went from having a productive Fantasy performance in Week 7 at Tennessee to a game to forget thanks to a late fumble on the goal line, which cost the Chargers a victory. Despite scoring a receiving touchdown earlier in the game, Gordon still finished with just nine PPR points. It's hard to score a touchdown and still get single digits in PPR when you get 18 total touches, but the turnover and Gordon's lack of production resulted in his bad outing. I'm not sure how the Chargers will use Gordon this week following his struggles in the past three games, as well as the offensive line continuing to fail, but Gordon should be considered just a flex at best this week at Chicago.
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Normally, I'm all about the revenge game motivation when a player faces his former team. But not this week. Peterson comes into this Thursday game at Minnesota on a bad ankle, and it's hard to trust him at 34 on little rest, especially with back-to-back games with heavy workloads. He's had 53 carries for 199 yards in the past two outings against Miami and San Francisco, as well as two catches for 18 yards on two targets. While I'm sure he'd love to put on a show in Minnesota, where he spent the first 10 years of his career, I doubt he'll be successful as a Fantasy asset this week.
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Gore was a minor letdown in Week 7 against Miami when he was a co-Start of the Week, along with Josh Allen and John Brown. While the other two did their part against the Dolphins, Gore was held to 11 carries for 55 yards, as well as one catch for 11 yards. He's now played three games with Devin Singletary on the field, and he's averaging 8.0 PPR points per game over that span, including two games with seven points or less. Gore did score 15 PPR points in Week 2 at the Giants when Singletary played, but he was unable to finish the game with a hamstring injury. It will be hard for Gore to have success running against the Eagles, who are No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs. He'll need to score or be involved in the passing game, and I'm concerned for him doing either this week. I would only use Gore as a flex in non-PPR leagues.
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I'm fine with LeSean McCoy as a flex option this week, but I would try to bench Williams in most leagues. He's not playing well, and it's hard to trust him with Patrick Mahomes (knee) out. In his past four games, Williams has combined for 23 PPR points, and he's averaging just 1.7 yards per carry this year. And it's not like he's been productive in the passing game either with six catches for 28 yards and one touchdown on eight targets in his past three outings. McCoy will hopefully take advantage of this matchup against the Packers at home, but Williams should be kept in reserve in most leagues until he starts playing better, especially with Mahomes out.
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The past two weeks have been tough for Howard, who has combined for just 11 PPR points over that span. When he doesn't score, his Fantasy production has been minimal, and he only has two catches for 6 yards on two targets in his past three games. After a productive two-game stretch where he had 43 PPR points against Green Bay and the Jets, he has tailed off significantly, along with the offensive line struggling against tougher opponents. This week, he's just a flex option against Buffalo; it would be great if the Eagles started giving more work to Miles Sanders. While that's not likely to happen, I would stash Sanders and keep Howard on your bench as well. Three road games in a row has to be wearing on the Eagles, and it seems to be showing with their offensive woes.
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Bust Alert
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Mixon has been a bust for the majority of the season, so he fits well in this category. It's not totally his fault since the Cincinnati offensive line has been a disaster, but it's hard for Fantasy players to trust him this week against the Rams in London. In his past two games against Baltimore and Jacksonville, Mixon has 18 carries for 12 yards, as well as three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown on five targets. Even though he scored last week against the Jaguars, he still had just seven PPR points, which is hard to fathom. I'm hopeful Mixon will improve – as well as the Bengals offensive line – coming off their bye in Week 9. But in Week 8, he's barely a flex option in most leagues.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
Start 'Em
Brown delivered as one of the co-Starts of the Week in Week 7 against Miami with 19 PPR points, and he's now scored at least 11 PPR points in three games in a row. The Eagles allow the most Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and Brown has the potential to be a top-10 Fantasy option this week in all leagues. I also like Cole Beasley as a sleeper in this matchup at home.
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Robinson has been the best offensive player for the Bears this season, and it's not close. He's scored at least 12 PPR points in four games in a row, including his past two outings with at least 24 PPR points. He has at least seven targets in each game this year, and he should have the chance for another strong outing against the Chargers. The Chargers have allowed a receiver to score in three of the past four games, with four touchdowns allowed over that span, including three from DeVante Parker, Corey Davis and Tajae Sharpe. Robinson has top-10 upside this week in all leagues.
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It's been tough to trust Smith-Schuster this season without Ben Roethlisberger (elbow), but he's worth using in all leagues off his bye against Miami. The Dolphins are miserable against opposing receivers, and they have allowed four touchdowns to receivers in the past two games against Washington and Buffalo. Smith-Schuster only has two touchdowns this season, and he's scored more than four PPR points just once in his past three games. But this is the game he should breakout given the matchup at home.
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Here comes the revenge game for Tate in his return to Detroit after the Lions sent him packing last year in a trade to Philadelphia. It helps that he's playing well with Sterling Shepard (concussion) hurt, and Tate has 36 PPR points in his past two games against New England and Arizona with 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown on 20 targets over that span. Darius Slay (hamstring) is banged up, which should help Tate, and the Lions have allowed three touchdowns to receivers in the past two games..
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Sutton should benefit with Emmanuel Sanders gone after he was traded to San Francisco, so he might see an uptick in targets this week. He's had at least seven targets in every game this season, and he's scored at least 11 PPR points in five games in a row. He hasn't scored in two games in a row, but he does have three-consecutive games with at least 76 receiving yards. And the Colts have allowed four touchdowns to receivers in their past four games.
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Sleepers
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I like both Titans receivers this week with Davis and A.J. Brown now that Ryan Tannehill is under center. In Week 7 against the Chargers, Davis had six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, and Brown had six catches for 64 yards on eight targets. Tennessee plays Tampa Bay this week, and the Buccaneers allow the third-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers. Both are worth using as at least No. 3 receivers this week based on the matchup, with Davis slightly ahead of Brown. And you can also look at Adam Humphries as a sleeper in deeper leagues with the revenge game factor of facing his former team.
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Stills benefits with Will Fuller (hamstring) out, and Stills is coming off his best game of the season at Indianapolis in the outing where Fuller was hurt with four catches for 105 yards on five targets. He could be great in Week 8 against Oakland since the Raiders allow the second-most Fantasy points to receivers, and Stills is now the No. 2 receiver opposite DeAndre Hopkins with Fuller hurt. You can also look at Keke Coutee in deeper leagues, but Stills should be great in Week 8.
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Even with Mohamed Sanu now on the Patriots, I like Dorsett this week now that Josh Gordon (knee) is on injured reserve. Sanu is more of a slot receiver than someone who plays on the outside, and Dorsett has done well this season when given at least four targets, which has happened four times. In three of those games, he's scored at least 13 PPR points, so hopefully that continues this week against the Browns. He's a No. 3 receiver with top-20 upside.
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Pascal is emerging as the No. 2 receiver for the Colts behind T.Y. Hilton, and he's worth using as a low-end No. 3 receiver this week against the Broncos. In three of his past four games, Pascal has scored at least 11 PPR points, including two outings over that span with seven targets. He just had his best game of the season in Week 7 against Houston with six catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns on seven targets, and hopefully he stays hot this week against the Broncos.
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Westbrook has been playing well of late and is worth using in all leagues, especially PPR, as a low-end starter. He's scored at least 11 PPR points in three of his past four games, and he has at least eight targets in three games in a row. D.J. Chark remains the No. 1 receiver for the Jaguars and is a must-start receiver this week, but don't forget about Westbrook in a favorable matchup at home against the Jets.
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Sit 'Em
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Boyd has been a frustrating Fantasy receiver of late, and it's hard to trust him in a tough matchup against the Rams in London. He's scored eight PPR points or less in three of his past four games, with his one solid performance against Arizona in Week 5. It's possible Boyd could get matched up with Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, which would be bad for Boyd, and I consider him a No. 3 Fantasy receiver at best this week. He's only scored one touchdown this season.
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Jeffery was a huge letdown in Week 7 at Dallas when he managed just five PPR points, and this should be another tough game for this week against a Bills secondary led by standout cornerback Tre'Davious White. Buffalo allows the fourth-fewest Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and the Bills have only allowed two receivers to score this year. Jeffery only has one game this season with more than 52 receiving yards, and he could struggle in non-PPR leagues when he doesn't score. He's a better option in PPR, but I would try to avoid him this week if possible.
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I expected McLaurin to struggle in Week 7 against San Francisco, but we'll throw that game out because of the horrible conditions in the rain. But this is another tough matchup against the Vikings, mostly for Case Keenum being able to get McLaurin the ball down the field. McLaurin's still worth starting as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver, and this Vikings defense has shown plenty of flaws (see Marvin Jones last week). But this is more about Keenum and the Washington offensive line holding up than it is about McLaurin, and I'd be cautious starting him this week on the road.
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The time to trust Anderson and Jamison Crowder will be Week 9 when the Jets face Miami. This week, I'd shy away from this passing attack, especially with Sam Darnold (toe) banged up and coming off his horrible performance against New England in Week 7 when he was "seeing ghosts." Anderson's surprise game against Dallas was great when he scored 23 PPR points, but I don't expect him to repeat that outing this week against the Jaguars. However, starting in Week 9 through Week 14, the Jets play Miami twice, the Giants, Washington, Oakland and Cincinnati. Anderson, Crowder and hopefully Darnold should thrive in those matchups.
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Bust Alert
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It's tough to sit Beckham in the majority of leagues, but this should be a bad day for him against the Patriots on the road. Stephone Gilmore will likely make things tough on Beckham, who has one touchdown this season, which came in Week 2. He did have 16 PPR points against Seattle in Week 6 before Cleveland's bye, but the Patriots have been dominant against opposing receivers all year. Only Golden Tate in Week 6 scored against New England, and Beckham should be considered a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in most leagues this week.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Tight End
Start 'Em
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I'm counting on Henry to stay hot for the third week in a row, and I'm shocked that he's not started in 100 percent of leagues on CBS Sports. In two games back from a four-game absence with a knee injury, Henry has 14 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns on 17 targets, and Philip Rivers is leaning heavily on him, which is great. The Bears are tough against tight ends, but Josh Hill just scored against them in Week 7, which bodes well for Henry in this matchup.
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Everett continues to be a go-to option for the Rams, and he's worth starting in all leagues in Week 8. He's now scored at least 15 PPR points in three of his past four games, and he has at least eight targets in three of those outings. He had four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets in Week 7 at Atlanta, and he should have another quality outing against the Bengals in London.
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Hill gets the best matchup on the table this week against the Cardinals, but you'll just have to check that Jared Cook (ankle) remains out like he was in Week 7. In that game at Chicago, Hill had three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown on three targets. But really the only reason to trust Hill this week is the matchup against the Cardinals. Arizona allows the most Fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and a tight end has scored against the Cardinals in six of seven games this year. He's risky, but he's a great streamer given the matchup if Cook doesn't play.
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Sleepers
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Smith is a good plug-and-play option if Delanie Walker (ankle) remains out given the matchup for the Titans against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay allows the second-most Fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and Smith could be useful if Walker doesn't play. Smith just had three catches for 64 yards on three targets against the Chargers in Week 7 after Walker got hurt.
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Fells let us down in Week 7 against the Colts with just two catches for 27 yards on two targets, but I'll stick with him this week against the Raiders. Oakland allows the third-most Fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and Fells could see some additional targets with Will Fuller (hamstring) hurt. Prior to Week 7, Fells had nine targets for eight catches, 89 yards and two touchdowns in his previous two games.
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I wish this were O.J. Howard in this spot, but I feel more comfortable with Brate as a sleeper since he's actually been productive this season. He's scored a touchdown in two of his past three games, and the Titans have struggled with tight ends this year, including four guys scoring at least 11 PPR points in seven games.
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Sit 'Em
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The 49ers have been stingy against tight ends all season, and Olsen should be considered a low-end starting option at best in most leagues. Tyler Eifert in Week 2 is the lone tight end to score against San Francisco, and no tight end has more than 32 receiving yards against this defense. In his past three games, Olsen has combined for just 11 PPR points.
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It would be great if the Buccaneers traded Howard, but that doesn't appear likely. So it's back to keeping Howard on your bench in most Fantasy leagues, and he hasn't topped nine PPR points in any game this season or scored a touchdown. While the matchup against the Titans is favorable, I like Brate better than Howard this week. He's also dealing with a hamstring injury coming off the bye, which could further hinder his production in Week 8 – if that's possible.
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Doyle has taken a backseat to Eric Ebron of late, and he's not worth trusting in most leagues. Doyle only has one game this season with more than eight PPR points, and it was Week 4 against Oakland when T.Y. Hilton was out with an injury. In his past two games, Doyle has six catches for 40 yards and no touchdowns on eight targets, and he should struggle this week against the Broncos. I would start Ebron as a low-end No. 1 tight end in all leagues based on his touchdown potential (he scored in three of his past five games), but Doyle is not worth using in most leagues.
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Bust Alert
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You're not benching Ertz in any leagues, and I still have him ranked No. 8 in my rankings at tight end. But I wouldn't use him in daily leagues this week, and this is a tough matchup against Buffalo. The Bills were No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to tight ends last season and rank No. 2 this year. Buffalo is one of three teams yet to allow a tight end to score (Minnesota and New England are the others), and Ertz only has one touchdown this season. Along with that, Dallas Goedert is stealing production from Ertz, including two touchdowns in the past four games. I hope this is the week Ertz snaps out of a two-game funk where he's scored a combined 12 PPR points, but don't be surprised if he struggles again in Buffalo.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
DST
Start 'Em
Steelers (vs MIA) — 20.9 projected points
The Steelers DST should be among the top plays at any position this week with the matchup against the Dolphins. Miami allows the second-most Fantasy points to opposing DSTs, and the Dolphins are scoring just 10.5 points per game for the season. The Steelers defense has been underrated this season, and the DST has scored at least 11 Fantasy points in each of the past four games. The biggest improvement has come from the pass rush with 14 sacks in the past three games, and the Dolphins allow an average of 4.0 sacks per game.
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Sleepers
- Colts (vs. DEN): Let's hope the Colts defense copies the Chiefs defense with how they approached facing the Broncos last week. It would be great for the Colts DST. Kansas City just abused the Denver offensive line, getting nine sacks, and hopefully Indianapolis follows suit. The Colts have seven sacks in their past two games against Kansas City and Houston.
- Lions (vs. NYG): The Lions are banged up on defense, but the Giants should still allow the Lions DST to be successful this week as a streaming option. That's because of Daniel Jones. The Giants rookie quarterback has been sacked 13 times in the past three games, and he has seven interceptions in his past four.
- Bills (vs. PHI): The past two DSTs against the Eagles (Minnesota and Dallas) scored at least 12 Fantasy points. Philadelphia only scored 30 points in those two games with three interceptions, five sacks and four fumbles. The Bills DST just had another strong performance against the Dolphins in Week 7 with 13 Fantasy points, and Buffalo's defense should be tough against the Eagles at home.
Sit 'Em
Broncos (at IND) – 5.0 projected points
I wouldn't use the Broncos DST against the Colts this week. It's not a good matchup, especially since Jacoby Brissett has been sacked just once in the past three games and only seven times for the season. He also has just three interceptions on the year. The Broncos DST was great in Week 5 at Jacksonville and Week 6 against Tennessee, but otherwise this unit has been a disappointment.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
KICKERS
Start 'Em
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Nugent has yet to have a big game since joining the Patriots in Week 5 as the replacement option for Stephen Gostkowski (hip), but he's due. In three games, Nugent is averaging just 7.0 Fantasy points per game, and he only has one game over that span with multiple field goals. This week, Nugent is facing a Browns team that has allowed three kickers to make multiple field goals this season, and he's worth using as a starter in all leagues.
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Sleepers
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Three kickers have already scored at least 11 Fantasy points against the Dolphins this season, including Stephen Hauschka and Ty Long in two of their past three games. Boswell has at least nine Fantasy points in four of his past five games, including two games over that span with at least 10 points.
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Prior to his bye in Week 7, Slye had scored at least 12 Fantasy points in four of six games. The 49ers have only allowed one kicker to make multiple field goals against them this season, which was Boswell in Week 3, but I trust Slye as a must-start option most weeks, even in this tough spot on the road.
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Prater didn't have a good game in Week 7 against Minnesota with just seven Fantasy points, but he scored 36 points in his previous two games against Kansas City and Green Bay. The Giants have allowed multiple field goals in three of their past five games.
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Sit 'Em
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Elliott only has two games this season with multiple field goals, and he hasn't scored double digits in Fantasy points all year. The Eagles offense is struggling of late, and Elliott has just three extra points in his past two games against Minnesota and Dallas. Buffalo has allowed just two field goals all season, and no kicker has scored more than five Fantasy points in any game this year.
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So who should you sit and start in Week 8? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get rankings for every single position, and see which shocking QB comes out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.