If you’re playing a Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers DFS lineup for Sunday in Week 8, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve analyzed each team’s highest-probability game scripts to assess the most likely outcomes, including which players are in line to thrive more than anticipated or fall short of expectations.
The following recommended fantasy football lineup (for tournaments, 50/50, or head-to-head competitions) aims to lock in a relatively high floor while maximizing upside.
Eagles Considerations
Interestingly, Jalen Hurts has had zero passing TDs in half of his games this season. Should that concern us in DFS?
Of course not. He has as many touchdowns on the ground (six) as he does through the air. Few quarterbacks can rival his high floor or uber-high ceiling. As long as his core offensive group remains healthy, Hurts should remain a weekly DFS plug-in.
And yet (yes, I’m going somewhere with all this), Hurts also dominated at the beginning of last season, eclipsing 20 fantasy points in each game through Week 7, averaging 24.4 points per contest. Beginning in Week 8, however, he cracked 20 points only twice in his final eight games, averaging a more streamer-friendly 17.7 fantasy points.
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What should we make of this, and how might it impact which Eagles we include in this DFS lineup? Did defenses adjust last year, and will they adjust this year? Or have they already, with Hurts scoring fewer than 17 points in two of his last three games?
Hurts is on pace for 218 rushing attempts. How absurd is that? Last year, he led all QBs with 139 attempts. Lamar Jackson holds the record with 176. I don’t think Philly’s coaching staff wants Hurts to maintain a pace that increases injury risks in a season where the Eagles are eyeing a deep postseason run.
Steelers Considerations
I won’t spend as much time on Kenny Pickett as I did with Hurts. Because Hurts is the engine that drives most of our Eagles’ decision-making, and his highly variant usage makes him and his surrounding playmakers more volatile DFS options.
But Pittsburgh’s offense is a bit more streamlined. Sure, Pickett likes to run, too. But this is a surprisingly one-dimensional offense that realistically can win only through the air, especially against a Philly squad that can score in buckets.
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The Steelers are averaging only 3.7 yards per carry, as Najee Harris has taken a big step back since last year’s rookie breakout. Jaylen Warren continues to eat into Harris’ usage, capping the latter’s ceiling below where we can comfortably trust him in DFS lineups.
There are four receivers we might focus on, of course. The three wideouts probably will be pricier than Pat Freiermuth. As we saw last week and for much of last season, that shouldn’t make Freiermuth a DFS afterthought. In fact, if we go top-heavy with Philly’s best players, then we might need a mid-priced option like Freiermuth to fit this slate under the salary cap.
Top DFS Lineup for Eagles vs. Steelers
Today, we’re playing DraftKings “Showdown Captain Mode,” which includes one player who earns 1.5 times his scoring output, plus five Flex players.
The following NFL betting recommendations are based on proprietary PFN predictive analytics pulled from decades of NFL historical data. Using this data, I’ve built dozens of models showing actionable probabilities of better-than-expected and worse-than-expected outcomes.
Captain: Eagles D/ST ($7,800)
Ever since the healthy Lions (remember them?) posted 35 points on Philadelphia in Week 1, the Eagles have given up only 12.4 points per game. They just bolstered their pass rush by trading for three-time Pro Bowler Robert Quinn. Ten-plus points (or rather, 15+ in the Captain slot) seems realistic in a solid home matchup against a good-but-mistake-prone rookie QB and a weak offensive line.
Flex: QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles ($11,400)
This lineup leans heavily toward a blowup passing game for Hurts and his top two wideouts. Not much more to say. Hurts should bounce back after his relatively pedestrian Week 7 effort.
Flex: WR A.J. Brown, Eagles ($10,600)
Did someone shout, “A.J. Brown!”? If you’re reading this aloud in a shouty voice, then it was probably you. Pittsburgh’s defense has fared worse against the pass than against the run. I’m all in on Brown. Too bad my fantasy-league opponent won’t trade him to me.
Flex: WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($9,000)
Which defense averages the second-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts? The Steelers, of course. (I write “of course” not because the Steelers are “of course” not good, but because it was pretty obvious where I was going with that.) So, bet on Smith.
Flex: WR George Pickens, Steelers ($6,400)
I’m making room for one Steeler in this DFS lineup (we need a minimum of one for each team). In what could be a blowout Eagles victory, I like Pickens’ upside more than any other Pittsburgh player. He’s the real deal, standing out despite playing alongside two WRs who combined for more than 2,000 receiving yards last year. Not too shabby.
Flex: RB Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles ($4,400)
If you want to play it safe, go with Jake Elliott for $4,200. That would be a pretty savvy play for 50/50 contests. For tournaments, I’m recommending the more boom-bust Kenneth Gainwell. If this game goes as I expect, then Gainwell should get plenty of run during the fourth quarter, which could translate into 10+ touches and a goal-line score.
