Making lineup decisions can be the most frustrating — or most rewarding — part of fantasy football. We’re to help you make those decisions with our fantasy start ’em/sit ’em picks.
It’s now Week 8. We have plenty of in-season data and can play matchups based on a good amount of information. With that in mind, let’s take a look at our top Week 8 start/sit plays.
Which Players Should You Start in Week 8?
Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons (at TB)
How can I not endorse Kirko Chainz this week? Just three short weeks ago, on a short week, Kirk Cousins lit up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 509 yards and four touchdowns.
It goes without saying the rematch won’t be a 36-30 overtime thriller. But neither of these defenses is suddenly going to stop anyone.
Ahead of Monday Night Football, the Bucs are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. By the time you’re reading this, I doubt facing Lamar Jackson made that average any better. Look for Cousins and the entire Falcons offense to bounce back after a dismal showing against the Seahawks in Week 7.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. NO)
What we learned on Thursday night is to start running backs against the Saints. Javonte Williams did whatever he wanted on the ground, averaging 6.3 yards per carry and rushing for two touchdowns for the first time in his career.
This is the perfect spot for the front-running Chargers to get out ahead against Spencer Rattler and lean on J.K. Dobbins.
The Chargers want to run the football. They entered Week 7 with the eighth-highest neutral game script run rate at 51%.
Despite Dobbins’ injury history, Jim Harbaugh doesn’t seem to be concerned. This is not a split backfield. Dobbins may come off the field on passing downs, but he’s dominating snaps and carries.
Averaging 5.4 ypc ahead of Monday Night Football, Dobbins is in a smash spot against a Saints defense allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs.
Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos (vs. CAR)
Last week, Javonte Williams had the best game of his career since his breakout rookie game against the Chiefs in Week 13 of 2021. Williams ran the ball 14 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns, adding three receptions for 23 yards.
This may seem like “Williams good last week. Start Williams this week.” That helps. But it’s more about the matchup. Death. Taxes. Running backs against the Panthers.
With each passing week, the Panthers’ stranglehold on the worst run defense in the NFL gets stronger. They are allowing the most fantasy points per game to the position by a sizable margin. Their defensive EPA per rush and rush defense success rate are both bottom five in the league.
This is a game where the Broncos should have neutral-to-positive game script, allowing them to continue to feed Williams, just like they did against the Saints last Thursday. Williams is a must-start in Week 8.
Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans (vs. IND)
Imagine endorsing starting a player who just had zero catches. Couldn’t be me.
Fantasy managers are a fickle bunch. Just two weeks ago, Dell was the clear beneficiary of Nico Collins’ absence, catching seven of nine targets for 57 yards and a touchdown. Last week, he didn’t catch any of only four targets, so he’s cooked. This is how we think (I’m not immune to this, either!).
This was a very weird game for the Texans. How exactly was Dell supposed to produce when C.J. Stroud only completed 10 passes for 86 yards? Dell’s four targets actually amounted to a 19% target share. His usage was fine. It was just a weird game. Let’s just throw this one out because we know Stroud is a very good quarterback.
This week, the Texans get a home game against a Colts defense allowing the 15th-most fantasy points per game to WRs. While that’s not necessarily an easy matchup, their numbers are boosted by having played the Dolphins’ atrocious offense in Week 7.
Prior to Week 7, 66% of the Colts’ total receiving yards allowed had gone to wide receivers. Expect the entire Texans’ passing attack to rebound this week and for Dell to lead the charge.
Keenan Allen, WR, Chicago Bears (at WAS)
This could really be any of the Bears WRs, but I doubt anyone is benching DJ Moore, and Rome Odunze feels too speculative. So, Keenan Allen is the fringe WR3 you want in your lineup.
The Commanders are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. A whopping 73% of their total receiving yards allowed have gone to the position.
Caleb Williams took a couple of weeks to get used to life in the NFL, but he’s been rolling recently, looking exactly like the player the Bears expected to get with the No. 1 overall pick.
Hopefully, Jayden Daniels is able to play, setting the stage for a potential back-and-forth contest. But even if it’s Marcus Mariota, the way to beat the Commanders remains through the air.
Allen’s raw volume hasn’t been there this season, but he’s seen a healthy 23.8% target share. Against the Commanders, Williams could look to pepper Allen with underneath targets, resulting in a strong PPR performance.
Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers (at JAX)
Start the guy that scored a touchdown last week, am I right? Point chasing is approved at the tight end position, but the fact that Tucker Kraft scored last week is merely happenstance. This is about the matchup.
The Jaguars just gave up eight receptions for 92 yards to Hunter Henry. They’ve struggled defending tight ends all season, allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to the position.
Kraft has now scored double-digit fantasy points in three of his last four games. He is completely dominating snaps and actually led the Packers in routes run last week. Against a porous Jacksonville pass defense, this is another great spot for the sophomore TE.
What a catch by Tucker Kraft for the TD!
📺: #HOUvsGB on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/5cpzRJLlEj— NFL (@NFL)
Which Players Should You Sit in Week 8?
Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals (at MIA)
As someone who was all-in on Kyler Murray heading into this season, it pains me to admit he’s not going to be the league-winner he looked like. Murray just isn’t playing well enough, both for the Cardinals and for our fantasy teams.
Ahead of Monday Night Football, Murray has given fantasy managers two elite QB1 weeks on the season. Nothing else has been startable.
This week, he gets a Dolphins defense that has done all it could while Tua Tagovailoa was out. They’re allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Their defensive EPA per dropback is fifth in the league.
Tagovailoa’s expected return should help the overall game environment. But on the road against one of the best pass defenses in the league is not a spot where Murray is likely to thrive.
Alexander Mattison, RB, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. KC)
Perhaps fantasy managers aren’t salivating to put Alexander Mattison into lineups. Understandable. But the former Viking has actually been pretty solid all season.
Mattison took over the Raiders RB1 job from Zamir White three weeks ago. He’s posted games of 10.1, 17.5, and 15.3 fantasy points. Those are solid RB2 numbers overall. And this is from a guy who was a late-round, low-upside, handcuff/waiver wire pickup. This week, though, is not the week to show your belief in Mattison.
Under Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs have this reputation of being an offensive juggernaut that outscores opponents. That’s not the case anymore. This is a team that wins because of its elite defense. What do they do best? Shut down running backs.
The Chiefs are allowing the fewest fantasy points per game to RBs. They’ve yet to allow a 100-yard rusher and have erased guys like Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, and Alvin Kamara. Mattison is probably not getting to double digits in Week 8.
Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns (vs. BAL)
This goes against everything I stand for because I do not want to ever root against Nick Chubb. But remember, him merely making it back on the field is already a win. The historic efficiency did not return in his first game back (obviously), and it may take a few weeks if it happens at all.
Chubb ran the ball 11 times for 22 yards against the Bengals in his first game of the season. Had he not scored, fantasy managers likely wouldn’t even consider starting him this week.
I don’t know if Chubb will ever get back to his pre-injury form. If he does, it’s not going to happen this week.
The Ravens allow the third-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. They are third in the league in defensive EPA per rush.
Chubb only played 36% of the snaps last week. That should increase this week as he continues the ramp-up process, but a full workload is likely multiple weeks away. Volume will not be able to save Chubb from inefficiency in this incredibly difficult matchup.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers (at DEN)
I would much prefer if the guys we were fading were coming off quality games, so it doesn’t seem like what happened last week will happen again this week. But, again, it’s about the matchup.
Diontae Johnson has three games with 19.8+ fantasy points. He also has four games with under 6.0 fantasy points. There have been no decent games. It’s all or nothing. He’s either an elite WR1 or you wish you never started him.
It hasn’t been easy predicting Johnson’s outings. Last week was a smash spot against a weak Commanders secondary. He flopped. This week, he gets a Broncos defense allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
The Andy Dalton honeymoon period appears over. Two of his last three starts have been disastrous. We could see Bryce Young return midway through this game if things don’t go well. Against an elite Broncos defense, sit Johnson this week.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks (vs. BUF)
Perhaps fantasy managers may be inclined to think a jump is coming for Jaxon Smith-Njigba with DK Metcalf potentially out with a knee injury. The issue is not Geno Smith. It’s not Ryan Grubb. It’s not a crowded offense. The issue is JSN. He’s just not that good.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has 55 targets this season. Tied with Stefon Diggs + more than Ja'Marr Chase and Terry McLaurin in the same amount of games. And yet, WR40 in PPR points per game.
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz)
Smith-Njigba was not held back as a rookie because of Tyler Lockett. If he had the level of talent commensurate with his draft capital, he would have earned more targets. Nothing has changed this season.
The issue with his usage is him. JSN’s 1.21 yards per route run is outside the top 70. He doesn’t receive downfield targets because he doesn’t earn them.
This week, the Seahawks get a Bills defense that is allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers. This is a defense that stops the deep ball at all costs, which could result in Smith-Njigba having a passable PPR game on checkdowns. However, the Bills are a run-funnel defense, meaning we should see a heavy dose of Kenneth Walker III. It’s not a good week to start Seahawks WRs.
Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions (vs. TEN)
This is not entirely about the matchup, but it certainly doesn’t help. The Titans allow the second-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends. While that’s already good enough of a reason not to start a tight end against them, there’s more to it.
Every so often, I like to include a player previously viewed as an every-week, no-brainer must-start just to calm fantasy managers’ fears of benching a guy they never thought they’d be sitting. We’ve reached that point with Sam LaPorta. We actually reached it a couple of weeks ago but were in denial.
If ::insert random TE here: were averaging 7.8 fantasy points per game, no one would be batting an eye at sitting him, let alone dropping him. But since it’s LaPorta, and he had the greatest rookie TE season of all time, it feels wrong. It’s not.
Sam LaPorta has had four games this year with a sub-10% target share. He had one game all of last year with that low of a target share.
— JJ Zachariason (@LateRoundQB)
It’s now Week 8. We are just about halfway through the season. It’s fair to make assumptions that teams will continue using their players the way they have, especially when those offenses are as prolific as the Lions.
LaPorta has seen a 10.1% target share on the season. He’s yet to catch more than four passes in a game. He’s only caught more than two passes in a game twice. 12.9 fantasy points is his best outing. You can find comparable production streaming. LaPorta does not need to be in lineups, let alone on fantasy rosters anymore.
