Fantasy Football Start 'Em Sit 'Em Week 8

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Sun, 29 Oct 2017, 9:12 am

Fantasy Football Start 'Em Sit 'Em Week 8

Having trouble making those tough Week 8 fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em lineup decisions? Looking for picks that you should target and avoid in NFL DFS? We have the start-or-sit advice you're craving.

With six teams on bye (Cardinals, Rams, Packers, Giants, Titans, Jaguars), there are more holes to fill than usual heading into Week 8. The Decider breaks down the best and worst ways to addresses the toughest calls:

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start 'Em: Quarterbacks

Every-week starts

Tom Brady, Patriots (vs. LAC), Drew Brees, Saints (vs. CHI), Carson Wentz, Eagles (vs. SF), Russell Wilson, Seahawks (vs. HOU)

Strong starts

Dak Prescott, Cowboys (at WAS). He’s on the brink of being elevated to where Wentz is during his second season with his consistent and now more explosive production.

Kirk Cousins, Redskins (vs. DAL). The hot streak continues in what’s expected to be the highest-scoring game of the week with Prescott on the other side.

Cam Newton, Panthers (at TB). If he can’t get it done against an anemic pass rush and bad secondary the way that Tyrod Taylor did last week, we can’t trust him ever again. Or something like that.

Andy Dalton, Bengals (vs. IND). It’s 1 p.m. ET and he’s playing a weak defensive opponent at home. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel with a Red Rifle.

Matt Ryan, Falcons (at NYJ). The Jets’ pass defense just got lit up by Jay Cutler and Matt Moore, so you figure Ryan can rebound to have a much-needed solid game here.

Deep streamers

Tyrod Taylor, Bills (vs. OAK), Case Keenum, Vikings (at CLE in London)

DFS Bargain

Philip Rivers, Chargers (at NE, $7,500 on FanDuel). Ryan ended the run of 300-yard passers against the Patriots’ defense. Rivers should do plenty of chucking to get back to that mark, with probably a couple scores in garbage time or otherwise.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit 'Em: Quarterbacks

Weak starts

Deshaun Watson, Texans (at SEA). A rookie quarterback, even one this dynamic, can be shut down by the Seahawks’ nasty pass defense.

Matthew Stafford, Lions (vs. PIT). The Steelers will get after him and he may not have Golden Tate to help.

Derek Carr, Raiders (at BUF). This brutal matchup with the Bills will bring him down to more of a QB2 again.

Alex Smith, Chiefs (vs. DEN). The Broncos’ offense is awful at the moment, but their defense still limits the upside of any QB.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (at DET). It looks like another high-volume game for Le’Veon Bell. And, oh yeah, Big Ben is on the road.

Josh McCown, Jets (vs. ATL). The Falcons’ pass defense can cool him off.

Buyer beware

Jameis Winston, Buccaneers (vs. CAR, $7,600 on FanDuel). Winston surprised everyone with a big game in Buffalo, but his inconsistency makes him really hard to pay up for at home.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start 'Em: Running backs

Every-week starts

Le'Veon Bell, Steelers (at DET), Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys (at WAS), Melvin Gordon, Chargers (at NE), Jay Ajayi, Dolphins (at BAL, Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, Falcons (at NYJ), Kareem Hunt, Chiefs vs. DEN), LeSean McCoy, Bills (vs. OAK), Todd Gurley, Rams (bye), Leonard Fournette, Jaguars (bye), Lamar Miller, Texans (at SEA), Jordan Howard, Bears (at NO), Doug Martin, Buccaneers (vs. CAR), Mark Ingram, Saints (vs. CHI), Christian McCaffrey, Panthers (at TB)

Strong starts

Ameer Abdullah, Lions (vs. PIT). Detroit should want to stay grounded and help Stafford, working against the much weaker part of the Steelers’ defense.

Chris Thompson, Redskins (vs. DAL). He’s really their only viable backfield option of any kind.

Dion Lewis, Patriots (vs. LAC). Lewis is the so-called power back of choice here, and the Chargers have been bad against the run in general.

Alvin Kamara, Saints (vs. CHI). He’s pushing to be in lineups weekly the way Ingram is.

Matt Forte, Jets (vs. ATL). Forte is back healthy leading this backfield, and he will out-snap, out-touch and out-produce Bilal Powell in a favorable spot.

Jalen Richard, Raiders (at BUF). He’s better for PPR, but his shiftiness and speed as a receiver should help him have an acceptable deep-league flex day.

DFS bargain

Joe Mixon, Bengals (vs. IND, $5,900 on FanDuel). Mixon wants the ball more. Cincinnati wants to run the ball more effectively. Everything works out nicely against a depleted Colts defense that will be without its best run stopper, John Simon.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit 'Em: Running backs

Weak starts

Carlos Hyde, 49ers (at PHI). Philadelphia makes things rough on power backs with its front.

C.J. Anderson, Broncos (at KC). The Chiefs have given up some chunks on the ground, but the volume and game flow are hard to trust with not much else working in Denver’s offense.

Marlon Mack, Colts (at CIN). It’s looking like another brutal week for Indy.

Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray, Vikings (at CLE in London). The Browns are strong against the run, and with some pass rush and secondary injuries, it’s much smarter to attack them with the pass.

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers (at TB). He’s still getting volume for some reason. It’s about time the Panthers faded him. You already should.

Buyer beware

LeGarrette Blount, Eagles (vs. SF, $6,100 on FanDuel). Look, the matchup is a dream against the 49ers’ putrid run defense, but do you really trust that he’ll see the ball enough to take most advantage in Philly’s massive committee? No, no you don’t.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start 'Em: Wide receivers

Every-week starts

Antonio Brown, Steelers (at DET), Julio Jones, Falcons (at NYJ), Mike Evans, Buccaneers (vs. CAR), Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams, Packers (bye), A.J. Green, Bengals (vs. IND), Doug Baldwin, Seahawks (vs. HOU), Michael Thomas, Saints (vs. CHI), Dez Bryant, Cowboys (at WAS), Brandin Cooks and Chris Hogan Patriots (vs. LAC). Alshon Jeffery, Eagles (vs. SF), Tyreek Hill, Chiefs (vs. DEN), Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos (if healthy), Broncos (at KC), Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (bye), Keenan Allen, Chargers (at NE), Stefon Diggs (if healthy), Vikings (at CLE in UK), DeAndre Hopkins, Texans (at SEA), Michael Crabtree, Raiders (at BUF)

Strong starts

Nelson Agholor, Eagles (vs. SF). All Agholor does is score touchdowns with limited targets.

DeSean Jackson, Buccaneers (vs. CAR). The Panthers have struggled with No. 2 receivers all season.

Pierre Garcon, 49ers (at PHI). Marquise Goodwin is on fire, but Garcon is easier to like for garbage in Philly.

Adam Thielen, Vikings (at CLE in London). Diggs may return to help him even more in a brilliant spot.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers (at DET). Lining up outside will allow him to work more on the weak link of the Lions’ cornerbacks, Nevin Lawson.

Josh Doctson, Redskins (vs. DAL). He’s seeing almost every snap as the new starter over Terrelle Pryor ,and Cousins will need to throw a ton.

DFS bargain

Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers (at TB, $6,600 on FanDuel). Benjamin is a steal at this price for how busy of a downfield target he’ll be to go bang against the Bucs.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit 'Em: Wide receivers

Weak starts

T.Y, Hilton, Colts (at CIN). Hilton complained about the accommodations of Indy’s offensive line. Cincy will keep up his frustrations by taking him away for yet another week.

Marvin Jones Jr., Lions (vs. PIT). Whether Tate plays or not, the Steelers are not giving up much outside.

Will Fuller, Texans (at SEA). He’s very TD dependent against a pass defense that doesn’t give up wideout TDs.

Mohamed Sanu, Falcons (at NYJ). Other than Jones or Freeman, it’s hard to like any Falcons skill player at the moment.

Robby Anderson, Jets (vs. ATL). He and Jermaine Kearse aren’t built to beat that secondary downfield.

Buyer beware

Amari Cooper, Raiders (at BUF, $7,200 on FanDuel). Many of y’all will be chasing his Chiefs breakout, but given the rest of his body of work, that’s still too rich against some stingy corners.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start 'Em: Tight ends

Every-week starts

Rob Gronkowski, Patriots (vs. LAC), Travis Kelce, Chiefs (vs. DEN), Zach Ertz, Eagles (vs. SF), Cameron Brate, Buccaneers (vs. CAR)

Strong starts

Jimmy Graham, Seahawks (vs. HOU). Let’s see if Graham can hold on to the ball for an even bigger game this week.

Hunter Henry, Chargers (at NE). Henry is almost an every-week guy, and now Antonio Gates is banged up. The matchup is awesome, too.

Jason Witten, Cowboys (vs. WAS). The Redskins have allowed plenty to the position of late, and he scored last week in San Francisco.

Kyle Rudolph, Vikings (at CLE in London). Rudolph and Thielen will have their way with the Browns.

Tyler Kroft, Bengals (vs. IND). Kroft has a good chance to dent the end zone again here.

DFS bargain

Nick O’Leary, Bills (vs. OAK, $4,900 on FanDuel). He didn’t get the TD last week, but he made two other big plays to have a solid day against the Bucs. This matchup is better as he fills in for Charles Clay well again.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit 'Em: Tight ends

Weak starts

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jets (vs. ATL). The Falcons allowed one notable game to the position against Charles Clay, so be prepared to be disappointed with ASJ, who’s still short of weekly-start status.

Jared Cook, Raiders (at BUF). As typical with Cook, he steps out of the frying pan right back into the fridge.

Jack Doyle, Colts (at CIN). No Doyle for you against a Bengals’ back end that covers guys like him well.

George Kittle, 49ers (at PHI). Kittle’s usage makes him hard to trust, and the matchup is terrible.

O.J. Howard, Buccaneers (vs. CAR). Brate is still the receiving guy of choice here despite Howard going off in Buffalo.

Buyer beware

Jordan Reed, Redskins (vs. DAL, $6,100 on FanDuel). Here’s another case of chasing what an underachiever finally did in Week 7. The Cowboys don’t allow much there, and Reed still is fighting Vernon Davis for key targets.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start 'Em: Defense/special teams

Best starts

Vikings (at CLE in UK), Seahawks (vs. HOU), Chiefs (vs. DEN), Eagles (vs. SF)

Strong starts

Bengals (vs. IND). It’s the Colts.

Saints (vs. CHI). It’s Mitchell Trubisky on the road.

Falcons (at NYJ). Without its defense playing well, Atlanta would be totally lost.

DFS bargain

Steelers (at DET, $4,400 on FanDuel). They’re cheaper than expected, so take advantage of that to help construct your roster better elsewhere.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit 'Em: Defense/special teams

Weak starts

Broncos (at KC). Denver is a low-end option at the moment, and it continues against the Chiefs.

Lions (vs. PIT). They find ways to score big almost every week, but not here.

Texans (at SEA). Houston is down plenty of key guys and doesn’t match up well against Wilson.

Chargers (at NE). L.A. shut out the Broncos, but there’s nothing close to a repeat against Brady.

Buyer beware

Bills (vs. OAK, $4,600 on FanDuel). OK, we’re not crazy about the Raiders’ offense overall this week, but it tends not to make mistakes even when it might be limited on the scoreboard, so the sacks and picks won’t come to match this value.