Fantasy Football Week 8 Lineup Cheat Sheet: Need help with tough decisions? We've got start-and-sit calls for every game on the schedule
Have a tough decision to make with your lineup for Week 8? Use Dave Richard's Lineup Cheat Sheet to make a good call.
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Dave Richard
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More Week 8: Waiver Wire — Trade Values — Streaming Options — Rankings — Start 'Em and Sit 'Em — Cheat Sheet
The Lineup Cheat Sheet combines Fantasy analysis and game-flow predictions with a confidence scale to give you a definitive answer on who to start in your leagues.
The higher the number next to a player's name, the more confident you should be to start him. If a player isn't listed, don't start him.
To find a specific player, use your search function -- CTRL-F on PCs and Command-F on Macs. If neither of those are options, or if you're on a mobile device, you can scroll by game.
If you're still unsure, just send a note on Twitter (@daverichard) and I'll give it a look, time permitting.
Vikings vs. Browns
| Vikings | | Browns | |
| Case Keenum | (6.3) | DeShone Kizer | (1.5) |
| Jerick McKinnon | (6.4) | Duke Johnson | (5.5) |
| Latavius Murray | (6.0) | Isaiah Crowell | (3.6) |
| Stefon Diggs | (7.6) | Browns DST | (3.7) |
| Adam Thielen | (7.2) | | |
| Kyle Rudolph | (5.8) | | |
| Vikings DST | (9.5) | | |
Start Them
The Browns run defense has been killin' it. Tennessee's two-headed rush attack mustered just 2.3 yards per carry, Lamar Miller had 2.7 yards per run the week before and the Jets and Bengals backfields were equally terrible. But a lot of that has to do with rookie Myles Garrett contributing some major power -- he's not expected to play. More importantly, it's hard to conceive a game script that doesn't give the Vikings run game a slew of rush attempts (they average nearly 30 attempts per game). Murray will split with Jerick McKinnon, including in the red zone, but the goal line is Murray's territory. That's how the Vikings have rolled the past three weeks. Murray also looked pretty healthy last week against a good Ravens run defense. Don't start Murray expecting a 100-yard game like he had last week, but 40 yards and a touchdown is a possibility.
Here's a refresher on what Diggs can do:
- He has 36 targets in five games (25 from Case Keenum)
- Of the 36 targets, 17 have come on passes of 15-plus yards (16 from Keenum)
- Of the 17 deep targets, 12 have been completed (nine from Keenum)
- Of the 12 deep catches, three have been touchdowns (two from Keenum)
And, as a public service message, here's a refresher on what the Browns have allowed:
- They are 12th in pass plays of 20-plus yards allowed (20)
- They are 12th in pass plays of 40-plus yards allowed (three)
- They are third in passing touchdowns allowed with 4 (seven to receivers)
Assuming he plays, Diggs should get some juicy targets against weakish coverage and post some big numbers.
Falcons at Jets
| Falcons | | Jets | |
| Matt Ryan | (6.4) | Josh McCown | (5.5) |
| Devonta Freeman | (8.7) | Matt Forte | (5.7) |
| Tevin Coleman | (5.55) | Bilal Powell | (4.7) |
| Julio Jones | (9.5) | Jermaine Kearse | (6.2) |
| Mohamed Sanu | (6.0) | Robby Anderson | (5.9) |
| Taylor Gabriel | (4.6) | Austin Seferian-Jenkins | (7.0) |
| Austin Hooper | (3.5) | Jets DST | (5.5) |
| Falcons DST | (6.7) | | |
Start Him
In his first game back from injury, Forte led Jets running backs in snaps played and touches. Those categories could be expanded upon further by Forte against a Falcons defense that has habitually struggled against pass-catching running backs. That same quality makes Bilal Powell appealing, but Forte tends to get more touches, and more numbers, when both guys are healthy. The Falcons allowed a receiving touchdown to a running back last week, three touchdown catches on the season and five total with a 4.5 yards per carry average yielded. Forte's in a good spot to be impactful.
Sneaky Sleeper
The hunch here is that the Jets go after Falcons cornerback Robert Alford, who usually lines up to the left of the quarterback. That's where Kearse ends up more than any other spot on the field, and he's had more targets there and over the middle than the right side. He's also just one red-zone target behind Robby Anderson with just as many red-zone touchdowns. However, Kearse also has scores from 24, 29 and 34 yards out, so not quite the red zone but close to it (Anderson's only other score is from 69 yards out). Anderson has a massive edge on targets compared to Kearse, but Kearse still has more catches and is just three yards behind Anderson with more touchdowns.
Panthers at Buccaneers
| Panthers | | Buccaneers | |
| Cam Newton | (9.4) | Jameis Winston | (8.1) |
| Christian McCaffrey | (6.6) | Doug Martin | (6.05) |
| Jonathan Stewart | (4.65) | Mike Evans | (9.6) |
| Kelvin Benjamin | (8.3) | DeSean Jackson | (6.7) |
| Devin Funchess | (6.95) | Cameron Brate | (6.4) |
| Ed Dickson | (5.7) | O.J. Howard | (4.6) |
| Panthers DST | (5.1) | Buccaneers DST | (5.3) |
Sneaky Sleeper
The Panthers had some huge success last year attacking the Buccaneers linebackers, and judging how the Bucs have played the pass in 2017, there's a better than decent chance Dickson stays involved. A tight end has scored on Tampa Bay in three of its past four and on the season tight ends have a 67 percent catch rate against the Bucs. Dickson has averaged 5.5 targets per game in his past four, catching 68 percent of them. With the pass rush not expected to bother Newton as it did last week, Dickson is worth taking a chance on as a streaming tight end.
Start Him
Winston's track record against the Panthers is awful -- he's notched 16 or fewer Fantasy points in three straight. But you'd be nuts to ignore Winston given the way the Carolina secondary has been playing lately. In Carolina's four games before they "shut down" Mitchell Trubisky, it allowed multiple passing touchdowns with no passes intercepted every time. Winston's a safer bet at home and unearthed another target in O.J. Howard last week. There are too many weapons for the Panthers defense to contain. Winston should be fine.
49ers at Eagles
| 49ers | | Eagles | |
| C.J. Beathard | (2.8) | Carson Wentz | (9.0) |
| Carlos Hyde | (6.2) | LeGarrette Blount | (6.9) |
| Pierre Garcon | (5.95) | Wendell Smallwood | (4.5) |
| Marquise Goodwin | (4.5) | Nelson Agholor | (7.3) |
| George Kittle | (3.9) | Alshon Jeffery | (6.9) |
| 49ers DST | (2.8) | Torrey Smith | (4.8) |
| | | Zach Ertz | (9.3) |
| | | Eagles DST | (9.3) |
Sit Them
Smallwood's only had one game this season with 10 or more Fantasy points in any format. It was Week 4 and it was a close, high-scoring game against the Chargers in which he caught a season-best four passes and scored his only touchdown. Sunday's matchup suggests a one-sided drubbing of the 49ers. It sets up for the Eagles to build a lead and potentially grind down the clock, but that job typically goes to LeGarrette Blount, not Smallwood. He had a season-high 12 carries against the Giants in Week 3, but again, it was a close game. This shouldn't be. How much work will he reasonably get? Ten carries and a few grabs? The matchup is wonderful but Smallwood's workload shouldn't be. Keep him benched.
Last week 49ers rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard opted to target short-area teammates rather than throw to the sideline with Garçon. He also tried a handful of deep passes. In a game where the 49ers were trailing pretty much from the jump, Beathard tossed seven of 38 passes to Garçon. And Garçon caught five for 49 yards. He's not a deep threat or an explosive receiver, his quarterback's inexperience was obvious and playing on the road won't help. One-hundred-yard games are rare, red-zone targets are rare and big games are rare. Garçon should be avoided.
Bears at Saints
| Bears | | Saints | |
| Mitchell Trubisky | (2.5) | Drew Brees | (8.3) |
| Jordan Howard | (7.1) | Mark Ingram | (8.4) |
| Tarik Cohen | (4.0) | Alvin Kamara | (6.5) |
| Kendall Wright | (4.3) | Michael Thomas | (8.5) |
| Zach Miller | (3.8) | Ted Ginn | (6.5) |
| Bears DST | (4.5) | Brandon Coleman | (5.4) |
| | | Coby Fleener | (4.4) |
| | | Saints DST | (8.1) |
Sneaky Sleeper
Ted Ginn
WR
2017 stats
TAR27
REC22
YDS353
TD2
Fine, Ginn isn't that sneaky of a sleeper because he's been playing well the past few weeks. There really hasn't been any boost in playing time or routes run for Ted Ginn since the Saints bye -- he's just getting more opportunities. Before the bye he averaged 4.0 targets, 2.8 catches and 36.5 yards over four games with one score. In two games since, Ginn has 5.5 targets and 5.5 catches with 103.5 yards per game and a score. The Bears pass defense has been good, but it has taken advantage of suspect quarterbacks and weaker offensive lines. Drew Brees' track record against defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is outstanding, his O-line has been a little bit better lately and he should continue connecting with Ginn.
Chargers at Patriots
| Chargers | | Patriots | |
| Philip Rivers | (7.2) | Tom Brady | (8.0) |
| Melvin Gordon | (6.8) | Dion Lewis | (6.1) |
| Keenan Allen | (8.0) | James White | (5.1) |
| Travis Benjamin | (5.8) | Mike Gillislee | (3.8) |
| Tyrell Williams | (4.7) | Rex Burkhead | (3.4) |
| Mike Williams | (3.7) | Chris Hogan | (7.8) |
| Hunter Henry | (7.8) | Brandin Cooks | (7.7) |
| Chargers DST | (6.4) | Danny Amendola | (5.05) |
| | | Rob Gronkowski | (9.4) |
| | | Patriots DST | (4.7) |
Start Them
The Patriots have allowed a touchdown to a tight end in five of their past seven games. Henry has come through for seven-plus Fantasy points in every game he's had at least one target in. That gives you have a pretty good idea of what to expect. More importantly, he's come on as a primary option for Philip Rivers, notching 20 targets in the past three weeks (four in the red zone).
It's no surprise that Lewis' playing time has gone up over the last two games -- he's taken advantage of Mike Gillislee's disappointing play and become the current primary running downs back for the Pats. What is surprising is Lewis' playing time matching that of passing downs running back James White, who previously had a hammerlock on leading the Patriots' backs in snaps. Lewis and White each have 10 red-zone snaps over the last two games, and Gillislee is still in the mix in short-yardage situations, but Lewis' explosiveness should mesh well with a Chargers defense that's missed 64 tackles this season and has allowed 5.0 yards per rush through seven games.
Raiders at Bills
| Raiders | | Bills | |
| Derek Carr | (6.8) | Tyrod Taylor | (7.3) |
| Jalen Richard | (5.3) | LeSean McCoy | (9.6) |
| DeAndre Washington | (4.4) | Deonte Thompson | (5.1) |
| Michael Crabtree | (8.2) | Jordan Matthews | (5.2) |
| Amari Cooper | (7.5) | Nick O'Leary | (4.8) |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | (4.2) | Bills DST | (6.8) |
| Jared Cook | (5.2) | | |
| Raiders DST | (5.7) | | |
Sit Them
These two were fairly similar in terms of usage and production last year, and while Richard's had the better numbers this year, the hunch is that both will see similar roles and playing time. After Lynch got the boot last week, Washington had the edge on Richard in rushing average (4.3 to 2.5), carries (six to four) and work inside the opponents' 10-yard line (two to none, including a four-yard touchdown). Maybe that makes you feel a little better about Washington, but against a Bills defense holding running backs to 3.5 yards per carry, there really isn't a clear-cut Raider running back to trust. Oakland also ranks 30th in rush attempts per game (21.7), so it's hard to expect one guy getting even 15 touches. Richard's speed, receiving skills and early-season numbers give him a teeny edge.
Colts at Bengals
| Colts | | Bengals | |
| Jacoby Brissett | (2.9) | Andy Dalton | (7.9) |
| Marlon Mack | (5.2) | Joe Mixon | (7.6) |
| Frank Gore | (3.7) | Giovani Bernard | (4.9) |
| T.Y. Hilton | (5.6) | A.J. Green | (9.7) |
| Donte Moncrief | (4.1) | Brandon LaFell | (5.3) |
| Jack Doyle | (3.7) | John Ross | (5.15) |
| Colts DST | (2.0) | Tyler Kroft | (6.5) |
| | | Bengals DST | (9.1) |
Sit Him
The Bengals rank third in pass yards allowed (177.7 per game), ninth in sacks (18) and tied for sixth in fewest pass plays of 20-plus yards allowed (15). That's really bad news for Jacoby Brissett, who's averaged 140.0 pass yards per game on the road versus 247.4 at home. The Bengals are in a get-right spot for both sides of the ball and should be able to attack Brissett while tilting coverage toward Hilton. The wideout has put up over 100 yards in each of his past two against the Bengals, but it's been with Andrew Luck under center and with at least six receptions, a mark Hilton's topped just twice in 2017, both times against really bad defenses. Sit him if you can.
Texans at Seahawks
| Texans | | Seahawks | |
| Deshaun Watson | (7.4) | Russell Wilson | (9.3) |
| Lamar Miller | (5.8) | Thomas Rawls | (4.1) |
| DeAndre Hopkins | (7.45) | Eddie Lacy | (3.5) |
| Will Fuller | (6.05) | Doug Baldwin | (8.4) |
| Bruce Ellington | (3.5) | Paul Richardson | (5.7) |
| Texans DST | (6.9) | Tyler Lockett | (3.6) |
| | | Jimmy Graham | (7.6) |
| | | Seahawks DST | (8.3) |
Start Him
Deshaun Watson
View Profile
CLE • QB • #4
2017 stats
CMP%6,150.0
YDS1,297
TD15
INT5
ATT28
RUSH YDS202
RUSH TD2
No one should expect Watson to win this game ... the Texans might not even come close. But he's destroyed bad defenses and played fine against modest ones, so he's worth giving the benefit of the doubt. He's proven to be stat-selfish in garbage time before, and in close games he's come through with nice numbers. Seattle's defense has knocked out quarterbacks like Brian Hoyer, Jacoby Brissett, Jared Goff and the post-Odell version of Eli Manning, but they had their hands full with Aaron Rodgers and Marcus Mariota. They're not a perfect defense, and Watson is clearly willing and able to mobilize and attack downfield. If you've been starting him, don't get cute and sit him for Matt Ryan or Derek Carr.
Cowboys at Redskins
| Cowboys | | Redskins | |
| Dak Prescott | (8.7) | Kirk Cousins | (8.8) |
| Ezekiel Elliott | (9.7) | Chris Thompson | (6.3) |
| Dez Bryant | (8.1) | Rob Kelley | (4.3) |
| Brice Butler | (4.9) | Josh Doctson | (6.3) |
| Cole Beasley | (3.8) | Jordan Reed | (7.1) |
| Jason Witten | (5.0) | Vernon Davis | (4.1) |
| Cowboys DST | (5.9) | Redskins DST | (3.9) |
Risky Starter
The matchup for Witten is outstanding, but there's too much volatility to make him a slam-dunk start. Last year the Cowboys racked up 58 points in two games against the Redskins and Witten couldn't amass 60 yards. Heck, he hasn't had 60-plus yards in eight of his last nine against Washington, scoring just three times in that span. Witten's best games with Prescott come when he falls into a lot of targets, something he hasn't done in three of his last four overall.
Steelers at Lions
| Steelers | | Lions | |
| Ben Roethlisberger | (5.1) | Matthew Stafford | (5.0) |
| Le'Veon Bell | (9.8) | Ameer Abdullah | (4.8) |
| Antonio Brown | (9.4) | Theo Riddick | (3.9) |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | (6.4) | Golden Tate | (6.6) |
| Steelers DST | (8.5) | Marvin Jones | (6.1) |
| | | Lions DST | (6.6) |
Sit Him
Until we see Roethlisberger put up a nice game on the road against anyone other than the Browns, he's hands off outside of Heinz Field. Plus it's not like he's been putting up huge games -- he's been between 20 and 21 Fantasy points three times and 14 or fewer points four times. Only Cam Newton managed to post better than 17 Fantasy points against the Lions this season, a list that includes Carson Palmer, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees. You can do better than Roethlisberger.
Broncos at Chiefs
| Broncos | | Chiefs | |
| Trevor Siemian | (4.1) | Alex Smith | (5.8) |
| C.J. Anderson | (5.9) | Kareem Hunt | (8.5) |
| Jamaal Charles | (4.2) | Tyreek Hill | (7.1) |
| Demaryius Thomas | (7.9) | Travis Kelce | (9.5) |
| Bennie Fowler | (5.0) | Chiefs DST | (7.1) |
| A.J. Derby | (4.0) | | |
| Broncos DST | (7.3) | | |
Risky Starter
Since the bye, Anderson's touches and playing time have slid. Each of the past two games he's played 39 snaps and he's combined for 20 touches and 78 yards. It's not Jamaal Charles taking more snaps, either -- it's Devontae Booker. He's starting to creep into roughly 20 percent of the snaps, turning the Broncos into a three-headed monster. Tack on an underwhelming offensive line and a passing game struggling to find traction, and a good matchup against the Chiefs doesn't even matter. It only hurts his case that the Chiefs have traditionally played the run well in their meetings with the Broncos.
Dolphins at Ravens
| Dolphins | | Ravens | |
| Matt Moore | (5.6) | Joe Flacco | (4.0) |
| Jay Ajayi | (6.8) | Javorius Allen | (5.6) |
| Jarvis Landry | (7.4) | Alex Collins | (4.6) |
| Kenny Stills | (6.8) | Jeremy Maclin | (5.25) |
| Dolphins DST | (7.5) | Chris Moore | (4.75) |
| | | Benjamin Watson | (5.6) |
| | | Ravens DST | (6.1) |
Start Him
Like it or not, Allen is the Ravens coaches' choice in the red zone as well as in passing situations. Alex Collins has played 91 snaps this season -- and only one has been inside the opponents' 20. Miami has allowed 5.2 yards per carry and 9.6 yards per catch to running backs over its last two games against the Falcons and Jets. Three different backs had at least 79 yards in those games and a fourth had a touchdown. The short week should help Allen against a tired and traveling Dolphins defense.
