Fantasy Football Week 8 Sleepers: Corey Davis, Ryan Tannehill among prime options, plus DFS lineups
Jamey Eisenberg runs through his favorite sleepers for each position in Week 8 plus offers his lineups for DFS this weekend.
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There are plenty of sleepers to be excited about this week, and several surprise players who might be able to help you win in Week 8. I love weeks like this when you can rely on these types of guys.
Two of my favorite sleepers are receivers we first talked about Tuesday for waiver wire adds with Kenny Stills and Corey Davis. I like both as starters this week, and you should feel confident in their situations. More on them below.
At running back, two backups on their own teams could be in good spots this week with Benny Snell and Darrell Henderson. They have great matchups, and you might consider both as flex options.
And there are some quality streamers at quarterback and tight end this week, including Ryan Tannehill, Mason Rudolph, Jonnu Smith and Cameron Brate. Smith and Brate are in good spots as injury replacements, and they could be awesome in Week 8.
I also like Josh Hill this week with Jared Cook (ankle) hurt, and I wrote about Hill as a start option in Start 'Em and Sit 'Em. But he's worth considering in the sleeper category as well.
Now, let's take a look at the sleepers for Week 8, as well as some DFS lineup suggestions on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Week 8 Sleepers
Week 8 Preview
Sleepers
Quarterbacks
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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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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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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Running backs
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 Henderson remains the No. 2 running back this week with Malcolm Brown (ankle) out, and 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 that 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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Ty Johnson is the running back to use this week for the Lions now that Kerryon Johnson (knee) is out, but don't overlook McKissic as a flex option in PPR. While he hasn't been a star in the passing game so far this season, he does have four catches for 38 yards on six targets in his past two outings. And he had a season-high five carries for 29 yards in Week 7 against Minnesota in the game when Kerryon Johnson got hurt. The Giants allow the fourth-most Fantasy points to opposing running backs for the season, so there could be a chance for McKissic to be useful as a flex in tandem with Ty Johnson.
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Wide receivers
I like both Titans receivers this week with Davis and A.J. Brown now that 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 in Week 7 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. 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 Denver.
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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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With A.J. Green (ankle) still out, Erickson is someone to consider in PPR leagues. He had 20 targets in his past two games against Baltimore and Jacksonville, and he has 12 catches for 184 yards over that span. He's operating as the third receiver behind Tyler Boyd and Auden Tate, and the Bengals can't run the ball now, which is the reason for his spike in targets. He's someone to consider as a low-end No. 3 PPR receiver in Week 8 against the Rams in London.
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Johnson should benefit with Rudolph back for the Steelers, as well as the matchup against the Dolphins. In two games with Rudolph prior to him getting hurt in Week 5 against Baltimore, Johnson had nine catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns on 12 targets. I'm hopeful Rudolph continues to feature Johnson as the secondary option behind JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Miami allows the sixth-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers this year. The Dolphins are tied for the lead with 11 touchdowns allowed to receivers in 2019.
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If there was ever a week for Metcalf to go off, this is it. The Falcons secondary is bad, allowing the fifth-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and Metcalf just had a season-high nine targets in Week 7 against Baltimore in the first outing without tight end Will Dissly (Achilles). He only had four catches for 53 yards, but hopefully that spike in targets becomes the norm moving forward. Metcalf is worth using as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week.
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Tight ends
Smith is a good plug-and-play option with Delanie Walker (ankle) 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 as Walker's replacement. 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 Fuller 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 he's out in Week 8 with a hamstring injury, giving Brate the chance for the spotlight. Brate is now a must-start tight end in all leagues at Tennessee. 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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Week 4 Preview
DFS LINEUPS
DraftKings
QB - Ryan Tannehill ($5,100) vs. TB
RB - Christian McCaffrey ($9,200) at SF
RB - Leonard Fournette ($7,800) vs. NYJ
WR - Kenny Golladay ($6,400) vs. NYG
WR - Golden Tate ($5,800) at DET
WR - Kenny Stills ($4,700) vs. OAK
TE - Jonnu Smith ($2,800) vs. TB
FLEX - Courtland Sutton ($5,300) at IND
DST - Jaguars ($2,900) vs. NYJ
I'll stack the Titans here with Tannehill and Smith, and hopefully Walker doesn't play. Going cheap at those spots allows me to play McCaffrey and Fournette, which I love.
I'm excited about Tate in the revenge game against the Lions, and Stills, while popular for DFS, will be worth it given his expected production and price. I also expect Golladay to go off against the Giants after watching teammate Marvin Jones score four touchdowns in Week 7 against Minnesota.
Sutton is a great flex play with his matchup against the Colts, and I like the Jaguars defense a lot this week at home against the Jets.
FanDuel
QB - Jameis Winston ($7,400) at TEN
RB - Saquon Barkley ($8,600) at DET
RB - Leonard Fournette ($7,700) vs. NYJ
WR - DeAndre Hopkins ($8,200) vs. OAK
WR - John Brown ($5,900) vs. PHI
WR - Corey Davis ($5,500) vs. TB
TE - Cameron Brate ($5,200) at TEN
FLEX - Todd Gurley ($7,400) vs. CIN
DST - Chargers ($4,100) at CHI
I'm going with a Buccaneers stack here with Winston and Brate, and I'm hopeful Howard is out for Brate to have a big game. Don't shy away from Winston because of his bad game in Week 6 against the Panthers in London. He should bounce back in a big way.
Going cheap at quarterback and tight end allows me to play Barkley and Fournette here, and Barkley should be awesome against the Lions. I also expect Hopkins to go off against the Raiders, and he's worth the price.
Brown should be great against the Eagles, and I like Davis a lot against the Buccaneers. I'm also excited about Gurley facing the Bengals in London, and he's a quality flex option at his price.
