Looking for some lineup advice? You've come to the right place.
Dallas and Baltimore are the only two Week 8 byes, but injuries have started to take their toll, and you're undoubtedly looking at some tough start and sit questions. There are plenty of Fantasy-relevant names on benches, and all your leaguemates are looking to the waiver wire for short-term help, too.
Luckily, you can go through every game on the schedule right here to find out who Dave is starting and sitting for all 30 teams on the Week 8 schedule.
Seattle (5-2) at Atlanta (1-6)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Seahawks -3.5
Sit Him
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Ridley's already proven to be combustible given his dependency on big plays. Three of his four touchdowns have come from 20 or more yards out and he has just one game over 100 yards and two over 70 yards. If he had a hard time in those areas with Matt Ryan, why would things get easier with Matt Schaub? Granted, the 38-year-old actually looked reliable on the Falcons' last drive of Week 7, throwing with accuracy and velocity, but he probably loses out to Ryan in the deep-passing category. That clearly hurts Ridley's upside. Seattle's pass defense metrics, from quarterback pressures to passing yards allowed, are very middle-of-the-packish, save for completion rate (12th-best) and touchdowns allowed (10th-best). That makes an already iffy situation with Schaub under center just a little bit worse. If you start Ridley, you're banking on his target share rising with Mohamed Sanu no longer on the roster. That's not guaranteed to happen.
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Denver (2-5) at Indianapolis (4-2)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Colts -6
Start Him in PPR
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Freeman's delivered some good consistency in PPR formats. He's had 14-plus touches in five of his past six, four or more receptions in 5 of his past 6 and has a stable floor of eight PPR points in every game since Week 2. Better yet, he's been edging out Phillip Lindsay in snaps played to the tune of nearly 60-40 in their past four. He even scored last week. That's all good, but the Colts have gone four straight without letting a rusher score on them, allowing just over 100 total yards per game to backs. Game script might force the Broncos to halt their rush attempts by the fourth quarter. That shouldn't impact Freeman's receiving totals, plus it doesn't hurt that any target share Emmanuel Sanders had will get spread around to other Broncos. I'd be nervous to use him in non-PPR.
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Sneaky Sleeper
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The 19% target share Emmanuel Sanders had won't just evaporate into thin air. DaeSean Hamilton will see targets for sure, but he and Joe Flacco have played together a bunch and simply have not connected. Fant is far more a receiver than a tight end (he's blocked on 6.4% of his pass play snaps) and has drawn at least three targets from Flacco in all but one game in 2019. That number should increase with Sanders gone. Know what other number should rise? Red-zone targets -- he has one all year, but Sanders had nine (tied for second-most in the NFL). The matchup against a Colts pass defense that ranks fourth in most Fantasy points allowed to tight ends awaits. If you're streaming tight ends, consider Fant among your options. And even if you don't need Fant, consider stashing him for a week or two to see how he fares.
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Start Them
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Honestly, Brissett deserves must-start status. He has one game all season with less than two touchdowns and one in his last four with under 250 yards. The Colts haven't had a consistent run game but have managed some incredible play via the pass. Guys like Zach Pascal and Eric Ebron are making plays for Brissett and the offense is scheming the heck out of opponents. So even though the Broncos' pass rush has come alive over the past three weeks (top 10 in quarterback pressures and sacks, per Sports Info Solutions), Brissett's offensive line should handle it and give him time to throw. It's been part of the secret to his success, and it should continue.
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For some, starting Ebron is gross. He's not a full-time player in the Colts offense, he has one reception in three games this season and he's tied for second among tight ends with four drops. But who else are you going to start over a guy who has both red-zone and big-play potential?! Ebron's found the end zone in three of his past five and has five red-zone targets on the season (11th best among tight ends). But perhaps most importantly, Ebron wasn't phased out of the offense following the Colts' bye week. In fact, he registered his best game of the season with a 4-70-1 stat line against a Texans unit that had been amazing against his position. Once you get past the no-brainer must-start tight ends, you should be willing to take a shot on anyone who has some potential to score. Ebron not only has that, but he can also pick up some decent yardage too. That's enough to make him a starter for now.
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Tampa Bay (2-4) at Tennessee (3-4)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Titans -2.5
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You might not want to start Winston, but the alternatives aren't exactly better. He melted down in his last game because his offensive line couldn't protect him. Coming out of the bye, you would hope the Buccaneers have a better plan in place to keep Winston as clean as possible. Right tackle Demar Dotson is expected to return after missing a game. Despite their track record against quarterbacks this season, the Titans still don't have a feasting pass rush, ranking 21st in quarterback pressures and 29th in quarterback hurries according to Sports Info Solutions. That's part of the reason why opposing quarterbacks have hit 20-plus points against Tennessee in four of their past six. It's a glimmer of hope for Winston to secure over 200 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
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Entering last week's game, only 17 of the 27 targets Davis had from Marcus Mariota were deemed catchable by Sports Info Solutions. Ryan Tannehill threw 6 of 7 catchable targets toward Davis, and he caught them all. Honestly, Tannehill looked marvelous, making daring tight-window throws to all of his receivers despite a less-than-perfect offensive line. The Buccaneers pass defense has been among the worst in football -- five receivers have posted 16-plus non-PPR points against them in their past four games. So long as Tannehill doesn't revert to old habits, Davis (and his receiving mates) have a shot at some good numbers. Take advantage of his cheap pricing in DFS (4,400 on DraftKings, 5,500 on FanDuel).
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Sneaky Sleeper
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O.J. Howard's absence should thrust Brate into a much larger role for the Buccaneers. That's very good news for a couple of reasons: One, the matchup against the Titans is quite favorable as only one tight end to face them this year has not come away with 90-plus yards or a touchdown. Two, the Bucs figure to be a little more methodical in their passing game approach considering Winston's five-interception game in their last game. If Winston tries to take care of the ball, the defense figures to lead him to Brate instead of high-risk throws way downfield to Evans and Godwin. Brate's got a solid chance to score and could see an uptick in targets since he'll assume a larger role. He's also a gift in DFS (2,700 on DraftKings, 5,200 on FanDuel).
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Arizona (3-3-1) at New Orleans (6-1)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Saints -9.5
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The Cardinals have smartly attacked opponents' weaknesses in their past four games, only bringing out a strong passing attack for the matchup against the Falcons. They'll have a tough time finding weaknesses in the Saints defense, but New Orleans will start some fresh faces at cornerback aside from shut-down superstar Marshon Lattimore, who predominantly lines up on the outside and has been for the past three seasons. Fitzgerald has been locked into a slot role this year, so a potential one-on-one matchup versus rookie nickelback Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is coming up. That sounds amazing, but it would be a massive shocker if the Saints put him in position to battle Fitzgerald without help. That makes the matchup a little more difficult for Fitzgerald, who hasn't flashed any semblance of speed this season (4.0 yards per target). He could easily reel in six receptions, but for not a lot of yards, and he hasn't scored since Week 3. He's a PPR flex.
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Cincinnati (0-7) at L.A. Rams (4-3)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Rams -13
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Forget about the terrible offensive line, the questionable play calling and the uncreative offensive scheme that the Bengals have had. Here's the shocker on Joe Mixon: his playing time is in a free fall. He's only played 52% of the team's snaps over the last two weeks! No wonder why he's only getting around 10 touches per game. L.A. has given up an average of 3.7 yards per carry to running backs all season and under 3.0 yards per carry in their two blowout wins. This Sunday should mark blowout number three. Mixon shouldn't be trusted.
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Sit Him in non-PPR
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On one hand, Tyler Boyd sees too many targets on a per-game basis (10-plus in 5 of 7 games) to ever think about sitting. But he had a terrible game last week including three drops and a fumble when he pressed for more yardage on a short catch. It felt like the Jaguars got physical with him and that combined with some poor throws by a sometimes-rushed Andy Dalton made him a disappointment. It's hard to see any of that change in the matchup against the Rams in London. He'll see a lot of Nickell Robey-Coleman when he lines up in the slot and potentially Jalen Ramsey when he lines up wide. Yikes. The only positive is his target share. Each of six receivers with eight-plus targets against L.A. has floored at 9 PPR points and maxed out at 41 PPR points. He's worth starting, but probably as no more than a quality No. 2 PPR option. He's much less desirable in non-PPR formats since he's had just two games above seven points this year.
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Philadelphia (3-4) at Buffalo (5-1)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Bills -1.5
Sit Him
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It would be a big surprise if Wentz strolled into Buffalo and walked out with a very good stat line. Buffalo has limited every passer it has faced to under 300 yards and one passing touchdown or fewer, and only the wily Ryan Fitzpatrick found 20-plus Fantasy points against the Bills because he ran for a score. Not only is Wentz struggling without a reliable field stretcher speeding downfield, but the left tackle spot was a major problem last week against Dallas and figures to be a pressure point for the Bills to attack on Sunday. This should be Wentz's third stinker in four weeks -- see who is on waivers before making a commitment to him as your quarterback.
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The only two quarterbacks to not have big Fantasy games against the Eagles this season are Matthew Stafford (who should have had a big game if not for some bad-luck penalties) and Luke Falk. Everyone else has had a minimum of 22 Fantasy points against Philly, and Allen should be no exception. The real key here is that the Eagles' run defense has managed to stay tough while their secondary has managed to stink. As a team the Eagles allow a 66% completion percentage and have given up the sixth-most yards after catch (896). It's a terrific recipe for Allen to keep attacking downfield to guys like John Brown.
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L.A. Chargers (2-5) at Chicago (3-3)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Bears -4
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The Bears' pass rush was non-existent last week against a very strong Saints offensive line. That's unlikely to happen again versus a Chargers front five that's rushed Philip Rivers into his throws (but hasn't had him sacked much). There's also a great big target on the Bears run defense after getting shredded for 280 yards and five touchdowns by the Raiders and the Alvin Kamara-less Saints in their past two games. There's no way the Chargers will ignore that area, particularly since they've been stubbornly trying to get their run game going since Melvin Gordon's return (runs called on 47% of their plays last week). With Chicago giving up one game with 20-plus Fantasy points to a passer all season, it's hard to bank on a big game from Rivers.
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The Bears had a week to reconfigure their run game. They obviously found no answers. One thing we can deduce: Montgomery wasn't as big a piece of the offense as he was before the bye, playing just 47% of the snaps, his lowest since Week 2, including 15 of 28 first-half plays. Last Sunday also marked Montgomery's fifth game out of six with under 3.5 yards per rush. And it's not like the Chargers have a dangerous defense -- they're getting run over to the tune of 4.5 yards per tote with a rushing score in five of seven games. But Montgomery isn't elusive, and now he's not certain to even see 12 touches. He's a touchdown-or-bust running back who proved two weeks ago that he's capable of delivering under 10 non-PPR points even when he does score.
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N.Y. Giants (2-5) at Detroit (2-3-1)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Lions -7
Sneaky Sleeper
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I'm not worried about Jones getting benched for Eli Manning. And while I would normally be worried about Jones in this matchup, the Lions are likely to have several new defensive starters. Safety Quandre Diggs was traded this week, shut-down cornerback Darius Slay is questionable and defensive lineman Mike Daniels hasn't played in weeks. For a team already ranked 31st in quarterback pressures, that's bad news. It should lead to more time for Jones to throw and bigger windows to throw into, both of which can help him put together a good game. Furthermore, the Lions should be able to rack up some points on the Giants' defense, putting Jones in position to chase points and notch a couple of touchdowns. He's not a must-start, but there is potential for a 20-point game.
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Start Him
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Johnson's a solid talent with a great opportunity to be the primary back for the Lions. He's got a quick burst to his game along with underrated receiving skills, perfect for a matchup against a Giants defense that's been steamrolled for four scores and 114.7 rush yards per game by the last three lead rushers they've seen. It is expected that Johnson will lose passing-downs chores to J.D. McKissic, but it should leave enough for Johnson to get as many as 15 touches in a favorable matchup. He should go right from your waiver wire to your lineup.
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N.Y. Jets (1-5) at Jacksonville (3-4)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Jaguars -6
Sit Him
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The Jets are a weird defense. They have great talent in the front seven and rank 11th against the run but have allowed 10 rushing touchdowns, tied for the most. Nine of them have come from inside of five yards, and five of those nine came in their last two games. Outside of safety Jamal Adams, their secondary has been sloppy and rank 24th in passing yards allowed, yet they've been scored on just six times (two in the red zone), tied for fourth-fewest in the league. So it's an interesting matchup for Minshew, whose completion percentage has dropped like a rock since Week 1 and has been below 50% each of the last two weeks. The Jets are bottom-11 in quarterback pressures and have just seven sacks this season, so that should buy Minshew some time to throw, but the Jaguars might opt to keep it easy for the passing game and lean on Leonard Fournette, especially near the goal line.
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Sit Him in non-PPR
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Westbrook is ticketed for a matchup with Jets slot corner Brian Poole, a matchup we would have been all over before the season. However, Poole has played great this year, holding receivers to a 60.6% catch rate, 6.3 yards per catch and zero scores. He actually has the fourth-highest grade from Pro Football Focus among corners with at least 120 snaps played. I don't imagine Poole's play will scare Minshew into throwing in his direction, but I do think Poole's play caps Westbrook's upside for his third 80-yard game of the season. That's why he's a much better start in leagues where catches count.
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Carolina (4-2) at San Francisco (6-0)
4:05 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: 49ers -5.5
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The secret to the 49ers pass defense is their pass rush (20 sacks). That unit has masked what might still be a suspect secondary. If there's a weak spot in the Niners secondary, it's still right corner Emmanuel Moseley, who's been fine through his last three starts but not really tested. Based on where Moore has lined up this season, he'll be in line to see Moseley plenty. Only three receivers have at least seven targets against the Niners this year, and all three have posted a minimum of 12 non-PPR and 17 PPR points. Moore has at least eight targets in four of six games. He's a must in PPR and good enough to take a chance on in non-PPR too.
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Oakland (3-3) at Houston (4-3)
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Texans -6.5
Start Him
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Stills has an amazing opportunity to not only fill in as the deep-ball receiver that Will Fuller was, but also pick up all of Fuller's snaps as a No. 2 guy in the offense. He practically didn't come off the field last week and recorded deep receptions of 41 and 45 yards against the Colts' zone scheme. Guess what? He'll have a chance to repeat those feats against an even worse defense that plays a similar style! Not only do the Raiders rank 31st in pass defense, but they've allowed the most 20-yard receptions (32) and are tied for the third-most 40-yard receptions given up (seven). They'll also start a rookie, Trayvon Mullen, at cornerback after trading away former starter Gareon Conley to -- guess who?! -- the Texans. And how nice was it for the folks at DraftKings (4,700) and FanDuel (5,700) to price Stills so cheaply for us this week? Thanks guys!
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Cleveland (2-4) at New England (7-0)
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Patriots -13
Sit Him
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It's hard to trust Landry, especially in non-PPR, considering that he's only had one really good game this year and is about to take on the league's best defense. He's been above 70 yards once all year, a number only three receivers have managed to exceed against the Patriots in 2019. Maybe Landry's a little easier to trust in PPR since he's averaged 11.2 points per game and has nestled at least 9 points in four games, but the upside is capped there too because of how good the Patriots defense is.
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Green Bay (6-1) at Kansas City (5-2)
8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Point spread: Packers -4.5
Start Them
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I'll bet you a big bag of cheese curds the Packers look right past the Chiefs' defense against the run in Week 7 and instead set their sights on attacking a group that gave up at least 150 rush yards in Weeks 3 through 6. Aaron Rodgers put on a clinic last week but has seen his run game play huge first-hand this season. Going after the Chiefs run defense not only takes advantage of a matchup but also keeps the Chiefs offense off the field ... not that Matt Moore is leaving the Packers shaking in their boots. Aaron Jones might see a slight edge in touches over Williams, but Williams has 12-plus in three of his past four games along with a touchdown catch in each of his past two.
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The Packers run defense isn't very good, giving up 120 rush yards and/or a touchdown to an opponent in each of its last six games. The Chiefs have to recognize this and attack with the run, particularly to help take some pressure off of backup quarterback Matt Moore. We have seen Kansas City use three backs as part of its rotation, but McCoy has played the most the past two weeks. He's clearly the most explosive and is best suited to take advantage of the matchup. He's OK as a No. 2 running back or flex.
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Start Him, I Guess
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Here are some facts that might surprise you, or make you ill: Graham is tied with Zach Ertz and Travis Kelce for red-zone targets this season (nine), and he's second among all tight ends in targets inside the 10-yard line with five (Kelce has six). That's good info, but so is this: The Chiefs have surrendered one touchdown to a tight end this year (T.J. Hockenson), a pleasant change after forfeiting 10 of them in 2018. The hunch is that the Packers will try running a little more than normal when they're near the goal line, but that doesn't mean Graham won't get a chance to score. As touchdown-or-bust tight ends go, Graham is alright. Just don't expect more than eight or nine non-PPR points even if he does score.
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Miami (0-6) at Pittsburgh (2-4)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Point spread: Steelers -14.5
Risky Starter
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Rudolph put up 21 Fantasy points in a home prime-time game against a weak opponent (Cincinnati) in Week 4. He's in position to do so again. The poor Dolphins rank first in Fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, 11th in most passing yards allowed per game, second-to-last in sacks (seven) and stone last in quarterback pressures (38). It's a spot where the Steelers can let Rudolph "get right" and continue in his development. He needs it -- despite a 67% completion rate, Rudolph is only getting 6.87 yards per pass attempt and is on-target with just 73.4% of his throws (17th among passers with 90-plus attempts). There's risk in starting him because he probably won't have to throw too much to help the Steelers win, but the matchup is worth salivating over nonetheless.
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Washington (1-6) at Minnesota (5-2)
Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Point spread: Vikings -16
Sit Him
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I can't imagine the chewing out Vikings defensive backs got from coach Mike Zimmer after Marvin Jones notched four touchdowns on them last week. And that was after a win! No doubt, Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes haven't played well this year, but it's worth noting that while Marvin Jones caught four scores, Kenny Golladay, the supposed No. 1 receiver in Detroit, was held to 21 scoreless yards. He was double-covered a bunch, and my intuition is that McLaurin will receive similar attention. Of the six receivers to attain at least 10 non-PPR points against Minnesota, only two were No. 1 types. Expectations should be dropped for the rookie.
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Start Him
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Every competent, capable quarterback the Redskins have faced this year has thrown three touchdowns. Hasn't Cousins proven enough to you to be considered competent and capable?! He's thrown multiple scores and gone for over 300 yards in each of his past three games with one interception -- and that's on 34 or fewer pass attempts. There's always a chance Cousins has a game like he did in Week 1 where he barely throws and the Vikings run their way to a victory, but the coaching staff can't help but have faith in him at this point and knows the best way to stay sharp through the air is to pass plenty. Washington's secondary has several injured starters including outside corner Josh Norman and safety Montae Nicholson. Cousins should take advantage, even if he doesn't have Adam Thielen.
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So who should you sit and start in Week 8? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get rankings for every single position, and see which shocking QB comes out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.
