It's Week 8! Despite the concerns preseason, we've actually made it to the halfway point of the fantasy season. So we need to keep our foot on the gas to grab that all-important playoff spot. To help you, here are our weekly start/sits... @MattFFDynasty gives you his starts for the week and @FFShaneB gives you his sits and the guys you should be wary of heading into Week 8.
Teams on their bye week:
Arizona Cardinals
Washington Football Team
Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston Texans
Quarterback
Starts
Start Of The Week
Teddy Bridgewater (CAR) Vs ATL
Bridgewater has been a solid and reliable QB so far this season, and he's thrown for the 5th most passing yards so far this season in the NFL. Now he faces the porous Falcons pass defense that has allowed an average of 28.3 FPPG (most in the NFL) to the QB position. In this likely shootout, you can be confident starting Bridgewater this week.
Justin Herbert (LAC) @ DEN
What a start to this young mans NFL career! Despite only playing 5 games this season, Herbert already has over 1500 passing yards and 12 TDs, and currently sits as the QB15. The Broncos are a 'middle of the road' defense but are banged up, and with the form Herbert is in right now, you have to keep starting him.
Derek Carr (LV) @ CLE
Carr has been surprisingly reliable so far this season with over 260 passing yards in each of his last 5 games and only throwing 2 INTs so far. The Browns aren't great against opposing QBs (giving up an average of 22 FPPG) and with that, plus the Raiders poor defense this season, Carr should put up another solid showing against the Browns.
Sits
Sit Of The Week
Joe Burrow (CIN) Vs TEN
Tennessee is leading the AFC South division and is a tough team to beat with excellent coaching. Their defense is great on first and second down but has struggled on third down. I think this may be the week that the underrated defense steps up there and takes advantage of the rookie.
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) Vs LAR
Dolphins fans and Bama fans please don’t hate me!!! I love Tua. I think he’s gonna be really good going forward and feel like people have forgotten how good he is. But he has a TOUGH matchup against the most underrated team in the NFL to me. The Rams are GOOD, yet third in their division. And it is a tough matchup to start your career off with. I hope he proves me wrong.
Daniel Jones (NYG) Vs NYG
Look if I’m being honest you’re probably not starting Jones anyway, but if you have any hope for him to turn it around I would wait a week. Tampa Bay has a pretty good defense just like they did last year and Jones will struggle this week.
Running Back
Starts
Start Of The Week
Kareem Hunt (CLE) Vs LV
Kareem Hunt put up another solid outing in Week 7 and continues to impress in the absence of Nick Chubb. He now gets one of the worst run defenses in the league in the Las Vegas Raiders. You can start Hunt with confidence this week as he looks to add to the 7 TDs that he already has this season.
Jonathan Taylor (IND) Vs DET
Coming off his bye week, Taylor should be refreshed and ready to run all over this poor Lions defense. They are giving up an average of 27.4 FPPG to the RB position. Taylor has seen a little more action in the passing game over the last 2 games, with 6 receptions, plus his snap share is rising. Taylor is slowly edging towards being the workhorse we all hoped he would be and becoming a weekly must-start.
Darrell Henderson (LAR) @ MIA
What a difference a year makes. After a rookie season to forget, Henderson has looked great so far this season. Although this backfield is a RBBC, Henderson is the lead guy in this committee and should get the majority of RB touches again. While ever the Rams defense is hot, Henderson will get plenty of opportunities to be a consistent fantasy RB.
Sits
Sit Of The Week
D'Andre Swift (DET) Vs IND
Indy is coming off a bye and their defense has been top 5 against the run all year. Swift likely (hopefully) isn’t your RB1 so you can probably afford to sit him as he has a tough matchup and is still technically in a committee backfield. I’m not putting my eggs in that basket this week.
David Montgomery (CHI) Vs NO
I don’t know what to start with for Mr. Montgomery. Do I start with the terrible O line play? The terrible playcalling? Or New Orleans defense? Will start with the Saints. Their defense has been top 10 against the run and I don’t see that changing. Because Chicago has a terrible O line which leads to poor lanes to run through for Monty. Sit him this week.
Joshua Kelley/Justin Jackson (LAC) @ DEN
Denver is also very tough against the run. I think this bodes worse for Kelley but Justin Jackson shares that backfield and I think they both struggle this week.
Wide Receiver
Starts
Start Of The Week
Tyler Boyd (CIN) Vs TEN
Boyd is coming off his best performance of the season in Week 7 with 11 receptions for 101 yards and a TD against the Browns. He now gets the Titans who, like the Browns, have struggled against opposing WRs. Rookie QB Joe Burrow seems to have got this offense humming, and I fully expect his favorite target, in Tyler Boyd, to put up another great performance in a likely high scoring affair.
Henry Ruggs III (LV) @ CLE
Ruggs appears to be a bit of a 'boom or bust' type player in his rookie season, but we know his upside is sky-high with that blazing speed. So after giving up over 400 yards to Joe Burrow's Bengals, we have to start Ruggs this week in a matchup where we have a great chance of seeing that 'boom' week!
Brandon Aiyuk (SF) @ SEA
Aiyuk had his highest reception and yardage total last week, and now gets the WR matchup that we all go crazy over in the Seattle Seahawks who give up an average of an insane 49.1 FPPG to the position. So with that in mind, plus the fact that fellow WR Deebo Samuel has picked up a hamstring injury and likely missing the next 2 games at least, Aiyuk should see plenty of volume again this week.
Sits
Sit Of The Week
Chase Claypool (PIT) @ BAL
Claypool had a rough week against the Titans last week because they treated him like a number 1 priority to stop. If Baltimore follows suit then I think Claypool has another tough week, this time against one of the best corners in the league (and former Hoover Bucs alum, Go Bucs) Marlon Humphrey.
DeVante Parker (MIA) Vs LAR
DeVante Parker is playing the Rams who have a really good defense. A member of that defense, known as Jalen Ramsey, will most likely be guarding Devante Parker. This means you should sit Parker because Ramsey is one of the most physical, nastiest defensive players in the league. Sit Parker.
Adam Theilen/Justin Jefferson (MIN) @ GB
This is a rivalry game and the Packers beat the Vikings bad last time. With the way both teams have looked it could be much of the same. The Packers are 8th against fantasy receivers. One of them is going to be guarded by Jaire Alexander who is an excellent young corner. You may want to bench both Theilen and Jefferson this week.
Tight End
Starts
Start Of The Week
Jonnu Smith (TEN) @ CIN
Many owners got burnt by Jonnu Smith last week after having only 1 reception for 9 yards, but I'm confident he can bounce back this week against the Bengals who have struggled against the TE positions. Let's not forget Smith is still the TE4 despite already having his bye week and missing most of Week 6 after his injury.
Jimmy Graham (CHI) Vs NO
Jimmy Graham continues to roll back the years and currently sits as the TE6. He's averaging 6 targets a game, which in the minefield of the TE position, is like gold dust. Also, the Saints are one of the worst defenses against TEs so Graham should continue to be a solid, if unspectacular, start in your TE position this week.
Richard Rodgers (PHI) Vs DAL
With Ertz and Goedert both still absent through injury, Rodgers should again be a serviceable player in your TE position. He had 6 receptions for 85 yards last week against the Giants and now gets the poor Dallas pass defense in this divisional matchup. He should be a solid start again this week before their bye week (Week 9) and the return of Goedert likely in Week 10.
Sits
Sit Of The Week
T.J Hockenson (DET) Vs IND
Indianapolis has a good defense this year! They are very tough against the Tight End position. Hockenson is having a better year than last year, and is looking as good as the player you drafted for dynasty purposes. Because of this matchup though you should sit him this week.
Tyler Higbee (LAR) @ MIA
Miami has been a tough defense against tight ends. They are starting their rookie QB and are going to want to play hard for him to get his first win. Higbee was hurt last week, and you may want to keep him on the bench if he comes back this week.
Trey Burton (IND) @ DET
Burton has a tough matchup against Detroit. They have been able to stop the tight end pretty well. Burton needs to be a last resort for your team at tight end this week.
Defense
Starts
Start Of The Week
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ NYG
The New York Giants showed signs of life last week against the Eagles, however, it will be no easy task to repeat that this week, going up against one of the best fantasy defenses around in the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers could easily be the No.1 fantasy defense this week
Kansas City Cheifs Vs NYJ
Buffalo Bills Vs NE
L.A Chargers @ DEN
L.A Rams @ MIA
Sits
Sit Of The Week
Pittsburgh Steelers Vs BAL
I know that Pittsburgh's defense has been very good. The Ravens offense has also been good. I do not expect this to be a classic Ravens-Steelers defensive smash-mouth game. Both their offenses are too good. SO sit PIT this week
Cleveland Browns Vs LV
Carolina Panthers Vs ATL
Thanks for reading. Be sure to keep an eye out every Wednesday for our weekly start/sit article with the @FF_Astronauts. Follow @FFShaneB and @MattFFDynasty on twitter for more Fantasy Football content throughout the season and hit us up with your Start/Sit questions.
