Week 8 presents pivotal lineup dilemmas across all positions with favorable matchups opening up high-upside plays. Meanwhile, several high-scoring fantasy stars run into brutal opposing defenses that warrant caution. Use these matchup breakdowns to lock in your half-PPR starters
Week 8 presents pivotal lineup dilemmas across all positions with favorable matchups opening up high-upside plays. Meanwhile, several high-scoring fantasy stars run into brutal opposing defenses that warrant caution. Use these matchup breakdowns to lock in your half-PPR starters and avoid costly lineup traps.
Scoring assumption: Half PPR.
QB
Dak Prescott and Drake Maye make quality starts thanks to soft opposing secondaries, while Jacoby Brissett offers flex upside. On the other hand, bench Jared Goff, Bryce Young, and Joe Burrow against top-tier pass defenses.
Starts
- Jacoby Brissett (ARI @ DAL) — Risky flex. Averaging 14.8 pts; soft QB matchup vs DAL.
- Geno Smith (NYJ vs LV) — Risky flex. Averaging 13.3 pts; soft QB matchup vs LV.
- Dak Prescott (DAL vs ARI) — Lean start. Averaging 18.4 pts; soft QB matchup vs ARI.
Sits
- Bryce Young (CAR @ GB) — Sit. tough QB matchup vs GB despite 22.1 pts/g.
- Jared Goff (DET vs MIN) — Sit. tough QB matchup vs MIN despite 21.5 pts/g.
- Joe Burrow (CIN vs TEN) — Sit. tough QB matchup vs TEN despite 20.2 pts/g.
RB
Bhayshul Tuten and Rhamondre Stevenson are recommended starts facing friendly run defenses, with MarShawn Lloyd in play as a flex. Conversely, Jahmyr Gibbs and Omarion Hampton face steep battles against stingy run-stopping units and are sits.
Starts
- MarShawn Lloyd (GB vs CAR) — Risky flex. Averaging 5.4 pts on 10.3 touches/g; soft RB matchup vs CAR.
- Bhayshul Tuten (JAX vs IND) — Lean start. Averaging 11.8 pts on 18.4 touches/g; soft RB matchup vs IND.
- Rhamondre Stevenson (NE @ MIA) — Lean start. Averaging 9.6 pts on 14.5 touches/g; soft RB matchup vs MIA.
Sits
- Dameon Pierce (PHI @ WSH) — Sit. tough RB matchup vs WAS despite 7.6 pts/g.
- Omarion Hampton (LAC @ LAR) — Sit. tough RB matchup vs LA despite 10.7 pts/g.
- Keaton Mitchell (LAC @ LAR) — Sit. tough RB matchup vs LA despite 6.6 pts/g.
WR
Justin Jefferson, George Pickens, and Stefon Diggs draw top-notch matchups that make them strong starts. You should bench Jaxon Smith-Njigba alongside questionable wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown and Matthew Golden against difficult opponents.
Starts
- Rashod Bateman (BAL @ BUF) — Lean start. Averaging 9.5 pts on 4.7 targets/g; soft WR matchup vs BUF.
- Justin Jefferson (MIN @ DET) — Lean start. Averaging 13.1 pts on 6.0 targets/g; soft WR matchup vs DET.
- Jordan Addison (MIN @ DET) — Risky flex. Averaging 9.2 pts on 6.7 targets/g; soft WR matchup vs DET.
Sits
- Kalif Raymond (CHI @ SEA) — Sit. tough WR matchup vs SEA despite 9.6 pts/g.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA vs CHI) — Sit. tough WR matchup vs CHI despite 26.1 pts/g.
- Luther Burden III (CHI @ SEA) — Sit. tough WR matchup vs SEA despite 9.3 pts/g.
TE
Nate Adkins is a solid play and T.J. Hockenson offers flex value against Detroit's vulnerable defense. Leave Brock Bowers, Sam LaPorta, and the questionable Dalton Kincaid on the bench due to unforgiving matchups.
Starts
- Kenyon Sadiq (NYJ vs LV) — Risky flex. Averaging 6.7 pts on 4.0 targets/g; soft TE matchup vs LV.
- Nate Adkins (DEN vs KC) — Lean start. Averaging 9.3 pts on 2.5 targets/g; soft TE matchup vs KC.
- T.J. Hockenson (MIN @ DET) — Risky flex. Averaging 7.5 pts on 5.4 targets/g; soft TE matchup vs DET.
Sits
- Tyler Higbee (LAR vs LAC) — Sit. tough TE matchup vs LAC despite 8.5 pts/g.
- Brock Bowers (LV @ NYJ) — Sit. tough TE matchup vs NYJ despite 19.7 pts/g.
- Dalton Kincaid (BUF vs BAL) — Sit. Listed Questionable; tough TE matchup vs BAL despite 9.6 pts/g. Injury watch: Listed Questionable.
K
Cam Little and Harrison Butker are prime kicker starts against defenses allowing heavy scoring at the position. Conversely, keep Spencer Shrader and Will Reichard out of lineups due to unfavorable environments.
Starts
- Nick Folk (ATL @ TB) — Risky flex. Averaging 7.0 pts; soft K matchup vs TB.
- Chris Boswell (PIT vs CLE) — Risky flex. Averaging 7.4 pts; soft K matchup vs CLE.
- Harrison Butker (KC @ DEN) — Lean start. Averaging 8.5 pts; soft K matchup vs DEN.
Sits
- Will Reichard (MIN @ DET) — Sit. tough K matchup vs DET despite 10.6 pts/g.
- Jason Myers (SEA vs CHI) — Sit. tough K matchup vs CHI despite 7.5 pts/g.
- Spencer Shrader (IND @ JAX) — Sit. tough K matchup vs JAX despite 11.0 pts/g.
DST
Target the Rams, Patriots, and Steelers as high-upside streaming defenses against stagnant opposing attacks. Bench units like Green Bay and Baltimore against prolific, high-scoring offenses.
Starts
- PIT (PIT vs CLE) — Streamer. Faces one of the league's lowest-scoring offenses in CLE.
- CIN (CIN vs TEN) — Streamer. Faces one of the league's lowest-scoring offenses in TEN.
- WSH (WSH vs PHI) — Streamer. Faces one of the league's lowest-scoring offenses in PHI.
Sits
- GB (GB vs CAR) — Sit. Draws a high-scoring CAR offense; limited sack/turnover upside.
- ARI (ARI @ DAL) — Sit. Draws a high-scoring DAL offense; limited sack/turnover upside.
- BAL (BAL @ BUF) — Sit. Draws a high-scoring BUF offense; limited sack/turnover upside.
See every Week 8 Start/Sit call →