We’re about halfway through the fantasy season at this point, and that means there have been ups and downs. Whether your QB is injured or flat-out not performing, we can find a few QBs this week to get you by. We know winning your leagues takes a lot of work. But don’t fear! FantraxHQ is doing the work for you. Whether it’s matchups to exploit, injury replacements, or flat-out hot takes, we’ve got your fix. In this article, we’ll highlight three potential quarterback sleepers and streamers for NFL Week 8 that could help you win your matchups.
Week 8 Quarterback Sleepers and Streamers
Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
I could absolutely be jumping the gun, as it’s not been announced that Jayden Daniels is going to be out this week. This period of optimism in Washington truly reminds me of when we took RG3 with our 1st-round pick and saw immediate success. However, as a lifelong Washington fan, I (painfully) remember Washington rushing RG3 back from injury before he was ready, and he was never the same. It seems like Daniels may have broken a couple of ribs, or something equally not as daunting, but I would much rather Daniels get as reasonably healthy as possible than allow a rookie QB to develop bad habits as he compensates for an injury.
On top of that, Marcus Mariota played INCREDIBLY last week. I’ve always thought he wasn’t really given a fair shot, but he’s been able to step into this backup role and perform admirably. Mariota threw for 205 yards, 2 TDs, 0 Ints, and ran for 34 yards on 11 carries vs. Carolina. Washington has the 8th best offensive line (in terms of Yards before Contact) by PFF, so it’s safe to say Mariota will have plenty of time to throw/scramble vs. the Chicago Bears this week. I see no reason to panic and potentially stunt Jayden Daniels’ growth with a bad performance. Let’s let Mariota continue to show what’s left in the tank, and frankly, I expect him to perform well vs. Chicago. If you’re in a pinch, Mariota is my go-to QB replacement option.
Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
I thought Wilson would be rusty in his first appearance vs. a vaunted Jets defense on one week’s practice. Not only did he not look rusty, but he made Mike Tomlin look like a genius by benching a QB that led them to a winning record, in favor of a question mark. Wilson threw for 2 TDs and 264 yards passing, while also scoring a TD on a sneak on the ground. Further, the Steelers scored their most points offensively since 2016. You can’t argue with success. It doesn’t matter if Wilson goes 0-3 in his next three starts. The upside he provides is enough to warrant whatever the downside looks like with this team.
This week the Steelers are facing a tragic Giants team. Well, I’m being rude. The Giants are just bad. Not tragic. The reason I prefer Mariota to Wilson this week is because it’s incredibly likely that the Steelers are going to get up early on the Giants and ground-and-pound for the rest of the game. Especially now that Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris are both healthy together for what seems like the first time since Week 2. I don’t anticipate the upside on the passing numbers that we saw vs. the Jets last week, but Wilson to Pickens should face very little resistance, should they want/need to break that connection out vs. New York. Even if you don’t want to roster Wilson this week, it’s not a bad idea to pick Wilson up off of the waiver wire if you’ve got a lasting QB need.
Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
I’ve got to be honest: This isn’t my favorite pick. I’ve loved Jameis Winston as a fantasy QB for a long time, but I admit, the lows are low. This week, he’s likely to assume the starting job now that Watson has torn his Achilles, and DTR looked…young. However, this matchup is rough. The Ravens have the 3rd-highest pressure rate out of any team in the league at 36%, according to PFF, and while the Browns have a solid offensive line, they don’t yet have a respectable rushing game to prevent the defense from stacking the box. Nick Chubb got his first TD last week, but it was on very limited touches, as he’s not yet close to being the Nick Chubb that was a top five back in this league. That will take time. If I’m the Browns, I’d rather throw Winston to the wolves than DTR (assuming he’s even healthy enough to play). I wouldn’t be surprised to see a multiple TD game from Winston this week, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if the TDs were accompanied by as many (or more) interceptions. Time will tell, but I like Winston as a fantasy option for the rest of the season if you’re in need of a QB.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
Got a beef with Bradlee’s Week 8 Quarterback Sleepers and Streamers? Let him hear about it in the comments below!