Starts and sit decisions are flying by as the time to secure playoff positioning has arrived. Through seven weeks of football, fantasy managers know if their team is for real, if moves need to be made, or better luck next year. With that being said, there were some good hits and some bad misses from Week 7. We’ll try and learn from those in our Week 8 Starts and Sits.
I was wrong about having Jonathan Taylor, Kirk Cousins, Michael Pittman Jr, and Courtland Sutton as sits in Week 7. I was right about starting Michael Thomas, Javonte Williams, Drake London, and Rhamondre Stevenson, and correct about not starting Cole Kmet. All in all, I was above average in Week 7 which will lead to a stellar Week 8.
Week 8 Starts and Sits
Quarterback Sits
Russell Wilson vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Well, the Kansas City Chiefs have ramped things up since their Week 1 defeat against the Detroit Lions. Since then, the Chiefs have not lost a game and the Denver Broncos are a bottom-five NFL team. It does not get easier for opposing offenses as the Chiefs’ defense has stepped up tremendously. As it stands, the Chiefs have allowed the third-fewest ppg to quarterbacks.
Thus, this brings a bad match-up for Russell Wilson. Although Wilson is playing better than the embarrassment of last season, the Chiefs held Wilson to just 95 passing yards in a match-up in a Week 6 match-up. Sit Wilson and pivot to other options such as. CJ Stroud or Sam Howell.
Geno Smith vs. Cleveland Browns
It is pretty simple here. The Browns have one of the best defenses in football. Although they gave up over 300 yards to Gardner Minshew in Week 7, I think it was more of an example of downplaying your opponent. In Week 6, the Browns shut down the 49ers offense and came out with a victory.
Now, Geno Smith has to face them in Week 8. Smith has had a down season compared to his 2022-2023 season in which he won Comeback Player of the Year. The Browns have allowed a total of 1024 passing yards in seven games. This equates to 146 ypg (yards per game). The defense is lethal and Smith should be benched in all leagues as he is my most definitive sit in starts and sits for Week 8.
Running Back Sits
Brian Robinson vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are the best team against the run in terms of fantasy ppg. The Eagles are not even giving up 10 ppg thus far. Raheem Moster saw just 6.1 total points and his worst game since Week four. Brian Robinson tricked almost everyone with his overall RB1 finish in Week 2. Since then, Robinson has not had another RB1 finish.
With the Eagles coming into town, Robinson is nothing but a sit in Week 8 as Sam Howell will have to throw over 40 times to give the Commanders a chance to win.
Joe Mixon @ San Francisco 49ers
Joe Mixon has yet to finish as an RB1 in a game this season. He has been the product of heavy volume with no real competition in the Bengals backfield. Now, the Bengals have to face the 49ers after they just suffered their second consecutive loss. It is safe to say that it will be a ROUGH outing for the entire Bengals offense in Week 8.
The 49ers are a top-10 team in the least amount of ppg to the position. Fantasy managers drafted Joe Mixon as a “value RB1” and he has not lived up to it in the slightest.
James Cook vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers run defense has been one of the most fierce ones in the past five years. They are a top-10 team in terms of ppg allowed to running backs. James Cook is already not a workhorse running back and is not some 230-pound tank. Cook gets most of his fantasy points with receptions. The Buccaneers are allowing just 80 rush yards per game with just ONE touchdown given up to running backs through six games and the second-lowest total points given up to the position.
Wide Receiver Sits
DK Metcalf vs. Cleveland Browns
If I am labeled a DK Metcalf hater, it is okay. Metcalf has not lived up to his year three breakout season. Since then, he has been drafted at an ADP he has not lived up to the past two seasons. Now, he gets to face Denzel Ward and Metcalf is not 100% as he missed Week 7, too.
The Browns are on par with the Jets as being the best teams to lock down receivers. The Browns are currently giving up less than 150 ypg (yards per game) to quarterbacks and just 122 total yards each game to receivers. Look at Metcalf’s teammates Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba if you want to start any Seattle Seahawk receivers.
Courtland Sutton vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Four catches for 46 yards and one touchdown. That was Courtland Sutton’s stat line the last time the Broncos faced the Chiefs. The touchdown saved Sutton and gave him a WR22 finish that week. The Broncos are constantly down which results in a lot of passes. This leads to volume for Sutton as he is the team’s undisputed WR1.
Personally, hoping for some garbage time points is something I’d avoid in general. With the Chiefs playing as the best team in football on both sides, Sutton is a sit in starts and sits for Week 8.
Chris Godwin @ Buffalo Bills
Chris Godwin has seen decent volume this season. He has seen 30 targets in his last three games combined. The only issue is that he is having his worst season in terms of ppg. Godwin is currently averaging just 12.5 ppg which is good for WR32 on the season. It does not get easier against a Buffalo Bills team being top 12 in lowest ppg allowed to receivers.
Also, Mike Evans is the guy that has the big play and touchdowns for the Buccaneers. He has become Baker Mayfield’s number one target while Godwin is there to accumulate short-yardage play. Leave Godwin on your bench as the previous years of being a surefire WR1 are not happening this season.
Tight End Sits
Evan Engram @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Yes, Evan Engram has been the second option on the Jacksonville Jaguars. He saw eight targets in each of Weeks 2-5 and seven targets in each of the past two weeks. The issue I have is that the Steelers are one of the best teams at defending the tight end position.
Although Engram has been a TE1 all season, the Steelers have allowed just one touchdown and 19 total catches to tight ends. Fade Engram and pull off a 200 IQ play with a streaming option instead in Week 8.
Kyle Pitts @ Tennessee Titans
Although the Tennessee Titans have no life on offense, head coach Mike Vrabel will always make sure to have a good defense with him. The Titans are overall one of the best defenses in the NFL. They are the seventh-best team in terms of ppg allowed to tight ends this season.
With that being said, Kyle Pitts already has to deal with Jonnu Smith and minimal looks every week. When you add a top defense against tight ends, there are better streaming options than Pitts who will end up getting you a whooping six fantasy points in Week 8.
Quarterback Starts
Sam Howell vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles run defense is stellar and more than likely the best in the NFL. On the other hand, the Eagles pass defense is one of the bottom three worst. With that being said, Sam Howell is in a prime spot to deliver his fourth QB1 finish of the season. The last time he faced the Eagles, he finished as the QB13.
In their previous match-up, Howell threw it 41 times. Expect similar numbers like that in a Week 8 division battle.
Derek Carr @ Indianapolis Colts
One thing I have learned is that the New Orleans Saints are not a good football team. Derek Carr has thrown it over 100 times in just the past TWO games combined. Now, the Colts face Carr. The Colts are a bottom-half team in ppg allowed to the position and are giving up over 250 ypg to quarterbacks. Carr has thrown it over 30 times in every game besides two this season. Carr is an intriguing start in starts and sits for Week 8.
Running Back starts
Dameon Pierce @ Carolina Panthers
Dameon Pierce has been a major fade for me this season. He has also made the sits-in starts and sits this season. Now, Pierce finds himself on the start side of things with a wonderful Week 8 match-up. Pierce faces the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers allow the second most ppg to the position with a league-high average of 1.8 touchdowns allowed per game.
Even with Devin Singletary cutting into Pierce’s load, this is a perfect bounce-back game for the second-year running back against a weak Panthers run defense.
Chuba Hubbard vs. Houston Texans
Two things are for certain with the Carolina Panthers. Miles Sanders was a product of playing behind the Eagles best offensive line in football. Also, Chuba Hubbard is the better running back between him and Sanders. Now, Sanders has been dealing with an injury for two weeks.
Fantasy managers will jump for joy if Hubbard leads the backfield in Week 8. He has a great chance at taking that RB1 crown away from Sanders for good against a bottom-ten run defense in the Houston Texans. Over 120 total yards and 21 fantasy ppg to the opposing running back makes Hubbard a wonderful start in starts and sits.
D’Onta Foreman @ Los Angeles Chargers
Over 75 rush yards and 58 receiving yards are allowed on a per-game basis to running backs. The Chargers defense has been horrid all season long. Their pass defense is much worse than their run defense, but both are horrible. D’Onta Foreman just came off a three-touchdown game with Khalil Herbert on IR. Roschon Johnson has also been dealing with a concussion for the past two weeks.
With that being said, even if Johnson were to play, the hot hand is Foreman and he should be the team’s RB1 until Herbert is fully healthy. The Chargers are allowing the third most receptions per game to running backs which makes Foreman that much more of a smash start in starts and sits for Week 8.
Wide Receiver starts
Curtis Samuel vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Curtis Samuel has taken over as the Commanders WR2. In the off-season, the talk was that Jahan Dotson was going to surpass Terry McLaurin as the team’s WR1. Seven weeks into the NFL season Dotson is not even the team’s WR2. Dotson has become droppable in every redraft league.
With Sam Howell throwing it heavily in the middle of the field, that is where Logan Thomas and more importantly, Curtis Samuel comes into play. Samuel is currently the WR39 in ppg, about 30 spots higher than Dotson’s ppg ranking. Start Samuel in a game that the Commanders will have to pass more than 35 times to be remotely close to beating the Eagles in Week 8.
Rashee Rice @ Denver Broncos
Rashee Rice has been the talk of the town for the past two weeks. He is slowly, but surely becoming the Kansas City Chief’s WR1. He has seen four or more targets in all but one game this season. Also, he just had the best game of his career with a WR14 finish on 60 yards, five catches, and a touchdown.
With the Broncos being one of the worst overall defenses in football, look for Patrick Mahomes to get Rice and Kelce involved early. Rice will be a top 15 play in Week 8 and is my favorite start out of all the starts and sits this week.
Kendrick Bourne @ Miami Dolphins
The New England Patriots have no real WR1 on their team. So, that means someone has to step up and that person has been Kendrick Bourne. Bourne has seen the best start to his career and is on pace for his best season yet. With 16 catches, 18 targets, and a touchdown the past two weeks, Bourne is one of the biggest waiver wire adds going into Week 8.
The Dolphins on the other hand have had a very poor pass defense with tons of injuries on that side of the football. Currently, the Dolphins are allowing 31.2 fantasy ppg which is the ninth worst. Mac Jones might be on the thinnest of strings as well, leaving little room for error and any more silly losses. Look to start Kendrick Bourne in a game in which the Patriots will need a lot of yards and points to compete with the Dolphins.
Tight End starts
Hunter Henry @ Miami Dolphins
The last time Hunter Henry played the Dolphins, he finished as the TE2 that week. Now, in Week 8, Henry gets to make up for the last five lackluster performances. His last TE1 finish came in Week 2 against the Dolphins. With the position other than Kelce never being a sure thing, look at the upside in Week 8 with Hunter Henry. I believe a top-five finish is likely in a game in which Mac Jones will have to throw over 30 times.
Jake Ferguson vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Cowboys will be in a fun match-up against the Los Angeles Rams come Week 8. In Weeks 2-4, Ferguson finished as a TE1 those weeks. Since then, on a higher snap share, Ferguson has been the TE22 and the TE32. The match-up to bounce back and finish as a TE1 comes in Week 8. The Rams are giving up the fifth most fantasy ppg with over 60 ypg (yards per game) to the tight end position.
Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty