The B/R Guide to Dominating Fantasy Football in Week 8
The 2022 fantasy football regular season has hit the halfway point, and there are some very different halftime assessments being conducted depending on how things have proceeded to date.
For the folks who drafted Josh Allen of the Bills, Kenneth Walker III of the Seahawks and Ja'Marr Chase of the Bengals, halftime was all back-patting, attaboys and celebrations. Wins have been stacked. Teams are in first place. All is going according to plan.
Then there are the folks who drafted Aaron Rodgers of the Packers, Allen Robinson II of the Rams and Najee Harris of the Steelers. Their halftime was filled with sobs and screaming. Players aren't scoring. Others got hurt. It's been one bad break after another, and at 2-5 or 1-6, the playoffs look like a pipe dream.
Between those two boisterous imaginary locker rooms sits the middlemen. They have had good luck and bad. Booms and busts. There's a lot of work to be done in the second half, but the season can still be salvaged. The playoffs aren't assured. But they aren't eliminated either.
Now that the bands have left the field and the second half of the season is set to begin, all those groups want one thing in Week 8: a win.
The B/R Guide to Dominating Fantasy Football in Week 8 aims to help you get one.
Week 8 Smash Starts
If you rolled out Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and his 481 passing yards and four total touchdowns in Week 7, things probably went well for your fantasy team. Ditto for Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler and his 127 total yards and two scores and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith Schuster and his seven catches for 124 yards and a score.
There's no guarantee that the players listed here will explode for the same sort of gaudy stat line in Week 8, but the potential is there for them to do just that.
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings (vs. ARI) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100)
Cousins has been an up-and-down fantasy option and a low-end QB1 in terms of fantasy points per game. But he has demonstrated the ability to take advantage of a favorable matchup, and this week's home date with the Arizona Cardinals qualifies as one, as the Cards have given up the sixth-most fantasy points per game to signal-callers
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (at DET) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200)
Something of a rule of thumb has developed in fantasy football over the first seven weeks of the 2022 season: If players on your fantasy team face the Detroit Lions in a given week, said players should be in the starting lineup. The logic applies to Tagovailoa, who is facing a defense that has allowed the fourth-most quarterback fantasy points per contest.
Running Back
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (vs. LV) (DraftKings DFS Value: $7,100)
Kamara started the season slowly, but he's picked up steam of late. After last week's 105-yard effort, he's seventh in points-per-reception points among running backs since Week 5. That hot streak should continue Sunday against a Raiders team allowing the ninth-most PPR points per game to running backs.
Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins (at DET) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900)
What? Did you think I was kidding about the "Detroit Rule?" Mostert topped 100 total yards with a score last week against the Steelers and has quietly become a solid RB2. This week, he faces a Lions "defense" that is allowing more rushing yards per game than any team in the NFC.
Wide Receiver
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. BAL) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,400)
The Buccaneers have struggled offensively, and Godwin's fantasy numbers have suffered as a result. But if Tampa is going to get their season back on track this week against the Ravens, it's going to mean moving the ball through the air against Baltimore's 26th-ranked pass defense.
DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. PIT) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300)
Since Week 4, Smith has actually out-pointed A.J. Brown. The young speedster is set up well to come out of the bye week with a bang. No team in the AFC has allowed more fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position than the Steelers.
Tight End
Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals (at MIN) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,100)
Ertz saw his string of games with double-digit PPR fantasy points snapped last week against the Saints. However, a matchup with a Vikings defense surrendering the sixth-most PPR points per game to tight ends sets up well to start a new one.
T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions (vs. MIA) (DraftKings DFS Value: $4,900)
It hasn't been a great season for Hockenson in 2022, but this week brings a matchup with a Dolphins team that has given up the seventh-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this year, and this game has some sneaky shootout potential.
Week 8 Must-Fades
Fantasy football adds a whole new level of enjoyment to watching NFL games. In addition to cheering for your favorite team, you can also revel as players on your fantasy squad pile up yardage (and the points that go with it).
Unless, of course, your players lay an egg as you watch, in which case you get to find out what Sundays feel like for fans of the Detroit Lions.
No one wants to be Lions fans—including Lions fans. So, unless you want a case of the Honolulu blues, think long and hard about leaving these players on the bench in Week 8.
Quarterback
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (at CHI) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,600)
It was good to see Prescott back on the field last week, but his 207 passing yards and one touchdown pass were modest. This isn't last year's Dallas offense, and this week the Cowboys face a Chicago defense that has been stingy to opposing fantasy quarterbacks, allowing just the eighth-fewest fantasy points to the position.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (at BUF) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000)
The Green Bay offense has been stuck in neutral most of the season, and Rodgers' numbers have taken a sizable hit as a result. Not only is starting him against Buffalo's elite defense a terrible idea, but frankly, it's fair to wonder when rolling Rodgers out won't be.
Running Back
AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers (at BUF) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200)
Only God and Matt LaFleur know why Dillon has become a forgotten man in Green Bay's sputtering offense. But much like Rodgers, not only is he a must-sit in a brutal Week 8 matchup with the Bills, he can't be started period with any confidence until his usage increases.
David Montgomery, Chicago Bears (vs. DAL) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300)
Montgomery overcame one rough matchup this past week against the New England Patriots, but asking him to do so twice in a row might be pushing it. The Cowboys are sixth in the league in total defense and have given up the second-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs this year.
Wide Receiver
Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns (vs. CIN) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200)
Cooper has been solid this season, both for the Browns and fantasy managers. But his fantasy numbers have dipped in each of the last two games, and as Michael Fabiano pointed out at Sports Illustrated, Tyreek Hill is the only perimeter receiver to post more than 14.5 PPR points against the Bengals in 2022.
Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. DEN) (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000)
Kirk has been quite the value for fantasy managers in 2022, sitting 10th in PPR points at the position after seven weeks. But he will probably draw a lot of Patrick Surtain II in coverage this weekend in London, and Denver has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers in 2022.
Tight End
Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals (at CLE) (DraftKings DFS Value: $3,600)
Hurst has been one of this year's pleasant surprises at tight end, posting double-digit PPR points in three of the past four games. But this week, the 29-year-old draws a Browns defense that has allowed the seventh-fewest PPR points per game in the league to tight ends.
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR) (DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000)
The entire 2022 season has essentially been one long stretch of bad news for Pitts from a fantasy perspective. He's a dismal 22nd in PPR points after seven weeks. Add in a bottom-10 matchup for tight ends with the Panthers, and the bad news will only continue in Week 8.
Week 8 Mastering the Matchups
Star players like Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp are great. But they don't win championships.
You heard me right. They can lose a league for you if they fall flat and fail to meet expectations. But they don't win them. They are expected to post gaudy stat lines and pile up points.
It's the unexpected fantasy stars that win titles. The 10th-round picks that become top-20 performers. The waiver wire finds that become weekly starters. The matchup plays that mean the difference between victory and defeat in a critical game. The cheap DFS play that explodes and paves the way for a big payday.
It might seem odd to call Week 8 a critical week. But for teams with just two or three wins on the season, that's where we're at.
And these players can help get things back on track.
Quarterback
Davis Mills, Houston Texans (vs. TEN) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200)
Mills is coming off his best game of the season, a 302-yard, two-score effort against the Raiders. In Week 8, Mills and the Texans get another favorable fantasy matchup against a 31st-ranked Tennessee Titans pass defense giving up the seventh-most points per game to quarterbacks this season
Andy Dalton, New Orleans Saints (vs. LV) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500)
Dalton had quite the Week 7: 361 passing yards, four touchdowns and three picks (including two pick-sixes). He should have success Sunday against a Raiders defense allowing the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks in 2022.
Running Back
D'Onta Foreman, Carolina Panthers (at ATL) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200)
Foreman ran hard in last week's upset win over the Buccaneers, piling up 118 yards on just 15 carries. With Chuba Hubbard (ankle) nicked up, it's possible that Foreman could be in for a significantly heavier workload against the Falcons on Sunday.
Antonio Gibson, Washington Commanders (at IND) (DraftKings DFS Value $5,400)
Gibson may have ceded the title of lead back in Washington to rookie Brian Robinson, but Gibson still saw 13 touches for 77 yards and a touchdown last week against the Packers. The Colts have surrendered the 11th-most PPR points per game to running backs this season as well.
Wide Receiver
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,100)
London has been mired in a statistical slump of late, garnering just 10 receptions for 101 yards in the last four games combined--largely because on Atlanta offense that has attempted over 20 passes in a game just once over that span. Facing a porous Panthers pass defense allowing the seventh-most PPR points per game to wide receivers should help overcome that lack of volume. Quality over quantity.
DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers (at ATL) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300)
That Moore would in any way qualify as a matchup play tells you what kind of season it has been for the 25-year-old. But Moore finally showed some signs of life last week and draws the best fantasy matchup in the league for wideouts in Atlanta.
Tight Ends
Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks (vs. NYG) (DraftKings DFS Value: $2,800)
The way that the Seahawks rotate their tight ends makes it hard to trust any of them, even in a favorable fantasy matchup. But if you're going to roll the dice on one, gamble on Fant's athletic potential and upside.
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints (vs. LV) (DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200)
Johnson made an appearance in this very spot a week ago and responded by reeling in a pair of touchdown catches against the Cardinals. His Week 8 matchup with the Raiders isn't quite as favorable, but it's still pretty danged good.
Week 8 Fantasy Stock Market
We have already seen at least one huge trade that could have a major impact on the NFL landscape go down in the past week. And the deal that sent running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers may not be the only big trade that goes down before next week's trade deadline.
If you're considering swinging a similar impact deal to boost the prospects of your fantasy team, here's a look at some players to consider targeting or moving, including that aforementioned new running back for the Niners.
Buy Low
Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Herbert hasn't been as productive as fantasy managers expected through seven games, ranking eighth at the position in points per game. But the bye week should afford Herbert a chance to shake off the rib injury that has bothered him most of this season, and when he comes back in Week 9, Herbert should have top wide receiver Keenan Allen back.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Many of the "buy low" opportunities at this point in the season are due to injuries and the nervousness they can produce. Taylor was the first overall pick in most drafts this year, but between his bad ankle and Matt Ryan's benching, teams with Taylor shares and bad records may be just about to hit the panic button. Offer them a short-term fix that will keep their seasons on the rails, and you might net a top-five running back for the stretch run.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
It has been a month since St. Brown produced a fantasy-relevant stat line, and in that time, teams that were riding high with St. Brown in the starting lineup could be teetering on the brink with him out of the lineup. Dating back to last year, St. Brown went on an eight-game run of games with over 15 PPR points before injuring his ankle back in Week 3. He could be exactly the kind of difference-maker down the stretch that fantasy managers looking to buy in a trade should target.
Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys
Schultz has spent the better part of the 2022 season on the side of the proverbial milk carton after spraining his PCL in Week 2, and his Week 8 matchup with the Chicago Bears isn't a good one for tight ends. But Schultz hauled in five passes for 49 yards in Dak Prescott's first game back last wee, so even if all he does is match that production moving forward, he'll be a quality TE1. More than that could be a potential bonanza.
Sell High
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
This isn't to say that fantasy managers should trade Burrow. But if you have a viable alternative under center and need help at another position, Burrow's value is at its apex after last week's explosion against the Atlanta Falcons. With back-to-back efforts with at least 300 passing yards and three scores, Burrow has cracked the top five for the season. There's no shortage of fantasy teams in need of an upgrade at quarterback this season, and seller's markets usually mean handsome rewards.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
If you have at all entertained the idea of dealing McCaffrey, now is the time. His value won't get any higher than it is at present. Yes, the quality of McCaffrey's opportunities should increase in his new home. But the quantity could be another story, especially in the passing game. With so many convinced that McCaffrey will see a sizable increase in value, you could net a king's ransom for his services from the right buyer—enough to address a hole on your roster and add a startable running back.
Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Boyd has been hot of late, including a massive 8/155/1 line last week against Atlanta. And with teams playing so much Cover-2 against the Bengals, Joe Burrow has been attacking the middle of the field more. But Boyd is also the clear-cut No. 3 receiver on his own team, which makes him a high-variance fantasy option and a guy worth shopping after he has one of those big outings.
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
Kittle had himself a day last week on National Tight Ends Day (it's a thing), hauling in six passes for 98 yards and a score. But in addition to a rotten Week 8 matchup for his position with the rival Rams, Kittle will now have to compete for red zone looks with Christian McCaffrey. Kittle's seventh in PPR points per game among tight ends right now, and that number probably won't increase by a lot. Getting elite TE value in a trade for a mid-level TE1 isn't a bad return at all.
Week 8 Reading the Defense
It's a good week to have a high-end defense in fantasy football. Many of the defenses that are at or near the top of the leaderboard have the sort of favorable matchups that should help them stay there.
For the second season in a row, the Dallas Cowboys lead all team defenses in fantasy points, thanks to the most sacks in the NFL and the fifth-most takeaways in the league. They face a Chicago offense that just had its best game of the season, but even then, the Bears have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points per game to defenses in 2022.
The San Francisco 49ers got lit up by the Kansas City Chiefs last week, but the Niners are still among the league leaders in numerous defensive categories. This week, San Francisco faces a Rams team that leads the NFL in fantasy points per game allowed to the position.
The Philadelphia Eagles face a Steelers team that ranks 31st in scoring. The Bills get a Green Bay offense that is a shell of what it once was.
Again, it's a good week to have a high-end defense. But if you don't, here are some matchup plays to consider in Week 8 and a few units best left alone.
Strong D/ST Matchups
Indianapolis Colts (vs. WAS) (DraftKings DFS Value: $3,700)
The Colts defense has turned it up recently from a fantasy perspective—the team ranks eighth in fantasy points at the position over the past three weeks. A matchup with a Washington Commanders team surrendering the fifth-most fantasy points to defenses should keep the good times rolling.
Miami Dolphins (at DET) (DraftKings DFS Value: $3,500)
The Dolphins are neither especially good defensively nor especially bad defensively. Only six NFL teams have scored fewer fantasy points per game defensively. But over the past couple of games, the Lions have completely imploded on offense, managing just six points. Miami's a solid matchup play this week.
Washington Commanders (at IND) (DraftKings DFS Value: $2,600)
Are the Commanders a good defensive team? Nope. Are the Commanders a good fantasy defense? Nope. Has new Colts starter Sam Ehlinger ever attempted a pass in an NFL game that counts? Nope. Will I ever stop asking myself questions I already know the answer to? Nope.
Weak D/ST Matchups
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. BAL) (DraftKings DFS Value: $2,900)
The Buccaneers defense has done what it can to keep Tampa afloat amid its offensive struggles. But cracks started to show last week against the Panthers, and this week the Bucs host a Ravens team allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to defenses.
Arizona Cardinals (at Minnesota Vikings) (DraftKings DFS Value: $2,500)
After logging a pair of pick-sixes last week against the New Orleans Saints, the Cardinals now rank seventh in fantasy points at the position. Don't get caught chasing last week's stats—the Vikings are a bottom-five fantasy matchup for defenses.
Pittsburgh Steelers (at PHI) (DraftKings DFS Value: $2,400)
All things considered, given that the Steelers have been without T.J. Watt for most of the season, the Pittsburgh defense has played well. But the Eagles are as good an offensive team as any in the league. They can run the ball. They can throw the ball. And they will roll at home in Week 8.
Week 8 Fantasy Mailbag
Every week during the 2022 season, I'll be pulling a handful of fantasy football questions from the Bleacher Report app and answering them here. Hopefully, those answers will aid not only the managers making the query but others as well.
Have a question you want to have answered? Head on over to the fantasy football section of the app and make with the asking.
Would you take A.J. Brown and Brandon Aiyuk for Cooper Kupp? Jalen Hurts is my QB. -- @rcocrha10
For starters, Hurts being your quarterback isn't really relevant—stacking is a bigger concern in DFS than in season-long formats. Unless your other wide receivers are hot garbage, don't do this deal. Adding Aiyuk isn't worth the drop-off from Kupp to Brown. Kupp's robotic consistency is a nice thing to have in the lineup every week, and Christian McCaffrey is one more mouth to feed in a low-volume passing attack in San Francisco.
Gus Edwards or Darrell Henderson? -- @Table69
This is a pretty tough question. Neither back has a good matchup in Week 8—both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers rank 27th or worse in fantasy points per game allowed to running backs this year. I have these backs ranked all of one slot apart on this week's Big Board here at B/R, but I have Edwards narrowly on top after his two-touchdown game in Week 7.
George Pickens, Darnell Mooney, Garrett Wilson or Zay Jones at the flex? -- @t8ames
This is a delightful array of options…he said sarcastically. Wilson has been invisible the past few weeks in New York's non-existent passing attack, so he's out. Mooney has more than six targets in one game this year—so is he. Jones has an awful matchup—only one team has allowed fewer PPR points per game to wideouts than the Broncos. That leaves Pickens, although it may well take garbage time numbers for the rookie to have a good game against the Eagles.
Need two of these three running backs. Aaron Jones, Najee Harris, Travis Etienne. -- @MaXiss21
That the first running back who was drafted of this trio is the odd man out here says a lot about where the 2022 season has gone at running back. Denver has one of the better defenses in the league, but with James Robinson gone, Etienne is the unquestioned lead back for the Jaguars. The Buffalo defense is a rotten matchup on the ground and in the air, but Jones could see a lot of dump-offs with Green Bay in catch-up mode. Those catches add up. Harris has at least looked better of late, but better doesn't mean good; he's averaging a miserable 3.3 yards per carry this year. He sits.
Which guy should I start in my WR3 spot? Robert Woods, Allen Lazard or Allen Robinson? -- @JMhag652
I'll rank these in inverse order, as the recommendation comes with a caveat. Robinson is a big fat "pass." In fact, if you can swap him out for, say, Wan'Dale Robinson of the Giants, I'd cut him outright. Lazard has been the most consistent of the three, but he draws an ugly matchup with Buffalo. That leaves Woods against a Houston defense that is 21st against the pass. However, if Ryan Tannehill (ankle) can't go Sunday, all bets are off with the Tennessee passing game, and you should pivot back to Lazard.
THE Fantasy Bust of Week 8
No one player can make or break an entire season. Even cataclysmic injuries to top-five picks can sometimes be overcome with some waiver wire magic and/or a trade or two.
This is where all the people who drafted Jonathan Taylor first overall stop muttering obscenities under their breath just long enough to nod and then sigh.
However, one player can make or break a week. Get a huge game from the right guy, and a team can cruise. Have a starter lay an egg, though, and it can be game over.
With that in mind, we're going to conclude each edition of the B/R Guide to Dominating Fantasy Football with one player who will define the week to come, for better or worse. The Boom (or Bust) of the Week.
In Week 8, it's a "Bust" at a position where it seems the 2022 campaign has been nothing but.
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers (at LAR) (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,700)
Kittle's 2022 season started off in a miserable fashion. He missed the first two games of the season and then managed just 11 receptions for 99 yards over the next three games combined.
But over the last two weeks, Kittle has posted numbers that were more along the lines of what fantasy managers expected from a fourth or fifth-round pick. He reeled in eight catches for 83 yards against the Falcons and then posted a 6/98/1 line against the Chiefs.
Problem solved, right?
Wrong.
For starters, there's the matter of the game scripts in both of the last two contests. The Niners played from behind in both of those games. In trying to erase double-digit deficits, San Francisco threw the ball more out of necessity. Unless you expect double-digit deficits to be the norm, The five targets a game Kittle saw over his first three games is probably closer to the norm than the 9.5 he averaged the last two.
And that was without Christian McCaffrey on the team. Now, there's another underneath target in an offense that is 19th in the NFL in pass attempts. The 49ers aren't going to change their identity just because McCaffrey's in town. Kittle's target share is more likely to decline than increase.
Finally, there's the matter of this week's matchup with a Rams defense that has allowed the fewest PPR points per game to tight ends in the league this year. In Week 4, Kittle posted a 2/24/0 line on four targets against Los Angeles.
The tight end position is a mess in 2022. Given said mess, Kittle's next to impossible to sit.
But a dud week is coming. Be ready for it.
Looking for fantasy rankings? Check out Gary's Week 8 Big Board!
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Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter at @IDPSharks.