Fantasy Football Week 8 Rankings: Projections and Matchups to Love

Week 8 of the NFL season got underway Thursday night when the Baltimore Ravens went on the road and took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 27-22 win. There's plenty more action to look forward to this weekend with 13 games on Sunday and another on Monday.

With only two teams on byes in Week 8 (the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers), not many fantasy lineups will be shorthanded. If you haven't been relying on players from either of these two AFC West squads, then you may even be at full strength.

Difficult lineup decisions may still await, though. So, here are some positional rankings for Week 8, along with some of the top matchups of the week.

1. Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen (vs. GB)

2. Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (vs. PIT)

3. Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow (at CLE)

4. Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray (at MIN)

5. Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (vs. CHI)

6. Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins (vs. ARI)

7. Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (at DET)

8. Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr (at NO)

9. New York Giants QB Daniel Jones (at SEA)

10. Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff (vs. MIA)

Matchup to Watch: Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (at DET)

After missing two games because of a concussion, Tagovailoa had a solid return to action in Week 7. The 24-year-old QB threw for 261 yards and a touchdown while leading the Dolphins to victory against the Steelers.

In Week 8, Tagovailoa should fare well again, and this time, he's likely to have a much larger fantasy output. The former Alabama quarterback will be going up against the Lions, who are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to QBs, per NFL.com.

Detroit will struggle to stop all of Miami's playmakers, but it could be a high-scoring game on both sides. It's an opportune matchup for Tagovailoa to have one of his best fantasy performances yet in 2022.

1. New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley (at SEA)

2. Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry (at HOU)

3. Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb (vs. CIN)

4. Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (vs. WAS)

5. Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook (vs. ARI)

6. Cincinnati Bengals RB Joe Mixon (at CLE)

7. San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (at LAR)

8. Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs (at NO)

9. New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (vs. LV)

10. Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III (vs. NYG)

Matchup to Watch: Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry (at HOU)

Henry has had some huge games against the Texans over the years. In 2020, he ran for 462 yards and four touchdowns in two games vs. Houston. But the former Alabama RB didn't face the Texans in 2021, when he was limited to eight games because of injury.

On Sunday, Henry should make up for that lost time. No team in the NFL is allowing more rushing yards per game than Houston (164.7), and it has a bad history against the 28-year-old running back. So Tennessee will likely put the ball in Henry's hands quite a bit.

Plus, Henry has gotten going of late, having rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the Titans' past three games. Expect that streak to continue against the Texans.

1. Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp (vs. SF)

2. Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams (at NO)

3. Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs (vs. GB)

4. Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill (at DET)

5. Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown (vs. PIT)

6. Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson (vs. ARI)

7. Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins (at CLE)

8. San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel (at LAR)

9. New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave (vs. LV)

10. Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins (at MIN)

Matchup to Watch: Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown (vs. PIT)

Brown's first year in Philadelphia couldn't have gotten off to a better start. The Eagles are 6-0 (the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL), and the 25-year-old wide receiver has been a consistent producer for the team's offense.

Over his first six games, Brown has recorded at least five catches in all but one. The former Ole Miss standout has scored a pair of touchdowns, and he's had 67 or more yards five times. But he may put up even bigger numbers in Week 8 fresh off Philadelphia's bye.

The Eagles are hosting the Steelers, who are giving up the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers, per NFL.com. So expect quarterback Jalen Hurts to air it out, with plenty of passes going Brown's way.

1. San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle (at LAR)

2. Las Vegas Raiders TE Darren Waller (at NO)

3. Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert (vs. PIT)

4. Detroit Lions TE T.J. Hockenson (vs. MIA)

5. Arizona Cardinals TE Zach Ertz (at MIN)

6. Los Angeles Rams TE Tyler Higbee (vs. SF)

7. Cincinnati Bengals TE Hayden Hurst (at CLE)

8. New Orleans Saints TE Taysom Hill (vs. LV)

9. Atlanta Falcons TE Kyle Pitts (vs. CAR)

10. Pittsburgh Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth (at PHI)

Matchup to Watch: Arizona Cardinals TE Zach Ertz (at MIN)

Ertz is having a solid season, but he's coming off his worst fantasy performance of the year thus far. In Week 7, he was held to two catches for 21 yards while failing to score a touchdown for the third consecutive game.

But the 31-year-old tight end has a prime opportunity for a bounce-back performance in Week 8. The Cardinals are going on the road to face the Vikings, who are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to TEs, per NFL.com.

It should be a high-scoring matchup, as both Arizona and Minnesota have offenses loaded with playmakers. That will bode well for Ertz, who will continue to be one of the Cardinals' top pass-catchers and will have a strong opportunity to end his touchdown drought.