Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 8: Smart Sleepers to Exploit and Lineup Advice

Injuries and bye weeks are usually prevalent at this point in the NFL season, and things are no different in 2021. Fantasy stars like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Nick Chubb and Russell Wilson have all missed extended time. Fortunately, not as many managers are likely to be stricken with the bye-week blues in Week 8.

After six teams were on bye in Week 7, only the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders will be out of action.

Still, injury concerns are likely to land several bench players in starting lineups, and many managers will be racing to the waiver wire.

Here, we'll examine some fringe flex starters—those ranked outside the top 50 by FantasyPros—worth starting and some who deserve to sit. We'll also take a look at some smart sleeper plays potentially available on the waiver wire.

All picks are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Start 'Em

Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals

J.D. McKissic, RB, Washington Football Team

Marvin Jones Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Tim Patrick, WR, Denver Broncos

Darnell Mooney, WR, Chicago Bears

Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

Sit 'Em

Alex Collins, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Mike Davis, RB Atlanta Falcons

Myles Gaskin RB, Miami Dolphins

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

Corey Davis, WR, New York Jets

Robby Anderson, WR, Carolina Panthers

Mo Alie-Cox, TE, Indianapolis Colts

J.D. McKissic doesn't get a ton of recognition as one of the league's top receiving backs. That's exactly what he's become with the Washington Football Team, however, as evidenced by 80 receptions and 589 receiving yards in 2020.

So far this season, McKissic has been targeted 34 times and has 25 receptions for 249 yards and a touchdown. He has also added 122 rushing yards and another score.

In Week 7, McKissic compiled 56 scrimmage yards and four receptions against the Green Bay Packers. Those aren't outstanding numbers, but they represent McKissic's floor this week against the Denver Broncos.

While the Broncos have allowed the 13th-most fantasy points to opposing running backs, they just got gashed by Cleveland Browns third-stringer D'Ernest Johnson. McKissic isn't likely to rack up 168 scrimmage yards, as Johnson did, but he could top 100 yards like in in Week 6.

Managers will be tempted to start Miami Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin after he had two strong outings over the past three weeks.

In Week 5, Gaskin caught 10 passes, compiled 99 scrimmage yards and reached the end zone twice. Last week, he had four catches, 77 yards and a score. However, sandwiched between those games, Gaskin had a 14-yard outing against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Gaskin's inconsistency is a problem, as is Miami's Week 8 matchup with the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins were dominated 35-0 the last time these two AFC East rivals met, and Buffalo has been stingy against backs not named Derrick Henry.

The Bills have allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. When Gaskin last faced the Bills, he had four receptions but only 46 total yards. Gaskin does not carry a lot of upside in Week 8 and is best left on the bench in all but the deepest of leagues.

Player - Team - Percent Rostered in Yahoo, ESPN Leagues

Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Philadelphia Eagles - 21%, 26%

Samaje Perine, RB, Cincinnati Bengals - 7%, 8%

Brandon Bolden, RB, New England Patriots - 6%, 6%

K.J. Osborn, WR, Minnesota Vikings - 7%, 8%

Michael Gallup, WR, Dallas Cowboys - 40%, 51%

Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars - 54%, 64%

Tyler Conklin, TE, Minnesota Vikings - 9%, 11%

C.J. Uzomah, TE, Cincinnati Bengals - 19%, 9%

With James White (hip) on injured reserve, Brandon Bolden has emerged as a quality receiving option in the New England Patriots offense. He's also becoming a prime PPR waiver-wire target.

Bolden is rostered in only six percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, but that's likely to change after his breakout performance in Week 7. Against the New York Jets, Bolden caught six passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. While carries have been few and far between for Bolden, he has been targeted 17 times over the past four weeks.

Bolden was one of three Patriots running backs—along with Damien Harris and J.J. Taylor—to find the end zone against the Jets. That's not going to happen every week. However, Bolden does have an enticing matchup this week against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Los Angeles has surrendered the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.

The Jaguars offense hasn't been rolling in 2021, but rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence is beginning to show progress. Meanwhile, second-year wideout Laviska Shenault Jr. is emerging as one of Lawrence's favorite targets.

Shenault has been targeted at least seven times in four of his six outings this season. While he has yet to find the end zone, he has topped the 50-yard mark in four of six games and has six receptions in two of his last three games.

Behind only veteran Marvin Jones Jr., Sheanault ranks second among Jaguars pass-catchers in targets (41), receptions (26) and receiving yards (306).

In Week 8, Shenault will face a Seattle Seahawks team that came into Monday night allowing the 15th-most fantasy points to opposing receivers. There's a fair bit of PPR upside here, and managers who have players like Henry Ruggs III or Marquise Brown on bye would be wise to pull Shenault from the bench and into the lineup this week.

*Fantasy information via FantasyPros. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.