Game Info
Kickoff: Monday, October 31st at 8:15 PM ET
Location: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH
Betting Odds: CIN -3.5, 47 total via Oddsshark
Network: ESPN
Writers:
Erik Smith (@ErikSmithQBL on Twitter)
Michael James (@MikeoftheFF on Twitter)
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Jacoby Brissett (Sit, QB2)
Jacoby Brissett comes into this week as the QB25 on a points-per-game basis (13.2 ppg) and the QB20 overall. After a 4-1 touchdown to interception ratio over the first three weeks of the season, Brissett has fallen off as of late, posting two touchdowns and four interceptions over the last four games, with two lost fumbles as well. The Bengals’ defense has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks on the season and has yet to allow a second-half touchdown through seven games. While Cincinnati is a bit banged up on defense, their secondary and pass rush has the talent to limit Brissett to a pedestrian day. Going in Brissett’s favor is the potential for a high-scoring game as the home quarterback, so it’s not all doom and gloom. But Brissett has yet to crack 20 fantasy points in a game this season and remains a decent floor option without much in the way of a ceiling in Week 8.
Running Backs
Nick Chubb (Start, RB1), Kareem Hunt (Sit, FLEX)
The Bengals and Browns last played in Week 18 of 2021, when the Bengals rested almost all of their starters with the division clinched. So their last relevant matchup was in November of last year, where the Browns won in Cincinnati 41-16. The Browns rode Nick Chubb to the win, as you might expect, as Chubb ripped off a 70-yard run on the way to 14 carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Averaging just under 20 PPR points per game on the season, Chubb enters Week 8 as the RB3 on his excellent efficiency. Chubb is averaging nearly six yards per rushing attempt and has averaged a touchdown each week while playing on just 54% of the snaps. Cincinnati remains without their excellent run-stopper D.J. Reader on the line, while star defenders Logan Wilson and Trey Hendrickson are questionable to play on Monday Night Football. The Bengals were able to handle the Falcons’ rushing attack last week, but Chubb will be a greater test. He’s a clear RB1 even in a relatively difficult matchup, as few players have the touchdown and big-play potential that he possesses.
Kareem Hunt is playable as a FLEX option due to his 48% snap share on the year, but the production has been lacking. He’s been dependent on touchdowns to break out of the FLEX tier this season, so if you need to fill in some bye week gaps, this should work fine. He’s been averaging around 8 points in PPR, and would be somewhat of a riskier play outside of the FLEX tier and should probably stay on the bench awaiting any potential trade deadline news regarding his team.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Amari Cooper (Start, WR2), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Sit, FLEX), David Bell (Sit), Harrison Bryant (Sit, TE2)
Opponents of Cincinnati have been averaging just under 200 yards receiving over the past two games, and around 66 yards to the top wide receiver on those teams. However, it should be noted those numbers are skewed by the last two games facing a very banged-up Saints corps. and whatever you would call the Falcons unit. This sets up Amari Cooper to at least continue his pace of around 12 points per game, but given that the Bengals’ offense has been operating very efficiently of late, I expect Cleveland will need to throw it more to continue the pace, expanding Cooper’s potential to WR2.
The Bengals on the season are statistically one of the better defenses that are limiting the yards after the catch, and as such this limits some of the potential of the receivers after Cooper on the list. Donovan Peoples-Jones has been averaging just over 10 points per game over the last four with a high snap share of 87%. I think he will be a serviceable BYE-week fill-in candidate and FLEX for deeper leagues. Harrison Bryant is filling in for David Njoku and on one hand, Cincinnati is on average giving up around 4.5 receptions and 42 yards to the tight end over the last four games and that does include a game against Mark Andrews. On the other hand, however, Bryant is the only tight end on the Browns’ roster that doesn’t carry an injury designation this week. Given how fast tight end reliability drops, however, he will be just fine in the dart throw that is hoping for a touchdown catch.
Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback
Joe Burrow (Start, QB1)
Coming off his game where he dropped a smooth 481 yards passing and 4 total touchdowns, we are starting Joe Burrow against this Browns’ defense that is bottom ten in the league in pressure rate on the quarterback. We like giving Joe Cool time to throw. Cleveland is allowing 6.7 yards per attempt which is in the bottom half of the league and has only intercepted the ball 2 times this season. Burrow is averaging over 300 yards and 27 fantasy points per game over his last four matchups. There’s not a lot to say here, it’s a QB1 and right now you’re riding his points-scored train. I look for the Bengals to follow the game plan set up by the Patriots to try to get out to an early lead to limit Chubb’s usage and that involves getting the ball downfield to Cincinnati’s talented receiving corps.
Running Backs
Joe Mixon (Start, RB1), Samaje Perine (Sit)
While Joe Mixon hasn’t been meeting his expected points scored per game by this point of the season, he also has scored double-digit points in all but one of his games played this season. He’s going up against a rushing defense that is 9th lowest in yards per rushing attempt allowed and is allowing the most rushing touchdowns of any team this season. They are top 10 in rushing attempts against them, as teams are running it at Cleveland and they aren’t stopping them. Mixon’s last four matchups have him averaging just over 4 YPC and more encouraging is his workload in the passing game. He’s averaging around 4 catches and 30 yards per game this season to add to his rushing volume.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Ja’Marr Chase (Start, WR1), Tee Higgins (Start, WR2), Tyler Boyd (Start, WR3), Hayden Hurst (Start, TE1)
You’re starting Ja’Marr Chase. I put in a lot of work and research to come to this conclusion, so you’re welcome for the hustle there.
After Cincinnati’s #1 wide receiver with four touchdowns in two games, you are looking at Tee Higgins who has double-digit fantasy points in every game he’s played where he hasn’t left early due to injury this season. If you remove the two games where he was hurt, he’s averaging 8 catches for 85 yards and he should put up numbers similar to that here as well. This is a Browns secondary that is surrendering just under 200 yards to receivers in their last four games and enters the week with one of their cornerbacks banged up. Tyler Boyd is more of the risk-reward play that is a solid FLEX if he doesn’t catch a touchdown, and a WR2+ when he does. Averaging 6 targets over the last 4 games, Boyd has also averaged 8 points in the 5 games where he DIDN’T score a touchdown.
Hayden Hurst is tight end #10 on the season through 7 weeks and is averaging 5.5 targets per game this season. The Browns are giving up an average of 50 yards a game to the opponent’s tight end. Hurst’s 67% snap share and double-digit fantasy points in 3 of his last 4 games make for a good TE start if you aren’t one of the teams with a top 5 tight end.