Sit/Start Week 8: Reviewing All the Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Eagles@Bills

 

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, October 27th at 1:00 pm EST

Location: New Era Field, Buffalo, NY

Betting Odds: BUF -1.5, 42.5 Total via Oddsshark

Network: FOX

Sleeper Spotlight: Dawson Knox

 

Philadelphia Eagles

 

Quarterback:

• Carson Wentz (Sit)

 

Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense fell flat against the Cowboys on Sunday night and I’m not sure that it’s going to get any better moving forward. The Cowboys held Wentz to just 191 yards on 16/26 passing, despite trailing the entire game. The Bills have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this year. The Bills defense is tied for the eighth-most takeaways in the league. 

 

Running Backs:

• Jordan Howard (Start/Flex)
• Miles Sanders (Sit)
• Darren Sproles (Sit)

 

Jordan Howard is the Eagles’ early-down and goal-line back, so even in a tough matchup, he has a reasonable floor. Howard had 11 carries for 50 yards in the Week 7 matchup against the Cowboys and even had two targets. Unfortunately, the targets have been inconsistent, as he’s had 4, 0, 0, and 2 over the last four weeks. Miles Sanders’ snap count reached a year high 54% in Week 7 versus the Cowboys, mostly due to the ultra-negative game script. The Eagles trailed the entire game, but Sanders saw just three targets and had six carries. Better days are ahead for the Eagles’ rookie, but I’m not sure it’s this week. Darren Sproles left their Week 5 matchup against the Jets and missed the last two weeks. 

 

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends:

• Alshon Jeffrey (Start/Flex)
• Zach Ertz (Start/TE1)
• DeSean Jackson (Sit)
• Nelson Agholar (Sit)
• Dallas Goedert (Sit)

 

Alshon Jeffery leads the team in targets over the last three weeks with a 26% target share. He also draws a difficult matchup against Tre’Davious White, who will most likely shadow him. I still feel he can be started as a flex, because of the workload. Zach Ertz remains a TE1 despite not living up to his draft-day value. While the Bills have allowed the third-least amount of fantasy points to opposing tight ends, you’d have to have another top option to sit Ertz. Every Eagles fan is praying for the eventual return of DeSean Jackson from the mysterious abdominal injury that he suffered in Week 2. For now, we’re taking a patient wait and see approach. Nelson Agholar’s role in this offense has continued to diminish and I feel like his alligator arms in the Cowboys’ game was the straw that broke the camel’s back. It’s one thing to struggle, but it’s another when you’re not putting forth the effort. Dallas Goedert has 12 targets over the last two weeks, which has him creeping closer and closer towards TE1 territory. If you’re missing Mark Andrews this week, you could do worse than Goedert, who lands just outside the top 12 tight ends.

 

Buffalo Bills

 

Quarterback:

• Josh Allen (Start/QB1)

 

Josh Allen disappointed some in an elite matchup against the Dolphins, going 16/26 for 202 yards and two touchdowns, while only running for 32 yards. Despite a little disappointment, he still finished the week as QB7. This week Allen gets a matchup against the Eagles, who have been a haven for fantasy points for passing games across the league. I’m firing Allen up over pretty much anyone not named Watson, Wilson, Rodgers, and Goff.

 

Running Backs:

• Frank Gore (Start/Flex)
• Devin Singletary (Sit)
• T.J. Yeldon (Sit)

 

The Eagles stout run defense looked, well, less than stout against the Cowboys. The Cowboys got both their starting tackles back and Ezekiel Elliott ran wild for 111 yards and a touchdown. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Frank Gore is not Elliott. Even with Devin Singletary’s return, Gore’s snap share remained consistent at around 50%. T.J. Yeldon was the one who got a healthy scratch. I’m taking a wait and see approach with Singletary, especially in a difficult matchup. Gore constitutes a flex play due to the volume he sees. 

 

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends:

• John Brown (Start/WR2)
• Cole Beasley (Sit)
• Dawson Knox (Sit)
• Duke Williams (Sit)
• Isaiah McKenzie (Sit)
• Tyler Kroft (Sit)

 

John Brown is a lock and load play against the porous Eagles secondary. Brown is tied with Cole Beasley with a team-high 22% target share but leads the Bills in Air Yards. Beasley could be a flex play in PPR leagues, as he’s gotten plenty of targets, but with a 7.1 aDOT, most of those targets are low upside balls. Dawson Knox has seen his role in the offense increase, as he has a 17% target share over the last two games, which ranks 10th-highest in that time. Knox’s rise in the offense has not come without struggle, as he had two bad drops in Week 7 against the Dolphins. Duke Williams was only targeted once in his Week 7 game but left the game with a shoulder injury. Keep an eye on his status, but for now, his role in the offense needs to increase before we consider him for fantasy purposes. Isaiah McKenzie looks like a spark plug when the ball is in his hands but doesn’t have the workload yet. Tyler Kroft made his long-anticipated Bills debut, but it may be too little, too late. With Knox emerging, Kroft didn’t play any snaps in Week 7. 

-Rich Holman, @nextdoorFFguru