Welp, my Mason Taylor claim last week didn’t come to fruition — but that’s showbiz. Let’s jump into Week 8 — a heavy bye week — and declare who should be in your lineups, and who should ride the pine.
A reminder that I judge my “start” or “sit” against a full-PPR format.
Start ‘Em
Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 8 Matchup: vs. Green Bay Packers (“SNF”)
Jaylen Warren is coming off a busy Week 7 in which he rushed for 127 yards on 16 carries, adding four receptions on five targets for 31 yards. The Packers may be a bit stingy in points allowed to opposing RBs (an average of 17.6 per game, per FantasyData), but Green Bay is susceptible to giving up receptions to backs at a higher clip. That’s a strong suit to Warren’s game, which makes him a great option this week as an upside RB2.
Joe Flacco, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Week 8 Matchup: vs. New York Jets
Not much context needed for this one. Joe Flacco just threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns against the Steelers last week, and is now set to face an 0-7 Jets team that will likely be without Sauce Gardner (concussion). New York’s defense is middle of the pack against opposing QBs, allowing an average of 18 points per game to quarterbacks, per FantasyData, but this contest feels ripe for the likes of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. With names such as Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, and Matthew Stafford all on a bye, Flacco is surely on the streaming radar.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants
Week 8 Matchup: @ Philadelphia Eagles
Wan’Dale Robinson has put together a decent season with Malik Nabers out of the equation. Through seven games, Robinson has 446 yards on 35 receptions and two touchdowns. In New York’s last two games, he is averaging 9.5 targets, 6.0 catches, and 89.5 yards. The Giants are moving the ball well with rookie Jaxson Dart under center, and Robinson is going up against an Eagles defense (that he just saw in Week 6) in which he caught six of seven targets for 84 yards and a touchdown.
Sit ‘Em
Kendrick Bourne, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Week 8 Matchup: @ Houston Texans
The blowup Kendrick Bourne weeks may be behind us, simply because the 49ers are getting healthier with Jauan Jennings and George Kittle back in the mix. Not to mention, the Texans are allowing the fifth-fewest points to fantasy WRs on the year, certainly making Bourne a boom-or-bust option this week.
DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears
Week 8 Matchup: @ Baltimore Ravens
The on-paper matchup feels promising, as the Ravens are conceding a collective 26.0 fantasy points to WRs per game this season. However, DJ Moore has not been a focal point of the Bears’ offense, warranting a spot in your lineup this week to exploit said matchup. On the season, he has just five targets in all but one game (Week 2, where he had six), and so the volume has not been there for him whatsoever. You’ll also want to monitor his practice status the rest of the week, as he is dealing with hip and groin injuries.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders
Week 8 Matchup: @ Kansas City Chiefs (“MNF”)
Another week without Jayden Daniels under center for the Commanders in a tilt upcoming with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. The summer sensation that is rookie back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been a disappointment in recent weeks. Since Week 5, he has seen no less than 13 carries per game, but he is averaging just 68.3 yards per game on the ground, with just two touchdowns to show for it in that span. He also is not much of a focal point in the pass game, and with Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin both due back, I would brace for “Bill” to take a step back. It’s also worth noting that the Chiefs have not allowed an opposing running back to score on them since Week 4.