Weekly Rankings: Ranking Each Position For Week 8

Welcome to QB List’s weekly rankings! Each week, I’ll be taking a look at the upcoming matchups and ranking each position, as well as flex positions.

Note: rankings will be updated throughout the week, so continue checking back here as the week goes on.

Week 8 Notes:

• I’ve basically completely lost faith in Ben Roethlisberger in general this year, and I’ve especially lost faith in him on the road (not that I ever had much to begin with). The Lions have given up the 11th-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this year, they even held Drew Brees to just 186 yards and two interceptions in Week 6. Now, coming off a bye week to prepare for the Steelers, I just don’t see any reason you’d start Big Ben unless you’re in a very deep league and/or are desperate.

• I’m optimistic about Joe Mixon going forward, and I think he’s still a worthwhile RB2 this week, but after getting at least 15 carries in his past three games, he got just seven last week. Marvin Lewis tried to explain it away with something that didn’t make sense, but I don’t know what the game against the Colts holds for Mixon. I still think you should start him, but the uncertainty makes me nervous. Given how bad the Colts offense is, he could easily have a massive game, especially if he gets 15+ carries, but if we’re sitting here on Monday saying “Wow, I can’t believe he got only five carries and Jeremy Hill had a huge game,” I wouldn’t necessarily be shocked.
• With Marshawn Lynch suspended this week, the Oakland Raiders will either turn to DeAndre Washington or Jalen Richard this week (or a mix of the two). Both Washington and Richard looked good coming in for Lynch, but I think Washington just looked slightly better, and that’s why I’ve got him over Richard. I know the Bills are a tough matchup, they’re a top-10 run defense and have held running backs much better than Washington and Richard to low yardage totals, but I think both make for solid flex options with a slight edge to Washington.
• Stefon Diggs is traveling with the Vikings to London and he’s made progress on his injury, but there’s no guarantee that he’s playing this week. Keep an eye on him, because that matchup against the Browns is really nice. If he doesn’t play, I’d probably bump Adam Thielen up to where Diggs currently is in my ranks.
• I don’t have a lot of faith in Derek Carr this week. Yea, he looked awesome last week, but the Bills have a top-5 pass defense, and the last time that Carr traveled across the country for a game, he had a good matchup in Washington and threw for just 118 yards and two interceptions. Because of that, I don’t have a lot of faith in either Michael Crabtree or Amari Cooper. Cooper especially, last week was awesome, yes, but I want to see it again before I totally buy into it.
• I know Alshon Jeffery has a cake matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, but he had a cake matchup against the Redskins last week and he came away with just two catches for 37 yards. In fact, outside of Week 2, Jeffery has yet to really have a great week. For better or for worse, Carson Wentz spreads the ball around, and that means Jeffery is going to keep being inconsistent. Could he have a great game on Sunday? Of course, especially against the 49ers. But how likely is it?
• My ranking of Devante Parker assumes that he plays on Thursday against the Ravens. He sorta kinda maybe might play, last I’ve heard, and even if he does, the Ravens have an excellent passing defense, especially against perimeter receivers, which is generally where Parker plays. I think the Dolphins strategy will be to constantly run Jay Ajayi down the Ravens’ throat (as they have the worst run defense in football) and I think that means that someone like Parker could suffer.
• I believe in Josh Doctson’s talent, I really do, but even with his highest target share of the season (five), he still ended up with just three catches for 39 yards. I think he’s a decent bench stash going forward, as he’s extremely talented and the Redskins obviously really like him, but I want to see a more substantial workload before I really believe in him. Similar to Wentz, Kirk Cousins spreads the ball around too much to really rely on any Redskins pass catcher not named Chris Thompson.

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