Fantasy Football DFS Domination: Week 8

Breaking down the top players and sleepers for DraftKings and FanDuel for Week 8 DFS fantasy football

Just when we thought Week 7 had too many ugly matchups, Week 8 entered the chat room screaming in CAPS LOCK. This week is brutal from an offensive standpoint. Two premier offenses are on bye. Two elite and two above-average offenses are in the primetime slate. Plus, the GOAT faced Lamar Jackson on Thursday. The only “off-slate” game that won’t be sucking away a ton of talent is the latest Sunday-morning London game.

DFS: The Primetime Slate

Sunday Night

Green Bay @ Buffalo

If this game was scheduled for last season, it would have been a must-see event. Now, we get to see a short-handed Aaron Rodgers (QB3) struggle to keep up with the top offense in football. If Allen Lazard (shoulder) misses this game, Rodgers will be forced to throw the ball to his rookie WRs.

Josh Allen (QB1) is the best QB in football right now (with my apologies to personal favorite Patrick Mahomes). Green Bay’s secondary is decent but they are about to get schooled.

It would be wise of Green Bay to run the ball frequently this week to attempt to keep it away from the Buffalo offense. It won’t work, as eventually, they will have to abandon the run to keep up. Aaron Jones (RB3) should have enough volume in both the run and pass games to be an RB2 consideration. A.J. Dillon (RB6) isn’t getting the opportunities needed to be more than a deep flex play. Maybe Green Bay can line one of them up at WR.

Devin Singletary (RB4) has actually posted respectable numbers this season despite continuing to play second-fiddle to the passing game. His price is cheap enough to make him a preferential RB2 play. James Cook (RB8) has passed Zack Moss on the depth chart. Moss wasn’t even active last week. If he suits up, he can be ignored in all formats. Heck, even fullback Reggie Gilliam (RB9) has passed Moss in value as he catches a few passes each week.

We don’t know which receivers Rodgers will have at his disposal. Allen Lazard (shoulder – WR6) is his only reliable option, but he is trending toward being out. Christian Watson (hamstring – WR11) has not been used much in the passing game yet, but his draft capital suggests that he is capable of being an alpha. Sammy Watkins (WR8) will be the de facto WR1 for Rodgers this week if Lazard is out. That alone would put him in WR3 consideration. Romeo Doubs (WR9) hasn’t done much recently but he will likely be WR2 for Green Bay this week. He could be a sneaky flex play as someone will draw the targets here. The only other options they have are Amari Rodgers (WR14) and something called Samori Toure (WR16). They can both be ignored.

Green Bay’s secondary has supposedly improved this offseason. The numbers suggest this is true until you look closer and see that Justin Jefferson and Terry McLaurin are the only legitimate WRs they have faced all year and both had huge games against them. Both Stefon Diggs (WR2) and Gabe Davis (WR3) are playable at WR1 this week, and I would not fault you for using both of them in an Allen stack. Isaiah McKenzie (WR10) has tailed off since Davis’ return, but he is also in play as a WR3. You could get cute and use Khalil Shakir (WR12) to save even more dough. He also makes a great Showdown play.

Robert Tonyan (TE2) merits consideration due to all of the WR injuries. Someone has to catch the ball here. Even with all of the WR questions, I’m not ready to deploy Josiah Deguara (TE5) or Marcedes Lewis (TE6).

As predicted entering this year, Dawson Knox (TE3) has found himself as a true TD-dependent play. It isn’t a great slate for TEs, but I feel better about the other options at a similar cost. Tommy Sweeney (TE7) has zero value without a Knox injury.

Monday Night

CINCINNATI @ CLEVELAND

In the battle of Ohio, Joe Burrow (QB2) has a huge advantage in talent, weapons, and moxie. Teams that wish to fade Allen should look here.

Jacoby Brissett (QB4) has actually had a solid season for being thrust into a starting role. Cincy is mediocre against the pass, so he will have a serviceable stat line. Unfortunately, it will still be the lowest on the slate.

Cleveland has looked foolish against the run most of the last month. Joe Mixon (RB2) will attempt to exploit this despite his vanilla tendencies. He is definitely the safest RB2 on the board. This awful defense also puts Samaje Perine (RB6) in play as a potential discount flex.

Nick Chubb (RB1) has been unstoppable this season. Regardless of the opponent, game script, or dodging his own teammates’ vultures, he has performed as a top-three RB in the league. Set him as your RB1 and smile. Kareem Hunt (RB5) has underperformed his draft equity this season, but he is always a threat to score, and his auxiliary numbers keep him flex-worthy. Just watch this weekend to see if the hot stove talk regarding him heats up as this may lead to him not playing here. If Hunt is held out/dealt, D’Ernest Johnson (RB9) would have Showdown value.

Ja’Marr Chase (hip) and Tee Higgins (WR1) both balled out last week in a stellar matchup. Now Chase is out for at least the next month. All of your lineups should have one of the following: Higgins, Diggs, or Davis. Tyler Boyd (WR5) also had a big game last week, and he deserves WR2 thought if you are going cheaper at the position. The “other” Michael Thomas (WR13) could be a Showdown play with the injury to Chase.

Amari Cooper (WR5) is a great run-it-back play in a Bengals stack, since Cincy has had struggles with WR1 this year. That said, we should point out that Noah Brown is the only auxiliary WR to do anything versus them. Donovan Peoples-Jones (WR8) should probably be faded here, and David Bell (WR15) shouldn’t even sniff Showdown lineups.

I love what Cincinnati is doing with Hayden Hurst (ankle/groin – TE1). I love even more that the sites refuse to raise his price. He is easily the safest TE on the board this week, and Chase’s injury should increase his target share.

With David Njoku (ankle) out, Harrison Bryant (TE4) may be a decent streamer this week. Cincy is middle of the road against the position, and Bryant has had success when featured previously. I’d consider some double-TE builds including him.

The Main Slate: recommended DFS lineups

DK Lineup: QB Kirk Cousins ($6.1k), RB Derrick Henry ($8.4k), RB Raheem Mostert ($5.9k), WR Jaylen Waddle ($6.7k), WR Adam Thielen ($6.2k), WR Josh Reynolds ($5k), TE Irv Smith ($3.5k), FLEX D’Onta Foreman ($5.3k), DST Washington Commanders ($2.6k)

FD Lineup: QB Geno Smith ($7k), RB Derrick Henry ($10k), RB Saquon Barkley ($9.5k), WR Adam Thielen ($6.2k), WR Brandin Cooks ($6.1k), WR Marquise Goodwin ($5.6k), TE Irv Smith ($5k), FLEX Raheem Mostert ($6.8k), DST Washington Commanders ($3.4k)

FB Lineup: QB Josh Allen ($7.6k), RB Derrick Henry ($7.4k), RB Raheem Mostert ($5.3k), WR Stefon Diggs ($7.1k), WR Josh Reynolds ($4.1k), WR Marquise Goodwin ($3.4k), TE Irv Smith ($3.5k), FLEX Kenneth Walker ($6k), FLEX D’Onta Foreman ($4.7k)

Quarterbacks DraftKings FanDuel
Jalen Hurts $8,300 $9,200
Kyler Murray $7,500 $8,200
Dak Prescott $6,600 $7,200
Tua Tagovailoa $6,200 $7,700
Kirk Cousins $6,100 $7,800
Matthew Stafford $6,000 $7,000
Derek Carr $5,900 $7,200
Geno Smith $5,800 $7,000
Daniel Jones $5,700 $7,500
Jimmy Garoppolo $5,600 $7,100
Andy Dalton $5,500 $7,100
Jared Goff $5,500 $7,300
Marcus Mariota $5,400 $6,900
Jameis Winston $5,300 $7,100
Mac Jones $5,300 $6,600
Ryan Tannehill $5,300 $6,700
Davis Mills $5,200 $6,500
Justin Fields $5,200 $6,500
P.J. Walker $5,200 $6,400
Taylor Heinicke $5,200 $6,400
Kenny Pickett $5,100 $6,600
Zach Wilson $5,100 $6,400
Malik Willis $5,000 $6,700
Taysom Hill $5,000 N/A

Quarterback

Weekly strategy – Tua Tagovailoa is the safest option among the high-priced picks this week. Jalen Hurts is worth playing on DK as is Kirk Cousins. If you don’t use one of these three consider Geno Smith or Jared Goff. You can also punt with Davis Mills or (if he is able to start) Ryan Tannehill (ankle).

Fantasy Four-pack

Jalen Hurts, Eagles vs. PIT
($8,300 DK, $9,200 FD) 
Pittsburgh has held four of the seven QBs to face them to only one passing TD. The issue for them is that they are giving up the fifth-most passing yardage and the few running QBs they have faced have had success against them. Hurts should be good for three total scores this week.

Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins @ DET
($6,200 DK, $7,700 FD)
Tua has gone from potentially out of football forever to the second-best QB option on this slate in just three weeks. Detroit is better against the pass than the run, but that isn’t saying much since they are ungodly bad against the run. Stack Tua with either Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle and then run it back with whoever suits up at WR for Detroit.

Kirk Cousins, Vikings vs. ARI ($6,100 DK, $7,800 FD) The Cardinals seem to limit opposing WR1s every week, so consider Justin Jefferson a trap this week. The rest of the defense is in deep “blank” as they try to hold in check the rest of this passing offense. Cousins will find some combo of  K.J. Osborn, Adam Thielen, and Irv Smith for a trio of passing TDs.

Geno Smith, Seahawks vs. NYG
($5,800 DK, $7,000 FD
This feels like a possible trap here for Smith with Tyler Lockett (hamstring) playing through an injury and DK Metcalf (knee) questionable, at best. Still, you cannot argue with the success he has had so far this season. He has multiple passing scores in five of seven games. He also has had success with his legs. This could be his blessing here as New York has struggled with rushing QBs this season.

DFS Sleepers

Jared Goff, Lions vs. MIA
($5,500 DK, $7,300 FD)
An excessive volume of WR injuries combined with a tough pair of opponents has probably pushed Goff out of the comfortable start category. Still, Miami is dealing with injuries of their own on the defensive side of the ball opening the door for Goff to get back into the good graces of the DFS community here.

Davis Mills, Texans vs. TEN
($5,200 DK, $6,500 FD)
This game could be a sneaky shootout as neither team plays much defense. Ryan Tannehill (ankle) may actually outperform Mills in this matchup, but his starting status is in question. Mills is just a smidge cheaper than Tannehill. He also has a more reliable WR1 in Brandin Cooks to stack with.

Running Backs DraftKings FanDuel
Christian McCaffrey $8,700 $8,500
Derrick Henry $8,400 $10,000
Saquon Barkley $8,100 $9,500
Jonathan Taylor $8,000 $8,300
Dalvin Cook
$7,600 $8,200
Josh Jacobs $7,500 $9,000
Alvin Kamara $7,100 $7,800
D’Andre Swift $6,800 $7,500
Miles Sanders $6,600 $7,400
Kenneth Walker $6,500 $8,400
Rhamondre Stevenson $6,400 $8,000
Dameon Pierce $6,300 $7,300
David Montgomery $6,300 $6,700
Ezekiel Elliott $6,200 $7,100
James Conner $6,100 $7,000
Tony Pollard $6,100 $6,300
Eno Benjamin $6,000 $7,000
Jamaal Williams $6,000 $7,500
Michael Carter $5,900 $6,600
Raheem Mostert $5,900 $6,800
Damien Harris $5,800 $7,000
Khalil Herbert $5,700 $6,700
Najee Harris $5,700 $6,600
Alexander Mattison $5,600 $5,200
Brian Robinson $5,600 $6,000
Darrell Henderson $5,500 $6,500
Antonio Gibson $5,400 $5,600
Chuba Hubbard $5,400 $6,200
Tyler Allgeier $5,400 $6,100
D’Onta Foreman $5,300 $6,400
Nyheim Hines $5,200 $5,100
Chase Edmonds $5,100 $5,700
Jeff Wilson $5,100 $5,700
Caleb Huntley $5,000 $5,200
Cam Akers $5,000 $5,500
Keaontay Ingram $5,000 $5,400
Mark Ingram $4,800 $5,000
Kenneth Gainwell $4,700 $5,300
DeeJay Dallas $4,600 $5,100
Dontrell Hilliard $4,600 $5,100
J.D. McKissic $4,500 $4,800

Running Back

Weekly strategy – Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry are the two best plays this week. They are also priced as such. You won’t be able to afford both of them, but try to get one of them into each lineup. An active D’Andre Swift (ankle/shoulder) would be a decent pivot as would Alvin Kamara (lack of TDs). It is just hard to rely on either of them seriously right now. Dameon Pierce is probably the safer pivot. Tony Pollard should also be a strong play with Ezekiel Elliott (MCL) likely out. Raheem Mostert gets the best matchup among cheaper options. He seems like a must-start. I also love the discount prices on D’Onta Foreman and Brian Robinson.

Fantasy Four-pack

Derrick Henry, Titans @ HOU
($8,400 DK, $10,000 FD)
Houston is allowing a league-worst 174 combo yards per game to opposing RBs. Now they have to contend with King Henry? Houston, we have a problem. That $10k price is high, but if there was ever a confluence of events that could produce 3x value to that, it is this matchup. Expect a floor of 150-2.

Saquon Barkley, Giants @ SEA
($8,100 DK, $9,500 FD)
Seattle is not as bad as Houston. They only allow 155 combo yards per game to opposing RBs. That said, they have been really putrid against pass-catching backs such as Barkley. For his part, he has scored and/or topped 100 combo yards in all but one game this season. This will be his top performance to date.

Christian McCaffrey, 49ers @ LAR ($8,700 DK, $8,500 FD) McCaffrey looked pretty dang good with no practice and just reading the playbook on a cross-country flight. Imagine what he can accomplish for San Francisco once he gets a week of practice in. The Rams are very good against the run, but San Fran will go out of its way to showcase its new toy this week. He will finish with right around 24 points here.

Jonathan Taylor, Colts vs. WAS
($8,000 DK, $8,300 FD)
I’m not sure what effects Sam Ehlinger will have on Taylor and the ground game, but he can’t be any worse to the team’s goals than Matt Ryan had been. Washington is decent against the run, but no team has allowed more RB receiving TDs this season. Taylor got a lot of targets last week, if this continues he will definitely score here.

DFS Sleepers

Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. CHI
($5,900 DK, $6,800 FD)
Pollard will not have to split touches with Ezekiel Elliott (MCL) this week. This is nice because either one of them would be in for a big game if the other wasn’t present. Chicago is allowing 146 combo yards per game to opposing RBs. Now, all of that will go to Pollard. 

Raheem Mostert, Dolphins @ DET ($5,900 DK, $6,800 FD) The Lions are allowing a league-worst 1.7 total TDs per game to opposing RBs. Meanwhile, Mostert holds a 2-to-1 touch advantage over his clear backup, Chase Edmonds. Over the last four games, Mostert holds a 360-to-69 yards from scrimmage advantage. This is Mostert’s backfield, and this week Mostert is a must-start.

Wide receivers DraftKings FanDuel
Cooper Kupp $9,600 $9,300
Justin Jefferson $9,100 $9,000
Davante Adams $8,600 $8,500
Tyreek Hill $8,500 $8,700
A.J. Brown $7,700 $8,200
Deebo Samuel $7,500 $7,300
DeAndre Hopkins $7,400 $7,900
Michael Pittman $7,200 $7,100
CeeDee Lamb $7,000 $7,500
Amon-Ra St. Brown $6,900 $7,200
Jaylen Waddle $6,700 $7,800
DK Metcalf $6,600 $7,000
Tyler Lockett $6,500 $7,600
DeVonta Smith $6,300 $6,900
Adam Thielen $6,200 $6,200
Brandon Aiyuk $6,100 $6,700
Chris Olave $6,000 $6,900
Terry McLaurin $6,000 $6,800
Brandin Cooks $5,900 $6,100
Michael Thomas $5,700 $7,000
Diontae Johnson $5,600 $6,300
Jakobi Meyers $5,600 $6,600
Robert Woods $5,400 $5,700
Curtis Samuel $5,300 $5,600
DJ Moore $5,300 $6,200
Allen Robinson $5,200 $5,600
Drake London $5,100 $5,600
Rondale Moore $5,100 $5,500
Josh Reynolds $5,000 $6,500
Michael Gallup $5,000 $5,800
Hunter Renfrow $4,900 $5,600
Chase Claypool $4,800 $6,000
Darnell Mooney $4,900 $6,100
Elijah Moore $4,700 $5,000
George Pickens $4,700 $5,500
Wan’Dale Robinson $4,700 $5,900
Alec Pierce $4,600 $5,800
Darius Slayton $4,600 $5,700
DJ Chark $4,600 $5,000
Corey Davis $4,500 $5,500
Mack Hollins $4,500 $5,600
Parris Campbell $4,500 $5,600
Treylon Burks $4,500 $5,000
DeVante Parker $4,400 $5,800
Marquise Goodwin $4,400 $5,600
Tre’Quan Smith $4,400 $5,300
Jarvis Landry $4,300 $5,500
Kalif Raymond $4,300 $5,600
Noah Brown $4,300 $5,500
Garrett Wilson $4,200 $5,400
Jahan Dotson $4,200 $5,700
K.J. Osborn $4,200 $5,300
Nico Collins $4,200 $5,300
Ben Skowronek $4,100 $5,300
Greg Dortch $4,100 $5,000
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine $4,000 $5,300
Olamide Zaccheaus $4,000 $5,300
Robbie Anderson $4,000 $5,300
Tyquan Thornton $3,800 $5,700
Braxton Berrios $3,700 $5,200
Marquez Callaway $3,700 $5,000
Richie James $3,700 $5,200
Rashid Shaheed $3,600 $5,100
Cedrick Wilson $3,300 $5,200
Damiere Byrd $3,300 $5,100
Dee Eskridge $3,300 $5,000
Laviska Shenault $3,000 $4,800
Van Jefferson $3,000 $5,400

Wide Receiver

Weekly strategy – I am spending up at RB this week, so I will likely only have one high-priced WR in my lineup. Both Cooper Kupp and Davante Adams (illness) are OK plays but are expensive. I’d rather roll with one of the Dolphins or one of the Eagles. Adam ThielenBrandin CooksDJ Moore, and Terry McLaurin are my favorite WR2 options. If you need to go cheaper, there use one of the Lions or Giants. They can also be used at WR3. You can also consider Marquise Goodwin or one of the Saints in that spot.

Fantasy Four-pack

Tyreek Hill, Dolphins @DET
($8,500 DK, $8,700 FD
Detroit has allowed 11 different WRs to reach double-digit PPR points already this season. This suggests that both Hill and Jaylen Waddle could blow up this week. Since you should also have a lot of exposure to Raheem Mostert, choose only one of the two in your stacks.

Cooper Kupp, Rams vs. SF
($9,600 DK, $9,300 FD)
Facing the Niners isn’t a death knell for Kupp. He was targeted 19 times versus them just a couple of weeks back. Over their last three meetings, Kupp is averaging 11-121. The knock is that he has only scored in one of those games. Consider this a floor game for Kupp, which will still be right around 20-24 points.

Davante Adams, Raiders @ NO
($8,600 DK, $8,500 FD)
Adams (illness) finally took a hit to his run of either scoring or topping 100 yards in every game as he finished with only 95 scoreless yards last week. This week, he faces a Saints team that has been demolished by an alpha receiver in each of its last four games. As long as his illness doesn’t affect his play, expect a huge game here. 

A.J. Brown, Eagles vs. PIT
($7,700 DK, $8,200 FD)
No team has allowed more receiving yards to opposing WRs than Pittsburgh. Plus, 12 different receivers have reached double-digit PPR points against this defense already. If you play Jalen Hurts, stack him with Brown and run it back with Pat Freiermuth.

DFS Sleepers

Adam Thielen, Vikings vs. ARI
($6,200 DK, $6,200 FD)
For whatever reason, WR1s have struggled to step up against Arizona. That said, subordinate WRs have embarrassed them. Coming off of a bye, I hate to write off Justin Jefferson, but Thielen just seems to be ready for the spotlight this week. In their last four games, Thielen has only four fewer targets than Jefferson and Thielen has actually outscored him. It seems crazy that their prices are nearly $3k apart. 

Marquise Goodwin, Seahawks vs. NYG
($4,400 DK, $5,600 FD)
I think most casual players did not know that Goodwin was still in the league. I admit that I had forgotten about him as well. DK Metcalf (knee) is questionable, at best, for this weekend, and while he is more likely to play, Tyler Lockett (hamstring) also is not 100 percent. If either or both are limited or out we will see Goodwin as the top target for Geno Smith in a game that could devolve into a shootout.

Tight ends DraftKings FanDuel
George Kittle $5,700 $6,900
Taysom Hill N/A $6,500
Darren Waller $5,400 $5,500
Zach Ertz $5,100 $6,000
Dallas Goedert $5,000 $5,900
T.J. Hockenson $4,900 $6,300
Tyler Higbee $4,200 $6,000
Kyle Pitts $4,000 $5,600
Pat Freiermuth $3,900 $5,700
Mike Gesicki $3,800 $5,400
Dalton Schultz $3,700 $5,100
Irv Smith $3,500 $5,000
Hunter Henry $3,400 $5,100
Juwan Johnson $3,200 $5,200
Tyler Conklin $3,200 $4,800
Will Dissly $3,200 $4,800
Foster Moreau $3,100 $5,000
Jonnu Smith $3,100 $4,500
Logan Thomas $3,000 $5,000
Cole Kmet $2,900 $4,600
Austin Hooper $2,800 $4,700
Chris Myarick $2,800 $4,600
Mo Alie-Cox $2,800 $4,600
Noah Fant $2,800 $4,700
Jordan Akins $2,600 $4,600
Adam Trautman $2,500 $4,400

Tight End

Weekly strategy – Simply put this week at TE is, “Yuck!” The best play this week is Zach ErtzDallas Goedert and T.J. Hockenson (knee) could be in play, but they are less appealing options. Based on pricing, the three I recommend using are Dalton SchultzPat Freiermuth, and Irv SmithJordan Akins and Chris Myarick are the only punt plays worth considering.

Fantasy Four-pack

Zach Ertz, Cardinals @ MIN
($5,100 DK, $6,000 FD)
Over their last five games, Minnesota has allowed an average of 5-61 to the position to go along with four TDs allowed. Ertz is currently third in targets and receptions at the position. Expect a solid week with another score here.

Dallas Goedert, Eagles vs. PIT
($5,000 DK, $5,900 FD)
Pittsburgh is middle of the pack against the position, but they have faced only a pair of quality TEs this season. Goedert has six or more targets in four of six contests this season. This volume should make him a strong third leg to an Eagles stack.

George Kittle, 49ers @ LAR
($5,700 DK, $6,900 FD)
Since his return in Week 3, Kittle is fourth among TEs in yards and fifth in targets and receptions. That said, the Rams are the best team in the league against the position so keep your expectations in check.

T.J. Hockenson, Lions vs. MIA
($4,900 DK, $6,300 FD
The Lions have dealt with a pile of WR injuries, and Miami has its own issues with health in its defensive backfield. This combination should set up for Hockenson (knee) to continue to post solid numbers. Just check his injury status prior to locking him in.

DFS Sleepers

Irv Smith, Vikings vs. ARI
($3,500 DK, $5,000 FD)
Arizona continues to have zero strategies for shutting down TEs. Smith will score and should be the third leg of your Vikings stack with Kirk Cousins and Adam Thielen.

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers @ PHI ($3,900 DK, $5,700 FD) You cannot succeed against Philly on the outside, so expect Freiermuth to be the most successful pass-catcher for Pittsburgh this week.

Fantasy football start/bench list: Week 8

Check out where your roster options fit into our Week 8 start/bench tiers.

Player analysis and projections can be found in our Start/Bench Tool customized to your myHuddle league scoring and rosters. All player listings by groups are in no particular order.

Key: Upgrade / Downgrade

QUARTERBACKS WIDE RECEIVERS
BEST BETS Opp BEST BETS Opp
Josh Allen GB Stefon Diggs GB
Jalen Hurts PIT Tyreek Hill @DET
GREAT STARTS Opp Cooper Kupp SF
Joe Burrow @CLE Davante Adams @NO
Tua Tagovailoa @DET Ja’Marr Chase @CLE
Andy Dalton LVR A.J. Brown PIT
SOLID STARTERS Opp GREAT STARTS Opp
Kirk Cousins ARI Mike Evans BAL
Derek Carr @NO A. St. Brown MIA
Lamar Jackson @TB Brandin Cooks TEN
Kyler Murray @MIN Amari Cooper CIN
Daniel Jones @SEA D.J. Moore @ATL
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp Tee Higgins @CLE
Dak Prescott CHI CeeDee Lamb CHI
Jimmy Garoppolo @LAR Gabe Davis GB
Davis Mills TEN Jaylen Waddle @DET
Jared Goff MIA SOLID STARTERS Opp
Justin Fields @DAL Tyler Lockett NYG
Aaron Rodgers @BUF Tyler Boyd @CLE
Tom Brady BAL Jakobi Meyers @NYJ
Geno Smith NYG W. Robinson @SEA
Sam Ehlinger WAS George Pickens @PHI
Trevor Lawrence DEN DeAndre Hopkins @MIN
M. Stafford SF Terry McLaurin @IND
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp Deebo Samuel @LAR
Jacoby Brissett CIN Jerry Jeudy @JAC
Taylor Heinicke @IND J. Jefferson ARI
P.J. Walker @ATL Michael Thomas LVR
Bailey Zappe @NYJ Adam Thielen ARI
Ryan Tannehill @HOU Brandon Aiyuk @LAR
Brett Rypien @JAC M. Pittman Jr. WAS
Russell Wilson @JAC Chris Godwin BAL
Zach Wilson NE DeVonta Smith PIT
Kenny Pickett @PHI Chris Olave LVR
Marcus Mariota CAR FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp
RUNNING BACKS Allen Robinson SF
BEST BETS Opp Rashod Bateman @TB
Derrick Henry @HOU Alec Pierce WAS
Saquon Barkley @SEA Devin Duvernay @TB
GREAT STARTS Opp Jarvis Landry LVR
Josh Jacobs @NO DeVante Parker @NYJ
Tony Pollard CHI Zay Jones DEN
Raheem Mostert @DET C. Sutton @JAC
K. Walker III NYG Hunter Renfrow @NO
Joe Mixon @CLE Darius Slayton @SEA
R. Stevenson @NYJ O. Zaccheaus CAR
SOLID STARTERS Opp Ben Skowronek SF
L. Fournette BAL Josh Reynolds MIA
Jonathan Taylor WAS Chase Claypool @PHI
Tyler Allgeier CAR Isaiah McKenzie GB
Gus Edwards @TB Rondale Moore @MIN
D. Montgomery @DAL Robert Woods @HOU
Dameon Pierce TEN Christian Kirk DEN
D’Onta Foreman @ATL Diontae Johnson @PHI
Miles Sanders PIT Curtis Samuel @IND
B. Robinson Jr. @IND D. Peoples-Jones CIN
Latavius Murray @JAC Romeo Doubs @BUF
Jamaal Williams MIA Mack Hollins @NO
Travis Etienne DEN M. Goodwin NYG
Aaron Jones @BUF SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp
Nick Chubb CIN Darnell Mooney @DAL
Dalvin Cook ARI T. Marshall Jr. @ATL
C. McCaffrey @LAR Phillip Dorsett TEN
Alvin Kamara LVR Parris Campbell WAS
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp Drake London CAR
Najee Harris @PHI Garrett Wilson NE
Khalil Herbert @DAL Robbie Anderson @MIN
D. Henderson SF Corey Davis NE
Michael Carter NE Allen Lazard @BUF
M. Gordon III @JAC DK Metcalf NYG
Eno Benjamin @MIN Tyquan Thornton @NYJ
D. Singletary GB N. Westbrook-Ikhine @HOU
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp Kalif Raymond MIA
Chuba Hubbard @ATL K.J. Osborn ARI
Ezekiel Elliott CHI Nico Collins TEN
Kenyan Drake @TB Jahan Dotson @IND
Kareem Hunt CIN Marvin Jones DEN
Nyheim Hines WAS Sammy Watkins @BUF
AJ Dillon @BUF Elijah Moore NE
Caleb Huntley CAR Noah Brown CHI
Jeff Wilson Jr. @LAR DEFENSIVE TEAMS
James Robinson NE BEST BETS Opp
James Conner @MIN Eagles PIT
D’Andre Swift MIA GREAT STARTS Opp
Antonio Gibson @IND Cowboys CHI
TIGHT ENDS 49ers @LAR
BEST BETS Opp SOLID STARTERS Opp
George Kittle @LAR Ravens @TB
GREAT STARTS Opp Patriots @NYJ
Mark Andrews @TB Bills GB
T.J. Hockenson MIA Falcons CAR
SOLID STARTERS Opp Commanders @IND
Tyler Higbee SF Titans @HOU
Irv Smith ARI Vikings ARI
Zach Ertz @MIN Dolphins @DET
Mike Gesicki @DET Colts WAS
Pat Freiermuth @PHI Broncos @JAC
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp
Kyle Pitts CAR Jets NE
Dawson Knox GB Buccaneers BAL
Harrison Bryant CIN Giants @SEA
Chris Myarick @SEA Seahawks NYG
Robert Tonyan @BUF Jaguars DEN
Dallas Goedert PIT Rams SF
Evan Engram DEN Texans TEN
Hayden Hurst @CLE Raiders @NO
Cade Otton BAL SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp
Noah Fant NYG Panthers @ATL
Dalton Schultz CHI Packers @BUF
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp Cardinals @MIN
Austin Hooper @HOU Browns CIN
Hunter Henry @NYJ Bengals @CLE
Taysom Hill LVR Lions MIA
Cole Kmet @DAL Bears @DAL
Darren Waller @NO Steelers @PHI
Tyler Conklin NE Saints LVR
Jordan Akins TEN
Greg Dulcich @JAC

DFS Fantasy Football: Favorite Pro Plays – Week 8

WinDailySports’ CEO Jason Mezrahi checks in with his top Week 8 DFS fantasy football for FanDuel and DraftKings

Top-ranked daily fantasy sports pro Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite DFS plays at various salary ranges for Week 8 of the NFL season. We are back for another year of DFS domination and we have some new tools to take advantage of from my team over at WinDailySports.com.
 
Our projection model, lineup optimizer, and data tools have been revamped and back tested to start the season off right. So what I will do in this article is list some of our highest projected players based off raw points and our highest point-per-dollar plays based on DraftKings.com pricing. Special Huddle Member Discount: If you would like to give our membership at Win Daily a try, take advantage of a FREE 2-week promotion where you will gain an all access gold pass to our DFS package. Use promo code “thehuddle” at checkout for 2 weeks FREE for both our DFS Gold Package. Sign up now.
 
 
These are some of the players Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel for this weekend’s slate.

Quarterbacks

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

$8,100 DRAFTKINGS
$8,800 FANDUEL

Allen has officially taken over the top spot after a couple of clunkers by Patrick Mahomes (granted he is not on the main Sunday slate). Allen is coming off of back to back 32-plus-point games and is set up nicely for a three-peat. The Miami Dolphins are currently allowing 297 passing yards per game and rank 19th against opposing quarterbacks. This is a dream matchup for Allen, and one he should not disappoint. Vegas has the Bills scoring a slate-high 31.5 points, which should bode well for Allen. The only possible worry here is if the Dolphins can’t keep pace and the Bills turn to the run game early in the second half. Let’s lock in Allen in both cash games and tournaments as he is projected as the highest-scoring quarterback in our model at Win Daily.

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

$7,200 DRAFTKINGS
$8,400 FANDUEL

Hurts will be popular this weekend for good reason. He is consistently an average, at best, real-life quarterback, but he consistently ends up being a great fantasy value. The man is averaging 26 DraftKings points per game and has yet to put up less than 20. He has been consistent, even through some tougher matchups, and this week he gets a cupcake against the Detroit Lions. I will be game-stacking this one and rostering Hurts and TE Dallas Goedert combinations and running it back with Jared Goff, D’Andre Swift, and T.J. Hockenson. I think this game goes over the 48 point total Vegas has set, and I will be placing a couple dollars on the over while stacking my lineups with Eagles and Lions. With no real consistent running game from both offenses, we should see a back-and-forth, fast-paced game. At his price tag, Hurts is safe for both cash games and tournaments in NFL Week 8.

Running Backs

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

$8,700 DRAFTKINGS
$8,400 FANDUEL

Kamara is basically the entire offense of the Saints. In every single game but one, he has had the ball in his hands over 20-plus times. In the last game versus Seattle, Kamara ran the ball 20 times and caught 10 passes. The floor is so high with his pass-catching ability that we can slide Kamara in over Derrick Henry in cash lineup builds. The Buccaneers rank 3rd against opposing running backs, and with the Saints most likely playing from behind, we could see another 10-catch performance from Kamara. Vegas expects the Saints to stay in this game with the Bucs only favored by five and a game total of 50. So if the game script plays out right, Kamara should be catching a ton of balls playing catchup in a high-scoring affair in New Orleans, which is what we want to see.

D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions

$7,100 DRAFTKINGS
$7900 FANDUEL

Another running back who is game script-proof is Swift. Whether the Lions are up or down, Swift stays on the field and is productive. Swift is dealing with some groin issues, which has me slightly concerned, but he has been productive each week without missing any time. Please confirm prior to locking him Sunday, and make sure his injury doesn’t take a turn for the worse. Swift is averaging 19.6 DraftKings points per game — with a lot of his points resulting from the six receptions he averages per game. The Eagles rank 30th against opposing running backs in PPR and are allowing close to a league worse 110 rushing yards per game to RBs. Swift will most likely be in my cash and single entry lineups builds in Week 8. 

Wide receivers

Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

$9,000 DRAFTKINGS
$9,200 FANDUEL

Kupp does it all no matter the matchup and the score. He is averaging a whopping 28.9 points per game and has 56 receptions, 809 yards, and nine touchdowns through seven games. Some people faded Kupp last week fearing a blowout versus the Lions, and I’m sure people will do the same thing again this week against the Houston Texans. Blowouts are hard to predict. Even if the game ends in one and the passing slows down late, Kupp could be responsible for a monster three quarters. If you don’t have the salary to pay up for Kupp, feel free to save a thousand and roster up Stefon Diggs. The problem with taking the discount is the consistency that Kupp provides, so I will be leaning on Kupp in cash.

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts

$5,300 DRAFTKINGS
$6,600 FANDUEL

We need some value on this slate, and Pittman provides that in a nice matchup versus the Tennessee Titans. Don’t let the last game versus the Chiefs get in your head. The Titans still possess the second-worst defense at defending wide receivers and are ranked 24th against the pass. Pittman is averaging 15 points per game, and I would be grateful to receive 15 from him in Week 8. With two 100-yard receiving and three 20-plus-point games, Pittman possesses the upside to get you to the top of the leaderboard on Sunday. Depending on the status of Hilton, I will either bump or lower my ownership of Pittman in Week 8. 

Tight ends

Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

$6,300 DRAFTKINGS
$6,800 FANDUEL

It only took a couple of weeks for Pitts to emerge as the top receiver in Atlanta and one of the elite tight ends in the NFL. With each week that passes, Pitts is proving to be a smart choice by the Falcons near the top of the draft. Carolina is average, at best, defending opposing tight ends, but each week their defense has started to slip further down the list. In the past four games they lost, they have allowed 36, 21, 24, and 25 points. The 3-0 start to the season was more of a mirage while defeating the Jets, Saints, and the Texans. Averaging nine targets per game over his last three, Pitts is gaining momentum. Not only is Pitts getting targeted, the targets are leading to heavy yardage with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games. The price is right on Pitts, and he is the highest-projected tight end on our projection models at Win Daily. We have a Vegas game total of 46, and the Falcons projected to score 24.5 points, per Vegas, so this is one of the higher scoring games of the slate. Lock in Pitts in both cash games and tournaments in Week 8.

Dan Arnold, Jacksonville Jaguars

$2,800 DRAFTKINGS
$4,900 FANDUEL

Arnold has a nice matchup versus a Seattle secondary that is really struggling this year to stop anyone. With Arnold coming in near minimum salary on both sites he can open up top-tier talent across the rest of your lineup. I think Vegas has this game wrong with only putting a 43.5 total on the game. The Seahawks are allowing 280 passing yards per game and are ranked 16th against opposing tight ends. Arnold is tied for the second-most targets over the past two weeks with WR Laviska Shenault. With the matchup slightly better for Arnold over the receiving corps, we can see a uptick in targets, which would lead to even more fantasy goodness for our lineups. So, if you need the savings in Week 8, look to Arnold in tournaments.

Good luck in Week 8, and if you ever have any questions, please hit me up on Twitter!

Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than eight years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, expert chat, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.

[lawrence-newsletter]

The best fantasy football gamble of Week 8

Is it worth going back to the C.J. Uzomah well one more time?

Every week, at least one player becomes my fascination of whether he’s worthy of a fantasy football start or bench. The decision can be a mental wrestling match, but for the purpose of brevity, only one player can be chosen as the fantasy football gamble of the week.

The best fantasy football gamble for Week 8

Tracking my predictions: 2-5-0
Win: Player produces ≥ 75% of projected fantasy points
Loss: Player produces >75% of projected fantasy points
Tie: Player is ejected or leaves with an injury

Anyone following along with this series in 2021 has seen some of the worst luck imaginable, and it had me starting if my brother’s famed “Bonini Black Cloud” was transferred this direction.

Last week, however, was just simply a bad call. It took seven weeks — despite having four “losses” on the books entering the week — to finally whiff through my own doing. I chose Green Bay Packers wideout Randall Cobb last week as my gamble pick, and while the logic was sound, his returns were anything but.

Just as it felt like I was starting to right the ship in a bid to get back to .500, I’m now getting dangerously close to joining the Titanic. This week, I’m taking a slightly different tact. Two teams on bye means gamers won’t have to gamble as much, but with the tight end position being a hot mess, I opted to avoid my planned pick of Buffalo RB Zack Moss and go with …

TE C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets

It may not feel like much of a gamble when the player is coming off his second two-TD game in a month’s time, but Uzomah gets lost in the shuffle from week to week and is overly reliant on scoring.

Sandwiched in between those two strong showings you’ll find a clunker and a 15-yard performance that was salvaged by a short TD. His first three games of 2021 resulted in a total of 7.9 PPR points, including a goose egg in Week 3.

The volume just hasn’t been there for Uzomah in all but one game, a Week 5 performance in which he landed five of six targets. Otherwise, we’re looking at a dude with no more than three targets in any of his other six appearances this season.

[lawrence-related id=461592]

New York is easily the worst defense of the running back position in the last five weeks, and the five PPR points per game separating the Jets from Philadelphia is the largest points-allowed gap between two teams from top to bottom. A week after Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine each scored on the ground, is there room once more for Uzomah to get in on the action? Absolutely.

Somewhat a product of being terrible vs. running backs, the Jets aren’t bad against wide receivers, which is Cincy’s offensive strength. The three-deep cast of rookie phenom Ja’Marr Chase, reliable possession guy Tyler Boyd, and a red-zone threat in Tee Higgins will guarantee isolated coverage against Uzomah each and every play.

Play-action passing is another factor working in his favor. When a team is this bad against the run, crowding the box is common, and it allows quarterbacks to go over the top of the second layer of defense to exploit holes in coverage.

Getting back to the Jets’ defense of receivers, we’re looking at the third-toughest matchup from a statistical perspective. Sure, one can easily point to the level of competition so far — which has merit — but New York still did at least what they were supposed to against lesser talent. Truly awful secondaries get burned by equally inept receivers more often than not, because the advantage inherently favors an offense. Do I believe the Jets are accurately represented as being the third-best defense at stopping WRs? Definitely not, but this group isn’t worse than middle of the pack.

The risk here purely comes down to the combination of game flow and how Cincinnati opts to attack. If the Bengals get up huge early, will they take their foot off the pedal? I don’t see it happening. There still a sense in some circles this team is going to revert into being the same old “Bungles,” which is far from reality, and Cincy will want to make a statement once again.

My projection: 4 receptions, 52 yards, 1 TD (15.2 PPR points)

Fantasy football start/bench list: Week 8

Check out where your roster options fit into our Week 8 start/bench tiers.

Player analysis and projections can be found in our Start/Bench Tool customized to your myHuddle league scoring and rosters. All player listings by groups are in no particular order.

Key: Upgrade / Downgrade

QUARTERBACKS WIDE RECEIVERS
BEST BETS Opp BEST BETS Opp
M. Stafford @HOU DK Metcalf JAC
Patrick Mahomes NYG Ja’Marr Chase @NYJ
Josh Allen MIA Cooper Kupp @HOU
GREAT STARTS Opp GREAT STARTS Opp
Tom Brady @NO Stefon Diggs MIA
Joe Burrow @NYJ Tyreek Hill NYG
T. Bridgewater WAS J. Jefferson DAL
Dak Prescott @MIN DeAndre Hopkins GB
Jalen Hurts @DET Mike Williams NE
SOLID STARTERS Opp Calvin Ridley CAR
Daniel Jones @KC Diontae Johnson @CLE
Aaron Rodgers @ARI Chris Godwin @NO
Justin Herbert NE Adam Thielen DAL
Kyler Murray GB M. Pittman Jr. TEN
Kirk Cousins DAL CeeDee Lamb @MIN
Matt Ryan CAR C. Sutton WAS
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp SOLID STARTERS Opp
Tua Tagovailoa @BUF Randall Cobb @ARI
Trevor Lawrence @SEA Mike Evans @NO
Sam Darnold @ATL Julio Jones @IND
B. Roethlisberger @CLE Cole Beasley MIA
Ryan Tannehill @IND Darius Slayton @KC
Jameis Winston TB Terry McLaurin @DEN
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp E. Sanders MIA
Tyrod Taylor LAR Robert Woods @HOU
Case Keenum PIT Jarvis Landry PIT
Carson Wentz TEN M. Callaway TB
Mac Jones @LAC Amari Cooper @MIN
Mike White CIN M. Valdes-Scantling @ARI
Jimmy Garoppolo @CHI Deebo Samuel @CHI
Taysom Hill TB L. Shenault Jr. @SEA
Geno Smith JAC Keenan Allen NE
Justin Fields SF Brandin Cooks LAR
Jared Goff PHI A.J. Brown @IND
Taylor Heinicke @DEN A.J. Green GB
RUNNING BACKS DeVonta Smith @DET
BEST BETS Opp Jaylen Waddle @BUF
Jonathan Taylor TEN Marvin Jones @SEA
Joe Mixon @NYJ Jerry Jeudy WAS
D. Henderson @HOU D.J. Moore @ATL
GREAT STARTS Opp FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp
D’Andre Swift PHI Rondale Moore GB
Derrick Henry @IND Jakobi Meyers @LAC
Ezekiel Elliott @MIN Christian Kirk GB
James Robinson @SEA Tre’Quan Smith TB
Damien Harris @LAC R. Gage Jr. CAR
SOLID STARTERS Opp Tee Higgins @NYJ
Austin Ekeler NE Tim Patrick WAS
Aaron Jones @ARI Mecole Hardman NYG
Alvin Kamara TB Chase Claypool @CLE
Zack Moss MIA Darnell Mooney SF
Dalvin Cook DAL A. St. Brown PHI
Najee Harris @CLE Dante Pettis @KC
Darrel Williams NYG DeVante Parker @BUF
L. Fournette @NO Jamal Agnew @SEA
Chuba Hubbard @ATL Kalif Raymond PHI
C. Patterson CAR Tyler Lockett JAC
Nick Chubb PIT Jamison Crowder CIN
K. Gainwell @DET Tyler Boyd @NYJ
Alex Collins JAC Josh Reynolds @IND
Khalil Herbert SF Danny Amendola LAR
Elijah Mitchell @CHI Byron Pringle NYG
Chase Edmonds GB SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp K.J. Osborn DAL
David Johnson LAR Elijah Moore CIN
Giovani Bernard @NO Jalen Reagor @DET
Michael Carter CIN A. Robinson II SF
J. Williams WAS Zach Pascal TEN
Devontae Booker @KC Kendrick Bourne @LAC
James Conner GB Corey Davis CIN
D’Ernest Johnson PIT Quez Watkins @DET
Antonio Gibson @DEN Demetric Felton PIT
Boston Scott @DET Nico Collins LAR
J.D. McKissic @DEN John Ross @KC
Samaje Perine @NYJ Cedrick Wilson @MIN
Jamaal Williams PHI Jalen Guyton NE
D. Singletary MIA Brandon Aiyuk @CHI
Myles Gaskin @BUF P. Williams @BUF
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp Van Jefferson @HOU
Ty Johnson CIN Freddie Swain JAC
Mark Ingram LAR Antonio Brown @NO
Rashaad Penny JAC T.Y. Hilton TEN
Sony Michel @HOU Davante Adams @ARI
Ronald Jones @NO S. Shepard @KC
Kyle Juszczyk @CHI Kenny Golladay @KC
Tony Pollard @MIN Allen Lazard @ARI
AJ Dillon @ARI Deonte Harris TB
Salvon Ahmed @BUF Kadarius Toney @KC
Mike Davis CAR O. Beckham Jr. PIT
Nyheim Hines TEN Nelson Agholor @LAC
M. Gordon III WAS Chris Conley LAR
TIGHT ENDS Adam Humphries @DEN
BEST BETS Opp J. Washington @CLE
Travis Kelce NYG Amari Rodgers @ARI
GREAT STARTS Opp Tajae Sharpe CAR
Kyle Pitts CAR Robby Anderson @ATL
T.J. Hockenson PHI DEFENSIVE TEAMS
Dalton Schultz @MIN BEST BETS Opp
SOLID STARTERS Opp Bengals @NYJ
Dallas Goedert @DET GREAT STARTS Opp
Evan Engram @KC Rams @HOU
C.J. Uzomah @NYJ SOLID STARTERS Opp
Zach Ertz GB 49ers @CHI
Tyler Higbee @HOU Bills MIA
Noah Fant WAS Buccaneers @NO
Hunter Henry @LAC Eagles @DET
Mike Gesicki @BUF Browns PIT
R. Seals-Jones @DEN FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp
FRINGE FANTASY PLAYS Opp Cowboys @MIN
Robert Tonyan @ARI Chargers NE
Cole Kmet SF Steelers @CLE
Mo Alie-Cox TEN Football Team @DEN
Jared Cook NE Jaguars @SEA
Tyler Conklin DAL Chiefs NYG
SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp Cardinals GB
David Njoku PIT Bears SF
Adam Trautman TB Titans @IND
O.J. Howard @NO Seahawks JAC
Pat Freiermuth @CLE Falcons CAR
Rob Gronkowski @NO SIT ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Opp
Gerald Everett JAC Patriots @LAC
Tommy Sweeney MIA Texans LAR
Jets CIN
Dolphins @BUF
Broncos WAS
Giants @KC
Saints TB
Lions PHI
Colts TEN
Panthers @ATL
Packers @ARI
Vikings DAL