Under-the-Radar Booms/Busts: Week 8

This is the point of the season where bye weeks start getting as annoying to fantasy football players as rain is to golfers.

Fantasy owners have another week where four NFL teams are on bye, so there are fewer candidates to choose from in the under-the-radar boom and bust categories. You would think this should make my job easier since there are four fewer teams I have to comb over, but I’m the kind of guy who likes a diner menu with 1,000 choices, not a bistro menu with 10.

Here are some under-the-radar booms and busts for the eighth week of NFL action to help you set a winning lineup. Good luck RotoBallers!

Week 8 Under-the-Radar Booms

Lamar Miller (RB, HOU) vs. MIA - Thursday Night

Miller is a fantasy football cockroach. No matter how many times the experts and pundits say his fantasy value is below-average, no matter how many times another Houston running back tries to cut into his carries and chances, and no matter how many times Bill O’ Brien’s coaching decisions cost Miller yards and touchdowns, he does just enough to hold onto his starting spot and keep himself relevant.

Miller is coming off his best game of the season as he shockingly rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville. He will have revenge on his mind Thursday night since Miami was his first team and it always felt like the Dolphins never utilized him properly during his four years there. With Miami banged-up at receiver and quarterback and boasting the 29^th-best run defense in the NFL, Miller is in line for back-to-back banner weeks.

Larry Fitzgerald (WR, ARI) vs. SF

To say Arizona’s offense has struggled this season is akin to saying water is wet. It’s been obvious the untrained eye that the Cardinals are not the same without Carson Palmer at quarterback and Bruce Arians running the show as the head coach. This dysfunction coupled with injuries have hampered Fitzgerald and limited him to 26 receptions for 255 yards and one touchdown through seven contests.

We still do not know who will be throwing to Fitzgerald this Sunday. Could be error-prone rookie Josh Rosen, could be injury-prone veteran Sam Bradford, or could be the retired Carson Palmer (who would be the best option) at this point. It really does not matter since Fitzgerald is the healthiest he has been all season and will be running routes against a San Francisco secondary that has been beaten up and beaten deep countless times. The 49ers have the 20^th-ranked pass defense and are 31^st in scoring defense, and Fitzgerald has scored five times over his past seven games against his division rival. I have Fitzgerald penciled in for his best game of the season this week.

Alex Smith (QB, WAS) at NYG   

Smith must wish every day he was back in Kansas City throwing to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, handing off to Kareem Hunt and living the highlight life as the quarterback of Andy Reid’s high-octane offense. He has instead been stuck with an injury-riddled receiving corps that has held him back and stunted his fantasy value. Smith is only averaging 231 passing yards per game, 25^th-best among quarterbacks in the NFL.

The good news for Smith is that the Giants are in a full rebuilding mode. They have traded super run stopper “Snacks” Harrison and draft failure Eli Apple for draft picks and will send a below average defense Smith’s way. Smith, along with running back Adrian Peterson and tight end Jordan Reed, should have one of their best games of the season this weekend, if not the best.

Week 8 Under-the-Radar Busts

Alex Collins (RB, BAL) at CAR

In a world of carry-sharing backfields, Collins is one of the few running backs who does not have to split the rushing attempts with another back. The problem is that he DOES have to split the touches and playing time with Javorius Allen, because Collins gets kicked off the field on passing downs. So all Collins has to work with is running downs, and because of that, he has not rushed for more than 70 yards in any game this season since Baltimore throws so much.

Collins has to find holes against a stingy Carolina defense that is in the top 10 against the run and has only allowed one running back to rush for 100 yards this season. Do not bank on Collins being the second. Baltimore’s game plan will likely revolve around Joe Flacco throwing against the Panthers’ 17^th-ranked pass defense and Collins only getting 10-15 carries while Allen gets more time in the backfield.

Doug Martin (RB, OAK) vs. IND

“The Muscle Hamster” could be renamed “The Church Mouse” because he has been so silent this season. 99 rushing yards, five receiving yards, and zero touchdowns. The New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley could that in a quarter if he had a decent offensive line blocking for him.

Martin is Oakland’s top tailback in the wake of Marshawn Lynch’s injury and is slated to face a beatable Indianapolis defense. But is Martin really the top tailback? Jalen Richard has a 5.3 career yards-per-carry average and is the much better receiver out of the backfield. Do not be shocked if Richard ends up as the better play this week and from here on out until Lynch returns. If you start Martin thinking he will get you 100 yards, it is more likely you will have to settle for 50.

Ed Dickson (TE, SEA) at DET

Dickson has not played a snap this season due to injury but is on track to return this Sunday. Seattle’s tight end spot has been a black hole thanks to Will Dissly’s season-ending knee injury and Nick Vannett’s back problems, so many fantasy owners probably think Dickson is in line for a heavy amount of targets from Russell Wilson. Tight end is a position with a dearth of talent available on fantasy waiver wires (see my other weekly column), so Dickson has probably been scooped up by millions of fantasy players this week.

Dickson is bound to be rustier than an 80-year old nail in his first game back, and he is facing a Detroit defense that has locked down above-average tight ends this season. New England’s Rob Gronkowski (51 yards), Green Bay’s Jimmy Graham (76 yards) and San Francisco’s George Kittle (22 yards) were held in check and held out of the end zone by the Lions. Dickson should suffer a similar fate on Sunday.

That’s it for another week!  Follow me on Twitter @craigrondinone!