RADIO
As badly as my running back picks from last week went (Latavius Murray, really?), I'd like to think my in-depth analysis on Kenny Stills made up for it if you put him in your lineup. With six teams on bye this week, it's more important than ever to sift through the waiver wire and pick the right flex play, because chances are you're starting at least two or three players that you never have and never will the rest of the season. I'll tell you now that most of the marginal players that I have higher up are indeed in some of my own lineups as well, so I'm going to ride and die with them too.
As an expert ranker for RotoBaller and FantasyPros, I'll put my own personal rankings out on the table for you here and show you how they stack up against the consensus of the other 100+ experts at FantasyPros. Each week, I'll list my Top 10 per position, plus a few notable players that have risen or fallen in my rankings more than the expert consensus this week.
Note: all rankings are for standard leagues and all opinions are my own. If you have questions, comments, or incoherent ramblings related to fantasy sports, hit me up on Twitter @pfunk00 to continue the conversation.
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Week 8 Quarterbacks - Rankings Analysis
Top 10, plus notable outliers (deviation from consensus)
Yes, I'm ready to anoint Carson Wentz as the #1 fantasy QB in the land. For this week at least. Most will keep Tom Brady or Drew Brees as the overall QB1 out of habit or stubbornness or fear of being different, but not this analyst! Matchups matter, especially for quarterbacks. The only defense worst at stopping the pass than Brady's Pats are the 49ers, which is who Wentz will face at home. You may also have noticed he's the hottest QB around, tossing 11 TD in the last three weeks. Meanwhile, Brady hasn't thrown more than two TD in a game since Week 3 and his yardage totals have declined in every single game since then. When deciding between the two in DFS, I'm betting Wentz will be the far better value too.
Speaking of the Patriots and their suddenly resurgent defense, let's keep in mind that Fog Bowl II was the first time all season they didn't allow 400 total yards. They also just lost top linebacker Dont'a Hightower (pectoral tear) for the season. I like Philip Rivers and the Chargers to put up big numbers for obvious reasons. They haven't been forced to pass much the last couple of weeks against struggling offenses, but that won't be the case this week.
If you own Matt Ryan, you almost have to start him unless you were able to pickup Alex Smith earlier in the year. Deshaun Watson is proving to be a more reliable fantasy option and might be a better ROS starter than Ryan, but he gets the Seahawks this week, so he's a must-fade for now.
As far as Drew Brees, I've mentioned on Twitter how he doesn't even rank in the top 10 in pass attempts this season, which is shocking for someone who's lead the league in that category two of the last three seasons and four of the last 10. The Bears simply don't have the offense to push New Orleans back into pass-first mode. This might be, dare I say, a low-scoring game?
Week 8 Running Backs - Rankings Analysis
Top 10, plus notable outliers (deviation from consensus)
The first five here are fairly settled in now, but the next tier has some big question marks. By the way, feel free to ignore Jay Ajayi's presence completely. Facing the Saints defense used to be money in the bank, but they are firmly in the middle as the 15th-ranked D against the run and the pass. Jordan Howard will be run into the ground once again, but the Bears won't be facing an inept offense like Carolina ran last week and at some point in the second half be forced to pass. For that reason, Howard might be a riskier than usual play while Tarik Cohen (not pictured) could find himself with PPR value once again.
Is this finally the week Joe Mixon breaks out? If it doesn't happen now, then those who have held or bought shares in recent weeks will be disappointed. Indy was embarrassed by the Jags last week and even let the resurrected ghost of T.J. Yeldon rumble for 122 yards while Chris Ivory chipped in another 47 on the ground. Only the 49ers and Rams have allowed more fantasy points to RB this season. Mixon's whining doesn't look like it will result in a benching a la Martavis Bryant, so it's time for him to put up or shut up. Literally. He's got the opportunity, so he's clearly worth a dice roll in a week with few options off the wire.
I hate to prop up any New England runner, but for one more week I'd be willing to see what Dion Lewis could do with at least a decent snap share. He was only on the field for 26 offensive plays (35%), which should be concerning, but he ranks among the top five most efficient backs in the league so far this season. The Chargers yield 4.9 yards per carry and 140.6 yards per game, both second-highest in the league. I've already said I like this game to be a shootout, so if Lewis can supplant Gillislee for usage inside the red zone, he's got RB2 potential.
It doesn't take much for me to be down on Carlos Hyde, but a matchup against the Eagles seals his fate in Week 8. They've only allowed one RB to have a top 10 finish this season (Kareem Hunt) and they held their other six opponents to less than 80 yards rushing total. Hyde himself has only gone over 100 yards once this season, also in Week 2. Unless we have a Groundhog Day situation Bill Murray-style, Hyde is a strict avoid.
Week 8 Wide Receivers - Rankings Analysis
Top 10, plus notable outliers (deviation from consensus)
My man and podcast co-host @adamhhammer likes A.J. Green as the overall WR1 this week and I'm not far off. Opposing CB Rashaan Melvin is coming off a concussion, but even if he plays, Green has a big advantage. Another CB injury to the Bills' E.J. Gaines could leave Amari Cooper just as open as he was last week for big plays. Well, maybe we won't go for 220 yards again, but needless to say you shouldn't be scared to use him. The other Buffalo corners have allowed 34 catches for 520 yards and three touchdowns this season. Michael Crabtree should also be in all fantasy lineups, needless to say.
Tyrell Williams get a slight bump as does rookie Mike Williams, further down the list. I've been touting a possible Chargers victory this week and I'm backing that up by putting their receivers at a higher ranking than usual. In a week with so many players resting, it's a fine time to take a chance on someone like Mike Williams in tournaments because he is cheap and bound to be lightly owned.
Week 8 Tight Ends - Rankings Analysis
Top 10, plus notable outliers (deviation from consensus)
With San Fran on tap, I still have Ertz as the TE1 this week. Gone are the days where he was a PPR-only consideration. Ertz has already established a new career mark with five touchdowns this season and that's after just seven games. Austin Seferian-Jenkins seems unlikely to keep his TD mojo going against Atlanta, who ranks as the fifth-toughest defense for tight ends.
I really don't like the look of Jordan Reed in my top 10, but pickings get pretty slim after that spot. He busted out finally with two scores last week and plays Dallas on Sunday. That said, it was an anomaly in an otherwise disappointing season and Vernon Davis was still on the field for nearly half the offensive snaps. If you have Reed you're starting him, but I don't expect him to replicate his success.
More Week 8 Lineup Prep
Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.
