We had another great week of games in Week 7, which included some close games and a couple upsets, with the New England Patriots beating the Buffalo Bills in the final minutes of their game and the Minnesota Vikings beating the San Fransico 49ers on Monday Night Football. The injuries were not quite as bad in Week 7 as they were in Week 6, but we did have some controversy in the Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers game, with Bijan Robinson only playing a few snaps despite not being listed on the injury report at all during the practice week. The NFL needs to step in and do something here as you cannot have teams just randomly not list injured players on the injury report. Since fantasy football and sports betting are a big part of the NFL now, there must be transparency in how the injury report is used every week. Robinson should have been listed as questionable on Saturday night and most people would have had time to react to the situation and do what they needed to do to start or sit Robinson last week.
Now that Week 7 is in the books, we can turn the page to Week 8 and look at who to start and sit this week.
The season can be a grind at times from doing waiver claims to looking at rankings and then finally deciding who to start. It can seem difficult, but that is where the staff at DrRoto.com comes in to help you. We have everything you need to make the tough decisions here in one place. I will be writing this start/sit article each week to help you make the tough lineup decisions. You can also join our members-only Discord channel and ask us personalized questions anytime you want on there.
Keep in mind before I get into my starts and sits this week that certain players should always be in your starting lineup. Please don’t try to get cute and sit the likes of Justin Jefferson, Christian McCaffrey or Patrick Mahomes. They are in your lineup regardless of matchups. The decisions I am here to help you with are for the players drafted in the middle to late rounds of your draft or added from waivers who you aren’t sure whether to trust.
Week 8 Quarterback Starts
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Rams
I realize that Dak Prescott has been struggling so far this season, but I believe this can be a get-right game for him this week. Prescott has completed 69.5% of his passes for 1,333 passing yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. He has not been rushing as much this season, but he does have 85 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown on the season. That ranks him as QB20 so far this season. The main reason I believe this is a good matchup for Prescott is because Kenny Pickett and the Pittsburgh Steelers had a nice game against the Los Angeles Rams defense last week. The Ram’s defense is ranked 20th in total yards allowed and 16th in passing yards allowed so far on the season. I believe this will be a big week for Prescott.
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The way to beat the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense is by leaning heavily on the passing game. Sam Howell and the Commanders almost beat the Eagles in Philadelphia back in Week 4, and Howell had a great game, 70.7% of his passes for 290 passing yards and one touchdown. He also added 40 rushing yards as well. He should be even better this week with a few more games under his belt. Howell is still ranked as QB11 through the first seven weeks of the season. The Eagle’s defense is eighth in total yards allowed and 23rd in passing yards allowed so far this season. I am expecting a high-scoring game this week for the Commanders, with Howell, Terry McLaurin and Logan Thomas having nice games.
Week 8 Quarterback Sits
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
Jordan Love was on my start list last week because of his matchup with the Denver Broncos’ 32nd-ranked pass defense, and that did not go so well. Love and the whole Packers’ offense struggled to move the ball last week. Love is ranked as QB14 on the season. This week, he gets a tough matchup against an improving Minnesota Vikings defense that is ranked 22nd in passing yards allowed and 23rd in total yards allowed on the season. The Vikings’ defense did a nice job of containing the vaunted San Fransico 49ers’ offense last week on Monday Night football while also getting three turnovers. I expect Love’s struggles to continue again this week.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks vs. Cleveland Browns
Geno Smith gets a very tough matchup this week against the number-one overall defense in the NFL. Smith has also been struggling so far this season. He has completed 68.6% of his passes for 1,391 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also has added 52 rushing yards as well. That ranks him as QB22 on the season. Smith gets to face Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns’ defense, which is first in the league in both total yards allowed and passing yards allowed so far this season. I would sit Smith this week if you have another option.
Week 8 Running Back Starts
Breece Hall, New York Jets at New York Giants
Breece Hall is starting to get the majority of the carries in the Jets’ backfield, and he is looking like he did at the beginning of last season. He is currently ranked as the RB19 in PPR scoring with 426 rushing yards, 13 receptions on 18 targets for 113 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. He gets an excellent matchup this week against the New York Giants. The Giant’s defense is ranked 31st in rushing yards allowed and 28th in total yards allowed on the season. I expect the Jets to want to run the football a lot in this game to keep Zach Wilson from making too many bad decisions, so I am predicting a big game from Hall this week.
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals
Gus Edwards is slowly starting to get the majority of the carries in the Ravens’ backfield. Last week against a good Detroit Lions run defense he received 14 carries for 64 yards and one touchdown, and he also had one reception for 80 receiving yards. The only running back close to him in carries was Justice Hill, with four carries. He is currently ranked as RB26 in PPR scoring on the season with 346 rushing yards, four receptions on five targets for 93 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. I have him as a start this week because he gets to face the Arizona Cardinals’ defense. The Cardinals’ defense is ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed and 30th in total yards allowed on the season. I am not expecting a huge week from Edwards, but a 100-yard week with a touchdown is certainly in play.
Week 8 Running Back Sits
Brian Robinson, Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
It was quite a struggle last week for Brian Robinson and the Commanders’ offense last week at the New York Giants. The offense managed to score just seven points on the day, and Robinson had just 23 rushing yards, zero receptions on just one target, and one rushing touchdown that salvaged a decent fantasy day for him. This week, he gets a tough matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense. These two teams played in Philadelphia in Week 4 and Robinson had a hard time getting going in that game as well. He finished with 45 rushing yards, two receptions on two targets for six yards, and a touchdown. It is tough to run on the Eagles’ defense as they are first in rushing yards against on the season. I expect the Commanders to come out throwing against the Eagles, so it could be another tough game for Robinson this week.
Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders at Detroit Lions
Josh Jacobs has been struggling so far this season. He is not the same player he was last year when he was the NFL rushing leader. Jacobs is currently the RB11 in PPR scoring with 347 rushing yards, 26 receptions on 39 targets for 215 yards, and two touchdowns. What is saving Jacobs so far this season from being a total bust is his receptions out of the backfield. If he did not have that, he would be outside of the top 25 in PPR scoring. Jacobs will face a tough Detroit Lions defense in Week 8. The Lions’ defense ranks 19th in total yards allowed and third in rushing yards allowed, so expect Jacobs to struggle in this game.
Week 8 Wide Receiver Starts
Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Diontae Johnson came back from his hamstring injury last week and had a nice game against a good Los Angeles Rams defense. Johnson finished the game with five receptions on six targets for 79 receiving yards. I am looking for him to have an even bigger game this week against a poor Jacksonville Jaguars secondary. The Jaguars’ defense is 32nd in passing yards allowed and 29th in total yards allowed on the season. I expect Johnson to see a lot of targets this week, and it is possible that he could go over 100 receiving yards in Week 8.
Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Chicago Bears
Mike Williams got injured in Week 2, and since then Josh Palmer has taken over as the other starting wide receiver opposite Keenan Allen and has produced nicely. Since Week 3, Palmer is ranked as the WR38 in PPR scoring with 349 receiving yards, 19 receptions on 34 targets, and a touchdown. He gets a nice matchup this week against the Chicago Bears’ defense. The Bears’ defense is ranked 29th in passing yards allowed and 24th in total yards allowed on the season. I believe Palmer could have six receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown this week.
Week 8 Wide Receiver Sits
Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. Cleveland Browns
Like his QB Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett gets a very tough matchup this week against the number-one overall defense in the NFL. Lockett has been struggling so far this season as he is the WR42 in PPR scoring, and I expected him to at least be a top-25 wide receiver this year. He has 289 receiving yards, 27 receptions on 40 targets, and two touchdowns. Given his struggles and the tough matchup, I would sit Lockett this week if you have another option.
Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals vs. Baltimore Ravens
Marquise Brown was on my start list last week and did not come through for me, so this week he is a sit for me because of the tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens’ defense. While Joshua Dobbs has played well this season, his skill set does not match the skill set of Brown. Brown is more of a deep threat and take-the-top-off-the-defense kind of receiver, and Dobbs does not throw the most accurate deep ball in the league. All that being said, Brown is still ranked as the WR22 in PPR scoring on the season, with 32 receptions on 60 targets for 383 receiving yards and three touchdowns. But this week Brown gets a tough matchup this week against a Ravens defense that is ranked fifth in passing yards allowed and third in total yards allowed on the season.
Week 8 Tight End Starts
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dalton Kincaid had his rookie break-out game last week against the New England Patriots. He finished last week with eight receptions on eight targets and 75 receiving yards, and that was with Dawson Knox on the field. Now, this week, we learned that Knox is having surgery and is going to miss a few weeks, so Kincaid is going to take over the starting tight end position. I am expecting more production from Kincaid this week and moving forward. Kincaid gets a nice matchup this week against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that is ranked 19th in passing yards allowed and 11th in total yards allowed on the season. The way to beat the Bucs’ defense is by throwing to the tight end over the middle of the field, so I expect Kincaid to pick up where he left off last week and have a big game this week.
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The way to beat the Philadelphia Eagles this year is by throwing the football early and often against their secondary, which has talent but has not played well this season. I expect the Commanders to try to do that this week, and I expect Logan Thomas to be a big part of the game plan. Thomas has built a nice rapport with second-year quarterback Sam Howell this year, and that has translated into Thomas being ranked as the TE13 in PPR scoring so far this season. Thomas has 236 receiving yards, 23 receptions on 32 targets, and two touchdowns through the first seven games this season. He gets to face an Eagles defense that is ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed so far this season. I believe Thomas will be a top-ten tight end in PPR scoring leagues this week.
Week 8 Tight End Sits
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers
This one is a tough call for me this week because I like Dalton Schultz as a player, but I do not like his matchup this week against the Carolina Panthers. Schultz has been solid so far this year, ranking as the TE11 in PPR scoring this season. He has complied 21 receptions on 34 targets for 215 receiving yards and three touchdowns so far this season. But he has a tough matchup this week, with the Panthers’ defense fourth in passing yards allowed this season, so I would sit Schultz this week if you can find another option.
Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams at Dallas Cowboys
I really like Tyler Higbee’s talent, and he can be a playmaker when the Rams need him to be one in the passing game. Unfortunately, there are not enough footballs to go around right now in L.A. with Cooper Kupp back in the mix for Higbee to be a viable option at tight end this week. Kupp and Puka Nacua demand the majority of the targets currently, and I do not see that changing any time soon. Higbee ranks as the TE18 with 21 receptions on 35 targets for 241 yards and zero touchdowns. It does not help that he has a tough matchup this week against a Dallas Cowboys defense that will put pressure on Matthew Stafford all day long and ranks second in passing yards allowed on the season.
Week 8 Defense Starts
Atlanta Falcons Defense at Tennessee Titans
The Atlanta Falcons have been solid on defense so far this season. They are ranked fifth in total yards allowed, 11th in passing yards allowed, and 12th in rushing yards allowed on the season. This week, they get to face the Tennessee Titans with either second-year quarterback Malik Willis getting his first start of the season or rookie Will Levis getting the first start of his career. I would pick up and start the Falcons defense in every league I can this week.
New York Jets Defense at New York Giants
The New York Giants’ offense has been very up and down all season. I am not sure who will be playing quarterback for them this week, but both Tyrod Taylor and Daniel Jones have a knack for turning the ball over and allowing sacks. The Jets’ defense ranks 13th in total yards allowed on the season, but they have talent in the front seven and the Giants are still beat up on the offensive line, so I would expect a few sacks and turnovers from the Giants this week.
Week 8 Defense Sits
New England Patriots Defense at Miami Dolphins
The Patriots’ defense has really struggled so far this year, and they have Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins first-ranked offense to deal with this week. I believe this game will get out of hand quickly as the Dolphins’ defense is playing better in recent weeks and the Patriots’ offense will have a hard time matching scores with the Dolphins’ offense. I would find another defense to start this week as I never like to start any defense against this Dolphins offense right now.
Washington Commanders Defense vs. Philadelphia Eagles
I know the Commanders were a popular streaming defense last week and they have been a startable fantasy defense at times this season. But this week, the Commanders get a tough matchup against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense. The Eagles are the third-best offense overall in the NFL this season, and the Commanders’ defense is ranked 31st in total yards allowed so far this season. They should not be in lineups this week.
Good luck in Week 8, everyone!
