Redraft

Fantasy Football: Start or Sit – Week 8

We’re now in Week 8 of the NFL season. Bye weeks, injuries, and inconsistency have taken its toll on fantasy football managers. To keep you covered week in and week out, The League Winners are here to help you with any start or sit questions you have. Spending the week agonizing over who to start in your flex? Put your mind to rest and rely on us week in, and week out. If you missed last week’s picks, you can see them here.

Start

Antonio Gibson, RB – Washington Commanders (Thomas Christopher)

After losing the starting job to Brian Robinson, many fantasy football analysts left Antonio Gibson for dead. However, he’s still the RB17 in PPR leagues and is getting more looks as the season has gone on. Gibson has essentially taken over the McKissic role, while also getting his fair share of carries. Against a Colts defense that’s been susceptible to RBs this season, I’m firing up Gibson in my lineups.

Tyler Boyd, WR – Cincinnati Bengals (Harry Prskalo)

Boyd now has an opportunity to shine. Ja’Marr Chase is out for 4-6 weeks, giving Boyd the chance to step up. He just had an amazing fantasy football performance in Week 7 and he was still only the WR3 on the team. With Chase out, this bumps him up to WR2 in this pass-heavy offense. Boyd is going to be lined up everywhere against the Browns, and if this offense keeps passing like they are now, expect big things from Boyd going forward.

Tony Pollard, RB – Dallas Cowboys (Aaron St. Denis)

With Ezekiel Elliott out this week, Tony Pollard SZN has arrived. Pollard has already shown himself to have some standalone Flex appeal this season. Getting the full reigns in a Cowboys offense with Dak Prescott at the helm should mean great numbers for fantasy football. Fire Pollard up without hesitation.

Eno Benjamin, RB – Arizona Cardinals (Jeremy Shulman)

With James Conner out again this week, Eno is almost a must-start. First, the Minnesota defense is average across the board, so there’s not much threat he’ll be shut down completely in the run game. Next, the Cards have a pretty terrible D by all accounts; so it’s likely this one turns into a shootout. Benjamin has been used heavily in the passing game, so this is good news. He should see a bulk of the carries and passing game work, having averaged 4 targets per game over the last three weeks. Even if Darrel Williams manages to suit up, I still like Eno’s chances to dominate the workload and find the end zone in this one. Start him up as a high-end flex option this week.

D’Onta Foreman, RB – Carolina Panthers (Sheldon Hand)

Chuba Hubbard is dealing with an ankle injury and has been ruled out of Week 8. This may leave the doors wide open for D’Onta Foreman. He showed well last week without scoring a TD. The Falcons have allowed 7 TDs on the ground to running backs and an average of 14.0 points per game. Start Foreman as a safe RB2, with RB1 upside if he can find the endzone.

Sit

Allen Robinson, WR – Los Angeles Rams (Thomas Christopher)

After having an excellent Week 6, Robinson faces the San Francisco 49ers coming out of his Week 7 bye. The last time the Rams faced the 49ers this season, ARob only managed to put up 2.7 points in PPR fantasy football leagues. I predict that the struggles against the 49ers continue for the Rams. Other than Cooper Kupp, I’m not sure I trust any other Rams player in this matchup.

Chase Edmonds, RB – Miami Dolphins (Harry Prskalo)

What a disappointing season it’s been for Chase Edmonds. I was a believer that this backfield would be his and he would be a PPR machine for fantasy football. Raheem Mostert has spoiled all of that. This week they get to go against a juicy opponent in the Detroit Lions, and they have been giving monster games to the RB position. But Mostert is the starter here; and unless they let Edmonds in on the one yard line, do not expect a big game from him.

Darren Waller, TE – Las Vegas Raiders (Aaron St. Denis)

After leaving Week 6 early and missing Week 7 completely, Darren Waller was listed as questionable for Week 8. His hamstring injury has lingered for multiple weeks, and it isn’t something you can rely on at the position. Waller hasn’t been a must-start option since Week 2. Until we know he’s completely healed I’m staying away from him in fantasy football.

Tyler Lockett, WR – Seattle Seahawks (Jeremy Shulman)

Lockett has had health concerns this week with both hamstring and ribs issues. Additionally, he’s expected to be thrust into the #1 role with DK Metcalf all but certain to miss this week with a significant knee issue. If those reasons aren’t enough for you to fade Lockett this week, he’s also facing one of the best secondaries in the league in the New York Giants and their star cover man Adoree Jackson. Even though it’s likely Lockett gets schemed up and moved around the formation, his health and matchup are enough for me to look elsewhere this week. If I can, I’m sitting Lockett in favor of guys with better odds of putting up significant points this week.

Christian Kirk, WR – Jacksonville Jaguars (Sheldon Hand)

The Broncos defense has been great this season. They have held opposing teams to under 20 points in all but one game this year. They have only allowed three passing TDs against them and only one of those was to a WR. The Broncos have only allowed a total of 75 points to WR position this season. Kirk is currently the WR22 on FantasyPros. I’d look to pivot to guys like Jeudy, Slayton, or Mooney.