Fantasy Football: How to survive the Week 8 bye-apocalypse
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- Welcome to the Week 8 bye-apocalypse: With six teams off, stars sidelined and fantasy rosters gutted, here’s the survival guide.
- Andy Dalton is a solid streaming option: He gets a favorable matchup this week, as he faces a Buffalo Bills defense that is allowing 17.7 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs.
- Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections, and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool. Get 25% off your PFF+ annual subscription with code PFFTIKTOK25.
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
Notable players on bye during Week 8
- Trey McBride | TE2 | 16.2 PPG
- Jahmyr Gibbs | RB4 | 20.0 PPG
- Marvin Harrison Jr. | WR34 | 10.4 PPG
- Sam LaPorta | TE7 | 10.4 PPG
- Jared Goff | QB11 | 17.2 PPG
- Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR3 | 21.0 PPG
- Trevor Lawrence | QB12 | 16.7 PPG
- Travis Etienne Jr | RB16 | 13.1 PPG
- Ashton Jeanty | RB13 | 13.7 PPG
- Kyren Williams | RB9 | 15.7 PPG
- Puka Nacua | WR4 | 23.1 PPG
- Matthew Stafford | QB10 | 19.5 PPG
- Sam Darnold | QB13 | 16.3 PPG
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba | WR1 | 22.1 PPG
- Kenneth Walker | RB24 | 10.7 PPG
- Zach Charbonnet | RB34 | 10.0 PPG
Players to target with under 30% rostership
QBs
Andy Dalton | Carolina Panthers | 0.1%
Bryce Young is likely missing Week 8 due to a high-ankle sprain, and Andy Dalton will step into his place. Dalton gets a favorable matchup this week, as he faces a Buffalo Bills defense that is allowing 17.7 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs. The game script should demand high-volume throwing.
Flacco is fresh off a 29.4 fantasy game and now has two straight games of 20-plus points. He heads into Week 8 with a matchup against the New York Jets, who are allowing 18-plus points per game to opposing QBs this season. Ride the hot hand in Flacco if you need a spot start in Week 8.
The Jets benched Justin Fields in favor of Tyrod Taylor late in a Week 7 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Taylor now faces the Cincinnati Bengals, who are allowing 30.5 points per game to opposing offenses. If Garrett Wilson is back, Taylor is a strong streaming option in Week 8.
WRs
Troy Franklin | Denver Broncos | 28.9%
The Broncos have a Week 8 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, who have been tormented by opposing receivers all season long. Troy Franklin should have a mismatch on the outside, allowing for multiple deep plays.
Kayshon Boutte | New England Patriots | 27.0%
Over the last two weeks, Kayshon Boutte has averaged 19.9 PPR points and has earned a much larger role in the New England offense. He now faces a Cleveland Browns defense that is allowing 15-plus PPR points per game to opposing receivers. Stream with confidence.
Jalen Coker | Carolina Panthers | 11.0%
The Panthers eased Coker in last week with only 17 receiving snaps; ideally, he should be a full-go this week in a game the Panthers will need all the firepower possible to win against the Bills. Coker is a strong streaming option with upside.
RBs
Tyjae Spears | Tennessee Titans | 29.7%
Spears is back in the Titans offense and has seen a slow increase in workload.
- Week 5: 2 attempts
- Week 6: 5 attempts
- Week 7: 5 attempts
Spears’ relevance this week will depend on how the game script plays out. If the Titans can limit the Indianapolis Colts offense, he has a chance to perform and see an uptick in touches; however, if they cannot, he likely will not see the ball much.
Monangai has taken the Bears‘ backfield by storm, as he put up a 17.4 PPR point performance in Week 7. He gets a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8, and they have been gashed by the run week after week since losing Justin Madubuike to injury. You can start Monangai and Swift with confidence in Week 8.
TEs
Gadsden is the waiver-wire add of the week after 20-plus PPR points and playing 80% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps last week. Gadsden is a riskier start this week due to the matchup against the Minnesota Vikings‘ defense; however, with bye weeks, you may not have a choice.
Taylor should already be on fantasy rosters, but he is somehow only rostered in 27.7% of leagues currently. He gets a matchup against a Bengals defense that has allowed opposing tight end units to rack up over 100 yards in three games this season.
Dalton Schultz | Houston Texans | 18.0%
Dalton Schultz is a viable streamer in Week 8 if you need a filler for Trey McBride or Sam LaPorta. He gets a matchup against a San Francisco 49ers defense that is now without Fred Warner, and even in games with him, San Francisco was allowing 5.5 receptions on average to tight ends per game.
Long-shot ceiling plays
Players who have good matchups and have an opportunity to earn more touches during Week 8.
- Malik Washington | Miami Dolphins | 14.5%
- Luther Burden III | Chicago Bears | 9.4%
- Devin Neal | New Orleans Saints | 0.3%
Defenses to exploit
QBs/WRs:
- Cowboys | 1,182 yards | 12 TDs | 27 explosve plays allowed | 132.2 passer rating allowed
- Bengals | 1,012 yards | 4 TDs | 27 explosive plays allowed
- Ravens | 892 yards | 10 TDs | 22 explosive plays allowed | 115.9 passer rating allowed
RBs:
- Bengals | 855 yards | 6 TDs | 545 yards allowed after contact
- Dolphins | 898 yards | 5 TDs | 673 yards allowed after contact | 35 missed tackles
- Saints | 728 yards | 5 TDs | 266 yards allowed before contact | 33 missed tackled
