Fantasy Football: Starts And Sits Week 8 2021
By Pat Pitts
It's hard to believe we are at the halfway point of the fantasy season already. Bye weeks are in full swing, key players are injured, and some of these matchups in Week 8 are TOUGH. But have no fear, your Fantasy Football hero, Pat Pitts is here to help you assemble the best team for this week of matchups.
START
Quarterbacks
Josh Allen vs MIA
Allen faces a Dolphins defense that has allowed the second most yards and fourth most touchdowns to opposing QBs this season. Allen is a Top-3 start this week, especially coming off two straight games of recording three touchdowns.
Joe Burrow @ NYJ
The Jets stink.Their defense stinks. Burrow may throw for 500 yards, making him a must start.
Carson Wentz vs TEN
Wentz’s performance last week against San Francisco is likely to repeat itself. The Titans defense is in the Bottom-5 against opposing QBs this season. Their defense will prove containing Mahomes was a fluke and allow Wentz to have a solid fantasy day for his managers.
Running Backs
J.D. McKissic vs DEN
McKissic increases his production every week and has seen more carries than Antonio Gibson over the past three weeks. The Broncos let D'Ernest Johnson run over them in his “welcome to the NFL” game. McKissic belongs in your FLEX position with this matchup.
Chase Edmonds @ GB
Edmonds’ versatility launched him into the RB1 role for Arizona, ranking as a Top-24 RB heading into Week 8. The Packers run defense continues to be the team’s Achilles heel, forcing Kyler Murray to move the ball on the ground. He fits as an RB2 in fantasy lineups on Thursday night.
Kenneth Gainwell @ DET
The Lions sit as the league’s worst defense against running backs. They have given up the most touchdowns and second most fantasy points to RBs. Also, the Lions are 0-7. With Miles Sanders out for the foreseeable future, Gainwell slots nicely as a FLEX play in a game the Eagles MUST win.
Wide Receivers
Randall Cobb vs ARI
No Davante Adams? No Allen Lazard? No problem. Cobb will see WR1 targets on Thursday night, so I hope you snagged him off waivers this week like I recommended.
Michael Pittman Jr. vs TEN
Wentz needs someone to catch passes. Pittman notched his first 100+ yard receiving game last week against the 49ers. The Titans have given up the most fantasy points to WRs this season, setting Pittman up to be a possible WR1 this week.
CeeDee Lamb @ MIN
Lamb has more targets and receptions than Amari Cooper this season. His target share of the offense makes him a great play, especially in PPR leagues.
Tight Ends
C.J. Uzomah @ NYJ
Uzomah has been one of the most consistent TE options this fantasy season as he’s scored five touchdowns in the past four games. He is the TE10 and sitting on the waiver wire in 80% of ESPN leagues.
Tyler Higbee @ HOU
Higbee saw eight targets last week against the Lions and the Texans defense is just as bad as Detroit. He didn’t score last week, however the Texans allow the most touchdowns to TEs. Play those odds.
Dallas Goedert @ DET
Tight Ends that see five or more targets a game should be rostered and started in every league. Goedert is one of those players.
SIT
Quarterbacks
Tua Tagovailoa @ BUF
Tagovailoa played well in his return as QB1 for the Dolphins last week, but still threw three interceptions. He lines up against the best pass defense in the NFL that has allowed the least amount of yards to QBs. He can sit this one out.
Mac Jones @ LAC
Jones plays an entirely different team in Los Angeles on Sunday. The Patriots offense has yet to be consistent, while the Chargers defense has been dominant over the first half of the season. The fantasy numbers for Jones will be lower than expected.
Kirk Cousins vs DAL
Trevon Diggs will pick him off at some point and score and will bleed his confidence. Stay away from this game. I DON’T like that.
Running Backs
Corrdarrelle Patterson vs CAR
The Panthers have given up the fewest amount of yards to RBs this season. Patterson’s touchdown saved him from a disappointing fantasy start in Week 7. He’s got bust potential this week.
Antonio Gibson @ DEN
*See J.D. McKissic*
Leonard Fournette @ NO
The Saints front seven shuts down running backs, ranking as a Top-5 defense against the run. Brady will need to lean on his arm this week to move the ball.
Wide Receivers
Every Patriots WR @ LAC
Wide Receivers struggle against the Chargers as they lead the NFL in every category against the position. The waiver wire has better options than those three stooges.
Jaylen Waddle @ BUF
Wide Receivers have scored against the Bills twice this year. Tre White and the rest of the Bills secondary are going to make it a scary Halloween for Waddle and company.
Allen Robinson II vs SF
This is your green light to finally sit Robinson. It does not seem that he will be a Bear much longer, so save yourself the headache.
Tight Ends
Robert Tonyan vs ARI
The Cardinals have allowed 15 fantasy points to TEs this season. That’s it. What else do you want?
Rob Gronkowski @ NO
Gronk returned to practice this week, but should not follow suit into your lineups. The Saints have yet to allow a TE to score this season. Gronk or any Bucs TE is not changing that on Sunday.
Dalton Schultz @ MIN
The Vikings have yet to allow a TD to a TE this season, but that is not the only reason to bench him, because Dak Prescott is throwing more to his WRs this season. There are a plethora of TEs waiting on the waiver wire to be rostered.