Fantasy Sleepers Week 8: Raiders Passing Attack Set For Big Week

If you are in need of a fill-in option due to a bye week or injury, this is your chance to find some potential sleeper options to stun your opponent. This is also a spot to see what some of the best FLEX options are for Week 8. With a lot of injuries already sinking lineups, you are going to need to dive into deeper names that you might not be familiar with. To help set those lineups, head on over to our rankings and projections pages.

Quarterback

Derek Carr – QB – Las Vegas Raiders

While there are certain weather issues across most games this week with the winds, I don’t like to just rule out passing attacks because of it. Derek Carr and the Raiders are still well in play against the Browns, who are allowing the 4th most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this season. Carr has had some strong weeks this season and is playing well from a non-fantasy point of view. He gets a better matchup this week and his weapons alongside him are well in play.

Jimmy Garoppolo – QB – San Francisco 49ers

If you are looking for a streaming option or have a quarterback in a tough spot this week, it is hard to ignore any quarterback going up against the Seattle Seahawks this season. They are allowing the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and these games have just provided so much fantasy goodness because the Seahawks put up so much of their points on their own. While I am not a big Jimmy G fan, he is certainly a streaming option this week.

Running Backs

Melvin Gordon – RB – Denver Broncos

Not a ton of sleeper running backs this week, and while you know the name Melvin Gordon, he certainly isn’t a reliable fantasy option anymore. While Phillip Lindsay is back from a concussion, Gordon has a stronger role in the passing game which can be used this week. The Chargers have allowed a 43-269-3 line to running backs over the six games they have played this season. Gordon still has seen a fair amount of touches. He is a decent RB2 or FLEX option this week.

JaMycal Hasty – RB – San Francisco 49ers

There have been reports of Jerick McKinnon battling leg soreness and he was rested for almost the entire Patriots game last week. This is a bit of a concern for the 49ers given Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson out. Tevin Coleman will likely be back this week but not anywhere near full speed. I wouldn’t be surprised to see plenty of touches for JaMycal Hasty who had a strong week in a limited sample. If you are in a deep league or roster and need to fill in some spots, Hasty is worth a look against a lackluster Seattle defense.

Wide Receivers

Nelson Agholor – WR – Las Vegas Raiders

Both Henry Ruggs and Nelson Agholor are strong wide receiver options this week, as the Browns allow the third-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. This bodes well for these two and they are strong plays as WR3 or FLEX options. Agholor and Ruggs are playing in one of these windy games this week, but there isn’t a ton of concern on my end. They can use them in shorter route roles and let the speed do the talking, especially with Ruggs.

AJ Green – WR – Cincinnati Bengals

AJ Green is in another strong spot this week and has caught 15 passes for 178 yards over the last two games. He has certainly connected against some lackluster secondaries and this Titans one is yet another. The volume Joe Burrow is throwing at is can support quite a few fantasy wideouts over a giving week. We saw that just last week. The Titans have allowed the 4th most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season (46.3 PPR). Both Green and Higgins are strong options.

Rashard Higgins – WR – Cleveland Browns

Rashard Higgins is going to pick up some of the targets left behind from Odell Beckham the rest of the way. Not a bad matchup to start out with going up against the Raiders, who are allowing the 10th most fantasy points per game. Higgins had been stringing some games together with a few touchdowns but had a 100+ yard game on six catches last week with six targets to his name. While I expect Baker Mayfield to spread the ball around, Higgins will be a solid option.

Denzel Mims – WR – New York Jets

The Jets will be trailing in most scenarios for the rest of the year and while the Chiefs are a tough secondary, Denzel Mims is going to finally get going after dealing with injuries most of the season. He had four catches for 42 yards this past week against the Bills and I like him this week to be a featured weapon with Jamison Crowder now unlikely to play again. He should see a large number of targets in the second half of the season.

Tight Ends

Harrison Bryant – TE – Cleveland Browns

With Austin Hooper out, Harrison Bryant is going to be startable again this week. Now the Raiders have struggled against tight ends of late, and while it was Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce there was a ton of volume going to them. They played New Orleans, Carolina, New England and Buffalo in the prior games so no tight ends were really used against them. Cleveland’s offense moved the ball well last week in a good spot and with OBJ out Mayfield is going to spread the ball around again.

Trey Burton – TE – Indianapolis Colts

Mo Allie-Cox is looking less likely to play this week for the Colts which means Trey Burton and Jack Doyle will be the lone tight end options. That frees up snaps and targets for Burton who has been emerging before the bye week anyway. I can’t really tell you a good tight end the Lions have faced or a team that actually utilizes them until last week. Hayden Hurst went for 6-68. Burton is in a solid spot and should see 6-7 targets.