Week 8 QB Start, Sit: Quarterback Fantasy Football Strategy

Lineups.com has you covered with everything that you need to win your fantasy football league in the 2020 season. We have full season rankings, projections, and stats for every player along with defense rankings. If you are a daily fantasy player we have you covered as well with our DFS projections. Lineups is your one stop shop.

Start’em

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Opponent: Falcons

Russell Wilson is a must-start this week and is primed to be the most productive quarterback for week eight. Despite a rough game against the Ravens last week, Wilson currently has the 2nd most fantasy points of all QBs playing this week, according to Yahoo Fantasy Football [3]. Even more promising, Wilson is going against a weak Atlanta Falcons secondary that has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks [3]. The Falcons secondary has surrendered an average of 314.2 yards and 3 TDs a game to opposing QBs since week three, leaving Wilson with an excellent chance to obliterate the Falcons.

Deshaun Watson, Oakland Raiders

Opponent: Raiders

Deshaun Watson is a high-end QB1 option against the Oakland Raiders. This season, Watson has scored 10+ points in every fantasy game and scored 15+ points five of his seven games this year [3]. While Watson’s most significant issue pertains to his struggles with handling pressure, his offensive line has shown consistent progress throughout the season. Plus, Watson is facing a Raiders defense that is amongst the three worst in the NFL when it comes to pressuring the QB [3]. With the talented supporting cast that Watson has, along with his favorable matchup, Watson is a must-start in week eight.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Opponent: Chiefs

Aaron Rodgers is set up for a massive day as the Green Bay Packers head to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Rodgers is coming off an extremely productive day against the Oakland Raiders, where he threw for 429 yards and five touchdowns. Rodgers is in for another excellent performance against the Chiefs, who are going to need to rely on struggling journeyman, CB Bashaud Breeland, if they are going to stop Rodgers. If Rodgers’ favorite target, Davante Adams, returns from injury, Rodgers could have another historic game against the Chiefs. Nevertheless, Rodgers is still a quality QB1 option for week eight.

Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Opponent: Redskins

After a dreadful start to 2018, Kirk Cousins has been productive the past three weeks. Cousins has scored 20+ points in his previous three games and has gone toe-to-toe with some stingy defenses, like the Lions, who are ranked as the ninth-best team against opposing QBs [3]. The loss of Adam Thielen is a significant loss for Cousins, but he should fare pretty well against his former team, the Washington Redskins. The Redskins aren’t the worst team at limiting opposing signal-callers, but they’re currently in tank mode, which leaves the door open for a big game against the Skins.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

Opponent: Giants

After a disappointing outing in week six against the Packers, Lions QB Matthew Stafford had an excellent game against the Minnesota Vikings, throwing for 364 yards and four TDs. Stafford is having a solid year this season and has gotten back into the rhythm of going deep. He currently has 32 completions of 20+ yards in his last eight games, which is the 2nd most amongst QBs [3]. Stafford has been relatively consistent this season and is in for a favorable matchup against the Giants, which is near the top ten in terms of giving up fantasy points to opposing QBs.

Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams

Opponent: Bengals

Week eight should be a good game for Los Angeles Rams quarterback, Jared Goff. Goff isn’t a long term answer for any fantasy owners, but his matchup against a porous Bengals defense makes him a great option this week. Goff has scored 19.12+ points a game against the top-ten most-generous fantasy defenses this season [3]. Since the Bengals have given up the fifth-most points to QBs, Goff is a decent QB2.

Teddy Bridgewater, New Orleans Saints

Opponent: Cardinals

Over the past five weeks, Teddy Bridgewater has proven that he is capable of quarterbacking the New Orleans Saints offense. Bridgewater is an intelligent game manager, who limits his turnovers, and has a passer rating of 102 over the past four, which is the 6th most amongst NFL QBs [3]. He’s coming off a very productive day against a Bears secondary that is top five against QBs, which is very promising for fantasy owners. Bridgewater heads into week weight against an Arizona Cardinals defense that allows the 4th most points to QBs, and the last time Teddy had a favorable matchup like that, he erupted for 28.26 points against the Bucs (who give up the 6th most QB fantasy points) [3].

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Opponent: Browns

Tom Brady heads into week eight as the ninth-best QB when it comes to accumulating fantasy points [3]. He has had 20+ points in five of the seven games he’s played this year and has thrown for 300+ yards in four games this year [3]. The Browns defense isn’t the best at limiting QB fantasy points, which presents Brady with a favorable matchup against Cleveland. The Browns haven’t held a team below 20 points this year, and if Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward are unable to suit up, Brady is in for excellent performance on Sunday.

Sit’em

Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Opponent: Bills

Carson Wentz is going to have one of his most challenging games this season as he heads to Buffalo to play the Bills. The fourth-year veteran has had a highly volatile season this year and has struggled to put up big numbers against tough defenses, like the Cowboys (3rd best at limiting QBs) and Jets (11th best at limiting QBs) [3]. Even though Wentz has thrown a touchdown in every game this year, head coach Doug Pederson’s offense has been lackluster and inconsistent, which should be alarming for fantasy owners. It’s not time to cut Wentz from your team, but don’t look for his supporting cast to help him out against the Bills, since the Eagles are tied with the Bengals for the most dropped passes with the Bengals [2].

Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Opponent: Patriots

After being one of the most hyped QBs in 2019, Baker Mayfield has had one of the most forgettable seasons in recent history. Baker has thrown an interception in every game this season and has an abysmal TD: INT ratio of 5:11. It’s not all Baker’s fault, as his receivers have dropped nine catches, which is tied for the fifth-most in the NFL, and many of these have led to interceptions [2]. However, he is going against the New England Patriots, who are the most restrictive team when it comes to opposing QB fantasy points [3]. Unless Browns’ head coach, Freddie Kitchens, can fix the offensive chemistry issues between Baker and his receivers or fix the Browns’ offensive line’s issues, Baker is in for another fantasy dud at Gillette Stadium.

Phillip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers

Opponent: Bears

Phillip Rivers has one of his toughest matchups ahead of him, as he heads to Chicago to take on the Bears. While Rivers is coming off two quality performance in his past two games, he has had disappointing lapses throughout the year. Moreover, the Bears’ defense, which currently ranks in the top ten in terms of limiting passing yards/game and passing touchdowns/game [1]. Resultantly, it would be wise for fantasy owners to stay away from starting Rivers.

Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders

Opponent: Texans

It’s safe to assume that Derek Carr should never be your starting QB unless your incumbent fantasy starter is on bye. Carr currently ranks 20th among all QBs in terms of passing yards and TDs, which indicates that he is never a threat to put up big games for your fantasy team [3]. This isn’t an indictment against Carr’s skill, because he is an adequate QB, but he lacks a true WR1 and is often content with checking the ball down. Even against a poor secondary, like the Texans, that is giving away the 7th most fantasy points to QBs, Carr’s matchup is no more than fool’s gold for fantasy owners [3].

Mitch Trubisky, Chicago Bears

Opponent: Chargers

At this point, if you still have Mitch Trubisky on your team, you either are a die-hard Trubisky fan or haven’t checked your lineup in weeks. While Trubisky has had two 15+ point games in his past three games, his stats are more favorable than his performances were [3]. Trubisky is in for a tough game against a Chargers team that ranks in the top ten at limiting opposing QBs’ fantasy points [3]. Trubisky doesn’t possess the accuracy, nor the decision making to be in the starting lineup for any fantasy owners.

Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Opponent: Titans

If you look up the definition of inconsistent in the Webster dictionary, you will find a picture of Jameis Winston. On any given play, Winston has the capability of making a remarkable, big-time throw, or a poorly timed interception into triple coverage that gets returned for a touchdown. Winston isn’t the worst option, because he has put up two productive fantasy games against 10 ten defenses, like the Rams and Panthers [3]. Nevertheless, Winston’s propensity to throw horrendous interceptions will cause Tampa Bay’s head coach, Bruce Arians, to bench Jameis eventually. This is especially true against a good defense like the Titans, who are the ninth most stingy defense at limiting opposing quarterbacks [3].