Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 8 Matchups to Consider
We’ve made it to the halfway point of the fantasy regular season! By this point in the season, fantasy managers are doing their best to work their way to the top of the pack or trying to just stay in the hunt for a playoff spot! What matters the most is getting that lineup just right ahead of Week 8 to start the back half of the fantasy regular season off with a W!
Let’s take a look at a few matchups worth considering before locking in those lineups ahead of this week’s action!
Quarterbacks
Joe Flacco
QB - CIN
It was quite the return to form last week with Joe Flacco’s QB4 finish against the Steelers in Week 7. Flacco’s 26 fantasy points were the most he’s scored since he stepped into action in Week 5 of the 2024 season for the Colts. While Flacco wasn’t anything great for fantasy managers during his time with the Browns to start the year, what’s been consistent for him is the 42 passing attempts he has averaged to start the season. Now, with much better receiving surrounding him in Cincinnati, the ceiling is clearly raised, and Flacco could be in streaming consideration.
There’s a good chance that Flacco could be worth a start again this week with an interesting matchup against the Jets on the way. New York’s defense has allowed the 8th-most passing TDs on the season, though they’ve given up the 10th-fewest passing yards on the year. For fantasy, though, they’ve been a tougher matchup for QBs than you’d imagine. In their seven games so far this season, New York has only allowed an opposing QB to score 20+ fantasy points twice this season and has not let a QB hit that mark in five of their last six matchups. With a handful of fantasy QBs out this week due to injury or the massive bye week, Flacco could be a necessary start, but expectations might need to be tempered for a repeat performance from last week.
Drake Maye
QB - NE
The second season leap has been turned into quite the start to the fantasy season for Drake Maye. Through his first seven games, Maye has been a top-10 QB five different weeks and is currently the QB5 on the season. While Maye has been great in the passing game, throwing multiple TDs in five of his last six games, it’s the added value he brings in the running game that has propelled him near the elite fantasy assets. Maye is adding nearly 30 rushing yards per game with his legs, and his 200 rushing yards on the season rank him fifth among QBs in the league.
If Maye is going to keep his fantasy hot streak going, he will have a tough matchup against the Browns to do so this week. Cleveland’s defense has been one of the best units in the league to start the season, allowing the 7th-fewest passing yards to start the year. For fantasy, it’s been really tough to get QB production against the Browns. In six of their seven games, Cleveland’s defense hasn’t allowed QBs to score more than 20 fantasy points. It may be tough to shift away from Maye this week, but fantasy managers may have to be happy with a step back in fantasy production this week, given the tough matchup.
Running Backs
Breece Hall
RB - NYJ
As frustrating a season as it’s been just watching the Jets, having an investment in Breece Hall has been a more frustrating reality for fantasy managers. With the coaching change in New York, it was made very clear that Hall wasn’t the guy going forward for the Jets, but he’s still managed to finish inside the top-24 RBs three different weeks this season. What has helped Hall stay relevant despite a poor supporting cast has been his involvement in the passing game, where he’s seeing nearly four targets per game, though it is worth noting he only saw one target from Tyrod Taylor last week after the team made a QB change at halftime.
If there’s a chance for the Jets offense to find some life, a matchup against the Bengals could be their best chance to do so. Cincinnati’s defense has allowed the 4th-most rushing yards on the season and eight rushing TDs through their first seven games. For fantasy, they’re the best matchup an RB can get currently, allowing a league-high 29.6 fantasy points per game to opposing teams’ RBs. In fact, the Bengals have allowed the RB16 or better in every game this season. There’s a chance this is the last time Breece Hall plays in a game for the Jets, so if it is, he should be poised for a big day for fantasy managers.
Tyler Allgeier
RB - ARI
Being the backup to an indestructible RB should make it tough for fantasy relevance, but Tyler Allgeier has carved out a decent amount of real estate that should keep fantasy managers interested. Despite playing just 26% of snaps on the season, Allgeier has still managed to finish as a top-30 RB in half of his games to start the season. While those productive fantasy weeks have only come when he’s gotten into the end zone, Allgeier is still averaging 10 opportunities per game, so with the right game script, he can be a productive fantasy play.
There should be plenty of opportunity for Allgeier to produce for fantasy managers this week against the Dolphins. Miami has allowed the most rushing yards and the 3rd-most rushing TDs in the league this season. For fantasy, that’s turned into a top-24 RB finish in every game this season, including a top-10 RB in three-straight games. While it’s hard to prescribe putting an RB who’s clearly playing second fiddle into your lineup, Allgeier could see enough opportunity this week to warrant serious FLEX consideration.
Brashard Smith
RB - KC
It feels like there’s a shift happening in the Chiefs’ backfield with rookie RB Brashard Smith’s role. In Week 7, Smith saw a career-high in snaps, playing 35% of the offensive plays for Kansas City and garnering 19 total opportunities (14 carries, five targets), which turned into his first double-digit fantasy performance. While Smith’s increase last week could be attributed to the Chiefs absolutely running through the Raiders, it’s worth noting he did see six carries inside the red zone, the second most for any RB in Week 7.
For Smith to continue his ascension in the Chiefs’ backfield, he will have a difficult matchup against the Commanders this week. Washington’s defense has allowed the 10th-most rushing yards in the league this season, but has only given up five rushing TDs on the year. When we look at the fantasy output the Commanders are giving up to opposing RBs, though, there’s a trend that plays into Smith’s favor. Over their last four games, Washington has allowed a top-24 RB each week, and those RBs have averaged three receptions for nearly 50 yards receiving, which should give Smith a chance to be a real factor for fantasy managers again this week.
Wide Receivers
George Pickens
WR - DAL
The change of scenery this offseason has started great for George Pickens in the Cowboys’ offense. Through his first seven games, Pickens has finished as a top-24 WR five times, including two finishes as the WR2 overall or better. While there could be some concern that the return of CeeDee Lamb to the Cowboys’ lineups could limit what Pickens is able to produce for fantasy, Pickens has still scored 10+ fantasy points in all but one of the games that the pair of WRs played together.
While the Cowboys offense is one of the most fun teams to have fantasy pieces in on a weekly basis, a matchup against the Broncos in Week 8 is a tough one. Denver’s defense has allowed the second-fewest passing TDs on the season, though their tough secondary has only forced two interceptions. For fantasy, it’s been pretty difficult to think about playing WRs against the Broncos. Over their last four games, Denver’s defense has allowed less than 20 fantasy points to opposing teams’ WRs as a whole. The hope for fantasy managers with Pickens should be that Pat Surtain’s attention stays on CeeDee, which could open up real opportunity for Pickens in Week 8.
Alec Pierce
WR - IND
While he may not come to mind as a fantasy-relevant WR, Alec Pierce is a player who is consistently involved on one of the best offenses in football and should be on the radar for fantasy managers. Pierce has been on the field for 79% of snaps for the Colts to start the season and is coming off his most productive week of the season, seeing a whopping 10 targets against the Chargers. In the past, Pierce was viewed as just a deep threat in this offense, but his game has evolved into a reliable target threat, seeing a target on 28.6% of his routes run just last week, which ranked 10th on the week among WRs who ran at least 15 routes.
If Pierce is going to produce just his third back-to-back top-24 WR games in a row, he will have an interesting matchup against the Titans to do so. As bad as Tennessee has been as a team this season, their passing defense hasn’t been the problem. The Titans are middle of the pack in passing yards they’ve allowed to start the year, though they have allowed the 8th-highest yards per passing attempt, giving up 7.6 yards per pass. For fantasy, though, the Titans haven’t allowed 20+ fantasy points to opposing WRs in two of their last three games. For Pierce to continue being a FLEX play this week, it’s likely he will need to get fantasy production early in the game, before the Colts need to throw the ball is lowered once they have the lead.
DJ Moore
WR - BUF
The optimism surrounding the WRs in Chicago with the addition of Ben Johnson to the offense has not translated to fantasy relevance for DJ Moore to start the season. While Moore has been plenty involved for the Bears, playing 86% of snaps and seeing five targets per game, his highest fantasy finish on the season was his 10.8 fantasy points in Week 3, which saw him finish as the WR29. Gross.
We may be at the point of the fantasy season where Moore has turned into a WR that fantasy managers are only playing in the right matchup, like this week against the Ravens. Baltimore’s defense has allowed the fifth-most passing TDs on the season, and has really been a team to target with fantasy WRs. In three different weeks this season, the Ravens have allowed 40+ fantasy points to opposing teams’ WRs. With the second-highest point total for the week expected in this game, as long as Moore is healthy and on the field, he should be a decent FLEX play for fantasy managers given the matchup.
Tight Ends
Oronde Gadsden
TE - LAC
After going absolutely nuclear last week against the Colts, Oronde Gadsden is the TE name of the week to monitor for fantasy. Gadsden’s 164 receiving yards in Week 8 propelled him to a TE1 finish on the week and made him maybe the hottest waiver wire pickup. It’s worth noting that Gadsden’s involvement didn’t come out of nowhere. The rookie has seen 7+ targets three different times this season already and has a combined 17 targets over the last two weeks. What will be tough for fantasy managers to decide is if Gadsden will continue seeing that type of involvement in a Chargers offense that’s currently leading the league in passing attempts and second in the league in passing yards.
If Gadsden is going to back up his TE1 finish again this week, he’s got a decently tough matchup against the Vikings to do so. Minnesota’s defense has allowed just the 4th-most passing yards in the league, and the 8th-fewest passing TDs. For fantasy, the Vikings have been especially tough against the TE position. In four of Minnesota’s six games this season, they have held opposing teams’ TEs under 10 fantasy points. It may be difficult to keep Gadsden out of a fantasy lineup this week, but fantasy managers may need to take the “wait and see” approach before penciling him into their lineups this week.
George Kittle
TE - SF
The return of George Kittle was a welcome sight for fantasy managers, though it didn’t produce like we’re used to seeing from one of the league’s best TEs. Kittle returned to play 81% of snaps for the 49ers Sunday night, but saw just two targets and didn’t record a catch against the Falcons. While fantasy managers surely wanted to get back to the high-end fantasy output we’re accustomed to seeing from Kittle, just having another real receiving threat back on the field for San Francisco should be encouraging going forward.
For Kittle to get going again for fantasy lineups, he’s going to have a tough matchup to do so this week against the Texans. Houston’s defense is one of the toughest against the pass in the league, allowing the 3rd-fewest passing yards and just four passing TDs on the season. Against TEs, the Texans are a particularly difficult matchup, allowing just 6.4 fantasy points to opposing teams’ TEs. With plenty of bye weeks piling up, it may be difficult for fantasy managers to keep Kittle off the field, but expectations for a big performance may be dependent on getting into the end zone this week.