Flex Options for Week 8 (Fantasy Football)

Welcome back for another weekly edition of my flex options article! As always, I’ll talk about some names that are outside the range of starters (RB 1-24, WR 1-30) in The Fantasy Footballers Rankings who I think could return starter value for your fantasy team this week. Obviously, there are no sure things in fantasy, particularly when we’re talking about players in this range, but you should feel comfortable putting these guys in your lineup and knowing they have a decent chance to help your team this week. Let’s get into it.

Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Managers may have been hesitant to start White last week coming off of a foot injury that held him out of Week 6 into a backfield that had become a three-headed committee, but nobody should be nervous to fire him up this week. He posted his best stat line of the season, finishing as RB6 on the week, thanks mostly to his work in the passing game. With Mike Evans leaving early in the game due to injury, White enjoyed a healthy target share, turning his six targets into six grabs for 71 yards and two TDs. Chris Godwin also appears to be out for the season due to an injury he suffered late in the contest, so White should continue seeing targets in a Buccaneers offense that suddenly lacks other weapons. Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker will continue to be involved, but White out-touched both of them last game and profiles as more of a pass-catcher than both other backs.  The Bucs could be in catch-up mode this week against Atlanta, so White looks like a good flex option with a high receiving floor.

Keenan Allen, WR, Chicago Bears

Allen finally broke through with his new team in Week 6, albeit against a very soft defense in Jacksonville. Luckily for us, he faces another soft defense this week with Washington, who has allowed 3.1 points above expected to wide receivers.  Allen has been increasingly involved in the offensive game plan since starting the year with some injury-related setbacks, and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams seems to be coming into his own as an NFL player, throwing for 532 yards and six touchdowns over his last two games. Allen will have target competition from DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet, but let’s hope the veteran wide receiver continues his red zone rapport with his young QB and finds the end zone again this week in a plus matchup. 

Jalen Tolbert, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Tolbert seems to have fallen off the fantasy radar since the Cowboys went on bye last week, but it wasn’t long ago that he was one of the hot waiver wire pickups after posting 18.2 fantasy points against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5. Brandin Cooks is still out with injury, so Tolbert should enjoy solid usage as the Cowboys’ WR2 in a game where they are four-point underdogs to San Francisco and project to be passing a fair amount. If the Cowboys can get anything going on offense whatsoever, Tolbert will be a fine flex play this week with top-20 upside.

Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Ho hum, just Tyler Lockett outperforming draft expectations once again for fantasy football. Lockett has seen no fewer than six targets in a game since Week 2, and this game should be no exception at home against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills’ defense has been more beatable on the ground than through the air this season, but if their secondary has a soft spot, it’s over the middle of the field where Tyler Lockett thrives. You can flex Lockett again this week and hope that Buffalo jumps on Seattle early to force them into a more pass-heavy game script. 

Jerry Jeudy/Cedric Tillman, WR, Cleveland Browns

If you’re desperate for a deeper-league flex play this week, you can take a shot on one of these Browns receivers in hopes that Jameis Winston does Jameis Winston things and throws for a boatload of yardage (and probably some interceptions). It also helps that their opponent, the Baltimore Ravens, is a great matchup for fantasy WRs, allowing 7.0 points above expected so far this season. You might need to borrow a pair of Mike’s patented titanium undies, but both of these guys will be on the field running routes and drawing plenty of targets from Winston.