The Fantasy Footballers’ Starts of the Week for Week 8 (Fantasy Football)
Week 8 is here, which means we are into the second half of the regular season for most of your leagues. If you are feeling down on your luck because your early-round draft pick didn’t live up to expectations in the first half, this article might be just the inspiration you need to put them back into your starting lineup this week. You do not want to miss out on the first week of the second-half breakout! As always, you can listen to all of the Ballers’ Starts of the Week picks and the full Thursday episode by clicking the link below:
Andy’s Starts of the Week
QB Trevor Lawrence vs IND
Back from their bye week and facing an Indianapolis Colts team that is currently in fire-sale mode, the Jaguars offense is full of great fantasy plays this week, headlined by their signal caller Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence has three top-10 finishes already this season, and the Colts’ 28th-ranked scoring defense should allow him plenty of chances to find the endzone in this one. Fire him back up as a solid QB1 play this week.
RB Blake Corum vs LAC
Despite still operating in a clear change-of-pace role behind Kyren Williams, TD variance has allowed Corum to reach double-digit fantasy points in three consecutive weeks. Blowout game script helped Corum to see a season-high 18 opportunities last week, a workload which might make him playable should it continue. This week’s matchup against a winless Chargers team should once again present an opportunity for both backs to eat, so you can take a chance on Corum in your flex spot and hope the volume continues to be there.
WR George Pickens vs ARI
Andy is going back to George Pickens as his start of the week selection after he came through with a big TD for fantasy managers last week. The Over/Under for this Cowboys/Cardinals matchup is enormous (54.5), and it is definitely a game you want pieces of. Pickens saw a season-low snap share last week, potentially due to some run-blocking issues, but he is still a contested catch monster and a threat to break a big play any time he is on the field. We like his chances to come through again this week, and you should too.
TE Chig Okonkwo vs PHI
It was Okonkwo who appeared to benefit the most in terms of target share after Terry McLaurin suffered his season-ending knee injury in Week 6. In his last two contests, he has seen a 26% and a 20% target share, indicative of a shift in his utilization heading into the bye. Washington actually enters this game as six-point favorites, but they do not have much of a running game to speak of behind their inoperable offensive line, so you can expect the Commanders to take to the air against Philly’s beatable secondary. Okonkwo should once again see 6+ targets, which might be all he needs to crack the top-10 at the shallow TE position.
Jason’s Starts of the Week
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
QB Kirk Cousins @ NYJ
It is time we put some respect on Kirk’s name! He’s the QB5 on the year, currently pacing for over 4500 yards and nearly 40 passing TDs. With Fernando Mendoza waiting in the wings and the Raiders’ hot start long in the rearview mirror, Cousins’ days as a starter may be numbered. But he is starting again this week and can definitely be streamed by QB-needy fantasy teams. The Jets’ defense is not as horrid as usual, but this game sports a respectable 45.5-point O/U, and you know the Raiders will be passing due to their ineptitude on the ground. Let Kirk cook.
RB Bhayshul Tuten vs IND
Tuten had his best fantasy output of the season prior to Jacksonville’s bye, catching two TD passes and cracking 20 FPTS for the first time in his young career. He is set up in another smash spot this week against the aforementioned Colts’ defense, who just traded away their best interior defender in DeForrest Buckner. Entering the contest as 10-point favorites, if the Jaguars can manage to build an early lead, we could see a heavy dose of Bhayshul Tuten (and Chris Rodriguez) in this one.
WR Michael Wilson @ DAL
Wilson hasn’t lived up to the expectations since his running mate Marvin Harrison Jr. was traded to the Houston Texans. Over his last three games, Wilson is averaging just four catches for 39 yards and zero TDs. This Dallas defense, however, might be just the slump buster he needs to get his mojo back. Makai Lemon managed 16.7 fantasy points against Dallas last week with a backup QB under center. Lemon’s previous career high was 6.8. Wilson is going to get a ton of downfield targets like he always does from Jacoby Brissett, and Dallas’s defense is bad enough that they just might connect on a few of them.
TE TJ Hockenson @ DET
Hockenson is a solid plug-and-play option this week for teams missing George Kittle and/or Juwan Johnson. Kyler Murray has a flair for the ordinary, and Hock-Strap settling down within a few yards of the line of scrimmage is as ordinary as it gets. Detroit’s defense has been historically bad against TEs, currently on pace to allow 158 receptions, 1705 receiving yards, and 28 TDs to the position. The projected volume and dream matchup combine to make Hockenson a very good start for fantasy this week.
Mike’s Starts of the Week
QB Dak Prescott vs ARI
Dak has been doing more of what he always does this year – providing you a solid floor at the QB position with occasional spike weeks in the right matchup. This week against Arizona is one of those matchups where you are excited to get Dak into your lineup. Interestingly, his win/loss splits have been very predictive this year. In four losses, he is averaging just 14.2 FPTS, while he’s averaged 23.7 FPTS across Dallas’s three wins. The Cowboys enter this game as seven-point home favorites in a 54.5-point O/U. Dak should be sitting on a big week.
RB Chase Brown vs TEN
Brown’s uninspiring start to the 2026 season continued last week, as he posted just 7.8 FPTS in a 35-13 drubbing of the Baltimore Ravens. He saw a healthy workload like he always does, but he once again failed to do much of anything with the looks he received. Much like Michael Wilson, Brown is in need of a slump buster, and he gets one gift-wrapped for him this week in the form of a Tennessee Titans defense that just traded away their only recognizable player, Jeffrey Simmons. The Bengals are HEAVY 11.5-point favorites in this matchup, so Brown should see plenty of opportunities on the ground to improve upon his 3.5 yards per carry average. Quinshon Judkins and the Browns’ lackluster rushing attack averaged 5.6 yards per carry against Tennessee last week. If Brown can’t produce here, it might be over.
WR Stefon Diggs vs PHI
He has been propped up by an unsustainable TD pace, but Diggs is quietly averaging 11.5 FPPG this year, outpacing his numbers from last year when he finished as the WR18 as New England’s top receiver. He’s traded one promising young QB for another, but he still offers solid fantasy production despite his advanced age (he turns 33 next month). Dan Quinn came out and said Diggs’ role won’t change much with Terry McLaurin’s injury, but he has already been seeing 7.6 targets per game – a number that should only increase with McLaurin sidelined. This week, Diggs draws a Philadelphia secondary that ranks 31st in FPTS allowed to the WR position, putting him in the WR2 discussion for fantasy.
TE Hunter Henry @ MIA
Henry is another solid streamer in a week with multiple fantasy starters at the TE position on bye. Henry has followed the trends of New England’s offense. In the four weeks since Drake Maye and Co. remembered how to play football, Henry is averaging 11 FPTS per game. The Dolphins defense ranks 30th in fantasy points allowed to the TE position, making Henry a good play this week.