Call the NFL today’s Tom Sawyer, because we get high on them, and also the changes aren’t permanent… but change is. We have tons of things that have changed across the league in the last couple of weeks, including five different top-30 receivers suffering in week seven that will cost them week eight, and beyond (Brandon Aiyuk, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, D.K. Metcalf, and Deebo Samuel). So, all of our rosters are suffering just a bit right now. With that in mind, let’s look at some fantasy football sleepers for week eight. We have zero teams on bye, so hopefully you aren’t so injury-bitten that you need these guys. But, if you do, then I am here to help.
A player must be available in at least 50% of Yahoo! leagues to make this list. For all of you who wail and screech about how players aren’t available in your league, we have someone available in at least 90% of leagues at every position, too.
Quarterbacks
Bo Nix versus Carolina (20% rostered)
Don’t look now, but Nix has 20+ fantasy points in two out of his last three games. The rookie’s legs have provided him with an average of 9.5 fantasy points in the previous three games, and he did it without a true plus matchup in there. This week he gets the woeful, circling-the-drain Panthers that allow the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and they allowed 84 rushing yards to the Commanders’ quarterbacks last week.
Russell Wilson versus N.Y. Giants (20% rostered)
Mr. Unlimited hit the ground running last week against the Jets, finishing with 264 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown, to boot. It wasn’t the smoothest game, as the Steelers hit a field goal, and then went three-and-out on their next three drives. Russ then hit his groove, as the Steelers scored on six of their next seven drives.
They imposed their will on the Jets, who allow the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Now, Russ gets the Jets’ MetLife roommates, as the Giants come to Pittsburgh this week. The Giants are the mirror opposite of the Jets, with five-straight quarterbacks notching at least 16 fantasy points, and three-straight topping 19 points. The Giants’ pass rush hit its stride in the last few weeks, and they rate fifth in the league in QB pressure rate (38.1%). The Steelers’ offensive line did well to protect Russ last week, as he was pressured on just 25.8% of his dropbacks against the Jets, who rank just above the Giants in pressure rate (38.3%).
Jameis Winston versus Baltimore (5% rostered)
It’s hard to believe that we haven’t seen Jameis in a start in over two years, but the last time we saw him, he was good enough for primetime, averaging 286 passing yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game This week, he will be under center for the Browns, who will be without Deshaun Watson or Amari Cooper, but who have some weapons for Jameis in Jerry Jeudy, David Njoku and Nick Chubb. The Ravens allow the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and have given up 29+ fantasy points to three-straight quarterbacks, and four-of-five QBs.
Wide Receivers
Ricky Pearsall versus Dallas (31% rostered)
Jauan Jennings still isn’t practicing, and Deebo Samuel literally just got out of the hospital with pneumonia. So, Ricky Pearsall is the most viable 49ers’ receiver on Sunday night. Look, I don’t feel great about it either, but YAC Miller is cleared to play and the 49ers hope that his second shot (sorry, sorry, I’m trying to delete it) at game action goes better than his first. He struggled with separation last week against the Chiefs and finished with just 21 yards on three catches. Luckily, the Cowboys’ secondary isn’t all it should be, and nine different wide receivers topped 11 PPR points against them this season, including three different receivers in the last game they played against Detroit.
Cedric Tillman versus Baltimore (13% rostered)
With no Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy struggling to find openings in the defense, the Browns turned to Cedric Tillman last week. Tillman finished with 12 targets for 8 catches and 81 yards. To call that a breakout is understating, as those account for 20% of his career targets, 25% of his career catches, and 26% of his career yards. But, he seems as good a bet as any to be the WR1 without Amari Cooper. He gets the same porous Baltimore defense as Jameis. The one that allows the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers on the season. Tillman should see plenty of targets, and that will provide you with beaucoup fantasy points.
Sterling Shephard versus Atlanta (10% rostered)
Everyone is rushing out to get Jalen McMillan in the wake of the Chris Godwin and Mike Evans injuries. I get it, he’s the fresh and fun new toy. But, both will be stepping into new roles for the Buccaneers in week eight, and I trust the veteran to kick it off with an incredibly solid game in a Jakobi Meyers-esque role. Shepard only has one game so far with over four targets, and he finished that game with a 3/5/51 line. His yardage rate stats are better than McMillan’s, with a 0.91 YPRR, and a 7.75 YPT, while getting a slightly lower target per route run (0.14 TPRR for McMillan, 0.12 for Shepard) while boasting a higher average depth of target. McMillan was the hard guy to get on the waiver wire this week, but Shepard is sitting right there.
Running Backs
Ray Davis at Seattle (26% rostered)
Like it or not, Ray Davis has a role in the Buffalo offense. He stepped in for the injured James Cook two weeks ago and played the 1B role for Cook last week. He finished with double-digit PPR games in both contests, notching 23 touches for 152 yards in week six, and six touches for 47 yards and a touchdown last week. The Bills get the Seahawks this week, who had the 49ers run roughshod all over them in week six with a bunch of guys you hadn’t heard of before Christian McCaffrey’s injury. In week seven, they let Bijan Robinson carve through them like a hot knife through butter. There’s enough to go around in Buffalo for Ray Davis to get a slice of fried gold this weekend against the Seahawks.
Sean Tucker versus Atlanta (13% rostered)
With a three-headed backfield temporarily chopped down to two thanks to a Bucky Irving toe injury, and a sudden lack of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the weaponry in Tampa Bay is… in flux, we’ll say. While two touchdowns saved Rachaad White’s day, he looked much more comfortable as a pass catcher compared to Tucker looking like the more solid running back. Tucker broke out two weeks ago and finished last week with a respectable 5.8 yards per carry on his five rush attempts. He will get a bigger slice of the pie this week, as Rachaad White will likely play in an emergency dump off duty more given the lack of weapons in the Tampa Bay passing game. That leaves Tucker to run against the Falcons, who allow 96 rushing yards per game to running backs on the season. This is going to be a pure sick & nasty volume play in the face of a suddenly decimated offense. Maybe don’t watch this one, just check for your 11 PPR points at the end of the game.
D’Ernest Johnson versus Green Bay (6% rostered)
This is completely contingent on Travis Etienne’s status, as the erstwhile star running back was limited in practice again on Thursday If Etienne plays, then we’re screwed down here. But, it’s just a plain bad week for streaming running backs. If Etienne doesn’t play, then Johnson will once again act as the passing-downs back to the Tank Bigsby Bruising Run Expo on first and second down. They play the Packers this week, who just took down the Texans, meaning a lot of playing catchup, and a lot of passing downs work for Johnson this weekend.
Or, Etienne plays, and we blow it all up.
Tight Ends
Hunter Henry versus N.Y. Jets (38% rostered)
In The Drake Maye Era, Hunter Henry ranks sixth in air yard share, fifteenth in target share, thirteenth in targets per route run, and seventh in team yardage share, among tight ends. All that comes together to be two incredibly solid games for Henry, who finished as TE7 and TE6 in the last two weeks. The Jets come to town this week, and they are a stiff matchup on paper. In truth, they’ve only seen one tight end top five targets against them, and Dalton Kincaid finished with a 6/51 line on seven targets. Henry should be in for a very nice PPR day on volume alone.
Zach Ertz versus Chicago (29% rostered)
The answer to “Who is the WR2 in Washington?” is Zach Ertz. Ertz has at least five targets in four of his last five games, and he’s turned in two straight solid performances, finishing with 4/68 in week six (10.8 PPR points) and 4/40/1 in week seven (14 PPR points). That’s two straight top-12 PPR weeks from Ertz, with a third on the way against the Bears. While they are not a plus matchup on paper, the Bears have played exactly one (1) marquee tight end on the season: Evan Engram. Engram finished week six with 10 catches for 102 yards.
Will Dissly versus New Orleans (1% rostered)
The Saints are a neutral matchup, allowing the seventeenth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends on the season. But, this isn’t about them. This is about chasing pure, uncut volume. Will Dissly had 11 targets last week, as the Chargers’ plan out of their bye seems to be to “throw the ball to Will Dissly as much as humanly possible.” His sixteen targets in the last two weeks lead all Chargers players by two, with much-ballyhooed rookie Ladd McConkey notching seven, and no other Chargers getting more than ten in the last two weeks. Dissly has led the team in targets, catches, and yards since their bye. He’s as good a bet as any if you’re truly desperate at tight end.
