Week 8 Preview and an Ode to The Bye Week

Week 8 is a reprieve on byes, but four of the next five weeks have at least four teams sitting out (Week 12 has no teams off). There are a lot of players listed below; enjoy this time with your stars before they sporadically miss games in mass numbers.

With those byes coming, though, it's good to refresh some of the best ways to fill the holes on your roster. Finding the best talent to plug in makes sense, but I prefer looking for the best matchups. Many people would say Baker Mayfield is a better quarterback than Tyrod Taylor, but Taylor had a much better matchup in Week 7 (facing the Commanders while Mayfield played the Falcons) and scored 5.5 points more than Mayfield.

As we preview Week 8, I will point out players who might not make your lineup this week but would be great bye week fill-ins and explain why they stand out.

• Defensive ranks versus positions are from Pro Football Focus
• Week 8 projections and rankings are from Fantasy Nerds and accurate as of 10/26/2023

Any player not listed is either somewhere in the middle or not fantasy relevant this week. Always be sure to check the weekly rankings to compare individual players.

No Explanation Needed

These are weekly starters who are expected to do their thing.

QB

• Tua has played the Patriots four times since 2021 and hasn't finished in the top 20 in QB scoring any of those weeks. He did manage a 15th-place finish near the end of his rookie year, but this is a trend, and the Patriots are tough on defense again this year. Don't be surprised if Tua finishes outside the top 12 in Week 8.

RB

• I will give Gibbs this spot while David Montgomery is out, especially against the Raiders. If Montgomery plays, he would be the guy to start, and Gibbs would be a flex player. Gibbs gained 126 total yards and scored a touchdown as the lead back last week.
• Henry and Mixon face tough defenses; I almost moved them to the group of players to consider benching. They both regularly lead their respective backfield, though, and their volume keeps them here.

WR

• Smith has struggled to make a huge impact as Brown has gone crazy, but everyone gets to eat against the Commanders' pass defense. Both have top-10 potential (Brown might fight for the top overall spot after finishing second to Addison last week).
• Lamb, Kupp, and Nacua might get locked into a defensive battle, but I'm not benching any of the three.
• Jaylen Waddle has performed like a decent WR2 rather than the borderline-WR1 he was drafted as, and he should have that same kind of performance behind Hill against a good Patriots defense.
• Chase is doing his thing, but Tee Higgins has one good game while sitting around four PPR points most weeks otherwise. San Francisco is league-average against receivers in terms of fantasy points, but they are a better defense than that, and Higgins is a WR3 to me (at best).
• Thielen has worked his way to weekly starter status, ranking 7th among receivers in both Standard and PPR. He faces a really good Texans defense, but Thielen has been productive against everyone.

TE

Start-Worthy

These are mid-to-low level players who are worth looking at this week. This is the tier where you will find most of your bye week fill-ins.

QB

• Bagent was functional in his first NFL start last week. The Chargers allow the most passing yards per game, and it's not even close: their 310 yards allowed per game are over 35 more than second-place Jacksonville (273.9), and there's another large drop to third-place Denver (257.4) before it evens out. Bagent is a legit fantasy starter this week while Justin Fields recovers from injury.

RB

• Devin Singletary had 13 touches in Week 6 before Houston's bye, the same number as Pierce. Pierce has been terribly inefficient, and he hasn't given Houston any reason to keep Singletary on ice. They have a great matchup against the Panthers; both players are worth considering for your flex, but it's hard to know who will get the most work.
• Ekeler has been mediocre in two games since returning from a high ankle sprain. Joshua Kelley will continue getting touches (75 yards and a touchdown last week). This is a good matchup against the Bears, but we haven't seen Ekeler look like himself yet. Maybe this is the week he returns to form.

WR

• Kirk has outplayed teammate Calvin Ridley this season, but they are both starting options against a Pittsburgh team that has allowed receivers to run wild.
• Deshaun Watson will miss Week 8. Watson hasn't been very good, but Cooper's floor is still lowered with P.J. Walker starting. The matchup is right for Cooper to have a good day, though.
• This group is a fantastic example for how to handle bye weeks and fill holes. With everyone playing, most owners aren't going to play guys like Cooper, with a hurt QB, or Bourne, who is in a struggling offense. In Week 10, however, Kupp, Nacua, Hill, Waddle, Brown, and Smith will all be on bye, and owners will be scrambling to find the best substitutes. In that case, a guy like Moore against the bottom-ranked Chargers is a fantasy star; Kirk and Flowers, who catch the ball more often than most listed here, would be near locks for the top 20, especially in PPR.

TE

• Henry had 52 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins in Week 2 and has been anonymous since. I don't trust him, but he has a good matchup.
• The same idea from the last receiver point applies here: guys like Mayer and Ferguson would be must-start players with these matchups in Week 13 when Andrews, Dalton Kincaid, Waller, Hockenson, and Cole Kmet are on bye. (Mayer is also on bye, but I'm focusing on this week's matchup with Detroit.) You can get ahead of your player's bye on Saturday or Sunday morning after you have made your lineup decisions but before players hit waivers.
• An example for the previous point: LaPorta and Evan Engram have their bye next week. Most owners probably don't carry a backup for them and need a replacement. The Chargers play the Jets in Week 9, and they are giving up the most fantasy points per game to tight ends. Gerald Everett is probably a free agent in your league. Pick him up this week before he goes on waivers so you don't have to fight with other owners next Wednesday.

Bench-Worthy

These players have tough matchups, lack of volume, or something else holding them back this week.

QB

• Purdy is in concussion protocol and may miss Week 8. The San Francisco skill players all take a small hit in fantasy if he is out.
• A few of these guys will probably finish in the top 12, but these are a lot of tough defenses. This would be a tough week to fill a quarterback bye, like Week 10 when Mahomes, Hurts, and Tagovailoa will all be off. Guys like Wilson, Stafford, and Smith are matchup-dependent players who would be tough to start with their respective matchup. With so many tough games, owners would be pressed to find a suitable replacement. Only three quarterbacks are in the "Start-Worthy" group, meaning matchups aren't in favor of the QBs in Week 8.

RB

• Jacobs is generally a weekly starter, but the Lions have allowed the second-least rushing yards per game. Most will start Jacobs, but it's worth seeing if you have a reasonable backup plan.
• Taylor had his first good game since returning in Week 5, but now he matchups up with a tough Saints defense. He and Zack Moss were productive against Cleveland in Week 7, but these backs will be splitting time against a vicious run D in Week 8.
• I love Robinson, but he's a must-sit player against the Eagles this week.

WR

• Metcalf is usually a must-start player, but he missed the first game of his career last week and is questionable for Week 8. Cleveland has allowed the least passing yards per game. Metcalf could have a limited snap count (if he plays) and must contend with a buzz saw. You probably have a better option. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett should also be skipped.

TE

• McBride has out-produced Zach Ertz over the last three weeks, and he is in line to be THE guy with Ertz on IR. Don't count on McBride this week against Baltimore, though.
• Engram is likely to have a game like he did in Week 7: five catches for 45 yards. That's fine, and it's a nice PPR number, but Engram has been consistently mediocre more than a top option.