You've read about all the sleepers, waiver wire pickups and starter suggestions based on matchups. Now let me burst some bubbles and tell you who I think is going to bust big time in Week 8.

This isn't to troll or spread hate - that's what those political sites are for. Think of this as a public service for fanboys and truth deniers who insist that everything is going to be alright, when it's clearly not. If you don't believe me, just ask the general public on Twitter. They know everything.

Warning: while the picks made in this article are completely serious, you may find sarcastic humor laced throughout. If you don't have any sense of humor whatsoever, turn back now before you get all worked up.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive our full season NFL (or NBA) Premium Pass for free, a $59.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium pass.

 

Week 7 Recap

Before I begin with the recap portion of the article, I have a rhetorical question. Since when did the sports world start revolving around Cleveland and what have the rest of us done to deserve this? I've never been there or even met anyone from Ohio, so I have no opinion either way about the place. I'm sure it's lovely (probably not). I just don't understand how a relatively small market can suddenly have an NBA champ, possible MLB champ and an NFL team so bad that we are obligated to talk about them ad nauseam too. I almost want the Yankees and Giants to be good again so we can complain instead about how New York dominates the media coverage. Anyway, for this week's breakdown I'm putting a Cleveland themed spin on how my picks performed. Remember, if it was good for them, it was bad for me.

 
Busted!

   Russell Wilson (225 YDS, 0 TD)
   Carson Palmer (342 YDS, 0 TD)
   Tyrod Taylor (221 YDS, 1 TD, 1 RUSH TD)
   Ryan Mathews (56 YDS, 0 TD)
   Todd Gurley (57 YDS, 0 TD)
   Allen Robinson (9 YDS, 0 TD)
   Jeremy Kerley (15 YDS, 0 TD)

 

Hate the Game, Not the Player:

 
   Drew Brees (367 YDS, 3 TD)
   Matt Forte (100 YDS, 1 TD)
   T.Y. Hilton (133 YDS, 1 TD)

 
 
 
 
 
 
I'll gladly take seven out of ten correct calls, on who would bust last week, considering the stature of most of those players. Palmer is borderline because he broke 300 yards, but let's face it, in a game with no touchdowns there truly were no winners. On to Week 8!

 
 

Top 10 Busts for Week 8

Matthew Stafford (QB, DET) - Mr. 4th Quarter Comeback might not be needed to pull out a miracle at home against an opposing offense struggling to find consistency. The Texans have effectively limited the passing game even without J.J. Watt, giving up 231 and 157 passing yards the last two weeks. Stafford will dink and dunk his way through this game, frustrating fantasy owners and Lions fans riding a high from last week's victory. Don't worry though, you can still call him an MVP candidate. Just don't get too carried away there, Detroit.

 
 
Jameis Winston (QB, TB) - I've said it before, I'll say it again. The Raiders defense is not nearly as putrid as they look on paper. After Week 2, when the entire defensive unit presumably had their a** chewed out by coach Jack Del Rio, a former linebacker and defensive coordinator, they have allowed six TD and six INT through the air in five games. Winston is the epitome of feast or famine. One week it's crab legs, the next Ramen. Winston can't be trusted enough to start on most fantasy teams anyway. You're not starting him every week, are you?

 
 
Mark Ingram (RB, NO) - If you ask most Ingram owners, he has been a bust many weeks already. He should be motivated to redeem himself after fumbling late in last week's loss to Kansas City. Ingram wasn't particularly effective before that point either, finishing the day with 62 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards. After six games, Ingram is averaging less than four yards per carry and hasn't run for 80 yards in a game. The last thing he needs is to face off against Seattle's defense, which allows the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs. You wouldn't be blamed for benching him if you happen to have a dilemma at RB. You would be blamed for dropping him.

 
 
LeSean McCoy (RB, BUF) - McCoy was highly questionable to play last week, but he did. He proceeded to run the ball eight times for 11 yards and reaggravate his hamstring. He enters this week in the exact same position. Will Rex Ryan defy common sense and throw him in the lineup against a team they have little chance of beating anyway? Probably. Only six teams allow fewer fantasy points to running backs than the Patriots, so even at 100% health this would be a bad matchup. It's hard to keep a player like him on the bench the way he's been running this year, but sometimes you just have to listen to your coaches. Or not.

 
 
Jordan Howard (RB, CHI) - Just a couple weeks ago, he was the waiver savior for many fantasy football teams desperate for running back help. In another week, he may soon find himself back on the waiver wire. Ka'Deem Carey suddenly took 26 snaps compared to Howard's 22. Jeremy Langford is coming back soon and unfortunately, so is Jay Cutler. The biggest issue for Week 8, however, is the matchup against Minnesota and their new version of the Purple People Eaters. If you spent hard-earned FAAB on Howard, hopefully he helped you win for one, maybe two weeks.

 
 
Latavius Murray (RB, OAK) - I'm not buying it. Murray's sudden zombie-like revival after a two week absence stems largely from the fact that rookies DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard did very little in the games he missed. The Raiders rushed for a total of 153 yards in Weeks 5-6. If you took a chance on Murray last week, you were happy with the two scores, but he still only ran for 59 yards and 3.3 Y/A. Don't be fooled - this will remain a committee approach and Murray will remain TD-dependent for value. Even though Murray rushed for 1,066 yards last season and is clearly the most talented back, he hasn't carried the ball more than 14 times this season. Why, Jack? Why?

 
 
Kelvin Benjamin (WR, CAR) - Benjamin's numbers in his return from ACL surgery last season has been a success. He has pulled down 29 passes for 394 yards and four TD. This weekend, however, the big, physical receiver will quickly be introduced to Patrick Peterson. If there is a cornerback who can disrupt the massive wideout, it is Peterson. Other than Benjamin's Week 1 surprise performance against Denver, he has been up-and-down along with the entire Panthers offense, shining mainly against weaker competition. The Panthers have had a brutal schedule, which doesn't help, but it's starting to get ridiculous.

 
 
Jeremy Maclin (WR, KC) - The Mac is not back. It has been a disappointing run for Maclin this season. He hasn't even broken 80 yards in a game and isn't helping fantasy owners by scoring touchdowns either, with just one to his credit. The biggest problem? He has been targeted just three times in the red zone for one completion. According to PFF, he's expected to get shadow coverage from Vontae Davis, who hasn’t allowed a touchdown or over 40 receiving yards in each of the last four games. You can safely avoid Maclin this week. Remember, he's not in Philly any more.

 
 
Jack Doyle (TE, IND) - Andrew Luck loves Jack Doyle. Loves, loves, loves him. Can't stop talking about it either. If they film the next season of Hard Knocks in Indianapolis, it will change to a reality show called "Everybody Loves Jack." Either that or "Doyle Rules!" Anyway, Doyle has carved out a nice role for himself in the Colts offense and now gets the starting TE gig in place of an injured Dwayne Allen. Great depth pickup for the rest of the season, but this week isn't one to show him love. Luck gets back his other receivers, Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett, so he won't need to guide so many passes toward the tight end position. The Chiefs have only allowed 18 catches, 212 yards and one score to tight ends all year, so keep your newly purchased Doyle jerseys at home this week.

 
 
Antonio Gates (TE, SD) - For some reason, he is still being started by fantasy owners in 37% of Yahoo! leagues this week. Last week, he posted season highs with five catches for 38 yards. Yes, that's the best he's done in five full games. He is officially at a career low 56.7 Catch%, worse than his rookie season. Given the fact that the Chargers are playing the defending champion Broncos in Denver, you would think he'd be on benches across all leagues. Hunter Henry is undergoing tests for concussions, so Gates could see an increased workload, but the fact is this isn't vintage Gates.