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Happy Halloween RotoBallers! Welcome to the final game of Week 8, and our Monday Night Football matchups analysis article. It's been a crazy and fun week of NFL and fantasy football action filled with big performances, new players emerging, and injuries. Hopefully, you're on the verge of winning your matchups (or already have).
Now we get one more game on Monday night to finish it off. Below you will find our matchups analysis for the Monday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. Hopefully, it will be an exciting game that adds to a week filled with plenty of booms, busts, and injuries.
Read our fantasy football breakdowns for these games -- the recommended starts, sits, and matchups we love heading into the Week 8 matchups. Good luck RotoBallers!
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Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns - 8:15 PM ET
Spread: Bengals -3.0
Implied Total: Bengals (24) vs. Browns (21)
Pace: Bengals (25th) vs. Browns (13th)
Bengals Off. DVOA: 21.4% Pass (9th), -8.2% Rush (20th)
Browns Off. DVOA: 13.7% Pass (16th), 13.0% Rush (2nd)
Bengals Def. DVOA: -8.8% Pass (7th), -10.6% Rush (10th)
Browns Def. DVOA: 15.0% Pass (28th), 6.1% Rush (27th)
Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Monday Night
Matchups We Love:
Joe Burrow (QB, CIN)
Cincinnati has been passing more than any other team in the league the past two weeks, resulting in two QB1 finishes for Burrow. Unfortunately, he loses his No. 1 receiver, Ja'Marr Chase. He still has sufficient weapons to succeed but it definitely lowers his ceiling. The matchup is favorable, keeping him in the top 12.
Tee Higgins (WR, CIN)
The absence of Chase opens the door for Higgins, who has already been impressive this season with seven or more targets in every game he's completed. He's also cleared 90 receiving yards three times with two receiving touchdowns. Higgins jumps into the top-12 in a plus matchup.
Tyler Boyd (WR, CIN)
Boyd has also shown his upside this season clearing 100 receiving yards twice with three receiving touchdowns. He finds himself as a top-24 receiver as the second option.
Mike Thomas (WR, CIN)
Thomas is the next player up after Boyd, so he assumes his role as a starter. It's difficult to project whether the offense will dial back their passing attempts without Chase, but Thomas is a viable flex play.
Hayden Hurst (TE, CIN)
The other receiving option that moves up the depth chart because of Chase's injury is Hurst. He excelled in games that Higgins was out, so in the same vein, he should see more volume without Chase. He finds himself in the top-12 against the Browns.
UPDATE: Hurst practiced again on Friday and is listed as questionable for Monday's game. He is expected to play.
Joe Mixon (RB, CIN)
Mixon could also benefit from the available targets, adding more touches to his already huge workload. Mixon has received 15-plus touches in all but one game this year, solidifying his role as a workhorse back. Add in that the Browns are an awesome matchup and Mixon slots in as a top-12 back.
Matchups We Hate:
Browns Wide Receivers
The Bengals are a tough team to pass against, and Jacoby Brissett is a below-average quarterback. Amari Cooper was okay last week but fell behind David Njoku and Donovan Peoples-Jones in targets. Most wide receivers possess a degree of volatility so Cooper remains in play but drops outside the top-24. Peoples-Jones has 50-plus yards in six of his eight games, establishing himself as top-36 receiver with a safe floor.
Nick Chubb (RB, CLE)
Chubb bounced back nicely against the Ravens, primarily because the game remained close. The Bengals are a difficult matchup and the game could play out poorly for Cleveland, dropping Chubb outside the top 10.
Kareem Hunt (RB, CLE)
Hunt also finds himself in a difficult matchup, although historically he's been more of a receiving back. However, this season that hasn't really been the case as he's only averaging about two targets per game. Additionally, he's only rushed the ball nine times over the past two games. Hunt becomes a risky flex option that needs a touchdown to produce.
Other Matchups:
Harrison Byrant (TE, CLE)
With Njoku, sidelined Bryant emerges as the starting tight end, in an offense that frequently targets the position. Bryant is a talented player, who immediately becomes a streaming option.
Key Injuries:
David Njoku (ankle) - OUT
Ja'Marr Chase (hip) - OUT
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