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Fantasy football is all about taking gambles. From draft day to the final week of the season, managers are making roster decisions based on future unknowns.
There are some players, however, that are safer bets to make than others. Jameson Williams is the definition of a risky bet. He can catch two passes for 100+ yards and two touchdowns or deliver a goose egg. Jakobi Meyers has five catches in all but one game this season. He's been as safe as flex plays come.
A number of factors come into play when determining which players are risky and which are safe starts. It's not just the style in which they play. Supporting casts, weather, matchups, and even the venue are part of the equation.
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Is Amari Cooper A Safe Or Risky Start For Week 8?
If you were to take a peek at a chart showing the number of fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers, the Seattle Seahawks would be near the top of the list. The secondary was horrendous through the first few weeks of the season. Since then, however, Devon Witherspoon and Jamal Adams have bolstered the unit.
Riding an immediately improved defense and Kenneth Walker III, Pete Carroll has reverted to his strategy of seasons past. Against Arizona, Carroll attempted to control the clock by calling six more running plays than passing plays. They've held their last two opponents, Cincinnati and Arizona, to an average of 13.5 points. The leading receivers (Ja'Marr Chase and Marquise Brown) were both held below their seasonal averages.
Points are going to be at a premium on Sunday. With P.J. Walker leading the Cleveland offense, the Browns are running the ball just as much, if not more, than passing. The target numbers haven't dropped for Amari Cooper. However, in the last three games, the four-time Pro Bowler has secured seven passes.
Cooper is a RISKY start this week and he could easily bust. The Browns' top wideout is a low-end WR3 in our RotoBaller PPR rankings.
Is Rashee Rice A Safe Or Risky Start For Week 8?
Although it may not be officially marked as such, Rashee Rice is the WR1 for the Kansas City Chiefs (at least for fantasy football). The second-round rookie picked up the first start of his career against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7. Rice scored his third touchdown of the season along with five receptions for 60 yards.
The Chiefs like to rotate their group of receivers based on strengths and weaknesses in certain formations. Rice now is on the field more often than not and his route participation only trailed Marquez Valdes-Scantling among the Kansas City wideouts in Week 7. Since Week 3, Rice has only dipped under 10 PPR fantasy points once. He's been consistent as a flex option.
There are some weather concerns for Kansas City's matchup against Denver. The temperature at kickoff will be below freezing and snow is in the forecast. Most of the snowfall at least will occur prior to the start of the game on Sunday afternoon. Rice played high school and college football in Texas.
Keep an eye on the weather conditions in Denver. If they are respectable for football, Rice is a SAFE start as a flex this week. He matches up against one of the worst defenses in football. Just two weeks ago, Rice caught four passes for 72 yards against the Broncos. Our RotoBaller rankings staff slotted Rice as the WR38 in full PPR rankings this week.
Is Jared Goff A Safe Or Risky Start For Week 8?
Jared Goff is an assassin on his home field. In his three games at Ford Field, Goff is averaging 23.4 fantasy points per game. That includes at least two scores in all home games. He'd be the QB1 on the season if he played all of his games in Detroit.
| Jared Goff | Home (3 games) | Road (4 games) |
| Completion Percentage | 72.92% | 65% |
| Yards Per Game | 267.3 | 275 |
| Total Touchdowns | 9 | 4 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 2 |
| Fantasy Points (Avg.) | 23.4 | 14.8 |
In Week 8, Goff gets to, you guessed it, play at home against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. Las Vegas is actually above average when it comes to opposing quarterback fantasy points but they've had the benefit of a schedule light on elite quarterbacks. In the last three games, they've faced Jordan Love, Mac Jones, and Tyson Bagent. Goff is several tiers above that group.
With David Montgomery (ribs) out of the lineup, the Lions' coaching staff will likely put the football in the hands of Goff more often. The former first-overall pick is an extremely SAFE start and is ranked as the QB7 this week in our RotoBaller staff rankings.
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