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RotoBaller staff's fantasy football sleepers, avoids, and start 'em sit 'em picks for Week 8 of 2025. Expert lineup advice from Adam Koffler, Rob Lorge, and Thunder Dan Palyo.
With six teams on a bye and injuries piling up, this is arguably the toughest week of start-sit calls this season. Finding sleepers on the waiver wire to plug into lineups is key, and so is knowing which players to sit if you are deciding between a handful of options. We've got you covered for Sunday and Monday games.
It's time for the next edition of our RotoBaller staff start-or-sit calls. Three of the industry's best analysts are here to break down potential sleepers and busts ahead of the full slate of Week 8 NFL action.
These fantasy football sleepers, avoids, and busts are from top RotoBaller contributors Adam Koffler, Rob Lorge, and Thunder Dan Paylo. Good luck in Week 8!
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
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Week 8 Fantasy Football Start 'Em Picks
Romeo Doubs, Packers at Steelers (Adam Koffler)
Doubs has quietly become Mr. Consistent for the Packers. He’s caught five or more passes for 50+ yards on 8+ targets in each of his last three games. This week, he’ll face a Steelers secondary that has allowed the most fantasy points per game (32.8) to outside wide receivers this season. Plus, Dontayvion Wicks is unlikely to play in Week 8. Expect another solid outing from Doubs in this one.
ROMEOOOOOOOOOO
📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/xJUyjh6uWW
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 29, 2025
Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs vs. Commanders (Rob Lorge)
In Weeks 1-5, Pacheco played on 52.7% of the team's snaps and received 31.2% of the team's rushing attempts. He had received zero carries inside the 10-yard line and just 17.4% of the carries inside the red zone. His half-PPR PPG was a lowly 6.3. The last two weeks (Weeks 6-7), Pacheco's snap has risen to 65.5% and he has received 38.6% of the team's rushing attempts. He also has 42.9% of the team's carries inside the 10-yard line and 40.0% of the carries inside the red zone. His half-PPR PPG also rose to 8.8.
This doesn't tell the whole story because in Week 7, Pacheco hardly played in the fourth quarter of a 31-0 rout of the Las Vegas Raiders. Looking at just the first three quarters of Week 7, Pacheco had a 61.3% snap share and a 50.0% share of the team's rushing attempts. He also handled all of the team's carries inside the 10-yard line. Kareem Hunt was injured in the contest, but this trend had begun in Week 6 already. In Week 6, when Hunt was available the entire game, Pacheco's snap share was 77.4% and his share of the team's rushing attempts was 41.4%. He also handled 50% of the team's carries inside the 10-yard line and 57.1% of the red zone carries.
Pacheco broke his leg last year. This may have played a role in the committee approach we saw in the first five weeks of the season, but over the last two weeks, Pacheco has begun to separate. Pacheco did not have more than 10 carries or 50 yards in a single game in the first five weeks. In Week 6, he had 12 carries and 51 yards. Then, in Week 7, he had 15 carries and 57 yards. In back-to-back weeks, he has set season-highs in rush attempts and yards. With Hunt banged up to start the week, look for Pacheco to build upon his progress and put forth another quality outing this week.
Rico Dowdle, Panthers vs. Bills (Thunder Dan)
Don't be afraid to deploy Rico against Buffalo this week. Yes, the Panthers are touchdown underdogs, but they're playing some winning football right now, and Andy Dalton is perfectly capable of running this offense if Bryce Young is out. The Panthers have an elite run-blocking unit, and the Bills are dead last against the run this season.
Dowdle is winning the battle for touches with Chuba Hubbard, too. Not only did Dowdle go nuts for two weeks with Hubbard out, but he was also much more efficient last week, going 17-79 (4.6 ypc) compared to Hubbard's 14-31 (2.2 ypc).
Woody Marks, Texans vs. 49ers (Adam Koffler)
Move over Nick Chubb, there’s a new Sheriff in town. Coming out of the bye week, Woody Marks logged a 62.5% RB opportunity share on a season-high 63% snap share. He also got both of the team’s red zone carries. Marks’ yards per carry average in Week 7 was nothing to write home about, but he made some incredible hustle plays that will certainly help his case for playing time moving forward.
The Texans could be without Nico Collins in this one, so other playmakers like Marks will need to step up in his absence. Up next is a matchup vs. the 49ers, who have allowed the fifth-most receptions to running backs this season. Start ‘em.
Woody Marks punches it in for 6.
📺: @espnnfl pic.twitter.com/RWAxfqB7VK
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 21, 2025
Matthew Golden, Packers at Steelers (Rob Lorge)
I don't expect Christian Watson to return this week. Players from both the Browns and the Steelers filed complaints with the NFLPA regarding the conditions of the Pittsburgh field. Miles Killebrew suffered a season-ending knee injury on October 12th. Aaron Rodgers called the field "borderline unplayable". I'm sure many of you saw videos of Chris Boswell's field goal attempt where he planted his foot and it all but disappeared into the ground, like a miniature sinkhole. Watson has yet to practice in full, and I can't imagine a team that is routinely very conservative with injuries letting Watson play without a full practice, given the state of the Pittsburgh field.
Now, onto Golden. In Week 7, Golden ran a route on 75.8% of the team's routes. This was a season-high for Golden and just barely behind No. 1 receiver Romeo Doubs' route share of 78.8%. In Week 6, Golden's route share was 65.6%. In Week 4, it was 65.2%. From Weeks 1-3, it was at 64.8%.
We are clearly moving in the right direction. The Steelers have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to receivers this season at 31.2 half-PPR PPG. Over Golden's last four games, he has at least three catches and four targets in every contest. In his last four games, he has three with 8.0 half-PPR points or more. Golden is going to have a big game sooner or later. The talent is there. The opportunity is there. This week, the matchup is there too.
Cade Otton, Buccaneers at Saints (Thunder Dan)
The Bucs are running out of healthy bodies in their receiver room. Mike Evans is out, Chris Godwin is out, and Emeka Egbuka is nursing an injury. Otton saw 9 targets last week, hauling in 7-65 to lead the team, and we saw him thrive in a similar scenario last season when Tampa was down both their top receivers. The Saints have one of the worst pass defenses in football, so expect Baker to move the chains by peppering his big tight end with short throws this week, especially with Bucky Irving still out and their run game being pretty average with Rachaad White.
Evan Engram, Broncos vs Cowboys (Rob Lorge)
Engram's production and utilization have increased since Week 3, when he was inactive. You can see the splits in the table below. You'll see that while Engram's route share is still quite low, his target rate, target share, and targets per game have greatly increased, and along with it, his half-PPR PPG average.
|
Time
|
Route
Share |
Target
Rate |
Target
Share |
TPG
|
RPG
|
RYPG
|
Half-PPR
PPG |
Expected
Half-PPR PPG |
|
Weeks 1-2
|
40.0%
|
22.0%
|
9.6%
|
2.5
|
1.5
|
14.0
|
2.2
|
3.5
|
|
Weeks 4-7
|
54.9%
|
26.0%
|
15.5%
|
6.3
|
4.5
|
36.5
|
7.6
|
9.7
|
Since Week 4, Engram has had four straight games with six or more targets and four or more catches. In Weeks 6 and 7, he set season-highs in catches with five and yards with 42. In Week 7, he also set a season-high in targets with eight. Denver's game against Dallas has the highest over/under of the week at 49.5. It is expected to be an up-tempo, high-scoring game.
Dallas is also allowing the 11th-most fantasy points to tight ends this season at 11.4 half-PPR PPG. Given Engram's increased production and usage and the favorable matchup, Engram makes for an intriguing streamer this week.
Week 8 Fantasy Football Busts and Sits
Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants at Eagles (Adam Koffler)
It looks like Darius Slayton is set to make his return for the Giants this weekend, which puts a damper on the Wan’Dale Robinson hype. Without Slayton for the last two weeks, Robinson has averaged six catches for 89.5 yards.
He’s been playing more on the outside in Slayton’s absence, but should shift back to predominantly playing the slot in Week 8 against an Eagles defense that has allowed the second-lowest percentage of fantasy points to opposing slot wideouts. Sit if Slayton is active, but change course and start if Slayton somehow misses a third game.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders at Chiefs (Rob Lorge)
The Commanders will play the Chiefs in Week 8. They are giving up the seventh-fewest points to running backs this season, allowing just 16.5 half-PPR PPG. The Chiefs are also 12.5-point favorites with Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels already ruled out. Not only is this a terrible matchup for Croskey-Merritt, but the game script is unfavorable as well. The Chiefs have allowed the 10th-fewest rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. That's not encouraging for Croskey-Merritt.
Croskey-Merritt is entirely touchdown-dependent. He has three games where he has scored more than 7.0 half-PPR points. All three involved scoring a touchdown. In the other four, where he did not find the end zone, he's averaging just 4.3 half-PPR PPG. Washington is only projected to score 17.5 points in Week 8. Making matters even worse is his lack of involvement in the passing game. Since Week 3, the first game after Austin Ekeler's season-ending injury, Croskey-Merritt has just a 30.0% route share. He's averaging just 1.4 targets per game in those five games. In what is expected to be a low-scoring contest for the Commanders against one of the league's better rush defenses, and with little to no involvement in the passing game, Croskey-Merritt is an easy player to fade this week.
Quinshon Judkins, Browns at Patriots (Thunder Dan)
It's tough pulling the plug on Judkins after he just went nuclear against the Dolphins last week. However, that was one of the best matchups and game scripts a running back could ask for as it was bad weather and a bad defense.
This week, he will face a much tougher Patriots run defense and a defensive coach, Mike Vrabel, who will focus on taking away the run and forcing a rookie quarterback to beat him with a bunch of nobody receivers. Expect tough sledding for Judkins and consider benching him if you have other viable options (I am well aware you may not with all of the byes and injuries!)
Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots vs. Browns (Adam Koffler)
Stevenson crushed in a cake matchup last week against the Titans. Things could be different for him in Week 8 against a Browns defense allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs (11.7).
Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels also told the media this week that TreVeyon Henderson should see more work this week. Whether that comes to fruition or not remains to be seen, but it seems unlikely that Stevenson keeps a “hot hand” against one of the better run defenses in the NFL this weekend.
George Pickens, Cowboys at Broncos (Rob Lorge)
CeeDee Lamb often lines up in the slot, and he's moved all over the formation. Pickens is the Cowboys' X-receiver and is a little more stationary. It's easier to shadow this kind of receiver, and I expect Patrick Surtain to follow Pickens around this upcoming weekend. That is concern No. 1. The other concern is Pickens' target share now that CeeDee Lamb is back. Lamb was injured in the first quarter of Week 3. From Weeks 3-6, the four contests Lamb missed, Pickens had a 23.6% target share and averaged 8.8 targets per game. In the other three games that Lamb started and finished, Pickens had a 15.5% target share and averaged 6.0 targets per game.
Without Lamb, Pickens averaged 21.2 half-PPR PPG. With Lamb, that number drops to 10.0 half-PPR PPG. A matchup where he is likely to see Surtain lined up across from him for most of the game makes Pickens a fantasy manager concern. There's no way you can realistically bench Pickens, not with how well he and Dak Prescott have played. However, it's fair to lower expectations. Pickens has scored 4.5, 15.3, and 10.2 half-PPR points in three games with Lamb. Denver is allowing the fewest points to receivers this season at just 18.0 half-PPR PPG. This is a game where Pickens could surely disappoint.
Alec Pierce, Colts vs. Titans (Thunder Dan)
Nothing against Pierce here, he was awesome last week and bailed me out as a flex play. However, Josh Downs is set to return this week, and there are simply too many mouths to feed between Pittman Jr., Warren, Downs, and Pierce.
The Colts are also heavy favorites in this game and could easily just feed Jonathan Taylor, who is in a smash spot against the Titans' woeful run defense. It's hard to envision Pierce with enough volume of targets this week to be a reliable option.
Zach Ertz, Commanders at Chiefs (Rob Lorge)
Ertz has been extremely touchdown-dependent this season. He has four games where he found the end zone, and in those contests, he's averaged 12.5 half-PPR PPG. In the other two games he did not score, Ertz has averaged 5.2 half-PPR PPG. That's a concern because this week, Washington is only projected to score 17.5 points, and they play the Chiefs, who have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season at just 6.0 half-PPR PPG. That alone makes Ertz unappealing, but it actually gets worse.
Jayden Daniels is not playing, significantly reducing the offense's explosiveness and upside. On top of that, Terry McLaurin is set to return from a four-week absence, and Deebo Samuel is back after missing last week. When you put it all together, Ertz is simply someone to leave on the bench this week. He's touchdown-dependent. He has one of the hardest tight end matchups in the NFL. His starting quarterback is out, and he has increased target competition with McLaurin's return. I'd rather start Evan Engram, Cade Otton, Dalton Schultz, Colston Loveland, Hunter Henry, and Theo Johnson.
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