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Welcome to Week 8 RotoBallers! The season has been flying by, and it is now crucial to make the optimal lineup decisions on a weekly basis. As injuries and bye weeks pile up, it is important to start racking up some wins to stay in the thick of the playoff race.
Heading into the eighth week of action, we are past the early stages of the season, as fantasy managers who have gotten off to a slow start need to string some wins together from here on out. At this point, we can likely get a pretty good feel for how good or bad some fantasy rosters are.
Here are some players I think will be in for a tough game in Week 8 and could disappoint their fantasy managers. However, there could be some managers out there who aren't in any position to bench these players given that we must deal with bye weeks and injuries to notable players. Here are some players that fantasy managers need to temper their expectations for.
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Should I Bench Aaron Rodgers In Week 8?
It shouldn't be a surprise to see Rodgers on this list based on what we've seen from him this season. The back-to-back MVP has not eclipsed 17 fantasy points one time this season and has just three passing touchdowns in his last two games. Rodgers will face arguably the best defense in the league on the road in Week 8, as the Packers travel to Buffalo.
The Bills' defense, as banged-up as they are, has allowed the sixth-fewest yards per attempt (6.0) and have allowed just five passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions this season. Two of those five passing touchdowns came against Patrick Mahomes, meaning in their other five games they have allowed just three passing touchdowns.
Considering that Rodgers has failed to throw for over two touchdowns in a game this season, it doesn’t seem like a good bet that fantasy managers can rely on touchdowns to offset the rough matchup. As good as he is, Rodgers has an abysmal group of pass-catchers this season, making him a strong consideration to bench in this matchup.
Some better options this week could be players like Geno Smith, Kirk Cousins, and Derek Carr.
Should I Bench Najee Harris In Week 8?
Fantasy managers that selected Harris in the first round may feel obligated to continue starting him hoping for that breakout game, but it is hard to count on that in this matchup. The Steelers figure to be playing from behind in this one, potentially limiting Harris’ volume. He’s caught just 18 passes this season, so it doesn't seem like he will have an increased role in the passing game should the Steelers be trailing.
The potential game script, coupled with the fact that the Eagles have given up the seventh-fewest rushing yards this season makes this another worrisome matchup for the former Alabama collegiate star. We’ve seen Harris finish with stat lines of 14 rushes for 42 yards and 11 rushes for 20 yards against the Buccaneers and Bills, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see similar production against another solid run defense.
With just three touchdowns in seven games, it is a risky bet to rely on touchdowns to salvage limited yardage production. Fantasy managers can consider benching Harris, but it is unlikely that most can afford to do so.
Should I Bench Darrell Henderson Jr. In Week 8?
Henderson will lead the backfield against the 49ers in Week 8, as Cam Akers continues to be held out of action while the Rams seek a trade partner for the former Florida State star. In their last meeting, Henderson and Akers combined for just 40 rushing yards on 15 attempts, as the 49ers elite rushing defense made it impossible for the ground attack to get going.
As the 49ers allow just 3.5 yards per carry, Henderson’s outlook, even as the clear No.1 back, is not very appealing in this matchup. Given the state of the Rams’ offensive line and their struggle to score points, Henderson is more of a FLEX option even with his projected bigger role.
He will likely need to find the end zone to have a strong fantasy performance, but the good thing is, he’s scored a touchdown in two of the three games he has handled 10+ carries. Still, the fact that Malcolm Brown will get his reps in the backfield and potentially vulture goal-line carries makes Henderson an extremely risky start in Week 8.
Should I Bench Diontae Johnson In Week 8
Johnson is another name that shouldn't be a surprise on this list. Despite having 10+ targets in all but two games this season, Johnson has failed to find the end zone or eclipse 90 receiving yards in a game. It won’t get any easier for him in Week 8, as he will be seeing one of the top cornerbacks in the league, Darius Slay.
After seeing what Justin Jefferson did when he went against him, Slay is a corner to avoid when it comes to potential WR/CB shadow matchups. The Eagles have allowed a league-low 1,128 passing yards this season, making Johnson a borderline must-sit option. We’ve seen Kenny Pickett gravitate toward fellow rookie George Pickens the past couple of weeks, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the notorious target hog lose some fantasy appeal due to decreased volume.
At best, Johnson is a lower-end FLEX option this week.
Should I Bench Jakobi Meyers In Week 8?
Meyers could be next on the list of wide receivers that rookie Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner has shut down this season. That list consists of players like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Courtland Sutton.
Meyers has long been one of the more underrated receivers in the league, as he has continued to show flashes of his ability this season. With 33 targets in five games, Meyers is starting to play his way into being an appealing fantasy asset, but fantasy managers should not trust him this week.
Even with two touchdowns and performances of 95 and 111 receiving yards, it is hard to put Meyers in starting lineups this week knowing who he will be going up against. The Jets' secondary unit has allowed the 13th-fewest passing yards and have allowed just eight passing touchdowns all season. With Mac Jones likely starting in this one, this looks like a recipe for disaster for the Patriots' passing offense.
The Jets' run defense is solid too (3.9 yards per carry), but the struggles of Jones could mean we see Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris be heavily relied on in this one. Meyers is a very risky option this week.
Should I Bench Evan Engram In Week 8
Engram has turned in three straight solid fantasy performances relative to the tight end position, but he could be in for a tough game against the Broncos. With 23 targets in these three games, the former Giant is playing his way into the TE1 discussion.
The Broncos aren't a particular nightmare matchup for tight ends, as they have given up the 13th-fewest fantasy points to the position. However, they have allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards and have surrendered just three passing touchdowns all season.
Trevor Lawrence hasn't looked all that impressive this season, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see Travis Etienne relied on heavily as he has been the spark plug for the Jaguars' offense over the past three games. The Broncos have allowed the ninth-most yards per carry this season, and the Jaguars’ coaching staff has been talking about getting their stud back more involved for weeks now.
Not to mention, Christian Kirk could see an increased slot role this week to get him more involved in the offense. Kirk has played 60% of his snaps from the slot, which is good news for him, as stud cornerback Patrick Surtain II doesn't play in the slot.
With Marvin Jones Jr. and Zay Jones also in the mix for targets, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Engram eventually have a game where he is limited for targets, as we have seen instances where he's been held to one, three, and four targets this season. At a shallow position, Engram isn't a must-bench, but expectations shouldn't be very high for him in Week 8.
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