October 25, 2016

Matt Terelle brings you his sleepers at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and defense/special teams for Week 8.

What's up RotoBallers. Welcome to my deeper standard league sleepers column for Week 8 of the NFL season. In this weekly article we are going to take a look at some deeper waiver wire options for standard leagues, who could help out your team in this upcoming week.

For reference's sake, we are looking at standard scoring leagues and will be using ownership percentage data from Fleaflicker. In order to qualify as a deep sleeper, a player must be 20% owned or less.

Let's get to the picks!

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 8 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

Quarterback

Jay Cutler (CHI) vs. Minnesota Vikings

(Ownership: 18%)

The pickings are slim as far as quarterbacks less than 20% owned go. There are a few options available, but all have injury questions surrounding them. Cutler should be ready to reclaim his starting position after Brian Hoyer broke his left arm in action on Thursday night, but Cutler playing after injuring his thumb in Week 2 is not a sure thing. To further cloud things, Cutler's matchup against Minnesota is brutal. To sum it all up, Cutler, returning from injury and going against one of the top defenses in the league, is going to be tough to trust and he should only be used if you are extremely desperate at the quarterback position.

Josh McCown (CLE) vs. New York Jets

(Ownership: 6%)

Josh McCown is another previously injured quarterback who could be making his return to the gridiron this weekend, depending on how quickly Cody Kessler is able to get cleared following the concussion he sustained in Week 7. Of course, McCown hasn't officially been cleared from his broken collarbone, but there are rumors he could be making his return to action. A matchup with a burnable Jets secondary would make him an instant streaming option if he's healthy.

Running Back

Zach Zenner (DET) @ Houston Texans

(Ownership: 10%)

Zenner is coming off scoring the first touchdown of his career in Week 7. He split carries with veteran Justin Forsett in the game and was able to manage just 29 yards on nine carries. Not exactly world-beating numbers, but he should remain Detroit's top goal line option for as long as Dwayne Washington and Theo Riddick are out. The Texans have been tough against the pass this season, but their run defense is ranked just 25th in DVOA according to Football Outsiders (before the start of Week 7's action). Keep an eye on injury reports as Zenner loses most of his appeal if Washington and/or Riddick return. If they aren't cleared to return, Zenner could be a solid plug-and-play option at running back.

Wide Receiver

Marqise Lee (JAX) @ Tennessee Titans

(Ownership: 11%)

With the Jaguars opting to use more three wide receiver sets this season, Lee has carved out a pretty solid role in the offense. He has caught at least five balls in four of six games this season and is coming off a 107-yard game against Oakland in Week 7. Tennessee's defense has been surprisingly good this season, but they still have a burnable secondary that Lee should be able to take advantage of. Lee is slated to run most of his routes against Titans defensive back Perrish Cox who has not been very effective at stopping opposing passing attacks this season.

Tight End

C.J. Fiedorowicz (HOU) vs. Detroit Lions

(Ownership: 19%)

This will likely be Fiedorowicz's last appearance here as his ownership percentage shot up from last week. He sees another plus matchup against the Lions in Week 8 as Detroit has been one of the most generous defenses in the league when it comes to allowing fantasy points to opposing tight ends. The big tight end has garnered 20 targets from Weeks 4-6 and should remain a main part of the Texans' passing game going forward. Look for the Texans to lean on Fiedorowicz on short, safer throws considering quarterback Brock Osweiler's struggles this season.

Defense/Special Teams

Dallas Cowboys (DAL) vs. Philadelphia Eagles

(Ownership: 10%)

The Cowboys should be fresh coming off their Week 7 bye. They get to take on the Eagles and rookie quarterback Carson Wentz at home in Week 8 in what should be a favorable spot. Dallas' ball control, clock-killing style of play on offense has helped the defense limit the points scored by their opposition this season. The Cowboys have only allowed 20 or more points twice on the year while racking up 11 sacks and nine takeaways in six games. While Wentz began the season playing well, he has fallen on some struggles over the past two weeks and those struggles could continue in Week 8 against the Cowboys.