Week 8 NFL Matchups Analysis: Start/Sit for Fantasy Football (Part 2)

October 24, 2014

Adam Sabol analyzes the Week 8 NFL matchups, and provides fantasy football start/sit advice for games 9-15. Set you optimal lineups with quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends & running backs.

Welcome to Week 8 of NFL and fantasy football action, RotoBallers.

Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down each of the NFL matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well.

Below, you will find our Week 8 NFL matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis, which should help you prepare your lineups to win this week. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL matchups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.

To read about the rest of this week’s NFL matchups, check out Start/Sit &  Matchups Analysis for Games 1-8 and our Week 8 Standard and PPR Rankings. And of course you can always stop by the RotoBaller chat rooms for any live advice you may need.

Texans @ Titans - Sunday 10/26 @ 1:00 EST

Matchups We Love

Arian Foster: Foster is on a roll of late, posting at least 100 yards in each of the last three games, along with four touchdowns in total over that span.  The Titans aren't particularly bad against the run, but they aren't particularly great either.  They certainly shouldn't dissuade you from starting Foster.

Matchups We Hate

Both quarterbacks: Ryan Fitzpatrick is still far from an elite option, and the rumor is Zach Mettenberger will start for the Titans this week. Neither is a desirable fantasy asset this week.

Other Matchups

Bishop Sankey: Sankey hasn't put up awful scores since taking the starting job over in the absence of Shonn Greene, but he hasn't yet broken out.  The Texans defense presents a great opportunity for that breakout game, but if it doesn't happen, don't expect much more than five or six points from Sankey.

Andre Johnson: Fitzpatrick consistently targets Johnson, but he's having trouble finding the end zone.  With the Texans reliance on the backfield, look for that trend to continue, but Andre is still startable in all leagues.

DeAndre Hopkins: He has a similar problem as Johnson, except with fewer targets, still a must start in all 12 team leagues.

High Risk, High Reward

Kendall Wright:  In his last three games, Wright has put up point totals of 21, 0.6, and 12.8 in standard scoring.  Need I say more?

Rams @ Chiefs - Sunday 10/26 @ 1:00 EST

Matchups We Love

Jamaal Charles: Charles appears to be back to 100%, and the Chiefs will continue to run their offense through him.  You can't afford to sit him.

Matchups We Hate

Rams WRs: The Rams conservative scheme limits receivers' upsides, despite Brian Quick's two-week breakout earlier in the season. With so much week-to-week volatility, there are more trustworthy options out there.

Dwayne Bowe: He should be the only Chiefs WR owned in your league, but he still shouldn't see play.  The Chiefs offense will limit any WR they have.

Other Matchups

Travis Kelce: He's a top-10 tight end this season, but then again, so is Larry Donnell, and Donnell has scored 5.6 points in his last three games.  Combined.

Alex Smith: He's put up a surprising amount of rushing yards, but he's still just going to manage the game.  Don't count on much more than 16 points from him.

Eagles @ Cardinals - Sunday 10/26 @ 4:05 EST

Matchups We Love

Andre Ellington: He's not finding the end zone, but he's relevant based on pure yardage alone.  The Cardinals have been force-feeding him the football, and his total number of touches is an encouraging sign.  He's an RB2 with upside.

LeSean McCoy: Shady put up his best game of the season last time he hit the field, and his offensive line is slowly piecing itself back together.  He's still someone you can't sit.

Jeremy Maclin: He was largely ignored during the Eagles blowout win over the Giants, but he's still having a career year.  He should be your WR2.

Nick Foles: The Cardinals aren't very good at getting to the QB, so Foles should have plenty of time to throw this week.

Michael Floyd: As a WR2 option or flex, Floyd has produced relatively well with Carson Palmer behind center, with at least 100 yards or a touchdown in each game he's played with the former Heisman Trophy winner.  Expect reasonable production again this week.

Matchups We Hate

Carson Palmer: I don't know if anyone's rostering Palmer, but after the number of sacks Eli Manning took against Philly, you may want to look elsewhere for your QB this week.

Stepfan Taylor: He's not going to vulture a pair of TDs every week.  Don't go chasing touchdowns.

Darren Sproles: He's cooled off significantly since his explosive game against the Colts, and he's suffered a leg injury as well.  Look elsewhere this week.

Larry Fitzgerald: After a 15-point effort in Week 6, Fitzgerald turned in a 2-point dud last week.  It's not looking good for Fitzgerald owners at this point in the season.

Colts @ Steelers - Sunday 10/26 @ 4:25 EST

Matchups We Love

Andrew Luck: Luck has been simply unstoppable this season.  The Steelers aren't going to be the team that slows him down. Start him every week.

Ahmad Bradshaw: Bradshaw remains a top-5 option at the running back position.  His blend of rushing and receiving touches will keep him relevant every week.

Le'Veon Bell: Bell still hasn't been held below 10 points in a game this season.  He's too reliable to sit.

Antonio Brown: Brown still had a solid week, despite getting robbed of a TD catch by the referees, who managed to find indisputable video evidence for an overturn despite the fact that there was visibly green grass between Brown's foot and the sideline.  Other things those referees have found since then: a unicorn, the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, your car keys.  And before you ask, no, I'm not bitter.

T.Y. Hilton: Hilton is on a roll, surging into the top 10 at his position.  A porous Steelers secondary and a missing Reggie Wayne should keep that roll going.

Matchups We Hate

Ben Roethlisberger: The Colts defense has been exceptionally stingy against the pass.  There's no reason to take a shot with Roethlisberger this week.

Other Matchups

Trent Richardson: T-Rich fans rejoice!  Your running back can now be classified as "not the worst thing, I guess."

Dwayne Allen/Coby Fleener: One of them will probably catch a touchdown.  Have fun guessing which one.

Raiders @ Browns - Sunday 10/26 @ 4:25 EST

Matchups We Love

Ugh, really?  Uh, Ben Tate, I guess: This game will be awful.  The Raiders run defense is awful enough that Tate may be able to salvage a point total that is less awful.

Matchups We Hate

Basically everybody else: Yeah, Andre Holmes put up 34 yards right after you picked him on waivers.  Derek Carr put up 173 yards and no touchdowns.  Let's not even go into detail about what Brian Hoyer did against Jacksonville, of all teams.  Jordan Cameron had five yards receiving.  This game will be ugly.  Watching it may cause you to start thinking about all those trips you never took, those girls you never kissed.  Steer clear this week.

Packers @ Saints - Sunday 10/26 @ 8:30 EST

Matchups We Love

Aaron Rodgers: Oh, this is so nice.  Really gets the taste of that Raiders/Browns matchup out of your mouth, you know?  The Saints defense has not been good.  Aaron Rodgers has been very good.  Get ready for points.

Jordy Nelson: He trails Antonio Brown by about a point for the title of top overall receiver in standard scoring.  (PPR mileage may vary.) Against this defense, though, this could be the week when Nelson supplants Brown.

Randall Cobb: He hasn't failed to find the end zone since Week 3.  That's five touchdowns since then, and eight on the year. He'll probably add to that total this week.

Eddie Lacy: Lacy is in a timeshare with James Starks, but he's nevertheless still a viable RB2 who has picked up his production after a rough start to the season.

Drew Brees: The Saints are going to need points in bunches to keep up with the Packers terrifying aerial attack, and Brees loves playing in the Superdome.  Start him in what should be a shootout.

Matchups We Hate

Saints RBs: Last week did not tell us how that Saints backfield was going to be sorted out.  It will most likely be Mark Ingram and Travaris Cadet splitting time now that Pirerre Thomas is injured, but not one of the Saints RBs impressed last week.  While Ingram should be good for 10-15 touches, and Cadet 5-6 targets, you should still avoid them until further notice if you have better options

High Risk, High Reward

Jimmy Graham: He played last week, but he got no touches at all.  He's still the league's best at the position though, so you probably have to start him.  Just be aware that what happened last week could repeat itself this week.

Redskins @ Cowboys - Monday 10/27 @ 8:30 EST

Matchups We Love

DeMarco Murray: If you're considering taking him out of the lineup for the Redskins, stop listening to the voices.  They're not real.  And they have terrible ideas.

Dez Bryant: He's the best receiver on the red-hot Cowboys.  Romo loves throwing to him.  He's a WR1 this week, no question.

Matchups We Hate

Jason Witten: I hate tight ends not named Graham or Thomas anyway, but Tony Romo has thrown five passing TDs to tight ends in the last three games.  Witten's gotten one.  It's time to move on.

DeSean Jackson: Being a premier deep threat is great and all, except when there is no way your team is attempting a pass that travels more than five yards in the air this week because the third string QB is starting.  Jackson is boom-or-bust at the best of times, and these are not the best of times.

Pierre Garcon: Garcon sees more play underneath, but I have very little faith in Colt McCoy.

Alfred Morris: He's had 12 total fantasy points over the last three weeks in standard scoring, and the Cowboys defense is playing well against the run.

Other Matchups

Jordan Reed: Expect checkdowns.  I see Reed being McCoy's security blanket this week.  I don't expect a lot from being "security blanket to the Redskins third-string QB," but I expect enough to bump Reed up out of Hate this week.