X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Week 8 Start/Sit: Monday Night Football Matchup Analysis

Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em for MNF - Week 8. Monday Night Football matchups analysis and fantasy start/sit advice for New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

Man, I was hoping this would be the season where someone would knock the (5-2) New England Patriots off the AFC East throne... It's not. They're on their way to their 10th-straight division title and when they defeat the (2-5) Buffalo Bills on Monday night, it'll be nothing more than an assertion of continued dominance over their sons.

New England has won 28 of the 31 regular season matchups against Buffalo with Tom Brady at the helm, and this 90.3% win rate is Brady's highest against any opponent he's faced more than five times. (In case you were wondering, he's faced the Falcons and Bears exactly five times with a 5-0 record against both.) Thing is, the 251.5 passing yards per game he's averaged against Buffalo are good for his eighth-fewest versus any team... Should we be concerned? I mean, he is on the road where he's averaged just 214.7 passing yards per game versus the 308 he's put up at Foxborough.

Let's take a few minutes to answer that question and break down the rest of the meaningful fantasy football matchups from this Week 8 Monday Night Football showdown.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills

Date and Start Time: Monday, October 29th at 8:15 p.m. EST
Game Spread: NE -14
Over/Under: 44
Notable Injuries and Status:

Offensive and Defensive Rankings (per game):

Patriots Bills
Passing Yards 14th 32nd
Rushing Yards 13th 19th
Pass Defense 25th 4th
Run Defense 21st 16th

 

Must Starts

Top Players That You Should Have In Your Lineup

Tom Brady (QB, NE)

Let's go ahead and answer the question on whether we should be concerned with Brady this week right off the bat with a resounding, kiiinda.

Despite facing Joe Flacco, Philip Rivers, Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, and Andrew Luck -- all of which rank in the Top-15 in terms of passing yards per game -- at 210.1, Buffalo has held opposing quarterbacks to the fourth-fewest passing yards per game. (They also faced Deshaun Watson who sits at No. 16.) Buffalo has faced the QB gauntlet and has come out (almost) completely unscathed. I say almost because while the Bills have yet to allow a 300-yard passer, three of the seven starting QBs have tossed three or more touchdown passes against them - the 13 passing TDs they've allowed on the season are tied for the eighth-most. And, combining Brady sitting fourth having thrown 16 passing TDs this season with Sony Michel missing Wednesday's practice (he's questionable), you have to figure Brady has pretty solid odds at making it four of eight.

James White (RB, NE)

The fact that White gets just 5.71 carries per game on average yet is a Top-10 fantasy running back in standard scoring should tell you everything you need to know. His 24.4% target share not only leads the Patriots, but it also leads all backs and is good for 15th among all wide receivers - higher than Tyreek Hill, Juju Smith-Schuster, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Evans... You get the point. He's a must-start regardless, but if Michel can't go, oh boy.

Rob Gronkowski (TE, NE)

I know, I know... He hasn't found the end zone since Week 1 and appears to be a shadow of the Gronk we've come to know and revere. He's still a mutant, though, and quietly, his 67.5 receiving yards per game are good for the fourth-most among tight ends. Remember all that stuff about the Bills allowing a flock of passing TDs? Well, the three they've allowed to opposing TEs are tied for the seventh-most and Gronk has managed three Top-10 fantasy weeks even without any TD production. Given the dearth of options at the position this season, if he plays, start him.

 

Must Sits

Players To Avoid Putting In Your Lineup

Derek Anderson (QB, BUF)

*crickets*

Chris Ivory/LeSean McCoy (RB, BUF)

The Bills offensive line has been okay -- in terms of run blocking metrics -- but both of these backs have averaged less than four yards per carry, they've combined for just one touchdown (Ivory), they're both averaging less than 55 yards from scrimmage, they're splitting the touches almost equally, both are banged up and questionable to play, there's a good chance the Bills fall behind forcing them to abandon the run, they play in the least prolific scoring offense in the league... Do I really need to continue here?

Josh Gordon (WR, NE)

I imagine Gordon will draw Tre'Davious White in this one, and if that winds up being the case, no thanks. For one, Brady is not the type of QB who is going to force feed him the ball if it's not there. Secondly, it's not likely to be there. T.Y. Hilton caught just four passes for 25 yards in Week 7 (although he did add two TDs with one coming with White in coverage), DeAndre Hopkins went five for 63 in Week 6 (he also added a TD), it took 14 targets for Davante Adams to catch eight for 81 in Week 4, Stefon Diggs went four for 17 in Week 3... There's a rather long track record which suggests White should be avoided at all costs, if possible.

 

Solid Options/Sleepers

Which Players Will Have Solid Games and Which Could Surprise?

Solid Option - Kenjon Barner (RB, NE)

I type this under the premise of Michel not playing. Obviously, his status changes everything but Barner saw 10 carries after Michel went down on Sunday and while his 3.6 yards per carry left a lot to be desired, he'd be in line to see a gang of work by default.

Solid Option - Kelvin Benjamin (WR, BUF)

Four receptions, 71 yards. This was Benjamin's line in Week 7. Not only did his game against the Colts mark the first time he's gone over 50 yards receiving on the season, but both the four receptions and 71 yards are team-highs at the receiver position on the year. Wow. Yes, that's shameful, but looking at the positive side of things I can't help but notice his best game of the season came with Anderson under center. Now, I'm not one to overreact to one game, but Anderson will be handling the quarterbacking duties again this week and a matchup against the Patriots secondary doesn't differ much from the Colts they saw a week ago - logic suggests he may see similar production. Don't get too carried away here but there's definitely a case to be made for Benjamin receiving WR3 consideration this week.

Solid Option - Julian Edelman (WR, NE)

Edelman has averaged eight targets in his three games since returning to the lineup, and while he hasn't been overly productive with them, Josh Gordon will likely be dealing with Tre'Davious White all evening so I won't be surprised to see him surpass double-digit targets in this one. He's also found the end zone in two-straight games.

Solid Option - Chris Hogan (WR, NE)

Neither the return of Julian Edelman or addition of Josh Gordon has extinguished Hogan's fantasy value, and like Edelman, he figures to benefit should Gordon be shadowed by White.

Sleeper - Marcus Murphy (RB, BUF)

If McCoy and Ivory can't go, Murphy will be the starting running back for the Bills. Not that that means much, but I guess there's a chance he stumbles upon a touchdown.

Sleeper - Charles Clay (TE, BUF)

Clay has gone all Patrick Swayze on us this season, but he's received five targets in back-to-back games now and could benefit from the QB change should Anderson find a way to shake off the rust. This isn't as much about Clay as it is the Patriots inability to stop tight ends, though, so technically it could be Logan Thomas or even Jason Croom here. In any case, the five touchdowns New England has allowed to TEs are the most in the league and while Eric Ebron and Trey Burton are a different caliber weapon than Clay, Erik Swoope also managed to find the end zone against them; it does not appear that they discriminate.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Matthew Knies

Ready for Bigger Role With Maple Leafs
Jack Eichel

Unbothered by Lack of Extension
Sidney Crosby

Not Thinking About Leaving Pittsburgh
SJ

Michael Misa Signs Entry-Level Contract With Sharks
Rutger McGroarty

Nursing an Injury
Brock Purdy

"a Long Shot" to Play on Sunday
Aaron Rodgers

Dealing With Back Tightness
Dallas Goedert

Questionable for Week 2 at Chiefs
Anthony Rizzo

Retires
Cameron Champ

the Ultimate Wild Card at Procore
Cameron Young

Looks to Extend Momentum in Napa
Davis Thompson

Searching for a Spark at Procore
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Reignite Form at Procore
Mackenzie Hughes

Aims for Another Strong Showing at Procore
Luke Clanton

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Napa
Seamus Power

Looking to Overcome Poor Course History at Procore
Joe Highsmith

Hoping to Find Form in Napa
Jadeveon Clowney

Visiting With the Cowboys on Wednesday
Masyn Winn

Will Require Offseason Knee Surgery
Kristaps Porzingis

Reportedly Still Not Completely Healthy
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Reportedly on the Trade Block
Andre Drummond

Future in Philadelphia in Doubt
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Helps Greece Reach Semis at EuroBasket
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Posts Historic Triple-Double
Joel Dahmen

Finishes Tied For 15 at Wyndham Championship
Bud Cauley

Finishes Tied for 33rd at BMW Championship
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied for Seventh at Tour Championship
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 25th at Tour Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied for 19th at Tour Championship
Keith Mitchell

Misses Cut at Wyndham Championship
Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied for 10th at Tour Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied for Second at Tour Championship
Gary Woodland

Could Hang Around at Procore Championship
Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Strikes Out 12, Earns 12th Win on Tuesday
Karl Vilips

Ready for Napa Valley This Weekend
Taylor Montgomery

Heating Up at the Right Time
Jackson Koivun

May Be a Little Rusty at Procore Championship
Doug Ghim

Looking to Rise Up at Napa Valley
Christian Watson

Agrees to One-Year Contract Extension
Josh Giddey

Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
Shakir Mukhamadullin

Joins Informal Skate
William Eklund

Skates With Sharks
Owen Power

Back at 100 Percent
Tyler Seguin

Cleared for Action
Mathew Barzal

Good to Go for Season Opener
Will Smith

Returns to Dodgers Lineup on Tuesday
Dustin Wolf

Signs Seven-Year Extension
Kyle Stowers

Dealing With Strained Side
Kyle Tucker

Placed on Injured List With Calf Strain
Jauan Jennings

Considered Day-to-Day, has a Chance to Play in Week 2
Jalen Carter

Receives One-Game Suspension, Will be Eligible for Week 2
Bo Bichette

Goes on Injured List With Knee Sprain
George Kittle

Placed on Injured Reserve
Tyreek Hill

Accused of Domestic Violence
Jauan Jennings

Avoids Serious Shoulder Injury
Garrett Crochet

Shuts Out the Athletics
Royce Lewis

Launches Two Homers Monday Night
NBA

Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
NBA

Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
New York Knicks

Malcolm Brogdon on Knicks' Radar
Andrew Wiggins

Attracting Interest From Lakers
Miami Heat

Heat Interested in Reunion With Precious Achiuwa
Tyler Glasnow

Fans 11 in Seven No-Hit Innings Monday
Slade Cecconi

Takes No-Hitter Into Eighth Inning Monday
Max Muncy

Batting Cleanup in Return to Dodgers
New York Knicks

Ben Simmons Reportedly Declined Knicks' Contract Offer
Younghoe Koo

Falcons Auditioning Kickers, Could Replace Younghoe Koo
Denver Broncos

Sean Payton Says Broncos Need to be Better With Run-Pass Balance
Tank Bigsby

Eagles Acquiring Tank Bigsby From Jaguars on Monday
George Kittle

Likely Out 3-5 Weeks, Could Land on Injured Reserve
Chase Burns

to be Activated on Friday
Brock Purdy

Dealing With Multiple Injuries, Could Miss Week 2
Tyler Glasnow

Cleared to Start on Monday
Logan O'Hoppe

Placed on Concussion Injured List
Christian Yelich

Returning on Monday
Elias Pettersson

Feeling "Good" Ahead of Season
NHL

Alex Formenton Rejoins Swiss Team
NHL

Grigori Denisenko Heads Back Home
CAR

Kevin Labanc Joins Hurricanes for Tryout
Ross Colton

Healthy for Start of Season
Daniel Palencia

Cubs Place Daniel Palencia on Injured List With Shoulder Strain
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Returning on Monday
Sean Murphy

Done for the Year With Hip Labral Tear
Alec Bohm

Lands on Injured List With Cyst in his Shoulder
Trea Turner

Going on Injured List, Phillies Hope to Have him Back for Playoffs
Brock Bowers

Considered Day-to-Day With Knee Injury
Jonathan Taylor

is "Good" After Taking a Hit to his Neck in Week 1
Caio Borralho

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Nassourdine Imavov

Extends Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy

Gets Submitted
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Taps Out Mauricio Ruffy
Russell Wilson

Remains the Giants Starter
Paul Craig

Retires After UFC Paris Loss
Denny Hamlin

Earns his First Cup Victory at Gateway
Kyle Larson

Damage Ruins Kyle Larson's Chance At a Top Finish at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Scores his Third Top-10 Finish at Gateway
Joey Logano

Maintains his Perfect Top-Five Streak at Gateway
Ryan Blaney

Struggles and Recovers for a Top-Five Finish at Gateway
Modestas Bukauskas

Scores First-Round Knockout
Bolaji Oki

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Xavier Worthy

Week-to-Week with Dislocated Shoulder
Mason Jones

Scores Comeback Win
Rhys McKee

Suffers Third-Round TKO Loss
Axel Sola

Successful In His UFC Debut
Robert Ruchała

Robert Ruchala Unsuccessful In His UFC Debut
William Gomis

Bounces Back In The Win Column
Derrick Henry

Scores Twice but has Costly Fumble on Sunday
Lamar Jackson

Shines With Three Total Touchdowns in Loss to Bills
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory
Jayson Tatum

"Moving Around Way Better"
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP