So my Must starts last week were 2-5 and my Must sits were 6-1, I am just not sure how to feel about that this week. Each week a new QB comes out and scores more points than Tom Brady, we’ve lost Reggie Wayne, Doug Martin (Possibly) and Sam Bradford for the season. Injuries are just brutal, not just in real football but in Fantasy Football. I am thankful that I have not been hit with multiple injury bugs on one team. I have been hit with injuries just not 2 or 3 guys on one team like some have. With all the injuries and some big time players on bye-weeks, some fantasy owners (including myself) are looking for some big time help in week 8. Before we dive into that let’s take a look at how my Must Start/Must Sit did last week.
Starts that made me look good
Mike Wallace – 5 catches 76 yards (12 yards rushing) Wallace was heavily targeted (10); he didn’t find the endzone but did do the damage this week.
Green Bay Packers Defense – 13 points, 216 yards, 3 sacks and 1 turnover
Starts that made me look bad
Jay Cutler – He got a whopping -1 point this week. Hopefully he does have a speedy recovery from the groin injury.
Ray Rice – Totaled 72 yards but didn’t find the endzone for the 2nd straight game.
DeAngelo Williams – Great matchup and just didn’t produce off it. 59 total yards.
T.Y. Hilton – 2 catches 27 yards. The targets where there (11) just didn’t produce with them.
Antonio Gates – 6 catches 31 yards – Gates had 6 catches but the yards weren’t there to back it up.
Sits that made me look good
Bilal Powell – 6 yards – Not only was he not effective, Ivory took over the full load and Powell may be in jeopardy of losing his job.
Dwayne Bowe – 5 catches for 66 yards – In PPR leagues he was solid and in Standard he has produced what he has been, not much of anything.
Anquan Boldin – 5 catches for 74 yards – Same as Bowe, PPR leagues he was good but Standard it was his 3rd straight single digit output.
Garrett Graham – 3 catches 38 yards – Had a tough matchup this week, going forward he should produce better Fantasy stats.
Cleveland Browns Defense – 31 points, 1 sack and 0 turnovers – Just manhandled by a better team.
Sits that made me look bad
Le’Veon Bell – 99 total yards, he didn’t find the endzone but looked really good against a tough Ravens Run D.
Matt Ryan – 20/26 for 273 yards and 3 TDs – Ryan proved me wrong and worthy of a start against a solid Bucs D.
Week 8 Fantasy Football Must Start
Robert Griffin III vs. Denver Broncos
So last week against a depleted Bears D, we finally saw the RGIII we all wanted when we drafted him. He also had his highest output of the season on the ground with 84 yards on 11 carries (also a season high). He is facing a Broncos team fresh off their 1st loss of the season to the Colts. Even better news for RGIII owners is that the Broncos give up the most Fantasy points to opposing QBs. Whether the game is high scoring or not, we will see a lot of points from him this week.
Russell Wilson vs. St. Louis Rams
Outside of the two fumbles (he does have 5 on the season) Wilson had a tremendous game throwing the ball against a pretty good Cardinals D. This week he matches up against a St. Louis team that is going to have a change at QB with Bradford out for the year. The Seahawks force turnovers and that can mean nothing but good things for Wilson. Great matchup for him this week and even better we get to watch it happen on Monday Night Football.
Knowshon Moreno vs. Washington Redskins
Raise your hand if you thought Moreno would be leading the league in TDs (8)? Sit down you are all liars. Moreno has been nothing short of amazing for Fantasy Owners this season. He has a TD in 4 straight games (totaling 6 in that span) and has a firm grip on this RB job that no one thought he would have. Guess Moreno owners? The Redskins have given up 8 rushing TDs this season and 22 Fantasy PPG to RBs. Start Moreno in every format known to man this week.
Eddie Lacy vs. Minnesota Vikings
Lacy carries over the last 3 games 23, 23 and 22, he has totaled 301 yards rushing over the last 3 games (most in the NFL in that time frame). He also received 7 targets out of the backfield in week 7 due to all the injuries the Packers have on offense. With Finley out for a few games and James Jones still dealing with injuries, this team is going to rely on Lacy and he has stepped up to the plate.
Terrence Williams vs. Detroit Lions
He was on my Sleeper list for 2 straight weeks and came through with TDs. It’s time for him to be on the big boy list of the Must Starts. He has caught a TD in 3 straight games and faces a Lions team that has given up TDs in 4 straight games to WRs (including a big 80 yards bomb to AJ Green last week). I like Williams and think he is a top 20 play this week. If for any reason he is available on any of your waiver wires, he is a must pick up right now!
Pierre Garcon vs. Denver Broncos
Love the pair of RGIII/Garcon this week against Denver. Garcon hasn’t reached the endzone since week 4 but has been heavily targeted in the passing game. WRs have found pay dirt 8 times this year against the Broncos and I expect Garcon to make that nine.
Larry Fitzgerald vs. Atlanta Falcons
In what was supposed to be a huge bounce back season for Fitzgerald, it has been just as frustrating owning him this year as any year in the past. But this week a great matchup is store for Fitzgerald and we can only hope that Carson Palmer will take advantage of this and throw to Cardinals and not the Falcons this week. Even though you may be frustrated, this is a week where you have to start him.
Tony Gonzalez vs. Arizona Cardinals
When the Cardinals give up TDs to tight ends they do it right. 4 times they have given up 2 touchdowns to TEs in one game. They are coming off back to back games in doing so; last week was a frustrating week to own Gonzo as he only produced 2 catches on 4 targets for 30 yards. Teams are going to key in on him with the injuries to White and Julio but this week’s matchup is too hard to turn down. Stick with him this week and expect big numbers in return.
Carolina Panther vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Panthers after spending a few weeks on my Sleepers piece, have made it to the big time and made my Must Start Defense of week 8. The Panthers D is giving up only 13 PPG (1st in the NFC), 19 sacks and they have forced 14 total turnovers. The Bucs have given up the ball 10 times this year and QBs have been sacked 14 times. All the Thursday night games have been a bit sluggish, so the Panthers will have a field day against this Bucs team that’s going to be without their best RB in Doug Martin.
Week 8 Fantasy Football Must Sit
Terrelle Pryor vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
After the bye the Steelers D has awoken from total abomination. They are 2-0 after the bye and have given up only 17 points in two games against QBs. Even though there is a lot of QBs on a bye week this week, I still don’t like this matchup for Pryor. Only start in 2QB leagues this week.
DeAngelo Williams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs are only one of two teams that have yet to give up a TD to a RB. But hey, Williams owners also know that he has yet to find the endzone this year either. I really don’t like this matchup for him and don’t expect him to find much running room on Thursday night.
Jacquizz Rodgers vs. Arizona Cardinals
Rodgers found the endzone through the air on Sunday twice but couldn’t muster up any rushing yards, totaling only 16 on 8 carries. Cardinals have been rock solid only giving up 12 fantasy points a game to RBs this year. Rodgers is an easy must sit for week 8.
Josh Gordon vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Fantasy Owners (me included) just want a QB that will get Gordon the ball and get it to him regularly. Weeden is just not that guy and he has the unfortunate opportunity of going into Kansas City and playing against the #1 defense in football. It’s really hard to decided and sit your stud but this is the week I would take a look at better matchups.
Kenbrell Thompkins vs. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are the only team in football that has yet to give up a TD to opposing WR. With the way Brady has played lately, I don’t expect that to change after this week either. Thompkins has 4 single points Fantasy games this year and this week will make it 5.
Jared Cook vs. Seattle Seahawks
After any amazing week 1 performance, everyone thought we finally saw the Jared Cook we all have been waiting for. He totaled 24 points in standard leagues (31 in PPR) in week 1; he has 19 points (35 in PPR) since then. Cook is facing a Seahawks D that is very good against TEs (5 PPG). He isn’t worth a start this week.
New Orléans Saints Defense vs. Buffalo Bills
I don’t expect the Bills to beat the Saints but I think this going game will be competitive this week. The Bills have scored 20 or more points in every game this season. The Saints have been good but not great on defense this year. I would look for a better option on the wire this week (Panthers, Steelers or Falcons).
Also don’t forget to check out the Sports Script podcast every Sunday morning at 11am (EST) as we answer any and all start and sit questions. www.blogtalkradio.com/foryourconsideration
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