Start Em’s and Sit Em’s: Week 8
The Colts, Cardinals, and Broncos were shut out in their games last week, the most shutout victories in NFL history. Ezekiel Elliot scored the most fantasy points with 39.9 points. He ran for 147 yards and piled on 2 touchdowns. Week 8 will feature some exciting matchups, ranging from the Steelers taking on the Lions, the Cowboys playing a divisional game against the Redskins, and the Broncos taking on the dominant Chiefs.
Watch out for players on the Cardinals, Packers, Jaguars, Rams, Giants, and Tennessee since they have a bye week, so keep them on your benches.
Starts:
Carson Wentz, Quarterback, Eagles
Carson Wentz has been setting the league on fire. In his last game against the Redskins, Wentz threw for 268 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Eagles will play a home game against the 49ers who still have not won a game. I predict that Wentz will have another great game, and he will match his performance against the Redskins.
LeSean McCoy, Running back, Bills
Last week against Tampa Bay, McCoy rushed for 91 yards, and 2 touchdowns on 23 touches. This week the Bills will play the Oakland Raiders, whose defense against the run has been suspect throughout the year. On the average run play the Raiders allow 3.9 yards per carry. I will expect McCoy to have another huge game against the lax raiders defense.
Jarvis Landry, Wide Receiver, Dolphins
In a divisional game against the Jets, Landry caught 7 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. This week the Dolphins will travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. With Matt Moore starting over Jay Cutler, Landry should see an increase in productivity, and I consider him a must-start on Thursday.
Rob Gronkowski, Tight End, Patriots
Gronkowski had a slow night against the Atlanta Falcons. He caught 3 passes for only 51 yards and no touchdowns. This week, Gronk will have a more favorable matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. I project Gronk to have a huge bounce-back game, where he will break 100 receiving yards and score a touchdown pass.
Vikings Defense
The Vikings defense has been tremendous all year and is clearly the highlight of their team. The Vikings will fly to London to take on the Cleveland Browns in the last U.K. game of the year. Their defense should have a field day against the Browns, whose offense has struggled all year. I predict the Vikings to hold the Browns under 14 points, and they will have a couple picks in their game across the pond.
Sits:
Matthew Stafford, Quarterback, Lions
The Lions are coming off a week 7 bye. This week they will play a home game against the Steelers, whose defense has been surprisingly tough through the first 7 weeks. I expect Stafford to struggle in his first game back. If you have another option on the bench, I would recommend, starting them over Stafford this weekend.
Kareem Hunt, Running Back, Chiefs
The Chiefs are on a 2-game losing streak, and now they will face arguably the best defense in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. Hunt will be in for a long night, and I expect him to struggle throughout the matchup. If you have a better option at running back I would suggest starting them over Hunt for this week.
DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver, Texans
The Texans will face the Seahawks on Sunday. Hopkins will be guarded by Richard Sherman, who is still one of the best cornerbacks in football. Hopkins should be in for a rough game, with Sherman shadowing him constantly. I expect very few balls will be thrown his way. I would highly recommend subbing Hopkins out and replacing him for a more favorable matchup.
Cameron Brate, Tight End, Buccaneers
The Buccaneers will play the Carolina Panthers this week. The Panthers strength on defense is their linebacking core, with all-pros like Thomas Davis, Shaq Thompson, and Luke Kuechly. Brate should have a tough time getting open because the Panthers linebackers will be draped all over him. If you have another option on the bench, start him over Brate.