Daily Fantasy Football Week 8: Ideal Last-Minute DraftKings Picks

If you want to spend big on key positions for your daily fantasy football team, it is important to find some sleepers who can give you excellent value. 

For those looking to start Thursday, there are some high-upside options for cheap like Lamar Miller ($4,700) and Danny Amendola ($3,600). There are more choices on Sunday, from the higher end like Todd Gurley ($6,300) to the nearly free like Stevie Johnson ($3,200).

You can go in a number of different directions to fill your roster, but here is a look at the best overall value picks for Week 8.

Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers ($6,600)

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

The Baltimore Ravens' pass defense has been pitiful this season. The feared quarterback group of Josh McCown, Derek Carr and Colin Kaepernick combined for 1,148 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in three games against this unit.

Meanwhile, Philip Rivers has been on a tear lately as he unsuccessfully tries to carry his team. He is averaging 390.5 passing yards with 10 total passing touchdowns over his last four games, scoring at least 24 fantasy points on DraftKings each week.

A red-hot quarterback against the worst defense in the NFL makes this almost too easy of a pick. Don't overthink it.

Chris Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals ($4,600)

Once again, we play the matchup game with a streaking player facing an awful defense. This time, it is Chris Johnson against the Cleveland Browns, a defense that has allowed almost 20 more rushing yards per game than anyone else in the NFL.

Todd Gurley (another obvious start at $6,300) torched this unit for over 35 points in Week 7, and now Johnson has a chance to put up similar numbers after totaling 122 yards and a touchdown Monday night.

There is some concern Johnson will lose snaps in a crowded backfield, but his 18 carries last game showed he is still a major part of the offense, especially considering Andre Ellington (five carries) and David Johnson (three) were barely involved in the rushing attack.

While he won't get many receptions, the upside is still more than enough to play him.

Charles Sims, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($3,600)

Even as a backup running back, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are clearly trying to get Charles Sims the ball. He has at least 10 carries in each of the last two games, and more importantly, he is heavily involved in the passing attack with 16 receptions on the year.

Marc Sessler of NFL.com has liked what he has seen from the running back this season:

This could lead to a big performance against an Atlanta Falcons team allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs on DraftKings. The problem has been 58 receptions allowed to running backs this season, worst in the NFL.

Especially with Vincent Jackson out, Sims has a chance to get a lot of touches and rack up points against a defense that has struggled to defend this type of player.

Eric Decker, WR, New York Jets ($5,300)

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Week 7 was the first time all year Eric Decker played in a game but didn't score. He still came through with six catches for 94 yards and a team-high 12 targets.

While no one will confuse Ryan Fitzpatrick for Tom Brady, the New York Jets quarterback has done a good job of getting the ball to his best players this season. As teams start putting more energy into stopping Brandon Marshall, this will lead to more opportunities for Decker, like on Sunday.

With the Oakland Raiders struggling to defend anyone through the air (last in the NFL with 304 passing yards allowed per game), the Jets might abandon the run with Chris Ivory and take advantage of the opponent's biggest weakness. This could mean a lot of fantasy points for both Marshall and Decker in Week 8.

At $2,300 cheaper, Decker is the better value for Sunday as long as he plays. Just make sure the knee injury that kept him out of practice Wednesday, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, doesn't keep him off the field.

Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Carolina Panthers ($3,400)

There have always been questions about whether Ted Ginn Jr. can be a complete receiver, but he showed last week on a run play that he still has elite speed:

"

Shula gets creative and it's a BIG play by Ted Ginn! pic.twitter.com/C7MeJuNli8

— CAR Panthers News (@CarPanthersNews) October 26, 2015"

That play went for 43 yards, giving him more than 100 from scrimmage when you add in his 59 receiving yards in Week 7. He once again led the Carolina Panthers in targets because, well, there is no one else for Cam Newton to throw the ball to this season.

Although Ginn hasn't put up crazy numbers in 2015, he has 13 points on DraftKings in four of the last five games. The only exception was against the Seattle Seahawks, where no one produces fantasy numbers.

It's also important to remember 13 points for someone who costs $3,400 is equivalent to 35 points from Julio Jones ($9,200). Getting solid production with high upside at a minimal price is worth a spot on your fantasy team, especially with a favorable matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Note: All prices and fantasy score info courtesy of DraftKings. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.

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