Fantasy Football Week 8 Cheat Sheet: Flex Rankings, Projections for Waiver Adds

All hail Jay Ajayi of the Miami Dolphins!

An afterthought throughout the summer and the early part of the season, Ajayi is on the verge of becoming a fantasy football superstar.

But those who have added Ajayi to their fantasy rosters will have to wait at least a week for another 200-plus-yard game since the Dolphins are on their bye this week. But you can be sure he will be at the top of the charts as we head into Week 9.

This week, DeMarco Murray of the Tennessee Titans has moved to the top of the charts as far as our flex rankings are concerned. Murray has grown more comfortable each week in the Tennessee offense, and we expect him to be at or close to his best when the Titans host the Jaguars Thursday night in their nationally televised game.

Murray has already rushed for 633 yards and five touchdowns and is averaging a robust 4.6 yards per carry in the Tennessee offense. He is coming off a 107-yard effort in Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts in which he also got into the end zone.

Murray has gotten back to the downhill running style he utilized when he was with the Dallas Cowboys, and that means he makes one cut before heading upfield and making big plays.

Ranking	Position	Player, Team	Projection
1	RB	DeMarco Murray, Tennessee	145 yards, two TDs
2	RB	David Johnson, Arizona	140 yards, two TDs
3	WR	Julio Jones, Atlanta	165 yards, one TD
4	WR	T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis	155 yards, one TD
5	WR	A.J. Green, Cincinnati	150 yards, one TD
6	WR	Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona	135 yards, one TD
7	RB	Lamar Miller, Houston	120 yards,one TD
8	TE	Rob Gronkowski, New England	110 yards, one TD
9	RB	Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas	105 yards, one TD
10	TE	Jimmy Graham, Seattle	90 yards, one TD
11	WR	Mike Evans, Tampa Bay	85 yards, one TD
12	WR	Amari Cooper, Oakland	100 yards
13	RB	Christine Michael, Seattle	90 yards
14	RB	Melvin Gordon, San Diego	80 yards, one TD
15	WR	Jordy Nelson, Green Bay	75 yards, one TD

Additionally, the play of quarterback Marcus Mariota helps Murray quite a bit. There's always the danger that Mariota is going to take off and run from the pocket, and opposing defenses have to make stopping him their top priority. That makes life easier for Murray, and he has taken advantage of that status.

The Jaguars have been decent on defense this year, as they rank ninth overall in yards allowed, but they are vulnerable on running plays. They rank 18th in rushing yards allowed, and that should give Murray the opportunity for a big night.

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We also like David Johnson to continue his excellent run as the Arizona Cardinals go across the country to take on the team that knocked them out in the NFC Championship Game last year.

The Carolina Panthers have been authoring a major collapse this season, as they head into their Week 8 home game against the Cardinals with a 1-5 record. This team rolled to the best regular-season record in the league last season, and while quarterback Cam Newton was the headliner, it was the defense that provided the underpinnings of the team's consistent excellence.

That has not been the case this year, as the defense has been falling apart. The Panthers rank 24th in yards allowed this season, and that's simply not acceptable.

At some point, linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis will get the situation turned around, but it may not be against the revenge-minded Cardinals this week. They will unleash Johnson, who has ran for 681 yards and eight touchdowns and is averaging a robust 4.7 yards per carry. The Panthers are not getting much from their defensive line or secondary, and Johnson will rip through them on Sunday.

We always hold Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons in high esteem, and he should be involved in a high-scoring game with the Green Bay Packers when the two teams get together in the Georgia Dome in Week 8. 

The Packers are injured at the running back position, and that means Aaron Rodgers will be going to the air with tremendous frequency. Look for both teams to make a lot of big plays with a lot of fast possessions dominating the action.

The Falcons usually like to run the ball with Devonta Freeman, but the Packers have the No. 1 run defense in the league, and that's going to force head coach Dan Quinn's hand away from the running game.

He is going to have quarterback Matt Ryan throw the ball often, and Jones will be the main beneficiary. Jones has already caught 40 passes for 830 yards and four touchdowns along with an amazing 16 catches for 20 yards or more.

The Packers defense is not going to be able to stop Jones after he catches a few passes early in the game. We are not saying that Jones is going to have another 300-yard game as he did against the Panthers in Week 4, but look for him to have at least 150 receiving yards.

While it may seem obvious that Rob Gronkowski is the No. 1 tight end prospect this week as the New England Patriots seek revenge for their shutout loss at home to the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, we also like Jimmy Graham of the Seattle Seahawks.

Graham has largely been a work in progress during his run in Seattle, but he has looked much more comfortable in the Seahawks offense this year than he did a year ago.

Just as Graham is finding his legs in Seattle, the Seahawks travel to New Orleans to take on the porous Saints defense. New Orleans ranks 29th in yards allowed and 30th against the pass, and Graham should have a chance to punish his former team with a big game.

Graham has caught 27 passes for 408 yards with just one TD this season, but he should be good for at least 90 yards and another score this week.

Position	Player, Team	Pct. Added
QB	Marcus Mariota, Tennessee	Plus-18.1
RB	Knile Davis, Green Bay	Plus-34.9
WR	Kenny Britt, Los Angeles	Plus-33.2
TE	Hunter Henry, San Diego	Plus-23.4
PK	Matt Bryant, Atlanta	Plus-28.9

Waiver-Wire Projections

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Knile Davis of the Green Bay Packers, Kenny Britt of the Los Angeles Rams and Ajayi are the most-added players in fantasy football over the last seven days, according to ESPN.com.

Davis may eventually have some value for the Packers as he gets to know the Green Bay offensive game plan. The Packers are short-handed at the running back position because of injuries to Eddie Lacy and James Starks, and they will need to have a semblance of a running game.

Britt can be an explosive wideout because of his game-changing speed, but the quarterback situation is poor in Los Angeles. Case Keenum is coming off a four-interception game in London against the New York Giants, and head coach Jeff Fisher is expected to give Jared Goff a few more reps as the Rams prepare for their Week 9 game with Carolina. However, the Rams passing game does not appear to be much of a threat.

Tight end Hunter Henry of the San Diego Chargers continues to get added to fantasy rosters. The aging process has continued to take its toll on Antonio Gates, and Henry has caught 20 of his 29 targets. That should make him a viable target as the Chargers go to Denver in Week 8.

Running back James White is a specialty player for the Patriots who has been added to 17.5 percent of ESPN's fantasy rosters in the last seven days. White has 24 carries for 92 yards and has not scored a rushing TD, but he has caught 27 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns. He should remain a viable outlet for Tom Brady the rest of the way.

Mariota is also gathering quite a bit of support as he continues to gain experience. The second-year quarterback is on his way up the NFL ladder, and while he is not there yet, those who add him to their team should receive benefits as he makes his journey.