Fantasy Football Week 8 Rankings: Flex and PPR Outlook for Each Position

Dominate the flex spots in fantasy football, and you have an excellent opportunity to punctuate the 2023 NFL season with a league title.

Among the myriad formulas you can follow to fantasy success, this one is the simplest. Outperform your leaguemates at running back, receiver and tight end, and you'll outperform them in the standings.

In an effort to put your flex position in the best place possible for Week 8, we're laying out our point-per-reception rankings and spotlighting a sleeper at each spot.

Running Back

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 15: Breece Hall #20 of the New York Jets is chased by Zach Cunningham #52 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at MetLife Stadium on October 15, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

Top 20

1. Christian McCaffrey, SF (vs. CIN)

2. Alvin Kamara, NO (at IND)

3. Travis Etienne, JAX (at PIT)

4. Tony Pollard, DAL (vs. LAR)

5. Austin Ekeler, LAC (vs. CHI)

6. Breece Hall, NYJ (at NYG)

7. Jonathan Taylor, IND (vs. NO)

8. Jahmyr Gibbs, DET (vs. LV)

9. Saquon Barkley, NYG (vs. NYJ)

10. Isiah Pacheco, KC (at DEN)

11. Bijan Robinson, ATL (at TEN)

12. Raheem Mostert, MIA (vs. NE)

13. D'Andre Swift, PHI (at WAS)

14. Josh Jacobs, LV (at DET)

15. Kenneth Walker III, SEA (vs. CLE)

16. Derrick Henry, TEN (vs. ATL)

17. Aaron Jones, GB (vs. MIN)

18. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (at MIA)

19. Joe Mixon, CIN (at SF)

20. Alexander Mattison, MIN (at GB)

Sleeper: D'Onta Foreman, CHI (at LAC)

The return of Roschon Johnson complicates Chicago's backfield a bit, and it's worth at least mentioning Foreman was completely out of the picture prior to two weeks ago. There's a chance this recommendation could go poorly.

Of course, there's also a greater opportunity for things to go...well, great. Who cares if Foreman didn't have a role before? He has one now, and he just used it to post the third-highest fantasy score (best among non-quarterbacks) in Week 7, per FantasyPros. It's also hard to tell how much the return of Johnson actually matters, since he's only had double-digit touches twice this season.

There are more reasons to trust Foreman than to worry about him.

Wide Receiver

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 22: Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver A.J. Brown (11) makes a reception against Miami Dolphins Cornerback Kader Kohou (4) in the second half during the game between the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles on October 22, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Top 30

1. Tyreek Hill, MIA (vs. NE)

2. A.J. Brown, PHI (at WAS)

3. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (at SF)

4. Cooper Kupp, LAR (at DAL)

5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (vs. LV)

6. Keenan Allen, LAC (vs. CHI)

7. Davante Adams, LV (at DET)

8. Adam Thielen, CAR (vs. HOU)

9. CeeDee Lamb, DAL (vs. LAR)

10. Brandon Aiyuk, SF (vs. CIN)

11. DJ Moore, CHI (at LAC)

12. Puka Nacua, LAR (at DAL)

13. Chris Olave, NO (at IND)

14. Jaylen Waddle, MIA (vs. NE)

15. Jakobi Meyers, LV (at DET)

16. Garrett Wilson, NYJ (at NYG)

17. Jordan Addison, MIN (at GB)

18. Terry McLaurin, WAS (vs. PHI)

19. Zay Flowers, BAL (at ARI)

20. Nico Collins, HOU (at CAR)

21. George Pickens, PIT (at JAX)

22. DK Metcalf, SEA (vs. CLE)

23. Christian Kirk, JAX (at PIT)

24. Michael Pittman Jr., IND (vs. NO)

25. DeVonta Smith, PHI (at WAS)

26. Marquise Brown, ARI (vs. BAL)

27. Tee Higgins, CIN (at SF)

28. Calvin Ridley, JAX (at PIT)

29. Courtland SUtton, DEN (vs. KC)

30. Diontae Johnson, PIT (vs. JAX)

Sleeper: Kendrick Bourne, NE (at MIA)

If the Patriots want any hope of hanging with the high-powered Dolphins, they need to lean on their best playmakers. Bourne is clearly one of them.

New England doesn't always involve him as often as it should—he had just 13 total targets between Weeks 3 and 5—but when it does, he usually delivers. In three of the four games in which he's seen seven-plus targets, he's been a top-15 player at the position: fifth in Week 1, 10th in Week 6, tied for 15th in Week 7, per FantasyPros.

He is heating up, and that trend should continue here, as the Patriots could be chasing points and the Dolphins can be vulnerable against the pass.

Tight End

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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 23: T.J. Hockenson #87 of the Minnesota Vikings catches a pass against the San Francisco 49ers in the first half at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 23, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the 49ers 22-17. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Top 10

1. Travis Kelce, KC (at DEN)

2. Mark Andrews, BAL (at ARI)

3. T.J. Hockenson, MIN (at GB)

4. Sam LaPorta, DET (vs. LV)

5. Darren Waller, NYG (vs. NYJ)

6. Dallas Goedert, PHI (at WAS)

7. George Kittle, SF (vs. CIN)

8. Evan Engram, JAX (at PIT)

9. David Njoku, CLE (at SEA)

10. Dalton Schultz, HOU (at CAR)

Sleeper: Michael Mayer, LV (at DET)

Since the bottom half of the top 10 here is basically a dart throw, selecting a sleeper tight end is like blindfolding yourself and then throwing that dart with your off-hand. There isn't a ton fueling this recommendation beyond crossed fingers and well wishes.

All of that said, Mayer has a non-zero chance of finding his way to a decent week. While he's only had one of those this season, it at least came recently (five catches on six targets for 75 yards in Week 6). And though he didn't replicate those numbers his next time out, he at least saw his second-most targets of the year (four).

So, that's 10 targets (and seven receptions) over his last two outings, which hints at a desire to get the rookie second-rounder more involved. If the Raiders continue looking his way, he could make some noise in this matchup, as the Lions have allowed the second-most fantasy points to tight ends, per Yahoo.