Daily Fantasy Football Week 8: DraftKings DFS Lineup Advice and Best Matchups

Thursday night rarely robs the NFL's weekend slate of as much star power as Week 8, opened by the New England Patriots cooling down the soaring Miami Dolphins.

DraftKings players waiting for Sunday missed out on big games from Tom Brady, Dion Lewis, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. Luckily for them, several other players storm into Sunday with the perfect opportunity to shine.

These matchups will likely lead to high usage rates, so utilize some of the following players sparingly in tournaments. In cash contests, however, they'll deliver plenty of points at low costs. 

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

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

Philip Rivers, who has attempted an insane 171 passes over the last three games, faces the Baltimore Ravens' No. 28-rated passing offense—think the San Diego Chargers will even run a rushing play?

Against the 1-6 Ravens, the Chargers may not have to play catch-up for once. Yet it's hardly a given; Baltimore has lost every game by eight points or fewer. Besides, San Diego has clearly lost confidence in rookie running back Melvin Gordon, who didn't see the field until the second half last weekend.

Rivers has registered a heavy chunk of his NFL-high 350.3 passing yards per game in garbage time, but fantasy gamers can't tell the difference. All they see is a passer working on three consecutive 300-yard games, scoring 10 touchdowns while attempting 52.3 throws per game during that stretch. 

Week	OPP	CMP	ATT	PASS YD	TD	INT
5	PIT	35	48	365	2	1
6	GB	43	65	503	2	0
7	OAK	38	58	336	3	2

Carson Palmer posted an underwhelming 19.75 DraftKings points against the Ravens on Monday night, but he went an efficient 20-of-29 with 275 yards and two touchdowns. Lacking the Arizona Cardinals' offense, Rivers will enjoy a high dosage of volume that eluded Palmer.

For your stacking pleasure, also utilize Keenan Allen at $7,700. San Diego's top wideout leads the NFL with 62 receptions. This could mark the fourth time this season he registers at least a dozen receptions and 130 yards. Regardless of the game's actual outcome, expect a massive day from the pairing.

Honorable Mentions: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals ($6,000); Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets ($5,200)

RB Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers ($4,100)

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Jonathan Stewart is making his early struggles a distant memory. After averaging 3.5 yards per run over his first three games, he has accrued 4.7 yards per carry during the Carolina Panthers' ensuing three contests. The 28-year-old is not only getting more effective as the year rolls along, but he's also evolving into a veritable workhorse.

Carolina has fed him at least 20 touches in consecutive weeks, giving him a season-high 24 handoffs for 125 rushing yards against the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday night. After the big game, the Panthers PR Department traced back his prolific production to late last year, when he assumed a more prominent role:

"

NFL's leading rushers since Week 13 of '14 (including playoffs): 1) J. Stewart 1,102 yds 2) M. Lynch 1,076 3) J. Forsett 1,025

— Panthers PR Dept. (@PanthersPR) October 27, 2015"

Stewart has resoundingly shredded his fragile, injury-prone label while breaking free of a committee. He'll continue his featured role against the Indianapolis Colts, who relinquish 4.2 yards per carry and 122.7 rushing yards per bout.

He's a solid value at $4,100, but DraftKings' points-per-reception (PPR) scoring limits his upside. Stewart has only caught two passes since Week 1, so investors must hope Cam Newton and/or Mike Tolbert don't poach all the goal-line carries.

Honorable Mentions: Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals ($4,600); Antonio Andrews, Tennessee Titans ($3,300)

WR Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers ($7,700)

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Nobody will be happier to see Ben Roethlisberger back than Antonio Brown. According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback is ready to go this Sunday:

In three games with Roethlisberger under center, Brown compiled 29 catches for 436 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Entering Week 4 with 31.9 DraftKings points per game, the Pittsburgh Steelers wideout rightfully required a king's ransom at $9,200.

Following diminished gains with Michael Vick and Landry Jones, Brown will cost $7,700 against the Cincinnati Bengals, whom he burned for two 100-yard games last December. This year, opponents have completed 68.6 percent of their passes against the undefeated AFC North squad.

Date	REC	TAR	REC YD	TD
12/7	9	14	117	0
12/28	7	13	128	1

Without Roethlisberger, nobody should have touched Brown's bloated price tag. With Roethlisberger, he's again right up there with Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins among the superstar PPR wideouts.

Honorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions ($7,900); Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings ($4,800)

TE Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints ($3,500)

R Brent Smith/Associated Press

Week 6 was a flash in the pan for Benjamin Watson. The 34-year-old tight end isn't notching another 10-catch, 127-yard game this season, but that doesn't mean he can't provide any fantasy value in the right matchup.

During a back-to-earth Week 7, the New Orleans Saints veteran tallied a respectable 59 yards on four catches. That output reflects his averages of 4.8 catches and 58.8 yards per game over the past five weeks. Josh Hill developed a rabid preseason following, but Watson has stolen the cushy job to little fanfare. 

Although the Oakland Raiders' futility against tight ends receives all of the attention, the New York Giants are close to trumping their incompetence. According to ESPN.com, they've allowed an NFL-high 48 catches and 70 targets to the position, and only two teams (Seattle Seahawks and Saints) have relinquished more than their 532 yards.

In a weekend without Gronkowski, several contestants will look for cheap alternatives at the volatile position. Watson will need an end-zone visit to truly pay off at $3,500, but operating with Drew Brees inside the Superdome makes him worth the gamble on Sunday.

Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals ($5,300); Ladarius Green, San Diego Chargers ($3,000)

D/ST St. Louis Rams ($3,200)

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

Elite fantasy defenses given golden matchups, the Arizona Cardinals ($4,000) and Seattle Seahawks ($3,700) will eat a significant chunk of gamers' budget. Rather than paying full price for a brand name, take a step down the NFC West standings and play the St. Louis Rams ($3,200) instead.

The Rams allow more points (19.8) and yards (351.3) per game than their division foes, but they lead the way with 12.2 DraftKings points per game despite scoring two defensive touchdowns to Seattle and Arizona's four apiece: 

Rank	Team	DK PPG
1	Denver Broncos	17.2
2	St. Louis Rams	12.2
3	Seattle Seahawks	12.0
4	Arizona Cardinals	10.7
5	Green Bay Packers	10.5

Thirteen takeaways have helped, but their 23 sacks give them a sustainable edge rather than fluctuating turnover rates. Their killer defensive line should feast on the San Francisco 49ers, who have relinquished 25 sacks. 

Along with this stable source of scoring, San Francisco ranks last in total offense and scoring. Only the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns capitulate more DraftKings points to opposing defenses. Take the elite matchup without the top-tier cost.

Honorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings ($3,100) at Chicago Bears; Tennessee Titans ($2,500) at Houston Texans

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