Fantasy Football Week 8: Thursday's Daily Fantasy Market Report

Daily fantasy football players are tasked with converting the news and trends from around the NFL each week into actionable and successful investments in the DFS marketplace. 

The news cycle in the NFL is always churning out meaningful updates, which we must sift through in order to gain an edge. For instance, an injury to the Denver Broncos' C.J. Anderson could vault rookie rusher Devontae Booker to must-start status as a bargain workhorse for daily fantasy competition. 

We're going to detail several notable injuries and matchup metrics that could prove influential for the week ahead in daily fantasy football. Join us in discussing several key news items affecting the daily fantasy football market for Week 8. 

Denver’s Devontae Booker Set to Shine with C.J. Anderson Sidelined

Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

A significant shift is underway in Denver’s backfield, as the Broncos' leading rusher C.J. Anderson is due to miss multiple games with a knee injury, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

"

Broncos' RB CJ Anderson could miss multiple games with knee injury - could even be extended layoff depending on extent of injury.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 26, 2016"

Talented rookie rusher Devontae Booker earned a majority share of the team’s backfield snaps and touches in Week 7 for the first time this season and is now set to start and consume a dominant market share of the team’s backfield workload. Booker has averaged 4.78 yards per carry compared to Anderson’s 3.97 and a robust 2.82 yards before initial contact per rush to Anderson’s 2.47.

This week’s foe, the San Diego Chargers, have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing backs this season. The Broncos, meanwhile, are the top-ranked run-blocking team on Pro Football Focus. Priced at just $5,600 on FanDuel and an inviting $3,700 on DraftKings, Booker is an ideal building block to target in daily fantasy play during this big bye week in the NFL.

Washington's Jordan Reed Expects to Play in London

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Jordan Reed is an undeniably prolific talent, but a series of concussions throughout his collegiate and professional career proves troubling. Sidelined for the past few games with another concussion, the Washington Redskins’ star tight end is hoping to get cleared by an independent neurologist in order to play in the team’s tilt with the Cincinnati Bengals in London this Sunday, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network.

Third in fantasy points per game among tight ends on the season in ESPN leagues, Reed claims the fourth-lowest drop rate and fifth-most yards per route among tight ends, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Bengals have ceded the eighth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends in ESPN leagues, while Reed’s injury absence has deflated his pricing to palatable points on both major daily fantasy platforms.

You’ll have to get lineups in early to enter tournaments and cash games that include this early Sunday morning contest. If you do play the early slate, Reed is a fine building block to consider on DraftKings given the ability to swap positions after the games start on Thursday.

Josh McCown Could Be an Interesting Tournament Option in Week 8

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Signs point to Josh McCown starting behind center for the Cleveland Browns, as the veteran signal-caller practiced in full on Wednesday, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

The return of McCown could propel the team's top target Terrelle Pryor as he's on the mend from a hamstring ailment, while tight end Gary Barnidge becomes a more valuable pivot from the top tier at the position 

The Browns’ opponent this week, the New York Jets, have surrendered the fourth-most yards per attempt (8.2) on the season and the ninth-most fantasy points per game to signal-callers in ESPN leagues. McCown costs $6,400 on FanDuel but is found at a far more palatable $5,200 on DraftKings. 

We don't suggest leveraging McCown into cash lineups, but with expectedly low ownership in larger tournament fields, the veteran could offer differentiation and upside at reasonable pricing. 

Robert Kelley Could Start for the Redskins in Week 8

Nick Wass/Associated Press

In the wake of multiple fumbles in Week 7, Washington Redskins tailback Matt Jones has missed practice so far this week with a knee injury, according to Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post. With Jones’ status in doubt for the team’s trip to London to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Wembley Stadium, rookie understudy Robert Kelley could serve as the team’s starting back and lead early-down rushing option.

Head coach Jay Gruden shared his thoughts on the backfield breakdown if Jones is sidelined, per Tesfatsion:

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If Matt has an issue where he can’t go, it would be Robert in the lead role, more likely. Chris [Thompson] has such an important role as far as third downs and his specialty role that we need him in that role, and he’s not a very big guy. We don’t want to give him the ball 35 times between the tackles, you know? We’d like to have a more physical guy do that.

"

The undrafted asset is averaging 6.1 yards per carry on the campaign and had 46 receptions as a sophomore at Tulane, according to Sports-Reference.com, suggesting he claims some dual-threat upside.

The matchup isn’t too intimidating, as the Bengals have allowed 94.8 rushing yards per game to opposing backs and a generous 4.4 yards per carry along with the 13th-most fantasy points per game in ESPN standard formats.

Found at $5,100 on FanDuel and a truly appealing pricing on DraftKings at the salary floor ($3,000), Kelley is an intriguing punt play at the position in tournaments if Jones is ruled out.

Jacquizz Rodgers Is Once Again a Top DFS Target

Jason Behnken/Associated Press

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Doug Martin remains sidelined with a lingering and seemingly significant hamstring injury, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. With Martin likely to sit yet another game due to the injury, we could see diminutive dynamo Jacquizz Rodgers again assume workhorse duties for the club.

Rodgers is fifth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage per game since Week 5 and rates second only to Arizona Cardinals superstar tailback David Johnson in touches per game at 31 over the past two games.

We also find Rodgers has netted four red-zone touches per game since assuming lead duties in Week 5, suggesting he’s actually due for an uptick in the touchdown department. The Oakland Raiders have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to backs in DraftKings' scoring model and 5.05 yards per rush to opposing backs—most in the AFC and third-most in the NFL.  

As a key building block in a week hit by injuries and byes, Rodgers is among the best backfield bargains available in Week 8.

Pair of Talented Receivers Offer Cheap Upside in Week 8

Associated Press

Colts WR Donte Moncrief

The Indianapolis Colts’ Donte Moncrief has missed the past several weeks with a significant shoulder injury. According to Mike Chappell of Fox 59, however, the talented wideout is due to return this week for a choice matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

In ESPN leagues, only the Chicago Bears have allowed more fantasy points per game in points-per-reception formats to receivers than the Chiefs. Only the Oakland Raiders have allowed more yards per game to receivers than the Chiefs.

Moncrief has thrived working with Andrew Luck since the start of last season. Luck ranks first in grading among quarterbacks on Pro Football Focus. Moncrief has averaged 1.82 fantasy points per target from Luck in points-per-reception leagues since the start of the 2015 campaign and just 1.42 from other Indy signal-callers over that span. 

Given his multiweek absence, Moncrief is modestly priced on both main daily fantasy platforms.

We also dig discounted shares of the Arizona Cardinals’ John “Smokey” Brown as a strong sleeper option in Week 8. The Cardinals’ Michael Floyd is facing uncertain status with a balky hamstring, per Mike Jurecki of FoxSports 910.

Brown could thrive facing the Carolina Panthers, a team that rates 24th in pass coverage and doesn't have a single cornerback ranked in the top 47 in coverage grading on Pro Football Focus.

In order to afford elite options like the Bucs’ Mike Evans or Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones in inviting matchups, we can rely on reasonably priced studs like Moncrief and Brown.

Dez Bryant Expected to Return on Sunday Night Against Eagles

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys’ Dez Bryant is expected to return to action from a knee ailment this Sunday night in a crucial division battle with the rival Philadelphia Eagles, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via NFL on ESPN). 

Bryant hasn’t established a rapport with sensational rookie quarterback Dak Prescott just yet, hauling in just 47.8 percent of his targets in limited action earlier this season, but we remain intrigued by tournament exposure given the inviting matchup with a suspect secondary. The Eagles don’t have a corner ranked in the top 100 on Pro Football Focus, while Prescott leads the league in QBR and is fifth in yards per attempt.

Given his prominent production pedigree and name value, Bryant is still somewhat pricey at $7,100 on DraftKings and $7,300 on FanDuel, but the inviting matchup metrics and Prescott’s rare efficiency supports upside in tournaments. 

Data such as targets, red-zone usage, fantasy points and defensive allowance rates sourced from an ESPN database.