Week 8 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Advice on Fantasy Football Stars to Play or Bench

Welcome to the toughest stretch of fantasy football in 2018. 

With NFL Week 8 here, one look at the hottest names in fantasy football says it all. Outside of the Kansas City Chiefs, someone like Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has been on fire, scoring 43.46, 28.34 and 33.42 points over his last three outings. 

And the trick there is knowing when to hop off the train before it derails. Like any fantasy player, a combination of matchup and countless other factors go into the decision. Multiply that by all the starters in the league with defenses fully adjusted to offenses thanks to six or more games on film and, yes, fantasy is intimidating this time of year. 

As a helping hand, let's compare some of the notable matchups and pick out some stars to play or bench. 

QB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Aaron Rodgers (at LAR) vs. Andrew Luck (at OAK)	Andrew Luck
Kirk Cousins (vs. NO) vs. Andy Dalton (vs. TB)	Andy Dalton
Russell Wilson (at DET) vs. Patrick Mahomes (vs. DEN)	Patrick Mahomes
Ben Roethlisberger (vs. CLE) vs. Drew Brees (at MIN)	Ben Roethlisberger
Tom Brady (at BUF) vs. Carson Wentz (at JAX)	Tom Brady

Star to Know: Andrew Luck, IND (at OAK) 

It might seem scary to trust Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck on the road. 

But the truth is Luck's early-season woes were always going to fade. The playbook is opening up deeper down the field as his arm strength returns with time, and the results have shown up on the fantasy scoreboard. Over his last four outings, Luck has tallied at least 22.74 points with a maximum of 35.66. 

Now Luck hits the road and gets to feast on a rebuilding Oakland Raiders defense that allows the 10th-most points to opposing quarterbacks on average. 

Luck has thrown three or more scores in four games and counting, with a hapless Raiders squad looking ready to make it five in a row. 

Star to Sit: Matthew Stafford, DET (vs. SEA)

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has gone the opposite direction, going from a must-start player in a solid offense to a matchup-based play rather quickly. 

This doesn't mean Stafford is a bad streaming option by any means, but he's scored more than 20 points just twice this year and thrown more than a pair of touchdowns once. 

That's terrible news going into a matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Yes, the Lions are at home, and no, the Seahawks aren't the Legion of Boom anymore, but they still cough up the fewest points to opposing quarterbacks. 

In what should be a strong day for Detroit's ground game, Stafford should have another sub-20 day. 

RB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Todd Gurley (vs. GB) vs. Lamar Miller (vs. MIA)	Todd Gurley
Kareem Hunt (vs. DEN) vs. Saquon Barkley (vs. WAS)	Kareem Hunt
James Conner (vs. CLE) vs. Christian McCaffrey (vs. BAL)	James Conner
Adrian Peterson (at NYG) vs. David Johnson (vs. SF)	Adrian Peterson
LeSean McCoy (vs. NE) vs. Mark Ingram (at MIN)	Mark Ingram

Star to Know: Kareem Hunt, KC (vs. DEN) 

All aboard the Kareem Hunt train. 

Hunt seemed like a non-factor to start the season despite the explosiveness of the Kansas City offense, scoring 4.9 points in Week 1 on 16 carries. 

But over his last four outings, Hunt has managed to shatter the 25-point barrier three times, including a 34.6-point outing in Week 7. Next up is a Denver Broncos defense allowing the seventh-most points to his position. 

To throw things even more in his favor, Hunt already torched Denver for 25 points back in Week 4, turning 19 carries on the road into 121 yards and a score. A repeat performance at home should have owners in a good position. 

Star to Sit: Christian McCaffrey, CAR (vs. BAL)

Christian McCaffrey is fading. 

The Carolina Panthers seemed to finally have the former first-round pick heavily involved, and the result was his drumming up 17.8 or more points in three of the team's first four games.

Since then, he's scored 11 or fewer. 

McCaffrey is still one of the most versatile weapons in the league, but he's looking at a Week 8 dance with a Baltimore Ravens defense holding running backs to the fewest points per game. That includes Alvin Kamara last week, who only mustered 14.5. 

WR

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Mike Evans (at CIN) vs. JuJu Smith-Schuster (vs. CLE)	Mike Evans
Antonio Brown (vs. CLE) vs. Adam Thielen (vs. NO)	Antonio Brown
A.J. Green (vs. TB) vs. Michael Thomas (at MIN)	Michael Thomas
Demaryius Thomas (at KC) vs. Tyreek Hill (vs. DEN)	Tyreek Hill
Stefon Diggs (vs. NO) vs. Jarvis Landry (at PIT)	Stefon Diggs

Star to Know: Tyler Boyd, CIN (vs. TB) 

Don't give up on Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tyler Boyd just yet. 

Yes, Boyd only had 4.2 points on four targets in Week 7, but chalk it up as an anomaly as the Bengals once again got the tar kicked out of them on prime time. The offensive coaching staff will have to readjust after giving Boyd his lowest target count of the year. 

Boyd is still the same player who has 15.5 or more points four times this year, including a pair of games over the 20-point mark. Now he's going for a rebound game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a defense coughing up the second-most points to wideouts. 

With coaches needing to get him involved again and the Buccaneers focusing on A.J. Green, Boyd should once again put up WR1 numbers. 

Star to Sit: Michael Crabtree, BAL (at CAR)

Wade Payne/Associated Press

The Baltimore Ravens offense predictably hasn't done much scoring this season, with Michael Crabtree likewise predictably struggling. 

Crabtree has scored all of two touchdowns on the season and hit double digits as many times despite nine or more targets in five games and counting. 

In other words, the tried and true "usage equals production" doesn't apply to the veteran. 

Case in point, Week 7 against a shaky New Orleans Saints defense saw Crabtree post 9.1 points on nine targets. Next up is a road game against the Panthers, a defense ranked right in the middle against wideouts and a game flow likely leaning on running games, not wideouts who aren't doing anything after the catch. 

TE

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Travis Kelce (vs. DEN) vs. O.J. Howard (at CIN)	O.J. Howard
George Kittle (at ARI) vs. David Njoku (at PIT)	George Kittle
Eric Ebron (at OAK) vs. Zach Ertz (at JAX)	Eric Ebron
Jared Cook (vs. IND) vs. C.J. Uzomah (vs. TB)	Jared Cook
Jordan Reed (at NYG) vs. Jimmy Graham (at LAR)	Jimmy Graham

Star to Know: O.J. Howard, TB (at CIN) 

It's all about picking and choosing spots at tight end and Tampa Bay's O.J. Howard is finally on the menu as a consideration each week. 

Howard has 9.2 or more points in half of his games this year with a high of 17.1, and he's entering Sunday against a Cincinnati defense notorious for letting up big point totals to tight ends. 

Those Bengals allow the fourth-most points to tight ends this year, a continuation of a longstanding trend. Cincinnati corners might lock down Tampa Bay's outside receivers, but they don't have anyone who can run with Howard, meaning a career day might be in the cards.  

Star to Sit: Jordan Reed, WAS (at NYG)

The Washington Redskins don't seem interested in working in Jordan Reed. 

That or Alex Smith has simply been terrible for Reed's career. 

Either way, one of the most talented tight ends in the league has double digits once this season and more than five targets in a game just three times. He's reached the end zone once despite the Redskins desperately looking for production from the passing game. 

The clouds don't clear for Reed in an NFC East staredown with the New York Giants. Those Giants are miserable and blowing it all up, but they also only permit the ninth-fewest points to tight ends, making Reed a premier sit option once again. 

All scoring info, points-against info and ownership stats courtesy of Yahoo standard leagues.