Fantasy Football Week 8: Confident Calls on Toughest Lineup Decisions

Another week of NFL football is upon us, which of course means we have another week of tough fantasy matchups to dissect.

Trades have impacted the fantasy landscape (we'll see you next week with the Dallas Cowboys, Amari Cooper), as has the disappointing campaigns of former fantasy stars like David Johnson and Marshawn Lynch, who is now on injured reserve.

Bye weeks also play a factor in Week 8, as the Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans are all off.

We're here to help with some of those challenging matchups by analyzing factors like opponent, early-season performances and player health. We'll be making our choices based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring formats. All rankings and fantasy statistics are courtesy of FantasyPros.

QB Ben Roethlisberger vs. Cleveland Browns

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Way back in Week 1, we suggested sitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger against the rival Cleveland Browns. Big Ben finished that game with 335 passing yards and a touchdown, but he also had five turnovers.

Will Week 8 bring a repeat performance? We don't believe so.

This game is in Pittsburgh, where Roethlisberger tends to have more success. The Browns have also lost starting cornerback Terrance Mitchell (fractured forearm) since Week 1 and will be without cornerback E.J. Gaines, who is in concussion protocol.

The Cleveland defense ranks 26th in pass defense, surrendering 278.9 yards per game. While it will probably force Roethlisberger into a turnover or two, a five-turnover day feels extremely unlikely. With fewer turnovers and a home-field advantage, Big Ben is a safe start.

Verdict: Start

Projection: 328 passing yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs

QB Matthew Stafford vs. Seattle Seahawks

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Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is one of the better signal-callers in the NFL, and he's traditionally been a borderline must-start in fantasy. However, the Lions have a new-found dedication to the run game, which has changed the tone of the Detroit offense.

"My take on football just in general, the run game always has to be a part of the game," Lions head coach Matt Patricia said, per Mike O'Hara of the team's official website.

Stafford has an efficient 1,602 passing yards and 12 touchdowns this season, but he hasn't been the centerpiece of the Lions offense as in years past.

This week, Stafford faces a tough matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, who have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

Expect Detroit to again focus on rookie back Kerryon Johnson and the run game, and feel free to leave Stafford on your bench.

Verdict: Sit

Projection: 260 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

RB James White vs. Buffalo Bills

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The New England Patriots can make things difficult for fantasy owners because they don't always focus on the same offensive players on a week-to-week basis—aside from Tom Brady. This is particularly true in the backfield, where backs tend to have specialized roles.

However, rookie running back Sony Michel will be out "a week or two" with a knee injury, according to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe. This increases the value of fellow back James White, who is already a force in PPR formats.

The fifth-year back already has 45 receptions this season.

Against the Buffalo Bills, we can expect White to have an even bigger role in the ground game, making him a reliable option, even in standard scoring formats.

Verdict: Start

Projection: 48 rushing yards, 6 REC, 52 receiving yards, 1 TD

RB Latavius Murray vs. New Orleans Saints

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The Minnesota Vikings have been dealing with Dalvin Cook's hamstring injury well thanks in large part to the presence of fellow back Latavius Murray. The one-time Oakland Raider has amassed 330 yards and 4.8 yards per carry.

This week, he'll be going up against a New Orleans defense that ranks 27th in scoring, allowing 27.2 points per game. However, just because the Saints surrender points doesn't mean they're good for opposing running backs.

In fact, the Saints have allowed the fewest rushing yards in the NFL this season, giving up just 72.3 yards per game. They also have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing backs.

Expect Kirk Cousins and the Vikings to attack New Orleans downfield through the air, and expect Murray to have limited production because of it.

Verdict: Sit

Projection: 52 rushing yards, 1 REC, 6 receiving yards

RB Nick Chubb vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

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The Browns traded Carlos Hyde to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, which has opened things up for rookie back Nick Chubb. He got his first start last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and finished with 80 yards and a touchdown on the ground, despite the Browns twice being down 14 points.

This week, Chubb has a stiff matchup with the Steelers, who have allowed the fifth-fewest points to opposing running backs this season.

But Chubb is a solid play because of his role in the offense, and because the Browns should be focusing on the ground game in order to limit Baker Mayfield's exposure to the Pittsburgh pass rush.

Expect to see a heavy dose of Chubb on the ground and a couple of big plays due to the explosive element he brings to the field. He'll have a very workmanlike stat line, but Chubb is worth a start as an RB2 or a flex player.

Verdict: Start

Projection: 78 rushing yards, 1 TD, 1 REC, 8 receiving yards

RB Carlos Hyde vs. Philadelphia Eagles

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While we like Chubb against the Steelers, we don't like Hyde against the Philadelphia Eagles, who have allowed the second-fewest points to running backs.

There are two big issues with Hyde. The first is that this will be his first game with a new team, and it takes place in London. The other is that the Jaguars are dealing with a quarterback situation that is questionable at best.

Hyde will also be sharing the workload with T.J. Yeldon, though that is less of an issue.

Expect the Eagles to focus on Hyde and the Jaguars running game while daring Blake Bortles to beat them through the air. That's going to lead to a disappointing debut for Hyde.

Verdict: Sit

Projection: 58 rushing yards

WR Taylor Gabriel vs. New York Jets

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After posting back-to-back 100-yard games, Chicago Bears wide receiver Taylor Gabriel had a disappointing 26-yard outing against the New England Patriots in Week 7. That may lead you to consider sitting him against another AFC East opponent, the New York Jets.

Don't.

The Jets rank 20th in the NFL in passing yards allowed, giving up 266.0 per game, but they're banged up in the secondary. Cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Morris Claiborne are both questionable for Sunday, and Buster Skrine is still dealing with a concussion. For the season, New York has given up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.

With quarterback Mitchell Trubisky finally beginning to shine in Matt Nagy's offense, Gabriel is a safe bet each time he faces an inferior team.

Verdict: Start

Projection: 6 REC, 82 receiving yards, 1 TD

WR Sterling Shepard vs. Washington Redskins

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While Gabriel had a down week last week, New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard had a breakout one. He had five receptions and 167 yards against the Atlanta Falcons.

Here's the thing, though: The Falcons defense is missing Deion Jones and Keanu Neal and has been terrible most of the season. The Washington Redskins defense has been surprisingly good, outside of that Monday night meltdown against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

Washington ranks 13th in passing yards allowed with 238.3 per game and is seventh in scoring (20.2 points).

Expect Shepard to return to obscurity in a Giants offense that simply cannot seem to find its way this season.

Verdict: Sit

Projection: 3 REC, 38 yards

TE C.J. Uzomah vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Ever since Tyler Eifert was lost for the season with an ankle injury, tight end C.J. Uzomah has become a significant piece of the Cincinnati Bengals offense. He had six receptions two weeks ago, and while he had just two catches last week, he also added a touchdown.

If you don't have one of the top tight ends in your fantasy league, Uzomah is an excellent streaming option, and he's a must-start this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tampa has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. Cleveland's David Njoku had 52 yards and a touchdown last week against the Buccaneers, and that's about what we should expect from Uzomah in Week 8.

Verdict: Start

Projection: 5 REC, 49 receiving yards, 1 TD

Minnesota Vikings D/ST vs. New Orleans Saints

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The Minnesota Vikings defense has been solid this season, allowing the 11th-fewest yards per game (345.9). They're also in the top half of the league in defensive scoring (23.6 points per game allowed) and have snagged seven interceptions and nine forced fumbles.

However, the Vikings are facing the Saints this week, which is never a promising prospect for fantasy defenses. Defenses and special teams facing the Saints have scored the third-fewest fantasy points this season.

New Orleans is averaging 34.0 points per game, and Drew Brees has yet to throw an interception. Don't rely on the Vikings in Week 8.

Verdict: Sit

Projection: 30 points allowed, 1 FF