Week 8 Fantasy Football Projections: Top Streaming Options for Byes

Between the expanding injury report and a two-team bye week that will feel like more given the clubs' quality, Week 8 of the 2019 fantasy football season already looks tricky to navigate.

Patrick Mahomes (kneecap) is staring at a multiweek absence. The forecasts for Matt Ryan (ankle), Kerryon Johnson (knee) and Adam Thielen (hamstring) are too cloudy to gauge at the moment.

While only the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys are off this week, that could nevertheless lead to a lot of roster management. Their collective list of weekly regulars include Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper and Mark Ingram.

In other words, you'll want to familiarize yourself with the best streaming options for Week 8. We have identified those players⁠—⁠available in 50-plus percent of Yahoo leagues, per FantasyPros—at each offensive position and projected their Week 8 stat lines.

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans (5 Percent Owned)

Well, this is unexpected.

Two weeks ago, Ryan Tannehill hadn't thrown a pass this season and appeared trapped behind Marcus Mariota. Now, the 31-year-old has taken the starting job in Tennessee and, in his first start, topped 300 passing yards and led the Titans to their third-most points in seven games (23).

"You can tell he's (run) a huddle before," Titans tackle Taylor Lewan told reporters. "It's not like this was this guy's first start or anything like that. He came in and he knew exactly what he was doing. He was smart, diligent, he knew where he was going with the ball. He took care of stuff."

Tannehill knows what he's doing. During his six-year run with the Dolphins, he had a three-season stretch of passing for at least 3,900 yards and 24 touchdowns. Consistency isn't always a strength, but he's capable of putting up numbers.

Why can't he keep that up this week? After lighting up a talented Chargers defense, he'll get a much more favorable draw in the Buccaneers, who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, per Yahoo Sports.

Stat projection: 267 passing yards, 23 rushing yards, two touchdowns

Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals (48 Percent Owned)

Tickets for the Chase Edmonds hype train had been harder to come by in recent weeks, but they have sell-out potential after his Week 7 emergence.

Following on the heels of a ceremonial start for David Johnson, Edmonds handled the lion's share of Arizona's backfield work in its 27-21 win over the New York Giants.

The second-year rusher out of Fordham was simply awesome, turning 27 rushes and two receptions into 150 total yards and three touchdowns.

Johnson's status is unknown going forward, but it's worth noting NFL Network's Ian Rapaport reported the Cards were working out Jay Ajayi on Monday.

Edmonds can have some value behind a healthy Johnson (60-plus scrimmage yards and a score each of the previous two weeks), but if the latter misses any more time, the former could be a fantasy Goliath.

"When healthy, Johnson remains the No. 1 back for Arizona; he's as versatile as any offensive weapon in the game," Andy Behrens wrote for Yahoo Sports. "But it's equally evident that Edmonds needs to remain heavily involved. He's too dangerous a weapon to serve as a pure understudy."

Edmonds' matchup isn't easy this weekend (New Orleans) nor in the following ones (San Francisco twice, Tampa Bay), but his upside is so high the matchup may not matter much.

Stat projection: 74 rushing yards, 32 receiving yards, one touchdown

Kenny Stills, WR, Houston Texans (12 Percent Owned)

All Kenny Stills needed was an opportunity with the Texans, and he got it by way of Will Fuller's early exit on Sunday.

Stills matched a season high with four receptions (on only five targets) and set a season best with 105 passing yards.

Fuller's hamstring injury isn't going away any time soon. According to Rapoport, he is expected to miss "several weeks."

That sound you just heard is the door swinging wide-open for Stills.

The speedy wideout has been a strong fantasy option before, managing top-30 finishes at the position in 2016 and 2017. From 2016-18, he tallied 21 touchdown receptions while catching balls from Tannehill, Matt Moore, Jay Cutler and Brock Osweiler.

Stills, 27, is moving up a weight class (or more) by lining up with Deshaun Watson under center.

While Stills should be an intriguing option for the foreseeable future, you'll want to roster him sooner than later. He's about to go up against a Raiders defense that allows the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers and just surrendered five passing touchdowns to Aaron Rodgers in a game he played without Davante Adams.

Stat projection: five receptions, 91 yards, one touchdown

Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins (1 Percent Owned)

The Dolphins might be an abysmal real-world team, but they're not a fantasy wasteland. They've scored at least 16 points each of the past two weeks, which may not sound like much, but it matches the output of their first three games combined.

This attack may never supply more than streamers, but players such as Preston Williams, DeVante Parker, Kenyan Drake and Mark Walton have all appeared as such in recent weeks. Same goes for tight end Mike Gesicki, who was quiet as a rookie and at the start of his second season this year but might finally be turning the corner.

He had 28 career catches going into Week 6. Over the past two weeks, Gesicki has seven receptions for 92 yards. While he's still waiting on his first career touchdown catch, it isn't hard to imagine the 6'6", 250-pounder becoming a viable red-zone option sooner than later.

"My college career, freshman year, sophomore year, I didn't do much," the Penn State product told Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post. "My junior and senior year, it took off and got me where I am. So I mean I'm in it for the long haul."

The tight end position as a whole is uninspiring, and the former second-round pick isn't exactly overflowing with excitement. But any signs of life at this spot are worth exploring, especially when they're coming from a recent top pick.

If nothing else, Gesicki might be worth a look this week against a Steelers team allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to the position, per Yahoo Sports.

Stat projection: five receptions, 52 yards