Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 8: Advice for Unfavorable Fantasy Football Matchups

In fantasy football, you're not going to get desirable matchups at every position, every week. You're going to start your star players regardless whenever possible, but due to injuries and bye weeks, that isn't always an option.

This week, for instance, the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys are on bye. This means that weekly must-starts like Lamar Jackson, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper won't be available. Many fantasy managers are going to be faced with the prospect of starting lower-tier players in unfavorable matchups.

Not every unfavorable matchup will result in fantasy disaster, however. Here, we'll run down which bad matchups can be salvageable and which should be avoided at all costs.

We'll be looking specifically at borderline starters and flex options in PPR formats.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start 'Em

Gardner Minshew, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Philip Rivers, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

Ty Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions

Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Golden Tate, WR, New York Giants

Alshon Jeffery, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Start of the Week: Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson is going to be a game-time decision against the New Orleans Saints this week.

"We're hopeful, but we'll see how he feels on Sunday," Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said, per ESPN's Josh Weinfuss.

Even if Johnson is active, we can expect a large workload for fellow running back Chase Edmonds. He got most of the work last week and finished with 150 combined rushing and receiving yards and three touchdowns.

This week, though, Edmonds faces a Saints defense that has allowed an average of just 90.6 rushing yards per game. That's daunting. However, Edmonds is still worth the start based on his potential workload.

While he isn't likely to rack up yards at the same rate he did a week ago, Edmonds should see a handful of receptions, which is key to his PPR value. Edmonds can still top the 100-yard mark with combined rushing and receiving yards, and that makes him worth the start.

Sleeper of the Week; Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

The Tennessee Titans have allowed an average of just 232.9 passing yards per game. You're still going to start Tampa Bay Buccaneers receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans against them, but tight end is a little trickier.

The Buccaneers haven't leaned heavily on one tight end this season. O.J. Howard has 13 receptions, while Cameron Brate has 12. For this week, though, Brate will be the focus at tight end for Tampa.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Howard will miss the game with a hamstring injury:

This means that Brate should eat up all of the targets at tight end. While that still may not be a huge amount against a good Titans secondary, the workload does make Brate worth the start.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit 'Em

Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns

Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Royce Freeman, RB, Denver Broncos

Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns

Robby Anderson, WR, New York Jets

Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers

Sit of the Week: Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has been a frustrating player for fantasy owners this season. Not only has he failed to build on his impressive rookie season, but his penchant for turnovers has made him a risky play in most weeks.

Mayfield's turnover rate is likely to get a lot worse this week, as he's tasked with challenging the New England Patriots defense.

The Patriots don't just limit opposing quarterbacks, they wreck them. New England is allowing an average of just 6.9 points per game, which already makes for a bad matchup. The Patriots defense has also produced 26 sacks and 18 interceptions in seven games.

Mayfield has thrown 11 interceptions himself this season, and it's likely he throws multiple more in Week 8—if he even finds the time to get the ball out.

Cleveland has struggled in pass protection this year and could be shuffling their line ahead of the Patriots game.

According to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, starting left tackle Greg Robinson has been benched:

Mayfield is likely in for a long and unproductive day.