Week 8 Fantasy Football Sleepers

By Corbin Young | October 28, 2021

Fantasy Football Sleepers

In the brutal Week 7 bye week, some fantasy managers started waiver wire or bench players. Streaming quarterbacks and finding sleepers at the quarterback position seems easier. However, at the other spots, the sleeper picks look a bit grimmer week after week. Fortunately, only the Ravens and Raiders have a bye in Week 8. We’ll review the Week 7 sleepers, then look ahead to Week 8 sleepers based on the matchup and advanced stats that lead us there. 

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Week 7 Review

Outside of the two picks, Tua Tagovailoa performed well against the Falcons. Tagovailoa finished with 291 passing yards, four touchdowns, 7.3 yards per attempt, and 29 rushing yards. Once again, Tagovailoa fed Mike Gesicki and Jaylen Waddle for seven receptions each, with 80+ receiving yards. Hold onto Tagovailoa during a tough Week 8 matchup against the Bills because they face the Texans and Ravens after that. 

Unfortunately, for Jameis Winston in the bomb cyclone of wind gusts and rain, the Saints’ offense couldn’t muster much in the passing game outside of Alvin Kamara. After uber-efficient production with a 10.3% (No. 1) touchdown rate and 8.0 (No. 7) Adjusted Yards Per Attempt, Winston lacked the efficiency against the Seahawks. Toss it up to a road game in poor conditions, as they’re finally getting their receivers healthy. However, Winston used his legs and added 40 rushing yards, a new season-high. 

Unexpectedly, the Patriots ruled Rhamondre Stevenson inactive in Week 7 against the Jets. After some increased playing and peripherals in the routes run for Stevenson, fantasy managers hoped for an increased role. With no clear indication via Bill Belichick, maybe it’s a product of Brandon Bolden’s role on special teams or yet, another frustrating Patriots backfield to figure out. Keep stashing Stevenson because the Patriots face the Chargers, who allowed the most rushing yards to the position heading into Week 7. 

In the Week 7 Winners, Losers, and Takeaways, I concluded that we want to avoid the Ravens backfield. Devonta Freeman landed as a Week 7 sleeper, and he salvaged his day with a rushing touchdown. However, the low usage of four carries and 14 rushing yards concerns us even against a tough run defense in the Bengals that allowed the 8th fewest rushing yards. Freeman added three catches for 25 receiving yards. Feel free to cut Freeman heading into their bye week, even though any running back with some work holds value in deeper leagues.

Darnell Mooney and Robby Anderson let us down in Week 7 after some intriguing opportunity metrics. Mooney caught two of five targets for 39 receiving yards. On a positive note, Justin Fields increased the passing attempts to another career-high of 32. Mooney came into Week 7 with the 11th highest target share (26.9%) and the 28th best Air Yards Share (32.7%). Keep stashing Mooney because the offensive efficiency could improve with more seasoning assuming the opportunities remain stable or increase. 

Yet another inefficient week for Robby Anderson with three catches for 14 yards on nine targets. Unfortunately, Sam Darnold’s poor play contributed to the lack of receiving efficiency as Darnold finished with 111 passing yards and 4.4 yards per attempt. Anderson still averages 9.5 targets per game over the past four weeks, yet a measly 3.3 receptions and 25.3 receiving yards. Same with Mooney, it’s worth stashing Anderson in deeper leagues. 

In a dominant performance against the Texans, the Cardinals lacked the massive production outside of DeAndre Hopkins with seven receptions for 53 receiving yards and one touchdown. A.J. Green didn’t earn the six target threshold, yet thankfully Green caught all three for 66 receiving yards on Sunday. Although it’s not great, Green still provided WR3 type production in the unusual bye week. 

The high-end usage for Ricky Seals-Jones continued as he caught six of seven targets for 51 receiving yards. Seals-Jones finished second on the team behind Terry McLaurin in those three categories. He also played on more snaps and ran more routes than McLaurin. Seals-Jones should continue to provide TE1 type production given the high usage. 

Week 8 Sleepers

Carson Wentz vs. TEN

Carson Wentz heads into a divisional matchup against the Titans after three straight top-15 fantasy performances. Tennessee allows the 5th most passing yards with an average of 291 passing yards per game. In a matchup with brutal conditions against the 49ers, Wentz finished with 150 passing yards and 5.8 yards per attempt. However, he kept the fantasy production afloat with a rushing touchdown. 

Wentz provided efficient passing production with 8.0 (No. 8) Adjusted Yards Per Attempt on the season. However, the 32.1 Team Pass Plays Per Game (No. 25) gives him little margin for error. In their previous matchup in Week 3, Wentz finished with the worst fantasy performance of the season with 7.8 (No. 31) fantasy points. Over the past three games, the Titans have allowed 282.7 passing yards per game. Look for Wentz to bounce back as a Week 8 sleeper with eight passing touchdowns and zero interceptions over the past four games. 

Teddy Bridgewater vs. WAS

After two top-12 weeks, where Teddy Bridgewater averaged 311 passing yards, he struggled against the Browns on Thursday night. It looked like the Broncos went out there with a backup quarterback and without their top two running backs. Bridgewater lands as a Week 8 sleeper due to the matchup. It’s safe to say the Washington Football Team defense underperformed so far with the third-most passing yards allowed (311.1/game). 

Although Bridgewater airs it out with 2,078 (No. 7) Air Yards, the passing efficiency remains below average with 6.9 (No. 17) Adjusted Yards Per Attempt. The Washington Football Team still pressures a decent amount with a 26.2% pressure rate (No. 10), and so far, Bridgewater ranks 7th with a 54.2% pressured completion rate and 5th with a 74.3% true completion rate. In friendly matchups, Bridgewater fared well in four out of seven weeks, with an average of 20.7 fantasy points. It’s not the most exciting option, but Bridgewater lands as a quarterback sleeper in Week 7. 

Boston Scott at DET

One of the top Week 8 waiver wire adds involves Kenneth Gainwell with the Miles Sanders injury. However, sometimes we dig a little deeper and look for the next running back on the team in Boston Scott. With Sanders’ injury, Scott garnered a 31.9% snap share with nine opportunities (seven rushes/two targets) for 29 total yards and one touchdown. There’s a chance that Jordan Howard (yuck) receives some work since Gainwell and Scott have similar profiles as smaller backs with pass-catching ability. 

However, the Eagles showed the willingness to involve a second running back even with Miles Sanders healthy the past two seasons. Like Teddy Bridgewater, it’s about the matchup against the Lions, who allow the 8th most rushing yards (105.1/game) and the second-most fantasy points (24.4) to the position. It’s more of a deep-league option, but Scott serves as a Week 8 sleeper at running back to consider in an RB3 or flex spot. 

Devin Singletary vs. MIA

Part of considering Devin Singletary involves the potential game script, where the Bills have a lead with a +9.50 (No. 1) Game Script. Although the usage for Zack Moss looks better and bodes well, particularly in the red zone, the Bills still share the backfield. Singletary’s 52% (No. 28) Opportunity Share and 64.3 (No. 31) Weighted Opportunities don’t look great.

However, some of the peripherals give us optimism with a 35.6% (No. 15) Juke Rate and 26 (No. 24) Evaded Tackles. Singletary averages a solid 2.6 yards before and after contact compared to Zack Moss with 1.8 yards before and 2.0 yards after contact. The Dolphins allow the 7th most rushing yards (107/game) and 7th most fantasy points (22.1) to opposing running backs. Assuming a positive game script, Singletary could eat up garbage time production or break off a big run or two with the 15th best Juke Rate. 

Cole Beasley vs. MIA 

Coming off his best game of the season, Cole Beasley heads out of their bye week with a potential bump in opportunity with the Dawson Knox injury. On a Bills team that averages 38.5 (No. 9) Team Pass Plays Per Game, Beasley’s opportunity metrics don’t look great with a 19.5% (No. 45) target share and 12.2% (No. 87) Air Yards Share. However, Beasley’s 24.7% (No. 33) Target Rate or targets per route run look better. 

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Beasley provided inconsistent production of 18.9 fantasy points in three games and 4.2 in the other three contests. In two of the games where Beasley struggled, Dawson Knox feasted. Although it’s likely not correlated, it’s worth rolling out Beasley as a Week 8 sleeper against the Dolphins, who allow the third-most receiving yards (197.7/game). Beasley relies on the opportunity to produce with an average of 11.7 targets in his best three games. Look for Beasley to bounce back against the Dolphins after a down performance in Week 2. 

Christian Kirk vs. GB

With two back-to-back top-20 fantasy performances, should we rely on Christian Kirk again? Like Cole Beasley, Christian Kirk’s 16.9% (No. 54) target share doesn’t look great. However, Beasley’s 21.6% (No. 56) target rate looks better, although it’s uber-efficient production. Kirk boasts the 31st most receptions (30) and 26th most receiving yards (408) with four touchdowns (No. 11). 

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Often efficient pass-catchers pair with efficient quarterbacks, and that’s happening with Kyler Murray boasting the 3rd highest Adjusted Yards Per Attempt (8.9). With that, it’s no surprise that Kirk ranks 10th with 11.3 Yards Per Target and 20th with 2.44 Yards Per Route Run. Given the lower target share, the 2.66 (No. 5) fantasy points per target give us another data point for the uber-efficiency. It’s not the best matchup with the 9th fewest receiving yards allowed (145.9) to the position, but the Cardinals-Packers matchup projects as a higher scoring game on Thursday. 

Robby Anderson at ATL

Fool me once, feel me twice, go back to the well with Robby Anderson. That’s how the saying goes right. With 9.5 targets per game over the last four, Anderson lacked the production due to Anderson’s 3.3 receptions and 25.3 receiving yards per game. Interestingly, the Falcons have performed better against receivers, with the 7th fewest receiving yards to the position. However, the sleeper recommendation for Anderson revolves around the idea of positive regression given the number of opportunities. Although it’s a bit of a contrarian play, maybe Anderson’s opportunity crosses over with some efficiency in Week 8. 

Evan Engram at KC

After Kansas City lost to the Titans on Sunday, it feels like a game where the Chiefs will come out hot. That could mean Kansas City dominates the game, and the Giants’ skill players fade in the background. Regardless, the Giants will likely trail, as they often do with a -3.85 (No. 25) Game Script. The Giants also throw it the 10th most with 38.4 Team Pass Plays Per Game. 

With the rough tight end position, any player earning just under six (5.8) targets per game warrant sleeper appeal. That’s the case for Evan Engram, who boasts a 15.3% (No. 12) target share with 20 receptions (No. 15) yet only 171 receiving yards (No. 26). It’s tricky to trust defensive stats versus the tight end position, but Kansas City currently allows the most receiving yards with 82.1 per game. Since Engram plays the 6th most snaps out of the slot, he averages the 6th most slot fantasy points per game (4.64). Monitor the practice reports because a report came out on Wednesday that Engram unexpectedly didn’t participate in practice. 

Two More Deep Sleepers

Darius Slayton at KC

With Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, and Kadarius Toney banged up and possibly missing Week 8, here’s one deep-cut sleeper involving Darius Slayton. Coming off a week where Slayton garnered the 6th most Air Yards (134) and a 27.3% target share, he could put up WR3/4 type numbers in Week 8. Slayton ranks 11th with a 14.6 Average Target Distance and 22nd in Yards Per Route Run (2.41). Meanwhile, Kansas City allows the 10th fewest receiving yards, yet giving up the third-highest Net Yards Per Attempt (8.0) behind the Jaguars and Lions. Slayton is playable in deep leagues, especially if one or two of Shepard, Toney, and Golladay miss the game. 

Brandon Aiyuk at CHI

Call it faith, hope, or extreme patience because I’m recommending Brandon Aiyuk as a deep-cut sleeper in Week 8. We’re basing the deep-league status on the matchup with the Bears allowing the 5th most receiving yards to the position (179.7 per game). It’s not without risk given Aiyuk’s low 9.5% (No. 90) target share and 12.2% (No. 86) Air Yards Share. Aiyuk also possesses a silly 5.70 (No. 8) Average Cushion, which indicates the cushion afforded the assigned defender meaning the opposing defense thinks Aiyuk isn’t a threat.

Sure, Aiyuk is a low-floor sleeper option, but the talent exists with Aiyuk in a friendly matchup. Plus, Deebo Samuel missed practice on Wednesday with a calf issue, but Kyle Shanahan seems optimistic Samuel will play on Sunday. If Samuel misses, that should mean Aiyuk soaks up more opportunity. 

Corbin Young
Corbin is passionate about fantasy baseball and football. He loves diving into and learning about advanced metrics. Corbin is a Mariners and Seahawks fan living in the Pacific Northwest. Corbin's other hobbies are lifting weights, cooking, and listening to fantasy sports podcasts.
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