Fantasy Football Sleepers Week 8
For one week, we get a break from our players getting a break. With no teams on bye, managers will have full access to all their (healthy) players. That may mean that you’re not as concerned with sleepers this week, but if you’re like most of us, you are still scrambling to make up for out or underperforming players. The deeper we get into the season, the harder it becomes to identify sleepers who can help you win the week. However, plenty of options are flying under the radar, and they should be considered for your Week 8 lineup. Below are a few of those names. Here are my sleepers for Week 8.
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Week 8 Fantasy Sleepers
Start Stat %, Via Sleeper
TUA TAGOVAILOA (QB)
MIAMI DOLPHINS VS. ARI (12% START)
Tua Tagovailoa returned to full practice on Thursday and looks primed to return to action on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. But just because he’s in the Dolphins’ lineup, does that mean he should be in yours? There’s a good argument for it. The matchup couldn’t be much better. The Cardinals allow the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. The Dolphins have just been trying to get by without Tua and in doing so all the skill position players have taken a hit. But now that he is back, I expect Mike McDaniel to unleash him. Tua isn’t a perfect quarterback, but he has immense upside in fantasy with weapons like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and De’Von Achane. He is in a great spot to outperform his projection. I would start him over Kyler Murray, Jared Goff, Kirk Cousins, Dak Prescott, and Patrick Mahomes.
RICO DOWDLE (RB)
DALLAS COWBOYS @ SF (24% START)
Dallas has looked a bit lost at times this season on both sides of the ball. But on offense, much of their woes have fallen at the feet of Rico Dowdle who has yet to get much of anything going. To their credit, the Dallas coaching staff has admitted they need to get Dowdle more touches moving forward. With them coming out of their bye, this seems like the perfect time to deploy that new offensive philosophy. The 49ers have been a tough matchup for running backs most of the season. But they did give up top-15 performances to Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Kyren Williams, and, most recently, Kareem Hunt. Hall, Walker, and Williams are better talents than Dowdle, but it’s hard to make that case for the 29-year-old Kareem Hunt. If Dowdle receives the work his coaches have alluded to he should be able to put up mid-range RB2 numbers.
BRAELON ALLEN (RB)
NEW YORK JETS @ NE (5% START)
The mention of Braelon Allen is largely a show of confidence in the Jets handling business in this one. New York is currently a seven-point favorite. The two teams have also already met this season and the Jets hardly broke a sweat winning 24-3. Granted, at that time it was Jacoby Brissett under center for the Patriots. This time it will be the rookie, Drake Maye, who has looked good over the last two weeks. Still, Aaron Rodgers and Co. will be motivated in what is a must-win game. The Patriots’ defense is much more stingy against the pass than against the run. Allen’s role has shrunk over the last few weeks, but I expect the Jets to lean heavily on the run game in the second half after using their elite pass catchers to build a comfortable lead. If the Jets can’t pull ahead early then Allen may not see the field much, but the smart money is on Allen seeing a larger role as the Jets run out the clock on their way to snapping their four-game losing streak.
RASHOD BATEMAN (WR)
BALTIMORE RAVENS @ CLE (15% START)
Well, it took four seasons, but Rashod Bateman is finally coming into his own in the Ravens’ aerial attack. Bateman has had three straight weeks with double-digit fantasy points in PPR formats and finished as the overall WR2 this past week. The one caveat to his production is that he has been doing it with limited volume which is difficult to trust. Since the first week, Bateman only has one game of more than four targets. He also gets much of his yardage on broken coverage and big plays, which screams boom-or-bust. Still, Lamar Jackson has this offense firing on all cylinders and his rising tide has lifted all boats. As long as Derrick Henry continues to dominate on the ground and Zay Flowers is healthy, Bateman’s opportunities may be few and far between. But Flowers has yet to practice this week after suffering an ankle injury on Monday Night Football. If Flowers is out or limited, Week 8 could be more boom than bust for Bateman.
CEDRIC TILLMAN (WR)
CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. BAL (3% START)
The selection of Cedric Tillman is very speculative, but with the news that Jameis Winston will be getting the start in Week 8, good things could be on the horizon. There are a couple of things we can count on from Winston. He will undoubtedly turn the ball over, and he will chuck it all over the field. It may not always be pretty but with the type of volume that Tillman could see, he should be able to produce. I also expect the Browns to fall behind early, making for a good fantasy game script. While the Ravens are strong against the run, they have had trouble against wide receivers this season. Neither Jerry Jeudy nor Elijah Moore are much of a threat to Tillman’s volume, and someone not named David Njoku has to have some receptions. If the Browns hope to keep pace with the Ravens, Winston may have to attempt 40+ passes. Whether it comes in garbage time or is spread throughout all four quarters, Tillman makes for a flex play with a solid floor and some upside.
CADE OTTON (TE)
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS VS. ATL (38% START)
Last week against the Baltimore Ravens, the Buccaneers lost Chris Godwin to a season-ending ankle injury and Mike Evans to a hamstring injury expected to sideline him for at least four weeks. While Tampa Bay trading for a wide receiver isn’t out of the question, Cade Otton’s target share should increase dramatically. Rachaad White will certainly see an increase in targets out of the backfield and wide receivers Sterling Shepard, Jalen McMillan, and Trey Palmer will be involved. But it will be Otton who sees the biggest boost in targets and production. Over the next several weeks Otton could be the No. 1 target for Baker Mayfield and when Evans returns, Otton could be no worse than No. 2. That is exactly what you want in a tight end, especially when they’re linked to a quarterback playing as well as Mayfield. He’s a sleeper this week, but after Week 8, he could be a must-start.
