After a slightly disappointing Week 6, we bounced back nicely with a successful Week 7. We actually got at least 15 DraftKings points from all of our recommendations aside from our tight end, who happened to miss the game because of an unexpected appendectomy. What’s funny is that his backup scored two touchdowns, proving that our process was right for that position too. We’re going to look to keep that momentum rolling here, so, let’s get into our Week 8 picks!
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Thursday/Monday Slates
The Thursday game features a matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers. The status of Christian McCaffery is a major factor here. If he’s in, we like him but if he’s out, we love Mike Davis. Teddy Bridgewater is also a good play with D.J. Moore and Robbie Anderson. On the Atlanta side, Todd Gurley looks like a great option off of his two-touchdown gem last week.
The Monday matchup gives us the New York Giants hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The best play in this game is Mike Evans, with Chris Godwin expected to sit. Tampa’s defense is also an intriguing option, facing Daniel Jones and that terrible Giants offense. Don’t forget about Rob Gronkowski, Ronald Jones, and Leonard Fournette. In terms of New York players, Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard are their best options.
Quarterback of the Week
Sam Darnold (NYJ) $4,800 at KC
I might be irreversibly insane doing this but this price is absolutely absurd. Just to put it in perspective, Darnold is $200 behind Brett Rypien, C.J. Beathard, and Jameis Winston. Last time I checked, those guys are back-ups and won’t even play. That alone makes a talented guy like Darnold intriguing but I love that he enters this game as a 20-point underdog. That means Darnold will be attempting 40-plus passes in catch-up mode and can easily provide the 15 DraftKings you need at this price tag. Not to mention, he averaged over 16 DK points per game last season and that’s really all you can ask for from someone priced so cheaply.
If you want to spend up, Aaron Rodgers should continue his MVP campaign against a terrible Vikings secondary.
Cash Game Running Back
Kareem Hunt (CLE) $6,900 vs. LV
Hunt hasn’t quite lived up to expectations in an expanded role without Nick Chubb but he’s been solid nonetheless. Not only has Hunt scored at least 18 DK points in three of four games without Chubb, but he’s also averaging 16.4 fantasy points per game for the season. He’s done a lot of that damage in a limited role, making him one of the best per-touch producers around. We anticipate Hunt getting 20-plus touches here and that’d be awesome news against a Raiders defense who surrenders the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Losing Odell Beckham only adds to Hunt’s value, guaranteeing him 15-20 carries and at least 3-4 targets.
I also like Josh Jacobs on the other side of the ball here, toting the ball 20-plus times against a 25th OPRK Browns defense.
GPP Running Back
Le’Veon Bell (KC) $4,600 vs. NYJ
This is the definition of a GPP play. There’s not much reason to believe that Bell will see a huge workload with Clyde Edwards-Helaire in front of him but this matchup is different. The Chiefs enter this game as a 20-point favorite and could get a handful of goal-line opportunities. They’d surely give Bell at least a few of those chances, as he is looking like the more powerful back than CEH. Motivation is a huge factor too, with Bell facing the crappy team that dumped him off just a few weeks ago. All of that makes him a great GPP option below $5K.
If Joe Mixon is out again, don’t forget about Giovani Bernard.
Cash Game Wide Receiver
Keenan Allen (LAC) $6,200 at DEN
This price is insulting. Allen has been playing at a $7,500-level all season long and it’s weird to see him at just $6,200. What we really love about him is his usage, leading the NFL with a 31.1 percent team target share. That number is actually even higher since Justin Herbert took over quarterback duties, with Allen averaging over 20 DraftKings points per game since the change. It’s not like Denver is a defense we need to fade either, with the Broncos ranked 19th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers.
DeVante Adams is the most expensive play on the board but he’s easily the best cash game wide receiver too.
GPP Wide Receiver
A.J. Green (CIN) $4,500 vs. TEN
We’re going right back to the well with this egregious pricing. We talked about how good Green’s usage was last week and he provided another seven catches on 13 targets in Week 7. That’s been par for the course for Green, ranked seventh in the NFL in targets per game. He’s also second in the NFL in total air yards, making this price tag completely ridiculous. All of that has led to him scoring at least 15 DK points in back-to-back games, proving that it’s not empty usage. It’s not like the matchup is bad either, with the Titans owning a 28th OPRK against opposing wide receivers this season.
If Jamison Crowder plays, he’s a great stack against Darnold and could be looking at 10-15 targets.
Tight End of the Week
Jonnu Smith (TEN) $4,100 at CIN
Smith is coming off his worst week of the season but it’s lowered his price tag way too much. A part of the pricing is surely due to the fact that he got injured the week prior but he was one of the most reliable tight ends before that. In fact, Smith was the only tight end in football who scored at least 11 DK points in each of his first four games, averaging 17.5 fantasy points per game in that stretch. We believe he can duplicate that here, facing a Cincinnati club that allows the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.
Darren Waller is always one of my favorite plays and is definitely a viable option below $6K.
D/ST of the Week
Tennessee Titans $3,000 at CIN
This is easily the best value among the D/ST options. There are actually 10 teams priced above them and that simply doesn’t add up. Not only does Tennessee own one of the best defenses in football, Cincy currently ranks 24th in OPRK against D/STs. That looks even worse when you consider that the Bengals are tied for 26th in giveaways and dead-last in sacks surrendered.
If you’re willing to pay up, the Kansas City D/ST is obviously a good play against the Jets.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
