Let’s take a look at some of the players with the largest standard deviation between high and low expert ranks in FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR). Which players are the safest starts, and who poses the biggest risk to your fantasy football lineup in Week 8?
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Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice
Week 8 Risky Fantasy Football Starts
Michael Penix Jr. (QB – ATL) vs. Miami Dolphins
- Highest Rank: QB13
- Lowest Rank: QB18
With six teams on a bye and question marks for starters around the league, streaming options are very thin this week. Michael Penix Jr. does have legitimate upside in a matchup against a generous Miami defense. In Weeks 1 through 4, Miami allowed over 20 fantasy points to every quarterback they faced, including Justin Fields, who just lost his job. The Dolphins allow the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and that number is underselling their struggles because it includes the six-point fantasy performance from Dillon Gabriel last week.
Penix’s upside in this matchup does come with the inherent risk of an incredibly low floor — five and six fantasy points in two games earlier in the season. Fantasy managers can take the desperation play due to the matchup, but should also look for streaming options with rushing upside before they turn to Penix.
My Projected Finish: QB16
Kendrick Bourne (WR – SF) vs. Houston Texans
- Highest Rank: WR29
- Lowest Rank: WR55
In Weeks 5 and 6, Mac Jones threw for nearly 700 total yards, and Kendrick Bourne had two straight games with 142 yards. He came crashing back down to reality in Week 7, with just two receptions for 14 yards. Bourne’s minimal production wasn’t because of Jauan Jennings or George Kittle. Week 7 was simply the Christian McCaffrey show.
However, we can excuse the lack of pass production because Jones is not the only quarterback who’s thrown for fewer than 200 yards against Atlanta. In fact, no quarterback has thrown for more than 189 passing yards against the Falcons this year, and they’ve allowed seven passing touchdowns to quarterbacks while forcing six interceptions.
Only two receivers — Emeka Egbuka and Deebo Samuel — have done well against the Falcons. Unfortunately, this week’s matchup isn’t much of an upgrade. The Texans have limited opposing quarterbacks to fewer than 250 passing yards and have given up just four passing touchdowns compared to six interceptions. Bye week blues may force you to turn to Bourne, but he’s a boom/bust play.
My Projected Finish: WR31
Tez Johnson (WR – TB) vs. New Orleans
- Highest Rank: WR30
- Lowest Rank: WR49
Tez Johnson has stepped up admirably over the past several weeks, scoring between 9.9 and 15.8 fantasy points. This week, Tampa Bay’s receiving corps will be without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, meaning Johnson will continue to have increased opportunity. Johnson is currently ranked in a pretty wide gap from a low-end WR3 to a high-end WR5. However, Johnson has several things going for him.
While this is the first week we’ve seen a significant increase in his targets, the snap count has been very consistent over the past two weeks. He also received the nod of confidence from Todd Bowles, who said that Johnson would continue to see an increased role due to the injuries. He offers versatility and plays very well in terms of style and capabilities opposite Emeka Egbuka. Most importantly, he has a matchup against a typically friendly Saints defense. He might be the “safest” of the risky plays.
My Projected Finish: WR39
More Risky Starts
Week 8 Safe Fantasy Football Starts
Joe Flacco (QB – CIN) vs. New York Jets
- Highest Rank: QB13
- Lowest Rank: QB16
You know the pickings are slim when Joe Flacco is considered the safest streaming option at quarterback this week against the Jets’ defense. There’s an extremely thin line between Michael Penix Jr. and Flacco, but that’s why it’s critical to discuss both. If we erase the disaster in Cleveland from our memory and just think about his past two games as the Bengals’ starter, you can understand why we feel more comfortable with Flacco this week.
Since becoming a Bengal, Flacco has thrown a minimum of 45 attempts in the past two games against Green Bay and Pittsburgh. He’s had five total touchdowns and scored 19 fantasy points against Green Bay and 26 points against Pittsburgh. The offense is gelling so well that even Chase Brown is on an upswing. The Jets’ defense got off to a rough start this season, but they’ve turned things around over the past couple of weeks in matchups against Denver and Carolina. However, they are dealing with injuries on defense, including Sauce Gardner, who is in the concussion protocol. If Gardner is inactive, that would be a significant blow to the Jets’ defense.
My Projected Finish: QB15
Woody Marks (RB – HOU) vs. San Francisco 49ers
- Highest Rank: RB25
- Lowest Rank: RB29
After a disappointing performance in Week 5 against Baltimore, Woody Marks bounced back and led the Texans’ backfield, playing 63% of the snaps with 10 carries for 15 yards and three receptions on five targets for 20 yards and a touchdown — an adequate day in a tough matchup. Nick Chubb was reduced to just five carries that resulted in two fantasy points on just 25% of snaps. The Baltimore performance was likely an outlier, the result of an early blowout.
As long as the matchup is somewhat competitive or the Texans are chasing points, Marks is a trustworthy Flex option. This week’s matchup against San Francisco should be one where San Francisco leads, paving the way for Marks to succeed through receptions. The Texans may also have to rely on him more, with the continued injury to Christian Kirk and Nico Collins potentially missing time due to a concussion.
My Projected Finish: RB25
Kayshon Boutte (WR – NE) vs. Cleveland Browns
- Highest Rank: WR34
- Lowest Rank: WR44
With two straight solid fantasy performances, we’re finally at a place where we can trust Kayshon Boutte. Boutte has been a consistent presence within the Patriots’ offense, but it’s been tough to rely on him from a volume perspective because Drake Maye hasn’t been a high-volume passer this season. Maye has been incredibly efficient, leading the league in completion percentage, completing 75% percent of his passes.
This week’s matchup profiles as another low-volume, efficiency day, but Boutte consistently leads the receiving corps in snaps. If you’re struggling to fill your Flex this week, Boutte offers reliability. In addition to Drake Maye’s efficiency, what helps increase Boutte’s reliability is the fact that he has been incredibly consistent with his hands as well. Boutte has caught 80% percent of his targets, meaning he doesn’t need significant volume to capitalize — all it takes is two to three catches, and he can get you to double-digit fantasy points.
My Projected Finish: WR37
More Safe Starts
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