Week 8 brings the chaos every fantasy football manager dreads: Bye-mageddon. Six teams are on bye, benches are bare, and you’re debating whether starting a backup tight end with one career touchdown is a good idea. Don’t panic — our Featured Pros are here to help you navigate the carnage. From sneaky upside plays to avoid-at-all-cost duds, they’ve got the insight you need to survive the bye-week apocalypse and keep your fantasy season afloat.
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Fantasy Football Week 8 Start/Sit Advice
Duds
Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros Flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?
A.J. Brown (WR – PHI)
“A.J. Brown will be a big disappointment this week. The divisional matchup against the Giants feels super risky. It was only a fortnight ago that Brown was kept relatively in check with a modest six catches for 80 yards and no scores. That’s a slight warning! But here’s the biggest concern for me: Is Jalen Hurts‘ incredible Week 7 in the passing game finally here to stay, or are we about to see the Eagles’ mediocre offense of the first six weeks again? Far too many question marks this week for Brown.”
– Luke Renton (The Franchise Tag UK)
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)
“Jaylen Waddle is currently in the top 40 flex rankings. Waddle has a history of being inconsistent as it is, but the Dolphins are a mess. He is also a name that is floating out there in trade rumors. Between Tua and the trade rumors, he is going to be a risky play.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
“Here are several reasons why Jaylen Waddle (WR, Miami Dolphins) looks like a fantasy bust this week — meaning he’s riskier than usual, not that he can’t ever be useful. Here’s why you might sit him or at least temper your expectations: He has a tough matchup and will be playing in an unfavorable environment this week at Atlanta. Even when healthy, Jaylen Waddle’s key metrics, such as target share, yards per route, and his involvement in tight-window throws, have dropped. If you must start him, do so with tempered expectations: maybe expect 5-7 catches, ~50-70 yards rather than boom numbers. The Miami offense and over team is a mess and will continue to be exploited on the road this week at Atlanta.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)
Chase Brown (RB – CIN)
“Last week, Chase Brown finished as the RB19, scoring 12 PPR fantasy points, totaling 11 rushing attempts for 108 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, the 12 fantasy points were his highest total since having 13.1 in Week 1 with Joe Burrow under center. He has averaged 9.6 fantasy points per game since Week 1, scoring single-digits in half the contests. More importantly, Brown’s role in the passing game has disappeared, totaling only four receptions for -1 receiving yard with Joe Flacco under center. Meanwhile, he faces a New York Jets defense that has slowed down opposing rushing attacks lately. The Jets have held running backs to 97.2 rushing yards, 0.6 touchdowns, and 18.6 fantasy points per game over the past five weeks, allowing 18.1 or fewer in all but one contest. There is no way I’m trusting Brown as a top-20 running back this week, despite six teams being on bye.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“Chase Brown gave reason for optimism in Week 7’s game vs Pittsburgh, gaining 108 rushing yards on 11 carries (with a long of 37). The issue, however, was his continued lack of volume – he is averaging 10 carries and three targets since Flacco’s arrival in Cincinnati, which is only slightly more than Samaje Perine (6.5 carries, 1.5 targets). This week, he faces a Jets defense that FantasyPoints ranks 4th against RBs in fantasy points vs expectation. The offensive improvements under Flacco are encouraging, but if you have other options, I would likely wait to see a little more from Brown before putting him back into my starting lineup.”
– Charlie Sisian (The Fantasy DC)
Zay Flowers (WR – BAL)
“I think Zay Flowers could disappoint fantasy managers this week. I think he’s a great player, but his inconsistency for fantasy is problematic. While he has ten or more targets in two games, he also has five or fewer targets in two games. He’s a solid WR3, but his lack of consistency and his inability to find the end zone as of late with a decent Chicago Bears defense on deck is scaring me away from him this week.”
– Trevor Land (FlurrySports)
Jordan Mason (RB – MIN)
“My pick to bust this week is Vikings running back Jordan Mason. Mason has been the definition of consistency through seven weeks, finishing as an RB2 in four of six matchups with a bye week mixed in. In three of those four matchups, he managed to produce an overall average stat line but managed to crack the top 24 on the strength of a rushing touchdown. This week, Minnesota faces a strong Chargers team, and the game script is unlikely to be in their favour, which could limit their upside. Add in the potential return of starter Aaron Jones, and this has the makings of a disappointing week for Mason. This could be the end of his run of fantasy relevance for the year. I hope you enjoyed his production while you got it. Even if it was mediocre.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)
Jaylen Warren (RB – PIT)
“I’m buying into the revenge game narrative for Aaron Rodgers against the Green Bay Packers. That could mean Jaylen Warren disappoints as Rodgers looks to prove he can still sling it. Add in that Green Bay allows the third-fewest fantasy points to RBs, and we all know Rodgers loves his TEs. Sure enough, the Packers give up the second-most fantasy points to the position. It’s a match made in heaven for him, quite fitting on National Tight Ends Day.”
– Kyle Zeigler (Fantasy In Frames)
CeeDee Lamb (WR – DAL)
“The epic one-on-one battle between CeeDee Lamb and Patrick Surtain II that will be on the marquee. I am under no delusion that Surtain II can create an “operation shutdown” situation, but I expect more from Jake Ferguson, George Pickens, and Javonte Williams out of the backfield.”
– Mike Harmon (Swollen Dome)
Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR)
“I’m fading Tetairoa McMillan this week. The Panthers appear prepared to start Andy Dalton this week, which is leading many managers to boost McMillan, but I’m not so sure. Buffalo’s defense isn’t great, but the Panthers as a whole just look rudderless. It’s hard to predict who will do anything on this offense right now, so I’m fading McMillan, who is 38th overall and WR17 this week. I just don’t trust it and would rather bench him and see him go off before risking him in my lineup.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)
Alvin Kamara (RB – NO)
“Alvin Kamara was once a fantasy must-start, and for a few years was drafted by some owners at the first overall pick. Unfortunately, this year has not been kind to him. He is 30 years old, which is a steep plateau for all running backs, but the most challenging part to his production is that the Saints are not a very good team, and often play from behind. He has only eclipsed 45 yards rushing in two games, and his receiving total, which was his bread and butter, is way down, with only one game over 28 yards receiving. He is currently ranked as the #32 player in half PPR, which will disappoint owners during this week and going forward.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
“It’s Alvin Kamara, and it stings to say it, but man, oh man, has it been stinky. The offensive line is beat up, the offense as a whole doesn’t do enough consistently, and it isn’t like Kamara was an in-between-the-tackles beast to begin with. It is a great matchup this week versus a Tampa defense who were just torched by Jahmyr Gibbs, and now Kamara finds himself without Kendre Miller, who is out for the year. The Saints may look to integrate rookie Devin Neal more into the offense, which would certainly hurt Kamara. It stings, but until he has a big one, Kamara can’t be relied upon.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)
“I don’t know if he’s *likely* to disappoint fantasy managers, but Quentin Johnston’s range of potential outcomes includes possible disappointment. QJ has to share targets with Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen, and now rookie TE Oronde Gadsden II is becoming a prominent weapon in the Chargers’ passing attack. With the Chargers in chase mode last week against the Colts, QB Justin Herbert had 55 pass attempts, and yet Johnston was targeted only six times and had two catches for 30 yards and a touchdown that prevented his fantasy performance from being a washout. It’s getting increasingly difficult to start Johnston with confidence.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Cam Skattebo (RB – NYG)
“Cam Skattebo draws the Eagles yet again, a matchup that many managers will be eager to hear about. Considering Skattebo scored three times against the Eagles just two weeks ago. However, that was without Jalen Carter on the field, as he missed that game with a heel injury. The Eagles’ rush defense is significantly better with him on the season. Temper expectations for Skattebo as the Eagles just held Jordan Mason to a relatively lackluster showing, where he had 15 carries for 57 yards, but saved fantasy managers with a touchdown.”
– Ryan Prosick (Fantrax)
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