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
Sleepers
Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros Flex rankings is a good sleeper start, and why do you think he has upside this week?
Jaylin Noel (WR – HOU)
“Jaylin Noel is currently ranked way outside the top-100. With Nico Collins likely to miss, his role should increase. This team looked to him on Monday when Nico went down, and that should continue. He showed up big with a career-high 77 yards, catching four of his seven targets. Most of this came after Nico went down.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
“Nico Collins is currently in the concussion protocol after a hard hit to the turf. If he misses any period of time, another wide receiver needs to step up. That receiver will be rookie Jaylin Noel. He had been unproductive this season until the Monday night game against Seattle, where he was given more snaps due to Christian Kirk‘s injury and Collins’s aforementioned concussion. He ended the game with four receptions for 77 yards. With the uncertainty at wide receiver in Houston, Noel could step into a prominent role for a team and, when Collins returns, serve as a flexible WR2 for the Texans and C.J. Stroud.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ)
“Garrett Wilson is this week’s ultimate sleeper pick, and yes, this is a bit of a cheat code answer. His fantasy value has tanked outside the top-100 flex rankings because of a knee injury that forced him to miss Week 7. If he suits up this week, you’re getting a massive advantage: a bona fide Top 40 producer where it appears that he will actually have a competent QB throwing to him. The likely switch to veteran Tyrod Taylor is a massive benefit, as seen by Wilson’s previous success with Taylor; this includes a game where he had 10 catches, 84 yards, and a touchdown. If Wilson plays, expect elite target volume and a high-end WR1 performance (I’d go as far as to rank him as a top 5 WR this week, IF he plays AND Taylor gets the QB job).”
– Luke Renton (The Franchise Tag UK)
Chimere Dike (WR – TEN)
“Chimere Dike was the Titans’ best wide receiver last week against the New England Patriots. The rookie caught all four targets for 70 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 16.9 PPR fantasy points, setting career highs in receptions, yards, touchdowns, and fantasy points. Tennessee might be without Calvin Ridley for the second consecutive week because of a hamstring injury. More importantly, Dike has seen an increase in playing time lately, playing at least 56% of the snaps in back-to-back games. Meanwhile, he faces an Indianapolis Colts defense that has surrendered 40.9 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this year, the most in the NFL. They have given up 213.5 receiving yards, 1.5 touchdowns, and 47.8 fantasy points per game to wide receivers since their last matchup against the Titans. Dike is a solid high-upside flex option if Ridley misses his second consecutive game.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“Welcome to bye-mageddon, folks, glad to have you here. After last week’s impressive outing, Chimere Dike could be an interesting start this week as the Titans face the Colts at home. Dike hauled in all four of his targets for seventy yards and a score last week versus New England, and now faces a Colts team that is conceding the most points to the WR position heading into Week 8. If Calvin Ridley remains out of the lineup, Dike could be worth consideration for this week despite the Titans, and we will avoid using how Cam Ward described the Titans, overall ineptitudes.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Jalen Nailor (WR – MIN)
“He’s a risky option, but I like the floor that Jalen Nailor has given managers so far this season. While Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison will continue to receive the bulk of the targets, Nailor has four or more targets in five straight games. While his ceiling is low and incredibly dependent on touchdowns, I like the floor he brings against a Los Angeles Chargers team that can struggle at times defending the pass.”
– Trevor Land (FlurrySports)
Van Jefferson (WR – TEN)
“With six teams on bye, finding a sleeper this week feels like throwing darts. Van Jefferson of the Tennessee Titans, though, deserves a look. He caught all four of his targets for 41 yards in Week 7. If Calvin Ridley misses more time with his hamstring injury, Jefferson could see an expanded role. He also had four catches for 75 yards against the Raiders in Week 6, showing solid chemistry with QB Cam Ward. Over the last two games, he’s tied with Elic Ayomanor for team leads in targets and receptions. Jefferson also tops the Titans with 116 receiving yards and the highest air yard share. You could do a lot worse in your flex this week.”
– Kyle Zeigler (Fantasy In Frames)
Pat Freiermuth (TE – PIT)
“Double down with Pat Freiermuth in Rodgers’ battle against the Packers on Sunday night. He had a huge game against the Bengals in Week 6, and now faces a Packers defense that has been generous to tight ends (yes, Smith’s existence doesn’t help). Tight ends have racked up 50 receptions, including five touchdowns, against the Packers.”
– Mike Harmon (Swollen Dome)
Noah Fant (TE – CIN)
“I’m looking forward to seeing what Noah Fant does in Week 8. He’s currently ranked at 112 overall, TE22, but he’s seen 4 or more targets in all but one game this year. Now that Mike Gesicki has been placed on IR, and Joe Flacco is settling into the Bengals’ offense, I think Fant should step up. He scored a touchdown last week and finished as TE10 in PPR scoring. I think this is the start of the norm, and not a fluke event, so I’m starting him in the flex in a few places myself.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)
Colston Loveland (TE – CHI)
“Colston Loveland – Cole Kmet left the Bears Week 7 game with a back injury and is considered week-to-week, giving him slim chances of suiting up vs the Ravens in Week 8. Loveland, whose start to the season was derailed by a hip injury, saw his season-high in snap share last week (67%). The upcoming Ravens @ Bears game has an O/U of 50 points, which only trails the Cowboys @ Broncos (50.5). Between potential increased volume and a chance at a TD, Loveland has a couple of paths to a relevant fantasy day. It was clear the Bears had a plan for Loveland when they drafted him 10th overall this past April – the stars may be aligning for it to be unveiled. Loveland is still a longshot play, but one you can squint and see the path towards success if you’re in a pinch.”
– Charlie Sisian (The Fantasy DC)
“Rookie Colston Loveland has been sharing snaps and targets with veteran TE Cole Kmet, but Kmet left last week’s game with a back injury and isn’t likely to play in Week 8. Loveland was talented enough to be a top-10 draft pick. He hasn’t seen more than four targets in any game this season, but Loveland could see a target spike this week in a game where the Bears are 6.5 road underdogs against the Ravens. Baltimore is giving up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Jonnu Smith (TE – PIT)
“Jonnu Smith, tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a good fantasy football sleeper start this week. If you’re in a deep league or need a “boom” flex play (hoping for upside rather than safe floor), then yes — Jonnu Smith is worth considering. The matchup is good, his usage is creeping up, and fantasy managers could exploit a scenario where he finds the end zone. However, in a typical league (10-12 teams, one TE start, safe floor preferred) I’d treat him as a low-floor, moderate-upside option — someone you’d start only if your usual tight-end is injured, on a bye week, or you’re chasing upside.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)
Brashard Smith (RB – KC)
“Brashard Smith is taking over the Jerrick McKinnon role in Kansas City. In 2022, we saw McKinnon legitimately win people’s leagues off of waivers with two RB1 overall finishes down the stretch, with one of them in the first week of the fantasy playoffs. Smith did get most of his opportunities in garbage time this week. However, another one could easily be on the way against the Commanders. The Chiefs are 10.5-point favorites against the Commanders team in a game Jayden Daniels will likely miss. I like Smith this week as a bye week fill-in flex play.”
– Ryan Prosick (Fantrax)
Terrell Jennings (RB – NE)
“This week, with all of the players missing due to injuries and byes, I struggled to find a sleeper outside the top 100. The player pool just isn’t that deep this week. Instead of forcing a player in the top 150 who I wasn’t particularly fond of, I opted to go way off board and select New England Patriots running back Terrell Jennings. I know, that’s a deep sleeper, right? In fact, he is so deep that he isn’t even listed on the Patriots RB depth chart on Sleeper. Last week against the Tennessee Titans, he saw his first game action and rushed the ball 5 times for a pedestrian 18 yards. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but considering he out-touched highly-touted rookie TreVeyon Henderson, it’s a positive sign. Add in the fact that the Patriots’ coaching staff was raving about him after the game and discussing how he would be more involved, and it’s a deep sleeper I’m willing to take a shot on this week, even in a rough matchup with the Browns. If you are desperate, add him now. I guarantee he is available in your league.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)
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