Start Em Sit Em Week 8 – Fantasy Football (2024)
The 2024 fantasy football season is heating up as we head into Week 8. Today, we will be bringing you our top starts and sits of the week. Our writers and experts from The FF Faceoff Podcast work together to make this happen every week. Continue reading to check out our top starts and sits for fantasy football with our start em sit em Week 8 edition.
These players will not always be the most obvious start or sit candidates. No one needs to tell you to start Breece Hall or CeeDee Lamb every week. However, these players could be Flex options or players you’re potentially on the fence about as your RB2 or WR3. Continue reading for our Week 8 start em sit em. As always, contact us or chat with us on X with any lineup questions. Let’s get into it.
Start Em Sit Em Week 8 – Fantasy Football
Your Week 8 NFL start em sit em decisions will be crucial for getting your fantasy football team on a path to the playoffs. As the season continues, it’s vital to adapt and nail every single lineup decision. More importantly, to determine which players are poised for big performances and which ones might struggle.
Whether you’re considering a breakout running back or grabbing a sleeper wide receiver off the waiver wire, making smart choices in your Week 8 is vital to fantasy football success. Let’s get right into it.
Start Em Sit Em – Quarterbacks
START – Jordan Love QB Green Bay Packers
This one may seem fairly obvious, but Jordan Love is turning into a weekly must-start option. Regardless of the matchup. This week, the Packers just happen to get the Jaguars who give up the most points in the NFL to opposing quarterbacks.
Even rookie Drake Maye just finished as the QB7 on the week and put up 276 yards and two touchdowns against them. Don’t be surprised if he’s a top-five quarterback this week. Fire up Love and start him with confidence for the remainder of this fantasy football season.
START – Bo Nix QB Denver Broncos
Steady production has come for rookie quarterback Bo Nix. In two of his last three games, he’s finished as a top 10 fantasy quarterback. Despite a tough matchup against the Chargers in Week 6, he finished as the QB9 and threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
Last week, he led the Broncos to an ugly 33-10 win over the Saints in New Orleans. Oddly enough, Cortland Sutton didn’t get a single target. This game was just bad all around. However, Nix played well enough against a fairly tough defense on the road, avoiding major mistakes and not throwing any interceptions.
This week, Nix and the Broncos are back at home and will take on the worst team in the league, the Carolina Panthers. Despite the Patriots currently having the 1st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft if the season were to end today. Either way, the Panthers are awful and will be tanking for that first pick sooner rather than later. All things considered, look for Nix to be a top waiver wire add this week and someone you can start with some confidence. Start em.
SIT – Dak Prescott QB Dallas Cowboys
In a tough road matchup aginst the 49ers, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are desperate f0r a bounce-back game. Coming off their bye week, hopefully they figured some things out after an embarrassing loss at home to the Lions in Week 6. In that game, Prescott was the QB28 on the week and threw for 178 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. Sitting as the QB20 on the season, there are certainly better options on the waiver wire at this point. If you do need to start Prescott, temper your expectations.
Start Em Sit Em – Running Backs
START – J.K. Dobbins RB Los Angeles Chargers
Despite a mediocre showing last week, I like Dobbins to bounce back against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have been poor against running backs this season and just allowed over 200 rushing yards to the Denver Broncos last week. With the Chargers being heavy favorites at home and Dobbins hanging on to the majority of the backfield touches, I’m getting him in my lineup ahead of Week 8. Start em.
START – Kareem Hunt RB Kansas City Chiefs
Kareem Hunt has found a resurgence upon his return to Kansas City, showing that he still has plenty left in the tank. Since joining the Chiefs in Week 4, Hunt has provided a solid floor of 10+ PPR points each game. However, he’s truly heating up, posting 18.7 and 22.3 PPR points in his last two outings. Remarkably, despite his age and missing the early part of the season, Hunt has handled 24+ touches while scoring three total touchdowns in those two games.
With the Chiefs leaning on him while Patrick Mahomes and the passing game find their rhythm, Hunt is a key figure in the offense. He’ll look to continue his strong form against a Raiders defense that has allowed four different running backs to tally at least 19.6 PPR points. Najee Harris and Kyren Williams both hit that mark in their last two matchups.
SIT – Tony Pollard RB Tennessee Titans
So far this year, Tony Pollard has been a bit of a dissappointment after his RB14 season last year with the Cowboys. This year, he’s played in every single game and is the RB22 on the year. His production in the passing game is down and his yards per catch is 4.78, which a career-low. His yards per carry mark is also 4.26, which is down as well. Needless to say, the production just hasn’t been the same, and it’s largely due to this weak offense led by Will Levis.
This week, the Titans are on the road to take on a tough Detroit Lions defense. Additionally, the Titans could get down early in this one and abandon the run. All of the injuries may make it tough to sit Pollard, but he might be best left on your bench this week. – Aaron Schill
Start Em Sit Em – Wide Receivers
START – Jalen McMillan WR Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With the unfortunate injuries to both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, someone is going to need to step up in this high-powered offense. As the running game has taken off and should continue to get everyone involved, someone is going to have to step up.
Baker Mayfield is currently 1st in the NFL in passing touchdowns (18) and 2nd in passing yards with 1,859. He’s also thrown 234 passes, good for 5th in the NFL. Overall, this offense should continue to run the ball well and open up the passing game, and someone will certainly have to step up.
The options are Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Sterling Shepard, and Cade Otton. McMillan saw 8 targets last week and prior to missing two games, he played in 77% or more of the offensive snaps in the first three weeks. Look for him to see an uptick in targets and be on the field a ton. This week, they face off with the Falcons, who give up the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Start em.
START – Jaylen Waddle WR Miami Dolphins
As of Wednesday, Tua Tagovailoa is practicing again and is on track to play in Week 8. This week, the Miami Dolphins will be at home taking on Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals. As long as Tagovailoa plays, this could be a potentially high-scoring matchup. That means Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should be back to their old selves.
Unfortunately, Waddle has been nearly unstartable as of late. He’s the WR36 on the season and has yet to find the end zone. He’s also averaging an abyssmal 8.27 PPR points per game. So long as Tagovailoa plays this weekend, I’m expecting this offense to get back on track. With an easy matchup on paper against a weak Cardinals defense, Waddle is someone you can start in Week 8.
START – George Pickens WR Pittsburgh Steelers
George Pickens finally had his breakout game. It only took Russell Wilson to unlock his potential. In Sunday’s win, Pickens hauled in 5 of 9 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown, racking up a season-best 22.1 PPR points. Additionally, he saw three red zone targets and pulled off two big plays over 20 yards.
With a commanding 29.2% target share, Pickens will look to build on this momentum against the Giants. They currently are allowing 30.7 PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers. Notably, struggling against outside threats like Pickens.
SIT – Diontae Johnson WR Carolina Panthers
Diontae Johnson and Carolina Panthers were awful last week against the Washington Commander. Things won’t get easier with a road trip to Denver on tap in Week 8. The Broncos have allowed the second fewest points to fantasy wide receivers this season and allow the fifth-fewest passing yards per game.
In addition to the tough matchup, the news of Andy Dalton’s car crash and potential injury adds an additional concern for the Panther’s offense. If Dalton misses this game, I’m looking to avoid Johnson completely. If Dalton is good to go for Sunday, I’m lowering expectations into the WR3/Flex range and looking for other options. – Daman Zimbelman
SIT – Christian Kirk WR Jacksonville Jaguars
Kirk has been a frustrating player for fantasy managers this season. After bouncing back with three straight double-digit PPR performances earlier in the year, he’s struggled recently, failing to score more than 6.9 points in his last two games. The key issue is his lack of opportunity—Kirk has seen fewer than four targets in four of seven games.
Kirk will aim to get back on track against a Packers defense that has been tough on opposing wide receivers. Notably, they’ve contained Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, and Marvin Harrison Jr. The Packers have allowed just 22.6 PPR points per game to wideouts over the past three games, which is 29.4% below the NFL average of 32.1. Ultimately, Kirk faces a tough task ahead and you might sit em this week.
Start Em Sit Em – Tight Ends
START – David Njoku TE Cleveland Browns
Browns’ tight end David Njoku is the TE20 this season in PPR scoring. A lot of that has to do with missing three games due to injury. However, he has 21 targets over the last two weeks and is coming off a monster performance where he caught 10 of 14 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. With Deshaun Watson hurt and Jameis Winston taking over, I believe this is a bump up for Njoku. In the end, he is someone who could have league winning potential.
Njoku takes on the Baltimore Ravens this week.the Ravens are very susceptible to giving up point to the tight end position. On the year they have given up the 6th most points to tight ends. Zach Ertz, Cade Otton, Jake Ferguson, and rookie Brock Bowers all had 10 or more PPR points this season. Fire up Njoku in your lineups without hesitation in Week 8. – Pete Nova
START – Cade Otton TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With all of the brutal injuries that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dealing with, Cade Otton will see a boost in production. He’s been trending up as of late, before the top two targets in Tampa Bay went down last week in Evans and Godwin. Notably, he’s the TE13 in PPR leagues this year. Last week, he caught 8 of 10 passes for 100 yards and made several impressive catches in traffic.
Furthermore, Otton is currently fourth in the NFL for all tight ends in targets with 43. Over the last five weeks, Otton has seen 8, 9, 4, 6, and 10 targets. The biggest issue has been touchdowns, which could very well come with time. Especially now without Godwin and Evans. This week, the Buccaneers face the Falcons who are average against opposing tight ends. He’s certainly someone you can start if you’re dealing with injuries or streaming tight ends this year.
SIT – Sam LaPorta TE Detroit Lions
Unfortunately, Sam LaPorta is a risky fantasy option for the time being. Although a potential 2-game suspension to Jameson Williams could boost his target share, the overall volume just hasn’t been there for LaPorta this year. He’s receiving only 9.8% of the team’s targets and is being targeted on just 13% of his routes. To put that into perspective, he’s seen fewer than two targets in three of his last four games.
Furthermore, the matchup against the Titans in Week 8 doesn’t offer much promise either. Their defense has been stout against tight ends, allowing no touchdowns and fewer than 200 total yards to all tight ends combined this season. As tough as it may be, you might consider sitting LaPorta this week.
Start Em Sit Em – Streaming DSTs
Detroit Lions DST vs. Tennessee Titans
When streaming defense we always like to get a home team or a low point total. In Week 8, Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions are at home against Will Levis and the Tennessee Titans In this case, we have a medium over/under total of 46 according to DraftKings.
Since Week 5, the Lions defense is 2nd in EPA. Meanwhile, they will face the Titans who are 10th-worst in EPA over the last three weeks and 5th-worst on the season. Run defense has been the backbone of this Lions defense which is 9th in EPA against the run. If the Lions can get out to a lead and force the Titans to throw the ball it should spell trouble.
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