If Week 7 taught us anything, it’s that you have to keep up to date with the latest news and adjust accordingly all the way until kickoff. Jamaal Williams became a must-play around 11:30 once Aaron Jones was ruled out. Make sure to tune into The Fantasy Tailgate every Sunday at 11 AM EST for last-minute advice as a lot happens between writing this now and Sunday morning.
Updated Week 7 Rankings:
Gio Bernard 📈 RB21 ($4500 on DK)
Aaron Jones 📉RB7 & Jamaal Williams 📈 RB28 ($4000)
AJ Dillon (5% owned) stream-upside if Jones sits tooTre'Quan 📈WR31 ($4000)
Diggs 📈WR5 ($7000)
NJoku 📈TE20 ($3000) & Kroft ($3100)https://t.co/hR89SrfFTk
— Wolf of Roto Street (@RotoStreetWolf) October 23, 2020
Anyways, onto the DraftKings NFL Week 8 Picks and Sleepers
Let’s ride.
QUARTERBACKS:
- Aaron Rodgers ($7,600)
- Rodgers seems to always deliver in back-to-back games, and he went off against the Texans. He finds another smash spot at home in Week 8 with the Vikings ‘defense’ coming to town. Minnesota just traded defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue to Baltimore, making them even worse. Aaron Jones is also questionable this week, meaning the Packers could have to rely upon more Rodgers and the passing game.
- Joe Burrow ($6,200)
- Burrow has thrown for 300+ yards in 5 of 7 games and is carving out a role for himself as a goal-line rusher for Cincinnati. The Bengals are projected to play in one of the highest-scoring games this week, and Burrow is starting to look like he really belongs.
- Derek Carr ($5,500)
- I’m rolling with Carr over Garoppolo for this last spot. Carr has topped 20+ points in four of his last five games as he’s starting to up his yardage and throw it deep. The matchup with Cleveland this week is a great opportunity for Carr to keep on slinging as we just watched Burrow and company go for over 400 yards passing.
RUNNING BACKS:
- Dalvin Cook ($7,500)
- Returning to action in Week 8, Cook will find a plus matchup against a struggling Packers run defense. Cook’s volume has been hard to match, and with two weeks to recover he should be ready to roll for 20+ touches in a projected high scoring game.
- Kareem Hunt ($6,900)
- Hunt’s been operating as a bell-cow back since Chubb went down, and he’s averaging roughly 20 touches per game as the RB1. He fits the game script of a home favorite over the Raiders, who have really struggled stopping the run. Hunt’s pass game usage also helps elevate his ceiling.
- Melvin Gordon ($5,600)
- With Philip Lindsay currently in concussion protocol, Gordon could be looking at a bell-cow role this week against the Chargers. James Robinson just went for 33 points against the Chargers last week, and Gordon has been getting close to 20+ touches each week in the lead role.
- JaMycal Hasty ($5,000)
- With all the injuries to 49ers RBs, Hasty could be called upon to be San Francisco’s RB1 against Seattle. He’s been getting comparisons to Marshawn Lynch-lite and ran well behind Kyle Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme. With a high scoring game upcoming against Seattle, Hasty is sure to get more touches than McKinnon, who rode the pine for whatever reason.
- JK Dobbins ($4,700)
- A long shot pick at the position, we’ve waited all year for the Ravens to unleash Dobbins. Mark Ingram appears to be sidelined still with his ankle injury, meaning it will come down to Dobbins and Edwards. Dobbins is by far the most talented and explosive option, along with being a better receiver. The Ravens will need to play their best offensively if they are going to contend with the undefeated Steelers.
WIDE RECEIVERS:
- Davante Adams ($8,800)
- After his subpar game against the Bucs, Adams rebounded immensely with a 48 point explosion against the Texans. He’s been Rodgers’ target hog in the offense and racked up 16 targets last week. While he may not always get that many targets week in and week out, he’s still going to get double-digit looks and now gets a very bad Vikings secondary which he already went off for 45 points against in Week 1. Rodgers doesn’t have many others to throw to, and Aaron Jones will likely be sidelined again.
- AJ Brown ($6,900)
- Brown has put up 20+ points in three straight games since his return from injury and has been balling out as the Titans WR1. He has a high target share in the offense and a plus matchup upcoming against the Bengals who have struggled to stop anyone this season.
- Tyreek Hill ($6,700)
- The alpha WR1 in Kansas City should have no trouble beating up on the Jets secondary. He’s seen even more targets with Sammy Watkins sidelined, and yet, he’s been unable to break the 100-yard mark. Hill can only go so long without breaking the century mark, so why wouldn’t he finally hit the bonus mark against this gross Jets team?
- Keenan Allen ($6,200)
- He’s seeing crazy target numbers with Justin Herbert at the helm, and I’m not complaining one bit. The offense has also seen a few pass-catchers go down with injuries, leaving a larger role for Allen to play moving forward. With the Chargers defense struggling to limit opposing teams’ points, Herbert has had to keep the team close by throwing the ball at a high volume.
- Brandon Aiyuk ($5,800)
- The injury to Deebo Samuel thrusts Aiyuk into the WR1 role for the Niners. A matchup with Seattle means facing the league’s worst pass defense as everyone tries to keep up with Russell Wilson. Obviously Kittle will be the top receiving weapon for the offense, but Aiyuk will be next in line for touches and has been utilized in both the passing and running game for Shanahan’s offense.
- AJ Green ($4,500)
- Did you know that AJ Green is currently second in the NFL in air yards (888 yards)? It blows my mind. Normally I’d hate playing Green, but the matchup here might just be too good to pass on and he’s put up double-digit targets in back-to-back games while averaging 16 DK points in that span. The Titans offense will surely be humming, so Burrow and the Bengals will have to be on their A-game in order to keep up. Boyd and Higgins have played very well are could be good options, but a much cheaper Green facing easier coverage might be a steal. He’s also a massive candidate for positive touchdown regression.
TIGHT ENDS:
- Darren Waller ($5,600)
- Aside from his stinker in New England, Waller has scored double-digit points in every game this year. That trend should not stop this week against a struggling Browns defense. Waller has been the top receiving threat for Carr and the Las Vegas offense.
- Jared Cook ($4,400)
- With all the pass catchers missing due to either injury or COVID, Cook has been one of the few mainstays to find the end zone for the Saints. With the Bears on deck, that defense has stifled receivers while being more generous to the tight end spot.
- Harrison Bryant ($3,200)
- With Hooper out due to his appendectomy, Bryant stepped up into the starting role and ran with it for a 4-56-2 line on 5 targets. Hooper remains out once again this week, and now the team has also lost Odell Beckham for the rest of the year opening up an even larger target share.
DST:
- Kansas City Chiefs ($4,500)
- The Chiefs get the Jets at home. All you need.
- Buffalo Bills ($3,300)
- The Patriots offense looked horrific at home against the 49ers last week. Now is the time for the Bills to plant their flag as best in the AFC East, and will likely treat this game as if it is their Super Bowl. New England has scored 28 total points over their last three games.
- Miami Dolphins ($2,400)
- Looking for a value play this week on defense is difficult. The possibility of going with the Dolphins is intriguing as the Rams travel across the country for a 1:00 game on a short week seeing as they just played during the Monday night game. It feels like I’m really stretching for one here.
