If there was ever a week for you to have clicked on this, it’s Week 8.
Not only are six teams on bye with Arizona, Detroit, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Seattle, and the Los Angeles Rams out of the mix, but multiple bye week replacements have the injury bug.
You’re scanning deeper down depth charts, wavering for backup quarterbacks playing one or two weeks, analyzing the strength of defensive units against offensive players, adding a below .500 defense, and more.
Whether you drafted well or scrambling to add backups to your team, if you come out of Week 8 with a win, take it as a blessing of getting one win closer to the magic number to reach the playoffs. Week 8 feels much like Week 1: you’re starting names you recognize or someone random with a lot of hype you read on RSJ that ended up on your team.
Last week, Seahawks’ QB Sam Darnold, Titans’ RB Tyjae Spears, Saints WR Chris Olave, Buccaneers’ WR Sterling Shepard, and Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. made the list.
Aside from Olave, we got all of our wrong predictions out of the way ahead of this week!
To help you make these correct decisions, this article contains my top five sleepers of the week, and why.
Editor’s Note: These selections rank Tier 4 or lower on The Wolf’s Week 8 Rankings.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 8 SLEEPERS
Joe Flacco, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Vs New York Jets
Joe Flacco is a low-end starter in every format this week in another revenge game as the Bengals host the Jets.
In two games for Cincinnati so far this season, Flacco has passed for 561 yards and has a five-to-zero touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Additionally, receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins should overwhelm a Jets defense likely missing corner Sauce Gardner. Flacco embarrassed a tough Steelers defense, targeting Chase 23 times, and now goes up against a winless team two months into the season. Those, paired with 10 for Higgins, helped Flacco reach 47 attempts. That hasn’t been an anomaly, as Flacco also surpassed the 40-mark the week prior against Green Bay (45).
The Bengals likely won’t need to rely on a one-dimensional offensive approach, but Flacco shouldn’t need 40 points to be beneficial for fantasy managers.
Flacco ranks in Tier 4 (QB 14) on The Wolf’s Week 8 Rankings. This is his second appearance in our series this season (Week 1).
Woody Marks, RB, Houston Texans
Vs San Francisco 49ers
Woody Marks is no Bijan Robinson, but we do think the fine print of this matchup against the 49ers gives him the chance to factor in both the rushing and receiving game.
Marks saw 63% of Houston’s snaps last week, handily spending more time on the field than veteran Nick Chubb. He also tied his career high in targets (five) and set a career high in catches (four).
Robinson did his damage last week through the air, posting a 6-52-1 stat line. He finished with 92 total yards and 15 fantasy points.
Marks will be needed in an increased role, too, as the Texans’ top two receiving options are out. Nico Collins (concussion) did not clear protocol, and Christian Kirk (hamstring) will miss a second-straight game.
Marks has also taken the most repetitions with quarterback C.J. Stroud – outside of tight end Dalton Schultz – as Xavier Hutchinson, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel are the other options.
It’s important to note that a touchdown saved Marks’ fantasy production in Week 7, but he saw the second-most carries of his professional career, too, in a game where Houston looked dysfunctional outside of his attempts.
I like Marks more in PPR-based leagues, but with quarterback Stroud’s recent struggles, it’s very possible he relies on him as an emergency option in addition to the team’s normal game plan.
Marks ranks in Tier 5 (RB 27) on The Wolf’s Week 8 Rankings.
Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Vs San Francisco 49ers
Despite these teams having a paladrome of records and Josh Downs being on the correct side of the numbers, division games can always get funky.
While I’ll roll my eyes getting a notification that running back Jonathan Taylor scored again (-450 ATD!!), I’m confident in starting Downs, who cleared concussion protocol, in PPR formats.
Downs is emerging as Indianapolis’ true No. 2 receiver, catching six balls in each of his last two healthy games (15 total targets) and finding the end zone against Arizona.
In theory, this is a game where the Colts can eventually use players outside of their top options (Taylor, Michael Pittman, Tyler Warren) to help work out any kinks and give the No. 1s a mini break.
Tennessee’s offense is abysmal at best, forcing a depleted defense to log too many minutes.
Downs ranks in Tier 4 (WR 34) on The Wolf’s Week 8 Rankings.
Jaylin Noel, WR, Houston Texans
Vs San Francisco 49ers
For a team that should easily lose, on paper, this weekend, their players are currently making up 50% of this article.
I mentioned Jaylin Noel when referencing Houston’s offense this week, placing reserve options in bigger roles. Out of the likely starting trio, Xavier Hutchinson, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel, Noel showed the most rapport and abilities in a small sample size last week.
It’s no secret that C.J. Stroud is not serviceable in fantasy right now, but someone has to catch the ball.
Stroud trusted him enough against the Seahawks to target him the most out of all receivers behind Nico Collins (concussion) and tight end Dalton Schultz.
Schultz is likely the biggest passing game threat this week, opening the door for Noel to step up and continue his reliability with Stroud.
Noel ranks in Tier 5 (WR 51) on The Wolf’s Week 8 Rankings.
Evan Engram, TE, Denver Broncos
Vs Dallas Cowboys
Evan Engram has not had the start fantasy managers were hoping and/or anticipating with his move to a Denver team in desperate need of a reliable tight end.
However, Engram is coming into this game seeing the most targets in a two-game span (14) since joining the Broncos.
He’s also facing the league’s worst pass defense in a Cowboys squad that has given up double-digit PPR fantasy points to tight ends in three of their last four games (CBSSports).
Dallas continues to face injury woes in the secondary, and Daron Bland will likely match up with Courtland Sutton in this game when he is not in the slot. Otherwise, it’s a crap shoot of who will line up opposite corner Kaiir Elam, opening the door for Engram.
While Engram is a low-end starter, in a week where you’re chasing upside, you have to gamble on the matchup.
Engram ranks in Tier 4 (TE 17) on The Wolf’s Week 8 Rankings.
