Week 8 Preperation

Welcome to Week 8! Officially the halfway point of the Fantasy Football Season. If you have yet to win a game you are about one week from being mathematically eliminated and if you are 8-0 you are almost certainly locked into a playoff berth. Either way you need to keep making moves and trying to improve your roster; remember that it was Tim Hightower who was on over a third of all championship fantasy rosters last season. An add you would have made in Week 13 or 14 last season. So keep working and let’s get to it!

Waiver Wire Pickups.

Mike Gillislee- RB, Buffalo Bills 2.1%

I have been telling Shady owners to grab Mike Gillislee for the last two weeks and then during last week McCoy injured his hamstring and was then forced from the game after bringing you just 1 fantasy point. Gillislee only got five carries in relief, but remains an important handcuff that needs to be owned.  McCoy is owned in 99.9% of leagues and Gillislee is owned in 6% of leagues; those numbers should match.

The same goes for the other top handcuffs:

• Alfred Morris
• DeAngelo Williams
• Derrick Henry
• Devontae Booker

Injured Players on their way back

If you can stash them through the huge bye weeks we have over the next couple of weeks then there are a few guys we are expecting back from injuries that are worth grabbing to help with your run to the playoffs.

• Donte Moncrief- WR, Indianapolis Colts - 46.1%
• Dion Lewis- RB, New England Patriots - 27.9%
• Corey Coleman- WR, Cleveland Browns - 31.9%
• Thomas Rawls- RB, Seattle Seahawks - 47.9%

Ty Montgomery- WR/RB, Green Bay Packers 20.1%

Montgomery has been granted RB eligibility in ESPN leagues which makes him not only productive, but also very flexible in how you can use him in your lineup. If you are in a PPR then he becomes even more valuable as he gets double digit targets out of the backfield.

Brandon LaFell- WR, Cincinnati Bengals 12.8%

LaFell has found the endzone four times in the last three weeks. It blows my mind that I am actually writing these words, but with a huge bye week coming up this week and Josh Norman likely to sit this game out, which would shift Breshad Breeland to cover A.J. Green, LaFell has an amazing opportunity to contribute to a fantasy win for you in Week 8.

Jacquizz Rodgers- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34.5%

Rodgers once again became the feature back in the Buccaneers’ offense as Doug Martin reinjured his knee and remained sidelined. Rodgers took 26 carries for 154 yards. The injury to Charles Sims has left open the counter-punch to Doug Martin once he returns meaning that Rodgers is going to still get work even when Martin returns.

Chris Thompson- Washington Redskins 14.2%

In a PPR league and need running back help? There are probably few better options available out there to you than Thompson. This week he grabbed all 7 of his targets for 40 yards and got 12 carries for 73 more yards. Matt Jones has fumbled away his shot at becoming a true workhorse which leads to even more work for the best pass catching back currently taking the field. Thompson provides a very solid PPR floor and enough opportunity to be considered a flex play in standard leagues.

Ka’Deem Carey- Chicago Bears 1.8%

Jordan Howard looked like he was going to be the guy to put a lot of teams over the top in their rush to the playoffs, but the last two weeks he has gained just 56 yards on 22 carries. Carey is healthy again and siphoning off carries from Howard and looks like the better runner. He is almost universally available, but if you are going to pick him up don’t plan on using him over the next couple of weeks as the Bears have the Vikings this week and a bye week following.

Last Week:

Cam Meredith

Jay Ajayi

Hunter Henry

Time to Drop

Eddie Lacy- RB, Green Bay Packers 96.4%

Eddie Lacy was off to a terrible start this season. He never got more than 20 carries in a game, topped 100 rushing yards only once, and didn’t find the endzone. Lacy was placed on Injured Reserve before the Packers’ game on Thursday which means he will be out until at least Week 15 and yet he remained owned in 96.4% of leagues. Trust me when I say this: Drop Eddie Lacy. You are not going to trust your playoff chances to a guy in his first week back in action and wasting a roster spot on a guy who was such a borderline start before is going to sink your team. Lacy is droppable in all re-draft leagues.

Last Week

Tavon Austin

D/ST Streaming Options for Week 8

*must be owned in less than 50% of leagues.

Cowboys vs Eagles

The Cowboys have quietly been a very playable fantasy D/ST so far this season and now they come off the bye to play the Eagles at home. The Cowboys’ conservative offense doesn’t turn the ball over and the Eagles seemed desperate to give the ball away last week losing it four times to the Vikings. The Eagles offense has been lethargic after their hot start, relying on their defense to keep them in games. If you are looking for a D/ST to start this week the Cowboys can be had almost everywhere.

Bears vs Minnesota

The storyline surrounding the Bears this season has been all about the offense, but on the other side of the football the defense has kept them in games and has forced seven turnovers through seven games. On a short week in Green Bay they still managed 9 fantasy points and now they get another NFC North foe in the Vikings. The Vikings D/ST is elite, but the offense stumbled hard last week and were torched by the Eagles D/ST. The Bears should be able to take advantage as well, though I wouldn’t bank on the Bears taking a kick to the house.