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Week 8 Draftkings Plays: Tony Pollard, D.J. Moore, and More

Week 8 DraftKings Plays - Tony Pollard and D.J. Moore should have fantastic outings in DFS and should lead to a hefty payout.
Week 8 DraftKings

Just like that, we already have seven weeks of NFL football in the books. One of my favorite parts is fantasy football. One of my favorite aspects of fantasy football has become playing on DraftKings. Every week is like a new puzzle to figure out. Whether you are more of a cash game player or a tournament player, each presents a unique challenge. Let’s take a look at my favorite Week 8 DraftKings plays.

READ MORE: Week 8 Stream Team | Week 8 Starts and Sits | Week 8 Waivers | James Robinson, Michael Carter Breakdown

Week 8 DraftKings Plays

Week 7 Recap

It’s always good to be completely transparent and demonstrate accountability. That’s what I like to do with everything I do, and that also goes for fantasy football. Whether it’s bold takes or DraftKings recommendations, I always like to keep track of wins and losses. It’s not only good for the readers to know, but it also helps me learn from mistakes moving forward.

Looking back at Week 7, it wasn’t a good week for recommendations. This week 40% of my recommendations hit the 2.5x value we look for in cash game lineups. This time the running back group led the way at an 85.7% success rate. Meanwhile, the wide receiver group brought up the rear at a 0% success rate. Personally, it was not a profitable week. We’ll look to get it going even better with the picks and get back into the profits in the Week 8 DraftKings plays.

  • Week 7 – $221 → $41 ($180 LOSS)
  • Year Total – $1,651 → $1,773 ($122 PROFIT)

Quarterbacks

Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) – $6,200 @ DET

Attack. The. Lions. Those are three words to live by when playing fantasy football and more specifically DraftKings this year. The Detroit Lions have been one of the best teams to target on a weekly basis, especially at Detroit. They have been horrible on defense and are a very capable offense so that becomes the perfect recipe for shootouts. They also play in a dome which gives an extra boost to both sides too. This week Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins come to town. The Dolphins currently have the highest implied team total of any team on the slate at 27.5 points. This game has the highest combined total of any game on the slate at 51.5 points. The Lions have allowed the fifth-most DraftKings points per game to quarterbacks so far this year. All signs point to Tagovailoa having a really nice game this weekend.

Sam Ehlinger (IND) – $4,000 v WAS

The Indianapolis Colts made a quarterback switch after the prices already came out. That means Sam Ehlinger was already priced at the stone minimum as if he was going to be a backup and now is going to be the starter. Like when this happens to running backs, this is a misprice to take advantage of. Ehlinger is by no means a great talent or prospect but he should run a little bit. He’s not a guy in the mold of Jalen Hurts or Lamar Jackson but more like the mobility of Joe Burrow or Justin Herbert where he should provide a few fantasy points with his legs. This game is going to be played at home, in a dome which should boost his passing outlook a bit. The Washington Commanders are middle-of-the-road against opposing quarterbacks this year but this one is all about the cheap salary of Ehlinger. He only needs 10+ points to return the minimum value we look for so that makes him one of the best Week 8 DraftKings plays especially from a point-per-dollar standpoint.

Others to Consider: Derek Carr (LV) – $5,900 @ NO, Marcus Mariota (ATL) – $5,400 v CAR, Daniel Jones (NYG) – $5,700 @ SEA

Running Backs

Josh Jacobs (LV) – $7,500 @ NO

Josh Jacobs’ price keeps rising but it doesn’t matter when he keeps scoring more than 30 points a week! He’s now scored more than 33 points in three consecutive weeks. Jacobs is averaging 23.7 DraftKings points per game this season. That trails only Austin Ekeler. He’s finally getting the three-down workhorse role that we’ve wanted to see since he entered the league. Jacobs is now averaging 105.5 rushing yards per game and a touchdown per game as well. That puts him on pace for nearly 1,800 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Those paces will almost assuredly come down but right now he’s been too good to fade. This week’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints is not a great one on paper but not one to avoid either. The offensive environment is good, however. This game has the second-highest combined total at 49.5 points this week. It is also being played in a dome. That gives a bigger boost to the passing game of both teams but helps increase offense overall too, not to mention Jacobs has been heavily involved as a pass catcher. Keep playing Jacobs while he’s on this torrid stretch.

Tony Pollard (DAL) – $6,100 v CHI

It’s about to be “Tony Pollard chalk week” with Ezekiel Elliott now officially ruled out. Fantasy managers have been clamoring for Pollard to get more work for years now but knew it would take an injury to Elliott for it to happen. Well now he’s dealing with a knee issue that will keep him out this week and possibly more and it’s finally time for Pollard to shine. Pollard has averaged at least 5.3 yards per carry in three of his four seasons so far. He’s averaging a career-best 5.6 yards per carry this season. Pollard is averaging 10.6 DraftKings points per game despite only playing 43.4% of the snaps this season. That snap share should spike in a big way this week. He should be heavily involved both as a runner and a pass-catcher. This week’s matchup against the Chicago Bears looks juicy as well. The Bears have allowed the eighth-most DraftKings points to running backs this season. The Dallas Cowboys are also one of the biggest favorites on the slate at 9.5 points. They also have an implied team total of 26 points. Pollard is going to be heavily involved in a great spot and still cheap and that makes him easily one of the best Week 8 DraftKings plays.

Others to Consider: Raheem Mostert (MIA) – $5,900 @ DET, Dameon Pierce (HOU) – $6,300 v TEN, Derrick Henry (TEN) – $8,400 @ HOU, Saquon Barkley (NYG) – $8,100 @ SEA, Alvin Kamara (NO) – $7,100 v LV

Wide Receivers

Tyreek Hill (MIA) – $8,500 @ DET

Tyreek Hill is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and this week he gets to face those same Lions that we’ve been heavily targeting all year. Look out because he could have an absolutely monster game here. As previously mentioned, the Lions’ defense has been awful. It stands to reason that if Dolphins quarterback Tagovailoa is a very highly recommended play that his top wide receiver would be as well. Hill has averaged 22.4 DraftKings points per game this year. That’s fourth-best among all wide receivers this season. As previously mentioned, the Dolphins have the highest implied team total and this game has the highest combined total on the slate. Jaylen Waddle is coming in a bit banged up as well which could mean an even more featured role for Hill this week. There’s a real chance that Hill could go for 40 or even 50 points this week making him one of the best Week 8 DraftKings plays.

D.J. Moore (CAR) – $5,300 @ ATL

It’s no secret that D.J. Moore has been one of the most disappointing players in all of fantasy football this season. After looking as if he was a quarterback-proof player, Baker Mayfield came along to ruin that notion. It was one of the most shocking developments of the season considering Moore was able to overcome literal league-worst quarterback play for three straight seasons now and Mayfield had been around league-average when healthy. Luckily the Carolina Panthers have turned to P.J. Walker for at least the foreseeable future. Walker and Moore were rough in the first game but good last week as Moore put up 19.6 DraftKings points. This also coincided with Christian McCaffrey getting traded. Moore has been better in games that McCaffrey has missed so it doesn’t seem to be a coincidence. Moore has at least six targets in all seven games this year and it would be wise of the Panthers to heavily feature him for the rest of the season as he is their clear-cut best player. The matchup this week is extremely juicy. They are playing against the Atlanta Falcons, in a dome, where the Falcons’ secondary has allowed more DraftKings points to wide receivers this year than any other team. Moore’s salary is still cheap because of his early-season struggles. Take advantage of this situation.

Others to Consider: Drake London (ATL) – $5,100 v CAR, Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) –  $6,900 v CAR, Garrett Wilson (NYJ) – $4,200 v NE, DeAndre Hopkins (ARI) – $7,400 @ MIN, Chris Olave (NO) – $6,000 v LV, Justin Jefferson (MIN) – $9,100 v ARI

Tight Ends

Dallas Goedert (PHI) – $5,000 v PIT

There aren’t many expensive options at tight end this week with Mark Andrews off the main slate and Travis Kelce on bye this week. Dallas Goedert checks in as the fourth-most expensive option at the position but it’s very possible, maybe even likely, that he ends up as the top-scoring tight end option on the slate. He’s coming off his worst game of the season before the bye week but before that had scored double-digit DraftKings points in four straight games. Goedert is the TE9 this season averaging 11.3 points per game. He has the fourth-most receiving yards among all tight ends this year. This matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers isn’t anything special but nothing to avoid either. The Philadelphia Eagles are currently the biggest favorites on the slate at 10.5 points and have the second-highest implied team total at 27 points. Goedert should be a big part of that and have no issues having a good game this weekend making him one of the better Week 8 DraftKings plays.

Kyle Pitts (ATL) – $4,000 v CAR

Kyle Pitts has been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2022 fantasy football season thus far. There is really no other way to put it. It really isn’t his fault though. Arthur Smith is running the ball at a historically high rate right now and barely throwing the ball. Pitts is actually playing fairly well. His 25.4% target share ranks second among all tight ends. His 30.3% air yards share is also second among all tight ends. His targets per route run rate of 31.9% actually leads all tight ends as does his average depth of target (aDot) of 12.4. Pitts just needs the Falcons to start throwing the ball more often. While this matchup may not be the game in which they need to from a potential game script standpoint, it profiles well simply from an offensive environment standpoint. The Panthers aren’t a strong defense and this game is being played in a dome. The Falcons are 4-point favorites with a 22.75 implied team total. Pitts is one of their most talented playmakers and could (should) be one of the big reasons they put up points this week.

Others to Consider: Tyler Higbee (LAR) – $4,200 v SF, Irv Smith Jr. (MIN) – $3,500 v ARI, Pat Freiermuth (PIT) – $3,900 @ PHI

Defense/Special Teams

In terms of choosing a defense/special teams, it’s the last spot I fill in every week. It’s pretty random but there are a few areas to gain an advantage. I aim to target the heavily favored teams, who usually play with a lead. This forces their opponent to throw it more often which can help lead to extra sacks and turnovers and hopefully a touchdown. Another aspect to target is turnover and sack-prone quarterbacks. My advice is to fill out the rest of your lineup first and then pick your favorite D/ST out of the remaining money.

My Tentative Cash Game Lineup

  • QB – Sam Ehlinger
  • RB – Tony Pollard
  • RB – Alvin Kamara
  • WR – Tyreek Hill
  • WR – D.J. Moore
  • WR – Garrett Wilson
  • TE – Kyle Pitts
  • Flex – Saquon Barkley
  • DST – Washington Commanders

Make sure to tune in next week to see the results from my Week 8 DraftKings plays and to see the best picks for Week 9. Best of luck to everyone and let’s all enjoy some football and win some money!

Robert Norton

Robert Norton

He's been writing about sports on and off for years now but started back more regularly again in 2019. His main focus has been fantasy sports, with most of the articles being fantasy football based. It originally started as a fun way to add a unique aspect to his longest-running home league and has expanded from there. Sports and fantasy sports are definitely a love and passion of his as he's been watching and playing since he was very young. He played most sports growing up, although basketball was always his favorite to play and still play regularly to this day. He's currently 33 years old, work in Accounting/Analysis for Accuscripts Pharmacy, and live in Ohio with his amazing wife of 7 years and their 4-year-old and 6-month-old sons. Any questions, whether personal or sports/fantasy sports related, don't hesitate to reach out and ask!

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