{"id":251972,"date":"2025-10-22T09:00:37","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T13:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=251972"},"modified":"2025-10-21T22:43:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T02:43:17","slug":"fantasy-football-start-sit-week-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/10\/22\/fantasy-football-start-sit-week-8\/","title":{"rendered":"Fantasy Football Start\/Sit Week 8"},"content":{"rendered":"

You know the feeling. It\u2019s why you\u2019re here. That glorious, maddening, weekly riddle that consumes us right until kickoff: WHO DO I START? The impact? Maybe the difference is between mess-talking victory and soul-sucking defeat. And we all want that \u201cedge,\u201d don\u2019t we? That little nugget that pats us on our tushies and tells us everything will be ok. A gentle nudge, if you will. I want you to know that I’m here each week to pat your tushies (figuratively). To give you my two cents on who needs to be touching grass and who needs to be riding pine. And why.<\/p>\n

This is your nudge. *pats tushie* Now, let\u2019s get this \u2018W\u2019.<\/p>\n

Week 8 Start\/Sit<\/h2>\n

QUARTERBACKS<\/h3>\n
\"bo
Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

START \u2014 Bo Nix (DEN vs DAL):<\/strong> I\u2019m starting Nix because he just engineered the greatest fourth quarter in the history of the National Football League (dramatic much?) and I expect Denver<\/a> to lean into that momentum at home. Dallas<\/a>\u2019 rush doesn\u2019t get home, and they\u2019re loose on the back end, so I like the odds – in a shootout – of steady attempts with a few designed keepers. Potential QB1 this week.<\/p>\n

START \u2014 Caleb Williams (CHI @ BAL):<\/strong> I like this as a shootout if Lamar plays, which means four quarters of pace and plenty of opportunity. Chicago<\/a> will move him with boots and RPOs, and Caleb has shown he\u2019s not afraid to rip multiple deep shots. Even if the efficiency swings drive to drive (which it will, because CW18), the combo of volume and vertical aggression gives him a shot at top-10 this week.<\/p>\n

SIT \u2014 Jets QB (NYJ @ CIN):<\/strong> Whoever starts, I\u2019m out this week. Brutal QB play minus your top wideout (Wilson is out for a few) is not how you chase floor, even in a tasty matchup. Stream elsewhere unless you\u2019re chasing pure desperation upside. You\u2019ve been warned.<\/p>\n

SIT \u2014 Jordan Love (GB @ PIT):<\/strong> I\u2019m sitting Love because Pittsburgh<\/a>\u2019s defense tends to squeeze passing games, especially at home. Green Bay<\/a>\u2019s best path is quick game and the run, and that caps Love\u2019s opportunities for splash explosives in what profiles as a grinder. Unless you\u2019re swinging for chaos, I\u2019d pivot.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Running Backs<\/h3>\n
\"\"
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

START \u2014 James Cook (BUF @ CAR):<\/strong> This is a \u201cget-right\u201d setup after the bye, and I expect Buffalo<\/a> to juice him in space and on screens. Cook doesn\u2019t need 25 touches – give me 15-18 with a few goal-to-go looks and I\u2019m happy. In PPR, he\u2019s a top-10 swing I\u2019ll back.<\/p>\n

START \u2014 Derrick Henry (BAL vs CHI):<\/strong> The stars have aligned for King Henry this week: this one gives shootout vibes, and Chicago\u2019s rush defense has been absolutely, historically brutal. It\u2019s the perfect week for Baltimore<\/a> to remember they\u2019ve got a monster in the backfield. 20+ touches, and a home run-level touchdown incoming.<\/p>\n

SIT \u2014 Saquon Barkley (PHI vs NYG):<\/strong> Yes, I know most will play him, but I\u2019m lowering expectations or sitting if I\u2019ve got a comparable option. Philly<\/a> siphons short-yardage scores with Hurts, and \u2018Quon just hasn\u2019t been as effective this season with the ball in his hands (maybe the shoulder is a thing). The ceiling looks slimmer than the name value suggests.<\/p>\n

SIT \u2014 Rico Dowdle (CAR vs BUF):<\/strong> I\u2019m benching him in a split backfield that will fight for touches. Buffalo comes in fresh and typically rallies to the run, so chunk gains are thin. In a likely neutral-to-negative game flow, the math with a 10-12 touch ceiling just doesn\u2019t add up.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Wide Receivers<\/h3>\n
\"JC
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

START \u2014 Cortland Sutton (DEN vs DAL):<\/strong> I\u2019m in on Sutton because Nix trusts him where it counts – the sticks and the paint. Denver can use play-action to isolate him on slants and fades, and I expect two or three high-leverage targets. That\u2019s top-24 juice at home.<\/p>\n

START \u2014 Rome Odunze (CHI @ BAL):<\/strong> I\u2019m stacking Odunze with Caleb for volume and design. Chicago manufacture touches – screens, crossers, glances\u2014and he\u2019s good enough after the catch to turn those into real fantasy points. Add one boundary shot and you\u2019ve got a week-winner.<\/p>\n

SIT \u2014 Jaylen Waddle (MIA @ ATL):<\/strong> I\u2019m taking the cautious route here – Miami<\/a>\u2019s week-to-week volatility (translation: Tua) has wrecked WR floors. And, Atlanta has been really good against opposing WRs. Plainly stated – I\u2019m looking elsewhere.<\/p>\n

SIT \u2014 Deebo Samuel Jr. (WAS @ KC):<\/strong> I\u2019m out on Washington<\/a>\u2019s passing game in Arrowhead unless I\u2019m chasing pure boom. Spags\u2019 crew does a fantastic job of squeezing the intermediate windows Deebo lives in, and the script will snowball fast with Mariota under center. I\u2019ll wait for Jayden to come back before jumping back in on Deebo, who might not play again this week.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Tight Ends<\/h3>\n

\"tyler<\/p>\n

START \u2014 Tyler Warren (vs TEN):<\/strong> Matchup is prime: Tennessee<\/a> can be had on seams and play-action throwbacks. Warren has a real red-zone role (Tuddys in three straight), and that keeps his line useful even on 5-6 targets. I\u2019m betting touchdown equity and volume here equals a top-5 week.<\/p>\n

START \u2014 Tucker Kraft (GB @ PIT):<\/strong> Green Bay needs quick answers against the rush, which funnels throws to backs and tight ends. Kraft\u2019s on the field in money situations, and that\u2019s all I need from a TE. Give me 4\u20136 catches with a shot or two inside the 10.<\/p>\n

SIT \u2014 Mark Andrews (BAL vs CHI):<\/strong> I\u2019m dialing down expectations and sitting where I\u2019ve got a viable alternative. Baltimore will lean run inside the five, and that narrows the target pie when games tilt positive. Plus, Tremaine Edmunds is solid, and the Bears have given up only two scores to the position all year.<\/p>\n

SIT \u2014 Chig Okonkwo (TEN @ IND):<\/strong> Routes and targets have been too fragile (two targets, zero catches, zero yards last week for Chig), and the emergence of Gunna Helm isn\u2019t reassuring. On the road in a tough spot with a rookie QB, I don\u2019t want to chase a hope-and-a-prayer line. I\u2019ll stream someone with steadier usage and a higher floor.<\/p>\n

For more help with your fantasy football lineups, check out our Week 8 Wide Receiver Rankings<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You know the feeling. It\u2019s why you\u2019re here. That glorious, maddening, weekly riddle that consumes us right until kickoff: WHO DO I START? The impact? Maybe the difference is between mess-talking victory and soul-sucking defeat. And we all want that \u201cedge,\u201d don\u2019t we? That little nugget that pats us on our tushies and tells us […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5637,"featured_media":234399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[33430,2320,9531],"class_list":["post-251972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fantasy","tag-2025-fantasy-football","tag-nfl-schedule","tag-starts-and-sits"],"modified_by":"Doug Henderson","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5637"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251972"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251977,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251972\/revisions\/251977"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/234399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}