Kirk Cousins start or sit: Week 8 fantasy football advice

The Minnesota Vikings come off their bye and welcome the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8. The Vikings sit at 5-1 and atop the NFC North, and they’ll look to retain their hold on the division with a key win on Sunday. With Minnesota boasting one of the best records in the league, does it necessitate starting quarterback Kirk Cousins among fantasy lineups this week?

Fantasy Football analysis: Vikings QB Kirk Cousins

Cousins has totaled double-digit fantasy performances in six of his seven games so far this season, and the number of weapons surrounding him makes him worthy of a start in fantasy lineups on a consistent basis. The opponent on hand determines his ceiling, however, as Cousins largely boasts low-end QB1 appeal for fantasy managers. While he has thrown for a touchdown in every game so far this season, he has not finished with more than 22.24 fantasy points in a game this year.

Perhaps Sunday’s game against the Cardinals will break the trend, as Arizona is allowing an average of 19.5 fantasy points to pocket passers, which is the sixth-most in the NFL. The Vikings are also averaging 277.0 passing yards per game when playing at home, which is tied for fifth-most in the NFL. If there were a week for Cousins to set a season-high in fantasy scoring, it could come on Sunday as the team should be well-rested coming off their bye.

Start or sit in Week 8?

Cousins continues to flex low-QB1 appeal for fantasy managers, and he remains a start in Week 8. The favorable matchup, coupled with the fact that Minnesota is coming off their bye week, could mean that the Vikings quarterback exceeds his fantasy average in Sunday’s contest.