Sam Howell start or sit: Week 8 fantasy football advice

The Washington Commanders will host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8, marking a significant matchup for second-year quarterback Sam Howell. Howell threw for almost 300 yards with one touchdown in a Week 4 loss to the Eagles, but can he put together a sequel performance this Sunday?

We break down his upcoming matchup and assess whether he’s a viable fantasy starter.

Fantasy Football analysis: Commanders QB Sam Howell

Heading into Week 8, Howell ranks as QB11 in standard fantasy leagues with an average of 16.7 fantasy PPG. He’s completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,749 yards and nine touchdowns. Still, he needs to better protect the ball as he’s thrown seven interceptions on the season.

Start or sit in Week 8?

Start. Howell may be going through a rough patch schematically, but he’s managed to stay fantasy-relevant with double-digit fantasy points in three of his last four outings. He’ll also have a decent matchup against the Eagles' defense, which is allowing 17.2 fantasy PPG to opposing quarterbacks and an average of 227.4 passing yards per game. Until Howell gets sent to the bench by Washington, he’ll remain a viable candidate in fantasy.

Howell may not be one of the top options in fantasy, but he profiles as a solid QB2 in both smaller and larger fantasy leagues.

Player(s) you would start ahead of Sam Howell

It’s not often Desmond Ridder is a viable fantasy option, but this week he possesses some appeal in starting over Howell. The Atlanta Falcons’ signal caller will face off against the Tennesee Titans, who are allowing a solid 15.2 fantasy PPG to quarterbacks and roughly one passing touchdown per game. Their secondary is also getting torched for 237.0 yards per game through the air, which ranks 22nd.