The Washington Commanders will host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8, and wide receiver DeVonta Smith will look toward the opportunity as a rebound from what has been a quiet stretch over the last few weeks. While the former first-rounder remains a pivotal part of the offense, he’s been overshadowed in the box score as of late, creating a conundrum for fantasy managers.
We break down the upcoming matchup for Smith and assess whether he’s a viable option to start in fantasy lineups.
Fantasy Football analysis: Eagles WR DeVonta Smith
Smith ranks as WR29 entering Week 8 of the NFL season, having averaged 11.8 PPR fantasy points per game to date. The former first-round pick has caught 32 of 50 targets for 383 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Start or sit in Week 8 PPR leagues?
Start. Smith is definitely amid a cold streak, as he’s now logged three straight games of single-digit PPR fantasy points. Perhaps a hamstring injury he dealt with a few weeks back is the factor, but so long as he’s on the field, it’s hard to regulate him to the bench. Just don’t expect him to put up WR1-level numbers with the way A.J. Brown has been producing.
Smith is a WR2 in both smaller and larger fantasy leagues heading into Week 8.
Start or sit in Week 8 standard leagues?
Start. Last week marked his third week in a row with fewer than 50 receiving yards, but truth be told it’s expected when playing amid a high-octane offense of the Eagles that includes Brown and Dallas Goedert as viable receiving options. Still, all it takes is one big chunk of play to provide a return on value in standard leagues, and Smith is still averaging 12.0 yards per reception on the season.
Is a lock-in WR1? No, but he remains a viable WR2 option in both smaller and larger fantasy leagues, so long as he’s on the field.
Player(s) you would start ahead of DeVonta Smith
Jaylen Waddle has a matchup with a stout New England Patriots defense this week, but in the short term, he could profile as the WR1 for the Miami Dolphins. With Tyreek Hill’s status up in the air with a hip injury, Waddle should be the big-time target for Tua Tagovailoa. The Patriots are also allowing a decent 20.0 fantasy points per game to opposing receivers this season.
