After Week 7:
Matthew Stafford leads the league in passing yards (1,989) while Jacoby Brissett has attempted the most passes (282). Joe Burrow leads the NFL in completion percentage (71.7%), while Kirk Cousins has thrown the most touchdowns (16). Justin Herbert, Sam Darnold and Drake Maye have thrown the most interceptions (8), while Deshaun Watson has taken the most sacks (25). Jordan Love has completed the most passes over 20 yards (30), while Love and Geno Smith lead the league in passes over 40 yards (8). Finally, Drew Lock and Brock Purdy have the longest completion at 82 yards.
Here are my favorite QB/WR stacks for Week 8.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st].
5. Geno Smith ($5,200) & Garrett Wilson ($6,300)/Omar Cooper Jr. ($4,800), Jets vs. Raiders
After leading the league with 17 interceptions last season, Smith has only thrown two this season while completing 70% of his passes. He’s racked up 1,623 yards and 10 touchdowns. Smith has two games with three passing touchdowns, with one of those coming last week. Since Cooper Jr. returned to action, he’s garnered seven and five targets while being the apple of Geno’s eye. He went over 100 yards and caught a touchdown in both contests, good for 25.3 and 25.5 FPTS. Wilson was seen voicing displeasure for not getting fed the ball last week, and there’s a good chance he gets fed in this one.
This game has a healthy total of 45.5 points with a spread of only 1.5, so it should be a competitive affair. Las Vegas is third in pressure rate and has racked up 16 sacks, but the expected points for the pass defense is -62.05, the sixth-worst mark in the NFL. The unit has allowed 16 passing touchdowns and a passer rating of 103.7.
4. Kirk Cousins ($5,500) & Tre Tucker ($5,500), Raiders at Jets
Cousins leads the NFL with 16 passing touchdowns. Tight end Brock Bowers leads the Raiders with 52 targets, but Tucker is right behind with 47. The defensive attention given to Bowers has opened up opportunities for Tucker, who’s garnered seven and 12 targets the last two weeks, converting those into 26.7 and 24.3 FPTS.
The Jets blitz at the fifth-highest rate and the 19 sacks are tied for the third-most. That said, the unit has allowed 11 touchdowns while picking off only one pass. The passer rating allowed is 96.8 while the expected points are 13th-worst.
3. Joe Burrow ($7,000) & Ja’Marr Chase ($5,700)/Tee Higgins ($6,700), Bengals vs. Titans
Burrow leads the league with a 71.7 completion percentage. He’s racked up 1,653 yards with 15 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Over the last four games, he’s put up at least 23 FPTS in all. Chase has two games over 20 FPTS this season and is always in play to go nuclear with 30 or 40 FPTS. That said, it’s Higgins who leads the team with 50 targets on the season.
The Titans have racked up 17 sacks but are middle-of-the-pack in pressure rate. The unit has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 69.2% of their passes with a passer rating of 91.4. Only six touchdowns have been given up while five interceptions have been plucked, but the expected points are eighth-worst.
2. Dak Prescott ($6,300) & CeeDee Lamb ($8,100), Cowboys vs. Cardinals
Prescott has put up double-digit FPTS in every game this season, with three over 20 FPTS. He’s attempted at least 40 passes in four contests with a high of 54. Lamb leads the team with 81 targets, which is the most in the NFL. He’s put up double-digit FPTS in all but one contest with four over 20. The ceiling games have been massive: 38.3 and 44.3 FPTS. This game has the highest total on the slate and both defenses are bad, so it’s likely a back-and-forth affair ensues, which brings ceiling outcomes into play.
The Arizona defense has allowed 17 passing touchdowns, most in the NFL, and a 112.5 passer rating, the second-highest. The expected points of -79.42 are the fourth-worst. The expected points for the Dallas defense are -83.37, the third-worst, so Jacoby Brissett could have a big game, which would force Prescott to respond in due kind.
1. Lamar Jackson ($6,800) & Zay Flowers ($7,200), Ravens at Bills
Jackson missed the last three games, but was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. Chances are good that he returns to action for this one. And what an environment to return to, as this game has a total of 54.5 points and a three-point spread. In addition, the Buffalo pass defense has been one of the worst with expected points of -91.6, dead-last in the NFL. The unit has allowed a passer rating of 102.5 and 285.8 yards per game. Flowers is in the midst of a breakout campaign. He leads the team with 53 targets and has put up double-digit FPTS in every contest with three over 20 and a high of 30.7 FPTS.
