What if I told you the weather’s been too nice, this fine autumn season, for me to wax rhapsodic about the relatively banal comings-and-goings this week in the NFL media circus, Panthers defensive staff aside. Just feels like a waste of breath to flourish the reality of this league—poor officiating, obvious organizational signaling that player health and safety is secondary to bottom lines, the literally-world-wearying and ever-imperializing schedule of international games, etc.—such as it stands instead of watching the leaves fall and lighting a fire in the yard with my dogs. You’re here for lineup advice. I’ve got it.
How to sort through it all this week? Pray for clean football and no flags. I play. Sort of. Of course—I’m here with the Five Lists of Five: Week 8 edition. The season’s turning edition.
For the (somehow) newly-ordained: Soundbite-length blurbs with advanced analysis on my favorite plays of the week. We begin now with my Top five streamer plays for fantasy football Week 8. Here are my other offerings in this edition:
- Top five must-start WRs for fantasy football Week 8
- Top five must-start RBs for fantasy football Week 8
- Top five FLEX plays for fantasy football Week 8
- Top five sleepers and upside plays for fantasy football Week 8
All data provided by Fantasy Points Data Suite 2.0, unless otherwise noted.
Fantasy football Week 8: Top five streamer plays
Jacoby Brissett, ARI (at Cowboys)
Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett gets a league-leading 43.4 dropbacks per game, and I’m beginning to resent how little he does with them. He averages a miserable 5.67 yards per attempt and has thrown only one touchdown over his past two outings. Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur is sticking with him, though, and I’m starting him against Dallas despite the aggravation.
The Cowboys have allowed 1.7 passing touchdowns per game, eighth-most, giving Brissett a chance to stop wasting so many possessions in scoring range. He can lean on Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, who has caught at least seven passes in every game, while receiver Michael Wilson gets another opportunity to recover from his disappointing stretch. Arizona still has to protect its quarterback. I’ll accept some ugly incompletions from a low-end QB1 who gets this many chances against a forgiving defense.
Chig Okonkwo, WAS (vs. Eagles)
Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, already adjusting to wideout Terry McLaurin’s season-ending injury, has been getting some sorely needed help from tight end Chig Okonkwo. Before the bye, Chig caught all seven targets for 69 yards, his second straight game with at least 60 receiving yards. Across those two games, he ran routes on 72.6% of Washington’s dropbacks and averaged 2.11 yards per route run. I’m becoming fond of this connection. Rookie receiver Antonio Williams will claim some of the work available without McLaurin, so Washington won’t ask Chig to compensate for the loss by himself. Philadelphia has held tight ends to 43.0 receiving yards per game; I’m still starting Chig as a PPR fill-in because Daniels has been finding him regularly enough to accept a difficult matchup.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers D/ST (vs. Falcons)
Tampa Bay’s defenders have been relentless over their past two games, sacking opposing quarterbacks five times in each. Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles blitzed on 41.3% of dropbacks across that stretch, and Michael Penix Jr. has taken a sack on 25.7% of his pressured dropbacks this season. Bowles has his rushers finishing plays again. In leagues that reward sacks and takeaways, I’m streaming the Buccaneers.
Penix has been releasing the ball quickly, however, and Falcons running back Bijan Robinson can punish Tampa Bay as a receiver when Bowles sends extra men. Atlanta’s offensive line will also be harder to beat than Carolina’s. Tampa Bay will have to earn its sacks against an offense better equipped to make a blitz backfire.
Chad Ryland, ARI (at Cowboys)
Back-to-back weeks for Chad! Arizona kicker Chad Ryland has made a nuisance of himself to the Rams fan in me, kicking all 18 points in the Cardinals’ win over Los Angeles. Then he followed those six field goals with three more against Denver. I can set aside the grievance long enough to recommend a kicker who gets that much work.
Ryland has converted 17 of 19 field-goal attempts this season, including a 60-yarder. Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw for 272 yards last week but only one touchdown, moving Arizona into scoring range and repeatedly leaving Ryland to finish. Dallas offers another opportunity to move the ball, and even if the stadium roof opens, the Arlington forecast calls for light wind. I’m starting Ryland for his repeated chances and the accuracy to convert them. If Dallas pulls far ahead, Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur may chase touchdowns on fourth down and leave his kicker watching.
Mason Taylor, NYJ (vs. Raiders)
Jets tight end Mason Taylor caught five passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns against Miami, and I liked the craft behind the scoring: he worked himself into position with his releases and held on when the catch got difficult. Quarterback Geno Smith has a young tight end who can reward some faith near the goal line. That’s an encouraging development for both of them.
Over his past two games, Taylor has commanded 21% of New York’s targets on 61% route participation. Fellow Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq ran routes on 36% of dropbacks and drew 7% of the targets, establishing Taylor as the preferred receiver while preserving a meaningful role for Sadiq. I’ll start Taylor for his scoring upside against a Las Vegas defense that has allowed 2.3 passing touchdowns per game, fifth-most. Sadiq still takes enough work to make Taylor a more touchdown-dependent choice than Washington tight end Chig Okonkwo.
