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 sleepers and upside 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 streamer 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 sleeper/upside plays
Blake Corum, LAR (vs. Chargers)
Rams 1A running back Blake Corum is making this backfield split awfully enjoyable for the Rams fan in me. He rushed 17 times for 93 yards and a touchdown against Las Vegas, and coach Sean McVay had already begun alternating him with fellow back Kyren Williams before Williams fumbled. Corum has averaged 4.9 yards per carry with a 57.8% rushing success rate. Let the man run.
I’m starting him as a deeper FLEX against a Chargers defense that has faced at least 22 running-back carries in every game. If the Rams control the afternoon, McVay should have ample reason to feed both runners. Williams handles more receiving work and plays more when they trail, so Corum needs his teammates to help McVay stay committed to the ground game.
Antonio Williams, WAS (vs. Eagles)
Dan Quinn expects rookie receiver Antonio Williams to command more targets after fellow wideout Terry McLaurin’s season-ending knee injury. I’m all for it. Williams has separated on 86.4% of his 22 non-screen targets and caught three passes for 50 yards while playing 67% of the offensive snaps before the bye. Quinn has said Williams can help without occupying McLaurin’s exact position, allowing Washington to move him around and give quarterback Jayden Daniels opportunities to exploit his route craft. Philadelphia’s outside corners will make him work, and Williams still drew only four targets in his latest game. He has plenty to prove before we can count on him every week. For now, I’ll start him in deeper PPR leagues as Washington discovers how much of its passing game he can shoulder.
Pop Douglas, NE (at Dolphins)
Pop Douglas becomes a much more appealing sleeper if fellow Patriots wideout A.J. Brown misses Sunday with ankle and knee trouble. I don’t expect Brown to play. With receiver Romeo Doubs already on injured reserve, quarterback Drake Maye would again need Pop to help a painfully depleted passing game.
Douglas caught touchdowns and reached 20.6 PPR points in consecutive games before last week’s three-catch, 23-yard disappointment. He ranks eighth among qualifying receivers in separation score, although he ran only 65% of the routes against Chicago. I’m hardly abandoning a receiver who can get open like this after one lousy afternoon.
Miami does complicate the recommendation, having limited slot receivers to 2.8 catches per game, second-fewest. I’ll use Douglas as a deep FLEX with Brown out and more throws available. If Brown plays his usual role, Pop stays on my bench.
Jonah Coleman, DEN (vs. Chiefs)
Denver running back Jonah Coleman returned from his ankle injury and promptly reminded coach Sean Payton why he deserves more work. He rushed nine times for 54 yards, caught two passes for 15, and played 49% of the snaps. Payton praised him afterward and said he wanted to get him more touches. I’m with you, Sean. Kansas City makes this a difficult week to indulge that enthusiasm, allowing a league-low 1.38 adjusted yards before contact per carry. Fellow Broncos backs J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey still handle scoring and receiving work, respectively. Coleman led the committee last week, though, and Denver can use him on early downs, third downs, and in short yardage. Payton has plenty of ways to deliver those touches. I’ll accept the matchup risk and start Coleman in a deeper FLEX.
Caleb Douglas, MIA (vs. Patriots)
Miami rookie receiver Caleb Douglas can turn a blown defensive assignment into a backdoor cover for Miami in a hurry. Starting him does require a stomach for three-target afternoons, though. He ran 68% of Miami’s routes last week and saw only three throws. New England plays man coverage on 34.5% of its coverage snaps, and Douglas hasn’t caught a pass on 11 routes against man.
Still, I loved the burst he brought back from his ankle injury, catching two touchdowns in Miami’s first win and racing away for a 63-yard score. He separates on slants and accelerates away after the catch, averaging 2.65 yards per route run, tenth among qualifying wideouts. Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis has another receiver who can punish a lapse in coverage. I’ll take Douglas’ speed in a deeper lineup where we can survive an afternoon with few catches.
