Week 8 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | Team D/K
Start ’Em, Sit ’Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in fantasy football leagues, based on a full-point PPR scoring system. This column will not cover elite NFL players like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey McBride. Instead, it will focus on players who could exceed or fall short of their statistical expectations at each position. For all your final lineup decisions, check out my weekly player rankings, which are updated daily.
Note: Streamers listed are players started in fewer than 50% of Sleeper fantasy leagues.
Byes: 49ers, Giants, Saints, Texans
Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Quarterback Rankings For Week 8
- Josh Allen vs. Ravens
- Drake Maye at Dolphins
- Lamar Jackson at Bills
- Joe Burrow vs. Titans
- Trevor Lawrence vs. Colts
- Dak Prescott vs. Cardinals
- Jayden Daniels vs. Eagles
- Jordan Love vs. Panthers (Thurs.)
- Matthew Stafford vs. Chargers
- Caleb Williams at Seahawks (Mon.)
Complete Week 8 quarterback rankings
Week 8 Start ’Em Quarterbacks
Start of the Week
Dak Prescott vs. Cardinals (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Prescott stopped a two-game streak of stinkers, posting 23.4 fantasy points in the Cowboys’ win over the Eagles. He should remain in the starting lineup this week, too, as the Cowboys host the Cardinals. Their defense has allowed five quarterbacks to beat them for 18 or more fantasy points, including three who have scored more than 26 points. The projrected points total for this game is in the mid-50s, so Vegas is expecting a ton of points in Jerry World.
Start ’Em
Trevor Lawrence vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Lawrence has been putting up scary-good fantasy totals lately, scoring 19-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games. He should remain in starting lineups against the Colts, who allowed the 10th-highest EPA (Expected Points Added) and an average of 18 points per game to quarterbacks. Lawrence has also scored 19-plus points in each of his last three games against the Colts, so I’d expect him to post a solid stat line.
Jordan Love vs. Panthers (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Love has scored 17 or more fantasy points in three straight games, and he has posted more than 18 points in four of his seven games. He’s worth starting against the Panthers, who have allowed three quarterbacks to beat them for more than 20 fantasy points. Their defense did hold Baker Mayfield to just 6.7 points last week, but that was due to the game script and the Bucs’ success in the running game.
Kyler Murray at Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Murray’s numbers have not been great this season, as he has failed to score more than 14 fantasy points in all but one of his four full games. Still, he is in the starting conversation this week against the Lions. All but one quarterback has beaten them for 21-plus fantasy points, and no team has allowed more points to the position this season. In what could be a breakout game for him as a Viking, Murray is a top-12 option this weekend.
Jacoby Brissett at Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Brissett’s numbers haven’t been great this season, but he can be a useful streamer when the matchup is favorable. That’s the case this week, as he faces a Cowboys defense that has been brutal against quarterbacks. Four opposing field generals have beaten them for 20-plus fantasy points, and they’re fifth in fantasy points allowed and third in EPA per game to the position. Brissett is a free agent in many leagues, too.
More Starts
- Drake Maye at Dolphins (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Jayden Daniels vs. Eagles (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
- Joe Burrow vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Quarterback Streamers
- Kirk Cousins at Jets (39%): Cousins has scored 18-plus fantasy points in all but two games, and he faces a plus matchup against the Jets defense next on the slate.
- Sam Darnold at Bears (18%): Darnold’s numbers haven’t been great, but he does face a Bears defense that has allowed the ninth-most points per game to quarterbacks in 2026.
- Geno Smith vs. Raiders (17%): Smith, listed as a streamer last week, had 23.4 points against Miami. Next, he has a good matchup against the Raiders in a revenge game.
Week 8 Sit ’Em Quarterbacks
Sit of the Week
Caleb Williams at Seahawks (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Williams is a tough player to sit, but he has a brutal matchup against the Seahawks. Their defense has allowed just one quarterback to beat them for more than 9.8 fantasy points at home, and that includes holding Drake Maye and Patrick Mahomes to fewer than 10 points. Overall, Seattle has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game and the second-fewest points per dropback to enemy field generals.
Sit ’Em
Patrick Mahomes at Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Listed as a sit last week, Mahomes was held to just 6.7 fantasy points in a loss to the Seahawks. He has now failed to score more than 17 points in four straight games, in which time he has averaged just 12.4 points. Next up is a matchup against a Broncos team that has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per dropback. While he did beat them for 21.7 points in Week 1, Mahomes does come with risk right now.
Bo Nix vs. Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Nix went off last week, scoring 26.3 fantasy points in a win over the Cardinals. However, that’s more points than he had scored in his previous three games combined! Nix also has a much tougher matchup against the Chiefs, who held him to just 5.4 points back in Week 1. Overall, Kansas City has held all but one quarterback to fewer than 14 points this season. Nix is just a Superflex option, and not a very attractive one.
Justin Herbert at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Herbert and the Chargers should be healthier coming off a bye, but that doesn’t change the fact that this offense has been awful this season. Herbert hasn’t scored more than 13.3 fantasy points in a game, and his 10.4 points-per-game average makes him waiver-wire fodder in most leagues. So, while this week’s matchup against the Rams isn’t terrible on paper, Herbert simply isn’t worth starting in any fantasy leagues.
Deshaun Watson at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Watson has been a pleasant surprise, scoring 18-plus fantasy points three times in his last six games. He hasn’t been a consistent performer, however, and a matchup against the Steelers makes him a fade. Their defense has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points per dropback, and quarterbacks have put up the fourth-fewest points per game against them. Also, Watson has scored just 12.9 points against them in Week 4.
More Sits
- Bryce Young at Packers (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
- Malik Willis vs. Patriots (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Daniel Jones at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
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