Everyone who doubted Aaron Rodgers witnessed a rude awakening in week 7.
Rodgers put on a clinic against the Raiders, throwing for five touchdowns and running for one more. It was the kind of game that should excite fantasy owners that paid a lower price this year for Rodgers’ services.
With a stronger running game, this should open up some opportunities for Rodgers. He’s a solid start once again, especially with the Chiefs on the schedule for week 8. For other quarterbacks on the fringe, here’s the week 8 fantasy football quarterbacks start ‘em, sit ‘em guide.
Start
Kirk Cousins vs. Washington Redskins
I know. Cousins in a primetime game usually spells disaster.
But I’m going to ignore that based on the opponent. Washington is terrible. And don’t be fooled by the week 7 numbers in a downpour.
San Francisco didn’t want to force anything down the field in that rain storm, with horrible field conditions. The Redskins are allowing 7 yards per pass attempt, which ranks in the bottom half of the NFL, and Cousins has come alive in recent weeks.
He’s throwing the ball down the field and the offensive line (which I’ve been saying for weeks) is a massive upgrade over previous years.
Matthew Stafford vs. New York Giants
The Giants can’t stop anybody. So that should be a welcoming sight for Stafford.
Stafford turned in the third-most fantasy points among quarterbacks in week 7, growing for four touchdowns and 364 yards.
Most importantly, though, Stafford is limiting his mistakes, with just three interceptions this season. The Giants are a bottom-five defense and only getting worse.
Mason Rudolph vs. Miami Dolphins
If you’re looking for a streaming quarterback, Rudolph holds some value.
The Dolphins own the worst passing defense in the NFL, allowing 9.2 yards per pass attempt. Rudolph should be healthy enough to come back in this Monday night matchup, and he has plenty of weapons to find.
Trust the anti-Dolphins strategy once again in fantasy, and roll with Rudolph as a streaming QB.
Sit
Baker Mayfield vs. New England Patriots
Mayfield was supposed to make huge leaps in his second year. But so far, he’s been far from the weapon that many fantasy football owners believed he could be when they drafted him.
He’s been turnover-prone and forcing the ball too much into tight windows.
That won’t work against a Patriots defense that ranks No. 1 in pass defense. Mayfield has some value in coming weeks as the schedule lightens up for the Browns, but go ahead and sit him in week 8.
Carson Wentz vs. Buffalo Bills
The Bills don’t win in a pretty way, but they win. And it’s usually ugly, which means to avoid their games like the plague in fantasy football.
Buffalo is allowing just 5.5 yards per pass attempt, the third-best mark in the NFL. And it doesn’t hurt that Wentz has been inconsistent this year, with the turnover bug coming to haunt him in the week 7 disaster. There are reports of some fractures in the lockerroom in Philadelphia, so that doesn’t help Wentz’s or the Eagles’ chances.
Kyler Murray vs. New Orleans Saints
I’ve been surprised by the Cardinals in recent weeks. The offense seems capable and the defense has made stops when necessary.
But the schedule is getting a lot tougher in week 8.
The Saints own a top-10 defense, giving up 6.6 yards per pass attempt. Most importantly, they’re allowing just 4.9 yards per pass attempt in the last three games, the third-best mark in the NFL.
Murray has been decent, but still experiences enough valleys to not trust him on a regular basis. I’m putting my trust in the Saints in this contest.
