Fantasy football · Week 8
Start 'em, sit 'em: Week 8, 2026
Full-PPR and guillotine calls every week of the season: first calls Wednesday morning, updated each morning through Sunday, and graded against what actually happened.
Raiders · Waivers · QB · RB · WR · TE · K · DEF · Flex · Guillotine · FAAB
Week 8 loses New Orleans, the Giants, San Francisco and Houston to byes, and loses Terry McLaurin for the season to a torn patellar tendon. The money this week is at the extremes. Dallas and Baltimore at Buffalo share the high at 54.5, Cleveland at Pittsburgh sits at 39.5 with both teams implied under 22, and Minnesota arrives in Detroit having conceded 7.6 points a game to quarterbacks and 5.9 to tight ends, the best marks in the league at both positions, which makes it the single biggest matchup on the board. Green Bay hosts Carolina on Thursday with Matthew Golden questionable on a foot and shoulder and rain forecast at Lambeau. Lamar Jackson is questionable with an ankle and expected to play at Buffalo, Amon-Ra St. Brown tweaked an ankle and is on track, and Aaron Jones aggravated a knee, which leaves Jordan Mason leading Minnesota's backfield. The approach is to buy volume where the price is a hard matchup and sell share where the environment is cheap: start the eleven target receivers and twenty carry backs into Minnesota and Seattle rather than fade them, and sit the four and six target pass catchers in the three games totalling under 42.
Raiders
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Brock Bowers
PPRStartGuillotineStartBowers has 52 targets in five games, 10.4 a game, and has not been under eight in any week since he returned. The Jets allow 9.9 a game to tight ends, which is the argument against, but Las Vegas is implied for 22 behind a line conceding a 3.6 percent sack rate, the lowest in football, so Cousins gets time to find him. Seven catches for 80 is 15 points with no score, against lines of 10 and 7.
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Matt Gay
PPRStartGuillotineStartRepeat of last week's hit. Las Vegas has 19 field goal attempts against 14 extra points, 2.71 attempts a game, and Gay is 17 of 19 with a 59 yarder. The Jets have 19 sacks at an 8.2 percent rate and concede 21.4 points a game, which stalls drives short of the end zone rather than stopping them at midfield. Projecting two and a half field goals with one from 40 plus and two extra points for 11.
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Tre Tucker
PPRStartGuillotineStartTucker drew 12 targets in Week 7 after a four to seven range all season, and his last two weeks scored 15.3 and 14.7 before the touchdowns are added. The Jets have one interception in seven games, the fewest in the league, and concede 5.66 net yards an attempt. Six catches for 85 is 14.5; this breaks our rule against starting outside the consensus top 24 because that target change is seven days old, so it takes rank 3.
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Michael Mayer
PPRSitGuillotineSitRepeat of last week's hit with the role unchanged. Mayer is the second tight end behind Bowers at 5.3 targets a game, 37 in seven, and he drew three in Week 7. The Jets concede 9.9 a game to tight ends and 5.66 net yards an attempt. Four catches for 40 is eight points against lines of 10 and 7.
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Ashton Jeanty
SplitPPRSitGuillotineStartJeanty's carries have fallen every month, from 23 and 21 in the first fortnight to 10, 10 and eight, and Mike Washington took six carries in Week 7 to Jeanty's eight. The receiving work is the floor and it is growing: 44 targets, eight of them last week. Nine carries for 32 and six catches for 45 is 13.5 points, between the guillotine line of 10 and the full point line of 14. Last week's miss came on a touchdown; the no score number has not moved.
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Kirk Cousins
SplitPPRSitGuillotineStartCousins is at 36.7 attempts and 2.29 touchdowns a game with four of seven games over 18 points, and his own rushing is 15 carries for four yards, so none of it is in the number. The Jets have 19 sacks at an 8.2 percent rate but one interception in seven games, the fewest in the league, and the Raiders line concedes a 3.6 percent sack rate. Projecting 255 yards and two scores for 18, which is on the full point line and above the guillotine line of 15.
Waiver wire
1. Mike Washington Jr., LV, RB. Stash, 2 to 5 percent. Raiders first, and he is the only one who has earned a bid. Washington took six carries in Week 7 to Ashton Jeanty's eight, and Jeanty's carries have gone 23, 21, 19, 15, 10, 10 and eight. Washington has 40 carries at 4.5 a carry. He is a handcuff today and the lead back if that line keeps falling.
2. Mason Taylor, NYJ, TE. Start-ready, 6 to 10 percent. Twenty five points in Week 7 on 18 targets in five games, rostered in under 4 percent of leagues. The Jets have lost Garrett Wilson's target share to a three target game and Taylor is now second in the order behind Omar Cooper. Tight end is the position where a week is won or lost this week and he is free.
3. Omar Cooper Jr., NYJ, WR. Start-ready, 12 to 18 percent. Five targets for 115 yards and seven for 103 in back to back weeks, both with a touchdown, against Garrett Wilson's 11, six and three. He is ranked inside the consensus top 24 receivers already. The Raiders have five interceptions and concede 31.4 a game to receivers.
4. Caleb Douglas, MIA, WR. Start-ready in deep leagues, 4 to 8 percent. Twenty one points in Week 7 and 13 targets in three games with Malik Willis throwing. Miami is implied for 18.25 against New England, which caps him this week, but the role is real from Week 9 on.
5. Samaje Perine, CIN, RB. Stash, 2 to 5 percent. Thirty one carries while Chase Brown's have fallen to 13, nine, 13 and 11, and Cincinnati is implied for 28.25 against Tennessee. He is the short yardage back on the second highest scoring offense on the slate.
6. Dylan Sampson, CLE, RB. Stash, 2 to 4 percent. Ten points in Week 7 on six carries and three catches, and the only back behind Quinshon Judkins, who has taken 90 carries in six games. Nothing to play for this week in a 39.5 total, everything to play for if Judkins misses a game.
7. Chig Okonkwo, WSH, TE. Streamer, 3 to 6 percent. Terry McLaurin is out for the season with a torn patellar tendon and Okonkwo drew seven targets in Week 6 for 69 yards. Philadelphia concedes only 9.4 a game to tight ends, so this is a buy for Week 9 rather than a start on Sunday night.
8. Jonah Coleman, DEN, RB. Stash, 2 to 4 percent. Nineteen carries in three games and 8.9 points in Week 7 in a Denver backfield where J.K. Dobbins has 87 carries and RJ Harvey has 24. The committee is unsettled and Coleman is the one taking snaps off both.
Quarterbacks
Start 'em
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Drake Maye
PPRStartGuillotineStartMaye has thrown for 374, 235 and 321 yards with nine touchdowns in the last three weeks on 32 attempts a game. Miami has six sacks in six games at a 3.3 percent rate, the lowest in the league, and concedes 7.54 net yards an attempt, the most. Projecting 300 yards and two and a half scores for 22 with no rushing credit, against lines of 18 and 15.
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Dak Prescott
PPRStartGuillotineStartDallas is implied for 30.5 indoors, the joint highest team total on the board, behind a line allowing a 2.5 percent sack rate, the best in football. Arizona concedes 8.49 yards an attempt, 31st in the league, and 29.7 points a game. Prescott is at 39 attempts a game with 13 touchdowns; projecting 300 yards and two and a half scores for 22 before any rushing credit.
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Joe Burrow
PPRStartGuillotineStartRepeat of last week's hit with the role unchanged at 36.5 attempts and 2.5 touchdowns a game, 15 in six starts. Cincinnati is implied for 28.25 behind a line allowing a 4.4 percent sack rate, and Tennessee gives up 6.77 net yards an attempt and 34.8 a game to receivers. Projecting 280 yards and two and a half scores for 21.2, with no rushing in the number.
Sit 'em
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Patrick Mahomes
PPRSitGuillotineSitRepeat of last week's hit with the role unchanged at 32 attempts a game and nine touchdowns in six. Denver has 21 sacks at a 7.4 percent rate, seven interceptions and concedes 5.30 net yards an attempt, third fewest in the league. Kansas City is implied for 21.5 in a 41.5 total; projecting 230 yards, 1.3 scores and 1.7 rushing points for 16 against lines of 18 and 15.
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Kirk Cousins
SplitPPRSitGuillotineStartCousins is at 36.7 attempts and 2.29 touchdowns a game with four of seven games over 18 points, and his own rushing is 15 carries for four yards, so none of it is in the number. The Jets have 19 sacks at an 8.2 percent rate but one interception in seven games, the fewest in the league, and the Raiders line concedes a 3.6 percent sack rate. Projecting 255 yards and two scores for 18, which is on the full point line and above the guillotine line of 15.
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Jared Goff
PPRSitGuillotineSitMinnesota has 21 sacks in six games at a 10.6 percent rate and concedes 4.70 net yards an attempt, both the best marks in the league, against a Detroit line allowing 5.1 percent. Goff has 12 carries for 15 yards all season, so there is no rushing floor under him at all. Projecting 230 yards and 1.4 scores for 14.8 against lines of 18 and 15.
Running backs
Start 'em
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Jahmyr Gibbs
PPRStartGuillotineStartMinnesota allows 4.16 yards a carry and 16.1 a game to backs, the fewest in the league, and that is the entire case against him. Gibbs took 29 carries in Week 7 and is at 22.3 carries and 6.7 targets a game, the heaviest combined workload on the slate. Twenty three carries for 105 and five catches for 40 is 19.5 points with no score, against lines of 14 and 10.
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Javonte Williams
PPRStartGuillotineStartWilliams took 25 carries for 155 yards in Week 7 and has six rushing scores in four weeks, and Dallas is implied for 30.5 indoors against a front allowing 4.65 yards a carry. The no touchdown number is 19 carries for 92 and 2.5 catches, which is 13.7 and short of our usual three point cushion; the margin here is the implied total and his goal line role, so this sits at rank 2.
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Kenneth Walker III
PPRStartGuillotineStartWalker is at 20 carries a game with 27 targets and Denver concedes 4.57 yards a carry, eighth most in the league. Kansas City is a 1.5 point favourite, which keeps the script neutral rather than pass heavy. Nineteen carries for 92 and three catches for 24 is 14.6 with no score against lines of 14 and 10, a point over the line rather than three, so this is the lightest of the three.
Sit 'em
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Omarion Hampton
PPRSitGuillotineSitThe Chargers score 15.0 points a game, the fewest in the league, and are implied for 19.5, the lowest team total on the board. Hampton is at 13.3 carries and 1.7 targets a game with Keaton Mitchell taking 35 carries off him, and the Rams concede 4.22 yards a carry. Thirteen carries for 52 and 1.5 catches is 7.9 points against lines of 14 and 10.
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RJ Harvey
PPRSitGuillotineSitHarvey has 24 carries in six games, four a game over the last month, behind J.K. Dobbins at 87. His work is receiving, 28 targets, and last week's 8.9 came on one 54 yard catch. Four carries for 15 and three catches for 25 is seven points against lines of 14 and 10, and Kansas City concedes 3.58 yards a carry, third fewest in the league.
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Jordan Mason
PPRSitGuillotineSitAaron Jones is questionable with an aggravated knee and Mason led the backfield in Week 7, which is why this is rank 3 and not higher. Mason has 30 carries in two games and two targets all season, so there is no receiving floor. Twelve carries for 50 and one catch is 6.8 points against lines of 14 and 10, with Minnesota implied for 21.75.
Wide receivers
Start 'em
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CeeDee Lamb
PPRStartGuillotineStartLamb is at 11.6 targets a game, the second most on the slate, and Dallas is implied for 30.5 indoors in the joint highest total of the week. Arizona concedes 8.49 yards an attempt, 31st in the league, and 29.7 points a game, the most in football. Eight catches for 110 is 19 points with no touchdown, against lines of 14 and 10.
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Tee Higgins
PPRStartGuillotineStartHiggins is at 8.3 targets a game and turned seven targets into 148 yards last week, and Cincinnati is implied for 28.25, second highest on the board. Tennessee concedes 6.77 net yards an attempt and 34.8 a game to receivers. Six and a half catches for 95 is 16 points with no score, a point under our usual cushion, which is why this carries rank 2 rather than rank 1.
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Tre Tucker
PPRStartGuillotineStartTucker drew 12 targets in Week 7 after a four to seven range all season, and his last two weeks scored 15.3 and 14.7 before the touchdowns are added. The Jets have one interception in seven games, the fewest in the league, and concede 5.66 net yards an attempt. Six catches for 85 is 14.5; this breaks our rule against starting outside the consensus top 24 because that target change is seven days old, so it takes rank 3.
Sit 'em
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Jameson Williams
PPRSitGuillotineSitMinnesota concedes 4.70 net yards an attempt, the best mark in the league, with 21 sacks at a 10.6 percent rate and 24.9 a game allowed to receivers. Williams is a 6.3 target a game receiver, 38 in six games, third in Detroit's order behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta. Four catches for 60 yards is 10 points against lines of 14 and 10.
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Garrett Wilson
PPRSitGuillotineSitWilson's targets have gone 11, six and three over the last three weeks and he caught two for 26 yards in Week 7, while Omar Cooper took five and seven targets for 115 and 103 yards in the same stretch. The Jets score 19.6 points a game, 27th in the league. Four and a half catches for 55 is 10 points against lines of 14 and 10, whatever the depth chart says.
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Denzel Boston
PPRSitGuillotineSitRepeat of last week's hit with the role unchanged at six targets a game, 42 in seven. Cleveland at Pittsburgh carries a 39.5 total, the lowest on the board, with Cleveland implied for 18, and Pittsburgh concedes 5.79 net yards an attempt with 18 sacks at a 7.0 percent rate. Three and a half catches for 45 is eight points against lines of 14 and 10.
Tight ends
Start 'em
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Brock Bowers
PPRStartGuillotineStartBowers has 52 targets in five games, 10.4 a game, and has not been under eight in any week since he returned. The Jets allow 9.9 a game to tight ends, which is the argument against, but Las Vegas is implied for 22 behind a line conceding a 3.6 percent sack rate, the lowest in football, so Cousins gets time to find him. Seven catches for 80 is 15 points with no score, against lines of 10 and 7.
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Trey McBride
PPRStartGuillotineStartRepeat of last week's hit with the workload unchanged: 78 targets in seven games, 11.1 a game and the heaviest tight end share in football, including 13 last week. Dallas has four takeaways all season, the fewest on the slate, and allows 10.8 a game to the position. Eight catches for 80 is 16 points against lines of 10 and 7, with Arizona implied for 24 indoors.
Sit 'em
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Michael Mayer
PPRSitGuillotineSitRepeat of last week's hit with the role unchanged. Mayer is the second tight end behind Bowers at 5.3 targets a game, 37 in seven, and he drew three in Week 7. The Jets concede 9.9 a game to tight ends and 5.66 net yards an attempt. Four catches for 40 is eight points against lines of 10 and 7.
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Sam LaPorta
PPRSitGuillotineSitMinnesota has allowed 5.9 points a game to tight ends, the fewest in the league by 2.5, on the back of 4.70 net yards an attempt and a 10.6 percent sack rate. LaPorta is at 6.5 targets a game and drew two for 18 yards last week. Four catches for 40 is eight points against lines of 10 and 7.
Kickers
Start 'em
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Will Reichard
PPRStartGuillotineStartMinnesota has 19 field goal attempts against nine extra points, the most field goal tilted split in the league, which is the signature of drives that reach range and stall. Reichard is 18 of 19 with six makes from 50 plus and leads all kickers at 13.3 a game. Detroit concedes 27.5 points a game and Minnesota is implied for 21.75 in a dome. Projecting 2.8 field goals and 1.6 extra points for 12.5.
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Matt Gay
PPRStartGuillotineStartRepeat of last week's hit. Las Vegas has 19 field goal attempts against 14 extra points, 2.71 attempts a game, and Gay is 17 of 19 with a 59 yarder. The Jets have 19 sacks at an 8.2 percent rate and concede 21.4 points a game, which stalls drives short of the end zone rather than stopping them at midfield. Projecting two and a half field goals with one from 40 plus and two extra points for 11.
Sit 'em
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Harrison Butker
PPRSitGuillotineSitKansas City is implied for 21.5 in a 41.5 total, the second lowest on the board, and Butker is 11 of 16 on field goals, so five misses have already cost five points. The 16 to 15 split between field goal and extra point attempts is balanced, with no stalled drive edge to buy. Denver has 21 sacks at a 7.4 percent rate; projecting 1.8 field goals and two extra points for 7.4 against lines of 8 and 7.
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Brandon Aubrey
PPRSitGuillotineSitDallas has 15 field goal attempts against 18 extra points, a touchdown tilted split, and when a team is implied for 30.5 indoors the drives end in the end zone, which pays a kicker one point rather than three. Aubrey is 12 of 15 at 8.4 a game and has scored five or fewer in three of seven weeks. Projecting 1.6 field goals and three extra points for 7.8 against lines of 8 and 7.
Defenses
Start 'em
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Steelers D/ST
PPRStartGuillotineStartCleveland's line has allowed 25 sacks at a 10.6 percent rate, the worst in the league, against a Pittsburgh front with 18 sacks at 7.0 percent and 11 takeaways including seven interceptions. Cleveland is implied for 18 in a 39.5 total, the lowest game on the board, which puts points allowed in the one to four point band. Projecting 3.5 sacks and two takeaways for 10, with no defensive score in the number because those cannot be forecast.
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Rams D/ST
PPRStartGuillotineStartThe Chargers line has allowed 21 sacks in six games at a 10.4 percent rate, second worst in the league, and the offense scores 15.0 points a game, the fewest in football, implied for 19.5 here. Los Angeles has only 10 sacks of its own, so the edge is the protection in front of Herbert rather than the Rams pass rush. Projecting 2.8 sacks and 1.7 takeaways for nine, and a return score is not forecastable.
Sit 'em
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Falcons D/ST
PPRSitGuillotineSitAtlanta has 17 sacks at a 5.6 percent rate and nine takeaways with three interceptions in seven games, which is no edge against a Tampa Bay line in the same range. Tampa is implied for 24, the zero point band for points allowed, and the forecast is 15 mph wind with rain, which shortens throws rather than forcing them. Projecting 2.5 sacks and 1.4 takeaways for 5.3 against lines of 8 and 6.
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Bears D/ST
PPRSitGuillotineSitChicago has 19 sacks at an 8.9 percent rate, which is real, but Seattle's line concedes only 6.6 percent and the Seahawks are implied for 24.75, the zero point band for points allowed. Seattle is also the team taking the ball away this season with 12 takeaways and eight interceptions, not giving it up. Projecting 2.5 sacks and 1.5 takeaways for 5.5 against lines of 8 and 6, with no defensive score in the number.
Flex
Running backs, receivers and tight ends for the flex spot, beyond the calls above.
Start 'em
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba
PPRStartGuillotineStartSmith-Njigba is at 11.1 targets a game with 58 catches in seven games, the most in football, and Seattle is implied for 24.75 at home. Chicago concedes 7.42 net yards an attempt, fourth most in the league, and 29.5 a game to receivers. Eight catches for 110 is 19 points with no touchdown, against lines of 14 and 10.
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Puka Nacua
PPRStartGuillotineStartRepeat of last week's hit with the role unchanged: 62 targets in five games, 12.4 a game, with Davante Adams on injured reserve. The Chargers concede 6.80 net yards an attempt with 11 sacks at a 6.0 percent rate, and Los Angeles is implied for 26. Eight catches for 100 is 18 points with no score, against lines of 14 and 10.
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Zay Flowers
PPRStartGuillotineStartLamar Jackson is questionable with an ankle and is expected to play, which is why this is rank 3 and not higher. Buffalo concedes 42.7 a game to receivers, the most in the league, with 11 sacks in six games at a 4.3 percent rate, and this 54.5 total is the joint highest of the week. Flowers is at 8.8 targets a game; seven catches for 100 is 17 points with no touchdown.
Sit 'em
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Rome Odunze
PPRSitGuillotineSitSeattle concedes 4.40 net yards an attempt and 20.1 a game to receivers, both the best marks in the league, with 17 sacks and eight interceptions. Odunze is at 5.4 targets a game, 38 in seven, third in Chicago's order behind Luther Burden and Colston Loveland. Three and a half catches for 45 is eight points against lines of 14 and 10.
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Travis Kelce
PPRSitGuillotineSitKelce is at 5.8 targets a game, 35 in six, and has returned 3.5, 9.3 and 8.4 points over the last three weeks. Kansas City is implied for 21.5 in a 41.5 total and Denver concedes 5.30 net yards an attempt with 21 sacks at a 7.4 percent rate. Four catches for 42 is 8.2 points against lines of 10 and 7.
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Germie Bernard
PPRSitGuillotineSitBernard is at 5.3 targets a game and drew five for 27 yards last week after a 12 target outlier in Week 6. Cleveland at Pittsburgh is the lowest total on the board at 39.5 with Pittsburgh implied for 21.5, and Cleveland has 20 sacks at a 7.8 percent rate with 5.49 net yards an attempt allowed. Three and a half catches for 45 is eight points against lines of 14 and 10.
Guillotine survival
Survival this week is a bye problem and a tight end problem. New Orleans, the Giants, San Francisco and Houston are out, which takes Isaiah Likely, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Alvin Kamara, Dalton Schultz and Cam Skattebo off the board with them, and those four rosters are the ones freshly cut loose in most leagues at this stage. Tight end decides weeks: the spread runs from 23.5 points a game allowed in Detroit to 5.9 in Minnesota, so the same player is a start or an auto zero depending only on the opponent. The floor plays are the double digit target receivers and the twenty carry backs, not the deep threats, because a receiver whose only route to 10 points is a touchdown is a coin flip you cannot afford when the bottom score goes home. If you are near the cut, take Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nacua and Brock Bowers and leave the dart throws to the teams with a cushion.
Guillotine FAAB
Budget. You are halfway to the trade deadline and the pool has stopped improving. Four byes means four rosters' worth of startable players are sitting on benches rather than on waivers this week, so the genuine additions are thin and the price should reflect that. Spend 15 to 25 percent of what is left on a player who starts for you every week from here, and no more than 5 percent on anything you are stashing. If you are in the bottom three, invert that: a one week starter is worth more to you than a rest of season asset you will not be around to use.
What is worth a real bid off a chopped roster. A tight end with a target share above 18 percent, because the position swings from 23.5 points a game allowed in Detroit to 5.9 in Minnesota and a bad matchup takes the start away from you. A back who inherited the third down work as well as the carries, not one of the two. A receiver who is first or second in his team's order on an offense implied for 24 or more. What is not worth a bid: a backup behind a healthy starter on a bye this week, a receiver whose only good game was a touchdown on three catches, and any kicker on an offense attempting fewer than two field goals a game.
Targets, in order. Mason Taylor is the one genuine start this week, rostered in almost no leagues after 25 points in Week 7 on 18 targets in five games. Omar Cooper has gone 115 and 103 yards in back to back weeks and is the Jets' leading receiver in all but name. Caleb Douglas is a flex in Miami with 13 targets in three games. Then the stashes: Mike Washington behind a fading Jeanty, Samaje Perine taking goal line work in Cincinnati, Dylan Sampson behind Quinshon Judkins, and Chig Okonkwo with McLaurin gone for the year.
How calls are graded
Every call is locked at its player's kickoff and graded on full-PPR points from the official box score: a point per reception, a tenth of a point per rushing or receiving yard, one per 25 passing yards, six per rushing or receiving touchdown, four per passing touchdown, minus two per interception or lost fumble. Two-point conversions and return touchdowns aren't counted.
Kickers: three per field goal, one more from 40 to 49 yards and two more from 50 or longer, one per extra point, minus one per miss. Defenses: one per sack, two per interception or fumble recovery, six per defensive or return touchdown, two per safety, plus points allowed (the opponent's final score): shutout 10, 1 to 6 is 7, 7 to 13 is 4, 14 to 20 is 1, 21 to 27 is 0, 28 to 34 is minus 1, 35 or more is minus 4.
A start cashes if the player reaches the line for his position; a sit cashes if he stays under it. PPR lines: QB 18, RB 14, WR 14, TE 10, K 8, DEF 8. Guillotine lines are survival floors: QB 15, RB 10, WR 10, TE 7, K 7, DEF 6.
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