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Daily Fantasy Football is the ultimate week-to-week test of acumen. There is worry about bye weeks or injured players like in season-long formats. FanDuel offers a variety of cash and tournament contests consisting of a single week of matchups. Projecting player ownership to build lineups is an integral strategy to long-term success. Here are the key players for Week 8:
THE CHALK PLAYS
Matt Ryan (vs GB), $8,500: The slate is smaller this week as six teams are on bye. The Atlanta-Green Bay game features the highest Vegas total of the week. The Packers are an average-level pass defense but boosted in the rankings by feasting on an overmatched pair of Houston quarterbacks in Week 7, where Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley combined for 130-0-2 through the air. Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford, and Sam Bradford all had multiple touchdowns and at least 240 yards against Green Bay. Expect to see Ryan to be owned in at least 10%, if not closer to 20% for Week 8.
Devontae Booker (vs SD), $5,600: Once again the running back committee clarity fairy has blessed us with C.J. Anderson now on IR and the rising Booker to get a heavy majority of the snaps and touches for the Broncos. Like a few other running backs in previous weeks, Booker is the optimal blend of projected usage and low-salary. More lineups will have Booker than not in cash games with a strong share of tournament lineups as well. The Chargers are not the best matchup (yet to allow more than 82 rushing yards to a back this season), but are generous to pass-catching options (61 receptions in seven games) and have allowed eight touchdowns on the ground. Booker may push 40-50% ownership this week.
Spencer Ware (at IND), $7,400: Jamaal Charles has yet to be a factor in Kansas City's backfield. The Colts are in the target matchup range of running back fantasy points allowed and Expected Points rushing for ProFootballReference. The last month has featured strong stat lines by all opposing starting backs against the Colts, including T.J. Yeldon (117 total yards), Jordan Howard (163 total yards), Lamar Miller (178 total yards) and DeMarco Murray (127 total yards). Ware is coming off a relative down game (17-77-0 rushing) and is a touchdown regression candidate with just two rushing scores on 95 carries this season. Ware is projected as one of the top-5 owned running backs of the week in the 20-30% range.
David Johnson (at CAR), $8,700: While Johnson is the preferred running back play with his high weekly floor and the reduced player pool with six teams on bye, I am tepid on Johnson overall. He is the engine on an otherwise struggling (compared to expectations) Arizona offense, logging high weekly touches. However, Carolina is not an ideal matchup. They are allowing just 3.3 yards-per-carry on the ground as the No.8 overall rush defense in ProFootballReference.com's Expected Points metric. Jacquizz Rodgers, on 30 carries, is the only back to surpass the 100-yard threshold against the Panthers (101 yards in Week 5). Carolina has held Atlanta's running back duo, Mark Ingram, and Carlos Hyde all well in check this season.
Jacquizz Rodgers (vs OAK), $6,600: Rodgers is rising in salary, but still a bargain with an uncontested run for high touches again this week. Rodgers has 35 and 27 touches in his two starts post-Doug Martin injury. Touchdowns had eluded Rodgers to-date, but the Raiders are a top matchup allowing 5.0 yards-per-carry (NFL-high) and nearly 130 yards per game on the ground. Like Matt Asiata, Rodgers offers a high floor of touches for a discount compared to the top-priced backs of the week. Like Ware, Rodgers is in the mix to be one of the top owned backs behind Devontae Booker in Week 8 - expect at least 20% ownership.
Mike Evans (vs OAK), $7,900: Evans may be the highest floor wide receiver in the NFL. The Tampa Bay passing game is much like their 2015 version where Winston fixates on Evans with a glut of targets and for good reason. The Raiders are a prime matchup, allowing 8.4 yards-per-attempt and forcing just nine sacks. Oakland has allowed seven 100-yard receiving games this season. Evans has seen at least 11 targets in each of his last five games. Like Devontae Booker of the running back position, Evans is a glaring top-ownership play of Week 8. Expect to see Evans pushing 40% or beyond.
Doug Baldwin (at NO), $7,200: The Saints are a strong matchup for wide receivers and they struggle to rush the passer. Baldwin has seen at least nine targets in half his games this season and is a touchdown regression candidate with three games (14 catches) without finding the end zone. Baldwin and Graham are the most predictable Seattle pass game weapons. With the strong matchup and game script possibilities, Baldwin slots as a quality WR2 play this week. Baldwin is in the top-10 receiver mix for ownership at 10-15%.
Jimmy Graham (at NO), $6,700: Graham returns to New Orleans this week, a defense rarely tested by a top tight end this season. Greg Olsen is the notable tight end they have faced, who posted 6-94-0 on seven targets a couple weeks ago. The Saints' overall tight end numbers have been skewed by an easy schedule to-date. Graham is rising with at least eight targets in each of the last four games, rivaling Doug Baldwin for the top target on the team. Graham is also due for a score, having a streak of three games and 17 receptions without a touchdown heading into Week 8. Graham can push 20% ownership this week.
Jack Doyle (vs KC), $4,900: Dwayne Allen has been declared OUT for Week 8. Doyle remains a low-priced option with a sturdy target floor even with Donte Moncrief back as Allen misses this week. Doyle is in play for the No.1 tight end ownership spot of the week considering his salary.
Matt Bryant ($4,800), Adam Vinatieri ($5,100). Bryant offers the highest Vegas team total of the week in the projected Atlanta-Green Bay home dome shootout. Plus Bryant saves a few hundred in salary off Vinatieri, the top salary of the week. However, Vinatieri has been automatic this season, the clear No.1 kicker and has posted a top-12 kicker score in every game, including four weeks inside the top-6. With a bevy of running back value plays this week, fitting in Vinatieri's extra salary will not be a challenge.
Vikings (at CHI), $5,200: Like splurging for Adam Vinatieri, fitting in the top-priced Vikings defense should not be a challenge this week. The Bears have turnover-prone Jay Cutler returning in Week 8. The Vikings are the No.2 rush defense in ProFootballReference Expected Points. Making Chicago one-dimensional plays right into Minnesota's strength of pass defense with a strong 19 sacks total on the season and allowing five touchdowns through the air compared to nine interceptions (No.2 in the NFL). In the first two games of the season with Jay Cutler under the center, the Bears allowed eight sacks. In the five games since they have absorbed just four. Also, the Vikings had an uncommon zero sacks last week and will look to rebound.
THE SNEAKY PLAYS
Jameis Winston (vs OAK), $7,400: The Raiders are a preferred matchup for opposing quarterbacks, allowing the most passing yards in the NFL through seven weeks. Alex Smith and Marcus Mariota - both on run-heavy offenses - are the lone quarterbacks to have tepid fantasy days against the Raiders, posting 214-0 and 224-0 respectively. While Cecil Shorts and Russell Shepard are uptick players with the loss of Vincent Jackson for the season, stacking Winston with Mike Evans is an optimal tournament play. The pair has one of the highest target floors and multiple touchdown upside when matchup dictates, like this week.
Brock Osweiler (vs DET), $6,600: Osweiler's stock has been beaten to a pulp with his recent downturn in production. However, over the past three weeks he has faced two of the strongest pass defenses in the NFL (Minnesota, Denver) with a combined 315-1-1 stat line in those games. With a better matchup and his weapons healthy (both in play this week), Osweiler has multiple touchdown upside. Detroit is the optimal matchup for quarterbacks, allowing a 2015 Saints-like 18 touchdowns to just three interceptions through seven games. Quarterbacks are completing a video game-like 74% of their passes, by far the high-water mark in the NFL. Kirk Cousins in Week 7 was the first quarterback not to log multiple passing touchdowns against Detroit, but he completed 30-of-39 passes and had a passing and rushing score on the day. Detroit offers a high-floor for any opposing quarterback. With big play threats DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, Osweiler offers a strong profit ratio for his low salary this week. Expect to see Osweiler with less than 5% ownership this week.
Matt Asiata (at CHI), $5,600: Jerick McKinnon injured his ankle, left in Week 7, only to return and reinjure it later in the game. McKinnon is OUT for Week 8, making Asiata the clear lead option and in line for 20+ touches. The Bears are a neutral matchup for opposing running backs, making Asiata a volume play with multiple touchdown upside as he already owns the goal line opportunities in Minnesota's backfield regardless of McKinnon's status. Asiata's ownership is likely to be under 5%, making for a quality contrarian play and lineup rotation back.
Will Fuller (vs DET), $6,600: See Brock Osweiler summary for more information on the Houston-Detroit passing game matchup. Fuller is back from injury and struggled through a stingy Denver matchup in Week 7 (4-22-0 on 7 targets) like the rest of the Houston receiving targets. Detroit, however, is a big play factory for opposing pass games. Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, and Jordy Nelson are notable big-play threats to post strong games this season. Fuller is $1,000 less than teammate DeAndre Hopkins and is a prime regression candidate after poor stat lines against Dener and Minnesota of late. Expect medium-level ownership (think 5-10%) for Fuller in Week 8.
Donte Moncrief (vs KC), $5,400: Moncrief is on track to return from injury this week to a prime matchup in the Colts' home dome. The Chiefs are the second-best matchup for receivers and have just eight sacks - lowest in the NFL. With more time, Andrew Luck is a strong play and Dwayne Allen is out. Moncrief is projected to rival T.Y. Hilton for top targets this week in his return. Moncrief is also a touchdown regression candidate with two touchdowns in his last 37 receptions, dating back to mid-2015. Moncrief is a nice tournament option with likely sub-5% ownership.
C.J. Fiedorowicz (vs DET), $4,900: Fiedorowicz has been rising in prominence in recent weeks with 7-7-8 targets each of the past three games. The Lions have allowed an NFL-high seven touchdowns to tight ends and even not allowing a touchdown to Washington last week, Vernon Davis collected 6-79-0 on six targets. Fiedorowicz is at a similar price point to Jack Doyle, but projects as a lesser owned option in the 10%.
Cairo Santos (at IND), $4,600: While Santos has been merely average this season to-date, the Colts are a strong matchup for kickers. Their 18 field goals allowed is No.2 in the NFL and every kicker since Week 1 has posted multiple field goals. Santos is a high floor option in a matchup with the second-highest Vegas over/under of the week.
Browns (vs NYJ), $4,200: At a bargain basement salary, The Browns are an adequate pass-rushing unit. However, going with Cleveland is banking on the matchup with Ryan Fitzpatrick and the turnover-prone Jets. New York has an NFL-high 17 turnovers and has allowed four defensive touchdowns in seven games. Only Week 5 against the Steelers saw the Jets not turn the ball over (still allowed three sacks). Expect ownership in the 5% range for the Browns - outside the top-5 of the defenses for Week 8.