Fantasy Football Outlook: Gus Edwards, Christian Kirk, Derrick Henry (Week 8)

After dealing with multiple teams on byes over the last few weeks, Week 8 is an oasis of availability for fantasy managers. That doesn’t mean starting just anyone based on where they were drafted way back in August. Here are the riskiest and safest plays of Week 8. And below we dive into a few notable players.

Fantasy Football Outlook

Gus Edwards (RB – BAL) vs. Arizona Cardinals

Not too long ago it looked like Justice Hill might be the preferred option in the Ravens’ backfield. His speed and pass-catching ability work well for a Todd Monken offense. However, Hill has struggled with routine hand-offs from Lamar Jackson, leading to several fumbles. One came against the Lions in Week 7 and had Jackson throwing his helmet on the sidelines.

Edwards has been a top-40 back for four weeks running, including Sunday’s RB6 performance against the Lions. Edwards isn’t someone we can count on for top-12 weeks, but, as a plug-and-play Flex, he will be a reasonable value, especially this week opposite the Cardinals.

Christian Kirk (WR – JAC) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Zay Jones continues to deal with injuries while Calvin Ridley just plain continues to struggle. Kirk, on the other hand, has been a top-30 option for six weeks running. He faces a Steelers’ defense in Week 8 that has struggled against slot receivers, allowing a league-high 186.2 points. This total is 21 points more than any other team, despite the fact the Steelers have only played six games.

Derrick Henry (RB – TEN) vs. Atlanta Falcons

It seems possible that Ryan Tannehill might be out for this week’s game against the Falcons. No matter which quarterback – Malik Willis or Will Levis – starts in Tannehill’s place, it be sensible to lean on Henry. The 29-year old running back might be past his peak, but, against the Ravens two weeks ago, Henry showed that he can still break off a monster run at any point.

The Titans are happy to run Henry out of the wildcat formation at any point too. The team does not do much well, but when the running game is ticking, they’re usually at their best.