It’s not the prettiest slate on paper, but with all 32 teams playing and no international game this week, it does open up a much larger player pool than usual. Several ugly one-sided games might not be much fun to project for tournaments, but for this article and the purpose of cash games (Double Ups/Multipliers), we can lean into the projectable volume and favorability of those matchups.
Week 8 DFS Cash Game Advice & Picks
Quarterbacks
Bo Nix (QB – DEN) vs. CAR | DraftKings: $5,600/FanDuel: $6,900
It remains to be seen if Bo Nix is a good NFL quarterback, but for the time being, he’s been a viable start in fantasy leagues and is worth revisiting in positive matchups, which don’t come more positive than playing the Panthers. Carolina ranks 31st in pass defense DVOA (Defense Value Over Adjusted) and 32nd in run defense DVOA, they allow the sixth-most QB fantasy points and struggle with all forms of defense.
Three different quarterbacks have rushed for 30+ yards against the Panthers, including Jayden Daniels‘ 50 on only 10 snaps last week. This should be music to Nix’s ears with him having rushed for 61 and 75 yards in his last two games.
Other QBs to Consider:
- Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL) at CLE | DraftKings: $8,800/FanDuel: $8,000
- Marcus Mariota (QB – WAS) vs. CHI | DraftKings: $6,800/FanDuel: $5,300
- Joe Burrow (QB – CIN) vs. PHI | DraftKings: $7,700/FanDuel: $7,000
Running Backs
Breece Hall (RB – NYJ) at NE | DraftKings: $7,300/FanDuel: $7,900
The Jets somehow are 7-point favorites in a game, despite having looked pretty miserable on offense all year. The lone bright spark for the Jets, however, is Breece Hall, who is thriving after the coaching staff changes, boasting an 83% opportunity share and turning in RB5 and RB6 performances on the back of it.
The Patriots have given up the third-most running back fantasy points this year and rank 28th in FTN’s run defense DVOA. Since Week 6 alone, the Patriots have allowed both Joe Mixon and Tank Bigsby to score over 23 PPR points. Hall can continue that trend in Week 8.
Joe Mixon (RB – HOU) vs. IND | DraftKings: $7,700/FanDuel: $9,000
Speaking of Joe Mixon, he also projects as one of the stronger values on this slate, particularly on DraftKings, where he’s cheaper relative to the field than he is on FanDuel. The Colts face the lowest pass rate over expected (PROE) on defense of any team. Opponents lean into the run against them because they simply don’t need to pass to beat the Colts.
Mixon, for his part, has scored over 26 PPR points in three of his four games played and boasted a massive 87% opportunity share in Week 7. The Colts have given up games of 17+ PPR points in recent weeks to Tank Bigsby and Tony Pollard, setting Mixon up for a nice safe floor paired with a very high ceiling.
J.K. Dobbins (RB – LAC) vs. NO | DraftKings: $6,900/FanDuel: $7,400
The Chargers face the Saints and it’s getting harder and harder to give any respect to a Saints defensive unit that simply doesn’t warrant it. The Saints rank 31st in run defense DVOA and allow the fifth-most running back fantasy points, giving up 100+ total yards to five different running backs, including multi-touchdown games to Javonte Williams and Sean Tucker in the last two weeks.
J.K. Dobbins has seen at least 17 touches in his last four games. While he’s not always efficient, he’s finished no worse than RB35 in tough matchups with the Chiefs, Broncos and Steelers, who are all top run defenses. Even with the Chargers leaning pass-heavy (by their standards) since the bye week, Dobbins is a good play here.
Other RBs to Consider:
- D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI) at WAS | DraftKings: $6,500/FanDuel: $6,200
- Javonte Williams (RB – DEN) vs. CAR | DraftKings: $6,000/FanDuel: $6,000
Wide Receivers
Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA) vs. ARI | DraftKings: $7,000/FanDuel: $7,600
Since Tua Tagovailoa suffered his Week 2 concussion against the Bills, we almost have to throw out everything we’ve seen from the miserable Miami offense. Let’s face it, there’s not much we need to throw out. Tyreek Hill has totaled 164 receiving yards and zero touchdowns in the four full games since then. To put that into perspective, Hill reached 163+ yards or more in three different games in 2023.
Tagovailoa’s return is a lifeline that is desperately needed. Hill will be one of the most popular wide receivers this week, as will Jaylen Waddle, but for good reason, especially considering the Cardinals allow the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers and rank 29th in FTN’s pass defense DVOA.
DFS players will have to consider how chalky Hill will be in tournaments this week, but we can lean into that and know playing the best plays is the key to any cash lineup.
Drake London (WR – ATL) at TB | DraftKings: $7,200/FanDuel: $7,900
Drake London’s Week 7 was almost a really good one if it weren’t for a dropped touchdown, but as it was, London still found the end zone and scored 18.3 PPR points, just a notch below his average since Week 2 of 19.3 points per game.
The last time these teams met in Week 5, London scored a season-high 33.4 points, finishing with 12 catches and 154 yards in a standout performance. The Bucs are allowing the sixth-most wide receiver fantasy points and were consistently lit up by Rashod Bateman in Week 7. They have given up three top-three wide receiver finishes through seven games.
London has firmly established himself as the top option on the Falcons and has only one game below 17 points since Kirk Cousins‘ rusty Week 1 performance.
Other WRs to Consider:
- Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC) vs. NO | DraftKings: $6,000/FanDuel: $5,100
- Tee Higgins (WR – CIN) vs. PHI | DraftKings: $7,500/FanDuel: $6,500
- Stefon Diggs (WR – HOU) vs. IND | DraftKings: $8,500/FanDuel: $7,500
- Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA) vs. ARI | DraftKings: $5,900/FanDuel: $5,400
Tight Ends
David Njoku (TE – CLE) vs. BAL | DraftKings: $5,100/FanDuel: $5,500
With no Amari Cooper and no Deshaun Watson, the arrow is pointing decidedly up for those left behind. It’s not often we talk about performances improving when a quarterback on a star-level contract gets injured but that’s the reality of how bad Watson has been.
Over the last three seasons, Njoku averages four more PPR points in games without Watson than with him (13.16 vs 9.46) and is coming off a season-high 23.6 points and a 29% target share. The Ravens have allowed the seventh-most tight end fantasy points with three different players notching 95+ yards against them.
Cade Otton (TE – TB) vs. ATL | DraftKings: $3,500/FanDuel: $5,200
The Falcons aren’t a particularly glaring great matchup for tight ends, but Cade Otton should see some extreme volume heading his way without Chris Godwin or Mike Evans in the lineup. Otton hasn’t earned targets at a high rate throughout his career, but when Baker Mayfield locks on to him, as he did on Monday, he can be worthwhile, particularly at these prices.
Otton caught eight passes for 100 yards against the Ravens last week and has had two other top-seven performances this year on the back of an impressive playoff campaign last year. If the Bucs had lost Godwin and Evans before pricing was released, Otton would be at least $1,000 more expensive.
Dalton Kincaid (TE – BUF) at SEA | FanDuel: $4,000 (FanDuel Only Play)
When it comes to the elite tight ends, we haven’t seen anything to say Dalton Kincaid belongs in that group yet, but for this game against the Seahawks, Kincaid stands out as a streaming value. He is priced at the $4,000 minimum this week — the same as Feleipe Franks, Shane Zylstra and Teagan Quitoriano among others.
Kincaid has had only one red-zone reception and only boasts one more red-zone target than Dawson Knox, but he’s had 40+ yards in four of the last five games and has been a top-10 tight end in three of the last five games. At $4,000 we can live with that kind of performance. The arrow points further up with the Seahawks allowing the eighth most tight end fantasy points.
Punt Plays
Playing both of these punt plays together is probably giving up too much projection, but using one to open up salary for the rest of your lineup looks like the correct way to approach things.
Cedric Tillman (WR – CLE) vs. BAL | DraftKings: $3,300/FanDuel: $5,100
Jameis Winston is going to make a lot of people in Cleveland feel better about their Sundays, including most of his teammates going forward. Cedric Tillman saw a 31.3% first-read target share in the Browns’ first game without Amari Cooper. Tillman turned them into 1.80 yards per route run, compared to Jerry Jeudy‘s 0.35.
Tillman boasted a 25% target share and scored 18 PPR points, something he might be able to repeat against a Ravens defense allowing the second-most wide receiver fantasy points. Tillman is projected to not be a popular pick, but everything adds up for a good matchup and he’ll allow you to access more ceiling elsewhere.
Jalen McMillan (WR – TB) vs. ATL | DraftKings: $3,700/FanDuel: $4,900
Potentially the chalkiest play of the weekend, but one we need to talk about nonetheless, Jalen McMillan’s chances of showing out in his rookie year exponentially increased with the double-whammy of injuries to Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. McMillan scored a touchdown in his first appearance but has been quiet since, which is understandable for a rookie playing behind two stud receivers.
Atlanta allows the 11th-most wide receiver fantasy points and has a poor pass rush, which always helps Baker Mayfield to stay calm. Offensive coordinator Liam Cohen has been getting the best out of Mayfield all year. It shouldn’t take much for McMillan to pay off. While this isn’t as safe of a choice as we’d usually like, sometimes in cash games we have to take on some risk to unlock the rest of our lineup.
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