Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 8: Advice for Unfavorable Fantasy Football Matchups0 of 4
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Week 8 in the NFL brings with it several tough match-ups for fantasy starters, with some typically reliable competitors facing potent defenses that will limit their offensive output and potentially cost managers a victory in their weekly match-ups.
Who are some of those players and which ones are worth picking up to either replace them or fill points voids in their absences?
Find out with this preview of the fantasy week to come.
All stats from FantasyPros unless otherwise stated.
Start: Breece Hall, New York Jets1 of 4
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It took a few weeks to get his feet under him but second-year running back Breece Hall looks like the player that broke out a season ago and had Jets fans excited about the future.
In Week 6 against Philadelphia, he put up 15.3 fantasy points, something no other running back has been able to do against the Eagles this season. A week earlier, he was even better, accumulating 25.4 against the league-worst Denver Broncos defense.
Against the New York Giants in Week 8, he will have the opportunity to have a third, consecutive game of double-digit fantasy points.
The Giants give up the ninth most fantasy points to opposing running backs at 21.7 and, assuming quarterback Zack Wilson can play mistake-free ball and not put the team in a hole early, Hall will have every opportunity to exploit that leaky defense.
Expect big runs and some opportunities to receive out of the backfield. In the case of a team reeling like the Giants, it would be foolish not to exploit a clear weakness and look to put the game away early.
Expect big things from Hall and a final tally that looks closer to the Denver numbers.
A definite start this week and every week moving forward.
Sit: Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers2 of 4
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Najee Harris has scored just one touchdown this season, has only 300 yards rushing through six games, and has accumulated double-digit fantasy points (barely) just twice.
He is not the dynamic, do-it-all back he was early in his Pittsburgh career and recently, has seen Jaylen Warren emerge as a more explosive back.
Add to that stingy Jacksonville run defense and you have an unfavorable match-up for Harris in Week 8.
The Jaguars rank ninth against the run, allowing just 15.8 fantasy points to opposing backs. They have shut down running games all season long and considering the struggles of the Steelers’ offense through six games, there is little reason to believe they will suddenly break out and Harris will be a worthy start.
Unless he is guaranteed touchdowns at this point, Harris is a questionable starter for the foreseeable future.
Start: Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs3 of 4
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Rashee Rice still is not going to explode off the screen with an enormous fantasy day that suddenly sends managers rushing to the waiver wire or encourages trade discussions. He is, though, seeing his role in the Kansas City Chiefs offense expanding and has found the end zone twice in the last three games.
During that span, he has hauled in 13 catches for 165 yards as his chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes continues to grow and evolve.
Against a Denver Broncos defense giving up 28.7 fantasy points to opposing receivers, Rice will have the opportunity to have the best day of his season to this point.
He is still not a consistent start for managers, thanks to the inconsistency of anyone not named Travis Kelce in the Chiefs offense, but the team needs a genuine alternative to the tight end and Rice is at least developing that rapport with Mahomes, which bodes well for his stock looking into the future.
Rice is still available in 32 percent of Yahoo leagues and 44 percent of ESPN.
Sit: Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks 4 of 4
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Sitting Geno Smith this week has less to do with his own play and more to do with a very, very stingy Cleveland Browns defense.
Smith has been a perfectly acceptable starting quarterback for a solid Seattle Seahawks team, but against a Browns squad giving up 14 points to opposing quarterbacks, managers need to keep him firmly on the bench.
The veteran quarterback has struggled this season against pressure and against a team with 19 sacks already, he is likely to find Miles Garrett and Co. in his face more times than not Sunday.
The Browns have allowed the second-fewest passing touchdowns in the league with six and there is no reason to believe they are suddenly going to give up three or four to Smith.
If you have a better option at the position, go with him because the Seattle signal caller faces one of the toughest challenges this week.