Fantasy Streaming Week Eight
Get ready, fantasy footballers. NFL bye weeks are about to hit us all in a significant way. Over the next four weeks, the schedule makers will sideline 20 teams, including six in each of the next two weeks.
I’m not going to lie to you. With Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami, the Giants, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco all sitting out in Week 8, the viable streaming options are dramatically reduced compared to what we have enjoyed to this point in the 2016 season. But there are still noteworthy plays and options with sneaky fantasy appeal. We’ll get through this together.
Here are some of the lesser-owned quarterbacks, tight ends, and defenses that can help you through the bye week blues in Week 8. As always, ownership percentages noted are representative of ESPN standard leagues.
Quarterback
New York (12.4% owned)
He’s baaaaack! After getting benched in a Week 6 loss and losing his starting job to Geno Smith ahead of Week 7, Fitzpatrick will be back at the helm of the Jets offense on Sunday. Smith tore the ACL in his right knee this past weekend less than a half into his first start since 2014, and Fitzpatrick came on to lead New York to a victory. This is hardly an elite offense, but Fitzpatrick still has some weapons at his disposal, and he gets a favorable matchup with the Browns in Week 8. Cleveland is giving up the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this season, including 18 passing touchdowns allowed, which is tied for most in the league.
Houston (9.9% owned)
Question: Which team is tied with the Browns for the most passing touchdowns allowed in 2016? That would be the Detroit Lions, who also hold the distinction of allowing the most fantasy points per game to opposing signal-callers. To say Osweiler has been underwhelming in his first season in Houston is a massive understatement, but in a thin week for viable streamers, a home game with Detroit puts him firmly on the fantasy radar.
Osweiler has been considerably better in the friendly confines of NRG Stadium as opposed to on the road, and the Lions have made fantasy gods out of Brian Hoyer, Carson Wentz, Case Keenum, and Kirk Cousins over the last four weeks. You could do worse than rolling out the big Texan in Week 8.
Cleveland (0.6% owned)
Okay, we are scraping the bottom of the streaming barrel at this point. But there is actually a reason to be optimistic about McCown this week. He’s practicing in full for the first time since fracturing his collarbone in Week 2 and has already been cleared to play against the Jets on Sunday. While he has yet to be named the starter for the week, McCown is the likely candidate with Cody Kessler still in the league’s concussion protocol, and the veteran has put up decent numbers when healthy during his time in Cleveland. In the game mentioned above in which he was injured this year, McCown completed 20-of-33 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. With the Jets defense in the bottom-10 of the league regarding passing yards and touchdown throws allowed, McCown could be a sneaky play in deeper leagues.Tight End
Washington (41.3% owned)
After averaging five targets, four catches, and 64.5 yards per game over the last two weeks, along with a touchdown reception in place of the injured Jordan Reed, Davis would almost inevitably be owned in more leagues if there was greater certainty surrounding his playing status. But with Reed moving to the final stage of the NFL’s concussion protocol this week and returning to practice, he seems to have a decent chance of returning to the field. Still, with Washington traveling to London for this week’s game and with a bye looming in Week 9, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if they err on the side of caution with Reed. Assuming a full workload, Davis would be in line to continue his run of recent success against a Bengals defense allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends.
Tampa Bay (34.6% owned)
Over the last several seasons, Oakland has established a tradition of allowing favorable fantasy numbers to opposing tight ends, and that trend has continued in 2016 with the Raiders giving up the fifth-most passing yards and touchdowns to the position. Brate is next in line to take his shot at the Raiders defense and considering Oakland has allowed three touchdowns to tight ends over the last three weeks, there is a decent chance Brate finds pay dirt in this one. The Bucs TE has 14 receptions in his last four games while averaging 45 receiving yards per contest over that span.
Indianapolis (20.6% owned)
The Chiefs have been stingy against opposing tight ends this season, allowing just 18 receptions for 212 yards, and one touchdown to the position in six games. But with Dwayne Allen sidelined by an ankle injury most of the last two weeks, Doyle has racked up 13 receptions for 131 yards and scores in consecutive games. A decimated Colts receiving corp might get Donte Moncrief back this week, but with Allen still missing practice, it seems that Doyle will have an opportunity to continue his role as Andrew Luck’s security blanket. Even in a less-than-ideal matchup, that’s enough to give Doyle fantasy appeal in Week 8.
Defense
(18.8% owned)
I know I hyped Josh McCown’s streaming potential above, but the Jets defense still offers a lot to like this week. New York is coming off their best defensive performance of the season, allowing just 10 points to the Ravens on Sunday, while forcing three turnovers and recording a sack. The Jets will look to carry that momentum into a matchup with a Browns team that is among the league leaders in total turnovers (10) and sacks allowed (21).
(6.2% owned)
Dallas is one of just seven teams allowing less than 18 points per game this season, as the deliberate offense of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott has effectively played keep-away from opposing teams, leading the league in time of possession at better than 33 minutes per contest. The Eagles have utilized a similar approach, protecting rookie quarterback Carson Wenz and limiting turnovers. But coming off a bye week and hosting Philadelphia in primetime puts Dallas’ defense in the steaming mix in an otherwise shallow week.
(4.2% owned)
The Chargers defense has been far from an elite unit in 2016, but their best performance of the season came against this same Denver offense just two weeks ago, when they allowed just 13 points while recording two sacks and two turnovers. The Broncos are coming off a short week after playing on Monday night and are likely to be without starting running back C.J. Anderson due to a knee injury. San Diego has done a decent job of pressuring the quarterback this year and Denver has allowed 17 sacks.
Jason Willan | Fantasy Football Streaming Targets: Week 8 - Gridiron Experts