So… How’s your fantasy lineup going this year? We’re at the mid-way point of the 2015 NFL season, and there’s still a ton of football – on the turfs and in cyberspace – left to be played. We hope you’re ready for another round of intense action, as Week 8 has some fantasy studs about to make their return to the field.
To get a better gauge of the upcoming week’s top-tier fantasy players, have a look below for our game-by-game fantasy projections. And for more fantasy football coverage, check out our feature on the experts’ picks for this week’s quality waiver wire pickups right after this.
[sc:Football ]
Complete NFL Week 8 Fantasy Points Projections
Thursday, October 29
Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots (8:25 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Miami
Dolphins D/ST
1.3
QB
Ryan Tannehill
16.4
RB
Lamar Miller
9.9
WR
Jarvis Landry
8.5
TE
Jordan Cameron
6.2
New England
Patriots D/ST
9.1
QB
Tom Brady
20.6
RB
LeGarrette Blount
10.6
WR
Julian Edelman
10.5
TE
Rob Gronowski
10.8
[sc:NFL240banner ]Wow, double-digit projections across the Patriots’ skill position players. Even the team’s defense is being given a lot of credit in spite of Ryan Tannehill’s record outing the previous Sunday against the Texans. At least it’s nice to see Lamar Miller find his stride again after a dismal first half of the season.
Sunday, November 1
Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs (10:30 AM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Detroit
Lions D/ST
5.0
QB
Matt Stafford
15.5
RB
Ameer Abdullah
6.9
WR
Calvin Johnson
10.6
TE
Eric Ebron
5.9
Kansas City
Chiefs D/ST
6.0
QB
Alex Smith
17.6
RB
Charcandrick West
10.3
WR
Jeremy Maclin
10.6
TE
Travis Kelce
7.1
Who would’ve thought that Alex Smith is projected to score more fantasy points than Matthew Stafford? Well, that just says a lot about Detroit’s spiraling 2015 campaign right now. Heck, Charcandrick West – Jamaal Charles’ backup at the start of the season – looks to produce just as much as Calvin “Megatron” Johnson (lacking energon cubes, we suppose) this Sunday.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears (2:00 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Minnesota
Vikings D/ST
8.8
QB
Teddy Bridgewater
12.6
RB
Adrian Peterson
12.9
WR
Mike Wallace
6.5
TE
Kyle Rudolph
3.2
Chicago
Bears D/ST
6.2
QB
Jay Cutler
12.9
RB
Matt Forte
15.4
WR
Alshon Jeffery
9.7
TE
Martellus Bennett
6.8
In an almost literal heaven on earth matchup, AP and Matt Forte are expected to outdo their respective QBs with their strong ground attacks on Sunday. It’s also peculiar why Minnesota’s Mike Wallace is still predicted to be the Vikes’ top receiver, because Stefon Diggs is clearly the team’s best wideout as we speak.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Cleveland Browns (2:00 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Arizona
Cardinals D/ST
10.3
QB
Carson Palmer
15.7
RB
Chris Johnson
12.8
WR
Larry Fitzgerald
10.3
TE
Jermaine Gresham
2.3
Cleveland
Browns D/ST
1.2
QB
Josh McCown
13.6
RB
Duke Johnson Jr.
6.3
WR
Travis Benjamin
8.5
TE
Gary Barnidge
7.4
Good for you if you managed to nab either Palmer, Johnson, Fitzgerald (and to some extent John Brown) or the Cards D, as they have a favorable matchup against the stumbling Browns up next. Josh McCown is dealing with an injured shoulder too, so those projected numbers for Cleveland’s starters have to be taken with a grain of salt (save maybe for Duke Johnson, but the entire Browns’ backfield is quite a mess on its own as well).
San Diego Chargers vs. Baltimore Ravens (2:00 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
San Diego
Chargers D/ST
5.5
QB
Philip Rivers
19.3
RB
Danny Woodhead
8.3
WR
Keenan Allen
11.9
TE
Ladarius Green
6.4
Baltimore
Ravens D/ST
3.4
QB
Joe Flacco
15.0
RB
Justin Forsett
16.7
WR
Steve Smith Sr.
8.3
TE
Crockett Gillmore
4.9
Philip Rivers should have a field day throwing the ball against the Ravens’ leaky secondary, and Joe Flacco’s numbers should also be up there with him, especially with the Chargers’ banged-up secondary falling victims to the Raiders’ passing game last Sunday. And yes, it’s safe to say that both Baltimore and San Diego’s defenses should not be played in Week 8.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons (2:00 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers D/ST
3.8
QB
Jameis Winston
13.3
RB
Doug Martin
10.7
WR
Mike Evans
9.8
TE
Austin Seferian-Jenkins
5.8
Atlanta
Falcons D/ST
7.2
QB
Matt Ryan
18.6
RB
Devonta Freeman
18.6
WR
Julio Jones
14.3
TE
Jacob Tamme
5.0
Atlanta’s triumvirate of Ryan/Freeman/Jones should indeed explode this Sunday against beleaguered Tampa Bay, especially after a poor offensive outing at Tennessee this past week. Meanwhile, Mike Evans and Doug Martin will likely continue their respective steady numbers as the Bucs’ best (and relatively only) viable fantasy starters.
New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints (2:00 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
New York
Giants D/ST
3.9
QB
Eli Manning
16.6
RB
Shane Vereen
6.7
WR
Odell Beckham Jr.
11.0
TE
Larry Donnell
6.3
New Orleans
Saints D/ST
4.9
QB
Drew Brees
16.6
RB
Mark Ingram
12.0
WR
Brandin Cooks
7.9
TE
Benjamin Watson
5.6
Eli Manning and Drew Brees are neck-and-neck in projected points this Sunday, and you really can’t go wrong with either play-caller, frankly because both these high-yardage passers have been on-and-off this season. At least the Saints have a much more attractive option at running back in Ingram than the Giants do. Shane Vereen, meanwhile, is a better option to start at RB is you’re in a PPR league, as Vereen continues to put up more numbers in New York’s passing game than on the ground.
Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans (2:00 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Tennessee
Titans D/ST
5.9
QB
Marcus Mariota
15.4
RB
Antonio Andrews
8.4
WR
Dexter McCluster
6.8
TE
Delanie Walker
7.5
Houston
Texans D/ST
6.3
QB
Brian Hoyer
14.9
RB
Alfred Blue
7.1
WR
DeAndre Hopkins
12.5
TE
Garrett Graham
1.8
Yikes, what a wasteland this match is… Mariota is still questionable to start the game as of this writing, Brian Hoyer is too erratic, and both Tennessee and Houston are using a three-man back-by-committee running game. Hopkins is a must-start as long as he’s active on any given Sunday, but forget getting solid production from the rest of the choices here.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (2:00 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Cincinnati
Bengals D/ST
6.7
QB
Andy Dalton
16.9
RB
Giovani Bernard
8.3
WR
A.J. Green
11.5
TE
Tyler Eifert
7.6
Pittsburgh
Steelers D/ST
4.3
QB
Ben Roethlisberger
17.4
RB
Le’Veon Bell
16.1
WR
Antonio Brown
13.2
TE
Heath Miller
5.5
Now this is more like it. Big Ben will be back for the Steelers, so Pittsburgh’s days of inept passing are likely over. And you really can’t go wrong with any of the Cincy options above, as the team is firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball right now. This game is just a shade behind the Packers-Broncos clash for Game of the Week honors, but this should be the most fun match to watch given the divisional attrition involved, and more so if you own any of these players on your fantasy team to keep track of.
San Francisco 49ers vs. St. Louis Rams (2:00 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
San Francisco
49ers D/ST
5.4
QB
Colin Kaepernick
12.9
RB
Carlos Hyde
8.4
WR
Anquan Boldin
6.9
TE
Vernon Davis
3.6
St. Louis
Rams D/ST
10.9
QB
Nick Foles
12.8
RB
Todd Gurley
15.7
WR
Tavon Austin
6.1
TE
Jared Cook
4.8
The Rams have the highest-projected points this week, and with just reason: the 49ers are simply playing horrible right now. Having said that, it would be best to avoid any San Francisco players until the team starts to show life on offense. Meanwhile, Todd Gurley is a must-start, but you can do much better than Foles as your starting QB this Sunday.
New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders (5:05 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
New York
Jets D/ST
7.6
QB
Ryan Fitzpatrick
14.9
RB
Chris Ivory
11.3
WR
Brandon Marshall
10.5
TE
Jeff Cumberland
1.6
Oakland Raiders
Raiders D/ST
5.7
QB
Derek Carr
13.3
RB
Latavius Murray
8.0
WR
Michael Crabtree
8.4
TE
Mychal Rivera
2.9
Disregard those two tight ends, and start two other wideouts not listed here instead. New York’s Eric Decker and Oakland’s Amari Cooper are just fractions of points behind the two WRs mentioned above, and both are attractive options that could very well outdo their respective teammates. The Jets’ stout D also took a hit with its points projection this week, but that’s mainly because the Raiders’ offense is actually competent this season.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys (5:25 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Seattle
Seahawks D/ST
9.6
QB
Russell Wilson
15.3
RB
Marshawn Lynch
12.8
WR
Jermaine Kearse
5.0
TE
Jimmy Graham
5.7
Dallas
Cowboys D/ST
5.4
QB
Matt Cassel
13.0
RB
Darren McFadden
10.3
WR
Dez Bryant
8.2
TE
Jason Witten
5.4
While Seattle’s D has been disappointing to say the least, it gets a good crack at becoming a feared force in the league once again when it takes on the Matt Cassel-led Cowboys in Week 8. However, Dallas will have the benefit of Dez Bryant’s return from injury, and Darren McFadden is emerging as the team’s every-down back. A competitive Cowboys offense means more offense should also come from Seattle, which should give Jimmy Graham more touches and points than what we’re used to seeing from his lackluster season this year.
Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos (9:30 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Green Bay
Packers D/ST
7.5
QB
Aaron Rodgers
16.9
RB
Eddie Lacy
8.6
WR
Randall Cobb
10.0
TE
Richard Rodgers
5.0
Denver
Broncos D/ST
8.3
QB
Peyton Manning
15.1
RB
Ronnie Hillman
7.0
WR
Emmanuel Sanders
12.1
TE
Owen Daniels
4.6
In a match that features two Hall-of-Fame QBs, expect all defensive prowess from both the Packers and Broncos Defenses to be thrown out the window on Sunday night. Peyton Manning’s not throwing the ball well of late, but his projected numbers (as well as his receivers’) are still attractive enough to start even against a formidable opponent. Green Bay’s offense also looks to deal about the same amount of damage as they have done throughout this season, meaning that the Broncos’ DST will need to bank on sacks/turnovers and not yardage/points allowed for the brunt of its fantasy points from this game.
Monday, November 2
Indianapolis Colts (+6.5) vs. Carolina Panthers (9:30 PM ET)
Team/Position
Player
Projected Points
Indianapolis
Colts D/ST
5.8
QB
Andrew Luck
15.6
RB
Frank Gore
9.0
WR
T.Y. Hilton
10.6
TE
Coby Fleener
4.4
Carolina
Panthers D/ST
8.0
QB
Cam Newton
19.0
RB
Jonathan Stewart
10.8
WR
Ted Ginn Jr.
6.0
TE
Greg Olsen
9.0
Make no mistake: Monday night will be Cam Newton night. The Carolina QB is doing everything well on offense, and will be licking his chops at taking on Indy’s porous defense. On the other hand, Andrew Luck needs to bounce back in a huge way, but this road game may have his fantasy owners in another tailspin. Both Gore and Stewart should have big games on the ground too, but much less so for Gore if the Colts fall behind early on in the match just as they’ve been accustomed to for most of their games this season.
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