Below is our Start and Bench Advice for Week 8 of the 2008 Fantasy Football season. Our "Who To Start & Who To Bench" advice is loaded with fantasy football player projections, fantasy analysis and straight up bold predictions.
Also, be sure to check out all of our updated Week 8 Player Projections, which are updated right up until kickoff. For previous Start Bench Advice, click here.
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Darren McFadden won’t do much at all against that Ravens defense, so this is an easy call. Start Jonathan Stewart and hope for a touchdown and about 50-60 yards. If only this rookie could get 15-18 carries per game — If he did, he’d be a top 10-12RB moving forward. |
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This is a pretty easy choice for me, as there is not a single reason I can think of to go with Darren McFadden in this spot. First, he faces THE top run defense in the league – the Ravens only surrender 67 yards per game on the ground – second, he has only received 8 carries per game since Tom Cable became head coach. Jonathan Stewart is a much better play this week and should get his typical 14-16 carry load en route to another decent game vs. the Cardinals. I figure around 80 yards rushing and a TD (or two) for the rookie this week. |
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Thomas Jones has a great match-up this week against KC (32nd), but Maurice Jones-Drew faces the Browns (26th). Jones is a tempting option, because that Chiefs defense is so bad, Jones could end up getting 25-30 carries… and because that Chiefs offense won’t get anything going early, the Jets could get out to an early lead and run, run, run. That said, Jones-Drew is just too hard to sit if you ask me. I love Jones-Drew moving forward — All the little guy needs is the touches. Will he get those touches? That I can’t predict, but if that Jaguars’ coaching staff doesn’t feed him the football at least 15 times and hand him at least 3-5 receptions, they’re nuts. Start Jones-Drew and expect over 120 total yards and at least one score. Jones could have similar stats, but MJD’s receiving stats will put him over the top. |
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If you have both of these guys, you should be licking your chops and trying to find a way to get them both in your lineup. If that isn’t possible then the decision is a tough one, but I would go with Maurice Jones-Drew versus the Browns defense. Yes, Thomas Jones is facing an even worse run defense in the Chiefs, and yes, Jones doesn’t split carries like Drew does, but I keep looking back at that Cleveland box score last week and seeing Clinton Portis’ 175 yards. If Drew can get majority split with Taylor and get some receptions thrown in, you are looking at a minimum of 125 total yards and at least one score. |
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Wow, this one is tough… Marques Colston has a GREAT match-up this week. The Chargers are 32nd in the league against the pass, as that defensive unit surrenders 254.6 passing yards per game and has given up 11 touchdown passes so far this season. Lee Evans also has a nice match-up this week, as he faces the Dolphins, who are ranked 27th in the league against the pass. This is a tough call, but I say give Colston another week to get healthy if you’re in this situation. Ultimately I’m going to find a way to play both of these guys if in this situation, but if you’re that stacked at wide receiver and have to pick one of these two, roll with Evans! That Bills offense is playing fantastic football right now. |
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Lee Evans is coming of his best game of the year – putting up an 8-for-89 performance with a TD versus the lowly Chargers pass defense. Yes, that same defense that Marques Colston faces this week in London. It’s almost too perfect; the leagues #1 passing offense (New Orleans) versus the leagues #32 pass defense (San Diego). Now if you own Colston, you likely have a bad taste in your mouth after last week’s zero catch performance – but it was obviously a week too soon for Colston and a full week of practice with Drew Brees should get him back on track. I am a big advocate of playing your studs and that is my gut feeling here – Colston should have his first big game of the season and that’s not something you want to miss. |
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I still have some major concerns with Willis McGahee and his current situation (including his health), but I’ve been telling fantasy owners to sell Julius Jones for weeks now. I don’t like Jones much moving forward. I start McGahee no question, especially given the Oakland match-up. If he finishes the game, and he does appear healthy, McGahee should rush for at least 90-100 yards and the Ravens RB has a solid shot at at least one score in this one. |
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Willis McGahee finally had a good game last week, posting 150 total yards and a score in the Ravens win over the Dolphins – and he emerged from the game without another injury! Next up for McGahee is Oakland – a team which just surrendered 159 yards to Thomas Jones on the ground. Starting McGahee still has to make you nervous, but I think he is finally at the point where he will start producing the numbers we all expected at the start of the season. Go with McGahee and expect numbers similar to last week’s game. |
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I know LenDale White just exploded against the Chiefs, but remember that he was playing the Chiefs. Not only do I advise that fantasy owners start Earnest Graham over LenDale this week, I say trade White while you still can. Upgrade one of your starting wide receivers using White. Chris Johnson is the guy in Tennessee and I think White owners will be extremely disappointed with his efforts in Weeks 8-16. Johnson is going to have a monster Week 8 outing. |
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LenDale White went off last week and had a monster game versus the Chiefs, and part of that 149 yard performance was an 80-yard TD scamper. This week should be no different as the Colts are absolutely horrid against the run and you can expect Tennessee to take advantage – running the ball is what they do best. I expect White and Chris Johnson to both have superb weeks once again – each should approach 100 yards rushing and each should get a score. I wouldn’t even consider Graham over White this week. |
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Both are fantastic starts and both could get 275-300 with 2-3 scores. If forced to pick one of the two, I roll with the hot hand. Matt Schaub is on fire and I’d have a hard time benching him with this match-up. Start Schaub, but again it is close given the fact that Green Bay faces that awful Chiefs defense in Week 8. |
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Both of these passers have good matchups, but I have to go with Matt Schaub here. Schaub has been tearing it up lately, averaging 317 yards and a pair of scores over his last three starts. Brett Favre has been quite the opposite his last two starts – one TD, four interceptions and an average of 195 yards passing. The matchup with the Chiefs would seem a perfect one to get Brett back on track, but I can’t pass up the hot hand here. I’ll take Schaub against the Bengals this week and cash in on his 300 yards and two touchdowns. |
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Kevin Smith was clearly the best Lions running back in Week 7, so it’s safe to say that he is the guy to start if you’re deciding between him and Rudi Johnson. However, if forced to pick between Smith and Santonio Holmes, I go Holmes, especially in a PPR format. Holmes is going to be a beast down the stretch and I see him having a huge outing in Week 8 against the Giants. Santonio is one of the league’s best deep-threats… he should remind everyone of that this week, as I see him catching an extremely long touchdown pass. |
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It seems the Rudi Johnson experiment has been scrapped in Detroit along with Matt Millen, and Kevin Smith has his job back. I expect Smith to get another 10-14 carries this week versus the Redskins and put up decent numbers, say in the 75 yard range. Question is, will Santonio Holmes be a better play? It’s a close call for sure as I expect similar yardage totals for both. If you play in a PPR league I would go ahead and plug Holmes into your lineup – otherwise, I would roll with Smith as he probably has the better chance to score a TD. |
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