It’s finally here- Week 8 of the 2024 season, and another DraftKings main slate. We are back offering you DFS advice to try and help you navigate your way to victories throughout the season. The players selected here are based on their price, their ability to hit value and likely ownership. The selections are leaning more towards GPP slates, rather than cash (50/50) slates. But let’s get into it
Jordan Love @JAX ($7,100)
It wasn’t quite the performance we had all hoped for from Jordan Love last weekend – but at a down week for the position, Green Bay’s $220 million man’s 16.8 fantasy points were enough to see him finish as QB11 on the week as the Packers squeeked a 24-22 win over the Texans at Lambeau. Things should be much easier for Love and the Pack this Sunday as they head to Florida to take on a Jags outfit fresh off back-to-back games in London – both of which saw their defense carved open by Caleb Williams and Drake Maye through the air. The Jags rank dead last against fantasy quarterbacks and Jordan Love trails only Baker Mayfield in total passing touchdowns on the year – this could be a very big day for everyone on Green Bay’s offense, especially of those involved in the aerial attack. Don’t be shocked to see Love end his week with over 300-yards and multiple scores.
C.J. Stroud v IND ($6,900)
There’s no better contrarian play at the position this week than the Texans’ C.J. Stroud. The sophomore struggled mightily last weekend as Houston fell to the aforementioned Jordan Love and his Green Bay Packers – throwing for just 86-yards and zero touchdowns. This was a disaster for Stroud and the worst game of his young career as a passer. Something is just off with this Texans offense in the absence of Nico Collins – and as long as he remains out…Stroud is going to struggle. That said…Houston gets to face the Indianapolis Colts in week 8 and their incredibly generous secondary, so don’t move away from him just yet. This defense gave up over 160-yards and a score to Miami’s Frankenstein QB combo of Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle…and that was with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combining for 2 receptions and 19 yards! This is the ultimate get right game for the Texans’ passing game – start Stroud with confidence as others shy away from last week’s disappointing output.
Also consider: Aaron Rodgers @NE ($5,700) & Bo Nix v CAR ($5,600)
Josh Jacobs @JAX ($6,600)
Sound the *Josh Jacobs Scored a Receiving Touchdown* alarm! It took over 200 career receptions and almost six years…but Josh Jacobs finally scored his first ever receiving touchdown against the Houston Texans last weekend. The 26-year old had an excellent fantasy day all told – his first score through the air complimented an additional 76-yards on the ground, giving Jacobs his best output of the season so far. The Packers are 4.5 point favourites heading into Jacksonville – so expect them to be up big, and up early. Jacobs projects for another excellent week in both the rushing and passing game…could we see him score though the air in back-to-back games? Who knows, but we can be confident the former Raider will amass a healthy yardage total either way. He’s got a very safe floor for only $6,600.
James Connor @MIA ($6,500)
The 29-year old back has been the only bright spot on a very disappointing Arizona Cardinals offense so far this year. Connor currently ranks as the RB11 in re-draft formats and has eclipsed the 100-yards from scrimmage mark on four occasions already this season. The veteran is averaging over 18 opportunities per week – and against a Miami defense which ranks 30th to opposing RBs – Connor should be in line for another excellent fantasy week as the Cardinals travel to South Beach. News of Tua Tagovailoa’s return has skewed the betting line towards the Dolphins, with Miami a 3-point favourite heading into the weekend…but I am not concerned. Connor is the offense for Arizona at this time and he will be on the field constantly, regardless of the score. He feels a cert for triple digit rushing yards and a touchdown…plug him into your lineups with confidence.
Rachaad White v ATL ($5,700)
Could this season be any more frustrating for Rachaad White fantasy managers…turns out the answer is a resounding yes! After missing the week 6 thrashing of division rivals New Orleans with a foot injury, White was questionable heading into the Monday Night Football matchup with the Baltimore Ravens…so of course nobody in their right mind would have started him over Bucky Irving or the previous week’s fantasy RB1 – Sean Tucker. Not only did White play, he posted his highest-yardage total of the season so far, alongside his first…and second touchdowns of the year. White is still one-third of a horrible RBBC in Tampa, but with Chris Godwin ruled out indefinitely and Mike Evans set to miss at least the next three games – White could be Baker Mayfield’s most reliable weapon in the passing game. Over 60% of White’s production against the Ravens came through the air with the veteran back behind only tight end Cade Otton in total receiving yards. If White’s role as a pass-catcher does expand as projected – he will once again be an RB2 for fantasy purposes – with a weekly top-12 ceiling in PPR formats.
Also consider: Brian Robinson Jr. v CHI ($6,400), Kareem Hunt @LV ($6,300) & De’Von Achane v AZ ($6,200)
Tyreek Hill ($7,000) & Jaylen Waddle ($5,400) v AZ
Finally! After what seems like an eternity, Tua Tagovailoa looks set to return to the field and breathe life back into this flailing Dolphins offense. Miami are averaging just 10 points per game in their franchise QB’s absence, and nobody has felt the pinch more with Tua off the field than the wide receiver duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. In what can only be described as an embarrassing loss in week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts – Hill and Waddle posted a combined box score of 2 receptions for 19 yards…targeted by Tim Boyle and Tyler Huntley just four times between them. As of Wednesday, Tua is back at practise and running plays in full pads…he’s good to go. Expect Tyreek to immediately return to WR1 territory, with Waddle a solid WR2.. This is the cheapest you’ll get either of these guys for the rest of the season – so In the words of Tyreek Hill…”We’re back baby. Strike up the … band! Start me this week!”…yes sir.
Jayden Reed @JAX ($6,700)
File this one under the hopeful bounce back category. In the Pack’s 24-22 week 7 victory over the Texans, Jayden Reed posted his worst fantasy performance of the year, and the second lowest points total of his young career to date. Romeo Doubs was the focal point in the passing game – leading the team in targets, receptions and yards. In a week that also Dontayvion Wicks and Tucker Kraft eclipse Reed across all receiving categories…it’s one the sophomore wideout will want to forget. Fortunately for Green Bay’s leading receiver on the season, he and the Packers now travel to Northern Florida to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars and their 30th ranked defense against wideouts. DFS managers may look to fade Reed after last week’s disappointing performance, and may see him as just another unpredictable cog in the Jordan Love target machine. There are few receivers who have the ability to hit a ceiling that Reed possesses – forget last week, it was an outlier – he will resume WR1 duties as usual this weekend.
Tee Higgins v PHI ($6,500)
Speaking of players and WR1 duties…is Tee Higgins now the alpha wideout for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals? The answer is of course no – but since returning from a hamstring injury in week 3, Higgins has out-targeted his team-mate in four of the Bengals’ last five outings – and in that time has seen the 4th most looks at the position across the entire league. Higgins has turned in two top-10 performances since his return, and this, coupled with the elite level of usage in this offense – makes him a potential week winnever every time he takes the field. Barring injury, Ja’Marr Chase will undoubtedly continue to be the clear lead receiver for Joey B and the resurgent Bengals…but he is a whopping $2,000 more expensive on the slate this weekend. If I am looking to get a part of this offense, or a pass-catcher to stack with Burrow – I am taking Higgins and spending up at tight end.
Also consider: Drake London @TB ($7,200), Zay Flowers @CLE ($6,800) & Jaxon Smith-Njibga v BUF ($6,100)
Brock Bowers v KC ($6,100)
Through the first 7 weeks of the 2023 season, Sam LaPorta had recorded 377-yards and 3 touchdowns on 35 receptions. In the same timespan this year, Brock Bowers has put up exactly 100 more yards through the air on 47 grabs, with two fewer touchdowns…he is a machine. Bowers is on a 17-game pace of 114 receptions for 1,158-yards – he is a PPR superstar and already the clear leader of this Las Vegas passing offense, despite his relative inexperience as a pro. The Raiders may have lost their last three – but Bowers is still lighting up the stat sheets, recording his highest single-game reception total in the defeat to the Rams in SoFi last Sunday. Expect Bowers’ targets to take a slight hit with the return of Jakobi Meyers…but that may still be a week away – and against a Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive unit that allows the most yards to the tight end position and the 2nd most fantasy points – Bowers is a smash start this weekend.
David Njoku v BAL ($5,100)
If you were one of the savvy fantasy managers who started David Njoku last weekend after news of Amari Cooper’s trade to the Buffalo Bills…congratulations. The 28-year old veteran finished the week as the TE2 in fantasy hauling in 10-of-14 targets for 76-yards and a score as the Browns 21-14 were defeated by in-state-rivals Cincinnati. The battle of Ohio wasn’t the only thing Cleveland lost last Sunday, with franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson exiting the game in the second-quarter, with what was later confirmed as an achilles tear, ending his season. Dorian Thompson-Robinson stepped in as Watson’s replacement, but he too was quickly sidelined with a finger injury…enter Jameis Winston! The former No.1 overall pick has been announced as the starter for this Sunday’s home game against the Ravens, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Winston is fantasy dynamite, in every sense of the word – and as Jameis’ clear number one target – David Njoku should be a top-3 TE for the remainder of the season. He may be priced as the 4th highest TE on the slate…but he could easily finish the TE1 in a matchup where the Browns will have to throw, throw, throw.
Also consider: Dalton Schultz v IND ($4,100) & Cade Otton v ARL ($3,500)
Denver Broncos v CAR ($3,700)
The Broncos continued their red light/green light approach to fantasy scoring last week as they decimated the New Orleans Saints, sacking rookie QB Spencer Rattler six times – as well as returning a fumble by the former South Carolina Gamecock – to the tune of 58-yards. I had Denver as my top defensive pick of the week…and that was before the Panthers announced that Bryce Young would once again be starting under-center in relief of Andy Dalton, who sustained a thumb injury in last week’s defeat at the hands of the Commanders. Carolina have managed to keep their passers relatively clean on the year, giving up only 14 sacks – but with Young and his very questionable decision making leading the charge – Denver should be a smash start at the position.
Kansas City Chiefs @LV ($3,600)
The Chiefs made it 6-out-of-6 as they marched into San Francisco on Sunday night and left with another W – holding their opponents to under 20 points for the fourth straight week. This unit is relentless and now gets to face arguably the weakest offense they’ve faced all year – divisional rivals Las Vegas. The Raiders will be looking to stop the bleed after losing three on the bounce…but don’t expect any upsets in this one. Patrick Mahomes will likely underwhelm once again for fantasy – but he and this offense will undoubtedly find a way to move to 7-0 and remain the only unbeaten team in the NFL for another week at least. I’d prefer to roster Denver, but if you are counting every penny – you can save $100 with KC.
Also consider: New York Jets @NE ($3,500) & Baltimore Ravens @CLE ($3,400)
Remember you can find our other DFS content here. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server.
