Welcome back to my trust or bust series, brought back for 2022, here we look at the Week 8 matchups.
No! Dang, it! Come on man, seriously? Who the hell is that guy? If you play fantasy football these are common phrases we find ourselves saying weekly. After patiently waiting for him to “break out” I decided to drop Paris Campbell last week… for Russell Gage. Ouch! Like most people, I drafted Breece Hall everywhere I could. I sat D.J. Moore. (Sigh) The list goes on and on. Thankfully so does the fantasy season. We’re approaching Week 8 of the season and like we all thought Marcus Mariota is a top-12 quarterback, Najee Harris is sitting outside the top-20 in running back rankings, and Taysom Hill has more rushing touchdowns than Saquon Barkley. Welcome to the 2022 fantasy season. Grab a beer, put on your seatbelt, and enjoy the ride.
For those of you who are reading this for the first time, thank you. Let me tell you what this series is about and what its intentions are. (I promise it will have your daughter home before curfew). Every week I select players inside the FantasyPros Consensus Top 12 that I think will finish outside the top 12 and players outside the top 12 that I like more. All rankings are used with full PPR scoring in mind. This is NOT a ‘start/sit’ article per se. This is more or less how I feel about a player, why I feel that way, suggesting what I would do, what to expect, and who I like more.
Accountability Report
QB Trevor Lawrence (JAX)
Week 7 Ranking 9th
Prediction- Bust
Week 7 Finish 8th
It’s crazy to me that a quarterback can have only one total touchdown, less than ten rushing yards, and finish inside the top ten. Well, that’s exactly what Lawrence did. In the words of Ron Burgundy, “I’m not even mad That’s amazing.”
RB Breece Hall (NYJ)
Week 7 Ranking 11th
Prediction- Bust
Week 7 Finish 22nd
I don’t like counting this one, to be honest. Based on how the game was going Hall was well on his way to another RB1 performance. Injuries suck, plain and simple. R.I.P. young king.
WR Mike Williams (LAC)
Week 7 Ranking 12th
Prediction- Bust
Week 7 Finish 7th
What do teams that face the Seahawks have in common? They all turn into shootouts, for the most part (looking at you Seattle, and Arizona). Nonetheless, the Mike Williams we all wanted to show up, showed up and showed out. He was as good as getting a box of chocolates.
TE T.J. Hockenson (DET)
Week 7 Ranking 7th
Prediction- Bust
Week 7 Finish 16th
I tried to tell ya, Dallas is really good versus tight ends and The Hock had to face the wrath that is the Dallas’ defense. I was a bit surprised to get this one right. early in the game it looked like the Lions’ offense was going to have a big game, and looking at the rankings T.J. was one reception and one yard away from finishing as a top twelve week.
Let’s run the numbers.
Week 7 Results- 2 for 4 50%
Correct
13
Wrong
6
Week 8 Inside/ Outside Picks
Sent before TNF
QB Tom Brady (TB)
v BAL
Current Ranking 12th
AVG Points per Game 15.1
Week 8 ranking 9th
There’s no way to sugarcoat it, Brady and the Bucs have sucked the last three weeks and overall Brady himself has not performed like a hall-of-fame quarterback. With only two QB1 finishes this season and five games outside the top fifteen. Brady is a QB2 against a Ravens defense that’s holding opponents to twenty-one points per game the last four weeks.
Who I like More
QB Marcus Mariota (ATL)
v CAR
Week 8 ranking 18th
Arthur Smith is the most hated man in the fantasy community. Only Arthur Smith can single-handedly stop both Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Only Arthur Smith runs the ball down twenty-one points. Yet, Arthur Smith gave life to Cordarelle Patterson and Arthur Smith has given life to Mariota. Against a Panthers’ secondary that’s eleventh in pass yards allowed, maybe Arthur Smith can provide life to Pitts, London, and the Falcons’ passing attack too.
RB Kenneth Walker III (SEA)
v NYG
Current Ranking 21st
AVG Points per Game 12.6
Week 8 ranking 6th
Kenneth Walker is so good even a fan of the Chargers was waving one finger at him, just to let him know he’s number one. The same thing happened to me in traffic the other day, I guess I’m good at driving. Unlike the random Chargers fan, the Giants are holding up two fingers this week, signifying how many rushing touchdowns they’ve allowed over the last month.
Who I like More
RB Devin Singletary (BUF)
v GB
Week 8 ranking 18th
As the RB31 on the season, Singletary hasn’t kept the momentum from last season going like fantasy managers thought he would when he was the second overall running back in weeks fourteen thru eighteen. That being said Singletary has three top-24 finishes this season even though he’s only scored one touchdown. With a matchup versus the underachieving Packers on deck expect Singletary to find paydirt against a team that is tied for third in red zone opportunities allowed with thirty-one.
WR Justin Jefferson (MIN)
v ARI
Current Ranking 5th
AVG Points per Game 22.1
Week 8 ranking 2nd
While the Cardinals’ offense is a work in progress, the Arizona defense is being overlooked and underappreciated. After seven weeks the Cardinals’ defense has yet to allow any receivers to finish inside the top twenty. That list of receivers includes Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, AJ Brown, DK Metcalf, and Chris Olave. Of course, Jefferson is in a tier of his own when it comes to receivers, but the Cardinals’ track record shouldn’t be ignored.
Who I like More
WR Gabe Davis (BUF)
v GB
Current Ranking 19th
Ok, look I’m not trying to pick on the Packers’ defense but in seven games the Packers’ defense has allowed four different receivers to score touchdowns of twenty yards or more. Insert offseason darling and big-play aficionado Gabe Davis who on the season has six receptions of twenty yards or more with one of those being a ninety-eight-yard touchdown and another one going for sixty-two yards. I like Gabe’s chances of another big play against a susceptible Packers secondary.
TE Robert Tonyan (GB)
@BUF
Current Ranking 12th
AVG Points per Game 8.7
Week 8 ranking 11th
Big Bob has been solid this season with all but one of his games leading to a top-24 finish. Volume is on Tonyan’s side as well with thirty-six targets, good for twelfth overall among tight ends on the year. What’s hurting Tonyan most this year is his lack of red-zone opportunities. With only one touchdown and two red zone targets, it’s hard to envision Tonyan having success against a Bills’ defense that has yet to allow any touchdowns to tight ends this season.
Who I like More
TE Mike Gesicki (MIA)
@DET
Week 8 ranking 17th
With a top twenty-five finish and a number one overall finish, the 2022 season has been up and down for Gesicki, to say the least. Thankfully for Gesicki, he’s getting the highly coveted red zone targets. Another element of Gesicki’s game that goes unnoticed is his big play ability. With at least one reception of ten yards per game. Look for Gesicki to have his way with a Lions’ secondary that gives up an average of sixty-nine yards and eight receptions per game to tight ends.
That’s gonna do it for this week’s piece. I hope you found the info useful and actionable.
Thank you for reading. Just a reminder, my fantasy podcast: The ATB Fantasy Show records a new episode every Thursday. You can find the podcast on most major platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. Here’s a link to the most recent episode.
If you use the hashtag #AskATB or send us a DM, we’ll be sure to answer any and all of your fantasy questions.
There you have it! Any questions, or want some more specific help for your league on who to drop, just reach out. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. And checkout out rankings for each Week.
Image Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports
