Happy Halloween week everyone, and let’s hope it’s all treats, and no tricks, for your fantasy team. As always, you came to the right spot for Week 8 fantasy football rankings and projections, but we’re doing the obvious fun ranking this week. It’s the Best Halloween Candy rankings! Hate me for not liking your favorite treat, or realize that I just opened your world to the glory of a candy you never tried, or or… just join me in unison of hating the every-living trash that is candy corn.
#CheckTheLink-age
Waivers | True SOS (APA — Wednesday update)
Fantasy Football 101 (starts, sits, trading, more)
All in Football (video pod)
2022 Week 8 Fantasy Football Sleepers
🚨 HEADS UP 🚨 These are sleepers. They will not mimic my rankings 100%. This is chasing upside and often carries more risk.
QUARTERBACK
POSSIBLY START: Daniel Jones, NYG — This is the Daniel Jones managers hoped they were drafting the past two years, as Jones is running frequently. Not only is the Seahawks defense weak overall, they’re among the worst at stopping the run, evidenced by the running back success against them, AND… Kyler Murray rushing 10-for-100 last week.
HAIL MARY START: Jared Goff, DET — Yes, I know I had Goff here last week since he was indoors, even with a tough matchup, but this week, Goff is 1) indoors, 2) at home, and 3) facing a Dolphins defense that allowed 2+ touchdowns in four games, with Mac Jones, Kenny Pickett and Zach Wilson the only ones throwing for none or just one touchdown. Strap in for a potentially painful ride.
RUNNING BACK
POSSIBLY START: Michael Carter, NYJ — This might seem obvious, but I see many people worried about the James Robinson trade. Yes, Robinson’s arrival likely leads to a timeshare, somewhat similar to Breece Hall and Carter earlier this year, but that’s more of a concern after this week. As we saw with Latavius Murray in Denver and Christian McCaffrey last week, it takes a game (or sometimes two) for a running back to see his true role with a new team. The Patriots are good, but not fearsome, against the run, and a day like Khalil Herbert just had would land Carter in the Top 20.
HAIL MARY START: Jamaal Williams, DET — This is if D’Andre Swift returns, because if Swift is out, it’s all-too obvious to start Williams. Even if Swift is back, Williams has Top 20 upside in a timeshare given this matchup. Ever since Week 3, the Dolphins have done little to stop opponents, including running backs. Devin Singletary (19.6), Joe Mixon (15.4), Breece Hall (26.7), Michael Carter (16.3) and Dalvin Cook (14.8) all had Top 15 performances (two Jets in the same game). Even Najee Harris had a respectable day with 9.5 points last week.
WIDE RECEIVER
POSSIBLY START: Brandin Cooks, HOU — Things have not gone as planned for Cooks this year, as he’s no longer quarterback immune. Mills’ drop in play has ruined the passing game, but there is a bit of hope in Week 8… assuming Cooks doesn’t get traded. The Titans are one of the most forgiving matchups, as evidenced in Parris Campbell’s game last week. The Commanders trio did quite well the week before, and we can hope Cooks sees a high-volume of targets and hopefully breaks one off for a big play and doesn’t come up short.
POSSIBLY START: DJ Moore, CAR — P.J. Walker isn’t a massive upgrade for Moore, but it helps when Moore sees a terrifically high volume of the targets when Christian McCaffrey has been out, and there is no Robbie Anderson to boot. As seen last week, Moore was able to see 10 targets and turn them into 7-69-1. The Falcons pass defense is abysmal, and the lowest score any receiver with 10+ targets has is 12.1 points, or, in other words, Top 25 any given week.
HAIL MARY START: Parris Campbell, IND — Speaking of Campbell, he goes from intriguing pickup and start to a dicey play given that we know little of how Sam Ehlinger will play. Ehlinger has some Jacoby Brissett similarities, as this was my NFL Draft scouting report:
“Decent arm and inconsistent accuracy. Part of his issue is getting too aggressive trying to make a play and will lock into his ‘hope and pray’ option, letting the defense read his mind. He’s solid in the run game and doesn’t shy from pressure… but doesn’t always feel it. Ehlinger can go from looking like a star one series to a mistake-riddled backup the next.”
But as we know, the Commanders defense is highly exploitable, and hopefully Ehlinger locks onto Campbell as much as Matt Ryan did. It’s a scary situation; I know.
TIGHT END
HAIL MARY START: Irv Smith, MIN — Start your tight ends against the Seahawks and Cardinals. The Vikings exit the bye to get the Cardinals, whose worst opposing tight end scored 4.9, and that was Tommy Tremble. Juwan Johnson scored twice last week, while even Noah Fant managed 7.5 in Week 6.
Fun with Rankings!
This week is all about Halloween, and it’s time to update the Halloween candy rankings with a separate small list of best candy not in fun size, and of course, the worst candy options out there! Trick or treat!
Best Halloween Candy Ranked
- Nerds Gummy Clusters (once you try them… you’re welcome)
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins (king of chocolate candy)
- Peanut Butter M&Ms (Plain M&M’s outside Top 10)
- Sour Patch Watermelon Slices
- Twizzlers
- Snickers
- Starburst FaveREDs – if you’re lucky, a strawberry two-pack!
- Laffy Taffy (Strawberry, Watermelon) — would rank higher if the wrapper ever came off easily
- Haribo Gold Bears (only gummy bears allowed… outside of the Disney ones)
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Take 5
- Swedish Fish Minis
- Airheads (Strawberry, Watermelon, Mystery)
- Junior Mints (they’re very refreshing)
- Sour Patch Kids
- Twix
- 100 Grand — great, but I feel like Take 5… takes… it one step higher
- Butterfinger (have to be fresh/soft — lost a few spots for new recipe)
- York Peppermint (any kind, all good)
- Skittles
- Nestle Crunch
- Hot Tamales
- Milky Way
- Almond Joy/Mounds (would like dark chocolate without an almond, but not a choice)
- Blow Pop
Overrated: Whoppers — Who wants to crack their teeth on these malt balls of meh-ness? And Tootsie Rolls — EVERYONE hands these out, and kids end up with half a bag of them. Enough!
Best Candy Needing Halloween Sizing
- Starburst FaveREDs Minis (so dangerous – can kill a bag without thinking)
- Sour Patch Strawberry Slices
- Twizzlers Rainbow
- Sour Belts (Strawberry, Watermelon, Blue Raspberry)
- Hi-Chew Strawberry (different spin on Starbursts)
Worst Halloween Candy
(ranked worst-worst to less worst)
- Necco Wafers — I don’t even know where people find these. Are we sure it’s not street chalk?
- Candy Corn — obviously, too easy
- Circus Peanuts — I mean… orange-colored Styrofoam anyone?
- Good & Plenty — What is the flavor, even?! These are hell in a box
- Bit-O-Honey
- Mary Jane
- Generic Wrapped Candy — You know… the black/orange wrappers
- Smarties — At least Tootsie Rolls are good for a bit. These are barely better than Neccos and everyone has them! (Note to our Canadian readers: Jake is referring to American Smarties, which are totally different than the Canadian ones)
- Dubble Bubble — Even baseball card gum isn’t this hard… and the taste is Gone in 60 Seconds
- Jolly Rancher — Speaking of cracked teeth… just the bigger ones (small ones are okay). I’m a biter, so maybe it’s just me, but speaking of hard candy, these will straight up break your teeth!
BUYS AND SELLS
Buys
- Buccaneers — With the Ravens matchup, this is the week Tom Brady, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin get back on track, especially Brady and Godwin.
- Alvin Kamara, RB, NO — As mentioned in waivers… Top 25 in total yards, Top 20 in touches, Top 10 in receptions and Top 5 in receiving yards for running backs… despite missing two games.
- Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, ATL — Nearing his return, and the Falcons are dead-set on running no matter this game script.
- Keenan Allen, WR, LAC — Allen isn’t 100% yet but is close and still has Top 15 upside… especially with Mike Williams out.
- Diontae Johnson, WR, PIT — Another worry report player; Johnson is still the top target in Pittsburgh, and if he starts catching 65-70% of his targets, Johnson can get back to WR2 status.
- Dalton Schultz, TE, DAL — Might not be 100% or get back to it, but Dak Prescott likes him quite a bit, and Schultz was a Top 5 tight end last year with him.
Sells
- Travis Etienne, RB, JAX — Yes, Etienne has RB1 upside the rest of the season, but when you see people claim he’ll outscore Austin Ekeler the rest of the way, you can max his potential return… now!
- Gus Edwards, RB, BAL — Just like Etienne, float Edwards’ name out there to see if you can get Top 15 value. If so, you can’t ignore that return.
- Aaron Jones, RB, GB — It was just a week ago managers were panicking, and now that Jones had his second huge game of the season (vs. four with 9.1 or fewer), perceived value is up again.
- James Robinson and Michael Carter, NYJ — If you can get a Top 15 running back for either (many different opinions out there), you have to sell.
- Deebo Samuel, WR, SF — Some might not have noticed the concern, but Samuel was already barely getting rushes, and now CMC ruins his potential for WR1 value.
Week 8 Fantasy Football Projections
🚨 HEADS UP 🚨 These can differ from my rankings, and my ranks are the order I’d start players outside of added context, such as, “Need highest upside, even if risky.” Also, based on 4-point TDs for QB, 6-point rest, and Half-PPR
Download Link Added Thursday
***These are NOT updated Sunday morning, FYI***
Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings
🚨 HEADS UP 🚨
- Only Half-PPR since FantasyPros auto-calculation of Non and Full-PPR ranks can be off. But, there is so little difference from Non to Half and Full to Half that you don’t need to worry.
- ECR = Expert Consensus Rank. Don’t focus on it too much, as not all experts update consistently/constantly.
- Updated regularly, so check all the way up to lineups locking.
(Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
