Quarterback Starts
Dak Prescott vs. Arizona Cardinals
Prescott has averaged 7.7 YPA and 22.1 fantasy points at home this season, and the Cardinals have yielded the third most fantasy points to quarterbacks. The Cowboys own a league-high team total (31.5 points) this week, and this matchup will be fast-paced. Prescott is a top five QB this week.
Jacoby Brissett @ Dallas Cowboys
Brissett is increasingly at risk of losing his job to rookie Carson Beck, but he’s a top 10 fantasy start this week in Dallas. Brissett is the QB21 this season, but he’s the QB8 in expected fantasy points per game, as he’s due for major regression in the red zone. Brissett will benefit from a fast-paced matchup featuring two of the league’s bottom three pass defenses. It may require garbage time stats, but Brissett should get there this week.
Kyler Murray @ Detroit Lions
Murray has been a major fantasy disappointment this season, but he’s worth starting given the matchup. The Lions are a pass-funnel defense that’s yielded the most fantasy points to quarterbacks by a significant margin this season. A suffocating Vikings’ defense has limited volume, but the Lions should be able to score at home, and a rare negative game-script would help Murray’s fantasy production. Murray’s 2.4% TD rate is the third lowest in the NFL and due for regression. Murray is a QB1 thanks solely to the matchup this week.
Running Back Starts
Chase Brown vs. Tennessee Titans
Brown has been a borderline fantasy bust this year, but at least his role rebounded last week. Brown’s ADP was inflated thanks to running hot with touchdowns down the stretch last season, but he’s due for more TDs in 2026, when the Bengals have scored 83% of their offensive touchdowns through the air. Brown is in a prime spot to bounce back this week with the Bengals 11.5-point home favorites against a Titans’ defense that just traded away star tackle Jeffery Simmons. Brown looks to be in the proverbial smash spot this week.
Bhayshul Tuten vs. Indianapolis Colts
Tuten finally experienced touchdown regression during the Jaguars’ last game, and it’s possible he emerges with a bigger role following Jacksonville’s bye. Tuten will benefit from a positive game-script with the Jaguars double-digit home favorites. The Colts have allowed the 12th most RB fantasy points and just traded defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Tuten is a borderline RB1 this week.
Ollie Gordon vs. New England Patriots
Gordon would benefit from more targets, but he looks like the best waiver wire pickup of the season as Miami’s clear workhorse. He’s the RB5 in expected fantasy points per game over the last month. Gordon forced 10 missed tackles last week and owns the league’s third highest explosive rush rate on the season. The Dolphins’ offense limits Gordon’s fantasy ceiling, but he’s a weekly top 20 RB.
Wide Receiver/Tight End Starts
Stefon Diggs vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Rookie Antonio Williams is expected to see the biggest increase in role thanks to Terry McLaurin’s season-ending injury, but Diggs will also benefit. The Eagles’ crumbling defense has given up the second most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the third most to the slot (Cooper DeJean has struggled badly), where Diggs has run 63% of his routes. Diggs is a top 20 WR this week.
Keenan Allen @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Allen is the WR11 in targets per route run this season, and more volume should be there Sunday against a pass-funnel Jacksonville defense; Jaguars’ opponents own the league’s fifth highest pass rate. Moreover, Tyler Warren remains limited by injury, and Alec Pierce remains out. The Colts will likely struggle to run in an extremely tough matchup and with guard Quenton Nelson traded. Allen should be busy this week.
Wan’Dale Robinson @ Cincinnati Bengals
Robinson should see increased targets with Carnell Tate banged up (and shadowed by D.J. Turner if active) and facing a slot-funnel Bengals’ defense. Cincinnati has yielded the fourth fewest fantasy points to outside receivers but the second most to the slot, where Robinson has run 73% of his routes this year. Robinson quietly ranks ninth in red-zone targets and fifth in designed targets this season, and Tony Pollard likely won’t bogart all of Tennessee’s touchdowns again this week.
T.J. Hockenson @ Detroit Lions
Hockenson owns a 25% target share this season when removing the game in which he left concussed. He surprisingly ranks first in targets per route run and first downs per route run among tight ends this season. The Lions have been gashed by tight ends for the most targets (73), catches (56), receiving yards (602) and touchdowns (10) this season, allowing more than 25% more fantasy points to the position than any other defense. Moreover, Detroit’s opponents own the league’s highest pass rate (65.8%).
Sits & Fades
Saquon Barkley @ Washington Commanders
Barkley claims his hamstring came out great, and he should be good to go this week after dealing with a back issue Monday night. However, Barkley missed Thursday’s practice, and he’s now dealing with multiple injuries during a short week. The depleted Eagles have lost five straight and have zero incentive to push Barkley in a lost season.
Barkley played only one snap after halftime last week, and fantasy managers will be risking a DNP with Philadelphia not playing until Sunday night. There’s also concern Barkley will play limited snaps and/or depart early again should he be active. The Commanders have a stingy run defense, and the Eagles have the league’s lowest team total (16.5 points), so Barkley is a bench candidate this week.
Jonah Coleman vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Coleman has surged to the RB29 in consensus ranks after impressing during his return to action last week, when he led Denver with nine carries. Sean Payton intends to get the rookie more touches, but fantasy managers should explore alternatives. Coleman is the new favorite to lead the Broncos’ committee, but he’ll lose passing-down work to RJ Harvey and short-yardage work to J.K. Dobbins. Denver owns a modest team total (19.5 points) against a Kansas City defense yielding the third fewest RB rushing yards per game (73.0). Coleman’s expectations should be held in check this week.
Rome Odunze @ Seattle Seahawks
Odunze ran 100% of Chicago’s routes last week, but he’s just the WR50 in target share (17.0%) this season. Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland are bigger parts of a Chicago offense focusing more on underneath passing this year. Odunze has tough sledding this week facing an elite Seattle pass defense allowing an NFL-low 5.2 YPA and the third fewest WR fantasy points. Sit Chicago’s “Sacrificial X” in Week 8.