With six teams on a bye in Week Eight, many fantasy football owners are scrambling for fill-ins. Here’s a look at some of the best available streaming options for this weekend’s action.
Aaron Rodgers faces his former squad, the Green Bay Packers, for the first time in his career this coming Sunday night. Although he’s downplaying the whole revenge game aspect of it all, Rodgers will surely have something to prove. He has had back-to-back solid fantasy performances, throwing for at least 230 yards and two touchdowns in each of his last two contests, and will look to continue that in primetime.
On the Green Bay side, they have allowed at least 200 yards through the air and two passing TDs in three straight games. Both starting safeties for the Packers were on the injury report this week as well. Although they both avoided the injury designation heading into Sunday, it still could be somewhat of a factor.
After being used sparingly during the first four weeks of the season, Tez Johnson has come alive. After a four-catch, 59-yard performance, he followed it up by scoring in two straight contests. Johnson should continue to see his fair share of targets this coming week against the New Orleans Saints, as Mike Evans is out indefinitely with a broken collarbone, and star rookie Emeka Egbuka is still dealing with hamstring issues.
Johnson is still available in more than half of fantasy leagues across multiple platforms, so owners should take advantage, as this Saints defense has allowed the fifth most passing TDs so far this year.
Trey McBride fantasy owners will be looking to fill a tremendous void at tight end this week. Pat Freiermuth, who’s coming off a monster breakout performance of five grabs for 111 yards and two TDs, should be a viable option for Week Eight. After facing a Cincinnati Bengals squad that’s given up the most fantasy points to TEs this season, Freiermuth will have a solid chance for a repeat performance, as the Packers have surrendered the second most.
The Bengals will be up against a New York Jets’ offense that has looked abysmal as of late. The Jets had only 302 total yards over the past two weeks, and with wide receiver Garrett Wilson out again due to a knee injury, it’s unlikely that the situation will improve. Even if New York decides to go with veteran Tyrod Taylor this week, he could be limited, as he is dealing with a knee injury of his own.
With a handful of good defenses on bye, the Bengals’ defense should be a solid play for fantasy owners this week. It will also help that they finally get a break from playing offenses ranked in the top half of the league in terms of total yardage gained.
The Atlanta Falcons are facing the most generous rushing defense in the NFL this week, the Miami Dolphins. If Tyler Allgeier suits up, this may be a spot where he sees additional work, as the Falcons are highly favored and may not need to lean on Bijan Robinson as much. The 225-pound power back, Allgeier, could very well end up with a goal-line rushing TD against a defense that has allowed the third most rushing TDs and fantasy points to running backs this season.
This week will likely be a week where fantasy owners have to make starts they usually wouldn’t. In those cases, the best bet is looking for matchups against opponents who are equally as bad or worse. Hopefully, this rant will help you make those spot starts, so to speak, and provide some solid options until your regular starters return.
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