Week 8 Draft.com NFL DFS Lineup Picks, Promo Code, and Strategy
Week 8 of NFL DFS is upon us, and everyone is looking to cash in on the big money at DRAFT. Every week, we’ll bring you our top DFS NFL picks for each position and recommend them as safer plays for H2H and smaller leagues and/or 6-10 team league plays. To keep up with all things PlayPicks, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
H2H and Three-Team draft choices generally come with less risk and more stable floors, while the best 10-team plays equal lots of risk and upside. Taking a chance on players with high ceilings and low floors is a good way to separate from the field.
Let’s talk a little more strategy. As with any DFS sport, the advice below is relevant for fantasy purposes. A player or team might be better or worse from a fantasy perspective than in real life due to matchup, price, game flow, or other factors. This is important when drafting a roster.
Best Week 8 NFL DFS DRAFT.com H2H and Three-Team Picks
Quarterbacks
Drew Brees vs. CHI
Carson Wentz vs. SF
Dak Prescott @ WAS
While the Bears’ defense has been great for the most part, they were still picked apart by Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field. Facing Drew Brees in the Superdome is a similarly difficult proposition. It’s not as if this is suddenly Mark Ingram’s team; Brees has attempted 109 passes over his last three games, and his receiving corps is becoming much deeper with Willie Snead getting healthy and Ted Ginn Jr. making plays down the field.
Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott are easily two of the best young QBs in the league, and they both draw good matchups this Sunday. Wentz has an easier draw on paper against a 49ers team that ranks 26th in DVOA pass defense. Prescott faces a banged-up Redskins unit that’s playing on a short week without top CB Josh Norman (ribs). The Cowboys’ and Eagles’ offenses are on fire right now, and Prescott has really raised his floor by providing rushing stats and a rushing TD in three of his last four games.
Running Backs
Le’Veon Bell @ DET
Ezekiel Elliott @ WAS
LeSean McCoy vs. OAK
There are three top dogs at the RB position this week, and it’s not even close in terms of anyone else sniffing this tier.
Le’Veon Bell is the best back in the game and is matchup proof, so Detroit’s improved front seven is little concern for the dual threat. Bell has been much more dangerous with all four of his rushing TDs coming on the road this year.
Ezekiel Elliott has as much upside as Bell and is in a more favorable situation against the Redskins’ pass-funnel defense, which is now average against the run. Coming off a massive game in which he rushed for 147 yards and added a 72-yard TD reception, Elliott will look to ball out one more time before his appeal hearing on Oct. 30 could potentially lead to the actual implementation of his six-game suspension.
LeSean McCoy isn’t on the same level as these other two backs in terms of talent, but he has as much upside due to his matchup this week. The Raiders’ defense is completely inept and undisciplined, ranking 29th in DVOA defense against opposing RBs this season and 29th overall in DVOA. McCoy got on track with a huge game at home against the Bucs and will see a huge workload at the Ralph once again.
Wide Receivers
Antonio Brown @ DET
A.J. Green vs. IND
Julio Jones @ NYJ
Jarvis Landry @ BAL
Antonio Brown continued to show off a versatile route tree and drew 10 targets from Ben Roethlisberger on his way to 65 yards and a touchdown last Sunday. He’s now seen 39 targets over three games since throwing a temper tantrum at Baltimore. He eclipsed 150 receiving yards in a couple of brutal matchups against Jacksonville and Kansas City, so Detroit’s burgeoning secondary is no great cause for concern.
A.J. Green is in a fantastic bounce-back spot, as he faces the Colts’ 31st-ranked pass defense one week after facing the top-ranked secondary in the league. Indy has given up the most pass plays of 20-plus yards (40) by far this season, and Andy Dalton will look to get Green involved as a deep threat early and often at home.
While Julio Jones struggled to get involved in a strange, fog-ridden road game in New England on Sunday night, he finally found the end zone on a forced throw from Matt Ryan. (The throw might’ve come due to instructions to target Jones no matter what.) Falcons OC Steve Sarkisian needs a positive result to save his job; that means getting his best offensive player targets in the red zone, which should lead to success against a Jets team that’s given up a league-high 15 passing TDs this year.
This Thursday, Jarvis Landry should remain a very reliable pick in the middle or late rounds. Kenny Stills grabbed headlines with a couple of touchdowns receptions, and DeVante Parker may return in Week 8. But the Falcons have great corners on the outside, whereas they’ve been far more vulnerable in the slot, where Landry dominates.
Best Week 8 NFL DFS 6 to 10-Team League Picks
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady vs. LACH
Deshaun Watson @ SEA
Kirk Cousins vs. DAL
Derek Carr @ BUF
Cam Newton @ TB
Tom Brady has yet to have a huge game this season, and most of that has to do with gameflow during the last few weeks. Given how the Chargers just handled Denver, Brady might be forced to match points in a potential shootout at home.
You can bet against Deshaun Watson if you want, but the likely Rookie of the Year is a bonafide stud and worth drafting in the later rounds even though he draws a very tough matchup at Seattle. Derek Carr is in a similar spot, as a highly talented young QB worth betting upon despite facing an elite defense on the road.
Kirk Cousins has owned the Cowboys in the past, and he’s been far more trustworthy at home. Give him a look in the final rounds of drafts on a week that is bereft of truly elite QB options.
Then, there’s Cam Newton, who destroyed lineups and his teams’ chances with a horrific performance at Chicago last week. Yet he could bounce back with a huge day against a struggling Tampa defense that’s given up the third-most passing YPG (294.8) in the NFL and made guys like Case Keenum and Tyrod Taylor look like all-pros in recent weeks.
Running Backs
Mark Ingram vs. CHI
LeGarrette Blount vs. SF
Jordan Howard @ NO
Melvin Gordon @ NE
Mike Gillislee vs. LACH
Mark Ingram continues to roll for the Saints since they jettisoned Adrian Peterson. He’s facing a Bears team that’s been better defending the pass than the run, and Ingram is obviously in position to score multiple TDs as the goal-line back for a Brees-led offense in a dome.
The Saints’ defense is much improved, but still ranks 24th in DVOA run defense while giving up the second-highest YPC (4.9) mark this season. Jordan Howard is the unquestioned lead rusher for a Chicago team that would prefer to run the ball all game and prevent any rookie mistakes from Mitch Trubisky.
LeGarrette Blount’s workload is threatened a bit by the health of Wendell Smallwood, but Blount should still be the goal-line back against a 49ers team that gave up the most rushing TDs (25) in the league last year and is allowing the most FPPG (29.52) to opposing RBs this season.
Mike Gillislee is in a similar spot but is a very risky selection; he’s basically interchangeable with Dion Lewis or James White. Yet you can bank on one of those backs logging a rushing TD against the Chargers’ 31st-ranked run defense in a home game, while Melvin Gordon is a dual-threat weapon capable of keeping the Chargers competitive against a Patriots defense that’s still quite vulnerable.
Wide Receivers
Keenan Allen @ NE
Mike Evans vs. CAR
Michael Crabtree @ BUF
Kelvin Benjamin @ TB
Routinely double-teamed out of games this season, Keenan Allen could once again face bracket coverage against the well-coached Patriots. Yet New England’s still giving up the most passing YPG (310.3) in the NFL, and Allen is moving all over the formation as the go-to-guy for Philip Rivers, giving him plenty of upside in a potential comeback effort.
Mike Evans got back on track in Week 7, or rather, Jameis Winston was surprisingly accurate despite playing with a shoulder sprain. The sledding doesn’t get much easier for Evans — who has faced one of the toughest schedules in the — but this passing offense will be home against a reeling Panthers team. If you’ll recall, Carolina’s big DBs gave up a ridiculous 300-yard game to Julio Jones last season.
Because of Amari Cooper’s overdue breakout last Thursday, Michael Crabtree could be overlooked this Sunday. Yet he should face a more vulnerable CB in E.J. Gaines while Cooper battles with rookie phenom Tre-Davious White. Both WRs are capable of producing now that Derek Carr is back under center and dropping dimes.
Kelvin Benjamin is essentially a correlation play with Cam Newton. Both players could bounce back in a much easier matchup this Sunday than last. Newton is often locked on to Benjamin, and the big-bodied WR is seeing even more targets with Greg Olsen (foot) still out.
Tight Ends
Rob Gronkowski vs. LACH
Zach Ertz vs. SF
Austin Seferian-Jenkins vs. ATL
Tyler Kroft vs. IND
Rob Gronkowski was officiated out of a long gain and routinely held once again to prevent a big statistical output in Week 7. This week, the Patriots host a very tough Chargers defense on the outside. But it’s more vulnerable against opposing TEs, so Gronk has a chance for multiple TDs and a huge bounce-back effort.
Zach Ertz remains the most consistent TE in fantasy this year, and he’s worth drafting early even though he faces a 49ers team that’s been solid against tight ends. San Francisco lost WLB Reuben Foster (abdomen) last Sunday and let their best LB go in NaVorro Bowman.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins has been a target hog in the red zone and caught a TD in a third consecutive game last Sunday. He could find seams against a Falcons defense that’s also much better toward the boundaries.
Then, there’s a true flier in Tyler Kroft, who was the Bengals’ most productive receiver in a brutal matchup at Pittsburgh last week. He’s a candidate to post a big line against the pathetic Colts defense this Sunday.
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