Which under the radar players will prove to be helpful this week? Let’s take a look at this week’s Raider Ramble edition of Fantasy Football Sleepers Week 8.
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 8 Edition
Week 7 Recap
Well… this was by far the worst week I’ve had with picks. Matt Ryan, Kenyan Drake, Michael Gallup, and Robert Tonyan combined for 16.62 points. The Jets’ DST at least scored seven points, but that wasn’t as good as some definitely hoped. The good news is that we can only go up from here (hopefully).
QB Andy DaltonÂ
Despite three picks (two returned for a touchdown), Andy Dalton still finished last week with 26.54 points. This week, he and the Saints go against a Raiders defense that has allowed the most points to quarterbacks. He will be missing Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry, but opponent depth has not slowed the Raiders’ defense down from allowing big plays. This is also a game that has the potential to be the highest-scoring game of the week. Dalton is also only rostered in 12.4 percent of leagues.
RB Antonio Gibson
Antonio Gibson has slowly made his way back into fantasy relevancy. He’s coming off his best game last week where he scored 16.70 points. He also ran for 59 yards on just 10 carries. Expect him to also catch several passes during this game as well, upping his value in PPR leagues. He will play against the Colts, who allow the ninth-most receptions and seventh-most receiving yards to running backs. Gibson has also seen consistent receptions, with three in each of the last four games, totaling 83 receiving yards in that span.
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
With David Njoku out for Monday night, some fantasy managers should look into Donovan Peoples-Jones, who is seeing an uptick in targets. He was tied second with Njoku for targets and should be ahead after this week. Peoples-Jones is widely available but rostered in just 4.1% of leagues. The Bengals actually allow the fifth-least points to receivers, so the Browns will likely need to use the passing game throughout to keep up.
TE Irv Smith Jr.
The yardage may not be special, but the opportunity sure is. Irv Smith will play against the Cardinals, who allow the second-most points to tight ends. Smith only has 140 receiving yards, but where he can shine will be in the red zone. The Cardinals are tied ninth for tight end targets in the red zone. He will certainly be touchdown dependent, but the chances are in his favor.
DST Jacksonville Jaguars
If there’s something the Broncos offense is good at, it’s that they know how to make any defense look good. They allow the eighth-most points to opposing defenses, and Jacksonville will want to stick with that pace. The Broncos score an average of 14.3 points per game, which is last in the league. If the Jaguars can’t hold down this offense, then no fantasy managers should look their way for the rest of the season.
Gamble Ramble: Betting The Raiders On The Road vs. Saints In Week 8
*Top Photo: Sports Illustrated