Week 8 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | Team D/K

Start ’Em, Sit ’Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in fantasy football leagues, based on a full-point PPR scoring system. This column will not cover elite NFL players like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey McBride. Instead, it will focus on players who could exceed or fall short of their statistical expectations at each position. For all your final lineup decisions, check out my weekly player rankings, which are updated daily. 

Note: Streamers listed are players started in fewer than 50% of Sleeper fantasy leagues.

Byes: 49ers, Giants, Saints, Texans

Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Running Back Rankings For Week 8

1. Jahmyr Gibbs vs. Vikings
2. Bijan Robinson at Buccaneers
3. Kenneth Walker III at Broncos
4. James Cook vs. Ravens
5. Jonathan Taylor at Jaguars 
6. Derrick Henry at Bills
7. Kyren Williams vs. Chargers 
8. Chuba Hubbard at Packers (Thurs.) 
9. Javonte Williams vs. Cardinals
10.  Ashton Jeanty at Jets

Week 8 Start ’Em Running Backs

Start of the Week

Bucky Irving vs. Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Irving, listed as a start last week, went off for 106 rushing yards, two touchdowns and 24 fantasy points in the Bucs' win over the Panthers. I’d keep him in fantasy lineups this week, too, as the veteran has a plus matchup against the Falcons. Their defense has allowed 14-plus fantasy points to six runners, including four who have scored at least 21 points. Atlanta has also allowed the third-highest EPA to opposing backs this season.

Start ’Em

Chuba Hubbard at Packers (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Hubbard had his worst stat line of the season in Week 7, posting a mere 10 fantasy points in the Panthers' loss to the Buccaneers. Still, he’s averaging 18 points per game on the season, and a matchup against the Packers is favorable. Five backs have beaten them for at least 13 points, and three have scored more than 17 points. Overall, Green Bay has allowed the seventh-most points per game to runners.

Ollie Gordon II vs. Patriots (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Gordon has been quietly solid, scoring a touchdown and 14-plus points in four straight games. He also has averaged an impressive 6.7 yards per rush in his last three games, and his touch share was 47% in Week 7 for the Dolphins. So, while the Patriots do have a tough defense—they’re in the middle of the pack in points allowed to enemy backs—Gordon’s volume and nose for the end zone make him a viable No. 2 fantasy back. 

53 yards for Ollie Gordon II

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Bhayshul Tuten vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Tuten is coming off the best fantasy game of his career, scoring 24.7 points before the Jaguars' bye.vr f His touch share is around 37% for the season, and a matchup against the Colts makes him a nice option. Their defense has allowed three backs to beat them for more than 23 fantasy points, including one, Jaylen Warren, who went off for more than 36 points. As a result, Tuten should be in the mix as a No. 2 fantasy runner in most leagues.

Rhamondre Stevenson at Dolphins (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Stevenson has put up strong totals over the last four weeks, scoring 17-plus fantasy points three times. He also has taken over the New England backfield during that time, seeing 57 touches while TreVeyon Henderson has had just 32. Stevenson has a great matchup this week, too, facing a Dolphins defense that has allowed six running backs to score 15-plus fantasy points, including three with more than 21 points. 

More Starts

• Josh Jacobs vs. Panthers (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Chase Brown vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Jordan Mason vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

Running Back Streamers

• Blake Corum vs. Chargers (38%): Corum remains behind Kyren Williams in the Rams' offense, but he’s seeing enough touches to be a solid flex play against the Chargers. 
• Jonah Coleman vs. Chiefs (9%): Coleman, not J.K. Dobbins or RJ Harvey, led all Broncos running backs in snaps last week. He's a deep-league option for fantasy managers in need.
• Rachaad White vs. Eagles (8%): White will be the top back in Washington against the Eagles, who just allowed 155 rushing yards and 21.5 points to Javonte Williams. 

Week 8 Sit ’Em Running Backs

Sit of the Week 

Omarion Hampton at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Hampton has been one of the biggest busts in fantasy this season, making him tough to start even as a flex. He’s averaging fewer than 10 points per game, and his yards-per-carry average in his last two games is around 2.4. He also has lost work to both Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell in the Chargers' backfield. The Rams are in the middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to enemy running backs, but Hampton is nearly impossible to start anyway.

Sit ’Em

Quinshon Judkins at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Judkins is coming off a big game against the Titans, so he’ll be tough to sit in most leagues … especially given that he already beat his next opponent, the Steelers, for 21.6 points in Week 4. Still, I’d temper expectations. Pittsburgh has allowed the third-lowest rushing success rate, and they’ve held Jonathan Taylor, Chase Brown and Bucky Irving to fewer than 12 fantasy points. Start Judkins with caution this weekend.

Tony Pollard at Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Pollard went off for three touchdowns and more than 36 fantasy points in tjhe Titans' loss last week to the Browns. As a result, it’ll be tough to sit him. I would keep in mind, though, that Tyjae Spears was out in Week 7, and Pollard had been held to single digits in four of his previous six games. The Bengals have also allowed the third-fewest fantasy points and the third-lowest EPA per game to backs, so the matchup isn’t favorable. 

Emanuel Wilson vs. Bears (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): I was dead wrong about Wilson last week as a sit, as he rolled for 100 yards and 18.5 fantasy points against the Chiefs. I’d still be wary of starting him this week, as the Seahawks could get Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price back from injury. If even one of them returns, Wilson’s touch share is destined to decline. And if both are back, Wilson could fall to third in the pecking order. The Bears can be tough on backs, too.

J.K. Dobbins vs. Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Dobbins found the end zone last week, but he still scored just 8.3 fantasy points. What’s more disturbing is that he played just 14 snaps. That was third behind Jonah Coleman (30) and RJ Harvey (16). That level of volume is scarier than The Exorcist (hey, it’s Halloween, right?), and the Chiefs have allowed the eighth-fewest points per game to opposing running backs. This all makes Dobbins a tough sell this week. 

More Sits

• TreVeyon Henderson at Dolphins (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Aaron Jones Sr. vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• RJ Harvey vs. Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)