2022 Fantasy Football WR/CB Match-Up Report NFL Week 8: Cooper Kupp Torches the San Francisco 49ers

Published: Oct 28, 2022

Updated: Oct 28, 2022

NFL Week 8 is here and we have another wide receiver/cornerback breakdown before you set those fantasy football lineups. We will review each of the outside matchups, as well as my 10 favorite matchups in the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my five absolute favorite matchups to use for DFS purposes. There are only two teams on bye, but they are impactful with the Chargers and Chiefs, but some new faces have also emerged on the wide receiver landscape. Which should be starting for your team? This article is also critical for fantasy football DFS players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. Be sure to check out our Week 8 fantasy football player rankings, our NFL weekly projections and all of our NFL DFS lineup advice. Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!

NFL Week 8 WR/CB Matchup Report

Left WR vs Right CB
Wide Receiver	Team	DK / FD $	Cornerback	Opp	Matchup
DeAndre Hopkins	ARI	$7400 / $7900	Patrick Peterson	MIN	Safe
Guess who’s back….back again…..Nuk is back……tell a friend! He didn’t find the end zone, but Hopkins looked like he didn’t skip a beat after his six-game suspension and was the focal point of the Cardinals passing game with ten catches for 103 yards on 14 targets. The only thing he didn’t do was score. The next closest teammate in targets had FIVE and that was Eno Benjamin. Marquise Brown is out for a while and Hopkins is the man. He is a great option in all fantasy formats this week!
Drake London	ATL	$5100 / $5600	C.J. Henderson	CAR	Risky
What started out so promising has gone straight down the toilet. London had 13 catches in the first two weeks and now has 13 in the last five games combined. His one catch, nine-yard efford on Sunday was a season low in a game where the Falcons only threw the ball 13 times in a game they were behind from the jump. The Falcons just aren't having Marcus Mariota throw the ball and it is hard for a receiver to put up solid stats when the team won't throw even when behind. It is a pretty decent matchup against the Panthers, but you just can't trot London out there any more unless you are in just dire straits with injuries and bye weeks.
Rashod Bateman	BAL	$10500 / $11000	Carlton Davis	TB	Moderate
Speaking of a team that isn't throwing much, Baltimore threw just 16 times in Bateman's return game from injury which makes his four catches for 42 yard performance a little easier to swallow. It is still not good, however, and he hasn't had a real fantasy worthy day since Week 2. The Ravens play the Bucs who are only allowing 190 yards per game through the air so far this season. Bateman has some serious skills, but you have to be concerned about the volume of passes they are throwing and the fact that Mark Andrews did nothing last week and Bateman was still only decent. He is really only worth a start in a flex spot and cross your fingers.
Stefon Diggs	BUF		Jaire Alexander	GB	Safe
He has back-to-back 100-yard games and four in the first six of the season. He also has six touchdowns in six weeks. I guess you could say that Diggs is off to a good start. The more truthful assessment is that he is basically unguardable in 2022. Alexander is one of the best corners in football, but he hasn’t been the absolute lockdown guy he has been in the past. Diggs has made it happen against good defenses this year, and the Packers are not a good team this season. Give me Diggs in season long and DFS games this weekend.
DJ Moore	CAR	$5300 / $6200	Darren Hall	ATL	Moderate
I mean it isn't overly impressive, but Moore now has over 50 receiving yards in three of the last four weeks after compiling seven catches for 69 yards and a touchdown in Week 7. His target share is still very strong as he has 36 targets in the last four weeks. That's nine a game for those of you who struggle at math. The problem is the team doesn't have a decent quarterback on the roster, but the good news is the team doesn't really have anything that resembles a reliable option other than Moore. A.J. Terrell left his second consecutive game with injury last week, so even if he plays he will be highly compromised, but it seems like a longshot he is out there. This might not be the most ringing endorsement, but I don't hate Moore for your season long lineups this week and his DFS salary is so low he is too talented for it to be where it is.
Darnell Mooney	CHI	$4800 / $6100	Trevon Diggs	NE	Risky
All right, he is not going to be what we hoped coming into the seasson, but Darnell Mooney is at least working his way to weekly startability again. Is startability a word? I don't know, but I just made it one. He had three catches for 53 yards on Monday night against the Pats and if Justin Fields can continue to play like that it could be a solid second half for the Bears top receiver. That being said the matchup is even tougher this week against the Cowboys and Diggs and Mooney is a flex play only if your roster is a little beat up at wide receiver.
Tee Higgins	CIN		Denzel Ward	CLE	Safe
With Ja'Marr Chase now out for at least a month, the bulk of the receiving work will fall on Higgins and Tyler Boyd both who become weekly must-starts. It is no different on Monday night against the Bengals even if Denzel Ward is able to play although he is recovering from a concussion. Higgins has alpha potential as a number one receiver and I expect him to put up even slightly better numbers with Chase on the shelf. He is a must for the Monday DFS slate and any full season leagues.
Amari Cooper	CLE		Chidobe Awuzie	CIN	Moderate
A 55-yard catch saved his day as Cooper totalled just three catches for 74 yards in Week 7 against the Ravens. He had just four targets in this one, but I am willing to call it an outlier as he has had double digit targets in four of the seven games this season. The problem is obviously Jacoby Brissett makes this whole offense limited most weeks, and there are only so many opportunities for Cooper to succeed. Donovan Peoples-Jones has actually been playing well, and that will also cut into Cooper's production. David Njoku missing the game does help him some. I am not saying sit him this week against the Bengals because he is the best receiver on the team, but keep expectations tempered as the Bengals have allowed just six passing touchdowns in seven weeks.
CeeDee Lamb	DAL	$7000 / $7500	Jaylon Jones	CHI	Safe
It was a very uninspiring day for the Cowboys on offense as they dispatched of the Lions fairly easily and Lamb finished with just four catches for 70 yards on six targets. The 70 yards aren't bad, but this is a guy you drafted very high and he has just two touchdowns on the season. Granted, it was Dak Prescott's first game back, so I am willing to cut a little slack, but the result should have been much better against the Lions. The Bears have been one of the toughest secondaries in the league this year, and with Lamb's lack of touchdowns, and the offense still not clicking on all cylinders it is hard to suggest him for any DFS lineups. Even with these concerns, Lamb is a start each and every week in season long leagues.
Courtland Sutton	DEN		Shaquill Griffin	JAC	Moderate
Well, there certainly were a lot of pass attempts by backup Brett Rypien as he chucked it 46 times, but Sutton only hauled in three passes for 23 yards on nine targets. Early reports are hopeful for Russell Wilson to return, but remind me again how well that has been going? Oh right, really crappy. The Jaguars did just let Daniel Jones throw for over 200 yards, but for the most part they have been pretty decent against the pass with under 240 yards allowed per game. If Russell Wilson returns I will put Sutton in season long games, but I gotta say if it is Rypien again I likely put Sutton on my bench.
Josh Reynolds	DET	$5000 / $6500	Xavien Howard	MIA	Risky
He had a few decent games in a row, but last week was a colossal thud as he had just one catch for eight yards on two targets against the Cowboys. Has the Lions offense just derailed or is it tough defenses? Miami's secondary isn't awesome, but they are fairly solid. With Amon-Ra St. Brown likely to clear concussion protocol in time to play, it doesn't bode well for the fantasy chances of Reynolds with the Dolphins one solid cornerback likely on him in the game. I think the Lions offense will struggle some again and I don't see a ton of passes being funneled to the wide receivers in this one.
Sammy Watkins	GB		Dane Jackson	BUF	Safe
He is just returning from injury but I would be surprised if he played a full complement of snaps on his first game back considering his injury history. This isn't Week 1 so not sure we can count on a lot from Watkins in this game. After a rough patch, the Bills secondary is getting healthier and should be solid. Watkins is nothing more than a dart throw on the Sunday night slate.
Brandin Cooks	HOU	$5900 / $6100	Kristian Fulton	TEN	Safe
I really just expected so much more from Cooks and Davis Mills and this Houston passing game, but it has been absolute ass so far this year for the most part. Nico Collins did get hurt last week, which potentially could open up more targets for Cooks, but he hasn't had more than seven in a game since Week 2. He has just one touchdown on the season and has as many games under 50 receiving yards as over and hasn't had more than 82 receiving yards in a game this season. This week has to be the remedy as the Titans secondary is truly awful. Tennessee is allowing nearly 280 yards per game through the air and 13 passing touchdowns in six games. If Cooks doesn't get it done this week, his season might be toast. If you have the guts he should be a solid DFS play and a WR2 in season long leagues.
Michael Pittman Jr.	IND	$7200 / $7100	Kendall Fuller	WAS	Moderate
Parris Campbell doing his yearly resurgence for a couple of weeks certainly hasn't helped Pittman and he finished with six catches for 58 yards. This offense has been absymal all season long, and with Jonathan Taylor back and the passing game struggling, it is hard to feel too good about Pittman who hasn't scored since Week 1. However, like Cooks above, this has to be the week for Pittman. The Commanders are allowing two passing touchdowns a game and this will be one of Pittman's better matchups of the season. However, with the Colts turning to Sam Ehlinger at quarterback, Pittman has to be relegated to only a season long play.
Marvin Jones Jr.	JAC		Asante Samuel	DEN	Risky
His eight targets were strong and he finished with four catches for 57 yards but I am still not all that excited about Jones, or this Jaguars passing game outside of Christian Kirk to be honest. Jones has watched his usage increase in the last two games he played, but I am still not left with great feelings about him going forward. Denver's offense might be awful, but their secondary is still very strong and there would be almost no scenario where I would consider Jones for a starting fantasy lineup.
Davante Adams	LV	$8600 / $8500	Marshon Lattimore	NO	Safe
He seems to have finally gotten it into gear again as Adams had eight catches for 95 yards against the Texans although he didn't find the end zone. He still has five touchdowns in six weeks, and after terrible weeks in mid-September, Adams has been zooming again lately. Marshon Lattimore hasn't played in a couple of weeks, and there is no guarantee that he returns in time for this one. However, even if he does he clearly won't be 100% and Adams should be able to have his way with the Saints once strong secondary. I see Adams as a great option in Week 8 in both season long and DFS contests.
Allen Robinson II	LAR	$5200 / $5600	Charvarious Ward	SF	Risky
Will Robinson be able to build off the game before the Rams bye where he had five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown? Doubtful. Sure, the 49ers secondary got cremated by the Chiefs last week, but they were the number one defense coming into that game, and Robinson looked terrible against them earlier this month as he had just two catches for seven yards. This is teetering on another lost season for Robinson and this game will go a long way to predict his fantasy value for the rest of the season. Personally, he is on my benches for this one.
Jaylen Waddle	MIA	$6700 / $7800	Jeff Okudah	DET	Safe
This Dolphins passing game has been tough to figure out this season, but Waddle has been much more good than bad, you have to feel better about Tua Tagovailoa now that it will be his second game back, and a cupcake matchup against the Lions also helps. Waddle had just four catches on five targets last week, but it was good for 88 yards, so in PPR leagues it wasn't too disappointing. Okudah is allowing 12.3 yards per reception and a 71% catch rate, so I feel like Miami is going to be able to pass the ball on them. I like Tyreek Hill more than Waddle this week for DFS purposes, but Waddle is still a surefire WR2 for redraft leagues this week.
Justin Jefferson	MIN	$9100 / $9000	Trayvon Mullen	ARI	Safe
After a couple weeks of a tough patch, Jefferson answered the bell in a major way with three straight 100-yard games, including two over 145 receiving yards. He still hasn’t scored since a two-touchdown effort in Week 1, but it is still hard to argue with the production you are getting. The Cardinals have allowed 12 passing touchdowns in seven games, and it appears inevitable that Jefferson will go off in this one. He is one of the strongest starts on the board against a very giving Arizona defense that allowed Andy Dalton to throw four touchdowns.
DeVante Parker	NE	$4400 / $5800	Sauce Gardner	CHI	Risky
He has put up decent numbers in the past two weeks, but he was also a complete ghost in four other games this season. Parker caught three of five targgets for 68 yards on Monday against the Bears. That game was just a complete loss in every way for the Patriots, and one where you just have to kind of turn the page and forget about it. However, it doesn't get easier this week as Sauce has proven to be a very tough corner in his rookie season. Given the uncertainty and low powered offense in New England and this tough matchup, Parker is a flex at best where you cross your fingers.
Michael Thomas	NO	$5700 / $7000	Rock Ya-Sin	LV	Risky
He now hasn’t played since Week 3 and although he has had ten days to get ready for this week, there’s no guarantee that Thomas will play. He averaged just over five catches a game and a touchdown in the three weeks he played, but that seems like a long time ago now. It is a soft matchup against the Raiders, but it is hard to trust Thomas even if he plays. If he doesn’t play you can leave any combination of Marquez Callaway or Tre’Quan Smith on waivers again this week. Also don’t buy in to the ridiculous outlier that is Rashid Shaheed
Darius Slayton	NYG	$4600 / $5700	Michael Jackson	SEA	Moderate
Don't look now, but is the Giants passing game actually improving? Slayton poured in another decent game with three catches for 58 yards and a score against Jacksonville. I do think the return of Wan'Dale Robinson has helped as the Giants finally have a couple of guys on the field that are actual NFL receivers. This should be another easy matchup against Seattle, and while I would not trust my DFS dollars on any Giants receiver, I do think that Slayton is at least a flex play in Week 8 in your season long leagues.
Elijah Moore	NYJ	$4700 / $5000	Jack Jones	NE	Risky
He certainly caused a stir heading into Week 7 after requesting a trade and was benched by the team. With Corey Davis going down last week, I would think that Moore is going to be forced back into duty unless the team's love affair with Braxton Berrios continues. That being said this is a really tough matchup against the Pats and as I say every week, Zach Wilson doesn't throw to wide receivers. Moore belongs on waiver wires until something changes.
A.J. Brown	PHI	$7700 / $8200	Levi Wallace	PIT	Safe
He has never really been a high-volume reception guy, but Brown makes up for it with solid yardage totals and touchdowns. He has been a bit off lately with just 99 yards combined in the last two weeks, but last week was against a tough Cowboys defense. The Steelers secondary is still pretty banged up and has been inconsistent as they are solid at times and leaky at others. The Eagles offense is running on all cylinders and I am expecting a 13-17 fantasy point game from Brown in Week 8.
Diontae Johnson	PIT	$5600 / $6300	Darius Slay	PHI	Moderate
He has five catches in three straight games, but with this Steelers offense it usually doesn't amount to much and has just 130 yards combined in the last three games. It really doesn't matter who they are playing, as the Steelers just can't get an offense going. This one should be a bloodbath as the Eagles are one of the best secondaries in the NFL. Johnson likely still gets a bunch of targets, but it is a good chance that he finishes with fewer than ten fantasy points in PPR leagues.
Tyler Lockett	SEA	$6500 / $7600	Adoree Jackson	NYG	Safe
While it looks like DK Metcalf avoided major injury, he isn't going to play this week. Lockett is dealing with a lingering hamstring injury, but he was able to play through it and record seven catches for 45 yards against the Chargers. It is a tough matchup this week against the Giants who have played staunch defense this season, and have allowed just seven passing touchdowns in seven games. I expect this game to finish with both teams in the 20s as far as scoring, but I think Seattle does more damage on the ground where the Giants are a bottom five defense. I still start Lockett in season long leagues, but I'm only interested in Kenneth Walker on this offense in DFS this week.
Deebo Samuel	SF	$7500 / $7300	Jalen Ramsey	LAR	Safe
I am a huge Deebo fan, but I think we have to say through half the season he has been a big bust. I think the acquisition of Christian McCaffrey will all but eliminate the team's need to use him running the ball, and he has just two receiving touchdowns this season. However, he has always destroyed the Rams. Kyle Shanahan just has a way of drawing up plays for Deebo that Los Angeles can't handle, and he already did it once this season back on 10/3 with six catches for 115 yards and a score. People might shy away from him because of his recent production and CMC being in town, but the 49ers have a history of focusing on Samuel against the Rams and I think he is a smash play this week.
Mike Evans	TB	$16500 / $14000	Marlon Humphrey	BAL	Safe
His nine catches for 96 yards don't look bad, but if you saw the touchdown he dropped and another pass that missed him when he was open it could have been so much more against Carolina. I don't know how else to say the Tampa Bay offense is just broken. Tom Brady seems to have slammed face first into the wall, and couldn't do anything against the Panthers. Evans has gone three weeks without a touchdown, but still has 80+ yards in three of the last four. The Ravens are a bottom-seven defense against the pass, but I have to admit that I am no longer waiting for a "get right" game for Tom Brady and the Bucs. Baltimore has gotten it together a bit of late after a tough start to the year against the pass, and Evans is nothing more than a low WR2 for Week 8.
Robert Woods	TEN	$5400 / $5700	Steven Nelson	HOU	Risky
Snore! Woods with another craptastic game as he had just three catches for 26 yards against the Colts in Week 7. This offense is entirely awful passing the ball, and the only hope is that Malik Willis can inject some life into it, assuming he is quarterbacking. That being said, I am not expecting that to happen. The Texans are a much better pass defense than against the run so this is going to be a heavy Derrick Henry week. Woods is nothing more than a complete desperation play at flex.
Terry McLaurin	WAS	$6000 / $6800	Stephon Gilmore	IND	Moderate
Looks like the Commanders got an upgrade at quarterback with the injury to Carson Wentz as Taylor Heinicke came in and beat the Packers. McLaurin had one of his best games of the season too with five catches for 73 yards and his first touchdown since Week 1. The competition gets tougher this week as the Colts are allowing just 190 yards per game through the air and eight passing touchdowns in seven games. Gilmore is not the guy he was when he was Defensive Player of the Year for the Patriots but he is still a solid corner. McLaurin still makes my lineups for Week 8 though as he should be able to rack in 10-15 fantasy points.

Right WR vs Left CB
Wide Receiver	Team	DraftKings/FanDuel	Cornerback	Opp	Matchup
Robbie Anderson	ARI	$4000 / $5300	Cameron Dantzler	MIN	Risky
All right so he was on the team less than a week, but Anderson still was only targeted once and didn’t have a catch. The Vikings secondary isn’t great, but I just don’t see Anderson getting enough volume to be worthwhile from a fantasy perspective. I expect both Zach Ertz and Rondale Moore to have more targets, catches and yards and Anderson belongs on fantasy waiver wires.
Olamide Zaccheaus	ATL	$4000 / $5300	Jaycee Horn	CAR	Risky
Trevor Lawrence threw the ball way more last week than Marcus Mariota has in the last two games combined. This pass game is an absolute dumpster fire and you can't count on anyone to be fantasy relevant right now. Zaccheaus is nowhere near the fantasy radar.
Devin Duvernay	BAL	$9600 / $10000	Carlton Davis	TB	Risky
The Ravens run the ball well and do it a lot, Rashod Bateman came back healthy last week, and Mark Andrews had two targets an no catches last week and Duvernay still only had two catches for 42 yards against the Browns. The Bucs defense allowed 21 points to the lowly Panthers last week, but I don't see Baltimore scoring enough points for the third guy in their target priority to put up a fantasy worthy day unless he has an unexpected big play. Keep him on the waiver wire.
Gabriel Davis	BUF		Eric Stokes	GB	Safe
The volume is a little iffy as the guy hasn’t had more than six targets in a game yet this season and his high is also four catches, but Davis does have three games over 70 yards and four scores on the year. Stokes has allowed a ridiculous 89% completion rate against him with a play over 20 yards in four of the six games this season. He has a 118.8 quarterback rating against which is very high and I love Davis in season long and he is a GPP play on the Sunday showdown slate.
Terrace Marshall Jr.	CAR	$3500 / $5200	Cornell Armstrong	ATL	Risky
The talent is there with the former second round pick, but this offense is so terrible, and the quarterback play is so iffy, that I don't know that I can possibly suggest thinking about him. With D.J. Moore starting to do a little now, it would be tough to predict this Carolina offense to have two fantasy worthy receivers. Marshall could be worth an add in fantasy leagues with deeper benches in case someone surprises us at QB here, but he has to be a hard pass in Week 8.
Equanimeous St. Brown	CHI	$3900 / $5400	Anthony Brown	DAL	Risky
Justin Fields decided to play quarterback well on Monday night and St. Brown had by far his best game of the season with four catches for 48 yards on seven targets. He hasn't scored since Week 1 and he has two or fewer targets in four of seven games. Don't fall for the trap of the decent game on Monday, his value is not on the rise.
Mike Thomas	CIN		Nelson Emerson	CLE	Safe
The Bengals are going to be without Ja'Marr Chase for at least a month which should push Thomas to the other outside starting receiver. He has really never shown any consistency or explosiveness and I would expect a bump in production at tight end more than anything that makes Thomas fantasy relevant.
Donovan Peoples-Jones	CLE		Eli Apple	CIN	Moderate
He has been playing well for the entire month as Peoples-Jones has 70+ yards in three of the last four weeks. He had six catches last week against the Ravens, which was pretty good considering the Browns didn't throw it a ton. Peoples-Jones has played himself onto the flex landscape on a weekly basis at least for now. Eli Apple is allowing just 65.5% of passes to be caught, but he is surrendering 14.6 yards per catch which is high and has allowed over 126 yards in just the last two weeks. Given the salaries for the Monday showdown slate, I actually prefer Peoples-Jones to Amari Cooper.
Michael Gallup	DAL	$5000 / $5800	Kindle Vildor	CHI	Risky
Things were supposed to be better this week for Gallup as Dak Prescott returned and the opponent was the Lions but he had no catches and just two targets. The Cowboys ran the ball a lot last week, and I expect that gameplan to be similar this week. I do expect Gallup to actually catch the ball this week, but the Bears have been one of the stingier pass defenses in the league. If you are in desperate need I could slip Gallup into a flex spot, but overall I don't have high hopes for his production this week.
KJ Hamler	DEN		Tyson Campbell	JAC	Risky
With Brett Rypien at quaterback, Hamler had little chance to succeed so his one catch for four yards against the Jets can't be too surprising. Russell Wilson should return next week, but it seriously doesn't matter at this point as he hasn't played well either. Hamler has no touchdowns and just 113 yards this season. Hamler is not on the fantasy radar for Week 8.
Kalif Raymond	DET	$4300 / $5600	Nate Igbinoghene	MIA	Moderate
D.J. Chark went on IR, Amon-Ra St. Brown had a concussion, and Josh Reynolds wasn't 100% and Raymond finished with five catches for 75 yards against the Lions. It appears that St. Brown will be fine, which does hamper Raymond's value. However, Josh Reynolds isn't 100% and their Week 8 opponent isn't a super strong one. Raymond did have a few solid games last season as well when the Lions were riddled with injury in 2021. The Dolphins secondary is beatable, and Raymond is a potential flex option especially if St. Brown is out.
Romeo Doubs	GB		Kaiir Elam	BUF	Risky
He has really fallen off a cliff lately, but circumstances may have put Doubs on the radar for the week. Allen Lazard is not going to play and Sammy Watkins is only just coming back from injury. We heard last week what Aaron Rodgers thinks of his other receivers, so at least Doubs has had some recent success. He is a flex play this week and probably the best option of Packers receivers to roster on the Sunday night showdown slate.
Phillip Dorsett II	HOU	$3200 / $5300	Caleb Farley	TEN	Moderate
He came in and made an impact after Nico Collins went out with a groin injury, and right now we are going to assume that injury will keep Collins out for Week 8. I'm so torn on this one because the Texans pass game has disappointed me all season, but the matchup is just damn good against the Titans. If Collins plays, I don't think I trust he or Dorsett as I don't believe that Collins will play his usual set of downs. If Collins is out, Dorsett becomes and emergency flex play and perhaps a GPP dart throw assuming the Texans can have success throwing the ball again.
Alec Pierce	IND	$4600 / $5800	William Jackson	WAS	Risky
After a brief stint on the fantasy radar, Pierce was sliding out of consideration with back-to-back subpar weeks with just three catches and under 50 yards in each. Now the team is turning to Sam Ehlinger at quarterback, and we will have to see how that plays out. It likely won't be good, but hell Matt Ryan has been pretty awful too. This gives an opportunity for us to potentially find out if Ehlinger will focus on one of the receivers or if the team will try to run the ball a ton. Even against a bad Washington defense I have to sit Pierce this week.
Zay Jones	JAC		Damarri Mathis	DEN	Risky
I really thought he could potentially be a thing this year, but he has begun to flop. Jones had just four catches on ten targets for 54 yards and he hasn't scored since Week 3. You do have to like the volume, but the Jaguars offense is completely unpredictable and usually they don't throw as much as they did last week against the Giants. The matchup this week gets super tough against the Broncos who give up the second fewest yards in the league through the air and just three passing touchdowns in seven games. Just say no to Zay in Week 8.
Mack Hollins	LV	$4500 / $5600	Paulson Adebo	NO	Risky
He did have a touchdown last week against Houston, but he had just two catches and three targets, and the usage for Hollins continues to decline. At some point here Darren Waller will return which should hurt Hollins volume even more. That being said, he only has just five catches for 77 yards in the last three games combined and even if the Saints secondary is still really beat up, I can't suggest Hollins in any sort of fantasy game.
Ben Skowronek	LAR	$4100 / $5300	Samuel Womack	SF	Risky
Like teammate Allen Robinson, Skowronek has had a couple decent games in a row, including five catches for 40 yards and a touchdown run in Week 6. He still just isn’t a huge part of the offense and had just two catches for 33 yards in Week 4 against the 49ers. You can expect similar results in this week’s game.
Trent Sherfield	MIA	$3000 / $5300	Will Harris	DET	Risky
He did have three catches for 44 yards on Sunday night against the Steelers, but he only had three targets, and that was his first game with more than one catch or more than ten receiving yards in three weeks. Sure, the Lions secondary hasn't been that good this season, but they haven't been completely awful, and Sherfield is a distant third or fourth as far as targets in this Miami offense is concerned. He has been on waiver wires all season long, and he should remain there going forward.
Adam Thielen	MIN	$6200 / $6200	Marco Wilson	ARI	Safe
It hasn’t been a great season for Thielen who has just two touchdowns and has failed to top 50 receiving yards in three of six games this season. The volume is nice as he has had seven or more targets in every game but one this season, but it hasn’t added up to a lot. It is a killer matchup against Wilson and the Cardinals who are allowing a lot through the air and Thielen is still a start in season long leagues, but I can’t trust him for DFS games.
Tyquan Thornton	NE	$3800 / $5700	D.J. Reed	NYJ	Risky
I'm not sure why it took so long for the Patriots to look Thornton's way, but he caught just one ball on five targets for 19 yards. It even seemed like most of the targets came in the fourth quarter. The kid has some speed and some skills as the one catch he did have he made a nice adjustment to make the grab, but maybe this offense isn't good enough for him to be fantasy relevant yet. We will have to see how the quarterback position shakes out and if there are more changes this week. I love Thornton but right now it appears he is best served on your bench to see if his role increases.
Chris Olave	NO	$6000 / $6900	Amik Robertson	LV	Safe
Even when the Saints pass catchers get healthy, you are looking at the top option to throw to. Olave had seven catches for 106 yards on 14 targets last Thursday and this kid is just an ABSOLUTE stud! Let Michael Thomas come back. Let Jarvis Landry come back. Or don’t. It doesn’t matter. The Raiders secondary stinks and this kid is just scratching the surface. He is an absolute dynamite option in both season long and DFS leagues.
Richie James Jr.	NYG	$3700 / $5200	Tariq Woolen	SEA	Risky
Hot garbage! That is the Giants receiving room after Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton. James and the like are awful. Until Kadarius Toney gets back, the Giants will be putting someone terrible on the field.
Garrett Wilson	NYJ	$4200 / $5400	Jalen Mills	NE	Risky
He has been playing mostly out of the slot, but with Corey Davis out, Wilson will likely move to the outside. If not, Denzel Mims could be the other outside receiver and he sucks so let's just talk about Wilson here. In the last four weeks he has a combined ten catches for 100 yards and hasn't scored since Week 2. It doesn't appear that Zach Wilson likes any of his wide receivers, and unfortunately Wilson is not someone you can start right now and I think the passing game will be worse than usual this week against the Patriots. I'd still keep Wilson on my bench, but you unfortunately can't use him.
DeVonta Smith	PHI	$6300 / $6900	James Pierre	PIT	Safe
His usage has been a bit maddening as he has two games with double digit targets and also three more with five targets or fewer. However, he has scored twice and has three games with 80 or more receiving yards. The Steelers shut down the Buccaneers through the air last week, but how good is Tampa recently? Philadelphia has been one of the most dynamic offenses in the league and honestly I like Smith more this week than Brown and would use him in both season long and DFS contests.
George Pickens	PIT	$4700 / $5500	James Bradberry	PHI	Moderate
There isn't much to like in the Steelers offense, but Pickens is proving to be the bright spot nearly on a weekly basis now. His six catches for 61 yards led the Pittsburgh wide receivers and his touchdown was the team's only one of the day. As long as Kenny Pickett is under center, this kid has pretty much turned himself into a weekly starter. However, that theory is going to be put to the test this week against probably the best secondary in football in Philadelphia. The Steelers are likely to get crushed in this one and have lots of garbage time and if Pickens can produce this week we have to bump him farther up our rankings. He is still a flex play for me considering the state of injuries and teams on bye.
Brandon Aiyuk	SF	$6100 / $6700	David Long	LAR	Safe
He is putting together a little string of nice games here as Aiyuk has 11 targets in back to back contests and has had over 80 yards in both. As of right now, he is outperfomring Deebo Samuel. However, as stated earlier, Deebo always seems to be the guy against the Rams. Aiyuk had just four catches for 37 yards against them in Week 4, but I do expect his increase in production to continue. This one will be a hard fought game and Aiyuk still deserves to be weekly starting WR3 on your fantasy team but I am looking elsewhere in DFS contests for Week 8.
Marquise Goodwin	SEA	$4400 / $5600	Fabian Moreau	NYG	Moderate
Buyer beware here, although by the time you read this, waivers will have already run in your league. Sure, he had a great game last week and DK Metcalf is going to be out, but Goodwin isn't some rookie trying to burst on the scene. The Chargers for some reason couldn't guard him and he had a great result. This is not what you should expect from him going forward. It is not a great matchup this week with a tough Giants secondary and I would not want Goodwin in my starting lineups, or on my DFS rosters
Russell Gage	TB	$8700 / $8500	Marcus Peters	BAL	Risky
Julio is still not coming back, and the Bucs passing game has been more ordinary than we could have ever imagined. Even Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are falling short of expectations, so why should we expect something good out of Gage? He hasn't scored since Week 3, his four catches last week was the first time he had more than two since Week 3, and he hasn't had even 40 receiving yards since....you guessed it....Week 3. The Ravens secondary is slowly improving and I really can't figure that you will get much out of Gage this week.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine	TEN	$4000 / $5300	Derek Stingley	HOU	Risky
Pathetic! I think that is the best way to describe the Titans passing game and Westbrook-Ikhine failed to catch either target last week. He has just seven catches on the year and now the Titans should be dealing with a new, unproven quarterback. He should continue to stay on waiver wires as always.
Cam Sims	WAS	$3000 / $4800	Brandon Facyson	IND	Risky
Terry McLaurin is about the only real wide receiver you can count on. It was nice to see Curtis Samuel get a little more involved last week, but the third receiver is no one to worry about as Jahan Dotson is still out and likely so is Dyami Brown. Sims had one whole catch last week and the assignment is touger this week against the Colts. Do not give him consideration for your Week 8 lineups.

Slot WR vs Slot CB
Wide Receiver	Team	DraftKings/FanDuel	Cornerback	Opp	Matchup
Cooper Kupp	LAR	$9600 / $9300	Deommodore Lenoir	SF	Safe
He had seven catches and 80 yards in the game before the bye and has had seven catches or more in every game but one this season. He absolutely tortured the 49ers to the tune of 14 catches for 122 yards on a ridiculous 19 targets in Week 4 and Kupp has enjoyed great success against San Francisco over the past couple of years, and there’s no reason to think that they have figured out how to stop him. Look for Kupp to blow by 100 receiving yards again this week and likely score this game.
Tyreek Hill	MIA	$8500 / $8700	A.J. Parker	DET	Safe
He hasn't scored since Week 2, but Hill is averaging 11 targets a game and has three games of over 160 yards. Last week it was seven catches for 72 yards against the Steelers and the matchup gets even easier this week against the Lions. Hill has seven or more catches in every game but one, and this game should be no different. Tua Tagovailoa wasn't great in his first game back, but he found his friend Hill a number of times. Give me Hill in all season long leagues and DFS contests.
Chris Godwin	TB	$13500 / $12500	Damarrion Williams	BAL	Safe
All right, that has to be rock bottom for the Tampa Bay pass game right? A humilating loss where they didn't score a touchdown to the lowly Panthers can't be what this team is looking for ever again. Godwin has had ten or more targets in three of his last four and six or more catches in four straight. However, he doesn't have a touchdown yet this season, and the Buccaneers look terrible. I still can't take him out of my season long lineups considering the volume he is getting and he is a cash play for DFS Thursday night showdown slates.
Christian Kirk	JAC		K'Wuan Williams	DEN	Safe
After a pretty rough three game stretch, Kirk improved with seven catches for 96 yards against a tough Giants secondary. The assignment is just as tough this week with the Broncos, but Kirk is still the number one receiver on the team, and even if Trevor Lawrence isn't great, Kirk should still have a good game. The volume alone makes him a guy that always has a chance to have a big game. Denver has been too tough to think about Kirk in your DFS lineups, but he is a layup this week as a WR3 at the worst.
Amon-Ra St. Brown	DET	$6900 / $7200	Kader Kohou	MIA	Safe
He busted everyone's lineups early in the day when he left the game in the first quarter with a concussion. Well, it turns out he did not have a concussion, but with the increased scrutiny he was put on the bench. There is no doubt that he will be back this week according to the team. The Dolphins are a decent secondary but as noted on previous players they have taken their lumps against the pass this season. St. Brown will undoubtedly be the most targeted receiver as D.J. Chark remains out and Josh Reynolds is banged up. I like St-Brown in all fantasy football formats for Week 8
Wan'Dale Robinson	NYG	$4700 / $5900	Justin Coleman	SEA	Safe
His usage went up big time in his second game back as he has nine catches on 12 targets in those contests. Robinson has been a great reliable, possession receiver a la Sterling Shepard. Robinson will be a great check down option to Daniel Jones who is playing better but isn't really throwing the ball far down the field. I love Robinson in PPR and 1/2 point PPR leagues and he can fit in some DFS lineups where he can give you a nice return with the receptions each week.
Jerry Jeudy	DEN		Darious Williams	JAC	Moderate
I was surprised that he had such a good game last week with Brett Rypien at quarterback against the Jets, but he finished with seven catches and 96 yards. He has had 50+ receiving yards in four straight, but has just two touchdowns on the season. I just don't see the Broncos scoring a lot of points here, even though Russell Wilson is supposed to return. He still remains a flex option and you just have to hope every week that the bottom doesn't completely fall out of this offense.
Parris Campbell	IND	$4500 / $5600	Rachad Wildgoose	WAS	Moderate
He has come alive as he had 17 catches and two touchdown in the last two weeks. He also has been a target hog with 23 in the last two games. The trouble now is that the Colts have decided to bench Matt Ryan and they are turning to the inexperienced Sam Ehlinger going forward. There's a chance that he will be good and this usage will continue, but it is more likely that the pass game will struggle a little more. I would give this offense a week to figure itself out if you are able to in your season long leagues.
Tyler Boyd	CIN		Greg Newsome	CLE	Moderate
He's been having good games with Ja'Marr Chase healthy and now that he is out for a while, Boyd becomes a very valuable fantasy option. Boyd has been a very efficient receiver throughout his career, and should see a huge spike in volume. He immediately becomes a must-start this week and in DFS games as well.
Jakobi Meyers	NE	$5600 / $6600	Michael Carter	NYJ	Moderate
The Patriots offense was just in quick sand most of the night on Monday as they even changed quarterbacks during the game. Meyers did what he could with two catches for 34 yards with a very impressive touchdown grab, but the team was quiet on the whole. He is still the most productive receiver on the roster and should continue to be so. The Jets secondary is decent outside of Carter who is average at best. I don't trust the Pats to put up enough points to consider Meyers for DFS purposes but he is a weekly WR3 in your redraft leagues.

Top Week 8 WR/CB Matchups To Target

Elite

Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams (vs. Deommodore Lenoir)

So, maybe the look of the Rams offense lately and Kupp's “disappointing” seven catches for 80 yards last game makes you shy away from the highest-priced receiver on the slate. However, he is coming off a bye and, as a fan, I can tell you I’ve been watching this guy absolutely torture my 49ers over the past couple of years. He went 14/122 against them in Week 4, and while figuring 14 catches again might be a stretch, I have a hard time believing San Francisco all of a sudden figured him out and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised for him to have ten catches, over 100 yards, and a score.

Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (vs. AJ Parker)

This one should be so easy! When Hill goes off, he is a slate-breaker, as shown by his three massive games of 26+ fantasy points this season. He also has two more games with 14 or more PPR points. Hill goes against the Lions this week, who are allowing a league-high 32 points per game. AJ Parker has gone a perfect 7-for-7 with every pass targeting him this season being caught so far. Tua is now a game removed from his concussion, and the Dolphins should fire on all cylinders.

Affordable

Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints (vs. Amik Robertson)

If you’ve been reading this column all season, you’ve seen Olave here before. I will admit I wasn’t high on him coming into the season, but I’ve watched the Saints play this year and while the team sucks, Olave has really impressed me. He’s made some deep plays, he’s made some tough catches, and he hasn’t been easy to tackle. The Raiders are third worst in the league allowing 13 passing touchdowns and they’ve already had their bye, so most teams have played more games than them. I don’t care who is at quarterback and I don’t care if Michael Thomas and/or Jarvis Landry return, Olave is the focal point of this passing game and the real deal.

Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans (vs. Kristian Fulton)

I said I liked Cooks this week and was interested to see if either you or I have the stones to use him in DFS. Well, here’s your answer. I just can’t turn away for two reasons. The first is obviously the matchup. I have picked on the Titans secondary most of the year with good success. Davis Mills finally looked like the guy I thought he would be last week, and while Cooks still didn’t have a good game, they had their number two receiver, Nico Collins, go down with injury. I just can’t see Davis Mills focusing on Phillip Dorsett, and this should be the game where Cooks finally breaks out. Fulton is allowing over 14 yards per catch, and the Texans get right in a big way through the air this week against the Titans and Cooks leads the way.

Bargain Bin

DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers (vs. Darren Hall)

The Bengals probably could have put up 50 points on the Falcons last week if they really tried in the second half, and we are looking at real second-string corners for Atlanta this week as Casey Hayward went on IR before last week, and A.J. Terrell is all but out this week. Hall and Cornell Armstrong are probably still having nightmares of Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd running past them. Granted, this Carolina passing game isn’t in the ballpark of Cincinnati. However, P.J. Walker is a competent quarterback and there’s only one wide receiver of merit on this team. I know he’s been a ghost most of the year, but Moore has been better of late and his salary is so low in a matchup so juicy it is hard to say no.

*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.

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