The ESPN+ Cheat Sheet for Week 8 is your one-stop shop for fantasy football advice. We’ve curated all our best start/sit advice from this week, including insights from Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Eric Karabell and Liz Loza. Don’t have time to read it all? That’s why cheat sheets were invented! Catch up on a week’s worth of reading in mere minutes, see which players are on the injury report, consider the betting data and then set your lineup with confidence.
Lines accurate as of latest time stamp. For latest odds, go to ESPN BET. 
Injury aggregation powered by RotoWire. Football Power Index by ESPN Analytics.
Atlanta Falcons -2.5 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Locks: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 45.5 (fifth highest)
FPI favorite: Buccaneers by 2.8, 57.1% to win outright
Falcons injury watch: none to report
Buccaneers injury watch: TE Payne Durham: Q; RB Bucky Irving: Q; WR Mike Evans: O WR Chris Godwin: IR
Best of the Week
- Mike Clay: Kirk Cousins lit up the Buccaneers for 509 yards and four touchdowns when these teams met in Week 5, but he’s still a risky fantasy starter. The veteran QB has stumbled in recent “plus matchups” and has now fallen short of 13 fantasy points in five out of seven games this season — and all five finishes were QB20 or worse. Cousins, who has negative-8 rushing yards this season, is fine to stream this week, but he’s not a lineup lock.
- Mike Clay: Despite a favorable schedule, the zone-heavy Tampa Bay pass defense has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to receivers, including the fourth most to the perimeter and sixth most to the slot. A lot of that damage came with top corner Jamel Dean (currently on IR) on the field. Atlanta’s receivers should, of course, be upgraded.
- Matt Bowen: The Bucs’ offense took a major hit in the Monday night loss to the Baltimore Ravens with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both going down. Given the throwing mentality of quarterback Baker Mayfield, both Jalen McMillan and Sterling Shepard can be played this week in deeper leagues. Tampa Bay will still be aggressive in the pass game.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Miami Dolphins -4
Locks: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 45.5 (fifth highest)
FPI favorite: Cardinals by 0.7, 51.6% to win outright
Cardinals injury watch: none to report
Dolphins injury watch: WR Jaylen Waddle: Q; WR Tyreek Hill: Q
Best of the Week
- Eric Karabell: A healthy Tua Tagovailoa is great news for the Dolphins and for fantasy football, but perhaps not in the way many people realize. The reason why Tagovailoa was so valuable for fantasy managers last season, and hopefully will be again, is due to how his performance affected others around him, specifically WRs Tyreek Hill and, to a lesser degree, Jaylen Waddle. Tagovailoa, who played in all 17 games last season, finished 11th among QBs in total fantasy points, but he averaged 15.9 points per game, only 21st at the position. He is not a must-play for fantasy this week.
- Liz Loza: The contrast between Hill’s production with and without Tagovailoa cannot be overstated. Hill has scored 21 receiving TDs on 860 routes with Tua under center since moving to Miami in 2022. Conversely, the Cheetah has remained scoreless on 261 routes without Tua at QB.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Cincinnati Bengals -3
Locks: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 47.5 (second highest)
FPI favorite: Eagles by 1.8, 54.7% to win outright
Eagles injury watch: TE Dallas Goedert: Q
Bengals injury watch: none to report
Best of the Week
- Tristan H. Cockcroft: Jalen Hurts is 11th in QB scoring entering Week 8, but fourth in consistency, finishing among the top 10 QBs in 66% of his starts and outside the top 20 only once (Week 3 against the Saints).
- Mike Clay: DeVonta Smith is eyeing a rebound following a rough Week 7, in which he was held to minus-2 yards on his lone reception. Despite the dip, there’s little reason for panic here. Smith has 14-plus fantasy points in four of his five games and was a top-20 fantasy WR in each of the past two seasons. He’s best viewed as a WR3 play this week.
New York Jets -7 vs. New England Patriots
Locks: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 40.5 (13th highest)
FPI favorite: Jets by 8.4, 70.9% to win outright
Jets injury watch: QB Aaron Rodgers: Q; WR Allen Lazard: Q; QB Jordan Travis: O
Patriots injury watch: WR Ja’Lynn Polk: Q
Best of the Week
- Matt Bowen: Hunter Henry caught eight of nine targets for 92 yards in the loss to the Jaguars (17.9 points) and has scored double-digit points in each of Drake Maye’s two starts. While he gets a tougher matchup versus the Jets this week, I still like the veteran tight end as a middle-of-the-field target for Maye.
- Mike Clay: Downgrade the entire Patriots WR room against the Jets’ secondary, but note that DeMario Douglas (77% slot), likely the only New England receiver you’re considering, will have a better outlook if Michael Carter II remains sidelined.
Tennessee Titans vs. Detroit Lions -12.5
Locks: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 44.5 (eighth highest)
FPI favorite: Lions by 9.2, 72.7% to win outright
Titans injury watch: QB Will Levis: Q; RB Tyjae Spears: Q; WR Calvin Ridley: Q; WR Colton Dowell: O
Lions injury watch: none to report
Best of the Week
- Mike Clay: Jared Goff has reeled off three consecutive games with 18-plus fantasy points, but he remains a poor starting option. The veteran QB is living on unsustainable efficiency and remains a nonfactor as a rusher (17 yards), which is why his big passing numbers won’t lead to consistent fantasy success.
- Tristan H. Cockcroft: Jahmyr Gibbs is one of only two running backs with a 100% start rate entering Week 8, but that list also included David Montgomery before he left the Lions’ Week 7 game with an injury. Start both with confidence.
Green Bay Packers -4.5 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Locks: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 49.5 (Highest)
FPI favorite: Packers by 6, 65.7% to win outright
Packers injury watch: WR Christian Watson: Q; WR Jayden Reed: Q
Jaguars injury watch: RB Travis Etienne Jr.: Q; WR Gabe Davis: Q
Best of the Week
- Mike Clay: The Jaguars have surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers (most over expected), including the most to the perimeter and fifth most to the slot. They’re top six in points allowed to both right and left boundary receivers and sit top five in catches, yards and touchdowns allowed (10) to the position. Eight receivers have produced 15-plus fantasy points against Jacksonville. Upgrade the Packers’ passing game.
- Matt Bowen: We know the Packers’ wide receiver room is deep, but with Jordan Love‘s aggressive throwing mentality and a really strong Week 8 matchup, I like Doubs here as a deeper-league flex play.
- Matt Bowen: If Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) remains out for the Week 8 matchup versus the Packers, then we can look at D’Ernest Johnson as the No. 2 in the Jags’ backfield behind Tank Bigsby. While Bigsby will continue to pace the run game, Johnson can give deeper-league managers an anticipated 10-plus touches, which includes the pass-game reps.
Baltimore Ravens -8.5 vs. Cleveland Browns
Locks: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 44.5 (eighth highest)
FPI favorite: Ravens by 5.9, 65.2% to win outright
Ravens injury watch: RB Rasheen Ali: Q; WR Zay Flowers: Q; RB Keaton Mitchell: O
Browns injury watch: RB Jerome Ford: Q; RB Nyheim Hines: O
Best of the Week
- Matt Bowen: In Cleveland’s first game after trading Amari Cooper to the Bills, Cedric Tillman saw his role jump. He has the physical style and sturdy frame to log targets inside of the numbers, plus he’s a chain-mover who can create separation on in-cuts. Tillman fits as a deeper-league option this week with Jameis Winston starting at quarterback.
- Mike Clay: Baltimore has allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, as well as the third-most points to the perimeter and second most to the slot. The Ravens have allowed a league-high 12 touchdowns to wide receivers and five wideouts have already hit the 20-point mark against them. Tillman (65% perimeter) and Jerry Jeudy (64%) are Cleveland’s boundary receivers, with Elijah Moore (39%) in the slot.
- Matt Bowen: Rashod Bateman has emerged as a perimeter option for Lamar Jackson, with double-digit fantasy production in four of his past five games. While Bateman is averaging only 4.4 targets per game, he is cashing in on the opportunities as a second- and third-level route-runner in the Ravens’ pass game.
- Tristan H. Cockcroft: Mark Andrews’ back-to-back games with a touchdown provide some encouragement, but he isn’t in good shape matchups-wise this week. The Browns have limited tight ends to 1.19 fantasy points per target this season, third fewest in the league, and they held both Brock Bowers and Zach Ertz to their worst single-game scores this season and Jake Ferguson to his second worst.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans -5
Locks: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 45.5 (fifth highest)
FPI favorite: Texans by 4.1, 60.5% to win outright
Colts injury watch: none to report
Texans injury watch: WR Robert Woods: Q
Best of the Week
- Liz Loza: C.J. Stroud‘s matchup versus the Colts provides him a bounce-back opportunity for at least this week. Assuming he takes advantage (as he has three previous times against them over the course of his young career), Stroud might materialize as a player to trade away at peak value. Consider him a top-15 fantasy play at the position in Week 8.
- Tristan H. Cockcroft: Jonathan Taylor, coming off a high ankle sprain, is facing one of the league’s tougher matchups in the Texans, who held Taylor to just 10.8 points in their Week 1 meeting and have allowed the fourth-fewest points per game to running backs for the season (17.9) while also boasting the league’s third-best Successful Play Rate on opponents’ rushes.
- Eric Karabell: The Colts showed a proficient passing game when Joe Flacco filled in for an injured Anthony Richardson. They have been suboptimal with Richardson playing, so when he does, you shouldn’t play Michael Pittman Jr. or Josh Downs.
Buffalo Bills -3 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Locks: Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 46.5 (fourth highest)
FPI favorite: Bills by 5, 62.9% to win outright
Bills injury watch: TE Dawson Knox: Q; TE Dalton Kincaid: Q; WR Curtis Samuel: Q; WR Mack Hollins: Q
Seahawks injury watch: RB Kenneth Walker III: Q; WR DK Metcalf: Q
Best of the Week
- Tristan H. Cockcroft: Geno Smith is the season’s No. 7 quarterback in terms of fantasy points, but he has struggled against tougher defenses thus far, averaging 13.9 fantasy points against the Broncos, Dolphins and 49ers, teams that either rank or project to rank among the best at defending quarterbacks. The Bills are another tough assignment, having allowed only one quarterback to exceed 18 points against them (Lamar Jackson, 23.64 in Week 4). Jackson, however, generated 9.4 of those points rushing, an aspect of the game that isn’t Smith’s forte.
- Matt Bowen: Keon Coleman had his best day as a pro in the Week 7 win over the Titans, and with his big-play ability — he posted a 57-yard reception in that game — and rising target volume (16 over his past three games), Coleman can be played as a flex this week.
- Tristan H. Cockcroft: Dalton Kincaid continues to enjoy the kind of usage that supports him taking a big step forward statistically. Now, with Amari Cooper on the roster, Kincaid should see more advantageous matchups in coverage, which could well begin with this plus matchup. The Seahawks have had five tight ends exceed 9.0 fantasy points against them this season, covering the only five fantasy-relevant names they have faced in 2024.
New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Chargers -7
Locks: Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 40.5 (13th highest)
FPI favorite: Chargers by 3.7, 59.7% to win outright
Saints injury watch: WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.: Q; TE Juwan Johnson: Q; WR Chris Olave: Q; RB Alvin Kamara: Q; QB Derek Carr: Q
Chargers injury watch: WR Derius Davis: Q; TE Hayden Hurst: Q; WR Quentin Johnston: Q; WR Ladd McConkey: Q; TE Will Dissly: Q
Best of the Week
- Mike Clay: The Chargers’ defense has allowed the fewest receptions and third-fewest fantasy points to receivers. Spencer Rattler has struggled (5.5 YPA), so barring a surprise return by Derek Carr this week, only Chris Olave (now that he’s cleared the league’s concussion protocol) can be considered a viable WR3/flex option.
- Tristan H. Cockcroft (video): The Chargers’ defense is seventh in the league in fantasy scoring and gets a good matchup against Spencer Rattler and the Saints, who have allowed opposing defenses to post 17 and 21 points the past two weeks, the seventh- and fourth-best scores by any defense this season. Even if Carr is able to surprise us with a Week 8 return, he’ll have been limited in practice, and the Chargers have been good against throws of 10 yards or deeper, which have historically been Carr’s strength.
Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos -10.5
Locks: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 41.5 (11th highest)
FPI favorite: Broncos by 10.1, 74.8% to win outright
Panthers injury watch: WR Diontae Johnson: Q; TE Tommy Tremble: Q; RB Jonathon Brooks: O; QB Andy Dalton: D; TE Ja’Tavion Sanders: Q
Broncos injury watch: none to report
Best of the Week
- Matt Bowen: Bo Nix is more than willing to pull the ball down as a runner (10 carries, 75 yards in Week 7), and he threw for multiple touchdowns in both Weeks 5 and 6. Given his dual-threat traits (six or more carries in three straight games), Nix is a solid streamer this week with a very favorable home matchup against the Panthers’ defense.
- Mike Clay: Javonte Williams, has been all over the map this season but he’s fresh off a 2-TD, 26.1-point effort versus the Saints (his most points in any game since Week 13 of 2021). Williams has had 16-plus touches and 80-plus yards in three of his last four games and is on the RB2 radar this week.
Kansas City Chiefs -9.5 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Locks: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 41.5 (11th highest)
FPI favorite: Chiefs by 9.7, 74.4% to win outright
Chiefs injury watch: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster: O
Raiders injury watch: WR Jakobi Meyers: Q; TE Harrison Bryant: Q; TE Michael Mayer: O
Best of the Week
- Tristan H. Cockcroft: Kareem Hunt has dominated the Chiefs’ backfield work during their past two games and, in time, Hunt is likely to see competition from Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco, both of whom are on the mend. For now, though, he looks locked into a 20-touch weekly role.The Raiders are one of the game’s most favorable matchups for running backs. They are the only defense to have surrendered a 15-point performance to a running back in each of the season’s first seven weeks.
- Matt Bowen: With Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell now on IR (thumb), the Raiders will turn to Gardner Minshew, who has thrown multiple interceptions in each of his past two games. The Chiefs just had three interceptions in the Week 7 win over the 49ers, and I expect DC Steve Spagnuolo to turn up the heat versus Minshew in this one.
- Matt Bowen: Alexander Mattison has emerged as the lead back in Las Vegas, with at least 17 touches in each of his past three games and double-digit production in five of seven. Mattison is a high-floor play in this game, as I expect the Raiders to run the ball given their lack of production at the quarterback position.
Chicago Bears -3 vs. Washington Commanders
Locks: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 43.5 (10th highest)
FPI favorite: Commanders by 0.1, 50.1% to win outright
Bears injury watch: none to report
Commanders injury watch: QB Jayden Daniels: Q; WR Dyami Brown: Q
Best of the Week
- Tristan H. Cockcroft: Jayden Daniels‘ (rib) uncertain status for Week 8 casts a shadow upon McLaurin’s immediate fantasy prospects, as does this matchup. The Bears have afforded the position the fourth-fewest points per target for the season (1.49), with only two individuals exceeding 12.2 points against them.
- Fantasy Focus (video): Mike Clay isn’t ready to buy into Caleb Williams just yet, ranking him outside his top 20, while Field Yates and Daniel Dopp have him in their top 15s.
Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers -4.5
Locks: Sunday 8:20 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 47.5 (second highest)
FPI favorite: 49ers by 6.7, 67.6% to win outright
Cowboys injury watch: TE John Stephens Jr.: O; WR Ryan Flournoy: Q
49ers injury watch: WR Jauan Jennings: Q; RB Jordan Mason: Q; TE George Kittle: Q; WR Deebo Samuel Sr.: Q; WR Chris Conley: Q
Best of the Week
- Liz Loza: Jordan Mason’s 8.9 fantasy points last week look disappointing, but his 58 rushing yards were the most any running back has managed versus Kansas City thus far in 2024.
- Matt Bowen: With Jauan Jennings (hip) not expected to play Sunday night, that plays a role in Ricky Pearsall‘s value this week. I like the rookie here as an inside/outside target in a 49ers pass game that needs a boost with Brandon Aiyuk also out. Pearsall is a deeper-league target with some upside, as long as Jennings does sit this one out.
New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers -6
Locks: Monday 8:15 p.m. ET
Over/under total: 36.5 (15th highest)
FPI favorite: Steelers by 7.7, 68.8% to win outright
Giants injury watch: WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton: Q
Steelers injury watch: RB Cordarrelle Patterson: Q; WR Roman Wilson: Q
Best of the Week
- Mike Clay: The Giants have a clear No. 1 perimeter receiver in Malik Nabers, so we should expect Joey Porter Jr. to travel with him the 75% of the time he’s on the boundary. Porter did well when shadowing earlier this season, but considering the Steelers have allowed the third-most fantasy points to receivers over the past four weeks, it’s hard to be too worried about this matchup.If anything, it’s only a minor downgrade.
- Liz Loza: Najee Harris has back-to-back 100-yard games, but Jaylen Warren’s volume is on the rise. New York’s defense has allowed the second-most yards per carry (5.4) to opposing rushers. Additionally, the Steelers are 6.5-point home favorites, suggesting a positive game script for Pittsburgh’s backfield. With Warren’s arrow pointing up (he’s an RB3 for fantasy purposes in Week 8), now may be the time to sell high on Harris.
- Mike Clay: Top receivers clearly haven’t had much trouble against New York, and the Giants have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to the perimeter this season. That’s where George Pickens aligns 69% of the time, which is about how often he can expect to see Deonte Banks in coverage in Week 8. Fresh off a strong showing in Russell Wilson‘s debut, Pickens can be upgraded.