This article first appeared on RotoBaller.com
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Welcome to RotoBaller’s daily fantasy football FanDuel lineup picks for Week 8 of the NFL season. In this article I will be taking you through the best FanDuel DFS plays of the week for this upcoming Sunday.
These FanDuel lineup recommendations are based on matchups, recent performances, overall upside/talent levels, and other factors such as Vegas odds, home field advantage, and more.
Good luck with your FanDuel DFS lineups!
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FanDuel Quarterbacks – Week 8 DFS Picks
Cam Newton (@TB, $7,800)
Fantasy owners will be off Newton thanks to his dud against the Bears in Week 7, but he had posted 23 or more fantasy points in the three prior weeks. More importantly, his Week 8 matchup couldn’t be better, as the Buccaneers allow the third most FanDuel points to quarterbacks per week. Add up Newton’s upside, cost, and matchup and he is one of my favorite QB plays of the week.
Andy Dalton (vs. IND, $7,600)
Dalton is a risky pick and one I feel much less confident in, but the matchup simply requires that we consider him. Dalton only has one game with over 20 FanDuel points on the season, but it came against the lowly Browns. He’ll get a similar type of matchup against the Colts this week, a team that is depleted by injury on defense including standout rookie Malik Hooker being out for the season. The Bengals are trying to stay relevant and need a win to do it, and the offense should be able to carry its end of the bargain on Sunday. Dalton is best as a cash game play.
FanDuel Running Backs – Week 8 DFS Picks
Jordan Howard (@NO, $6,900)
Howard hits the perfect combination of matchup, opportunity, and salary this week and that makes him a very strong play. Since Week 3, he has gotten more than 20 carries in three of five games, and in the other two games he’s gotten 18 and 19 carries respectively. That volume is going to pay off this week as the Saints allow opposing rushing attacks to gain 4.9 yards per carry. That’s a great combination for Howard, who is priced well below the elite tier of backs this week.
LeSean McCoy (vs, OAK, $8,400)
McCoy found the endzone for the first time last week and with the Bills back at home, his chances of finding paydirt again this week are high. While the Raiders have allowed only two rushing touchdowns this season, the Bills ability to run the ball has been drastically different based on when they play at home versus on the road. At home, the Bills have three rushing touchdowns, average 146 yards per game, and have five rushes over 20 yards. Meanwhile, the Raiders surrender 105.14 rushing yards per game, eighth most in the league. That means there is an opportunity for touchdown regression against this Raiders defense, and Shady will take advantage this week.
FanDuel Wide Receivers – Week 8 DFS Picks
Amari Cooper (@BUF, $7,200)
Buffalo is typically a tough place to play and the Bills don’t stand out as a great matchup for opposing wide receivers as they rank 11th in passing DVOA. However, it appears likely that the Bills will be without E.J. Gaines and Jordan Poyer in their secondary, making their passing defense a bit more vulnerable. They have also allowed some of the top receivers they have faced to post big numbers, including A.J. Green and Mike Evans in their past two matchups. That means both Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree are walking into a sneaky spot for production in Week 8. While it’s difficult to predict which of the two is more likely to go off, Cooper offers the upside in a tournament while Crabtree offers the safety desired for a cash game.
A.J. Green (vs. IND, $8,500)
Green should be the highest owned player on the slate, but it’s chalk to eat this week. The Colts matchup has already been highlighted for Bengals passers and receivers, which makes A.J. Green the obvious play. Coming off a terrible week where he was inexcusably given only five targets, look for Green to get double-digit targets this week and take advantage of them.
FanDuel Tight End – Week 8 DFS Pick
Hunter Henry (@NE, $5,500)
With the news of Dont’a Hightower being out for the season, a vulnerable New England defense just got a bit more so. We all know by now that the Patriots like to neutralize an opposing team’s best offensive weapon, and one would have to imagine this week that focus would be on Melvin Gordon. With Hightower’s replacement(s) focus elsewhere, Hunter Henry should have the opportunity for a big game as his role seems solidified in the offense, recording at least five targets over the past three weeks.
FanDuel Defense – Week 8 DFS Pick
Pittsburgh Steelers (@ DET, $4,400)
The Lions have allowed 23 sacks to opposing defenses this season and will now head into their primetime matchup against the Steelers with Brian Mihalik likely starting at left tackle. That’s not a good scenario for them as the Steelers have recorded the second highest sack total among defenses this season so the Steelers should have opportunity to force fumbles and potentially return them for touchdowns. They should fly a bit under this week thanks to being an away team, but the price is right to play the Steelers this week.
