Editor’s note: Falcons WR Calvin Ridley was ruled inactive for Sunday’s game because of a personal matter.
Your Week 8 start/sit decisions are as important as ever — regardless of whether you’re comfortably sitting atop your league’s standings or fighting for a shot at the playoffs.
Things have already changed since this week kicked off, namely Dak Prescott’s status for Monday Night Football becoming a game-time decision. With that in mind, let’s see how to optimize our fantasy teams for this week’s slate.
As always, you can see my real-time rankings at any point here.
Fantasy Rankings & Tiers
Fantasy QB Rankings & Tiers
Tier 1
Josh Allen (vs. MIA)
Patrick Mahomes (vs. NYG)
Tier 2
Kyler Murray (vs. GB)
Jalen Hurts (@ DET)
Tier 3
Justin Herbert (vs. NE)
Matthew Stafford (@ HOU)
Tom Brady (@ NO)
Tier 4
Kirk Cousins (vs. DAL)
Joe Burrow (@ NYJ)
Tier 5
Matt Ryan (vs. CAR)
Tier 6
Daniel Jones (@ KC)
Aaron Rodgers (@ ARI)
Ryan Tannehill (@ IND)
Tier 7
Carson Wentz (vs. TEN)
Jameis Winston (vs. TB)
Taylor Heinicke (@ DEN)
Teddy Bridgewater (vs. WAS)
Trevor Lawrence (@ SEA)
Dak Prescott (@ MIN)*
Jared Goff (vs. PHI)
*I’m downgrading Dak Prescott and the Cowboys pass-catchers since he’s shaping up as a game-time decision on Monday Night Football. I would avoid taking on that risk unless you have a backup plan by having either Kirk Cousins or Cooper Rush on your bench in the event Prescott is ruled out after all of Sunday’s games have kicked off.
Tier 8
Sam Darnold (@ ATL)
Mac Jones (@ LAC)
Geno Smith (vs. JAX)
Tier 9
Tua Tagovailoa (@ BUF)
Ben Roethlisberger (@ CLE)
Justin Fields (vs. SF)
Baker Mayfield (vs. PIT)
Tier 10
Jimmy Garoppolo (@ CHI)
Tier 11
Mike White (vs. CIN)
Davis Mills (vs. LAR)
Fantasy RB Rankings & Tiers
Tier 1
Derrick Henry (@ IND)
Tier 2
Dalvin Cook (vs. DAL)
Alvin Kamara (vs. TB)
Jonathan Taylor (vs. TEN)
Tier 3
Aaron Jones (@ ARI)
D’Andre Swift (vs. PHI)
Austin Ekeler (vs. NE)
Darrell Henderson (@ HOU)
Tier 4
Nick Chubb (vs. PIT)
Najee Harris (@ CLE)
Cordarrelle Patterson (vs. CAR)
Ezekiel Elliott (@ MIN)
Tier 5
James Robinson (@ SEA)
Leonard Fournette (@ NO)
Joe Mixon (@ NYJ)
Chuba Hubbard (@ ATL)
Tier 6
Damien Harris (@ LAC)
Darrel Williams (vs. NYG)
Elijah Mitchell (@ CHI)
Tier 7
Khalil Herbert (vs. SF)
Alex Collins (vs. JAX)
Kenneth Gainwell (@ DET)
Tier 8
Zack Moss (vs. MIA)
Chase Edmonds (vs. GB)
Antonio Gibson (@ DEN)
Devontae Booker (@ KC)
Javonte Williams (vs. WAS)
Melvin Gordon (vs. WAS)
Michael Carter (vs. CIN)
Tier 9
Myles Gaskin (@ BUF)
J.D. McKissic (@ DEN)
Tier 10
David Johnson (vs. LAR)
James Conner (vs. GB)
Jamaal Williams (vs. PHI)
Mike Davis (vs. CAR)
Tony Pollard (@ MIN)
Tier 11
Devin Singletary (vs. MIA)
A.J. Dillon (@ ARI)
Brandon Bolden (@ LAC)
Samaje Perine (@ NYJ)
D’Ernest Johnson (vs. PIT)
Rashaad Penny (vs. JAX)
Boston Scott (@ DET)
JaMycal Hasty (@ CHI)
Nyheim Hines (vs. TEN)
Ty Johnson (vs. CIN)
Tier 12
Salvon Ahmed (@ BUF)
Sony Michel (@ HOU)
Mark Ingram (vs. TB)
Royce Freeman (@ ATL)
Fantasy WR Rankings & Tiers
Editor’s note: Falcons WR Calvin Ridley was ruled inactive for Sunday’s game because of a personal matter.
Tier 1
Cooper Kupp (@ HOU)
Tier 2
Tyreek Hill (vs. NYG)
Tier 3
Justin Jefferson (vs. DAL)
Stefon Diggs (vs. MIA)
Ja’Marr Chase (@ NYJ)
D.J. Moore (@ ATL)
Tier 4
Deebo Samuel (@ CHI)
Mike Williams (vs. NE)
Calvin Ridley (vs. CAR)
Mike Evans (@ NO)
DeAndre Hopkins (vs. GB)
Diontae Johnson (@ CLE)
A.J. Brown (@ IND)
Keenan Allen (vs. NE)
Robert Woods (@ HOU)
Terry McLaurin (@ DEN)
Adam Thielen (vs. DAL)
Chris Godwin (@ NO)
Tier 5
Tee Higgins (@ NYJ)
D.K. Metcalf (vs. JAX)
CeeDee Lamb (@ MIN)
Tier 6
Chase Claypool (@ CLE)
Michael Pittman Jr. (vs. TEN)
Devonta Smith (@ DET)
Amari Cooper (@ MIN)
Emmanuel Sanders (vs. MIA)
Brandin Cooks (vs. LAR)
Marvin Jones (@ SEA)
Sterling Shepard (@ KC)
Courtland Sutton (vs. WAS)
Tier 7
Jaylen Waddle (@ BUF)
Laviska Shenault (@ SEA)
Randall Cobb (@ ARI)
Cole Beasley (vs. MIA)
Jakobi Meyers (@ LAC)
Jamison Crowder (vs. CIN)
Van Jefferson (@ HOU)
Tyler Boyd (@ NYJ)
Christian Kirk (vs. GB)
Kadarius Toney (@ KC)
Marquez Callaway (vs. TB)
Kalif Raymond (vs. PHI)
Tyler Lockett (vs. JAX)
Tier 8
Jerry Jeudy (vs. WAS)
Robby Anderson (@ ATL)
Jarvis Landry (vs. PIT)
Mecole Hardman (vs. NYG)
Allen Robinson (vs. SF)
Darnell Mooney (vs. SF)
A.J. Green (vs. GB)
Tier 9
T.Y. Hilton (vs. TEN)
K.J. Osborn (vs. DAL)
Rondale Moore (vs. GB)
Deonte Harris (vs. TB)
Odell Beckham Jr. (vs. PIT)
Amon-Ra St. Brown (vs. PHI)
Tim Patrick (vs. WAS)
Quez Watkins (@ DET)
Darius Slayton (@ KC)
Tier 10
Tyler Johnson (@ NO)
DeVante Parker (@ BUF)
Zach Pascal (vs. TEN)
Nelson Agholor (@ LAC)
Jamal Agnew (@ SEA)
Jalen Reagor (@ DET)
Gabriel Davis (vs. MIA)
Russell Gage (vs. CAR)
Equanimeous St. Brown (@ ARI)
Kendrick Bourne (@ LAC)
Elijah Moore (vs. CIN)
Brandon Aiyuk (@ CHI)
Freddie Swain (vs. JAX)
Cedrick Wilson (@ MIN)
Adam Humphries (@ DEN)
Nico Collins (vs. LAR)
Byron Pringle (vs. NYG)
Fantasy TE Rankings & Tiers
Tier 1
Travis Kelce (vs. NYG)
Tier 2
Kyle Pitts (vs. CAR)
Tier 3
T.J. Hockenson (vs. PHI)
Dallas Goedert (@ DET)
Tyler Higbee (@ HOU)
Tier 4
Noah Fant (vs. WAS)
Dalton Schultz (@ MIN)
Mike Gesicki (@ BUF)
Robert Tonyan Jr. (@ ARI)
Ricky Seals-Jones (@ DEN)
Hunter Henry (@ LAC)
Tier 5
Zach Ertz (vs. GB)
Rob Gronkowski (@ NO)
Jared Cook (vs. NE)
Tyler Conklin (vs. DAL)
Pat Freiermuth (@ CLE)
Dan Arnold (@ SEA)
Tier 6
Evan Engram (@ KC)
C.J. Uzomah (@ NYJ)
Cole Kmet (vs. SF)
Tier 7
Mo Alie-Cox (vs. TEN)
Hayden Hurst (vs. CAR)
Tommy Sweeney (vs. MIA)
David Njoku (vs. PIT)
Gerald Everett (vs. JAX)
Adam Trautman (vs. TB)
Tier 8
Austin Hooper (vs. PIT)
Jack Doyle (vs. TEN)
Jonnu Smith (@ LAC)
Anthony Firkser (@ IND)
Marcedes Lewis (@ ARI)
Donald Parham (vs. NE)
Ross Dwelley (@ CHI)
Ian Thomas (@ ATL)
Juwan Johnson (vs. TB)
Fantasy Kicker Rankings & Tiers
Tier 1
Matt Gay (@ HOU)
Harrison Butker (vs. NYG)
Tyler Bass (vs. MIA)
Matt Prater (vs. GB)
Evan McPherson (@ NYJ)
Younghoe Koo (vs. CAR)
Tier 2
Ryan Succop (@ NO)
Michael Badgley (vs. TEN)
Dustin Hopkins (vs. NE)
Brandon McManus (vs. WAS)
Jake Elliott (@ DET)
Greg Joseph (vs. DAL)
Greg Zuerlein (@ MIN)
Graham Gano (@ KC)
Austin Seibert (vs. PHI)
Nick Folk (@ LAC)
Tier 3
Jason Myers (vs. JAX)
Randy Bullock (@ IND)
Zane Gonzalez (@ ATL)
Brian Johnson (vs. TB)
Mason Crosby (@ ARI)
Chris Blewitt (@ DEN)
Chase McLaughlin (vs. PIT)
Matthew Wright (@ SEA)
Jason Sanders (@ BUF)
Joey Slye (@ CHI)
Chris Boswell (@ CLE)
Tier 4
Matt Ammendola (vs. CIN)
Ka’imi Fairbairn (vs. LAR)
Cairo Santos (vs. SF)
Fantasy Defense Rankings & Tiers
Tier 1
Cincinnati Bengals (@ NYJ)
Los Angeles Rams (@ HOU)
Tier 2
Buffalo Bills (vs. MIA)
San Francisco 49ers (@ CHI)
Tier 3
Cleveland Browns (vs. PIT)
Philadelphia Eagles (@ DET)
Seattle Seahawks (vs. JAX)
Denver Broncos (vs. WAS)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@ NO)
Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR)
Chicago Bears (vs. SF)
Pittsburgh Steelers (@ CLE)
Tier 4
Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NYG)
Los Angeles Chargers (vs. NE)
Arizona Cardinals (vs. GB)
Jacksonville Jaguars (@ SEA)
Indianapolis Colts (vs. TEN)
Washington Football Team (@ DEN)
Minnesota Vikings (vs. DAL)
Detroit Lions (vs. PHI)
Tier 5
Carolina Panthers (@ ATL)
Tennessee Titans (@ IND)
New York Jets (vs. CIN)
New Orleans Saints (vs. TB)
New England Patriots (@ LAC)
Green Bay Packers (@ ARI)
Dallas Cowboys (@ MIN)
Tier 6
New York Giants (@ KC)
Miami Dolphins (@ BUF)
Houston Texans (vs. LAR)
