3 Solid QB Options For Week 8

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Editors’ Picks

Week 8 kicks off tonight. It’s time to get right (or stay right). Start by making sure you catch up on some of the latest and greatest content that you may have missed on FantasyLife.com.

Two AFC North Upgrades For Week 8

Jaylen Warren is a mid-range RB2 against the Packers.

Warren was in the middle of a backfield takeover when a practice injury in Week 4 derailed things. In his first game back in Week 6, the Steelers used more of a three-man committee in a 26-3 romp over the Browns. However, last week in a 31-33 loss against the Bengals, the dual-purpose back regained the role we saw before his injury. He was the clear-cut RB1 with an 86 Utilization Score and 19.8 fantasy points.

In three games where Warren has held the No. 1 role, he has averaged 16.8 fantasy points. His average Utilization Score over that span is an 84. His historical comparisons based on that score have averaged 16.4 points, with 61% notching an RB1 season.

The Packers have been the toughest matchup against opposing RB rooms this year, holding them to a -9 DvP fantasy boost. But opportunities are king in fantasy football, and Warren is trending up, which makes him an upgrade despite the tough out.

Disclaimer: Touting anything associated with an Arthur Smith offense can be hazardous. He is the king of flipping trends on their head. Still, even if we look at Warren across his entire sample, he has 67% of the rushing attempts and a 13% target share. He has plenty of outs. 

Projection Model:

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 23.7

• Median: 15.0

• Floor: 11.0

» Warren is a mid-range RB2 with RB1 upside in Week 8.

Tee Higgins ascends to top-15 territory in the Week 8 fantasy rankings.

Joe Flacco has reignited the Bengals passing attack, averaging 281 yards and 2.6 TDs in his two starts. On one hand, our small sample alarms are going off. On the other hand, those numbers aren't that far off from his 2023 to 2025 averages: 269 yards and 1.8 TDs.

In Week 7, Higgins notched his best fantasy performance of the season with 21.6 points and an 85 Utilization Score. He hit season highs in catchable targets (six) and catchable air yards (66).

With Flacco at the helm, Higgins has averaged 16.4 fantasy points. Again, it's a small sample, but this is a player we know can perform at a high level with competent quarterback play. Higgins' closest Utilization Score comparisons averaged 15 points. His cohort notched a top-12 season 26% of the time and managed a WR13 to WR24 campaign 53%.

The Bengals bring a solid 25.5-point team total to the table. There is some risk of this game getting out of hand, leading to a more ground-centric game. However, my level of concern isn't huge given the underperformance of the backfield paired with Cincinnati's 5% DBOE in two games with Flacco. This coaching staff has shown a willingness to stick with the pass through thick and thin.

Projection Model:

• Xfinity Best (ceiling): 21.3

• Median: 14.1

• Floor: 10.4

» Higgins is a high-end WR2 against the Jets in Week 8.

» Read on for the rest of Dwain’s biggest risers and fallers for Week 8 …

Boldly Predicting Week 8

Mason Taylor Is a Top-5 TE Against the Bengals

Last week, the Cincinnati Bengals defense allowed enough tight end scoring to account for the TE3 on the week (Pat Freiermuth), the TE15 (Jonnu Smith) and the TE18 (Darnell Washington). 

All three of these otherwise fantasy non-factors scored touchdowns, and their combined 49.1 PPR points pushed the Bengals' league-leading fantasy points allowed to the position to 22.3 per game. That's a full 5.5 fantasy points worse than the third-worst defense against TEs. 

Now, I know what you're thinking: They're playing the 0-7 Jets led by journeyman QB Tyrod Taylor, who will be without top wideout Garrett Wilson. Against a typical NFL defense, this would be a problem.

But, again, this is a Bengals unit allowing the most EPA/pass (0.22) in the league and second-highest dropback success rate (52.8%). Cincinnati's 30% pass-rush win rate ranks 31st, and the team is giving up 394 yards of offense per game, also second-worst. They've allowed nine touchdowns to the tight end position, four more than the third-worst mark. 

Which brings us back to predicting TE spike weeks against the Bengals every week Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor, whose 17% target share is second on the team to Wilson's astronomical 34%. Thirty-year-old Josh Reynolds is third on the team at 16%, although he commanded a ridiculous 32% in Week 7 (which led to just three catches for 29 yards). There is no other tight end on the radar here, with Jeremy Ruckert running routes on only 24% of pass plays. 

Taylor clearly has the coaches' attention—the second-rounder saw 25 targets from Weeks 3-5 with a high of 12 against the Cowboys (another extremely porous defense). That workload led to a nine-catch, 67-yard day with a two-point conversion that added up to 17.7 fantasy points (TE8). With the team's WR1 out of the mix and the Bengals struggling to stop even the semblance of a tight end (Darnell Washington doesn't even look like one tbh), expect more of the same in the jungle on Sunday. 

Bold Prediction: Mason Taylor leads the Jets in receiving, finishes as a top-five fantasy TE

Around the Watercooler

The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness, and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds.

📺 Breaking down the most important Week 8 matchups.

🚨 A TE to trade for ASAP. Don’t miss the buying window!

📝 Looking for bye-week replacements? Options at every position.

🚑️ The Bucs are in trouble. No Evans, but also updates on two other stars.

🐬 Sigh … Darren Waller shined so bright for those two games.

♟️ Oronde Gadsden’s dad is playing chess … not checkers.

🐴 The Colts are ready to push all-in … I don’t blame them.

🤔 130 percent, you say? Hmm.