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Top 10 potential lineup busts to avoid starting in fantasy football. Justin Carter lists NFL players to consider sitting or benching as Week 8 lineup disappointments.
Another week of NFL action is upon us! Week 8 is notable because it's the last week before the NFL's trade deadline, so you want to win just in case things end up changing around the league and put up in a bad position for Week 9, as new players start to acclimate to their new teams.
Or, because major trades never really go down in the NFL and the Amari Cooper deal will likely be the marquee one, you want to win in Week 8 because, well, you want to win fantasy football games! Duh!
Below are 10 lineup busts and avoids for Week 8 of NFL action.
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Top 10 Busts - NFL Week 8
Cam Newton (QB, Carolina Panthers)
Sitting Cam Newton this week against Baltimore -- who give up the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks -- isn't a thing you necessarily should do. Newton's a gifted player, but he's had a few rough passing games this year and I could see the Ravens halting him through the air this week. Still, he's got a good floor thanks to his rushing ability, but don't be too confident in the Panthers star this week.
Brock Osweiler (QB, Miami Dolphins)
Osweiler has been a pleasant surprise in relief of Ryan Tannehill, completing two-thirds of his passes over the past two games for 619 yards, five touchdowns, and a pair of interceptions. Not bad! But now, Osweiler gets a Thursday night matchup with the Texans, who have shut down the fantasy prospects of opposing quarterbacks for three consecutive weeks. Osweiler is also running an offense that isn't at full strength -- Albert Wilson is on IR, Kenny Still is already ruled out for Thursday, and Danny Amendola is questionable.
Nick Chubb (RB, Cleveland Browns)
The good? Chubb's the lead back now after the Browns sent Carlos Hyde to Jacksonville. The bad? The Steelers are allowing the second-fewest points to running backs. Chubb has a lot of potential in this offense, but behind an offensive line that ranks last in power run success and facing Pittsburgh, expectations need to be lowered.
Carlos Hyde (RB, Jacksonville Jaguars)
Speaking of Carlos Hyde, the list of reasons I wouldn't play him this week is long. Jacksonville plays against a good Eagles run defense. Hyde is in a new offense where he's had just a week to learn the playbook. The game is in London, which adds a weird variable into the mix. T.J. Yeldon should handle a lot of duties on pass catching downs. Not, uhh, feeling great about Hyde in Week 8.
Kenjon Barner (RB, New England Patriots)
The problem with Barner is that trusting him this week suggests that we think New England's dedication to Sony Michel was more about a shift in how head coach Bill Belichick coaches instead of a decision to use the talented running back extensively. We have years of evidence that Barner isn't going to step in and see a Michel-level of usage, and the Patriots are likely to utilize James White more as a runner this week before they'll give Barner a huge workload.
Devin Funchess (WR, Carolina Panthers)
I don't like his quarterback this week and I don't like him either. The Ravens defense has been great this season and while Funchess has found the end zone three times, he isn't putting up huge yardage totals this year. Expect the Panthers to limit his yardage again, making Funchess a touchdown-or-bust play.
Keelan Cole (WR, Jacksonville Jaguars)
The team's WR1 at the start of the year, Cole hasn't found the end zone since Week 2 and has mostly posted stinkers since then. Donte Moncrief is stealing targets, Dede Westbrook has more potential, and D.J. Chark has started to play a larger role in the offense. Cole's snap share fell to 76.5 percent last week. It could still fall more.
Tyler Lockett (WR, Seattle Seahawks)
If Doug Baldwin (elbow) is good to go against the Lions on Sunday, his increased usage when paired with a tough matchup with the Lions pass defense leaves Lockett's outlook trending downward. Lockett's not been targeted more than seven times in a game this year, and his four targets in Seattle's last game tied a season-low. This offense isn't good enough to sustain both Baldwin and Lockett at a playable level in fantasy.
Kyle Rudolph (TE, Minnesota Vikings)
I managed to trade for Rudolph after Delanie Walker went on IR and I felt good about it, despite some concerns about his usage early in the year. But y'all, those numbers aren't getting better, and Rudolph has drifted down into the "ugh, I guess I'll play him" range of tight ends. A tough matchup with a Saints defense that has limited tight ends to the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game is another bad sign for him this week.
Jordan Reed (TE, Washington Redskins)
Jordan Reed over the last three games: eight receptions, 15 targets, 100 yards, and a catch rate of 53.3 percent. Not great, and the Giants have allowed just one touchdown all year to the tight end position. The idea that Reed would be Alex Smith's knock-off version of Travis Kelce, it's been more like a version you buy at a dollar store that traffics in stolen merchandise and has recently raised their prices to $1.10 for seemingly no reason.
