Daily Fantasy Football 2023 Week 8: Best Plays And Bargains On FanDuel and DraftKings
The best way to cash on weekly fantasy football sites is to load up on as many stars with good matchups as possible. Here, you'll find the best plays and top bargains at each position on FanDuel and DraftKings. And remember, scoring is IMPORTANT. Here are Fanduel’s and DraftKings’ scoring systems.
For each position I’ll provide the best big name, the best mid range value, and the best low-price bargain. At the end, I’ll also list a big name to avoid at each position.
Quarterback
Best Big Name
Justin Herbert, Chargers ($8,200/$7,800): Herbert has put forth back-to-back subpar performances, and is now set up to absolutely shred one of the NFL’s worst pass defenses (Bears) in primetime in a game the Chargers absolutely must win. Herbert’s consistency hasn’t been what fantasy managers and DFS players would’ve hoped, but we know when Herbert goes nuts, you cash. That’s this week.
Mid Range Value
Dak Prescott, Cowboys ($7,300/$6,100): Prescott has thrown for just one TD in four consecutive games, but this week they’ll face the Rams, who not only are a neutral-ish matchup for opposing QBs, also have the NFL’s 7th-best Offensive DVOA per FTN Fantasy. That means points, and it means the Cowboys are probably throwing the ball to keep pace. We also saw Prescott run seven times last week for 40 yards and a score. That’s probably a mirage in the desert, but it was once part of his game; should he begin to do that with more consistency, his ceiling is significantly higher.
Thrift Store
Geno Smith, Seahawks ($6,500/$5,900): Smith’s price has plummeted, and while he hasn’t been nearly as beneficial to DFS players in 2023 as he was last season, he did put up two passing touchdowns vs. Arizona this week and he’s posted multiple 300+ passing yard efforts. With the weapons he has, you’d prefer to see more games with multiple touchdown passes than Smith has (2), but his upside – especially if D.K. Metcalf returns to action – is a good deal higher than this near-backup cost. Good value.
Running Back
Best Big Name
Breece Hall, Jets ($7,200/$5,900): Hall’s volume issues are behind him, and his big play potential in this cozy matchup with the Giants’ 30th-ranked run defense is an absolute gift at this price. There are four games in 2023 in which Hall has gotten double-digit carries, and in three of them he has either rushed for 120+ yards, scored a touchdown, or both. The Giants have allowed 120+ rushing yards in six of seven games; last week was the only game in which they held a team below that threshold, but they did allow Brian Robinson Jr. into the end zone. Hall is an absolute smash this week.
Mid Range Value
Dameon Pierce, Texans ($6,700/$5,300): The narrative is that Pierce has ceded his role to Devin Singletary. The truth is that Pierce has seen double-digit carries in every game this season, and even though his snap rate dropped vs. the Saints – a brutal matchup by the way – he still toted the rock 13 times. If he continues to get that workload, that’s more than enough opportunity to do damage against the Panthers, who have the NFL’s worst Run DVOA. Not only does Pierce have blowup potential in this matchup, he can be a separator for you since many DFS players are steering clear.
Thrift Store
Darrell Henderson, Rams ($5,900/$4,800): Is this a good matchup vs. the Cowboys? No, not really, but Henderson came off the couch and led the Rams backfield in snaps. No matter the matchup, the Rams offense moves the football, and there will be opportunities for him to punch it in the end zone. There’s not really RB1 upside here, but he can definitely provide solid RB2 production, and this is a FLEX price.
Wide Receivers
Best Big Name
A.J. Brown, Eagles ($8,700/$8,000): After a slow start to the season, Brown has been the best WR in football not named Tyreek Hill with five straight games of 120+ yards and six or more receptions. There’s no reason for that to change this week in a plus plus matchup vs. the Commanders. Fire him up with confidence.
Mid Range Value
Zay Flowers, Ravens ($6,500/$5,600): Flowers is having a very underrated rookie campaign, and while Lamar Jackson deserves major credit for flourishing under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s offense, a major part of that leap forward has been the play of Flowers providing him a legitimate No. 1 target at WR. Arizona is giving up the second-most yards per game to WR1s, and Flowers has established himself as that for this dominant Ravens team. Expect production, and maybe even a long TD.
Thrift Store
Rashee Rice, Chiefs ($6,000/$5,000): Rice’s price is slowly creeping up, but he’s just barely within Thrift Store parameters. Travis Kelce remains the alpha and omega of this passing game, but Rice posted his highest snap rate yet (59%) vs. the Chargers and found the end zone for the third time this season, and second time in three weeks. The Broncos are the worst defense in football by a mile, and multiple Chiefs are gonna eat in Week 8. Rice is the most talented of the bunch not named Kelce, so he makes a lot of sense as a bargain choice.
Tight End
Best Big Name
Travis Kelce, Chiefs ($9,000/$8,400): Speaking of Kelce, he could be in this spot every week. He’s matchup proof. But this week, he’s going to justify that exorbitant price tag relative to the rest of the TEs, because his prodigious talents are being married to a matchup of the league’s second-worst defense vs. opposing TEs allowing the second-most yards per game to the position (67.4). Utilize some of the above prices to allow yourself to get Kelce in the lineup.
Mid Range Value
Darren Waller, Giants ($6,400/$5,200): Waller finally…FINALLY broke out vs. the Commanders last week with a seven-catch, 98-yard, one TD performance leading into a high-pressure showdown with the Jets. The Jets defense is ferocious, and will get after the QB against the Giants’ porous offensive line. That means the Giants will have to get rid of the ball quickly, and that means peppering Waller with short targets against a team that has given up the most fantasy points in football to the position.
Thrift Store
Logan Thomas, Commanders ($5,400/$3,400): Thomas produces when he gets targeted. In three games with at least six targets he has done the following: four catches, 43 yards, nine catches, 77 yards, one touchdown, and four catches, 51 yards. He’s also had three games with three or fewer targets. There’s a 50/50 chance at a useful TE performance when you use Thomas, but the Eagles are a very favorable matchup for TEs. I smell a TD coming.
Quarterback to Avoid: Joe Burrow, Bengals ($7,100/$6,00)
Running Back to Avoid: Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($7,100/$6,000)
Wide Receiver to Avoid: Adam Thielen, Panthers ($8,200/$6,600)
Tight End to Avoid: Evan Engram, Jaguars ($5,700/$4,500)