Week 8 DFS: Wide Receiver Report
The top three scoring wide receivers (Jordan Addison – 31.30, A.J. Brown – 29.70, and Tyreek Hill – 25.80) from Week 7 didn’t play on Sunday’s main slate of games. Josh Downs (23.50) finished fourth in scoring in PPR formats, followed by Puka Nacua (23.40) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (23.20). Mike Evans (20.20) and Christian Kirk (20.00) were the only other two wideouts to score 20.00 fantasy points. Here are the top five wide receivers by scoring average after seven weeks in 2023:
- Tyreek Hill (26.66)
- Stefon Diggs (22.54)
- Keenan Allen (22.41)
- A.J. Brown (21.56)
- Adam Thielen (21.08)
Also, before we get into the Week 8 DFS: Wide Receiver Report, check out the QB Report, RB Report, and TE Report.
Elite Options
Tyreek Hill, MIA (DK – $9,500/FD – $9,500)
Hill has a touchdown in three consecutive starts, giving him a second streak at this level in 2023. His seven scores lead the wide receiver position. Over the past three games (8/181/1, 6/163/1, and 11/88/1), he had a floor of 25.80 fantasy points in PPR scoring while averaging 11.3 targets. Hill has 23 catches for 501 yards and three touchdowns on 30 targets in his three home matchups. His lowest two outputs (5/40/1 and 3/58) came on the road vs. division opponents (NE and BUF). He has 41 catches for 611 yards and seven touchdowns on 62 targets over seven career games against the Patriots but less value in his time with Miami (8/94, 4/55, and 5/40/1).
New England comes off a big win vs. the Bills, where they held Buffalo’s wide receivers to 12 catches for 114 yards and one touchdown on 23 targets. The Patriots moved to 14th in wide receiver defense (86/978/6 on 133 targets). They’ve yet to allow more than 90 yards to a wideout while facing multiple top-tier players – A.J. Brown (7/79), DeVonta Smith (7/47/1), Tyreek Hill – 5/40/1, Jaylen Waddle (4/86), Garrett Wilson (5/48), CeeDee Lamb (4/36/1), Chris Olave (2/12/1), Davante Adams (2/29), and Stefon Diggs (6/58/1). CB J.C. Jackson faced Hill in Week 1 (3/99/1 on eight targets per PFF) while playing for the Chargers. Last week, in his second start for New England, he allowed seven catches for 61 yards and one score on 10 targets to the Bills’ wideouts.
Hill is on a record pace (129/2,191/17), averaging 10.6 targets and 17.0 yards per catch. He comes into this week with a hip issue, but Miami expects him to play. Hill’s ticket continues to come in the DFS market. That makes him a rotational elite player in the daily games each week. His salary requires an explosive game, something Hill has done once this year (11/215/2), along with three elite showings (30.70, 32.10, and 28.30) in fantasy points. Hill’s biggest negative is that Tua Tagovailoa has never posted an elite game vs. the Patriots despite having a 5-0 record.
Cooper Kupp, LAR (DK – $9,000/FD – $9,100)
After two productive games (8/118 and 7/148/1), Matthew Stafford struggled to get Kupp the ball against the Steelers. He caught only two of his seven targets for 29 yards. That gave Kupp his lowest output for an entire game since Week 6 (3/11 on nine targets) in 2020. The Rams had Kupp on the field for all their plays for the second straight week. In 2022, he had seven catches for 125 yards and one touchdown on 10 targets against the Cowboys.
Dallas has the third-best wide receiver defense (48/714/3 on 92 targets – 52.3% catch rate), helped by facing four low-ranking passing teams (NYG, NYJ, ARI, and NE). Their defense allows 6.8 yards per pass attempt, with opponents attempting only 28.3 passes per game. The 49ers beat the Cowboys for four passing touchdowns in Week 5 when Brock Purdy gained 10.1 yards per pass attempt. CB Stefon Gilmore allows a low catch rate (46.7), but wideouts gain 18.4 yards per catch with a pair of scores (per PFF). CB Daron Bland is their top slot coverage player (13/130/0 on 27 targets).
The Rams’ passing game underachieved expectations over their last three games (222/2, 226/1, and 231/1) at home. All came with Kupp back in the starting lineup. On the positive side, their wide receiver remained productive over this span (17/198/2, 12/204/1, and 11/214/1) while gaining 15.4 yards per catch. Over the first two weeks, the Rams’ wideouts posted excellent stats (20/262 and 24/243) in catches and yards. Kupp commands elite targets, and this game may be higher scoring than expected. If their offensive line projects Stafford, his top wide receiver should have double-digit targets and scoring upside. The Cowboys have 16 sacks through six games.
Second Tier Options
Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (DK – $8,200/FD – $8,500)
St. Brown has 34 targets over his last two road games, leading to two top-ranking showings (12/124/1 and 13/102). He gained more than 100 yards in four of his six starts while adding three scores. His success over six weeks (51/577/3 on 68 targets) projects to 136 catches for 1,539 yards and eight touchdowns on 181 targets over 16 games (he missed Week 5). The Lions had him on the field for 97% of their plays against the Ravens.
Las Vegas ranks seventh defending the wide receiver position (74/889/6 on 112 targets). The Raiders have no touchdowns allowed to a wideout over the past three weeks (GB, NE, and CHI). Buffalo’s wide receivers (16/173/2 on 18 targets) had the most success. The Raiders’ defense allowed 92 points and 12 touchdowns over their last three trips on the road. CB David Long made his first start last week due to injuries. He mainly worked in slot coverage. So far this season, receivers have seven catches for 55 yards on nine targets against him (per PFF).
The Lions will get their star wideout the ball many times in this matchup. His WR/CB matchup is favorable no matter where he lines up on the field. And St. Brown comes into this week with a two-game winning streak. In my thoughts, as Detroit has scored 12 times over their first three home games (93 points).
CeeDee Lamb, DAL (DK – $7,600/FD – $7,800)
The Cowboys struggled to get Lamb rolling from Week 3 to Week 5 (4/62, 4/48/1, and 4/39). And he only has 25 targets over his last four starts. On the positive side, he caught all of seven of his chances against the Chargers for 117 yards. His best game (11/143) came at home in Week 2. The Rams held Lamb to five catches for 53 yards on eight targets in Los Angeles in 2022. He continues to have a high catch rate (81.0) while gaining a career-high 14.0 yards per catch (12.7 in 2022).
Coming into 2023, the Rams’ secondary was extremely young with a low-ranking draft pedigree. Seven games into the season, they rank fourth in wide receiver defense (75/983/1 on 134 targets). Their only touchdowns allowed to a wideout came in Week 1. The Bengals had the most success in catches (20) and receiving yards (207) from their wide receivers. Despite the appearance of success, four quarterbacks gained at least 8.0 yards per pass attempt against Los Angeles. CB Cobie Durant (19/270 on 29 targets – per PFF) had yet to allow a touchdown in 2023. But receivers gain 14.2 yards per catch against him while grading a poor tackler.
Lamb is trailing expectations into 2023 for two reasons. First, the Cowboys haven’t got him enough chances. Second, three of their games have gone sideways due to blowouts and four defensive touchdowns. Dallas’s offensive line had progressively gotten worse this year in sacks allowed (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), which has to be cleaned up for Dak Prescott to make more plays in the passing game. Lamb has double-digit catch upside along with scoring ability. His stock should start to rise as the bet against the Rams’ secondary finally pays off in Week 8.
A.J. Brown, PHI (DK – $8,000/FD – $8,700)
Brown has been one of the most trusted fantasy assets over the last five weeks (9/131, 9/175/2, 6/127, 7/131, and 10/137/1), lifting him to fourth in wide receiver scoring (150.90) in PPR formats. He is on pace to set career-highs in catches (126), receiving yards (1,965), and targets (182). His touchdowns (3) are trailing his path in 2022 (11). In his time with the Eagles over 24 games, Brown has 37 catches or 20 yards or more, with nine receptions reaching the 40-yard mark, leading to him gaining 16.5 yards per catch. His best fantasy game (38.50) this year came against Washington. In 2022, the Commanders did a much better job defending Brown (5/85/1 and 1/7 on 14 combined targets).
Washington has been run over in three matchups vs. wide receivers (DEN – 13/274/3, PHI – 17/264/2, and CHI – 8/230/3). They rank 24th defending wideouts (80/1,337/9 on 129 targets), thanks to handling the have-nots well (ARI – 8/80, ATL – 13/170, and NYG – 7/135). Kendall Fuller (19/181/3 on 31 targets) is the Commanders’ best cornerback. But Philly will look to beat CB Emmanuel Forbes (20/401/2 on 28 targets – per PFF) in coverage. Besides Brown (9/175/2), Stefon Diggs (8/111), D.J. Moore (8/230/3), and Drake London (9/125) have had productive games against Washington.
Brown certainly has one of the better wide receiver matchups for the week, and he should be on many daily lineups. He has the talent and opportunity to score multiple touchdowns on any given Sunday. However, this game could break wrong for the Eagles’ passing attack. The Commanders have a huge risk in pass protection, giving Philly a chance to have their best defensive game of the season while kicking up their rushing attempts. Brown should be active with an excellent chance at scoring. But he needs follow through (back-and-forth game) to score 30+ fantasy points.
Third Tier Options
Brandon Aiyuk, SF (DK – $7,000/FD – $7,700)
Six games into this season, Aiyuk is on a higher pace (80/1,363/5) than his 2022 stats (787/1,015/8), except for scoring. His only touchdowns (2) and impact game (8/129/2) came in Week 1, but he did have a productive showing (6/148) vs. the Cardinals. Over his last three starts (4/58, 4/76, and 5/57), Aiyuk hasn’t been a winning piece to the 49ers’ passing game. His yards per catch (17.0) rates well above his previous resume (13.0 in 2022 and 13.3 for his career). In 2021, he had six catches for 66 yards and one touchdown against the Bengals.
Cincinnati is about league-average defending wide receivers (67/952/4 on 119 targets), with the Seahawks (16/254) having the best success. Their schedule vs. the pass (CLE, BAL, TEN, and ARI) has been favorable, leading to their defense facing 32.3 passes per game. CB Cam Taylor-Britt holds wideouts to a low catch rate (53.1), but he can get beat for big plays (17.6 yards per catch).
Aiyuk doesn’t jump off the page for Week 8, but he does have the talent and potential to deliver a 30+ fantasy points game. The 49ers are trending to play this matchup with Brock Purdy, leading their passing success in the hands of Sam Darnold. It’s all about game flow in this matchup.
Adam Thielen, CAR (DK – $6,600/FD – $8,200)
Based on his production (49/509/4 on 59 targets), Thielen looks still viable at DraftKings, but FanDuel made him much more challenging to roster. His play has been exceptional in three (11/145/1, 11/107/1, and 11/115/1) of his last four starts when he received a combined 40 targets. The Falcons (2/12 on two targets) are the only defense to shut him down.
Houston regressed in Week 6 (NO – 14/236/1) vs. wide receivers, but they still rank highly in wide receiver defense (5th – 66/946/5) due to facing a low number of targets (103). Baltimore (13/184/2) and Jacksonville (10/184/2) made some big plays against the Texans with their wideouts. The slot cover option for Houston’s defense looks messy in Week 8. CB Shaquill Griffin and CB Steven Nelson generally line up on the outside in coverage with minimal change in their positioning.
The best receivers in the game don’t come in every week, but somehow, Theilen has strung together two elite games (27.70 and 28.50) in fantasy points while flashing as well in Week 3 (31.50). All of these outcomes have come on the road when the Panthers chased on the scoreboard. This matchup should be tighter, pointing to fewer targets. His matchup is favorable, so he’ll probably beat me again this week.
Fourth Tier Options
Jordan Addison, MIN (DK – $5,700/FD – $7,300)
A Monday night game led to DraftKings and FanDuel being closed out to up Addison’s salary for Week 8 after his first career impact game (7/123/2 on 10 targets). He extended his scoring streak to three games (four total). Despite posting a zero in Week 4, Addison is on an impressive pace (70/971/15) while being on the field for 70.3% of their snaps. He’s averaging 6.3 targets per game.
The Packers sit eighth in wide receiver defense (63/763/5 on 94 targets), with no team gaining more than 155 yards from their wideouts. Their defense allowed only 212 passing yards per game over the first six weeks, helped by a favorable schedule (CHI, ATL, NO, and LV). Chris Olave (8/104) is the only player to gain more than 100 yards, but Drake London (6/67/1), Amon-Ra St. Brown (5/56/1), Jakobi Meyers (7/75/1), and Courtland Sutton (6/76/1) played well. CB Jaire Alexander only played three snaps over the last four games with a back issue, and he missed practice on Thursday.
Based on his salary, recent success, and scoring ability, Addison will draw more attention in the DFS market in Week 8. Kirk Cousins struggled last year in Green Bay (205/1 with three interceptions) with similar issues in 2020 (160/1 – he missed the 2022 games with an injury). Hot players have come in multiple times in the daily games this year. Addison should have a true WR1 opportunity for two more weeks, so a daily gamer can think of him as Justin Jefferson with a 33% discount in price point. If Alexander doesn’t play, he should be that much more attractive.
Rashee Rice, KC (DK – $5,000/FD – $6,000)
I feel like I’ve been shoving Rice down daily gamer’s throats for multiple weeks, but his role and opportunity continue to grow in the Chiefs’ passing game. Last week, his snap count (59%) was a season-high while still trailing Marquez Valdes-Scantling (69%) and Skyy Moore (60%). Rice caught five of his six targets for 60 yards with a touchdown. Over the last three weeks, he averaged 13.83 fantasy points in PPR formats (mid-WR2 status if repeated for the whole season). In Week 6, Rice had four catches for 72 yards in four targets in a low-scoring affair (19-8) vs. the Broncos.
Denver climbed to 17th defending wide receivers (82/1,038/9 on 112 targets). They’ve allowed two touchdowns to wideouts in three of seven matchups, with Miami (13/271/2) giving them the most issues. The Broncos’ pass defense gives up 8.4 yards per pass attempt, with a below-par pass rush (14 sacks). CB Patrick Surtain (22/315/2 on 34 targets) continues to play below expectations, and he wants to be traded.
A higher-scoring game should give Rice more chances again in Week 8. The Broncos’ defense played better over the last two games (19 and 17 points), but offenses scored 25 touchdowns and 217 points (31 per game) against them for the year. I view him as a must-start in the season-long games, and Mahomes does look for Rice in the endzone. Excellent value in a Chiefs’ stack, and he is the second scoring option at the goal line in the passing game.
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