Fantasy sleepers NFL Week 8: Three running backs among 10 high-upside lineup plays

When fantasy folks got a look at Penix late last season, no one was blown away. But there were glimpses of a productive fantasy quarterback. We hoped for the best. So far, the results have been uninspiring. He’s the QB25 with just two games with more than 15 fantasy points. He’s thrown just five touchdown passes against four turnovers. And after running for 21 yards in the season opener, Penix has just 22 rushing yards for the rest of the season.  

But hope springs anew in the form of the Miami Dolphins. Mike McDaniel’s dispirited Dolphin defense is allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Just two signal-callers failed to reach 18 points against Miami -- one of them was Dillon Gabriel, who was making his third career start, in a driving rainstorm at that. With six teams on a bye, managers (especially in multi-QB formats) will be looking for help. Penix could be a good QB2 this week. 

My, how the turntables have turned. Three weeks ago, fantasy managers turned to Rico Dowdle as a stopgap measure to replace the injured Hubbard. Little did we know Dowdle would make a run at Carolina’s RB1 gig. Alas, here we are. What was once a one-man backfield has become a two-man job. But just because Dowdle is the new hotness in the fantasy streets doesn’t mean both guys can’t eat. 

This feels like a great week for it to happen. The Bills have been a soft target for fantasy running backs all season. Buffalo is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to rushers in 2025. It’s one thing to get gashed by Bijan Robinson or Derrick Henry. But when Kendre Miller goes for nearly 6 yards per carry, you have a problem. With Bryce Young expected to miss time, it wouldn’t be a surprise for the Panthers to lean on the run game.

There isn’t much to get excited about with the Texans offense nowadays. C.J. Stroud’s magnificent rookie season looks more like an outlier. Nico Collins left Monday night’s game with a concussion, and the ravages of time and injury have caught up to Nick Chubb. That leaves rookie Woody Marks as the new fantasy hope for anyone investing in Houston’s offense. 

With Houston struggling for answers on offense, it has turned more toward Marks in the backfield. He’s played more than half of the snaps and had more than half of the team’s rushing attempts in two of the Texans’ last three games. He also offers more in the passing game with 11 targets over his last three contests. The 49ers defense has been resilient after losing Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, but it still allows yards on the ground. This could be a showcase week for Marks and could offer some flex help for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. 

Since the bye week, the Bears have found something in their running game. D'Andre Swift has been the headliner with consecutive 100-yard rushing performances. But Monangai shouldn’t be overlooked in Chicago’s resurgent ground game. The rookie played a season-high 31 snaps in last week’s win over New Orleans and posted a season-best 94 scrimmage yards with a touchdown. It’s safe to say he’s surpassed Roschon Johnson, who hasn't been able to get a consistent foothold in the Bears' backfield and has played sparingly since returning from a foot injury early in the season. 

Entering the year, we wouldn’t have anticipated making the Ravens defense a fantasy target, but here we are. Baltimore has statistically been the second-best matchup for fantasy running backs this year. They’ve allowed an unsightly 134 rushing yards per game with nine scores surrendered. Maybe the week off allowed John Harbaugh’s defense to fix some glitches, but until we see it, it’s still worth targeting them. Swift will take the lead but look for Monangai to see a fair amount of touches. That should give him flex appeal in deeper leagues.

Lost amid all the hype around Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo (DartTebo? SkatteJax?) is the steady presence of Robinson. He’s in the top 20 across the NFL in targets, receptions and receiving yards. Just as important, Robinson is working downfield. His 9.1 air yards per target is nearly double what it was last year (4.9). He’s turned it into being WR19 through the first seven weeks. 

The Eagles have mostly been average against fantasy receivers. But over the past few weeks, they’ve given up some big games to wideouts -- including a 20-point outing to Robinson in Week 6. With Dart playing well and directing one-quarter of his throws to Robinson, he should be in plenty of lineups this week.

Expectations were low for the Titans entering the season. But there were some intriguing offensive pieces. There was No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Then there were a pair of Day 3 receivers. Elic Ayomanor caught a lot of preseason fantasy hype. But it was Dike whom the Titans drafted first. Through the first four weeks, he had more rushing yards (17) than receiving yards (1). Since the start of Week 5, he’s seen his route participation and target share take a leap. His production finally followed in Week 7 when he posted 70 yards and his first touchdown. 

Not long thereafter, Tyler Lockett requested and was granted his release. That should help Dike maintain an increased route share. It comes in time to face a Colts defense that has given up the most fantasy points per game to receivers. The Titans under Mike McCoy are a different, simpler offense than the one that struggled against Indy in Week 3. That doesn’t mean Tennessee won’t be in catch-up mode in the second half. It just means he should have an easier time getting the ball to his guys. Dike is best left to managers in 14-team leagues, but he’s a WR3 candidate. 

The trick with the Steelers offense isn’t deciding if the tight end will be involved in the offense. It’s deciding which one. Last week, Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes to Pat Freiermuth and one each to Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington. Alas, unless you play in a league that lets you start one team’s entire position group, you must choose one. To that end, Smith is the guy leading the group in routes run and targets. 

The Packers have been a popular target for tight end streamers. Only the Bengals are giving up more fantasy points per game to the position. Green Bay has given up four touchdowns to tight ends over its last three games. The good news is that all three tight ends could be in the mix yet again for Pittsburgh. But if you’re looking for who takes the lead, Smith is the safest option. 

A debate that rages every offseason is whether talent or landing spot matters more for rookie fantasy production. Talent is undoubtedly important. Talented players end up in crowded situations all the time while less talented players find volume in offenses in need of immediate help. Taylor wasn’t regarded as highly as some of the other tight ends in his class. But he’s landed in a place where he can contribute right away. 

Taylor has been New York’s second option all season. That hasn’t changed whether Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor has been at quarterback. That shouldn’t change this week against the Bengals. Cincinnati’s defense has been a friend to fantasy managers all season. They’re the best matchup for tight ends, having allowed a league-worst nine touchdowns. If the Jets can “just complete a pass” this week, Taylor could be a nice TE option. 

The Titans are trying to turn things around on offense. It’s going to be a process. So far, they’ve featured a low-volume offense that is ineffective on the ground and through the air. Don’t worry! The Titans make up for it by giving up a lot of sacks and turning the ball over frequently.  

That plays right into the hands of the Colts. Indianapolis has a top six defense, thanks in part to 11 takeaways. Only the Jaguars and Bears have more. The Colts defense posted a 13-point fantasy day when the teams met in Week 3. We’ll see how much the Titans have improved since then, but the Colts should still be a strong streaming option in Week 8. 

The Vikings have a quarterback problem. J.J. McCarthy has been sidelined with an ankle injury since Week 2. Even so, head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t seem eager to throw the rookie back into the starting gig. The alternative is Carson Wentz, who treats quarterbacking like a personal adventure. That adventure frequently involves throwing the ball to the other team.  

The Chargers will be glad to oblige should Wentz feel generous on Thursday night. Half of the team’s six interceptions have come in the past two weeks. If they can get pressure on Wentz, the likelihood of a pick goes up significantly. Streaming a defense on a Thursday can be sketchy, but the Chargers are in position to pay off such an unorthodox move.