Fantasy Football Week 8: Start 'Em & Sit 'Em Quarterbacks

Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw 4 touchdowns in Week 7. (Getty)

We’re almost at the midpoint of the NFL season and that means the fantasy football playoffs are right around the corner.

From here on out, your roster and lineup decisions will be crucial to whether you make the postseason or not. That is, of course, your team is undefeated or winless. If those are the cases, then your playoff fate is pretty much already set.

So do you know who you are starting at quarterback this weekend? Sure, if you have a top-tier stud like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Philip Rivers, you’re going with them. But if you don’t have that luxury? Don’t fret, I’ve got a few below who should pile up the points. And I’ve also listed a couple you need to stay away from.

Before we get to this week’s start and sit QB recommendations, bookmark our fantasy football rankings 2015 page to keep up-to-date on the latest projections and rankings for each NFL week throughout the season. All of my Week 8 rankings are up.

Here’s our version of start and sit: “He Will Shine” and “Show Him the Pine.”

He Will Shine

Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins, at Patriots

Tannehill really has had a good season, though it was being overshadowed by the Dolphins’ underachieving defense and former coach Joe Philbin’s slow, yet inevitable, walking of the coaching plank. Well the D has turned it around and Philbin is gone. Tannehill and his Fish might be playing catch-up Thursday night at New England, but that’s fine. Take the garbage points, they count.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jets, at Raiders

It’s taken Fitzpatrick 10 seasons and 6 teams, but he finally seems to be a viable fantasy option. Every week? Oh, no. But he has 2 TD passes in 5 of 6 games and that could become 6 of 7 Sunday vs. the Raiders, who allow nearly 2 air scores per contest. Fitzy will also take off and run if he has to — 100 yards and a score over the past 3.

Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings, at Bears

From a passing standpoint, Bridgewater is coming off his best game of 2015. And if you follow the Bears, you know one thing they excel at is allowing touchdown passes (15 in 6 games). The emergence of rookie Stefon Diggs has really helped Bridgewater as Mike Wallace, Charles Johnson, et al have done nothing.

Also start:

Matthew Stafford, Lions, at Chiefs (in London)

Show Him the Pine

Derek Carr, Raiders, vs. Jets

The Jets were just carved up by Tom Brady, but don’t expect Carr to do the same. The Raiders are improving, no doubt, but they’ve only faced one really good pass defense (the Broncos). With those weapons, he’ll be entering must-start status in a year, but there will be better options than Carr in Week 8.

Jay Cutler, Bears, vs. Vikings

Cutler has looked pretty sharp since returning to the lineup 3 games ago — 5 TDs vs. 2 INTs. And the return of Alshon Jeffery will only make him better. Here comes the “but.” But the Vikings have morphed into one of the better pass defenses in the league — at least in TD passes allowed (just 8 in 6 games). Don’t expect QB1 numbers from Cutler.

Peyton Manning, Broncos, vs. Packers

Manning’s overall numbers really stand out … in a bad way. He’s got 7 TD passes vs. 10 INTs and is completing only 61.6 percent of his passes. Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston all have more touchdown passes and fewer interceptions. Let that sink in. It’s not sinking in, I know. The Packers aren’t exactly the team to right the ship against — they rank in the top 5 in TD passes allowed, completion percentage allowed and sacks.

Fantasy Football Week 8: Start ‘Em & Sit ‘Em Quarterbacks