FanDuel Week 8 presents some unique challenges, as funky schedule happenings make selecting the best lineup more difficult. Or more easy, but that's not necessarily a good thing. With six teams on the bye and two in London, there are 10 less teams playing on Sunday than the maximum. With one-third of the league out of action, many players will look to stacking players like Matt Ryan and Julio Jones to boost their scores. Easier means that more people will post high scores, but they'll likely consist of similar lineups. This entry doesn't have any of that, but takes advantage of good WR value to snag some high-end running backs. DFS veterans will know that between Draftkings and FanDuel, it's FD's half-point PPR that makes the biggest scoring difference. Spend the money on backs, and go for guys that get in the endzone over consistent production. Click the arrow to the right side of the above image to see the full picks for Week 8, with photos by Getty:
No. 9 Philadelphia Eagles DST
Position: Defense/Special Teams
Matchup: at Cowboys
Price: $4,800
Put Them in Your Lineup: It's not the D, but rather the ST that makes Philly a good play. The Eagles are averaging almost 13 yards per punt return, and they are one of only six teams to return a punt for a touchdown this season. The defense isn't too bad either, forcing 12 takeaways through six games. Dak Prescott has been safe with the football this season, but Ezekiel Elliot has put the ball on the turf before this season. Expect an aggressive Eagles defense to look for the fumble constantly Sunday night, and also hold the Cowboys to a relatively small point total. (Getty)
No. 8 Matt Bryant
Position: Kicker
Matchup: vs. Packers
Price: $4,800
Put Them in Your Lineup: If we have to take a kicker, take one of the best from distance. The Falcons are going to score a ton of points when they host the Packers, and that means plenty of opportunities for Bryant. He's already made seven kicks from 40 yards or beyond this season, second only to Adam Vinatieri. Bryant has an outside shot to put up 20 points this week. (Getty)
No. 7 Michael Thomas
Position: Wide Receiver
Matchup: vs. Seahawks
Price: $5,700
Put Them in Your Lineup: Thomas will only need one big reception to validate his price tag. With the Seahawks defense focused on Brandin Cooks, Thomas can continue to develop as the favorite deep-play threat of Drew Brees. Don't think so? Thomas has the same number of targets as Redskins WR DeSean Jackson, only Thomas has more catches, more TDs, more big plays and almost 100 more receiving yards. Brees has a 94.6 QB Rating in four career games against Seattle, throwing for 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions. (Getty)
No. 6 Michael Crabtree
Position: Wide Receiver
Matchup: at Buccaneers
Price: $7,100
Put Them in Your Lineup: The best road receiver in football. Crabtree has at least eight catches in every road games this season, and is the Raiders' primary red zone target. Crabtree has scored five TDs in his last four games, and the Buccaneers have given up nine scores to wideouts this season. Raiders-Bucs is expected to be a shootout, and there should be plenty of opportunity for Crabtree to bust loose. (Getty)
No. 5 Marvin Jones Jr.
Position: Wide Receiver
Matchup: at Texans
Price: $7,400
Put Them in Your Lineup: Jones has been the best receiver for Detroit this season, and he's got a decent price to get the start for Sunday. Jones has had over 85 yards receiving in four of seven games this season, and has two touchdowns in his last three games. The Texans looked horrible Monday night against Denver, and will likely put up a good fight this week. That's a good sign for Jones, as QB Matt Stafford does most of his damage in the fourth quarter. (Getty)
No. 4 Greg Olsen
Position: Tight End
Matchup: at Cardinals
Price: $7,400
Put Them in Your Lineup: The Panthers are coming off a bye, and absolutely need this game on Sunday. Olsen is the primary target for Cam Newton, and he leads his position with nine plays of 20+ this season. The Cardinals are one of the more aggressive defenses in the league, and the Panthers will use that to Olsen's advantage by sneaking him out on screens and delayed routes. (Getty)
No. 3 Spencer Ware
Position: Running Back
Matchup: at Colts
Price: $7,400
Put Them in Your Lineup: The Colts are giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs this season, and Ware has been the model of consistency in the backfield. He has at least 80 total yards in every game, and has topped 120 total yards three times. Touchdowns in back-to-back games is a positive sign for Ware, who put away his fumble troubles and hasn't coughed up the rock since Week 4. The Colts defense is bad, and Ware should get plenty of work. Whether the game is close and Ware is used in the short passing game, or it's a Chiefs blowout and Ware is grinding the clock, he'll be a big part of the Chiefs offense this week. (Getty)
No. 2 Jameis Winston
Position: Quarterback
Matchup: vs. Raiders
Price: $7,400
Put Them in Your Lineup: Winston has yet to string together elite performances this season, making Sunday against the Raiders an ideal opportunity. The Raiders are flying to Florida for an early start for the second consecutive week, and the Bucs are fresh off the bye and a blowout of the 49ers. Mike Evans is healthy and having an outstanding season, and the evolution of Jacquizz Rodgers has given the Bucs' offense more flexibility. Oakland is the only team averaging 300 pass yards per game defensively, and they've given up more big plays than any team in the league through seven games. (Getty)
No. 1 Christine Michael
Position: Running Back
Matchup: at Saints
Price: $7,800
Put Them in Your Lineup: It's an expensive bet, but Michael will be the workhorse Sunday when the Seahawks visit the Saints. It's documents that the Saints have a bad defense, but they're most vulnerable on the ground. Running backs average 26.92 fantasy points against the Saints, more than any other team. They've allowed 10 rushing touchdowns this year, even though they rank 11th in yards per carry allowed. That means that teams are opening up against the Saints between the 40s, but they are capping drives with a physical run game. Sounds like a good plan for Michael, who had five touchdowns in three games before last Sunday's stalemate against the Cardinals. (Getty)
FanDuel NFL Week 8 Lineup Picks, Advice & Analysis