Getty Gallery: 1/7
This week represents the halfway mark for most fantasy leagues, and we are well over halfway until the start of the fantasy football playoffs. If you are waiting for a player to produce that you used a high draft pick on, chances are they are not going to perform to the level of where they were drafted. Lineup decisions should now be based on production, not what pick you used to select a player.
If you are looking for a way to improve your team, here are a few players to consider adding on the waiver wire. Doug Martin and Jalen Richard will be competing to be the Raiders running back now that Marshawn Lynch has been placed on injured reserve.
If you can only target one, my pick would be Martin, but there is a lot to like about Richard in PPR leagues. With Ted Ginn sidelined, Tre'Quan Smith is expected to step into the WR2 role in a potent Saints offense. Geronimo Allison is owned in the majority of leagues, but if someone dropped him as he dealt with injuries you should run to pick him up.
We rarely see NFL trades that have fantasy implications, but we have had two major trades within a few days of each other. Look for Amari Cooper to see an uptick in production once he finds his footing in the Dallas offense. I am also bullish on Nick Chubb for the rest of the season now that he will be getting the majority of carries in Cleveland.
The Packers-Rams, Bucs-Bengals & Broncos-Chiefs Highlight This Week's Shootouts
Vegas has pegged the Packers and Rams matchup as the highest scoring game for Week 8, and for good reason. The over-under is set at 57 points thanks, in part, to the Rams prolific offense. Both teams have multiple wide receivers that should have great fantasy outings.
The Chiefs look to continue to keep up their frenetic pace as the Broncos come to town. Patrick Mahomes has thrown for more than 300 yards in six straight games. Mahomes has four games where he has thrown for at least four touchdowns.
The Broncos offense is hoping they found their footing last week, and can bring that momentum into Kansas City this weekend. Mahomes admitted that success has come a little sooner than he expected.
"To be able to learn every day from Coach Reid, to be able to get out here with all these guys ... we literally have fun every single day,'' Mahomes told ESPN. "We love coming to work, I guess you would say, and just getting to play this game that we've loved since we were little kids and winning a lot of football games.''
Tampa Bay and Cincinnati's point total is set at 54, but it is one of the games that could not live up to the offensive expectations. Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton did not have the best fantasy days this past weekend, and will look to bounce back in Week 8.
Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @JonDAdams with any fantasy football questions you may have. It has been fun interacting with many of you each week, and hopefully, we are helping you make your playoff push. Click the next arrow to see my fantasy football predictions for Week 8 in the latest edition of Start-Sit.