Fantasy Football Week 8 Last-Minute Streamers: Jameis Winston, Bo Nix, Ricky Pearsall and More

Players with good matchups who are widely available in fantasy leagues.

The late-week fantasy lineup is an art. You can’t always be on top of waivers and the free agent market on Wednesday morning; Saturday afternoon is the first chance some people get to even think about fantasy football.

When all the hot free agent names are snatched up, there are few options who have real chances to succeed without random happenings. That’s what we’re here to do, is look at players who are probably still available in your fantasy league and have good matchups in Week 8.

These are guys you can pick up off the street, so to speak, and insert into your lineup with a reasonable expectation of getting at least a few fantasy points. Don’t expect anyone to save your week or become a regular starter, but this can be the difference between winning and losing, especially if you need multiple guys.

Let’s run through a few players at each position who are widely available in fantasy leagues and have good matchups. I used NFL’s defensive stats and our FantasySP defensive fantasy rankings to identify the best teams to target. I will reference those numbers often.

Quarterback

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers

I thought Denver was going to be the worst team in the league this year, but Carolina seems determined to hold that title for the second straight season. The Panthers are last in total DVOA, 28th in offensive DVOA, and 31st in defensive DVOA.

That last number is the most important here: DVOA measures success on a play-by-play basis, so teams at the bottom are regularly letting the opponent gain yards and get first downs.

The Panthers have allowed the fifth-most yards per pass attempt and fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Most recently, Washington star rookie Jayden Daniels got hurt in the first quarter, and backup Marcus Mariota still threw for 205 yards on just 23 attempts with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Nix is averaging just 178 passing yards per game on 61% passing with five touchdowns and five interceptions. That’s not very good. Nix helps his fantasy score with his rushing, though, where he has averaged over 36 yards per game and scored three times. That has added close to six points per week to his fantasy score and has him at QB14; that’s not bad.

With the great matchup and rushing production likely again, Nix has a decent chance to be a top 10 quarterback this week. He’s a realistic streaming option.

Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens

Winston will step in for the injured Deshaun Watson, who is out for the season. A lot of people expect Cleveland’s offense to improve with Winston under center. Watson was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league when he was starting, and Cleveland’s offense was the worst by DVOA through seven weeks.

Baltimore is the reason Winston is on the streaming radar. The Ravens have allowed the third-most yards per pass attempt and the third-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Every quarterback has fantasy value against this team.

This will be Winston’s first real action other than some mop-up duty last week after Dorian Thompson-Robinson also suffered an injury. It’s hard to expect a lot, especially with Cleveland’s roster in flux around the trade deadline; this is a risky play.

The matchup is so far in Winston’s favor, though, that he is on the radar as a streaming QB, and he is set up for success in his first start of the season.

Running Back

Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills @ Seattle Seahawks

There aren’t any truly good late-week fantasy options at running back this week. Davis is a clear backup in Buffalo, only seeing around seven carries each game other than Week 6 when James Cook was out.

In the game Cook missed, Davis ran 20 times for 97 yards; there’s a lot of appeal around the role he would take over if Cook were lost for a longer stretch. Until that time, he’ll get a few carries and maybe a chance to score, like he did in Week 7.

Seattle has allowed the fifth-most yards per carry. They are toward the middle in fantasy points allowed to running backs, but that’s only a few points per game from the top 10, as everyone is grouped closely together.

Davis is more of a bench guy to hold onto in case his role expands, but if you’re absolutely desperate, the matchup gives him a chance to produce when he is in the game.

Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers

This is all about the matchup. Carolina has given up the ninth-most yards per carry and the most fantasy points per game to running backs. They have given up the most rushing yards and rushing touchdowns per game to the position.

McLaughlin is the clear second back, as Javonte Williams has 73 carries to McLaughlin’s 40, and Williams has played more snaps in every game. McLaughlin gets about six carries per game with a catch or two thrown in; that’s not a lot, but it’s something if you’re super desperate.

The fantastic matchup gives hope that McLaughlin can excel in his touches. Carolina is maybe the worst team in the league, so Denver could also get the lead and run more often, giving McLaughlin more chances. This is a deep streaming option.

Wide Receiver

Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens

I talked about Winston, so why not his receivers? Jerry Jeudy is available in about 40% of leagues; he’s not great, but he is the top option on a team who may have severely upgraded at quarterback. Jeudy is a high-ceiling flier who might also bottom out.

Cleveland's other two current starting receivers, Moore and Tillman, will get the chance to prove that the problem was Watson all along and that they have fantasy value. Moore has a higher floor: he is a slot receiver who will catch mostly short passes but racks up some receptions for PPR value.

Tillman has the higher ceiling as a big-bodied receiver who fits the WR1 prototype, though that's probably several years away if he ever gets there. Tillman was projected as a raw player who needed time to develop, and what better time than during a lost season in which the Browns just traded their top guy?

Tillman had by far the best game of his short career last week, hauling in eight passes for 81 yards. Winston only threw a small percentage of the passes in that game, so it’s no guarantee the two will click, but Tillman should get a ton of time on the field and the chance to show he belongs.

I prefer Tillman, but Moore isn’t a bad get if you need a low-end PPR option.

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys

Circumstances and time have thrust Pearsall into the spotlight and starting lineup. Pearsall was shot on August 31, causing him to start the season on a form of IR. He made his debut last week after a fast recovery, catching three passes for 21 yards.

Brandon Aiyuk left that game and has since been ruled out for the season with a major knee injury, and Deebo Samuel Sr. missed most of Week 7 and spent time in the hospital due to pneumonia. Add in Jauan Jennings being ruled out for Week 8, and Pearsall might be the surest thing this week against Dallas.

Speaking of the Cowboys, they have allowed the fifth-most yards per pass attempt. Micah Parsons will probably miss this game as he rehabs from a high-ankle sprain, taking away Dallas’ best defensive player. San Fran will probably be able to move the ball against this team.

Samuel and George Kittle are listed as questionable, so Pearsall might be in line for a ton of work. Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell, and Jacob Cowing are three other names on the depth chart; I don't trust any of them, but they are extra-deep streamers at the bottom of extra-deep leagues.

Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Green Bay’s passing game just goes. Jordan Love has thrown for 220 yards in every game and topped 250 in three of the five games he has played. His 15 passing touchdowns are tied for second in the league despite missing two games.

Love’s receivers are major benefactors of his passing ways. Four wide receivers have at least 150 yards and two touchdowns this season: Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Wicks. I see all four of those guys as players who are worthy of a roster spot and fantasy consideration many weeks.

Wicks is the least owned fantasy player of that group. He has more receptions, yards, and touchdowns than Watson, but the other two out-class Wicks with production. While Wicks is no more than a WR3/4/flex player, he’s a decent end-of-roster guy.

The matchup this week is heavily in his favor. The Jaguars have allowed the sixth-most yards per pass attempt and fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Jacksonville is one of the most giving defenses in the league and might be the worst against the pass.

With a quarterback who slings it and one of the best matchups around, Wicks is a good fantasy streamer this week. He and his receiver teammates could all have big days.

Tight End

Grant Calcaterra, Philadelphia Eagles @ Cincinnati Bengals

With Dallas Goedert out, Calcaterra is leading the tight end group in Philly. He played 57 snaps in Week 6 and 47 in Week 7, both tops among his TE teammates. Goedert is out for Week 8 without a return date.

Calcaterra had four catches for 67 yards in Week 6 before hauling in just one for five last week. He’s not going to be a major part of the passing game, especially with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith back, but the matchup is in his favor.

The Bengals have been good with yards per pass attempt allowed, but they’ve allowed 11 touchdowns to six interceptions and have the sixth-least sacks. Specific to Calcaterra, Cincinnati has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Temper expectations, but the matchup and opportunity are in the tight end’s favor, and he has a little streaming value.

Lucas Krull, Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers

This is only a deep, deep streaming option if you’re without anything else. With no teams on bye, there’s surely another player you can grab, but for those desperate, Krull has the right matchup and has received four targets each of the past two weeks after missing the first four games.

Krull has a very, very low floor, but the Panthers offer a chance at success. On top of being a bottom-five team in yards per catch allowed, they have given up the seventh-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Adam Trautman, Greg Dulcich, and Nate Adkins are also around; Nix isn’t a great passer. Everyone finds success against the Panthers, though, giving Krull a small amount of fantasy value.

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