Winners Club: NFL Week 8 Fantasy and Betting Prep
The Buccaneers had a last-second shot to pull off an improbable upset Thursday night in Buffalo, but Baker Mayfield’s Hail Mary did not find its intended target and the Bills survived, 24–18.
There’s plenty of good to take from this game for Buffalo: Josh Allen made plays with his legs and, with Dawson Knox out, rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid stepped up seamlessly to score his first career touchdown. The Bills are now 5–3 and just a half game back from the Dolphins in the AFC East.
But, Matt Verderame writes, “The Bills did what they needed to, but they’re not fully back yet.”
In today’s Winners Club you’ll find:
Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions
After six teams were on bye a week ago, there’s none this week but injuries around the league are casting a shadow over Sunday. Deshaun Watson (shoulder) has already been ruled out, it doesn’t look like Justin Fields (thumb) will return this week and Brock Purdy (concussion) might be out Sunday as well. Ryan Tannehill (ankle) is also expected to be out, which opens the door for rookie Will Levis to log his first career start.
Running back and tight end are also looking bleak this week with Jerome Ford (ankle) and David Montgomery (rib) not expected to suit up and Zach Ertz (quad) headed to injured reserve.
Worry not, because Michael Fabiano has recommendations and rankings to help you optimize your starting lineup. He likes Christian Kirk to stay hot but says you should steer clear of Russell Wilson. Allow Fabiano to get you ready for Week 8 below.
Start ’Em, Sit ’Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | K & D/ST
Player Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | FLEX | K | D&ST
As for the DFS players out there, Jen Piacenti recommends the Jalen Hurts-A.J. Brown stack. It worked wonders last week against the Dolphins, and those two should pile up points against the Commanders. See which other studs she recommends to fill out your lineup and which bargain options could pay dividends.
NFL Week 8 Picks and Lines
With every team in action this week, there’s several enticing matchups around the league.
Gilberto Manzano, Matt Verderame and I picked the five best and made our against the spread and over/under picks as well as score predictions. Jaguars-Steelers took the top spot, but Bengals-49ers is also a game you won’t want to miss come Sunday.
Manzano honed in on five over/under picks and he didn’t shy away from taking the under in the Falcons-Titans game, which is tied for the lowest total of the week at 36.5 points.
The MMQB team picked every game straight up and their predictions are light on chaos. Only a few writers picked upsets and interestingly, the Rams over the Cowboys was a popular choice.
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
1 p.m. ET (FOX): Rams vs. Cowboys (-6.5) | Total: 44.5
1 p.m. ET (FOX): Vikings (-1.5) vs. Packers | Total: 41.5
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Falcons (-2.5) vs. Titans | Total: 36.5
1 p.m. ET (FOX): Saints (-1.5) vs. Colts | Total: 43.5
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Patriots vs. Dolphins (-9.5) | Total: 46.5
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Jets (-2.5) vs. Giants | Total: 36.5
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Jaguars (-2.5) vs. Steelers | Total: 40.5
1 p.m. ET (FOX): Eagles (-6.5) vs. Commanders | Total: 43.5
1 p.m. ET (FOX): Texans (-3.5) vs. Panthers | Total: 42.5
4:05 p.m. ET (FOX): Browns vs. Seahawks (-3.5) | Total: 37.5
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS): Chiefs (-7.5) vs. Broncos | Total: 46.5
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS): Ravens (-9.5) vs. Cardinals | Total: 43.5
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS): Bengals vs. 49ers (-4.5) | Total: 43.5
8:20 p.m. ET (NBC): Bears vs. Chargers (-8.5) | Total: 46.5
8:15 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN): Raiders vs. Lions (-8.5) | Total: 46.5*
*Monday Night Football
Oregon, Utah Meet in Game of the Week
Saturday’s game between No. 8 Oregon and No. 13 Utah features two of the top teams in perhaps the best conference in the country. The Ducks are 6.5-point road favorites at Rice-Eccles Stadium, where the Utes have won 18 in a row. Betting the 47.5-point total might be the way to go in this Pac-12 battle, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard/USA TODAY Network
At the same time Saturday, No. 18 Louisville hosts No. 20 Duke in a crucial ACC matchup. These programs have only played three times before and the Blue Devils, who have never beaten the Cardinals, are 4.5-point underdogs with quarterback Riley Leonard’s status still up in the air. The total sits at 46.5.
Pat Forde and Richard Johnson also got together to break down and pick some of this weekend’s top games. You can find their predictions here.
Other Games for Your Consideration
12 p.m. ET (FOX): No. 6 Oklahoma (-9.5) vs. Kansas | Total: 66.5
7 p.m. ET (ESPN): No. 21 Tennessee (-3.5) vs. Kentucky | Total: 51.5
7:30 p.m. ET (NBC): No. 3 Ohio State (-14.5) vs. Wisconsin | Total: 45.5
In Other News
World Series Schedule for Rangers-Diamondbacks: The Fall Classic begins Friday night in Arlington with Zac Gallen on the bump for Arizona and Nathan Eovaldi starting for Texas.
Tennessee, Kentucky Atop SEC MBB Season Preview: The Volunteers and Wildcats, the No. 19 and 16 teams in the AP preseason poll, are projected to finish first and second in SI’s conference preview.
One Trade Deadline Move Every NFL Team Should Make: Dalvin Cook to the Ravens? Marquise Brown leaving the Cardinals? See what every team should do ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline.
NBA All-Star Game to Revert to East vs. West Format: After years of the leading vote-getters drafting their teams, the league is returning to the traditional matchup between conferences.
Thanks for reading Winners Club! Look out for another edition in your inbox Sunday morning before the NFL games kick off and be sure to follow us @SI_Betting and @SI_Fantasy.
