Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Quarterbacks Fantasy Football Week 8: Time for Kirk Cousins to Shine

Back from a bye, the Vikings QB should have a big game against the Cardinals.

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the NFL season.

Fabs Top 10 quarterbacks

1. Josh Allen vs. Packers
2. Jalen Hurts vs. Steelers
3. Joe Burrow at Browns (MNF)
4. Lamar Jackson at Buccaneers (TNF)
5. Kyler Murray at Vikings
6. Tua Tagovailoa at Lions
7. Kirk Cousins vs. Cardinals
8. Geno Smith vs. Giants
9. Daniel Jones at Seahawks
10. Dak Prescott vs. Bears

Byes: Chargers, Chiefs

Updated Week 8 Rankings | Flex Rankings

Week 8 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES

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Week 8 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Start of the Week

Kirk Cousins vs. Cardinals (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Cousins has scored 16-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games, and this week’s matchup against Arizona is a positive one. The Cardinals defense has struggled against quarterbacks, allowing 18-plus points to four different field generals this season. That includes giving up almost 27 points to Andy Dalton last week. Cousins is a top-12 fantasy option.

Start ‘Em

Tua Tagovailoa at Lions (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Tagovailoa scored a decent 15.9 points in last week’s win over the Steelers, but I think he’ll be better against the Lions. While their defense did hold Dak Prescott under 13 points last week, four other QBs have scored 18-plus points against them, including two who went over 27 points. This should be a smash spot for Tua and the entire Dolphins offense.

SI Sportsbook Player Props: Tagovailoa over 271.5 passing yards (-158)

Daniel Jones at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Jones is coming off a massive 28-point performance in a win over the Jaguars, and he’ll be a viable streamer or DFS option against Seattle. Their defense has allowed 16-plus fantasy points to four different quarterbacks this season, and it allowed 100 rushing yards to Kyler Murray in Week 6. A mobile quarterback, Jones should find some level of success.

Dak Prescott vs. Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Prescott didn’t meet expectations last week, scoring 12.3 points vs. the Lions. He did have bad luck though, as receivers were tackled inside the Lions’ 10-yard line twice and one of his passes was incomplete in the end zone due to a DPI call. I’d stick with him against a Bears team that’s allowed 21-plus points to two quarterbacks in their last four games.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Prescott over 1.5 TD passes (-125)

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Derek Carr at Saints (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Carr has not been great in the stat sheets lately, scoring fewer than 14 fantasy points in two of his last three games. Still, a matchup in New Orleans makes him a borderline QB1 in fantasy leagues. The Saints have allowed 17-plus fantasy points to three straight quarterbacks including two who had three touchdowns passes and scored over 24 points against them.

More Starts

• Geno Smith vs. Giants (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jared Goff vs. Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Bargains

• Geno Smith vs. Giants ($5,800)
• Daniel Jones at Seahawks ($5,700)
• Sam Ehlinger vs. Commanders ($4,000)

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Week 8 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Sit of the Week

Aaron Rodgers at Bills (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Rodgers has been a dud in the stat sheets, averaging just 13.8 fantasy points per game. That total was over 20 just a season ago! I’d fade him against the Bills, who have allowed just one opposing quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) to score more than 13.1 fantasy points against them this season. That list includes Matthew Stafford and Lamar Jackson.

SI Sportsbook Player Props: Rodgers under 242.5 passing yards (-125)

Sit ‘Em

Matthew Stafford vs. 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Stafford has failed to meet all the expectations of fantasy managers, scoring fewer than 12 fantasy points in five of his first six games of the season. That includes a 6.8-point stinker against this week’s opponent, the 49ers. Stafford has struggled against them in his last three meetings too, with an average of just over 10 fantasy points in those contests.

Trevor Lawrence vs. Broncos (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+): Lawrence has posted a pair of good stat lines in a row, scoring a combined 43.6 fantasy points. Still, I’d be wary of this week’s matchup against the Broncos. Their defense has been brutal on quarterbacks, allowing three touchdown passes and the fewest fantasy points to the position. That makes Lawrence a risk in traditional formats.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Lawrence under 214.5 passing yards (-125)

Justin Fields at Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Fields has posted good stat lines in three straight games, but a matchup against the Cowboys makes him a fade. Their defense hasn’t allowed a quarterback to hit the 17-point mark this year, including the likes of Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow and Tom Brady. Overall, the Dallas defense has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to enemy signal-callers this season.

Jimmy Garoppolo at Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Garoppolo's totals have been bad in recent weeks, as he’s scored fewer than 14 points in two of his last three games. I’d sit him against the Rams, who are coming off a bye and held him to just 13.9 points in a matchup earlier this season. In all, their defense has surrendered an average of fewer than 14 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

More Sits

• Marcus Mariota vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Davis Mills vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Fades

• Kyler Murray at Vikings ($7,500)
• Matthew Stafford vs. 49ers ($6,000)
• Jimmy Garoppolo at Rams ($5,600)

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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!