Week 8 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Candidates: Quarterbacks

Wondering whom to start and sit at quarterback this week? Below are two top-notch start and two sit options at the quarterback position for Week 8 of the 2022 NFL season.

More Start/Sit: WR | RB | TE

Week 7 Review – half-PPR scoring

Starts

• QB Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Atlanta Falcons – 13.52 (QB17)
• QB Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) @ Washington Commanders – 12.68 fantasy points(QB19)
• QB Tom Brady (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ Carolina Panthers

Sits

• QB Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders) vs. Houston Texans – 13.82 (QB15)

Quarterback - Starts

Jameis Winston/Andy Dalton (New Orleans Saints) vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Update, 10/27/22: Per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, Jameis Winston suffered a ruptured peroneal ankle tendon in Week 2, which has been the primary cause of his extended absence. Per 4for4's Dr. Adam Hutchison, players can return to play six-to-eight weeks after surgery but do not necessarily require surgery to return to the field though surgery typically yields good results. If Winston opted for the physical therapy/rehabilitation route, fantasy managers can expect him to "be limited with a high risk of flaring symptoms up".

Whichever New Orleans Saint gets the starting nod, Jameis Winston or Andy Dalton can be started as a borderline QB1/2 this weekend against the dreadful Las Vegas Raiders. Las Vegas owns bottom-seven marks in both passing yards allowed per game (264.7) and explosive pass play rate allowed per game (9.4%). Even the Houston Texans’ Davis Mills threw for over 300 yards and notched a pair of touchdowns against them.

The secondary lost starter Nate Hobbs to Injured Reserve earlier this month and is averaging a bottom-10 interception per drive rate (0.05).

Las Vegas’ 3.5 touchdowns allowed per game are the second-most in the NFL and their 24.9 fantasy points per game allowed to opposing quarterbacks are the most quarterback-friendly average overall.

While both Dalton (3.1%) and Winston (4.4%) have two of the league’s eight-highest interception rates among NFL quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, Dalton’s 5.3% touchdown rate is No. 6 overall and Winston’s 286.0 passing yards per game are No. 7.

Either man is likely to find the end zone more than once this week, as New Orleans vs. Las Vegas opened with a 50.0-point over/under, the second-highest game total on the week.

Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) vs. Miami Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins) @ Detroit Lions

Week 8 features a remarkably intriguing bout between Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions versus Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins. The game opened with a 51.5-point over/under on BetMGM, the highest game total on the week.

Both teams offer two of the 12 most quarterback-friendly defenses in the NFL.

Goff and Tagovailoa are two of the league’s 12 most efficient quarterbacks.

Each quarterback is armed with at least two elite pass catchers at their respective positions. Detroit’s passing attack features slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, tight end T.J. Hockenson, and potentially running back D’Andre Swift (shoulder), while Miami’s wide receiver one-two punch, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, have been foot-racing defensive backs into the ground all year.

* Check out the full QB rankings here.

Quarterback - Sits

Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) @ Buffalo Bills

Despite assurances that Aaron Rodgers’ throwing-hand thumb injury is a non-issue, the Green Bay Packers quarterback has been holding onto the ball longer and completing fewer passes than in the previous five weeks.

Wide receiver Allen Lazard is now dealing with a shoulder injury and Rodgers was seen shouting down rookie Romeo Doubs in-game last week.

This week, Rodgers must face fantasy’s second-stingiest pass defense, the Buffalo Bills, who are allowing just 9.2 fantasy points per game to the position