PlayerProfiler is home to the award winning redraft rankings and tools. Our Player Rankings are second to none, and the World Famous Draft Kit contains detailed player write ups and cheat sheets to help You dominate fantasy drafts! Check it out. Below, Bradley Stalder breaks down premium fantasy football flex plays for fantasy Week 8.
In this weekly flex plays article, I identify three players outside the top 50 projected FLEX starters who will “win” the FLEX. How do I define “winning” the FLEX position? If a player earns at least 12.5 points in half-point PPR scoring, that’s a “win.” Anything less than that is a loss. I also identify one player outside the top-100 in projected points for the week as my long-shot, double-or-nothing score. Throughout the season, I’ll offer players I think will “win” the FLEX each week, and update how I did last week as accountability.
Week 7 Record: 1-2
Running Records 10-13 , 43-percent
Darnell Mooney| WR, Atlanta Falcons
Darnell Mooney is rostered on 32-percent of teams, but only projected to start on 2-percent. He projects as the 66th-highest FLEX player in Week 8. Mooney ranks No. 17 in fantasy points, No. 9 in deep targets, No. 14 in air yards, No. 10 in Explosive Rating, and No. 12 in total targets. In the previous matchup with Tampa Bay this season, Mooney earned 16 targets. He turned those into nine receptions for 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Mooney was the WR3 overall on the week. He projects to match up with Zyon McCollum, which is worth exploiting in fantasy lineups. Mooney is PlayerProfiler’s projected WR32 on the week. The fifth-year receiver may have only hit over 12.5 fantasy points twice this season, but it’s hard to move away from the consistent deep targets.
With the Buccaneers reeling from injuries, expect more offensive plays for the Falcons in a divisional matchup. The Falcons are favored on the road in a respectable 46 game total projection.
Najee Harris | RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris is rostered on 94-percent of teams and projected to start on 58-percent. He projects as the 65th-highest FLEX player for Week 8. In his first week with Russell Wilson at Quarterback, Harris rushed a season-high 21 times for 102 yards and one touchdown. Harris ranks No. 3 in evaded tackles, No. 3 in yards per route run, No. 7 in yards per reception, and No. 6 in Yards Created among running backs. He’s on pace to tie his career high in yards per carry. While Jaylen Warren is working his way back from injury, Harris shows no sign of slowing down.
The Steelers and Giants square off on Monday Night Football, with a modest 36.5 projected game total. However, the Giants just allowed Saquon Barkley to rush for a season-high 176 yards on only 17 carries in Week 7. Overall, the NY Giants allow the 7th-most fantasy points to running backs on the season. Harris figures for another FLEX-worthy start. PlayerProfiler projecst him as the RB25 for Week 8.
Romeo Doubs | WR, Green Bay Packers
Romeo Doubs is rostered on 71-percent of teams, and projected to start on 13-percent of them. Doubs projects as the 68th-highest FLEX player for Week 8. Ever since he returned from a one-game team-imposed suspension, Doubs has been a producer for the Packers. He has two straight games over 13 fantasy points and 74-percent Snap Share. Doubs earned a season-high 10 targets in Week 7 against Houston. He ranks No. 24 in fantasy points per target, No. 25 in red zone targets, No. 33 in yards per team pass attempt, and no. 43 in Explosive Rating. Doubs is WR38 in fantasy points per game on the season.
Green Bay travels to Jacksonville. The Packers are 4.5 road favorites in the highest projected game total of the week. The Jaguars allow the No. 6 most fantasy points to wide receivers on the season. Doubs isn’t leaving the field, and is a TD-dependent FLEX with top-15 upside. PlayerProfiler projects him as the WR35 for Week 8.
Deep Cut: Cedric Tillman | WR, Cleveland Browns
Cedric Tillman is rostered on one-percent of teams and projected to start on zero-percent. Tillman projects as the 166th-highest FLEX player for Week 8, per Sleeper. With Amari Cooper traded to Buffalo, Tillman stepped up in a big way. The former third round pick played 82-percent of snaps and earned 12 targets. He turned them into eight receptions and 81 yards – all of this in the midst of a Deshaun Watson, DTR, and Jameis Winston transition. With Winston named the starter for Week 8 against Baltimore, the Browns will be throwing early and often downfield to Tillman. He already has the No. 13 Win Rate vs. man coverage and No. 32 Route Win Rate on the season.
Cleveland is a nine-point underdog at home against the current MVP-favorite-led Baltimore Ravens. Nick Chubb‘s return to the lineup should keep the Ravens honest from a defensive standpoint. However, we’ve seen Jameis in a full-time role before. While famine is in play, Cedric Tillman has a pathway to feast in Week 8. The Ravens have allowed the No. 2 most fantasy points to wide receivers on the season. PlayerProfiler projects Tillman as the WR58 for Week 8.
View all Bradley Stalder’s Playerprofiler articles here.
