Fantasy Football Roundtable: Bold predictions for Week 8

The Yahoo Fantasy Football crew reveals their boldest takes for Week 8. Check out what Scott Pianowski, Matt Harmon, Ray Garvin, Justin Boone and Joel Smyth have to say.

J.K. Dobbins finishes as a top-five fantasy back in Week 8

Despite opening the season with touchdowns in four of the first five weeks, Dobbins is the RB21 in fantasy points per game after two slower outings where he failed to find the end zone. Thankfully, his Week 8 opponent, Dallas, has been a springboard for running backs, giving up the fifth-most fantasy points to the position. Prior to last week’s game against a shorthanded Commanders squad, the Cowboys allowed five of the six starters they faced to post strong fantasy results, including Rico Dowdle (239 scrimmage yards, TD), Breece Hall (155 yards), Josh Jacobs (157 yards, two TDs), Cam Skattebo (59 yards, TD) and Saquon Barkley (84 yards, TD).

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Dobbins is about to have his best performance of the season, in a game where the Broncos are favored at home and which features the highest projected point total on the slate. — Justin Boone

Bijan Robinson explodes for 200-plus scrimmage yards vs. Miami

This is the week Bijan Robinson reminds everyone why he’s built different. After being bottled up by San Francisco for just 40 rushing yards on 2.9 yards per attempt, Robinson gets the softest matchup possible against a Miami Dolphins defense that can’t stop anything on the ground. The Dolphins are giving up close to 160 rushing yards per game and over 5.0 yards per carry — both worst in the NFL. They’ve allowed 34 runs of 10-plus yards, the only team surrendering more than 2.0 yards before contact and over 3.0 yards after contact.

That’s a nightmare formula against a back with Bijan’s burst, vision and balance. Miami loads the box more than almost any team in the league, but when you stack eight defenders and still can’t tackle, all you’re doing is setting up chunk plays.

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This is the bounce-back spot. Robinson goes nuclear — 200-plus scrimmage yards and the RB1 finish in Week 8. — Ray Garvin

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Alec Pierce lands in the top-20 receivers

Regardless of how I feel about Pierce as a player, I think it’s a little silly that a player who is a near-every-down option for one of the best offenses in football is on just 25% of rosters in Yahoo leagues. That’s especially true as we head into a bye week hellscape. However, I wrote this week that I think Pierce has made significant strides as an individual player. Pierce’s air yards per target is still north of 21 for the second straight year, which I think is throwing people off to the evolution in his game. He’s getting downfield looks but those are coming on more big in-breaking routes, rather than just low percentage go routes along the boundary. Pierce averages a career-high 25 yards per game on catches in between the numbers this season.

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In Week 8, he faces a Titans team that allows the most yards per target on throws between 10-19 air yards (11.3) and fifth-most on throws of 20+ (17.5). Pierce is one of just five wide receivers with 300-plus yards who haven’t scored a touchdown (Ricky Pearsall, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers and Stefon Diggs being the others). That changes in Week 8 and he helps fantasy managers get through a week where several key receivers are on bye. — Matt Harmon

Aaron Rodgers finally returns to DK Metcalf at the goal line

At the end of the day, Aaron Rodgers does what he wants. It didn’t used to be Matthew Stafford throwing multiple one-yard TDs to Davante Adams, but Rodgers. How many times have we seen the MVP QB audible out at the goal line just to throw a quick slant or fade to his WR1? We’ve seen less of it this season, with Metcalf only having one goal-line target on the year, a TD versus the Seahawks … his former team.

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Now, Rodgers gets his former team which is dominant against the run. If the Steelers get inside the five, I can’t wait to see Rodgers change the call at the line and chuck it up to Metcalf, preferably for a TD. — Joel Smyth

Courtland Sutton finishes in the top 12 for Week 8

Lost in the Broncos’ wild (weird?) comeback is Courtland Sutton’s utility within the offense. Yes, it’s been up and down, but of Bo Nix’s receivers, Sutton leads the crew in targets in obvious passing situations (30.9%), when Nix is under duress (27.3%) and is second in red-zone looks (22.0%). No other receiver for Denver runs more routes, and, more importantly, Sutton operates in the area of the field most conducive to scoring fantasy points.

Through seven games, the Cowboys have allowed the second-most passing TDs (16) and 12 have gone to receivers. Even better, Dallas is giving up the fourth-most receiving yards to perimeter receivers. CB Trevon Diggs, who Sutton should see despite Dallas primarily using zone coverage, has allowed the fourth-highest reception rate and is tied for fourth-most TDs. Sutton leads Denver in yards per route run against zone coverage and has the rapport with Nix to take advantage of the matchup. Even with Nix’s volatility as a passer, Sutton has a solid path to a top-12 finish in Week 8. — Chris Allen