As we dive into Week 8, fantasy football managers are on the hunt for the sleeper player who could swing the tide of a matchup. SGPN is beginning to establish a track record, too, having nailed all five of my picks last week and eight out of ten in the past two weeks. Once again, we’ll uncover potential sleepers who are poised to find the end zone and help your team secure victory this weekend. Let’s explore the prospects of these unsung heroes who could make a significant impact in Week 8.
MORE SGPN FANTASY FOOTBALL CONTENT
Follow SGPN Fantasy Football on Youtube
Week 8 Fantasy Football Flex Plays Based on TD Opportunity
Diontae Johnson – WR – Pittsburgh Steelers
Diontae Johnson played his first snaps last week since suffering a hamstring injury in the very first game of the season. He was productive, hauling in 5 passes for 79 yards, picking up right where he left off. Prior to this season, Johnson was No. 5 in the NFL in targets over the last three years. Furthermore, he was in the top 10 in red zone targets in both 2021 and 2022. Shockingly, Johnson didn’t score a single touchdown last season, primarily due to the team’s struggles in the passing game.
He is far overdue for a touchdown, and he should have a great chance of finding the end zone against Jacksonville in Week 8. They have surrendered the second-most passing yards in the NFL and allowed 10 passing touchdowns in 2023. While Kenny Pickett has been up and down, he has been effective in the last two games in getting the ball to his top weapons. Expect Pickett and Johnson to be motivated to change this bad touchdown luck against a weak Jaguars defense.
Josh Palmer – WR – Los Angeles Chargers
Josh Palmer is arguably coming off the best performance of his career last week against the Kansas City Chiefs. He caught five receptions for 133 yards, even with L’Jarius Sneed as the primary player in coverage. More importantly, with Mike Williams out for the season, Palmer has run a route on 100% of the team’s pass plays in each of the last two games. Quentin Johnston is an afterthought, and more targets are being funneled to the wide receiver position rather than Austin Ekeler.
Additionally, the Bears couldn’t be a more perfect matchup for the Los Angeles passing attack. They are 29th in pass yards allowed and 30th in touchdowns allowed to opposing offenses. Palmer has also received 5 red zone targets in 2023 despite limited playing time. The Chargers will bounce back in Week 8 and score multiple touchdowns, even if they get out to an early lead.
Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings
Jayden Reed – WR – Green Bay Packers
The Packers’ passing attack has notably come crashing back down to earth in recent weeks. Jordan Love is one of the least accurate passers in the NFL when throwing ten yards or more downfield. This is a neutral matchup, though, for Love against the Vikings, and they are middle of the road in passing yards allowed. Nonetheless, they do rank No. 1 in the NFL in blitz rate. However, the Packers’ offensive line has performed better than expected this season, ranking No. 2 in Protection Rate.
Where the Vikings struggle, though, is against opposing wide receivers. Prior to last week, they had given up the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers and ranked 28th against those lined up in the slot. Enter Jayden Reed, who has played in the slot on 75.5% of his offensive snaps this season. With Watson struggling with injuries, he could be asked to take on a larger role. Despite ranking only No. 83 in snap percentage among receivers, Reed is No. 4 in red zone targets, too. He should get some red zone looks in Week 8 and is a great candidate to score a touchdown.
Nathaniel Dell – WR – Houston Texans
The SGPN long shot of this week is Texans’ rookie wide receiver Nathaniel Dell. After a hot start to the season, fantasy managers haven’t seen him in a while. Dell missed Week 6 due to a concussion, and Houston had a bye week this past weekend. As a result, he’s being forgotten about and is considered a WR4 in most fantasy football rankings. Dell ranks No. 19 overall in yards per route run, though, and has an impressive 17.1 yards per reception as well.
With the Texans set to face the Panthers this weekend, this makes him a strong candidate to catch a long touchdown pass. The Panthers rank dead last in pressure rate, and quarterback C.J. Stroud is 5th in the NFL in passer rating when not hurried. While the Carolina pass defense ranks in the top 10, much of this is a function of the negative game scripts they play in. Houston shouldn’t get out to a massive lead, ensuring plenty of pass attempts to go around.
Tank Dell is my favorite play of the week
— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) October 27, 2023
