Josh Jordan

Fantasy football under-the-radar plays — Week 8

Joshua Jordan
Oct 25, 2018, 5:50 am
I just hope it's not an Alfred Blue game this week. Bobby Ellis/Getty Images

Week 8 is here and I have more sleeper plays for you. My standard for a good fantasy game is around 100 total yards and/or a TD, and this is for PPR scoring. A game with a lot of catches helps too obviously. Of course, the bar is a little lower for TEs. 

I’m going to do things a little bit different this week. I’ll just tell you my record from last week and if you want to go back and check out my previous article, you can, but this new format should save me some time. I can spend more energy putting my picks together for the week, and less time writing a recap of every player from the previous article.

 I went 6-6 last week, and you can check out that article here. Week 7 was by far my worst week of the season, and injuries were a big reason. With the bye weeks upon us, I will continue to look for players that can help you, and are also widely available.

QB

Andy Dalton (CIN): He burned me last week, but his matchup is too good to ignore. He gets the Bucs who are allowing over 32 FPTS/G to QBs over the last month.

Jameis Winston (TB): We talk about this on our radio show all the time. If you haven’t checked out Moneyline on ESPN 97.5 Sundays from 10-noon (shameless plug), you definitely should. When you think one QB in a matchup will have a good game, usually the opposing QB has a big game as well. That applies here, and the Bengals are allowing over 28 FPTS/G to the QB position over the last 5 weeks.

RB

Lamar Miller (HOU): Miller not only has a chance to stick it to his former team, but he also gets the best RB matchup possible. Over the last five weeks Miami is giving up over 34 FPTS/G to RBs, so fire him up. Hell, he might even be on your waiver wire. I picked him up in a 10-team league on Wednesday. Just hope O'Brien doesn't give Alfred Blue too much work.

Raheem Mostert (SF): This play could be a bit dangerous, but I think Breida has exited almost every game this year with an injury. Mostert has a Top 5 matchup against the Cardinals this week, and he’s look good. He has some juice.

Adrian Peterson (WAS): AD looked great last week, and he faces the Giants in Week 8. They just traded Snacks Harrison to the Lions, and the team doesn’t have much to play for. Plus, this is a Top 11 matchup for Adrian, and we’ll see if Chris Thompson is healthy enough to play this week.

Phillip Lindsay (DEN): He should have a big game against the Chiefs underwhelming run defense. Over the past 5 weeks they’re allowing over 30 FPTS/G to RBs.

WR

Stefon Diggs (MIN): People are starting to panic a little bit over Diggs. All the love seems to be going to Theilen, but Diggs should be just fine. He faces the Saints this week who have given up over 46 FPTS/G to WRs over the last month. Keep rolling with him.

Tyler Boyd (CIN): Another guy that killed me last week, but I’m back in the saddle. Who’s giving up over 47 FPTS/G to WRs over the last month you ask? The Bucs, who else? Unless A.J. Green keeps all 47 points to himself, Boyd should come through.

Will Fuller (HOU): With no KeKe Coutee this week, Fuller should be the man. The Dolphins aren’t bad against the pass, but Xavien Howard should be on Hopkins, which should allow Fuller to have a big game.

TE

David Njoku (CLE): He came through for me last week, so I’ll give him another shot. With the Steelers giving up almost 19FPTS/G to the position, he’s in a good spot. The Browns could also be chasing points this week.

Jared Cook (OAK): Cook should get an uptick in targets with the departure of Amari Cooper. Plus, he has a nice opportunity this week with the Colts allowing over 15 FPTS/G to the position.

Benjamin Watson (NO): Halloween is approaching and I know starting Watson can be scary. He did score last week though, and he has a Top 6 matchup against the Vikings this week. Will he be a trick or treat?

That’s all I have for this week. For more fantasy info, make sure you check out my show Moneyline on ESPN 97.5 every Sunday from 10-noon. Jerry Bo and I will get you ready for kickoff and answer any questions you may have. Also, follow us on Twitter.

 Good luck in Week 8!

@jordanpfx

@JerryBoKnowz

@Moneyline975

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Rockets get back on track with wins over Pistons and Mavericks

Rockets get another much-needed win. Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images.

The Houston Rockets went on a redemption tour by beating the Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks. But the most pivotal win was against the Mavericks as the Rockets finally showed their true potential. John Wall finally made his return from his injury hiatus and played with a lot of energy. DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Gordon combined for 61 points. It was great to see Stephan Silas crack a smile as he was able to beat his former team.

The Rockets clearly missed Wall during his eight-game absense. This season, the Rockets are a .500 team with Wall on the court. Wall is the Rockets' floor general that leads, constructs, and also pushes his teammates to become better.

Wall only played 21 minutes in the 133-108 win over the Mavericks but still had eight assists. Even though Wall only had 7 points, his presence was still felt by finding his teammates for open looks beyond the perimeter. Wall made sure Cousins and Gordon got a plethora of touches. He called multiple actions, so they got open looks from three, which was mainly Gordon. Gordon and Cousins' struggles have been similar but with Wall on the court, they were successful against the Mavericks. According to NBA Stats, Wall posted a 111 offensive rating with the starters versus the Mavericks, which included Gordon and Cousins.

"He's the engine to this team. He gets everybody going. He makes the game easy," Cousins told a reporter after the game. "The pressure that he constantly puts on the defense is a tough thing to deal with."

Gordon has struggled all season long with three-point shooting and relied on his slashing abilities. Saturday night, Gordon made six three pointers against the Mavericks, which was 66 percent from beyond the perimeter. Gordon increased his three-point percentage from 31 percent to 34.5 percent after Saturday night's game. Gordon's 33 points came from being able to attack the entire Mavericks' defense. Willy Cauley-Stein didn't stand a chance against Gordon as he was burned multiple times. Gordon's been a lifesaver for the Rockets in the last two games, and hopefully he maintains his play.

Cousins played fantastic against the Mavericks scoring 28 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. This is Cousins' first double-double with the Rockets this season. Cousins became the vintage player from the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings. It was extremely fun watching Cousins push the ball up the court and aggressively snatch rebounds. Boogie shot 50 percent from behind the arc by making four three-pointers. He was dominant inside the paint as Cousins went 7/8 from the restricted area versus the Mavericks. This was the game Cousins needed after having a poor performance against the Pistons Friday night.

"It was really, really good. He did it all. He's a physical presence on both ends of the floor," as Silas said on Cousins' performance.

David Nwaba and Mason Jones were big factors off the Rockets' bench by having a combined total of 34 points together. Nwaba has been great in transition for the Rockets the entire season. Keep in mind that Nwaba is returning from an Achilles injury he suffered with his former team, the Brooklyn Nets. Nwaba has became a great defender, slasher, and is averaging a career-high nine points per game with the Rockets. He finished with 18 points on Saturday night versus the Mavericks.

Mason Jones has become a fan favorite of the Rockets because of his confidence. Silas is loving the usage of Jones off the bench but wants to find more minutes for him. Jones had a breakout performance versus the San Antonio Spurs with 24 points off 66 percent shooting from the field. He continues to get better with his reads from the point guard position. Jones' knowledge of running the offense has helped his efficiency on the court. He is never afraid to take clutch shots in pivotal moments of the game.

"To have a young kid who can come in and not be afraid of the moment, that's big. That's a tough position to be in as an undrafted rookie. I trust him. It's a good problem to have," Silas mentioned after the game. "He's showing me he's ready. He's a confident kid, and he should be. That's why he's good. He's not afraid of the moment, at all. He can get us organized, run plays, and score the basketball."

Hopefully, the Rockets can sustain their level of play when Victor Oladipo returns against the Washington Wizards, Tuesday. It will be interesting to watch Oladipo and Wall play in the same backcourt.

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