Honestly, if your roster looks like a hospital ward right now, you aren't alone. Week 8 of the 2025 season is basically the "Great Squeeze." We have six teams on bye—the Cardinals, Lions, Jaguars, Raiders, Rams, and Seahawks. That means no Jahmyr Gibbs, no Amon-Ra St. Brown, and no Trey McBride. It’s a brutal stretch that turns mid-tier players into must-starts and makes you question every life choice that led you to drafting three players from the same division.
The waiver wire is thin. Your bench is crying. But the season isn't over yet.
This week is all about finding the "get-right" spots and avoiding the trap games that look good on paper but feel wrong in your gut. We’ve got rookie QBs like Jaxson Dart turning into actual fantasy gold and veterans like Joe Flacco somehow still slinging it like it’s 2012. Let's look at who you should actually trust in your lineup for this week's nfl sit em start em week 8 decisions.
Quarterbacks: Trust the New Blood
Start: Jaxson Dart (NY Giants) at Philadelphia
I know, starting a Giants quarterback against the Eagles sounds like a recipe for a Sunday afternoon headache. But have you actually watched Dart lately? He’s basically become the engine of that offense. Even when the Giants collapsed against Denver last week, Dart was out there putting up top-five fantasy numbers. He’s matchup-proof at this point because of his legs.
The Eagles secondary has been beatable, and if the Giants fall behind early—which, let's be real, is likely—Dart is going to be forced to throw 40 times. Volume is king in fantasy. He’s a top-10 play this week.
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Sit: Marcus Mariota (Washington) vs. Kansas City
With Jayden Daniels officially ruled out with that nagging hamstring injury, everyone is looking at Mariota as a sneaky streamer. Don't do it. The Chiefs defense is legit. They just neutralized the Lions' high-powered offense in their last outing, and Steve Spagnuolo loves to eat veteran backup quarterbacks for breakfast.
Mariota might give you some rushing floor, but the turnover risk is sky-high here. Unless you’re in a 2-QB league and literally have no other choice, keep him on the wire.
Running Backs: Finding Value in the Trenches
Start: Kyle Monangai (Chicago) at Baltimore
It's weird to say, but the Bears have a "Walmart version" of the Montgomery-Gibbs backfield going on. Ben Johnson has figured something out in Chicago. While D'Andre Swift is the "Gibbs" in this scenario, Monangai is getting the "Montgomery" dirty work.
He had 81 yards and a touchdown last week. The Ravens' defense is usually stout, but they’ve shown cracks against physical, downhill runners this year. With the heavy byes, Monangai is a solid RB2 or Flex play who is almost guaranteed 12-15 touches.
Start: Tyler Allgeier (Atlanta) vs. Miami
Bijan Robinson is the star, obviously. But the Falcons are leaning heavily on the run to protect Kirk Cousins (who is starting again with Penix Jr. sidelined). Miami’s run defense is... not great. They’re porous. Allgeier is the type of back who wears teams down in the second half. He's a touchdown-dependent play, sure, but in a week where you're missing Jahmyr Gibbs and James Conner, he's a fantastic fill-in.
Sit: Tony Pollard (Tennessee) at Indianapolis
Pollard has been the definition of "mid" lately. The Titans' offense is struggling to find an identity, and the Colts have been surprisingly good at home against the run. There’s also constant trade chatter surrounding Pollard, which usually doesn't help a player's focus or usage. If you have any other option with a higher ceiling, take it. He’s likely looking at a 10-carry, 45-yard kind of day.
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Wide Receivers: Matchups Matter
Start: Rome Odunze (Chicago) at Baltimore
Odunze had a quiet couple of weeks, but this is the ultimate "get-right" game. The Ravens have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Specifically, they are getting shredded in the red zone.
Odunze owns about half of the Bears' end-zone targets. If Caleb Williams is going to keep pace with the Ravens, he’s going to have to look Odunze’s way often. This feels like a 100-yard, 1-TD kind of breakout game.
Start: Wan'Dale Robinson (NY Giants) at Philadelphia
If you play in a PPR league, Wan'Dale is your best friend. Since Jaxson Dart took over, Robinson’s target share has been hovering around 26%. He’s the safety valve. He already torched the Eagles for 20 points back in Week 6. Expect more of the same as the Giants try to move the chains with short, quick passes to negate the Philly pass rush.
Sit: Xavier Worthy (Kansas City) vs. Washington
I know the "speed" is tempting. And yes, Washington’s secondary is a mess. But Rashee Rice is back and eating up all the high-value targets. Worthy is still a "big play or bust" candidate. In a game where the Chiefs will likely be leading and trying to kill the clock in the second half, Worthy might only see 3 or 4 targets. That’s too risky when you need a win.
Tight Ends: The Wasteland
Start: Oronde Gadsden II (LA Chargers) vs. Minnesota
Gadsden is the waiver wire darling for a reason. He’s basically playing as a big-bodied wide receiver for Justin Herbert. He put up 164 yards last week against the Colts. While he probably won't repeat that (let's be realistic), the Vikings' defense has struggled against athletic tight ends. With Herbert throwing more than ever due to O-line issues, Gadsden is a locked-in starter.
Sit: Zach Ertz (Washington) vs. Kansas City
New quarterback, elite defense, old legs. It’s a bad combo. Ertz has been a steady veteran presence, but his ceiling is about 4 catches for 30 yards. In a week where you need upside to cover for your bye-week stars, Ertz isn't the guy to provide it.
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Defensive Strategy and Streamers
Start: Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee
The Titans are a mess. They are the friendliest matchup for fantasy defenses right now. Will Levis (or whoever is under center) is prone to mistakes, and the Colts' pass rush has been heating up. This is the top streaming D/ST of the week, hands down.
Sit: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay
Normally, you never sit the Steelers at home. But Jordan Love and the Packers are clicking right now. The Packers don't turn the ball over much, and they have too many weapons for the Steelers to bottle up everyone. This will likely be a high-scoring affair, which is bad news for your defensive points.
Actionable Insights for Week 8
Managing your roster for nfl sit em start em week 8 requires a different mindset than earlier in the season. You aren't looking for perfection; you're looking for volume and opportunity.
- Check the Saturday reports: The status of players like Aaron Jones (hamstring) and Breece Hall (knee) will shift the entire RB landscape. If Aaron Jones sits, Ty Chandler becomes an immediate RB2.
- Pivot to PPR floor: With six teams on bye, don't chase the 40-yard touchdown from a random WR4. Grab guys like Wan'Dale Robinson or Josh Downs who get 8+ targets.
- Target the Ravens' secondary: It is the biggest weakness in an otherwise elite team. Any WR1 or WR2 facing them is a "start" until they prove they can stop the bleeding.
- Monitor the Giants' backfield: If Tyrone Tracy Jr. continues to eat into Devin Singletary's snaps, we might have a new fantasy-relevant starter by Monday.
Get your lineups set early and don't overthink the "name value" of veterans who aren't producing. Trust the data, trust the targets, and survive the bye week.