Weekly Fantasy Football Rankings 2023: Best QB, RB, WR, TE options for Week 8
2023-10-23
The 2023 NFL season has officially arrived and that means it’s time for weekly fantasy football rankings. Every Monday, we’ll release a new set of fantasy football rankings for the week ahead with evaluations and preview of the top fantasy players and matchups at each position.
Our weekly fantasy rankings are influenced by NFL stat, our defensive rankings and player evaluations throughout the season.
Here is our Week 8 fantasy football rankings.
Week 8 fantasy QB rankings
RANK
PLAYER
OPPONENT
1
Jalen Hurts (Q – Leg)
@ Commanders
2
Lamar Jackson
@ Cardinals
3
Patrick Mahomes
@ Broncos
4
Josh Allen
vs Buccaneers
5
Trevor Lawrence
@ Steelers
6
Tua Tagovailoa
vs Patriots
7
Joe Burrow
@ 49ers
8
Jared Goff
vs Raiders
9
Justin Herbert
vs Bears
10
C.J. Stroud
@ Panthers
11
Brock Purdy
vs Bengals
12
Dak Prescott
vs Rams
13
Desmond Ridder
@ Titans
14
Matthew Stafford
@ Cowboys
15
Derek Carr
@ Colts
16
Kirk Cousins
@ Packers
17
Gardner Minshew
vs Saints
18
Geno Smith
vs Browns
19
Kenny Pickett
vs Jaguars
20
Tyson Bagent
@ Chargers
Fantasy analysis and matchup previews for our Week 8 fantasy QB rankings will be released on Monday. We’ll provide additional updates leading up to Sunday, October 29.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles – Jalen Hurts did suffer a knee injury on SNF, requiring a brace to finish the game. For now, he’s expected to play in Week 8. If Hurts is on the field, he has a golden opportunity to pepper DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown with targets against a Commanders’ defense that has allowed 14 passing touchdowns and nearly 1,800 passing yards in seven games.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens– It’s amazing what happens when Ravens’ receivers catch the football. Lamar Jackson has played at an MVP level this season, the players around him have just been slow to play at a high level. If Week 7 was a sign of this offense getting comfortable, Jackson is about to go on an electrifying fantasy run.
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs – In his last meeting against Denver, Patrick Mahomes only managed a single touchdown and threw a pick. This past Sunday, the Chiefs’ offense looked like it finally found its stride. Denver’s pass defense isn’t historically bad anymore, but this is still a spot for Mahomes to record 300-plus yards and two scores.
Josh Allen Buffalo Bills – Josh Allen has thrown three interceptions in his last three games, but he still boasts a 93.4 QB rating over that stretch while averaging 264.3 rushing yards per contest with two scores on the ground. Against a middle-of-the-pack Buccaneers’ pass defense, Buffalo should take advantage of a short week with a rebound performance.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence just had one of his best performances of the season on an injured knee against a top-10 defense. With the benefit of 10 days rest, Lawrence’s numbers in Week 7 will be dictated by the offensive line. Jacksonville has held up well in pass protection in recent games and a clean effort would put Lawrence on a path to 250-plus yards and multiple touchdowns.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa probably isn’t going to finish as a top-five fantasy QB in Week 8 because Bill Belichick has proven he can at least limit Miami’s explosive plays. Even if a 300-yard performance with three touchdowns isn’t coming, New England’s vulnerable pass rush and some injuries in the secondary still provide Tagovailoa a road to a very productive fantasy day.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals – We’ve seen enough from Joe Burrow to view him as an elite fantasy quarterback for the rest of the season, but the San Francisco 49ers defense has held its opponents to a 67.2 QB rating this season and the 49ers’ pass rush will have success against the Bengals’ line.
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions – Jared Goff plays like an All-Pro quarterback at home, demonstrated by his 113.3 QB rating at Ford Field in 2023. If the Raiders can’t stop a DII quarterback, imagine what Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown will do.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers – For as much as we like this matchup against the Chicago Bears secondary, other numbers matter. Justin Herbert has only completed 57% of his throws in the last three games and that 4-4 TD -INT line has meant a lot of points left on the board. Until this Chargers’ offense gets fixed, which might not happen with Mike Williams on IR, Herbert’s fantasy ceiling takes a big hit.
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans – In their final two games before the bye week, the Carolina Panthers defense allowed 480 passing yards and six touchdowns through the air. None of the injured starters are coming back anytime soon. Plus, this is a chance for C.J. Stroud to get revenge on the team that passed on him. Roll with Stroud in Week 7, it could be an outstanding fantasy day.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers – While the Bengals’ defense is playing better as of late – 5-7 TD-INT rate, 59.8% completion – it doesn’t have the personnel or experience (younger players are more undisciplined) to hold up well against Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Brock Purdy doesn’t offer an elite fantasy ceiling, you can trust him to deliver top-12 production.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys – Mike McCarthy’s offense can’t be classified as good, but it does produce plenty of red-zone trips. As for the opponent, the Los Angeles Rams defense has allowed a 90-plus QB rating to three different opponents this season.
Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons – While the Falcons’ offense is frustrating to many in fantasy football, it is having some success. Desmond Ridder has three rushing touchdowns this season and he can give you 2-3 additional points on the ground without finding the end zone. Plus, Tennessee’s secondary has allowed a 101 QB rating with a 71.5% completion rate to quarterbacks this season.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams – It all comes down to the Rams’ offensive line. When Los Angeles protects Stafford, he’s a top-10 fantasy quarterback. Against an extremely athletic Cowboys’ pass rush, time to throw will be a problem. However, the Cowboys defense has allowed a 100-plus QB rating in the two games since Trevon Diggs went down.
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints – Not only does Derek Carr have three offensive weapons that can carry him to fantasy relevance, he also has a good matchup in Week 7. Indianapolis has allowed 232.6 passing yards per game this season and 7 yards per attempt. The Saints’ wealth of receiving options will help Carr reach a decent fantasy floor.
Week 8 fantasy RB rankings are based on 0.5 PPR scoring
Week 8 fantasy previews and matchup analysis for our running back rankings will be provided on Tuesday morning. A second round of updates will be provided on Friday.