Positional flexibility is so incredible. It gives you so many options, and shallows out the need for your bench. Targeting players that carry multiple positions is a sneaky tactic to winning your fantasy league. In baseball.
But would ya look at that…here we are in Week 8 of the fantasy football season and it’s the positional flexibility that’s adding value to players, and elevating a certain someone above the rest of the Pack (pun intended) as we look for targets leading into the second half of the season. Having troubles at the RB position due to the overall suck of the position, the quagmire that is timeshares in the backfield, or the myriad of injuries that could have ravaged your squad? No fear, Green Bay’s providing all the assistance you’ll need by getting creative with their own backfield problems. And giving us something we haven’t had in three weeks as we work the wire…
Here are the top targets to, well…target for Week 8!
Note: The threshold for appearing as one of the targets is <25% ownership on either Yahoo or ESPN as of Monday. = BURN NOTICE…it’s worth burning your waiver for the player.
- Ty Montgomery, WR/RB – GB (ESPN 20.4%, Yahoo 62%) – FINALLY! We got one! After his second straight double-digit reception game, the Stanford product Montgomery has more than earned his Burn Notice emoji. He was already up 20.2% ownership in ESPN leagues from Week 6 following his 10/98/0 performance, but after following it up with a 10/68/0 receiving and 9/60/0 rushing, he’s sure to at least match that Yahoo numbers. I’m assuming it’s high due to pick ups after Thursday (somehow), but either way he’s my top add for the week. He’s like the modern day Larry Centers (Yes, I’m a Millennial and know who Larry Centers is. Thank you, Madden 98!). Lining up all over the field, Aaron Rodgers proved he found another weapon in his two year campaign for finding receivers he can trust. The 13 targets are incredible, but gaining the RB status is also a huge bonus moving forward. He’s a possession receiver that may not provide the ceiling of the next guy, but gives a solid floor that can be trusted for weeks to come. And I believe the touchdowns will start to show up…just wait.
- Davante Adams, WR – GB (ESPN 17.2%, Yahoo 18%) – Let’s make it TWO! Fresh off being dropped in ESPN leagues at a cool -5.2% clip (and for good reason) Adams reversed course in a big way this past Thursday night. Taking advantage of Aaron Rodgers 55+ pass attempts, due to the total lack of RB’s, Adams found himself receiving 16 targets and posting a massive 13/132/2 line. For the four of you that actually started him, congratulations. For the rest of you, don’t trip over each other burning your waiver for him; I’d still prefer Montgomery. Give me high floor over high ceiling every day when it comes to the waiver wire. Adams won’t repeat this, but could settle around a 8 target, 5 rec for 70 yard guy. Definitely worth the add.
- Anquan Boldin, WR – DET (ESPN 21.6%, Yahoo 26%) – Obviously less sexy in comparison to the two predecessors, and even the young’n coming up next, Boldin is ol’ reliable. With touchdowns in four games, a great catch % (of course), and more than 6 targets per game over the past six games, Boldin can provide double digits as a BYE week fill-in. You can’t really ask for more than that if you’re hit hard by the BYEs, like many owners will be this week. The Lions and Matt Stafford are going to sling it around as much as possible, and while Marvin Jones receives the main attention of the secondary, Boldin’s quietly emerged as the most reliable option in the offense (same receptions as Jones, 11 less targets), especially since Week 4. Don’t burn for him, but add him late while everyone else focuses on the two above…
- Marquise Lee, WR – JAX (ESPN 1.5%, Yahoo 2%) – …Or just get really cute and target the post-hype sleeper that is Marquise Lee. Dude’s as talented as they come, which we’ve known since he was a 5-star recruit in high school and torched the scene at USC. However, his NFL days haven’t lived up to the hype, primarily because of injuries. Say what you will about the Jaguars disappointing season, including Blake Bortles, but they still throw the ball a ton (7th in pass attempts per game), and Lee is emerging as a strong third option behind Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. He has at least 7 targets in each of the last five games, giving him good opportunity every week. He’s a sneaky add in a  week where everyone else will be clamoring for different WR’s.
- Chris Thompson, RB – WAS (ESPN 14.1%, Yahoo 14%) – With his second appearance on the list, Thompson may finally be emerging as a viable candidate to slide into your starting rosters, not just your bench. Matt Jones has been as hit-or-miss as it comes at RB this season, with a big miss in Week 7 (10/28/0, 1 FL for a whopping .7 its in standard scoring). Meanwhile, Thompson’s the steady horse who brings value both in the rushing game and the passing attack. With his 12/73/0 rushing and 7/40/0 receiving he showed the flash of what he can do with the touches. He’s not supplanting Jones as the starter in Washington yet, but he’s going to cut into his volume, meaning he’s worth the pickup for the second half of the year.
- Peyton Barber, RB – TB (ESPN 0.0%, Yahoo 1%) – Now we move into the deeper diving of the wire. The next three names are al speculative, but one small turn of events could turn them into great additions, so get them now while you can. Starting with Barber, do I love these names? Am I willing to drop, say, Derrick Henry, for them? Nope. But, if you’re looking for a prospective boost, guys like Barber can give that. The Tampa rushing attack in Week 7 went bananas with Jaquizz Rogers carry the load, and new backup Barber getting 12 carries. Boosted by a 44 yard TD romp at the end of the game, the stats look impressive, but it’s the path to more carries that makes him a speculative add. Doug Martin’s out indefinitely, Charles Sims is on IR, and Quizz isn’t exactly the bastion of NFL stardom. One injury, or bad outing, could catapult an upstart Barber into 15 touches per game.
- Damien Williams, RB – MIA (ESPN 0.2%, Yahoo 0%) – Similar to Barber above, Williams is one injury away from significant touches. With the retirement announcement of Arian Foster (goodness, he was a stud for those 4 years), Williams is the de facto backup to the emergent and (now) explosive Jay Ajayi. The Dolphins may have found a new formula on offense by riding Ajayi seemingly into the ground, and, listen, he’s not the biggest dude in the world. Williams is already getting some goal line looks to provide current value, but roster him now if you’re looking for a flier, especially if you’re an Ajayi owner.
- Kenneth Dixon, RB – BAL (ESPN 23.6%, Yahoo 14%) – Perhaps the most exciting of the deep dives, Dixon has quietly cooled off from the hype he was receiving a few weeks back. He’s still done relatively nothing in terms of fantasy, but his potential is massive in Baltimore. Terrance West was an awesome option to start the year, but his 8/10/0 performance in Week 7 is leaving a lot to desire. Dixon is the more dynamic player, with the potential to add a lot in the receiving game, as well. The Ravens are on BYE this week, meaning he won’t be added used on any ‘projected points,’ so go add him for next to nothing and reap the benefits come playoff time.
Now…DROP THOSE COMMENTS! Good luck in Week 8!