DraftKings NFL Week 8: Top Picks and Lineup Strategy

Sunday's Week 8 slate on DraftKings includes 10 games and features Cowboys-Broncos with the highest total. The Ravens have been left underpriced with Lamar Jackson expected to return. There's enough value at every position to spend up wherever you want, though choosing between the likes of Taylor, McCaffrey, Robinson, Chase and Lamb will be difficult. 

In this breakdown, I've highlighted the top options for cash games and included some of my favorite ideas for GPPs. As usual, leverage and correlation are paramount to winning large-field tournaments and important to prioritize when building lineups. For cash games, play the best chalk and follow ownership when in doubt. 

Note: All prices listed come from DraftKings, but most of the logic can be applied to other sites across the DFS industry. Discussion is limited to players from the "main slate" of games kicking off at 1 p.m., 4:05 p.m. and 4:25 p.m. EDT on Sunday. The strategy below is meant for large-field tournaments, where payouts typically are limited to ~20 percent of lineups, with the majority concentrated at the very top.

The Games

Point-Per-Dollar Value

These are the players with the best projections relative to their salaries — good plays both for cash games and large-field tournaments. While we don't want our GPP lineups to look like cash-game lineups top to bottom, there's nothing wrong with using a few chalky plays.

• RB Derrick Henry vs. CHI ($6,000)

I'm not sure what DraftKings was thinking when they dropped Henry's salary to a season-low $6,000. I expected closer to $7K, and if this matchup had taken place in Week 1 or 2, before the Ravens struggles, he may have been priced closer to $8K. Lamar Jackson is expected back and Henry is coming off 24 carries for 122 yards against the Rams last week. The Ravens have 28-point implied total and he's favored to find the end zone. It feels like an easy click, similar to Judkins from a week ago.

• WR Zay Flowers vs. CHI ($5,400)

DraftKings dropped the ball pricing the Ravens. Flowers at $5,400 might've been accurate if Cooper Rush was starting but not with Lamar Jackson ready to return. After a 31-point ceiling in Week 1 against Buffalo, his salary had risen to $6,700 for the Week 4 matchup against Kansas City when Jackson got hurt. He might not have as safe a floor as Chris Olave ($5,800), who I've been highlighting here every other week, but $5,400 for the explosive Ravens No. 1 WR is just too cheap. 

Other Cash-Game Options

QB Lamar Jackson vs. CHI ($6,800)

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QB Jalen Hurts vs. NYG ($6,600)

QB Bo Nix vs. DAL ($6,000)

QB Spencer Rattler vs. TB ($4,700)

RB Jonathan Taylor vs. TEN ($9,500)

RB Christian McCaffrey at HOU ($9,000)

RB Bijan Robinson vs. MIA ($8,800)

RB De'Von Achane at ATL ($7,300)

RB James Cook at CAR ($6,700)

RB Rachaad White at NO ($6,400)

RB Derrick Henry vs. CHI ($6,000)

RB Alvin Kamara vs. TB ($5,700)

RB Chase Brown vs. NYJ ($5,400)

WR Ja'Marr Chase vs. NYJ ($8,100)

WR Emeka Egbuka at NO ($7,000)

WR Drake London vs. MIA ($6,400)

WR DeVonta Smith vs. NYG ($5,900)

WR Chris Olave vs. TB ($5,800)

WR Jaylen Waddle at ATL ($5,700)

WR Zay Flowers vs. CHI ($5,400)

TE Tyler Warren vs. TEN ($5,500)

TE Cade Otton at NO ($3,400)

TE Dalton Schultz vs. SF ($3,300)

D/ST Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN ($3,800)

D/ST Philadelphia Eagles vs. NYG ($3,200)

D/ST Cincinnati Bengals vs. NYJ ($2,700)

Passing-Game Stacks

Stacks are the centerpiece of most tournament lineups, seeking to take advantage of positive correlations between players. It rarely makes sense to use a quarterback without one or two of his pass catchers, even if the player in question scores a decent portion of his fantasy points with his legs. Ideally, a stack also includes a pass catcher from the other side of the game, hoping to take advantage of a back-and-forth shootout. (Implied team totals are listed in parentheses.)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25.25) at New Orleans Saints (21.25)

Buccaneers 

After a tough loss Monday night in Detroit, the injury-riddled Bucs travel to New Orleans for a matchup against the Saints. It should be a bounce back spot for Baker Mayfield ($6,400) and the offense, who will be without their core of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving. Not ideal but nothing Mayfield can't handle, as he's played at a high level while they've dealt with key absences all season. Standout rookie Emeka Egbuka ($7,000) has stepped up and flourished, drawing 12 targets last week, and he should see big volume again Sunday. Another exciting rookie, seventh-rounder Tez Johnson ($4,300), has a touchdown catch in back-to-back games and is coming off nine targets. Cade Otton ($3,400) also drew nine, catching seven for 65 yards, and he's become Mayfield's security blanket in recent weeks. If you'd rather target the running game, the Saints allowed 222 yards on the ground to the Bears last week. Rachaad White ($6,400) projects as one of the best values on the board after out-snapping Sean Tucker 63 to six last week. 

Saints

The New Orleans offense continues to play fast under Kellen Moore, and his uptempo approach combined with their below-average defense is a great recipe for fantasy production. The matchup against Tampa Bay's defense, still a pass funnel with Vita Vea clogging the middle, looks ideal for Spencer Rattler ($4,700) and his WRs. Chris Olave ($5,800) is coming of 98 yards and two TDs against the Bears last week, and he'll be a popular source of value again. Rashid Shaheed ($4,700) has at least four catches in every game and is always liable to break a long one. He qualifies as tournament leverage given his ceiling potential and the gap in ownership between him and Olave. Alvin Kamara ($5,700) is in line for as much of the backfield work as he can handle after the Saints lost RB2 Kendre Miller for the season. It's not a great spot for rushing, but the cheap salary and pass-catching upside make him viable nonetheless. 

• Favorite Bucs Stack: QB Mayfield + WR Olave or WR Shaheed + TE Otton and/or WR Johnson
• Favorite Saints Stack: QB Rattler + RB White + WR Olave or WR Shaheed 

Dallas Cowboys (23.5) at Denver Broncos (27)

Cowboys

Once again Dallas find themselves in the week's highest-totaled game, which makes sense when you have a top offense and suspect defense. Dak Prescott ($6,500) is playing at an elite level, throwing for at least three TDs in four consecutive games without an interception. The Broncos will present a tougher test, but we just saw Jaxson Dart and the Giants travel to Denver and have their way for a majority of the game. CeeDee Lamb ($7,800) returned from an ankle injury last week and caught five passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, while George Pickens ($7,100) has a reception of at least 40 yards in three consecutive games and six TDs in his last six. Jake Ferguson ($6,000) also has six TDs on the season and leads the team in catches and targets. His salary increase and the return of Lamb will leave him and Pickens almost completely overlooked this week. 

Broncos 

Bo Nix ($6,000) was struggling through three quarters against the Giants before turning it on and finishing Week 7 as the overall QB1 after throwing for two TDs and running for two more. He'll have an easier matchup this time around against a Cowboys defense that's allowed the most fantasy points in the league to opposing QBs. It looks like a great spot for his pass-catchers too, as no team has surrendered more touchdowns to WRs. Courtland Sutton ($6,200) is the top option after drawing 10 targets in two of the last three games, and he is always a red-zone threat. Marvin Mims ($3,900) is coming off a season-high 85 yards on six catches and has the explosiveness to break a slate in two plays. Evan Engram ($4,100) continues to be more involved, with at least four catches and six targets in four consecutive games. Neither Engram nor Mims will carry significant ownership either. 

• Favorite Cowboys Stack: QB Prescott + WR Lamb + TE Engram or WR Mims
• Favorite Broncos Stack: QB Nix + WR Lamb + TE Engram +/- WR Mims or WR Sutton

Other Stacks to Consider

QB Josh Allen + WR Keon Coleman or WR Khalil Shakir

QB Lamar Jackson + WR Zay Flowers

QB Jalen Hurts + WR DeVonta Smith +/- WR Wan'Dale Robinson

QB Baker Mayfield + WR Emeka Egbuka + WR Chris Olave or WR Rashid Shaheed 

QB Daniel Jones + TE Tyler Warren +/- WR Elic Ayomanor

QB Jaxson Dart + WR Wan'Dale Robinson + WR DeVonta Smith 

QB Joe Flacco + WR Ja'Marr Chase or WR Tee Higgins

High-Priced Heroes

• RB Bijan Robinson vs. MIA ($8,800)

Miami's defense has been bad all season. They just allowed three touchdowns to Quinshon Judkins, 124 rushing yards to Kimani Vidal and 206 rushing yards to Rico Dowdle in successive weeks. This is smash spot for Robinson, who's shown big upside as a receiver as well, with six catches in back-to-back games. Based on that and the $700 savings, I'd rank him just ahead of Jonathan Taylor ($9,500). 

• WR Ja'Marr Chase vs. NYJ ($8,100)

What else can you say about Chase after 16 catches on 23 targets? It wouldn't have been surprising to see him priced at $9K in this spot. Joe Flacco is a night and day difference from Jake Browning, and the winless Jets will be without star CB Sauce Gardner. It's almost too obvious and he's likely to end up as the most popular WR. 

Honorable Mentions: RB Jonathan Taylor ($9,500); WR Emeka Egbuka ($7,000)

Fading the Field

Every week we see at least one or two players who are popular without the backing of a top point-per-dollar projection. In some cases it even makes sense to fade a player with a strong projection, particularly when there are good alternatives at the same position and price range.

• RB Saquon Barkley vs. NYG ($7,600)

Barkley doesn't have a 20-fantasy point game all season; he hasn't rushed for 100 yards either. In fact, he's only topped 60 yards once. I'm just not willing to chase that when we have the likes of Taylor, McCaffrey and Robinson to spend up for. I'd also rather just save salary and roster Henry instead, or even Rachaad White ($6,400), who projects about the same for considerably less. 

The Smash Spot

(Players in favorable spots to significantly outperform their salary.)

• Dalton Schultz vs. SF ($3,300)

With the Texans down Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, Schultz is expected to see a significant bump in target share. He's coming off nine catches on 10 targets against the Seahawks last week and was consistent before that, with at least five catches in four straight. Sunday's matchup is actually rather favorable too, as the 49ers are missing star LB Fred Warner. Schultz projects as the top value at TE by a considerable margin and will almost certainly be the most popular at his position. If you aren't sold, it's a good spot to look for leverage in GPPs. 

The Bargain Bin

QB Michael Penix vs. MIA ($4,900)

QB Spencer Rattler vs. TB ($4,700)

QB Tyrod Taylor at CIN ($4,500)

RB Alvin Kamara vs. TB ($5,700)

RB Chase Brown vs. NYJ ($5,400)

WR Rashid Shaheed vs. TB ($4,700)

WR Tez Johnson at NO ($4,300)

WR Troy Franklin vs. DAL ($4,200)

WR Elic Ayomanor at IND ($3,900)

WR Marvin Mims vs. DAL ($3,900)

TE Jaylin Noel vs. SF ($3,500)

TE Mason Taylor at CIN ($3,500)

TE Cade Otton at NO ($3,400)

TE Dalton Schultz vs. SF ($3,300)

TE Colston Loveland at BAL ($3,000), if Cole Kmet is out

Weather

• As of Friday afternoon, nothing to worry about this week.