Top five fantasy football streamers for NFL Week 8

Fridays are for Five Lists of Five here at DKNetwork, and it’s both Week 8 and National Tight Ends day! You know what that means: we’re going to try to fit at least one tight end per list, so long as I earnestly believe they belong there. (Sam LaPorta, you feel me?).

A reminder of the premise behind this specific series of lists: All I want is for you to be better than your friends. You’re going to be surrounded by them on Sunday, probably. How sweet would it be if you could be sure you’ve checked every box possible that might guarantee you a resounding victory this week? Some kick-your-feet-up insights? I’ve got some.

Again—I know my audience. The smoke-break audience. The quick-scan-of-the-phone-on-the-way-to-the-fridge audience. The give-me-as-much-info-as-possible-as-fast-as-possible audience. I’m a man of the people.

And so, once more: Five Lists of Five. Think of these as byte-sized, two-minutes-to-yourself lists to scan during your weekend as you foam at the mouth for any competitive fantasy edge. As much relevant analysis as I can fit into, like, 250 words per player.

Keeping things rolling this week with top five Week 8 streamers.

Also available from my Week 8 Friday’s Five Lists of Five:

Stream ’em

Taysom Hill, TE, New Orleans Saints (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)

Happy National Tight Ends day! It’s Taysom Hill week here at the Five Lists of Five. Go get him and secure him for the second half of the season. But I like him as a potential streamer this week against the Chargers.

Here’s what I said of Taysom Hill in my column about him earlier this week:

For just about the last five years, he’s sort of been the Saints’ super-utility fantasy asset who savvy managers roster before his boom takes off.

To give you a sense of the history, here’s how many games after Week 7 of that year’s NFL season (but before Week 17, when most fantasy playoffs end) Taysom Hill scored over ten half-PPR fantasy points:

• 2023: 5 (two of these were 20+ FPT games)
• 2022: 4
• 2021: 3* (*Hill only played in six games between Weeks 8 and 17 in 2021; two of the three listed here were 20+ FPT games)
• 2020: 8 (five of these were 15+ FPT games; two were 20+ FPT efforts)
• 2019: 3

For those who don’t want to do the math, there are ten total weeks in between Week 8 and Week 17. At his worst, Hill is providing 10+ FPTs from your tight end slot 30% of the time for the second half of the season. I really do expect this to be a trend that continues this year.

Provided Hill stays healthy, I expect the Saints offense to feature him and their newly-extended superstar Alvin Kamara, primarily, in this offense in the short game. There’s a ton of value to be had there, potentially and historically.

Spencer Rattler is still starting at quarterback. The Saints are searching. Taysom Hill might be the answer.

Green Bay Packers D/ST (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars; 38.5% rostered)

From my Fantasy Football Week 8 Defense Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em Picks:

This is the last week I’m starting any unit against this Jaguars team. If the Packers D/ST can’t contain Trevor Lawrence and this iteration of the Jaguars’ offense, then I think it’s time for me to re-evaluate just how bad I think Jacksonville is.

Maybe their 7.0 FPT effort against Houston on Sunday disappointed folks enough—and broadly enough—that they saw their rostership percentage drop so much.

That’s folly. Pick them up and roll them out against one of the more inconsistent, mistake-prone offenses in all of 2024.

Chicago Bears D/ST (vs. Washington Commanders; 45.1% rostered)

From my Fantasy Football Week 8 Defense Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em Picks:

Everyone’s expecting the Caleb Williams versus (hopefully) Jayden Daniels matchup at 4:25 ET on Sunday to be a slam-the-over sort of game. Have we forgotten that the Bears defense has been the most impressive season-long asset on this team? They have legitimate budding superstars in Kyler Gordon and Brisker, and their front seven has been above-league-average.

I think there’s no doubt that Jayden Daniels is playing in this game, and the Bears are planning for him to be as mobile as he’s been all year.

This is a unit on the rise who’s had two weeks to prepare for this game. A rallying-cry win in London. I think this might be a low-scoring, physical game in which the Bears D/ST nets us 10+ FPTs.

Starting to look more and more like Marcus Mariota might be playing the full sixty minutes on Sunday. Gordon and Brisker were ruled out, so the Bears’ secondary is a bit weak. But this is still a wildly impressive unit with a lot of momentum off the bye, headed into their biggest test of the season.

Detriot Lions D/ST (vs. Tennesee Titans; 60.9% rostered)

Might as well round out what’s left of the NFC North left to play, right? This is a huge bounce-back spot for a Lions defense that got, I think, a bit stunned by some explosive plays out of the Vikings superstars. Aaron Jones ate. Justin Jefferson ate. He always eats.

The Lions came away with the win on Sunday, but this is a defense that has something to prove. And they’re starting against Mason Rudolph on Sunday.

Expect Aaron Glenn to have these Lions ready like gladiators.

Noah Fant, TE, Miami Dolphins

How is Fant not rostered in more leagues just yet? In his last five weeks, he’s registered 10+ PPR FPTs thrice. If you’re watching Seahawks games, you’re seeing that Fant is commanding targets. He has ten over the last two games.

This Bills/’Hawks game has a sneaky potential to be a bit of a shootout, and I like Fant to see at least five-to-seven targets in this one. It may be late in what was once thought to be a career destined for the stars, but this is the first time in a few years Fant’s seeing a starting slot in a few of my lineups.

Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st].

All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is thegreatdansby9) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information