It is Week 8 of the NFL season, and by now you are able to get a good view of what teams in your fantasy league are the strongest, and what teams are already left in the dust. Hopefully, for the sake of those who are reading this, you are in a strong position and can go into this week getting yourself rounded into shape to make a push towards the playoffs. It is about this time where teams need to determine whether they need to do something drastic with their rosters, or just stay the course and go with what they got. For this week’s 4-EYED PREVIEWS, here are some under the radar candidates to start for your fantasy team.
Jameis Winston – Quarterback – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In the two and a half games that Jameis Winston has played since coming back from his suspension, he has put up respectable numbers that makes him a viable candidate for the QB1 position on many fantasy teams. In his last two games, Winston has thrown for a total of 760 yards while averaging 26 points over those games. While he has been prone to the turnover bug, he has also made up for it whether it was his 4 TD performance vs. the Falcons or rushing for 55 yards and a TD to go along with 365 yards in passing last week against the Panthers. This week, Winston faces the Cincinnati Bengals who currently rank 30th in the NFL in Pass defense, having given up an average of 22.5 points per game to opposing QBs this season. In the seven game the Bengals have played, only twice has a QB thrown for less than 300 yards and/or less than 2 TDs in a game. With linebackers Vontez Burfict and Nick Vigil still nursing injuries, as well as a struggling secondary, look for Winston to make great use out of his corps of receivers and tight ends.
Vance McDonald – Tight End – Pittsburgh Steelers
As we get towards the ladder part of the fantasy season, a viable pass catching tight end becomes a more valuable commodity because most of the competent fantasy options are pretty much taken. Currently, Vance McDonald of the Pittsburgh Steelers is one of those tight ends that can be seen as a bye week fill in who will get his owner some points as they wait for their starting TE to return from the bye. So, for those of you who have TEs on Atlanta, Dallas, Tennessee or the L.A. Chargers, if you see McDonald on your waiver wire, I would give serious though to picking him up and plugging him in that open spot. While Jesse James came into this season as the Steelers #1 option at TE, Vance McDonald has slowly begun to increase his production and is now a credible target for Ben Roethlisberger. Over the last 3 games, McDonald has been targeted 15 times catching 13 of those passes for 132 yards. Again, those numbers are not eye-popping by any means, but it does show that he has made his mark on the Steelers offense, and going into this game against the Cleveland Browns who are giving up an average of 5.5 receptions and 55 yards a game to opposing teams tight ends, McDonald has the potential to be a stand out TE pick up, getting you through your bye week and providing you with much needed points from what you might have previously thought was a lost position.
Michael Crabtree – Wide Receiver – Baltimore Ravens
While he has not set the world on fire, the one thing that you can expect as the fantasy owner of Michael Crabtree is that his production this season has remained relatively consistent. Through the first seven week, Crabtree is averaging 9 targets and 5 receptions for just under 60 yards per game. He has averaged over 10 fantasy points per game this season and faces a Carolina team that is right in the middle of the league in average point given up to opposing team’s receivers. While Carolina’s defense has been fortified with the acquisition of safety Eric Reid, they are a little thin at the cornerback position with rookie second rounder Donte Jackson and vets Captain Munnerlyn and James Bradberry handling most of the CB duties. For this week’s game I would look for Crabtree to be a potential WR2 or flex option as he will find some success in getting open looks from an improving, but not overwhelming Carolina defense.
Mason Foster – Linebacker – Washington Redskins
While Zach Brown and Ryan Kerrigan get a lot of the publicity on the linebacking corps of the Redskins, it has been Mason Foster that has been the most consistent fantasy performer from that position this season. Foster, currently leads all Redskins linebackers in tackles as well as total fantasy points averaging 7.5 fantasy points per game. This week, the Redskins travel to NY to take on the Giants, and awaiting him will be rookie phenom Saquon Barkley, along with receivers, Odell Beckham Jr, Sterling Sheppard, as well as TE Evan Engram. With offensive weapons like that, Foster will more than likely have his hands full helping to not only put a cap on Barkley, but also be aware that the Giants love to employ the shallow crossing route that someone like Beckham has been known to turn into huge yards. With an offensive line that is among the worst in football, the Giants are not a team that frequently stretches out the defense and is makes too many big plays. Quarterback Eli Manning is regularly under pressure and Barkley is frequently having to avoid tackles on or before reaching the line of scrimmage. If the Redskins are able to continue that trend, look for Foster to be very active within the first 5-7 yards from the line of scrimmage. Also, and as many know, Manning is prone to throwing interceptions when pressured, so it is not out of the realm of possibility that Foster could not only potentially be in line to rack up the tackles, but also a big play or two could be in the offering as well. It is projected that Foster will score between 9-10 points this week, making him a good candidate to start in IDP leagues, and most definitely start in leagues that have roster spots for all defensive positions.