Joe Flacco has a sneaky Week 8 upside with Higgins and Chase
USA TODAY Sports’ Joe Rivera and Jacob Camenker break down why Joe Flacco could be worth starter consideration after his performance vs. the Browns.
Brace yourselves, fantasy football managers. “Byemageddon” is upon us, as a whopping six NFL teams will be out of action during Week 8 of the 2025 season.
The sheer volume of teams on bye in Week 8 will create numerous difficult lineup decisions for fantasy managers. The good news is only a handful of those decisions figure to come at quarterback, as few of the top-tier fantasy starters have the week off.
Sure, some teams will have to replace Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, Kyler Murray and Matthew Stafford in their starting lineups. And others will be hoping Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels can play as the duo battles hamstring injuries.
But there are still plenty of quality fantasy quarterbacks available to trust. Our crew at USA TODAY Sports breaks down the quarterbacks to start and sit in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season.
Fantasy football start ’em: Week 8 QBs
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
Nix is a dual-threat quarterback who just scored four touchdowns in the Broncos’ 33-32 comeback win over the Giants. The crazy part? All four of his touchdowns came in the fourth quarter.
That may speak to the hot-and-cold nature of Nix’s second season, but his ceiling is undeniable in a favorable matchup against the Cowboys. Dallas has given up the most fantasy points per game (FPPG) and a league-high 16 passing touchdowns to quarterbacks this season.
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Green Bay Packers)
The Packers won’t be as easy a matchup for Rodgers as the Bengals, but Green Bay has still surrendered multiple passing touchdowns in four of its last five games. Rodgers has totaled 14 touchdowns across his six starts with the Steelers and has multiple four-score games, giving him a high ceiling in this matchup.
Add in that Rodgers is facing the Packers, his former team, for the first time in his career and he should be motivated to have a strong showing this week. That makes the 41-year-old a worthwhile fantasy streamer amid the bye-week crunch.
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (at Pittsburgh Steelers)
Yes, you can trust both quarterbacks in the Packers-Steelers game. Pittsburgh has allowed the fifth-most FPPG to quarterbacks this season and the Steelers defense just allowed Joe Flacco to throw for 342 yards and three touchdowns against it.
Love has posted just one passing touchdown in three of his last four games, but his ceiling is higher than usual in a favorable matchup.
Fantasy football sit ’em: Week 8 QBs
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (at Denver Broncos)
Sitting Prescott may not be easy after the veteran quarterback has posted at least three touchdowns in four consecutive games. That’s especially true considering the relative lack of other streaming options available during Byemageddon.
Still, trusting Prescott against a Broncos defense that has allowed no more than one passing touchdown in five of their seven contests is a risky proposition. The 32-year-old quarterback will maintain a high ceiling given his recent performance, but his floor is much lower than usual on the road against a strong stop unit.
Justin Fields, New York Jets (at Cincinnati Bengals)
Does Fields have rushing upside against a woeful Bengals run defense? Sure, but we don’t even know if the 26-year-old will play after being benched mid-game in Week 7 in favor of Tyrod Taylor.
Beyond that, Fields has racked up nearly as many sack yards (76) as passing yards (91) over his last six quarters of action. Even if he does start, his limitations as a passer will likely prevent him from becoming a quality fantasy starter.
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
Stroud has been hamstrung this season by a shaky offensive line that has allowed him to be sacked 15 times in just six games. The 49ers haven’t been particularly good at generating pressure, but it will still be hard for Stroud to find enough time to hit his playmakers downfield, especially if Nico Collins (concussion) misses this game.
Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em, Week 8
Looking for more fantasy football advice? USA TODAY Sports has you covered:
→ A good running back makes all the difference. A bad running back can cost you a lot of points. Here’s who to start and who to sit in Week 8.
→ The wide receiver position is one of the deepest each season. Set yourself up for success in Week 8 with start ’em, sit ’em advice for wideouts.
→ Tight ends can be the perfect X-factor for any fantasy team. Here’s who you should start and sit in Week 8.
