By Andrew Doherty
The Ravens travel to Tampa Bay to kick off NFL’s Week 8 in what has become something of a rare type of matchup on Thursday Nights: A game featuring two teams firmly in the mix for a playoff berth. Both teams are led by quarterbacks who have fallen short of expectations in recent weeks. The over/under for this game currently sits at 45 and each squad has its fair share of playmakers on offense. There is no shortage of quality options for tonight’s slate, but as always I’ve put in the work to find the very best ones for you. Here’s who I like this week:
Best NFL DFS Lineup Options for Week 8
Chris Godwin
Although Godwin hasn’t had a spike week performance yet this year, the usage is there. After missing a pair of games early in the year, Godwin returned to action in Week Four and has averaged over 10 targets per game ever since, failing to hit double-digit targets only once during that span. Godwin, who has seen 25 targets over the last 2 games alone, is in a prime spot this week against a Baltimore secondary that is allowing the 8th most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. He has a significantly lower price tag than running mate Mike Evans and with his ability to get open quickly, he could also command significantly more targets than Evans, given the Buccaneers’ recent struggles in pass protection and Evans is more of a downfield threat. Godwin is my preferred choice of any Tampa Bay player for this slate.
Lamar Jackson
You really don’t need me to tell you about Lamar Jackson’s rushing upside that can win you the slate or the safe floor that it offers, but I will anyways. Baltimore’s running back room has been a revolving door this season due to injuries and presumed starter Gus Edwards has been limited all week with a knee injury after making his 2022 debut on Sunday. Edwards, who is returning from a torn ACL in 2021, will likely be on a pitch count if he is able to play with the short turnaround. To make matters worse, Tampa Bay’s stout front seven allows the 6th fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. So, why am I telling you all of this? Simple: Baltimore relies heavily on their ground attack and given the circumstances it doesn’t seem very likely that they’ll be able to get much going with their current running backs, thus forcing Lamar to pick up the slack when it comes to rushing production. Lamar Jackson is at his best (at least in DFS) when he’s using his legs to rack up points, and he should be running early and often in this one.
Rashod Bateman
After a hot start to the season, Bateman cooled off after suffering a foot injury early in the year. He didn’t do much to inspire confidence in his Week Seven return as he recorded 4 catches for 42 yards on 5 targets. However, with top pass-catching option Mark Andrews struggling to play through a knee injury, Bateman could be looking at an uptick in targets. If Mark Andrews is unable to suit up, Bateman would be in line for a significantly increased workload. Against a Buccaneers secondary that will be without Logan Ryan, Antione Winfield, Carlton Davis, and Sean Murphy-Bunting, there’s a strong chance Bateman will feast against Tampa Bay’s backup DBs.
Rachaad White
Admittedly, White is a low-cost dart throw. However, there is some logic behind playing him this week. For starters, White was on the field for 44% of snaps last week, which is a season-high. Starter Leonard Fournette has been inefficient in 2022, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry while looking lethargic and indecisive. Given Fournette’s age, workload, and the fact that it’s a short week, there’s a very real chance that White eats into his touches more than usual this week.
