Week 8 fantasy soccer matchup rankings: Improve Bo Nix, downgrade Quinshon Judkins

Making powerful lineup selections every week will be the most difficult a part of the fantasy soccer course of. Once you’re torn between two related gamers and easily do not know which to begin, begin the participant with the superior matchup.

Ah, however precisely how does one decide the most effective (and worst) weekly matchups?

The matchup rankings present a schedule-independent technique to judge positional matchups every week, rating all 32 opposing defenses so as of most to least favorable for opposing gamers in any respect 4 talent positions (quarterback, working again, broad receiver and tight finish). As a substitute of relying upon seasonal totals, we calibrate points-allowed information to indicate how every protection fared relative to the problem of the schedule it has confronted. This supplies a fairer method to judging the standard of particular person matchups.

“Adj. FPA,” or adjusted fantasy factors allowed, displays how far above or under gamers’ weekly PPR fantasy level averages that protection held opponents at that place. A constructive quantity implies that the matchup is favorable; a unfavorable quantity means it’s unfavorable. Moreover, keep in mind groups usually use a number of working backs and broad receivers in a recreation, and these plus/minus averages cowl all of a crew’s personnel at that place.

Lastly, a caveat: Matchups are solely one ingredient in my rankings components. Not each favorable matchup needs to be exploited, nor unfavorable matchup prevented. In order for you my — and the ESPN fantasy workers’s — most full supply for whom to begin and sit every week, seek the advice of our weekly rankings.

Quarterbacks

Matchups spotlight: Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (vs. Dallas Cowboys). He helped orchestrate the Broncos’ exceptional comeback towards the New York Giants final week, within the course of scoring 25.58 of his career-best 39.96 fantasy factors within the recreation’s last six minutes, and now he attracts by far the place’s most favorable matchup. The Cowboys have seen an opposing quarterback rating 25-plus fantasy factors in 4 of their seven video games, and so they’re the second crew in NFL historical past to see an opposing quarterback rating a minimum of 17.5 factors in every of their first seven contests. The Cowboys’ high-octane offense will probably be troublesome for even the Broncos’ vaunted protection to comprise, evidenced by the 2 groups’ week-high 50.5 over/beneath, giving Nix loads of probabilities to capitalize upon the matchup.

Others to love: Jordan Love, Inexperienced Bay Packers (at Pittsburgh Steelers); Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (at Baltimore Ravens).

Matchup to keep away from: Drake Maye, New England Patriots (vs. Cleveland Browns). He is taking part in the most effective soccer of his younger profession over the previous six weeks, averaging 21.9 fantasy factors in that span, and he brings a degree of mobility that makes him a near-lock for fantasy lineups in every week with six groups on a bye. Nonetheless, Maye’s subsequent two matchups are clearly the hardest on his 2025 schedule (CLE, ATL), and so they’ll gauge the extent of his breakthrough. Since Lamar Jackson scored 26.30 factors towards them in Week 2, the Browns’ protection has restricted opposing QB starters to 10.9 PPG. The Patriots are favored by greater than a rating (-7.5), so Maye additionally may not must do a lot on this contest.

Working backs

Matchups spotlight: Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers (vs. Buffalo Payments). In an enormous bye week, fantasy managers must dig deeper into the participant pool, and a working again from a transparent timeshare may not strike their fancy. In Dowdle’s case, it is his distinctive latest efficiency — 76.9 fantasy factors with league-leading numbers in dashing yards over anticipated (+156) and 15 mph runs (16) over the previous three weeks — that stands out when analyzing this matchup. One of many Payments’ defensive weaknesses this season has been towards the run, and particularly speedy backs. They’ve allowed the league’s best charges of explosive dashing performs (19.0%) and carries of 15-plus mph (30.7%), per Subsequent Gen Stats.

Others to love: D’Andre Swift, Bears (at Ravens); J.Okay. Dobbins, Broncos (vs. Cowboys).

Matchup to keep away from: Quinshon Judkins, Browns (at Patriots). He is coming off a breakthrough efficiency, scoring three dashing touchdowns and 26.4 fantasy factors in Week 7, however a number of it needed to do with the comfy-cozy Miami Dolphins matchup. Over the previous three weeks, the Dolphins have allowed 81.6 mixed factors to Dowdle, Kimani Vidal and Judkins. (As a aspect word for Bijan Robinson managers, he is the Dolphins’ subsequent opponent!) The Patriots, in the meantime, surrendered 26.2 factors to De’Von Achane in Week 2, however in any other case have not seen another particular person working again exceed 13.1 factors. They’re additionally the fourth-best protection at stopping explosive dashing performs (6.4%), which suggests bumpier terrain for Judkins on Sunday.

Huge receivers

Matchups spotlight: Matthew Golden, Packers (at Steelers). Contemplate the rookie a sleeper on this bye-heavy week, largely due to his position because the Packers’ major slot receiver. Within the crew’s two video games since their Week 5 bye, he has run 53% of his routes out of the slot and has performed a minimum of 70% of the offensive snaps in every recreation, the primary time he has been on the sphere that usually. The opposing Steelers, in the meantime, have surrendered the seventh-most fantasy factors per recreation to fit receivers, largely because of the struggles of nickel Jalen Ramsey. The six-time Professional Bowler has allowed a whopping 69.9 fantasy factors on 31 targets as the closest defender this season, per Subsequent Gen Stats.

Others to love: Calvin Ridley and Elic Ayomanor, Tennessee Titans (at Indianapolis Colts); Courtland Sutton, Broncos (vs. Cowboys).

Matchup to keep away from: Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins (at Atlanta Falcons). The Dolphins’ offense is a flat-out mess, posting the fifth-worst Offensive Effectivity ranking within the crew’s three video games since Tyreek Hill’s season-ending damage, and now they tangle with one of many strongest-performing defenses all season within the Falcons. Because of the play of CBs A.J. Terrell Jr. and Mike Hughes, who’ve surrendered a mixed 67.3 fantasy factors on 51 targets as the closest defender, the Falcons have seen solely two broad receivers exceed 11.1 factors towards all of them season (Emeka Egbuka, 23.6, in Week 1; and Deebo Samuel, 20.1, in Week 4).

Tight ends

Matchups spotlight: Mason Taylor, New York Jets (at Cincinnati Bengals). He is once more a worthwhile bye-week fill-in, sporting an 18.3% goal share that ranks high 10 on the place. The opposing Bengals have been slightly beneficiant to opposing tight ends, together with elevating rookie Harold Fannin Jr.’s fantasy profile with a breakthrough in Week 1, and most lately restoring the Steelers’ duo of Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith to the limelight. For the season, the Bengals have surrendered probably the most fantasy factors per recreation (22.3), Adjusted FPA (+7.3) and video games of 15-plus factors (3) to the place, and their 2.19 factors per goal afforded to TEs ranks third most.

Matchup to keep away from: Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders (at Kansas Metropolis Chiefs). He’ll stay an integral a part of the Commanders’ offense, particularly ought to a number of of the crew’s high three broad receivers once more sit because of damage, however a potential swap to Marcus Mariota, ought to Jayden Daniels hamstring damage maintain him on the sidelines, would take Ertz’s fantasy potential backwards. Ertz managed a 16.4% goal share and solely 12.9 fantasy factors in Mariota’s Weeks 3-4 begins, and he noticed just one goal amongst Mariota’s 10 passing makes an attempt in aid final week. The Chiefs additionally symbolize one of many place’s hardest matchups, having seen just one tight finish exceed 10 factors towards all of them season (Sam LaPorta’s 16.5 in Week 6).