Welcome in Nerds! The Dynasty Nerds have helped you throughout the NFL offseason, preparing for the 2023 fantasy football season. Now that your teams are set, it is time to get to work and win some dynasty championships. Every week, our writers will help you with the tough decisions and give you insight that you can’t get anywhere else. I will share my quarterback start/sits every week to help you set your starting lineups.
Below is a list of all of our weekly positional articles. Please follow us, tweet us, and DM us. We can’t wait to talk football with all of you Nerds!
- Changing the Call (QB): Mike Hicks
- The Cutback (RB): Jake Oliver
- Slant Pattern (WR): Tristan Cook
- 12 Formation (TE): Steven Pintado
- Flex on ‘Em (FLEX): Evan Brown
- IDP Start/Sit (IDP): Jon Glosser
NOTE: Rankings are based on a 12-team PPR league. So, saying WR2 means top 24, or TE1 means top 12, etc., and are pulled from Fantasy Pros consensus expert rankings.
The Veteran Backup
Jacoby Brissett, Brian Hoyer, Andy Dalton, Tyrod Taylor, Chad Henne, Dennis Bennett, a long line of valuable backups that can be counted on to get you through a week but probably won’t get you to the title game. I’m in for Mike this week as he has the week off. I look at the FantasyPros ECR to find you some quarterback start/sits for Week 8. But I must warn you– temper expectations. I’m no Mike Hicks.
WEEK 8 STARTS
Kenny Pickett, Steelers, QB22
The former Pitt Panther checks in at QB22 in the FantasyPros Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR). Kenny Pickett leads a Steelers offense with the eighth fewest rush attempts and the fourth fewest rush yards. Pittsburgh is bottom third in dropbacks and pass attempts but did get star receiver Diontae Johnson back from the hamstring injury that kept him out four games. For the past three seasons, Johnson has finished as the WR18, WR8, and WR28.
On the other side of the field, we have rising star George Pickens. The second year WR has a flair for the spectacular catch, and if he can play more consistently, he will provide a dual-threat attack with Johnson.
Pickett faces a Jaguars defense that has given up the second most passing yards through the first seven weeks of the season. They also have the fifth-fewest sacks in the NFL, which should bode well for the average Pittsburgh line. This lines up for Pickett to finish as a high-end QB2 in Week 8.
Sam Darnold, 49ers, QB24
As a backup stepping in to save the day myself, I couldn’t help but take a shine to Sam Darnold having to step in for Brock Purdy. Purdy turned in three QB1 and four QB4 weeks to start the season. Darnold has good tools and draft pedigree but never put it together on some terrible Jets and Panthers teams. He is stepping in for a very unheralded QB who has succeeded in the Shanahan scheme in large part due to great weapons. I expect Darnold to be like a guy who has always driven a 1978 AMC Pacer getting into a Lamborghini Diablo for the first time.
Look for Darnold to put up high-end QB2 to low-end QB1 numbers.
WEEK 7 SITS
Russell Wilson, Broncos, QB13
The ECR has Russell Wilson on the verge of being a QB1 in Week 8. That feels optimistic to me. The first year of the Russell Wilson/Sean Payton partnership has delivered a 2-5 record. Not great, Bob.
Wilson and the Broncos match up against division rival Kansas City Chiefs this week. He is QB10 on the season. The Broncos are 22nd in pass yards per game at 199.4 yards, while the Chiefs give up the 10th fewest pass yards at 188.9 yards.
The Chiefs are known for their offense, but the defense gives up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks and the eighth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. Our own Brad Custer rates this matchup as a -26% in his weekly Positional Matchup column (POSAFPA) column.
You are likely starting Wilson in Superflex leagues, but I would avoid streaming him in 1QB leagues.
Sam Howell, Commanders, QB16
Sam Howell was my favorite quarterback in the 2022 class. I was surprised that he fell to the fifth round. I was looking forward to Howell taking a step forward in 2023. What I didn’t expect was Howell to be on a record pace for sacks taken with 40 through seven games. That is 12 more than the second most sacked quarterback.
The second-year Commander has an aDot of 7.8 yards, 20th in the NFL. Howell’s 4.7% turnover-worthy throw rate is 28th in the league. Throwing the ball short and inaccurately is not a recipe for success.
I mentioned Howell’s propensity to take sacks earlier. Week 8, Howell faces a Philadelphia defense that has put up the third most sacks in 2023. At QB16, Howell is over-ranked. Look for him to check in as a low-end QB2 at best in Week 8.
Bryce Young, Panthers, QB20
It has been a trying season for the #1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. The Panthers have yet to win a game. The rookie franchise quarterback is still trying to find his footing in the NFL.
Young has a QB rating of 78.7 – 31st in the NFL. Of quarterbacks with a minimum of 70 dropbacks, Young is 34th in the league with a 5.31 yards per attempt. This dovetails nicely with his 35th-ranked deep throw percentage of 3.8%.
Young checks in at QB25 on the season and is a sit for me in Superflex leagues in Week 8.
