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2019 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks for Week 8

My how the Top 12 rankings have changed.

Oakland Raiders v Green Bay Packers Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Analytically backed play calling changes have raised the play of both Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins. As long as it holds, the QB1 realm is theirs to keep. Rodgers set the Raiders defense ablaze last week and Deshaun Watson’s been chopping firewood ever since. Jacoby Brissett’s upcoming schedule (DEN, at PIT, MIA, JAX) will keep him producing at a QB1 level for the foreseeable future. Things should only get worse for Baker Mayfield as he travels to Foxborough for a date with the Patriots.

Week 8 Byes: The Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys.

Week 8 Quarterback Rankings

Rank Quarterback Team Opponent High Floor/High Ceiling QB1s
Rank Quarterback Team Opponent High Floor/High Ceiling QB1s
1 Deshaun Watson HOU OAK Watson's up and down season continues. Fortunately he's scheduled for an upswing in Week 8, facing a Raiders defense that Aaron Rodgers just set on fire.
2 Aaron Rodgers GB at KC Per Sharp Football Stats (link below), Rodgers attempted more passes on 1st down than he did on 2nd and 3rd combined. That's a recipe for success. If that keeps up, we'll be looking at vintage Aaron Rodgers in this cake walk of a matchup.
3 Tom Brady NE CLE Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward should be back this week but it likely won't matter. Brady can carve this defense up, no matter the personnel, given how many opportunities the Browns' offense will give them.
4 Josh Allen BUF PHI The offense is firing on all cylinders, heading into the matchup with Philly's ever-giving secondary.
5 Matthew Stafford DET NYG Stafford's had a similar boom/bust season to Deshaun Watson -- this week's matchup sets him up for serious boom.
6 Russell Wilson SEA at ATL Every week, Wilson plays against the opposing defense and Pete Carroll offensive system. A date with Atlanta's unbelievably bad defense can cure anything though.
7 Jared Goff LAR CIN Cincy's defense is the quickest way to a Top 12 finish.
8 Jacoby Brissett IND DEN Brissett's on fire and he's got another solid matchup on tap.
9 Kirk Cousins MIN WAS A change in play calling has paid dividends over the last two weeks, resulting in triumphant wins over NFC foes, Philadelphia and Detroit. Even if Adam Thielen can't go, Cousins should have a solid outing against the hapless Washington Football Team.
10 Kyler Murray ARI at NO Murray faltered last week and New Orleans' defense is the real deal. However, Superdome games are oftentimes high scoring affairs. He should be forced to throw to keep pace with the Saints' offense.
11 Carson Wentz PHI at BUF Very tough matchup but he should remain on the QB1/2 fringe.
Volatile QB1
12 Drew Brees NO ARI It's tough to say what Brees will bring against the Cards. It's a great matchup but he's risky.
High Floor/Capped Ceiling QB2s
13 Sam Darnold NYJ at JAX Huge boom spot for Darnold here.
14 Gardner Minshew II JAX NYJ A solid matchup for Mr. Consistent.
15 Ryan Tannehill TEN TB Tannehill looks like a much more effective game manager than Marcus Mariota. Expect the fantasy results of the pass catchers to somewhat stabilize.
16 Jameis Winston TB at TEN Tough spot for Winston but his supporting cast keeps him in the mid-to-high QB2 conversation.
17 Philip Rivers LAC at CHI The talent on this team buoys the win-total from plummeting to the level of the play calling. The analytics-less Chargers are stuck in the Stone Age.
18 Jimmy Garoppolo SF CAR A mid-tier matchup for Jimmy G.
19 Mason Rudolph PIT MIA A date with Miami is Rudolph's best chance to shine.
20 Baker Mayfield CLE at NE This week's trip to Foxborough may spell the end of Freddie Kitchens' play calling duties.
21 Kyle Allen CAR at SF The Niners defensive front is a stiff test for Allen.
22 Matt Moore KC GB Despite a plethora of playmakers, we can't expect much. The GB pass defense has been staunch.
23 Mitchell Trubisky CHI LAC The Chargers' pass defense was just had by Ryan Tannehill.
24 Matt Schaub ATL SEA Schaub is buoyed by the talent around him but he's not a desirable play.
Low Floor/Capped Ceiling QB3s
25 Andy Dalton CIN at LAR This offense just can't keep it together.
26 Derek Carr OAK at HOU With Tyrell Williams' dealing with plantar fascia, Carr is limited to peppering Darren Waller. Josh Jacobs need more passing game looks.
27 Ryan Fitzpatrick MIA at PIT Fitzmagic is likely to be harrassed by TJ Watt all night long. How the schedule makers decided to put this game on MNF is beyond comprehension.
28 Daniel Jones NYG at DET Jones could work his way into the QB2 range, given Detroit's injury-riddled defense. He's been playing downright poorly though so he remains a QB3 for now.
29 Joe Flacco DEN at IND The Indy defense should keep Flacco near the bottom of the QB3 realm.
30 Case Keenum WAS at MIN A brutal matchup for a very bad offense.
Source links: Aaron Rodgers’ passing stats via Sharp Football Stats.