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Doug Baldwin Among Most Notable Fantasy Wide Receiver Selections For Week 8

Scott Engel at RotoExperts.com previews Week 8 around the NFL from a fantasy football perspective.

There are six teams on bye in Week 8, the first of two weeks in which Fantasy players will be challenged to find ideal or adequate fill-ins for their regular starters. Fortunately, Fantasy owners of many of the key Seahawks players won't have to worry about filling in for their key performers, who can help carry them to victories against a very vulnerable New Orleans defense. The Saints have the league's 30th-ranked pass defense and is the most generous to opposing running backs on NFL.com. 

Noting the appealing matchup for the passing game, this should be the week when Doug Baldwin could have his best Fantasy game of the season so far. While Seattle may lean heavily on the ground game to control the clock and keep the Saints defense off the field as much as possible, the Seahawks will certainly be moved to go to the air often given the potential ability to capitalize on the matchup. When they do, Baldwin will certainly be a target on key downs and in scoring situations. The New Orleans secondary will have a lot of difficulty handling Baldwin's variety of routes and his ability to gain yardage after the catch. He's a Top 10 Fantasy WR for sure for Week 8. 

Tyler Lockett is definitely one of the possible fill-ins for your regular Fantasy starters in Week 8. Many Fantasy analysts believe he could come through with his best outing of the season so far, too. In larger leagues, you can even consider using Jermaine Kearse. When the Seahawks go deep, Russell Wilson may also look for Paul Richardson. If you have to search hard for a starting option in a very deep league, he's worth some consideration as well. 

This should be an ideal week for the Houston WRs to get back on track, as the Lions have allowed an NFL-high 18 TD passes. The  Raiders have the worst pass defense in the league, and Russell Shepard is a good add and start option as a WR3 for this week. Atlanta has the lowest-ranked pass defense in the NFC, so roll newly minted PPR volume producer Ty Montgomery and upside performer Davante Adams with confidence. Chris Hogan returns to Buffalo, and look for Tom Brady to get him the ball in big-play situations vs. his former team. 

This is also a seemingly very friendly matchup for Wilson, even if the Seahawks hand the ball to Christine Michael quite often. A strong running game will allow  Seattle to establish optimum balance on offense, and Wilson will surely have the potential to throw more than one TD pass. The Saints allow 19.61 Fantasy Points Per Game to opposing passers, fifth-highest on NFL.com

The Browns allow 21.30 FFPG to opposing QBs on NFL.com, highest among AFC teams. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a popular Fantasy streamer for this week, and the Jets may utilize the ground game a lot, too, but the New York QB should at least deliver a solid return. Carolina allows 20.66 FFPG to opposing passers, second-highest among NFC teams, so consider Carson Palmer as well. Jameis Winston should be good for at least two TD passes against the Raiders, and in very deep leagues, you can possibly go with Josh McCown against a Jets secondary that has been prone to giving up big plays this season. 

Other than Baldwin, the Seahawks passing game will primarily feature Jimmy Graham, who will certainly want to make some real noise in his return to New Orleans. A possibly emotional atmosphere could spur Graham to maybe the best Fantasy tight end performance of the week. The Saints allow just 6.98 standard FFPG to opposing tight ends on NFL.com, but Graham is certain to soar above that mark. 

Tyler Eifert is expected to regain a fuller role for the Bengals this week, and should immediately be expected to resume his role as a mjaor TD threat for Cincinnati. Detroit allows 12.33 FFPG to the TE position on NFL.com, and C.J. Fiedorowicz is coming on as a more reliable option, especially in PPR leagues. Cameron Brate has scoring promise against the Raiders, and Gary Barnidge's stock is boosted with the return of McCown, who has exhibited a good on-field rapport with the Cleveland TE in the past. 

The Saints allow 26.92 standard FFPG to running backs on NFL.com, the most on the site, putting Michael in position to be one of the best players at the position in Week 8. Look for the Seahawks to depend on the ground game as a central focus this week, as a successful running attack will take some pressure off Wilson and hopefully spur the Seahawks to win the time of possession battle, which will be a key against the Saints on their home turf. Michael is a definite RB1 for this week. 

The Browns have the AFC's worst run defense, and the Jets will take advantage with a lot of carries for Matt Forte this week. He also has RB1 appeal. The Redskins allow 119.7 rushing yards per game, so do not hesitate to use Jeremy Hill again this week. Matt Asiata should get into the end zone at least once vs. Chicago. San Diego allows 23.33 FFPG to the RB position, and new starter Devontae Booker is a must-start with added volume this week. 

The Chargers are a sneaky streamer on defense against Denver, as rookie Joey Bosa has made a difference in the pass rush with his presence recently. The Jets are a popular one-week option against the Browns, and Dallas may be an adequate filler vs. Philadelphia. Also make sure that top kickers Dustin Hopkins, Matt Bryant and Josh Lambo are not available in your league. They are widely available and may have outscored your current starter. 

*The Fantasy Sports Radio Network (FNTSY) is the premier FREE 24 hour Fantasy Sports Radio Network. Listen any time at fntsy.com/radio or get the FNTSY Radio app in the iTunes Store or on Google Play. Listen to shows with Scott Engel live or on demand, including the RotoExperts in the Morning.  *

The Seahawks face the Saints for Week 5 of the 2022 season at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Take a look back at photos from the past games between the two teams.

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