Sunday’s slate of Week 8 matchups presents a number of valuable projections for fantasy football contributors. Matchups against struggling defenses, or situations that present players with expanded roles will raise some must-start candidates for Week 8 lineups. These four  favorable matchups should elevate fantasy production for some of fantasy’s biggest stars. 

Zay Flowers vs. Buffalo Bills

Star running back Derrick Henry is drawing plenty of attention ahead of the Baltimore Ravens’ matchup against the Buffalo Bills, and deservedly so. But I feel Baltimore’s premier fantasy threat lies in the receiving corps this week. Zay Flowers is coming off a season-high performance in Week 7, hauling in eight of his 11 targets for 137 yards and a touchdown. He notched 27.7 PPR points and a WR2 finish, building momentum heading into this week’s highly anticipated clash. 

With Lamar Jackson set to return, Flowers’ fantasy outlook is drastically elevated in a favorable matchup against the No. 31 pass defense in football. Buffalo has allowed four 80-yard receivers in the last two games, and Flowers will likely be the fifth during this recent stretch. 

Javonte Williams vs. Arizona Cardinals

Much like Flowers, Javonte Williams is coming off one of the better performances of his career in Week 7. The Dallas Cowboys’ star running back tallied a career-high 155 rushing yards over 25 carries, finding the endzone for the seventh time over the last five games. Though he was held without a catch in the passing game, Williams mustered 21.5 fantasy points and an RB7 finish for the week, raising expectations heading into this week’s matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. 

Javonte Williams had the best rushing game of his NFL career running all over the Eagles on Monday night.

25 CAR, 155 RUYDS, 1 TD, 6.2 YPC vs Eagles

Dallas finished with a season high 204 rushing yards in the 38 to 21 win. pic.twitter.com/plP1jdI8Bi

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) October 27, 2026

The Cardinals have struggled in run defense throughout the season, coming into Week 8 ranked as the No. 23 unit in the NFL, letting up 140 or more rushing yards in four of their last six games. Williams should sustain bell-cow workload in this matchup, and offers a significantly higher ceiling against a struggling Cardinals defense. 

Tee Higgins vs. Tennessee Titans

After a scoreless first half, the Cincinnati Bengals offense exploded for 35 points in the second half against Baltimore last week, and Tee Higgins played a crucial role in their offensive attack. The Bengals’ leading receiver hauled in six of his seven targets, racking up 148 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air. Higgins’ 26.8 PPR points ranked third among all fantasy wideouts in Week 7, propelled by his second game with 140 yards in three weeks. 

Ja’Marr Chase is dealing with a minor ankle injury coming into this week’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans, and Higgins should be in for another big day. Tennessee’s defense comes into Week 8 ranked 24th against the pass, allowing two 90-yard performances against Cleveland Browns pass-catchers in Week 7. Considering his volume, paired with an immensely favorable matchup, Higgins may be in for another top-3 finish in Week 8. 

Ashton Jeanty vs. New York Jets

The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled to establish the run during the team’s four-game skid following a 3-0 start to the 2026 campaign. Ashton Jeanty tallied 100 yards on the ground in the season opener, but has been held under 60 rushing yards in every game since. The Raiders’ offense has matched up against some tough defensive units, but that trend will come to a close in Week 8. 

Las Vegas will go on the road to take on the New York Jets on Sunday, presenting an ideal opportunity for Klint Kubiak to lean on his star running back with expanded volume. New York enters Sunday’s game ranked as a top-five pass defense in the NFL, but the unit is ranked just 24th against the run, letting up 150 rushing yards in three of their last four games. Jeanty should carve out significant production on the ground in this matchup, which will pair nicely with his newfound PPR production in the passing game.