Week 8 Mailbag Q&A! Start/Sit, Waivers & Questions Answered! (10/31 Fantasy Football Podcast)

A rumor is circulating from a source the source does not consider valid that A.J. Brown is out for multiple weeks; the source explicitly notes this is not from a Patriots beat writer and should be treated with skepticism.

In a start/sit decision, the source recommends starting Sam Darnold over Aaron Rodgers for the week.

In a superflex league with 4 points per passing touchdown, Richardson (Penix) ranks ahead of Malik Willis and Cousins.

When asked to pick two running backs for the week, the source identified Antonio Williams as 'the easy one,' indicating he is the clear starter among the options presented.

The source is not excited about Antonio Williams and believes another the source (Dave) is overexcited about him, recommending Calvin Ridley over Williams in a start/sit decision.

The source is not excited about Antonio Williams despite a great opportunity, suggesting the opportunity has not yet materialized in production; would roster but not start him.

Williams is described as a good dart throw at number three receiver for the Commanders; the source suggests he remains a viable option even with Trelon Burks practicing, indicating Williams retains value in deeper leagues.

The source is starting Zonovan Knight as one of his running backs on a 3-11 team, indicating Knight is a low-quality option being used out of necessity rather than preference.

In a PPR league needing two players, Corum is recommended over Chris Godwin because Mike Evans is back, reducing Godwin's target share.

In a 4-point passing touchdown superflex league, Nix ranks fourth and is not recommended in a start-two decision that favors Stafford and Cousins.

Braylon Allen was offered as part of a package deal with Breece Hall in a trade proposal, indicating he is viewed as a complementary piece rather than a primary asset.

When asked to choose between Tony Pollard and Breece Hall if Hall plays, the source selected Breece Hall, stating 'I cannot give away Brees Hall right now,' indicating strong conviction in Hall's value despite current roster constraints.

The source expresses doubt about Breece Hall's ability to carry a weak Jets offense, stating 'I don't know if Brees Hall is going to be able to save it' in reference to a fantasy team built around him and receivers Jeremy Bernard, Ladd McConkie, and Cortland Sutton.

Breece Hall is listed as limited in practice, indicating a potential injury concern heading into the week.

The source proposes Brock Bowers as a target in trade for Justin Jefferson, positioning him as a valuable upgrade at tight end for a roster with elite receiver depth; this reflects confidence in Bowers' value relative to Jefferson in the context of positional scarcity.

Bucky Irving left a game briefly for a couple of possessions, prompting the source to evaluate the backup running back situation in Tampa Bay.

In a PPR league needing two players, Caleb Douglas is the top recommendation, with the source stating 'If it's Caleb Douglas, I would choose him' as the primary pick.

In a 4-point passing touchdown superflex league, Williams ranks behind both Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins for a start-two decision.

In a start/sit decision, the source recommends starting Calvin Ridley (referred to as 'Tate' in the transcript) over Antonio Williams.

Tate currently has injuries but has a great schedule ahead; the source considers him a good fallback option in a trade for Tyler Warren but recommends aiming higher first.

In a trade evaluation, Chase Brown and Jalen Coker are not preferred over Justin Jefferson and Jordan Mason; the source recommends sticking with Jefferson and Mason.

In a trade evaluation, the source prefers the Chase Brown and Charbonnet side over Jeremiah Love and Ollie Gordon.

In a PPR league needing two players, Godwin ranks behind Blake Corum and Caleb Douglas (or Demario Douglas if AJ Brown is out), but would be preferred if Mike Evans were out.

With Mike Evans ruled out, Chris Godwin's target opportunities increase significantly. The source expresses strong conviction about starting him, stating 'I'm seriously going to start him in like two or three leagues,' indicating elevated target value and role expansion in Evans' absence.

The source prefers Chris Rodriguez over Kenneth Gainwell as a waiver wire pickup, suggesting Rodriguez has better upside as a speculative add.

A listener in a 2-5 half-PPR league traded McCaffrey and Kalon Black for Bejal Tootin and Jeremiah Love; the source states 'I'd rather have him in McCaffrey's side,' indicating McCaffrey's side is the more valuable asset, though the source acknowledges the trade is 'fair' given the desperation of a 2-5 record.

Cortland Sutton is listed as a receiver on a 3-11 team, and the source expressed reluctance to acquire him in a trade, indicating limited confidence in his value.

The source expresses a preference for Cortland Sutton, saying 'Don't you want Cortland Sutton? I think you do,' suggesting the source believes Sutton is an attractive fantasy option despite the listener's initial hesitation.

In a pick-two decision, DJ Moore is recommended if he plays; if Moore is out, Judkins is recommended instead, indicating Moore's status is uncertain and his availability affects the lineup decision.

In a trade evaluation, the source prefers the Chase Brown and Charbonnet side over Jeremiah Love and Ollie Gordon, indicating preference for Charbonnet.

In a PPR league needing two players, if it's Demario Douglas (not Caleb), he would be the source's favorite pick, suggesting he has strong upside.

The source suggests Devin Singletary as a potential waiver wire option to target if available on the roster.

Devin Singletary is on the bench of a 3-11 team, suggesting he is not trusted as a starter despite being rostered.

In a PPR start/sit decision between Drake London and Parker Washington, the source selected Drake London, stating 'London, both clubs' and 'I would start London as well,' indicating strong confidence in London as a top-10 option.

The source mentions Elijah Mitchell as a potential speculative waiver wire option to consider for this week.

The source prioritizes Elijah Mitchell over Jaden Blue as the backup option in the Eagles running back room if Saquon Barkley is unavailable.

The source considered trading away Garrett Wilson to acquire Breece Hall and Braylon Allen, indicating Wilson is being evaluated as expendable despite being a receiver on a struggling team.

Garrett Wilson is mentioned as part of a trade discussion where a listener is considering trading him away for Breece Hall, indicating Wilson is a notable asset in the listener's roster construction.

A listener traded Garrett Wilson for Saquon Barkley in a 14-team half-PPR league and received a 'D' grade from the source; however, the source qualifies this by noting 'I would like to trade if Barkley were healthy,' implying Wilson's side is preferable due to Barkley's injury concerns, making Wilson the better asset in this context.

The source prefers Zay Flowers over Garrett Wilson in a trade evaluation, suggesting Wilson was the less desirable asset in the deal.

Wilson is held as a valuable asset that should only be traded in a two-for-one package deal for one of the elite tier players in fantasy, indicating the source views him as a strong hold.

In a start/sit tight end comparison between Hunter Henry, TJ Hawkinson, and Chico Conquo, the source recommends Henry as the preferred option.

In a trade evaluation, Jalen Coker and Chase Brown are not preferred over Justin Jefferson and Jordan Mason; the source recommends sticking with Jefferson and Mason.

In a half-PPR start/sit decision between Bourne, Sutton, Caleb Douglas, Omari, and Hampton, the source recommends starting Bourne and Douglas, indicating preference for Douglas in this lineup.

A listener traded James Cook for Zay Flowers and Jordan Mason; the source's response is neutral ('Not bad'), indicating the trade is acceptable but without strong conviction either way, reflecting the difficulty of evaluating trades without full roster context.

In a start/sit decision, the source recommends starting Jaden Daniels over Jared Goff for the week.

The source recommends starting Jaden Daniels over Jared Goff in a start/sit decision for the week.

Jeremiah Love is acquired alongside Bejal Tootin in a trade for Christian McCaffrey and Kalon Black from a 2-5 team; the source prefers the McCaffrey side but acknowledges the trade is fair given the team's desperation.

When asked if Jeremiah Love could be a league winner down the stretch, the source expresses cautious optimism but uncertainty due to injury concerns. The source notes Love received significant early-season work (two-thirds of snaps, goal line work) in weeks 3-4 before his injury, but subsequently saw reduced snap counts. The source is excited about Love's potential but acknowledges the unpredictability of his injury status and role going forward.

The source believes Taylor is one of the five or six best players in fantasy football for the rest of the season, warranting only trading him in a two-for-one package deal for one of the elite tier players; however, there is debate about this ranking given his recent performance and the loss of Nelson, with the source noting he is RB6 per game when counting Josh Jacobs.

If Elijah Jones is out, the source would start Jordan Mason, indicating Mason becomes the lead option in that scenario.

In a trade evaluation, the source recommends keeping Jordan Mason and Justin Jefferson rather than trading them for Chase Brown and Jalen Coker, unless Mason has lingering injury concerns.

Jordan Mason is acquired alongside Zay Flowers in a trade for James Cook; the source's neutral evaluation ('Not bad') suggests the trade is reasonable but context-dependent.

Mason is the preferred start in half-PPR if Jones is out; if Jones is in, Tate is preferred instead, indicating Mason's value is contingent on the Giants backfield depth chart.

In a half-PPR start/sit decision between Tate and Jordan Mason, the source recommends Mason if Jones is out, indicating Mason's value is contingent on Jones' injury status.

Downs was traded away by the Titans, which will increase target volume for Tyler Warren.

In a trade evaluation, the source recommends keeping Justin Jefferson and Jordan Mason rather than trading them for Chase Brown and Jalen Coker, unless Jordan Mason has lingering injury concerns.

The source suggests trading Justin Jefferson for Brock Bowers in a league where the roster is stacked with elite receivers (JSN, Chase, Jefferson, Neighbors, Burden); the implication is that Jefferson's value is redundant given the depth at receiver and that upgrading at tight end (from Juwan Johnson and Higby) is a higher priority.

Kalon Black is traded alongside Christian McCaffrey for Bejal Tootin and Jeremiah Love in a 2-5 half-PPR league; the source prefers the McCaffrey side but acknowledges the trade is fair given the team's desperation.

In a start/sit decision between Keenan Allen and Romeo Dunze, the source recommends Keenan Allen; the source notes Allen is the better play in both PPR and non-PPR formats, though the gap is closer in non-PPR.

In a half-PPR start/sit decision between Bourne, Sutton, Caleb Douglas, Omari, and Hampton, the source recommends starting Bourne and Douglas.

In a waiver wire decision between Kenneth Gainwell and Chris Rodriguez, the source prefers Rodriguez; the source notes Gainwell's roster spot could be better used speculating on other players.

When Bucky Irving left a game briefly, Sean Tucker received the work and not Gainwell, suggesting Gainwell is not the backup option in Tampa Bay's backfield hierarchy.

David Bailey's injury status is characterized as 'good news' for Kirk Cousins, suggesting the Jets' passing game may benefit from Bailey's absence.

In a superflex league with 4 points per passing touchdown, Cousins ranks second behind Penix and ahead of Malik Willis.

Kyron Williams was traded to the commissioner by the manager who acquired Jameer Gibbs, with the rationale that Williams was no longer needed in that manager's roster construction after the Gibbs acquisition.

In a superflex league with 4 points per passing touchdown, Willis ranks behind Penix and Cousins but is close enough that the source considers flipping him with Penix.

In a 4-point passing touchdown superflex league, Stafford is the top recommendation in a start-two decision over Caleb Williams, Kirk Cousins, and Bo Nix.

In a pick-two decision between Michael Wilson, Lad McConkie, Quinjohn Judkins, and DJ Moore, the source recommends Wilson and Moore if Moore plays, or Wilson and Judkins if Moore is out, indicating Wilson is a lock in this lineup.

Wilson is disfavored in a trade comparison with Trey Tucker due to Arizona's awful schedule for the rest of the season.

In a trade evaluation, the source prefers the Chase Brown and Charbonnet side over Jeremiah Love and Ollie Gordon.

In a pick-two scenario for half-PPR, the source selected Omar Cooper as one of the two running backs to start.

In a PPR start/sit decision, Parker Washington was not selected over Drake London, indicating he is not the preferred option despite the Panthers firing their defense coordinator.

Puka Nakua was selected first overall in a league draft via auto-draft when the first-pick owner was unavailable due to attending a wedding with no internet access. The source confirms the commissioner cannot override auto-draft results to reassign the pick to a different player, even in unusual circumstances.

In a Superflex PPR league with 4-point passing touchdowns, the source recommends Rhamondre Stevenson as one of the top options among Stevenson, Rodgers, Pickens, and Diggs.

The source recommends starting Sam Darnold over Aaron Rodgers in a start/sit decision for the week.

The source grades a Garrett Wilson-for-Saquon Barkley trade as 'D' and explicitly states 'I would like to trade if Barkley were healthy,' indicating concern about Barkley's injury status and suggesting his health is a significant downside to acquiring him.

If Barkley doesn't play, the source prioritizes Elijah Mitchell over Jaden Blue in the Eagles running back room.

When Bucky Irving left a game, Sean Tucker was the one getting the work, indicating he is the preferred backup in Tampa Bay's backfield.

The source identifies Seth McGowan as a good speculative waiver wire option to target instead of holding Kenneth Gainwell's roster spot.

With Mike Evans ruled out, Ted Hurst enters play as a sleeper option in the Buccaneers offense, gaining additional receiving opportunities in the absence of the team's top receiver.

In a start/sit decision, Tony Pollard was not selected over Breece Hall, indicating Hall is the preferred option.

The source prefers Tucker over Michael Wilson for the rest of the season, citing Arizona's awful schedule as a reason to avoid Wilson.

Trevion Henderson officially did not practice Thursday due to illness, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming game.

Lawrence is preferred over Dak Prescott in a start/sit decision, indicating the source favors Lawrence's outlook.

Burks is practicing for the Commanders and is somebody to keep an eye on in deeper leagues, suggesting he is a potential pickup for the rest of the season but not an immediate starter.

Tyler Warren has averaged 14 points per game this season (10.3, 14.4, 14.7, 9.1, and 21.4 PPG across five games), which the source notes is really good production for a tight end; he has been pretty good this season.

Warren has been an elite fantasy tight end averaging 14 points per game; however, there is concern about potential shutdown if he's battling through injury, and the Titans appear to be in tank mode.

Woody Marks is on the bench of a 3-11 team, suggesting he is not trusted as a starter despite being rostered.

Zay Flowers is acquired in a trade for James Cook alongside Jordan Mason; the source's neutral evaluation ('Not bad') suggests the trade is reasonable but context-dependent.

The source approves of a trade where Zay Flowers was acquired in exchange for Tootin and Garrett Wilson, indicating preference for Flowers in that deal.