Each week throughout the NFL regular season, we will discuss the top fantasy football streaming options. These are deeper-league targets who have shown viable production or fit as a matchup-dependent play to give you a boost in the lineup this week.
Players listed below are rostered in under 50% of ESPN leagues. Although you might notice some overlap with Eric Moody's waiver wire column that publishes Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are focused solely on this week's matchup and not on the players' values for the remainder of the season.
With no byes on the Week 8 NFL slate, I went light at quarterback here. However, there is a group of running backs to check out, three receivers who are seeing a boost in volume and a versatile tight end producing start-worthy numbers.
All references to fantasy points are for PPR leagues. All roster percentages were updated on Friday morning.
Running backs
Darrell Henderson Jr., Los Angeles Rams (57.3% rostered; at Cowboys)
Sure, this isn't a great matchup versus Dallas, but it is a volume play with Henderson, who logged 18 carries in the Week 7 loss to the Steelers. Henderson averaged just 3.1 yards per carry in that game, and he's not going to give you big-time numbers in the pass game. However, Henderson did score a touchdown on a goal-line run and showed his downhill burst, bending the ball back on an inside zone scheme for 15 yards. Although Royce Freeman will also see carries, there's more juice with Henderson based on the tape I'm watching. He's a flex option who has more value in non-PPR formats.
Pierre Strong Jr., Cleveland Browns (5.2%; at Seahawks)
Strong is a name to monitor this week due to the ankle injury starting running back Jerome Ford suffered late Sunday in Indy. Strong had 25 yards rushing on eight carries in relief of Ford against the Colts. While Kareem Hunt would be expected to take on the lead role in the Cleveland backfield if Ford is unable to play, Strong could still see carries in one of the NFL's most heavily schemed run games. Keep an eye on Ford's status leading up to Sunday's late kickoff and if he's out, you can play Strong as a deep-league flex here.
Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals (36.1%; vs. Ravens)
Demercado jumped into the lead-back role Sunday versus the Seahawks, posting 11.5 PPR points on 17 touches (including four receptions and two rushes of 10 or more yards). Demercado, who has put up double-digit fantasy production in two of his past three games, is a deeper-league option who can give you volume and second-level vision in the run game.
Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots (40.4%; at Dolphins)
Elliott brings more upside to managers in non-PPR formats due to his lack of receiving usage/production, but we can look at his rushing totals here. Over the past three games, Elliott has logged 26 carries, compared with 27 for Rhamondre Stevenson. So, he is getting the looks. Plus, Zeke has produced a touchdown run in each of his past two games and is still one of the best short-yardage/goal-line runners in the game. The red zone carries give Elliott a bump in your lineup.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (35.5%; vs. Falcons)
Spears has just nine carries in his past two games, and we could be looking at a volume day for Derrick Henry in Week 8 with Malik Willis at quarterback for the Titans. However, I do like Spears as a deeper-league flex thanks to his receiving traits. Think of checkdowns and screens, high-percentage throws for Willis that use Spears' ball carrier vision and open-field speed. He had a 48-yard reception in Week 6 against the Jags in London, and he has totaled eight receptions over his past three games. Those numbers don't jump and the matchup versus Atlanta is shaky, but in deeper leagues there's potential for PPR upside here.
Wide receivers
Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots (34.5%; at Dolphins)
Bourne has quickly emerged as the top target for Mac Jones over the past two games, catching 16 of 18 targets for 151 yards and a score. He posted 19.3 fantasy points in the Week 6 game versus the Raiders and 16.3 PPR points in the upset win over the Bills on Sunday. A lot of short-to-intermediate targets, with Bourne working the underneath levels and the middle of the field. Trust the volume and the efficiency Jones is throwing with when looking for Bourne. He's a flex play this week.
Odell Beckham Jr., Baltimore Ravens (45.9%; at Cardinals)
Beckham has been off the fantasy radar, but there might be an opening here, given the Ravens' offensive look in the Week 7 win over the Lions. That was a clinic from offensive coordinator Todd Monken in using personnel, formation and scheme, and Beckham caught 5 of 7 targets for 49 yards. Up next, Beckham gets a strong matchup versus the Cardinals. He's a deeper-league WR3 this week.
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (49.8%; vs. Saints)
Downs should be a regular waiver add, but he can also be streamed as a Week 8 play versus the Saints. The rookie dropped 23.5 fantasy points on the Browns' top-tier defense in Week 7, catching 5 of 6 targets for 125 yards and a score. Plus, he has now caught at least five passes in each of his past three games. He's a prime option in this Colts pass game with Gardner Minshew at quarterback.
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers (17.2%; vs. Vikings)
Reed worked through a shin injury in Sunday's loss to the Broncos, so let's keep an eye on the injury reports this week. However, if he's good to go, Reed could be in line to see a jump in target volume due to the potential of Christian Watson (knee) missing the Week 8 game. Reed finished with 11.1 fantasy points versus Denver, catching three passes for 21 yards and a score on a deflected pass. He now has three games of double-digit fantasy production on his résumé. Even in a Green Bay offense that lacks consistent structure and rhythm, Reed would be a deeper-league WR3 this week without Watson in the lineup.
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints (20.2%; at Colts)
With no teams on bye this week, Carr really fits as a starter in 2-QB formats. He has thrown for at least 300 yards in each of his past two starts and has three straight games of 15 or more fantasy points. Carr gets a positive Week 8 matchup versus the Colts, and the vertical element in the Saints' route tree opens the door for explosive-play opportunities. This season, Carr has attempted 36 passes of 20 or more air yards, the most in the league. Take your shots.
Tight end
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (14.7%; at Colts)
I'm looking at the versatility and deployment with Hill over the past two weeks. He has posted back-to-back games of double-digit fantasy production, with at least eight offensive touches in each. We're seeing the designed-run concepts (Wildcat sets), as Hill carried the ball five times for 18 yards and a touchdown in Week 7. Plus, he has caught 11 of 14 targets for 99 yards in those two games. With this uptick in receiving usage and a positive matchup with the Colts, Hill fits as a deeper-league option in the lineup.
D/ST
Atlanta Falcons (26.2%; at Titans)
If you stream a weekly defense, then I would go grab the Falcons for Sunday's game with the Titans. This unit produced two turnovers in Week 7 and has a total of eight sacks over the past two games. With rookie quarterback Will Levis making his first pro start for the Titans, and Malik Willis also likely to see snaps, there will be opportunities for the Falcons to disguise coverage and pressure against an offense that lacks juice.