NFL DFS picks: Sunday's Week 8 bargain bin for the main slate

Week 8 of the NFL season is here and we are on the hunt for bargain DFS plays as usual. Below are some players I like as cost savers that have a good enough fantasy floor to build around them with higher cost, but higher ceiling picks.

This week, as I note below, running back is going to be tough to find true bargain plays, but there are a couple of great picks that are at mid-range prices. The value quarterbacks I like are risky, and I'll likely use them more in big GPPs than single entry tournaments or 50/50s.

Where I hope to find some extreme value this week are with the wide receivers. The amount of injuries to the top guys has been alarming this year, but those injuries have also opened up targets for some bargains. Overall, I'll likely lean into paying up for QB and RB for 50/50 type games, while getting riskier and cheaper at quarterback in tournaments.

Bargain DFS Quarterbacks

Jameis Winston, Browns vs. Ravens ($5.2k)

Winston is a good fantasy quarterback due to his inability to play it safe. Sure, he's going to make mistakes and those could hurt his fantasy points, but he's going to keep chucking the ball and trying to make plays, which means we're getting at least fantasy points. We also know the Ravens are going to put up numbers and likely get a lead, which should force Winston into throwing the ball even more. It's a set up for some ugly football, but garbage time fantasy points count the same as non-garbage time points.

Bo Nix, Broncos vs. Panthers ($5.6k)

Nix continues to slowly get better, but his ability as a rusher has made his fantasy floor higher than you'd imagine. He's also been better at home, with 23.1 and 21.7 DK fantasy points in his last two home games. We know how bad the Panthers have been, and I'd expect the Broncos to run the ball quite a bit, but the Panthers defense is bad across the board, meaning Nix should have enough opportunities to put up numbers and be a good value play.

Bargain DFS Running Backs

Javonte Williams, Broncos vs. Panthers ($6k)

There are no running backs under 6k on DraftKings that I would play in any DFS lineup, which means Williams at 6k is going to see a lot of love this week, but for good reason. Williams has seen his usage numbers slowly improve over the last few weeks and he also put up a big game against the Saints last week, topping 100 yards and scoring two touchdowns. This game sets up for him much like the that Saints game, as the Broncos are taking on a team with a bad run defense and bad offense, which is always a good recipe for plenty of rushing opportunties.

De'Von Achane, Dolphins vs. Cardinals ($6.2k)

With Tua Tagovailoa starting, Achane has been a beast over the last two seasons. With Tua out, Achane and the rest of the team have been stuck in the mud. So, now that Tua's back, Achane is once again very startable in fantasy and much cheaper than he was due to overall bad numbers with Tua out. Achane has kept the lead role ahead of Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Wright, while continuing to see more routes than most backs in the league. His upside remains extremely high, and this is probably the cheapest he'll be all season on DK.

Bargain DFS Wide Receivers

Cedric Tillman, Browns vs. Ravens ($3.3k)

Tillman was a target hog in Week 7, as he led all wide receivers with 12. He ended up catching eight of those targets for 81 yards. How often can you play a receiver who led the league in targets and receptions the previous week for just $3,300 at DraftKings? I doubt it has happened too often. Of course, the question is whether he can repeat that kind of usage? I believe he can, as he gets Jameis Winston chucking balls at him and faces a Ravens team weak against the pass, but so good offensively and against the run that teams have no choice but to throw the ball.

Troy Franklin, Broncos vs. Panthers ($4.1k)

Bo Nix finally has his college receiver getting full-time work, as Troy Franklin has taken over the No. 2 receiver job behind Courtland Sutton. Last week he saw a 23 percent target share and caught five passes for 50 yards. Franklin is an outside, deep threat receiver, so his floor is lower than some, but his ceiling is quite high and getting him against one of the worst defenses in the league for a value price in the middle of his possible ascension is a good thing in tournaments.

Sterling Shepard, Buccaneers vs. Falcons ($3.8k)

Unlike Franklin, Shepard is a slot receiver and should see some easy targets this week with Chris Godwin done for the year. Shepard is a good receiver, but injuries have plagued him for much of his career. He should be the most reliable receiver on the team this week and as long as he can see over half his snaps from the slot, I expect a useful PPR score out of him. The Falcons pass defense ranks bottom 10 in EPA, DVOA and DVOA adjusted fantasy points allowed.

Bargain DFS Tight Ends

Cade Otton, Buccaneers vs. Falcons ($3.5k)

Otton has been a target magnet in Tampa whenever injuries hurt the receivers. We saw it once again with Mike Evans out for much of last week's game. Otton ended up catching 8-of-10 targets for 100 yards to lead the team. Add in Godwin being out for the year and Evans missing a handful of games, and Otton should see plenty of targets.

Noah Fant, Seahawks vs. Bills ($3.7k)

Over the last two weeks Fant has caught 11-of-11 targets for 128 yards. He's actually caught every single target over the last five games. This week he could see more work with D.K. Metcalf listed as doubtful. The Bills have a good pass defense, but do rank 19th in DVOA adjusted fantasy points allowed to tight ends.