The Redskins-Vikings Thursday Night Football matchup in Week 8 screams blowout and garbage time, and even though that might not actually happen, the mere potential for it will inevitably skew fantasy start 'em, sit 'em decisions and NFL DFS picks for DraftKings Showdown contests.
Fortunately, we're here to help you get your fantasy week off to a good start. Here’s a breakdown of Week 8's Thursday game in Minnesota (8:20 p.m. ET, FOX, NFL Network and Amazon Prime Video).
MORE WEEK 8 TNF: DraftKings Showdown Lineup
Redskins: Who to start or sit in fantasy football on Thursday night
Start: QB Case Keenum
The Vikings have given up multiple TDs to every QB they have faced who weren't two Bears or Daniel Jones. Keenum will have a chance to put up some garbage yards and scores in the second half, which essentially has happened four times against them. You should find a higher floors and ceilings alike in seasonal leagues, but don't rule out CK being as viable as KC in DFS tournaments.
WEEK 8 NON-PPR RANKINGS
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Sit: RB Adrian Peterson
He has a tough ankle injury and running up against the Vikings' No. 7 run defense. It would not be shocking if he got something like 20 carries for 57 yards. You're totally banking on a goal-line TD opportunity that may never happen.
Start: WR Terry McLaurin
"Scary Terry" was spooked by Richard Sherman and the 49ers' nasty pass defense last week, finishing with only one catch for 11 yards. It was only the second bad game for the rookie, the other coming against the Patriots. In the other four games, he racked up 20 catches for 357 yards and five TDs. The Vikings just gave up five TDs to Marvin Jones Jr. last week.
WEEK 8 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Sit: WRs Paul Richardson and Trey Quinn
Richardson has done nothing except for that Bears game. Quinn averages about three catches for 22 yards per game. Say no to the No. 2, say no the slot.
Sit: TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Great name for a weatherman, but they're playing indoors and it's a bad call for a fantasy player with Vernon Davis missing another game with a concussion.
Week 8 DFS Lineups:
Y! Cash | Y! GPP | FD Cash | FD GPP | DK Cash | DK GPP
Sit: K Dustin Hopkins
He would be a viable fantasy kicker on a more trustworthy scoring team.
Sit: Redskins D/ST
Unless that is, your league rewards negative points.
MORE WEEK 8 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup Builder
Vikings: Who to start or sit in fantasy football on Thursday night
Start: QB Kirk Cousins.
Enjoy the real revenge game, folks. Cousins will work to become the fifth quarterback to toss three TDs passes against the Redskins, joining Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott, Tom Brady and .... Mitchell Trubisky. The Redskins allow 250 passing yards per game. Cousins is also coming off two consecutive 300-yard, four-TD games.
Start: RB Dalvin Cook
Cook is facing the No. 27-ranked Redskins run defense. He leads the NFL with 725 yards rushing and eight rushing TDs. Boom.
Start: RB Alexander Mattison
Mattison came through two weeks ago when the Vikings blew out the Eagles at home. If you're in need of a deep-league FLEX play or someone to pick up either Mark Ingram or Ezekiel Elliott's production during their byes, here's a sneaky plug-and-play.
Start: WR Stefon Diggs
Can we stop complaining about him now after he followed 7-167 and three TDs on 11 targets with 7-142 on eight targets? Thanks. He's locked in for another primo matchup, and he should get the preferred volume as the clear No. 1.
Start: WR Bisi Johnson
Need a quick replacement for Adam Thielen, who is missing this game with a hamstring injury? Look to the real next man up in Minnesota. Johnson had 4 catches for 40 yards and a TD on 8 targets last week. Cousins has proved he has trust in him in that No. 2 role.
Start: TE Kyle Rudolph
Fellow tight end Irv Smith Jr. gets the buzz as the rookie to help replace Adma Thielen's production for another week, but Rudolph proved he can come through for Kevin Stefanski when needed as a receiver again with five catches for 58 yards and a TD against the Lions. He's the most likely Viking to score after Cook, Diggs and Mattison. In a bad TE landscape, he's not a bad dice roll because he has more history with Cousins in these spots.
Start: K Dan Bailey
This screams it will be a tack-on field-goal game in the second half.
Start: Vikings D/ST
Sound the horn several times for a big home favorite with the emotional prime-time bump.
Redskins-Vikings DraftKings Showdown lineup for Thursday night
Captain: WR Terry McLaurin $13,800
FLEX: RB Davlin Cook $13,000
FLEX: Case Keenum $8,000
FLEX: Vikings D/ST $6,800
FLEX: K Dan Bailey $4,000
FLEX: RB Alexander Mattison $4,400
As you can see we're doing a correlated game-script spending job here, zeroing out our budget. It's essentially the classic double-stack of running game and defense for the big winners, and quarterback and wide receivers for the big trailers. We had just enough money left for Bailey.
