Field of Streams: Week Eight

In this weekly series, we narrow the focus to just the current week and give you some streaming options for the upcoming games. The goal is to identify a player at each offensive position, as well as a team defense, who is owned in less than 30 percent of leagues and may be in line for a productive outing.

You can read more about this series here. We use MFL rates for the ownership percentages.

Let’s take a look at how things went for our picks in Week 7, using standard PPR scoring. The weekly average through seven weeks is in parenthesis.

QB — Kirk Cousins, 32.18 points (20.32)

WR — Stefon Diggs, 23.70 points (13.5)

RB — Dexter McCluster, 12.8 points (11)

TE — Ben Watson, 9.9 points (10.3)

K — Greg Zuerlein, 6.0 points (10.5)

D — New York Giants, 22 points (7.2)

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I finally hit on a defense. Embarrassingly, it’s the first time the defense I’ve picked has scored more than 11 points. The Giants had a three interceptions, including a pick-six and a kick return touchdown. Cousins continued my red-hot run with quarterbacks. Through seven weeks, the signal callers I’ve selected have totaled 142.28 points, which is good enough to be the third overall quarterback. The weekly average of 20.32 points checks in eighth. Diggs is looking like the Minnesota Vikings’ top receiver, and McCluster caught six passes for 48 yards. Watson was a yard away from a touchdown on a New Orleans Saints’ fake field goal. Zuerlein had the opportunity for a good day but missed two field goal tries.

Here are the streaming picks for week eight.

Quarterback

Brian Hoyer, QB HOU

(owned in 28.7 percent of leagues)

I’m pigeonholed into picking Hoyer here, so I’ll talk myself into it. He is the only starting quarterback playing this week who is owned in less than 30 percent of leagues. Hoyer and the Houston Texans host the Tennessee Titans. The Titans quietly have one of the league’s better pass defenses and are giving up the fewest points to opposing quarterbacks. Tennessee held Matt Ryan to 13.74 points last week. Did I sell you on Hoyer yet? Well, three of the quarterbacks Tennessee bottled up are Johnny Manziel, Tyrod Taylor and Jameis Winston, so they’ve had a fortunate schedule thus far. Houston was beaten so badly last week, I think they’ll rally the troops for a good performance this Sunday. With Arian Foster out, Houston doesn’t figure to have much of a running game, so Hoyer should see enough volume to be serviceable. Zach Mettenberger is another option, if Marcus Mariota sits out, but Mariota is expected to play. Ryan Fitzpatrick, owned in 47 percent of leagues, is a nice play in the New York Jets’ matchup against the Oakland Raiders.

Honorable mention: Fitzpatrick (at OAK), Mettenberger (at HOU).

Wide receiver

Nate Washington, WR HOU

(18.3 percent)

 

This feels a little like point chasing, since Washington just posted a garbage-time-fueled 9-127-2 line in week seven, but he actually provides a safe floor with all the volume he’s been seeing. Washington has gotten at least eight targets in each game, and Houston is going to have to throw a ton with Foster out. Justin Hunter had a disappointing outing in Week 7, totaling two catches for 17 yards, but he played 51-of-54 snaps, proving he’s ahead of Dorial Green-Beckham on the depth chart, at least for now. If Hunter sees that many snaps this week, he’ll be productive, assuming Mariota plays. Jeremy Maclin will likely return this week, but Albert Wilson could still be a decent play against the Detroit Lions’ soft pass defense.

 

Honorable mention: Wilson (at DET), Hunter (at HOU).

 

Running back

Branden Oliver, RB SD

(21.9 percent)

 

Oliver is averaging 13 touches per game over the past two weeks, and he has a nice matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, who are fairly stout against the run but allow the fifth-most fantasy points to receivers. That means the San Diego Chargers are likely to pass a lot, which they’ve been doing all year, throwing it on nearly two-thirds of their plays. With Melvin Gordon banged up and struggling, Danny Woodhead has reigned supreme in the Chargers’ backfield, but Oliver has worked himself into a nice role. If Dion Lewis can’t get healthy in the short turnaround for the Thursday night game, James White is a shot in the dark, although he saw just five touches last week despite Tom Brady attempting 54 passes. McCluster has seen 9.3 touches per game over the last three weeks and has a nice matchup with the Texans.

 

Honorable mention: White (vs MIA), McCluster (at HOU).

 

Tight end

Jacob Tamme, TE ATL

(23.4 percent)

 

Tamme and the Atlanta Falcons face off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. The Buccaneers just allowed 11 catches for 72 yards and two scores to Jordan Reed, although they held Greg Olsen to 28 yards earlier this season. Tamme has averaged seven targets per game over the past three contests, and that’s the kind of volume we’re looking for in a streamer. Scott Chandler has seen limited targets, but he’s a red zone threat in a high-scoring offense. Jared Cook has seen at least six targets in 4-of-6 games this season, and he gets the hapless San Francisco 49ers this week.

 

Honorable mention: Cook (vs. SF), Chandler (vs. MIA).

 

Kicker

Andrew Franks, K MIA

(4.8 percent)

 

The ineptitude of the Miami Dolphins’ offense earlier this season has bogged down Franks’ season totals. As the Miami offense has gotten going, Franks has become a productive kicker. The rookie has 18 points over the past two games. For the year, he’s 5-of-6 on field goals and 16-for-18 on extra points. The Dolphins are on the road at New England in a game where they should be able to move the ball fairly well. Mike Nugent has 21 points in the Cincinnati Bengals’ last two games, but he has the tough task of kicking at Heinz Field this week.

 

Honorable mention: Nugent (at PIT), Nick Novak (vs. TEN).

 

Team defense

New Orleans Saints

(27.6 percent)

 

On paper, this isn’t a great week for streaming defense options, so I’m gambling on the Saints. New Orleans has forced eight turnovers in the past three games, with two of those contests coming against Matt Ryan and Andrew Luck. The Saints get the New York Giants this week. Eli Manning and the Giants’ offense has been struggling. Over the past two games, Manning has a total of 359 passing yards, one touchdown and two picks. Cincinnati is a solid play at Pittsburgh, if Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t come back this week.

 

Honorable mention: Titans (at HOU), Bengals (at PIT).

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