Fantasy Football Week 8: Start Em, Sit Em

Oct 19, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate (15) during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Start Em

RB Jerick McKinnon (MIN)

The optimism to start Jerick McKinnon for fantasy football week 8 is based more on the match-up for the Minnesota Vikings running back rather than McKinnon’s actual stats in 2014.

Let’s put it this way — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense is terrible against the run. To this point in the season they have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points, (22.50 PPG) and allowing eight touchdowns along the way.

McKinnon is clearly the better back on Minnesota, this week he will prove it.

WR Golden Tate (DET)

The Detroit Lions received a golden gift in the form of wide receiver Golden Tate during the offseason. Tate has been absolutely huge for the Lions in the absence of Calvin Johnson as quarterback Matthew Stafford continues to look Tate’s way more and more every week.

Tate’s rock solid hands are one of the main reasons the Lions went after the Super Bowl Champ in free agency, and so far in 2014 Tate has caught 73.8 percent of the balls thrown his way.

Last week he went off for 10 catches for 154-yards, a career high. This week Tate and the Lions head over the pond to take on the Atlanta Falcons in London, and yet again — Megatron is expected to sit. This makes Tate’s fantasy football stake prime real estate in week 8. Start the golden boy.