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Fantasy football: Start-em, sit-em players for Week 8

By Jay Marsdale

ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 24: Jordan Reed #86 of the Washington Redskins celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 24, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 24: Jordan Reed #86 of the Washington Redskins celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 24, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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FOXBORO, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 24: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans looks to throw during the first quarter of a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on September 24, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 24: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans looks to throw during the first quarter of a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on September 24, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Sit-em: Deshaun Watson (HOU) @ Seattle

This is much more a vote of confidence for the Seahawks defense than a vote against Deshaun Watson. Watson is putting together a fantastic rookie season, but this week he is going to look like the rookie he is up in Seattle.

Seattle’s twelfth man is no joke. It really does have an impact on the games in Seattle and especially on young quarterbacks. Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, and Earl Thomas are tough enough without the help.

Watson is going to need his running game to help him release some of the pressure that will be on him and I don’t see that happening. Lamar Miller is not the running back that the Texans need him to be against linebackers like Bobby Wagner and company. The Houson running game is going to struggle just as mightily as the passing game without a big powerful back to create space against a tough defensive front.

Houston has transformed into an offensive team this season, but they are not quite at the level of the Legion of Boom. Fantasy football players don’t need to be told to avoid the Seahawks defense in matchups and Watson is not impervious to that logic in Week 8.

Other options: Alex Smith (KC) vs Denver and Josh McCown (NYJ) vs Atlanta.