Brace yourself… the Byepocalypse has arrived. Six teams are off the slate this week as we roll into Week 8: the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Las Vegas Raiders. Fantasy managers who thought injuries were tough are now facing a new level of chaos with the bye weeks crashing the party. Start/sit decisions just got a whole lot trickier. But don’t panic, with help from the Fantasy Footballers’ Start/Sit tool, I’m diving into some of the most searched lineup dilemmas of the week to break down who deserves a start and who belongs on your bench.
Jaxson Dart or Joe Flacco?
It’s the rematch in Philly, and this one’s got drama written all over it. Dart destroyed the Eagles at home just two weeks ago, throwing for 195 yards and a TD and adding 58 yards and another TD on the ground, which was good for a QB4 finish. He followed that up by dismantling the Denver defense with 283 yards and 4 TDs, finishing as the QB3. Back-to-back top-5 finishes from the rookie are no joke. Now, he heads into a hostile Philly environment where the crowd noise alone can shake a veteran, let alone a rookie. The Eagles didn’t have Jalen Carter the first go around, but they do this time. The Eagles will be fired up and prepared. You can bet they have spent the past two weeks cooking up ways to contain Dart. He’s been electric, but this rematch feels more volatile.
Flacco to the Bengals offense: pic.twitter.com/GtGItpUQJZ
— Mike Wright (@FFHitman) October 17, 2025
Since landing in Cincinnati, Joe Flacco has been cooking. He’s finished as the QB15 and QB4, averaging 23.8 Expected Fantasy Points per Marvin Elequin’s Expected Points & Opportunity report. That kind of usage would rank him right behind Patrick Mahomes on the season…wild, right? Turns out having Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at your disposal helps just a bit. This week, Flacco gets the Jets, who rank 18th against opposing QBs, allowing an average of 18 FPPG. The big win for Flacco? The Jets will be without star CB Sauce Gardner. Flacco should shred them up.
Verdict: It’s a tough decision, but after careful consideration of the matchups, the choice becomes clearer. Trust in the process, and start Flacco.
Alec Pierce or Troy Franklin?
This is the second matchup between the Colts and Titans this season, and in the first one, Alec Pierce was looking solid. He had four catches for 67 yards on five targets before leaving in the third quarter with a concussion. Last week, with Josh Downs sidelined, Pierce hit a career-high 10 targets. The problem this week? Downs is back. That likely sends Pierce right back to his low-volume role. The Titans have been hit or miss against WRs, but when faced with high-flying offenses (like the Colts), they’ve given up plenty of fantasy points — 51.4 to the Rams, 29.4 to the Colts, and 32.4 to the Patriots. With Downs back, however, Pierce feels like a shaky start.
I’ll never forget this play
I thought we were going to win the whole thing once this happened
Absolute cinema
— SleeperBroncos (@SleeperBroncos) October 24, 2025
I may or may not have yelled “Hey, it’s Franklin!” when Troy Franklin found the end zone last week (I hope Jason Moore did too.) The rookie saw a career-high 10 targets, though he only converted three of them into catches. Volume like that is worth paying attention to, especially heading into a matchup with Dallas. The Cowboys’ pass defense has been a fantasy goldmine for opposing receivers, ranking dead last (32nd) in FPPG allowed to WRs. With Vegas setting this game at a hefty 50.5 total, points are coming.
Verdict: This matchup screams shootout, and you want pieces of it. The Cowboys can’t stop anyone through the air. Fire up your Broncos. Troy Franklin… let’s ride!
Jacory Croskey-Merritt or Woody Marks?
Speaking of breaking out in song, the “Bill, Bill, Bill” celebration hasn’t hit the playlist in a while. Croskey-Merritt finished as the RB44 last week and RB36 the week before… both in favorable matchups. That RB4 explosion against the Chargers already feels like ancient history. Can he get back on track this week in Kansas City? Don’t count on it. The Commanders will be without Jayden Daniels and enter as 11.5-point road underdogs. Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ defense has been completely lights out lately. They just held the Raiders to zero points. Yes, ZERO. Not exactly the game script you want for your RB.
Woody Marks punches it in for 6.
: @espnnfl pic.twitter.com/RWAxfqB7VK
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 21, 2025
Woody Marks quietly led the Texans’ backfield last week, even if the box score didn’t pop. He rushed 10 times for just 15 yards but caught 3 of 5 targets for 20 yards and a TD. Despite not starting over Nick Chubb, he logged team highs in snaps, touches, and fantasy points while commanding nearly a 33% touch share. That passing-game involvement is where his value lies. The 49ers’ defense, usually elite, is extremely banged up. They gave up 28 to the Chiefs and 30 to the Buccaneers in back-to-back games. With Nico Collins sidelined, expect Marks to continue seeing dump-offs and checkdowns from C.J. Stroud.
Verdict: Marks’ role as the passing-down option gives him sneaky PPR appeal in a soft matchup. He’s a flex-worthy streamer this week.
No TE Start/Sit dilemma this week. Why? Because it’s TE Appreciation Day this Sunday. Fire up all your TEs. Flex them if you can. Last year, TEs went off across the board, and the NFL leans into it every season. We already know the game plan: feed the big guys.
TEs on National TE Day in 2024:
· 177 total receptions (most in a single day in NFL history)
· 16 total TDs
· 2 TEs scored multiple TDs (Cade Otton and Kyle Pitts)
· 15 TEs scored 10+ fantasy points— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) October 24, 2025
As always, keep digging into the matchups, follow the usage trends, and don’t be afraid to make the bold call that wins your week. Still torn on a lineup? Hit me up on X, or catch Mike live on the YouTube Channel Sunday morning before kickoff. Together, we’ll survive the Byepocalypse and lock in another W for our fantasy squads.
from Fantasy Footballers Podcast https://ift.tt/ljrG94s
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