Week 8 is another week where plenty of fantasy managers may need a quarterback.
Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, Tyler Shough, and J.J. McCarthy are among the names unavailable, which means the waiver wire matters again.
Fortunately, there are several usable options.
The formula is the same:
Find volume, attack bad pass defenses, and chase quarterbacks with multiple paths to touchdowns.
Here are the quarterbacks I would stream in Week 8.
1. Jacoby Brissett, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Rostered: Around 20–30%
Brissett is my favorite streamer of the week.
He threw for 272 yards in Week 7 despite facing Denver and has now reached that mark in four games this season.
The biggest reason to trust him is volume.
Arizona’s defense keeps putting the offense into catch-up mode, and Brissett is averaging more than 40 pass attempts per game.
Now he gets Dallas.
The Cowboys have consistently given up strong fantasy performances to quarterbacks and rank near the bottom of the league against the pass.
This game also has the potential to turn into a shootout, which is exactly what we want.
Verdict: Best Week 8 quarterback streamer.
2. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rostered: Around 25%
Do not overreact to Baker’s Week 7 box score.
He returned from a thumb injury and only attempted 11 passes because Tampa Bay absolutely crushed Carolina.
The game simply did not require him to throw.
That should change against Atlanta.
The Falcons have been scoring much more consistently with Michael Penix Jr. under center, which creates a much better chance that Tampa Bay actually has to stay aggressive for four quarters.
Mayfield has also continued pushing the ball downfield this season.
Verdict: Strong streamer with multi-touchdown upside in what could become one of the higher-scoring games of the week.
3. Geno Smith, QB, New York Jets
Rostered: Around 10–20%
Geno finally gave us the fantasy performance we were waiting for.
He threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns in Week 7 while completing nearly 77% of his passes.
The bigger development is the supporting cast.
Omar Cooper Jr. has returned and immediately become a major part of the passing game, while Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell are also available.
Now Geno gets Las Vegas.
The Raiders have been giving up big quarterback performances for weeks, including multiple touchdowns in five straight games.
Their secondary has also allowed one of the highest yards-per-attempt marks in football.
Verdict: Excellent matchup play with a much healthier receiving corps around him.
4. Malik Willis, QB, Miami Dolphins
Rostered: Around 20–30%
Willis has suddenly become interesting.
Miami finally showed signs of life coming out of the bye, and Willis turned in his best performance of the year.
He threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns while adding 37 rushing yards and another score.
That rushing production is the key.
Willis does not need to throw for 300 yards to help fantasy managers if he keeps giving us 30-50 yards on the ground.
The Patriots are a tougher matchup than the Jets, but they just allowed a big fantasy performance to Caleb Williams.
Verdict: Best upside streamer if you are willing to accept some volatility.
5. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Atlanta Falcons
Rostered: Around 15–20%
Penix has not produced massive passing yardage. He has produced touchdowns.
He has now thrown at least three touchdowns in consecutive games, including three against a strong San Francisco defense.
That matters.
Week 8 brings another difficult matchup with Tampa Bay, but there simply are not many great low-rostered quarterback options this week.
Atlanta’s offense has been scoring much more consistently, and Bijan Robinson forces defenses to respect the run.
That creates opportunities for Penix through the air.
Verdict: Lower ceiling than some of the other options, but the recent touchdown production gives him a usable floor.
Week 8 QB Streaming Rankings
- Jacoby Brissett at DAL
- Baker Mayfield vs. ATL
- Geno Smith vs. LV
- Malik Willis vs. NE
- Michael Penix Jr. at TB
Check Your Waiver Wire
Kyler Murray at Detroit
Murray has been difficult to trust.
The passing production has been mediocre, and he has not consistently produced multiple touchdowns.
But Detroit changes the equation.
The Lions have been giving up huge passing numbers, and their offense can force opponents to stay aggressive.
If Murray is available, his rushing ability plus the matchup keeps him firmly in the streaming conversation.
Sam Darnold vs. Chicago
Darnold has been turnover-prone, but he has also shown he can absolutely crush favorable matchups.
Chicago has been getting shredded by quarterbacks lately, allowing massive yardage and touchdown totals over the past few weeks.
If Darnold is available, he belongs in the same tier as the top streamers.
Who Should You Prioritize?
Best overall option: Jacoby Brissett
Best shootout play: Baker Mayfield
Best matchup: Geno Smith
Best rushing upside: Malik Willis
Best deeper option: Michael Penix Jr.
Looking Ahead to Week 9
Malik Willis is particularly interesting beyond this week.
After New England, Miami has Detroit, Indianapolis, and Buffalo coming up.
All three matchups could create strong fantasy environments, especially if Willis continues producing with his legs.
That makes him more than just a one-week rental.
Final Verdict
Brissett is my favorite Week 8 streamer because the combination of passing volume and the Dallas matchup gives him one of the clearest paths to a strong fantasy week.
Baker and Geno are right behind him.
Willis has the most interesting rushing ceiling.
And Penix remains a usable fallback if the better options are gone.
Quarterback streaming does not need to be complicated.
Find the volume. Find the matchup. Let the touchdowns do the rest.
Related research
Start/sit calls for players in this article
- Should I start Brock Purdy?This week's start/sit callOpen
- Should I start C.J. Stroud?This week's start/sit callOpen
- Should I start Tyler Shough?This week's start/sit callOpen
- Should I start J.J. McCarthy?This week's start/sit callOpen
- Should I start Jacoby Brissett?This week's start/sit callOpen
- Should I start Baker Mayfield?This week's start/sit callOpen
Tools for this week
- Start/sit toolGet a start/sit call for any player this weekOpen
- Rest-of-season rankingsEvery position, updated weeklyOpen
- Trade value chartWhat every player is worth in a redraft tradeOpen
- Strength of scheduleEasiest and hardest remaining schedules by positionOpen
