Welcome to the DFS Dart Board for NFL Week 8!

If you're new to Fantasy Alarm/DFS Alarm, the Dart Board is an add-on to the Playbook that I started three or four seasons ago. It came about when I was building GPP lineups and realized I needed more salary relief. As I dug through my notes to see who stood out the most among those players at a more affordable price, it hit me. When I put players in the Playbook, I am thinking primarily about cash lineup plays -- guys with a high floor who I could conceivably put into my core-group and build a lineup around. After those players, I would mix in a handful of guys who had boatloads of upside and were in soft match-ups, but I wasn’t paying as much attention to their salary as I should have. And that's where the Dart Board came into play.

Every now and then, when building lineups while using particular stacks, you need some salary relief. You need a guy who may not be minimally priced, but low enough to give you the flexibility you need to get someone like Derrick Henry or Cooper Kupp in as a flex play or something. Occasionally you may see a min-priced QB or TE in here, but more often than not, this space is reserved for running backs and wide receivers who are $5,500 and lower on FanDuel or like $5,000 or lower on Draft Kings.

Now while we call this a Dart Board, keep in mind that every player has been carefully researched. We're not up here picking players all willy-nilly, desperately hoping they hit. We're looking for the cheapest bargains possible who still have the strongest potential to give you at least a 3-5x return on what you pay.

All set? Great. Let's take a look at who we've got this week...

Pos
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Player
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Matchup
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DK
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FD
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RBDavid JohnsonTB @ NO Sun 4:2542005100

The Texans traded Mark Ingram to the Saints this week and have said that David Johnson will get the first crack at handling the majority of the team's workload. Now, do I think this matchup is great for Johnson? No, not at all, however, we did see D'Andre Swift catch eight passes on 10 targets last week against this Rams defense and we know the Texans will be playing from behind. In PPR formats there could be some nice value here if Johnson is going to see 60+ percent of the snap share in this game.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Sunny
RBBrandon Bolden45005500

I shed a tear thinking about the production that Brandon Bolden is getting in this Patriots offense knowing that it should have been James White. That said,  we can't ignore the fact that in Bolden has put at at least 7 FP in three of the last four weeks which includes last weeks season best performance where he had six catches on seven targets for 79 yards and a score. 

Game Type: GPP
WRTre'Quan SmithPHI @ DET Sun 1:0039005500

Smith was activated off of IR last week and saw 55-percent of the snaps in the Saints win over the Seahawks. Now, I know things were not great for Smith in this game as was demonstrated by his sideline lashing by Jameis Winston but the Saints are really struggling at the position given their lack of depth and many expected Smith to be the team's top receiver with Michael Thomas out if not for his own injury. We know the Buccaneers are exploitable against the pass and maybe Smith can right his wrongs this week.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Partly sunny
WRRussell GageSF @ CHI Sun 1:0042005600

UPDATED - Calvin Ridley Is OUT – Russell Gage returned from the IR in Week 7 and caught four of six targets for 67 yards and a touchdown. He played 63% of the offensive snaps in his return and as I eluded to in the playbook, the Panthers are expected to have Stephon Gilmore this week which should mean a tough day for Calvin Ridley. If Matt Ryan is going to find success it will have to come via his other receiving targets.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Mostly sunny
WRTyler JohnsonCIN @ NYJ Sun 1:0031004900

Everyones favorite GPP play is in consideration here once again. With Antonio Brown out of the lineup last week we saw Johnson play 67-percent of the offensive snaps. Knowing that Mike Evans has a tough matchup against Marshon Lattimore this week we may see Johnson with a greater target share than the two he saw in Week 7. To his credit, he caught both of those targets for 16 yards. When Antonio Brown was out of the lineup back in Week 3 we saw Johnson finish with three catches on six targets for 63 yards.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Mostly cloudy
TEJonnu SmithMIA @ BUF Sun 1:0028004800

This play comes straight from the tight end whisperer himself Andrew Cooper as he breaks down the Chargers zone scheme defense and how Jonnu Smith is a much better option against a zone defense than man-to-man which better suits Hunter Henry. With everyone looking to play Henry in the revenge game the pivot to the other Patriots tight end can save you a lot of salary and may even end up being the more productive option.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Mostly sunny

The Texans traded Mark Ingram to the Saints this week and have said that David Johnson will get the first crack at handling the majority of the team's workload. Now, do I think this matchup is great for Johnson? No, not at all, however, we did see D'Andre Swift catch eight passes on 10 targets last week against this Rams defense and we know the Texans will be playing from behind. In PPR formats there could be some nice value here if Johnson is going to see 60+ percent of the snap share in this game.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Sunny

I shed a tear thinking about the production that Brandon Bolden is getting in this Patriots offense knowing that it should have been James White. That said,  we can't ignore the fact that in Bolden has put at at least 7 FP in three of the last four weeks which includes last weeks season best performance where he had six catches on seven targets for 79 yards and a score. 

Game Type: GPP

Smith was activated off of IR last week and saw 55-percent of the snaps in the Saints win over the Seahawks. Now, I know things were not great for Smith in this game as was demonstrated by his sideline lashing by Jameis Winston but the Saints are really struggling at the position given their lack of depth and many expected Smith to be the team's top receiver with Michael Thomas out if not for his own injury. We know the Buccaneers are exploitable against the pass and maybe Smith can right his wrongs this week.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Partly sunny

UPDATED - Calvin Ridley Is OUT – Russell Gage returned from the IR in Week 7 and caught four of six targets for 67 yards and a touchdown. He played 63% of the offensive snaps in his return and as I eluded to in the playbook, the Panthers are expected to have Stephon Gilmore this week which should mean a tough day for Calvin Ridley. If Matt Ryan is going to find success it will have to come via his other receiving targets.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Mostly sunny

Everyones favorite GPP play is in consideration here once again. With Antonio Brown out of the lineup last week we saw Johnson play 67-percent of the offensive snaps. Knowing that Mike Evans has a tough matchup against Marshon Lattimore this week we may see Johnson with a greater target share than the two he saw in Week 7. To his credit, he caught both of those targets for 16 yards. When Antonio Brown was out of the lineup back in Week 3 we saw Johnson finish with three catches on six targets for 63 yards.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Mostly cloudy

This play comes straight from the tight end whisperer himself Andrew Cooper as he breaks down the Chargers zone scheme defense and how Jonnu Smith is a much better option against a zone defense than man-to-man which better suits Hunter Henry. With everyone looking to play Henry in the revenge game the pivot to the other Patriots tight end can save you a lot of salary and may even end up being the more productive option.

Game Type: GPP
Weather: Mostly sunny