London, Lockett among 4 must-start Week 8 fantasy football wide receivers

MIAMI, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Drake London and Tyler Lockett are among my four must-start wide receivers for Week 8 of the fantasy football campaign.

Ja'Marr Chase leads my Week 8 Top-50 rankings, which are listed below. A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb also land inside the Top 5 of my rankings.

London, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jayden Reed, Davante Adams and Malik Nabers join those pass catchers in my Top 10. Romeo Doubs and Rashod Bateman join London and Lockett as my four must-start plays.

Those who roster Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf and other players dealing with injuries should monitor their status before plugging them into starting lineups.

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who sustained season-ending injury in Week 7, can be dropped.

Players also will be removed from or adjusted within the rankings based on injuries. My free agent targets article for Week 8 is available here.

Drake London

London should stay in lineups regardless of matchup, but he should be especially potent this week when the Atlanta Falcons take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

London was a Top 10 fantasy football wide receiver through the first seven weeks of the season. He scored in five of his last six appearances, including in each of his last three games. London also caught at least six passes in six-consecutive games.

The Falcons pass catcher went off for a season-high 12 catches, 154 yards and a score against the Buccaneers in Week 5.

The Buccaneers allowed the sixth-most receiving yards and fantasy points per game to wide receivers so far this season. That stretch included surrendering seven scores to the position over their last four games. London should be plugged in as an elite WR1.

He is my No. 6 option for Week 8.

Tyler Lockett

Lockett was just inside the Top 50 in points per game among wide receivers through the first seven weeks, but should be more involved going forward, especially because of Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf's knee injury.

Lockett found the end zone just once this season, but caught at least four passes in each of his last five games. He was targeted at least six times in each of those appearances.

The Seahawks will get a tough matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8, but I expect Lockett to be a big part of their offensive game plan. Look for at least eight catches for 75 yards from the veteran pass catcher. He is my No. 21 option.

Romeo Doubs

Doubs sits at No. 28 in my Top 50 wide receiver rankings for Week 8. He also was among my top waiver-wire targets.

The third-year pass catcher was highly involved in the Green Bay Packers' game plan over the last two weeks, with 14 targets for 11 catches for 143 yards and two scores. This week, the Packers will battle a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that allowed the fourth-most passing yards and fantasy points per game to wide receivers so far this season.

That stretch including allowing nine touchdowns to the position over their last five games. Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw multiple touchdown passes in each of his first five games of 2024. Look for that trend to continue, with Doubs finding the end zone on at least one of those touchdown tosses.

He can be used as a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3.

Rashod Bateman

Bateman is a touchdown-or-bust WR3, but is a great streaming option if you need help at the position. Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson is among the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season and Bateman continues to benefit from his brilliance.

The Ravens pass catcher found the end zone in three of his last five games. He also hauled in four catches for a season-high 121 yards and a score in Week 7.

This week, the Ravens will face a Cleveland Browns secondary that allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers through seven weeks. That stretch included allowing four scores to the position over their last two games.

Jackson threw five touchdown passes in Week 7. He threw four touchdown tosses in Week 5. He also eclipsed 300 passing yards in two of his last three games. The volume of the Ravens' passing game and another easy matchup should allow for another Top-36 performance for Bateman in Week 8.

Week 8 wide receiver rankings

1. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals vs. PHI

2. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles at CIN

3. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins vs. ARI

4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at LAR

5. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at SF

6. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons at TB

7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions vs. TEN

8. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers at JAX

9. Davante Adams, New York Jets at NE

10. Malik Nabers, New York Giants at PIT

11. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens at CLE

12. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders vs. CHI

13. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams vs. MIN

14. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars vs. GB

15. Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans vs. IND

16. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals vs. PHI

17. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears at WAS

18. Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills at SEA

19. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets at NE

20. Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons at TB

21. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. BUF

22. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. NYG

23. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. ARI

24. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at CIN

25. Tank Dell, Houston Texans vs. IND

26. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals at MIA

27. Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers at DEN

28. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers at JAX

29. Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens at CLE

30. Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys at SF

31. Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs at LV

32. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings at LAR

33. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans at DET

34. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks vs. BUF

35. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos vs. CAR

36. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers vs. NO

37. Allen Lazard, New York Jets at NE

38. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns vs. BAL

39. Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants at PIT

40. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts at HOU

41. Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams vs. MIN

42. Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears at WAS

43. Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders vs. KC

44. Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. ATL

45. Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. GB

46. Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts at HOU

47. Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers at JAX

48. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears at WAS

49. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers at JAX

50. Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills at SEA