Commanders fantasy football starts and sits for Week 8 vs. the Bears
By Seth Jones
The Washington Commanders play the Chicago Bears in their Week 8 match-up. This looks to be the toughest fantasy across the board. That makes it difficult to judge which stars to start or sit.
This game will especially be tough for fantasy outcomes if Jayden Daniels isn't at 100 percent. He's reportedly on track to play barring any late setback, but expecting miracles wouldn't be smart.
Having Daniels out there will be a boost, but fans should temper expectations, especially if the signal-caller experiences some discomfort early in the contest. Choosing which Commanders players to start or sit in fantasy is more difficult than ever, but we've got some helpful advice to steer you on the right track.
All stats are courtesy of Fantasy Pros.
Commanders starts and sits for Week 8 vs. Bears
Starts
Brian Robinson Jr.
The run game will be heavily relied on, just like every game Washington has played thus far. However, this bears more significance with Daniels not in full health for the clash.
As of now, Brian Robinson Jr. is the RB17 in PPR (points per reception) formats. This is with one game missed in Week 6. He has not finished one game under 10 points. He also has only one under 12 touches.
As long as Robinson keeps on performing like he has, you can continue to start him as an RB2.
Austin Ekeler
Opposite of last week against the Carolina Panthers, the Commanders will likely be playing from behind and in several third and long scenarios if Daniels is restricted. Kliff Kingsbury will be changing the offensive concepts to limit the risk of additional injury to Washington's prized possession.
This expected game script favors Austin Ekeler for fantasy purposes. He is the primary passing-down back for the offense. In both weeks where the Commanders were playing from behind, those being Week 1 and Week 6, the veteran free-agent signing has had at least four targets and double-digit fantasy points.
Start Ekeler as a flex option this week.
Terry McLaurin
Although you should start Terry McLaurin this week, you should temper expectations. He still had a good fantasy outing with Marcus Mariota against the Panthers, but the Bears' defense is significantly better.
McLaurin remains one of the top wide receivers in the league. He is currently the WR12 on the season. Since Week 3, he is the WR4 and has not had a game under 13.4 points.
Start McLaurin as a low-end WR2 with upside this week.
Zach Ertz
The Bears' defense is tough, but they are more middle of the pack against tight ends for fantasy. Daniels needs to get the football out quickly to prevent hits if the Commanders start him. That could mean a high-volume game for Zach Ertz given his outstanding start to the campaign.
Start Ertz as a low-end TE1 this week.
Sits
Jayden Daniels
There's just no telling how Jayden Daniels will perform. The Commanders took the cautious approach with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft this week thanks to a rib injury. All signs point to him starting the contest, but he's going to be limited, especially in the run game.
Daniels has quickly emerged as a must-start fantasy option throughout a sensational rookie campaign to date. However, there are too many uncertainties to say with confidence this trend will continue versus the Bears.
Other Commanders' wide receivers
Wide receivers on the Commanders' offense besides McLaurin have been inconsistent for fantasy purposes all year. You really can't trust starting any of them, even in deeper leagues. Noah Brown seems to be the best, but Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown, and Olamide Zaccheaus still have a role and a chance for a big game any week.
Keep all of these receivers on the bench in a tough match-up this week.
Commanders defense
The Bears' offense seems to have figured things out after some early jitters from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, which is not good news for the Commanders' defense. The unit has evolved to be good when facing average to subpar offenses. That's not what they're up against this week, so improvements are needed.
Williams and company have caught momentum, averaging 35.5 points per game over the last two weeks. Keep the Commanders' defense out of your starting lineups.
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