Fantasy football: Jefferson, Diggs top Week 8 wide receiver rankings

MIAMI, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown and Mike Evans top my Week 8 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2021.

Mike Williams, Cooper Kupp, Diontae Johnson, Deebo Samuel and Calvin Ridley round out my Top 10 options for Week 8. Jerry Jeudy is among my other favorite wide receivers to start this week.

Target players who have a good chance to score a touchdown and get a lot of looks from their respective quarterbacks when considering who to start at wide receiver.

Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman, Hunter Renfrow and Henry Ruggs are among the wide receivers who should be benched this week, as their teams are on byes.

Here are some of my favorite players in this week's rankings:

TOP SHELF

Justin Jefferson ranks No. 12 among wide receivers this season in fantasy points per game. He scored in three consecutive games from Week 2 through Week 4, but didn't find the end zone in his last two performances.

I expect the Minnesota Vikings star to go off this week, when he faces the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers through six games. Look for Jefferson to catch at least eight passes for more than 100 yards and find the end zone.

He is my top wide receiver for Week 8.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs scored just twice in his first six games this season, but continues to see a lot of targets from quarterback Josh Allen.

Diggs pulled in nine of 11 looks for 89 yards and a score in Week 6. The Bills were off in Week 7 and face the Miami Dolphins in Week 8. The Dolphins allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers through seven games.

Diggs hauled in four catches for 60 yards and a score against the Dolphins in Week 2. Look for even better statistics Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y. Diggs is my No. 2 wide receiver.

SNEAKY PLAYS

Mike Evans exploded in Week 7, with six catches for 76 yards and three touchdowns in a Tampa Bay Buccaneers blowout of the Chicago Bears. He pushed his touchdown total to seven on the season. Look for Evans to stay hot in Week 8, when the Buccaneers face the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints allowed the 12th-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers through six games and should struggle to keep up with the Buccaneers prolific offense.

I expect Evans to haul in a handful of catches for at least 80 yards and a score. He is my No. 5 wide receiver in Week 8.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Dionate Johnson was on bye in Week 7. He returns to the field this week to face the Cleveland Browns. The Browns allowed the seventh-most receiving yards and 11th-most fantasy points per game to the position through seven games.

Johnson, who leads the Steelers with 10 targets per game, scored in three of five games so far this season. He should reach the end zone for a fourth time Sunday in Cleveland. He is the No. 8 player in my Week 8 wide receiver rankings.

LONGSHOTS

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy will return from a six-game injury hiatus for a game against the Washington Football Team on Sunday in Denver.

He lands at No. 16 in my Week 8 rankings and can be used as a WR2. Washington allowed the second-most receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and fantasy points per game to wide receivers through seven weeks.

I expect Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to spread the ball around against this vulnerable secondary. Jeudy's speed and elusiveness should play a major factor. Look for the Broncos young playmaker to score his first touchdown of the season in a lopsided victory.

Week 8 fantasy football wide receiver rankings

1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings vs. DAL

2. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills vs. MIA

3. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs vs. NYG

4. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans at IND

5. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NO

6. Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers vs. NE

7. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams at HOU

8. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers at CLE

9. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers at CHI

10. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons vs. CAR

11. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at MIN

12. Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team at DEN

13. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals at NYJ

14. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. JAX

15. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings vs. DAL

16. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos vs. WAS

17. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NO

18. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams at HOU

19. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys at MIN

20. D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. JAX

21. Marvin Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars at SEA

22. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at DET

23. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins at BUF

24. Emmanuel Sanders, Buffalo Bills vs. MIA

25. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals at NYJ

26. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos vs. WAS

27. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers vs. NE

28. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers at ATL

29. Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers at CLE

30. Darius Slayton, New York Giants at KC

31. Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans at IND

32. Michael Pittman, Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN

33. Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans vs. LAR

34. Corey Davis, New York Jets vs. CIN

35. Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills vs. MIA

36. Tim Patrick, Denver Broncos vs. WAS

37. Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs vs. NYG

38. Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons vs. CAR

39. Marquez Callaway, New Orleans Saints vs. TB

40. Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears vs. SF

41. K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings vs. DAL

42. Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns vs. PIT

43. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers at CHI

44. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins at BUF

45. Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys at MIN

46. Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears vs. SF

47. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns vs. PIT

48. Sterling Shepard, New York Giants at KC

49. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts vs. TEN

50. Kadarius Toney, New York Giants at KC