Week 8 Fantasy Rankings: Ollie Gordon, Malik Washington and Greg Dulcich Are the Dolphins to Trust Against New England
Fantasy managers setting Week 8 lineups before the late window keep landing on the same Miami names. The form behind the rankings is real: a five-game 100-yard rushing streak, a receiver who leads his team in every receiving category, and a tight end coming off an 86-yard game.
The search tells the story of the morning: 'week 8 fantasy rankings' sat at No. 7 on the Google Trends US snapshot read by this desk on Sunday, and for managers with Dolphins on the roster the rankings conversation starts in the backfield. Ollie Gordon II has taken over since De'Von Achane's Week 3 injury, averaging 97 rushing yards per game since Week 4, with his carries climbing from nine to 18 to 25 over the last three games, a touchdown in four straight games and two 100-yard games in his last three.
The team context behind Gordon is just as strong. Miami has rushed for more than 100 yards in five straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL, and its 153.3 rushing yards per game since Week 4 ranks second in the league. The one caution in the file is up front: rookie left guard Kadyn Proctor is out with a concussion and Jarrett Kingston starts in his place, against a New England defense that the same file ranks eighth against the run.
In the passing game, Malik Washington is the ranking that needs no debate. He leads Miami in targets, receptions and receiving yards, and he has topped 40 receiving yards in five of six games this season. Greg Dulcich is the riser: he caught all five of his targets for 86 yards against the Jets last week, has caught nine of 10 targets over the last two games, and is averaging 35.5 yards per game. Rookie Chris Bell is the deeper name - three catches for 25 yards against the Jets, and still working back toward full strength from last year's ACL injury.
New England's absences shape the other side of the matchup. The Patriots are without receiver A.J. Brown and running back TreVeyon Henderson, which the Dolphins Wire file notes could push more of New England's passing work toward tight end Hunter Henry against a Miami defense that, by that file's numbers, gives up the sixth-most receiving yards to opposing tight ends. Kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium is 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS, and the final inactive lists, due before kickoff, settle the remaining questionable names on both sides.
