Start Matthew Golden or DK Metcalf? Week 8

Our Week 8 call

Start Matthew Golden over DK Metcalf in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Matthew Golden at 14.0 points and DK Metcalf at 12.3, a gap of 1.7. No player market is posted for DK Metcalf this week yet, so his 12.3 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (12.1, 11.8 and 13.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Matthew Golden at ADP 108 and DK Metcalf at 66.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 14.0 fantasy points for Matthew Golden, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Matthew Golden is 65 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0-1 touchdowns (13, 10 and 13 market sources).

No Week 8 player market is posted for DK Metcalf yet. His market-based projections were 12.1, 11.8 and 13.0 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 12.3, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

The market-based projection for DK Metcalf is 0-1 touchdowns (7 market sources).

That puts Matthew Golden 1.7 points ahead of DK Metcalf on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

Matthew Golden and GB host CAR on Thursday at 8:15 PM ET.

CAR allowed 27.7 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 6th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 133 yards and 0-1 touchdowns a game against CAR.

DK Metcalf and PIT host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 31.8 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 14th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 150 yards and a touchdown a game against CLE.

By points allowed to the position, DK Metcalf has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Matthew Golden is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury.

DK Metcalf is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Matthew Golden played 84 percent of GB snaps, drew 26 percent of the targets, earned 40 percent of the air yards and had 18 percent of the red zone chances.

Matthew Golden, Week 4 against TB: 53 of 60 snaps, 1 carry for 6 yards, 7 targets and 3 catches for 21 yards, 1 touchdown.

Matthew Golden, Week 5 against CHI: 47 of 61 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 123 yards.

Matthew Golden, Week 6 against DAL: 63 of 75 snaps, 13 targets and 6 catches for 104 yards, 1 touchdown.

Matthew Golden, Week 7 against DET: 57 of 67 snaps, 12 targets and 6 catches for 39 yards.

Through Week 7, DK Metcalf played 95 percent of PIT snaps, drew 24 percent of the targets, earned 38 percent of the air yards and had 9 percent of the red zone chances.

DK Metcalf, Week 4 against CLE: 70 of 72 snaps, 9 targets and 5 catches for 115 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 5 against IND: 55 of 60 snaps, 1 carry for 11 yards, 4 targets and 3 catches for 12 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 6 against TB: 75 of 79 snaps, 15 targets and 11 catches for 93 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 7 against NO: 59 of 64 snaps, 6 targets and 2 catches for 56 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Matthew Golden played 14 games for GB and scored 70.0 PPR points, 5.0 a game, finishing WR89.

He caught 29 of 44 targets for 361 yards and 0 touchdowns, with 2 red zone targets and 260 air yards.

He was on the field for 50 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, DK Metcalf played 15 games for PIT and scored 187.2 PPR points, 12.5 a game, finishing WR26.

He caught 59 of 99 targets for 850 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 436 air yards.

He was on the field for 87 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

• Start A.J. Brown over Matthew Golden.
• Start Amon-Ra St. Brown over Matthew Golden.
• Start CeeDee Lamb over Matthew Golden.
• Start A.J. Brown over DK Metcalf.
• Start DK Metcalf over Carnell Tate.
• Start Christian Watson over DK Metcalf.