Start Tee Higgins or DK Metcalf? Week 8

Our Week 8 call

Start Tee Higgins over DK Metcalf in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Tee Higgins at 12.8 points and DK Metcalf at 12.3, a gap of 0.5. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Tee Higgins this week yet, so his 12.8 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5 and 7 (11.6 and 14.1); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. 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 Tee Higgins at ADP 37 and DK Metcalf at 66.

What the market projects

No Week 8 player market is posted for Tee Higgins yet. His market-based projections were 11.6 and 14.1 points in Weeks 5 and 7, an average of 12.8, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

The market-based projection for Tee Higgins is 0.7 touchdowns (7 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 0.6 touchdowns (7 market sources).

That puts Tee Higgins 0.5 points ahead of DK Metcalf on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

Tee Higgins and CIN host TEN on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

TEN allowed 35.8 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 8th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 176 yards and 0.6 touchdowns a game against TEN.

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, Tee Higgins has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Tee Higgins is not on the injury report.

DK Metcalf is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Tee Higgins played 78 percent of CIN snaps, drew 23 percent of the targets, earned 45 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Tee Higgins, Week 3 against PIT: 53 of 57 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 90 yards, 1 touchdown.

Tee Higgins, Week 4 against JAX: 60 of 76 snaps, 16 targets and 11 catches for 157 yards.

Tee Higgins, Week 5 against MIA: 45 of 65 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 22 yards.

Tee Higgins, Week 7 against BAL: 46 of 53 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 148 yards, 1 touchdown.

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, Tee Higgins played 15 games for CIN and scored 211.6 PPR points, 14.1 a game, finishing WR15.

He caught 59 of 98 targets for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns, with 14 red zone targets and 680 air yards.

He was on the field for 80 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 Tee Higgins.
• Start Tee Higgins over Carnell Tate.
• Start Christian Watson over Tee Higgins.
• Start A.J. Brown over DK Metcalf.
• Start DK Metcalf over Carnell Tate.
• Start Christian Watson over DK Metcalf.