Start Jerry Jeudy or Zachariah Branch? Week 8

Our Week 8 call

Start Jerry Jeudy over Zachariah Branch in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Jerry Jeudy at 4.0 points and Zachariah Branch at 3.3, a gap of 0.7. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Jerry Jeudy this week yet, so his 4.0 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (3.5, 3.9 and 4.7); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Zachariah Branch this week yet, so his 3.3 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (3.3 and 3.3); the call is rebuilt when his market posts.

What the market projects

No Week 8 player market is posted for Jerry Jeudy yet. His market-based projections were 3.5, 3.9 and 4.7 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 4.0, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

No Week 8 player market is posted for Zachariah Branch yet. His market-based projections were 3.3 and 3.3 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 3.3, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

That puts Jerry Jeudy 0.7 points ahead of Zachariah Branch on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

Jerry Jeudy and CLE visit PIT on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

PIT allowed 30.2 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 14th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 147 yards and 0.6 touchdowns a game against PIT.

Zachariah Branch and ATL visit TB on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

TB allowed 29.9 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 12th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 135 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game against TB.

By points allowed to the position, Jerry Jeudy has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Jerry Jeudy is not on the injury report.

Zachariah Branch is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Jerry Jeudy played 59 percent of CLE snaps, drew 11 percent of the targets, earned 13 percent of the air yards and had 2 percent of the red zone chances.

Jerry Jeudy, Week 4 against PIT: 24 of 64 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 36 yards.

Jerry Jeudy, Week 5 against NYJ: 55 of 68 snaps, 7 targets and 3 catches for 19 yards.

Jerry Jeudy, Week 6 against BAL: 39 of 62 snaps, 4 targets and 4 catches for 69 yards.

Jerry Jeudy, Week 7 against TEN: 43 of 70 snaps, 4 targets and 4 catches for 21 yards.

Through Week 7, Zachariah Branch played 25 percent of ATL snaps, drew 6 percent of the targets, earned 2 percent of the air yards and had 2 percent of the red zone chances.

Zachariah Branch, Week 4 against NO: 13 of 57 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 10 yards.

Zachariah Branch, Week 5 against BAL: 12 of 64 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 15 yards.

Zachariah Branch, Week 6 against CHI: 19 of 55 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 9 yards.

Zachariah Branch, Week 7 against SF: 23 of 69 snaps, 1 carry for 8 yards, 2 targets and 1 catch for 9 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Jerry Jeudy played 17 games for CLE and scored 120.7 PPR points, 7.1 a game, finishing WR52.

He caught 50 of 106 targets for 602 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 9 red zone targets and 436 air yards.

He was on the field for 85 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

• Start Brian Thomas Jr. over Jerry Jeudy.
• Start Jerry Jeudy over Cody White.
• Start Efton Chism III over Jerry Jeudy.
• Start Cody White over Zachariah Branch.
• Start Elic Ayomanor over Zachariah Branch.
• Start Jauan Jennings over Zachariah Branch.