Start Justin Jefferson or Zay Flowers? Week 8

Our Week 8 call

Start Justin Jefferson over Zay Flowers in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Justin Jefferson at 15.8 points and Zay Flowers at 14.1, a gap of 1.7. No player market is posted for Zay Flowers this week yet, so his 14.1 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (14.6, 13.4 and 14.2); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Justin Jefferson at ADP 14 and Zay Flowers at 24.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 15.8 fantasy points for Justin Jefferson, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Justin Jefferson is 75 receiving yards, 5-6 receptions and 0-1 touchdowns (10, 8 and 12 market sources).

No Week 8 player market is posted for Zay Flowers yet. His market-based projections were 14.6, 13.5 and 14.2 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 14.1, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

The market-based projection for Zay Flowers is 0-1 touchdowns (7 market sources).

That puts Justin Jefferson 1.7 points ahead of Zay Flowers on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

Justin Jefferson and MIN visit DET on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

DET allowed 39.2 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 3rd most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 187 yards and 0.8 touchdowns a game against DET.

Zay Flowers and BAL visit BUF on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

BUF allowed 42.3 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 174 yards and 1.8 touchdowns a game against BUF.

By points allowed to the position, Zay Flowers has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Justin Jefferson is not on the injury report.

Zay Flowers is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Justin Jefferson played 77 percent of MIN snaps, drew 26 percent of the targets, earned 34 percent of the air yards and had 16 percent of the red zone chances.

Justin Jefferson, Week 2 against CHI: 52 of 52 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 55 yards.

Justin Jefferson, Week 3 against TB: 7 of 59 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 32 yards.

Justin Jefferson, Week 5 against NO: 63 of 71 snaps, 1 carry for -11 yards, 7 targets and 6 catches for 79 yards, 1 touchdown.

Justin Jefferson, Week 7 against IND: 55 of 59 snaps, 7 targets and 4 catches for 44 yards.

Through Week 7, Zay Flowers played 65 percent of BAL snaps, drew 31 percent of the targets, earned 33 percent of the air yards and had 12 percent of the red zone chances.

Zay Flowers, Week 4 against TEN: 47 of 64 snaps, 10 targets and 8 catches for 118 yards, 1 touchdown.

Zay Flowers, Week 5 against ATL: 62 of 76 snaps, 1 carry for 13 yards, 9 targets and 8 catches for 53 yards.

Zay Flowers, Week 6 against CLE: 50 of 57 snaps, 1 carry for 1 yards, 11 targets and 6 catches for 66 yards.

Zay Flowers, Week 7 against CIN: 57 of 67 snaps, 11 targets and 8 catches for 137 yards, 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Justin Jefferson played 17 games for MIN and scored 201.5 PPR points, 11.9 a game, finishing WR21.

He caught 84 of 141 targets for 1048 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 17 red zone targets and 597 air yards.

He was on the field for 95 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Zay Flowers played 17 games for BAL and scored 243.3 PPR points, 14.3 a game, finishing WR7.

He caught 86 of 118 targets for 1211 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 10 red zone targets and 753 air yards.

He was on the field for 86 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

• Start Justin Jefferson over A.J. Brown.
• Start Amon-Ra St. Brown over Justin Jefferson.
• Start CeeDee Lamb over Justin Jefferson.
• Start A.J. Brown over Zay Flowers.
• Start Amon-Ra St. Brown over Zay Flowers.
• Start CeeDee Lamb over Zay Flowers.