Fantasy Football Advice: Miami Dolphins Week 8 start/sit against Patriots

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The Miami Dolphins have blown out two straight opponents and they have looked good after firing head coach Joe Philbin and installing Dan Campbell as the interim head coach. This week, however, will prove to be the biggest test of Campbell's rejuvinated Dolphins as they head north to face the New England Patriots on a short week. Are there any Dolphins players worth starting on your fantasy team this week?

Ryan Tannehill - Tannehill has been hot as of late, a big part of why the Dolphins are starting to put points on the board. Admittedly, he has had help, especially when receivers turn a 15 yard out route into a 50-yard touchdown, but, at the end of the day, that counts the same in fantasy as if Tannehill threw the ball 50-yards in the air for the score. Tannehill will not have three 50-plus-yard touchdowns in the first half, nor will he have four touchdown passes in the first half, against the Patriots, but, as long as he keeps playing like he has over the pas two weeks, he probably should be starting for your team. Start

Lamar Miller - Miller has been getting the ball more often since the Philbin-for-Campbell swap, and he is absolutely taking advantage of the touches. He has racked up 288 yards rushing over the past two games, with two scores on the ground and another through the air. New England is 19th in the league against the rush, allowing 110.3 yards per game, and they are allowing the eighth highest yards per attempt in the league at 4.5 yards per carry; New England can be run against, as long as the team is willing to commit. The Dolphins are feeding Miller right now, which only means good things for your fantasy team. Start

Jarvis Landry - Every week, I go back and forth on whether to start Landry or not. He puts up big numbers, and that is a great thing, but at some point, you have to think opposing defenses are just going to try to lock him down and make Tannehill use someone else in the passing game. Yet, Landry keeps getting open and putting up big numbers. New England does not have the same talent in their secondary as they had last year, and Landry could put up big numbers again this week. Start

Rishard Matthews - Matthews is such a hard player to dissect. He is the third wide receiver on Miami's depth chart right now, but he is clearly second in terms of wide receiver targets, trailing Landry but 14 targets ahead of any other wide receiver on the roster. He has a team high four touchdown receptions so far this season, and he seems to be a constant target when the team needs a long play (seven receptions of 20+ yards). Matthews is probably not a must start player, but he is clearly a bye week/injury fill-in option who could score big points for you. Flex/Bye-Week Fill in

Jordan Cameron - There was a purposeful reasoning in continuing to write that Matthews is second in terms of targets for "wide receivers" above - Cameron is actually second on the team in targets right now, two ahead of Matthews. He has nine fewer receptions, however. Cameron will get some looks against the Patriots, but if any team knows how to cover tight ends, it's the defense that faces Rob Gronkowski in practice every day. Cameron has not been lighting it up, despite Miami's offensive success the last two weeks, and I am probably sitting him until he has a couple of good games in a row. Sit

Dion Sims - I really like Sims and think he will be a good option for Miami for the next several years. He is growing into a great target for Tannehill and he should become a redzone favorite. The problem is, there was a lot of "grow" and "become" in those two sentences. That does not help you in fantasy this week. Sims has the ability to break out at any point, but he always seems to be just on the verge, without actually taking that next step. Part of it may be he is still a step slow after suffering a concussion in Week 1 that held him out until Week 6, but whatever the case, Sims probably should not be starting on a fantasy team this week. Sit

Dolphins Defense - Miami's defense has awakened and they are crushing people. That said, this is the Patriots' offense they will be facing and no one has really been able to slow down the Patriots thus far this year. Normally, with Miami's defense having played they way they have over the past two weeks, they would be a must start, but I am reluctant to say that with them facing the Patriots. Sit