Week 8 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Jauan Jennings vs. Romeo Doubs

Fantasy football managers deciding between Jauan Jennings and Romeo Doubs in Week 8 face a classic start/sit dilemma between upside and reliability.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi's Stadium. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

In the fantasy market, chasing last year's stats for an over-drafted player can lead to a slide down the league's standings. Knowing when to get on and off a wide receiver bus is an art, with the risk of mistakes. In this start/sit decision, Jauan Jennings faces off against Romeo Doubs, a tale of two directions.

Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers

Last season, Jennings was an absolute beast in three games (11/175/3, 10/91/1, and 7/90/2), leading to him scoring 99.60 fantasy points in PPR formats. He scored only 110.90 fantasy points in his other 12 starts, resulting in mid-tier WR4 stats (9.24 fantasy points). Over seven games this year, Jennings struggled in four of his five matchups (2/16, 5/89/1, 2/24, 1/7, and 4/31) while averaging 5.8 targets (7.5 in 2024). The 49ers had him on the field for 85% of their plays last week, seven days after San Francisco said he was playing through multiple rib injuries.

Shawn Childs

The Texans sit third in wide receiver defense (164.90 fantasy points) while playing one fewer game than most teams. Offenses gained 71.8% of the receiving yards from wideouts, with risk in yards per catch (13.7).

• Puka Nacua (10/130)
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba (8/123/1)

No other wide receiver gained more than 72 yards or had over five catches.

Jennings isn’t in winning form, but the 49ers lead the NFL in passing yards (1,990). Unfortunately, they’ve struggled to finish drives with passing touchdowns (10). 

CHECK OUT OUR WEEK 8 WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS & PROJECTIONS!

Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) runs during warm ups before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

From 2022 to 2024, Doubs ranked 71st (102.60), 37th (174.40), and 56th (132.10) in fantasy scoring while missing four games in 2022 and 2024. He’s gained over 100 yards once (6/151/1) in his 49 matchups. Romeo scored 20.00 fantasy points or more in two games (8/73/1 and 6/58/3). The Packers gave him an uptick in chances over his last three games (25 targets), leading to a floor of 55 receiving yards and five catches in each matchup. 

Shawn Child

Wide receivers have beaten the Steelers’ defense for 87 catches for 1,103 yards and five touchdowns on 140 targets this year, resulting in 227.30 fantasy points (22nd). Six wide receivers have gained 90 yards or more.

• Garrett Wilson (7/95/1)
• Cooper Kupp (7/90)
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba (8/103)
• Justin Jefferson (10/126)
• Jordan Addison (4/114)
• Ja’Marr Chase (16/161/1)

Doubs is more of a chain mover with more success against zone coverage. He brings some scoring upside when given a winnable red-zone release.

Conclusion: Jennings vs. Doubs

Based on matchup and current form, Doubs is the better play in this exercise. His ceiling tends to be in the mid-teens, which tilts the ceiling card toward Jennings. In a heavy bye week, I would be more apt to ride consistency over a boom-or-bust player, given his health concerns this year.