Welcome to the weekly wide receiver/cornerback breakdown! We will review each of the outside matchups, as well as my 10 favorite matchups in the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my five absolute favorite matchups. This week is setting up to be the WORST! Six teams on bye, injuries all over the place, guys not returning from IR, what a mess! Don’t worry, we have you covered in all formats. This article is critical for daily players and season long, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| DeAndre Hopkins ARZ | Terrance Mitchell HOU | He scored two more touchdowns last Sunday and the scoring is helping to mask that he isn't the usual target hog in 2021 as he has been the rest of his career. His season highs are six catches and 87 yards. They are respectable numbers for sure, but we drafted Hopkins to be the alpha, and he hasn't quite been that when he has four or fewer catches in four of six games. Mitchell got off to a great start this season, but true colors are starting to show as he allowed six of the last eight passes his way to be caught with a quarterback rating against around 118. If Hopkins gets his volume back this could be a great game, but coming off a four target game I would use him exclusively in season long contests. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Xavien Howard MIA | He missed the London game with a personal issue and had his bye week last week, so it will have been three weeks since he has played in a game this weekend. He is still averaging over ten targets per game, the problem with Ridley has been the average depth of target (aDOT). The past couple years it has been in the 13-14 yard range and this season it is under 11 yards per target, meaning he isn't getting the longer throws down the field. It seems that Matt Ryan just hasn't had the time or the arm to get those deep balls to Ridley in 2021. Howard missed last week's game, but had traveled to London so you'd think he would be healthy enough to go this week. But with a shoulder and groin injury that will make him not the shutdown guy he normally is which makes Ridley a much more attractive play this week. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Chidobe Awuzie CIN | Brown's day could have been better if he had not dropped the touchdown pass and the other thing coming into play was the debut of Rashod Bateman. It is complicated because the Ravens already don't throw a ton, although this week that was also because they were killing the Chargers. I am far from panicking on Brown though. Awuzie has been beaten for catches, but his 9.3 yards per catch allowed is very good for an outside corner. Brown only needs a couple of plays to make a nice impact. He isn't someone I will focus my DFS energy on, but he will still be in my season long lineups for Week 7. |
| DJ Moore CAR | James Bradberry NYG | He hasn't scored in the last two weeks, but Moore hasn't had a game with fewer than five receptions and he is still the third most targeted receiver in the league. Robby Anderson got another healthy dose of targets, but his conversion to receptions has been awful meaning that Moore is still the preferred target. Statistically, James Bradberry was better last week, but he is still getting beaten pretty regularly as shown by his four touchdowns allowed and 114.8 quarterback rating against. The Giants secondary as a whole has allowed 14 pass touchdowns, including getting embarrassed by Matthew Stafford last week, fire up Moore in all fantasy formats! |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Jamel Dean TB | All of you can make all the excuses you want for Justin Fields, but he is not playing competent at quarterback right now and that is taking this entire offense down. The good news is that Robinson seven targets last week which was his highest total since Week 1, the bad news is it was good for just four catches and 53 yards. He has officially been passed by Darnell Mooney for fantasy relevance and when you throw in a matchup against one of the best corners in the league, this is another week where you seriously consider sitting Robinson in leagues where you start two or three wide receivers. Dean has been as shutdown as advertised and I don't know that the Bears score 13 points this week. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Marlon Humphrey BAL | Here's another top receiver that seems to be passed by his guy on the other side of the field as Higgins is being outpaced by Ja'Marr Chase. That doesn't mean that he has lost all of his fantasy value by any stretch, but it does hurt his DFS stock. This past week certainly wasn't helped by the fact that the Bengals crushed the Lions, and that won't be the case this week. Higgins hasn't even passed 50 yards in the last two games and Humphrey has allowed just 51% of balls to be caught and has hasn't surrendered a touchdown in four weeks. The Bengals are still a strong offense, and this should be Higgins best game in a month but he is still just a season long play. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Ronald Darby DEN | Sure, he usually lines up in the slot, but with Beckham not going to play, the Browns are really thin at wide receiver which means Landry will probably line up all over. They did designate him to return from the IR last week, but being ready for this game kind of came out of nowhere, so I wonder how close to 100% he is. He hasn't played since Week 2, and the Browns will have backups all over the place in this one, including at quarterback. Given his talent though and the number of bye weeks there's no way to not put him in your season long lineups and with a showdown slate with so many guys hurt on Cleveland he is one of just a couple guys I would consider in this offense. Darby also missed some time and was torched last week for five catches, over 100 yards, and a touchdown. Look for Case Keenum to look Landry's way early and often. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Denzel Ward CLE | It was a second straight great game for Sutton as he turned 14 targets into eight catches for 94 yards and a score. We can thank garbage time for this one, but as I always say all points count the same. Early word is that Jerry Jeudy won't be back this week so that helps Sutton some more. Ward hasn't allowed a touchdown yet this year, but he still hasn't been the top flight corner he once was. The Browns pass defense has allowed 14 pass touchdowns this season, including a beatdown at the hands of Kyler Murray. Teddy Bridgewater isn't nearly that talented, but should be able to move the ball on Cleveland's defense. I like Sutton as a WR2 in season leagues and a very attractive option in the Thursday showdown slate. |
| Kalif Raymond DET | Jalen Ramsey LAR | He tied for second most targets with D'Andre Swift and Amon-Ra St. Brown with seven, but Raymond only turned that into 37 yards on six catches. In a PPR league is that worth a bench spot on your roster for bye week insurance? Sure. That also came in a game where the Lions were annihilated by the Bengals. The matchup this week will be even more difficult against the Rams secondary and they might ask Jalen Ramsey to tie one arm behind his back or maybe hop on one foot to give the Lions offense a chance. Stay away from Raymond this week. |
| Davante Adams GB | Kendall Fuller WFT | The Bears couldn't stop the run and the game was rarely in question which is why Aaron Rodgers only threw it 23 times and Adams was only targeted five. He still tied for the team lead in targets, but that doesn't make those who played him in fantasy any happier. Good news is the Washington secondary might be the worst in football and Adams should have no trouble getting his this week. Some may shy away in DFS because of last week's dud by his standards, but Adams is one of the best plays on the board for Week 7. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Robert Alford ARZ | It is another week with Davis Mills which means we don't know what to expect from the Houston offense. However, since they are playing the Cardinals we know they are going to have to throw a lot since they are likely to get destroyed in this game being more than a two touchdown underdog. Cooks is by far the most talented and reliable receiver they have which means that he should get a great deal of volume here. He has been targeted seven or more times in five of six games. He has only one touchdown so using him in DFS is tricky but Cooks definitely belongs in your seasonal lineups. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Emmanuel Moseley SF | I will readily admit that I had little to no hope for T.Y. Hilton last week in his first game of the season. In fact, I didn't even include him in this article figuring he would barely play. But, he did catch all four targets for 80 yards against the Texans. The Colts offense is firing on all cylinders right now, and the 49ers secondary is still a mess. They are coming off a bye though, and Moseley has been their best corner by a fairly wide margin. I don't know that I will ever suggest Hilton for DFS purposes this season, but in a showdown slate, things are a little different. If he fits your roster build he might not be a terrible option and he is a WR3 in season long leagues. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Janoris Jenkins TEN | It is a second straight week that you can't complain about the production of Hardman as he finished with four catches for 62 yards. It would have been helped if he didn't fumble his rushing attempt and 49 of his 72 yards did come in one play. He gets another cupcake matchup this week against the Titans who can't stop anyone. Jenkins has a 104.7 quarterback rating against and allows over 12 yards per catch. I am not the one to have Hardman on my rosters, but if you do, this might not be the worst week to put him in your flex. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Amani Oruwariye DET | Well, he has gone over ten points in PPR leagues for three straight weeks now, but you can't be too happy about only five targets, two catches, and 31 yards for Woods against the Giants. He did have a touchdown which salvages the week, but Cooper Kupp is just leaving him in the dust. Statistically, Oruwariye hasn't been too bad although his 1.64 yards allowed per route covered is not fantastic, and the Lions secondary as a whole are allowing two passing touchdowns per game. Woods is fine for seasonal use, but right now with his target share being so much lower than Kupp's I can't suggest him for DFS use. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Steven Nelson PHI | He has just seven targets in the last two weeks combined, but Ruggs is making the most of them with six catches, 148 yards and a score. He is a big play waiting to happen on a weekly basis, but can burn you if the play doesn't come. This season though they have been pretty reliable, and I am starting to feel more comfortable with Ruggs for the first time. The Eagles pass defense only allows just over 210 yards per game through the air, but they also have allowed 12 passing touchdowns already. Nelson is allowing 12.6 yards per catch and has surrendered a couple of 30+ yard catches this season so I would feel fine with plugging Ruggs into my Week 7 lineups. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Fabian Moreau ATL | He did practice on Wednesday on a limited basis, but I'll take that as a decent sign that he might play. It would be a good week for him to come back facing Moreau and the soft Falcons defense. He has allowed three touchdowns himself already, and the Tagovailoa should be able to exploit this matchup. Parker has been targeted 32 times in four games he has played this week, but given his injury I would have a hard time trusting him unless you have a lot of your regular receivers hurt or on bye. |
| Nelson Agholor NE | Bryce Hall NYJ | He was only targeted three times and had a drop and a single catch for 27 yards. He hasn't had more than three catches or 55 yards since that opening week solid game. The Pats don't have a high powered pass game and the majority goes to backs and tight ends. Continue to ignore Agholor unless for some reason they suffer a couple injuries to their receivers. |
| Marquez Callaway NO | D.J. Reed SEA | Michael Thomas is supposed to be a couple weeks away still, so Callaway continues to be the fantasy threat. The stat line looked good in Week 5 before their bye with two catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns although 49 of the yards and a score came on a hail mary which we all know we can't count on regularly. If Taysom Hill is out that could help the offense be more vertical as well as a date with the Seahawks. Seattle's secondary is improving a little, but still have a long way to go. If you roster Callaway this isn't a horrible week to put him in your lineups, but I don't have a ton of faith in him. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Donte Jackson CAR | It is quite a M*A*S*H unit for the Giants offense this week as Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, and even John Ross aren't practicing and unlikely to play. Slayton hasn't played since Week 3 and Donte Jackson is a really good corner. I really don't feel like we need deep analysis here. There's no reason to consider Slayton for DFS and the only way that you can use him in seasonal leagues if you are really desperate with bye weeks and injuries. |
| Corey Davis NYJ | J.C. Jackson NE | The Jets are coming off their bye, but we have already seen that their offense is going to be very inconsistent, and we already saw what the Pats did to Davis the first time they played when he had just two catches for eight yards. I don't think he will be held quite that much in check again, but the narrative is that Bill Belicheck can take away your best weapon and we know for the Jets that is Davis. He definitely belongs on your fantasy benches this week. |
| DeVonta Smith PHI | Casey Hayward LV | Last Thursday was a big disappointment, although it is hard to blame Smith when his quarterback could barely complete a pass. The Bucs really exposed Jalen Hurts' weaknesses as a thrower, and for the sake of Smith's fantasy value, let's hope that doesn't happen again. However, Hayward hasn't allowed a touchdown yet this year, and is giving up just a 42% catch rate and under ten yards per catch. The Eagles got rid of one more guy taking up targets in Zach Ertz so there are some more vacated for Smith to gobble up. I would be fine with him in my flex spot, but the way Hayward has played I can't trust Smith for DFS games. |
| DK Metcalf SEA | Marcus Lattimore NO | Despite the fact that they almost won, it was obvious how much this team misses Russell Wilson in the first full game. Smith threw for just 209 yards, and the offense was in quicksand the whole first half. Metcalf did finish with six catches for 58 yards, but also had a boneheaded play at the end of the game that could have cost Seattle that overtime opportunity. Outside of one game with the Giants, Lattimore has been the shutdown guy we know him to be. In the other three games he allowed just eight of 23 targets to be caught for a total of 110 yards. The Seattle offense will likely struggle again, making Metcalf a season long play only until Russ returns. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Xavier Rhodes IND | It looks like Jimmy Garoppolo will be back under center this week for the 49ers and that is a good thing for Deebo's output. He was targeted plenty with Trey Lance at quarterback, but the offense just didn't move the same. Samuel will continue to be the focal point of the passing game, especially with George Kittle out. The Colts secondary hasn't been able to stop most teams, and Rhodes is allowing 13 yards per catch and 72% of balls to be caught. He has also given up a pass of 20 or more yards in three of the four games he has played this season. If the game is close, you can count on the Colts secondary giving up a bunch of yards, if the Colts get way ahead you can look for garbage time production, but either way I like Deebo this week in both seasonal games and DFS contests as well especially in that Sunday night showdown slate. |
| Mike Evans TB | Jaylon Johnson CHI | So it was Evans who had the dud of the game last week against the Eagles with just two catches for 27 yards. The Bears secondary is not giving up a lot of yards, but has surrendered ten touchdowns through the air so far. Johnson has also not allowed a ton of catches, but he has allowed a pass of 25 yards or more in three of the last four weeks, and 17.6 yards per catch. I like that this game is in Tampa where Evans has been money outside of the season opener. Evans is absolutely in play in all formats of fantasy this week with Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski sitting this one out. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Mike Hughes KC | He had an eventful second half against the Bills and finished with seven catches for 91 yards. He is certainly over the food poisoning he had last week and should be able to feast on the cupcake secondary the Chiefs put on the field each week. Hughes allows 11.5 yards per catch and has a 102.1 quarterback rating against this season. The Chiefs secondary has allowed 11 touchdowns and Brown should have a field day considering it is unlikely that Julio Jones plays this week. Fire up Brown in all fantasy formats this week. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Isaac Yiadom GB | Despite big target numbers, McLaurin has had two very forgettable games in a row with just a combined 74 yards in those games. I have to admit that I am getting a little nervous about the viability of the offense with Taylor Heinicke under center. He does get a break facing the Packers while Jaire Alexander is on IR and other injuries as well. Right now, I can't think to put McLaurin in any DFS lineups until I see Washington able to move the ball consistently and put some points on the board, but I am not so worried about the situation that I don't start him in my season long leagues. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| A.J. Green ARZ | Desmond King HOU | Wow, I guess Green is still fantasy relevant after all as he continues to be targeted six times in every game but one. He has 65+ yards in three of the last four games and he has three touchdowns in six weeks. As of now he has almost as many yards as DeAndre Hopkins. King and the Texans secondary are very porous though, and the Cardinals should have little trouble moving to 7-0. This might be the last week I suggest putting Green into your starting lineups though, as Zach Ertz is coming to town and it might take him a week to get acclimated but I do think he will have an impact on Green's production. |
| Russell Gage ATL | Byron Jones MIA | He returned to practice this week, but he hasn't played since Week 2 and the Falcons offense is pretty atrocious. Until we see some sort of spark out of this offense I can't suggest using anyone outside of Patterson, Ridley, or Pitts. Leave Gage on the waiver wire where he belongs especially against a pretty good corner in Jones. |
| Rashod Bateman BAL | Eli Apple CIN | We will see if he can keep up his usage going forward, but it was a great first game for Bateman with four catches on five targets. Sure, the 29 yards aren't great and the one that he didn't catch turned into an interception, but it was still the guy's first game in the NFL. The Ravens are throwing a little more this year, but it is still cycling through Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews. I need to see a big game out of Bateman before I even consider using him for DFS purposes, but with six teams on bye and a million guys hurt you could do worse than this rookie in your flex spot in season long leageus for Week 7. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Adoree' Jackson NYG | He has just five catches on EIGHTEEN targets in the last two weeks and with this kind of inefficiency maybe we understand why Darnold wasn't throwing him the ball much early on. He did have a late touchdown last week, but he also has just 41 yards in the last two weeks combined. There are six teams on bye and everyone has injuries so if you have Anderson on your roster you are likely forced to play him, but man you can't do it with any confidence right now even against a Giants secondary that has allowed 14 passing touchdowns already. if Anderson doesn't have any big sort of game this week, I am not sure it is happening for him in 2021 as Sam Darnold's numbers have been subpar the past two weeks as well. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Pierre Desir TB | While Justin Fields has been a disaster, Mooney still has kept most of his relevance with five catches in two of the last three weeksn and a touchdown last week. It is kind of hard to trust such a spotty offense against such a tough defense, although the Bucs secondary is dealing with a bunch of injuries. Mooney can't be a DFS play, but he certainly belongs in your season long lineups. |
| Ja'Marr Chase CIN | Anthony Averett BAL | This kid is just a stud as he is having one of the best starts to a career with 553 yards and five touchdowns in six games. He has been a great deep threat for Joe Burrow, so while he is a bit boom or bust, he is booming on a weekly basis. He has been above 65 yards in four straight weeks and is agruably the best receiver on the team. Averett has allowed just a 61% catch rate, but also is giving up 14.6 yards per catch and a 20 yard or more catch in four of six games. I like a guy who makes big plays against a corner who is allowing big plays. |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE | Patrick Surtain DEN | He has really stepped up the past two weeks with nine catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Odell Beckham is out, but he does deal with the return of Jarvis Landry to take away some targets. Surtain hasn't been great lately as he has allowed 13 catches in the last 19 targets at him. The Browns offense will definitely be hurt with Case Keenum at quarterback, but DPJ is probably the best option for downfield threats and big plays. He is either going to have a big game or fizzle out with not much, there is likely no in between for him. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Greedy Williams CLE | I believe this will be the last week before Jerry Jeudy returns and probably the last time that he will be overly fantasy relevant. Teddy Bridgewater is banged up, but will play, and the Browns secondary hasn't played very well this season at all. Greedy Williams has allowed 16 catches in the last 22 targets for 183 yards and a touchdown. Considering how many teams are on bye and the fact that Patrick has 21 targets in the last three weeks he absolutely is worth a spot in your seasonal lineups and in a showdown slate he is a solid option as one of the cheapest options among guys who have a defined role on the team. |
| Khadarel Hodge DET | David Long LAR | He has gotten an increased opportunity over the past two weeks with nine combined targets, but he has turned it into just three catches for 26 yards. Despite all of the injuries the Lions have had to their wide receivers, it won't help Hodge at all in terms of fantasy. Detroit will continue to funnel through their tight end and running backs mostly with a little sprinkled in to their top two wide receivers. Hodge is not one of those guys. |
| Allen Lazard GB | William Jackson WFT | In a weird game where the Packers offense didn't have to do much, Lazard had three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown on a one-yard shovel pass. The three catches were a season high, which is about all I have to tell you about how the season is going for Lazard. I know the Washington secondary is awful, but he just isn't getting the looks to warrant any fantasy consideration whether it be season long or DFS contests. Everything runs through Davante Adams here and you can ignore any other receiver. |
| Nico Collins HOU | Marco Wilson ARZ | The only thing that you can hope for is some garbage time production because the Texans are going to get crushed! Collins was tied for second in targets on the team in his first game since Week 2. I do think he is the second most talented receiver on the team but he is only a real desperation flex play in a seasonal league. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Josh Norman SF | He had six or more catches in four straight games before last week's two catch, 35 yard effort last week against the Texans. That could be a direct result of the return of T.Y. Hilton. Hilton got dinged up again, and although I think he will play this week, there's no guarantee that he will be able to finish the game. Lenoir and the Niners secondary have been decimated by injury. They should get a little relief after the bye, but until I see them play better I have no trouble playing receivers against them. The Colts passing game is playing their best right now and Pittman might not be a sneaky dart throw in DFS and a definite WR3 or flex play in season long leagues. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Breon Borders TEN | Whoa! After having just ten targets all season, Robinson had six on Sunday and had three catches for 46 yards and a touchdown. That tied his season highs across the board. So that's it, that's the best you can hope for. 13 fantasy points in a PPR league when he scores a freak touchdown. He's not worth it folks! |
| Van Jefferson LAR | Jerry Jacobs DET | He made some noise in three of the first four weeks, but Jefferson has completely disappeared the past two games with just four catches on eight targets for 35 yards combined. Even against the piss poor Lions you can only trust Kupp and Woods and if Jefferson does something it will be some big play that no one expected. Continue to let him sit on the waiver wire as his only relevance would come with an injury to one of the top two big guys. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | Darius Slay PHI | He did have 67 yards last week, but 51 of it came on one catch, and as usual it came late in the fourth quarter. Maybe instead of tight end premium leagues, someone should create a league where you get bonus points if your guy performs in the fourth quarter and overtime. Edwards would be a first round pick in that league. But until that league is created, you can forget about him for fantasy purposes on a weekly basis. |
| Preston Williams MIA | A.J. Terrell ATL | He missed the game in London, but was able to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday so I think there's a good chance he plays. Williams has only played two games this season so far because of injury and even against Atlanta you can really only think of putting him in a seasonal lineup if you are incredibly desperate due to injuries and bye weeks which is possible this week. But Terrell has only allowed 37.5% of passes at him to be caught so you really need to be in dire straits to use him. |
| Kendrick Bourne NE | Brandin Echols NYJ | He made the most of his one catch as he took it for a 75 yard touchdown, but Bourne was only targeted twice in the game. In fact, he has just five targets in the last two weeks. Mac Jones is doing a fine job as a real NFL quarterback, but from a fantasy perspective, really only Jakobi Meyers has a chance of being consistently fantasy worthy. Leave Bourne on the waiver wire despite his one big play against the Cowboys last week. |
| Chris Hogan NO | Sidney Jones PIT | Michael Thomas and Tre'Quan Smith aren't ready to come back yet and Deonte Harris got hurt last week. There is seriously no one left for Jameis Winston to throw to except Hogan and Marquez Callaway. Oh, and that Kamara guy. Hogan is not even remotely fantasy relevant even against a Steelers secondary that has been fairly giving to opposing offenses this season. |
| Collin Johnson NYG | Keith Taylor CAR | Almost every single receiver is hurt for the Giants which may cause Johnson to enter the starting lineup as one of the outside receivers. I don't need to tell you that it isn't a recipe for fantasy success no matter who the opponent is and there is no point system where you should consider even putting Johnson on a roster nevermind a starting spot no matter how many teams are on bye. |
| Elijah Moore NYJ | Jalen Mills NE | The thought of Moore was exciting coming into the season, but it just hasn't panned out to this point between his injury, the inconsistency of him and the offensein general. He had no catches in the game before the bye, and Keelan Cole is out producing him right now. The Pats secondary isn't awesome but it is pretty solid and while Moore can still be on fantasy rosters, there is no chance that you can play him with any confidence right now. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Amik Robertson LV | If you played in a league where you got points for drawing a pass interference penalty, Reagor would have been a DFS winner last week. Unfortunately, you get points for catches and yards and Reagor put up zeroes in both of those categories. He has four catches in the last three weeks combined and right now Reagor shouldn't even be on fantasy rosters. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Isaiah Rodgers IND | I wish I knew the answer here but I do not. Aiyuk is getting on the field more, but he still has just seven targets in the last two weeks and hasn’t topped 40 yards all season and only has one game with more than two catches. I keep waiting for him to break out and it just isn't happening. I still have not lost hope but if I have reasonably close to better options I am using them. This is a great matchup against Indy, but how could I possibly suggest using Aiyuk right now? |
| Freddie Swain SEA | Paulson Adebo NO | Too bad there are no points for recovering fumbles that save your team's chances to kick a game-tying field goal in fantasy leagues, because that was Swain's only real contribution to the team last week. He wasn't fantasy relevant with Russell Wilson at quarterback, he sure as hell isn't fantasy relevant without him under center. |
| Tyler Johnson TB | Kindle Vildor CHI | He has madea few big plays this season, but overall when everyone is healthy, Johnson is an afterthought. However, with Antonio Brown out, he will get a little opportunity. When Brown missed Week 3, Johnson was targeted six times and caught three for 63 yards. Vildor has played better the past two weeks, but is still allowing nearly 15 yards per catch which is a recipe for failure against Brown. Tom Brady is on another level right now and the offense is clicking. Is Johnson the worst idea of a dart throw in a GPP league for this week? Definitely not. However, he isn't someone I consider a must-play because of Brown's injury. |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine TEN | Rashad Fenton KC | Julio Jones isn't going to play in this game which leaves the Titans short-handed at receiver. However, for fantasy, there is no one else that is worthwhile outside of A.J. Brown. The Chiefs secondary hasn't been good, but Ryan Tannehill is just going to spread it around to a lot of different folks after Brown leaving no one worthy of your time in either season long or DFS games. |
| Dyami Brown WFT | Eric Stokes GB | He did tie season highs with targets and catches, but his three catches for 30 yards still aren't inspiring any thoughts of him in fantasy. Until we see the Washington offense come to life there are no wide receivers that you can consider using outside of Terry McLaurin. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 7.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Elijah Molden TEN | I know he has the quad injury and I know he didn't play the entire last game or practice this week but how can you ignore this shiny gift from the Fantasy Football Gods? Hill has been targeted 12 or more times in three straight games and is just an absolute beast while the Titans pass defense has allowed 12 passing touchdowns already and Molden is allowing 16.6 yards per catch out of the slot? Even if the Titans put their top corners on him, none of them are any good either. This is a total recipe for success, don't miss it! |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | AJ Parker DET | He has been targeted at least ten times in every game and has been over 90 receiving yards in every game but one. The Rams offense is among the league's best this season, and the Lions defense has allowed 12 touchdowns through the air already this season. Parker has allowed nearly 88% of passes his way to be caught this season and Kupp is my favorite play on the board this week. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Xavier Crawford CHI | Last week was his first time under 50 yards all season, but he still had five catches which is hard to argue with. Crawford was pressed into action last week and allowed three of four passes his way to be caught. Godwin certainly should see an uptick in targets with Antonio Brown out, and the way that the Tampa pass game is going right now he jumped up my projections with one of the big three out. I like this game in Tampa, and Godwin should be able to have a great game. He and Mike Evans just got much more attractive for DFS contests in Week 7. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | A.J. Bouye CAR | When healthy, this guy has been a beast. And considering Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney are likely to miss the game, that will put Shepard as the top option on the team. Bouye's best days are definitely behind him and he is allowing 81% of passes at him to be caught. Shepard is averaging nine targets a game and that includes one game where he didn't play nearly the whole thing. Especially in PPR leagues he is an absolute must start and a great play in both cash and GPP contests for DFS in Week 7. |
| Jaylen Waddle MIA | Richie Grant ATL | His yards per catch aren't exactly eye popping, but Waddle is getting a lot of volume and his catch efficiency is pretty impressive. We all know the Falcons secondary is very beatable, and Grant has allowed three of four passes his way to be caught for a ridiculous 17.3 yards per catch. The Dolphins offense isn't dynamic but all of their receivers are either out or banged up which makes Waddle the best option which he could be even if everyone was healthy. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Tavon Young BAL | With injuries and bye weeks the slot is pretty thin again this week. Boyd only had one tcathc last week ,but he has at least been decent most weeks. Ok, maybe I am being optimistic. However, Young has allowed an 84% catch rate with 11 yards per catch and a 100.7 quarterback rating against this season. The Bengals should have to throw more this week after putting on the brakes last week after crushing the Lions. Boyd isn't a sure thing by any chance, but things at least look like he has a solid chance of putting ten fantasy points on the board this week. |
| Jakobi Meyers NE | Michael Carter NYJ | He was SO CLOSE to scoring a touchdown finally last week, but it was wiped away by a penalty. But he did catch the ball later on when he picked up a two-point conversion. Meyers is still the most targeted and reliable receiver on the team, although Mac Jones does also love his tight ends. Meyers had just four catches for 38 yards the first time they played the Jets, but with the quarterback having more experience I think he is in for a much better game the second time around. |
| Jamison Crowder NYJ | Myles Bryant NE | Crowder was hurt the first time the Pats played the Jets, but he has at least been decent since coming back from injury. The New York offense is pretty pathetic and they don't have many good options to throw to. Since they don't have a real competent tight end, a rookie quarterback's best friend is a slot receiver with reliable hands which is what Crowder is. He isn't going to have a huge game by any stretch and he isn't a DFS play, but considering there are six teams on bye this week he isn't a terrible option as a flex play. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Dontae Johnson SF | Parris Campbell is out (I know, shocker) and T.Y. Hilton is banged up (another shocker) which makes Pascal a much better option against a 49ers secondary that has been getting crushed. They are coming off a bye where they could have regrouped some, but they are still a team to target. Pascal has been targeted five or more times in each game before last week, but I expect that number to be north of five this week. Pascal has nine targets inside the red zone already and could be a nice waiver pickup and flex play if you are dealing with bye week blues. |
| Christian Kirk ARZ | Tavierre Thomas HOU | He has five catches in each of the last two weeks to go with 13 targets. In fact, Kirk has five or more targets in four of six games. The Cardinals offense is just crushing it right now. The Cardinals will welcome Zach Ertz in this week, but as I stated earlier that impacts A.J. Green more than Kirk. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the desert, but Kyler Murray can do it. The Texans allow 250 yards a game through the air and I expect that to go up after this game. Thomas is in there because of injury and has allowed four of six passes his way to be caught. Kirk is far from a sure thing and a risky dart throw in DFS but I do like him in seasonal leagues for Week 7. |
Elite
Cooper Kupp vs. AJ Parker
He has the most targets in football, the most touchdowns in the league, and he is just 15 yards away from Davante Adams (who is also a great play this week) from having the most yards too! AND he’s playing the Lions? Like how do you not smash him into EVERY single one of your lineups? Even the one game where Robert Woods was really good, Kupp still produced. Detroit has little chance of keeping this guy in check, the only thing that could stop him is if Sean McVay sits starters in the fourth quarter when the Rams are up 24 points. But don’t even worry about that, Kupp will already have his seven catches for 100 yards and a touchdown by that point. Use him!
I didn’t want to go completely chalky with Adams here so let’s give Moore more love. You know I always preach volume in this article and Moore is the third most targeted receiver in football, just five behind Kupp for the lead. Robby Anderson is getting more looks, but his catch efficiency is downright embarrassing, so you have to figure Darnold is going to start looking to his main man when it matters again. Moore is pushing a 25% target share, which is among the best in the league. The Giants secondary has been terrible as I noted before, and Bradberry certainly isn’t the shutdown corner he was last season. I’m expecting a minimum of six catches for 80 yards and a score here.
Affordable
Even with food poisoning he couldn’t be stopped in the second half last week against the Bills, and this week he won’t be…….well, I won’t guess which end it was coming out of, let’s just say he won’t be sick again. Julio (shockingly, right?) won’t be out there which means that Brown is far and away the best receiver for Ryan Tannehill to target. They sure are going to have to throw to keep up with the Chiefs who are going to crush the Titans secondary. So, we are either looking at a shootout where the Titans are throwing a lot to keep up the score, or they are getting blown out and we will have some garbage time production. Either way, look for Tannehill to throw it at least 35 times and for Brown to get close if he doesn’t go over 100 yards and a score.
Well, I had Antonio Brown here, but since he was ruled out, I am pivoting to Evans. We know that Tampa is going to want to throw and be able to throw on this Bears secondary. With both Gronk and Brown out, the options for Brady to throw to becomes a little more limited. Sure, Tyler Johnson will get a few looks, but we know that the pass game is going to be focused on Evans and Chris Godwin. Evans is truly cheaper than I expected and has turned into a great value. The Packers didn’t even barely throw the ball much and Aaron Rodgers still had two passing touchdowns. Evans and Godwin should both have great games.
Bargain Bin
Sterling Shepard vs. A.J. Bouye
Here comes that volume word again! Since Evan Engram just sucks, who better to throw to if you need reliable hands than Shepard? He is catching 80% of the passes thrown to him, and he is getting a ton of targets. The only concern with him is health, but this is DFS, we only have to worry about one game. Shepard has only scored once, but with the Giants looking at another game with a plethora of receivers not suiting up as well as Saquon Barkley, the options for Daniel Jones are going to be limited. Shepard is the perfect lower salary guy as you know he is going to get the looks and even if he doesn’t score, he will give you a great return on his cost just on the receptions alone. A.J. Bouye was once a very strong corner, but that was many years ago, and he was on the opposite side of the field with Jalen Ramsey in Jacksonville. Do you remember that? He is just a shell of that guy now, and Shepard should leave him in the dust all afternoon.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.