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 elite, affordable, and bargain. I have an important announcement to make: This is the last week we have to worry about teams on bye! There are four, but there aren’t a lot of fantasy impactful receivers on the Colts, Dolphins, Patriots, and Eagles. Michael Pittman, Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith are the only ones you might struggle to replace. 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 | Jalen Ramsey LAR | There was concern he wasn't going to play last week even after he was declared active as he wasn't on the field for pregame warmups. He did play and had a first quarter touchdown, but then didn't do much else and finished with two catches for 33 yards. I still don't think Hopkins is 100% and he is probably isn't going to be worthy of DFS consideration for the rest of 2021, but even with one of the toughest matchups in the league against Jalen Ramsey who had a fumble recovery last week I would still give Hopkins a start in season long leagues. |
| Olamide Zaccheaus ATL | Stephon Gilmore CAR | Matt Ryan threw the ball 41 times and had nearly 300 passing yards and Zaccheaus was only able to muster three catches for 44 yards on five targets. The three catches were tied for a season high and the 44 yards was his second most. The Panthers secondary is decent but not spectacular but Zaccheaus hasn't been fantasy relevant all season long and he certainly isn't going to start being that now. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Denzel Ward CLE | It was the first time in five weeks that Brown wasn't targeted ten times, but Hollywood still had five catches for 55 yards on seven targets in Week 13 against the Steelers. He still has five or more catches in five straight weeks and has 50 or more yards in four of the last five games. The Browns are coming off their bye, but have allowed 22 passing touchdowns in 12 games and are trending in the wrong direction. Brown had eight catches for 51 yards in Week 12 against the Browns and Ward allowed a touchdown in that game to Mark Andrews. The Ravens should have a better offensive week and I definitely start Brown in any season long league but not DFS contests. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Carlton Davis TB | There is a chance that Jamel Dean will clear concussion protocol in time for this game, but on Thursday that is still an unknown so we will assume he is out. Davis returned last week for the first time since Week 4 and allowed just three of eight passes his way to be caught. One was for 30 yards, but the other were short. Considering the wind on Monday night, Diggs four catches for 51 yards wasn't a bad game at all. The Bucs secondary has been really banged up but with Davis back, the possibility of Dean and Richard Sherman returning, things have to be looking up for Tampa's pass defense. It still isn't enough for me to get really excited for Diggs in DFS games, but he does get a ton of volume and is always a candidate to go off on any given Sunday, especially this one that could feature a lot of passing. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Fabian Moreau ATL | He did have 100 yards in the game before the bye, but the Panthers offense has been pretty putrid with Cam Newton at quarterback. It has already been said that he will start after the bye despite being benched in Week 12. Despite the struggles, Moore has seven targets or more in every game this season and has 14 points or more in each of the last two games. The Falcons secondary is not good at all, and while the Panthers might not even score 20 points, Moore is still a WR3 in season long leagues in Week 14 considering how many injuries there are and four teams on bye. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Rasul Douglas GB | After back to back 100 yard games, Mooney laid a total egg with five catches for 27 yards against the Cardinals in a game where the passing game really struggled. Regardless of who is quarterback, the Bears offense is never going to be a high powered machine. However, the Packers secondary is decimated by injuries and they have struggled for sure. Mooney had five catches for 45 yards and a score against them in Week 6 and he has actually really come on since then. Mooney remains a pretty decent bargain option in DFS and he will be a WR3 in season long leagues for Sunday night's game. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Josh Norman SF | He started the season really struggling, but Higgins has come on like a house of fire in the last month or so. He has over 60 yards in five of the last six, and has back to back 100 yard games after nine catches for 138 yards and a score against the Chargers. Higgins has 22 targets in the last two weeks, and has clearly taken over the top dog role from rookie Ja'Marr Chase who is fading a little down the stretch. The Niners secondary has been strong in the last couple months, but Higgins still remains on the DFS radar for some lineups and has become a must-start in season long leagues. |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE | Jimmy Smith BAL | He had a nice three game run at the end of October and beginning of November, but injuries to him and Baker Mayfield have torn away his fantasy value. In the two games he played before the bye (Weeks 10 and 12) DPJ had just three catches for 26 yards combined. They get a pretty easy matchup against the Ravens, but that was also the team they played in Week 12 and he did almost nothing. If you have been holding on to Peoples-Jones you can send him to the waiver wire if there is a guy on there that actually might have an impact. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Kendall Fuller WFT | He managed to play last Thursday after missing two games with a Covid diagnosis, but Cooper clearly wasn't still back at full strength as he played sparingly and had just two catches for 41 yards. With ten days to get ready to get set for this one, Cooper should be back to 100 percent. He only has three games all season long with more than six targets all season long and one of those was Week 1. In fact, Cooper has just 11 targets in his last three games. However, Washington is one of the worst secondaries in football, and while the Cowboys offense has been stagnant I do expect a nice bounceback for Cooper this week. I still won't use him in DFS games, but Cooper is a WR3 at worst for Week 14. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Amani Oruwariye DET | He has officially fallen off the map. Sutton had just two catches for 15 yards on Sunday night and now hasn't had more than two catches since Week 7. He also hasn't had more than 40 yards since Week 7. I know the Lions are terrible, and if you really want to still believe in Denver, go for it. However, I am not doing it, and really you must have a number of injuries and guys on bye before giving Sutton a realistic chance to be put in your starting lineup for Week 14. I am not suggesting it, but if you are very desperate, there are probably worse emergency flex options than Sutton. |
| Josh Reynolds DET | Kyle Fuller DEN | He had another fairly impactful game on Sunday as Reynolds came away with four catches 69 yards against the Vikings. Reynolds now has 139 yards in the last two weeks on 12 targets. I can't expect the Lions to have as much success this week against a much tougher defense in Denver outdoors in Colorado. If you have some unexplainable confidence in the Lions offense all of a sudden, go ahead and put Reynolds in your flex spot, but Fuller is allowing less than 60% of passes to be caught and Denver is a top ten pass defense on the season. |
| Davante Adams GB | Jaylon Johnson CHI | He has two straight games with 100 yards and three straight of seven catches or more. Aaron Rodgers is working past the toe injury and doesn't seem to be any worse for the wear. He did have only four catches for 89 yards back in Week 6 against the Bears, but I certainly expect a better game from him this week. Jaylon Johnson struggled mightily that week, even though he has played pretty well the past few weeks. Fire up Adams in both season long and DFS contests for Week 14. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Sidney Jones SEA | He battled through an illness to play last week, but Cooks was unable to get much done on just a pathetic offense. He had three catches for 38 yards and a 16 yard rush. Sadly, he led the team in receiving yards and nearly led the team in rushing as well. As poorly as the Seattle defense has played this season, it is getting harder and harder to trust Cooks by the week as he hasn't had more than three catches or 45 yards in three weeks and has just one touchdown over that span. He has become a risky flex play for Week 14. |
| Marvin Jones JAX | Janoris Jenkins TEN | Another pathetic performance for Trevor Lawrence, another pathetic performance by the Jaguars offense, another pathetic performance by Marvin Jones. He had only three targets which turned into two catches for 11 yards. Since his 100 yard performance in Week 6, Jones has had just one game of more than 50 receiving yards and more then four catches just once. Even though the Titans secondary has been pretty awful this season, you still can't begin to trust Marvin Jones in Week 14 or the rest of the 2021 season. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Casey Hayward LV | Considering he hasn't scored since Week 3 and hasn't had more than 30 yards since Week 8, I hope you have given up on Hardman by now. If not, he had just two catches for 27 yards the first time the Chiefs faced the Raiders and has just seven targets in the last three weeks. If I haven't convinced you yet to not only leave Hardman out of your lineups but drop him to the waiver wire, I am not sure what I have to say. He has just 436 yards in 12 games with one score. He is not fantasy relevant. |
| Odell Beckham LAR | Robert Alford ARZ | He is nursing a hip injury, but Beckham was not only able to play but had two catches for 28 yards and a touchdown. He now has a score in each of the last two games for the Rams. He also has 15 targets, so while Cooper Kupp is still no question the man on this offense, Beckham has carved himself out a role on this team in a short time. Van Jefferson still has been a bit more productive, but Beckham has increased his value since coming to Los Angeles. I am a little hesitant to trust him against a very strong Cardinals seconday, but with four teams on bye and the number of guys hurt in Week 14, Beckham should be no worse than your flex in season long lineups. |
| Mike Williams LAC | James Bradberry NYG | He still could play! After a month of subpar play, Williams is getting back on track as he now has has two games of 95+ yards in the last three weeks. He had five catches for 110 yards against the Bengals with a couple of big plays. Bradberry has allowed six touchdowns this season and 63% of passes to be caught. He has been solid, but hardly the elite guy we are used to. The Giants have allowed 20 passing touchdowns in 12 games this season, so they aren't terrible but you shouldn't be scared of them either. Williams will be a top play if Keenan Allen is ultimately ruled out which looks likely at the moment. He has three inches on Bradberry and should be a very popular red zone target assuming he gets on the field. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | Charvarious Ward KC | Edwards has had one game in the last six weeks where he had three catches and more than 50 yards. That was against the Chiefs. However, he has had two games where he had no catches and another where he had one catch. Edwards had just four targets in that game against the Chiefs and his efficiency has been terrible all season long. The Chiefs secondary has started to play better and Edwards belongs nowhere near a fantasy starting lineup for Week 14. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Akhello Witherspoon PIT | It might have been against the Lions, but Jefferson remained SCORCHING hot with his biggest game of the year with 11 catches for 182 yards and a score last week. This is now four straight that Jefferson has been over 80 yards and over 140 in three of the last four. It won't get too much tougher this week against a Steelers secondary that has been banged up and been giving up a bunch of points. There's no way to not continue to use Jefferson in both season long and DFS contests as he has been amazing lately and I love him even more at home. |
| Marquez Callaway NO | Bryce Hall NYJ | He hasn't had more than two catches since Week 9 and hasn't had more than 40 receiving yards since Week 5. He has had three touchdowns over that span, but be my guest if you want to play that guessing game. Sure, the Jets defense is pretty awful, but did you see Taysom Hill last week? He wasn't accurate before the finger injury. I just can't bring myself to play any Saints receiver with any confidence, even in this juicy, juicy matchup. |
| Kenny Golladay NYG | Michael Davis LAC | It was another ho hum effort for Golladay as he had just three catches for 37 yards agains thte Dolphins. He now hasn't had more than three catches or 50 yards since Week 4 against the Saints. There is no reason to think that the Giants offense is going to get any better this week with Jake Fromm at quarterback, and at this point it is hard to even put Golladay in a season long lineup. Definitely look in another direction. |
| Elijah Moore NYJ | Marshon Lattimore NO | Whether Corey Davis continues to be injured or not, Moore has begun the guy on this offense that you want, and probably the only guy you want. Moore has double digit targets in two of the last three and has 250+ yards in the last three weeks combined. Weekly I say that Marshon Lattimore has a big name but has been taken advantage of a lot this season, allowing 17.6 yards per catch and a 115.8 quarterback rating against. I don't love the Jets offense against this defense, but I still feel like Moore is worth a start in season long and call me crazy but some DFS lineups as well. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Patrick Peterson MIN | I feel like I could just write the same thing about him every week. Volume, volume, volume. I know you all think Ben Roethlisberger sucks, and I can't really argue much, although I wonder if he has a little resurgence after the story last week that this could be his last season. Johnson has double digit targets in every game but two and he left one of those early because of injury and he has seven catches or more in four straight weeks. He has over 100 yards in two of the last three and has three scores in the last three games. In case you aren't picking up what I am putting down, I like Johnson in both season long and DFS contests for Week 14. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Desmond King HOU | Everything finally looked like it should on Sunday as Russell Wilson had his game back and Metcalf had five catches for 60 yards against the 49ers. Metcalf also had eight targets for the third time in four games and it finally seems like the Seahawks offense is back on track. It is perfect timing as they go to face the putrid Texans defense that is seriously trending in the wrong direction. My only concern is that the Seahawks start beating them bad enough that they run a lot in the second half or perhaps rest Wilson considering his injury. Metcalf still gets a start in any season long lineup that I have him in. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Chidobe Awuzie CIN | Deebo Samuel didn't practice Wednesday and there is a chance he plays in Week 14, but I feel like it is a long shot so let's assume he isn't playing. The offense ran through George Kittle in the first game that Debbo missed, and Aiyuk honestly looked uninterested in being on the field a lot. He wasn't aggressive to the ball, had the ball knocked out of his hands more than once, and just didn't seem to have the fire. That being said, the Bengals just gave up three touchdown passes to Justin Herbert early last week before making adjustments and they give up the sixth most passing yards in the league. I was disgusted enough with Aiyuk last week that he isn't going to be someone I target a lot in DFS games, but I could see him completing a GPP build or two but I am still definitely starting him in season long leagues and hoping for the best. |
| Mike Evans TB | Levi Wallace BUF | Rob Gronkowski might be hoarding all of the touchdowns, but Evans still had seven catches for 99 yards against the Falcons in Week 13. He hasn't scored in the last two weeks, but he has topped 60 yards in three of the last four. This should be an amazing matchup as the Bills are one of the best pass defenses in football, while the Bucs are clearly one of the top passing offenses. I am going to look in other directions in DFS even though the Bills lost their top corner two weeks, ago, but there isn't a matchup where I will not play Evans in a season long lineup. Wallace has struggled since Tre'Davious White tore his ACL. |
| Julio Jones TEN | Shaquill Griffin JAX | He hasn't played since Week 9 and that hamstring injury is always a danger to flare up again and take him out of the game. He has had more than 50 yards in two of the six games he has played in this season and hasn't scored a touchdown all season. The Jags aren't a great defense but they aren't awful either and I am not on the Julio train for Week 14 unless you are in desperate need. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Trevon Diggs DAL | It was his worst game of the season, just one yard worse than his previous when he had just three catches for 23 yards against Denver. The most disappointing part for me was he had just five targets on a game where the quarterback threw it 30 times and Logan Thomas missed the last quarter with an injury. Trevon Diggs has been one of the best corners in the league, although he has not been as good in the last six weeks as he was in the first six. He has allowed four touchdowns, but also has nine interceptions. Washington is going to have to throw again to keep up with Dallas and McLaurin is only a start in season long leagues. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| A.J. Green ARZ | Darious Williams LAR | He has been borderline fantasy relevant for much of the season, but has had just one catch in two of the last three weeks after his one grab effort in Week 13. Sure, Kyler Murray missed a couple games and still isn't 100% after last week's game, but Green's stock has been slipping. The Rams secondary continues to be strong, and even though Green had success against them in Week 4, you can't like the way his season is trending. Like with many players if you are in a desperate spot perhaps you can put him in a flex, but I would advise you to look in another direction. |
| Tajae Sharpe ATL | C.J. Henderson CAR | Week 13 was one of the better offensive performances for the Falcons passing game, but Sharpe still had just three catches for 10 yards. Sharpe hasn't had more than 22 yards in five weeks or six of the last seven. Even with the Panthers having some injuries in the secondary, Sharpe is still way off the fantasy radar. |
| Sammy Watkins BAL | Greg Newsome CLE | He had his best game since Week 4 when he had four catches for 39 yards and a touchdown. Yes, you read that right, that was his best game since Week 4. Rashod Bateman has pretty much taken him over in terms of importance in fantasy even though Bateman had no catches and just one target in Week 13. The Browns secondary has been very porous this season, but it is still really hard to trust anyone outside of Hollywood and Andrews for the Ravens. I would keep Bateman and Watkins on any bench I have them on. |
| Emmanuel Sanders BUF | Richard Sherman TB | We can blame the weather conditions for Sanders night of three catches for 22 yards, but it isn't like Josh Allen didn't throw at all like New England did. He now has three catches or fewer in four straight as well as under 30 yards in five of the last six games. He hasn't scored since Week 5 and has only been targeted north of five times in a game twice since October 18th. You have to think that Buffalo is going to kick it into gear at some point down the stretch here, but they still have a number of weapons so trusting Sanders right now seems like a pretty bad idea in any fantasy format. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | A.J. Terrell ATL | Everyone got a bit excited when Anderson had nine catches in two weeks since Cam Newton took over, but those hopes came crashing back to Earth after his one catch and 15 yards in Week 12 against the Dolphins. He had no catches on exactly one target back in Week 8, although that was with a different quarterback. However, Terrell is one of the top ten corners according to Pro Football Focus and we haven't seen much of anything from Newton outside of that feel good game when he first came back and the Panthers put him in the game just to score. I am still not trusting Cam or Anderson for Week 14 against the Falcons. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Eric Stokes GB | He at least practiced on Wednesday so he has a chance to play for the first time since Week 9. He wasn't doing much before the injury, so I am not sure why we would expect him to do much in his first game back in over a month. He was probably dropped in your leagues so if you want you can grab him and hope that all of a sudden he starts to do something but I wouldn't start him in Week 14. |
| Ja'Marr Chase CIN | Deommodore Lenoir SF | Chase continues to take a back seat to Tee Higgins as he had just five catches for 52 yards. He has really started to have a trouble with drops and bobbling the ball, the latter of which led to an interception return for a touchdown against the Chargers. He now has scored just once in the last four weeks and those 52 yards were the most since he had 201 back on October 24th. The 49ers secondary has played better of late, but are dealing with some injuries, and this has the feeling of a game where Chase might breakout of these doldrums he has been in. This is more of a gut feeling than really based on stats. Lenoir was really exploited last week when called into action after the injury to Emmanuel Moseley, so Chase is a definite starter in season long and someone to consider for DFS contests. |
| Ja'Marcus Bradley CLE | Anthony Averett BAL | Rashard Higgins was a healthy scratch in Week 12 and Bradley has two catches in each of the last two games they have played. Yeah, I said it. Two catches. What? That doesn't excite you? Well, it shouldn't. I don't even love Jarvis Landry all that much this week, I certainly am not suggesting Bradley. Let's move on. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | William Jackson WFT | He had a beautiful toe-tapping touchdown in the back corner of the end zone on Thursday night, but that was about the end of the excitement as he finished with five catches for 36 yards. He has had 27 targets in the last three weeks, but that was with CeeDee Lamb out for a game and a half and Amari Cooper missing two of them and not being full strength for the third. Things should be back to status quo this week, which means less attention for Gallup. He could be a flex play considering how bad Washington has been on offense, but he is not even close to consideration for DFS purposes. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Jerry Jacobs DET | The Broncos pass game seems to get worse by the week and Patrick's one catch for nine yards was his worst game of the season against the Chiefs. However, things should get much easier at home in Week 14 against the Lions. I would still trust Jerry Jeudy the most, but Patrick certainly deserves consideration as a season long flex against Detroit. Patrick has only had more than five targets four times all season, but he has had three games of over 80 yards. He has just one touchdown since Week 6, so he is tough to trust even against Detroit. If he is sitting on your bench he could be worth the flex play but I implore you to give your other options serious consideration before putting Patrick in a starting lineup. |
| Kalif Raymond DET | Patrick Surtain DEN | It was one of the best offensive performances of the season for the Lions and Raymond had just two catches for 33 yards. He hasn't topped 35 yards since Week 7 and Raymond has plummeted off of the fantasy radar and shouldn't even be on rosters, nevermind anywhere near a starting lineup. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Artie Burns CHI | He actually has 19 targets in the last two weeks as MVS has watched his usage skyrocket. Does this mean you can trust him in your fantasy rosters? I mean, I am not benching a guy you have used all season for him as his 19 targets have turned into just eight catches. But this is probably the highest his fantasy value has been all season long. Burns is allowing over 17 yards per catch and a touchdown in the last two weeks. This is the kind of guy who lays an egg the minute we start to trust him, but if you are looking for a decent flex play on a week with four teams on bye, this is the best I've felt about Valdes-Scantling all season long. |
| Chris Conley HOU | D.J. Reed SEA | It was his second straight catchless game, but no one else on this Texans receiving group is catching passes either. The Seahawks secondary hasn't been great but there is still no way that Conley should even enter your consideration for a second for Week 14. |
| Laquon Treadwell JAX | Kristian Fulton TEN | I can't believe that I have to write about Laquon Treadwell in 2021, but I am sure you can't believe you are reading about Laquon Treadwell in 2021!. However, he has been the team's best receiver over the past two weeks as he has four catches in each game and 115 yards total. he hasn't scored, because of course the Jaguars offense is awful, but he has put up 19 fantasy points in PPR leagues in the past two weeks. It certainly helps that most of the game is garbage time for the Jaguars, and even though the Titans secondary has been god awful laterly I am still not even telling you to pick up Treadwell for bench insurance in Week 14 until I see a bigger game than what he has been putting up. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Brandon Facyson LV | He had two catches for 21 yards against the Broncos and hasn't had more than 25 yards since Week 6. Robinson or Byron Pringle it really doesn't matter who you think the third receiver is for the Chiefs, neither of them are fantasy relevant no matter the opponent. |
| Van Jefferson LAR | Marco Wilson ARZ | The loss of Robert Woods has opened up opportunities for someone else besides Cooper Kupp to have some fantasy relevance. And since the bye week Jefferson has had a touchdown in each of those two games. He certainly has had some trouble with drops and bobbles, but Jefferson has had a touchdown in each of the last two games. Jefferson had six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown in Week 4, and he is a certain WR3/flex play in season long leagues and could be a nice dart throw in DFS for Monday night's showdown slate. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Keion Crossen NYG | Before you get excited about Guyton's 90 yards and a touchdown in Week 13, allow me to remind you that he had 199 yards total for the entire season before that game. That was an anomaly and he and Justin Herbert just had one solid game. Keenan Allen is likely out this week with the positive Covid test which should vault Guyton into more snaps. Don't go chasing last week's points (or waterfalls) as he is more of a boom or bust guy and I think this will draw more targets to the running backs and tight ends and not necessarily making Guyton a must start guy this week. |
| Zay Jones LV | Mike Hughes KC | Laquon Treadwell AND Zay Jones in the same article???? I implore you keep reading there are more fantasy relevant players coming. And this is some of the fun I have with this article is try to come up with new ways each week to tell you why a guy isn't fantasy relevant and never will be. After his three catches and 21 yards against Washington, Jones still doesn't warrant fantasy consideration. He hasn't scored since the first game of the season and if you were in a fantasy league with Zay Jones mom, he would still be on waivers. So he should still be on waivers in yours. |
| K.J. Osborn MIN | Cameron Sutton PIT | With Adam Thielen suffering the dreaded high ankle sprain, he won't be able to play on Thursday. That gives Osborn a chance to build on his four catch, 47 yard effort in Week 13 with a touchdown. It was just his third touchdown all season, but he will go into Thursday night as the second receiver on a pretty solid passing offense. Sutton allows nearly 71% of passes his way to be caught but the Steelers secondary has played better of late. He is not worth DFS consideration, and you would have to be in pretty dire straits to have to trust Osborn in any season long league for Week 14. |
| Tre'Quan Smith NO | Javelin Guidry NYJ | I don't love that Taysom Hill is the quarterback, and I love it less that he is injured. However, you can't ignore than Smith was targeted seven times and that Deonte Harris' suspension was made official. Alvin Kamara should return, but we also know that Hill doesn't throw him the ball a ton. Smith averages over 13 yards per catch in his career and has big play ability even though the Saints offense isn't really set up for that. He is definitely the best bet for the most consistent receiver on the team and the one I like to make some impact in this game. Guidry has a 120.4 quarterback rating against and the Jets give up a ton through the air. Smith is a solid play in both season long and DFS games. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Tevaughn Campbell LAC | Kadarius Toney continues to not practice and I am not sure that it matters whether he comes back or not because I am not going to give any creedence to Giants receivers this week with Jake Fromm at quarterback. The 2020 fifth round pick has never completed a pass in the regular season and while the Chargers aren't the best defense ever, they should have little trouble containing this subpar pass game. I am fading all Giants this week. |
| Braxton Berrios NYJ | Paulson Adebo NO | Corey Davis was in and out of last week's game, and he clearly seems like he isn't healthy. After him, there is no reason to trust Berrios or any other outside receiver for the Jets. It is Elijah Moore and maybe Jamison Crowder are the only Jets worth any fantasy consideration against a pretty strong Saints defense and Berrios isn't anywhere near the fantasy radar. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | Cameron Dantzler MIN | The low volume boom or bust continues for Claypool as he had two catches for 52 yards on just three targets against the Ravens. He was solid the previous two games before that, but as usual, Big ben just kept looking Diontae Johnson's way. He almost needs a touchdown to return a good fantasy day and he hasn't had one of those since Week 5. Dantzler is allowing just 56% of passes his way to be caught for just under 11 yards per clip and an 83.3 quarterback rating against for the season. Claypool remains a high risk start as he has had eight fantasy points or less in PPR leagues in four of the last six weeks. The Vikings have allowed 21 passing touchdowns in 12 games so Claypool could be a WR3 or flex play if you are in rough shape in the last week with byes as a factor. |
| Trent Sherfield SF | Eli Apple CIN | The Niners offense was pretty bad last week outside of George Kittle and Sherfield turned out to be the second most targeted wide receiver outside of Brandon Aiyuk against Seattle. Sadly, those five targets turned into just two catches and 16 yards. I don't expect Deebo back this week either, which means the passing game should be in a similar state. Don't bother with Sherfield or Jauan Jennings as neither will have a fantasy pulse. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Terrance Mitchell HOU | He was the one guy on the offense that was still getting it done with Geno Smith and when Russell Wilson came back too soon. He had another seven catches for 68 yards and a nice touchdown on a fade against the 49ers. He gets a cupcake matchup against Houston and if I was to pick someone on this team to have in DFS it would definitely be Lockett. He should be fired up in ALL fantasy formats and prop bets this week. |
| Tyler Johnson TB | Dane Jackson BUF | Another game without Antonio Brown, another week where Johnson isn't a part of the game plan and had just one catch. It doesn't matter if you consider Johnson or even Breshad Perriman as the other outside receiver for the Bucs, no one outside of the top two guys are fantasy relevant as far as wide receivers go. |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine TEN | Nevin Lawson JAX | It was a tale of two weeks before the bye for Westbrook-Ikhine as he had seven catches for 107 yards in Week 11 and just two grabs for 25 yards and a score against New England. That certainly had a lot to do with the quality of the two defenses that they played, and they get another fairly cush matchup this week against the Jags. However, Jacksonville isn't a total pushover and it would be fairly desperate times to have to add and play Westbrook-Ikhine in a season long league. I'm not saying I don't see a scenario where it makes sense, I am just saying you'd have to be in pretty rough shape to trust this guy. |
| Curtis Samuel WFT | Anthony Brown DAL | I was hoping that maybe when he returned that he would do something for the offense, but he has just one catch in each of the last two games to go with three rushing attempts. He has a combined 11 yards in those two games both running and catching the ball. Even with Logan Thomas banged up again, Samuel is nowhere near the fantasy landscape. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 14.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Nate Hobbs LV | It was a very quiet Sunday night for Hill as he had just two catches for 22 yards on five targets against the Broncos. It has been a roller coaster year for Hill as he has had some huge games and a handful of duds. He had seven catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns just a month ago against the Raiders, and I expect him to have another strong contest. Vegas has allowed 22 passing touchdowns in 12 games this season, and I expect Hill to make noise on Sunday and he is in play in both season long and DFS contests. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Byron Murphy ARZ | It was another mastery game for Kupp as he turned ten targets into eight catches and 129 yards and a score against the Jaguars. He now has 90 yards or more in all but one game this season. What team held Kupp to just 64 yards you ask? Why it was this week's opponent in Arizona. The Cardinals have allowed just 16 passing touchdowns in just 12 games. I still can't quit Kupp though, and while he might not be the best DFS play but the guy has 100 catches for 1350 yards through 12 games, how are you going to sit him in season long leagues? |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Danny Johnson WFT | It was another great game for Lamb as he had seven catches for 89 yards on 13 targets and a 33 yard rush. With Amari Cooper still compromised, Lamb has been the top receiver, and I don't see him giving that up even with Cooper likely to be 100 percent this week. He has had seven or more targets in five of the last six weeks and that game where he had four targets he left early with a concussion. The Football Team secondary is garbage, and Lamb is one of the top ten receivers in football. I absolutely love him this week from both a season long (duh) perspective and he will be a high end DFS play as well. |
| Hunter Renfrow LV | L'Jarius Sneed KC | He had his second straight 100 yard game after having nine catches for 102 yards against Washington. With Darren Waller out, Renfrow is definitely the focal point of the passing game. And considering he doesn't run too many deep routes, his efficiency is top notch. He had seven catches for 46 yards and a score back in Week 10 against the Chiefs, and I think he could have a similar game, but honestly I expect him to be more in the 65-70 yard range. Keep Renfrow in your seasonal league lineups and he continues to be a strong DFS value for Week 14. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Taron Johnson BUF | He has been one of the most productive receivers in football since Antonio Brown went down, and that continued last Sunday as he had a whopping 15 catches for 143 yards against the Falcons. It was his best game of the season and a franchise record for catches in a game. The road certainly gets tougher this week against the Bills, but Johnson has either been really good in games, or quite susceptible. The Tampa target tree has basically been whittled down to just Evans, Gronk, Fournette, and Godwin at this point and I expect this game to feature a good amount of scoring with two high powered offenses. Godwin is a reasonable DFS performer and continues to be a no brainer in season long leagues. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | Will Harris DET | Teddy Bridgewater was Checkdown Charlie as usual on Sunday night and Jeudy finished with four catches for 77 yards against the Chiefs. The whole Denver offense is just usually in quicksand as they like to run first and Bridgewater is just okay. Detroit is a pretty giving pass defense and they will likely struggle outdoors in Denver in December. However, you really can't use any Denver receiver in DFS contests, but Jeudy will still be a WR3 in season long leagues in the hopes that the team can get something done against a subpar defense. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | K'Wuan Williams CIN | It has been a very up and down season for Boyd as he has had some games where he completely disappears and other games like last week where he had five catches for 85 yards where he has been an integral part of the passing game. He does have seven or more targets in four of the last six weeks and five or more catches in three of the last five. This game should feature a decent amount of passing and Boyd should have a chance to make a small impact for you. I am not counting on him for DFS purposes, but 12-15 fantasy points in PPR leagues should be well within his reach. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Tavon Young BAL | The Browns pass game has been terrible lately, but Landry did have six catches for 111 yards on ten targets in Week 12 against the Ravens. He did have a rushing touchdown the week before which gives him two straight pretty decent games, but before that 100 yard outburst, Landry had just 63 yards in the previous three weeks combined. The Ravens pass defense gives up a bunch of yards, but not a ton of touchdowns, but given where we are in the season it would be hard not to trust Landry as a WR3 heading into Week 14 but no one catching passes for them is worth a second thought in DFS contests. |
| Russell Gage ATL | Myles Hartsfield CAR | Even on the worst teams, someone has to have some fantasy value, and for the Falcons that is Gage. Even over Kyle Pitts, Gage has 27 targets in the last three weeks and had 11 catches for 130 yards against the Bucs. I certainly don't expect him to reach those numbers against the Panthers. Gage isn't going to be any great thrill this week, but he still has a chance to put up 10-12 fantasy points in PPR leagues ad the Falcons are sure to be playing a close game and likely from behind for most of the game. Matt Ryan should throw the ball 35+ times and Gage should have a minimum of five catches for 55-60 yards. |
| Jamison Crowder NYJ | P.J. Williams NO | Zach Wilson looked like he knew what he was doing somewhat against the Eagles last week, so hopefully he can repeat that performance again. While Elijah Moore is the fantasy guy to have for the Jets, Crowder continues to get solid volume. He has had six or more targets in every game but two all season. This "recommendation" shows how ordinary the slot has become this late in the season. However, P.J. Williams has allowed 12 of 15 targets his way to be caught since moving into the slot, which is an 80% catch rate. If Wilson can prove that he can be a competent quarterback and continue to look Crowder's way at the rate he has been, the Jets slot receiver could finish the day with 10-12 fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
Elite
The last time these two teams faced the Chiefs went bananas on the Raiders pass game and Patrick Mahomes had five touchdowns and Hill had two of them. It has been a pretty up and down year for Hill, but when he hits, he hits big. The Raiders have allowed 22 touchdown passes and the Chiefs should come out firing against them again. They had little answer for Hill in the first game and I don’t see them faring a hell of a lot better on Sunday. He should be one of the best plays on the board.
Washington’s defense has been trending in a bit better direction lately, but they are still among the worst in the league. They still have allowed 26 touchdowns in 12 games. Lamb has six catches or more in four of the last six weeks and let’s face it is the number one receiver on this team. The volume is undeniable, the production is there, and this guy should be a beast for your Week 14 lineups.
Affordable
He is dealing with a bit of an ankle injury, but Higgins is also coming off back-to-back 100-yard games and 75+ yards in four of the last five. He has 54 targets in the last six weeks and is separating himself from Ja’Marr Chase in the Bengals passing game down the stretch. The 49ers passing defense has rebounded from early season struggles, but are dealing with injuries again and should have trouble with the Bengals passing game even with Burrow’s finger injury. I gotta keep riding the hot streak until I see this guy cool down because right now he is perhaps the receiver most locked in of everyone in football.
Tyler Lockett vs. Terrance Mitchell
That was the Russell Wilson we were all expecting. As a 49er fan I was definitely upset that the Seattle offense started to look like its usual self against my team, but there was certainly a change in the vibe in Week 13. Lockett was getting it done even with Geno Smith and even when Wilson wasn’t quite himself, so why wouldn’t he again now that the team is back on track? He has 5+ targets in eight of the last nine weeks and 65+ yards in four of the last five. The Texans are absolutely awful in every facet of the game and this should be another instance for Lockett to show off his skills as the Seahawks number one receiver.
Bargain Bin
Tre’Quan Smith vs. Javelin Guidry
Taysom Hill wasn’t all that accurate before the finger injury, and he could be even worse after it. However, the Jets secondary is one of the worst in the league and even the Saints should be able to pass on them. Deonte Harris is suspended, Marquez Callaway is too boom or bust for me, which leaves us Smith who has been a pretty decent receiver when healthy. The Saints likely won’t score a ton of points but look for Smith to be their leading receiver.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.