.jpg)
It was a really bad Week 12 for Nostra-Dom-Us. There is just no way around it. I whiffed on every WR pick and let you guys down. Fortunately I get another shot this week to turn things around. Keep in mind that for the season as a whole, my numbers are rather good in the prediction department, so I will get back to basics and bring you some more winners this week. Below are my thoughts on every WR vs. CB matchup for Week 13, while further below that are my “picks of the week.”
| Off | Left WR | Def | Right CB | Analysis |
| ARI | Larry Fitzgerald | WAS | Josh Norman | Norman has been really good all season long and while I respect the longstanding excellence of Larry Fitzgerald, I suspect that he will be shut down for the most part when he lines up across from Norman come Sunday. However, coach Arians utilizes Fitz all over the formation each week, which sould allow him to get his numbers when the day is had. Fitz will produce, just more likely within the slot or bunched at the line of scrimmage. |
| ATL | Julio Jones | KC | Phillip Gaines | The Chiefs are dead last in the league against opposing wide receivers. I'm not sure if you know this, but Julio Jones is really good. Jones should feast on this KC secondary in Week 13, regardless of who lines up across from him. |
| BAL | Steve Smith Sr. | MIA | Xavien Howard | The league's biggest trash talker will certainly be at it again against the rookie Howard this week, however after his modest output last week, I would be weary of starting him blindly in your lineups. |
| BUF | Sammy Watkins | OAK | Sean Smith | Watkins returned to considerable success last week, but unfortunately is currently on the injury report with soreness in his surgically repaired foot. There is a chance that he will play on Sunday, however if he doesn’t, Marquise Goodwin is set to slide back into the starting spot. Either way, I won't be starting either player. |
| CAR | Kelvin Benjamin | SEA | DeShawn Shead | Benjamin finally got into the end zone last week against a paltry Oakland secondar, however it came at the cost of worsening his already injured shoulder. He isn't practicing this week, and will be a tough sell in Week 13 taking on the Seahawks. If he draws Richard Sherman at all, he should be rendered ineffective all things considered. |
| CHI | Eddie Royal | SF | Jimmie Ward | It was an awful Sunday for Royal last week, as he finished with 1 catch for -3 yards against the Titans. His stock is not trending in the right direction, even against the Niners underwhelming defense. |
| CIN | Tyler Boyd | PHI | Nolan Carroll | Boyd has been turning it on over these past two weeks in the absence of A.J. Green, and while it isn't showing up as much in the stat sheets, he has really improved as a receiver since Week 1. His matchup isn't the best this week, but he is the unquestioned WR1 on this Cincy offense and that has to count for something. With a low DFS price this week, he's worth a start. |
| DAL | Dez Bryant | MIN | Xavier Rhodes | Rhodes is having as good a season as any corner in the league this year, so Dez Bryant will certainly have his hands full this week. Dez handled himself well last week against Norman – the league's most feared matchup – to the point that he became the first player to get in Norman's head rather than the other way around. While I don't believe that Dez will dominate this matchup like has as against other players, I don't expect him to be shutdown either. Numbers similar to what he posted last week are to be expected. |
| DEN | Demaryius Thomas | JAX | Jalen Ramsey | Ramsey will give Thomas all he can handle this week, as he is on the fast track for defensive rookie of the year at the moment. Thomas always has touchdown upside because of his size and ability to go up and get the ball, however I expect him to be contained for the most part on Sunday. |
| DET | Golden Tate | NO | Sterling Moore | Tate was just fine this past Sunday, and while I like his matchup this week, his lack of overall statistical production this season makes me weary of starting him. If there ever was a week to give Tate a look, it would be this week against the Saints, but I always remain cautious with him in fantasy. |
| GB | Jordy Nelson | HOU | Johnathan Joseph | Nelson was an excellent PPR option last week and is still third in the league in touchdown receptions, however I hate his matchup this week. The Texans have been stout outside the hashes and against the pass this season, so starting Nelson remains a risk. He always has touchdown upside, but don't be surprised if the Packers passing game as a whole is quiet on Sunday. |
| HOU | DeAndre Hopkins | GB | Quinten Rollins | Hopkins has been worthless this season and much of it is not by his doing. Brock Osweiler may go down as one of the worst free agent signings before his contract is even up, and Hopkins owners are the ones feeling most of the pain. Pass on him once again this week. |
| IND | Donte Moncrief | NYJ | Buster Skrine | Hilton has caught a TD in each of the four games he has played since returning from injury a month ago. Because of this – and others listed below – I like Moncrief a lot against Buster Skrine and the Jets secondary in Week 13. |
| JAX | Allen Robinson | DEN | Chris Harris | Robinson has been an enigma this season and while he had been on a hot streak, he was a dud last week. Expect the Broncos elite defense to handle him on Sunday. |
| KC | Albert Wilson | ATL | Brian Poole | Wilson continues to disappoint, as he remains one of the league's worst starting wideouts. |
| LA | Kenny Britt | NE | Logan Ryan | It was a nice game for Britt last week, however a bit more was expected out of him as the team's best receiver when taking on the Saints deplorable secondary, but what are you gonna do? This week I don't love his matchup as much as I did his last, but this Patriots defense is not as good as years past. The Jets wideouts had success against New England's corners last week, so I wouldn't be surprised if Britt did the same in Week 13. |
| MIA | DeVante Parker | BAL | Jimmy Smith | Parker was injured last week and is currently struggling to get on the field during practice this week. I don't love his chances for success against the Ravens and their good defense this week. |
| MIN | Stefon Diggs | DAL | Brandon Carr | Diggs was inactive last week (Thanksgiving) but has been at practice all week, so he should be good to go on Thursday night. If he is back at full strength, I like his chances against this Dallas secondary that has given up a ton of yards to opposing receivers this season. |
| NE | Chris Hogan | LA | E.J. Gaines | Hogan remains a deep play threat and sees a good amount of snaps each week, however the reality is that he just doesn’t get enough targets to remain relevant in fantasy leagues. Pass on him this week and most of the remaining ones going forward. |
| NO | Michael Thomas | DET | Nevin Lawson | Thomas will have a tougher matchup on his hands this week than he did last, however I still believe that he remains one of the must starts across the league of wide receivers. In terms of talent and production this season, Thomas is a better player than Lawson. He sould win this matchup in Week 13. |
| NYG | Odell Beckham | PIT | Ross Cockrell | It's tough knowing which Beckham you are going to get each week, both on the field and emotionally. Because of that, I always remian tenative with him, however his talent is just too good to ever bench in season long leagues. As for DFS I have to really like his price tag or matchup in order to give him a look and in the case of this week, he doesn't have either. I'm not telling you to stay away from Beckham per say because I know that his upside is tremendous, however just keep in mind that his production is rather inconsistent week in and week out. |
| NYJ | Brandon Marshall | IND | Vontae Davis | I rather like Marshall this week because Vontae Davis was exposed last week by Antonio Brown and has been before that for the most of this season so far. If the Colts remain stubborn, and want to keep putting Davis in single coverage situations, then Marshall will dominate this matchup. If they choose to double-cover him, then Quincy Enunwa will be the beneficiary just like he was last week. |
| OAK | Michael Crabtree | BUF | Ronald Darby | After two duds in a row, Crabtree showed up big last week against the Panthers. He should fare well once again against the Bills in Week 13, regardless of who takes him man up. |
| PHI | Jordan Matthews | CIN | Adam Jones | Matthews left last week's game with an ankle injury, however his x-rays returned negative, which means that he will play on Sunday. Adam Jones has struggled this season in comparison to his years past and Matthews has been the Eagles best receiver this season. Expect Matthews to produce as a PPR threat this week, while his touchdown upside remains low. |
| PIT | Antonio Brown | NYG | Janoris Jenkins | This should be an excellent matchup, as Brown is the league's best receiver and Jenkins may be the hottest CB in the league right now. As always I will side with the elite receiver because it's an easier job, but also because Brown is coming off of a three touchdown game. I fear, like the rest of the league should, that Brown is beginning to heat up for the stretch run of the season. Jenkins may slow him down, but he will not keep him contained. |
| SD | Travis Benjamin | TB | Vernon Hargreaves | Benjamin has been banged up lately and during the span, he has slid to third on the team in the receiver targeting pecking order. Even if he is back to full health, he should struggle against rookie Vernon Hargreaves who just shut down the Seahawks passing attack. |
| SF | Torrey Smith | CHI | Bryce Callahan | Smith remains one of the worst starting wideouts in the league, and that was further confirmed last week when a ball clanked off of his hands and into those of a defender early on in the third quarter. Feel free to skip him this week, just as always. |
| SEA | Doug Baldwin | CAR | Daryl Worley | Baldwin was held in check last week against the Buccaneers, and I fear that the same can happen this week against a Carolina secondary that shutdown Amari Cooper last week. I say fear because I don't fully believe it to be true. You can start Baldwin with confidence this week because Carolina has been pretty bad against the pass this season. Hopefully their domination of Cooper last week was a fluke. |
| TB | Adam Humphries | SD | Craig Mager | Humphries just doesn’t see enough targets to be considered a relevant fantasy option. Skip him this week. |
| WAS | Pierre Garcon | ARI | Marcus Cooper | Garçon has played two bad secondaries in consecutive weeks and has one excellent game and one so-so one to speak of. This week he should come back to earth going against an excellent pass defense in the Cardinals. |
| Off | Right WR | Def | Left CB | Analysis |
| ARI | J.J. Nelson | WAS | Bashaud Breeland | Since his explosion a month ago, Nelson has caught exactly five passes. Five. I fear that I may have to slide him into my "deep threat only" bracket of fantasy plays, which consists of the likes of Marquise Goodwin, Ted Ginn Jr., DeSean Jackson, etc… My point being is that I typically don't give them glowing projections. Pass on Nelson until he proves otherwise. |
| ATL | Mohamed Sanu | KC | Marcus Peters | In terms of fantasy relevancy, Sanu has become the third fiddle in this Falcons passing offense. Taylor Gabriel and obviously Julio Jones are far more relevant than him currently, leaving him as a low upside target this week, despite his juicy matchup against a Chiefs secondary that is allowing the most fantasy points to opposing wide recieivers. |
| BAL | Mike Wallace | MIA | Byron Maxwell | Wallace gets his numbers through deep passes mainly, which makes him an iffy fantasy play for me, as I mentioned above. He may beat Maxwell a few times this week, but there is no guarantee that Joe Flacco will get him the ball or that he will catch the pass. Too much risk to start Wallace for me each week. |
| BUF | Marquise Goodwin | OAK | David Amerson | See above but to a more extreme degree. |
| CAR | Ted Ginn Jr. | SEA | Richard Sherman | Sherman took a beating last week against Mike Evans, however this week he gets the most enigmatic receiver in the league. Ginn falls into the Wallace, Nelson, Goodwin, Jackson category, but the only difference is that he has the worst hands of all of them... Riskiest WR start each week vs the league's most consistent CB is a matchup that I will never take. |
| CHI | Cameron Meredith | SF | Tramaine Brock | Meredith is droppable in most formats… He has caught exactly nine passes since Week 6. |
| CIN | Brandon LaFell | PHI | Leodis McKelvin | LaFell is a player whom I typically never trust. He obviously has increased value with the absence of A.J. Green, however I still don't love his skillset. He has an opportunity to score against a league average Philly secondary, but I just don't see huge upside here. |
| DAL | Terrance Williams | MIN | Terence Newman | Williams made one of the most impressive catches of the season last week, but as always, I will insist that his production is directly tied to the presence of Dez Bryant. He becomes a legitimate start without Bryant, but there just arent enough targets to go around with Bryant healthy. |
| DEN | Emmanuel Sanders | JAX | Davon House | ManSan had a great Week 12, and while I think that he brings it every week, I see him coming back to earth when taking on Jacksonville this week – one of the league's best pass defenses. |
| DET | Marvin Jones | NO | Delvin Breaux | Jones hasn't been a relevant fantasy option since October, and while the Saints typically hemorrhage passing yards and touchdowns, I don't believe Matthew Stafford will be looking his way often with the Saints best corner Delvin Breaux covering him for most of the night. |
| GB | Randall Cobb | HOU | Kareem Jackson | Cobb remains inferior to Devante Adams in this Packers passing offense and this was only further proven this past week when Adams went off against the Eagles. While I don't love any Packers receiver this week against a stout Houston passing defense, I certainly like Cobb less than I do Adams. |
| HOU | Will Fuller | GB | Damarious Randall | Fuller has actually become the Texans most effective weapon, and while that may sound good for fantasy owners, this Houston offense is so anemic that it really means nothing in the grand scheme of the things. He can continue to be avoided going forward. |
| IND | T.Y. Hilton | NYJ | Darrelle Revis | Hilton is dealing with some injury issues currently, and while he is still expected to play, the better fantasy start remains Donte Moncrief. Hilton is likely to draw Revis – the Jets better CB – and has less touchdown upside than Moncrief because of size and jumping ability. This isn't an awful matchup, don't get me wrong, I just won't be taking the chance this week. |
| JAX | Allen Hurns | DEN | Aqib Talib | Hurns tweaked his hammy last week, but still ended up with a touchdown catch on the afternoon. As of now, it seems like he will play slightly banged up in Week 13, but this time I do not see a touchdown in his future. This Denver secondary is just too good. |
| KC | Chris Conley | ATL | Robert Alford | Conley holds zero fantasy potential considering his standing in the current targets pecking order. Pass on him this week and going forward. |
| LA | Tavon Austin | NE | Malcolm Butler | He did get into the end zone last week which is nice, but when 4 catches for 45 yards and a touchdown is arguably your best game of the season, it is clear that you are not a legitimate fantasy option. |
| MIA | Kenny Stills | BAL | Shareece Wright | Stills has caught a touchdown nearly every other week this season. Considering he caught one last week, the trend suggests that he will be kept out of the end zone this week. He remains on my "deep threat only" list, making him an inconsistent fantasy play each week. |
| MIN | Charles Johnson | DAL | Anthony Brown | Johnson is a fantasy zero and should struggle this week, as he has in every other week, even when taking on the Cowboys banged up secondary on Thursday night. |
| NE | Malcolm Mitchell | LA | Trumaine Johnson | You can hear my thoughts on Mitchell further fleshed out below, however to keep things brief, just keep in mind that he is the only consistent receiving option that the Pats have been able to rely upon over the last two weeks with all of their injuries. he has scored three times in the last two games, which I think bodes well for his fantasy stock trend. |
| NO | Brandin Cooks | DET | Darius Slay | Cooks wasn't even targeted last week, which certainly got under his skin. If his greviences got through to the coaching staff or Drew Brees, expect him to be targeted early and often this week against Detroit. |
| NYG | Sterling Shepard | PIT | William Gay | Another player untargeted last week, which is surprising because he has been having a rock solid rookie season so far. Eli Manning publicly apologized to Shepard this week, so I expect himt to see a few early targets against the Steelers on Sunday afternoon. |
| NYJ | Quincy Enunwa | IND | Patrick Robinson | Enunwa is one of my favorite picks this week because he is coming off of excellent production last week and has a solid matchup this week. If Brandon Marshall once again sees double-coverage, Enunwa should do some damage once again. |
| OAK | Amari Cooper | BUF | Stephon Gilmore | Cooper was held in check last week and a talent like his is rarely contained for consecutive games. He should have a large chip on his shoulder this week taking on a less than stellar Buffalo secondary. |
| PHI | Nelson Agholor | CIN | Dre Kirkpatrick | It is unclear what the protocol will be this week, as Agholor was held out of last week's contest for mental reasons. If that case remains, then Bryce Treggs will start in his place once again on Sunday. Either way, I don't trust either player in any fantasy format. |
| PIT | Sammie Coates | NYG | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | Without injuries that have kept him out of action, Coates has caught exactly one pass for four yards since the second presidential debate. Let that sink in. Only the insane or masochists still have him on their fantasy rosters. |
| SD | Dontrelle Inman | TB | Brent Grimes | Inman has actually cemented himself as at least the number two receiving target in this potent Chargers passing game. That is good to hear for fantasy owners and something for Travis Benjamin owners to take note of. He will have a tough time against a still formidable Brent Grimes this week, but if Rivers targets him enough, he will put up his numbers. |
| SF | Aaron Burbridge | CHI | Tracy Porter | Burbridge is a laughable fantasy candidate. |
| SEA | Jermaine Kearse | CAR | James Bradberry | Kearse holds zero value because he doesn’t see the targets. Pass on him this week and most weeks going forward. |
| TB | Mike Evans | SD | Brandon Flowers | Evans is one of my favorite plays of the week because he is one of my favorite receivers in the league. He is targeted a boatload and just embarrassed Richard Sherman – arguably the league's best corner – last week. He's hot right now and is still somehow valued below Brown, OBJ, and Julio in DraftKings. He's worth every penny and more. |
| WAS | DeSean Jackson | ARI | Patrick Peterson | D-Jax burned Dallas last week, but taking on PP this week, I suspect a much different fortune for him. Pass on Jackson in Week 13. |
Nostra-Dom-Us Predicts
ELITE PLAY
Mike Evans ($8,600 on DraftKings) vs. Brandon Flowers
In three of the last four weeks, Evans has gone for 104, 105, and 150 receiving yards to go along with four total touchdowns and a combined 25 receptions on 41 targets. To say that he is hot is an understatement, especially when considering the corners that he accomplished this against were the elite likes of Marcus Peters, Desmond Trufant, and Richard Sherman of all people.
Entering his matchup with the Chargers, Evans will be taking on a secondary that is ranked only 26th in the league against the pass in terms of yards and a cornerback that measures in at only 5-foot-10 compared to his 6-foot-5. While still a talented CB in his own right, In Week 13 Brandon Flowers is sure to have his hands full with Evans come Sunday afternoon.
AFFORDABLE PLAY
Donte Moncrief ($6,600 on DraftKings) vs. Buster Skrine
Currently, Crief is the only receiver in the league with a four game touchdown streak. Going against the Jets disappointing secondary this week, that has to count for something right? Bottom line is that the Colts will be getting Andrew Luck back this week, and Luck’s favorite red zone target is Moncrief. Add to the mix that the Colts number one receiver T.Y. Hilton is banged up and you’ve got yourself a value play. Moncrief should see double-digit targets this week and I would be shocked if he didn’t get into the end zone at least once against this underwhelming Jets secondary.
BARGAIN PLAY
Qunicy Enunwa ($4,500 on DraftKings) vs. Patrick Robinson
There is no secret that Vontae Davis has been a shell of himself this season. Having said this, the former elite corner may have just hit rock bottom last week when Antonio Brown got into the end zone not once, but twice against him in man-up situations, while scorching him several other times throughout Thanksgiving night.
Believing that it is finally time to give him some help, I suspect that the Colts are going use him in double-team situations more often against the Jets Brandon Marshall this week. There is no shame in doing so, as the Patriots did the same thing last week, just as every other team has done against Marshall for the most part this season. Getting to my point… Quincy Enunwa should see the single coverage this week because of the double-teaming of Marshall, just as he did last week against the Patriots – a team that features a far better secondary than the Colts. Last week, while Marshall was double covered, Enunwa posted five catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. Taking on the oft-injured and unreliable Patrick Robinson in Week 13, there is a good chance that the Jets target Enunwa often again, making him a good candidate for “value play of the week.”
FLYER PLAY
Malcolm Mitchell ($3,600 on DraftKings) vs. Trumaine Johnson
Gronk is hobbled, Bennett is banged up, yet somehow the Pats keep scoring. A little known source has been providing the production over these past two weeks and he goes by the name of Malcolm Mitchell. Mitchell is a rookie drafted in the fourth round who was expected to do little this season in terms of fantasy production. Suddenly however, out of circumstance, Mitchell has stepped up and tallied 12 targets, nine receptions, 140 yards, and three touchdowns over his last two games. He right now is the most reliable receiving target that the Patriots have and at $3,600 he may just be the steal of the week. I fully expect the Pats to wallop the Rams at home this week, so Mitchell should have ample opportunities to get himself involved.