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While my running back picks turned it around this past week, I still struggled with a few selections in the wide receiver department. Mike Evans was a bust, but who could have predicted that, while Quincy Enunwa didn’t have the quarterback play needed to get him going on Monday night. Having said that, I delivered on my Donte Moncrief prediction and Malcolm Mitchell proved me right as well. All in all, my Week 13 selections were good enough – along with my rock solid RB picks – for me to steal $20 in on DraftKings. As for Week 14, with no byes, there is a full slate of players to choose from. Below is my analysis of every matchup between left WR’s vs. right CB’s and right WR’s vs. left CB’s. Further below – as always – are my top picks of the week at the wide receiver position. Enjoy…
| Off | Left WR | Def | Right CB | Analayis |
| ARI | Larry Fitzgerald | MIA | Tony Lippett | While Lippett has been playing well in Xavien Howard's absence, Fitz is just too much receiver for him to handle. To take it further, Fitzgerald's production is never tied to the CB that he lines up against, because quite frankly he is moved around the formation so much that the Cardinals can get him into the matchups that they want. He should come in somewhere around 80 yards on six catches or so, while his touchdown potential remains middle of the pack. |
| ATL | Julio Jones | LA | Trumaine Johnson | Jones was on fire last week, tallying seven catches for 113 yards through only three quarters of action. He missed the last quarter with turf toe, however is expected to play this weekend. Trumaine Johnson is not terrible, but he doesn't have the chops to man up Julio for 60 minutes. If Jones can fight through the injury, he will produce as a WR1 this week. |
| BAL | Steve Smith Sr. | NE | Logan Ryan | Smith remains the most targeted receiver in this offense, however his production is far from consistently good. He obviously has the potential for a great game this weekend, however with Smith it is too hard to bank on. Ryan is a solid CB who should hold his own on Sunday, however this doesn't mean that I'm damning Smith's fantasy potential. Start him at your own risk. |
| BUF | Sammy Watkins | PIT | Ross Cockrell | It's no secret that Watkins is still banged up, which is why Rex is giving him all of the time off that he needs during the week instead of pushing him in practice. All things considered, Watkins fantasy potential is there but must be deemed limited because of his ailments. |
| CAR | Kelvin Benjamin | SD | Casey Hayward | Benjamin's matchup may be a favorable one this week, however I cannot put my trust into this offense at the moment. Cam and the 6-foot-5 wideout just haven't been getting the job done this season, so I will be punting on all of their fantasy potential for the rest of the season. |
| CHI | Eddie Royal | DET | Nevin Lawson | Royal is banged up and may not even play this week. Josh Bellamy and Cameron Meredith are the players to own – if you must – in this Bears aerial attack. |
| CIN | Tyler Boyd | CLE | Jamar Taylor | Boyd has played well in the absence of A.J. Green, however his touchdown upside remains limited. He has potential in PPR formats, but not much further than that. |
| CLE | Corey Coleman | CIN | Adam Jones | It's been an up and down rookie campaign for Coleman, and while he is still raw, much of his struggles are out of his control. He's been injured and on top of that has had very inconsistent quarterback play. This week RGIII has been named the starter, which should bring some talent back to the Browns quarterback position. Coleman has a reasonable matchup against Pacman this week, so his potential is high, however his floor is low. |
| DAL | Dez Bryant | NYG | Janoris Jenkins | Jenkins has been shutting down star wideouts all season long, however Dez has been hot of late. I like to think that this will be one of the best matchups of the weekend, just as it was in Week 1. Jenkins won in Week 1, while I expect Dez to get open more often here in Week 14. |
| DEN | Demaryius Thomas | TEN | Jason McCourty | The Titans are 26th in the league against the pass. Thomas has caught at least five passes in 11 consecutive games. My money is on the fact that he will do the same once again. 6 rec, 75 yds, 1 TD. |
| DET | Golden Tate | CHI | Bryce Callahan | Tate went bananas in the absence of Marvin Jones last week, and I don't see a reason that he won't do the same again this week against the Bears. Surprisingly, throughout the injuries, Chicago has been pretty solid defensively this season, however they do not feature a CB that will serve as a "Tate stopper" so Tate should put up great numbers again this week with the extra added targets coming his way. |
| GB | Jordy Nelson | SEA | DeShawn Shead | Nelson is a touchdown machine and should have his way if lined up against Shead anywhere near the red zone. He obviously will have a tougher time when taking on Richard Sherman, but the Packers would be wise to move Nelson around in the formation in order to keep him away from Sherman. |
| HOU | DeAndre Hopkins | IND | Vontae Davis | By this point, you know my feelings on this Texans passing game. Hopkins has been one of the league's biggest disappointments this season and I can no longer trust him so long as Brock Osweiler is at the helm. |
| IND | Donte Moncrief | HOU | Johnathan Joseph | Moncrief has scored a touchdown in six of the seven games he has played this season and is riding a five game scoring streak since he has returned from injury. I banked on it last week and it paid off and I will do the same here. The Texans may have a stout pass defense, but there is no way that they will contain T.Y. Hilton, Dwayne Allen, and Donte Moncrief all at the same time. Moncrief is Andrew Luck's preferred red zone target and it should continue that way for the remainder of the season. Don't expect plenty of yards, but a touchdown is in the forecast. |
| JAX | Allen Robinson | MIN | Xavier Rhodes | Robinson is maybe the most inconsistent receiver in the league. Taking on Rhodes – one of the best man up corners this season – I wouldn't bank on Robinson to produce much this week. |
| KC | Albert Wilson | OAK | Sean Smith | Wilson remains one of the worst starting wideouts in the league, however he did take a special teams fake to the house last week, which did help his fantasy numbers. In any event, I will continue to distrust him going forward. |
| LA | Kenny Britt | ATL | Jalen Collins | Britt has scored in back-to-back games, however he hasn't looked pretty doing it. In any event, he will be taking on the Falcons this week, who are last in the league in terms of giving up fantasy points to opposing wideouts. Britt should fare better in this matchup than he has in most of his other ones this season, which could spell a big day for him. |
| MIA | DeVante Parker | ARI | Marcus Cooper | Parker is more likely to draw Patrick Peterson, which doesn’t bode well for his prospects this week. Add to that the fact that he is banged up and has barely been practicing over the last couple of weeks and you’ve got yourself a player to avoid in Week 14. |
| MIN | Stefon Diggs | JAX | Jalen Ramsey | Ramsey has been really good all season long and Diggs has been rather inconsistent. He's only got two touchdowns on the season and really only holds value in PPR formats. I would stay away from his inflated price tag this week. |
| NE | Chris Hogan | BAL | Jimmy Smith | Hogan just doesn't see enough targets to land on my fantasy radar. Sure he grabs the occasional long TD, but overall Hogan has been disappointing this season. |
| NO | Michael Thomas | TB | Brent Grimes | It's been an excellent rookie campaign for Thomas, who should have his way with Grimes provided he is back to full health come Sunday. |
| NYG | Odell Beckham | DAL | Anthony Brown | As I will further outline below, ODB will be licking his chops to take on the overwhelmed rookie in Brown this week. Since Morris Claiborne went down with an injury, the Cowboys secondary has been suspect at best… |
| NYJ | Brandon Marshall | SF | Jimmie Ward | Right now, the Jets quarterback situation has turned into that of the Texans in my book. What I mean by that is I don’t trust anyone involved in the pitch and catch operation at the moment. |
| OAK | Michael Crabtree | KC | Phillip Gaines | Crabtree played well last week and has been outperforming Amari Cooper over the last month. However, in the Raiders last matchup with the Chiefs, it was Cooper who went off, while Crabtree remained silent. I expect the same to occur this week. |
| PHI | Jordan Matthews | WAS | Josh Norman | Reports are that Matthews is back out on the practice field and looks sharp so far this week. He will start in the slot on Sunday and will be one of the most targeted receivers in the contest. As always, his touchdown potential remains low, while he will be a nice PPR option. |
| PIT | Antonio Brown | BUF | Ronald Darby | Brown has scored six touchdowns in his last five games and still remains the NFL's premier receiver. The Bills secondary has been hit and miss all season so he should get his numbers on Sunday. Brown is a WR1 as always. |
| SD | Travis Benjamin | CAR | Daryl Worley | The real starter here is Tyrell Williams, not Benjamin, regardless of what the depth chart may claim. Having said that, either should fare well against this weak Panthers secondary. Williams will be the one with more reps and targets, so he is the one to own in Week 14. |
| SF | Torrey Smith | NYJ | Darrelle Revis | Smith is non-existent in my book, so I will not waste my time writing about him. |
| SEA | Doug Baldwin | GB | Quinten Rollins | Baldwin has been heavily targeted and has been catching a lot of passes over the last four weeks. Having said that, his touchdown and yards production have been inconsistent, so considering him a slam dunk fantasy option is a bit overzealous. He has a good matchup this week, so feel free to start him, but don't be surprised if he doesn't set the world on fire. |
| TB | Adam Humphries | NO | Sterling Moore | Tampa has a nice matchup this week, but I can't cosign on Humphries because he just isn't targeted enough in this offense. |
| TEN | Rishard Matthews | DEN | Chris Harris | Matthews has been incredibly consistent over the last two months, but this will be his toughest test yet. I do believe that he can remain productive throughout the tough matchup with Denver, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he was shut down. Regardless, that doesn't change my belief in him for the remainder of the season, as he is clearly the nubmer one option in this Tennessee aerial attack. |
| WAS | Pierre Garcon | PHI | Nolan Carroll | Garçon doesn’t get into the end zone and he doesn’t eclipse 100 yards often. His value is strictly tied to PPR leagues, which you can sign him up for this week against the Eagles. |
| Off | Right WR | Def | Left CB | Analysis |
| ARI | J.J. Nelson | MIA | Byron Maxwell | Since being named the starter opposite Larry Fitzgerald, Nelson has done absolutely nothing. He remains off my fantasy radar going forward. |
| ATL | Mohamed Sanu | LA | E.J. Gaines | Sanu is banged up and right now is being outproduced by not only Julio Jones, but also Taylor Gabriel. That should be enough to pass on him for Week 14. |
| BAL | Mike Wallace | NE | Malcolm Butler | Wallace has been consistently mediocre over the past month, and while that may be fine for some owners, it may not be for others. I will pass on him in Week 14, but that isn't a complete condemnation of him in my book. He's not an awful start, but you can find a more reliable option. |
| BUF | Robert Woods | PIT | William Gay | Woods has been banged up for the last few weeks and even when he is healthy though, he doesn’t produce much. Continue to pass on him going forward. |
| CAR | Ted Ginn Jr. | SD | Brandon Flowers | I talk a lot of crap about Ginn, but he has scored in three consecutive games and has had good games beyond that in the last two. He is startable this week against the Chargers, but I still don't completely trust him. |
| CHI | Cameron Meredith | DET | Darius Slay | Meredith remains the number one option in this Bears aerial attack. Take that for what it is… |
| CIN | Brandon LaFell | CLE | Joe Haden | LaFell has been the most productive receiver for the Bengals in the absence of A.J. Green. He has a tough matchup against Joe Haden this week, so I don't love him here… Pass on LaFell if possible this week. |
| CLE | Terrelle Pryor | CIN | Dre Kirkpatrick | TP has been productive regardless of the myriad of garbage QB's that have been throwing him the ball this season. RGIII will be back this week, and will be the best quarterback to connect with Pryor this season. Give Pryor a look this week. |
| DAL | Terrance Williams | NYG | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | Williams is non-existent when Dez Bryant is healthy. Look for production out of Cole Beasley in this Cowboys offense instead of Williams. |
| DEN | Emmanuel Sanders | TEN | Brice McCain | ManSan has a favorable matchup this week, so he's getting the green light from me. Don't put too much stock into his struggles last week against a good Jacksonville secondary. |
| DET | Marvin Jones | CHI | Tracy Porter | The belief is that Jones will play this week, but he won't be 100-percent. Stay away from him this week and instead put stock into Golden Tate. |
| GB | Randall Cobb | SEA | Richard Sherman | Cobb will struggle if he is lined up against Sherman. Hopefully the Packers utilize him more out of the backfield and the slot in Week 14. I won't bank on them to do anything of the sort however. |
| HOU | Will Fuller | IND | Patrick Robinson | The matchup is favorable for Fuller, but I just don't trust Brock Osweiler. You can join me in the fear or blindly subject yourself to a disappointing Sunday. |
| IND | T.Y. Hilton | HOU | Kareem Jackson | Hilton was excellent this past Monday. He and Luck were clicking and will be looking to build upon that going forward. Houston is a tough draw for Hilton, however he should perform as a high-end WR2 at minimum this week. |
| JAX | Allen Hurns | MIN | Terence Newman | Hurns is hurt and has been non-existent for most of this season. Skip him this week and don't think twice about it. |
| KC | Chris Conley | OAK | David Amerson | Truth be told, this depth chart is largely lying because Conley is not worthy of his "starting" title. Tyreke Hill is the player to own in this offense right now. |
| LA | Tavon Austin | ATL | Robert Alford | We know what Austin is at this point. He sees lots of targets and very few of them are past 10 yards down the field. He is largely unproductive with yards and touchdowns, making him a player that is tough to start each week. Having said that, Atlanta is last in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to wideouts. Take that however you may... |
| MIA | Kenny Stills | ARI | Patrick Peterson | Arizona is spectacular against the pass, and while PP will more likely follow DeVante Parker, Stills will still struggle to produce in Week 14. I would stay away from him here. |
| MIN | Charles Johnson | JAX | Davon House | You'd be hardpressed to find a non-vikings fan that knows that Johnson is still even in the league. |
| NE | Malcolm Mitchell | BAL | Shareece Wright | Mitchell has been playing some good football of late and I outlined that in last week's edition. He should continue to see plenty of targets in the absence of Gronk and Marty-B. |
| NO | Brandin Cooks | TB | Vernon Hargreaves | After being shut out two weeks ago, the Saints made it a point to get Cooks involved early in Week 13. I suspect that this trend will continue in Week 14, so the rookie Hargreaves should have his hands full on Sunday with the electric wideout. |
| NYG | Sterling Shepard | DAL | Brandon Carr | Shepard has been having a fine rookie campaign and has scored in four of his last five games. Consdering how bad Dallas' secondary has been of late, I wouldn't be surprised if Shepard got into the end zone once again in Week 14. |
| NYJ | Quincy Enunwa | SF | Tramaine Brock | As I said with Brandon Marshall, I can no longer trust the Jets passing game. Their quarterback position is in flux and no receiver is safe in terms of production. Thus, Enunwa shouldn't be touched in fantasy leagues this week. |
| OAK | Amari Cooper | KC | Marcus Cooper | I love Cooper at his devalued price this week, and while I further outline it below, I will just leave it here that in his last matchup with the Chiefs, Cooper went off. He should bounce back this week after a month of mediocrity. |
| PHI | Nelson Agholor | WAS | Bashaud Breeland | Agholor has been ghostly this season and can't be trusted in any fantasy format. |
| PIT | Sammie Coates | BUF | Stephon Gilmore | Coates has exactly one catch since the second episode of WestWorld premiered. For those who don't know, that occurred on October 9th. You get the picture? Pass on Coates now and forever. |
| SD | Dontrelle Inman | CAR | James Bradberry | Inman has a nice matchup and while he has scored in back-to-back games, the two stat lines couldn’t have looked much different. He's an inconsistent option, however if you were ever going to start him, this is the week. |
| SF | Aaron Burbridge | NYJ | Buster Skrine | The Jets secondary has been putrid, but Burbridge has been worse. Stay far away. |
| SEA | Jermaine Kearse | GB | Damarious Randall | Kearse remains too far out of Russell Wilson's mind to be considered in any fantasy league. |
| TB | Mike Evans | NO | Delvin Breaux | Evans may have struggled last week, but once again he has a good matchup. The Saints shouldn't be able to contain Evans this week, which is why he is the most expensive WR option on DraftKings. |
| TEN | Tajae Sharpe | DEN | Aqib Talib | I'm out on Sharpe and I've made that clear over the last couple of months. |
| WAS | DeSean Jackson | PHI | Leodis McKelvin | D-Jax remains a deep threat only. If you are willing to take that chance this week, so be it, but his potential is no different this week than any other. |
Nostra-Dom-Us Predicts
ELITE PLAY
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Odell Beckham Jr. ($8,000 on DraftKings) vs. Anthony Brown
Surprisingly, Dallas is one of the few teams that Beckham typically appears human against, however of late; they have featured one of the worst pass defenses in football. Much of the problems that persist in this plagued secondary can be attributed to sixth round rookie Anthony Brown. Look, Brown is doing all he can considering his draft status, but he really has no business starting as an outside CB in this league at the moment. Teams have taken notice of that too, as Brown has been targeted more than any other corner in the league over the last three weeks. He’s giving up chunk yardages to even mediocre receivers, so I expect that Beckham should have his way with Brown on Sunday night.
AFFORDABLE PLAY
Jamison Crowder ($5,600 on DraftKings) vs. PHI Slot Coverage
Over the span of the last five games, Crowder has caught a touchdown in four of them. During that same span, he is averaging 19.1 points per contest and has been the leading receiver in the league’s hottest pass offense. For some reason he is currently being priced in only the mediocre range, which led me to choose him in plenty of my DFS contests this week. Philly is just not that good right now and I expect the Skins to take care of them. The playoffs are on the line here and Crowder should play a big part in Washington’s clutch victory.
BARGAIN PLAY
Amari Cooper ($7,500 on DraftKings) vs. Marcus Cooper
Over his last four games, Cooper has been slumping; there is no way around it. He’s been targeted in limited fashion, has caught few passes, has tallied only 48.5 yards receiving per game, and has only hauled in two touchdowns during the stretch. Having said all of this, this week, he has the opportunity to take on a struggling Chiefs defense, who have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. Furthermore, in his last meeting with the Chiefs, Cooper had one of his best games of the season, as he caught 10 passes on 13 targets for 129 yards. I expect this to be the week that he breaks out of his slump -- primetime games against divisional opponents with playoff implications always get the great ones going.
*Disclaimer*
I know that my bargain pick is typically a player priced in the range of $5,500 and below, however this week, I believe that Cooper has the potential to outplay his second tier ranking and enter the elite status. It is that potential that makes him a bargain in my eyes this week.