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It was a bad week for Nostra-Dom-Us in the wide receiver department, as only one of my three picks performed up to my expectations. In fact, only two of my three choices even played, as Will Fuller was active, but didn’t see a single snap due to injury. With my one good pick, I gave you Michael Thomas, who continues to make his case as the clear number two receiving option and number one red zone target in New Orleans. This week I have a few more than three picks I like, which should help you diversify your DFS lineups for Week 7. Below are my thoughts on every WR/CB matchup this week.
| Off | Left WR | Def | Right CB | Analysis |
| ARI | Larry Fitzgerald | SEA | Jeremy Lane | I would assume that this matchup is going to be dictated based off of where Fitz lines up, as the Seahawks are not a defense that carries their outside corners all across the formation. Regardless, Seattle has been really stout defensively, while the Cardinals passing game has been rather pedestrian so far this season. While I never count out Fitz, this is not his best matchup of the year to say the least. |
| ATL | Julio Jones | SD | Craig Mager | Julio should feast on any CB that the Chargers throw at him. He's arguably the best WR in the league and he's working with the hottest QB in the NFL at the moment in Matt Ryan. The Chargers defense is nothing special, so play Julio with the utmost confidence in Week 7. |
| BAL | Steve Smith/Kamar Aiken | NYJ | Buster Skrine | It's looking like Smith is not going to play on Sunday for the second week in a row, so Aiken is likely to once again fill in for him opposite Mike Wallace. Aiken played well last week against the Giants (4 rec, 64 yds) who boast a better secondary than the Jets. Expect Aiken to be a reasonable flex option in Week 7, with deep league WR3 upside. |
| BUF | Marquise Goodwin | MIA | Tony Lippett | It's broken record time… Play Goodwin at your own risk. He's strictly a burner and is one of the league's biggest boom or bust players. His matchup doesn't matter, it's just all about his feast or famine production. |
| CHI | Alshon Jeffery | GB | Ladarius Gunter | Jeffery is one of the few Browns players that has been hampered by the quarterback change from Cutler to Hoyer, but if he were to ever break out of his slump, this is his matchup to do it. I'm not going to predict his typical numbers, but he will be a servicable WR2 this week because the Packers have no DB to throw his way. |
| CIN | A.J. Green | CLE | Jamar Taylor | The Browns have one of the league's worst rosters and it shows up in their secondary just as much as anywhere else. On paper Green is slated to draw Taylor, but I would be surprised if Joe Haden didn’t mirror Green all day on Sunday. Regardless, with ample time to throw, Dalton should have no problem getting the ball to A.J. early and often, making him a clear WR1 this week. |
| CLE | Andrew Hawkins | CIN | Adam Jones | Hawkins offers little upside on most days, and espeically in this matchup, he should be locked down pretty good. Pacman is one of the toughest CB's in the league and he should have no problem handling Hawkins. |
| DEN | Demaryius Thomas | HOU | Johnathan Joseph | After starting off the season in very good form, Thomas has fallen out of touch over the last couple of weeks. This is in part to the injury to Trevor Siemian, but also some of it can be attributed to bad matchups. This week is no different in that Thomas may have a tough time against this strong Houston defense and talented CB in Jonathan Joseph. Still consider him a WR2 based off of upside, but he is no lock for production. |
| DET | Golden Tate | WAS | Josh Norman | Depending who lines up on Norman's side, that wide receiver will likely struggle. However if Lions OC Jim Bob Cooter gets creative, he can dictate where the play designs and QB reads should be directed. If Tate is utilized out of the slot, he may see some success; even have the chance to reach the heights that he did last week. This is all tough to predict though because I don't have an opportunity to sit in the coaches meetings. I'm going to venture a guess that Tate will be utilized in more motions similarly to last week, keeping him away from Norman and elevating his potential production. |
| GB | Jordy Nelson | CHI | Jacoby Glenn | The Bears feature a rather banged up defense and specifically an injuried secondary. Nelson and Aaron Rodgers have no excuse for not connecting this week, so in a must win situation, expect Rodgers to look Nelson's way early and often. |
| HOU | DeAndre Hopkins | DEN | Chris Harris | This should be an excellent matchup to watch, but as so often has occurred over the last couple of seasons, I expect that Chris Harris will prevail here. Hopkins is a player to avoid if possible this week. |
| IND | Phillip Dorsett | TEN | Jason McCourty | This Tennessee defense has been awesome so far this season, particularly in the secondary, so starting any Colts WR may be a bit risky. I wouldn't feel this way if the Colts offensive line gave Andrew Luck a second to go through his progressions, but with the pocket likely collapsing quickly on him, his throws are likely to be a bit errant. |
| JAX | Allen Robinson | OAK | Sean Smith | This is the week that I think Robinson and the Jags offense finally break out of their slump. Oakland is dead last against the pass this season and just one year ago the Jaguars featured one of the league's most explosive passing offenses. Expect Robinson to be a constant threat as an outside weapon this week, while he will as usual remain the team's number one red zone target. |
| KC | Jeremy Maclin | NO | Sterling Moore | Maclin has been disappointing so far this season, however I expect him to break out in a big way against an awful Saints secondary in Week 7. The Chiefs offense looked reenergized following the bye and I expect them to ride the momentum like they did last season and reel off a few consecutive wins. |
| LA | Kenny Britt | NYG | Janoris Jenkins | The one guy who I've been wrong on so far this season is Kenny Britt. Outside of one game, Britt has been very consistent in terms of receptions and yards. This past week was by far his best performance, as he not only got into the end zone for the first two times this season, but he also hauled in seven balls for 136 yards. While the Giants secondary has been improved, I still think that Britt is going to reach his marks again on Sunday morning, making him a flex option at worst. |
| MIA | DeVante Parker | BUF | Ronald Darby | I don't really know what to make of Parker, or the Dolphins entire passing offense for that matter, as it is one of the most inconsistent units in football. In regards to inconsistency, I always advise to stay away from it in fanatsy leagues. Avoid Parker until he can string together some solid performances. |
| MIN | Stefon Diggs | PHI | Nolan Carroll | The Eagles secondary doesn't scare me, however Diggs' lower body injuries do. He returned to practice on Wednesday in a limited capacity, but if he cannot prove to be fully healthy by this weekend, he may be someone to avoid in all formats. If he can get fully involved in practice however, consider Diggs a lower end WR2. |
| NE | Chris Hogan | PIT | Ross Cockrell | Considering the hype following the preseason, Hogan has been a disappointment so far this season. While I think he has more than enough talent and has the potential to work well in this offense, Tom Brady may just have too many options to throw to, which may hinder Hogan's potential to be a consistent fantasy performer. Considering this, I'm avoiding him this week not based off of matchup, but rather the lack of guaranteed targets. |
| NO | Willie Snead | KC | Phillip Gaines | Snead is a nice option, but it is becoming more and more clear that he is the thrid and not the second receiving option in this offense. Michael Thomas is likely the better play than him this week, especially considering the Saints are taking on a good Chiefs defense. |
| NYG | Odell Beckham | LA | E.J. Gaines | Beckham went off in a big way last week and I expect him to do the same in Week 7, provided his emotions don't get in his own way. In terms of pure talent, ODB is arguably the most explosive player in the game today. When mentally on track, he is always a candidate for player of the week consideration. Overseas and away from a lot of the American media this week, Beckham should have a clearer mind and should easily handle whomever the Rams throw his way. |
| NYJ | Brandon Marshall | BAL | Jimmy Smith | Marshall has been very supportive this week in regards to the Jets quarterback change and to Geno Smith, however the question is how he and Smith will gel on the field. Normally I would say give it a week to see how things play out, but the Ravens don't have much of a secondary to worry about, so go ahead and start Marshall in your leagues and DFS. |
| OAK | Michael Crabtree | JAX | Jalen Ramsey | I have spoken a few times already this season how impressive this Jacksonville secondary – especially rookie Jalen Ramsey – has been, but I also have spoken in length how impressive this Oakland passing attack has been. With the two meeting on Sunday, I am likely to take the side of the offensive players because that is typically how things work out in today's league (in terms of production, not necessarily in score). Ramsey is sure to give him fits, however I see no reason that Crabtree can't get into the end zone on Sunday. |
| PHI | Jordan Matthews | MIN | Xavier Rhodes | Rhodes has been one of the best corners in football this season and I don't see that changing with the appearance of any Eagles receiver across from him. Matthews is likely to line up in the slot more often than not, but I don't see any matchup he has with Rhodes going well in Week 7. |
| PIT | Antonio Brown | NE | Logan Ryan | Brown was a collasal disappointment last week in a very favorable matchup, but that’s how the NFL goes sometimes. This week, I will continue to contend that Brown is matchup proof and that he should still even do well with Landry Jones at the helm instead of Big Ben. |
| SD | Travis Benjamin | ATL | Desmond Trufant | Trufant is an excellent corner and he should give Benjamin more than he can handle on Sunday. I'm not saying that there isn't a chance that Benjamin can beat him deep a time or two, but for most of the day, Benjamin should struggle to get open. |
| SF | Torrey Smith | TB | Alterraun Verner | While Smith may have gotten into the end zone last week, I will still contend that he is a fantasy pariah. Continue to avoid Smith until he gets a legitimate quarterback throwing him the ball consistently. |
| SEA | Doug Baldwin | ARI | Marcus Cooper | Baldwin is more likely to draw Patrick Peterson, but if Cooper does end up matching up with him consistently on Sunday night, I think that Baldwin can have a big game. Unfortunately however Peterson is probably going to mirror him, which rarely ends well for opposing receivers. |
| TB | Adam Humphries | SF | Rashard Robinson | It will be interesting to see Humphries in a starting role, but I can tell you that he can't provide less at the starting flanker position than Vincent Jackson was throughout this season so far. The matchup is right for Humphries here and Jameis Winston appears to have taken a liking to him, so consider him a flyer play for Week 7 if you feel so inclined. |
| TEN | Andre Johnson | IND | Vontae Davis | AJ tallied a goose egg last week against the Browns and I don’t see him doing much better this week if he ends up taking on Vontae Davis for most of the day. Avoid him in all formats this week. |
| WAS | Pierre Garcon | DET | Nevin Lawson | Garçon has come on of late (to an extent), as he reached double-digits in targets last week for the first time all season long. He also got into the end zone for the first time all season, which was encouraging as well. I'm not going to advise you to go out and pick him up in season-long formats, however he may be worth a low priced option in DFS as a flex option. |
| Off | Right WR | Def | Left CB | Analysis |
| ARI | Michael Floyd | SEA | Richard Sherman | While he does have three touchdowns on the year, Floyd has been one of the more disappointing wide receivers this season, especially considering he's in a contract year. Considering his lack of success in 2016, I wouldn't expect that a matchup with Richard Sherman and the Seahawks would be the week that he gets on track, so pass on Floyd here. |
| ATL | Mohamed Sanu | SD | Brandon Flowers | Five catches, 10 targets, 47 yards, and a touchdown. Week 6 was Sanu's best performance since Week 1, which should be troubling considering his numbers I just listed were not exactly fantasy groundbreaking. He is only a deep league play for Week 7, as his production is quite erratic and his matchup against Flowers isn't the most favorable. |
| BAL | Mike Wallace | NYJ | Darrelle Revis | Revis is no longer the elite corner that he once was, and while I always rank on Mike Wallace, I think this is actually a matchup that favors him. It's not because I think that Revis is talentless, but it's because he has been very susceptible to getting beaten over the top. That just happens to be about the only thing that Wallace is good at, which should work in his favor on Sunday. Consider him a WR3 this week. |
| BUF | Robert Woods | MIA | Byron Maxwell | Maxwell hasn't been any good in about three years, however in the fourth quarter last week against the Steelers and Antonio Brown, he turned into Deion Sanders. He broke up four potential completions in just the final quarter alone, while he held Antonio Brown to rather pedestrian numbers. I expect him to carry that momentum into this matchup with Robert Woods and the Bills – a passing game that is far less intimidating than that of the Steelers. |
| CHI | Cameron Meredith | GB | Demetri Goodson | Meredith has emerged as Brian Hoyer's favorite target over the last few weeks, as he has posted back-to-back games of nine or more receptions and over 110 yards receiving. Considering how banged up this Green Bay secondary is, I see no reason that Meredith wouldn't see continued success through Week 7. |
| CIN | Brandon LaFell | CLE | Joe Haden | LaFell has scored three touchdowns in his last two games, but I still am not buying him as a legitimate fantasy option Most of his work has come in garbage time of games that the Bengals are losing, which is not a recipe for consistent fantasy success. On the positive side, he is unlikely to draw Joe Haden here because Haden will probably mirror A.J. Green for most of Sunday, but even so, I don't think that LaFell will be a heavily targeted option in this game that Cincinnati should win handily. |
| CLE | Terrelle Pryor | CIN | Dre Kirkpatrick | Word is that Pryor is going to do everything possible to get on the field for Week 7, so I will go forward assuming that he is going to play. His analysis is simple. Pryor is the best skill player that the Browns have and they love to feed him the ball. In a sense he is matchup proof because they don't necessarily have to pass to him traditionally in order to get him involved. He can catch, run, and pass, giving him excellent versatility. The ultimate equalizer that Pryor can offer is his massive 6-foot-6 frame that often terrorizes CB's around the goal line. If Pryor is healthy, I like him as a WR2. |
| DEN | Emmanuel Sanders | HOU | Kareem Jackson | Sanders disappointed last Thursday, and while it was slightly unexpected, things won't get any easier for him this week. The Texans feature a good secondary and defense overall, a defense that may pose problems for the Broncos struggling offense. If Trevor Siemian can't get his act together, Sanders may disappoint fantasy owners once again this week. |
| DET | Marvin Jones | WAS | Bashaud Breeland | Jones was held in check outside of his touchdown last week, however this week I expect a totally different outcome. The Lions and OC Jim Bob Cooter should find a way to effectively isolate Jones opposite of Josh Norman, giving him ample opportunites to take advantage of Bashaud Breeland. This is the same strategy employed by the Steelers with Antonio Brown in Week 1 and the Cowboys with Dez Bryant in Week 2. Start Jones with confidence headed into Week 7. |
| GB | Randall Cobb | CHI | Tracy Porter | Cobb is a great play this week based off of his expected workload. Word is that he is working out this week to serve as one of the primary ball carriers out of the backfield, while he also will play out of his typical slot position in more spread out sets. Expect plenty of touches from Cobb this week against a less than stellar Bears defense. |
| HOU | Will Fuller | DEN | Aqib Talib | It's tough to gather an expectation for Fuller's participation this week because while he was "active" last week, he didn’t play a single snap. His hammy is still clearly bothering him and taking on the number one pass defense in the league in the Broncos, I would advise to stay away from Fuller this week. |
| IND | T.Y. Hilton | TEN | Perrish Cox | Hilton is one of the most targeted and talented receivers in the league, which is typically a recipe for fantasy success, however the Titans have a good defense. Normally that shouldn't matter, however I fear that the Colts offensive line will not be able to protect Andrew Luck long enough for him to get the ball to Hilton as much and as accurately as he would like to. Feel free to start Hilton because he is just that talented – as is Andrew Luck – but don't say that I didn't warn you if this game turns sour for the Colts offensively. |
| JAX | Allen Hurns | OAK | David Amerson | Hurns should have a solid week because the Raiders boast the worst defense in the league. While a high-priced secondary, the Raiders can't seem to stop a nosebleed this season. Hurns is just one season removed from 10 touchdown grabs, so I expect him to do well come Sunday. |
| KC | Albert Wilson | NO | Ken Crawley | Wilson's season numbers: 11 rec, 90 yds, 0 TD's. I don't care how bad this Saints secondary is… Wilson is unstartable. |
| LA | Tavon Austin | NYG | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | DRC is a good tackling corner and Austin is a wide receiver who can't seem to catch the ball past the line of scrimmage. This matchup should favor Rodgers-Cromartie. |
| MIA | Kenny Stills | BUF | Stephon Gilmore | As I said earlier, this Dolphins passing offense remains an enigma. No player involved in that unit is more enigmatic than Kenny Stills. Thus, facing a good defense, matching up with a good corner, Stills should be avoided in all formats. |
| MIN | Charles Johnson | PHI | Leodis McKelvin | Charles Johnson's season numbers: 6 rec, 92 yds, 0 TD's. Stay away from him, especially this week against a solid Philly secondary. |
| NE | Julian Edelman | PIT | William Gay | Edelman is too talented to stay quiet for this long. Now that Brady is back and in top form, I expect this is the week that he starts to get Edelman involved more. Expect high reception numbers and near 100 yards this week. Consider him a PPR plus this week. |
| NO | Brandin Cooks | KC | Marcus Peters | Cooks cooked last week, but if you look at his season game log, he has only scorched bad secondaries (OAK Week 1 and CAR Week 6). The Chiefs are contrariarly a good secondary with particularly good corners, so I expect Cooks to be contained for the most part come Sunday. |
| NYG | Sterling Shepard | LA | Trumaine Johnson | Shepard has hit a bit of a wall in his rookie season, however I think that can more be attributed to the Giants trying to force feed Odell Beckham to get his head back in the game, rather than anything that Shepard is doing particularly wrong. Now that Beckham went off last week statistically, I think that Eli will go back to hitting the open man. Shepard is often open, so he should have a good week against a pedestrian Rams secondary. |
| NYJ | Quincy Enunwa | BAL | Shareece Wright | Enunwa has been a solid contributor this season for the Jets, however I don't believe that his involvement in the Jets offense has garnered much fantasy consideration. Add that to the fact that the Jets are in the middle of a quarterback change, and I really don't know what to expect from him. When I don't know what to expect, I typically err on the side of caution. Bench Enunwa in Week 7. |
| OAK | Amari Cooper | JAX | Davon House | As I said before, this Jacksonville secondary is much improved, but I just don't know if they are ready for this high-flying Raiders aerial attack. Amari Cooper and Derek Carr are currently in a groove, so no matter whom they were matched up against, I would still likely start them. Cooper remains a WR1 this week. |
| PHI | Nelson Agholor | MIN | Terrance Newman | The Vikings have been the best defense in football this season and I fullly expect rookie Carson Wentz to struggle against them. Nelson Agholor has little chance at success against Terence Newman and the Vikings secondary this week. |
| PIT | Sammie Coates | NE | Malcolm Butler | Butler is likely to take on Antonio Brown for most of the game, but if Coates is lined up against Butler at all on Sunday, I expect it to be a treat to watch as well. Without Big Ben under center, owners should obviously temper their expectations for Coates, however I do not fear that he cannot get open against this Pats secondary. This is really up to Landry Jones here. |
| SD | Dontrelle Inman | ATL | Robert Alford | The Falcons may featuer a porous secondary, however Inmann is not someone who has exactly been a consistent force against vulnerable defenses. Just two weeks ago he was held to one catch for three yards against the Raiders – the league's worst pass defense. Translation: bench Inmann going forward. |
| SF | Aaron Burbridge | TB | Brent Grimes | Burbridge is a must bench in all formats. On the season he has one catch for five yards. |
| SEA | Jermaine Kearse | ARI | Patrick Peterson | Peterson is likely to follow Doug Baldwin for most of Sunday night, so this "matchup" is unlikely to come to fruition. As for Kearse's projection, it should remain as usual. Potential for something big, but likely not going to make fantasy waves. He should remain on the bench in all formats. |
| TB | Mike Evans | SF | Tramaine Brock | Evans is licking his chops to get after this mediocre 49ers defense. He's Jameis' favorite target and is featured in an offense that loves to throw the ball. With the loss of Vincent Jackson this week, Evans should only be seeing more targets come his way going forward. |
| TEN | Tajae Sharpe | IND | Patrick Robinson | As I said last week, Sharpe has fallen off of my radar. Feel free to drop him in all formats going forward. |
| WAS | DeSean Jackson | DET | Darius Slay | Jackson continues to get in his own way, as he dropped a touchdown last week. Taking on Darius Slay in Week 7 shouldn't help his chances, so I would once again stay away from Jackson. |
Nostra-Dom-Us Predicts
ELITE PLAY
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Julio Jones ($9,200 on DraftKings) vs. Craig Mager
Jones is arguably the league’s best receiver, while Mager is a nobody. He should see ample success on Sunday, in a game that should turn into a shootout rather quickly. Don’t think too hard about this one here.
AFFORDABLE PLAYS
Randall Cobb ($5,800 on DraftKings) vs. Bears Defense
This week, Cobb is preparing to wear two hats – running back and wide receiver. Considering this, I expect him to see more targets and touches than he has all season long. To go along with the potential rushing production upside, Cobb historically has his best games against the Bears. At this price point, he should be considered one of the best value plays of the week.
Cameron Meredith ($4,700 on DraftKings) vs. Demetri Goodson
After back-to-back weeks of awesome production, it is quite head scratching to see Meredith still priced this low, but that is the case headed into Week 7. I once again will take advantage of this, as Meredith can be slotted in your lineups as your third most expensive WR, yet the one with the highest potential upside. This Packers secondary is incredibly banged up and the Bears passing offense has been hot. Expect Brian Hoyer to look for his favorite target early and often.
BARGAIN PLAY
Adam Humphries ($3,000 on DraftKings) vs. 49ers Slot Coverage
Humphries is likely to see his targets increase significantly due to the recent injury to Vincent Jackson, and while he is unlikely to split out wide, he should still produce better than Jackson did this season because his skill-set is built for the slot position he already mans. Let us not forget that he already had a game this season of nine catches for 100 yards, so considering his position minimum pricing of $3,000 Humphries should be the steal of the week as a legitimate number two option.