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So what I learned last week was to not count my chickens before they hatch, as I was almost certain I was going to hit on every one of my WR picks, it was just a matter of how much money they would win me. If you were following along, you would know that I was contrarily hosed by each and every Nostra-Dom-Us selection in the wide receiver department last week, frustrating my DraftKings balance (luckily I saved myself with some nice picks in fantasy golf). This week I feel much more reserved, however I have found some plays that may end up working out nicely. Below is a breakdown of every outside matchup, followed by my favorite picks of the week.
| Off | Left WR | Def | Right CB | Analysis |
| ATL | Julio Jones | TB | Alterraun Verner | I know that Julio burned us last week, but I once again love his matchup this week. He and Matt Ryan should be able to handle a secondary that was just torched for over 500 yards through the air in Week 8. |
| BAL | Steve Smith Sr./Kamar Aiken | PIT | Ross Cockrell | As of right now, Smith is a game time decision, as he hasn't played since October 9th. If Smith does play, his fantasy potential will be limited. If he doesn’t, both Kamar Aiken and Breshad Perriman will fill in for him at the position. |
| BUF | Marquise Goodwin | SEA | Jeremy Lane | As always, Goodwin is a high risk, high reward play, however chances of that high reward are incredibly small. I will be passing on him this week, just as I always do. |
| CAR | Kelvin Benjamin | LA | E.J. Gaines | The Rams are 24th in the league against opposing fantasy wide receivers, so there's that… Benjamin is always liable to go off for big numbers, and while he's been slightly slumping of late, I like his chances against E.J. Gaines on Sunday. |
| CLE | Andrew Hawkins | DAL | Anthony Brown | His two touchdowns were impressive last week, however he still only managed 31 yards receiving. Taking on this suddenly good Cowboys secondary, I don't see Hawkins being effective in Week 9. |
| DAL | Dez Bryant | CLE | Jamar Taylor | I really like Dez this week, as he should have another big day while the Cowboys trounce the winless Browns on Sunday. This is my feeling even when taking into consideration the fact that he will likely be mirrored Joe Haden throughout the contest. |
| DEN | Demaryius Thomas | OAK | Sean Smith | Thomas and this Broncos secondary has been incredibly inconsistent this season, however for what it's worth, they will be taking on the Raiders this weekend –one of the league's worst passing defenses. He has a chance to be effective in Week 9, but it all depends on the play of his quarterback. My suggestion is to play Thomas if you own him, and only give him a look in GPP formats in DFS. |
| DET | Golden Tate | MIN | Xavier Rhodes | Tate has really come alive over the last few weeks after a disappointing start to the season, however I feel that his run of good form ends on Sunday against this stout Vikings and the lockdown coverage of Xaiver Rhodes. |
| GB | Jordy Nelson | IND | Vontae Davis | While Nelson is practicing this week, it is in a limited capacity due to the hand injury that he suffered towards the end of Week 8's game. Word is that he will play come Sunday, however he will be facing a tough matchup in Vontae Davis. I would stay away from Nelson if possible, however I don't feel that he will be completely shutout. |
| IND | Donte Moncrief | GB | Ladarius Gunter | This Packers secondary is nothing to write home about, and Moncrief looked impressive in his return game last week. I believe that he will play a huge role on Sunday, especially considering the Colts are otherwise banged up at the position. |
| JAX | Allen Robinson | KC | Phillip Gaines | The Chiefs defense has been surprisingly bad against the pass this season. With a new offensive coordinator at the helm this week, I expect the Jags to have some new life, ultimately doing all they can to find unique ways to get their best playmaker – Robinson – the ball. He should have one of his better games of the season in Week 9. |
| KC | Jeremy Maclin | JAX | Jalen Ramsey | Ramsey has been lockdown this season and Maclin has been a major disappointment. Those two facts do not mix well in terms of fantasy potential. |
| LA | Kenny Britt | CAR | Daryl Worley | Britt struggled in London last week and I expect the same to happen this week with the Panthers desperately needing a win. Pass on Britt if possible. |
| MIA | DeVante Parker | NYJ | Buster Skrine | I know that Parker's nubmers have gone down in each and every week, but if he were to get back on track, it would be against the Jets questionable secondary and the out of position Buster Skrine. With his excellent speed, Parker has a chance to burn the Jets a couple of times this week. |
| MIN | Stefon Diggs | DET | Nevin Lawson | Diggs was good on Monday night and should be once again when the Vikings take on the Lions. I am taking into account that they will have themselves a new offensive coorinator, as I believe that Norv Turner could at times focus too much on the running back as the featured player in the offense. Expect a new look Vikings offense, likely focused around the team's best playmaker in Diggs. |
| NO | Willie Snead | SF | Jimmie Ward | Michael Thomas remains the better fantasy option, however Snead continues to perform at a nice pace for what this passing offense needs. The same should go for Sunday against the 49ers. |
| NYG | Odell Beckham | PHI | Nolan Carroll | While I could totally see Beckham going off in this game, I could just as well see the Eagles pass rush shutdown the Giants offense. Consider Beckham this week's biggest "high risk, high reward" play. |
| NYJ | Brandon Marshall | MIA | Tony Lippett | It's been weeks since Marshall has looked like himeslf, however I feel that this will be the game in which the star wide receiver gets back on track. The Dolphins have a porous secondary and Marshall always seems to punish Miami. Give him a look on Sunday. |
| OAK | Michael Crabtree | DEN | Chris Harris | This will be some clash – the league's best passing offense vs. the league's best passing defense. Typically I side with the offense in these types of scenarios, however with such high implications in this division showdown, don't be surprised if the Broncos defense comes out extra hot on Sunday. In any event, fantasy owners can't be scared to start Crabtree – a player who has been essentially matchup proof all season long. |
| PHI | Jordan Matthews | NYG | Janoris Jenkins | Matthews had one hell of a PPR day against a good Cowboys defense last week, and taking on an equally impressive Giants secondary in Week 9, I expect the Eagles game plan will be similar. Consider Matthews a must start in PPR formats for Week 9. |
| PIT | Antonio Brown | BAL | Jimmy Smith | Brown is dealing with some injuries, but him at 85-percent is better than most at 100. Start him blindly, unless of course he is held out of the contest for whatever reason. |
| SD | Travis Benjamin | TEN | Jason McCourty | While he did get into the end zone last week, Benjamin still just didn’t appear to be himself. Reportedly, he is dealing with a grade 2 PCL sprain, which is an injury that can really limit the effectiveness of a wideout. I would stay away from him if possible going foward. |
| SF | Torrey Smith | NO | De'Vante Harris | The fact that Smith was heavily discussed throughout the trade rumors this past week should tell you everything you need to know. His career in San Francisco is over as we know it, even if he is still a member of the team. |
| SEA | Doug Baldwin | BUF | Ronald Darby | Baldwin is a farcry from the wideout who hauled in 14 TD's last season, but he should still be a WR3 going forward, regardless of matchup. |
| TB | Adam Humphries | ATL | Desmond Trufant | I really thought that Humphries targets would increase dramatically in the absence of Vincent Jackson, but that has not been the case. You can keep him off of your rosters going forward. |
| TEN | Rishard Matthews | SD | Casey Hayward | Matthews is one of my sleeper plays this week because he has quietly been one of the more consistent wideouts in the league this season, all the while maintaining a very low price tag in all DFS formats. His matchup isn't great this week, but he seems to be good for double-digit points regardless of his matchup anyway. Low risk, moderate reward here. |
| Off | Right WR | Def | Left CB | Analysis |
| ATL | Mohamed Sanu | TB | Brent Grimes | Sanu had himself a nice game last week, and should look to build off of that come Sunday, as he and the Falcons take on a Buccaneers secondary that surrendered over 500 yards through the air against the Raiders last week. He may not haul in nine passes again this week, but his 84 yards and a touchdown are nice numbers for him to shoot for once again in Week 9. |
| BAL | Mike Wallace | PIT | William Gay | Wallace is just about the only reliable receiving option on this Ravens offense right now. Coming off his best game this season, fantasy owners should curb their enthusiasm however for Week 9, as he is unlikely to match the 10 catches for 120 yards that he posted last week against a weak Jets secondary. Expect Pittsburgh to bracket Wallace come Sunday, limiting his potential in the game. This will be the case going forward until another receiver steps up to take the pressure off of Wallace. |
| BUF | Robert Woods | SEA | Richard Sherman | This is laughable. |
| CAR | Ted Ginn Jr. | LA | Trumaine Johnson | As a rule, I never trust Ted Ginn and his awful hands. Feel free to pass on him this week and every one following. |
| CLE | Terrelle Pryor | DAL | Brandon Carr | Pryor appears to be just about the only thing going for this Browns offense right now, and while I like the way this Cowboys defense is playing a lot right now, TP should still be able to get his numbers based off of play design and volume of targets. Feel free to play Pryor in Week 9. |
| DAL | Terrance Williams | CLE | Joe Haden | After a rocky start to the season, Williams has been very good in the absence of Dez Bryant. Last week Bryant returned to health and Williams' numbers subsequently plummetted back to earth. He is really only a legitimate fantasy start if Dez is unavailable. |
| DEN | Emmanuel Sanders | OAK | David Amerson | It's really hard to be more consistent that Sanders has been this season, especially considering the level of the Broncos quarterback play. Sanders has at least four catches in every game but one and at least 40 yards receiving in every game but one. I expect that he will perform even better than those floor numbers as he and the Broncos take on one of the league's worst passing defenses in the Raiders. |
| DET | Marvin Jones | MIN | Terence Newman | Jones has been really quiet over the last few weeks after coming out of the gates red hot. If Golden Tate draws the attention of Xavier Rhodes, look for the Lions to pick on this matchup where Jones should have the advantage over the veteran Newman. |
| GB | Randall Cobb | IND | Patrick Robinson | After a week off for Cobb in Week 8, he likely will be doing all he can to get back out on the field, even if his hammy is still bothering him. I expect that Cobb will play on Sunday and likely will see limited action (likely only play in 3 WR sets). Take that for what you will in your respective fantasy leagues and formats. |
| IND | T.Y. Hilton | GB | Demetri Goodson | Hilton was limited last week in his effectiveness because he was dealing with an injury from about halftime on. I expect that he will be back to full health in Week 9 and will take advantage of this less than stellar Packers secondary. |
| JAX | Allen Hurns | KC | Marcus Peters | Hurns was actually pretty good last week agaisnt a good Titans secondary. I expect that he will have a chance to repeat his solid work come this Sudnay against a Chiefs secondary that has been very disappointing this season. Despite the dysfunction, consider Hurns one of the leaders of this offense, and someone who can breakthrough with a new corrdinator calling the shots going forward. |
| KC | Chris Conley | JAX | Davon House | Conley has been a non-factor all season long, so I see no reason that things should change this week, espeically considering he and the Chiefs will be taking on a good Jaguars secondary in Week 9. |
| LA | Tavon Austin | CAR | James Bradberry | The Rams will continue to do all that they can to get the ball in the hands of Austin. He hauled in 10 catches last wee against the Giants, so I expect that he will look to post similar numbers this week against a far less talented Panthers secondary. That should translate to some rock solid PPR numbers. |
| MIA | Kenny Stills | NYJ | Darrelle Revis | Stills has emerged as the Dolphins best receiving threat, as he hauled in five balls for 100 yards and a touchdown last week against the Bills. Revis has been continually torched deep this season and that just so happens to be Stills' speciality. Give him a look if you are in need for a cheaper DFS receiving option. |
| MIN | Charles Johnson | DET | Darius Slay | Slay is one of the better man-to-man corners in the league and Johnson is one of the worst starting wide receivers in the league. I can't find an easier matchup to avoid this week. |
| NO | Brandin Cooks | SF | Tramaine Brock | While Cooks struggled to rack up the receptions and yards last week, he did manage to get into the end zone for the third consecutive game. Taking on a weak 49ers defense, I expect Cooks to have himself a nice game and at the very least expect him to burn Brock for at least one touchdown. |
| NYG | Sterling Shepard | PHI | Leodis McKelvin | After starting out the season in really good form, Shepard has hit a bit of a rookie wall – at least in terms of overall production. I ultimately believe that his struggles are a byproduct of the Giants overall offensive ineptitude so far this season, but that doesn't change the fact that I will be avoiding him in most formats going forward. |
| NYJ | Quincy Enunwa | MIA | Byron Maxwell | Enunwa has been the Jets best receiver over the last couple of weeks and while taking on a weak Dolphins secondary, I expect him to replicate his last week's performance against the Browns. Give him four catches for close to 100 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins in Week 9. |
| OAK | Amari Cooper | DEN | Aqib Talib | Cooper is the hottest receiver in football right now and I really find it hard to bench him in any scenario. That is why I am giving him the green light special this week, despite his awful matchup with the best defense in football. |
| PHI | Nelson Agholor | NYG | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | DRC and this Giants secondary have been rock solid this season and I expect them to maintain against the Eagles on Sunday. Agholor shouldn't be started in any format going forward. |
| PIT | Sammie Coates | BAL | Shareece Wright | It's been a few weeks since Coates has done anything of relevancy, so for now I am going to stay away from him in most fantasy formats. If you are a risk taker however, I should let you know that this is the first week since Week 6 that Coates isn't on the injury report, so he may finally have a chance to breakout. |
| SD | Dontrelle Inman | TEN | Perrish Cox | Inmann is an inconsistent player who has contrarily been relevant over the past two weeks. I expect that relevancy to be a flash in the pan, as I will not give him a look in any format going forward. |
| SF | Aaron Burbridge | NO | Ken Crawley | As always, I will be passing on Burbridge, despite his tasty matchup with the Saints banged up secondary. |
| SEA | Jermaine Kearse | BUF | Stephon Gilmore | Kearse is just not a legitimate play in any format. He doesn't see enough targets and has never produced enough to warrant consideration even in deeper leagues. |
| TB | Mike Evans | ATL | Robert Alford | Evans is always a play that I love simply because of his imense talent the the sheer volume of targets that Jameis Winston throws his way. You can always feel free to start him, however this may not be his best matchup if Desmond Trufant decides to mirror him for the majority of the game. |
| TEN | Tajae Sharpe | SD | Brandon Flowers | Sharpe hasn't done anything relevant since the preseason and can be dropeed in all formats. |
NOSTRA-DOM-US PREDICTS
ELITE PLAYS
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Julio Jones ($9,600 on DraftKings) vs. Alterraun Verner
I know, I know, I swore on Julio last week and he produced bupkis, but this is another matchup that he should dominate. Look, the Buccaneers are 23rd in the league against the pass and just allowed Derek Carr to torch them for over 500 yards through the air. I expect Matt Ryan and Julio – perhaps the league’s most dangerous QB/WR combination – to capitalize on the mismatch and redeem themselves from last week’s disappointment. Do not fear the hefty price tag here.
Dez Bryant ($7,400 on DraftKings) vs. Jamar Taylor (more likely Joe Haden)
In Dez’s return game, he posted some excellent numbers against the Eagles – a team that had really good numbers against opposing wide receivers entering the matchup. With four catches for 113 yards and a critical touchdown, he appeared to fit right back in With this new look Cowboys offense. He definitely has the attention of Dak Prescott, but even more importantly he appears to be fully healthy for the first time in a while. With the way that this Cowboys offense is humming, I expect them to roll this absolutely awful Browns team. Dez should get into the end zone in the process and have his way with any corner across from him.
AFFORDABLE PLAY
Davante Adams ($5,900 on DraftKings) vs. IND Secondary
Adams has been targeted a whopping 30 times over the last two games, and even more impressively has hauled in 25 of those throws. In DraftKings (Full PPR) that translates to points and lost of them, allowing him to maintain very solid lines even when his yards and touchdown production aren’t as impressive. The Colts are not known for their pass defense – as is evidenced by their 31st ranking league-wide – so I am going to give Adams the full green light here, hoping that Aaron Rodgers continues to target him at an historic rate.
FLYER PLAY
Rishard Matthews ($3,800 on DraftKings) vs. Casey Hayward
As always, take my flyer pick with a grain of salt, as I am really digging through the bottom of the barrel for the sake of fantasy players strapped on a tight budget. Having said that, I believe that I have found some value in Rishard Matthews here, as he has actually been a pretty consistent fantasy play over the last handful of weeks. Here are the simple specifics: Matthews is averaging 12.18 points on Draft Kings over the last five weeks, and that includes only one match-up in which he didn’t score over 10 points. With the retirement of Andre Johnson, I expect that Matthews should see a few more targets come his way going forward, so he’s a nice value play here at only $3,800.