The picks last week didn’t come through, but many were upset with performances by guys like A.J. Green like I was. Alright everyone, I’m feeling good this week and I hope you are as well! Despite a heavy bye week, there are still enough matchups for us to exploit this weekend. Let’s win some money in DFS and get another win in our seasonal leagues!
Oh yeah, follow me on Twitter (@colbyrconway) as well!
Offense | Left WR | Defense | Right CB | Analysis |
| ARI | Jaron Brown | SF | Dontae Johnson | The loss of Carson Palmer will wreak havoc on the entire Arizona offense, sans Adrian Peterson most likely. I like what Jaron Brown can do on the football field, but I don't like what his quarterback does. |
| ATL | Julio Jones | CAR | James Bradberry | Something is wonky in Atlanta, and for a while, we didn't know what it was. However, we do now. The play calling is atrocious and the notion of getting Julio the ball just seems foreign to the team at times. He remains a WR1 on potential though. |
| BAL | Breshad Perriman | TEN | Leshaun Sims | Mike Wallace didn't play last week, Perriman tied a season-high in snaps and he still only saw two targets, failing to haul in either of them. Sure, game flow didn't require Baltimore to throw much after Joe Flacco's exit, but come on man! He's caught just four of his 20 targets on the season and he's not going to be in any of Week 9 lineups, seasonal or daily. |
| BUF | Kelvin Benjamin | NYJ | Morris Claiborne | The rapport won't be there with Tyrod Taylor and the lack of timing with his quarterback will be on display tonight. It will take time and even though Benjamin is a low-end WR2, I wouldn’t start him this week. |
| CAR | Curtis Samuel | ATL | Robert Alford | Samuel is due for an uptick in usage with the [surprising] trade of Kelvin Benjamin to Buffalo. I don't expect him to be the biggest beneficiary of the transaction, but he's sure to benefit. He's caught just half of his targets on the year, but the kid has big play ability. He's a speculative play in DFS. |
| CHI | ||||
| CIN | Brandon LaFell | JAX | A.J. Bouye | He's been shifting around a bit more, but regardless, when LaFell is out wide, it's going to be tough-sledding against Bouye, Pro Football Focus' eighth ranked cornerback. Cincinnati is going to struggle moving the ball through he air and A.J. Green is the only receiver that I have faith in being able to create any resemblance of separation against Jacksonville's likely All-Pro corners. |
| CLE | ||||
| DAL | Dez Bryant | KC | Terrance Mitchell | Give me plenty of Dez this week! Demaryius Thomas wasn't able to fully exploit this matchup last week, but that's because Trevor Siemian is competing to be the league's worst starting quarterback. Dak Prescott will feed Bryant and I expect a 100-yard day for the star wideout. Bryant will also see some Kenneth Acker in this contest, but that's nothing to fear either. |
| DEN | Demaryius Thomas | PHI | Rasul Douglas | Thomas didn't quite come through as many of us hoped in Week 8, but I'm back on the Thomas train this weekend. Opponents tend to go pass-heavy against this Philadelphia squad, and while I think Denver will continue to attempt to run the football, given the quarterback woes, they will need to air it out. An Emmanuel Sanders return would be a great thing for Thomas. He remains a WR2 this week, even with Brock Osweiler under center. |
| DET | T.J. Jones | GB | Kevin King | King is going to be a good corner in the National Football League, but he's really struggling as a rookie. He's allowed 2.12 yards per coverage snap and a 109.5 QB rating when targeted.* Jones has seen 17 targets over the team's last two games, but he's nothing more than salary relief in DFS. In seasonal formats, he's not a guy that I'm trusting in most leagues. |
| GB | Davante Adams | DET | Darius Slay | Teams have been shadowing Adams lately and not Jordy Nelson, so I envision Slay traveling Adams this week. That's a downgrade for Adams, as well as the fact that Aaron Rodgers is under center. Adams is a WR3 at best in Week 9. |
| HOU | DeAndre Hopkins | IND | Pierre Desir | This matchup is less tasty with Tom Savage under center, but the glimmer of hope is that Tom Savage tends to look Hopkins' direction a ton when he is in the football game. He's no longer the elite WR1 with Deshaun Watson, but volume alone with Savage should keep him as a high-end WR2. UPDATE: Vontae Davis isn't making the trip with the team, forcing Indy to likely insert Desir into the starting lineup. This should make you a little more comfortable with starting Hopkins in the post-Watson era of 2017. |
| IND | Donte Moncrief | HOU | Kevin Johnson | I like Kevin Johnson as a player, but he's still young and learning to play arguably the toughest position in the current National Football League. Moncrief is one my favorite cheap plays of the week, as he'll be playing from behind early on and should see some extra targets with T.Y. Hilton squaring off with Houston's top corner, Johnathan Joseph, for most of the afternoon. It won't be hard for Moncrief to make value at his price point in DFS. |
| JAX | Keelan Cole | CIN | Adam Jones | His role in the offense is minimal and in serious jeopardy when Dede Westbrook is ready to return from an injury. It's also not the greatest of matchups. I just can't trust a guy in any of my lineups who hasn't caught more than two passes in any game this season. |
| KC | Demarcus Robinson | DAL | Jourdan Lewis | Robinson saw just one target last week, despite seeing eight targets the week before. I don't think he's either of those players, but settling in around 4 or 5 targets per game is doable for Robinson. The offense flows through Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, meaning Robinson is fighting for what's left of the Kansas City passing attack. He's only startable in deep, exotic formats. |
| LAC | ||||
| LAR | Sammy Watkins | NYG | Ross Cockrell | This matchup got a helluva lot easier for Watkins. Instead of Janoris Jenkins, he now gets to square off with Ross Cockrell. He's nowhere on Jenkins' level and Watkins has entered the WR2 echelon for this week. After some tumultuous weeks, Watkins has an excellent opportunity to break a big one against the Giants. |
| MIA | DeVante Parker | OAK | Sean Smith | Parker is the team's No. 1 wide receiver on the outside, while Jarvis Landry operates primarily out of the slot. Parker saw 27 targets through the team's first three games before exiting early from the Week 5 contest. He hasn't played since, and I expect him to return against a vulnerable Oakland secondary. While Landry is my favorite receiver from the Dolphins in this contest, Parker has low-end WR2 upside against Smith and the Oakland defense. |
| MIN | ||||
| NE | ||||
| NO | Michael Thomas | TB | Robert McClain | Oh yeah, Thomas is going to eat this week, baby! He hasn't had a huge breakout game yet this year, but that could happen this week against an abysmal Tampa Bay defense. The Saints are at home, which certainly helps, as does the fact that the Bucs have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide outs. Thomas is a WR1 with top-three upside in Week 9. |
| NYG | Tavarres King | LAR | Kayvon Webster | King isn't an enticing option to begin with, but he becomes even less attractive when you see that Webster has allowed just 0.81 yards per coverage snap and 13.9 coverage snaps per reception.* Don't start King. It's not contrarian, it's just dumb. |
| NYJ | Jermaine Kearse | BUF | Shareece Wright | Kearse has been consistent in terms of targets in recent weeks, receiving at least four in looks from Josh McCown in each of the last five games. However, he hasn't caught more than four in any of them. Robby Anderson is developing his game and Kearse is becoming more of a lackluster option. If I have to pick one, I'm going with Anderson's big play ability in a matchup against a stingy Buffalo pass defense, if I must. |
| OAK | Amari Cooper | MIA | Xavien Howard | Cooper received double-digit targets again last week, but he was able to haul in just five of his 10 targets. In fact, he only mustered 48 receiving yards on the day. This matchup is much better than last week's, as Howard, his likely counterpart, grades out as the 111th cornerback out of 114.* However, given his inconsistency, he's better suited to be viewed as a high-end WR3 at this point. |
| PHI | Alshon Jeffery | DEN | Bradley Roby | Of the three starting Denver corners, Roby is the one that's allowed the most receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns (tied) and yards per coverage snap.* He's been good in his own right, but Alshon Jeffery is a physical specimen. Jeffery found the end zone last week and if Wentz were to throw two touchdown passes in this one, I'd say that Jeffery and tight end Zach Ertz would be the beneficiaries of said passes. He's a WR2 for me this weekend. |
| PIT | ||||
| SEA | Paul Richardson | WAS | Quinton Dunbar | Richardson torched the Houston defense last week and with Tyler Lockett likely seeing a good chunk of Josh Norman, I like him to see a good dosage of targets. If Bashaud Breeland suits up, he will cover Richardson, but he's still listed as questionable. Seattle can't run the football, meaning they will have to air it out again. Richardson is a safe bet to find the end zone yet again in Week 9. |
| SF | Marquise Goodwin | ARI | Patrick Peterson | Yikes. Not only does Pierre Garcon go down for the rest of the season, but now Goodwin will likely have to deal with Patrick Peterson for the majority of the afternoon. Yikes. I've had trepidations about starting guys much, much better than Goodwin against Peterson, so feel free to bench Goodwin this weekend. |
| TB | Mike Evans | NO | Marshon Lattimore | Lattimore is an excellent young corner, but let me just begin by saying that you are playing Evans in seasonal formats no matter what. If you want to fade in DFS, I'm fine with that, but keep in mind that Evans has received at least eight targets in every game this week and his nine red zone targets are six more than any other Buccaneer. He's a tough fade given his rare volume as a wide receiver. |
| TEN | Corey Davis | BAL | Jimmy Smith | Davis hasn't played since Week 2 and it's not exactly the easiest matchup for the rookie wide receiver. Before going down with an injury in Week 2, his seven receptions were just one behind Rishard Matthews. He'll be the team's top wide receiver and is easily the most valuable, however, I'm not starting him this week against Smith and the Ravens. it's going to be an ugly game. |
| WAS | Josh Doctson | SEA | Shaquill Griffin | I know the Texans lit up this Seattle defense last week, but Griffin and the rest of the Legion of Boom are going to come into this contest with a chip on their shoulder. Washington is going to have to throw the football, but they won't be as nearly as successful as Deshaun Watson was last week. Doctson is not a startable asset for me in Week 9, unless you are devastated by the bye weeks. |
Offense | Right WR | Defense | Left CB | Analysis |
| ARI | John Brown | SF | Ahkello Witherspoon | Oh yeah, John Brown baby! I expect Witherspoon to slide into the vacant position in the San Francisco secondary, which bodes well for Brown. Unfortunately, Drew Stanton is throwing him the ball, so my excitement is diminished. In a GPP, throw Brown in your lineup, because he's inexpensive and Witherspoon has allowed seven receptions for 131 yards on the season.* |
| ATL | Taylor Gabriel | CAR | Daryl Worley | Gabriel's snaps, targets and receptions have decreased in each of the last three weeks. This offense is just a mess and it's hard to feel comfortable with Gabriel in your lineup. Sanu is the clear-cut No. 2 receiver, pushing Gabriel to a mere complementary role. |
| BAL | Mike Wallace | TEN | Adoree' Jackson | If Wallace can get past this concussion, it's a favorable matchup for the ninth-year pro. However, Joe Flacco also needs to play for me to feel at least slightly comfortable in rostering Wallace. Ryan Mallet has a big arm, but I've seen him play enough, and I'm not enthused. The Titans have been generous to opposing wide receivers all year, but make sure that both Wallace and Flacco are playing in full. |
| BUF | Andre Holmes | NYJ | Darryl Roberts | Holmes will continue to get his snaps, but not many. In fact, he was outsnapped by Deonte Thompson last week. Kelvin Benjamin's arrival adds another competitor for targets in an offense that operates under a run-heavy script. I haven't started Holmes before and I won't start now. |
| CAR | Devin Funchess | ATL | Desmond Trufant | With Kelvin Benjamin out of town, Funchess assumes the role as the No. 1 wide receiver in the offense and he gets a slight bump up this week. This passing offense is going to flow through Funchess, Greg Olsen (upon return) and Christian McCaffery and it begins this week against a rather mediocre Falcons squad. Funchess is a mid-tier WR2 this week. |
| CHI | ||||
| CIN | A.J. Green | JAX | Jalen Ramsey | Green couldn't fully exploit the plus matchup last week against Indianapolis, and in a much tougher matchup this week, temper expectations for Green. Ramsey has allowed a QB rating of just 41.4 when thrown at this season.* You're starting him in seasonal formats, but you're wise to look elsewhere in DFS. |
| CLE | ||||
| DAL | Terrance Williams | KC | Marcus Peters | Even with the absence of Ezekiel Elliott for this outing, I don't expect a huge uptick in Williams' usage. He's received six or more targets in just two games this season, with the most recent being Week 4. He can break a big play, but it won't happen against Marcus Peters. He's currently graded as the 16th-best corner.* |
| DEN | Emmanuel Sanders | PHI | Jalen Mills | If Sanders returns without a pitch count, I would fire him up everywhere. The offense looked much different without him and regardless of who is under center, they will need Manny Sanders out there running routes. His role in the offense is solidified and I expect him to see at least seven targets in this one. He's an excellent value in DFS at his price point. |
| DET | Marvin Jones | GB | Davon House | Jones had himself a nice little game last week against the Steelers, hauling in six passes for 128 yards. Golden Tate was out there and had a nice game himself, but it was Jones who had the best night. Green Bay's secondary doesn't scare me and Jones is a guy I'm comfortable rolling out there in all formats this weekend. Davon House ranks 56th out of 114 corners, per Pro Football Focus. |
| GB | Jordy Nelson | DET | Nevin Lawson | Only six qualified corners have a lower player grade at the position than Lawson.* Nelson is going to be impacted by the loss of Aaron Rodgers, but the fact that he will avoid Darius Slay for most of the contest gives him hope in this matchup against the Lions. In a run-heavy game script, he's going to need a touchdown to make up for a lack of volume. |
| HOU | Will Fuller V | IND | Rashaan Melvin | Fuller has made some big strides this season, largely in part to Deshaun Watson's ability to push the football down field. However, Watson is out for the rest of 2017 and we will now see what Fuller is going to be with Tom Savage under center. Savage is an accurate passer, but in what will likely be a run-heavy script, Fuller will have minimal opportunities to produce. Efficiency will definitely regress and he may be the most affected player from the Deshaun Watson injury. |
| IND | T.Y. Hilton | HOU | Johnathan Joseph | For his career, Hilton is averaging 94 receiving yards per game and has scored in half of his outings against the Texans, dating back to 2012. Johnathan Joseph poses a tough challenge, as he grades out just outside the top 10 corners.* However, just about everyone on Seattle had a field day against this Houston defense, so he's a comfortable start in seasonal formats. |
| JAX | Marqise Lee | CIN | Dre Kirkpatrick | Lee missed practice yesterday and is questionable for this weekend's contest. Given Cincinnati's strength is in pass defense and not the run game, I don't expect Jacksonville to drop back a ton and beat the Bengals through the air. It will be a heavy dosage of Leonard Fournette and I don't expect Lee to be a reliable fantasy performer this week. Don't start him if you have a choice. |
| KC | Tyreek Hill | DAL | Anthony Brown | He threw an interception last week and had a below-average stat line, but who cares in Week 9? Short memory, folks! The Cowboys have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers and a 62.7 percent catch rate to the position. Hill missed out on the fun last week, but that won't happen again. He's scoring this week, you can bet on that. |
| LAC | ||||
| LAR | Robert Woods | NYG | Eli Apple | Apple has been thrown at a ton this season and has allowed a team-high five touchdowns on the season, not to mention a 112.1 QB rating.* Woods is a consistent cog in this passing attack and I love him in PPR formats. He's caught at least five passes in four of the past five weeks and I don't envision Eli Apple being the one to slow him down and stop that streak. |
| MIA | Kenny Stills | OAK | David Amerson | With Jay Ajayi out of town, Miami will likely pass the football a bit more. I'm not sold on Kenyan Drake or Damien Williams, and even in a plus matchup, they will combine for average results at best. DeVante Parker's likely return could attract a few targets away from Kenny Stills, but he remains the guy that can get down field and stretch this Oakland defense. Oakland has allowed the eighth-most receiving yards to wideouts this season. |
| MIN | ||||
| NE | ||||
| NO | Ted Ginn | TB | Brent Grimes | You know what, screw it, give me some Ted Ginn this week! Tampa Bay's defense isn't very good and he's caught five of his eight targets of 20 yards or more.* As you read earlier, I love Michael Thomas this week, but I do like Ginn as well in GPPs. If you are in a tough seasonal matchup and need to chase big upside to try to squeak out a win, play Ginn. You could win if you play Ginn! |
| NYG | Roger Lewis | LAR | Trumaine Johnson | Lewis saw six targets in the team's last game, but he managed to only haul in one of those passes. He did receive a target in the end zone, however, leaving some upside for a touchdown in this matchup. Unfortunately, I'm not willing to bet on it. I'd rather play Evan Engram or Sterling Shepard in this matchup. Lewis is a WR4 at best. |
| NYJ | Robby Anderson | BUF | Tre'Davious White | I like Anderson more than Kearse in this matchup, but given how tough the Buffalo pass defense has been, I'm not particularly a huge fan of Anderson this week. Between him and Kearse, I'd play Anderson, but I wouldn't be enthused starting either of them. Only eight teams have allowed fewer fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers this season than the Buffalo Bills. |
| OAK | Michael Crabtree | MIA | Cordrea Tankersley | Tankersley, a rookie corner, could be in for a long day against the seasoned veteran. Derek Carr has a QB rating of 110.3 when targeting Crabtree, and the two have hooked up for six touchdowns on the season.* Crabtree also ranks in the top 10 in yards per route run, which is yet another reason why he will find his way into a bunch of my lineups. |
| PHI | Torrey Smith | DEN | Aqib Talib | No thanks. Just no thanks. Smith's role in the offense is minimal and Talib grades out extremely well at his position.* Alshon Jeffery has the more favorable matchup. |
| PIT | ||||
| SEA | Tyler Lockett | WAS | Josh Norman | Lockett had a big game against the Texans, but I don't envision it happening here against Norman and the Redskins. On 25 coverage snaps last week, Norman was targeted just one time, which went for an incompletion.* I don't expect Lockett to have a big game, but Doug Baldwin and Paul Richardson are in more favorable spots. |
| SF | Aldrick Robinson | ARI | Tramon Williams | The injury to Pierre Garcon paves the way for some additional playing time on the outside for guys like Aldrick Robinson and Trent Taylor. The latter does most of his run out of the slot, so Robinson should slot right in for Garcon the rest of the season. Robinson has just 10 catches on the year and has yet to record a game with more than three receptions. He should be able to do that in this one, but he's nothing more than a GPP play or flex option in the deepest of seasonal leagues. |
| TB | DeSean Jackson | NO | Ken Crawley | It only takes Jackson one big play to make value and even with Jameis Winston's ailing shoulder, I'm liking the speedy veteran's matchup this week. His average depth of target on the year is 19.7 yards, which trails only Will Fuller and Torrey Smith.* He is going to break loose for a big one this weekend. |
| TEN | Rishard Matthews | BAL | Brandon Carr | Carr has been extremely good this season, allowing just 18 receptions on 34 targets and intercepting three passes.* Matthews has an established rapport with quarterback Marcus Mariota, but the return of Corey Davis could eat into Matthews' workload. I expect this to be an ugly game with no real notable fantasy performances. |
| WAS | Ryan Grant | SEA | Richard Sherman | Terrelle Pryor has just about been phased out of the offense, which has assured Grant's spot out wide, even with Josh Doctson getting extended run. Grant will haul in about four passes on a weekly basis, but he's not a flashy option by any means. This matchup is brutal and expect Sherman to come out with something to prove after his defense was torched by Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot this weekend.
Offense | Slot WR | Defense | Slot CB | Analysis |
| DET | Golden Tate | GB | Damarious Randall | Randall ranks outside of the top 100 players at his position and Tate his Matt Stafford's top option. Detroit will likely struggle to run the ball and if the Lions are going to win, it's going to be on the back of Stafford and Co. Tate could go over 100 yards with a touchdown in this matchup. |
| MIA | Jarvis Landry | OAK | T.J. Carrie | Carrie has burned for the sixth-most yards out of the slot this season and we all know that Landry is a target machine in the Miami offense.* The yardage may not be there sometimes, but he's a PPR darling. I like him in the WR2 category this week. |
| SEA | Doug Baldwin | WAS | Kendall Fuller | Fuller grades out very well at Pro Football Focus, but after missing out on most of the fun last week against the Texans, I expect Baldwin to get a larger piece of the pie this week. With Tyler Lockett being shut down by Josh Norman, I expect a bunch of Paul Richardson and Baldwin this week, along with some Jimmy Graham. Despite a less than favorable matchup, Baldwin will creep into high-end WR2 status this weekend. |
| ARI | Larry Fitzgerald | SF | Leon Hall | With K'Waun Williams likely sitting, Fitzgerald will deal with Leon Hall for most of the afternoon. He grades out very poor over at Pro Football Focus and even with Drew Stanton under center, he'll have his hands full with a player of Fitzgerald's pedigree. When Arizona isn't handing the ball off to Adrian Peterson, it will likely be a pass play with Fitzgerald being Stanton's first read. |
| LAR | Cooper Kupp | NYG | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | Cromartie has allowed 10 receptions on 12 targets in the slot this season, while Kupp continues to get plenty of looks in the Rams' offense.* He scored in the team's last game, and it could happen again this week. Reliable PPR option. |
| TB | Adam Humphries | NO | Kenny Vaccaro | Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley are pretty good corners out wide, meaning Humphries has the plus matchup in the slot against Vaccaro. Humphries has seen at least five targets in all but two weeks this season, though he's yet to find the end zone. |
| BAL | Jeremy Maclin | TEN | Logan Ryan | Ryan has allowed a QB rating of 111.2 when targeted this season and two touchdowns.* As long as Joe Flacco is suiting up, you can actually feel somewhat confident in starting Maclin this week. Solid WR3 option. |
| ATL | Mohamed Sanu | CAR | Captain Munnerlyn | Sanu has just two fewer targets over the last two weeks than Julio Jones and he's been a quality play in PPR formats. He hasn't had a monster game yet, but he continues to get looks from Matt Ryan and he won't be shadowed by James Bradberry. Munnerlyn is beatable out the slot and has allowed a 73 percent catch rate this season.* |
| NYG | Sterling Shepard | LAR | Nickell Robey-Coleman | Volume alone gets Shepard on this list, because the matchup isn't particularly ideal. Robey-Coleman has allowed a high catch rate, but just 63 yards receiving in his coverage is pretty damn good. It won't be a monster game for Shepard, but he'll post solid numbers in PPR formats. |
| NO | Brandon Coleman | TB | Vernon Hargreaves | Coleman doesn't get a ton of work in the New Orleans offense, so we are hoping for a touchdown here. Coleman saw just one target last week but could see closer to five in this contest. Again, need a touchdown here, so he's nothing more than a GPP dart or a super deep, crazy format seasonal play. |
Elite
Dez Bryant vs. Terrance Mitchell/Kenneth Acker
Who cares about the Ezekiel Elliott suspension being delayed again? That doesn't mean that Dallas is going to run every single play! Mitchell has been thrown at a bunch this season and has allowed a league-high 597 yards in coverage this season.* Mitchell is not a bad corner by any means, but Bryant is a physical specimen that will feast all afternoon. Even with Kenneth Acker seeing some time opposite Bryant, I'm not worried in the slightest! Bryant's floor in this one is 80 receiving yards with a touchdown and in DFS, you can get him at a reduced rate compared to guys like Mike Evans, Julio Jones, etc.
Michael Thomas vs. Robert McClain
Thomas is going to be in just about any lineup that I can get him in. Tampa Bay has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide outs this season and McClain has been burned this season. He’s allowed 21 receptions on 27 targets and a QB rating of 97.4 when targeted this season.* In seasonal formats, you must start Thomas and you can’t go wrong to pay for him in DFS. In fact, his price point is very reasonable. He hasn’t scored since Week 4, but that all changes this week. His floor this week is six catches for 78 yards with a touchdown.
Affordable
Golden Tate vs. Damarious Randall
Over at Pro Football Focus, Randall grades out quite poorly and Tate is the top option in the Detroit passing attack. When covering in the slot, Randall has allowed one touchdown on just six targets and an average reception of 13 yards. He overcame a shoulder issue to post a respectable 7-for-86 line last week, although he did lose a fumble. He’s caught seven or more passes in all but three games this season and I like him to catch at least that many against Randall and the Green Bay defense. He’s my favorite matchup out of the slot and one of my favorite overall.
Brown grades out as an average corner, but he has allowed four touchdowns on the year, and Hill has multiple touchdown potential in every single game. Don’t hold it against him too much that he threw an interception last week LOL. Alex Smith has been very successful when targeting Hill on the season, but this is the perfect opportunity to strike for a 50+ yard touchdown reception. You’re starting him in seasonal formats, of course, but hell, he might even be in my cash game lineups this weekend! I’m that convinced he scores at least once in this matchup. His 2.2 yards per route run will be on display in this weekend.*
Bargain Bin
Donte Moncrief vs. Kevin Johnson
Moncrief has just 10 receptions over the last four weeks, which doesn’t typically constitute the type of player I would want to play in any lineup of mine. However, Kevin Johnson has really struggled in coverage this year and Paul Richardson ate him up last week. Johnson has been targeted nearly as much as teammate Johnathan Joseph, despite playing 126 less coverage snaps! The young corner has allowed a 74 percent catch rate on the season and a team-high 2.19 yards per coverage snap.* It may not be pretty, but his price tag is so cheap in DFS that it is going to be difficult for him not to reach value.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.