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While those playing seasonal fantasy football leagues are sweating the playoffs here in Week 13, the DFS world rolls on, business as usual. This week is no more or less important than last week, the week before or the week before that. It’s about making the right decisions, playing the right games and winning boatloads of money. The wide receiver position is rich with talent and savory match-ups, so while I always recommend one of the elite plays, especially in cash games, there are plenty of options at the lower-priced tiers from which to choose. Here’s the data, followed by my recommendations.
| Def Pts | Opp Pa | Opp Ov | Opp Pa | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Tm | H/A | Opp | G | Snaps | Tar | Tar% | Tar/G | Rec | Rec/G | Catch% | ReYds | ReTD | YPC | Allow | Def Rk | Def Rk | Yds/G | O/U | $Line | $FD | $DK | $FA |
| Odell Beckham | NYG | A | PIT | 11 | 680 | 109 | 26.4% | 9.9 | 65 | 5.9 | 59.6% | 915 | 8 | 14.1 | 25.3 | 13 | 11 | 263.5 | 48 | -260 | $9000 | $8500 | $6500 |
| Antonio Brown | PIT | H | NYG | 11 | 699 | 120 | 28.5% | 10.9 | 82 | 7.5 | 68.3% | 998 | 10 | 12.2 | 28.6 | 7 | 7 | 264.7 | 48 | -260 | $9000 | $9100 | $6600 |
| Mike Evans | TB | A | SD | 11 | 678 | 132 | 32.0% | 12.0 | 73 | 6.6 | 55.3% | 1,020 | 10 | 14.0 | 29.5 | 9 | 9 | 271.3 | 47.5 | -190 | $8500 | $8600 | $6200 |
| Julio Jones | ATL | H | KC | 11 | 578 | 104 | 27.7% | 9.5 | 65 | 5.9 | 62.5% | 1,140 | 5 | 16.0 | 32.8 | 11 | 13 | 260.5 | 49 | -200 | $8300 | $8700 | $6400 |
| Amari Cooper | OAK | H | BUF | 11 | 705 | 100 | 23.9% | 9.1 | 66 | 6.0 | 66.0% | 922 | 3 | 14.0 | 26.2 | 19 | 19 | 227.7 | 49 | -165 | $7800 | $7300 | $4950 |
| Dez Bryant | DAL | A | MIN | 8 | 467 | 65 | 19.2% | 8.1 | 33 | 4.1 | 50.8% | 550 | 5 | 16.7 | 20.6 | 4 | 6 | 206.8 | 44 | 155 | $7700 | $6900 | $5350 |
| T.Y. Hilton | IND | A | NYJ | 11 | 658 | 104 | 25.8% | 9.5 | 60 | 5.5 | 57.7% | 942 | 5 | 15.7 | 28.6 | 29 | 23 | 262.8 | 49 | 110 | $7600 | $7600 | $5000 |
| Jordy Nelson | GB | H | HOU | 11 | 719 | 108 | 24.0% | 9.8 | 61 | 5.5 | 56.5% | 754 | 9 | 12.4 | 22.4 | 12 | 14 | 209.2 | 45.5 | -300 | $7400 | $7000 | $5500 |
| Brandon Marshall | NYJ | H | IND | 11 | 673 | 100 | 26.7% | 9.1 | 49 | 4.5 | 49.0% | 668 | 3 | 13.6 | 30.1 | 30 | 32 | 278.7 | 49 | 110 | $7200 | $6900 | $4900 |
| Demaryius Thomas | DEN | A | JAC | 11 | 629 | 93 | 24.9% | 8.5 | 60 | 5.5 | 64.5% | 738 | 5 | 12.3 | 26.1 | 14 | 16 | 204.3 | 40.5 | 170 | $7100 | $6600 | $4900 |
| Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | H | WAS | 11 | 753 | 110 | 24.4% | 10.0 | 78 | 7.1 | 70.9% | 802 | 5 | 10.3 | 29.6 | 18 | 25 | 252.9 | 49.5 | -145 | $7000 | $7100 | $4850 |
| Allen Robinson | JAC | H | DEN | 11 | 722 | 106 | 24.2% | 9.6 | 53 | 4.8 | 50.0% | 591 | 6 | 11.2 | 18.7 | 1 | 2 | 193.9 | 40.5 | 170 | $7000 | $5800 | $4650 |
| Michael Thomas | NO | H | DET | 11 | 620 | 84 | 18.7% | 7.6 | 65 | 5.9 | 77.4% | 789 | 7 | 12.1 | 26.7 | 32 | 31 | 250.9 | 53.5 | -260 | $6900 | $6900 | $5600 |
| Kenny Britt | LA | A | NE | 11 | 610 | 81 | 21.9% | 7.4 | 54 | 4.9 | 66.7% | 788 | 4 | 14.6 | 27.8 | 28 | 21 | 253.6 | 44.5 | -750 | $6900 | $5000 | $4650 |
| Doug Baldwin | SEA | H | CAR | 11 | 609 | 78 | 21.3% | 7.1 | 61 | 5.5 | 78.2% | 767 | 5 | 12.6 | 31.3 | 15 | 10 | 275.2 | 44.5 | -300 | $6900 | $6700 | $4900 |
| Brandin Cooks | NO | H | DET | 11 | 563 | 75 | 16.7% | 6.8 | 51 | 4.6 | 68.0% | 736 | 6 | 14.4 | 26.7 | 32 | 31 | 250.9 | 53.5 | -260 | $6800 | $6400 | $5100 |
| Davante Adams | GB | H | HOU | 11 | 619 | 86 | 19.1% | 7.8 | 58 | 5.3 | 67.4% | 776 | 8 | 13.4 | 22.4 | 12 | 14 | 209.2 | 45.5 | -300 | $6800 | $6300 | $4700 |
| Kelvin Benjamin | CAR | A | SEA | 11 | 562 | 86 | 22.3% | 7.8 | 48 | 4.4 | 55.8% | 736 | 5 | 15.3 | 26.8 | 5 | 4 | 235.5 | 44.5 | -300 | $6800 | $6200 | $4700 |
| Donte Moncrief | IND | A | NYJ | 6 | 322 | 43 | 10.7% | 7.2 | 24 | 4.0 | 55.8% | 251 | 5 | 10.5 | 28.6 | 29 | 23 | 262.8 | 49 | 110 | $6700 | $6600 | $4650 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | A | GB | 11 | 746 | 105 | 26.5% | 9.5 | 55 | 5.0 | 52.4% | 610 | 3 | 11.1 | 31.0 | 23 | 17 | 260.6 | 45.5 | -300 | $6700 | $6000 | $4900 |
| Julian Edelman | NE | H | LA | 11 | 633 | 99 | 26.8% | 9.0 | 64 | 5.8 | 64.6% | 617 | 2 | 9.6 | 30.9 | 16 | 15 | 227.5 | 44.5 | -750 | $6600 | $6800 | $5000 |
| Tyrell Williams | SD | H | TB | 11 | 608 | 85 | 21.6% | 7.7 | 51 | 4.6 | 60.0% | 790 | 5 | 15.5 | 28.5 | 10 | 12 | 253.5 | 47.5 | -190 | $6600 | $6100 | $4500 |
| Jamison Crowder | WAS | A | ARI | 11 | 529 | 76 | 17.6% | 6.9 | 55 | 5.0 | 72.4% | 725 | 6 | 13.2 | 28.1 | 3 | 5 | 195.1 | 49.5 | -145 | $6600 | $5800 | $4650 |
| Willie Snead | NO | H | DET | 10 | 495 | 70 | 15.6% | 7.0 | 51 | 5.1 | 72.9% | 593 | 4 | 11.6 | 26.7 | 32 | 31 | 250.9 | 53.5 | -260 | $6500 | $5100 | $4800 |
| Stefon Diggs | MIN | H | DAL | 9 | 491 | 88 | 23.3% | 9.8 | 67 | 7.4 | 76.1% | 747 | 2 | 11.1 | 29.1 | 27 | 27 | 280.4 | 44 | 155 | $6500 | $6700 | $4650 |
| DeVante Parker | MIA | A | BAL | 10 | 489 | 64 | 19.8% | 6.4 | 41 | 4.1 | 64.1% | 549 | 2 | 13.4 | 30.8 | 8 | 1 | 222.9 | 40.5 | -170 | $6500 | $5600 | $4400 |
| Mike Wallace | BAL | H | MIA | 11 | 600 | 85 | 19.2% | 7.7 | 51 | 4.6 | 60.0% | 792 | 4 | 15.5 | 30.0 | 6 | 8 | 229.7 | 40.5 | -170 | $6500 | $5000 | $4400 |
| Michael Crabtree | OAK | H | BUF | 11 | 594 | 101 | 24.2% | 9.2 | 60 | 5.5 | 59.4% | 711 | 6 | 11.9 | 26.2 | 19 | 19 | 227.7 | 49 | -165 | $6400 | $6000 | $4900 |
| Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | A | JAC | 11 | 650 | 105 | 28.1% | 9.5 | 61 | 5.5 | 58.1% | 830 | 4 | 13.6 | 26.1 | 14 | 16 | 204.3 | 40.5 | 170 | $6400 | $5900 | $5000 |
| Jarvis Landry | MIA | A | BAL | 11 | 604 | 89 | 27.6% | 8.1 | 64 | 5.8 | 71.9% | 733 | 2 | 11.5 | 30.8 | 8 | 1 | 222.9 | 40.5 | -170 | $6400 | $5400 | $4700 |
| Sammy Watkins | BUF | A | OAK | 3 | 107 | 14 | 4.6% | 4.7 | 9 | 3.0 | 64.3% | 143 | 0 | 15.9 | 31.3 | 22 | 26 | 273.5 | 49 | -165 | $6300 | $5500 | $4750 |
| Randall Cobb | GB | H | HOU | 10 | 556 | 77 | 17.1% | 7.7 | 54 | 5.4 | 70.1% | 558 | 3 | 10.3 | 22.4 | 12 | 14 | 209.2 | 45.5 | -300 | $6300 | $5400 | $4800 |
| Cole Beasley | DAL | A | MIN | 11 | 424 | 73 | 21.5% | 6.6 | 58 | 5.3 | 79.5% | 647 | 5 | 11.2 | 20.6 | 4 | 6 | 206.8 | 44 | 155 | $6200 | $5500 | $4400 |
| Steve Smith | BAL | H | MIA | 9 | 443 | 66 | 14.9% | 7.3 | 48 | 5.3 | 72.7% | 536 | 3 | 11.2 | 30.0 | 6 | 8 | 229.7 | 40.5 | -170 | $6100 | $5700 | $4200 |
| Adam Thielen | MIN | H | DAL | 11 | 525 | 61 | 16.1% | 5.5 | 45 | 4.1 | 73.8% | 571 | 3 | 12.7 | 29.1 | 27 | 27 | 280.4 | 44 | 155 | $6000 | $4900 | $4000 |
| DeSean Jackson | WAS | A | ARI | 10 | 489 | 70 | 16.2% | 7.0 | 38 | 3.8 | 54.3% | 585 | 3 | 15.4 | 28.1 | 3 | 5 | 195.1 | 49.5 | -145 | $6000 | $5000 | $4400 |
| Golden Tate | DET | A | NO | 11 | 568 | 85 | 22.3% | 7.7 | 57 | 5.2 | 67.1% | 617 | 2 | 10.8 | 29.6 | 25 | 22 | 271.4 | 53.5 | -260 | $5900 | $6200 | $5000 |
| Jeremy Maclin | KC | A | ATL | 8 | 424 | 56 | 14.3% | 7.0 | 30 | 3.8 | 53.6% | 376 | 2 | 12.5 | 31.3 | 21 | 24 | 282.2 | 49 | -200 | $5800 | $5300 | $4750 |
| Tyreek Hill | KC | A | ATL | 11 | 270 | 56 | 14.3% | 5.1 | 45 | 4.1 | 80.4% | 428 | 5 | 9.5 | 31.3 | 21 | 24 | 282.2 | 49 | -200 | $5800 | $4600 | $4500 |
| Sterling Shepard | NYG | A | PIT | 11 | 674 | 72 | 17.4% | 6.5 | 44 | 4.0 | 61.1% | 476 | 5 | 10.8 | 25.3 | 13 | 11 | 263.5 | 48 | -260 | $5800 | $4900 | $4300 |
| Jordan Matthews | PHI | A | CIN | 11 | 653 | 90 | 23.1% | 8.2 | 57 | 5.2 | 63.3% | 686 | 3 | 12.0 | 25.3 | 17 | 18 | 246.0 | 42 | 100 | $5700 | $5700 | $4600 |
| Mohamed Sanu | ATL | H | KC | 11 | 557 | 67 | 17.9% | 6.1 | 47 | 4.3 | 70.1% | 495 | 3 | 10.5 | 32.8 | 11 | 13 | 260.5 | 49 | -200 | $5700 | $4400 | $4450 |
| Taylor Gabriel | ATL | H | KC | 9 | 211 | 28 | 7.5% | 3.1 | 21 | 2.3 | 75.0% | 378 | 4 | 18.0 | 32.8 | 11 | 13 | 260.5 | 49 | -200 | $5700 | $4000 | $4100 |
| Marvin Jones | DET | A | NO | 11 | 650 | 77 | 20.2% | 7.0 | 42 | 3.8 | 54.5% | 730 | 4 | 17.4 | 29.6 | 25 | 22 | 271.4 | 53.5 | -260 | $5600 | $4400 | $4850 |
| Cameron Meredith | CHI | H | SF | 9 | 443 | 54 | 13.6% | 6.0 | 35 | 3.9 | 64.8% | 449 | 2 | 12.8 | 34.5 | 24 | 29 | 252.6 | 43.5 | -120 | $5600 | $4100 | $4300 |
| Will Fuller | HOU | A | GB | 9 | 517 | 61 | 15.4% | 6.8 | 30 | 3.3 | 49.2% | 449 | 2 | 15.0 | 31.0 | 23 | 17 | 260.6 | 45.5 | -300 | $5600 | $4700 | $4300 |
| Malcolm Mitchell | NE | H | LA | 10 | 261 | 27 | 7.3% | 2.7 | 16 | 1.6 | 59.3% | 235 | 3 | 14.7 | 30.9 | 16 | 15 | 227.5 | 44.5 | -750 | $5600 | $3600 | $4200 |
| Kenny Stills | MIA | A | BAL | 11 | 536 | 51 | 15.8% | 4.6 | 26 | 2.4 | 51.0% | 480 | 5 | 18.5 | 30.8 | 8 | 1 | 222.9 | 40.5 | -170 | $5600 | $3900 | $4100 |
| Marqise Lee | JAC | H | DEN | 11 | 529 | 69 | 15.8% | 6.3 | 46 | 4.2 | 66.7% | 581 | 2 | 12.6 | 18.7 | 1 | 2 | 193.9 | 40.5 | 170 | $5600 | $4000 | $4100 |
| Chris Hogan | NE | H | LA | 10 | 524 | 35 | 9.5% | 3.5 | 23 | 2.3 | 65.7% | 461 | 2 | 20.0 | 30.9 | 16 | 15 | 227.5 | 44.5 | -750 | $5500 | $4400 | $4100 |
| Pierre Garcon | WAS | A | ARI | 11 | 583 | 76 | 17.6% | 6.9 | 52 | 4.7 | 68.4% | 636 | 2 | 12.2 | 28.1 | 3 | 5 | 195.1 | 49.5 | -145 | $5500 | $4200 | $4200 |
| Marquess Wilson | CHI | H | SF | 2 | 76 | 15 | 3.8% | 7.5 | 9 | 4.5 | 60.0% | 160 | 1 | 17.8 | 34.5 | 24 | 29 | 252.6 | 43.5 | -120 | $5400 | $4000 | $4250 |
| John Brown | ARI | H | WAS | 10 | 446 | 60 | 13.3% | 6.0 | 31 | 3.1 | 51.7% | 399 | 1 | 12.9 | 29.6 | 18 | 25 | 252.9 | 49.5 | -145 | $5400 | $3800 | $4100 |
| Tyler Boyd | CIN | H | PHI | 11 | 565 | 59 | 14.9% | 5.4 | 38 | 3.5 | 64.4% | 411 | 1 | 10.8 | 29.6 | 2 | 3 | 236.5 | 42 | 100 | $5400 | $4800 | $4450 |
| Jeremy Kerley | SF | A | CHI | 11 | 554 | 81 | 22.9% | 7.4 | 42 | 3.8 | 51.9% | 448 | 3 | 10.7 | 32.5 | 20 | 20 | 239.8 | 43.5 | -120 | $5300 | $3300 | $3900 |
| Marquise Goodwin | BUF | A | OAK | 10 | 409 | 44 | 14.5% | 4.4 | 20 | 2.0 | 45.5% | 329 | 3 | 16.5 | 31.3 | 22 | 26 | 273.5 | 49 | -165 | $5200 | $3400 | $4000 |
| Travis Benjamin | SD | H | TB | 10 | 382 | 61 | 15.5% | 6.1 | 40 | 4.0 | 65.6% | 522 | 3 | 13.1 | 28.5 | 10 | 12 | 253.5 | 47.5 | -190 | $5200 | $4600 | $4200 |
| Dontrelle Inman | SD | H | TB | 11 | 687 | 62 | 15.7% | 5.6 | 38 | 3.5 | 61.3% | 527 | 2 | 13.9 | 28.5 | 10 | 12 | 253.5 | 47.5 | -190 | $5200 | $5200 | $4400 |
| Eli Rogers | PIT | H | NYG | 8 | 322 | 43 | 10.2% | 5.4 | 29 | 3.6 | 67.4% | 336 | 2 | 11.6 | 28.6 | 7 | 7 | 264.7 | 48 | -260 | $5200 | $3900 | $4000 |
| Eddie Royal | CHI | H | SF | 9 | 311 | 43 | 10.8% | 4.8 | 33 | 3.7 | 76.7% | 369 | 2 | 11.2 | 34.5 | 24 | 29 | 252.6 | 43.5 | -120 | $5100 | $3400 | $4000 |
| J.J. Nelson | ARI | H | WAS | 10 | 286 | 40 | 8.9% | 4.0 | 20 | 2.0 | 50.0% | 273 | 2 | 13.7 | 29.6 | 18 | 25 | 252.9 | 49.5 | -145 | $5100 | $3900 | $3800 |
| Tavon Austin | LA | A | NE | 11 | 546 | 79 | 21.4% | 7.2 | 44 | 4.0 | 55.7% | 401 | 3 | 9.1 | 27.8 | 28 | 21 | 253.6 | 44.5 | -750 | $5000 | $3900 | $4300 |
| Anquan Boldin | DET | A | NO | 11 | 526 | 66 | 17.3% | 6.0 | 48 | 4.4 | 72.7% | 392 | 6 | 8.2 | 29.6 | 25 | 22 | 271.4 | 53.5 | -260 | $5000 | $4100 | $4500 |
| Allen Hurns | JAC | H | DEN | 11 | 637 | 76 | 17.4% | 6.9 | 35 | 3.2 | 46.1% | 477 | 3 | 13.6 | 18.7 | 1 | 2 | 193.9 | 40.5 | 170 | $5000 | $3500 | $4150 |
| Michael Floyd | ARI | H | WAS | 11 | 511 | 59 | 13.1% | 5.4 | 28 | 2.5 | 47.5% | 410 | 3 | 14.6 | 29.6 | 18 | 25 | 252.9 | 49.5 | -145 | $4900 | $4200 | $4000 |
| Victor Cruz | NYG | A | PIT | 10 | 537 | 49 | 11.9% | 4.9 | 27 | 2.7 | 55.1% | 462 | 1 | 17.1 | 25.3 | 13 | 11 | 263.5 | 48 | -260 | $4900 | $3300 | $4100 |
| Adam Humphries | TB | A | SD | 11 | 523 | 61 | 14.8% | 5.5 | 40 | 3.6 | 65.6% | 448 | 1 | 11.2 | 29.5 | 9 | 9 | 271.3 | 47.5 | -190 | $4900 | $3600 | $3800 |
| Ted Ginn | CAR | A | SEA | 11 | 466 | 61 | 15.8% | 5.5 | 36 | 3.3 | 59.0% | 489 | 2 | 13.6 | 26.8 | 5 | 4 | 235.5 | 44.5 | -300 | $4900 | $4000 | $3900 |
| Brandon LaFell | CIN | H | PHI | 11 | 705 | 64 | 16.2% | 5.8 | 36 | 3.3 | 56.3% | 457 | 4 | 12.7 | 29.6 | 2 | 3 | 236.5 | 42 | 100 | $4900 | $4300 | $4300 |
| Torrey Smith | SF | A | CHI | 10 | 577 | 46 | 13.0% | 4.6 | 20 | 2.0 | 43.5% | 267 | 3 | 13.4 | 32.5 | 20 | 20 | 239.8 | 43.5 | -120 | $4800 | $3500 | $3800 |
| Seth Roberts | OAK | H | BUF | 11 | 504 | 54 | 12.9% | 4.9 | 29 | 2.6 | 53.7% | 314 | 5 | 10.8 | 26.2 | 19 | 19 | 227.7 | 49 | -165 | $4800 | $3000 | $3700 |
| Quincy Enunwa | NYJ | H | IND | 11 | 584 | 74 | 19.7% | 6.7 | 43 | 3.9 | 58.1% | 643 | 4 | 15.0 | 30.1 | 30 | 32 | 278.7 | 49 | 110 | $4700 | $4500 | $4800 |
| Devin Funchess | CAR | A | SEA | 11 | 364 | 41 | 10.7% | 3.7 | 18 | 1.6 | 43.9% | 285 | 3 | 15.8 | 26.8 | 5 | 4 | 235.5 | 44.5 | -300 | $4700 | $3300 | $3800 |
| Jermaine Kearse | SEA | H | CAR | 11 | 573 | 56 | 15.3% | 5.1 | 29 | 2.6 | 51.8% | 354 | 0 | 12.2 | 31.3 | 15 | 10 | 275.2 | 44.5 | -300 | $4600 | $3000 | $3900 |
| Braxton Miller | HOU | A | GB | 9 | 347 | 26 | 6.6% | 2.9 | 15 | 1.7 | 57.7% | 99 | 1 | 6.6 | 31.0 | 23 | 17 | 260.6 | 45.5 | -300 | $4500 | $3000 | $3300 |
| Quinton Patton | SF | A | CHI | 11 | 605 | 55 | 15.5% | 5.0 | 31 | 2.8 | 56.4% | 374 | 0 | 12.1 | 32.5 | 20 | 20 | 239.8 | 43.5 | -120 | $4500 | $3200 | $3700 |
| Nelson Agholor | PHI | A | CIN | 10 | 589 | 51 | 13.1% | 5.1 | 27 | 2.7 | 52.9% | 264 | 1 | 9.8 | 25.3 | 17 | 18 | 246.0 | 42 | 100 | $4500 | $3000 | $3800 |
| Dorial Green-Beckham | PHI | A | CIN | 11 | 401 | 54 | 13.9% | 4.9 | 29 | 2.6 | 53.7% | 330 | 2 | 11.4 | 25.3 | 17 | 18 | 246.0 | 42 | 100 | $4500 | $3000 | $4000 |
Elite Plays
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Odell Beckham, NYG – Steelers rank 30th against opposing WR1 and are allowing an average of 88.8 yards per game to them. Beckham is off the injury report and has eight touchdowns in his last seven games.
Mike Evans, TB – Volume, volume, volume! The match-ups are almost irrelevant as Jameis Winston always finds a way to get his guy the ball.
Julio Jones, ATL – Despite the presence of Marcus Peters, the Chiefs still rank 21st against opposing WR1 and have given up 20 touchdowns through the air this season.
Pricey but Affordable
Amari Cooper, OAK – Buffalo’s 19th-ranked pass defense ranks 24th against opposing WR1 and have allowed an average of 72.5 yards per game to them this season.
T.Y. Hilton, IND – Andrew Luck is back and the Jets pass defense blows. Opposing top wideouts are averaging 78 yards per game against them and the Jets have coughed up 18 passing touchdowns this season. There is no such thing as Revis Island anymore. Well, there is, but it’s old and desolate these days.
Brandon Marshall, NYJ – The Jets have very little going for them, so expect Ryan Fitzpatrick to be chucking the ball around the keep pace with Luck. The Colts rank 31st against opposing WR1, give up an average of 92 yards per game to them and have allowed 22 passing touchdowns this season.
Larry Fitzgerald, ARI -- You’d like to think Bruce Arians would wise up and let David Johnson do all the work, but he’s got Carson Palmer throwing the ball an average of 41 times per game. It seems unlikely that Josh Norman will shadow and Fitz, so I look to the fact that the Skins rank 25the against opposing WR1 and have allowed an average of 88.6 yards per game to them.
Solid Values
Michael Thomas, NO – He’s Drew Brees’ favorite target, the Saints are at home and they face the Lions’ 32nd-ranked pass defense which has allowed 22 passing touchdowns this season.
Doug Baldwin, SEA – Carolina’s pass defense is terrible. They allow an average of 275 passing yards per game and have served up 21 touchdowns through the air this season. Not to mention they rank 23rd against opposing top receivers and have allowed an average of 80.8 yards per game to them.
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Brandin Cooks, NO – The squeaky wheel gets the grease so expect Brees to find Cooks early and often here to keep the wideout from any more public grumbling. Oh yeah, and see what I just wrote for Thomas above.
DeAndre Hopkins, HOU – At this price and facing a porous Green Bay secondary, I’m going back to this well again. I just can’t see Nuk getting shut down here as the Packers rank dead last against opposing WR1 and have allowed an average of 85.2 yards per game to them. Even Brock Osweiler can’t screw this up, can he?
Jamison Crowder, WAS – While Patrick Peterson handles D-Jax and Marcus Cooper sticks to Pierre Garcon, Crowder should be left alone in mismatched single coverage throughout the game. He’ll line up on the outside and in the slot all day and while he may not see a world of targets, his big-play ability is certainly worth a look.
Stefon Diggs, MIN – He missed last week with a knee injury but he put in a full practice Wednesday and is ready to resume his duty as Sam Bradford’s target machine. Dallas gives up the fourth-most passing yards and have given up 19 touchdowns through the air this season.
Bargain Hunting
Golden Tate, DET – The Saints have given up the eighth-most passing yards this season and 17 passing touchdowns. They also rank 21st against WR2 and Tate shouldn’t have any trouble with Sterling Moore this week.
Malcolm Mitchell, NE – So no Gronk, Chris Hogan is still banged-up and Tom Brady is looking his way inside the red zone these days. He’s got three touchdowns in his last two games and using him allows you to spend up elsewhere.
Dontrelle Inman, SD – With Travis Benjamin falling out of favor, Inman has stepped up and has seen close to eight targets per game over the last three. He’s got big-play ability and the Bucs rank 24th against opposing WR2.
Anquan Boldin, DET – Don’t expect big yards, but against the Saints who rank 25th against WR3/slot receivers, you can bank on a touchdown.
Braxton Miller, HOU – Throw that dart, baby! The Packers secondary is that bad!
Player News
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Steelers are “counting on” a 2025 jump for WR Roman Wilson.
Wilson, per Fowler, “looks like a different player than from his injury riddled rookie campaign.” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in February that the team has “a lot of confidence” in Wilson, the 84th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft who played just five offensive snaps as a rookie after suffering a serious hamstring injury in October. Wilson, entering his age-24 season, had 789 yards and 12 touchdowns on 49 catches in his final season at Michigan. He was 19th among all college wideouts in yards per route run in 2023. An injury-free offseason could position Wilson as the clear No. 2 receiver behind DK Metcalf in 2025.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Steelers “remain in contact with Aaron Rodgers and are hopeful that he’ll be a Steeler.”
Things have been quiet on the Rodgers front since the NFL Draft, though he remains a factor for the QB-needy Steelers, who on Wednesday traded George Pickens to Dallas in exchange for draft picks. That leaves DK Metcalf and perhaps Roman Wilson as the Steelers’ top two receivers. Metcalf’s fantasy fortunes would get a bit of a bump if Rodgers lands with the Steelers. The team’s commitment to a massively run-heavy approach should limit Metcalf’s upside, however. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio suggested Rodgers is waiting to sign with Pittsburgh until after the NFL’s schedule release “so that the league can’t saddle the Steelers with extra prime-time and/or short-week games.” We’ll continue to monitor the never-ending Rodgers saga.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Cowboys’ plan is for George Pickens “to play out his rookie deal.”
It looks like we won’t see any sort of long-term contract struck between Pickens and the Cowboys after the mercurial wideout was traded from the Steelers to Dallas in exchange for a 2026 third round draft pick and a 2027 fifth rounder. Dallas coaches and Jerry Jones likely want to see how Pickens, 24, acclimates to his new team after alienating coaches and teammates in Pittsburgh last season. Pickens, who has 2,841 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over three NFL seasons, will immediately become the team’s No. 2 option behind CeeDee Lamb and a much-needed deep ball target for Dak Prescott.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane reports TE Dallas Goedert will remain with the Eagles in 2025.
Goedert agreed to a $4 million salary cut for the upcoming season, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. He will make $10 million in 2025 and be a free agent next offseason. It’s quite the turnabout after Eagles coaches and front office officials strongly implied for months that Goedert had played his last snap with the team. Goedert, 30, has missed 15 games over the past three seasons and was widely expected to be dealt during the NFL Draft. Goedert will be a solid top-12 fantasy option, well behind AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith in the team’s target pecking order. He averaged 4.2 catches and 49.6 receiving yards per game in 2024 and had the ninth highest EPA per target among tight ends.
Titans re-signed DT James Lynch.
Lynch, 26, a former fourth round selection by the Vikings, will return for a second season with the Titans after starting all 17 games in 2024. He had 20 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack for the Titans last season. Pro Football Focus graded the Titans as last year’s fourth worst pass rush and ninth best run-defending unit.
Jaguars released WR Gabe Davis.
Davis, who secured $24 million in guarantees when he signed with Jacksonville last year, managed 20 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns over ten games in his only year with the Jags. The Davis signing is yet another in a string of disastrous decisions by the former Jacksonville front office. With Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter in the fold, the Jaguars ended their experiment with Davis, 26. He should see interest from wideout-needy teams in the coming weeks, including perhaps the Lions. Davis will be locked into a strictly downfield role wherever he lands this spring or summer.