Welcome to the weekly wide receiver/cornerback breakdown! We will review each of the outside matchups, as well as my 10 favorite matchups in the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my four absolute favorite matchups of the week. This article is critical for seasonal and daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups.
Remember, the No. 1 wide receiver doesn’t always matchup against the No. 1 cornerback. This isn’t a game of Madden! Seriously, it’s not!
Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARI | Darius Slay DET | It was a disastrous preseason for Kirk that saw him have a case of the dropsies, the emergence of KeeSean Johnson, and the signing of Michael Crabtree . Kirk would fit best in the slot if Larry Fitzgerald was there and this certainly doesn’t seem like it will be a big game for the second year player. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Xavier Rhodes MIN | Obviously, in season-long leagues, you can never sit Julio Jones , especially in an opening week. And not that he can't succeed against Rhodes, but he is one of the better corners in the league. Temper your expectations in redraft, and don't pay up for Jones in Week 1 in DFS. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Xavien Howard MIA | Rookie receivers tend to take a little time to get going in the NFL and it certainly won't help Boykin as he draws a lights-out corner. The fact that Lamar Jackson might only throw the ball 20 times in a game complicates matters worse. He is a very exciting talent, but not one you should pin your fantasy hopes on in Week 1 if you can avoid it. |
| John Brown BUF | Trumaine Johnson NYJ | To call quarterback Josh Allen inaccurate would be very polite, but he can throw the deep ball. Lucky for him, John Brown 's specialty is catching the deep ball. This should be a nice connection in 2019, and with Johnson just getting over hammy injury, this could be a good week to show it off. Brown will be a great best ball player this year, and someone you could look to in GPPs this Sunday. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Aqib Talib LAR | Moore definitely took a step in his career in 2018 and looks to work towards being a top 20 receiver in 2019. He is a good deep threat, but will match up against one of the better corners out there. Talib does have trouble staying on the field anymore, but when healthy he can shut down anyone with his physical play. Moore is a go in redraft leagues as always, but not a guy I would be targeting in DFS. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Kevin King GB | It would be surprising to see Robinson come anywhere near his career year in Jacksonville in 2019, and even 80 catches seems like a stretch. It is nice that he is healthy to start the season, but his tools don't instill much confidence. Robinson averaged just 58 yards per game in 2018, and he doesn't get an easy assignment with Kevin King in the Thursday opener. This one doesn't scream big game from A-Rob in any language. |
| John Ross CIN | Tre Flowers SEA | Stop me if you've heard this one before, but John Ross spent a lot of time injured. The former ninth overall pick with a hamstring injury, but rehab is nothing new to him. He will start the game with A.J. Green injured, but he has shown nothing that says he will be a viable fantasy receiver in Week 1. The speed and the talent are there, but that doesn't always equal production. Avoid Ross in all formats. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Malcolm Butler TEN | How much of a chip on his shoulder will OBJ play with this week? Always feeling disrespected, Beckham cried his way out of New York and now goes to Cleveland who has a plethora of weapons to take defensive attention off of him. When healthy and motivated, Beckham is one of the more talented receivers in the game. He will see a lot of Malcolm Butler who is solid, but it just seems like Beckham is going to want the ball a lot, and Mayfield will get him the ball and it will be a big game for Cleveland's newest Diva. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Janoris Jenkins NYG | Cooper electrified the Dallas offense in the second half last season, and there is more excitement in 2019. He is coming off a foot injury which is a bit concerning, and dealing with Jenkins covering him isn't good either. I won't say that Jackrabbit shuts Amari down, but if he tallied under 70 yards and failed to score, there would be zero surprise here. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Gareon Conley OAK | The Raiders defense looks to be among the worst in football this season, and the secondary is a solid reason why. Sutton will have a much better chance to succeed this season with the deep ball as Joe Flacco can throw it better than any disaster the Broncos put under center last year. Sutton could have a very good game, and is someone to look to in GPPs on Sunday |
| Marvin Jones DET | Tramaine Brock ARI | Somehow Marvin Jones is still under 30 years old, although it feels like my grandfather watched him play. He started out strong before the second half of the season was bad, and then he was injured. The only thing saving his production this year is outside of Jones and Kenny Golladay there's not many other options to throw the ball down the field to for Matthew Stafford . With the Lions set to run the ball a lot again in 2019, nothing makes me feel great about Jones this week. |
| Davante Adams GB | Kyle Fuller CHI | Even going against a great corner, there's nothing not to like about Adams. He is clearly the number one receiver on a great passing offense, and he certainly likes the attention of a prime time game. This should be a good game for Adams with at least seven catches, 90 yards, and a score. |
| DeAndre Hopkins HOU | Marcus Lattimore NO | I have a great deal of respect for Marcus Lattimore, but I don’t think even a player of his caliber can shut down Hopkins. I might not pay top dollar in DFS this week for Hop, but deep in my bones I still see a big game coming. He just catches everything in sight, and seemingly can get open against anyone |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Casey Hayward LAC | No Andrew Luck means big problems for T.Y. Hilton 's fantasy production. Sure the offensive line is better than 2017, but can Brissett get him the long ball that Hilton craves? Casey Hayward is a very quality corner and should keep Hilton in check. With the injuries to the rest of the Chargers secondary, Brissett would be smart to look elsewhere. You can't help but play Hilton in redraft, but don't touch him with a ten foot pole in DFS. |
| Dede Westbrook JAX | Kendall Fuller KC | The Jaguars and Blake Bortles made a career out of garbage time points, and it looks like it will be that kind of game again. The Jacksonville defense is so good, but can they hold down the neverending weapons of Kansas City? This could be one where Westbrook scores a bunch of points in the fourth quarter to make the game look good. He could be a tournament play. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Jalen Ramsey JAX | Ramsey might be the best corner in football, at least the best one not suspended to start the season. However, Hill is ridiculously fast and it only takes one step and he's gone. He was held to four catches for 61 yards in their meeting last year, so it has been proven you can hold Hill down. Asking Ramsey to do it again might be a little much, but temper your expectations for Hill this week. |
| Brandin Cooks LAR | James Bradberry CAR | The Rams latest version of the Greatest Show on Turf will be on grass this week, but it doesn't really matter. The Panthers secondary is average at best, and Los Angeles will come out firing on all cylinders. The only question each week is who will catch Goff's two to three touchdowns. Cooks isn't a bad bet at any given time. He is almost always good for a long reception or two even if he doesn't find the end zone. A great play in redraft and any Rams receiver is a play in DFS. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Kenny Moore II IND | Williams long ball ability will be hurt slightly by the offensive line woes of the Chargers, but this kid has all of the goods. The big, strong, and great hands trifecta that all receivers crave. The Colts secondary is nothing to write home about, and Williams only needs one big play to make it a good game. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Jimmy Smith BAL | An overvalued deep ball threat on a team with no offensive line and a decent at best quarterback against a great defense? Yeah, that would be a big hard pass. |
| Stefon Diggs MIN | Desmond Trufant ATL | Trufant might not quite be the corner he has been at other points in his career, but he still is someone to trifle with. Diggs has emerged as one of the top 15 receivers in the game. This will be an epic battle on the field, and while I might not target Diggs in DFS, there is no reason to sit him in redraft |
| Josh Gordon NE | Joe Haden PIT | Gordon is a very inconsistent receiver and was only reinstated shortly before the preseason ended. Common sense would tell you he kept himself in shape, but common sense doesn't always work here. Combine that with the fact that he will see a lot of Joe Haden and it doesn't add up to a great game for Gordon |
| Michael Thomas NO | Johnathan Joseph HOU | The immovable force vs. the unstoppable object. Thomas is one of the best receivers in the league, and Joseph is a top 15 corner. Thomas has a four-inch height advantage which could be key around the red zone, but Joseph is used to that. If Thomas was held to under 50 yards I wouldn't be shocked, and if he caught eight passes for 125 yards I wouldn't be shocked either. A fade for DFS, but Thomas is always a play in redraft. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | Awuzie is an improving corner, and while Shepard is a quality receiver, there is little to have confidence about in the Giants offense right now. If someone was to have a better receiving day I would put my money on Evan Engram . The Giants aren't looked upon to score a ton of points this week, and Shepard's numbers could be pedestrian. |
| Robby Anderson NYJ | Tre'Davious White BUF | Anderson had great chemistry with Sam Darnold at the end of 2018, and both players should improve even more this season. In Week 14 against Buffalo last season, Anderson had four catches for 76 yards and a touchdown. Anderson looks to be less touchdown-dependent in 2019, but facing Tre'Davious White doesn't bode well for that in Week 1. Anderson is a very risky play in DFS this week, even with the Jets offense looking strong in the preseason. |
| Antonio Brown OAK | Chris Harris DEN | Brown has put too much spotlight on himself not to come out and perform in Week 1. Between his offseason antics, and now all of this helmet garbage, he has to come out and shine. Like Beckham, he will demand the ball, and he will get the ball. Harris should hold him to around 100 yards, but seven or eight catches and a touchdown seem like a foregone conclusion. |
| Alshon Jeffery PHI | Josh Norman WAS | In two games against Washington, last season Jeffery had eight catches for 90 yards and one touchdown combined, which isn't exactly awe-inspiring. Josh Norman might run his mouth a lot, but the guy can still be a shutdown corner, and Jeffery is a guy who is big play or touchdown-dependent. That might be great for Best Ball, but it's iffy for redraft, and not something to be interested in with DFS |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT | Stephon Gilmore NE | Smith-Schuster will now be asked to be "the guy" in the Steelers offense, and he will now start drawing the other team's best cover guy. That starts in Week 1 with Gilmore, who is one of Pro Football Focus ten best cornerbacks. There should be a decent amount of scoring in this game, but it could be the Steelers other receivers who thrive. There's no way that Smith-Schuster is completely shut down, but he will have better games this season than in Week 1. |
| Dante Pettis SF | Carlton Davis TB | Pushed all preseason by Kyle Shanahan's motivational tactics, Pettis does start the year as the 49ers top receiver. He showed great talent in the second half of 2018, and looks to continue that trend against an awful Tampa defense. Pettis looks like he will be a strong WR2 in redraft this week |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Dre Kirkpatrick CIN | This will be Lockett's first week as the top receiver on the Seahawks in 2019, and while he gets a tough assignment in Kirkpatrick he still should have a good game. Lockett is one of Russell Wilson 's favorite targets when plays completely break down and he is running for his life, which is quite often. Lockett will have no problem getting at least five catches and 75 yards. |
| Mike Evans TB | Richard Sherman SF | Richard Sherman might be a Hall of Fame corner, but he certainly has lost a step, and Evans is one of the better receivers in the league. I don't want to say that Sherman is going to get beaten like a drum, but there should be a lot of points scored in this one, and if Evans finished with less than 100 yards it would be a surprise. He is one of the higher-priced receivers in DFS this week, but it could be worth it. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Denzel Ward CLE | I would like Davis so much more if he had a better starting quarterback, which is almost any other starting quarterback. The kid is ultra-talented, but outside of Derrick Henry , this offense is just bad. Denzel Ward is one of the best in the business and you have to find better options than Davis this week. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Ronald Darby PHI | McLaurin didn't catch a pass in the preseason, and the 23-year-old rookie is likely only a starter because the Redskins offense is so bad. He is lightning quick which is very good, but his quarterback is Case Keenum and that is very bad. Darby should have a good chance of keeping McLaurin in front of him all day and keeping his damage to a minimum. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| KeeSean Johnson ARI | Rashaan Melvin DET | Johnson has been the talk of the Cardinals this offseason and preseason and looks to be one of the starting outside receivers. Even if he isn't on the field in the first snap, he will take the field for a lot of the game. The Lions secondary doesn't have much after Darius Slay , which could leave Johnson open down the field to do some damage. He could be bargain bin gem in DFS for Week 1. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Trae Waynes MIN | Ridley is one of the better "second receivers" on any team in football, and the same can be said about Waynes as a second corner. Ridley was a little touchdown-dependent in his rookie year, and he very well could be that again. This is a special player who wants to get back to double-digit touchdowns, but this is not a great matchup for him to start the season. He is a start with reservations in redraft and someone I would look away from in DFS. |
| Seth Roberts BAL | Minkah Fitzpatrick MIA | Roberts is an average receiver at best, while Fitzpatrick is a solid receiver you probably don't know the name of. It is really hard to trust any Ravens receiver when we don't know how much they will ask Lamar Jackson to throw in the first week of the year. This is absolutely a situation to avoid. |
| Zay Jones BUF | Brian Poole NYJ | Jones finished the season fairly strong, and the former second-round pick started his coming out party against the Jets in Week 10 with eight catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. The second game wasn't as impressive, but Jones had a very solid camp for the Bills. Buffalo doesn't score a ton of points and they run a lot, but Jones has a chance to have a very solid 2019 debut. |
| Curtis Samuel CAR | Marcus Peters LAR | Samuel looks to be the guy who gets the most targets for the Panthers this season and was a draft season darling with fantasy football players. This first game is a doozy though as the Rams secondary is tough as nails. There is a scenario where I can see Samuels having five to seven catches, but it also could be for 40-45 yards. PPR leagues would be the only place that I would feel comfortable rolling out Samuel. |
| Taylor Gabriel CHI | Jaire Alexander GB | Gabriel is a gadget play/deep threat player that doesn't get a lot of volume and doesn't roll in a lot of production. Guessing which game he is going to go off in is kind of like playing Russian Roulette, without the threat of blowing your head off. Alexander isn't the best corner, but he is more than good enough to keep Gabriel off the scoresheet. |
| Damion Willis CIN | Shaquill Griffin SEA | Willis is tall and fast, but the Bengals passing game doesn't do enough to support two fantasy-relevant receivers, so it certainly doesn't support three. If Willis was to have a big game it would come out of nowhere, especially off a Seattle defense that could be better than some expect. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | Kenny Vaccaro TEN | With Antonio Callaway suspended, that propelled Higgins into the starting lineup. He might not be a name that you are familiar with, but he has had a handful of good games in his career. This likely won't be one of them though, as the Titans have a really good defense, and especially secondary and with all of the other mouths to feed there could be little left for Higgins. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Deandre Baker NYG | Gallup is one of the players to watch most carefully this weekend. Amari Cooper draws a tough matchup in Janoris Jenkins , leaving a rookie coming off an injury to guard Gallup. He finished strong last season and looks poised to take the next step in 2019. He is nicely priced in DFS this week and although the Cowboys could win easily, Gallup should help them get that lead. |
| DaeSean Hamilton DEN | Daryl Worley OAK | DaeSean Hamilton worked best out of the slot last year, but with the return of Emmanuel Sanders , Hamilton will likely be pushed to the outside. Denver's offense isn't going to score a lot of points this season, even against a bad Raiders defense, but even there I don't trust Hamilton. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Byron Murphy ARI | Golladay is one of my favorite receivers in the NFL, and with Marvin Jones still commanding some attention, it allows Golladay to make big plays. He is a big-bodied receiver who is great at getting the jump ball deep down the field, and while the Lions will run a lot, you can still expect a really good game from Golladay. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Prince Amukamara CHI | The Packers have traditionally thrown more to the slot receiver than the receiver on the outside opposite Davante Adams . However, Valdes-Scantling has shown a great ability to get separation from his defenders and has a great opportunity without Mike McCarthy calling awful plays. Amukamara is an average cornerback, and this will be the first look of the new offense in Green Bay, so you might want to take a wait and see how the targets play out for the Packers. |
| Will Fuller HOU | Eli Apple NO | You know those sweatpants that girls wear that say 'Juicy' on the butt? That is how I feel about this matchup. A former top ten pick of the Giants, most of Apple's career has had him watching receivers who burned him cruising into the end zone. Will Fuller is one of the best deep-ball threats in the league when he is healthy. If the Houston offensive line gives Deshaun Watson time to throw this could be a five-catch, 125-yard, two-touchdown score game for Fuller. |
| Devin Funchess IND | Michael Davis LAC | Funchess might have had some deep league value in redraft if Andrew Luck hadn't retired. Now they will run the ball more and T.Y. Hilton and the tight ends will suck up most of the targets. This version of the Colts offense won't do enough to carry two fantasy-relevant receivers. Barring a freak touchdown, Funchess won't carry much fantasy value. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Bashaud Breeland KC | Every time I hear his name, D.J. Chark just makes me get the Baby Shark song stuck in my head. He just had a concussion towards the end of the preseason but should be ready for this game. There isn't a lot of history to go on here, but the Jaguars receiving corps is short on talent which could leave many opportunities for Chark. At 6'4" with 4.34 speed on the forty-yard dash, Chark could be a surprise this season, I just wouldn't bank on it this week. |
| Sammy Watkins KC | A.J. Bouye JAX | The Chiefs have the best offense in football run by perhaps the best quarterback in football, but they also go against arguably the best secondary in football. Tyreek Hill might get his, Travis Kelce likely gets his, but Sammy Watkins isn't good enough to shake A.J. Bouye . This matchup has fade written all over it. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Donte Jackson CAR | Woods might not be a household name, but he is one of the more consistent receivers in football. He posted career highs across the board last year, and it would be no surprise if he topped them again this year. The Rams passing game should be lethal again this year, and Woods is capable of at least six catches and 100 yards in any game. This could easily be one of them. You should definitely consider Woods in your DFS lineups this week. |
| Travis Benjamin LAC | Pierre Desir IND | Benjamin was a pretty touchdown-dependent receiver before he was pushed to the third and fourth receiver role by Tyrell Williams . With Williams out of town, Benjamin will go back to being an inconsistent, touchdown-dependent third receiver on the Chargers. Regardless of who is covering him, he doesn't bring much of any fantasy value. |
| Jakeem Grant MIA | Marlon Humphrey BAL | Miami is just a really bad offensive situation, or at least appears to be heading into Week 1. Grant has flashed some talent, but when the games matter, and a real defense comes to town, there just isn't likely many good opportunities for him to succeed. Sometimes a situation can ruin a player's fantasy value. |
| Chad Beebe MIN | Isaiah Oliver ATL | Go home folks, nothing to see here! Beebe might grab a few important first-down catches, but there is no fantasy relevance here. He is a fifth or sixth guy to target in the Minnesota offense, and even with them being a fairly solid offensive team, there is no league situation where you should consider rostering Beebe. |
| Phillip Dorsett NE | Steven Nelson PIT | Dorsett feels like an afterthought in the Patriots offense right now, but the former first-round pick of the Colts isn't a horrible receiver. This isn't exactly the week to play him against Steven Nelson who is a quality cornerback, but Dorsett is a name to keep in mind in the coming weeks. |
| Ted Ginn NO | Bradley Roby HOU | Ginn is an aging speed receiver who needs a couple of big plays a game to make him fantasy relevant. Not only should he be concerned about Bradley Roby who is a pretty solid cover man, but he should also be looking over his shoulder at Tre'Quan Smith . Smith is a younger, faster version of Ginn that should be cutting into his targets this season. |
| Cody Latimer NYG | Byron Jones DAL | The New York receiving corps is pretty thin this year, especially early on with the suspension of Golden Tate This is a perfect opportunity for a guy like Latimer to make a little name for himself. He has shown a couple of flashes of talent and should get a few weeks to prove he belongs. He gets a tough test in Week 1 and likely won't be fantasy relevant, but definitely a player that I am watching closely this weekend. |
| Quincy Enunwa NYJ | Levi Wallace BUF | Enunwa is a nice receiver who could possibly fill out your WR4 spot, but is always better as a depth option on your bench. Not only is he not much of a speed receiver, but he also has had trouble staying healthy. The Jets passing game should be greatly improved this season with the maturation of Sam Darnold , but it should be Robby Anderson , Jamison Crowder , and Le'Veon Bell who are the main beneficiaries of that. |
| Tyrell Williams OAK | Isaac Yiadom DEN | After signing a free-agent contract, Williams comes to join the Raiders on what should be a wild 2019. The offense was awful last year, but Williams and Antonio Brown should help. From a fantasy perspective though, Williams has always been hard to predict. He has never been a guy who gets a ton of targets, so he needs to make a few big plays in a game. That might be tough against the Broncos who have a great defense, and Yiadom has proven himself capable since being a third-round pick. Williams isn't a great play in any format. |
| DeSean Jackson PHI | Quinton Dunbar WAS | This one has big game written all over it. Jackson is kind of a diva, and he has always found ways to pump himself up. This one is not only a "Return to Philly" game for him, but it is also a "revenge game" as he meets his former team in Washington. Jackson is going to want to make a splash in Week 1, and should do so. He is a very reasonably priced option in DFS formats this Sunday. |
| Donte Moncrief PIT | Jason McCourty NE | All signs point to Moncrief being the second receiver for the Steelers as he played with the first team all preseason. He is now a veteran who has played with a lot of subpar quarterbacks in his day. He finally gets a good one in Roethlisberger, but unfortunately starts out with a great corner in Jason McCourty . Based on the volume that the Steelers second receiver has gotten over the years, Moncrief could still be a sneaky good play in DFS, but it does come with risk. In redraft leagues, he is a very solid WR3. |
| Marquise Goodwin SF | Vernon Hargreaves TB | Goodwin is a total boom or bust player that is nearly totally reliant on scoring a touchdown. This is a week where they play a very subpar defense, and it could be one to predict a touchdown for Goodwin. A tournament play at best in DFS, but even that is a stretch. He is generally someone to avoid. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | William Jackson III CIN | Metcalf is nursing a knee injury, it is his first NFL regular-season game, and the Bengals secondary actually is pretty solid. Pete Carroll has warned that Metcalf might not play a full complement of downs, and the Seahawks are going to run the ball far more than they can pass. Have you been convinced to stay away from Metcalf yet? |
| Breshad Perriman TB | Ahkello Witherspoon SF | The Bucs are sure to have a lot of passing yards this weekend against the 49ers, but Perriman shouldn't be tied to many. There are a lot of mouths to feed with Evans, Godwin, Howard, and if any back catches passes as well. Perriman has been a below-average receiver in his career, and won't look to do a lot in Week 1. |
| A.J. Brown, TEN | Terrance Mitchell CLE | Hollywood Brown might have a hard time living up to his nickname with the Titans, but Nashville Brown just doesn't have the same ring. The Titans never really light up the scoreboard unless Derrick Henry goes off, and Brown is a total wildcard. The Titans should have to throw a lot in the second half, but that doesn't always mean production. |
| Paul Richardson WAS | Sidney Jones PHI | Richardson could be a quality receiver if he was the third receiver on a team with two good other options, like the Vikings. Unfortunately for him and his fantasy owners, he is on the Redskins and Case Keenum is the quarterback. Don't expect Washington to score many points this week, which is a bad equation for Richardson |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 15.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Chris Godwin TB | K'Wuan Williams SF | This could be where the Bucs do the most damage on Sunday. Williams missed almost all of the preseason after getting his knee scoped, and he was only a marginally decent cornerback when fully healthy. Godwin was a fantasy darling this August and should make his owners very happy after Week 1. This could be a ten catch afternoon for him. |
| Anthony Miller CHI | Tramon Williams GB | Miller did miss a couple of weeks of the preseason with an ankle sprain, but he is one of my favorite up and coming receivers. The kid has a knack for the end zone, and he put up the modest numbers he did last season with an injured shoulder. He gets a tough assignment in Week 1 though, as Tramon Williams is a very respectable corner. Look for Miller to have a solid, yet unspectacular first game along the lines of five catches for 50 yards. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Parry Nickerson SEA | Boyd is one of the best slot receivers in the NFL, although many argue if he is better with A.J. Green healthy. He is absolutely the best receiver they have on the team now, and you have to wonder if Seattle will try creative ways to get their slot corner some help. This is going to be a game where both teams run the ball, but Boyd still should get upwards of ten targets which should result in at least six catches, and hopefully a touchdown. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Adoree' Jackson TEN | Landry is PPR gold, the only problem is that Adoree Jackson, or whoever the Titans throw at him, are very good corners. However, the Browns should be able to spread the field enough with all of their weapons now, that Landry still should have a solid game. This clearly won't be one where he catches ten passes unless they are really short routes, but it isn't a situation where I would consider not playing him. I would avoid Landry in DFS leagues though as he likely isn't going to light up the stat sheet, the Browns should look to get big chunks of yardage at a time. |
| Geronimo Allison GB | Buster Skrine CHI | After Davante Adams , it should be Allison that gets the most targets on the team. That might not lead to the second-most production, but Aaron Rodger has loved himself a slot receiver in his career. Buster Skrine is a below-average slot corner and could really give up the booty to Allison on Thursday night. This is one you definitely want to look at in DFS and redrafts. |
| Dede Westbrook JAX | Rashad Fenton KC | Westbrook has found himself in a pretty decent situation. He finished 2018 strong and comes into the year as the top receiver on the Jags. This one has a lot of garbage time production written on it, and Westbrook should be able to take advantage of Fenton and the Chiefs defense who leaked like a sieve last season. He has a pretty reasonable salary in DFS leagues this week and is someone you could use in GPPs. |
| Keenan Allen SD | Rock Ya-Sin IND | If Allen is healthy, he is going to be a big-time fantasy football producer, it is just as simple as that. It almost doesn't matter who is covering him. He and Philip Rivers have an amazing connection, and he can get eight to ten catches in any game. The Indianapolis defense will try to keep him in check, but much easier said than done. Allen is a beast, what else can I say? |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Javien Elliott CAR | An injury is the only thing that can stop Cooper Kupp from becoming a household name and one of the top 20 receivers in football. Unfortunately for him, the injury bug continues to bite. He is back from his torn ACL of 2018 and looks to get back on track of his excellent stat line. He definitely benefits from Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods taking most of the defense's attention and he should have no trouble shaking Elliott or whoever else Carolina throws at him. With it being his first game back I might not go with him for DFS, but he is absolutey a start in redraft leagues. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Damontae Kazee ATL | Thielen backed up his breakout season with an even better year in 2018. There's no denying this anymore, and he is a slot receiver that can also get a little deeper in the defense to be even more productive. The Falcons secondary is a long way from being their strong suit, and Thielen is certainly someone to target in DFS leagues and he is never a sit in redrafts. |
| Julian Edelman NE | Mike Hilton PIT | There is very little that you can do that can stop Julian Edelman . He is never going to burn you for 150 yards and three touchdowns in a game, but he is like a little gnat that you just can't kill. Edelman is a master at finding holes in defenses, sitting down, and catching whatever Tom Brady throws him. A ten catch game seems very doable, and while it might be for 75 yards, that is still a good outing in PPR leagues. |
Elite
Mike Evans vs. Richard Sherman
Sure, Sherman has been a great corner for a long time, but the injuries have made him a slightly more vulnerable corner than before. Evans is the number one receiver on an offense that has promised to pass more and go more vertical under Head Coach Bruce Arians. Evans has never had less than 1,000 yards in his career, and a change in offense should only give him a little more value. Vegas is predicting this to be a close, high scoring game, which should mean lots of passing even into the fourth quarter. This is such a tasty matchup for Evans.
Affordable
Cooper Kupp vs. Javien Elliott
This isn’t a good combination. The Rams receiving group is among the best in football, while the secondary for the Panthers isn’t very strong after Donte Jackson . And when you get down to a slot corner going against one of the more dangerous slot receivers in football when healthy, there could be fireworks. Kupp is at the higher end of what could be deemed “affordable” salaries, but he is a decent distance from the top money guys. In the seven games he played last season, he had just one where he had fewer than five catches, and he had touchdowns in five of the seven games. This one should be a great start for Kupp, even though he is just coming back from the torn ACL.
DeSean Jackson vs. Quinton Dunbar
Jackson certainly isn’t tall, but even at age 32 he still has some wheels. He was dealing with a finger injury this preseason, but he has been cleared to play. Jackson comes back to Philly at a great time as quarterback Carson Wentz is just entering his prime and has the arm to get Jackson the deep passes he loves. He will play like he has something to prove against his old team in Washington, and while Quinton Dunbar is a quality corner, you can sometimes just tell when Jackson is just determined to have a big game. This is one of them so enjoy the big numbers.
Bargain Bin
KeeSean Johnson vs. Rashaan Melvin
The sixth-round pick out of Fresno State has perhaps impressed more than any rookie wide receiver on any team. The Cardinals lost Hakeem Butler to injury, and Andy Isabella did nothing to help his cause. Johnson looks like a dynamic deep threat, and with Pro Bowl corner Darius Slay likely watching Christian Kirk most of the afternoon, Johnson should be facing some subpar competition. It is a bit of a wild card to pick a rookie receiver catching balls from a rookie quarterback with a rookie head coach, but if ever this trifecta was going to work out it would be in the Air Raid offense against the Lions.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.