Welcome to the weekly wide receiver/cornerback breakdown! We will review each of the outside matchups, as well as my ten favorite matchups in the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my four absolute favorite matchups. In Week 12 there will be some players that I am typically not a fan of, but I have to be objective when it really seems they are in line for good games. This article is critical for seasonal and daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. We are near the end of bye week season, so you are getting close to being able to use your full roster every week again!
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| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| Julio Jones ATL | Carlton Davis TB | This one should be setting off all of your bells and whistles and whatever else goes off when you get excited about fantasy football. Julio Jones is one of the better receivers in the game and he gets one of the best matchups possible against Tampa Bay. This one is a no doubter in all fantasy games and the #FFPieBet although he is almost certain to be taken by a host. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Jalen Ramsey LAR | While Brown played well two weeks ago in a cupcake matchup against the Bengals, he couldn't get it done in a similarly easy matchup against the Texans, even when the team scored a lot of points. The offense revolves too much around Lamar Jackson running the ball right now for Brown to be consistent, and the first target seems to be Mark Andrews . You can't play Brown this week with Jalen Ramsey likely to be all over him. |
| John Brown BUF | Chris Harris DEN | Brown has been the model of consistency with nearly five catches and 75 yards each and every week. He broke out in a big way last week against the Dolphins with well over 100 yards and two scores. While the competition gets super tough this week against Harris and the Broncos, Brown has just proved to be too good to bench. He is the only reliable passing option that Josh Allen has, and even in a less than ideal game he is still worth a WR2 or WR3 spot in your redraft lineups. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | P.J. Williams NO | He hasn't scored since Week 3, but Moore is still getting it done with at least five catches and 70 yards in every game since Week 5 except the one against San Francisco. He will face his toughest competition since that day with the Saints, but looks to get a break without Marshon Lattimore . Even with Kyle Allen 's diminishing play, Moore is still getting it done. He won't be a good DFS target this week, but is definitely in line for a start in your season long leagues. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Janoris Jenkins NYG | Speaking of receivers with diminishing quarterback play, Robinson has the most to complain about of anyone. Mitchell Trubisky has been an absolute disaster most of the season, but Robinson had still been getting it done anyway. He failed to produce much against the Rams, but the fantasy gods shine down upon him with a game against the Giants this week. Janoris Jenkins is a solid cornerback, but the Giants defense on the whole is so bad that even Jackrabbit can't lock receivers down. Robinson will be a solid GPP choice for DFS games, and always is a start in season long leagues. |
| Alex Erickson CIN | Steven Nelson PIT | Cincinnati is a mess. The quarterback stinks, the offensive line stinks, and the wide receivers are dropping like flies due to injury. Erickson will get himself a starting spot with Auden Tate out, but does it matter at this point? Ryan Finley is so bad, and the Steelers secondary is actually quite good that you can't put Erickson anywhere near a fantasy starting lineup in Week 12 |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Nik Needham MIA | All season long the Dolphins defense has been just what the doctor ordered for struggling fantasy players. Odell Beckham has been improving slightly by the week, and Baker Mayfield seems to have shaken his doldrums to an extent. This game against Miami appears to be a spot for him to blow up the stat sheet. Beckham should have a minimum of 100 yards and one score, with potential for more. He should be a great choice for the #FFPieBet this week, as he isn't likely to be one of the first four guys drafted. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Stephon Gilmore NE | Speaking of the #FFPieBet, if it wasn't for Tyreek Hill 's injury, Amari Cooper and I might not be on speaking terms. He was my choice last week, and was tackled awkwardly on his first catch. After that, he was only sporadically in the game and finished with just three catches. Thankfully I was blessed by the Pie Gods with Hill's goose egg and this pretty face was spared. Listen, Cooper is clearly not 100 percent, but has been gutting it out anyway. Most weeks I would say continue to start him despite last week, but this matchup with Gilmore and the Patriots in New England just doesn't seem like a match made in heaven. It would be so hard to sit Cooper, but in my gut I think that is where he belongs unless you really have no other reasonable option. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Tre'Davious White BUF | Somehow it doesn't matter for Sutton how crappy the quarterback play is, he just keeps getting it done. Brandon Allen is borderline garbage, but Sutton still has ten catches and 169 yards in the last two weeks. He has gotten it done even against some of the better defenses in the league. This week might be his stiffest test with White likely to be shadowing him most of the day. The Broncos have no other reliable, consistent option to throw to, so even with great coverage, Sutton should be looking at at least eight targets. He should be able to still top the five catch mark with 65-75 receiving yards in this one. If he can find the end zone it will be another banner day for him. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Quinton Dunbar WAS | Jones actually seems to be the more consistent option this year, as Kenny Golladay has been more boom or bust. It was another great game for Jones last week, while Golladay fluttered around disappointing fantasy owners. As bad as the Redskins have been, Dunbar has arguably been their best player. The question will come down to how much do the Redskins even want to play anymore. Right now, Jones has entered must-start status in redraft leagues, but against a fairly strong corner I would keep him out of my DFS games. |
| Davante Adams GB | Richard Sherman SF | This should be an epic battle Sunday night between the Packers and 49ers. Richard Sherman has been playing at a very high level this year, but on the same hand there is no other great option for Aaron Rodgers to throw to. The 49ers defense has looked somewhat mortal in the last three games, and you have to wonder if that will carry over against Aaron Rodgers . Even with Sherman playing well, it is hard to keep a guy like Adams down all day. I don't see a DFS worthy performance coming from him, but he should be able to have about six catches for 60 yards in this one. |
| DeAndre Hopkins HOU | Rock Ya-Sin IND | He has been back on track, and even against the hottest defense in the Ravens last week he still had seven catches and 80 yards. With Will Fuller always questionable with injury, and Kenny Stills not stepping up like we thought he would, Hopkins has been a one man wrecking crew for the Texans offense. The Colts could put any corner they want on this guy and it won't make much of a difference. He will be ready for a floor of 15 fantasy points with a chance for much more. He is almost always drafted by the four guys on the #FFPieBet, but if not, Hopkins is never a bad choice. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Johnathan Joseph HOU | It appears for now that Hilton will be ready to go for Thursday night's game, but you better be ready in case the Colts make him inactive late. Assuming he plays, he must be fairly healthy and can be trusted to be in your starting lineup. He torched the Texans secondary for six catches, 74 yards, and a touchdown in Week 7, and will look to replicate those numbers again. Thursday night is always a slop fest and Hilton has been dealing with lots of injuries this year, but if he is healthy, you should use him. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Adoree Jackson TEN | Some wondered what Chark's value would do with Nick Foles coming back from injury. Well, we got a very emphatic answer as he was targeted 15 times, caught eight of them and had 104 yards and two touchdowns. I want to see this one more week to be sure that it wasn't just a week where Chark had his way with a defender, but I'm not unconvinced enough not to play him again. Adoree Jackson is the best corner the Titans have left, but he still isn't great, and isn't equipped to handle a team's number one receiver. Chark should have another great day and is a fantastic choice along all formats, including, of course, the #FFPieBet. |
| Brandin Cooks LAR | Marcus Peters BAL | Sean McVay has said that he expects Cooks to be back this week for the Rams. Ehhhhh, I am not about this one at all. Cooks was out seeing specialists concerned about the number of concussions he had. Bringing him back against a hard hitting Ravens defense when your offense isn't playing well seems like a horrible idea to me. I know Cooks has a big name, and you want to put him back into your lineups. However, he could go out again on any play, and the Rams haven't been throwing for a ton of yards anyway. Even if he plays the whole game, Cooks could have under 50 receiving yards. He would be on my bench if I had him in any leagues. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Denzel Ward CLE | If you were to go back to some of my earlier columns in the beginning of the season (please, don’t do that), you would see that for the first number of weeks I trashed DeVante Parker . But the real mark of a fantasy analyst is to know when you are wrong and believe what you are seeing. Despite being on a terrible team, Parker has been getting it done on a consistent basis and has topped five catches, 50 yards, or a touchdown in every game since Week 3. It has alos come against solid defenses, including Buffalo twice. So, while Denzel Ward is a great corner, he hasn't been living up to his reputation, and Parker has burned better corners than him anyway. I wouldn't put my pie face on the line for him this week, but he certainly is a start in any redraft format. |
| Mohamed Sanu NE | Byron Jones DAL | We might have jumped on the Sanu bandwagon a little too quickly. A week after being targeted 14 times, I basically had him going to the Patriots Hall of Fame and certain to score against any defense. And I know last week was windy, but only four targets was not what I was expecting. The Pats offense has been sputtering a little, and the Cowboys defense is quite solid. This one doesn't appear to be one where Brady will fling the ball 40 times, and with so many receivers to target Sanu might not be in for a big one here. You can put him in your flex if you believe in New England, but he is dealing with an ankle injury and you should have a better option somwhere. |
| Michael Thomas NO | James Bradberry CAR | He is the best in the game right now, and it isn't even worth a discussion. He has four straight 100 yard games, hasn't had less than eight catches since Week 3, and has five touchdowns. You fire up Michael Thomas even if he was going against a robot cornerback that was designed to stop any mere mortal, because it couldn't stop him right now |
| Darius Slay ton NYG | Kyle Fuller CHI | If you've read this column throughout the season, you have often heard me say don't chase last week's points. This week I will say it again. Slayton was amazing before the Giants bye with a huge game against the Jets with over 100 yards and two touchdowns. I'm not saying he's worthless, I will point out that he had one catch for six yards the game before that. Slayton is far from a sure thing because he had one good game against a bad defense. He sure does have fantasy value, but the Giants won't be able to pass the ball on the Bears like they did on the Jets. Slayton will have some flex value in this one, but please don't expect a duplication of Week 10. |
| Robby Anderson NYJ | Trayvon Mullen OAK | Sure he had a touchdown last week, but it was for only six yards, and it was the second consecutive week where he had just a single catch. He does have an easier matchup this week against the Raiders, but Oakland has been a little bit better of late, and in the last three weeks against the Dolphins, Jets, and Redskins he had a grand total of four catches. This isn't Anderson's year. Honestly, he belongs on the waiver wire more than he belongs in fantasy starting lineups. |
| Tyrell Williams OAK | Blessuan Austin NYJ | So now it has been three weeks since Williams has found the end zone after scoring in his first five games, but he got back in his fantasy owners good graces with 82 receiving ayrds on four catches last week. His target numbers have been down though as he is averaging about four a game in the last three, after averaging over six the first five weeks. The Jets pass defense is pretty awful though, and outside of Darren Waller there isn't a lot for Derek Carr to throw to. Williams is overdue to get back in the endzone and will likely top 80 yards again in this one. |
| Alshon Jeffery PHI | Tre Flowers SEA | Jeffery was able to get in a limited practice on Wednesday, which is more than we were able to say last week as he tries to get back on the field against the Seahawks. Seattle is a very poor secondary, and Carson Wentz should have some success against them. With Carson Wentz and the rest of the Eagles offense struggling, it has carried over to Jeffery as well. However, they have had a rash of tough defenses, but with a home game against a bottom third secondary you should feel somewhat comfortable with Jeffery in your lineup assuming he is healthy enough to go. He will not be a DFS target though. |
| James Washington PIT | William Jackson III CIN | With both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson set to miss this one, it opens up the door very wide for Washington to have great success. The Steelers offense is far from prolific, but they will still put up some points. And where the offense lacks they will be helped out by just an awful defense in Cincinnati. Washington should be the most targeted receiver, and will probably only be second to Jaylen Samuels in that category. Washington will be a great lower level play in DFS formats and definitely also in redraft leagues. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Kevin King GB | There have been a number of factors going into the recent surge by Samuel. George Kittle has been banged up, and Emmanuel Sanders has been in and out of the last two games. The 49ers running game, which has been dominating all season has been bottled up. San Francisco has also been playing weak pass defenses in Arizona and Seattle. It will get tougher this week as Kittle will likely be back, Sanders will give it another try, and the Packers secondary is better. Samuel still should be heavily targeted, especially if the Niners continue to throw as much as they have and look for Deebo to be a WR3 for the upcoming game. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Ronald Darby PHI | Tyler Lockett is supposed to play in this one, so it will remain to see if the acquisition of Josh Gordon has effects Metcalf's targets starting this week. The rookie had been looked at nine times or more in three of the last four weeks, but this will be a tell-tale game. Metcalf certainly seems to have found a great rapport with Russell Wilson , and that shouldn't change especially around the red zone. The Eagles secondary is pretty soft, and Gordon is still acclimating himself to the team anyway, so Metcalf should be in for another fairly strong game. |
| Mike Evans TB | Isaiah Oliver ATL | A few weeks ago this would have been the game everyone was targeting and salivating for if you were an Evans owner. All of a sudden the Falcons have been playing better, but if you look closer, it is still fine to be excited if you have Evans. Even though the Atlanta defense has shut down the last two teams they have played, both D.J. Moore and Michael Thomas have still had great games. So, while the Falcons defense on the whole has been playing better, they are still getting beaten by the opposition's top receiver. Evans isn't likely to go over 180 yards again, but he should be a lock for 90 yards and a touchdown in this one. He is always a risk for the #FFPieBet because you never know when his quarterback will implode, but overall he should be in for a very good game. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | A.J. Bouye JAX | Trusting this rookie has been quite the roller coaster ride that has been filled with ups and downs. He certainly gained value with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, but it hasn't been enough to warrant consistent fantasy value. He will face the Jaguars this week who he had just one catch against in Week 3, but Mariota was the quarterback then. Brown is the definition of a boom or bust candidate and against a quality corner like Bouye he is more likely to bust. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Darius Slay DET | While Dwayne Haskins showed some ability last week, it was still against a bad defense in the Jets. The Lions pass defense is equally atrocious, but they do have one dynamite corner and he sure as hell will be all over McLaurin this weekend. Haskins is also likely to take a step back and have some turnovers, and you shouldn't expect him to throw for more than 175 yards. McLaurin has had some success earlier against quality corners, so he could still man a spot in your starting lineup, but it is so hard to trust that Haskins won't just torpedo his value. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | Ridley was able to have some great success once some targets were opened up for him with the loss of Austin Hooper . While Russell Gage is ok, Ridley immediately becomes the second best option on the team after Julio Jones without Hooper. Ridley is set for another great game and possible 100 yard outing against the worst secondary in the league. He is definitely worth starting in all fantasy formats, even the #FFPieBet |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Troy Hill LAR | The Ravens pass offense can't even be stable enough to support one fantasy relevant wide receiver in Marquise Brown , it sure as heck isn't good enough to be enough for Boykin to be a consistent producer as well. Especially against a quality defense like the Rams there is no scenario where you should even be thinking about this guy. |
| Isaiah McKenzie BUF | Davontae Harris DEN | If you thought the Ravens offense wasn’t explosive enough for two fantasy relevant receivers, the Bills are even worse. It is John Brown , a few throws to the running backs, and Josh Allen does the rest. You can ignore anyone who was BUF-WR next to their name. |
| Curtis Samuel CAR | Eli Apple NO | The dwindling play of Kyle Allen might not be taking D.J. Moore down a peg, but it sure as heck is hurting Samuel. He got hot for about a three week stretch, but has just eight catches and 60 yards in the last two games combined. With Greg Olsen getting a little resurgence, it is just another guy to take the important looks away from Samuel. The Saints secondary is pretty good as a unit, and it is so hard to predict right now how well, or poorly, Allen will play in week 12. Give his downward trend right now unless you are in dire straits you can likely find a better option than him. |
| Taylor Gabriel CHI | Deandre Baker NYG | Gabriel continued his inexplicable consistent play in Week 11 with a team high 14 targets and seven catches for 57 yards. Mitchell Trubisky couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a pass these days, but he sure can still find Gabriel. I really don't like him as a fantasy option, but it is hard to argue with his production lately. If it was against a better defense I would say to leave him alone, but my three year old niece could get open against the Giants right now. I don't have a three year old niece, but you get the point. |
| Stanley Morgan CIN | Steven Nelson PIT | Ugh, the Bengals offense is the worst. Ryan Finley stinks, everyone stinks. Have you even heard of Stanley Morgan? There is no chance they have success against the Steelers in this one. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | Ken Crawley MIA | I like Rashard Higgins , but he just doesn't carry fantasy value. The Browns passing game involves Beckham, Landry, and right now Kareem Hunt and that's it. Higgins has been targeted four times in the last four weeks and caught two of them for nine yards. It doesn't matter that they are playing Miami, he isn't enough of a threat to be under any consideration. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Jason McCourty NE | With Amari Cooper hurting, Gallup stepped up in a huge week last game, with over 100 yards and a score. He was peppered with targets right from the get go, and Dak Prescott never stopped throwing him the ball. Cooper will undoubtedly give it a go, but Dallas will likely be careful with him to an extent. Cooper will also likely draw Stephon Gilmore on him, leaving Jason McCourty on Gallup. Now McCourty is a heck of a corner in his own right, but I feel like Gallup has a sneaky good game in him. It isn't a strong enough feeling to use him in DFS formats, but if you own Gallup in season long leagues he should certainly be in your lineups. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Levi Wallace BUF | Patrick came off injured reserve after a hand injury last week to eight targets which led to 77 yards. I don't trust Patrick as a reliable receiver, he is dealing with a shoulder injury, I don't trust Brandon Allen as a quarterback able to deliver the ball, and I don't trust the Broncos offense to score enough points or move the ball enough to warrant two receivers being used for fantasy purposes. I do trust the Bills secondary to be very solid and lock down Patrick and not allow him much on Sunday. You'd have to be in a pretty rough situation to even consider Patrick in Week 12 |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Josh Norman WAS | I love Golladay, but he has been incredibly inconsistent this season. He has caught just above 50 percent of the passes thrown to him, and he has more games (four) under 50 yards than he has over 100 yards (three). The Lions are completely unable to run the ball this season, which has led to a lot more throwing. They are coming off back to back tough defenses, and while Washington stinks, the corners aren't bad. I am a sucker for Golladay and can't find a reason to sit him in season long leagues, but my confidence in him has been tested and have only used him in DFS games against the worst defenses. |
| Allen Lazard GB | Emmanuel Moseley SF | Lazard has clearly distanced himself in front of Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison who couldn't be less involved in the offense. However, Lazard isn't even getting that much usage. He has 24 targets in the last five games, and has only topped 50 receiving yards once. He also only has more than four catches once, with three catches in three of the last four games. The 49ers defense has looked beatable a little the last three weeks, but they aren't going to get beaten by Allen Lazard . There isn't a scenario where he is a smart play. |
| Kenny Stills HOU | Marvell Tell IND | Will Fuller might play in this one, but he is just too damn hard to trust, even if he does play. Now, Stills isn't much better, but it seems like we know well ahead of time whether he is going to play or not. His season high output is four catches which he has in four of the last six games, but he has only topped 52 receiving yards twice all season. The Colts secondary is pretty stout, and there is no way that you can trust Stills to catch enough passes whether Fuller plays or not. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Gareon Conley HOU | Whether T.Y. Hilton is back or not, and it doesn’t look good, the Pascal hype train has gone off the tracks. The Colts passing game just has become less of a feature in the offense, and they just spread it around to everyone so no receiver has a quality fantasy day. The Texans are a pretty bad pass defense, and like I said Hilton is unlikely to play. However, Pascal has just four total catches for 43 yards in the past two weeks combined and likely shouldn't be considered Thursday night in fantasy. |
| Chris Conley JAX | LeShaun Sims TEN | Has he taken over the second receiver role from Dede Westbrook ? I have always been a Westbrook fan, but Conley has 29 targets in the last four games, and was looked to more in Week 11. Conley does have great big play ability and is no slouch in his own right. He started out the season very strong, and has potential to stay consistent. The Titans secondary is very weak these days, and Conley could be a very sneaky flex play or a very cheap bargain play in DFS games to help you pay up at other positions. |
| Josh Reynolds LAR | Jimmy Smith BAL | We have no idea what the status of Robert Woods is, or what the personal matter that he is attending to is. The man is due his privacy, so let's just assume he won't be out there this week. The Rams passing game is being dialed way back, part with playcalling, and part because Jared Goff has just been awful. Reynolds hasn't been the substitute I thought he would be, and has only three catches in each of the last two games. With the Ravens defense surging of late, starting Reynolds against them in Week 12 seems like a really bad idea. |
| Allen Hurns MIA | Greedy Williams CLE | For some reason the Dolphins just signed Hurns to a contract extension, but it certainly doesn't have anything to do with his play on the field. Hurns hit season highs last week with four catches and 53 yards, let that sink in for a minute. Hurns has had a decent NFL career, and with the Dolphins throwing more since they can't run the ball, perhaps Hurns will have some flex value in PPR leagues as the season wears on. That won't include this week against a fairly solid corner, so if you have him on your roster you can stash him for a better matchup. |
| N'Keal Harry NE | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | The rookie had just three catches in his season debut, and he isn't likely to have a large fantasy role in the first couple games. Although with Phillip Dorsett and Mohamed Sanu , Harry could get more targets we intially thought. The Cowboys secondary is very strong, and the Patriots offense has been playing poorly. You certainly have some other option that you can use on your roster than Harry. |
| Ted Ginn NO | Donte Jackson CAR | Ginn had his first touchdown since Week 5, but is just not a part of the Saints offense. He hasn't had more than two catches since Week 4, and Ginn shouldn't even be on fantasy rosters right now. |
| Cody Latimer NYG | Prince Amukamara CHI | The Giants offense is very sporadic, and rarely produces enough passing yards for many receivers to be fantasy relevant. Latimer certainly isn't worth being on rosters as has only 69 receiving yards in the last four games, including a catchless game against the Jets in Week 10. No need to spend more time here, let's move on. |
| Demaryius Thomas NYJ | Daryl Worley OAK | The Raiders secondary might not be great on paper, but they have been playing a little better of late. Either way, Thomas hasn't really been fantasy relevant. He does prop up and have a game that could possibly be considered flex-worthy, but most of the time he is just a dud. Sam Darnold is just ok, the Jets offense is ok, and Thomas is a little less than ok. Just go in another direction on this one, even against a less than solid defense. |
| Zay Jones OAK | Arthur Maulet NYJ | Even though the Raiders are having their best season in quite a while, but there is no second receiver on the team that is anything worth considering in fantasy circles. Jones has three catches in two of the last three weeks, and if you think that isn't a lot to get excited about, he hasn't topped 25 receving yards either. I know, so awesome. Even against the Jets, just keep looking. |
| Jordan Matthews PHI | Shaquill Griffin SEA | With every notable receiver on the Eagles injured last week, Matthews still only had one catch for six yards. He was targeted six times, but he was also going against maybe the best secondary in football. The Eagles will have an easier time with the Seahawks offense, but Matthews just isn't a thing for fantasy, and he hasn't been for years. Don't fall for a name you remember from when you played this game in 2015, Matthews is worthless. |
| Johnny Holton PIT | B.W. Webb CIN | With so many injuries on the Steelers receivers, Holton actually was targeted seven times in last week's game against the Browns. Unfortunately, he was only able to catch one of them for 18 yards. That was Holton's only catch of the season, and he is so far off the fantasy radar. He does get the opportunity with Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson out, and he does go against an awful defense, but Holton is just not a fantasy worthy receiver. He has a chance to possibly roll up seven or eight fantasy points, but you should have someone who has a better chance than that for success. |
| Kendrick Bourne SF | Jaire Alexander GB | He has had the chance to play more downs with injuries to Niners receivers, and Bourne has scored in three straight games. Emmanuel Sanders will still likely be banged up even if he does play, and Bourne is still likely to play a good number of snaps. Things will be much more difficult this week against the Packers who are a good step up from the Cardinals and Seahawks who San Francisco has played recently. Bourne will still get five to seven targets, but will need a touchdown to make it a fantasy relevant day. He is a great risk with a mid-range reward for Week 12. |
| Josh Gordon SEA | Jalen Mills PHI | Gordon has only been on the team for a short period of time, but he still had a couple catches last week. He still will likely be limited since he isn't familiar with the entire offense, and still won't be fantasy relevant. The Eagles secondary isn't very good, but Gordon just isn't ready to be in fantasy lineups yet. It still remains to see how targets are doled out between the three receivers, but Gordon is certainl likely to be third on that list, perhaps fourth after Jacob Hollister . |
| Breshad Perriman TB | Desmond Trufant ATL | Sometimes the challenge of this article is to come up with creative ways to say each and every week how irrelevant a player is. Perriman has been the receiver on the other side of Mike Evans for almost the entire season and has ten catches. All season long. Whether it be against good defenses or bad, it doesn't matter. His best game of the year was four catches for 42 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks. That was the best. End of story. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Tre Herndon JAX | Despite a couple of good games since Ryan Tannehill was inserted as the starting quarterback, Davis has been as inconsistent and disappointing as he has been his entire career. Even in Week 8 against Tampa he only had two catches for nine yards. He is now coming off a hip injury, but was able to practice on Wednesday. The Jaguars don't have the best secondary after A.J. Bouye , but there is no way that you can start Davis with any sort of confidence whatsoever. |
| Kelvin Harmon WAS | Rashaan Melvin DET | A sixth-round pick, this rookie was finally put into the lineup with the injury to Paul Richardson . Despite barely playing most of the season and having Dwayne Haskins at quarterback, he actually didn't do bad. Harmon had five catches for 53 yards on six targets. The Lions secondary flat out sucks after Darius Slay , but there isn't enough of a track record to trust Harmon yet, nor should you with Dwayne Haskins at quarterback. He is someone to monitor this week to see if he can have another successful game, but he is not fantasy relevant for Week 12. |
Now, here are my ten favorite matchups in the slot in Week 12!
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Jomal Wiltz MIA | Another slot receiver who has scored in three straight games, Landry will have his "revenge game" as he welcomes his former team to the Dawg Pound. He has easily been the most targeted receiver in the last month, and has 40 looks in the last four games. Miami is as soft as soft can be, and one of the worst defenses in the league. Landry has a real shot at a 100 yards game here and a fourth straight week with a touchdown is locked in! |
| Jamison Crowder NYJ | Nevin Lawson OAK | There is no doubt that Crowder has a really solid rapport with Sam Darnold . His season was nearly crippled with Luke Falk at quarterback in September, but Crowder has made an incredible comeback. He has at least 75 yards and a touchdown in each of the last three games, and while the Raiders secondary has been playing a little better, that isn't saying much. Crowder should still have his way with Lawson, or whoever they decide to put on him. He will definitely be the most targeted receiver for the Jets again and should have no trouble bringing in six or seven receptions for at least 85 yards and a touchdown. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Marlon Humphrey BAL | After an amazing start to the season, Kupp hasn't been himself since the San Francisco game in Week 6. He did have that huge explosion game, but that was against the Bengals so it hardly counts! Between Week 2 and Week 5, Kupp had four straight 100 yard game. He has barely broken 50 receiving yards in four of the last five. Jared Goff is regressing before our eyes, and the Rams offense seems to be in quicksand. Coming up against the hottest defense in the game won't help, but Kupp is such a dynamic receiver he is capable of beating any defense. He might not be an awesome DFS target, but Kupp is always a must-start in seasonal games. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Avonte Maddox PHI | He had a scary leg injury two weeks ago, but all signs point to Lockett being on the field for Week 12. He was able to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday, and Pete Carroll has never waivered that he expects Lockett out there. He has done everything we have hoped for and more in his first season as the top receiver for the Seahawks. The Eagles secondary played well against the Patriots, but the wind was also a factor there. Lockett should be able to take full advantage of them, and even though he isn't 100 percent you shouldn't be surprised if he ends the game with at least 90 yards and a touchdown. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Kendall Sheffield ATL | While the Falcons secondary has been awful for most of the year, all of a sudden they look like world beaters. Now there hasn't been any personnel moves, and they are also veterans so it isn't like these are rookies who are all of a sudden finding their stride. This surge by the Falcons can't last forever, and Godwin should be able to get out of his doldrums in this one. He hasn't been as explosive in the last month, but Godwin should be good for a minimum of six catches and 75 receiving yards. |
| Julian Edelman NE | Jourdan Lewis DAL | Edelman was more impressive with his passing than his receiving last week as he threw a touchdown pass against the Eagles. He had his fewest receptions since Week 4 in that game, but still had 53 receiving yards. It was a very windy day last week, and that didn't help the cause of the offense. But, Edelman was still targeted ten times, so his dominance in this offense shouldn't be questioned. He has a tough matchup against the Cowboys but with both Mohamed Sanu and Phillip Dorsett banged up, the offense will have to rely on Edelman even more. |
| Golden Tate NYG | Buster Skrine CHI | Tate has been the most reliable and consistent receiver the Giants have had since Week 6. Of course, given the guys they have been throwing out there most of the season, that isn't really saying much. He only has been under 80 yards once in the last four games, and under six catches once as well. He torched the Jets secondary, and while it will be much harder on the road this week against the Bears, the Giants still don't have another veteran receiver on the field, and Buster Skrine is definitely beatable. Tate has played himself into must-start territory in redraft leagues, even if he is a bit too risky for DFS games this week |
| Emmanuel Sanders SF | Tramon Williams GB | When Sanders is healthy, he is one of the best slot receivers in the league. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been overly healthy in the past three weeks. He continues to gut out these games despite a rib injury, but he has been unable to finish the last two. There is almost no doubt he will give it another go, and if he is out there you would be wise to give him a start against the Packers. Sanders scored in his two healthy games as a 49er and would be likely to do it again assuming he plays. |
| Hunter Renfrow OAK | Brian Poole NYJ | Forgotten for much of the beginning of the season, Renfrow is now making big catches almost every week. He has 19 grabs on 22 targets in the last month with two touchdowns in the last four games. The Raiders will get a cupcake matchup against the Jets, who two weeks ago were absolutely crushed by Giants slot receiver Golden Tate . Renfrow isn't likely to have nearly 100 yards and two scores like Tate did, but the Jets and Poole are beatable in the slot. Renfrow makes for a very strong flex play for Week 12. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Mike Hilton PIT | I considered using Randall Cobb here, but didn't because of the matchup. I considered Russell Gage here, but decided there wasn't enough of a track record. I ended up sticking with Tate because we know that he can play, and he might be the only healthy receiver that the Bengals have. Sure, Ryan Finley is awful, but you have to figure he will try to pump it in to his best receiver as much as he can. The Steelers secondary is strong, but not so great out of the slot. This season has gone horrendously bad for Boyd, but he is due for a solid game, and this should be it. |
Elite
I’ve been a #NeverJulio guy for a number of years, as he is always ranked among the top three or four receivers, and yet never tops double digit touchdowns. He had a wild touchdown scoring streak at the end of last season that carried over to the first three weeks of this season, but he has again gone on a huge drought as he hasn’t scored in the last seven games. Lucky for him, he gets a matchup with the Bucs who have allowed 25 passing touchdowns in just ten games this season. Yeah, my 70-year-old mother could get in the end zone against the Bucs this year. And while I like to rip on Julio and say he doesn’t score enough, that won’t be the case in this one. Without Austin Hooper it will be all Jones and Ridley all day and both should find the end zone. You can’t go wrong with either Atlanta receiver this week in any DFS contest.
Affordable
Beckham is priced very strangely this week. His salary is $7,000 on both DK and FD, but it comes in very different ranges. On DraftKings his $7,000 salary is the sixth-highest for receivers, while on FanDuel his price tag makes him the 11th-highest receiver. That is a pretty wide range of rankings. I am so far from a fan of Beckham and his antics on and off the field. However, he is so overdue for a breakout game, and I’ve been picking against Nik Needham with great success over the past few weeks. Baker Mayfield finally looks like he’s getting it together, and the Dolphins just allowed Josh Allen to throw for three touchdowns and he isn’t a very good passer. Beckham is in for a smash spot here and should easily top 100 yards for the third time this season and find the end zone for the first time since Week 2. Jarvis Landry is also a great option this week as well as he has been very consistent of late.
Jamison Crowder vs. Nevin Lawson
After getting off to a horrendous start under Nick Falk, the Jets offense has started to bounce back, thanks in large part to a very soft part of their schedule. The last three weeks the Jets have played the Dolphins, Giants, and Redskins. And while the Raiders are a quality team, their pass defense is one of the worst in the league. Sure, they have played a little better of late but they have gone against the lowly Bengals and the vastly struggling Chargers in the last two. Crowder has gone over 75 receiving yards in three straight and has scored in each of those games. His target numbers have never gotten back to the 17 he received in Week 1, but he is still the most targeted wide receiver on the team. The Raiders have allowed 24 passing touchdowns in ten games this season and they sure as heck are going to give up another one to Crowder this Sunday.
Bargain Bin
James Washington vs. William Jackson III
I don’t know if he quite qualifies as “Bargain Bin” with a $6,100 price tag on FanDuel, but he costs just $5,000 on DraftKings which makes him a nice steal. The Steelers passing game seems to struggle a little more each week with Mason Rudolph starting to show the warts that come with a less-than-ideal starting quarterback. He hasn’t topped 250 passing yards in three weeks, and he hasn’t thrown more than a single touchdown in that span either. The defenses have been tougher of late, but that will all be cured this week as the Steelers play the tanking Bengals. The team is definitely going to be without JuJu Smith-Schuster and they should be down Diontae Johnson as well after he bled from the ear last week, but he was at practice on Wednesday. Either way Washington will be the top receiver for the team and should be by far the most targeted wide receiver on the field. Washington’s best game of the season was six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown that he had two weeks ago against the Rams. The Bengals gave up two passing touchdowns to the Steelers the last time they played in Week 4, and the team was actually trying to win back then, or so it seemed. This one features a team tanking for the first pick against a team still trying to stay alive with thin playoff hopes. Rudolph should be at his best this week, and Washington could have season high’s across the board. If you are a FanDuel player and you feel ripped off that my Bargain Bin player cost $6,100 then look to Chris Conley of the Jaguars who faces a Titans secondary that is completely falling apart. Their only decent cornerback will be locked in on D.J. Chark , and Conley should be free to make a few big plays.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.