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. In Week 13 there are a bunch of games with high quality teams playing some of the bottom feeders of the NFL. It is time to take advantage of this. This article is critical for seasonal and daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. Bye weeks are over so a lot of those tough lineup decisions should be behind us, let’s get some wins in the last week of the fantasy regular season!
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| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARI | Jalen Ramsey LAR | This will be an interesting one as Ramsey (outside of Monday night) is one of the best corners in the league and is capable of shutting down almost any receiver. However, Kirk has also been a major part of the Cardinals passing attack with at least nine targets and six catches in three of the last four weeks. Kyler Murray will certainly look his way the most, and on volume alone Kirk should have a fantasy relevant day. It won't be a monster, and more of a WR3 type of production but he still should be started in redraft leagues. Look for Kirk to have five catches for 60 yards in this one. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Marshon Lattimore NO | All signs point to Lattimore starting on Thanksgiving night, which isn't a good sign for ol' Julio. The last time these two teams faced off, Jones was getting nothing done until the Saints star corner left with an injury. And while Lattimore will return, he certainly won't be at 100 percent from the hamstring injury so won't be quite himself. Obviously Jones is the main target for Matt Ryan , and if Lattimore is 80 percent they should be able to hook up some. Jones won't have a massive game, but seven catches for 75 yards certainly seems realistic. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Richard Sherman SF | It wasn't a huge yardage day for Brown on Monday night, but he still had a great fantasy day as he had two touchdowns among his five catches. The Ravens still don’t thrown the ball a ton, so if Brown doesn't find the end zone, his fantasy numbers are less than awe inspiring. He is way faster than Richard Sherman at this point in his career, and he could find his way behind the 49ers defense at some point in this game. Brown just had his way with Jalen Ramsey on Monday night, and despite the Niners being a strong pass defense, Brown should find the end zone again this week. He won't be the strongest DFS play because of a lack of volume, but his big play ability make him a WR2 for this upcoming game. |
| John Brown BUF | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | As expected, it wasn't an explosive day for John Brown with Denver's Chris Harris blanketing him all day. However, he still paid off for his fantasy owners with a touchdown despite only having two catches for 39 yards. Awuzie and the Cowboys are another quality defense, but Brown has been getting it done each and every week despite the quality of opponent. With Thanksgiving DFS he won't be an MVP-type candidate, but given Brown's production this season he will be a target and is always a must start in season long leagues. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Quinton Dunbar WAS | He had his best game of the year last week, which came against a pretty decent Saints secondary even if they didn't have Marshon Lattimore . Moore was targeted nine times, and caught six for 126 yards and two touchdowns. He now has over 100 yards in three of his last four games. Dunbar has been one of the better surprises at cornerback this season, and is the best defender that Moore has faced since he played San Francisco. However, the Redskins defense on the whole is so bad that Moore is bound to get free for a big play or two. he might not go over 100 yards again, but Moore is a lock to top five catches and 75 yards in this one. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Darius Slay DET | He continues to perform no matter how awful his quarterback plays, and Robinson had his second 100 yard game of the season last week against the lowly Giants. Now, the Lions secondary as a group isn't much better, but Robinson will be shadowed by Darius Slay all game, and he is very good. Even with a bad quarterback, and even against a good cornerback, Robinson is tough to shut down. Slay isn't so elite that you consider benching Robinson as he did have six catches and 86 yards against him when these two teams played in Week 10. He could even be held to slightly fewer yards than that this week, but Robinson is still a very startable WR2 on Thanksgiving afternoon. |
| Auden Tate CIN | Arthur Maulet NYJ | He was just starting to find his groove with Andy Dalton when the carpet was unceremoniously pulled out from under the Bengals quarterback. Tate is coming off some injuries, but did play last week and will be in there for Week 13. Will he be able to reconnect with Dalton? He had 13 catches and at least 65 yards in the three games leading up to Dalton's benching, but things aren't trending up. The Jets pass defense isn't good by any stretch, but Dalton hasn't played in a month, and the offensive line is a mess. Tate could be a low-end flex play, but the risk doesn't equal the low end reward that is possible. It isn't like all of a sudden he and Dalton are going to connect for 100 yards and a touchdown, Tate's ceiling is around four catches for 65 yards. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Joe Haden PIT | He cost me a pie last week in the #FFPieBet, but it wasn't because he didn't have a good game. I let my distaste for Beckham as a player cloud my judgment and I lost with Mike Evans . After a horrendous end of September and early October, Beckham has gotten it together in the last few games, and had six catches for 84 yards and a score against the Dolphins. The sledding will be much tougher this week against the Steelers who he had just four catches for 60 yards two weeks ago. Joe Haden is a very quality corner, and this one doesn't appear to be high scoring. You shouldn't be surprised if Beckham tops out at five catches, but it feels like he is in for a touchdown in this one to make it a WR2 kind of fantasy day. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Tre'Davious White BUF | It has been a rough couple of weeks for Cooper since his leg injuries have really started to catch up to him. He had just three catches on limited plays two weeks ago, and then had no catches on just two targets against the Patriots. You have to give Cooper credit for trying to gut it out and keep playing, but he is more of a decoy than an actual threat right now. The Bills secondary is no joke and will do everything they can to shut Cooper down on Thanksgiving. Amari delivered in a big way on Turkey Day in 2018, but given his health and going against one of the best corners in football, not only is he not a good play, he should spend Thanksgiving on your bench. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Casey Hayward LAC | The poor quarterback play finally caught up with Sutton last week. The star receiver was targeted eight times, but he corraled just one for 27 yards. Brandon Allen looks awful, and he played a tough Bills secondary. It only gets slightly easier in Week 13 as Sutton will have to deal with Casey Hayward . The Chargers star corner is elite, and is capable of holding down most receivers. Sutton did have some success against him in Week 5 with four catches and 92 yards with a score, but Joe Flacco was the quarterback then. I know, Flacco isn't any good either, but he is world's better than Brandon Allen . You can still start Sutton as a WR3 in this one, but just know that Hayward is capable of breaking your heart on Sunday. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Prince Amukamara CHI | He continues to be a highly targeted receiver, even with a backup quarterback at the helm. In fact, Jeff Driskel doesn’t even look half bad. He only caught five of his 11 targets last week against the Redskins, but he still managed nine fantasy points with his 46 receiving yards. Jones doesn't tend to be the "big play" receiver on this offense, and either needs a load of catches or a touchdown to pay off for his fantasy owners. The Bears defense is back to their intimidating ways, and will likely hold the Lions down pretty well on Thanksgiving. Jones is always a threat to score though, and can still be used as a WR3 on Thursday, as Prince Amukamara is far from an elite cornerback. |
| Davante Adams GB | Janoris Jenkins NYG | Aaron Rodgers surely missed Adams while he was out as he has targeted Adams at least ten times in all three games since he returned from injury. Adams has made it pay off for his quarterback by catching seven passes in each game. Despite Janoris Jenkins being a solid cornerback, he hasn't been able to really hold many receivers down this season with the rest of the defense being so bad. This should be a monster game for Adams with a minimum of seven catches, a guarantee for over 100 yards and a touchdown, with perhaps two. Fire him up in all fantasy formats and will be a strong candidate for the #FFPieBet this weekend. |
| DeAndre Hopkins HOU | Stephon Gilmore NE | Oh man, this one is going to be good. Perhaps the best corner in football against perhaps the best receiver in football. Once he broke out of his doldrums in October, Hopkins has been getting it done on a weekly basis. The Patriots have one of the best pass defenses in the league, and Hopkins is going to have a very hard time finding room. You can never sit this guy in a season long league, but you can't be surprised if he has a game where he only has about five catches and 60 yards. If Hopkins goes off in this game he should immediately go to the Hall of Fame. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Adoree Jackson TEN | Hilton was able to return from his calf injury in Week 12, but he didn't play a full complement of snaps, and certainly didn't look like himself. In fairness, the entire Colts offense looked sluggish, but no one saw a line of three catches for just 18 yards coming. He definitely won't be 100 percent which is a shame since he has a somewhat favorable matchup against the Titans. Adoree Jackson is a pretty good corner, but when Hilton is 100 percent he would torch him. Watch his practice reports this week, but Hilton seems like a very risky play this weekend. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | He has been very up and down of late and cost a number of people pies in the face after his five catch, 38 yard performance against the lowly Titans secondary. It seems like Chark is perpetually either under 40 receiving yards or over 80, with little in between. While Nick Foles has been far from spectacular since returning, and there have been whispers for Minshew-Mania to return, Chark should blow up in this game against the lowly Buccaneers secondary. He has been able to take advantage of bad pass defenses all season long, and should do it again in Week 13. He will be a strong WR2 start in all formats. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Trayvon Mullen OAK | The hamstring injury cost him almost the entire game on Monday night in Week 11, but with the bye week to rest, Hill should be ready to go against the Raiders. He was injured the first two times these two teams met, but he should feast in this one. Despite the fact that he won't be 100 percent, and Patrick Mahomes won't be anywhere near 100 percent really shouldn't matter against an awful Raiders defense that the Jets just crushed. Hill will be a very highly owned receiver in DFS games, and will also be a popular target for the #FFPieBet although it is almost a certainty that one of the hosts will pick him. |
| Brandin Cooks LAR | Patrick Peterson ARI | He was able to play for the first time since leaving Week 8 with his second concussion of the season, but Cooks didn't do much Monday night against the Ravens. Some of that certainly had to do with the way the Ravens manhandled the Rams offensive line and Jared Goff 's struggles, but Cooks was only even targeted four times. He certainly seems to be third in line for targets after Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods right now, and with his big play ability he should be blanketed by Peterson most of the day. Cooks isn't really much of a fantasy threat right now and should spend lucky Week 13 on your fantasy bench if at all possible. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Davontae Harris DEN | He still hasn’t scored a touchdown this year, although Williams has gone over 50 receving yards in four straight games. I know that is far from exciting when he has just ten catches combined in the last four games and no scores, but I am trying to find a bright side here. Williams did have six catches for 74 yards the first time these teams played, but the Chargers offense is in a serious funk right now. You can still put him in your flex if you are tantalized by his name or skills, but he really should be riding the pine in this one. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Jalen Mills PHI | I am having a hard time living in a world where DeVante Parker has become a must start in fantasy football. Where has this been his entire career? And you can't say there's more talent around him because the line stinks, the other receivers stink, and Ryan Fitzpatrick is ok at best. Whatever the reason, he has had five or more catches in five of the last six games, and has been over 50 receiving yards in six straight, including the last two over 90 yards. The Eagles secondary is pretty bad, and Parker should be able to have success again this week. Considering he has been targeted at least ten times in three straight games, Parker should be a lock for six catches for 85 yards, and he will likely score a touchdown as well. Parker is a locked in WR2 going forward and can be a DFS target as well. |
| Stefon Diggs MIN | Tre Flowers SEA | It has been really hards to try to figure out when Diggs will have fantasy success. After two straight awful games against the Cowboys and Chiefs, Diggs went off against the Broncos and Chris Harris . Sometimes Adam Thielen being out helps him, and sometimes the defense focuses on him and he struggles as the top guy. Thielen should be back in this one, and the Vikings play a struggling Seattle secondary. The Seahawks play much better at home, but Kirk Cousins is on a great foll and Diggs has a chance to have a very good game in this one. Even with Thielen back, Diggs will be a threat for six catches and 100 yards. |
| Mohamed Sanu NE | Johnathan Joseph HOU | After missing a game with an ankle injury, Sanu looks ready to return ahead of Week 13 in a plus matchup against the Texans. The defense they are playing is a plus matchup, but right now the Patriots offense is lagging. They have played a tough defense in Baltimore and in horrible conditions against Philadelphia the last two weeks, but this should be better in the friendly confines of Houston. Tom Brady will continue to look Sanu's way with only he and Julian Edelman as veteran options to throw to. Joseph is the best corner they have, but Sanu should still be able to have six catches for 75 yards in this one. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Isaiah Oliver ATL | Thomas is so good that even the last time they played the Falcons and his team didn't even score ten points he still had 13 catches for 152 yards. You just can't stop this guy. Poor Isaiah Oliver and whoever else tries to cover this guy. They just don't have a chance. Thomas is the man, plain and simple. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Kevin King GB | There were some positive signs in Shepard's first game back from multiple concussions. First he was able to get through the game without an incident. He also was targeted an impressive nine times and came down with five of them. Of course, it was only for 15 yards, but it was his first game since October 6th and against a very strong Bears defense. With Golden Tate now possibly out with a concussion, the pass attack will focus even more on Shepard. The defense will get much softer with Green Bay in town, and while he still might not be a DFS target, Shepard will be a strong WR2 option in redraft leagues. |
| Robby Anderson NYJ | William Jackson III CIN | Anderson has scored in two straight games, although neither one of them came against an impressive defense. That trend will continue as the Bengals will be the opponent, and although I tend to not trust him as a fantasy asset, anyone can be successful against Cincinnati. Anderson is still not getting many targets with just 11 in the last three weeks combined, but in a bind he can be a flex play and perhaps a bargain pick in DFS tournaments if you are feeling lucky. |
| Tyrell Williams OAK | Charvarius Ward KC | The Raiders passing game is looking worse by the week and in three of the last four games Williams has been bad. Taking out the game against the Bengals, he has just eight catches for 91 yards in the other three games this month. Oakland is going to have to throw in this one to try to keep up with the Chiefs, and he did have five catches for 46 yards and a touchdown the first time these two teams played. Williams is a risk right now though, as the Raiders couldn't even throw on the Jets last week. He remains a touchdown dependent option, but could disappoint you in Week 13. |
| Alshon Jeffery PHI | Nik Needham MIA | He was all set to play last week and then his ankle injury proved to be too much. Given that he looked like a go last week, there should be no doubt that Jeffery plays on Sunday. Carson Wentz needs him badly, and a matchup against the Dolphins is very tantalizing. Miami is having a hard time stopping anyone right now, and despite the fact that Jeffery hasn't played since November 3rd he will be an immediate plug and play for this week. |
| James Washington PIT | Denzel Ward CLE | With Smith-Schuster set to miss another game, this will be the Washington show. He certainly wasn't strong the last time the Steelers played the Browns as he had only three catches for 49 yards, but Mason Rudolph was regressing badly by that point. He also will deal with a great cornerback in Denzel Ward , and unproven Delvin Hodges will be at quarterback. This certainly seems like many signs pointing to Washington not having a great game. However, he did hook up with Hodges in the second half last week on a long touchdown, and the Steelers honestly don't have many other good options to throw to. It might be a big risky, but Washington seems like a solid WR3 for Week 13. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Marcus Peters BAL | He has become a much bigger part of the offense in the last month of the season, and the rookie second rounder has made it pay off. Deebo has been white hot of late with two 100 yard games followed up by a sweet touchdown Sunday night against the Packers. It will be a very tough one this week against Peters and the Ravens, but few defenses have been able to shut down the 49ers offense completely. With Emmanuel Sanders clearly still not himself, Samuel will be the most targeted wide receiver in this one. He is hardly a lock, but will be a very solid WR3 in a game that will feature two tough, physical defenses. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Xavier Rhodes MIN | The rookie has become an integral part of the Seahawks passing game in the last month, and has been targeted 39 times in the last five games. Outside of the game last week in rough conditions in Philly, Metcalf had two straight games with six catches. The team did bring in Josh Gordon , but he hasnt' really eaten into Metcalf's production just yet. He will have a bit of a hard time with Xavier Rhodes , but Metcalf will still be a solid WR3 in season long formats. |
| Mike Evans TB | A.J. Bouye JAX | It is either Mike Evans or Chris Godwin , but never both, and this guy cost me yet another pie to the face last week. Whoever I pick, just go with someone else, I am a pie curse! Bouye is a strong corner, but he hasn't been the same since the team traded Jalen Ramsey and he has been forced to be the number one guy. Evans has the ability to blow up with a huge game at any time, and against any defense. Even though he wasn't great last week, he still had nine fantasy points. I know that isn't great at all, but if that is the floor, that isn't bad. Look for Evans to break 100 yards and a touchdown in this one though. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Pierre Desir IND | 11 yards one week, 81 yards the next, 17 yards the week after that, followed by 135 yards and a touchdown? Ugh! A.J. Brown will drive you to drink as a fantasy owner and you never know wht he might do. The highs are so high, but the lows are so low. He had only three catches for 25 yards the first time these two teams played, but if you remember back then some bum named Mariota was the quarterback. Brown is incredibly talented and incredibly explosive, you just never know what week he is going to blow. The Colts do have a pretty strong pass defense, and this could be the rare middle of the road game for Brown where he has five catches and 55 yards. Desir isn't good enough to shut him down, but Brown isn't consistent enough to go off two weeks in a row. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | James Bradberry CAR | McLaurin has been a victim of horrible quarterback play in the last month, and while that has sapped any chance of him scoring touchdowns on a fairly regular basis, he still has been able to rack up some yards lately. It isn't overly impressive but he has had 141 yards in the last two games. Bradberry is a solid corner, but teams have been able to throw on Carolina. I mean not Dwayne Haskins, but decent quarterbacks can. McLaurin will still have his 60-70 yards because he is the only reliable target the team has, but as long as Mr. Selfie is at quarterback his fantasy outlook is diminished. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| KeeSean Johnson ARI | Troy Hill LAR | I love his talent, but Johnson hasn't had more than two catches since Week 5, or more than 22 receving yards since Week 2. I do believe the kid has a future in the NFL, but it isn't going to happen this year. The Rams might have been hammered on Monday night, but their defense is better than that. Johnson is not a fantasy relevant receiver this week. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Eli Apple NO | Ridley has been much better since Austin Hooper was hurt and the Falcons have been unable to run the ball. He has 22 targets in the last two weeks, and has scored in both games. Ridley only had three catches for 28 yards when they played the Saints the first time, but a lot has changed since then. Eli Apple is a competent, yet unspectacular cornerback, and Ridley will be able to beat him. If Atlanta is to have any chance to win on Thanksgiving night, Ridley is going to have to come to play and he should. He will be a great Thanksgiving DFS target and a must start in redraft leagues. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Emmanuel Moseley SF | Willie Snead certainly seems to be the third most relevant target after Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews , and even he isn't fantasy relevant. Boykin makes one decent play about every month and disappears into fantasy oblivion the rest of the time. Couple that with playing a stout 49ers defense, and this guy has no chance of being relevant. |
| Isaiah McKenzie BUF | Byron Jones DAL | He hasn't had more than three catches all season, and hasn't had more than 21 yards in a game since October 6th. The Bills are playing a quality defense in Dallas. Is there reason to go on here? Didn't think so, next! |
| Curtis Samuel CAR | Josh Norman WAS | For some reason Samuel got as many carries (four) as he did targets in Week 12. I guess they are trying to find creative ways to get him involved in the offense since he hasn't been able to be a factor in the passing game in a while. Josh Norman is a shell of what he used to be, and on that fact alone, Samuel could have a quality game. Of course, the definition of a quality game for him is five catches for 50 yards and possibly a touchdown. He can be a low-end WR3 or a solid flex play in Week 13. |
| Javon Wims CHI | Rashaan Melvin DET | Taylor Gabriel is out with a concussion which puts Javon Wims back in play for the Bears. This dude has two catches since October 6th and will be catching passes against a subpar quarterback. In no way does this scream "fantasy relevant." I don't care how bad the Lions defense is, don't bother with Wims. |
| Alex Erickson CIN | Blessuan Austin NYJ | He nearly had back to back 100 yard games the last time we saw Andy Dalton under center, and then completely disappeared with Ryan Finley. Erickson gets his starting quarterback under center again, but will it lead to fantasy goodness? The Jets secondary isn't great, but I still lean on Tyler Boyd and Auden Tate , and that doesn't leave enough targets to go around for Erickson to be fantasy relevant. He could be the one to get the looks over Tate, but we will find out on Sunday. He would be an incredibly risky play at your flex for Week 13. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | Steven Nelson PIT | Even with the Browns offense having a resurgence and the release of Antonio Callaway , Higgins has one catch in the last four games. It doesn’t get more fantasy irrelevant than that |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Levi Wallace BUF | He has been a very important part of the offense in the last three weeks since Amari Cooper has started to succomb to injury. Gallup has 29 targets in the last three weeks, and even had the massive 148 yard game against the Lions. Despite Cooper still being banged up, things aren't going to come easy against the Bills on Thanksgiving. Gallup still should get eight or nine targets, but that might only add up to three or four catches for around 50 yards. Given the fact that the Bills pass defense as a whole has allowed just seven passing touchdowns in 11 games, it would be a surprise to see Gallup find paydirt. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Desmond King LAC | There was some fantasy excitement that came with Patrick's triumphant return from injury with his seven catches for 77 yards against the Vikings in Week 11. That excitement was quickly shot to hell when he had just one catch for three yards against the Bills. Sure, the Chargers defense isn't nearly as good as Buffalo's, but have you watched Brandon Allen play quarterback? It isn't very good. And it certainly does lend the team to having two fantasy relevant receivers. Patrick is ok, and he could have three or four catches, but it would be a great game for him to be over 50 receiving yards at this point. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Kyle Fuller CHI | Defenses have been much tougher on Golladay the last three weeks, and his stats have certainly suffered. The Lions have been able to run the ball a little bit the last two weeks with Bo Scarbrough , and Golladay has watched his targets drop accordingly. After being targeted 24 times the previous three weeks, he has only nine in the two games since Scarbrough has entered the lineup. He did score three weeks ago against the Bears, and if someone is going to do it on the Lions I feel it will be Golladay. Don't expect fireworks on Thanksgiving (that's the 4th of July) out of the Lions stud receiver, but he still should have five catches for 60 yards and a score. |
| Allen Lazard GB | Deandre Baker NYG | Sure, he hasn't done a darn thing in a number of weeks, but Lazard is still on the field a great deal, and before last Sunday's debackle against San Francisco he was the second most targeted receiver. The competition goes from impossible to cupcake as the Packers will face the Giants this week. New York is one of the bottom ten defenses in the league against the pass and Aaron Rodgers should carve them up. Lazard will be a guy to definitely trust in season long leagues and if you really like to roll the dice he can be a very cheap option in DFS games who could pay off and let you pay up for studs elsewhere. |
| Kenny Stills HOU | Jonathan Jones NE | Stills wasn't really fantasy relevant when Will Fuller was injured, he certainly won't have much of a role now that Fuller is healthy again. He had just one catch on two targets last Thursday against the Colts, and now the Texans have to face the Patriots. I don't like to say he has no chance of having a good game because Stills could always break off a big play, but he has as close to no chance to have a good game as possible. There, that sounds better. |
| Zach Pascal IND | LeShaun Sims TEN | Man, it once looked like Pascal could be an integral part of the Colts passing game for the rest of the season, but that certainly won't be the case. He didn't even have a single catch on one target against a terrible Texans secondary. T.Y. Hilton is still dealing with the calf injury, and the team is now without Eric Ebron as well. There is the slightest chance that if Hilton doesn't play and without one of the tight ends that Pascal could see a good number of targets. However, this offense now revolves around running the ball and you should definitely find a better option than Pascal. |
| Chris Conley JAX | Carlton Davis TB | Jacksonville now has three receivers healthy that all deserve to get the ball, and Conley is likely the least consistent of the three. Chark will get the most targets, while Dede Westbrook gets a lot of the short and underneath looks. Conley is more the big play threat, which doesn't always lead to fantasy success. However, when you are set to play the worst pass defense in the league, it isn't a bad time to fire up a big play receiver. Conley can be a DFS tournament stab, and a solid flex play as we head to the last week of the fantasy regular season. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Daryl Worley OAK | The Chiefs offense is way off lately with an inability to run the ball and a compromised Patrick Mahomes . Even with Tyreek Hill missing almost the entire game, Robinson was targeted once and didn’t catch it. There's a chance he breaks a big play or maybe two against the woeful Raiders secondary, but the chances are slim enough that he doesn't warrant any fantasy consideration this week. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Byron Murphy ARI | After becoming nearly a forgotten man, Woods has come out of his slumber and has put up back to back quality games. Well, he did miss the one with the personal issue, but the last two games he has played. He is now rivaling Cooper Kupp for targets, and has blown away Brandin Cooks in production. Woods should have a great chance to shine against one of the worst secondaries in the league. Jared Goff hasn't been playing good football, but he has been able to succeed when the Rams play bad defensive teams. Look for Woods to finally bounce over the 100 yard plateau, and perhaps score his first touchdown of the year as well. |
| Andre Patton LAC | Duke Dawson DEN | Have you heard of Andre Patton ? Have you ever read an article (besides this one) that mentions Andre Patton ? Have you ever heard your favorite podcast/radio show talk about Andre Patton ? The answer to all of those questions is no. He is no one to consider. |
| Allen Hurns MIA | Ronald Darby PHI | The Dolphins offense has been a little better of late, and they are losing receivers to injury like it is going out of style. Miami is basically down to DeVante Parker and Allen Hurns . He has had some slight success in the league before, and can be an end of the roster stash in PPR leagues. In deeper leagues you can even consider using Hurns as your flex as he is likely to get at least six or seven targets against a so-so Philly secondary. He isn't an option that you brag about, but you can do worse than Hurns. |
| Laquon Treadwell MIN | Shaquill Griffin SEA | Treadwell has six catches all season long and three came in one game against the Chiefs. He has one catch in the last two weeks and Adam Thielen should be returning this week. You ready to keep going? Let's do it. |
| Jakobi Meyers NE | Gareon Conley HOU | Rookie N'Keal Harry might get more love in fantasy articles, but it is Meyers who has the better chance of being successful. Like in the preseason he was heavily targeted last week when the Pats were down several receivers, and while Mohamed Sanu will be back, there will still be some work open to Meyers. Gareon Conley was shipped out of Oakland earlier this year and hasn't been much better for the Texans. In the right situation Meyers could be a sneaky DFS tournament start or a slightly risky flex option for Week 13. |
| Ted Ginn NO | Desmond Trufant ATL | He hasn't had more than two catches since Week 4, and hasn't topped 50 receiving yards since Week 1. Ginn has just two touchdowns all season long and had no catches on three targets in Week 10 when the Saints played the Falcons last time. He is a big play threat, but those big plays haven't been coming this season. Despite the fact that you are familiar with his name you should still not consider Ginn for Week 13 |
| Darius Slay ton NYG | Jaire Alexander GB | With Sterling Shepard back, Slayton still had seven targets which translated to four catches and 67 yards. Now with Golden Tate possibly out with a concussion, Slayton looks to continue to have a role in the Giants offense. We saw last week that the Packers secondary is susceptible to the big play, and the big play is Slayton's specialty. He remains a less than confident DFS play, but a locked in WR3 in season long leagues. |
| Demaryius Thomas NYJ | B.W. Webb CIN | There are certain weeks where Thomas becomes a bigger part of the Jets offense and he has even been targeted nine times on three different occasions. However, he has only topped five receptions and 65 receiving yards once this season. The Bengals are a terrible defense, and Sam Darnold has been playing better of late, but right now it looks like he prefers Robby Anderson to Thomas, and Jamison Crowder is definitely a more reliable option. |
| Zay Jones OAK | Morris Claiborne KC | If Zay Jones was on the Chiefs I don't think he would be fantasy relevant. The Raiders pass game has fallen to pieces, and he wasn't a factor when they were going well. He is just not a guy who warrants fantasy consideration. |
| Greg Ward PHI | Ken Crawley MIA | With the top three receivers out for the Eagles, Ward was targeted seven times and caught six of them for 40 yards. Alshon Jeffery should return, and while the weather conditions will be better and they face a bad Miami defense, Ward isn't a name to consider. He was only promoted from the practice squad in time for that game, and I can't see him having a prominent role again. Miami's defense is bad, but it isn't bad enough to make Greg Ward a fantasy asset. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Greedy Williams CLE | There was a time when Johnson looked like the clear cut second receiver for the Steelers after JuJu Smith-Schuster , but now he is barely the second receiver with Smith-Schuster out. The Steelers pass game is a disaster, and while Devlin Hodges might offer more upside than Mason Rudolph at this point, both quarterbacks aren't very good. I like Johnson, but the situation has gotten bad enough that you can't use him for fantasy purposes against the Browns. |
| Kendrick Bourne SF | Jimmy Smith BAL | He had scored in three straight games, and with Emmanuel Sanders banged up, Garoppolo has looked to Bourne a decent amount. He could be a little more relevant if he didn't drop the ball so much, but against bad defenses he isn't the worst option. Of course, Baltimore isn't a bad defense, and Bourne was only targeted twice last week against the Packers. This game with Baltimore looks to be a very physical game, and even with Sanders possibly more of a decoy again, Bourne doesn't warrant fantasy consideration. |
| Josh Gordon SEA | Trae Waynes MIN | Gordon was given a new life with the Seahawks (about his seventh life here in the NFL), but so far he hasn't been much of a factor. He has been targeted just twice in both games, and is pretty far down the pecking order after Lockett, Metcalf, Hollister, and the running backs. Trae Waynes is a pretty solid corner and even if Gordon sees the field more this week he still won't be someone to consider for fantasy purposes. |
| Breshad Perriman TB | Tre Herndon JAX | He did have a 44 yard catch last week against the Falcons, but it was his only catch of the game, and the second straight game where he only had one catch. Unless Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were both hurt in a game, don't even think about the name Breshad Perriman . |
| Corey Davis TEN | Marvell Tell IND | It has been three weeks since Davis has topped 50 receiving yards, and he has just 86 total receiving ayrds in those three games. He hasn't scored since Week 7, and is just not enough of a part of the offense to warrant fantasy consideration. Even with the quarterback change from earlier in the season it is hard to envision Davis topping the three catches and 38 yards that he had in Week 2 against the Colts. |
| Kelvin Harmon WAS | Donte Jackson CAR | The rookie sixth round pick has gotten on the field more in the past couple of weeks and has been targeted six times in each of the last two games. It hasn't translated to a ton of fantasy success with just eight catches for 96 yards total in those two games. However, perhaps Dwayne Haskins is finding a target that he has some faith in and Harmon's role can grow in the future. Monitor his production this week, but he certainly isn't someone to consider adding or using for Week 13. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 13.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Julian Edelman NE | Vernon Hargreaves HOU | He is dealing with a rib injury and a shoulder injury, but it sure hasn't slowed Edelman down. He has been targeted at least ten times in six straight games, and has been over 50 receiving yards in six of seven. The Houston pass defense is pretty bad, and Edelman should have no trouble getting open for a good number of catches. Even in games when the Patriots offense isn't clicking on all cylinders, Edelman still gets it done. He is an absolute must start in redraft and always a solid DFS play. |
| Chris Godwin TB | D.J. Hayden JAX | He definitely had been fading over the past month as Godinw scored once in five weeks and hadn't topped 75 receiving yards. He broke back out in a big way wit seven catches for 184 yards and two scores. This guy is lethal out of the slot, and won't have Jacksonville's top corner on him. It seems that it is either he or Mike Evans who has a big game, but the Jaguars could give up the booty to both of them. I have more faith in Evans than I do Godwin this week, but they are both great plays. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Kevin Peterson ARI | That game against the Bengals where he had 220 yards seems like years go, and Kupp has been over 60 yards just once in the last six weeks. Yeah, that's right. I'll say it again. Kupp has been over 60 yards just once in the last six weeks. He was making a mockery of the NFL just a couple months ago, and now he can barely get out of his own way. However, the Cardinals are a great cure-all for what is ailing almost any fantasy quarterback or wide receiver, and Kupp should be back in his owners good graces after this one. He should be a lock for eight catches, 100 yards, and a score on Sunday. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Mike Hilton PIT | He has been on fire in the last month with five touchdowns in four games, and 53 targets in the last five. Landry has easily been the top receiver for the Browns during this recent resurgence they have found, and while his worst game of late was against the Steelers, he still managed to score a touchdown against them. Pittsburgh's defense is definitely legit, especially on the secondary, but right now Landry has moved himself into must start territory. He might not be the safest DFS play though going against a division rival with a physical secondary, but in redraft don't hesitate to use him. |
| Jamison Crowder NYJ | Darqueze Dennard CIN | It was certainly disappointing to see him have an off game, especially against the weak Raiders secondary, but that shouldn't cause you to lose faith in Crowder. He had three straight games with at least five catches, 75 yards and a touchdown. The Bengals defense is a hot pile of garbage, and the rebirth of Sam Darnold should have little trouble laying waste to them. Look for Crowder to go back to being the most targeted wide receiver and have seven catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Mackensie Alexader MIN | After a scary injury against the 49ers, it was great to just see Lockett on the field! He wasn't used much in a game with poor weather conditions that didn't lend itself to throwing the ball down field much. This week should be better, and he plays slightly better at home anyway. The Vikings secondary as a group is generally pretty good, but they have been beaten at times recently. Lockett won't have a huge blow up game, but six catches for 80 yards is a distinct possibility. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Brian Poole NYJ | While his stats were ok under Ryan Finley, there is probably no one happier in America that Andy Dalton is back under center than Tyler Boyd . He complained about his role, and it looks like he is getting his way. The Jets secondary isn't good at all even if they were able to shut down Derek Carr last week. Coming off his first 100 yard game after a five week draught, Boyd looks to build on the success with a much better quarterback. Brian Poole is certainly no thrill, and while predicting a 100 yard game seems to be unrealistic, Boyd should at least come back to WR3 value with six catches for 65 yards with the possibility of a touchdown. |
| Anthony Miller CHI | Justin Coleman DET | Miller had seven touchdowns in his rookie season, but was completely ignored to start the season. After being targeted 30 times in the first nine games, he has been targeted 20 times in the last two weeks. Miller also has caught six balls in each of the last two games. With Taylor Gabriel out, he is definitely the second most reliable receiver the Bears have, and against the Lions horrible defense he should have another successful game of at least five catches and another 75 yards. |
| Dede Westbrook JAX | Mike Edwards TB | It has been quite the roller coaster season for Westbrook as some weeks he gets targeted nine or ten times, and sometimes he is targeted five or fewer times. He has just one touchdown and a single 100 yard game. Westbrook has been coming on a little bit with 15 targets in the last two weeks, which have turned into 12 catches. He is a bit of a wild card, but with a matchup against the Bucs defense that has allowed 26 touchdowns in the first 11 games. There is bit of a risk associated with him considering Jacksonville has three receivers who want the ball and a quarterback who hasn't been very reliable the past couple of weeks. It certainly seems that this will be a solid week to start Westbrook in redraft leagues. |
| Cole Beasley BUF | Jourdan Lewis DAL | If you believe in revenge games, this could be one for Beasley who faces his old team in the Cowboys. I'm not sure if I believe in that, but Beasley has been targeted 19 times in the last three games, and has broken the 70 yard receiving mark in two of the last three games. The Cowboys have a solid secondary, and quarterback Josh Allen will likely be looking to check down a solid amount and most of those will go to Beasley. He has been a more of a factor in games against better defenses, and Dallas certainly falls under that category. Look for Beasley to have at least six catches and 55 yards and hopefully a touchdown. |
Elite
Tyreek Hill vs. Trayvon Mullen
He may have missed nearly all of the Week 11 Monday night showdown with the Chargers, but Hill has had two weeks to get healthy and has been practicing. Patrick Mahomes clearly is also not 100 percent right now with multiple leg injuries. However, this is the Raiders defense we are talking about. They have allowed 26 touchdowns, and only Arizona has allowed more. Mahomes threw for over 400 yards the first time the Chiefs played the Raiders, and that was when Tyreek Hill was injured. Imagine what they can do together on Sunday! Hill will be worth every penny of his DFS salary for Week 13
Affordable
DaVante Parker vs. Jalen Mills
He might be on the Dolphins who are a terrible team, but you just can’t argue with production anymore. Parker has at least five catches and 50 yards or a touchdown in each of the last eight games. It has come against good defenses and bad defenses. Miami is always behind which leaves a ton of garbage time to play with, and Ryan Fitzpatrick is great when defenses have taken their foot off the gas. Parker is a tall, lanky receiver who has improved his route running and his hands. The Eagles secondary has been the beneficiary of some bad weather games to make their stats look better, but they aren’t any good. It might come late in the game but Parker is a lock for at least five catches and 70 yards with a touchdown being a very real possibility.
If Boyd can get it done in two of three games with Ryan Finley at quarterback, he should be in much better shape with Andy Dalton back under center. Sure, he had some bad games with the Red Rocket calling the plays, but more often than not he was at least decent. The Bengals offensive line might be terrible, but the Jets secondary is equally as bad, and Boyd should have ample opportunity to find soft spots in the defense. New York is also very likely to be well ahead in this one, meaning they should be throwing for much of the second half, or at worst just the fourth quarter. Boyd is by far the most targeted receiver on the team, and has been looked at eight or more times in eight of the team’s 11 games. He should have no trouble getting away from Poole or whoever else the Jets might throw at him. Look for Boyd to top seven catches for 80 yards and likely find that end zone as well as everyone rejoices the Bengals at least have a decent quarterback again.
Bargain Bin
Allen Lazard vs. Deandre Baker
I’ve picked on DeAnde Baker a lot this season, and more often than not it has paid off. The Packers are coming off a butt whooping at the hands of the 49ers, but this is a totally different situation. The Giants give up 260 yards per game through the air, and Aaron Rodgers has been torturing bad defenses all season long. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison have basically played themselves out of any meaningful role, and Lazard has become the second most targeted receiver after Davanate Adams (who is also an awesome play this week). He isn’t likely to go off and have some huge 100 yard game with two touchdowns, but Lazard can top 65-70 and get in the end zone he will provide you with a great return on investment.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.