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. The fantasy playoffs are here in season long leagues, so the lineup decisions have never been more important. 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, but now your depth comes into play when making the right decision on who to start. Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARI | Denzel Ward CLE | He was limited in practice on Wednesday, but it would be a surprise if Kirk didn't suit up against the Browns. Cleveland isn't bad against the pass, but they have surrendered 20 passing touchdowns this season. He will face the Browns best corner though, which could hinder his fantasy day. Kirk is by far the most targeted receiver on the team though, and should done enough to be used as a WR3 in Week 15. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Ahkello Witherspoon SF | Jones clearly isn't 100 percent and he just lost his teammate Calvin Ridley for the last three weeks, leaving no other reliable receiver for the defense to cover. His shoulder is keeping him limited in practice, and he goes against one of the best pass defenses in football. Richard Sherman won't be in the game, but Witherspoon is no slouch either, and the Niners pass rush should pressure Matt Ryan all day. Jones won't be a DFS target, but still could be a WR2 for Sunday. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Blessuan Austin NYJ | Brown has four catches for -1 yards in the last two weeks and has completely fallen of the fantasy map. Brown either has a pretty big game, or is worth absolutely nothing. The nothing has far outweighed the decent games this year, and even against a soft Jets defense, he can still be avoided Thursday night. |
| John Brown BUF | Joe Haden PIT | That now makes three subpar weeks in a row, and Brown has exactly three catches for 26 yards in each of the last two. Granted it was against the Broncos, Cowboys, and Ravens, but you have to hope that your guy could at least top 40 receiving yards sometime soon. Honestly, I don't know that you can pencil him in for that much again as the Bills play the Steelers. Joe Haden has been one of the better corners in the league for a number of years and could keep Brown in check again. He is an absolute fade in DFS games, and someone you have to at least consider benching in redraft leagues. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Tre Flowers SEA | He has been on an incredible run of late with five straight games with at least six catches and 75 receiving yards in each. He also has three touchdowns in the last two games. He has even done it opposing some strong defenses during that stretch. He had eight catches for 95 yards in Week 11 against the Falcons, and that was in a game where the Falcons defense barely allowed any yards or points. Look for Moore to have his way with Oliver again this week and tack on another game with at least six and 75. In face, he has a real strong chance at a 100 yard game. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Jaire Alexander GB | Mitchell Trubisky had a rare strong game on Thanksgiving against the Lions and it started out by targeting Robinson a lot. He finished the game with a dozen looks and eight catches for 86 yards with a touchdown. It doesn't matter most of the time how good or bad the Bears quarterbacks play, Robinson just gets it done. This will be a tough one on Thursday, as the Cowboys pass defense has been legit all season long. Trubisky is also throwing more to Anthony Miller of late, but Robinson should still be good for at least five catches for 60 yards. |
| John Ross CIN | J.C. Jackson NE | He came back for the first time since Week 4 last game and had two catches for 28 yards. The Bengals offense is awful, and the passing game is nothing to write home about. It remains to be seen whether Ross will regain his explosiveness this season at all. The Bengals play the Patriots this week, which is about the worst matchup you can image. Ross shouldn't barely be on rosters, and he certainly shouldn't be in lineups this week. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Patrick Peterson ARI | The Browns have played the majority of the best corners in football this season, and Beckham's numbers certainly have suffered because of it. Maybe he isn't quite the elite receiver he thinks he is. He has generally had pretty solid games against the bad defenses that he has played, and the Cardinals certainly qualify as that. They have allowed the most passing touchdowns in the league in 2019. If there is one bright spot on the defense it is Patrick Peterson , but even he hasn't been great this year. Even with Peterson out there, Beckham should still be able to do enough to be a WR2 against such a swiss cheese defense, but you should have given up on using Beckham in DFS a long time ago. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Jalen Ramsey LAR | Injuries have turned what was a masterful season into one where Cooper has really had to grind out. After being mostly a decoy for two weeks, he has been more of a factor in the last two with 14 catches for 168 yards against the Bills and Bears. He will be facing one of his toughest opponents to date with Jalen Ramsey and the Rams. Los Angeles has seemed to get their stuff together on defense the past couple weeks, and Cooper could struggle here. He has had ten days to rest to get ready for this one, so while Cooper doesn't feel like a good DFS player, he is still worth starting in season long leagues now that he has put together a couple of good games. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Bashaud Breeland KC | Sutton looked great in rookie Drew Lock 's first start at quarterback, and while he still had seven targets last week, he had five catches for just 34 yards. The concern is how much that Lock looked to his tight ends last week, as opposed to the wide receivers, but you have to hope it was just a game of taking what the defense gave you. The Chiefs pass defense surely isn't any good, and Sutton should succeed. With the little bit of uncertainty regarding Lock, you should stay away from Sutton in DFS formats, but can certainly trust him as your WR3 in redraft leagues. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Carlton Davis TB | This one comes down to how efficient can quarterback David Blough be? He has had one solid looking game, and one absolute trainwreck last week against the Vikings. However, this guy can't be so bad that he won't be able to take advantage of the swiss cheese Buccaneers right? With Marvin Jones out for the season, that leaves Golladay as THE go-to receiver in Detroit, and the guy that Blough should target all day long. And given that Tampa has allowed 29 passing touchdowns this season, Golladay has a chance at possibly two this week. |
| Davante Adams GB | Kyle Fuller CHI | Adams was completely held in check by the better-than-expected Redskins defense last week. He had only 41 receiving yards and failed to score. The offense ran through Aaron Jones last week, and Aaron Rodgers wasn't asked to do a whole lot. That tune should change some this week, and while the Bears defense is solid, they have been beaten with the pass some this year. Adams might not be worth the top dollar price tag he comes with in DFS formats, but even though he kicked you in the gut last week, you roll him right back out in DFS leagues for Week 15. |
| DeAndre Hopkins HOU | Tye Smith TEN | The Texans unexpectedly fell behind huge early, and that caused them to throw for almost the entire second half. Hopkins balled out for 120 yards and a touchdown, and almost had two. He has had a rough of four straight tough defenses in Baltimore, Indy, New England, and Denver. Well that run comes to a screeching halt this week when the Texans play the awful Titans defense. Tennessee has been getting killed by everyone through the air. This one should feature a lot of points and a lot of throwing as neither team plays great defense. Hopkins should be in for a big game here with a minimum of 110 yards and a touchdown. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Marshon Lattimore NO | The Colts receiving group is down to Pascal and the first three fans to come to see the game on a weekly basis. Pascal has made the most of this with 12 catches for 183 yards and a score in the last two weeks. That good feeling you have with him is going to come crashing down in this one. Despite the Niners buzzsawing the Saints defense last week, Lattimore is one of the best in the game, and there is no way he will let an average receiver like Pascal show him up. There is no way that you can use Pascal this week in any format, daily or season long. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Daryl Worley OAK | It has been a very up and down season for Chark, and a foot injury is threatening to end his year early. If he doesn't play the other fantasy relevant receivers will be highlighted in this article farther down, and a guy like Keelan Cole won't be worthwhile in fantasy. If Chark does play he will come with some risk of reaggravating the injury, but he absolutely will be worth the start in season long leagues against one of the worst pass defenses in football. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Chris Harris DEN | Injuries to he and Patrick Mahomes have kept his upside in check this season, but remains a guy you can't sit in season long leagues. Hill had a solid game with three catches for 74 yards and a score the first time these two teams played, and should be able to have that serve as his floor in this one. Harris and the Broncos defense are very good, but Hill is just nearly impossible to stop all day. You should be able to find a better wide receiver for the money in daily games, but he still will likely finish as a WR2 for redraft leagues. |
| Brandin Cooks LAR | Byron Jones DAL | The season for Cooks is going from bad to worse as he didn't even have a catch last week against the Seahawks in a game where the Rams offense looked very good. He can be dropped at this point if you haven't already as he isn't likely to make a fantasy impact again in 2019. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Xavier Rhodes MIN | Williams finally scored for the first time this season, and had his sixth straight game with at least 55 yards. The receptions are so low that he is even a risk in PPR leagues anymore. Minnesota's defense hasn't played very well this year, and the Chargers seem to be getting back on track in recent weeks. I can't play Williams even in a DFS tournament, but his talent is too great to sit in season long contests. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Janoris Jenkins NYG | The decision on Parker comes with whether he plays or not. Despite the fact he suffered what seemed like a significant concussion last week, if he plays this week, you use him. It is tough to trust a guy just off a concussion, but he was at practice Wednesday even if he wasn't cleared for contact. The Giants defense is just so completely terrible that if Parker does get out there, he is going to produce big numbers. He's had a great season and is a no brainer if active. |
| Stefon Diggs MIN | Casey Hayward LAC | He certainly hasn't been the picture of consistency this season, but when Diggs has been good, he has been very good. He had 92 yards on six catches last week, a week after having just 25 yards. Go figure! Diggs will get the blanket treatment from Casey Hayward , which could be problematic. This is a game where it would really benefit Diggs to have Adam Thielen around to possibly take Hayward away from him some of the time. Regardless of Thielen or not, Diggs is a must-start as your WR2 in Week 15. |
| Mohamed Sanu NE | William Jackson CIN | Boy, that 14 target game for Sanu seems like a loooooooong time ago. His first game with the Patriots brought so much excitement and it has gone so deep in the crapper it isn't even funny. He has been less a part of the offense with each passing week, and even with a plus matchup against the Bengals he shouldn't even sniff a fantasy starting roster spot. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Pierre Desir IND | My God! Even against the best pass defense in the league, Thomas still went bonkers for 11 catches, 134 yards, and a touchdown last Sunday. He is now over 1,400 yards with three games left. Poor Indianapolis doesn’t stand a chance. Thomas is a must-start no matter what kind of fantasy you play. Can anyone help me understand how Atlanta of all teams held him to 48 yards two weeks ago? |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Nik Needham MIA | Can Eli still play at all? We will get the answer to that this week. He looked great for one quarter on Monday night, but now he gets a whole game against a wet paper defensee like the Dolphins. I have been picking on Nik Needham all season long, with great success. However, with the pathetic state of the Giants offense, Shepard is a fade in DFS games and a risky WR3 in season long formats. |
| Robby Anderson NYJ | Marcus Peters BAL | Anderson had his second straight 100 yard game as he ran threw the Dolphins secondary in the second half. He also has scored in three of the last four games. This is where the good things I have to say about Anderson end. Sam Darnold is still very inefficient and less than reliable. This one also comes with a short turnaround on Thursday night, and against the hottest team in football with a solid corner. While Anderson has been targeted plenty lately, it is hard to imagine him getting open for big plays against the Ravens. Avoid him in all fantasy games. |
| Tyrell Williams OAK | A.J. Bouye JAX | The Raiders have played poor defenses in five of their last six games, and Williams has topped 50 receiving yards just once, and hasn't score since Week 8. At this point he barely belongs on a fantasy roster nevermind a starting lineup. A.J. Bouye hasn't had a great season, but he shouldn't have trouble keeping Williams out of the spotlight. |
| Greg Ward PHI | Quinton Dunbar WAS | He is likely to get volume with most Eagles receivers hurt, but he is unlikely to have a good game. Ward was targeted nine times against the lowly Giants last week, but only produced 34 yards out of it. Quinton Dunbar is a damn good cornerback, and should have no trouble shuttind this guy down. Ward wouldn't even be on the field if Philadelphia was healthy, and shouldn't be even a consideration on your roster. |
| James Washington PIT | Tre'Davious White BUF | Washington has had a nice run as the top receiver with JuJu Smith-Schuster has been out with injury. He fell a little flat last week against the Cardinals, but as bad as their defense is, they at least have one good corner. The Steelers offense is really puttering to the finish line as the defense tries to drag them into the playoffs. As much as Washington still might be the number one, he won't be worth fantasy consideration this week as he will be matched up against one of the best corners in the game in Tre'Davious White . Washington will be back on the fantasy roster next week against the Jets. |
| Emmanuel Sanders SF | Isaiah Oliver ATL | Seemingly hindered by the rib injury, Sanders sure looked healthy last week as he tore apart the Saints secondary for big gain after big gain. It was his best game of the season, and second 100 yard game since being traded to San Francisco. Sanders should be in for another great contest as the Niners play the Falcons and have really pivoted to being a pass first team. Atlanta won't have Desmond Trufant this week, and Sanders should be good for at least six catches, 80 yards, and likely another touchdown. He will be a solid WR2 play in Week 15. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | James Bradberry CAR | Tyler Lockett clearly isn't himself, Josh Gordon hasn't been a part of the game plan, Rashaad Penny is now done for the year, and there is only so much that Jacob Hollister can do with his limited skill set. That somehow only leaves Metcalf as the most reliable receiver for the Seahawks in Week 15. He does get a tough matchup as he is likely to be shadowed by Bradberry most of the day, but Metcalf has been getting it done against anyone. He had six catches and over 60 yards against San Francisco, Minnesota, and the Rams, so tough corners aren't stopping him right now. He has become the focal point of the pass offense, and while Seattle has struggled, Metcalf has not. He isn't a super confident DFS pick, but you can still feel great about him as your WR3 in season long leagues this week. |
| Breshad Perriman TB | Darius Slay DET | I have been trashing Perriman in (hopefully) creative ways for most of the season, but a funny thing happened on the way to Week 15. With the injury to Mike Evans and Scotty Miller unable to play, Perriman actually looked like an NFL receiver. He has 70 yards or more in the last two weeks, and actually scored his second touchdown of the season last week. The Lions defense is totally awful, although if Perriman is guarded by Darius Slay most of Sunday, that should limit his potential. However, we all know that the Bucs can't run the ball, so Jameis Winston should still be throwing it 40 times. Chris Godwin and (potentially) O.J. Howard can't catch them all. He is a risky play because he isn't very talented, but Perriman could be a successful dart throw for your lineups for Week 15. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Gareon Conley HOU | Brown had that big breakout game we said might happen in Week 14 against the Raiders with 153 yards and two touchdowns. Even when I said he should have a good game last week, I didn't envision that. A lot of that came on a 91 yard touchdown, but he still was targeted seven times. He now has over 135 yards in two of the last three. He gets a great matchup again this week against Houston who couldn't even stop rookie Drew Lock from throwing on them. Their secondary is so bad that they have signed castoffs from Oakland (Conley) and Tampa Bay (Vernon Hargreaves ), two of the WORST secondaries in football. Brown might not go off for 150 yards again, but I would be shocked if he didn't top 80 yards and another score. He has clearly gained trust from quarterback Ryan Tannehill . |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Ronald Darby PHI | Some late production stopped McLaurin from having a second straight total dud of an outing and he ended up with a respectable 57 yards and a touchdown. Dwayne Haskins is so bad that is becoming harder and harder to trust that he can get the ball to McLaurin effectively. However, the Eagles are a really bad pass defense, and even made Eli Manning look like a competent quarterback for a half, so Haskins should at least be good enough for McLaurin to rack up 60-70 yards. He isn't a boom play by any stretch, but you can still trust McLaurin as a flex in season long leagues. You should have waived bye-bye to the thought of using him in any DFS format long ago. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Andy Isabella ARI | Greedy Williams CLE | The rookie second rounder has shown some explosiveness in 2019, the only problem it has been in extremely small doses. He has only been targeted once in each of the last two weeks, and has caught more than one pass in a week twice. He likely has a bright future in the NFL, but it certainly isn't this year. |
| Russell Gage ATL | Emmanuel Moseley SF | With Calvin Ridley out for the rest of the season, Gage will have an outside shot at being fantasy relevant in the right matchups. Gage isn't a great receiver by any stretch, but he will start outside of Julio Jones for the rest of the year. The Niners defense will be without Richard Sherman this week, but Gage still likely won't do enough to be on the fantasy radar in Week 15 |
| Seth Roberts BAL | Maurice Canady NYJ | Roberts has two catches for 13 yards. Total. In the last two weeks. Combined. The Ravens don't throw much, and when they do it is generally to a tight end. Don't bother with Roberts. |
| Isaiah McKenzie BUF | Steven Nelson PIT | The Bills passing game isn't very good and is barely supporting John Brown as a fantasy player right now, it certianly won't be good enough for McKenzie against a strong Steelers defense. |
| Curtis Samuel CAR | Shaquill Griffin SEA | Samuel has become incredibly touchdown dependent, as he only had topped 60 receiving yards twice in the last seven weeks. Kyle Allen has played a little better lately, but Samuel had only 25 yards last week against a subpar Falcons defense. The Seahawks defense isn't great, but it doesn't appear how strong the matchup is. If Samuel doesn't score, he isn't worth much. Keep him out of your lineups this week. |
| Javon Wims CHI | Josh Jackson GB | A week after teasing us a little with five catches for 56 yards, Wims went catchless on three targets against the Cowboys. He also has a knee injury, and has a chance of playing. He is not fantasy worthy regardless of the situation. |
| Alex Erickson CIN | J.C. Jackson NE | With Andy Dalton back and Auden Tate out for the year, this gives Alex Erickson a hint of a chance at fantasy value. But, the return of John Ross coupled with a matchup with the awesome Patriots offense means this isn't the week to test it. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | Byron Murphy ARI | Higgins has been targeted four times in the last four weeks and doesn't have a catch. Even against Arizona, he shouldn't even be considered in DFS games. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Troy Hill LAR | Amari Cooper is still banged up, and Gallup has been making the most of it. He has over 100 yards in two of the last four, and over 50 yards in five straight. The Rams defense is coming in hot, but at least Gallup won't have their top corner, Jalen Ramsey , on him much. This one should feature a bunch of throwing, and Gallup can be safely used as a WR3. Considering what the Rams just did to the Seahawks last week, Gallup isn't enough of a sure thing to use in DFS. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Charvarius Ward KC | The good news is that Drew Lock looks like he is a competent NFL quarterback, the bad news is that it likely still isn't enough for two receivers to be fantasy relevant. Patrick did have 50 receiving yards last week, but it was on just two catches and three targets against a soft Texans defense. The Chiefs defense isn't much better, and the Broncos are going to have to throw some, but Patrick just hasn't shown enough to trust for fantasy purposes. |
| Danny Amendola DET | Jamel Dean TB | With Marvin Jones out for the year and the Lions have nothing else that resembles a competent wide receiver, the door is open for Amendola to do some work this Sunday. The Buccaneers secondary is among the worst in the league, allowing 29 passing touchdowns in 13 games. David Blough obviously is going to struggle going forward, but he should be able to throw a couple touchdowns against Tampa. Amendola should be good for a minimum of six catches for 75 yards and quite possibly a touchdown. Amendola could be a nice add in redraft for the home stretch and a solid, cheaper DFS play. |
| Allen Lazard GB | Kevin Toliver CHI | Lazard seems pertty easy to predict. When his team is going against bad defenses, he is worth a dart throw. When the Packers play anything that resembles a decent defense, don't bother. Well, the Bears haven't quite been the dominant group we are used to, but they still are a strong unit. Aaron Rodgers will get some work done against them, but I would be surprised if Lazard did anything that resembled a fantasy relevant day. |
| Kenny Stills HOU | Tremaine Brock TEN | Somehow Stills actually does worse when Will Fuller doesn't play and he is a starter. Maybe he is best suited out of the slot, who knows? The Titans secondary is awful, but how can you trust this guy in a meaningful fantasy matchup when he has eight targets total in the last three weeks. Stills is an absolute boom or bust, and you can find better options for your team when you are in the fantasy semi-finals. |
| Marcus Johnson IND | Eli Apple NO | He does have 13 targets in the last two weeks, and Johnson was Jacoby Brissett 's deep option of choice with a couple of big catches. That was against Tampa Bay however, and this week's opponent in New Orleans will be much better. Forget about the shootout the Saints were in last weekend, their defense is legit. Zach Pascal is the most targeted receiver on the team, and Parris Campbell will be next. Johnson will not warrant fantasy consideration for Week 15. |
| Chris Conley JAX | Trayvon Mullen OAK | Conley has been up and down this season, but there is a chance that he could have some value this week if D.J. Chark is unable to play. Conley has some big play ability, and the Raiders secondary is absolutely awful. His fantasy value will be completely tied to Chark's ability to play, so be sure to watch for that. Minus Chark, Conley could be a great cheap option in DFS and possibly a flex play in season long leagues. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Isaac Yiadom DEN | Mecole Hardman had a touchdown last week, but it was on just one catch, and Robinson only had a catch too. It was against the Patriots, but this week against the Broncos it won't get much easier. Stay away from any Chiefs receiver not named Tyreek Hill . |
| Robert Woods LAR | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | Make it four straight games with 90 receving yards for Woods and he scored his first touchdown of the season on Sunday night. The Cowboys secondary is the best that they have played in a couple of weeks, but right now there is no receiver hotter than Woods. He is certainly Jared Goff 's favorite receiver and Woods is a must-start WR2 for Week 15. |
| Andre Patton LAC | Trae Waynes MIN | I can't even make any more jokes about how fantasy irrelevant Patton is. He has one catch since Week 4, don't make me talk about him any more. |
| Isaiah Ford MIA | Deandre Baker NYG | Assuming neither DeVante Parker or Albert Wilson will be able to play after suffering concussions last week. Both were at least limited in practice on Wednesday. Ford stepped in last week against the Jets and had six catches for 92 yards, and this week will be against an even worse defense in the Giants. If he is starting because of injuries, Ford could bring you some sneaky value in redraft and DFS games. |
| Laquon Treadwell MIN | Michael Davis LAC | He actually has topped 40 receiving yards in the last two games, but he hasn't been targeted more than twice in a month. Even with Adam Thielen out, Treadwell has never been a part of the offense. The Chargers secondary isn't bad at all and there's no way that you can consider Treadwell. |
| Phillip Dorsett NE | B.W. Webb CIN | After a pretty strong first three weeks of the season, things have gone completely downhill for Dorsett. He had no catches last week, and hasn't had more than three in a game or 50 receiving yards since Week 3. Even against the Bengals, the Patriots offense just isn't strong right now, you can find a better option than Dorsett. |
| Ted Ginn NO | Rock Ya-Sin IND | He had his best game Since Week 1 with four catches and 50 yards, but that was an absolute shootout where the Saints seemed to throw on almost every down. Don't fall into the trap of thinking Ginn has turned a corner. He has not. The Colts pass defense isn't too bad, and Ginn certainly won't be doing anything fantasy worthy. |
| Darius Slay ton NYG | Chris Lammons MIA | He had a huge first half which surprised most people as he hadn't had game action with Eli Manning , but the two certainly connected well, and deep down the field. Then the second half came and ruined all of the excitement. The Giants get a cupcake matchup against the Dolphins, and it does seem that Slayton is the big play threat, and he has a rapport with Manning. Given how bad the Dolphins secondary is, you can start Slayton and feel good about him as your WR3 and his price tag isn't too high for DFS games this week either. |
| Demaryius Thomas NYJ | Jimmy Smith BAL | Thomas did have his first touchdown of the year last week against the Dolphins, but boy oh boy will the opponent be tougher this week. The Ravens are as hot as they come, and the Jets, well, the Jets stink. There will be plenty of garbage time in this one as New York should fall behind big and early, but it still won't be a game where you should be looking to Thomas. He has exactly 11 catches in the last four weeks combined and isn't on the fantasy radar. |
| Zay Jones OAK | Tre Herndon JAX | It doesn't matter if it is against a good defense or a bad defense, Zay Jones just isn't fantasy relevant. The Jaguars defense stinks right now, but so does the Raiders passing game. He hasn't had more than 25 receiving yards since Week 8, and if you even think about ROSTERING Jones, you should be forced to quit playing fantasy football. |
| J.J. Arcega-Whiteside PHI | Fabian Moreau WAS | The rookie was set for a little more of a role in the offense, but it hasn't really come to fruition just yet. He did have a couple catches last week, but was also set back by a hamstring injury during the game. He should be fine for this week, and the Eagles are decimated by injuries to wide receiver. Even if that is the case, Carson Wentz should throw mostly to the tight ends and running back, and I don't see JJAW having a fantasy impact against a tough Redskins secondary. He could break a big play, but the risk isn't worth the possible reward. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Levi Wallace BUF | Johnson tried to play his way back on the fantasy radar with a receiving touchdown and a punt return touchdown, but it just isn't happening right now. He had his first touchdown since Week 8, but the Steelers offense just isn't scoring much which lowers his upside. Couple that with a matchup against one of the toughest secondaries in the league, and Johnson is not someone you can consider for your fantasy lineups this week. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Kendall Sheffield ATL | Deebo had been living on scoring touchdowns the past couple of weeks, but he was back and well targeted in the shootout against the Saints. He didn't score but had five catches for 76 yards and ran for another 33. Even with Emmanuel Sanders and George Kittle healthy, Deebo still has a role as the 49ers have transitioned to more of a passing team in the second half of the season. Deebo is electric with the ball in his hands in space and is always a threat to rack up the yards after catch. Against a pathetic Falcons secondary now down another starter, Samuel will be a solid WR3. |
| Josh Gordon SEA | Donte Jackson CAR | Gordon had his best game since Week 5 last week. Sadly, that best game was two catches for 34 yards. The Seahawks looked awful last week, but even when they win, Gordon just isn't a part of the gameplan. |
| Justin Watson TB | Amani Oruwariye DET | He stepped in admirably when Mike Evans went out and had five catches for 59 yards and a score, and with Evans now done for the year that means Watson should be in on three receiver sets. Against any other team I would say to just leave him be, but against these awful Lions, and with Jameis Winston sure to fling the ball around all afternoon, Watson might not be the worst dart throw in DFS or emergency fill in at WR on your redraft teams. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Bradley Roby HOU | Well, that was a fun couple weeks bac in October when we thought maybe this was the year that Davis gained some fantasy value. I guess it wasn't all Marcus Mariota 's fault. A.J. Brown is the number one guy and Tannehill spreads it around so much to everyone else that no one is fantasy relevant. |
| Kelvin Harmon WAS | Jalen Mills PHI | Harmon was starting to gain a little traction, and then THUD. His one catch for 30 yards was a total buzzkill to fantasy owners. Not that he was really having value anyway, but he was becomings someone you could at least think of in deep leagues. Even against the Eagles, Harmon carries no real fantasy value. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 15.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Julian Edelman NE | Darqueze Dennard CIN | There is just no one else in this passing game that you should trust or Tom Brady trusts in this offense right now, and while the Patriots offense continues to fizzle, Edelman continues to sizzle.He has 90 or more receiving yards in three straight games and has scored in two straight. The Bengals defense isn't as bad as you'd think, but they still won't be able to stop Edelman. Start him with extreme confidence and he will also be a great DFS play. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Justin Coleman DET | This is going to be an amazing game. Mike Evans is out for the year which leaves Godwin as the top receiver on the team, and a matchup against the Lions is about as sweet as it gets in fantasy football. Regardless of who is on Godwin it won't matter. He has been a stud all season long, and Godwin will be an absolute stud this week and should be a top ten receiver for Week 15. |
| Anthony Miller CHI | Tramon Williams GB | His usage was way down last week with just four catches, but he still had a touchdown with 42 receiving yards. Miller has been amazing in the last month with 24 catches in the last four weeks. He continues to thrive with this Mitch Trubisky resurgence. He didn't have a catch in Week 1 when these two teams played, but he has been such a big part of the offense that you can expect him to succeed in Week 15. The Packers pass defense is decent but not great, and Miller should top six catches and 75 yards in this one. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Jourdan Lewis DAL | Kupp hasn't been the same guy the last six weeks, but he has scored in two straight. The Cowboys secondary is fairly strong, but both teams should be throwing a ton in this one. I still like Robert Woods over Cooper Kupp , but there is no way that he won't get at least six targets. Kupp has a great knack to find soft spots in the defense coming out of the slot and should top 75 yards and likely a touchdown in Week 15. |
| Dede Westbrook JAX | Lamarcus Joyner OAK | D.J. Chark is seriously banged up, and that should leave Westbrook as the most targeted receiver in Week 15 whether Baby Chark plays or not. The Raiders pass defense is among the worst in the league, and Westbrook has five or more catches in three straight weeks. He hasn't topped 70 receiving yards since Week 7, but this is his best chance for success in a long time. Look for Westbrook to threaten 100 receiving yards in this one and perhaps a score. |
| Randall Cobb DAL | Nickell Robey-Coleman LAR | He has been a little off the last two weeks, but Cobb has still been targeted at least five times in five of the last six games. Amari Cooper will be blanketed by Jalen Ramsey which should open up more targets for Cobb in this one. This will be a high scoring affair, and with Cooper potentially held down a little, that could open up huge opportunities for Cobb in Week 15. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Kevin Peterson ARI | He has taken over the top spot of the Browns receiving group, and Landry has topped 75 receiving yards in four of the last five games. He hasn't scored in two weeks, but he scored in the four weeks before that. The Cardinals are THE WORST pass defense in the league and have allowed 32 passing touchdowns in only 13 games. Baker Mayfield will rock this defense and with Landry being their top receiver, he should have at least seven catches for 90 yards and a score. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Jourdan Lewis DAL | While he hasn't been that elite receiver we remember him to be for much of his career, Allen has topped 65 receiving yards in four straight games. He has 27 receptions in the last four games and Allen has done better, despite the fact that the Chargers offense has stumbled and bumbled in the last month. Allen isn't an option in DFS games, but he remains a very strong WR2, even though he was drafted as a WR1 back in August. |
| Cole Beasley BUF | Mike Hilton PIT | He has scored in three straight games, and Beasley has 16 catches in the last three weeks. Josh Allen will likely have to check down a lot against a strong Steelers defense. Pittsburgh is allowing under 210 yards per game, but they have allowed 21 pass touchdowns in 13 games. Beasley isn't going to score you 20 fantasy points by any stretch, but he should have a floor of 12-14 points and will be a solid flex for Week 15. |
| Allen Hurns MIA | Sam Beal NYG | This one is totally contingent on DeVante Parker missing the game, which seems like a no brainer at this point unfortunately. The Dolphins do like to throw the ball, and Ryan Fitzpatrick loves to chuck it around. Hurns is the most reliable option they have, and the Giants defense is completely god awful. He is a bit of a risk as he hasn't been a big part of the offense all season, but with all of the injuries, he is the guy that Fitzpatrick should rely on for at least six catches and 80 yards with likely a touchdown against this terrible defense on Sunday. |
Elite
It is sometimes hard to take the highest priced receiver on the slate and call him a good play, but that is what we have here. This is a very important game with the AFC South division lead on the line, but man is this Titans pass defense bad. Some of it certainly has to do with injuries as their top couple guys won’t be out there, but they have just been bad. Sure, they didn’t give up much last week to the Raiders, but Oakland couldn’t score on a Pop Warner team right now. In the previous three weeks, the Titans allowed 70 yards to Dede Westbrook , 109 yards to Zach Pascal , and 157 yards to Tyreek Hill . Hopkins is coming off a big 120 yard game with a touchdown against the Broncos and should just toy with Tye Smith all day or whoever the Titans try to throw at him. Hopkins might be taking a back seat to Michael Thomas this season, but he is still one of the two or three best receivers in this game. With an absolute cupcake matchup this week, Hopkins should still give you a sweet return on investment, even as the top salaried receiver on both sites.
Affordable
I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around how Moore is priced under $7,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel. I guess part of it has to do with how bad Kyle Allen is, but Moore has been a beast for over a month. He hasn’t had fewer than 75 yards since Week 8 against the 49ers, and his four catches last week was the first time he was under six grabs during the same span. And in case you didn’t notice, the Seahawks pass defense is truly terrible this year. Moore is unquestionably the top receiver for the Panthers, and the fact that this game isn’t in Seattle makes it even more attractive. The Seahawks will likely want to atone for the butt kicking they just got by the Rams on Sunday night, but they don’t have the horses to keep Moore in check. It is safe to bet that he will top six catches for 80 yards, and likely find that end zone for the fourth time in four games.
Deebo Samuel vs. Kendall Sheffield
While I also like Emmanuel Sanders in this one, Samuel is the better value at a much cheaper price. You can’t argue that Kyle Shanahan and the Niners offense want Deebo Samuel to be a big part of the game plan. He has eight or more targets in there of the last five games, and they have even handed the ball off to him in two straight. He is a very dangerous player with the ball in his hands and any sort of space in front of him, and he is a physical runner who isn’t afraid of contact and throwing a defender down with a stiff arm. He has 75 receiving yards or a touchdown in five straight games, and the 49ers are coming off their best offensive game of the season against the Saints. The Falcons are slowly crumbling around themselves with players dropping like flies to injury. They will be without Desmond Trufant who was one of the better corners in their garbage secondary, which will make this game even better for San Francisco. Samuel should be used with solid volume and will be a great option at his price tag.
Bargain Bin
This one comes down to opportunity and opponent. The opponent part of it comes from a matchup with the second worst pass defense in the NFL in Tampa Bay who allow almost 280 yards per game through the air and have surrendered a ridiculous 29 passing touchdowns in just 13 games. They truly are awful. The opportunity part of it comes from the injury to Marvin Jones . The Lions second best, and potentially most reliable, receiver has been lost for the season, leaving a gaping hole in targets. Amendola is the only logical choice to fill this void. The Lions truly do not have another capable wide receiver or even tight end to step up besides Amendola. Here are the names of guys who have caught some passes for them lately, you stop me when you think they have a chance to be good; Jesse James (tight end), Logan Thomas (tight end), Isaac Nauta (who? Tight end), Marvin Hall (one catch three weeks ago). We good yet? J.D. McKissic will get a couple of more looks out of the backfield, but this is the time for Amendola. He did have a two game stretch in late October where he had 16 catches for 200 yards, so he is capable. He has to deal with a third string quarterback, and he has never been the healthiest of receivers, but this is screaming good game, as Kenny Golladay can’t catch everything and the Buccaneers just flat out stink.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.