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 five absolute favorite matchups. We have one week in the books, but with no preseason we still have a lot to learn about tendencies on both offense and defense for 2020. This article is also critical for daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. Good luck to you all this week whether it is for the championship or just some of that daily money! Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| DeAndre Hopkins ARI | Fabian Moreau WAS | I certainly didn't see that target share coming for Hopkins in Week 1, but if he is on your fantasy team you have to love to see it. It is great to see Hopkins switch teams and find another quarterback that realizes his value right from the start. The Football Team secondary isn't bad at all, and Moreau is respectable. But Hopkins will be a must-start in seasonal and a guy to put in some of your DFS lineups but not a must-play. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Trevon Diggs DAL | The Falcons pass offense is just so good and if Todd Gurley can solidify the run game that will only open up opposing defenses to get thrown on more. Jones showed he hasn't lost a step this season, and with Calvin Ridley so good on the other side, that keeps defenses from giving Jones the attention he deserves. It is almost impossible not to expect a good game out of Jones each and every week, and he should be in all of your seasonal lineups and will be great for any DFS format. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Bradley Roby HOU | For the second straight season, Brown got off to a monster start with a 101 yard game against the lowly Browns. Lamar Jackson looked ultra-efficient as usual and the only knock with Brown is that the Ravens don't throw the ball a ton. However, he gets another great matchup against a pretty terrible Texans secondary. Bradley Roby is actually the best of the bunch, but the best of this bunch isn't saying much. Hollywood has a real chance at another 100 yard game and seems like a solid cash game play. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Byron Jones MIA | Despite not having a touchdown, it was still a successful debut for Diggs against the Jets with eight catches for 86 yards. He was out-targeted by John Brown but had more catches and yards. The Dolphins defense didn't look great last week against the Pats, but most of that damage was done on the ground. Diggs might have a little bit of a hard time against Byron Jones which takes him out of the DFS discussion, but there is still no reason to sit Diggs in any seasonal format. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Carlton Davis TB | If Moore is on your team you had to be kind of upset with the fact that Robby Anderson outproduced him by a healthy margin. Moore did pace the team in targets with nine, but he only had four catches for 54 and did not score. Don't fret if Moore is on your team, it was just one game. And while it was disappointing that he didn't do more against the Raiders, he gets another solid matchup against Tampa Bay. Moore should be heavily involved and actually makes a solid GPP play in DFS and of course on any single season league. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | James Bradberry NYG | There was plenty of drama this week as Robinson showed his dissatisfaction with the team by deleting anything referring to the Bears from his Instagram account. Welcome to athletes in 2020, this is how we find out they are displeased with their team. Robinson said on Wednesday that he had a long talk with his coach and is not letting his contract situation get in the way of the season. Perfect time for that as the Bears will play against the Giants who still haven't figured out the pass defense yet. With the drama behind them, look for Robinson to have a big-time game against a poor defense and is a must-start in all games. |
| A.J. Green CIN | Denzel Ward CLE | It was a tough matchup against a solid Chargers secondary, but Green had a far better game than I expected. He led the team in targets with nine, and corralled five of them for 51 yards. They didn't move the ball much in this one, so even that modest output is considered a win. Green hadn't played in a year and his rookie quarterback was in his first game as a pro. That was great news for Green's potential going forward. This is a short turnaround with a Thursday night game, but I do think that Green will be at worst a flex play. Denzel Ward will hold him down for much of the game but he can at least match last week's numbers. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | William Jackson III CIN | It was another rough outing for Beckham against the Ravens as he only had three catches for 22 yards. He did lead the team with ten targets, but was unable to turn it into much. Of course, as soon as the Browns get crushed the reports swirl about Beckham being unhappy. Drama never seems to stop following this guy. Lucky for him he gets a better matchup against the Bengals, although it still isn't a cakewalk. I would fade Beckham in DFS games, but he is still a definite start in seasonal leagues. If it is another bad game for Beckham then the red flags will really be waving. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Isaiah Oliver ATL | Cooper defied the odds on Sunday as he had quite the game. Okay, defying the odds might be a little much, but after seeing him hobble through the season last year, it was good to see him have success despite being on the injury report. The even better news was that he more than doubled the next closest receiver in targets. He had 14 and CeeDee Lamb had six. It is a dream matchup this week against the Falcons who were destroyed by the Seahawks last week so Cooper should be a great seasonal and DFS play as well. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Joe Haden PIT | He wasn't ruled out until late for Monday night's game and Sutton was limited in Wednesday's practice, so perhaps things are trending in the right direction. What isn't good, however, is a matchup against a physical Steelers defense with a bum shoulder. Unless Sutton is a full participant in practice by Friday I would likely leave him out of my seasonal lineups. The Steelers did give up big plays to Darius Slayton last week, but they are still one of the best secondaries in the league. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Jaire Alexander GB | He missed last week with a hamstring injury, and as of Wednesday still hadn't practiced. However, unlike Sutton, if Golladay is a play on Sunday I feel comfortable with him even if he practices on a limited basis all week. The Packers aren't nearly a good of a secondary, and a hamstring is a risk of re-injuring, but not like a shoulder injury in my opinion. You will have to watch the news reports, but Golladay makes it into my seasonal lineups if he plays on Sunday. |
| Davante Adams GB | Desmond Trufant DET | Is he even human???? Adams is just a vaccuum of targets, and if the Packers can actually develop a second receiver to take some of the heat off of him, he could be even better. The Lions secondary is so bad Mitch Trubisky threw three touchdowns against them, and Adams should absolutely feast this weekend. By the time he gobbles up all of those targets he is going to look like the fat guy in Seven that Kevin Spacey fed until he died. You remember, the guy with his face in the spaghetti. That will be Adams when he is done crushing the Lions in Week 2. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Jimmy Smith BAL | He played last Thursday in the opener, but fantasy players probably wished he didn't as he finished with just two catches for 20 yards. He is still only practicing on a limited basis as of Wednesday so while he will likely play I wouldn't feel too good about putting Cooks in my lineup against the Ravens. This is a complete no go unless your fantasy bench is really bad. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Mike Hughes MIN | I have to admit that I was sorely disappointed by Hilton in Week 1. He had a fine game, but it was nothing like I expected against the Jaguars. However, fear not fantasy players! We get another shot with Hilton to have a breakout game against the equally terrible Vikings secondary. Aaron Rodgers played them like a fiddle in Week 1 to the tune of four touchdowns. Philip Rivers should have himself a huge yardage game this week, and Hilton should be a big part of it. He is a must-start in seasonal leagues and I am going to roll with him again in DFS cash contests. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Malcolm Butler TEN | He did score a touchdown in his first game of the season, but Chark had just three targets and finished with 25 yards. Thankfully, the touchdown saved his day. Despite being third on the team in targets, there is no concern that Chark is not the number one guy on this offense. The Titans secondary did much better on Monday night than I expected, but now they are coming off a short week. The Jaguars aren't a high powered pass game, but Minshew does love his Chark and I expect a far better game with targets, receptions, and yards on Sunday. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Chris Harris LAC | It wasn't quite the explosion that was expected against the Texans secondary, but Hill was still quite good on Thursday. He finished with five catches on six targets for 46 yards and a score. That is still 15 fantasy points in PPR leagues which I don't think anyone would complain about. This week is much tougher as the Chargers secondary is still good despite losing their safety. There is still no reason to be concerned with Hill in single season leagues, but you might want to look elsewhere for your high priced receivers in DFS contests. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Darius Slay PHI | Woods got out of the gate fast on Sunday night and led the team in basically every receiving category. No wait, he did lead the team in every category against the Cowboys and finished with a 100 yard game. He will for sure draw the coverage of Darius Slay who is the only decent corner that the Eagles have. However, he is good but he is not elite. Jared Goff might look to Cooper Kupp a little more in this one, but Woods is still in line for a great game. He is more a target in seasonal leagues than in DFS play. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Tyrann Mathieu KC | I didn't expect the day to be as good from Williams considering he doesn't have a quarterback that can throw him the long ball, but he was very good in Week 1. I don't expec that to be a weekly occurrence, but the circumstances might be in his favor this week. The Chiefs are sure to be way ahead for most of the game which means the Chargers will have to throw a ton in the second half. Williams is a low end GPP play, but a WR3 in your seasonal leagues against Kansas City. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Marshon Lattimore NO | The rookie's day could have been so much more if Derek Carr hit him in stride during his 40+ yard catch where it would have been a touchdown. He also missed time with an injury. He was able to return to the game. The injury doesn't appear to be a concern, but Marshon Lattimore is. You likely have better choices in DFS games, but there is a chance that Ruggs sneaks into your seasonal lineups. It only takes a play or two of this speedster getting behind the defense to produce a great fantasy day. He is risky for sure, but the payoff could be big. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Tre'Davious White BUF | Parker was only able to play half the game last week after a hamstring injury ended his day early, but he was off to a good start with four catches for 47 yards against the Patriots. The Dolphins offense really fell apart once he was gone. It is another elite matchup for Parker against the Bills, as White is another of the five best corners in football. The Dolphins receiving group is banged up, so Parker should still get the volume. He is still just limited in practice, but looks to be a go. He could be a contrarian play in a DFS GPP or two, but I wouldn't want heavy DFS exposure. I don't have a problem playing him in seasonal leagues though. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Xavier Rhodes IND | With the Vikings being a run-first team and no other really reliable or proven receiver on the roster right now, Thielen is the king. He will be successful almost every week based on sheer volume alone. It isn't exactly a plus matchup against Rhodes and the Colts, but heck Gardner Minshew had a pretty decent day against them. Thielen might be a decent GPP play and is an every week lock in seasonal leagues. |
| N'Keal Harry NE | Shaquill Griffin SEA | I pretty much trashed Harry in this column last week as the reports out of camp were all less than stellar, and Harry didn't show much in 2019. He did have the second most targets on the team, and he finished with five catches for 39 yards. Granted that isn't an awesome day and it was against the Dolphins, but it was still a nice start. I don't see him being a great start in DFS or seasonal leagues in Week 2, but he definitely belongs on rosters. |
| Emmanuel Sanders NO | Trayvon Mullen OAK | With Michael Thomas set to miss "several weeks" that puts Sanders in the limelight in the mean time. No, he isn't going to match what Thomas is capable of, but he should get more targets than he would have otherwise. I think people are going to overplay Sanders in DFS because of the injury but I don't see him having a monster game. He will be a great seasonal league play in the meantime and especially against a pretty soft Raiders secondary. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Kyle Fuller CHI | Have yourself a game Mr. Slayton! The Giants had a really tough matchup against the Steelers but still ended up making a few big plays and having over 100 yards with two touchdowns. This guy has amazing potential and is an electric receiver. Of course, it is another tough matchup against the Bears but Slayton showed last week even against a good defense he still belongs in your seasonal lineups. |
| Breshad Perriman NYJ | K'Waun Williams SF | The Jets get a break with Richard Sherman going on IR, but it won't matter much because their offensive weapons are pretty poor. Perriman had three catches for 17 yards against the Bills and even with Sherman out, the Niners secondary is still pretty stiff. Perriman might only even belong on rosters of 14 team leagues and doesn't belong anywhere near starting lineups for Week 2. |
| DeSean Jackson PHI | Jalen Ramsey LAR | Jackson did have seven targets, but didn't play on a full complement of snaps. And when he was in there he was not very efficient. Jackson is a total boom or bust player that I thought would pop off last week and he didn't. The Eagles are going to have a hard time giving Carson Wentz enough time to throw the ball deep to Jackson with the crumbling offensive line, and it will be worse with Jalen Ramsey on him. Jackson is a guy to bench in Week 2. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Bryce Callahan DEN | He didn't score a touchdown, but Johnson had a great target share and certainly showed a good chemistry with Ben Roethlisberger. He led the team with ten targets, and tied with Smith-Schuster with six catches. I have gone from wondering what would happen in the Steelers receiving group, to suddenly being confident in Johnson. The Broncos secondary is pretty decent so he won't be a DFS target this week, but is a solid WR3 in single season leagues. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | J.C. Jackson NE | I can't wait to see how this game plays out. The Seahawks showed that they plan on airing it out this year, and the Patriots showed that their defense is still really good. Which one will win out this weekend? I think a little bit of both. Metcalf is a great red zone threat, and while he might not get a lot of catches, he should make the ones he gets count. I expect him to have no more than four catches for abou 50 yards but perhaps a score. |
| Kendrick Bourne SF | Pierre Desir NYJ | Deebo Samuel went on IR and there is still no definitive word on Brandon Aiyuk. But when the Niners signed Mohamed Sanu that isn't a good sign. That should keep Bourne in the starting lineup, but this week will be much easier sledding against the Jets. While Bourne disappointed last week, he is still a solid receiver when called upon and will not be a DFS target but a guy you can put in your flex in seasonal leagues. |
| Mike Evans TB | Troy Pride CAR | He ended up playing last week but had just one catch, and has been limited in practice so far. This should keep Evans ready to play on Sunday. The better news for Evans is that the Panthers secondary, well….....sucks. Derek Carr had a good fantasy day against them. You might be a little too worried about Evans health to use him in DFS but in single season leagues you can feel positive enough about him to put him as your WR2. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | C.J. Henderson JAX | It wasn't a great first game for Brown as Corey Davis inexplicably had a great game. That won't happen again for about another six weeks and Brown will show why he is the top dog on this team. The Jags secondary actually showed up last week better than I anticipated but look for Brown to break a couple of big plays and get close to 100 yards and a touchdown. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Patrick Peterson ARI | His first week was shadowed by Darius Slay and this week he will face another top corner in Patrick Peterson. So, while McLaurin won't likely have a monster statistical day, he still can't be held down for an entire game. McLaurin can definitely find the end zone once, but he likely will be close to the five catches and 61 yards that he had last week. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARI | Ronald Darby WAS | I said last week that I wasn't sold on Christian Kirk, and then he was barely a blip on the radar screen against the 49ers. Of course, San Francisco has really held him in check the past couple seasons. The Football Team secondary is solid but not spectacular, but until I see some sort of production from Kirk I am not trusting him in my lineups. He had three touchdowns all of last season and they all came in the same game. Stay away. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | I mean is this guy for real? It seems unfair that the Falcons have two wide receivers that are so good. Ridley had great production and two touchdowns in the opener while Julio Jones just racked up yards and catches. The task will be a little tougher against the Cowboys, but with Byron Jones out of town in free agency, the secondary isn't quite as good. You should get some exposure to Ridley in DFS, but he isn't a guy you should roster in all of your lineups, but in seasonal leagues it appears that you should never sit him. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Vernon Hargreaves III HOU | Willie Snead made some noise out of the slot, but other than that it was all Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews again. It is the same old song and dance from the Ravens offense from 2019. Boykin has some talent and was a mid-round draft pick, but he may need a change of scenery to be fantasy relevant. The Ravens don't throw enough to trust Boykin, even against a subpar secondary like the Texans. |
| John Brown BUF | Xavien Howard MIA | I am still shocked at the target share that Brown got in Week 1, and I am not sure that it is sustainable. Stefon Diggs will surely be the big man on campus in Orchard Park, and I thinkt he throws to Brown were partly a result of Josh Allen feeling more comfortable with him due to the lack of preseason. Xavien Howard is a solid corner, but Brown should still have a great game. Look for him to be a WR3 or even a flex for Week 2. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | Speaking of shocked, how did Robby Anderson end up being the most productive receiver on the Panthers in the first game of the season. He showed the ability to catch a shorter pass as well as targets farther down the field. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater showed a better acumen for throwing a wide variety of passes and perhaps Anderson can have a solid season. I am not quite ready to buy into Robby just yet as a solid week in, and week out contributor, but against the Bucs he should have another good week. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Corey Ballentine NYG | The Bears passing offense isn't good enough for several players to be fantasy relevant. Allen Robinson is solid, Anthony Miller is more than fine. After that we are grasping, and once we get to a third receiver it doesn't even matter if the Giants defense is bad. The Bears won't produce enough offense to consider someone else. |
| John Ross CIN | Tavierre Thomas CLE | Ross isn't fantasy relevant on a normal week, but on a short turn around time for a Thursday night game he becomes even more of a question mark. There will be two to four games where he catches a long touchdown and you will wish you played him in your fantasy leagues, but figuring out when that is can make you insane. Ross isn't even worth being on a roster right now. |
| KhaDarel Hodge CLE | Darius Phillips CIN | It doesn't matter who we list as the third receiver on the team after Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry. They won't be fantasy relevant. Even against the Bengals it is time to move on. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | A.J. Terrell ATL | The injury to Blake Jarwin means that the targets that we figured would go to him will now theoretically be spread around to the three receivers since the Cowboys don't have another receiver that will warrant many targets. That only helps Gallup, along with the fact that the Falcons secondary is trash. Gallup belongs in all seasonal lineups as well as any DFS roster construction as well. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Steven Nelson PIT | Even with Courtland Sutton out, there aren't any fantasy relevance for the fringe Broncos receivers. Patrick wasn't really involved in the offense on Monday against the Titans and surely isn't worth any fantasy consideration against the tough Steelers defense. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Kevin King GB | He fell flat of big production with Kenny Golladay missing last week, and honestly I think that Marvin is more of a contributor when Golladay is in there taking the focus of the offense away from him. Kevin King and the Packers have a solid secondary, but the Lions should also be playing from behind for most of the game. If Golladay doesn't play Jones is actually a riskier start in my opinion than if he is a "number one" receiver. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Justin Coleman DET | MVS fell into a few big plays last Sunday, but I implore you not to buy into it. The guy really has issues catching the ball, which you'd think would be a big deal as an NFL wide receiver and you would be right. He has great speed but below subpar hands and even if he has another good week against the Lions, Valdes-Scantling isn't a guy who holds his value for the rest of the season. |
| Will Fuller HOU | Marlon Humphrey BAL | It wasn't the monster game that some of us hoped for, but in fact in a few ways it was better. Fuller went over 100 receiving yards and it wasn't on one or two big plays. It was on a couple shorter patterns, a medium and a long shot or two. He didn't score a touchdown, but all in all it was a great game for him. He gets a very tough matchup against the Ravens, and the chances of starting him get a little less. Fuller is a decent seasonal league any week that he is healthy. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Holton Hill MIN | The exciting rookie really disappointed with just two catches and ten yards on two targets in his debut against the Jaguars. Phillip Rivers clearly favored Parris Campbell in this one. While the team gets another matchup against a bad secondary, there is too much uncertainty surrounding Pittman to trust him in any fantasy format right now, seasonal or DFS. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Johnathan Joseph TEN | The second I saw that Dede Westbrook was a healthy scratch, my interest level in Shenault went through the roof. And while Keelan Cole led the team in targets in the opening week, he isn't very good and Shenault is the future. He finished with three catches for 37 yards and a touchdown, and I think we can look for even more from him in the coming weeks. The Titans secondary looked good Monday night, but the talent level isn't great there. I can definitely see putting Shenault into a flex spot in seasonal leagues and if you need a dart throw to help pay up for a DFS stud I don't think 'Viska is the worst option. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Michael Davis LAC | There was so much hype on this guy coming into the season, which I get, his speed is off the charts. However, the Chiefs passing game really revolves around Tyreek and Travis. And, yes, in Week 1 Sammy Watkins as well. Hardman has good talent and he has superior speed, but he needs to be a more refined route runner and more reliable to get the looks. He had just one target in the opening week, and I think he is going to be a wildly inconsistent player this year. Figuring out when to start him might be a nightmare. However, I feel pretty confident that this week against a rough Chargers secondary isn't the right week. |
| Josh Reynolds LAR | Nickell Robey-Coleman PHI | This was a guy I thought could take the next step in his maturation in 2020 with Brandin Cooks out of town, but late in camp there was word that rookie Van Jefferson was outperforming him. The reports rang true in Week 1 where Jefferson had three targets to Reynolds one. Neither of those totals are good, and they only had one catch each, but Reynolds will have to step up if he wants to be considered the third receiver on this team. He clearly is not someone you want in your fantasy starting lineups for Week 2. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Charvarius Ward KC | The Chargers pass game is going to struggle as long as Tyrod Taylor is the quarterback, and even if they are going to be behind a lot and have to throw you still shouldn't even consider Guyton to be in your seasonal lineups. Nothing more to see here folks. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | Janoris Jenkins NO | The "other" talented rookie that the Raiders brought in carried a world of hype coming into the opening week and it just did not pan out in Game 1. However, don't lose faith in Edwards just yet. Sure, it was against a bad defense, but it was a rookie in his first game without preseason. I wouldn't put him in my lineups likely this week either against a good Saints secondary, but better days are ahead for Edwards. Have some patience with this kid. |
| Preston Williams MIA | Levi Wallace BUF | He led the team with seven targets, but he only ended up catching two of them. This one needs a little patience. It was his first game back from a torn ACL, and it was against perhaps the best secondary in the league. It isn't much easier this week, and Williams will be a low level starting option in seasonal formats. After this, Williams stock will go up for sure when the competition isn't as formidable. |
| Bisi Johnson MIN | Rock Ya-Sin IND | I actually think he has some talent, he just isn't in a great situation. The Vikings don't want to throw a ton, and with Adam Thielen and emerging rookie Justin Jefferson, I don't know if Johnson will get enough volume to be fantasy relevant. He had three catches for 56 yards, but that was in a game where Minnesota was forced to throw because they were getting pummeled. You can roster Bisi in fantasy leagues and hope, but he likely will just be subpar bye week insurance. |
| Damiere Byrd NE | Marquise Blair SEA | The Patriots did a lot of running last week, and while I expect them to throw more than 19 times this week, I don't expect many balls to go to Byrd. The Seahawks secondary isn't great, but it is good enough to hold this guy without fantasy relevance. If Cam Newton ever throws 30-35 times in a game Byrd might get some looks, but he isn't on the fantasy radar. |
| Tre'Quan Smith NO | Damon Arnette LV | The hype machine surrounding Smith is going to be rampant with the injury to Michael Thomas. However, they are not the same player. Despite being widely considered the best receiver in football, Thomas isn't a huge downfield threat. Smith is the boom or bust receiver who only needs a few plays to make an impact. However, if he will make those plays remains to be seen. Some weeks he will, others he will not. He is too inconsistent for me to consider for DFS games, but he at least has flex consideration. |
| Damion Ratley NYG | Buster Skrine CHI | Who? The Giants spread it around plenty but after Slayton, Shepard, Engram, and Barkley get theirs, there isn't many targets to go around even with Golden Tate out. This guy has no shot. |
| Chris Hogan NYJ | Akhello Witherspoon SF | Even with the injury to Richard Sherman, I don't expect the Jets to score many points against San Francisco. And if they do surprise us and score, it certainly isn't going to be with Hogan. He was a forgotten man last year in Carolina, and had one catch for no yards on four targets for the Jets last week. He will be out there with Denzel Mims on IR, but he won't make any sort of fantasy impact. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Troy Hill LAR | This talented rookie was supposed to miss the whole month of September, but then ended up healing as fast as Wolverine and didn't miss a single game. It wasn't a breakout game for him by any stretch, but he did have a 55-yard catch to give you a small glimpse at what he is capable of. The Eagles offense is going to struggle until their offensive line gets healthy, so this might not be the best week to put Reagor in your starting lineups. Definitely keep him on your roster though, this kid has a chance to be special. |
| James Washington PIT | Michael Ojemudia DEN | At least through one game, Washington appears to be the lowest volume of targets guy of the three main receivers. He did score a touchdown, but without that his day would have been a mess and that was against a bad Giants secondary. It won't get easier this week against a reasonably decent Broncos defense, but if you started Washington last week, he isn't a terrible play again this week. I would fade him, though, in DFS contests. |
| Mohamad Sanu SF | Bless Austin NYJ | He has been in Kyle Shanahan's system before, but I have a hard time thinking he can make a fantasy impact after only being on the team a few days. Granted, the Jets secondary isn't very goo, so there is always that chance, but I don't think you can trust a starting spot in your redraft lineups in Week 2 to a guy so new to the squad unless you have several injuries. |
| David Moore SEA | Jonathan Jones NE | I have enough question marks about the top two receivers on the Seahawks and their fantasy relevance against the vaunted Patriots defense this week, I certainly don't have faith in their third guy. Moore had three catches last week, but that was against the awful Falcons. He will carry zero fantasy value coming into this week. |
| Scotty Miller TB | Juston Burris CAR | The health of Mike Evans AND Chris Godwin will determine Miller's fantasy value for Week 2. Evans appears to be a go, although Godwin is questionable in the league's concussion protocol. If he is unable to go, Miller becomes an amazing value in both redraft leagues and DFS contests. We saw that Brady had some trust in Miller, and we also saw that the Panthers secondary is awful. You should have added Miller off of waivers and he looks to be an excellent start this week. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Tre Herndon JAX | It was a huge first week for Davis but PLEASE don't buy into it. A.J. Brown is the star here, and Davis is just a side piece on your fantasy squad who is sure to disappoint you for many weeks to come. The former top ten pick is a perennial fantasy football dud and 2020 will be no different. However, if you picked him up off waivers and want to start him against the lowly Jags I can't fault you there. After that, abandon ship on Davis. |
| Dontrelle Inman WAS | Dre Kirkpatrick ARZ | The Football Team is only going to have a strong enough pass game to make one receiver consistently fantasy relevant and that is Terry McLaurin. If there is a second it would be Steven Sims. Somewhere deep down the target tree is Inman who made no impact in Week 1. In no way should you trust this guy in your lineups this week. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 2.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Tyrann Mathieu KC | Four catches for 37 yards was surely not how people who drafted Allen expected the first week to go. They also didn't like that Hunter Henry also had eight targets or that Mike Williams had nine. You certainly expected more against a secondary that lost their top two corners before the season started. The good news in this one is, while the Chiefs secondary is solid, the Chargers are likely to be behind a lot and have to throw. Look for at least ten targets, six catches and 75 yards. |
| Julian Edelman NE | Quinton Dunbar SEA | Despite the new quarterback, Edelman just picked up where he left off with plenty of targets and a decent fantasy game. The more we go into the season, the better the connectino he will have with Cam. The Seahawks secondary isn't very good, despite having some good names. Edelman isn't going to tear off 20 fantasy points, but he will give you 12-15 on Sunday. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Mackensie Alexander CIN | He isn't exactly practicing much this week due to his lingering hip recovery, but Landry is an experienced veteran who doesn't need much practice. He was the best receiver on the team in Week 1 against the Ravens and will be again Thursday night against the Bengals. This could be a seven or eight catch night for 90 yards and if Baker Mayfield touchdown it will likely be to Landry. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Terrance Mitchell CLE | He had a less spectacular game than I was anticipating against the Ravens, but it gets easier Thursday night against the Browns. Lamar Jackson tore up the Browns secondary, and while Joe Burrow isn't remotely close to Lamar, he showed he isn't terrible. Burrow should get a little more comfortable each week, and his connection with Boyd should only grow. He isn't likely to have a huge game, but Boyd definitly belongs in your seasonal lineups. |
| Parris Campbell IND | Mike Hughes MIN | Last year's second round pick was overshadowed by the new early round receiver especially after several offseason injuries. However, Campbell is lightning fast, and he found an immediate connection with Phillip Rivers. The Vikings secondary is something awful, and Campbell has a chance of having another big game. He will be a solid start in any DFS format and definitely seasonal leagues. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Avonte Maddox PHI | Joe Burrow and the Bengals get a tough way to start with the stout Chargers secondary. However, with A.J. Green banged up, this just means to me that Boyd is going to get peppered with targets until he just can't take it anymore. It might not lead to a huge production game, but if he gets thrown to 12-13 times, he will catch half or maybe a little more, rack up 80 yards or so and if Cincinnati gets one in the endzone through the air, it is going to be to Boyd. |
| Juju Smith-Schuster PIT | A.J. Bouye DEN | It was like last season never happened as Big Ben and Juju reunited and it felt so good. Smith-Schuster had two touchdowns against the beleagered Giants secondary, and even did a dance that was turned into a meme almost immediately. It won't be quite as easy against the Broncos and Bouye, but he isn't a shutdown corner. The Steelers receiving corps has three good options and it will be hard to keep them all in check. He won't have the huge game he had on Monday, but Smith-Schuster is a must-start in redraft leagues. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Casey Heyward LAC | Sammy Watkins will not repeat his performance of Week 1, and some of those targets will go to Hill where they belong. The Chargers secondary is very strong, but they won't be able to keep all of the Chiefs weapons in check. It wasn't Hill's turn to have a huge game on Thursday, but he will be much better on Sunday. Look for him to tally another touchdown and get closer to 75-80 yards on the day. |
| Anthony Miiler CHI | Darnay Holmes NYG | It was a late touchdown that saved Miller from having a subpar game against the Lions, and he will get another easy matchup against the Giants. He is definitely second fiddle to Allen Robinson, but that will be good because the Giants only have one decent corner and he won't be on Miller. It is just a matter of time before Miller has several 20 yard catches, and you shouldn't be the least bit surprised if he finds the end zone again as well. He could be a GPP play for DFS contests for Week 2. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Darqueze Dennard ATL | Lamb had a great number of targets in his first game, and with the loss of Blake Jarwin that means that more targets will be spread around to the receivers. The Cowboys don't have another tight end that warrants any sort of target share, so look for Lamb to continue to be a solid part of the offense. The Falcons have an absolutely terrible secondary, so look for the first-round pick to be a solid play in all seasonal and DFS formats. |
Elite
The Rams came out and had Robert Woods go for 100 yards against the Cowboys last week, and their secondary isn’t quite as good with Byron Jones in Miami. Make no mistake about it, the Falcons pass offense is just sick. And with another dynamite receiver on the other side of the field, Jones is going to just shake and bake whoever is on him. He will get a touchdown this week as well, to go with his ten catches and 100 yards. He is going to rake on Sunday, and you can take that one to the bank.
Davante Adams vs Desmond Trufant
Poor Mr. Trufant doesn’t stand a chance. If Aaron Rodgers can look like he did last week, this is going to be another huge game for Adams. And given the state of the Lions secondary, it is going to be another huge game for Adams. He is a target beast, and by far the best receiver on the team. The defense can’t stop him despite the fact they know it is going to him. He had 93 yards and a score against Detroit in the season finale last year and I think that is the least you should expect from him. I think a 100-yard game is just about a guarantee.
Affordable
Allen Robinson vs James Bradberry
The contract drama appears to be in the rear view, and what is in front of Robinson is a dream. The Giants secondary. Big Ben picked them apart in his first game in a year, and lead receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had a two-touchdown day. What can Robinson do for an encore? He certainly will end up with double digit targets, and I think it is nearly given he scores on Sunday, and 85-90 yards is well within reach. I am not sure how he is priced as low as he is with such a juicy matchup on tap. Get yourself a fair amount of exposure to Robinson for Week 2.
Darius Slay ton vs. Kyle Fuller
You might get scared away by a good defense, but don’t fall into that trap. Golden Tate might return, but he certainly will be on a snap count coming back from a hamstring injury. Slayton is your big play guy, and even against a dominant secondary in Pittsburgh, he still had a monster game. The Bears secondary is also good, but the Lions had reasonable success against them without Kenny Golladay . Daniel Jones is emerging as a good quarterback in this league, and his connection with Slayton is undeniable. His price is down because of a matchup against the Bears, but just use that to your advantage to get a great return on your money.
Bargain Bin
Parris Campbell vs. Mike Hughes
I almost used Laviska Shenault here, but I couldn’t ignore this one. Campbell looked like the best receiver on the field last week, and granted it was against the Jaguars. However, did you see how awful the Vikings secondary was? Marques Valdes-Scantling almost had 100 yards on them! Campbell has great speed, and right now he is taking advantage of rookie Michael Pittman not quite being up to speed yet. The Colts are sure to throw a lot in this game like they did last week, and I could see Campbell getting close to ten targets like he did last week. He is an absolute steal this week at this price against this defense. He will be in a lot of my lineups.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.