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. Injuries played havoc on our receivers last week, so this article gives you an idea of what you can expect from a number of changing situations. 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 | Jeffrey Okudah DET | The Cardinals offense with Hopkins on it is going to a new level. He is on the same page with his quarterback, which is pretty remakable considering what a short period of time they have been working together. The rookie Okudah didn't not have a successful debut after missing the first week as Aaron Rodgers destroyed the Lions secondary. You can expect Kyler Murray to do the same, and for Hopkins to be the most targeted receiver by a good distance. It might be a chalky pick, but Hopkins will be great in all DFS formats. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Jaylon Johnson CHI | There is some concern with Jones heading into this one as he had a hamstring injury flare up in Week 2 and now he didn't practice on Wednesday. For a veteran like him, that doesn't mean that he won't suit up though. He managed just two catches for 24 yards last week after tweaking that hammy in the game, and even if he plays this week he is unlikely to be 100 percent. Even if he does go limping into the game you still want to ride with him in seasonal leagues, but he probably falls off the DFS radar in this one if he isn't fully healthy and is going against a very good corner. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | L'Jaruis Sneed KC | The targets and catches were there again for Brown as he had five grabs on six looks, but he only managed to turn that into 42 yards. Against a pretty subpar Texans secondary, that was a pretty big disappointment. This week he faces a much tougher corner, but the game script says that they Ravens are going to have to throw a decent amount in this one, as Vegas says it is going to be high scoring. Sneed isn't a household name, but is playing very well in the early going and PFF has him rated as the 17th best corner right now and is sporting a very good .17 fantasy points per route covered which is among the best in the league. It only takes Hollywood one or two plays though to mak you very happy you put him in your lineup. He is a seasonal league play on Monday night. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Jalen Ramsey LAR | He has eight catches in each of the first two games, and he must be so happy about getting out of Minnesota at this point. He is connecting great with Josh Allen and his team is winning games. He had a monster contest last week with 153 yards and a touchdown, but it will get much more difficult this week as he will square off against one of the top corners in football in Ramsey. However, considering how well that the Bills offense is playing this doesn't take Diggs out of my lineups in seasonal fantasy leagues. I will look other places in DFS contests, but in your normal fantasy leagues he can still do well as your WR3. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Casey Hayward LAC | After a disappointing opener, Moore bounced back in a big way with eight catches for 120 yards against the Bucs. He still hasn't found the end zone yet, but with 22 targets in two weeks, it is just a matter of time before he starts to hit paydirt. It is going to be tough to start that this week as he faces two-time Pro Bowler Casey Hayward. The Chargers secondary has been pretty tough this season as they have allowed only two passing touchdowns through two weeks and that includes a game against the Chiefs. Moore still fits in your season long league lineups but you won't find him in any of my DFS lineups with a guy allowing just a 45 percent catch rate. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Isaiah Oliver ATL | The Bears passing game has been very erratic so far this season, which makes sense since their quarterback is the ultra-erratic Mitch Trubisky. He has been targeted nine times in each game, so it isn't like he is being ignored. There is no better medicine for a struggling receiver than a game against the Falcons. They have already given up five touchdown passes and are averaging allowing over 370 yards per game through the air. That is insanity! Oliver is a terrible corner who gets burned all the time, and this should be the breakout game that gets A-Rob's 2020 season into gear. |
| A.J. Green CIN | Darius Slay PHI | The Bengals threw the ball 60 times and scored 30 points, and Green was targeted 13 times and somehow he came away with just three catches for 29 yards. He was a little shaken up early, and then just couldn't find a connection with Joe Burrow, who was running for his life most of the night. He had a tough matchup against Denzel Ward last week, and an equally hard one against Slay this week. He is the only decent corner the Eagles have, and he locked down Robert Woods last week and kept Terry McLaurin in check in Week 1. Green did have ten days to get ready for this one, but he is a middling flex play at best seeing that the Bengals have other options to throw to that won't be facing as tight coverage. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Fabian Moreau WAS | Beckham had his big touchdown catch in primetime, but he didn't do a whole heck of a lot after that. His touchdown was good for 43 yards, and he finished with just 74 on the night. The spotlight will always shine on this guy, but so will good corners. The Football Team secondary has been helped by a good pash rush so far, but Moreau just coming into his own. Pro Football Focus has him ranked as the sixth best corner in the league in the early going, and he will have his clamps on Beckham. Odell has been shut down by top corners frequently in his career, and while you can't sit him your expectations should be in check. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Shaquill Griffin SEA | It has been a pretty great start to the year for Cooper as he is averaging 17 fantasy points per game in full-point scoring through two weeks and that is without finding the end zone. Both of these teams were in shootouts last week, and this game should be very high scoring. Griffin is a decent corner, but has been getting burned left and right this season. Cooper has been the team leader in targets, and that should continue in this one. Don't be the least bit surprised if he has another 100 yard game and finally finds the end zone. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | He is dealing with a rib injury and the loss of his starting quarterback and that is two big strikes against the rookie in this one. Jeudy is now the lead dog in the offense with Courtland Sutton out of the picture, However, the rib injury and the backup quarterback make me hesitate more than him being the number one guy makes me feel good. Unless your team is in bad shape due to injuries this might not be the best week to trust Jeudy as one of your wide receivers in 12-team leagues. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Patrick Peterson ARI | OK, this is the week that Golladay is coming back, and he walks right into a really tough game against a very good corner. Before you go thinking that there is no way to play Golladay, just look at the great game Terry McLaurin had against Peterson and the Cardinals last week. And the Lions are sure to be getting crushed by the Cardinals so they should be throwing plenty in the second half. Golladay might not be the best DFS play in his first game back from injury, but he still belongs in your seasonal league lineups. |
| Davante Adams GB | Marshon Lattimore NO | Adams dealt with a hamstring injury last week that limited his production, but the team said he probably would have gone back into the game if it was close. He still hasn't practiced as of Wednesday, but he would probably only need a limited practice or two to be a go for this game. The Saints defense hasn't been as good this year so far, and they are coming off a short week. Assuming that Adams is declared ready to play before Sunday you should definitely put him in your weekly lineups. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Steven Nelson PIT | Despite being crushed by the fantasy community for his opening game performance, Cooks came out and nearly had a 100-yard game against the Ravens. Of course, that was with Will Fuller in and out of the game, but that's a pretty regular occurrence anyway. Basically the entire Steelers secondary is inside of the top 30 corners on PFF, and Nelson is ranked the highest. This will be a tough week to trust Cooks even if Fuller doesn't play. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Quincy Wilson NYJ | The Colts have had two matchups against two pretty easy defenses, and Hilton has come up small in both of them. Now with the loss of Parris Campbell he gets another opportunity to show that he is the lead dog on this team. Wilson isn't an overly good corner, and he runs about a 4.54 40 yard dash so he isn't exactly burning fast either. The Jets secondary is not off to a good start and this is Philip Rivers chance to have a big game. With the two disappointments from Hilton so far you might shy away in DFS but in regular leagues give him a go. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Xavien Howard MIA | He hasn't been getting the targets we expected, and now Chark has only practiced on a limited basis with a chest injury. However, he should be good to go for Thursday night. He gets a bit of a break with the Dolphins likely being without Byron Jones, but Xavien Howard is no slouch either. He hasn't gotten off to a great start allowing a 75 percent catch rate though, and Chark has been efficent with the few targets he has been getting. Despite the decreased usage, the injury, and the solid corner lining up next to him, I am still going to use Chark in my lineups on Thursday night. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Jimmy Smith BAL | Hill had a great game last week against a tough Chargers secondary, and now he gets another tough one against Jimmy Smith and the Ravens. You shouldn't need me to tell you that Baltimore has a great secondary, but Hill is so fast and so good that he is a guy to use no matter what. And as good as the two defenses are, the offenses are even better and there should be a lot of points scored in this one. Travis Kelce will probably get more catches, but Hill will give you 14-16 fantasy points in this one. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Tre'Davious White BUF | As feared, Woods was kept in check by Darius Slay last week, but did manage a short run to salvage his fantasy day. He gets an even tougher task this week against White and the Bills. White is one of the top four corners in football, and the Bills defense can be suffocating. The Rams aren't likely to score more than 21 points in this one, so Woods will have to rack up receptions better than he did last week. He is a lower end WR3 play this week. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Donte Jackson CAR | You would have thought with the switch from noodle armed Tyrod Taylor to the new strong-armed rookie that Williams would have had a better game. But no, it was a total flop with just two catches for 14 yards against the tough Chiefs. He gets a gift this week against the Panthers, although Jackson is their one solid corner. He is a top-40 guy according to PFF, but he is only 5'10" to Williams at 6'4". The Panthers might be forced to put Rasul Douglas on Williams to counter that height a little bit and if that happens it could be a day for Williams as Douglas is a much lesser defender. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Stephon Gilmore NE | Gilmore hasn't been quite as solid this year as he was last year when he was Defensive Player of the Year, but he is still elite and among the best. I don't think Ruggs and the Raiders are ready to handle this defense. Look for another option than this speedy rookie on Sunday. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Tre Herndon JAX | He had his first touchdown of the season against the Bills, and Parker has been fully cleared from his injuries for Thursday night. Considering he has started not fully healthy and against the Patriots and Bills this hasn’t been a bad beginning for Parker. He has taken his rightful place at the top of the Dolphins receiving corps and is an absolute must-start for this game against the Jaguars. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Malcolm Butler TEN | Man, the Vikings need to get their crap together throwing the ball as they look like an absolute disaster through two games. Thielen has been getting eight targets per game, but until someone else does anything to make the defense sweat, Thielen is going to be facing a lot of coverage. Butler has never quite lived up to the hype after making that Super Bowl winning interception, but he will have plenty of help against Thielen. The Vikings star should still have a minimum of five or six catches for at least 60 yards in this one, but he won't get away from the defense much. |
| N'Keal Harry NE | Trayvon Mullen OAK | The Pats threw a ton last Sunday, and that did help lead Harry to his dozen targets. And he was quite efficient with eight catches for 72 yards. He has yet to find the end zone yet, but it is very encouraging to see him not only on the field, but also being heavily targeted by Cam Newton. You can't expect those kind of numbers every week, but the Raiders pass defense has given up over 285 yards per game through the air so it could be another successful one for the second year man in New England. |
| Emmanuel Sanders NO | Jaire Alexander GB | I'm not exactly sure how he was actually less involved in the offense without Michael Thomas, but it was Tre'Quan Smith and Alvin Kamara who had control of the Saints. I can't possibly imagine that Sanders will be forgotten again in Week 3. The problem is that Jaire Alexander is a pretty good corner. He is currently the top graded corner in the league by Pro Football Focus although you have to remember that they played the Vikings and Lions so far. That being said, Sanders is a flex play at best on your rosters and could be a bench guy until we see him more involved. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Emmanuel Moseley SF | The Bears were a tough matchup last week, so it isn't too shocking that Slayton came up short in Week 2. It is a little disappointing though, considering that Sterling Shepard left the game. Shepard will miss this week as well, although the Giants face one of the better defenses in football. He will not have to deal with Richard Sherman, but Moseley was one of those most improved defensive players in 2019, and is a very solid corner in his own right. He is currently graded inside the top 20 corners by PFF heading into Week 3. The Niners pass rush is crushed by injuries, so that should leave a little extra time for Daniel Jones. Slayton won't be on the DFS landscape, but considering the injuries in the NFL he very well could end up in your flex spot in seasonal leagues. |
| Braxton Berrios NYJ | Xavier Rhodes IND | I never thought in my fantasy career I would have the pleasure of writing about Braxton Berrios and Chris Hogan in the same week twice! Neither Jamison Crowder or Breshad Perriman are practicing, although I think either have an outside chance of playing. Berrios actually had a decent game last week with six catches and a touchdown, and with the Jets only really having two options to throw to, someone has to catch it a few times. However, Rhodes is actually a good corner and has been to three Pro Bowls. He may have lost a step from his best days, but he sure can keep Berrios in check. |
| DeSean Jackson PHI | William Jackson CIN | With Jalen Reagor now out, and Alshon Jeffery just a distant memory, this will thrust D-Jax into the primary role on Sunday. He had nine targets last week, and he should see similar volume this week with the Eagles so banged up at wide receiver. Jackson is actually a pretty decent corner and is grading among the top ten according to PFF through two weeks. Although we saw that Odell Beckham had his way with him last week with the long touchdown, and it could have been two if Jackson didn't grab a little jersey. Jackson is a much older receiver, but is still really fast and should get the better of this one. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Bradley Roby HOU | He is dealing with a toe injury and did not practice on Wednesday, but there is little doubt that he will be out there on Sunday. He has a whopping 23 targets in two weeks. He scored for the first time, and is becoming a star before our eyes. He is the second fiddle to Juju Smith-Schuster, but there is plenty of passes to go around as the Steelers love to throw the ball. The Texans are absolutely awful against the pass, and Roby is allowing an 89 percent catch rate. He has a chance to be the most targeted receiver again, and Johnson should have a minimum of seven catches for 80 yards with a chance at another touchdown. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | Awuzie is the best corner the Cowboys have, and to be honest he is pretty good. The Cowboys defense has been struggling though, especially last week as they allowed 39 points to Atlanta. The Seahawks are just an offensive machine right now, and even the Patriots defense couldn't slow them. Metcalf has a four inch height advantage on Awuzie, and he is a red zone monster. He is only improving as the season goes on, and there is no way you can't put him in any lineup this weekend. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | James Bradberry NYG | This rookie is not yet up to speed and doesn't appear 100 percent healthy. He did have two catches in his pro debut, but the offense is also banged up without their star quarterback and running back. Aiyuk is going to have some fantasy value as the season goes on, but I don't see him being an option even against a pretty bad Giants defense. I don't think he will play enough snaps to make you feel confident that he will get the job done. |
| Mike Evans TB | Michael Ojemudia DEN | It wasn't much of a surprise that Evans balled out with Chris Godwin not in the game against a trash Panthers secondary. Godwin will be back this week, but the competition doesn’t get a heck of a lot fiercer against the Broncos who will be without starter A.J. Bouye. Tom Brady's arm isn't looking entirely strong, but he is crafty enough that he will find ways to get Evans the ball. Ojemudia is allowing over two yars per route covered and a number under 1.00 is prett good. Evans is a solid play in all fantasy formats. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Holton Hill MIN | This one will depend on A.J. Brown. Davis was a disappointment last week despite the touchdown. He had just three catches for 36 yards against a bad Jacksonville secondary. He gets another real cupcake matchup against the Vikings. Hill is allowing a 73 percent catch rate and 2.36 yards per route covered. Minnesota can't stop anyone, and if Brown is unable to play that makes Davis a decent WR3 for this game. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Denzel Ward CLE | It has been a crazy start for Scary Terry as he will have three top corners in the first three weeks of the season. Ward will be the third, and he might be the best. He is allowing receivers just a 54 percent catch rate, and kept A.J. Green in check last week. However, McLaurin has already had success this year despite tough matchups and bad quarterback play. So while he might not be a strong DFS play, he always belongs in your season long league lineups. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARI | Amani Oruwariye DET | If he doesn't come up with a touchdown catch, Kirk has become an unattractive fantasy option. He now has 57 yards on three catches through two games, and 49 yards came on one catch. He is getting to be on the fringe of being sent to the waiver wire. Oruwariye has allowed a catch rate of 71 percent against him, but Kirk isn't getting the looks or the catches to make him a guy to consider this week. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Kyle Fuller CHI | The touchdowns just keep coming for this guy. Ridley had another double dip of end zone time in Week 2 and now has four on the short season. It is almost unfair that a player of his caliber doesn't face the opposition's best corners. The Bears are one of the few teams that actually have someone that has a chance against him. Fuller has the speed to hang with him, and is a great cover guy who is ranked inside of Pro Football Focus top 25 corners. Ridley is still a guy that you can't even think about not using right now, even against the Bears. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Rashad Fenton KC | He has been getting more targets this year than last season as he has nine through two games after having just 22 in all of 2019. That being said, it still isn't leading to fantasy production as he has just 75 yards in two games. Boykin doesn't even belong on fantasy rosters yet, but with the increased targets that he is getting, you should definitely be monitoring his usage in the next week or two. The Ravens drafted him fairly high, so he should find a role at some point. |
| John Brown BUF | Darious Williams LAR | He didn't quite have the targets or receptions that he had in Week 1, but Brown had 82 yards and found the end zone for the second straight week. With the way that Josh Allen is playing right now, two receivers can be fantasy relevant for the Bills and Allen and Brown certainly have a chemistry from last year. They face a tough Rams secondary, and Williams has been up to the task. He actually is being targeted less often than Ramsey through two weeks, and is allowing just .11 fantasy points per route run on him which is fourth best among corners. The Bills offense is running on all cylinders now though, and Brown is a nice WR3 for Week 3. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Michael Davis LAC | That is now two weeks and two 100-yard games for Anderson. I am not sure that I am still completely buying in, but I can't argue with results. It appears that D.J. Moore and Anderson are going to be 1 and 1a in the Panthers target tree. He will face a tough matchup this week against Davis and the Chargers secondary. Through two weeks the Chargers are allowing just over 230 yards per game through the air and surrendered two passing touchdowns. That includes a game against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. He might not have his third 100-yard game in a row, but Anderson is still a guy that belongs in your seasonal league lineups. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | A.J. Terrell ATL | He has just three catches in each of the first two games, but Mooney is outperforming Anthony Miller right now. He seems to be gaining favor with Mitch Trubisky. Normally I would say that you can't start a second Bears receiver, but the rookie Terrell has gotten off to a tough start. He is allowing a crazy 89 percent catch rate and 1.22 yards per route covered. Most quality corners are well under one yard. He could be a really sneaky GPP play for your DFS lineups and should have very low ownership. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Avonte Maddox PHI | After doing nothing in Week 1, Higgins at least got on the field and had three catches for 35 yards on six targets. That sounds decent, but considering that the Bengals threw 61 times, that isn't as impressive. Higgins likely isn't on any fantasy rosters right now outside of dynasty, but if he is you can put him in your flex. Avonte Maddox is completely awful as a corner and is one of the lowest rated guys by Pro Football Focus through two weeks. Higgins is another guy who could be a DFS dart throw, but obviously comes with some risk. |
| KhaDarel Hodge CLE | Ronald Darby WAS | The Browns offense woke up in a big way last week and Hodge still only had two catches for 39 yards. There is only room for two receivers in fantasy football for Cleveland, and Hodge isn't one of them. Moving on. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Quinton Dunbar SEA | Right now it is Gallup who is the odd man out in the Cowboys pass game as he has just five catches in two games. The good news for him is that Seattle's secondary hasn't been able to stop anyone. Dunbar isn't a bad corner, but he sure hasn't been playing like it lately. He has allowed a 58 percent catch rate, and also has allowed two yards per route covered which is an atrocious number. It might be tough to feel good about Gallup after two games, but he has a great matchup for Week 3 and definitely belongs in your lineups. |
| K.J. Hamler DEN | Carlton Davis TB | The rookie saw his first action, and saw a very healthy seven targets. He didn't do much with them with just three catches for 48 yards, but it was encouraging to see the attention he got. With a backup quarterback and a rookie in his second game, I wouldn't suggest using Hamler this week, but he definitely deserves to be watched this week to see his rapport with the new quaterback. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Dre Kirkpatrick ARI | OK, now THIS week I really think that Golladay will be back. Jones has struggled as the top receiver on the team, and has just eight catches so far. Assuming Golladay will return, that means that the opposing defense's top corner will not be on Jones, and he has a better chance at success. He gets to face more of Dre Kirkpatrick who has a grade of 40 out of 100 in coverage according to PFF through two weeks. Jones is a solid WR3 for Week 3. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Janoris Jenkins NO | Valdes-Scantling was better than decent again, although I feel the need to remind you that the Packers haven't even played a decent secondary yet. The Saints have a great secondary, and so far Jenkins hasn't been the one getting burned often. He is actually the fifth highest graded corner so far in 2020, so this might be the game to let MVS have a rest on your bench. |
| Will Fuller HOU | Joe Haden PIT | Raise your hand if Will Fuller has burned you before by injury or some unexplainable absence! Oh, I see a lot of hands there! Yes, Fuller played last Sunday, but wasn't targeted and spent a lot of time on the sidelines. There have been rumblings of a hamstring injury. The Steelers secondary has been good, but not as good as their run defense. Unless there is some sort of report from the team, you have to figure that he is out there. Deshaun Watson hasn't been great this season, but he can break out against any defense. Give Fuller a chance if you hate yourself or have an appointment with your therapist on Monday. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Bless Austin NYJ | He is going to have no choice now but to have more of a role in the offense with Parris Campbell on the shelf for a while. Pittman was targeted six times on Sunday, but still hasn't made any big plays. Now with a couple of games under his belt, he is ready to make some headway. I shouldn't have to go into much statistical analysis on how bad the Jets secondary is if you have watched them at all this season. It is bad. Pittman is a decent flex option for seasonal leagues. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Noah Igbinoghene MIA | I am starting to develop quite the crush on Shenault. He has had just four targets in each of the first two games, but he has caught three in each one. And while his yardage total isn't impressive, he did get an added wrinkle with five rushing carries for another 37 yards. If the Jags continue to utilize him in this way, his value will only increase. This is a guy that I think will improve more as the season progresses. Igbinoghene isn't the worst corner in the league, but he is someone to definitely target. The Dolphins secondary isn't great fully healthy, but down their best corner means that Minshew should do well. Look for Shenault to be a flex option. |
| Sammy Watkins KC | Marcus Peters BAL | Who fell for Week 1 Watkins again? Yeah, I know he left late with a head injury, but that was the fourth quarter and Watkins had one big catch last week. Sure, it was against a good secondary, but this guy isn't that good. I'm sorry. He isn't going to have it any easier against Baltimore this week, and not only do I think that he shouldn't be in your starting lineups, I would kick him to the waiver wire. |
| Van Jefferson LAR | Levi Wallace BUF | The Rams are barely making two wide receivers fantasy relevant in the beginning of 2020, there is no way that you can consider a third, especially with work going to the tight end. Jefferson has a chance of being an exciting player, but he will need more time to grow and to avoid the Bills secondary. He is not someone under fantasy consideration for Week 3. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Rasul Douglas CAR | The Panthers secondary is bad, but Guyton isn't even in play here. The Chargers pass offense goes through two receivers, the tight end, and now two running backs. Guyton isn't even remotely on the fantasy radar. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | J.C. Jackson NE | I have been disappointed with Edwards through two weeks, and defintely thought that he would have more than three targets so far. He did catch both opportunities last week for 42 yards, but we need to see him have several games with at least five targets before you can think of using him. He has three tough matchups coming with the Patriots, Bills, and Chiefs. You can probably part ways with him right now. |
| Preston Williams MIA | C.J. Henderson JAX | It has been a very disappointing start for Williams, but let's not forget it was against two of the best secondaries in the league in New England and Buffalo. Things will be VERY different on Thursday as he faces the Jaguars. The Jacksonville secondary has been very beatable this season, but Henderson does grade out as the third best corner according to PFF. We drafted Williams as a bit of a sleeper, but he could sneak into your flex this week. |
| Bisi Johnson MIN | Johnathan Joseph TEN | Yawn! The Vikings pass offense is a mess after Adam Thielen, and eventually Johnson will give way to rookie Justin Jefferson. He has just seven targets in two weeks, and is not on the fantasy radar, regardless of opponent. |
| Damiere Byrd NE | Damon Arnette LV | Byrd had a great day last week with nine targets, but let's remember that the Patriots don't want to throw as much as they did last week, but had to in order to try to keep up with the Seahawks. He is the third receiver on a team that wants to be balanced and is definitely behind Julian Edelman and N'Keal Harry. If you want to get real cute and use him this isn't a bad week as Arnette is allowing an 89 percent catch rate through two week, but I would suggest against it. |
| Deonte Harris NO | Kevin King GB | He certainly was the one to make the most out of Michael Thomas being out, but he also was playing a cupcake defense in Vegas. I literally just said how bad Arnette is. Smith gets a tougher matchup against the Packers and King who has allowed just .13 yards per route covered which is a very good number. However, with Drew Brees and the Saints offense still being among the best, Smith can certainly be in your lineups until Thomas returns. |
| Damion Ratley NYG | Ahkello Witherspoon SF | Even with Sterling Shepard out, there aren't going to be enough targets to make another player fantasy relevant. It will be Slayton, Tate, and Engram, and the rest will just be dribs and drabs, but nothing that you need to be concerned with for your fantasy or DFS rosters. |
| Chris Hogan NYJ | T.J. Carrie IND | Assuming Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman are healthy, which look like a real possibility, Hogan becomes irrelevant. He did have six catches last week, but the Jets were down to no healthy receivers. Hogan had just one catch on four targets in the first week when everyone is good, and right now the Jets offense can't move the ball against a high school team. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Darius Phillips CIN | He still only had four targets, but he did play the most snaps of any Philly wide receiver. The best is yet to come for this kid, and the production will increase as the season progresses. He has big play ability, and we just saw what the Browns did to this terrible Bengals secondary. Reagor will carry flex consideration for Week 3. |
| James Washington PIT | Eric Murray HOU | Diontae Johnson is clearly the number two receiver in Pittsburgh, and Robinson has just five catches for 56 yards in two games. The Texans secondary isn't good at all and there is a chance that Washington could luck into a touchdown, but right now he not someone you can use on a weekly basis. |
| Kendrick Bourne SF | Corey Ballentine NYG | With Deebo Samuel back and Brandon Aiyuk not ready to be a solid option yet, Bourne still is a reasonable option. George Kittle is not 100 percent even if he plays. The Giants secondary is terrible and Ballantine is allowing an 86 percent catch rate. Even with a backup quarterback, Bourne could be a sneaky flex play for your Week 3 lineups if you are dealing with injuries. |
| David Moore SEA | Trevon Diggs DAL | He has just three catches in each of the first two games, and the Seahawks offense really is dominated by the top two receivers. Even Greg Olsen was barely involved last week. Moore did catch a touchdown last week, but I would be surprised if he had more than three all season. The Cowboys secondary is a little better than average and Moore is not on the fantasy radar. |
| Scotty Miller TB | Bryce Callahan DEN | I think we trusted Miller a little too much with Godwin out last week and he dropped a dud against the terrible Panthers. The Broncos defense will be without A.J. Bouye, which means their secondary will be weaker. They are allowing 274 yards per game through the air. Chris Godwin will be back this week, so Miller might have some low level PPR value and could be a tough flex call. |
| Kalif Raymond TEN | Jeff Gladney MIN | This is assuming that A.J. Brown won't play, and the Titans offense isn't great past Derrick Henry and Jonnu Smith. Even if he gets the start, Raymond isn't even in the realm of fantasy relevance even against a terrible secondary. |
| Dontrelle Inman WAS | Terrance Mitchell CLE | He has five targets in each of the first two games, but just four catches to show for it and 38 yards. The Football Team pass offense can support McLaurin and Logan Thomas at tight end, but even slot receiver Steven Sims is ahead of Inman. He is not on the fantasy at all. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 3.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Jeremy Chinn CAR | He disappoints against the Chiefs, but then came up with a near one hundred yard game against the Chiefs. Go figure. The Panthers have at least one solid corner in Donte Jackson, but Chinn has lined up in the slot more than the others so far. He is graded at 43 out of 100 (that's not good) on PFF so far through two weeks, and Allen is one of the better receivers in football. Justin Herbert will be under center who is the quarterback that looked more to Allen. He is a great option in fantasy games of any format this weekend. |
| Julian Edelman NE | Lamarcus Joyner LV | The Patriots are not going to throw as much as they did last week for sure when Edelman had a huge breakout game, but it was good to see that they could. It was also great the Cam Newton looked to Edelman a lot. The Raiders secondary hasn't been good and Joyner has been a part of that. He is allowing a 69 percent catch rate and 1.54 yards per route covered. A decent corner keeps that under .50. Edelman makes a great play in your seasonal leagues again in Week 3. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Essang Bassey DEN | Playing the Buccaneers is a bad time to have an injured secondary, but that is where the Broncos sit. Bassey is completely awful, but he has been the slot corner 95 percent of the time this season. It really doesn’t matter who is on Godwin because none of them are good enough to stop him. He has already been cleared from concussion protocol, and should have at least 80 yards on seven catches in this one and I am predicting a touchdown. |
| Juju Smith-Schuster PIT | Vernon Hargreaves HOU | This one should be a field day for the Steelers as they have been gifted multiple easy secondaries to start the season. If you need proof that the Texans secondary is bad, I offer that you watch the first two games of the season, or at least look at the box score. Smith-Schuster is going to be helped by the emergence of Diontae Johnson, and defenses won't be able to focus on him as much. With Big Ben back, Smith-Schuster is a shoe in for success on Sunday. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Jourdan Lewis DAL | The Seahawks proved last week that their passing game can't be stopped at the moment, and the Cowboys shouldn't offer much resistance coming off a week they allowed 39 points to the Falcons. Lockett might be ceding some work to D.K. Metcalf, but this guy is still really good. Russell Wilson is on fire, and if the Patriots couldn't stop the Seahawks, what chance to the Cowboys have? Lockett is a great option again this week. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Nickell Robey-Coleman PHI | The Bengals have had quite the interesting start to the season, but considering he had no preseason, Joe Burrow has done well. After a disappointing first week, Boyd had seven catches for 72 yards and a touchdown against the Browns last Thursday. With extra time to preapre for this game, the Bengals offense should do well. The Eagles secondary is terrible, and Robey-Coleman ranks 94th out of the top 100 corners in the league. That is awful and Boyd is in for a great game. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Ugo Amadi SEA | The Cowboys rookie has been better than we expected, and he has outplayed Michael Gallup through two games. The Cowboys passing game has been explosive thus far, and Lamb had a 100-yard game last week. He has 11 catches in two weeks, and this one should be a shootout. He has great speed, and runs good routes. Amadi has allowed an 83 percent catch rate in the early going, and that is great news for Lamb. He is a great option in seasonal leagues as well as a DFS choice as well. |
| Russell Gage ATL | Buster Skrine CHI | He is off to a great start with 15 catches, 160 yards and a touchdown through two games, and now Julio Jones isn't practicing with a hamstring injury. If Jones plays, Gage is still a solid option as a third receiver because Julio could still be limited. If Jones doesn't play, Gage becomes even more intriguing. Buster Skrine is an average slot corner, and is a very beatable player. The Bears have given up pretty decent games to Danny Amendola and Golden Tate out of the slot so far, and Gage is better than both of them. |
| Keelan Cole JAX | Nik Needham MIA | He has been great so far with 11 catches on 12 targets, and with Dede Westbrook not a factor, Cole has been taking full advantage. He has a touchdown in each game, even if he only has 105 receiving yards. You can't argue with the volume, and he gets a great matchup on Thursday. I picked on Nik Needham a lot last year with great success, and 2020 is no different. He has allowed a ridiculous 83 percent catch rate this season, and is ranked 97th in PFFs top 100 corners. I don't know that I believe in Cole for the whole season, but he is nearly a lock for Thursday night. |
| Golden Tate NYG | K'Waun Williams SF | This one is more based on opportunity than it is about the matchup. Sterling Shepard is out, and when that happens, Tate always does much better. The 49ers defense is also banged up with their pass rush and Richard Sherman is still out. Williams is actually a pretty good slot corner, Tate should get enough targets to make this a day where he can score you 12-14 fantasy points. |
Elite
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Jeff Okudah
There is just no hotter receiver than Hopkins right now. He has 25 targets and 22 catches through two weeks against two reasonably good secondaries. His connection with Kyler Murray is undeniable right off the bat. His hands are impeccable, and right now there isn’t a cornerback that can cover him. To make this situation even better, the Cardinals face the Lions whose secondary is pretty bad. They have already allowed five passing touchdowns in just two weeks and they played Mitch Trubisky and Aaron Rodgers and the Packers just stopped throwing in the second half. Hopkins will be worth his salary and then some for your Week 3 lineups.
DK Metcalf vs. Chidobe Awuzie
Even though I am the furthest thing from a fan of the team, I just like Metcalf a little more each week. His size, his hands, his passion, and the effort that he puts out on the field. If there is a contested catch Metcalf is probably going to come down with it. Despite the fact that the Cowboys are giving up points in bunches, Awuzie isn’t off to a bad start. Metcalf beat the best corner in the league last week in Stephon Gilmore , so a slightly better than average corner in Awuzie should be no problem. There should be no problem with him getting 80 yards and a touchdown at the least.
Affordable
Allen Robinson vs. Isaiah Oliver
It has been a very frustrating start to the season for Robinson between bad quarterback play and his contract situation. What better way to make your season better than a matchup with the Falcons. Robinson has nine targets in each of the first two games, so it is just a matter of time before the connections start. Oliver is one of the worst corners in the league, and Robinson can do some major damage in this one. The Bears are going to have to throw to keep up with Atlanta’s offense and Robinson should come out with his first 100 yard game and a touchdown.
CeeDee Lamb vs Ugochukwu Amadi
Let’s look at the facts here. The Cowboys have been playing from behind basically all season long. Their secondary stinks. Seattle has been playing amazing on offense and just torched the Patriots. This is the highest over/under total on the slate and is absolutely setting up to be a shootout. The facts also say that the Cowboys have thrown a ton, and that Lamb has more targets, catches, and yards than Michael Gallup . The Seahawks secondary has also been awful, setting this up to be a game where Dak Prescott throws for a minimum of 300 yards. Any of the receivers in this game are definitely in play, and Lamb is one that can get you great production while saving you some money.
Bargain Bin
Russell Gage vs. Buster Skrine
Julio Jones dealt with hamstring problems last week and couldn’t even finish the game. He did not practice on Wednesday, and the coaching staff showed more concern than we had previously heard. The Falcons pass game has been good for over 350 yards per game through the air after two games and while the Bears defense is good, they aren’t unbeatable. However, of all of their corners Skrine is by far the guy you can throw on. Gage is really coming into his own right now, and assuming that Jones doesn’t play Gage will be a great lower salary option.
Michael Pittman vs. Blessuan Austin
He saw his targets go from two targets to six in the first two games of the season, and now with Parris Campbell out, that makes Pittman a starter. Star receiver T.Y. Hilton hasn’t been his usual self either, and Jack Doyle is still out. Pittman has a lot of talent, and now he will have more opportunity. The Jets secondary has already given up four passing touchdowns in the first two weeks, including two to Jimmy Garoppolo last week who could barely stand on his busted ankle. Philip Rivers hasn’t been a stud yet this season, but he should be good enough to beat the Jets secondary. Look for Pittman to be a solid option for a reasonable price.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.