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. 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 | Donte Jackson CAR | He can't be stopped! Hopkins had another ten catches last Sunday against the Lions, and while he didn't find the endzone it is hard to complain about 137 receiving yards. He continues to have an amazing connection with Kyler Murray, and he will be an every week starter all season. Donte Jackson is the best corner that Carolina has, but he still only grades out at 64.5 out of 100 for coverage on Pro Football Focus. The Panthers allow nearly 260 yards per game through the air, and Murray and Hopkins should just toy with them. Be sure he is in your lineups in Week 4. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Jaire Alexander GB | If Jones is able to practice at all, he is a must-start for you in seasonal leagues despite leaving a game early when sustaining the injury. He won't be a DFS target against Jaire Alexander who is currently the second best corner in the game this season according to Pro Football Focus. Even with that, the Packers secondary will struggle to completely keep Jones in check for 60 minutes. He might not explode of a ten catch, 150 yard game, but Julio should still give you six or seven catches for 70-75 yards in Week 4. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Kendall Fuller WAS | After a solid first week, Brown has really fallen flat the last two weeks with a combined seven catches for 55 yards. For an average slot receiver that isn't too bad, but for a number one receiver that is not good. He is out of sync with his quarterback and Lamar Jackson is struggling to connect on the long ball right now. The Football Team secondary is actually quite strong with four guys inside the top 30 on PFF. Baltimore is running the ball well, but until we see some more efficiency in the pass game it might be best to find an alternative for Hollywood this week. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Trayvon Mullen OAK | Despite having to deal with Jalen Ramsey, the Bills top receiver still ended up with a pretty good day considering. He only had six targets but he caught four of them for 49 yards and a score. That is now two touchdowns in the last three weeks heading into this indoor game against the Raiders. Damon Arnette just went out with an injury, meaning the Raiders are down a corner which should further hurt their cause of trying to stop a Bills pass offense that is firing on all cylinders. That is a bad thing for Vegas considering they were already giving up a lot through the air. Diggs will be a solid season long and DFS option. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Patrick Peterson ARI | What a crash and burn Week 3 was for Moore as he was just targeted four times and came down with two for 65 yards. The Chargers secondary is very good, but a top flight receiver should still do more than that. He is also still yet to find the end zone. The Panthers are understandably struggling without Christian McCaffrey, and they will now face the Cardinals defense that features Patrick Peterson. He has been a little off from his usual shutdown status, but with Moore being average in two of his four games I would definitely shy away from him in DFS contests. As far as your season long leagues I find it hard to believe that you have three or four receivers better than Moore so he is almost likely your flex player at the worst. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Xavier Rhodes IND | No one was happier with the quarterback change in Chicago than Allen Robinson. After just eight catches on 18 targets in two weeks, Robinson had ten catches for 123 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons. Nick Foles is a much more accurate, reliable quarterback, and clearly has a better connection with Robinson. Rhodes is the number one ranked cornerback after three weeks on PFF, but the Colts have only played pretty subpar offenses to this point. Robinson might not have another ten catches, but he will still get six or seven catches for 75-80 yards and hopefully a touchdown. |
| A.J. Green CIN | Tre Herndon JAX | The arrow seems to be pointing down some for Green, or at least maybe it is best said that the arrow is pointing up for others on the team. Tyler Boyd is establishing himself as the most targeted receiver on the team, and rookie Tee Higgins came out and put the league on notice that he is an up and comer. Green is still getting the respect of the league of the opposing defense's best corner, but that might be changing soon. The good news for Green is that the Jags don't have a number one corner as far as skills are concerned, as Herndon is the 85th ranked corner according to Pro Football Focus. If you were going to roll with Green, this might be a good week to do it. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Trevon Diggs DAL | It is weird to say for a receiver that people regard as one of the top 20 in the league, but Beckham's production is very dependent on how the game is going. Getting crushed by the Ravens in Week 1 he did poorly, in a competitive game against the Bengals he did fairly well in Week 2, and with a comfortable lead he again wasn't great in Week 3. This should be a Week 2 type game as the Cowboys have a great offense and the Browns are going to have to throw to stay in it. Diggs was victimized more than once by D.K. Metcalf last week against Seattle, and Beckham should be able to get away from him for a touchdown in this one. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Denzel Ward CLE | The Browns secondary is all beat up right now and there is no guarantee that Ward will even be able to play in this one. If he can, that will at least offer some resistance to Cooper who hasn't been under 80 yards in a game yet. The Cowboys offense is certainly firing away right now, although they haven't played great defenses yet. Dallas should threaten to score 30 points again in this one, and against a compromised Ward or a lesser corner, this should be a big one for Cooper. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | Pierre Desir NYJ | Ugh, the Broncos quarterback situation is a mess right now as they turn to third stringer Brett Rypien. He and Jeff Driskel split the job last week and a less than 100 percent Jeudy still had five catches for 55 yards. Unfortunately, you probably can't expect a lot more than that until Drew Lock returns. Pierre Desir is actually a pretty decent corner, and the Jets secondary hasn't been terrible. They allow just 239 yards per game on the ground, and against Rypien they should allow less than that. Jeudy is very likely to be in the five or six catch range with 55-70 yards. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Marshon Lattimore NO | He was pretty good in his first game back against the Cardinals with six catches and 57 yards and a score. He showed a little rust, but no real lingering effects from the injury. He goes from Patrick Peterson last week to Marshon Lattimore this week. Both are former dominant, elite corners who aren't exactly playing like it to this point. Quarterbacks tend to stay away from Lattimore as he is only being targetd in ten percent of routes run, but when they do throw at him this year they are finding success as he is giving up an 83 percent catch rate. Golladay likely won't see more than the seven targets he had last week, but he should come up with four or five catches for 60-65 yards and likely a touchdown. |
| Davante Adams GB | Isaiah Oliver ATL | He was a no go last week, but Adams was ruled out so close to gametime last week that I would bet that he will be fine of this week. Extra motivation for Adams to get back on the field is a date with the awful Falcons, although the team could be cautious with him considering they have a bye in Week 5. The offense needs him to keep up with the Falcons though so expect Adams to play. Oliver is being targeted at a 17 percent clip, and is allowing nearly two yards per route covered, which is a stat where you'd love to see your corner under .25. If Adams can play he will be a volume beast and an absolute must-start in seasonal games. If he is a game-time decision or doesn't practice much you might want to avoid him in DFS games. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Holton Hill MIN | So far the only game that Cooks has done well in has been the one that Will Fuller barely played. In the two games that the Texans have had their full complement of receivers, Cooks has five catches for 43 yards. Those games also came against good defenses in Kansas City and Pittsburgh. This week will tell a big tale as the Texans play the Vikings who don't resemble a good defense in any way. Hill is ranked as the 104th corner in the league by Pro Football Focus which basically means he should be playing special teams. This is a week to give Cooks a shot in your flex and hope that he comes through. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Kyle Fuller CHI | Philip Rivers hasn’t been running an efficient offense, nor is he delivering the long ball effectively, if at all. His has had a negative effect on Hilton and his production and he only has 133 receiving yards in three games. The Colts are basically down to Hilton and Pascal at receiver so you would think he would have to get more volume, but I can't say that I am confident. Fuller is playing well as he is being targeted 17 percent of the time, but still only allowing a 45 percent catch rate. You might play Hilton at your flex because of his name value, but the Colts might struggle to throw the ball effectively in this one. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | William Jackson CIN | He was able to practice on Wednesday which bodes well for his return to the field after missing last Thursday's game. The Jacksonville offense was completely out of sync without him, despite the fact that he only has seven targets in two games. The Bengals have played better than you think, and William Jackson has played better than you'd think, and is ranked in the top ten corners according to PFF. Jackson is allowing a 59 percent catch rate and outside of that one long pass to Odell Beckham has been solid. Chark will have a tough time with him, but he still should have 70-75 yards in this one and should be in your starting lineups. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | J.C. Jackson NE | He has exactly five catches and a touchdown in each game so far, as the Chiefs offense is just on fire right now. Hill doesn't always get a ton of targets, but it is always just a matter of time before he makes a big play. He faces a great Patriots defense and will be blanketed by J.C. Jackson who is ranked as the fifth best corner so far by PFF. The Seahawks torched the Patriots defense, and I expect the Chiefs to be able to drop 30 points on them as well. Like last week, I will again predict 14-16 fantasy points for Hill in PPR leagues. |
| Robert Woods LAR | James Bradberry NYG | He did much better than I thought he would last week against the Bills, and now it will be like a whole new contest against the Giants. Woods has had two great games sandwiched around a bad one, and this one should be set to be the best one yet. The Giants pass defense was just crushed by the 49ers backup quarterback with multiple hurt receivers. James Bradberry is actually the third ranked corner by PFF so far, allowing just a 42 percent catch rate despite being targeted on 18 percent of routes. I still expect the Rams to rack up the yards and points on the Giants considering how well the Rams did against the Bills last week. Woods is a great option in seasonal and DFS games. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Carlton Davis TB | No one has been more negatively effected by the switch to Justin Herbert than Williams. After a four catch, 69 yard opener with Tyrod Taylor, Williams has just three catches for 31 yards in the two games since, including one against the Panthers. The Bucs secondary is improving by the week, and Sean Murphy-Buntin is one of the more improved corners from 2019. He is ranked inside the top 20 corners by Pro Football Focus and they grade him at 72.8 out of 100 in coverage which is ninth best among corners. You can certainly find a better option than Williams in Week 4. |
| Nelson Agholor LV | Tre'Davious White BUF | In small doses Agholor has had some success in this league, but when needed for a long stretch, he always comes up small. His hands are unreliable, and he isn't the best route runner. He will get a chance with Bryan Edwards and Henry Ruggs out, but against the Bills and Tre'Davious White, Agholor barely stands a chance. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Shaquill Griffin SEA | He caught all five of his targets for 69 yards last Thursday against the Jaguars and looked dominating at time Parker has not quite picked up where he left off, but he has shown the ability to be a number one receiver despite playing two elite defenses in three weeks. This one will be easier as the Seahawks pass defense has been the worst in football, allowing a mind-blowing 430 yards per game. Miami will have to throw plenty to try to keep up with the awesome Seattle offense, and Parker has a shot at a 100 yard game with a touchdown this weekend. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Bradley Roby HOU | He does have three touchdowns in three weeks, but Thielen also only has three catches in each of the last two games. He was outshined by rookie Justin Jefferson last week, but that won't be a regular occurrence. The Vikings pass offense has struggled this season, but Thielen is still the best receiver on this team. Despite having a struggling pass offense, Thielen should fair quite well against the Texans. Roby is playing decently, allowing a 71 percent catch rate and .87 fantasy points per route run. Neither are great numbers, but neither is awful Thielen might not be worth a DFS roster spot but should be in your seasonal lineups. |
| N'Keal Harry NE | Charvarious Ward KC | So it appears that we celebrated too soon on the arrival of Harry's fantasy value. A week after a dozen targets and eight catches for 72 yards, Harry's numbers fell to two catches for 34 yards against a bad Raiders secondary. The Patriots appear to want to run the ball or throw to backs when their offense is running well. They will only throw a lot when they have to in order to stay in the game. This week could be that case as they travel to Kansas City against the best offense in football. This could make Harry a sneaky flex play or a dart throw in DFS games. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Jeff Okudah DET | He was able to practice on Wednesday, although we do not know how much he actually did. However, the fact that he practiced at all is great for his chances on Sunday. No matter the defense, Thomas is always a start in season long leagues. I wouldn't target him in DFS games, especially since Jeff Okudah is actually performing quite well so far as a rookie. The Lions secondary past him isn't very good, but the first-round pick is living up to expectations so far. He gets the test of his life against Thomas, and I think the best receiver in the game wins this one on Sunday. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Jalen Ramsey LAR | The Giants top receiver has had a tough road to start the season with games against the Steelers, Bears, and Niners to begin the year. It gets no easier as he faces Jalen Ramsey and the Rams in Week 4. As good as the defenses have been so far, Ramsey might be the best corner he has faced. If you truly have no better options you can use Slayton, but you should already know how good Ramsey is and try to find another option. |
| Braxton Berrios NYJ | Michael Ojemudia DEN | Despite this disaster of an offense, Berrios has ten catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns over the past two weeks against fairly decent defenses. He clearly has formed a nice little rapport with Sam Darnold, and could be the only thing fantasy relevant to come out of the Jets this year. Honestly, if you are a player who has dealt with a nasty injury bug, I think you can do worse than Berrios. Jamison Crowder is working his way back, but Breshad Perriman is still a question mark. It could be short term value and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't hate Berrios on the Jets going forward. |
| DeSean Jackson PHI | Emmanuel Moseley SF | He didn't practice Wednesday, but Jackson is an experienced veteran who doesn't really need much, if any practice time to be ready for a game. He hasn't had a very good start to the season, and only has 121 yards through three games. Adding a gimpy hammy to the equation doesn't really add much confidence. The whole Philly passing game has been running in quick sand so far in 2020, and a matchup against Moseley and the 49ers doesn't make it any better. Monitor his practice reports for the rest of the week, but right now it looks like you really should have better options than D-Jax for Week 4. |
| James Washington PIT | Malcolm Butler TEN | Diontae Johnson is in the league's concussion protocol and I am going to proceed as if he is not going to play this weekend. Washington enjoyed his most targets (7) with Johnson leaving early, but it still only produced 36 yards on five catches. Malcolm Butler is being targeted heavily with a 19 percent rate per route run, and is allowing a respectable 62 percent catch rate. Washington will see more targets with Johnson out, and is a decent flex play on Sunday but with less upside than Diontae if he were playing. You likely could still have better options on your roster, but if you have been dealing with injuries you could certainly do worse. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Xavien Howard MIA | I am still a little mad at him for the showboating that took away a second touchdown as it was the difference of me cashing several DFS lineups last week, but Metcalf still showed how he is head and shoulders above most defenders. He is big, he is fast, and he has great hands and should be a top ten receiver by season's end. Xavien Howard is a top ten corner according to PFF so far this season, and is allowing just a 55 percent catch rate. However, Metcalf is such a unique talent that I don't think that even the best corners can lock him down all game. Start him with confidence in all DFS and season long lineups. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Darius Slay PHI | I had no faith in Aiyuk last week and he proved me wrong as he had five catches for 70 yards and three carries for another 31 yards including an easy touchdown where he wasn't touched. That was against the Giants defense, but the Eagles D isn't much better. He might have to deal with Darius Slay, but Head Coach Kyle Shanahan is so good at designing plays to get his ball carriers in space that Aiyuk should still have a minimum of 75 total yards and likely will find the end zone again no matter who is playing quarterback. Aiyuk should continue to hold fantasy value for the weeks coming forward. |
| Mike Evans TB | Casey Hayward LAC | It has been a very strange season for Evans to this point as he has multiple touchdown receptions inside the five yard line when he is used to being the deep ball threat. Some of that is the injuries to Chris Godwin and I think some of that is due to the arm strength of Tom Brady. Regardless, Evans is doing quite well. Godwin is laready ruled out for this game, so you can expect Casey Hayward to be all over Evans. The multiple time Pro Bowler is not playing up to his reputation so far and is graded just 49.7 out of 100 by PFF so far this season. The Chargers have a strong defense and secondary, but Evans should still be expected to produce 75 yards and a touchdown in this one. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Steven Nelson PIT | We are still unsure of his status, but I am hopeful that Brown is able to play this week. However, even if he does you might want to continue to use whatever substitute you have been going with for the last two weeks due to a really tough matchup against the Steelers. Pittsburgh's secondary is only giving up about 236 yards per game, and the Titans pass game isn't prolific to begin with. Brown could be a flex option with some risk, but might be best served on your bench even if he does play. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Jimmy Smith BAL | It will be a tough week for Washington's offense against a really tough Ravens secondary despite what you just watched Kansas City do to it on Monday night. Jimmy Smith it only being targeted on eight percent of routes run, and is allowing jjust .11 fantasy points per route and is still one of the best in the business. The Ravens pass defense numbers are skewed thanks to the beating that the Chiefs laid on them, but it is a strong group. That being said I still think that McLaurin will get his, and is worth a starting spot in all 12 team leagues. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| KeeSean Johnson ARI | Rasul Douglas CAR | He came off of the team's Covid list to have the second most targets on the team in Week 3. Of course, it only ended up being two catches for 24 yards, as Kyler Murray had more success with Andy Isabella. Johnson isn't a bad receiver, even if he was a sixth round pick last year. Continue to monitor his usage. You like to see targets like that, and perhaps if he is just shaking off some rust he could be useful in the future. Don't put him on your roster yet, but see how he does this week against the putrid Panthers. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Kevin King GB | He has yet to find a defense that can stop him. Ridley wasn't as efficient last week, but he still had a great 13 targets with Julio Jones out of the lineup. He finished with five catches for 110 yards and failed to find the end zone for the first time this seaons. Whether Jones is in or not is really irrelevant to this guy's value anymore. He can beat the best corners, he will just be slightly more valuable if Julio can play especially if Russell Gage can't go with the concussion. Kevin King is a quality corner, and is only being targeted on 11 percent of routes run. Unfortunately, Ridley is just a beast and can't be stopped. He will be a viable option in daily and seasonal leagues. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Ronald Darby WAS | He has 11 targets in three weeks. Sure, he has been fairly efficient with eight catches, but it has added up to a whopping 83 yards. The Ravens pass game is barely keeping Mark Andrews and Hollywood Brown startable. Boykin is going to have to see an uptick in usage for several weeks before I consider even putting him on a roster. |
| Gabriel Davis BUF | Lamarcus Joyner LV | John Brown was not able to practice on Wednesday, which leaves it a good chance that he will not be out there on Sunday in Vegas. Davis doesn't have much value when the Bills receivers are all healthy, but he caught all four targets for 81 yards last week against the Rams. Cole Beasley will still be the second receiver after Stefon Diggs, but that should still give a decent number of chances to Davis. He is a long dart throw in DFS GPPs, but the Raiders just lost a starting corner to injury, so an already not great group has to go a little farther down the depth chart. If John Brown doesn't play take a look at Davis. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Dre Kirkpatrick ARI | He didn't have 100 yards, but in PPR leagues Anderson still finished with a respectable ten fantasy points against a strong Chargers secondary. He still led the team in targets, which is a great sign. D.J. Moore still requires the attention of the top corner, and that helps Anderson get more room. He is showing more versatility in Carolina also, running all sorts of routes. The Cardinals secondary is not off to a good start, and Kirkpatrick is graded at just a 41.4 out of 100 on Pro Football Focus. The Panthers should have to throw plenty in the second half to keep up with Kyler Murray and that offense, and Anderson should be the top receiver again. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | T.J. Carrie IND | After seeming to get some traction with Mitchell Trubisky, Mooney might be the one guy who is worse off with the transition to Nick Foles. He did have his highest target number last week at five, but it was good for just two catches and 19 yards. Foles is clearly going to favor Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, and Jimmy Graham going forward. While the Colts haven't played a good offense yet, their corners look great so far. Carrie is allowing just a 40 percent catch rate and his fantasy points per route is .05 which is an elite number. Mooney doesn't stand a chance on Sunday. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | C.J. Henderson JAX | He has outplayed John Ross enough that the Bengals didn't even dress Ross on Sunday, and then Higgins came out and had nine targets which was second on the team to Tyler Boyd. He finished with five catches for 40 yards and two touchdowns. Granted, it was against a subpar Eagles secondary, but the competition doesn't get any tougher this week. C.J. Henderson hasn't played bad for a rookie and he is inside of PFF's top 50 cornerbacks through three weeks, but he has been burned at times, and the Jags secondary has given up seven passing touchdowns in just three weeks. Look for Higgins to continue to get more targets than Green, and be a more valuable fantasy player going forward. |
| KhaDarel Hodge CLE | Jourdan Lewis DAL | 3…2….1....that isn't a countdown to an explosion, that is Hodge's target numbers over the first three weeks of the year. And in Week 3 he didn't even have a catch. The sad part is he is the third receiver on the team. After Beckham and Landry and the running backs, there aren't many scraps to go around. He might be the least fantasy relevant player in this article. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Terrance Mitchell CLE | He more than doubled his season production in Week 3 alone, as the Seahawks secondary had no answer for him. It was the first time this season that he outproduced CeeDee Lamb as well. Gallup is a very talented big-play receiver and just needed a kick start to get going. The Cowboys are throwing at a crazy rate so far this season, and it should continue this week. However, he faces off against Terrance Mitchell who is ranked 11th among cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus and is allowing just a 37 percent catch rate. This might be a CeeDee Lamb week, but I would still put Gallup in my season long lineups. |
| K.J. Hamler DEN | Bless Austin NYJ | This kid is going to get ruined by his quarterback play. The outlook was so nice with Drew Lock throwing to Hamler, but then it went to Jeff Driskel and now Brett Rypien. Maybe the kid can play, but I certainly wouldn't risk a starting spot in my lineup on a third string quarterback. Hopefully when Lock comes back you can think about using Hamler again, or maybe we will be surprised by Rypien, but I am certainly not holding my breath. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Janoris Jenkins NO | The Lions have played three pretty good defenses to start the season, but none have been elite. And after three weeks Jones is sitting there with just 11 catches for not even 130 yards and one touchdown. I drafted him a bunch and have to admit I am super concerned. This will be the test this week because Janoris Jenkins has been playing terrible to start the season, as he has been burned for several touchdowns in the early going. I would give Jones once last shot in my flex spot unless you are confident in three or four other receivers in front of him. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Darqueze Dennard ATL | This might be the last week that I would trust Valdes-Scantling and that is only because of the tasty matchup. Atlanta is giving up a ridiculous 350 yards per game through the air and has allowed nine passing touchdowns in three weeks. No, that isn't a typo. I think that is as deep into statistical analysis as I should need to go here. If Valdes-Scantling doesn't have at least 60 yards and a touchdown you should get him off your roster right away. Which is good timing, because the Packers have their bye after this week. MVS is a flex play at worst. |
| Will Fuller HOU | Kris Boyd MIN | It was good to see some decent production out of Fuller a week after he gave you the old goose egg. The Texans have had three tough defenses to start the year, and now the dark clouds have parted and Houston is left with a great gift of the Vikings garbage secondary on Sunday. Minnesota is allowing nearly 300 yards a game on the ground, and you can take your pick from their corners because none of them are any good. This should be a smash spot for Fuller, and he will be a great option in season long and DFS games as long as he doesn't leave early with an injury. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Jayon Johnson CHI | Parris Campbell is gone. Now Michael Pittman is gone. T.Y. Hilton has disappointed. This will put Pascal back into the starting lineup, but the Colts have been drafting wide receivers for the past two seasons specifically because this guy isn't good enough. He wouldn't barely be out there if the team was fully healthy, and the entire Bears secondary is really good. Jaylon Johnson is a top 20 corner according to PFF and is allowing just .17 fantasy points per route covered which is a great number. Pascal isn't worth a look this week. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Darius Phillips CIN | I love this kid's talent, I just worry about the opportunity. Shenault did have a season high six targets last week, but the Jags pass game could get nothing going, and he only ended up with 33 yards. He has great skill at making the big play, he just hasn't been able to pop many off yet. I like his chances against the Bengals defense, although they have been playing tougher than you would think. Darius Phillips hasn't been playing too bad for the Bengals and is allowing just a 45 percent catch rate. Shenault has the skills to become a star, I just worry that the Jacksonville offense doesn't provide him enough chances to realize that potential. |
| Sammy Watkins KC | Stephon Gilmore NE | If Sammy Watkins was on The Office he would have gotten a Dundie for the least consistent receiver. Seven catches in Week 1, one in Week 2, and then back to seven in Week 3! He's like Toby Flenderson for your fantasy team, always taking away the fun! What will he do this week against the Patriots? I have no idea, but I am guessing it won't be very good to keep up his pattern. In PPR leagues he could be a flex, but considering he should see Stephon Gilmore since he won't go in the slot to cover Tyreek Hill, things don't look good for Watkins this week. Buyer beware. |
| Josh Reynolds LAR | Darnay Holmes NYG | This is a guy I liked coming into the season, but quickly fell off the bandwagon after two awful weeks of production. He is dragging me back in a little after a four catch, 60 yard effort against the Bills. He out targeted Van Jefferson and might be taking the number three wide receiver back which is good considering they play the Giants. Darnay Holmes is ranked the 107th cornerback by Pro Football Focus and to put that in context there are 32 teams. So that means he is worse than every team's top three guys. Reynolds is still just an emergency flex play though. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Taron Johnson BUF | He has four catches on six targets in three games. On the other side, the Tampa pass defense has been improving. Have you ever heard of anyone considering Jalen Guyton in a fantasy league? Me either. Let's move on. |
| Zay Jones LV | Levi Wallace BUF | With their two top receivers out for this one, the Raiders will be forced to start Zay Jones. In the words of Alexis Rose, "ew, David!"Jones has had 31 catches in his last 18 games, and lucked into three catches for 32 yards last week. Add in the fact that they are going against Buffalo and I can't suggest not thinking about him enough. |
| Preston Williams MIA | Tre Flowers SEA | Williams still isn't getting a ton of volume, but the Dolphins had two tough matchups to start the year and he is coming back from a mid-2019 torn ACL. In this one, the Dolphins are just going to have to throw a lot to try to keep up with the juggernaut Seahawks offense. DaVante Parker is still the star here, but Williams is a great second option. Flowers is allowing an 80 percent catch rate and over a yard and a half per route covered. Williams is an intriguing flex play for Week 4. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Vernon Hargreaves TB | The first round pick crushed the Titans secondary with seven catches and 175 yards and a touchdown in Week 3, flashing the production they hoped for when they took him 22nd overall in last year's draft. The question is whether or not he can be consistent. The good news is he gets a Texans secondary that is giving up two passing touchdowns a game, and the Vikings have no one else besides Jefferson and Thielen. Vernon Hargreaves is graded under 50 on PFF and makes it a good matchup for Jefferson in Week 4. |
| Damiere Byrd NE | L'Jarius Sneed KC | In games where the Patriots are going to have to throw a lot, which has been one so far, Byrd seems like he will get targets. However, it is a small sample size, and Byrd has never shown consistent success in his short NFL career. Both Sneed remains inside the 20 corners according to PFF through three weeks, and they are coming off a week of shutting down the Ravens pass game. Your roster would have to be in deep doo doo to need to start Byrd. |
| Tre'Quan Smith NO | Darryl Roberts DET | I warned last week that while Smith could make some big plays that he has been wildly inconsistent in his career. I love his talent, but it just has never quite manifested itself into regular fantasy production. He had a shot with Michael Thomas out, but was unable to make much of an impact. With Thomas out one more week or possibly in his first game back he will have one more shot against a middling Lions secondary. Roberts is an average corner on a defense that has given up seven passing touchdowns in three weeks. |
| Damion Ratley NYG | Darius Williams LAR | 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 | Bryce Callahan DEN | A week after six catches for 75 yards, Hogan dropped the ultiamte dud with no catches on three targets. Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder are again likely out on a short week, and the Jets offense is just awful. Hogan could have a big play or possibly two against a terrible Broncos secondary, but he doesn't warrant fantasy consideration on possibly the worst Thursday night game ever. |
| John Hightower PHI | Jason Verrett SF | The fifth round rookie did lead the team in snaps by receivers, but it only produced three targets and two catches for 19 yards. The Eagles have very few options on offense, but they seem committed to work with the main ones. Even against a 49ers defense that is banged up, you can't consider Hightower for Week 4. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | Krisitian Fulton TEN | This kid has speed to burn, and just needs an opportunity to make a fantasy impact. He has already shown the ability to get behind a defense and make big plays. He is fairly raw still though, and his hands aren't the most reliable. He has shown a little chemistry with Big Ben though, and that is encouraging. He did have his most targets last week with Diontae Johnson out which is encouraging. Fulton is allowing an 80 percent catch rate and over a full yard allowed per route covered, neither of which is great. Claypool would be a risky flex play in Week 4 who could boom or bust. |
| Kendrick Bourne SF | Nickell Robey-Coleman PHI | He has been a nice player over the last two weeks against terrible defenses in New York as Bourne has eight catches for 130 yards in those games. Nothing to write home about, but ten point games in PPR leagues. Brandon Aiyuk showed he is ready to contribute, and George Kittle should return this week. Bourne still has a favorable matchup though, as Robey-Coleman has a PFF rating of under 50, and is allowing a 91 percent catch rate. No matter the quarterback for San Francisco, Bourne can be a lower end flex option for those of you who have been dealing with injury problems. |
| David Moore SEA | Jamal Perry MIA | When you play for perhaps the top pass offense in the league and your quarterback throws 40 times and you are targeted just once last week, and seven times in three games, I think that tells you that you are not only not relevant on your team but also completely irrelevant for fantasy football. I could be assigned to cover Moore this week and I wouldn't suggest using him in fantasy. The Dolphins secondary isn't good, but after Lockett and Metcalf, Russell Wilson spreads the ball around to a lot of places. Moore shouldn't even be on your radar. |
| Scotty Miller TB | Michael Davis LAC | Chris Godwin doesn't look like he will miss a lot of time but he is out for Week 4 which will thrust Miller into a larger role again. However, if you look at his stats he hasn't had more than six targets in a game, and in Week 2 that Godwin missed, he was targeted just three times. I am forced to pump the brakes on this guy for the time being. Michael Davis is ranked 34th by Pro Football Focus out of the top 130 corners, and Miller doesn't appear to be anything special. If you have dealt with injuries he can be a flex play, but you shouldn't force him into your lineups because Chris Godwin won't play. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Joe Haden PIT | He was better last week, but with A.J. Brown still out you would hope for more than five catches for 69 yards for the top receiver for a team against the trash Vikings secondary. It was Kalif Raymond who had a fluke 100-yard game instead. Davis has barely broken 100 yards in the two games that Brown missed, and considering Brown might be back this week, you certainly don't like his chances in Week 4. Joe Haden is one of the best in the business and is holding receivers to a 45 percent catch rate which is not good for a guy with questionable hands already like Davis. You will want to find yourself another receiver this week. |
| Dontrelle Inman WAS | Marcus Peters BAL | You know what they say about a broken clock being right twice a day? Or even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again? Are these old cliches? Am I showing that I am not 25 years old? Crap! Well, the point here is that even though Inman had two touchdowns last week, it isn't something you should buy into, or really give much thought to. The Browns secondary isn't good at all after Denzel Ward, and this is just an anomaly that will be forgotten quickly. Nothing to see here. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 4.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Noah Igbinoghene MIA | The Seahawks are just unstoppable through the air right now, and Lockett was the main beneficiary with three touchdown passes against the Cowboys. The Dolphins look to be without their top corner again this week, which really gives Lockett the best matchup. Xavien Howard is still a good corner, but will be locked up on D.K. Metcalf, which leaves not much left to deal with Lockett. He is being targeted on 24 percent of his routes run, and has a catch rate of 83 percent. Even against a full Dolphins secondary he would have been a handful, but now he should have another dominant week. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | D.J. Hayden JAX | Boyd is clearly the receiver of choice for rookie Joe Burrow as he has 21 targets in the last two weeks. And for some reason opposing defenses keep putting their best corners on A.J. Green. Hayden is probably the worst of the three terrible corners for the Jags who is graded at 37.4 (yes, out of 100) by Pro Football Focus after three weeks. He is allowing a 92% catch rate, and considering how much Boyd is targeted, that should make for a great afternoon for him. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Isaac Yiadom NYG | The Giants have one good corner in James Bradberry and he will be dealing with Robert Woods. Kupp will likely have Yiadom following him around, but I don't even need to go into deep analysis here. The Giants secondary is awful. Just watch a game. Hell, just look at a boxscore. They are getting destroyed each and every week. Kupp is definitely not only a top ten slot pick, but a really strong pick among all receivers. He should have over 100 yards and a score. |
| Juju Smith-Schuster PIT | Jonathan Joseph TEN | He only had five targets last week, but he was able to score to give him three touchdowns in three weeks. Granted, the Steelers haven't played a decent defense yet, but Smith-Schuster is at least doing what he should against bad defenses. The Titans are allowing over 255 yards through the air per game and have surrendered seven passing touchdowns. Smith-Schuster should see more targets with Diontae Johnson likely to miss this game, and Joseph doesn't have a chance of holding him down. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | Tampa's pass defense has actually been pretty good, and after three weeks Pro Football Focus has Murphy-Bunting in their top 20 corners this season. However, the Bucs have played Carolina and Denver with a backup quarterback in the last two weeks, not exactly offensive powerhouses. Allen has been targeted a whopping 29 times in the last two weeks since Justin Herbert took over at quarterback, and you have to believe that the rookie will keep looking to his best receiver. Allen has been one of the better receivers for quite a while, and is an absolute play this week in a game where his team will likely be playing from behind. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Jonathan Jones NE | You will find Tyreek Hill in this article in the slot section every single week unless Patrick Mahomes gets hurt. You can mark it down. Very few teams can stop this guy for an entire game with his ridiculous speed coupled with his quarterback's great deep ball accuracy. Jones is allowing a 61 percent catch rate which is actually the best of the Pats starting corners, but the Chiefs offense is just playing on another level. There could be an argument for not using Hill in DFS games, but you should never sit him in season long leagues. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Tavierre Thomas CLE | You know that you are having a pretty good rookie seaosn when five catches for 65 yards is disappointing. Lamb figured to do more against a porous Seahawks secondary, but in PPR leagues that is still an 11 point day. The great thing about Lamb is that being the third receiver means he will almost never have the defense's best corner on him. Thomas is allowing receivers to catch the ball at an 81 percent clip, and giving up 1.2 yards per route covered when under .75 is pretty decent. Lamb is a good start in a week where they will probably throw a decent amount. |
| Allen Lazard GB | Kendall Sheffield ATL | This is less about picking him after his career-best game last week, and more about the opportunity against a terrible defense. Kendall Sheffield ranked 121 out of 132 cornerbacks according to Pro Football Focus in 2019. News flash, that is bad. Lazard had six catches for 146 yards and a score last week, and now has two touchdowns in three games. Even if Davante Adams does return, there should be plenty of targets to come Lazard's way against this sieve of a defense. |
| Greg Ward PHI | K'Waun Williams SF | We saw this last year from Ward as he stepped up when the Eagles entire receiving corps went down to injury. It is hard to believe but it is happening again. Ward will be one of three legitimate options that Carson Wentz will have to throw to, and even against a good defense like San Francisco, he should have good stats because of the volume. After eight targets the first two weeks combined, Ward had 11 just last Sunday and should see a similar number again this week. Despite all of their injuries, the 49ers are favored in this one and Philadelphia will likely have to throw to try to stay in it. |
| Golden Tate NYG | Troy Hill LAR | The Rams gave up five catches for 59 yards to CeeDee Lamb out of the slot in Week 1, and while the Eagles don't have a great slot receiver, they gave up 100 yards to Cole Beasley last week out of the slot. And with Sterling Shepard set to miss the game again, and the Giants having to throw the ball a decent amount to try to stay in this game, I am liking Tate out of the slot in this one. He did have seven targets last week against the 49ers, but the Giants offense just couldn't get going. Troy Hill is graded at just 42.1 out of 100 by Pro Football Focus and all signs point to Tate having a day that he should be in your lineups for sure. |
Elite
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Donte Jackson . He may have missed practice on Wednesday, but it was the first time that Hopkins showed up on an injury report, and we have no indication that this is anything serious. He is leading the NFL in targets, receptions, and yards through three weeks, and there is not a corner in the NFL that can stop him right now. Jackson is a decent corner but doesn’t have a chance to keep Hopkins in check all game. If he doesn’t break 100 yards and a touchdown in this one I will be surprised.
DK Metcalf vs. Xavien Howard . He is kind of like Iron Man and The Flash and whatever superhero would have really good hands all rolled into one. The Seahawks offense is moving the ball at a record-breaking pace, and Metcalf is the star of the show. Yes, Tyler Lockett had three touchdowns last week, but Metcalf is still the more talented guy. He is big, he is fast, and he is reliable, despite that boneheaded play. Howard is a good corner in the middle of a subpar defense and Metcalf should break 100 yards again in Week 4.
Affordable
Robert Woods vs. James Bradberry . I am shocked at how low Woods price is on DK given a matchup against the Giants. I noted that Bradberry is having a good start to the season, but they faced a Bears offense that was kind of dysfunctional with Mitch Trubisky, a 49ers offense with backups all over the place, and the Steelers and Diontae Johnson had six catches for 57 yards. The Rams offense, however, is playing really well, and Woods is coming off a big game against a far superior Bills defense. I would be very surprised if he didn’t come away with 100 yards and a score in this one.
DeVante Parker vs. Shaquill Griffin . He hasn’t had a big-time game yet, but Parker has also been dealing with a hamstring injury for much of the short season. Although by the end of practice last week he wasn’t even on the injury report. He also has had ten days to get ready for this one after playing last Thursday. There is zero chance of the Dolphins keeping the game too close with the Seahawks, so they are going to have to throw plenty in the second half. Parker is by far the number one receiver and has a three-inch height advantage on Griffin. The Seahawks secondary is giving up a ridiculous number of pass yards and two passing touchdowns per game. Fitzpatrick should get a good deal of garbage time production in this one, and Parker is his go-to guy.
Bargain Bin
Tee Higgins vs. C.J. Henderson. I also really like Tyler Boyd in this one, but if you are looking to save some cash I am very interested in Higgins. I like that the rookie was a focus down by the end zone. I like that he out-targeted an aging A.J. Green , and I like that the Bengals made John Ross a healthy scratch in favor of the rookie. He isn’t a polished product yet, but clearly Joe Burrow has some confidence in him with the nine targets he saw last week. And the Jaguar defense was atrocious last Thursday night against the Dolphins and are averaging more than two passing touchdowns a game surrendered. Look for the kid to follow up one big game with another touchdown.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.