Welcome to the weekly wide receiver/cornerback breakdown! We will review each of the outside matchups, as well as my 10 favorite matchups in the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my four absolute favorite matchups. This article is critical for seasonal and daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. We have entered bye week season, so you might have to dig a little deeper on that roster to find viable options.
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| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| KeeSean Johnson ARI | William Jackson III CIN | It just hasn't clicked for Johnson yet, as he hasn't been in the game plan enough to be fantasy relevant. However, times they could be a-changin'. Christian Kirk is going to miss this game, and the Bengals defense is pretty awful. With a lot of targets freed up with the Kirk injury it makes sense that many could go to Johnson who has already been seeing the field a good amount. He is a very speculative add for redraft leagues and a dart throw in some DFS tournaments. The Bengals defense can be had, and this kid has already shown some flashes of ability |
| Julio Jones ATL | Lonnie Johnson HOU | Finally, someone was able to keep Julio Jones in check. Few secondaries can do it, but Tennesse is one of them. This week will be a different story as the Texans corners are not nearly as talented. Houston is giving up just shy of 260 passing yards a game. Matt Ryan and the Falcons should be able to surpass that as they are due for a breakout game. Jones is one of the best in the business, plain and simple, and is always worth a spot in your starting lineups. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Joe Haden PIT | Ten different Ravens caught passes last week, and when your passing game is already not considered high powered, that makes it tough for any one receiver to excel. Brown only had four catches, and Clevelandwere able to corral the deep passes. The Steelers had a great game Monday night, although I don't know what kind of barometer the Bengals are right now. The Ravens need a strong passing game from Lamar Jackson this week. You can use Brown if you have been to this point, but he is starting to look like more of a boom or bust candidate than a consistent receiver. |
| John Brown BUF | Malcolm Butler TEN | Brown has been a very good receiver so far in 2019, but this would not be a great week to count on him. Josh Allen is progressing through concussion protocol, but even if he does play, this matchup against Butler and the Titans is a tough task to top. Brown hasn't had under 50 yards in a game this season, but if you do give him a start, your expectations have to be kept very low. Even Julio Jones only had 52 yards receiving against Tennessee last week. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | A.J. Bouye JAX | Moore is having a pretty good year, but with the injury to Cam Newton , it does produce some uncertainty. He didn't have his best game last week with just 44 receiving yards, and he gets a very stiff test this week against A.J. Bouye . The Jags corner didn't prove to be as formidable without his buddy Jalen Ramsey on the other side of the field, but Bouye is still good enough that you should consider another option other than Moore in this one. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Gareon Conley OAK | Robinson proved to be a nice safety net for backup quarterback Chase Daniel , and that will need to be the case again in Week 5. Daniel gets lucky to face a below average secondary, and if Robinson can be targeted seven to nine times this week, he could come close to having a 100 yard day. |
| Auden Tate CIN | Byron Murphy ARI | It has become a MASH unit in the Bengals receivers room as they now have lost John Ross as well. This places Tate, who couldn't have been more of an afterthought coming into the year, into a starting role. And in all honesty, the big bodied receiver hasn't been that bad. The Cardinals defense has been pretty porout, and although the Bengals passing game has been bad as well, you can do worse in your flex in PPR leagues than Tate. Give him a shot if you are have a player on bye or injured and you might be surprised. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Richard Sherman SF | This one will be very interesting. First, Beckham is coming off a game where he only had 20 receiving yards and we know how he behaves when he doesn't get the ball. Second, it is Monday Night, where Beckham has a rich history. And Sherman is no longer fast enough to keep up with a receiver of Beckham's ability. Can the wily veteran get in Beckham's head and get him frustrated? It seems unlikely, it seems more likely that this is a big game for Beckham and he should be in all of your lineups. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Kevin King GB | Cooper and the whole Cowboys offense was held in check last week against the Saints, and they will face another tough test just a week later with the Packers. The Eagles were able to score almost at will against the Pack, but most of their damage was on the ground. Cooper might not have one of his huge explosive games, but he is definitely worth a play in seasonal leagues, even against a tough corner like King. A stat line of six catches for 75 yards is definitely attainable. If he can score a touchdown as well it will be a very good Week 5. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Brandon Facyson LAC | It has now been three good games out of four for Sutton, and his two touchdowns in Week 4 made this an explosive one for him. He is slowly becoming a fairly reliable receiver, which is quite the feat since his quarterback is average at best. Keep using Sutton on a weekly basis, and more often than not you will walk away satisfied. The Chargers are a solid defense, but Casey Hayward will likely be on Emmanuel Sanders in much of this one which should give Sutton some room to work. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | With Davante Adams set to miss this game, Valdes-Scantling will be the go-to outside threat. He certainly has shown the ability to get open behind the defense and be a big play threat, he has just failed to be consistent. Awuzie and the Cowboys secondary is a top ten unit in the NFL, so this will be no easy task. However, as the primary target in this game it seems unlikely that MVS will disappoint even against a good defense. He is locked in as a WR2 for this week, but not a great DFS play. |
| DeAndre Hopkins HOU | Isaiah Oliver ATL | After a rough stretch of playing against some of the best corners in the league, Christmas comes in October for Hopkins as he has a date with the disaster that is the Falcons secondary. There won't be any coal in the stockings of Hopkins fantasy owners this week, as he is set to visit the end zone more than once this week as he is definitely on the Nice List. This could be Hopkins best game of the season and he is full systems go in all fantasy formats. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Bashaud Breeland KC | If the Colts are going to hang in this one at all, they are going to have to throw the ball a great deal. And with T.Y. Hilton missing the game, there aren't exactly a lot of big names left for Jacoby Brissett to throw to. In fact, there are no big names. Pascal was the best of the bunch last week, and he as good of a guess as any of who might get the most catches this week. He has been with the team for a while, and he and Brissett have likely been practicing together for a while. If you missed out on the hot waiver names, or if you are looking for a really cheap DFS play, Pascal isn't the worst option. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Donte Jackson CHI | Chark would have had his fourth straight game with a touchdown if not for a penalty negating the play. Even against a great corner like Chris Harris , Chark still scored eight points in a PPR scoring format. He is going to have an equally hard assignment this week against the Bears and Donte Jackson . He could be used in a flex spot in redraft leagues, but he is a hard pass in DFS games. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Rock Ya-Sin IND | Robinson has been very good since Tyreek Hill has been hurt, although consistency hasn't exactly been his calling card. Robinson had a giant Week 2, but then has been held to under 50 yards in the last two games. The Chiefs should be a much more potent offense this week against the Colts who just got rocked by the Raiders, and Robinson makes a solid WR3 in Week 5. |
| Brandin Cooks LAR | Tre Flowers SEA | He has just one touchdown this yeaer, but Cooks has topped 70 receiving yards in three of the four games. This will be one where Cooks will need a touchdown to be fantasy relevant as I don't see Goff throwing for 300 yards in this game. Thursday nights are always so hard to predict, but Cooks isn't a guy that you can sit. He has been a little more consistent this year than he has in years past, and even against a pretty decent defense you can roll him out there. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Kareem Jackson DEN | He missed Week 4, but was at least able to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday which is a decent sign he might be able to play. Given the fact that he is injured and the Broncos have a solid secondary he might not be the best target. However, the Chargers have so few healthy options at wide receiver that Williams might be forced to get a solid number of targets. He is an extremely risky Week 5 play. |
| Stefon Diggs MIN | Janoris Jenkins NYG | Diggs had by far his best game with seven catches and over 100 yards, and he gets a good matchup against the Giants defense. Sure, Janoris Jenkins is very talented, but the Giants defense hasn't been able to stop anyone not named the Washington Redskins. The Vikings aren't throwing the ball a ton, but Diggs should be able to get six or seven targets and have another solid performance. |
| Josh Gordon NE | Josh Norman WAS | Gordon has a bit of a knee injury, but trusting the Patriots injury report is like trusting Bernie Madoff with your money. Gordon will be out there on Sunday, and while the Redskins are competely terrible, Norman is still a quality corner. They haven't really been able to stop anyone this season, and Gordon is a solid WR3 in Week 5 action. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Vernon Hargreaves TB | His production has been about what you would expect with the loss of Drew Brees , as Thomas has been a fraction of what he normally is. However, he still has been productive enough to not really hurt your team. Thomas has 14 catches in the last two weeks, including a touchdown, and looks like a great play this week against the Bucs. Tampa couldn't stop a blindfolded guy on one foot, they certainly can't stop Michael Thomas . He could have his second 100 yard game of the season. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Xavier Rhodes MIN | Shepard is really growing into this expanded role with Odell Beckham out of town. He has had a great connection with rookie Daniel Jones as he has 14 catches in the last two weeks for 176 yards and a touchdown. However, it is likely that the party stops this week. Xavier Rhodes is still one of the more talented corners in the league, capable of shutting down even the most talented receivers. In fact, the whole Vikings secondary is pretty good. Shepard could still have four or five catches, but it likely won't add up to more than 60 yards at most. |
| Robby Anderson NYJ | Rasul Douglas PHI | There is still no confirmation that Sam Darnold will play, and the fact that he hasn't been cleared for contact could mean that his spleen could not absorb the hit. Signs right now point to Luke Falk as the quarterback for Week 5 which completely negates any possible value Anderson has. The Eagles secondary is very beatable, but not for a third string quarterback who has shown no ability to play in the league. Keep Anderson on your bench and hope that Darnold is able to play next week. |
| Tyrell Williams OAK | Kyle Fuller CHI | Williams has been everything the Raiders hoped for and more when they signed him to that free agent deal. Of course, they also hoped that Antonio Brown didn't act the way he did, but one out of two isn't bad. Williams has scored in every game this season, although that streak likely comes to an end this week. He has been trending in the wrong direction with just three catches in each of the last two games, and he will have a very hard time shaking Kyle Fuller . You still have to start Williams in season long leagues, but it is a long shot that he is successful against the vicious Bears defense. |
| Alshon Jeffery PHI | Darryl Roberts NYJ | The Eagles lost their top two receivers last week against the Falcons, and will be playing shorthanded on Sunday. It will be worse this week for Hollins as he will see a nice amount of Darius Slay who is one of the better receivers. Stay away from Hollins in Week 3 |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Anthony Averett BAL | Johnson has shown a nice chemistry with Mason Rudolph the past two weeks, and it was undeniable Monday night with the win over the Bengals. It seems cemented that Johnson is the number two wide receiver when it comes to targets, and that role in Pittsburgh can be lucrative from a fantasy standpoint. He has a tough matchup against Averett, but the Ravens secondary has been so beat up lately that opposing teams have been able to move the ball against them. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Terrance Mitchell CLE | Samuel is second in line for targets it seems behind George Kittle , but the 49ers have been spreading the ball around so much on offense that it is tough to trust someone in fantasy. They also run the ball a good deal, especially in the red zone. He has some flex value in the Monday night game against the Browns, but predicting the 49ers offense is difficult right now. He has great upside, but it sure does come with some risk. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Aqib Talib LAR | Seattle didn't have to run too many plays to beat the Cardinals last week, and Lockett only saw four targets. Of course he caught them all for 51 yards, but overall that isn't a great fantasy day. There should be more passing in this one as Vegas has this one set for 49 points, and Lockett will have to be a big part of that. The Rams defense can be beaten from time to time and this one looks like a game that will feature a good number of points. |
| Mike Evans TB | Marshon Lattimore NO | If not for a long, late touchdown, it would have been another awful game for Evans. It certainly will be another tough assignment for him with Lattimore on the other side of the ball. Last week Lattimore held Amari Cooper to five catches for 48 yards, and he certainly can do the same to Evans. There's always a chance he breaks another long one in this game so you have to start him in redraft, but certainly is too risky to put your DFS dollars on him. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Levi Wallace BUF | We told you last week that if Davis was going to have a big game, that was going to be it. And we are here to tell you this week that it isn't going to happen again. The Buffalo defense just kept Tom Brady out of the end zone for a full game, they will have no problem keeping Marcus Mariota out of it. This should be another three catch game for Davis and he shouldn't be trusted in any fantasy format. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Stephon Gilmore NE | Poor Terry McLaurin . It is bad enough that he got stuck on a team with Case Keenum as the quarterback, but he was good enough to overcome that. However, now it could be Colt McCoy this Sunday, and even McLaurin might not be good enough to have a successful game there. He also will have a hard time shaking Stephon Gilmore and unfortunately Scary Terry is a definite sit this week. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Andy Isabella ARI | Dre Kirkpatrick CIN | The line at the trainer's office keeps getting longer for Cardinals receivers, and that pushes everyone up a step on the ladder. Trent Sherfield might start this game, but Isabella is the one who has a chance to be fantasy relevant. It isn't a strong chance, but their second round pick has some upside. You would have to have some guts to use him this week, but he is a talented guy going against a suspect defense, so it wouldn't be totally crazy. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Johnathan Joseph HOU | After two subpar games in a row, things are looking up for Ridley this week. Not that the Houston secondary isn't any good, but he should find more success against them. Ridley is a physical freak and defenses can't pay him the attention he deserves with Julio Jones on the other side of the field. I still wouldn't feel comfortable with him in my DFS lineups, but he should be a solid WR3 in redraft games. |
| Seth Roberts BAL | Steven Nelson PIT | Cut by the Raiders, Roberts lands in Baltimore which is kind of like landing in a desert when you really want a glass of water. It isn't that the Ravens offense is bad, they are just run heavy. And Roberts certainly won't have fantasy value in his first week with his new team. He isn't likely to have fantasy value in any week with this team, but especially not the first week. He isn't worth the spot on your watch list to even track his production. |
| Zay Jones BUF | Adoree Jackson HOU | Are you still thinking and hoping that one day Jones will emerge into a fantasy reliable receiver? Good, I'm not either. Somehow the guy was targeted eight times last week and it was only worth two catches and four yards. Eight targets…..four yards. Wow, that is almost talent to be that bad. It doesn't matter who the Bills quarterback is this week, Jones is not an option. |
| Curtis Samuel CAR | Tre Herndon JAX | Samuel was the second most targeted receiver on the team, but when your team only scores ten points and Christian McCaffrey is the first, second, third, and fourth option four touches that doesn’t make for a good fantasy day. This will be a tough sell if you want to use Samuel in Week 5 as Kyle Allen will still be under center, and the Jaguars are one of the better pass defenses in football. He is a talented guy, but if you are playing the matchups you have to have a better option. |
| Javon Wims CHI | Daryl Worley OAK | Wims had a nice preseason, and did have four catches last week, but the Bears passing game will struggle with Chase Daniel at quarterback. The Raiders secondary is not very good at all to be polite, so if you are in a pinch at wide receiver with bye weeks, perhaps Wims is a guy who could get you eight to ten points, but this is a very tough offense to trust for anything right now. |
| Damion Willis CIN | Chris Jones ARI | The Bengals now have at receiver outside of Tyler Boyd a former seventh round draft pick and Willis an undrafted free agent. The kid has some skills, but this offense should be a mess this week. The Cardinals defense gives up a good number of yards and points, but Willis is too much of a shot in the dark to trust. |
| Antonio Callaway CLE | Emmanuel Moseley SF | Fresh off a four game suspension, Callaway will walk right back into his starting role. And while he is a wild card for fantasy, it makes sense that he could be successful. The 49ers are down a man in the secondary, and the defense will be all caught up in Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry . He is too much of a risk for DFS games, but if you picked Callaway up this week after his suspension he isn't a bad plug and play option for Monday Night. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Jaire Alexander GB | There are few receivers that I am more excited for coming back from injury than Gallup. The speedy Cowboys receiver has been sorely missed, and he looks to be on track for Week 5. Unfortunately, he comes right back to a very challenging matchup with the Packers. Personally, I am going to put him back in my season long starting lineups, but putting a guy in his first game back against Green Bay in your DFS games is way to risky for me. |
| DaeSean Hamilton DEN | Desmond King LAC | Hamilton had a better than expected game against Jacksonville last week, but since almost nothing was expected from him, I guess that isn't anything to brag about. Hamilton is a nice player, but there isn't much fantasy production left after Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton on a team that doesn't score much |
| Geronimo Allison GB | Jourdan Lewis DAL | With Davante Adams out, this should be the first game where Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison should be successful. They have been trading off with who has the good game. Allison will get more targets, MVS more yards and potentially a long score. PPR leagues would be the only place that I would trust Allison this week with a tough matchup against the Cowboys. |
| Will Fuller HOU | Desmond Trufant ATL | This should be Fuller's big, breakout game for the 2019 season. He has been kept under wraps or overthrown all season long. However, he finally gets a cupcake matchup against the Falcons secondary. He definitely should be able to break off one or two long catches and one will end up with him in the end zone. Fuller is a great tournament play in DFS, and should pay off in spades. |
| Chester Rogers IND | Kendall Fuller HOU | Rogers did have a touchdown last week, but in fairness television's Mr. Rogers could score a touchdown against the Raiders. The Texans defense isn't great, but it sure is good enough not to give up much to Rogers this week. In fact, Parris Campbell is probably the better bet to have a fantasy relevant day. |
| Chris Conley JAX | James Bradberry CAR | Right now there just isn't enough passes to go around for Conley to have a relevant fantasy role. He is talented, but Dede Westbrook has been better the past couple of weeks, and the Jaguars certainly can't support three fantasy receivers on any given week. There's always a chance he breaks one, but Conley is largely someone to avoid in Week 5. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Pierre Desir IND | Mahomes missed Hardman on more than one occasion last week, or he could have had a solid fantasy day. Tyreek Hill is starting to practice, which means there will be many less targets to go around for Hardman and others. He has a tough go in Week 5 against Desir and the Colts who actually have a pretty solid pass defense. Hardman has turned touchdown dependent, so if you think he can get one against Indy then throw him into your lineups. There should be three or four passing touchdowns to go around, and Hardman is a good candidate to get one. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Shaquill Griffin SEA | Woods finally broke out of his doldrums in a big way, although much of that was the game flow and the fact that the Rams had to throw the ball so much. Thursday night is usually not the cleanest played game of the week, but both of these teams should be throwing. Woods is always a start in PPR leagues, and he will likely be second on the team in targets behind Cooper Kupp |
| Geremy Davis LAC | Isaac Yiadom DEN | Davis has been a special teams player that has been forced into action with the plethora of injuries to the Chargers. The only way that you should put Geremy Davis in your fantasy lineups this week is if you are in a strange league that only lets you play guys whose last name is Davis. |
| OlaBisi Johnson MIN | Deandre Baker NYG | Who? His name sounds like a Beatles song. With the injury to Chad Beebe (I know, you didn't know who he was either), Johnson looks to be the third receiver for the Vikings. I would be completely stunned if OlaBisi Johnson had more than a catch or two in this game even against the Giants. |
| Phillip Dorsett NE | Simeon Thomas WAS | It was just not a good offensive game for the Pats in any way as they struggled to move the ball against the Bills. That certainly won't be the case this week against the Redskins. The Washington defense is like Oprah Winfrey on her Christmas show. You get fantasy points, you get fantasy points, everyone on the offense gets fantasy points! Dorsett should be in the mix too with six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. |
| Ted Ginn NO | Carlton Davis TB | I have officially sworn off Ted Ginn until Drew Brees returns, although this tasty matchup against the Bucs has me thinking twice. He bas just 34 yards in the two games since Bridgewater has been quarterback, and Teddy is basically incapable of getting him the deep ball. However, the Bucs defense isn't good at all so there is a chance that Ginn could be successful. The better chance is that Ginn will still struggle to produce and will top out at 60 receiving yards. |
| Bennie Fowler NYG | Trae Waynes MIN | While Daniel Jones is a huge improvement over Eli Manning , and not just because of his ability to run, this will be a test that he will not pass. And now with the return of Golden Tate from injury, Fowler could be the fifth option in this offense after Shepard, Engram, Tate, and Hillman. There is no format where you should consider using him. |
| Braxton Berrios NYJ | Sidney Jones PHI | Even if Sam Darnold is the quarterback this week, there is little reason to think that Berrios would warrany any fantasy consideration. The Jets offense is putrid at the moment, and until we see otherwise, you can avoid anyone not named Bell, maybe Anderson, and in an emergency Herndon. |
| J.J. Nelson OAK | Prince Amukamara CHI | Nelson didn't even play in Week 4, and outside of a touchdown catch in Week 3 he hasn't done anything fantasy relevant in a while. Put him against the Bears defense and you might not even hear the announcers say his name in this one. |
| Mack Hollins PHI | Nate Hairston NYJ | With the return of Alshon Jeffery , Hollins fell a little farther down the target ladder for the Eagles. He will have a favorable matchup against a Jets defense who couldn't stop anyone the last time we saw them in the first three weeks of the year. However, Hollins isn't likely to see more than four, possibly five targets in this one and is a long shot to have a great fantasy day. He should only be a consideration if your team has been hit with injuries and bye week absences this week. |
| James Washington PIT | Marlon Humphrey BAL | Many thought because Washington and quarterback Mason Rudolph went to the same college that they would have this magical connection that would make him valuable. Well, that certainly hasn't come to fruition, and the Steelers aren't throwing enough right now for their third wide receiver to matter. Washington doesn't even belong on rosters at this point. |
| Marquise Goodwin SF | T.J. Carrie CLE | There will be a couple of plays a game designed to go to Goodwin, but he just isn't a target heavy player in this offense. In Week 3 he had just two looks and ended up with 41 yards, but if this guy doesn't get in the end zone he will disappoint you. And there are so many options in San Francisco he won't score enough to be relevant. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Marcus Peters LAR | Each week it seems that Metcalf's production gets a little bit less, and a Thursday night matchup against the Rams certainly doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies for him. There is no doubt of the talent, but his targets have fallen for two straight weeks and he only had six receiving yards last week. That number is sure to go up against Los Angeles, but whether it will get to at least 75 yards is the question. Metcalf is tough to trust this week, and should largely be avoided. |
| Breshad Perriman TB | Eli Apple NO | In a game where the Buccaneers scored 55 points and Jameis Winston threw the ball 41 times, Perriman had a single target. That should tell you all you need to know about the fantasy outlook for Perriman. It doesn't exist, and there is no reason to even consider him for another second. |
| A.J. Brown, TEN | Tre'Davious White BUF | So the rookie now has had two games where he has collected 194 yards and two touchdowns, and in the other two games he combined for 29 yards and no scores. That is not a guy I like to have on my fantasy rosters as you never know when he is going to go off. Although you can bet your bottom dollar it won't be this week against the Bills. Chase last week's stats if you'd like, but you will come away like the Monopoly man with your pockets inside out from Brown throwing up a dud this week. |
| Paul Richardson WAS | Jason McCourty NE | When asked on Wednesday who his starting quarterback was for Week 5, Head Coach Jay Gruden said he didn't have a plan. Not exactly what you want to hear in the middle of the week. Of course, when all of the options are bad, I guess it doesn't matter. This lack of a plan doesn't bode well for Richardson this week, as he faces a tough Patriots defense and only has had one good game this season. You surely can do better than trusting this guy. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 5.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Chris Godwin TB | P.J. Williams NO | He certainly has lived up to all of the preseason hype, and although he is dealing with a hip injury there is no reason to put this guy on your bench at any time. The Saints are a tough, physical secondary, but Godwin looks to be Jameis Winston 's favorite go-to target right now and is a locked in WR2 in any week. |
| Emmanuel Sanders DEN | Casey Hayward LAC | He has a bit of a quad issue, but there is no reason to think that Sanders won't be out there on Sunday. Of course, he will have one of the best in the business convering him all day, so this might not be a prototypical Sanders bonanza. Hayward is good enough for me to shy away from playing Sanders in DFS games, but I will still put him in my weekly redraft starting lineups. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Tramaine Brock ARI | On one side, Boyd and the Bengals are playing a very soft defense in Arizona. On the other side, there is no one else around him catching passes that you have even heard of to draw the defense away from him. The Bengals offense has looked lost of late, and it is hindering Boyd's production. Of course, Arizona can make anyone look good right now, so continue to give Boyd those starts. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | K'Waun Williams SF | He will have to clear concussion protocol, but with the extra day before the Browns play on Monday should help him do that. Landry exploded last week, and while that can't be repeated. Williams isn't exactly a stud in coverage. If you have Landry on your rosters in PPR leagues, there is almost no reason to ever bench him. |
| Larry Fitzgerald ARI | Tony McRae CIN | Despite the struggles of the Arizona offense in the past couple of weeks, this one is set up for them to get well fast. The Bengals defense has been as stiff as a wet paper bag, Larry Fitz should own them and likely will have ten catches for 100 yards and a score. He is someone you should definitely fire up in your DFS rosters this weekend. |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT | Brandon Carr BAL | The loss of Ben Roethlisberger certainly has hurt the fantasy production of Smith-Schuster. He goes into this AFC North grudge match coming off a game where he had just 15 receiving yards, and he hasn't broken that 100 yard mark yet this season. The Ravens are really banged up in the secondary right now, so this could be the week where Juju finally does it. He is a bit risky to use in DFS lineups with Mason Rudolph at quarterback, but obviously in season long leagues he is always a WR2 at worst. |
| Keenan Allen SD | Chris Harris DEN | This one is going to be a great matchup with one of the league's best receivers matched up against one of the league's best corners. Allen could have trouble producing with Harris on him and no one else you have ever heard of at wide receiver for the Chargers. While you can never sit Allen in redraft leagues, this matchup with Harris should scare you away from using him in DFS lineups. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Jamar Taylor SEA | He has always been a very quality receiver, but I think we forget how good Kupp is because of the injury factor. However, he is taking steps towards becoming one of the elite receivers in the game. Jared Goff looks to him constantly, and Kupp is amazing with the ball in his hands after the catch. I hate Thursday Night Football, but Kupp should be looking at another ten targes, a chance at another 100 yard game, and having some very happy fantasy owners. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Deandre Baker NYG | Now the Vikings passing game has gotten so bad that both receivers are openly talking about how unhappy they are publicly. You would hope that this would tell the coaching staff that they need to throw the ball more. This will be the game for the passing offense to get well, as the Giants are basically just a practice squad on defense. Neither Thielen or Diggs are getting the volume that gives you supreme confidence that they are going to perform on a weekly basis. But, c'mon man! It is the Giants! Have some faith and roll Thielen out there and look for one of his typical big games. |
| Julian Edelman NE | Jimmy Moreland WAS | Ouch. This game will likely be over by halftime as the Redskins are more than two touchdown underdogs at home. The team is in total disarray right now, and the defense is pretty bad. Edelman should have a field day finding open spots in the defense to sit down and catch passes from Tom Brady all afternoon. The only thing that could stop Edelman from having ten catches and a touchdown is if Bill Belicheck decides to take his starters out of the game. Edelman is a great guy to use in all formats of fantasy football. |
Elite
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Isaiah Oliver
Hopkins might be the most expensive receiver on both main DFS platforms, but it is for a reason. He is arguably the best receiver in football, and he has a dynamite matchup against the Falcons, and this adds up to a great fantasy day. Hopkins has been held in check for three straight games, but it will not happen again. Atlanta doesn’t have a single cornerback that can hang with Hopkins, Houston should throw a lot in a game that features two good offenses, and he is staring at a 12 catch, 125 yard game with at least one touchdown.
Affordable
Larry Fitzgerald vs. Tony McRae
The Cardinals offense certainly doesn’t look like it should be nicknamed Air Raid over the past couple of weeks, but they have been playing decent defenses. That will certainly not be the case this week as the Cardinals travel to Cincinnati. There is always the slight concern of a Pacific time zone team traveling east, but Fitzgerald is a consummate professional and is always ready for every game. He should completely have his way with Tony McRae (hey, that rhymes) as Kyler Murray gets back on track with a 300 yard game. Look for Fitzgerald to have 11 catches for 95 yards and a touchdown as you take your winnings to the bank!
Phillip Dorsett vs. Simeon Thomas
Sure, Dorsett wasn’t really involved in the offense much last week, but the Patriots just failed to move the ball completely against the Bills. However, if you look at the other two games where the Patriots were playing a normal defense and Antonio Brown wasn’t on the team, and Dorsett has been a major factor. The former first round pick of the Colts has been a great target for Tom Brady dating back to last year when he had a touchdown in the season finale and then both AFC playoff games. The Redskins are imploding and the Patriots should completely roll in this one. The only question is how many touchdowns Tom Brady will throw. I like Dorsett to have seven catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.
Bargain Bin
Diontae Johnson vs. Anthony Averett
Mason Rudolph is a long way from being Ben Roethlisberger , but he hasn’t been terrible. In fact, he does have two touchdown passes in each game he has played. In the last two weeks one of those touchdowns has gone to Johnson. The rookie from Toledo has shown the ability to get behind the defense, and has been getting more opportunity by the week. The Ravens pass defense has not been as dominant as it usually is the past few weeks, and Johnson is in line for another good game. He has a real shot at replicating his stats from last week and should have five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown for the third straight game.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.