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. Bye weeks are here, so that brings even more fun to the table considering the number of injuries we have faced in the early going. But, on the good side, it looks like we get the top receiver on the planet back this week. 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 | Pierre Desir NYJ | The yardage wasn’t impressive last week for Hopkins, but he still did have seven catches on nine targets. We sure did expect more against the Panthers, but he came up injured late in the week and gutted it out. He surely will be in there again this week, and we know he is one of the top receivers in football. Desir did have two interceptions last week, but he was also burned several times and that was by Brett freakin Rypien. Desir makes some good plays but is also prone to making mistakes, and that makes Hopkins a great play this week. The only concern is if the game script makes it that the Cardinals don't have to throw much in the fourth quarter. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Donte Jackson CAR | I know we are all freaking out that Ridley had no catches on Monday and he certainly is dealing with a hamstring injury, but he will be out there and will be better. But this doesn't appear to be quite as easy as a matchup as we might think. The Panthers pass defense actually hasn't been that bad, and has allowed just six passing touchdowns in four games. Jackson is the best corner they have, even if statistically a couple others are rated slightly ahead. He is only being targeted on 16% of routes run so far, as quarterbacks tend to stay away from him. That won't be the case this week though, as Ridley will be the top target. Jackson is allowing a 71 percent catch rate and should have a minimum of six catches in this one. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | William Jackson CIN | It was a nice bounceback game for Brown as he had more yards last week than he had in the previous two games combined. He is still being hurt by the inaccuracy of his quarterback though, as for the second straight week he could have had a nice touchdown if Jackson had hit him with the pass. The production is coming, it is just a matter of when. Brown needs to improve his 62 percent catch rate to take the next step in fantasy football. He faces a Cincinnati pass gam that has allowed just five touchdowns through the air this season. Jackson is rated inside the top 30 corners by PFF, but when he does give up catches they are usually bigger plays (remember Odell Beckham). Jackson is allowing over 14 yards per completion against him, and if Brown can get behind him and Lamar Jackson can hit his target, Brown could have a solid game. He isn't a DFS target, but a find WR3 in season long leagues. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Malcolm Butler TEN | That is now two 100-yard games out of four, and outside of the game against the Rams and Jalen Ramsey, Diggs has been a baller. The Bills offense is rolling, and Diggs and Josh Allen have a clear connection. The Titans are allowing over 256 yards per game through the air, and they haven't exactly played potent offenses yet. I clearly expect the Bills to surpass that number. Butler has already allowed 460 yards in the air when he is targeted, and has not been performing as the Titans hoped. Diggs should have another big game and is a start in all fantasy formats. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Isaiah Oliver ATL | Uhhhhhh, ummmmmmm. I am officially worried here. The volume and the production have not been there for Moore this year, and through four weeks he is yet to catch a touchdown. You would think that maybe the Panthers offense is holding him back but no, they aren't playing bad. He has just been outshined by Robby Anderson. And after being targeted 22 times in the first two weeks, he has received just ten in the last two games. Red flags are flying all over. This week will be the ultimate test. Atlanta. They are awful. I shouldn't have to go deep here. Just watch the Falcons defense play. It will make your heart hurt. If Moore can't come through in this game with at least 80 yards and a touchdown, I have really low expectations for him the rest of the way. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | Most of what Robinson did last week came in the fourth quarter which made it look like he had a decent day. In fairness, the Colts defense is very good, so it shouldn't be a major shock that he didn't have a huge game. The good news is he has been targeted at least nine times in all four games this season, and ten or more in the two games with Nick Foles at quarterback. This week they play a Buccaneers defense that has allowed just six passing touchdowns in four weeks. However, Murphy-Bunting has allowed four of them. He is currently ranked 80th out of the starting corners in the league, and Robinson should be able to come away with another good game considering he is far and away the most targeted and talented receiver on the team. |
| A.J. Green CIN | Anthony Averett BAL | Well, it's been fun. Green has had a long and very successful career and won many people fantasy championships in his day. However, his day has passed. He had just one catch on five targets against a less than stellar Jaguars defense, but the biggest issue for Green is that he has been surpassed by Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins in importance to this Bengal offense. Green will still have a few solid games, but his days of 100-yard games are likely mostly behind him. The Ravens defense is one of the best in football, and even if Averett isn't the best corner they have, he will likely keep Green under 60 yards for the fifth straight game. |
| Odell Beckham Jr CLE | Xavier Rhodes IND | He did it all last week. He caught a pass from a fellow wide receiver for a touchdown, he caught one from Mayfield, and he even ran in a long touchdown as well for the hat trick. You have to keep it in some sort of context though, that the Cowboys pass defense has allowed a dozen pass touchdowns already this season. The Colts, on the other hand, have allowed just five, and Rhodes is right now rated as the third best corner in the league through four weeks according to Pro Football Focus. Beckham often tends to struggle against the top corners. It had seemed like Rhodes lost a step in his last season in Minnesota, but he is making up for it this year. Beckham is still a solid start in season leagues with his recent success, but against Rhodes I wouldn't put him in a DFS lineup. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | James Bradberry NYG | The Cowboys are throwing a ton, and they are throwing plenty to Amari Cooper. He has 51 targets in four weeks, and has yet to have under 80 receiving yards in a game. He has just one touchdown, but his other stats are so good it is hard to be upset. And as bad as the Giants pass defense has been, Bradberry has been great. He is ranked as the second best corner according to Pro Football Focus, and Robert Woods and Allen Robinson were already kept in check this season. Cooper is a start in season long leagues, but should be avoided in DFS games. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | J.C. Jackson NE | This isn't overly great to say, but Jeudy gets a bit of a break with Stephon Gilmore testing positive for Covid. However, it is only a bit of a break as Jackson has been playing great as well. He is rated in the top five with Pro Football Focus and is allowing just .22 fantasy points per route covered. Jeudy had a long touchdown last week, but little else. He will struggle with the lack of solid quarterback play and even with a compromised Patriots secondary, you might want to look in another direction for Week 5. |
| Will Fuller HOU | C.J. Henderson JAX | He has scored in back to back weeks and Fuller is far and away the best receiver on the Texans right now. Fuller's issue has always been staying healthy, and through four weeks (knock on wood) he has been good. The level of support for Fuller continues with the goose egg that Brandin Cooks put up last week. The Jags defense has allowed eight passing touchdowns in four games, and you have to believe that Deshaun Watson is going to throw a couple. Henderson has been decent as a rookie, but Fuller is faster and better. Look for him to be the most targeted receiver again and come close to another 100 yard game. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Denzel Ward CLE | This is a disaster season so far for Hilton. He has just 13 targets in the last three weeks, and Hilton is a complete disappointment. He hasn't topped 53 yards in a game yet, and he faces one of the better corners in football in Denzel Ward. The Colts pass offense has been pretty lackluster so far, and I don't know that we can expect that to change this week. Hilton is a flex option at best, and perhaps should even be benched. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Bradley Roby HOU | It was finally the kind of game we expected as Chark had three more targets than anyone else, corralled eight balls for 95 yards and two scores. He is undoubtedly the number one receiver on the team, and we can finally have confidence that he will play like it this seaosn. Roby has been the best corner for the Texans so far, but he is far from elite. Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson both had big games against the Texans secondary last week, and you can expect Chark to do the same this coming Sunday. |
| Sammy Watkins KC | Trayvon Mullen LV | He hasn't been great, but Watkins has at least been viable more often that not which is an improvement over the past few years where Watkins has a monster game and then disappears for a month. He has had seven targets or more in three of four games, and that at least keeps Watkins in play in PPR leagues. Even against a compromised and less than stellar cornerback group in Vegas, Watkins is more than a flex play for your season long leagues in Week 5. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Kendall Fuller WAS | Ok, so that was a disaster last week for the Rams, but apparently Giants corner James Bradberry is better than I am giving him credit for. Woods and the Rams were held in check all day outside of a late touchdown pass that didn't go to Woods. It is going to be another rough one for Woods this week against the Football Team and Kendall Fuller. Fuller right now is ranked fourth overall for cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus, and he is allowing less than nine yards per catch so far in the first quarter of the season. Goff and the Rams will have to be better. Washington is certainly not a defense that you totally avoid though as Marquise Brown had a solid game against them last week. Woods is still a great WR2 for season long leagues in Week 5. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | P.J. Williams NO | It was great to see Guyton hit it big with a 72-yard touchdown pass last week against the Bucs. However, it was his only target of the week and he has just five catches all week. Guyton's single catch last week was for more yards than he had in the previous three weeks combined. The Saints secondary is not 100 percent, but Guyton is still not on the fantasy radar, even with Mike Williams out. |
| Nelson Agholor LV | Rashad Fenton KC | He did have a touchdown last week against the Bills, and assuming Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards will still be out, Agholor should still see an increased role. However, an increased role for Agholor was still only good for four targets last week. If he was playing a lesser defense I could suggest Agholor as a sneaky flex play or DFS dart throw, but the Chiefs defense is playing great this season, and you should only use Agholor in a complete emergency. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Dontae Jackson SF | His balky ankle has been a problem pretty much all season, but Parker continues to gut it out and succeed. He had his best game last week with 10 catches for 110 yards against Seattle last week, and he gets a break as the 49ers secondary is still banged up. Although Richard Sherman is eligibile to return this week, so pay attention to that news. Parker has 29 of the 81 targets for the Dolphins so far, so he is going to get volume this week. The 49ers are also tough against the tight end, so Mike Gesicki might not get as much production as usual. Parker isn't a good DFS target, but will be a solid WR2 for Week 5. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Shaquill Griffin SEA | It was a great matchup last week against the Texans, and Thielen took advantage with eight catches for 114 yards and a score. That is now two straight weeks with a touchdown for Thielen and four this season. The emergence of Justin Jefferson has helped the Vikings pass game improve, and they will have to throw plenty to try to keep up scoring with the Seahawks. Seattle has allowed over 400 passing yards per game, and while I don't expect Minnesota to get there, they should get to 250-275 which leaves plenty of catches and yards for Thielen to have another seven to nine catch game for 90 yards or so. He is a guy that you can use in DFS GPPs on someone who might not be highly owned. |
| N'Keal Harry NE | Bryce Callahan DEN | The Patriots pass game was a disaster last week as they cycled backup quarterbacks that they will likely have to do again with Newton on the Covid list. Harry still did have a touchdown despite almost no usage. You would think that the Patriots are going to run a lot again this week. However, with Julian Edelman nearly phased out of the passing game, Harry has become a little more important. The Broncos secondary is absolutely awful, so in a pinch I don't have a problem with putting Harry into my flex spot for Week 5. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Casey Hayward LAC | Since he was able to practice in limited fashion last week you have to figure he returns in Week 5. There isn't much analysis needed here. He still has a high ankle sprain so his first game back likely won't be vintage Michael Thomas. That being said you should avoid him in DFS games against a great corner like Hayward, but definitely get him in your season long lineups. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Daryl Worley DAL | Outside of the opener it has been an awful season so far for Slayton, but remember they played the Steelers, Bears, 49ers, and Rams. Four tough defenses. The Cowboys have been getting blasted by top outside receiver like Odell Beckham and D.K. Metcalf in recent weeks. I know it feels risky because the Giants offense has been bad all season, but fantasy football is built on matchups and this is a great one for Slayton. |
| Breshad Perriman NYJ | Patrick Peterson ARZ | Perriman hasn't played since Week 2, and let's be honest he wasn't doing much when he was playing. The Jets offense is in neutral and they will be trusting Joe Flacco at quarterback this week who hasn't played in nearly a year. I hope that this info alone is enough to avoid Perriman in his return to action. If not, throw in that he will be dealing with Patrick Peterson who doesn't typically cover the slot so he will likely be on Perriman not Crowder. |
| DeSean Jackson PHI | Joe Haden PIT | D-Jax is back at practice and it looks like he has a good chance of playing for the first time in a couple weeks. Jackson hasn't done much of anything yet this season, but with the Eagles so banged up at receiver he is nearly guaranteed to get some volume. Unfortunately, he comes back to face the Steelers defense. Pittsburgh is allowing about 235 yards per game through the air and six passing touchdowns in four weeks. Haden is allowing just a 45 percent catch rate in 2020, which is very good but doesn't bode well for Jackson who already is a boom or bust guy. He is a very risky play in your flex for Week 5. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Darius Slay PHI | He is cleared from the concussion but didn't practice on Wednesday because of a toe injury, but it shouldn't force him to miss any game time. Johnson was off to an amazing start with 23 targets in the first two games before suffering the head injury. There should be no reason to think that he won't get right back on the horse in Week 5 with extra rest. Slay is the only decent corner the Eagles have, and Pro Football Focus ranks him inside the top-15 for the first quarter of the season. Top receivers haven't fared overly well against Slay this season, but none have really been shut down to the point that they would have not been a top three receiver on your fantasy team. You should look away from Diontae for DFS purposes but play him in seasonal games. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Holton Hill MIN | He has had back-to-back 100-yard games, and hasn't been held under 90 yet this season. Metcalf also has three touchdowns in four games, and is a complete stud. Holton Hill, on the other hand, is not a stud. He is allowing 1.61 yards per route covered (under .80 is good), and is not in the top-100 cornerback rankings for the season on Pro Football Focus. The Seahawks are going to destroy the Vikings through the air, like most teams have done. This is going to be a great week for Metcalf and I see him being an excellent start in any sort of DFS contest. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Xavien Howard MIA | It was stated last week that Samuel would be on a snap count so you shouldn't be discouraged by his less than stellar output last week. The important part is that he was able to return from what can be a tough foot injury. The Dolphins secondary typically isn't good, and they were lit up last week by the Seahawks.Howard is allowing nearly 14 yards per completion so far this season. Even if the Niners are playing with a backup again this week, they should still have plenty of offense and Samuel is a big part of their scheme. He is a must-start in season long leagues and with his DFS salary he is a great option as well. |
| Mike Evans TB | Jaylon Johnson CHI | With Chris Godwin, Justin Watson, O.J. Howard, and LeSean McCoy all out for this one, Tom Brady is going to have a limited number of guys to throw to here. Evans has scored in every game this season, even though most have been from a much shorter distance than we are accustomed to from him. He certainly desn't have an easy matchup with Johnson who is improving as a corner, but as I have stated with other players, sometimes it comes down to volume. This should be a fairly close game, and the Bucs likely will be throwing the ball a decent amount. Evans is one of few healthy receivers, so while the tight ends and running backs will get theirs, this one should be another 100 yard game with a touchdown for Evans. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Tre'Davious White BUF | Well, assuming the game is going to be played, which is certainly in jeopardy at the time of this writing, Brown is set to play. However, Corey Davis and Adam Humphries are both on the Covid list and won't play. That basically leaves Kalif Raymond and not many other healthy receivers for the Titans. He will have a really hard matchup against Tre'Davious White, although the Bills secondary hasn't been as good this year. I could see Brown getting at least 85 yards, but he might have a hard time scoring on a Bills defense that has allowed 280 yards per game through the air. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Jalen Ramsey LAR | He didn't practice Wednesday with the thigh injury, but he will be fine for Sunday. The new wrinkle is the change at quarterback. Dwayne Haskins is out, Kyle Allen is in. Given how poorly Haskins was playing this can't make the situation worse…..could it? Allen was awful last year for the Panthers, but you have to believe that he will know to throw to his best receiver, right? Jalen Ramsey is an elite corner so I would probably fade McLaurin for DFS purposes but he has played four pretty good top corners to start the season and has produced in every week. I am not sitting McLaurin in any season long league I am in. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARZ | Bless Austin NYJ | I have not been a fan of Kirk's in recent times, and he hasn't given me too many reasons to be on his bandwagon. He did score last week, but it was with three catches and just 19 yards. The entire Cardinal offense really didn't show up last week. There is only one reason that I would consider using Kirk this week and that is his opponent. The Jets defense is just about as bad as the Jets offense. Austin is just barely inside the top-100 corners according to Pro Football Focus. The Cardinals receiving group doesn't have much after De'Andre Hopkins, and Kirk is as good of a bet as anyone else to be productive. |
| Olamide Zaccheaus ATL | Rasul Douglas CAR | Julio Jones was unable to play in the second half on Monday and then missed practice on Wednesday. I am calling now he isn't playing. That thrust Zaccheaus into more playing time which he took advantage of with eight catches for 86 yards. He had four catches for 41 yards the previous game that Jones missed. I am far from suggesting him this week in most cases or even for him to be rostered in most leagues. His value will be fleeting while Jones is out, and quite honestly there is no guarantee that it will even last this week. Russell Gage and Calvin Ridley will both be better than they were last week, and they won't be facing as good of a secondary as they did last week in Green Bay. Zaccheus is only a consideration if you are in a 14-team league and have some injury issues. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Darius Phillips CIN | HEYYYYY! Boykin finally passed the 100 yards receiving mark for the season! He is now at 111 yards through four games without a touchdown. In fact he has just 15 targets in four games. Does it really matter who they are playing against? The Ravens don't throw enough for three players to be fantasy relevant, and Boykin isn't getting it done. |
| John Brown BUF | Jonathan Joseph TEN | He was just inches away from his third touchdown in four games last week against Vegas, and despite a calf injury, Brown had 42 yards on four catches last week. He should be another week healthier on Sunday and he gets a sweet matchup against the Titans. Joseph is allowing .43 fantasy points per route covered (around .15 is good) and the Titans secondary as a whole is allowing 256 yards per game through the air. Josh Allen is playing on another level right now, and Brown is staying fantasy relevant because of that. They should have another strong game as a group, and Brown makes for a solid WR3 for Week 5. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Kendall Sheffield ATL | It was another great game last week for Anderson who had eight catches for 99 yards on 11 targets. It was the second time in four games he had double digit targets. He remains off to a scorching start, and should have you salivating this week if he is on your fantasy rosters. I picked on Sheffield last week and he didn't let me down, and I expect the Panthers to trounce the Falcons secondary. Anderson is catching the ball at an 82 percent rate and is racking up 2.86 yards per route run, which is right up there with Stefon Diggs and D.K. Metcalf. Anderson is having a special season and there is no reason for it not to continue against the Falcons. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Carlton Davis TB | A week after falling off the map with the insertion of Nick Foles, Mooney bounced back to an extent with five catches for 52 yards. His nine targets were among the highest on the team. It was a dysfunctional offensive day for the Bears, but he does seem to be outplaying Anthony Miller. However, until the Bears offense starts to play better you can only trust Allen Robinson and perhaps Jimmy Graham. Regardless of opponent, Mooney hasn't been consistent enough for fantasy purposes. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Marcus Peters BAL | I am more excited about Tee Higgins than perhaps I should be but it is hard not to be when he is playing so well. A week after his two touchdown game, Higgins continued to be involved in the offense with seven targets which he turned into four catches for 77 yards. He is overtaking A.J. Green in the offense at this point. However, a game against the Ravens will be the test. Peters is allowing just 6.6 yards per target this season and holding receivers to a 64 percent catch rate. I could still see starting Tee in some deeper season long leagues on the chance that he continues this success. I do think that Burrow will have a hard time doing too much, so outside of Tyler Boyd you are probably best served not testing it with other Bengal receivers. |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE | Rock Ya-Sin IND | The Browns sixth-round pick will likely be the other outside receiver across from Beckham this week, but they are going against one of the best pass defenses, and no other receiver caught a pass from Mayfield last week other than Beckham and Landry. Peoples-Jones shouldn't even be on fantasy rosters this year. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Isaac Yiadom NYG | I think I heard the (censored) thoughts of those with Gallup on their rosters, probably along with Cowboy fans Adam Ronis, Jen Piacenti, Jim Bowden, and Glenn Colton. I have no idea why Gallup has been so bad this year. He is clearly behind CeeDee Lamb in terms of targets and definitely production. Yiadom has been playing a little better in recent weeks, and the Giants defense kept the Rams in check last week. Gallup is not someone to sit in season long leagues, but man he is getting close. Let's hope for a bounceback week, but I can't say I am totally confident at all. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Joejuan Williams NE | Patrick had a huge game last week against the Jets with six catches for 113 yards and a touchdown and rookie K.J. Hamler has already been ruled out for this one. With Noah Fant already out too, the Broncos are running out of options. There is a chance that Drew Lock returns for this one, which would help Patrick even more. The loss of Stephon Gilmore weakens the Patriots defense as well, but Patrick is still just a long shot dart throw in any format. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Tre Herndon JAX | In Week 3 we were disappointed when Cooks had just three catches. Little did we know that we should have celebrated that because in Week 4 he would have just three targets. And no catches. NO CATCHES! If you take away the game against the Ravens, Cooks has five catches for 43 yards in three games. That is awful. We took into consideration that the Texans had a hard schedule, but last week was against the Vikings, and their defense is not good. I am giving Cooks one more week before dropping him, and he gets another pretty easy one against Jacksonville. I don't think I will be starting him at all, but if he has fewer than four catches and 60 yards I will be kicking him to the waiver wire after Week 5. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Terrance Mitchell CLE | With the myriad of injuries to the Colts receivers, Pascal is going to see an increase in volume. However, that doesn't mean that he will be any more fantasy relevant than he was before. He had three catches for 58 yards, and outside of a few outlier games in his career, Pascal can be on a roster and be bye week and injury insurance over the next couple weeks before the Colts start to get healthy. Terrance Mitchell is actually playing quite well this season, and helped keep Michael Gallup under wraps last week. He is allowing just a 52 percent catch rate, and Pascal isn't a great option for this coming weekend. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Vernon Hargreaves HOU | I've been talking this kid up a little more each week, and after his Week 4 performance, it is going to get a little louder. Shenault had five catches for 86 yards last week, and his confidence and connection with Gardner Minshew are both growing. He is fast, and is explosive with the ball in his hands in space. They usually try to get him involved with a rushing attempt or two a game, and one of these times he is going to break that for a long gain. The Texans pass defense is pretty porous as we know, and Hargreaves isn't exactly what you would call a shut down corner. Shenault continues to be a WR3 for season long leagues, and not a strong DFS target at this point. |
| Sammy Watkins KC | Nevin Lawson LV | He hasn’t been awful. I can say that for Watkins. A guy that will score 23 fantasy points one week and then score eight for the next four combined has been a little less inconsistent so far in 2020. He has had at least seven targets in three of four games, but it just hasn't amounted to a ton of yardage, just under 200 for the season. He also hasn't found the end zone since Week 1. Lawson is ranked 61st by Pro Football Focus among cornerbacks, but for him his ranking is helped by his abilities as a run stopper more than a coverage guy. The Raiders are allowing about 250 yards per game through the air, but this is Patrick Mahomes. The offense will still run through Tyreek Hill, Kelce, and CEH, and whatever scraps are left will be there for Watkins. He is unlikely to score more than 10-12 points in PPR leagues. |
| Josh Reynolds LAR | Ronald Darby WAS | The Rams passing attack hasn't been good enough to keep Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and Tyler Higbee fantasy relevant for the first month of the season, it certainly can't support a third wide receiver. I think Reynolds has decent talent, but the chances just aren't there. He has just 12 targets in four games and isn't on the fantasy radar at this time regardless of who they are playing. |
| Jason Moore LAC | Patrick Robinson NO | With Mike Williams out, there isn't much work to wide receivers outside of Keenan Allen. Rookie Justin Herbert is spreading the ball around, and including his running backs and tight ends. Moore is not someone to even take the time to research his name. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Charvarius Ward KC | He returned to practice on Wednesday after missing two weeks with a hamstring injury, but that doesn't mean that he is a guarantee to play. Hamstrings are also an injury that is easy to aggravate, just ask Julio Jones. Ruggs showed some skill in his first two games as a pro, but I wouldn't want to trust him with a spot in my starting lineup considering he is playing the tough Chiefs defense and didn't play since Week 2. |
| Preston Williams MIA | Jason Verrett SF | I loved Williams coming into the year, but the volume is decreasing as the season goes. After seven targets in the opening week, and has just ten in the three weeks combined since. He also hasn't had more than two catches in any game yet this year. The Niners secondary is banged up, but unless Williams lucks into a touchdown catch, he won't have much fantasy production. The hope now is that he has a good connection with Tua, but as of now, Williams is borderline droppable. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Tre Flowers SEA | He didn't have as many targets as he had the week before, but Jefferson had his second straight 100 yard games. This is great to see the first round pick performing like this, but we also have to remember that neither game was against a good pass defense in Tennesee and Houston. The good news for Jefferson is that the Vikings play their third straight terrible pass defense in Seattle who has given up the most pass yards in the league. Flowers is by far the worst of the three with a 45.3 rating out of 100 on Pro Football Focus and Jefferson will be a solid seasonal league and DFS play for Week 5. |
| Damiere Byrd NE | Michael Ojemudia DEN | The Patriots did have to throw a lot last week, they just had awful quarterbacks doing it and somehow Byrd ended up with five catches for 80 yards. It was his best game of the season. I think it is hard to expect too much from the New England offense while Newton is out. Denver's secondary has allowed seven pass touchdowns this season, which is fairly middle of the road. Ojemudia is allowing just a 52 percent catch rate, and Byrd won't be a good start no matter who is under center for the Patriots. |
| Emmanuel Sanders NO | Michael Davis LAC | After two straight awful games to start the season, Sanders has improved the last two weeks with Michael Thomas out. Unfortunately for him, the Saints face a tough Chargers secondary this week and Michael Thomas should return. Given those two facts and Tre'Quan Smith maturing into a better receiver, Sanders doesn't appear to be in a great situation to succeed. Throw in that Michael Davis is a top-25 rated cornerback by Pro Football Focus and everything is pointing to a bad game for Sanders. |
| Damion Ratley NYG | Daryl Worley DAL | He actually had a tiny role and caught three of his four targets for 34 yards in Week 4. The Giants have a much easier defense on the schedule this week, but Ratley does not get enough usage to even consider for fantasy rosters right now or likely all season. |
| Braxton Berrios NYJ | Dre Kirkpatrick ARZ | He had touchdowns in back to back games, and then in Week 4 Berrios didn't even have a catch. The Jets offense is absolutely atrocious, and now will be counting on Joe Flacco for a week. Breshad Perriman will likely be coming back and the Jets offense isn't good enough for anyone but Jamison Crowder to be fantasy relevant and if Berrios is still on your roster, you can go ahead and drop him. |
| John Hightower PHI | Steven Nelson PIT | Even with the entire receiving corps hurt, Hightower still only ended up with two targets, two catches, and 22 yards. With DeSean Jackson likely returning that brings another set of hands to take targets away. The Eagles offense is really struggling, and the Steelers defense is one of the best and is coming off a bye week. Hightower shouldn't even be on rosters. |
| James Washington PIT | Jalen Mills PHI | He did see a slight uptick in volume with Diontae Johnson out in Week 3, but overall Washington hasn't done much so far in 2020. In those three games he has just ten catches for 92 yards and one touchdown. The Steelers have a good passing offense, so Washington could have good games from time to time, but it also seems that Chase Claypool is making some inroads to some volume. Considering Big Ben also likes to throw to tight ends and running backs, it seems unlikely that Washington will have a reliable fantasy role without an injury or two to other receivers. He is worth having on rosters, but shouldn't be started even against Philly. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Noah Igbinoghene MIA | He has scored in back to back weeks. They were both considered runs, although last week was more of a swing pass they considered a run. Aiyuk is still building his role, but is becoming more involved in the offense. He is the perfect asset to Kyle Shanahan as Aiyuk is great in space, and Shanahan's offense is great at misdirection plays. He will continue to play well, and Igbinoghene is one of the lowest rated corners on PFF with a 33.8 rating out of 100. Aiyuk will be in for a better game if Jimmy G is back, but either way he is a nice flex play for Week 5. |
| David Moore SEA | Cameron Dantzler MIN | If you just look at the boxscore you might think that Moore had a good game and could be fantasy worthy. That is indeed not the case. 57 of his 95 yards came on the touchdown and it was broken coverage. Unless there is an injury to Lockett or Metcalf, Moore isn't worth thinking about in fantasy right now. The Vikings secondary is bad, but the Seahawks throw to the two big receivers, a few to the tight end, and the rest to the backfield. No other wide receiver is worth anything to your fantasy teams. |
| Scotty Miller TB | Kyle Fuller CHI | With Chris Godwin out again, Miller will continue to stay in the starting lineup. He has his own hip and groin injuries, but it doesn't seem to put Miller's availability in doubt. He has over 73 yards in three of four games, but has scored in just one. The Bucs are running out of options to throw the ball to with all of their inactives. The Bears run defense is pretty decent, so Tampa will be looking to throw to advance the ball. Every pass can't go to Mike Evans. Miller isn't a great play against Kyle Fuller, but on sheer volume alone he is worth a flex play in your Week 5 lineups. |
| Kalif Raymond TEN | Josh Norman BUF | Assuming the Titans play, they are going to be very thin at wide receiver. Both Adam Humphries and Corey Davis have been put on the Covid list. That leaves A.J. Brown, tight end Jonnu Smith, and likely Raymond as another wide receiver. He had just two targets in the opening two games before having three catches for 118 yards in Week 3. The Bills have a solid pass defense, although they have been giving up a bunch of yards. Norman made a couple of good plays last week, and will probably limit Raymond's upside, but if your roster is in a lot of trouble between injuries, byes, and Covid, Raymond could be a long dart throw for one week. |
| Dontrelle Inman WAS | Darious Williams LAR | He got on the fantasy radar a little after a two touchdown game in Week 3, but he crashed back to Earth with a 29 yard game last week against Baltimore. The Football Team is now changing quarterback, and who knows how that will impact the offense. Unless Kyle Allen really finds a connection with Inman, which seems unlikely, he will continue to be irrelevant for fantasy purposes. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 5.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Lamarcus Joyner LV | He has a touchdown in each game so far, and Hill also has 1.86 yards per route run, which you would consider anything over 1.5 good. The Chiefs offense faces off against a banged up Raiders secondary, and Joyner isn't very good. He is allowing almost 11 yards per completion and a 76 percent catch rate. If Hill was to be targeted eight times, this would be a great game for him. Like every week you would be an idiot not to have Hill in your starting lineups. |
| Juju Smith-Schuster PIT | Nickell Robey-Coleman PHI | Smith-Schuster is already having a much better season than he did in 2020 thanks in large part to the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is healthy. It also helps that Diontae Johnson is becoming a real threat that defenses have to pay attention to. He has three touchdowns in three weeks, and is coming off a week off after the Titans Covid disaster. Robey-Coleman is listed as the 91st corner in Pro Football Focus rankings and you should expect another touchdown from Juju this week. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Darnay Holmes NYG | He has yet to have fewer than five catches in a game and he is also yet to have less than 59 receiving yards in a game. He had his first two touchdowns of the season in Week 4, and Lamb has burst on the scene as one of the better young receivers in the league. He faces a Giants secondary that is absolutely awful, and who gave up a big game to Cooper Kupp out of the slot last week. With Amari Cooper, MIchael Gallup, and even Dalton Schultz commanding attention from the defense, Lamb has come in and had an immediate impact. He is a must-start in all fantasy contests in Week 5. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Chauncey Gardner-Johnson NO | The change at quarterback has been a huge help for Allen as he is being targeted at a ridiculous rate since Justin Herbert has been installed at quarterback. If you are looking for specific numbers it is 41 times in the last three weeks. The Saints secondary is banged up, but Gardner-Johnson has been doing a good job with the slot. He is allowing a 76 percent catch rate, but allowing just .21 fantasy points per route run, which is a good number considering anything under .20 is very solid. That being said, Allen is still a must-start this coming week as the volume is just too ridiculous to keep out of your lineups. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Jeff Gladney MIN | The Seahawks didn't light up the Dolphins last week like we thought they might, and Lockett put up the biggest dud after a three touchdown game. He has a great chance to turn it around this week though. He is catching the ball at a 79 percent clip, and had been targeted at least eight times in each game before last Sunday. Gladney is allowing 2.46 yards per route covered, a measure where you want that to be under 1.00. The Vikings pass defense is fourth worst in the league, and Lockett should have quite the day in Week 5. |
| Jamison Crowder NYJ | Byron Murphy ARZ | If you watched the Jets last Thursday against the Broncos you would see that they have one decent receiver. Crowder. That is it. I'm sorry, but even when Breshad Perriman is back, he is average at best. Crowder is a fantastic possession receiver, and I know the Broncos secondary isn't good, but Crowder is good. Patrick Peterson doesn't normally line up in the slot for Arizona, so Crowder could catch a break here. The Jets will have Joe Flacco at quarterback, but he is still good enough to find Crowder over the middle for 10-12 yards a half dozen times in this game. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Marlon Humphrey BAL | You should have no doubt anymore who is the top receiver for the Bengals. Boyd has been targeted at least eight times in each of the last three games, with a minimum of seven catches over that span. He clearly has caught the favor of Joe Burrow. Now the Ravens defense is great. We know that. However, that doesn't mean that you avoid anyone against them. Three slot receivers in Kansas City, Houston, and Cleveland all had at least five catches against them and Mecole Hardman scored a touchdown on them. They are slightly susceptible to the slot receiver, and Boyd is not only the slot receiver but the best one on the team. He will still see eight to ten targets and will have a minimum of six catches in this one. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Jimmy Moreland WAS | He was the one Rams receiver to do much of anything last week against the putrid Giants defense, and Kupp now has five or ore catches and at least 69 yards in each of the last three games. Teams certainly seem to be scheming against Robert Woods, leaving Kupp to do a little damage. He will face Moreland who is currently sitting 88th in Pro Football Focus rating of cornerbacks with a grade of just 48.9 out of 100. The Rams have thrown the ball at least 30 times in three of the four games and you can expect that again. Washington has a pretty stout pass defense on the whole, and Kupp looks to have the easiest matchup of them all. |
| Greg Ward PHI | Mike Hilton PIT | Like Tyler Boyd, this one comes down to volume. Yes, the Steelers have a really good defense, but that doesn't mean to just avoid everyone on the team. Ward was targeted seven times last week, and 18 times in the last two combined. Their receiving corps isn't getting any healthier, and that means Ward will be peppered with targets again. Hilton is allowing receivers to catch the ball at a 74 percent clip, and if Ward is targeted seven to ten times that should still turn out to be a pretty good day for him. It won't be the type of production that will wow you, but he certainly belongs in season long lineups. |
| Tre'Quan Smith NO | Desmond King LAC | He has done pretty well out of the slot since Michael Thomas went down, and although I believe Thomas will be back this week, this doesn't torpedo Smith's value right away. First, Thomas is sure not 100 percent. High ankle sprains tend to linger, and while he might be out there, Thomas surely won't be himself. Second, with Thomas back, that means that the top corner won't be on Smith. King was a great slot corner in 2018 before regressing last year. He was relegated to the bench, but the injury to Chris Harris has King back on the field. Smith could take advantage of this matchup and have a nice game. |
I really like Stefon Diggs this week, but with the uncertainty surrounding the game and Covid-19, I wanted to give you other choices. If the Bills game does happen, Diggs is another awesome elite level choice. Elite
Tyreek Hill vs. Lamarcus Joyner . The Chiefs offense has been held in check (by their standards) for two weeks against the Chargers and Patriots, who are two top passing defenses. This week will be a much different story as they are facing the Raiders. Not only were we not expecting great defense coming out of Vegas to start but being down one of their top corners in Damon Arnette just makes their depth even worse. Despite a bunch of different weapons to throw to, Mahomes keys in on Hill and Kelce, and Hill has a touchdown in every game this season. Kansas City is due to break out in a big offensive game, and Hill should be a big beneficiary of that.
Will Fuller vs. C.J. Henderson. I have never been a Will Fuller fan, but it has always been because he has burned me with injuries. That is the beauty of DFS is that doesn’t have to come into play. Last week Brandin Cooks didn’t have a catch and Randall Cobb has seven in the last two games. The only constant of the Texans offense right now is Fuller. He is coming off a 100-yard game with a touchdown against the Vikings and he gets another really easy matchup against a bad Jaguars pass defense that is averaging allowing two touchdowns a game through the air. With not really much help around him, look for Deshaun Watson to look to Fuller early and often.
Affordable
Robby Anderson vs. Kendall Sheffield . You can pretty much consider him the number one receiver in Carolina. D.J. Moore had that designation coming into the season, but if you look at targets and production in the first four weeks of the season, it is clear who Teddy Bridgewater favors. Anderson hasn’t had less than five catches in a game, and he basically has three 100-yard games in four weeks. He hasn’t scored in the last three weeks, but the Panthers have actually played pretty decent defenses. Kendall Sheffield isn’t even ranked inside the top-100 corners on Pro Football Focus, and to be frank I’m not sure how he has a starting job. Atlanta has allowed 13 passing touchdowns in just four games and Anderson is nearly a lock to pop off in this one.
CeeDee Lamb vs. Darnay Holmes. The Giants are a bad team, and their defense isn’t good at all. They did keep the Rams in check most of last week, but the one guy who had the big catch and touchdown was slot receiver Cooper Kupp . So, let’s continue that trend with not only the next slot receiver, but a guy who is off to a great start. Lamb hasn’t had fewer that five catches in any game this season and has been far better than Michael Gallup . The Giants have allowed three touchdowns to slot receivers so far this season, and this is a great salary for Lamb. He has a real shot at his second 100-yard game and a score.
Bargain Bin
Deebo Samuel vs. Xavien Howard . Again, you can be disappointed by last week, but we knew he was going to be limited. There will be no restrictions on Deebo this week, and if you forgot how good the guy was because he hasn’t played since last season, please go watch some tape. He has great hands and is a very physical receiver who is rarely tackled by the first guy who tries. Xavien Howard grades out well on PFF, but the Dolphins defense just hasn’t been good outside of the Jacksonville game. The Niners offense is starting to get healthy, and after Kittle, Samuel is the next go-to guy. He is too cheap this week on a plus matchup and really will help you buy up a stud somewhere else and still get top notch output for Week 5.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.