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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
Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARZ | Marshon Lattimore NO | He was able to practice on a limited capacity on Wednesday, which could be the first step towards his long awaited return. Teams with Kirk on them have been sorely missing his production. He will get a heck of a welcome back though as the Saints are the opponent, and they have been extremely stingy on defense. It might be very tempting to try to get Kirk back in your lineups, but this doesn't seem like a scenario where he is set up to succeed |
| Julio Jones ATL | Tre Flowers SEA | Jones did fairly well against Jalen Ramsey and the Rams last week, and draws another far from easy one against the Seahawks. Seattle's defense is a long way from the Legion of Boom, but it isn't bad either. The Falcons team as a whole are a disaster, but it sure isn't Julio Jones fault. Assuming Matt Ryan is able to play, Jones would be a very solid start in all fantasy formats. If we are looking at Matt Schaub at quarterback, Julio becomes a big no go in DFS leagues. |
| John Brown BUF | Jalen Mills PHI | Mr. Consistency did it again last week, and while no one should really be shaking their pom poms at beating up the Dolphins, Brown had another good game. His six catches for 83 yards he had against Miami can almost be considered his floor this week against the often torched Eagles secondary. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Richard Sherman SF | It will be another week without Cam Newton , although Moore has had some success with Kyle Allen at quarterback. The question this week is how the young Allen will handle what seems to be a unrelenting pass rush with the 49ers defense. Based on what we have watched this season, the safe answer is not well. The 49ers have completely been shutting down passing games lately, which makes Moore a tough start in redraft leagues, and maybe a flex at best. You would be simply wasting money to consider him in DFS games. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Casey Hayward LAC | Despite the complete disaster that is the Bears offense, Robinson continues to produce on a weekly basis as he had another touchdown in Week 7. And although he has been a great find in fantasy football this season, this is not the weekend to count on Robinson to carry your team. Casey Hayward is one of the best corners in football, and has been shutting down big time receivers all season. You can still start Robinson in your redraft leagues, but just don't expect a solid return. |
| Auden Tate CIN | Nickell Robey-Coleman LAR | The Rams defense looked like a million bucks last week against the Falcons, and that was what we expected from them. They did bring in a shutdown corner in Jalen Ramsey that certainly helps out the whole unit, and although Tate is big, he isn't a world beater when it comes to running routes. Robey-Coleman is normall a slot corner, and an average one at that. Tate has a chance of having a decent game if the offensive line gives Andy Dalton any time to throw, and if Dalton remembers what team he is supposed to throw to. Both of those are giant ifs. You can use him in your slot if you still like Tate. |
| Odell Beckham CLE | Stephon Gilmore NE | After three straight very mediocre games, Beckham got back on track before the Browns bye week. It is nice to get some rest and hopefully he and Baker Mayfield worked together (although based on their personalities, probably not) as the team looks to get back on track. The schedule makers did them no favors though as they face the best defense in the league in New England. It is possible that Beckham could have a good game, but it certainly doesn't look like it. Mayfield has been making poor decisions in the face of pressure, and the Pats will be on him. Personally I think Beckham tops out at five catches for 55 yards. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Pierre Desir IND | It has been a great season for Sutton, although he lost some of his padding with the team trading away Emmanuel Sanders . That really doesn't leave much else at wide receiver that opposing defenses to have to worry about. However, Sutton continues to put up stats, despite awful quarterback play and little help around him. It will be an even tougher game against the Colts, and while Sutton has become a guy you can't sit, he certainly isn't someone that I go into the week with a lot of confidence for. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Janoris Jenkins NYG | Jones had the best game of his career on Sunday as the Vikings secondary inexplicably had no answer for him. He isn't a bad receiver, but he is far from a great one. He has good height, but he isn't overly fast. It should have been a tough match-up for him against the Vikings, and he gets a much easier one this week against the Giants even though Janoris Jenkins has been a quality corner. Sure, start Jones, but don't go chasing last week's points. He is a low end WR3 or a solid flex play this week. |
| DeAndre Hopkins HOU | Daryl Worley OAK | Finally! I have been waiting for my guy Hopkins to break out for so long, and I had started to lose faith so much that I didn't choose him for the #FFPieBet last week and it cost me dearly. His nine catches for 106 yards against the Colts was his best game since Week 1, and now this cupcake match-up against the Raiders who just traded one of their better corners away (to Houston ironically) makes it look even better. Hopkins is a top flight choice in all seasonal games and DFS formats. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Chris Harris DEN | After a week where the Colts offense just pounded the ball on the ground against the Chiefs to try to keep Patrick Mahomes off the field, they opened the offense back up, and Hilton was back to his double-digit target ways. He caught six balls for 74 yards and a touchdown against the Texans, but will have a far stiffer test this week. Harris will likely spend a lot of the day matched up with Hilton, and he is definitely a top ten corner with the ability to shut someone down for the day. While I would avoid him in DFS games this week, Hilton should still be a WR2 and not have less than 60 receiving yards. It has been a very productive season for Hilton and one that should keep up in Week 8 |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Trumaine Johnson NYJ | He was out there,and he was targeted, but Chark just didn't come through against the Bengals and it cost me a pie in the face. Sure, sure, you can laugh at me all you want @fightingchance on Twitter, but it should have been a big game for him. This is now back to back games where he has just three catches, and that makes me concerned about him considering this last one was against the Bengals with a wet paper bag as a secondary. Redraft leagues you can continue to use Chark as a starter, but right now it seems that Dede Westbrook has moved in front of him in the target line. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Jaire Alexander GB | The loss of Patrick Mahomes is certainly going to hurt Robinson. Travis Kelce should be fine, Tyreek Hill should be fine, the running backs might see some more targets, but Robinson is likely going to pay the price. Matt Moore simply can't move around or throw the ball like Mahomes, and his skill set is not conducive to hooking up with Robinson a lot. He also has a really tough match-up against the Packers and should certainly be on your bench this week. |
| Brandin Cooks LAR | Tony McRae CIN | Even in a game where the Rams scored a lot of points and Jared Goff didn't look terrible, Cooks still only had four catches for 59 yards. The Rams are throwing a ton to multiple tight ends, and right now the receivers just aren't as involved. This week they face the Bengals secondary who weren't good when healthy, and now that they are fully compromised by injury, they are one of the worst in football. You have to think the Rams are going to have another big game throwing the ball and hopefully Cooks will be a big part of it. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Kyle Fuller CHI | On paper this looks like a terrible match-up, but the Bears defense hasn't been playing up to their capabilities for almost a month. Teddy Bridgewater crushed them. Kirk Cousins played fairly well, and even Derek Carr didn't look awful. Hopefully, the Chargers will end their woes against the Bears as well, but with so much work going to the two running backs, Williams production looks to be cloudy. He still doesn't have a touchdown yet this season, and is getting harder to start by the week. His talent says start him, his production this season says maybe don't. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Joe Haden PIT | The stats aren't always impressive, but Parker has scored in three straight games. I have long been a detractor of Parker, but right now he is the most reliable receiver on a team that is always behind. He faces a really tough match-up with Joe Haden, but Ryan Fitzpatrick has been able to move the ball for the Dolphins. He is a tall receiver who can go up and get a jump ball, and right now Parker has played himself into flex consideration. |
| Stefon Diggs MIN | Quinton Dunbar WAS | Dunbar has played like an amazing corner this season, but he hasn't been getting a lot of help around him. Diggs has woken up in a big way, and now has back to back strong contests. It looks like Adam Thielen is going to miss this one, which opens up even more opportunities for Diggs, and he is a great play in both seasonal and DFS formats on Thursday night. |
| Phillip Dorsett NE | Terrance Mitchell CLE | Dorsett scored a touchdown on Monday night, and although he isn't a target magnet, he continues to be looked to by Tom Brady when they are close to scoring. There has to be some concern that the Patriots just traded a second round pick for Mohamed Sanu. Sure, Josh Gordon is gone, but Dorsett has been best when the main targets are he and Julian Edelman. With Sanu just coming to town you can start Dorsett with confidence this week in seasonal formats, but he is a little too risky for DFS. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Patrick Peterson ARI | It has been a dream season for Thomas, which is a surprise after the loss of Drew Brees . But, it seems like Teddy Bridgewater might even rely on him more. In my opinion Thomas is match-up proof, and even in a game against perhaps the best corner in the league you absolutely can still use him. Thomas has a chance for 12-15 targets in this game, and have eight or nine catches and a touchdown. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Darius Slay DET | He has good speed, but so far the passing game hasn't produced enough for any receiver other than Golden Tate of Evan Engram to be fantasy relevant. I like Slayton as a player, and if he was on a better team he might be able to do something. He also gets to face a strong secondary, and Slayton is likely to top out at three catches and maybe 40 yards. |
| Robby Anderson NYJ | A.J. Bouye JAX | Obviously, the Jets offense was completely shut down on Monday against the Patriots and was as much a story about how good the Patriots defense is as much as how the Jets offense isn't ready for Prime Time just yet. Anderson is their top receiver, he is very touchdown dependent. He still had eight targets, so he is very involved in the offense, but having A.J. Bouye across the field from him means that most will fall incomplete. Anderson will need to make a big play to have a fantasy game worth a start in any lineups. |
| Tyrell Williams OAK | Johnathan Joseph HOU | Williams has a chance of playing in this one after practicing on Wednesday. He has missed a couple of games with plantar fasciitis, which usually keeps players out longer than this. He scored in all four games that he played in, although the last couple would have been bad fantasy games if he hadn't found the end zone. Williams is by far the most talented receiver on the Raiders, and if he plays this game he is worst worth a WR3 spot on your roster. |
| Alshon Jeffery PHI | Tre'Davious White BUF | Week 7 was the first game where Jeffery wasn't heavily targeted, which was strange since the Eagles were behind the entire game. It was a tough match-up against the Cowboys, and it gets even tougher this week against the Bills. White was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week last week, and has played great all season long. You can start Jeffery in redraft leagues, but that is a very scary proposition this week. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Ken Webster MIA | After two games that totaled 11 catches, Johnson didn't do much in Week 6 when the Steelers were last on the field. Of course, that was with third string quarterback Devlin Hodges, and Mason Rudolph will be back in this one. He certainly gets a bump in value this week and because a decent flex start against a disastrous Miami defense. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Isaiah Oliver ATL | Metcalf had a season high nine targets last week, and has four catches in back-to-back games after having five total catches in the previous three games. He hasn't been the big play threat that we thought he might be coming into the season, and he needs to find the end zone more to be anything more than a flex guy. He will get a great chance to make his presence felt this week against the Falcons secondary, and I don't need to say how bad they are. This is certainly a week to put Metcalf in your lineups with confidence nad perhaps a cheap option in DFS leagues. |
| Kendrick Bourne SF | James Bradberry CAR | The 49ers traded for Emmanuel Sanders , but he is a slot receiver and likely won't be a big enough part of the game plan to be in lineups this weekend. Kendrick Bourne has been a decent receiver, but he doesn't get enough looks to be worthy of a fantasy roster spot. The Panthers should keep him mostly in check this Sunday. |
| Mike Evans TB | Malcolm Butler TEN | Outside of that game against the Saints, Evans has been much better of late. He had 96 yards in the game in London before the Tampa bye, and will look to keep his momentum going. It won't be easy against Malcolm Butler and the Titans secondary, especially with Jameis "The Turnover Machine" Winston at quarterback. Evans is still a top 20 receiver in this league, and is always worth a start in redraft leagues. With the uncertainty at quarterback, and a tough opposing team, he would be very ill advised to use in DFS games. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Vernon Hargreaves TB | Davis has his chance to keep his fantasy value for multiple games for the first time in a long time with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. I know that seems like the strangest sentence you've read in a long time, but I watched the game and Tannehill was in control of the offense. Not only that, but he targeted Davis seven times, which was his season high. Davis gets a great match-up this week against Tampa and Davis is definitely worth a spot in your lineups again. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Xavier Rhodes MIN | The Redskins offense is a mess, their quarterback situation is forever in flux, but somehow McLaurin continues to produce. Of course that doesn't count last week in the rain soaked game against the 49ers. This will be another game against a tough defense against one of the best corners in football, but at this point you can't sit McLaurin as long as he is healthy. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Damiere Byrd ARZ | Eli Apple NO | Byrd hasn't had more than two catches in a game since Week 2, and without Christian Kirk there hasn't been much air in the Air Raid offense. The Cardinals are playing a bit better of late, but I think we would all agree everything about this team has been a disappointment so far. The only thing on the Cardinals to be excited about in fantasy is Chase Edmonds right now. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Shaquill Griffin SEA | I've had a man crush on Ridley for a couple of years, but I have to admit when my man isn't getting the job done. The Falcons look dead as a team, but a lot of that has to do with the awful defense. However, Ridley has just eight catches for 78 yards in the last two games combined. He needs to get more than six targets a game, but right now Julio Jones and Austin Hooper are eating it up. If Matt Ryan is forced to miss the game I would sit Ridley in redraft, but if Ryan is able to suit up Ridley should at least be a flex play. |
| Duke Williams BUF | Rasul Douglas PHI | I've said all year that the Bills pass offense isn't strong enough to support two fantasy worthy receivers. It wasn't Zay Jones , and it isn't going to be Duke Williams. First, they don't throw enough and second Josh Allen is very erratic as a passer. You can put Williams at the end of your roster for bye week insurance, but I hope you never have to cash in on that insurance policy because there likely won't be much money in it. Even against the mediocre Eagles secondary I would look in another direction. |
| Taylor Gabriel CHI | Michael Davis LAC | It was his first game since his three touchdown outing with the concussion, and if you need a refresher on Gabriel allow me. Gabriel will have one good game every four or five weeks, fool everyone into thinking he is fantasy worthy, and then suck in every game in between. Just when you lose faith and bench him, he has a great game again. Don't put yourself through the agony, he isn't worth it. Especially now with the Bears offense playing as poorly as it has there are so many better options available. |
| Alex Erickson CIN | Troy Hill LAR | The Bengals just keep having guys pop up and have a good game or two and then the disappear under the wave of awfulness that is the Cincinnati offense. Sure, Erickson had a great game last week, and if you want to chase that be my guest. He isn't some up and coming rookie though. He has been in the league since 2016 and his career high is 20 catches. He is a special teams guy. The Bengals are desperate to find some sort of help at wide receiver, but Erickson should be third in line for targets behind Boyd and Tate. Their offense isn't good enough for this, and Erickson won't get targeted as heavily again. Don't chase last week's points, they won't get you anywhere this week. |
| Antonio Callaway CLE | Jason McCourty NE | Emmanuel Sanders opens the door for Hamilton to perhaps be in line for some production in 2019. Sure, Joe Flacco is playing like garbage, but when Sanders was hurt last season Hamilton had 25 catches and two touchdowns in the last four weeks. This isn't likely to be a breakout game for him, as the Colts defense is playing fairly well, but he could be worth a roster add if you are in need of a wide receiver and you struck out on waivers. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Deandre Baker NYG | It was a worst case scenario in Week 7 for Golladay, as Marvin Jones shined with four touchdowns and somehow he finished with one catch and 21 yards. This was a week removed from a 121 yard effort against the Packers. What better bait to get back on track than the Giants defense who has been beaten more times than Glass Joe in Mike Tyson 's Punchout. Golladay should bounce back in a big way and is a great target in DFS games this week. Jones was the star last week, but it won't happen again. This is Golladay time baby! |
| Allen Lazard GB | Charvarius Ward KC | Lazard didn't score, but he was on the field more than any other receiver last week. Of course, he might have been the only Packers receiver not to score, but that is besides the point. He was only targeted four times on a day when Aaron Rodgers threw for over 400 yards. This makes him very tough to trust this week, and he should be a complete non-factor when Davante Adams returns. Lazard is a very shaky dart throw and should be avoided. |
| Kenny Stills HOU | Trayvon Mullen OAK | With Fuller having his yearly injury, this opens the door in a huge way for Kenny Stills . He must feel like a prisoner released from Shawshank, except he didn't take the messy way that Andy Dufresne did. No, it was a trade out of Miami that set him free, and he is now the number two receiver catching balls from Deshaun Watson , The change from Josh Rosen to Watson is like Hamburger Helper to filet mignon. And don't tweet me and say how good Hamburger Helper is. Just stop it. Still has a gorgeous matchup against a terrible Raiders secondary and should be in for a 100 yard game and a touchdown. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Isaac Yiadom DEN | He showed some flashes earlier in the season against the Falcons (but who doesn't?) and Raiders (trash defense), but Pascal had his best game of the year in Week 7 with Houston. He had six catches for over 100 yards and two touchdowns. He is the clear number two receiver for the Colts, but we will see if that adds up to sustainable fantasy relevance. If you grabbed Pascal off waivers this might not be the week to start him, as he has shined against average or below defenses, but Denver's secondary is very strong. This should be a game script that has the Colts running a bunch and Pascal should struggle to make an impact. |
| Chris Conley JAX | Darryl Roberts NYJ | He had his best game since Week 1 with 83 yards on three catches, but this is far form putting Conley back on the fantasy radar. The Jaguars are relying heavily on Leonard Fournette these days, and Conley is at best the third option for targets behind Westbrook and Chark. Even against a porous Jets secondary, don't let Conley's one good game fool you, he is not someone you should be looking at in fantasy. |
| Sammy Watkins KC | Kevin King GB | It looks like Watkins should be good to go this weekend after missing three weeks to a hamstring injury, but boy does he come back at the wrong time with the injury to Patrick Mahomes . It remains to see how healthy Watkins is, if he has any chemistry with Matt Moore , and how much the Chiefs are going to throw the ball. Right now, any Chief pass catcher besides Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are a no go for me. |
| Robert Woods LAR | B.W. Webb CIN | Woods had his second best game of the season last week, which should be no surprise since it was against the Falcons. Is this the Rams passing game getting back on track? Or was it just them exploiting an easy match-up? We won't get that answer this week, because it is another easy match-up and one that Woods should succeed in again. The Bengals are flat out bad and the Rams should roll. |
| Geremy Davis LAC | Prince Amukamara CHI | With Travis Benjamin to IR, that makes Davis the third receiver on the Chargers after Keenan Allen and Mike Williams . In limited playing time he has failed to make an impact, and given that he is sixth in the pecking order for targets after those two receivers, the two running backs, and Hunter Henry , this is a name you can forget. |
| Preston Williams MIA | Artie Burns PIT | Williams has had some moments where he looks like a receiver who could work his way into fantasy relevance. Then he remembers he is on the Dolphins, he hasn't scored since Week 1, and even though his team has been behind the whole season he has basically had two fantasy relevant weeks. Week 7 was his best of the season, however, and the Dolphins could be building some momentum. Hahaha, ok I can't say it with a straight face. The Steelers have played pretty good pass defense this year and Williams should top out at 50 yards. |
| Bisi Johnson MIN | Josh Norman WAS | The injury to Adam Thielen could put Johnson is a starting role this week. He was targeted eight times last week once he came into the game, and although he didn't turn it into a lot, he did have a touchdown on one of his early plays. Johnson is a seventh-round draft pick who didn't have a very good camp, but injuries have thrust him into this opportunity. He is definitely not someone to pick up, but monitor him Thursday night to see if he is targeted heavily again. |
| Jakobi Meyers NE | T.J. Carrie CLE | The acquisition of Mohamed Sanu will push Meyers back to a role that will take him off the fantasy radar. The only question is if Sanu will be ready to have a significant role this week. Meyers has had good plays and good quarters, but he isn't putting it together for good games. Of course, this comes with lack of real opportunity, but he isn't someone to have any real faith in this week. |
| Ted Ginn NO | Byron Murphy ARI | I feel like a broken record here every week saying that Ginn has lost his value with the injury to Drew Brees , but it continues to pan out every week. He does get a very favorable match-up against the Cardinals and not Patrick Peterson , but Ginn hasn't had more than three carries or even reached 50 receiving yards since Brees went down. His quarterback should be returning soon, but until then keep Ginn on your bench or waiver wire. |
| Cody Latimer NYG | Rashaan Melvin DET | The Giants offense can give you production out of Saquon Barkley , Golden Tate , and Evan Engram . That's it. Even against a very below average Cardinals defense, New York didn't do much at all. Don't worry about Latimer as this offense is going nowhere fast. |
| Demaryius Thomas NYJ | Tre Herndon JAX | Sam Darnold targeted Thomas nine times in Monday night's game against the Patriots, but he also targeted some ghosts four times in the game, so who knows if that is relevant. Darnold is also dealing with a toe injury, although he should be good to play. The Jets offense gets a break playing a much lesser defense this week, but the Jaguars are still no bottom feeders. Thomas is really hard to trust and should only be used in dire situations in PPR leagues right now. |
| Trevor Davis OAK | Gareon Conley HOU | Davis had a chance to make a small impact with Tyrell Williams missing a couple of games and fell very short. He did catch all six of his targets in those two games, but they went for a whopping 68 yards. In two weeks. Assuming Williams is able to play that will push Davis another rung down the target ladder, and even if he is the top receiver again this week, it won't matter. Davis is not a player you need to consider in any formats. |
| Mack Hollins PHI | Levi Wallace BUF | Hollins had a chance to show that he is capable of taking a step towards being a reliable fantasy receiver with the injury to DeSean Jackson . However, someone must have tied his shoelaces together, because he tripped trying to take that step. He had five catches for 50 yards in his first game as a starter and has slowly slipped into irrelevance. Add that with playing the Bills and Hollins could take a fantasy goose egg this week. |
| James Washington PIT | Nik Needham MIA | I hope we have put to rest that narrative that because Washington and quarterback Mason Rudolph went to the same college that he will have value. Washington is on his way back from a shoulder injury and looks like he will play. He is at least fifth in line for targets on this offense that isn't scoring a ton of points anyway. Even against the Dolphins, Washington isn't someone to consider. |
| Jaron Brown SEA | Kendall Sheffield ATL | Brown had that two touchdown game and everyone remembered that they heard his name before and maybe he could be good. Yeah, well if you watched him play last week you would have witnessed him drop a touchdown that was perfectly thrown right in his hands. He isn't a good receiver, he isn't consistent, and he isn't a highly used receiver on this team. The Falcons defense is atrocious and if you want to get cute and think you are smart and use him go ahead. He might score a touchdown this week, most receivers do against Atlanta. But it is a very risky play, and one not endorsed here. |
| Marquise Goodwin SF | Ross Cockrell CAR | Goodwin had one whole target last week, although it was partially tampered by him being evaluated for a concussion. The Niners spread the passes around more than any team in football, and Goodwin isn't that good to begin with. There isn't a realistic scenario on this Earth where you should even have Goodwin on your roster, never mind using him as a starter. |
| A.J. Brown, TEN | Carlton Davis TB | Can Ryan Tannehill bring consistency to the Titans passing game and actually bring these players into fantasy relevance? Ryan Tannehill ? Honestly, he might. Brown had six catches on eight targets in this one and looked good. He gets a very juicy match-up against the Buccaneers, and is a sneaky start this week. He also could be a very cheap DFS option that helps you build your roster with stars at other positions. It is a risky play, but one that could pay off big time. |
| Paul Richardson WAS | Trae Waynes MIN | Obviously not much was going to happen in the passing game for the Redskins last week in that awful rainstorm, but were you honestly thinking it might anyway for Richardson? He hasn't had a catch in two weeks, and has five in the last four games. The Vikings secondary is way better than it played last week and will keep Richardson under 40 yards in the game. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 8.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Chris Godwin TB | Logan Ryan TEN | Yeah, the Titans secondary is one of the better in football, but there are two reasons that Godwin is first on this list. One, have you been paying attention this season? The guy is basically unguardable, and he is coming off a bye. Second, the Titans two best corners are outside guys and likely won't be spending a lot of time with Godwin. Mike Evans still commands a lot of attention, and although Scotty Miller stinks, the Titans outside corners likely won't come into Godwin territory much. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Damontae Kazee ATL | He hasn't quite had the big season many had hoped for, but Lockett has still been damn consistent. He does have four touchdowns in seven games, which is a nice rate and faces the Falcons defense that sometimes looks like it couldn't stop a toddler-led football offense. Lockett should get his in a big way this week with eight catches for 125 yards and a score. |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT | Jomal Wiltz MIA | It sure has been a disappointing year for a guy many drafted in the first round of seasonal leagues, but you have to cut him some slack for the quarterback situation. If you looked at most of the games with Mason Rudolph they weren't that bad, he just hasn't had a 100 yard game yet. But there are five words you can whisper into a receiver's ear at night that will help them sleep like a baby. "You are playing the Dolphins." Getting Rudolph back should make all the difference in the world and Juju should ball out with his first 100-yard game of the season and a score. |
| Dede Westbrook JAX | Brian Poole NYJ | I hope that you all didn’t bail on Westbrook when he got off to a really slow start this season. He has been over 50 yards in each of the last four games, and had his first 100-yard game last week against the Bengals. He now has five or more catches in five-of-seven games this season. The Jets secondary has played pretty awful this season, and Westbrook should have another very solid game. Look for Gardner Minshew to continue to pepper him with targets and Dede will have another six or more catches for 80 yards plus. |
| Julian Edelman NE | Eric Murray CLE | Despite a pretty serious chest injury, Edelman just hasn't missed a beat. He has just two games of fewer than six catches, and only one game that he was targeted fewer than seven times. He is the king of the over the middle dunk pass, and every once in a while he breaks a long one. The Patriots passing game might not be asked to do much again this week as they should roll the Browns, but Brady just loves Edelman so much. Perhaps more than Giselle. Kidding. Probably . This is a very positive match-up and there is no reason to think that he won't have eight catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Tramon Williams GB | He lost his All-World starting quarterback and that is the reason that Hill isn't at the top of this list. However, despite a tough matchup, and Matt Moore at quarterback, Hill isn't dead yet. He still has the ability, perhaps more than any receiver in football, to take a short pass and run 70 yards to a touchdown. He will be the main target in the offense, along with Travis Kelce , and there is no reason to panic with Hill playing with a backup receiver. Matt Moore is not Luke Falk . He isn't Patrick Mahomes either, but Hill still should have a very strong game. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Darqueze Dennard CIN | He might not be Howard Bender's best friend right now as he forced him to lose the #FFPieBet, but Cooper Kupp is still a dynamite receiver. He has had back-to-back less than Kupp-like games, but the 49ers game was a mess, and six catches for 50 yards last week still gets you 11 points. This week though they face the Bengals who are down to their 14th and 15th corner back due to injury. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but when your starters coming into the season weren't great, your fourth is a mess. Kupp should be right around ten catches, 100 yards and a touchdown. Just a week too late for Rotobuzzguy. |
| Golden Tate NYG | Justin Coleman DET | It is the ever-famous revenge game as Tate gets to face his old team in the Lions. Sterling Shepard has almost no chance to play in this one, and the Giants outside receivers are two unproven commodities. He has been heavily targeted the last two weeks, and that is a trend that should continue going forward. The Lions are giving up nearly 290 yards through the air a week, and while Daniel Jones will likely struggle to get there, he should be over 200. Given the volume of targets that Tate has given he very well could be in line for six to eight catches for 90 yards and potentially a touchdown. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Jalen Ramsey LAR | He has really let his fantasy owners down the past two weeks, as the Bengals offense has spiraled out of control. Targets sure aren't his problem as he has 21 in the last two weeks, but that hasn't amounted to jack squat. The perplexing part is that Boyd had solid games against quality defenses earlier in the yeare like Buffalo and San Francisco. He will have to do that again when he faces Jalen Ramsey this week. You can't expect Boyd to have a monster game, but he still should have a reasonable seven catches for 75 yards, and hope he can find the end zone. |
| Keenan Allen SD | Buster Skrine CHI | I was going to leave Allen off this week because he has played so poorly. However, I still do believe in the Chargers offense, and the last straw is that Buster Skrine isn't a great cover guy. The Bears defense has looked like a shell of its former self lately, and the Chargers should be able to move the ball some against them. This might not be a nine catch, 100 yard game for Allen, but if he put up six catches for 75 yards his owners should at least be reasonably happy with that outcome. |
Elite
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Daryl Worley
You knew it had to come sooner or later. The Texans offense is too good, and Hopkins is other worldly talented. He finally broke out last week with a 100-yard game and a touchdown. And I know after reading the write-ups on the other receivers you are thinking “Hallam, you told us not to chase last week’s points!” That is true, when dealing with a guy like Alex Erickson or Marvin Jones , guys that don’t have a track record of success in the past, you certainly could be chasing last week’s points. However, when it is quite possibly the best receiver in football coming off a good game and he is facing arguably the worst defense in football, you aren’t chasing last week’s points, you are counting on this week’s points! Only Tampa Bay is allowing more yards per game than the Raiders 290 per contest, and only the Cardinals and Falcons have given up more passing touchdowns than the Buccaneers 16 on the season. Deshaun Watson has three straight games with over 280 passing yards, and is hot as fire cracker right now. The injury to Will Fuller opens up a few more targets for Hopkins, and the Raiders just traded away one of their starting corners, which depletes their group a little more. Sure, Gareon Conley wasn’t playing well, but the guy was starting in this putrid group of corners, so what does that say for the guys coming behind him? It says that Hopkins should have another 100 yard game and a touchdown, that’s what it says! Fire him up this weekend!
Affordable
Kenny Golladay vs. Deandre Baker
It was the Marvin Jones show last weekend, if anyone can explain to me how that happened, while Golladay was held to just a single catch. Playing against the tough Vikings secondary, I can see how Golladay struggled, but he was barely even targeted in the game. That solid game should buy Jones more of a date with Janoris Jenkins who is by far the Giants best corner. Of course, when you are talking about the Giants secondary, the best is a relative term. The Giants took Baker with the 30th pick in the first round in this past draft, but he certainly hasn’t been living up to that billing so far. The Giants might not be the worst pass defense statistically, but if you watch them at all it is mostly a joke on a weekly basis. Golladay has been very boom or bust this season, as he has two games with two catches or fewer and under 25 receiving yards. All of the other games he either has five or more catches and/or 100 yards and a touchdown. With Kerryon Johnson going down, and a game in their home dome, Stafford should throw a good amount in this one, especially in the first half. Golladay should have his way with Baker who he has a five inch height advantage on, and Stafford should be able to serve the ball up to his best receiver, especially in the red zone. Golladay is a great option for at least 80 yards and a touchdown at the floor.
I wanted to use Tyler Lockett here, but he was priced a little too high on DraftKings for it to be called “Affordable”. But Lockett is a great target in Week 8. However, we pivot to the Bills and John Brown . Sure, Mills played his first game all season last week coming off a foot injury and had an interception, but it was a very ill-advised deep throw from Dak Prescott into double coverage. He is a help to the Eagles secondary, but that is like throwing a shot glass of water on a three alarm house fire. The Eagles secondary still isn’t any good. Brown has been ultra consistent as he has been targeted at least five times in every game this season, and he only has had under five catches once and hasn’t had a game under 50 receiving yards. Sure, you would like to see more than two touchdowns, but he has had defenses like Tennessee and New England on his schedule this year. He has a clear connection with Josh Allen , and this game at home against a very below average secondary is the perfect time to get him in your DFS lineups. There is a chance of rain in Buffalo on Sunday, so keep an eye on that weather report as you would likely have to move to someone else in that case. However, if it turns out to be clear Brown is nearly a lock for five catches, 75 yards and a touchdown.
Bargain Bin
Corey Davis vs. Vernon Hargreaves
I have long been a retractor of Corey Davis , but it wasn’t because of his talent. The former fifth overall pick has been held back by subpar play of quarterback Marcus Mariota who doesn’t have the arm strength to get the ball down the field to an explosive talent like Davis. However, in the five quarters since Ryan Tannehill has taken over Davis has been targeted 11 times, and he has nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. This week, the Titans get the absolute gift of a match-up with the worst secondary in the league by yards allowed with over 300 per game through the air. Hargreaves has been the best in the secondary, but when you are the best in a group of the worst, I’m not sure that is something to brag about. I completely expect Ryan Tannehill to control the Titans offense again this week, and he should continue to look to his best receiver on a very regular basis. Davis very well could have ten to twelve targets, and seven catches for near 100 yards and a score. He is a great bargain this week. If for some reason you don’t like this reasoning, Dede Westbrook is another great cheaper option against the leaky Jets secondary and corner Brian Poole . Good luck in your matchups this week everybody!
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.