It’s that time of week, ladies and gentlemen! We will breakdown each of the outside matchups, as well as my 10 favorite matchups out of the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my four absolute favorite matchups by price in DFS, as well as likely ownership in seasonal formats. This article is critical to seasonal and daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups.
Remember, the No. 1 wide receiver doesn’t always matchup against the No. 1 cornerback. This isn’t a game of Madden! Seriously, it’s not!
Follow me on Twitter (@colbyrconway) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| ARI | ||
| Julio Jones ATL | Greg Stroman WAS | Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's what I have to think about this matchup. While Stroman has allowed a catch rate just under 60 percent over the last four weeks, he's allowing 19 yards per reception!* During that span, he's allowed two touchdowns and a 136.9 passer rating when targeted.* Fire up Julio in all the formats and rack up the points! |
| Michael Crabtree BAL | Artie Burns PIT | When throwing against the Steelers, opponents have had greater success targeting Burns, compared to teammate Joe Haden . This season, Burns has allowed four touchdowns in coverage and a whopping 149.5 passer rating when targeted. Drops have been a problem for Crabtree, and even though John Brown has stolen the show in recent weeks, Crabtree is the sneaky play. |
| Kelvin Benjamin BUF | Prince Amukamara CHI | Benjamin just lacks the overall athleticism and fast-twitch muscles to be an effective receiver in this league. He needs to push off to create separation, and in fact, per NFL's Next Gen Stats, Benjamin's average separation (1.7 yards) is tied with Brandon Marshall , Allen Hurns and Michael Gallup for worst in the entire league! Zay Jones is the better Buffalo receiver, no doubt about it. |
| Devin Funchess CAR | Carlton Davis TB | Davis has been really good of late, allowing a catch rate of just 30 percent over the last two weeks.* However, I'm riding Funchess and the volume he should see in this contest. When Funchess escapes Davis' coverage, he should feast. I like Funchess as a WR2, largely due to the fact that he's seen seven or more targets in four of his last five contests. |
| Taylor Gabriel CHI | Philip Gaines BUF | To be frank, no one in the Buffalo secondary should scare you, outside of Tre'Davious White . Gaines has allowed a 112.5 passer rating when targeted over the last two weeks, not to mention 1.50 yards per coverage snap.* Gabriel remains in flex consideration, due in part to his upside in this matchup. |
| CIN | ||
| Damion Ratley CLE | Steven Nelson KC | Nelson has been a tough cookie to throw on this season, to the tune of a catch rate below 50 percent and a 72.1 passer rating when targeted.* The Chiefs defense has acted like a sieve for the most part this season, but Nelson hasn't been the perpetrator in this instance. Ratley's volume has decreased in each game since he came on the scene a few weeks ago. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Malcolm Butler TEN | Why not get your prized midseason acquisition involved right away in his team debut? With a dearth of established receivers, Cooper immediately steps in as the team's top dog and a matchup with Butler is tasty. Butler, the team's offseason splash signing, has allowed the most receiving yards in coverage this season, as well as five touchdowns in coverage.* Cooper makes for an intriguing play in his debut with the second best team in the state of Texas. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Natrell Jamerson HOU | Smash spot right here for Sutton. The Houston secondary is banged up and even if Shareece Wright were to come back, Sutton is line for increased targets in a good opportunity. Jamerson was pretty good last week, but he was burned on one route, however, Brock Osweiler overshot his receiver. Start Sutton everywhere you can. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Xavier Rhodes MIN | Jones trails only A.J. Green and Antonio Brown among wide receivers in the league in end zone targets, and trading Golden Tate opens up a few more targets for Jones in the passing attack. Minnesota should be able to put up some points on the Detroit defense, opening the door for a pass-heavy attack by the Detroit pass offense. With the available targets, Jones makes for a low-end WR2 with Rhodes in coverage in Week 9. |
| Davante Adams GB | Stephon Gilmore NE | Over the last two weeks, Gilmore has allowed just three receptions on nine targets.* Now, let's keep things in perspective, as the most recent matchup was against the Buffalo Bills and he was primarily covering Kelvin Benjamin , a receiver allergic to separation. Adams is a monster and with double-digit targets from Aaron Rodgers , I'm feeling somewhere around eight grabs for 107 yards and a touchdown from Mr. Adams. BOOK IT. |
| DeAndre Hopkins HOU | Adam Jones DEN | When on the field, Jones has been pretty good for the Broncos, allowing a 56.3 passer rating when targeted.* However, DeAndre Hopkins is a different animal, and quarterback Deshaun Watson has six touchdown passes and a 111.9 passer rating when targeting his star receiver. Despite Jones' level of play this season, it's not enough to contain Hopkins. Nuk remains a WR1 this week. |
| IND | ||
| JAX | ||
| Tyreek Hill KC | T.J. Carrie CLE | Patrick Mahomes has a 128.7 passer rating when targeting Hill this season, not to mention an exceptional 7:2 TD/INT ratio.* Furthermore, of receivers with at least 50 targets, only Golden Tate (6.4) has averaged more yards after catch this season than Hill (6.2).* Carrie has his work cut out for him, covering a WR1 in Week 9. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Tre Flowers SEA | Over his last three games, Flowers has allowed just seven receptions and 0.57 yards per coverage snap.* In a GPP, I'm fine with Williams but I'm avoiding this Chargers receiver in cash games. In seasonal formats, he certainly warrants flex consideration. |
| Brandin Cooks LAR | Marshon Lattimore NO | Goff has completed over 71 percent of his passes when targeting Cooks this season.* Pretty good I must say. Lattimore has had some problems in coverage this season, and with that in mind, you're starting Cooks across the board. Let's not beat around the bush here! |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Morris Claiborne NYJ | There's no denying that Parker played well last week against the Texans with the Miami Dolphins depleted at wide receiver. However, Claiborne has been one of the better cornerbacks in the league this season, allowing a 62.0 passer rating when targeted, and just 0.85 yards per coverage snap.* Recency bias may lead to Parker being in your starting lineup, but I urge you to ignore that, and leave Parker on your bench. |
| Laquon Treadwell MIN | Teez Tabor DET | Tabor will primarily see Treadwell in this matchup, as the Lions should elect to play Darius Slay on Stefon Diggs , a much larger presence in the Minnesota offense than Treadwell. The Minnesota receiver cannot be trusted in anything outside of super deep leagues where you're required to start multiple wide receivers. |
| Josh Gordon NE | Tramon Williams GB | In the team's most recent game, Williams allowed two receptions on four grabs for 49 yards and a touchdown, good for a 134.4 passer rating when targeted.* With Jaire Alexander balling out for the Packers last week, and Kevin King playing like a serviceable corner, don't be surprised if the Patriots attack Williams in coverage with the athletic freak that Josh Gordon is. In GPPs, if you want exposure to the New England offense in this matchup, Gordon is your guy. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Marcus Peters LAR | Over the last four weeks, the Rams defense has allowed six touchdowns to wide receivers, and Peters has allowed three of those!* Thomas has scored just once in the past five weeks, but he gets off that schneid right here in Week 9. Thomas is averaging 95.5 yards per game and in a high-scoring affair, Thomas surpasses his season average and finds the end zone at least once. |
| NYG | ||
| Rishard Matthews NYJ | Bobby McCain MIA | Matthews' debut with his new team didn't go expected, but with another week to familiarize himself with the playbook and quarterback Sam Darnold , Matthews is inching closer to being a productive wideouts for the New York Jets. We are still a couple weeks away from that point, and even in a good matchup, Matthews is a risky start. I'd look elsewhere, especially in DFS. |
| Jordy Nelson OAK | Ahkello Witherspoon SF | In the first game in the post-Amari Cooper era in Oakland, Nelson didn't quite produce like many would have hoped. The veteran wideout caught just one of four targets, and it marks the third straight week that Nelson has been targeted four or fewer times. Albeit a good matchup against Witherspoon and the rest of the San Francisco secondary, Nelson has been irrelevant outside of one or two games this season. |
| PHI | ||
| Antonio Brown PIT | Brandon Carr BAL | By no means is this a knock on Carr, but you're starting Brown in all seasonal formats. While the yardage might be hit or miss on any given week, the target share is there and Brown has found the end zone in all but one game, including once against this very Baltimore defense at the end of September. In DFS, Brown is better suited in a GPP this week, but again, he remains a WR1 in seasonal formats. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Trevor Williams LAC | Per Football Outsiders' DVOA metric, the Chargers are the second worst team on passes at least 16 yards down field. Well, doesn't that fare well for Seattle's deep threat? Lockett is averaging over 12 air yards per target, per Next Gen Stats, and while David Moore is generating more buzz in the fantasy community, Lockett is still the better fantasy asset at this point. In short, start Lockett this week. |
| Marquise Goodwin SF | Gareon Conley OAK | Conley has allowed the most yards in coverage for the Raiders this season, and with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie riding off into the sunset (retired), Conley steps into a more prominent role in the Oakland secondary.* Goodwin is great play this week with Conley's liabilities in coverage and the overall weakness of this Oakland defense. Goodwin is getting loose for a long touchdown this week. |
| DeSean Jackson TB | James Bradberry CAR | Bradberry will have his hands full with the speedy DeSean Jackson this week, especially with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Jackson is averaging nearly seven more fantasy points in a PPR format with Fitzmagic under center this season, and with Bradberry's problems in coverage this season (106.9 passer rating when targeted*), Jackson is a slam dunk this week. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Byron Jones DAL | To make things simple, the volume will be there for Corey Davis . However, Jones has been stingy to opposing receivers of late, allowing just one reception for 15 yards over his last two games, which is good for a 50.7 passer rating when targeted.* This will be a really good matchup, and while he may not be efficient, the volume should be there for Davis, making him a low-end WR2, again, thanks to a heavy, unrivaled target share. |
| Josh Doctson WAS | Robert Alford ATL | It's been an inconsistent start for Doctson, but this could be a coming out party for the young receiver in the nation's capital. Alford has allowed the most yards in coverage this season on a whopping 18.5 yards per reception.* Doctson is one of my favorite cheap plays of the week at the position. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| ARI | ||
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Josh Norman WAS | Norman traveled a bit with Odell Beckham Jr. last weekend, but that's likely not the case against Atlanta in Week 9. Facing off against Greg Stroman is far more advantageous for any Atlanta receiver, but in seasonal formats, I'm fine with Ridley in your flex spot, as Norman has allowed 133 yards receiving over the last three weeks. Ridley should see his normal volume and when it comes to the red zone, he'll continue to get his looks. |
| John Brown BAL | Joe Haden PIT | I like John Brown a lot, but slightly less knowing that he will see Haden on the majority of his snaps. Brown still has plenty of relevancy in all formats, as he torched the Steelers earlier this season and his seven end zone targets are nearly double that of the closest Raven (Michael Crabtree , 4). Brown remains an excellent flex and GPP option in Week 9. |
| Zay Jones BUF | Kyle Fuller CHI | Fuller has recorded three interceptions in coverage this season, which is great, but it's worth noting that only 13 corners in the league have allowed more yards in coverage than Fuller in 2018.* Jones is coming off his best game of the season, but he remains a low-end flex option in deeper formats. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Brent Grimes TB | Regardless of whether Moore is playing out wide or in the slot, I love the matchup this week. He's coming off his most productive games this season and now gets a matchup with a Tampa Bay defense that has allowed a league-high 13 touchdowns to opposing wide receivers this season. Start Moore wherever you can. |
| Josh Belllamy CHI | Tre'Davious White BUF | Over the last three weeks, White has allowed just five receptions for 50 yards and one touchdown.* Yeah, that's it. Robinson drops to the flex range this week, and I'd rather start Taylor Gabriel and Anthony Miller over him. With Allen Robinson out, this is a bad spot for Bellamy against Buffalo's top cover corner. |
| CIN | ||
| Antonio Callaway CLE | Orlando Scandrick KC | Of Kansas City's three primary corners, Scandrick has been the best part cornerback on the team in terms of catch rate, yards allowed, passer rating when targeted and yards per coverage snap allowed.* Fade Callaway in Week 9. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Adoree' Jackson TEN | Gallup likely transition's to the right side of the field with the acquisition of Amari Cooper , and with that comes a less favorable matchup in Week 9 with Jackson. In his last three games, Jackson has allowed a catch rate of nearly 85 percent, but a passer rating of just 80.4.* Jackson has outplayed teammate Malcolm Butler this season, and for that reason, among others, Gallup should be on your bench and out of your DFS lineups in Week 9. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Kareem Jackson HOU | With Denver trading Demaryius Thomas , Patrick will get a crack to step into the starting role on the outside. Patrick caught just one pass last week, but it happened to go for a 24-yard score. DaSean Hamilton will get time down the road, but against the Texans in Week 9, it appears that Patrick will get regular run against a beat up Houston secondary. He's nothing more than a super contrarian dart throw in a multi-entry GPP. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Trae Waynes MIN | Is there a bigger winner from the Golden Tate trade than Golladay? Sure, Marvin Jones gets a nice boost, but Golladay has been breaking out this season and it appears that he could further burst onto the scene. To this point in the season, Golladay has seen about one-quarter of the team's targeted air yards, but the available targets could push him closer to the 30 percent range, which would rank him among the likes of Stefon Diggs and Michael Thomas for their respective teams. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Jason McCourty NE | With Geronimo Allison banged up, MVS will likely get the start out wide in what should be a high-scoring affair against the New England defense. McCourty is vulnerable in coverage, and if you want cheap exposure to this game, Valdes-Scantling is your option. |
| Demaryius Thomas HOU | Isaac Yiadom DEN | These two were teammates just a few days ago, but with the Denver brass shipping Thomas to Houston, these two will get to square off for the first time outside of practice. With just a few days to prepare, it's hard to envision Thomas being a major producer in the Houston offense in his debut. With time, Thomas' role will grow, but in the few days leading up to the game, Thomas may only know a fraction of the playbook, and a crash course on the Bill O'Brien playbook might not be enough to log a full complement of snaps. |
| IND | ||
| JAX | ||
| Sammy Watkins KC | Denzel Ward CLE | Ward is a ballhawk who has played very well this season, however, he hasn't been quite at the top of his game over the last two weeks, allowing one touchdown and a 101.2 passer rating when targeted.* Watkins is coming off a two-touchdown game and will continue to get moved around in the offense, which bodes well for his outlook in Week 9. After notching his first multi-score game and second 100-yard outing, Watkins remains in the WR2 category this weekend. |
| Tyrell Williams LAC | Shaquil Griffin SEA | The opposition has looked at other Seattle corners instead of targeting Griffin in coverage. For example, over the team's last two games, Justin Coleman has been targeted 14 times, Tre Flowers 10 times, and Griffin just five times.* Williams certainly has the ability to make that splash play, but I don't envision him getting the large chunk play against this Seattle secondary. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Eli Apple NO | When Jared Goff targets Robert Woods , he has a passer rating of 123.2.* Pretty good, eh? Apple is a solid corner in his own right, but there is still a learning curve to a new defense in terms of the personnel, verbiage, etc. Cooper Kupp back in the mix lessens Woods' outlook a bit, but we have seen Goff keep all three guys relevant. In a potential shootout, Woods needs to be in your lineup. |
| Jakeem Grant MIA | Darryl Roberts NYJ | While the matchup is half decent for Grant, he's a better return specialist than he is a wide receiver. His speed gives him some GPP and flex appeal in deeper formats, but he will be wildly inconsistent. Back in Week 3, he caught two balls for 70 yards with two touchdowns. Since then, he's caught just 11 balls for 117 yards, and that's spanning five games. No thanks here, unless your team values return yards, then he's a great option. |
| Aldrick Robinson MIN | Darius Slay DET | With Stefon Diggs unlikely to play, it will be Aldrick Robinson who will line up out wide for the Minnesota Vikings. There are quite a few targets available with Diggs' absence, but Robinson is no more than a low-end flex option in deeper leagues. Adam Thielen should see some more work, but Robinson should get some of those targets, albeit in a tough matchup against Detroit's best cover corner. |
| Chris Hogan NE | Kevin King GB | King has been pretty good this season in coverage, allowing an 84.8 passer rating when targeted and just two touchdowns to one interception.* Hogan is averaging just over four targets per game over the last three weeks, but I like him as cheap exposure to what should be a high-scoring affair. In seasonal formats, start him in your flex. |
| Tre'Quan Smith NO | Troy Hill LAR | In what should be a high-scoring affair, Smith makes for a perfect GPP option. Hill has allowed the second-most yards in coverage over the last three weeks, and while Smith's usage can be fickle, it's a great matchup in Week 9.* |
| NYG | ||
| Robby Anderson NYJ | Xavien Howard MIA | For the most part this season, Howard has been good for the Dolphins. However, he's slipped a bit over the last three weeks, allowing an 80 percent catch rate and a 124.6 passer rating when targeted.* Anderson carries some GPP appeal this week, but in seasonal formats, unless you're hit hard by the bye weeks, he's best left on your bench. |
| Martavis Bryant OAK | Richard Sherman SF | In terms of DVOA by Football Outsiders, the 49ers are the fifth-worst team on passes at least 16 yards downfield, and everyone and their relatives know that Bryant can stretch the field vertically. In his first game without Amari Cooper on the field, Bryant caught a whopping zero passes on zero targets. Yep. Look elsewhere. |
| PHI | ||
| James Washington PIT | Jimmy Smith BAL | Smith has struggled in coverage in recent weeks, but as I've mentioned numerous times in this article, Washington isn't getting enough love in the Pittsburgh offense that would warrant your trust in any fantasy format, whether that is seasonal or daily. Ignore Washington in all formats in Week 9. |
| David Moore SEA | Casey Hayward LAC | Hayward typically covers the opposition's No. 1 receiver, which can sometimes inflate some of his numbers. He's a damn good cornerback and one of the better ones in the league. While David Moore was one of the hotter waiver wire pickups in recent weeks, this is a tough test for the sophomore receiver out of East Central. Proceed with caution, even though he has scored a touchdown in three straight. |
| Pierre Garcon SF | Darryl Worley OAK | Monitor Garcon's status leading up to game time because he has a good matchup against Worley and the entire Oakland defense. Worley has allowed an even 80 percent catch rate this season and if Worley cedes some snaps to Rashaan Melvin , that's even better for Garcon, assuming he plays. |
| Mike Evans TB | Donte Jackson CAR | Mike Evans has been quite a few fantasy points per game better this season with Ryan Fitzpatrick compared to Jameis Winston , and although Jackson has been very good for Carolina, to the tune of a 56.3 passer rating when targeted, I'm buying Evans in Week 9. Among qualified receivers, Evans ranks 11th in all off football with an average of 15 air yards per target. |
| Taywan Taylor TEN | Anthony Brown DAL | Since moving outside, Brown has played a pretty solid cornerback for America's team. He's allowed a passer rating of just 78.9 when targeted, and he and Byron Jones have teamed up to be a formidable 1-2 punch in the backend of the Dallas defense. Taylor has just 21 receiving yards on two receptions over the last two weeks, so you can leave him on your bench. Pretty easy call. |
| Paul Richardson WAS | Desmond Trufant ATL | This is a plus matchup for Richardson as Trufant has been vulnerable at times, not to mention that the Atlanta defense has been beaten and battered all season. I like Josh Doctson more, but Richardson is a fine flex play. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 9.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Nevin Lawson DET | No surprise here, or at least it shouldn't be. Thielen continues to get it done and Lawson is vulnerable in coverage. Thielen's role in the offense is incredibly value to fantasy owners, as he possesses a rare combination of high upside and a high floor. Start everywhere and reap the rewards. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Justin Coleman SEA | While Allen has been consistent in terms of fantasy production, he hasn't that big game, or found the end zone in quite some time. However, this is could be a great opportunity for the star receiver. Among Seattle's three main corners, the opposition has been targeted Coleman more frequently in recent weeks. If that trend continues, don't be surprised to see Allen record 70 yards with a touchdown on 10 or so targets. |
| Emmanuel Sanders DEN | Tyrann Mathieu HOU | The Houston secondary is beaten with injuries and Aaron Colvin is practicing, so perhaps we see him back on the field for the first time in a few weeks. Even so, Sanders will see close to double-digit targets in this contest, en route to a high-end WR2 week. |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT | Tavon Young BAL | The positive is that JuJu saw 11 targets in the team's game earlier this season against the Ravens. The downside is that he caught just four of them for 60 yards. However, I'm buying a better performance from the second-year receiver in this matchup, en route to a low-end WR1 performance. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Kendall Fuller KC | There are two cornerbacks in the entire National Football League that have allowed over 300 yards receiving out of the slot this season. M.J. Stewart is one (381) and Kendall Fuller (319) is the other.* He's been the easiest Kansas City cornerback to throw on, which certainly bodes well for Landry, aka the PPR Machine. The volume has been there and the efficiency with rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield should improve. |
| Danny Amendola MIA | Buster Skrine NYJ | We'll continue to attack M.J. Stewart and Buster Skrine each week! A touchdown pass to Kenyan Drake salvaged an otherwise quiet fantasy day from Amendola, but in this matchup, even with Brock Osweiler under center, Amendola should approach 15 fantasy points in a PPR format. I mean, Skrine has allowed a 126.6 passer rating when targeted.* Come on now! |
| Doug Baldwin SEA | Desmond King LAC | Baldwin was a very hard one to rank this week, as I was high on him last week and it didn't pan out. King has been exceptional out of the slot this season, but I'm banking on Russell Wilson trusting his top receiver. The emergence, and consistency, of Tyler Lockett should help create space for Baldwin, but I wouldn't expect much more than low-end WR2 production from Baldwin against King and the Chargers. |
| Keke Coutee HOU | Chris Harris Jr. DEN | Not necessarily a great matchup for the recently injured Coutee, but hey, bye weeks, ya know? Demaryius Thomas won't be fully immersed in the playbook yet, so Coutee should still act as Deshaun Watson 's second target this week, even in a tough matchup. Well, this is assuming Coutee plays, of course. Monitor his status leading up to the Sunday afternoon contest. UPDATE: COUTEE IS OUT. Tyler Ervin receives a small boost. |
| Julian Edelman NE | Jaire Alexander GB | Edelman slides down this list, even on a heavy bye week, due to the strength of play by Alexander last week. Sure, the stats might not quite be indicative of that, but if you watch the tape, Alexander has the makings of a star corner in this league. This will be a fun matchup to watch, but Edelman remains a low-end WR2 in Week 9. |
| Curtis Samuel CAR | M.J. Stewart TB | Samuel has been practically nonexistent in fantasy football this season, but anyone who goes up against Stewart instantly gets my attention. Stewart has allowed the most receptions, yards and touchdowns (tied for lead) in slot coverage this season.* He's been horrible! Samuel is an intriguing GPP option in an uber-friendly matchup. However, beware that there is plenty of risk here. |
Elite
Let me begin with this: Julio Jones will score a touchdown this week. There, the cat is out of the bag. He will score his first touchdown of the season, and go for over 100 yards in this contest! He’s on pace for nearly 1,900 yards this season and has at least nine grabs for 104 yards in each of his last two games. Over the last month or so, Stroman is allowing 19 yards per reception.* So you’re telling me that Jones, a prolific receiver on all types of routes, is primarily squaring off against the weakest corner on the opposing team who is allowing nearly 20 yards per catch over the last four weeks? Oh yeah, fire up Julio EVERYWHERE.
Jarvis Landry vs. Kendall Fuller
As I mentioned in the table above, Fuller is one of just two cornerbacks in the league to have allowed over 300 yards in slot coverage through the first eight weeks of the season.* Landry is taking nearly three-quarters of his snaps in the slot, meaning he will see a bunch of Fuller throughout this contest. While the efficiency hasn’t been there with his rookie quarterback of late, it’s coming, and coming soon. In the meantime, find solace in the fact that Landry has double-digit targets in all but one game this season, including averaging nearly 13 targets per game over the last three contests. Trust the volume.
Affordable
Kenny Golladay vs. Trae Waynes
The Golden Tate trade to Philadelphia signals a changing of the guard in Detroit, as Golladay is now the No. 1 wide receiver in the Motor City. Sure, Marvin Jones is in town, but Golladay is the guy and at just 24 years old, he has the makings of a legitimate superstar. He has been quiet in recent weeks, but he’s just two weeks removed from back-to-back games of 70+ receiving yards. Avoiding Xavier Rhodes is key here, hence the fact that I’m very high on Golladay in Week 9. Well, and the fact that Matthew Stafford has a 120.0 passer rating when targeting Golladay.
Bargain Bin
Josh Doctson vs. Robert Alford
Don’t let this matchup fly under the radar. Sure, Alex Smith has been bad this season, but the Falcons have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers this season. Furthermore, the Falcons have allowed the seventh-most receiving yards and are tied for the second-most touchdowns allowed to the position. On an individual level, no cornerback has allowed more yards in coverage than Atlanta’s Robert Alford and the fact that he’s allowing 18.5 yards per grab is exciting for a receiver of Doctson’s caliber. The target share hasn’t been high, but he’s received at least five targets in four of his last five games. I like Doctson as a sneaky play this week.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.