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. It is the fantasy semi-finals now, so your lineup decisions have never been more critical. Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| DeAndre Hopkins ARI | Jalen Mills PHI | His production had been a little less as the whole offense was struggling and Hopkins had some nagging injuries. However, all was cured last week with his nine catches and 136 yards against James Bradberry and the Giants. The Cardinals offense finally woke up, and Kyler Murray appeared to have more confidence in his ailing shoulder. Hopkins gets a great matchup this week against the Eagles who are generally not a good defense to begin with. However, to make things worse Darius Slay is in concussion protocol and Avonte Maddox will miss the game with an injury. This means an already not great defense is going to be down two corners and a safety. Hopkins is the fourth most targeted receiver in the NFL this season and should have a whopper of a game here. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Carlton Davis TB | It honestly doesn't matter if Julio Jones plays in this one. His injury problems have been a monster issue for fantasy players all season long. If he is active, get him in there. Ridley, on the other hand, has been pretty consistent all season long. The touchdowns have been a little spottier, but he has eight on the season which is a great total. He has at least nine targets in four straight weeks. Davis had a nice bounce back last week against the Vikings after being a beating post the previous two weeks against the Chiefs and Rams. I have a feeling that Ridley is going to have another solid game and will approach 100 yards whether Jones is out there or not. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Tre Herndon JAX | I am not going to sit here and celebrate that he has a touchdown in three straight weeks. For two weeks the Ravens had no other options, and last week he had one catch until mid-way through the fourth quarter. The touchdown last week was 44 yards and he finished with 50 against the Browns. However, he also dropped more than one pass that should have been caught. I would just be telling you to forget him and move on if he wasn't playing Jacksonville this week, who has no intention of winning another game. There is a chance that Brown could have a couple of big catches, however, my confidence in him is just about gone. He is a high risk/high reward type player and that isn't the kind of guy I want to trust with my fantasy season on the line. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Michael Ojemudia DEN | I'm running out of great things to say about Diggs this season. He has ten catches in three of the last four games, and now has 100 catches on the year after torching the Steelers for 130 yards and a touchdown. The only two really bad games he had all season were against the Jets and the Chargers so go try to figure that one out! Ojemudia really should be a third corner on a team, but will be forced to cover Diggs this week and he allows 14.3 yards per catch and a 100.1 quarterback rating against. He has allowed two touchdowns in the last four weeks. He has allowed 157 yards against him in the last two weeks with 11 catches in 14 targets. All signs are pointing to a monster day for Diggs. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Jaire Alexander GB | Reports are that Moore will be activated from the Covid list in time for Sunday's game. He did get an extra week to get over his ankle injury, but you have to wonder if he is 100 percent. Some coming back from the Covid list have also taken a week or so to get back to their normal production. Throw all that in with the fact that he will be blanketed by one of the best corners in football this season, and while you likely can't sit Moore this week, your expectations should be kept severely under wraps. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Cameron Dantzler MIN | He has been good all season long, but Robinson was amazing on Sunday with nine catches for 123 yards and a score against the Texans. Now, Houston is one of the worst secondaries, and they were made worse by injuries and suspensions, but it isn't like things get a lot tougher this week. The Vikings secondary has allowed 26 touchdowns in 13 games this season, including two last week to Tom Brady. Mitchell Trubisky has been playing some of the best football of his career lately, and I expect Robinson to star again. He is the third most targeted receiver in football this season, and the volume and the solid matchup make him a low-end WR1 for Week 15 and also a consideration for DFS cash games. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Steven Nelson PIT | He continues to be a solid part of the offense, and Higgins has five catches in each of the three games the Bengals have played since Joe Burrow went down. Unfortunately, he has just one touchdown and 56 yards is his high total in that time. The Steelers are sure to crush the Bengals which will leave plenty of garbage time, but with Brandon Allen or Ryan Finley at quarterback, will it really matter? Higgins will be good for eight to ten fantasy points unless he happens to break a tackle and come up with a long gain. He has become a lower end flex play for the rest of the year. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | James Bradberry NYG | He has had two solid games in back to back weeks, but it also coincides with Baker Mayfield having 300-yard games. However, those are the only two games like that he has had all season. The Browns never throw 47 times like he did on Monday night, and you can't count on that happening again. You would be chasing the points from the last two weeks if you play Higgins this week. On top of the fact that Cleveland is likely to run more, Higgins is likely to be covered by James Bradberry this week who has been one of the best corners in football this season. He is a total fade for me coming into Week 15. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Richard Sherman SF | He has a touchdown in three straight games, but Cooper's production has been dwindling of late. He came up with just four catches for 51 yards last week against the Bengals, and has a much tougher matchup this week against San Francisco. This is one that the Cowboys are likely to be trailing in, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Dalton throw it 35 times. Sherman has only allowed a 50 percent catch rate and one touchdown in four games this season. He hasn't been as strong as he was last season, but he will still make it hard on Cooper. Amari will be off the DFS radar for the week, but Cooper will still have WR3 value in your fantasy playoffs. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | Tre'Davious White BUF | The fantasy season for Jeudy has fallen apart and he has just six catches for 84 yards in the last four games combined. He only has four targets in each of the last two weeks. The sledding won't get any easier this week as he is likely to see Tre'Davious White who is still a strong corner. Even if he gets Levi Wallace on him if White guards Tim Patrick, Jeudy isn't good enough to beat him much either. Toss all of that in a big bowl with the fact that Drew Lock hasn't been good most of the season outside of last week and you can see why you should avoid Jeudy in Week 15. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Malcolm Butler TEN | With Matthew Stafford likely out, this means that Jones will be catching passes from Chase Daniel. He has jumped up and had a couple good games with Kenny Golladay out, but overall I expected more from Jones this season. He gets a great matchup against a weak Titans defense, but it likely will be a struggle to move the ball with a backup quarterback. Jones is likely still good for 10-12 fantasy points in PPR leagues and barely hangs on to flex spot value. |
| Davante Adams GB | Rasul Douglas CAR | It is Davante Adams. Do I need to say more? He has scored every week but two, and has nine or more targets in every game he has played to completion. Douglas is a solid corner, but Adams has done it against every defense this season. This week will be no different. He is always a start in season long leagues and is always an elite option in DFS leagues. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Xavier Rhodes IND | He missed last week with neck and back injuries, but he is expected to be back for this game. The Texans offense is falling apart with a bad offensive line, a bad running game, and compromised weapons at wide receiver. Cooks is still the best receiver they have and surely to be the most targeted receiver. He had five catches for 65 yards two weeks ago against these same Colts. Those are realistic expectations for Week 15, as long as Cooks is able to finish the game considering how banged up he is. The Texans will struggle to score the 20 points they did against the Colts two weeks ago, and I don't expect Cooks to score a touchdown. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Vernon Hargreaves HOU | It was a third straight monster game for Hilton and we can no longer argue with the fact that he is going to be a factor to the end of the year. He had five catches for 86 yards and two scores last week against Vegas, and he gets a rematch against the weak Texans defense that he had his way with two weeks ago. In Week 13 he had eight catches for 110 yards and a score against this Houston team and Hargreaves. While I don't think he will quite get there again, he should have no trouble with six catches for 85 yards and one score. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Jimmy Smith BAL | Can we be done with Chark for 2020? The last two weeks he has played busted ass defenses in the Vikings and Titans and he had a combined four catches for 57 yards. He hasn't scored since Week 9, and that was his only other touchdown since Week 4. He does get Gardner Minshew back under center which is the quarterback he has had the most success with, but I have a hard time trusting this guy against Baltimore, even if they were just torched by the Browns on Monday night. Chark is likely still not 100 percent from his myriad of injuries this season. He always has a chance to pop off and have a big game, but at this point it is hard to have much faith in him. If you want to put him in your flex because of name recognition you can, but there is a strong chance he will have under ten fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
| Sammy Watkins KC | Marshon Lattimore NO | It is normally Tyreek Hill or Travis Kelce or sometimes both that have huge games, but when every one is healthy Patrick Mahomes doesn't spread the ball around enough to have any other player to be fantasy relevant. Watkins hasn't had more than four catches or 52 yards in any of the three games he has played since returning from his latest injury. The Saints pass game has been much better in the second half and you should leave Watkins on your fantasy benches. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Bryce Hall NYJ | This one could get ugly. Woods has been on a hot streak outside of last week when he was blanketed by Stephon Gilmore but boy does it get easier this week. Woods goes against the Jets who have allowed 28 passing touchdowns in 13 games, which is tied for the worst in the league. It doesn't really matter who is guarding him, because the Jets don't have a corner that is good enough to stick with Woods. He has 46 targets in the last four weeks, and he should get at least ten in this one. Woods is nearly a lock to score in this game and his floor should be six catches for 80 yards with a chance for his best game of the season. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Nevin Lawson LV | He left last week's game fairly early with a back injury and didn't have a catch. With the game on Thursday, this doesn't bode overly well for Williams availability. He was able to practice on a limited basis, but he will be a major risk to leave the game early again. You can't risk your fantasy playoffs with that kind of risk and he makes for a DFS option you have to avoid as well, even if he is active. |
| Nelson Agholor LV | Michael Davis LAC | Every time I give up on this guy, he comes out and has a good game. With a matchup against the Colts I didn't expect him to have five catches and 100 yards with a touchdown last week. The Chargers are a much easier matchup on Thursday, and he had two catches for 55 yards and a score the first time they played. Davis is the best corner they have and allows just a 61 percent catch rate. Agholor is a weak flex option for your fantasy playoffs, but isn't a terrible option for a DFS Showdown slate on Thurday night. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Stephon Gilmore NE | Parker left the game last week with a hamstring strain and had no catches. Early reports are that he has a chance to play in this one, but there is so much risk that he will injure it again and leave another game early. See: Julio Jones 2020. Can we put a player in our lineup with this much risk in the fantasy playoffs? Personally, the answer is no. He also will have a tough matchup against Gilmore and the Patriots, a team he had just four catches and 47 yards against in Week 1. Leave Parker on the bench for Week 15 and you will have a much more enjoyable afternoon. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Jaylon Johnson CHI | The whole offense sucked last week so we will just try to forget about it and not let that cloud our judgment this week. Thielen's four targets last week were his fewest since Week 8, and he had 22 the previous two weeks. The Bears are a strong secondary, but Thilen did score twice on them in Week 10. He did have just four catches and 43 yards, so it wasn't like it was an explosive day, but it showed he can get it done against this defense. I like his chances of success much better at home indoors, and the matchup isn't as bad as it appears. Before shutting down the Texans last week (not a major accomplishment considering their receivers), Johnson had been beaten for three touchdowns in the two weeks before that. Thielen will be a high end WR2 but not a highly used DFS option. |
| Damiere Byrd NE | Xavien Howard MIA | I can't deal with this sham of an offense that the Patriots put on the field, and it was certainly hard to watch last Thursday. Byrd did have five catches for 48 yards, but it was one of the least confidence inspiring games in recent memory. He will face another really tough matchup with Xavien Howard who is rated as the top corner this year by Pro Football Focus. I might not start Damiere in leagues where you can only start guys whose last name is Byrd this week. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Bashaud Breeland KC | He has now been good in three of the last four weeks with Taysom Hill under center, although he really needs to find the end zone this season. Thomas has eight or more catches in three of the last four, and over 80 yards in those. He is the only real receiver that Hill seems to have any chemistry with, and you can count on heavy volume again this week. Breeland is a strong corner, but the Chiefs are sure to be ahead in this one which should mean Hill will likely be throwing more than he would like. Look for Thomas to have a minimum of seven catches for 75 yards, and a chance at a 18-20 fantasy point game in this one. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Terrance Mitchell CLE | His eight targets from last week were his most since Week 8, but it really didn't matter as he had just three catches for 31 yards. Slayton and the Giants pass offense has become a disaster, and it won't get any better this week with either a really banged up Daniel Jones who struggled to plant and throw last week, or Colt McCoy who is just bad. He gets a break that the Browns are likely without Denzel Ward, but it really doesn't matter. Slayton has 144 yards in the last five weeks and 93 of them came in one game. It is possible that he will do something, but it is a long shot and it isn't worth risking a spot on your rosters for the small chance that he does. |
| Breshad Perriman NYJ | Jalen Ramsey LAR | He has much more value with Joe Flacco at quarterback, but he also has more value when he isn't likely to be looking at Jalen Ramsey for some of the afternoon. Honestly, it doesn't matter if it is Ramsey or Darious Williams because Sam Darnold is awful and can't make an actual offense function. The Jets will be lucky to score ten points in this game, and I have a hard time seeing a scenario where Perriman gets close to ten fantasy points in PPR leagues. Leave him on the waiver wire where he belongs. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Patrick Peterson ARZ | The Eagles offense had a boost last week with Jalen Hurts, however, it wasn't a boost to the passing game as no pass catcher really had a fantasy relevant game. Alshon Jeffery did have a touchdown, but it was his only catch. Reagor was one of the more targeted receivers last week, but it was only four targets on the game. He had just two catches for 46 yards, and it doesn't look like it will improve this week. The Cardinals have a decent secondary, and Reagor is likely to see Patrick Peterson for much of the afternoon. There are no Eagles receiver that you can even consider putting in your lineups this week. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | William Jackson CIN | He continues to struggle with drops, but Johnson continues to get a bunch of targets. His seven were the least he had since Week 8, but he was also sat for a while with two early drops. Johnson had a pretty strong second half with 40 yards, and hopefully he will put the dropsies behind him. With Chase Claypool fading a bit lately, the Steelers will have to continue to lean on Johnson. William Jackson has kept some solid receivers in check for most of some games, but he had six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown the first time they played the Bengals. Johnson could have lower DFS ownership with the slight benching last week and against the Bengals you have to start him in season long leagues. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Kendall Fuller WSH | He didn't quite explode last week against the Jets like we had hoped, but still had six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown in that blowout. The Seahawks were so far ahead they benched their starters for a long stretch and he fell short of expectations. Metcalf is just a beast and I would never sit him even with a less than ideal matchup. He has a five inch height advantage over Fuller and should be a beast again this week with a real shot at his 11th touchdown against a guy who has been burned for six already this year. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Rashard Robinson DAL | Get ready for liftoff! The loss of Deebo Samuel is about to send Aiyuk's fantasy value into orbit. He had another great game last week with ten catches on a season-high 16 targets for 119 yards. He didn't find the end zone, but he now has 49 targets in his last four games and has been over 90 receiving yards in four of the last five. He will now be the main focus of the pass game, and Aiyuk has proven that he is a good downfield threat as well as a short passing option that can rack up the yards after the catch. He plays the absolutely awful Cowboys defense and he will be one of my favorite DFS plays of the week as well as a low-end WR1 in your fantasy playoffs. |
| Mike Evans TB | Darqueze Dennard ATL | Antonio Brown just isn't getting it done lately, and I think that will get Evans a little bit more work. He was bad last week, but Brady was off his game and it was just one to forget. He gets one of his easiest matchups of the season this week against the Falcons. Atlanta's secondary has been playing better of late, but they haven't faced the Bucs all season. Evans has a six inch height advantage on Dennard which is huge this week considering how much Evans has been thrown to in the red zone this season. Atlanta has allowed 26 pass touchdowns in 13 games this season, and there is little doubt that Tampa will get two or maybe three this week. Evans has been the main touchdown contributor this season and he is nearly a lock for one in Week 15. He will be a great option for your fantasy playoffs and perhaps sneaks in to a few of your DFS lineups. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Darryl Roberts DET | It was another monster game for Brown as he had his third 100-yard game of the season with his seven catch, 112-yard effort with a touchdown in Week 14 against Jacksonville. You might say "big deal, everyone crushes the Jags" and you would be correct. And he gets another cupcake matchup this week against the Lions who have been one of the worst pass defenses in football in recent weeks. Ryan Tannehill is going to carve them up like the Thanksgiving turkey, and it is going to be another big game for Brown. Detroit has allowed 26 touchdowns through the air this season, and Brown has nine touchdowns and has scored in eight of the eleven games he has played this year. Roberts allows 71 percent of passes thrown his way to be caught, and Brown should have a high volume game. He is a no brainer for your fantasy playoffs and will be a strong choice for DFS games as well. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Shaquill Griffin SEA | An offensive stalwart all season long, McLaurin is coming up weak sauce at the worst possible time as he has just four catches for 38 yards in the past two weeks COMBINED. Weeks 13 and 14 are the wrong time to drop games of three and four fantasy points. The Seahawks secondary has been giving for most of the season, but they have been stiffening of late. Griffin has allowed just sven of the last 14 targets against him to be caught, and has allowed under 15 receiving yards against him in each of the last four weeks. I am normally crazy bullish on McLaurin, but his recent disappointments have rocked me to my core. I am still not sitting him in my fantasy playoffs, but I am allowing myself to be prepared for disappointment. McLaurin has played his way off of the DFS radar for Week 15 as well. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARI | Kevon Seymour PHI | The suckfest continued last week for Kirk as he had just three catches for 14 yards against the Giants last week. The Cardinals pass game has struggled with Kyler Murray dinged up, but he looked much better of late. I am not a fan of Kirk and it has been six weeks since he has been even kind of fantasy relevant. However, the Eagles secondary was crushed last week as their top three guys went out with injuries. Considering their secondary wasn't good when they were all healthy, this could be a big game for Kirk and the Cardinals. He makes a risky, high-ceiling DFS GPP option and a reasonable flex play for Week 15. |
| Russell Gage ATL | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | With Julio Jones either out or set to leave the game early with his latest hamstring pull, Gage comes back into the fantasy radar with increased playing time. He has 32 targets in the last four weeks and has 19 catches in that span. He has 50+ receiving yards in three of the last four games, but isn't more than flex consideration. He is a possible play because of how bad Murphy-Bunting is who allows an 80 percent catch rate and has allowed four touchdowns this season. The Tampa secondary hasn't been great of late, and Gage is a reasonable option for your fantasy playoffs. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Greg Mabin JAX | Even in a game where the team scored 47 points, Lamar Jackson only threw for 163 yards and Boykin had one catch for the second straight week and has three catches in the last six games he has played. Even against Jacksonville he isn't even close to an option. |
| Gabriel Davis BUF | Duke Dawson DEN | He is a low-volume player that has a knack for finding the end zone. He has just 13 catches in the last five weeks, but has four touchdowns in those 13 grabs. He has a great matchup against the Broncos, but there is also a chance that John Brown returns this week. If Brown is back, that severly limits Davis chances at success. Dawson was a second round pick in 2018 but has never really had an impact. Davis owns a three inch height advantage and just has been a great red zone option. Davis is a high-risk option with a good match against a compromised Broncos secondary. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Kevin King GB | If he could have scored more, Anderson would be having a fantastic season. He is ninth in the league in targets, and will go over 1,000 receiving yards this week. He will get D.J. Moore back along side him this week, but this actually helps him. This will put King on Anderson instead of Jaire Alexander. King is the 98th ranked cornerback according to Pro Football Focus and allows 13.4 yards per catch. He has allowed 146 yards against him in the last three weeks, and the Panthers are going to have to throw to stay in the game. Anderson should see a minimum of eight targets in this one, and Anderson will be a solid WR3 for your fantasy playoffs. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Chris Jones MIN | The Bears offense isn't good enough for multiple receivers to be fantasy relevant. Mooney has just 11 catches in the last four weeks, and he hasn’t topped 45 receiving yards since Week 8. He has a great matchup against a bad Vikings secondary, but he had just two catches for three yards against Minnesota back in Week 10. I like Mooney, but he likely won't get enough volume to be relevant, and if he does get targets, the quarterback play will stop Mooney from being a solid option. |
| A.J. Green CIN | Cameron Sutton PIT | He bounced back and had a strong game with six catches for 62 yards and a touchdown last week, but I am not buying into this resurgence. Green had no catches in three of the last four games, and one of those was against Pittsburgh. No matter their quarterback, the Bengals offense is going to struggle and Green shouldn't even be on rosters nevermind in starting lineups. |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE | Isaac Yiadom NYG | Khadarel Hodge has missed a couple of weeks and the Browns offense has been in overdrive passing over that time. DPJ has 166 yards and a score over two weeks, but I am not buying into this. Jarvis Landry is the most reliable option, and Rashard Higgins would be the number two guy. The Browns are not a strong enough pass offense to even think about a third guy in your fantasy teams. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Jason Verrett SF | I thought he had a chance to succeed last week against the Bengals after he had a strong Week 13 against Baltimore. However, he fell well short and finished with just two catches and 23 yards. It gets much tougher this week against Verrett and a solid 49ers secondary. There is almost zero chance that Gallup has a fantasy relevant game in Week 15. He should be cemented to your bench this week. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Levi Wallace BUF | Patrick isn't getting a ton of volume with just 11 targets in the last three weeks, but he is making the most of it with three touchdowns in the last two games. I totally expect the Broncos to struggle more than they did last week when Drew Lock threw four touchdowns. Wallace had a horrible game two weeks ago against the 49ers, but bounced back against the Steelers with an interception. He has given up a touchdown in each of the last two games, but if you take out the Niners game he hasn't allowed more than 35 receiving yards since returning from injury in Week 8. Patrick will still be a low-end WR3 or solid flex play though as he is the most reliable and veteran receiver the Broncos have. |
| Quintez Cephus DET | Tye Smith TEN | The Lions released Marvin Hall to get a better look at their young receivers like Cephus. Unfortunately though he has just two catches in each of the last three weeks, and has just eight targets in those games. Now his quarterback is quite injured and he will be dealing with compromised talent at the position. Cephus has some talent, but the opportunity isn't there even against a pretty poor Titans secondary. I am interested to see how he finishes the season, but he remains off the fantasy radar as the season closes. |
| Allen Lazard GB | Donte Jackson CAR | I liked Lazard coming into the season, but he was hurt in Week 3 and the core injury cost him the majority of the season. The Packers have come out and said that they are keeping Lazard on a snap count as they try to keep him healthy for the playoffs. That is good for the Packers, but bad for fantasy players. Lazard falls off the fantasy radar now and no longer belongs on roster as he isn't likely to get more than five targets in a game. |
| Chad Hansen HOU | Rock Ya-Sin IND | With the Texans just losing receivers left and right, Hansen has been pressed into action over the past two weeks. He has had 12 catches on 14 targets for 157 yards. He doesn't have a touchdown yet, but considering his situation it is hard to complain about this production. Brandin Cooks is expected to play this week, but he is clearly not 100 percent. Hansen will play the third receiver role against a tough Colts secondary. I still have a hard time trusting him for DFS purposes, but Hansen could be a flex play for your fantasy playoffs. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Keion Crossen HOU | T.Y. Hilton continues to hog all of the big plays and touchdowns, and Pittman has taken a serious backseat to him in the last three weeks. Pittman is a talented receiver and the Colts have to be happy with what they have seen from their second round pick. However, from a fantasy perspective he is out of play as long as Hilton is healthy. The Texans secondary is bad, but he had just five catches for 46 yards against them two weeks ago. He has a better chance of success than some other fringe fantasy receivers, so if you are trolling the waiver wire for a fill in he isn't an awful choice. However, if you have fairly reliable options already on your roster, I would continue to ignore Pittman. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Marcus Peters BAL | Gardner Minshew is back, but I am not sure how much that will help the Jaguars offense. Shenault is certainly their most exciting receiver, but we will see how that translates to production. He was being targeted more often when Minshew was quarterback, so hopefully that will increase his output. Shenault hasn't had more than 50 receiving yards since Week 5. Peters has allowed a touchdown in each of the last two weeks, and the Ravens defense was sliced up by Cleveland on Monday night. However, Jacksonville is a fairly crappy offense and I don't see them scoring a ton of points here. I like Shenault, but I can't see trusting him in your playoff lineups or in DFS games against the Ravens. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Janoris Jenkins NO | Robinson is slowly being phased out of the offense. It isn't that he isn't a decent receiver, but the offense really only supports Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce as consistent fantasy options. He was third on the list when Sammy Watkins was out, but the return of Watkins has made Robinson's targets from 14 in Weeks 11 and 12 down to just three the past two weeks. Robinson belongs on your fantasy football waiver wire at this point. |
| Josh Reynolds LAR | Bless Austin NYJ | I know they are playing the Jets this week, but Reynolds hasn't been a factor since Week 10. Yeah, anyone is capable of beating this terrible Jets secondary, but this isn't Week 3, this is the freaking fantasy football playoffs! You can't fool around and play a guy who has three targets, two catches and 27 receiving yards in the last two weeks combined! The Rams are sure to put up some points this week, but Reynolds has just two touchdowns all season long and hasn't had one since Week 7. Don't get too cute, keep Reynolds on the waiver wire. |
| Tyron Johnson LAC | Trayvon Mullen LV | This undrafted player doubled his catches in one week with his six catches in Week 14. He scored just his second touchdown of the season. He does have 50+ yards in four of the last six weeks, but he also had six targets in the previous three games before this breakout. The Raiders secondary isn't very good at all, but Johnson is still a risk. If Mike Williams is forced to miss the game that might help a little, but there is no way to trust a completely unproven player in your fantasy playoffs. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | Casey Hayward LAC | The rookie started out with a couple of exciting catches and he went down to injury and has never been a part of the offense again. Henry Ruggs is out for this game and the Chargers secondary isn't very good, but Edwards isn't even remotely on the fantasy radar for this week. |
| Mack Hollins MIA | J.C. Jackson NE | The Dolphins are dealing with several injured pass catchers with DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant, and Mike Gesicki all dealing with issues. Hollins had five catches for 66 yards last week against the Chiefs and deals with an even tougher matchup this week against the Pats. While everyone knows Stephon Gilmore, Jackson has a great season as well. He allows just a 53 percent catch rate and even if all three of those guys don't play, Hollins is still not an option. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Kyle Fuller CHI | He had his worst game since the beginning of the season last week with just four catches for 39 yards. He still did have eight targets, it just wasn't happening for the Vikings pass game last week. Jefferson has proved that it doesn't matter if he is playing a good defense or not, that he is a massive part of the offense. He had eight catches for 135 yards back in Week 10 against the Bears and this game is in Minnesota and therefore inside. That will only help Jefferson and he will be a great WR2 and possible DFS option for Week 15. |
| N'Keal Harry NE | Byron Jones MIA | His 49 yards last week were his most since Week 2. You didn't read that wrong, that was his most yards in 12 weeks. He has just five catches in the last three weeks combined. The Patriots pass game is terrible and the Dolphins secondary is really strong. There's no way to trust Harry in Week 15. |
| Emmanuel Sanders NO | Charvarious Ward KC | The Saints offense continues to struggle under Taysom Hill, Sanders did have three catches for 48 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles. Philadelphia's secondary was destroyed by injury, and Sanders only had a late 37-yard score. This week will be a much tougher matchup against the Chiefs who aren't a great secondary, but are above average. As long as Taysom Hill is under center, you can only possibly trust Michael Thomas for fantasy purposes. Sanders can be an emergency flex play but it is a very risky one. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Kevin Johnson CLE | I've been an advocate of Shepard since he returned from injury, but his value has gone kaput really fast. He has just four catches for 57 yards in the last two weeks, and hasn't scored since Week 7. He is either going to be dealing with an injured and ineffective Daniel Jones or Colt McCoy at quarterback. Neither of those are good options and even with a matchup against a banged up Browns secondary, you can't consider Shepard for any of your lineups this week. |
| Denzel Mims NYJ | Darious Williams LAR | I love this kid's talent, but the situation is just not good for him. The Jets offense is terrible, Sam Darnold is terrible, and his arm strength isn't enough to throw down the field enough to take advantage of Mims big play capability. The Rams secondary is great and Williams is one of the best young corners in the game, and the only way that Mims has any fantasy value is if he were to break a big touchdown. Considering he hasn't scored yet in his first six weeks, that is a long shot for Mims. Leave him on your fantasy bench this week. |
| Alshon Jeffery PHI | Dre Kirkpatrick ARZ | He had a touchdown last week, but it was his only catch and only his third since returning from injury five weeks ago. The Eagles pass offense isn't not going to improve much with Jalen Hurts at quarterback as he is going to check down to running backs and tight ends mostly. Jeffery continues to be irrelevant for fantasy and will be going forward until he retires. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | LeShaun Sims CIN | His production has been dipping of late, and James Washington has been a little more involved and has more production. Claypool has just five catches for 53 yards in the past two weeks combined, and hasn't had more than 60 yards since Week 9. Claypool hasn't scored in three weeks, but he has a lip-smacking matchup this week against the Bengals. Claypool had ten targets in the first game against Cincinnati, but he had just four catches for 56 yards. The good part was that two of those four catches were touchdown. Claypool is still worth flex play consideration against such a terrible defense, but he has fallen out of DFS love for me. |
| Kendrick Bourne SF | Deante Burton DAL | He will be thrust into more snaps with Deebo Samuel out, but Deebo has missed a lot of time this season and Bourne has had only a few games with more than eight fantasy points. He has just one touchdown all season long, and that was in Week 5. He could be a DFS dart throw or emergency flex option this week though with a game against the Cowboys who are a truly awful defense. Personally, I think you likely have better options on your waiver wire but he has a chance to have a decent game. |
| David Moore SEA | Ronald Darby WSH | He does have four touchdowns in the last seven weeks, but Moore is just a small part of the Seahawks pass game. He hasn't had more than 20 receiving yards in five straight games. Washington is a tough defense, and has been playing better by the week. They are the third best pass defense by yards allowed and have only surrendered 19 pass touchdowns in 13 games. This wouldn't be a good week to trust Moore. |
| Antonio Brown TB | A.J. Terrell ATL | Well, if he is going to have a fantasy impact in 2020, this is the week to do it. Brown faces the Falcons, Lions, and Falcons again in the last three weeks of the year. He hasn't had more than five catches since Week 11, but this is one of the best matchups since he returned. Terrell allows 12.2 yards per catch and a 114.3 quarterback rating against. The only thing holding Brown back is the number of weapons that they Buccaneers have to spread the ball around to. Tampa could pass more this week with Ronald Jones out and Brown sure is under consideration for your flex spot in Week 15. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Amani Oruwariye DET | Davis let many of us down with just three catches for 34 yards after a career game the week before and four straight strong games. The worst part was it was against the Jaguars, but it was A.J. Brown and Derrick Henry ruled the day. As fantasy players we have to turn the page and try to have a short memory on this one. He has another amazing matchup against a decimated Lions secondary. This is likely to be another great game for Brown and Henry, but Davis should be much better this week. He could again be a DFS GPP paydown to try to help you get studs somewhere else. Oruwariye allows over 17 yards per catch, and Davis is in line for a strong game and certainly belongs in your fantasy playoff lineups. |
| Cam Sims WSH | D.J. Reed SEA | I warned last week that we would be chasing the previous week's points with Sims after he had 92 yards against the Steelers in Week 13. Predictably, he came up small with one catch for just eight yards. Either Washington quarterback won't make the offense anything impressive, and Sims just isn't a big part of the offense. The Seahawks secondary has played better of late after being a disaster for most of the year. Sims will have a game here or there, but it isn't a good bet against Seattle. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 15.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Lamarcus Joyner LV | After a couple both games, Allen got back on track with nine catches and a touchdown last week against the Falcons. He still hasn't topped 55 receiving yards in four of the last five weeks, but the targets continue to be there. Allen gets a great matchup this week again with the Raiders who he had nine catches for 103 yards and a touchdown back in Week 9. Joyner and the Raiders secondary are absolutely awful and Allen should thrive. He is an elite option in both the fantasy playoffs and DFS contests. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Chauncey Gardner-Johnson NO | It was another electric game for Hill last week as he had 79 yards on the ground and another 32 on the ground and a touchdown both ways. It has been an amazing season for Hill as he is close to 1,200 yards and 16 total touchdowns in 13 games. The Saints pass defense had been better of late, but Chiefs and Hill have just been crushing defenses all season long. Gardner-Johnson allows nearly 70 percent of passes thrown his way to be caught and Hill is unstoppable. He is a top option no matter what kind of fantasy league/contest you might play in this week. |
| Juju Smith-Schuster PIT | Mackensie Alexander CIN | With Chase Claypool not quite doing as well lately, I feel like this is going to benefit Smith-Schuster most. When all three Steelers receivers are healthy, Smith-Schuster was the one who was tailing off. However, Claypool hasn't been the same and Juju was great against Buffalo with six catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. He faces a dynamite matchup against Alexander who he owns a three inch height advantage over. Smith-Schuster had nine catches for 77 yards and a score in Week 10 against Alexander and the Bengals and he will be a great choice in your fantasy playoffs and DFS contests. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Isaiah Oliver ATL | He was terrible with just two catches and 25 yards last week, but the guy just had a pin taken out of his broken finger earlier in the week. Also, the whole passing game was off last week. He gets his best matchup of the season in Atlanta and Oliver who was just beaten for nine catches and a touchdown last week against Keenan Allen and the Chargers. When Godwin is right and healthy, he is a great fantasy option. Unless we see some reports that he is nursing any sort of injury, Godwin should be a top-20 receiver for Week 15 in fantasy. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Javelin Guidry NYJ | I mean we don't need a deep dive here right? Kupp has been a disappointment from a touchdown perspective as his score last Thursday was his first since Week 4. However, Kupp still has 79 catches on the year and has a chance to reach 100 on the season. Plus, they are playing the Jets. Unless today is the first time you even looked at anything NFL related this season, you would know that they are the worst defense in football. There is nothing that can stop Kupp from having a great week against the Jets and he is a great option in your fantasy playoffs and in play in DFS games as well. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Xavier McKinney NYG | Landry continues to see a bunch of volume without a lot of options on the Browns offense, and he has decent success. He has three straight games with at least six catches and 50 yards and a touchdown in two of the last three weeks. He will be covered by the Giants rookie safety who missed the first three months of the season due to injury. I think this is going to be a lower scoring game and the Browns should be ahead. Landry should continue to get you 10-12 fantasy points going in Week 15. |
| Curtis Samuel CAR | Chandon Sullivan GB | They should have D.J. Moore back this week, but Samuel continues to be a big part of the Panthers offense. He has 38 targets in the last five weeks and has only one game under 65 yards in that span. Samuel also continues to be involved in the run game as he has at least one carry in every game this season. Sullivan isn't a great slot corner and he allows 13.1 yards per catch. Carolina likely will have to throw to try to keep up with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers and Samuel should see a minimum of eight targets in this one and should have a flex-worthy game in Week 15. |
| Cole Beasley BUF | Will Parks DEN | John Brown could return this week, but he is still not going to be 100 percent. Beasley has 10+ targets in three of the last four weeks and has 100+ yards in two of the last four. The Broncos secondary is in rough shape with Bryce Callaham out and A.J. Bouye suspended. The Bills offense is playing very well of late and Beasley should continue to be a big part of it. He isn't a deep threat but more of a short route guy and should see a lot of targets agains. Parks allows a 70 percent catch rate and Beasley should be a solid contributor in your fantasy playoffs. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Jimmy Moreland WSH | He has just one touchdown since Week 7, and Lockett isn't performing like we had hoped. However, he hasn't been horrible. He has at least ten fantasy points in PPR leagues in four of the last five weeks, and his best game was 21 points. Lockett has nine targets in three of the last five weeks, and Seattle should be throwing a good deal in this one. Moreland is ranked 81st in Pro Football Focus rankings for cornerbacks and this is a plus matchup for Lockett. His season of disappointment has taken him off the DFS radar for me but he will still be a solid WR3 for the fantasy playoffs. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Mike Hilton PIT | It has been a scary state of affairs for the Bengals since Joe Burrow went out, but Boyd broke a 72-yard touchdown two weeks ago before being thrown out of the game and last week he had nine targets. The team isn't going to be scoring many points, but they are going to get crushed by the Steelers so there should be plenty of garbage time and targets to go around. Boyd and Tee Higgins are the only reliable receiver on the team, regardless of what A.J. Green did last week. Boyd isn't going to be anything near what he was early in the year, but he still has a chance in double digit fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
Elite
Stefon Diggs vs Michael Ojemudia
One thing that you love when you are picking receivers for DFS contests is volume. Your receiver has more chances for success if they are being thrown the ball more than someone else. While that isn’t the end all, be all, it is a nice start. Diggs is the most targeted receiver in football, but he is also turning it into production. The Broncos are down two corners this week, and Ojemudia is not the type of corner that can hold down Diggs. The Bills are struggling to run the ball in the last month, and Diggs is the star of the show. He will be a great choice this week.
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Jalen Mills
Kyler Murray looked healthier last week, and Hopkins had his best game in a while. This week they get a total break as the Eagles secondary lost two starting corner and a safety. The secondary already wasn’t good before these injuries and now they will have little hope to stop Hopkins. This is the perfect storm of Hopkins appearing to be healthier and a puffy cloud soft matchup of a defense.
Affordable
He has been great all season long outside of one terrible game against the Colts. Brown has scored in every game but three and has had seven or more targets in nine of 11 games. That is some pretty solid volume. The Lions secondary has allowed 26 touchdowns and seems to get worse with each passing week. They are still without their top two corners, and the secondary was terrible when they were fully healthy. Derrick Henry could be the star again, but Ryan Tannehill and Brown are going to torment the Lions secondary and Brown has a real shot at another 100-yard game with a touchdown.
I don’t think we need to dig too deep here. Just take a look at some recent wide receiver performances against the Jets. D.K. Metcalf six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. Henry Ruggs three catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. DeVante Parker eight catches for 119 yards. Keenan Allen 16 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown. I know we wanted more out of Metcalf and Cooper Kupp is still a factor, but the Jets have been getting crushed by top receivers all season long. Woods will just be the next name on that list.
Bargain Bin
Brandon Aiyuk vs Rashard Robinson
With Deebo Samuel now out, it is Aiyuk as the number one receiver for the rest of the way. He has been heavily targeted to say the very least and has done it all over the field. He is tough to tackle once he has the ball in his hands, and he is a great downfield threat. He has 15 catches for 214 yards in the last two weeks and now has the easiest matchup in the league against Dallas. The Cowboys are tied for the worst in the league as they have allowed 28 touchdowns. Nick Mullens has some limitations, but he has had no trouble getting the ball to Aiyuk who should absolutely crush the return on your investment.
T.Y. Hilton vs. Vernon Hargreaves
I had to give one more bonus option because I am just surprised that Hilton’s salary still hasn’t moved much despite three good games in a row. I mean he had 86 yards and two touchdowns last week and his salary barely moved. Not only that, but he is playing the same team with the same bad secondary that he had eight catches for 110 yards and a touchdown against just two weeks ago. I know that he was terrible for the entire first 11 weeks of the year, but DFS is about this week, not October. Hilton should crush again without costing you much.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.