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. We have some injuries and some clarity on what we expected coming into the season, so Week 2 we should have a slightly better grasp on what to expect. This article is also critical for daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| DeAndre Hopkins ARZ | Patrick Peterson MIN | I don't know what to say to cornerbacks who have to cover this guy other than good luck! He had six catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, and although the Titans secondary isn't great, this shouldn't be a surprise. Hopkins can beat almost any corner, and I don't think there is one out there I would sit him against. Peterson isn't bad, but he is not the guy he used to be. He did allow two receptions on the three balls thrown his way last week, and Hopkins should be all systems go for your fantasy teams this week. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Jamel Dean TB | It was a very quiet game for Ridley with just five catches and 51 yards, but the whole Atlanta offense was just stuck in neutral all day. There is really no reason to panic about Ridley after this first week, although he isn't going to be on my DFS target list this week either with Jamel Dean, who played pretty well in Week 1, and that Tampa Bay pass rush getting in Matt Ryan's face. Ridley had 18 catches in two games against the Bucs last season so there's no reason to sit him in season long leagues, but for the price you can find a better matchup for DFS. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Mike Hughes KC | Brown had a nice season debut in that wild Monday Night game with six catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. As always, the Ravens pass game will be inconsistent, but it was a nice start even though they didn't win the game. Hughes had a solid first game, allowing just 21 yards and securing an interception. Trusting Brown is always a tough thing to do, but I believe he has earned a start in season long leagues, and being on a showdown slate again for DFS means that he has a potentially high ceiling with his big play ability. Not to mention we all know that Sammy Watkins is going to lay a total dud on Sunday night. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Xavien Howard MIA | Diggs had a tough first draw against the talented Steelers secondary, but he still had nine catches on 14 targets for 69 yards. The matchup doesn't get any easier against Howard and the Dolphins secondary which is also pretty stout. They only allowed one touchdown pass, but they did surrender 281 yards in the air to rookie Mac Jones. Like Ridley, I don't expect Diggs to have a down game and he is an every week start in season long leagues, but again he isn't set up to have an elite type game and I will look elsewhere in DFS contests. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Bradley Roby NO | It was a great start for Moore and the Panthers offense as they were able to move the ball pretty well on the Jets and Moore finished with six catches for 80 yards and had the second most targets after Christian McCaffrey. I know the Saints defense shut down the Packers last week, but I am not sold on this unit. They do welcome Roby, who was suspended last week and is a solid corner, but I still think Carolina is able to throw again. I expect Moore to continue to be a big part of the attack, although I expect Robby Anderson to be more involved in Week 2. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Chidobe Awuzie CIN | As usual, Robinson came away with double digit targets in the season opener, but he only turned that into six catches for 35 yards. We call that the Jalen Ramsey effect, and you'll see it almost every week. Awuzie is a solid corner, but he is nowhere near in Ramsey's class. he held Justin Jefferson mostly in check last week, but you just can't stop Robinson's volume for long. I'm hoping that Andy Dalton gets a little more comfortable in the offense in Week 2, or that we see more Justin Fields. Either way, Robinson is going to be a great start no matter what format of fantasy football you play. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Jaylon Johnson CHI | He had some dehydration problems and wasn't on the field the entire game, but Higgins still came away with four catches for 58 yards and a touchdown. That last part is the important piece as Higgins continues to be the trusted red zone threat. Ja'Marr Chase showed that he could be the real deal, but I don't see that hurting Higgins stock much. Johnson had a heck of a time last week allowing 80 yards and a touchdown against the Rams, and while he is still a pretty decent corner, you can go after him. Higgins is touching the DFS radar and is a weekly must start in seasonal leagues. |
| Anthony Schwartz CLE | Vernon Hargreaves HOU | There's a Spaceballs joke in here somewhere but I will stick to football. Schwartz was one of the surprise performers of Week 1 when he caught three of five targets for 69 yards against the Chiefs. He did much of his damage early, and I think the Chiefs defense adjusted. Odell Beckham will not be playing again, which will propel Schwartz back to relevancy. The Texans secondary is awful which could help him have a repeat type game and he could be a cheap flier in DFS, but I would feel better looking in another direction. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Michael Davis LAC | Now THAT is the way to start the season! Cooper reeled in 13 passes for 139 yards and two scores. And with the injury to Michael Gallup, that only means that the Dallas offense, which will continue to be pass heavy, will keep relying on Cooper heavily. Davis allowed 46 yards on two catches (three targets) against him, but this Cowboy pass game is much more lethal than Washington. Cooper isn't likely to put up the same gaudy numbers, but this game is going to feature a lot of passing and a lot of points and I would trust Cooper in any format, daily or season long. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | C.J. Henderson JAX | It was a very disappointing return from ACL surgery for Sutton with just one catch on three targets for 14 yards. His snaps were limited and the Giants have a pretty decent secondary. However, the team lost Jerry Jeudy so they are going to have to count on Sutton more as the weeks go by. I still think he will be on a bit of a "snap count" this week and he certainly becomes too risky for DFS games. However, the Jags secondary was torn up by Tyrod freaking Taylor last week, so is Sutton worth a start in your redraft leagues against Henderson? That depends on your roster, but he isn't a definite sit for me. |
| Quintez Cephus DET | Jaire Alexander GB | Sure, the Lions made a roaring comeback once the 49ers defense let off the gas but their three most targeted players were T.J. Hockenson, D'Andre Swift, and Jamaal Williams. With Tyrell Williams dealing with concussion protocol (and not being very good) we should see Cephus be involved again. However, he will deal with Alexander who might be the best corner in football. I don't see the Lions making another wild comeback and I would just avoid them this week until we get some more clarity of Goff's target preferences. |
| Davante Adams GB | Amani Oruwariye DET | We certainly expected more than five catches for 56 yards for Adams against the Saints defense, but sometimes we are just shocked! The Packers will turn the page and put that embarrassment behind them and move on. Nothing cures a slump like facing the Lions who were absolutely destroyed by Deebo Samuel and the 49ers. Detroit also lost Jeff Okudah, and Oruwariye....well I'll be nice and say isn't that good. Don't fade Adams after last week, this is a gift from the fantasy football gods. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Denzel Ward CLE | It was a great stat line for Cooks with five catches for 132 yards as Tyrod Taylor didn't look as terrible as I thought he would. Almost all of the production came in the first half, but that's ok. I need to see more before I can consider putting Cooks in a DFS lineup, but I'd say that game is enough for me to feel good about starting him in season long leagues. I am still very concerned about the viability of Tyrod Taylor as a starting quarterback, and the matchup is much tougher this week against Cleveland. Ward did allow catches on five of seven targets against him last week, but that was the Chiefs, totally different story this week. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Jalen Ramsey LAR | Hopes were high heading into the season for Pittman and then he fell flat with just three catches for 29 yards against the Seahawks. The worst part of the game is that he was fifth on the team in targets! And while Zach Pascal did score last week, I still feel that Jalen Ramsey will spend most of his time on Pittman which basically makes him irrelevant for the week. Ramsey has shut down some of the best receivers in football, he should be able to clamp down Pittman with a hand tied behind his back. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Kyle Fuller DEN | I'm very torn on this one. On one hand Chark had 12 targets, 86 yards and a touchdown. On the other hand, he only caught three, had at least one drop, and was playing the Texans. Trevor Lawrence was decent, but far from great in his first start. Fuller had a rough first game against the Giants allowing five catches on seven targets, so there is a chance that Chark could come out and succeed. However, Denver allowed just one touchdown to the Giants so I wouldn't trust Chark for anything more than a flex play. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Marlon Humphrey BAL | The Chiefs might have been playing a good secondary in Cleveland, but they were behind for most of the game and Hardman came away with a whopping three targets. So much for Sammy Watkins leaving helping him out. He had the same number of targets as Clyde Edwards-Helaire and only one more than superstars Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle! It is Hill and it is Kelce, end of list. Hardman will have a couple big games here and there, but predicting them is fool's work. Cut ties with him now for someone with a chance at some consistency. |
| Robert Woods LAR | T.J. Carrie IND | While Cooper Kupp was having his way with the Bears secondary, it was Woods who had just three catches for 27 yards with a touchdown that saved his day. It is a tad concerning that Tyler Higbee had two more targets, but I am far from worried about Woods yet. Now that Xavier Rhodes has been ruled out that certainly helps Woods against a secondary that let Russell Wilson do some damage. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Anthony Brown DAL | I've long not had faith in Williams throughout his career, but I can't argue with 12 targets in the first game of the season against a pretty solid Washington defense. I do think that number has to come down, but I also love the matchup against a Dallas secondary that Tom Brady made a mockery of on Thursday night. Like Kansas City, the Chargers don't have a wide array of receivers that they throw to. I like Williams in this game with a plus plus plus matchup against Dallas. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Joe Haden PIT | He had two catches on five targets, but both catches were within the last four or five minutes of the game. It wasn't a good first showing for Ruggs whose problem was a lack of volume last season. The offense certainly revolves around Darren Waller and the run game. The Steelers made things very tough on Josh Allen and the Bills last week, so I have little to no faith that Ruggs does anything productive unless he was to break off a big play. |
| Will Fuller MIA | Tre'Davious White BUF | We all know Fuller. High risk, high reward due to injuries and now suspensions. This is his first game on a new team with a new quarterback, which is a bit concerning for DFS purposes. Throw in that Tre'Davious White is a pretty damn good corner and you should probably look in another direction for daily. For season long leagues the potential upside is worth him getting a spot in your WR3 or a flex spot. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Robert Alford ARZ | I was certainly hoping from more from Jefferson against a leaky Bengals secondary, but five catches for 71 yards isn't the end of the world. The nine targets for K.J. Osborn raises a red flag, but I am not worried about Jefferson at this point. Alford had a great first week allowing just two catches on five targets against him for under 20 yards against the Titans. As a top five salary guy in DFS contests you probably can find a more reliable option for the money, but in season long leagues I am still firing up Jefferson with hopes for a 12-15 fantasy point day. |
| Nelson Agholor NE | Bryce Hall NYJ | It was a great first week for Agholor as he had five catches on seven targets for 72 yards and a score. Only Jakobi Meyers had more targets in the game than Agholor against a tough Miami secondary. The task should be much easier this week against the Jets and Bryce Hall who did not fare all that well last week against Carolina. The problem with trusting Agholor outside of a flex spot in a 12 team or more league is there are many mouths to fill in New England, and outside of Meyers I am not sure that the pecking order has been hashed out yet. |
| Marquez Callaway NO | Donte Jackson CAR | I saw so many questions on Twitter about Callaway's huge dud last week and here are your answers for why it happened. First and foremost, Jaire Alexander is one of the best corners in football. Second, Winston only threw it 20 times and third they are spreading the ball around with a bunch of no name options. Last, he was overhyped after a big preseason. Donte Jackson had a little trouble with Corey Davis last week, but he is still a very solid corner and I think Callaway is going to struggle again. |
| Kenny Golladay NYG | William Jackson WFT | Considering he had basically no preseason and was hurt all of last year I was somewhat impressed with Golladay's Giants debut where he tallied four catches for 64 yards against a tough Broncos secondary. The task won't get too much easier this week with William Jackson and the Football Team. One of Washington's solid offseason additions he allowed just three catches for 24 yards on Sunday. Golladay has a four inch height advantage though, so if the Giants are able to move the ball down the field Golladay could be a nice red zone target with Evan Engram out. He isn't a terrible choice on a showdown slate or your WR3 in season long leagues. |
| Corey Davis NYJ | J.C. Jackson NE | It was certainly an impressive debut on the Jets for Davis as he hauled in five catches for 97 yards and two scores. The Jets offense certainly struggled to get going for most of the game, and Davis first touchdown was on one of many plays where Zach Wilson was running for his life. Davis is the clear number one receiver for the Jets which will continue even when Keelan Cole and Jamison Crowder return. Jackson struggled in Week 1 against the Dolphins and while he is better than that, he shouldn't shut down Davis. He is worth a WR2-WR3 spot in your season long lineups. |
| Devonta Smith PHI | K'waun Williams SF | It was a very successful debut for Smith and a lot of that had to do with how smoothly Jalen Hurts ran the offense. It also didn't hurt that the Falcons secondary isn't any good. Smith showed the skills that made him a dominant college player. The 49ers pass rush is very good, but the secondary is a little thin especially after losing Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley is unlikely to play as well. If Hurts has time to throw it could be another really good day for Smith as I also expect the Eagles to be playing from behind in this one. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Casey Hayward LV | It wasn't an impressive stat line with five catches for 36 yards, but he did score. The thing we always love about Johnson is the volume and he was targeted ten times on 32 pass attempts. That's great! The Bills are a top secondary, so it isn't surprising that he didn't light up the box score, but does get a bit of a break this week against Vegas. The new Raiders corner played very well on Monday night as compared to his compadres, but he will have a much tougher assignment come Sunday. Johnson might not be the strongest DFS option but is an absolute WR2 this week for seasonal leagues. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Janoris Jenkins TEN | It was a Lockett week as he exploded in the first half, but Metcalf had a nice second half and finished with four catches for 60 yards and an important score for his fantasy managers. The task will be easier this week against Jenkins and the Titans secondary who were absolutely destroyed last week by DeAndre Hopkins and the Cardinals. There are going to be some weeks where Lockett goes off and Metcalf will fall short of expectations, but he should be a monster most weeks and I like him very much in both season long and any DFS contest this week. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Steven Nelson PHI | It was a vintage Deebo day as he had nine catches for 189 yards and a score against the Lions. It helped that Brandon Aiyuk was benched and it also helped that the Lions are awful and they lost their best corner. Now, the Eagles secondary isn't great, but it is far better than Detroit. Nelson played well against the Falcons and is a solid corner. However, unless something changes with Aiyuk, I still expect Samuel to get the majority of targets for wide receivers and have a very solid game. Look for at least six catches and 80 yards from the 49ers current top receiver. |
| Mike Evans TB | Fabian Moreau ATL | It was a terrible season opener for Evans as he had just three catches for 24 yards against a lowly Cowboys secondary while Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown went off. However, we saw this from Evans sometimes last year and he almost always followed with an impressive effort. The Falcons secondary is really bad and Evans had nine catches for 156 yards in two games against them last season. There is still some volatility of who will get the production in Tampa Bay but Evans has a discounted price and is worth the gamble. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | D.J. Reed SEA | He led the team in targets but had just four catches for 49 yards but did score to make it a decent day. The Cardinals defense had Ryan Tannehill under all sorts of pressure. Reed allowed five of six passes thrown at him last week to be caught, and this week you would think the Titans would make it a priority to protect Tannehill. Brown didn't get much of a DFS discount this week but is still a top flight start in season long leagues. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | James Bradberry NYG | The Football Team lost Ryan Fitzpatrick for a number of weeks which has fantasy players scrambling that own their skill players. However, Taylor Heinicke isn't Tom Brady but he isn't bad! In the Wild Card Game he hit McLaurin seven times for 75 yards against the Bucs. McLaurin draws a real hard matchup against James Bradberry and the Giants so he likely isn't your best DFS option but there is no reason to sit McLaurin in your season long leagues. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| A.J. Green ARZ | Bashaud Breeland MIN | He did have six targets last week which was tied for second most on the team, but he converted just two of them for 25 yards. You can say first game on a new team, you can say it was his first game in a while, but I am going to call it as I see it and say his time in the fantasy space is finished. Breeland was destroyed last week by Ja'Marr Chase and the young Bengals receivers, but he should have a much easier time in Week 2 against Green who is definitely on the downside of his career. |
| Olamide Zaccheaus ATL | Carlton Davis TB | Is Corrdarrelle Patterson the second receiver on this team? Is he a running back? One thing is for sure, Zaccheaus has no fantasy value basically any week and certainly not this week against one of the better defenses in football. |
| Sammy Watkins BAL | Charvarius Ward KC | He might not have gone off like in years past, but Watkins was still the leading receiver for the Ravens in Week 1 just like basically everyone drew it up. Will he disappear in Week 2 and beyond like he has so many times in the past? Or will he finally show some consistency until he gets hurt like always. The Chiefs secondary and Ward are not the best in the league by any stretch, but they should have little trouble containing Watkins and the Ravens pass game. |
| Emmanuel Sanders BUF | Byron Jones MIA | Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley led the team in targets, but Sanders still had a very respectable eight looks with four catches for 52 yards. He might get a bit more of a bump if Gabriel Davis is unable to play, but the Dolphins secondary is still pretty strong so Sanders is only a middling option as a flex play in 12 or more team leagues. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Paulson Adebo NO | Well the Sam Darnold/Robby Anderson revenge game didn't go well for Anderson as he had just one catch. Sure, it went for a 57 yard touchdown, but no one who played Anderson was happy with that as that was a cupcake matchup. It will be tougher against the rookie Adebo who had a hand in shutting down the Packers last week. The Week 1 performance makes it tough to trust Anderson for DFS in Week 2 but you should still give him your WR3 spot or at worst your flex in season long leagues. |
| Marquise Goodwin CHI | Eli Apple CIN | Even though the Rams top two corners are among the best in football, it is still a surprise to see Goodwin lead the team in yardage as the third receiver on the team. The Bears pass game isn't close to good enough for three wide receivers to be fantasy relevant and unless Goodwin breaks off some unexpected huge play he isn't going to score enough fantasy points to be relevant. |
| Ja'Marr Chase CIN | Kindle Vildor CHI | Maybe he can catch the football after all! Chase led the team with five catches on seven targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. He certainly looked comfortable in the NFL and his speed was very evident. Vildor played very well last week and was only targeted once, but he is going to have his hands full this week. The Bengals have three viable wide receivers and it is only a matter of time before Chase makes his mark. Considering the game he had last week I am surprised his DFS salary didn't catch up to the production yet. |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE | Terrance Mitchell HOU | Even with Odell Beckham out last week Peoples-Jones still only had one catch for four yards. Beckham is out again, but it was Anthony Schwartz who stepped in for a bigger role. The Texans secondary is trash, but there is no way you can trust DPJ in any sort of fantasy role unless maybe you are in a 30 team league where you only roster guys named Donovan. It is a very competitive format. |
| Cedrick Wilson DAL | Asante Samuel LAC | With Michael Gallup out a minimum of three weeks it will be Wilson who lines up in three receiver sets with Cooper and Lamb. He is not as talented as Gallup and it remains to be seen how much attention he gets from Dak Prescott. If history is any indicator it will not be enough to be fantasy relevant and at least for this week Wilson should be ignored in all fantasy formats. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Shaquill Griffin JAX | He was a very popular waiver add this week with the loss of Jerry Jeudy and he is probably the more consistent option. Patrick has been in the NFL a few years and when given the opportunity has performed fairly admirably. The Jacksonville secondary is absolutely atrocious which makes Patrick an intriguing play for this week for a low salary receiver against a very weak secondary. |
| Quintez Cephus DET | Kevin King GB | Cephus led the wide receivers with six targets, but caught just three of them for 12 yards but did have a touchdown. The 49ers defense gave up a lot of passing yards so to see Cephus only get 12 negates my excitement from how many targets he got. The Packers secondary didn't look great last week but I see them rebounding with a strong performance against the lowly Lions offense. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Jerry Jacobs DET | He is a very all or nothing type player, and MVS was a whole lot of nothing in Week 1 as was the rest of the Packers offense. It was encouraging to see him targeted seven times, the same as Davante Adams, but the production is maddening. He gets a much easier matchup this week against the Lions who lost one of their top corners, so Valdes-Scantling has a chance at a strong game. He could be a high risk/high reward DFS pick, but is better suited as a flex play in season long leagues. |
| Chris Conley HOU | Greg Newsome CLE | Two catches on two targets for 27 yards in what very well could be the most offense the Texans put up all season long? Couple that with them playing an infinitely better defense this week and Conley couldn't be a bigger fade for me. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Darious Williams LAR | He led the receivers in targets and had four catches for 43 yards and two touchdowns against the Seahawks. All of that is a surprise. I would say it is far too soon to call Pascal someone to add in your seasonal leagues and with Darious Williams covering him in Week 2 there is no way you should consider playing him in DFS contests. I still think the Colts offense is going to be more run based making Pascal a difficult guy to trust most weeks. |
| Marvin Jones JAX | Ronald Darby DEN | He had a good amount of garbage time production, but hey it all counts! Something has to give here because I don't expect Jacksonville to throw so much every week that three receivers all have nine or more targets per week. I still think Jones will maintain a solid role as the security blanket for Trevor Lawrence, but he draws a tough matchup against Darby and the Denver defense. He was the corner that they picked on a bunch last week, but he didn't really give up any big plays. Jones remains a starter in PPR leagues for his volume, but isn't an option in DFS games. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Marcus Peters BAL | Not that this is breaking news but I said Robinson wasn't fantasy relevant last week and he proved it with his one catch against the Browns in a game where the team scored 33 points. He isn't someone to even have on your radar! |
| Van Jefferson LAR | Rock-Ya Sin IND | The 67-yard touchdown got people's attention, but he still was only targeted three times the whole game. There are just a lot of guys ahead of him in the hierarchy of targets for Reynolds to have any fantasy consideration without an injury to Robert Woods or Cooper Kupp. I honestly can't even suggest him as a speculative dart throw in DFS GPPs. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Trevon Diggs DAL | I was surprised he was targeted five times and caught three of them for 48 yards. Guyton has been around for a few years and has never scratched the surface of being fantasy relevant. Unless there is an injury I don't see even this volume continuing and you can just make him a guy you monitor this week, but I can't see him being worth an add unless it is a real deep league. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | Ahkello Witherspoon PIT | If you just look at the box score you would be excited that Edwards had four catches on five targets for 81 yards. If you watched the game you would know he didn’t have a catch until less than a minute to go in the game and all of a sudden came alive in a crazy game that included overtime. I need to see more consistent production than that if I am going to think about putting him in a starting lineup. Even though Witherspoon isn't the strongest corner the Steelers have, he still can be tough and Edwards belongs on your bench. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Levi Wallace BUF | Despite rookie Jaylen Waddle finding the end zone, Parker still had a really good game with four catches for 81 yards. Things will get more crowded this week with Will Fuller returning from suspension. The Bills secondary, including Wallace are pretty strong and with the Dolphins offense unlikely to make three receivers fantasy relevant, I would probably avoid Parker for the week. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Marco Wilson ARZ | He led the team in targets, catches, and yards and scored twice, putting Thielen square back on the elite level of fantasy receiver. I mean he isn't Hopkins, Adams, Diggs, but he is someone that it looks like you can count on every week. The Cardinals secondary was great last week although the rookie Wilson was picked on. All four targets that went his way were caught, although he didn't give up any huge plays. I am not sure that he is ready to hang with Thielen though, and I expect the Vikings to be playing from behind making Thielen an attractive DFS and season long option for Week 2. |
| Kendrick Bourne NE | Isaiah Dunn NYJ | He was certainly the odd man out of all of the offseason additions to the Patriots offense as he had just one catch on three targets for 17 yards against the Dolphins. Granted the Miami secondary is far superior to the Jets, but that dud in Week 1 makes Bourne tough to trust in Week 2. Mac Jones had a good control of the offense, but the Pats still didn't look like a team that was going to score 30 points on a weekly basis. Even in a cupcake matchup I need to see Bourne produce before I can even consider using him in any fantasy format. |
| Deonte Harris NO | Jaycee Horn CAR | Oh you might see 72 yards and a touchdown and get excited but he had just two catches and the 55-yard touchdown was when the game was well out of reach. I don’t see the Saints offense typically scoring 38 points, and Winston only threw for 148 yards. Harris doesn't appear to be in line for enough volume to be a fantasy worthy guy and will be dependent on big plays to make any sort of impact and that is not a guy I want to chase. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Kendall Fuller WFT | The seven targets look good as do the 65 yards, but Slayton had a couple dropsies and he will need to clean that up if he wants to continue to be thrown to. The volume was a nice surprise and the fact that Evan Engram has already been ruled out gives him a chance for another target or two. Fuller allowed five of six targets thrown his way to be caught, so perhaps Slayton might be a nice flier in a showdown slate GPP for Thursday night but I am not sure I would trust him in my season long lineups. |
| Braxton Berrios NYJ | Jalen Mills NE | With both Jamison Crowder and Keelan Cole out it was Berrios who tied for the team lead in both targets and catches on Sunday. He only accumulated 51 yards, but the volume was there. Now, hopefully you have learned from season's past not to trust Berrios as he only has games like this every so often. Mills is a solid corner, and the Patriots defense isn't going to give up a lot of points to the Jets. Don't fall into any trap, Berrios belongs on the waiver wire. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Deommodore Lenoir SF | The second year man had a solid opening week catching all six of his targets for 49 yards and a score. The question will be will Philadelphia's offense always run that smooth or was it a product of how bad the Falcons offense was? We will find out this week, although the Eagles get a bit of a break with the 49ers losing Jason Verrett out of their secondary. Reagor has the tools to be a quality NFL receiver but I am not ready to throw him into DFS lineups after a week. I don't mind him as a WR3 or a flex in season long leagues. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | Trayvon Mullen LV | He isn't going to get the volume every week which is what makes rostering Claypool maddening at times. He caught three balls for 45 yards and had a rushing attempt for another 25 in the opener against a very tough Bills secondary. Mullen allowed all three balls thrown at him to be caught on Monday night, and I like Claypool's chances much better in Week 2. He is a bit of a risk at his price tag, but the way the Raiders let the Ravens move the ball, I think Roethlisberger can carve them up some with a much more traditional approach. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Darius Slay PHI | Should this be Trent Sherfield? I honestly don't know. I know that you come to these articles for all of the answers but there are times where the situation is so muddied. Is Aiyuk nursing a hammy? Did he miss curfew? Will he be back this week? All of this is unknown and Kyle Shanahan gives us NOTHING! He needs to be much better than the person behind him is what we got. I sure hope that he is out there, or if not they make him inactive so we don't take the chance on him again. Honestly, after last week I would say that you have to sit Aiyuk until you see him take the field for a normal amount of snaps. |
| D'Wayne Eskridge SEA | Kristian Fulton TEN | The second round pick had some fanfare coming into the season, but ended up with one target, one catch, and six yards. Now he is dealing with some concussion issues and his availability is unknown. Even against a crappy Titans secondary, there isn't room for a third wide receiver in this offense to be relevant. The Seahawks will continue to throw to their tight ends and running backs and Eskridge shouldn't even be on rosters right now. |
| Antonio Brown TB | A.J. Terrell ATL | It was quite the start to the season for Brown as he had five catches for 121 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys. Now, the Bucs definitely wanted to come out throwing to start the season, and the Cowboys defense is a great group to do it against because they aren't very good. The good news for Brown is that the Falcons secondary is also abysmal and the Bucs should light them up too. I love Brown at his price point and am looking for another big game from him for DFS and season long purposes. |
| Julio Jones TEN | Tre Flowers SEA | It was a pretty disastrous Titans debut for Julio as he had just three catches for 29 yards, had the same number of targets as Chester freakin Rogers and had a ball go off his hands for an interception. The Cardinals secondary had the Titans offense in disarray all game long. It doesn't get a hell of a lot easier this week against the Seahawks whose defense looked strong last week as well. Tre Flowers did allow all three targets at him to be caught and surrendered a touchdown, so maybe this will be the game Julio gets right. I am not considering him for DFS but he can be in your season long lineups. |
| Dyami Brown WFT | Adoree Jackson NYG | The Washington offense won't go completely in the toilet without Ryan Fitzpatrick but it will take a small step back. Brown had four targets, but caught just one of them for negative yardage. His usage is still in question and the viability of the Washington offense is as well. I don't mind him sitting on your season long league benches, but he could be several weeks away from potentially having any fantasy value whatsoever. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 2.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Tavon Young BAL | It has come to the point that it really doesn't matter who is covering him, Hill is a great option. Maybe Bradberry or Ramsey might make me think twice, but other than that it is just a matter of time before he makes a big play. And if he is going to start getting targeted north of ten times every game the sky is the limit. The Chiefs are going to throw a ton and Hill is one of the two factors in the pass game. He is worth a look in DFS games and is always a start in seasonal. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Chris Harris LAC | One of my favorite guys in the 2021 season didn't disappoint last Thursday as he had a great game with seven catches, 104 yards, and a score. Sure, he had a drop or two but again I love the volume. And with Michael Gallup on the shelf for a month, there are just going to be more balls thrown Lamb's way. Harris is a solid corner but this game is going to be all about the pass game and Prescott is going to throw it 40+ times. Honestly, I'll be shocked if Lamb doesn't go over 100 yards again. Have him or Cooper in a lot of your lineups this weekend. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Jourdan Lewis DAL | Did I just say the Cowboys/Chargers game was going to be all about passing? Yeah, and here is the most targeted receiver for Los Angeles. He opened with nine catches and 100 yards against the Football team and now gets a glorious matchup against the Cowboys secondary. Lewis was one of the better corners for Dallas last Thursday allowing five of ten passes to be caught and had a touchdown and a pick. He's going to be under attack all game again this week and I expect Allen to go over 100 yards again. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Isaiah Oliver ATL | This is one where the Bucs might put up 40 points against the lowly Falcons after we saw what Jalen Hurts did to them. Tom Brady might just have a video game type day. It is tough to gauge which Bucs receiver will go off, but against Atlanta there is room for all three! Godwin had nine catches on 14 targets with over 100 yards and a score last week and honestly if he matched those numbers again in Week 2 I wouldn't be surprised. There is always a risk in Tampa it might be "the other guy's day" but I don't think you can go wrong here. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Elijah Molden TEN | To me these are known as "Tyler Lockett Days" where he just goes berserk in a game. Although in Week 1 he was quiet in the second half. History tells us that Lockett isn't going to match this production two weeks in a row, but the schedule tells us they are playing Tennessee who has a terrible defense and the Cardinals just did dirty things to them. Lockett is a starter in seasonal leagues 17 weeks out of 17, and with this soft matchup you have to consider him for DFS as well. Molden allowed a catch both times he was targeted and allowed one of the many touchdowns that Kyler Murray threw last week |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Kenny Moore IND | Whenever we see a change at quarterback it is interesting to see who is favorite receiver is. I think it is safe to say that Matthew Stafford likes Kupp. He had seven catches on ten targets for 108 yards and a score. And honestly could have had two. The YAC machine continued what he always does, get open, make catch, run after making the catch. Moore allowed all four passes thrown at him to be caught for nearly 11 yards per catch and gave up a touchdown. Me thinks Stafford and Kupp are going to target him plenty. Give Kupp the green light in daily and seasonal leagues. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Desmond King HOU | He had a rushing touchdown last week and caught all five of his targets for 71 yards. There will be no Odell Beckham again this week, which makes Landry the de facto number one receiver on the team. That is great news against a Houston secondary that looked good for a half last week, but let's face it is pretty terrible as a unit. King allowed seven of eight passes thrown his way to be caught which I don't have to tell you is a terrible percentage. Landry should have several more targets than the five he had last week and is in a dynamite situation to have a great game in Week 2. |
| Jakobi Meyers NE | Michael Carter II NYJ | Nelson Agholor had the touchdown, but Meyers was the volume king on the team with nine targets. He caught six of them and while they were only good for 44 yards, I was excited to see the connection that he and Mac Jones had. The Pats also played a much tougher defense last week in Miami but will get a pillow soft game against the Jets this week. The Jets rookie fifth rounder didn't allow any big plays last week, but he did surrender catches on three of five passes sent his way. I expect the Patriots pass game to be a little more efficient this week, and for Meyers to continue to get the volume. Look for him to have seven or eight catches for at least 60 yards in this one |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Benjamin St. Jouste WFT | While we expected Shepard to be the most targeted receiver for the Giants I am not sure that anyone expected seven catches for 113 yards and a score against Denver. He was the only highlight the offense had in that game. If Shepard can stay healthy, he can have more games like this! Washington's third-round rookie was beaten repeatedly last week, allowing seven catches on ten targets for 94 yards and a touchdown. Shepard will continue to be Daniel Jones trusted target and in this matchup I feel really good about him having another solid game. |
| K.J. Hamler DEN | Tyson Campbell JAX | With Jerry Jeudy hurt the scrum in the fantasy industry is Patrick vs. Hamler. I like both, but I know what Patrick is. An average receiver with solid hands that can be reliable. Hamler is where I am planting my flag as a guy who can make explosive plays and is fast! The Broncos drafted him in the second round last year for a reason. Yes, he dropped a sure touchdown last week, but Patrick wouldn't even be in the situation to make that play. If Hamler caught that ball he would have been the number one waiver add for wide receivers. The Jacksonville secondary was just torched by Tyrod Taylor and I shouldn't have to say more past that. Campbell allowed catches on all five passes at him last week for 80 yards and a score. Denver will be able to take advantage of this matchup |
Elite
DeAndre Hopkins vs Patrick Peterson
It was the combo of Hopkins and Murray picking up where they left off in 2020 last week as Hopkins corralled six passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Hopkins is going to cost you a pretty penny, but he will be worth it for sure. The Cardinals offense was firing on all cylinders, and the Vikings secondary gave up a pretty big game to Joe Burrow last weekend. Peterson has certainly taken a step back from when he was the top corner. He was only targeted three times last week, but two of them were caught. I’ll guarantee the Cardinals go Hopkins way at least eight to ten times again and with his ability there is little doubt he is going to stuff the box score in Week 2.
Keenan Allen vs. Jourdan Lewis
I think that Mike Williams improving only helps Allen. It certainly gives opposing defenses more to worry about so they can’t just focus on Allen every play. He will still be the volume king in the offense though, and the cog that makes the Chargers offense hum. There will be a ton of offense in this game, and Los Angeles sure does love to chuck it around with their young quarterback. Jourdan Lewis was killed by Chris Godwin last week, and I totally see Allen having a game very similar to that. He is priced lower than some comparable receivers who don’t have as favorable a matchup.
Affordable
CeeDee Lamb vs Chris Harris
With Dak Prescott looking like pre-injury Dak Prescott from 2020 there is no telling how prolific this Dallas pass game can be. And although he shares the field with Amari Cooper there is plenty of passes to go around. In the opener we also saw Lamb line up out wide as well as in the slot meaning he could be on the field almost every play. With Michael Gallup gone, that only brings more targets Lamb’s way. He is a dynamic receiver and now gets the gift of a backup corner likely spending most of his day on him. . The Cowboys are going to throw and throw a lot and I expect Lamb to have at least ten targets and go over 100 yards for the second straight game.
Allen Robinson vs Chidobe Awuzie
I think people are going to sleep on Robinson a little this week because everyone hates Andry Dalton, they all want Justin Fields, and Robinson had a down game last week because of Jalen Ramsey. However, Dalton still isn’t horrible, and those of you who love the revenge game narrative must be drooling at this one. Awuzie is all right, but he is far from a stud corner. You hear me talk about volume a lot in this article and Robinson is going to get it. The Bengals are going to throw and score points so the Bears will have no choice but to follow suit. Robinson should get at least a dozen targets and find the end zone for the first time this season.
Bargain Bin
K.J. Hamler vs. Tyson Campbell
Flag firmly planted! Courtland Sutton is clearly still not 100% so right now, in my opinion, Hamler is the best playmaker of the Broncos receivers. Could Patrick get more targets? Yeah, that is actually likely, but Hamler will do more with what he gets. The Jaguars second round rookie corner had his hands full with that “high powered Texans passing game” week as I stated earlier every pass thrown his way was caught, and Houston doesn’t really have a decent receiver after Brandin Cooks. I expect Hamler to do some of his own cooking on Sunday and put up a real solid game.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.