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 are now in the fourth week of the season, and we are starting to get a better idea of what we have with players but also what to expect from opposing defenses. And as always, we also have some injury problems that are complicating our decisions. Don’t worry, we have you covered in all formats. This article is critical for daily players and season long, 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 | Jalen Ramsey LAR | He played through some banged up ribs, and it showed with his lackluster performance of three catches for 21 yards, while A.J. Green and Christian Kirk popped off against the lowly Jaguars. This week will be a totally different story against Ramsey and the stifling Rams defense. The Los Angeles stud corner did allow a bunch of catches against the Bucs, but hasn't allowed a touchdown this season. If Hopkins was 100% I would still consider starting him in a season long league, but if his ribs are still an issue I would likely give him a seat this week. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | William Jackson WFT | His yards per catch is way down from previous years, but he still does have 20 catches and 29 targets in three games which is hard to complain about. He has also faced a couple tough corners in James Bradberry (who was much better last week) and Jamel Dean in Tampa. Heck, even the Eagles secondary has been better than expected. Ridley is still the best option by a MILE in Atlanta, and he could be helped if Russell Gage was able to return. Jackson has played pretty well despite the Football Team allowing over 300 yards per game through the air. Ridley is going to get his in this game eventually, and I feel good about him in season long and daily games. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Kyle Fuller DEN | His stat line was disappointing with just three catches for 37 yards against the Lions, but it was so much more disappointing if you watched the game and watched him drop multiple touchdowns. His scoring streak was snapped, and my confidence was badly shaken. Kyle Fuller has only allowed a 50 percent catch rate through three weeks, and that is not good for Brown. Sure, Denver hasn't played the best offenses in both NY teams and Jacksonville, but their secondary is still solid. Fuller's quarterback rating against is just 84.8 in 2021. The Ravens don't have many pass catching options past Brown and Mark Andrews but I might have a hard time putting him in one of my starting roster spots in Week 4. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Vernon Hargreaves HOU | We aren't getting the explosive stat lines from Diggs yet this season as he has failed to top 70 receiving yards through three games and has just one touchdown. His 19 receptions aren't bad, but I expected more. He has faced three tough secondaries though in Pittsburgh, Miami, and Washington so we will cut him some slack there. After a solid first week, Hargreaves has started to show who he really is with nine of 11 targets his way caught with 107 yards allowed last week alone. Josh Allen heated back up last week, and this is the week that Diggs breaks out. His average depth of target (aDOT) is actually up two yards from last year at 12.5 and he is still the fourth most targeted receiver through three weeks. We get the full Diggs show this week, mark it down. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Trevon Diggs DAL | There is a new quarterback in Carolina and boy does he like himself some Moore! He is tied for the fourth most targets, the third most receptions, and seventh most yards through three weeks. The team traded away their starting tight end and Christian McCaffrey was hurt. Sure, Hubbard and Tremble will eat up some of those targets, but there could be more funneling to the wide receivers too. Diggs has been amazing to start the season, including a 41.3 quarterback rating against and three interceptions, but I still wouldn't hesitate to use Moore in my season long lineups. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Amani Oruwariye DET | He might be the biggest wide receiver flop to start the season, and as usual it is due to terrible quarterback play. Justin Fields didn't have a chance last week, and Robinson hasn't topped 35 receiving yards in a game yet. He has faced a couple of tough defenses, but still you had to expect more than this. The Lions have been the Lions lately allowing 270 yards a game through the air and seven passing touchdowns. Oruwariye has allowed eight of 11 targets his way to be caught and over 14 yards per completion. If the Bears can get any sort of consistent play out of their quarterback, Robinson should shine. It is too much of a question mark for DFS but he is always a start in season long |
| Ja'Marr Chase CIN | Shaquill Griffin JAX | Remember in late August when we thought Chase couldn't catch because the balls didn't have stripes and we all freaked out? That was awesome. His last two weeks weren't huge with catches or yards, but the guy has at least 50 yards in all three games and has scored four times already including two last week against Pittsburgh. What do you think he will do this week against the Jaguars and Griffin who has allowed 69% of passes at him to be caught for 13.5 yards a piece? Yeah, I'm really excited about it too. Jacksonville is allowing over 300 yards per game through the air, and without Tee Higgins, Chase is a top notch option. |
| Odell Beckham CLE | Patrick Peterson MIN | There just aren't a lot of options at wide receiver for Cleveland right now outside of Beckham. He led the team in targets with nine which was very encouraging in his first game in almost a year. Peterson has also been a mess, allowing ten of 13 targets his way to be caught and has surrendered nearly 200 yards already, including 139 after the catch. He has also given up two touchdowns. The Browns will definitely want to run a lot, but Beckham will get his shot or two down the field and should be a pretty attractive option this week indoors in Minnesota. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Donte Jackson CAR | Where is that Cooper guy from Week 1? I know he is nursing a rib injury, but he has had just three catches in each of the last two weeks with just a combined 50 yards. The kid in the slot is taking up a lot of attention lately. It isn't that the Cowboys aren't scoring or not passing a lot, it just hasn't gone Cooper's way. He is coming off a short week with Monday Night Football and a Panthers secondary that is allowing the fewest yards through the air after three weeks. I might not trust Cooper enough for a DFS lineup until we see that he is near 100% and has a softer matchup, but I am still putting him in my season long starting rosters. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Marlon Humphrey BAL | Another guy who came crashing back to Earth last week, Sutton had just five catches for 37 yards against the lowly Jets. Denver was so far ahead that they just ran the ball over and over and didn't end up passing as much as we thought they might. It will be a tougher game this week where they will have to pass against the Ravens, and Humphrey has allowed 152 yards already with two touchdowns and a 121.3 quarterback rating against. I need to see more consistency from the Broncos passing game to trust him much in DFS but I am enthusiastic about Sutton in my seasonal leagues in Week 4. |
| Quintez Cephus DET | Jaylon Johnson CHI | I can't say that I was shocked that Cephus didn't have a big game against the Ravens given the defense and all, but for him to be targeted just once clearly is a concern. He hadn't had big reception numbers in either of the first two games, but at least scored in both to offer fantasy players some sort of return. Johnson has been really solid in two of three games this season and for the year has a 76 quarterback rating against. The Bears are allowing just over 230 yards per game through the air and I don't have high hopes for Cephus this week. |
| Davante Adams GB | Joe Haden PIT | The 49ers had absolutely no answer for Adams last week as he had 12 catches for 132 yards and a score. Everyone knew the ball was going to Adams and they still couldn't stop it. Joe Haden is a good corner, but he sure hasn't played like it so far this year. He's allowing a 75% catch rate and a 145.8 quarterback rating against. We know that Green Bay has no other reliable receivers so Adams is just always in play each and every week. I like him in both season long and DFS contests again this week. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Tre'Davious White BUF | Has he become quarterback proof? We thought he might struggle last Thursday against Carolina with Davis Mills at quarterback, but that was not the case as Cooks hauled in nine passes for 112 yards against a pretty good Panthers secondary. It won't be any easier this week against White and the Bills. He has allowed just 56% of targets to be caught, but is giving up a generous 13.1 yards per reception while Cooks is averaging 13.4 yards per catch. There is sure to be some garbage time in this one for the Texans so Cooks will be a strong play again in Week 4. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Xavien Howard MIA | It wasn't a spectacular day for Pittman but it is hard to argue with six catches for 68 yards and the fact that Carson Wentz was able to play. Pittman has 12 targets in back to back weeks and is obviously settled as the top option in the pass game. Howard is one of the top corners in the game, however, he has given up a touchdown in two straight games. He is also allowing 16.5 yards per catch in the past two contests. While I might have shied away from Pittman in this matchup a couple weeks ago, I feel confident now assuming Wentz is still healthy for Sunday |
| Marvin Jones JAX | Mike Hilton CIN | He didn't score for the first time this season, but Jones has still been targeted 28 times in three games and has come down with 17 catches. The Jags are always playing from behind and have thrown the ballat leasst 33 times in each game so far. Jones is leading them significantly in targets, receptions, and yards. Awuzie played well last week and has allowed just 53% of targets to be caught and has only allowed 83 yards in three games. However, volume is king here and I still like Jones to come out of this game with a minimum of 15 fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Steven Nelson PHI | Sure, he "caught a touchdown" on that jet sweep last week, but Hardman still only had four targets and has only 15 on the season. He is averaging 36 yards a game receiving. This is going to be a long season of me coming up with ways every week to stay away from using this guy in fantasy, but I am up for the task. If you don't have Hill or Kelce in fantasy leagues there is no reason for you to consider any other Chief receiver. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Robert Alford ARZ | Has anyone seen Robert Woods fantasy value? Clearly it is lost! What the hell is going on????? It is clear that Matthew Stafford doesn't have the same connection with Woods that he does with Kupp or else they Rams have just played all of the worst slot corners in football. Woods 124 yrads on 11 catches through three weeks. Robert Alford has been good, allowing just ten receptions through three weeks. Obviously, Woods is not a DFS consideration right now, but in redraft leagues I think you have to just keep throwing him out there and hope that this is the week that the real Robert Woods shows up. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Casey Hayward LV | OK last week I said I wasn’t ready to say I was wrong about Williams, but I am ready now. I was wrong. The guy is a stud. He clearly has had his role change from the past and is a high volume receiver now. He is commanding a 25% target share and only Keenan Allen has more targets than he does. Casey Hayward has been lights out so far this year only allowing 33% of targets to be caught. I just don't think it matters right now. The Chargers are going to throw a lot, and they are going to throw to Allen and Williams a lot. Hayward can't stop them all so while he might not be an elite DFS play this week, I could still use Williams some and he is a must-start in all seasonal leagues. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Michael Davis LAC | He had seven targets for the second consecutive week and is settling into a nice role on this offense. Ruggs is making more intermediate and short catches now, but still flies down the field for the home run ball sometimes. So far he hasn't had great success with David Carr on those, but it is coming. Davis is allowing 15.2 yards per catch, 49 yards in YAC through three games and a 120.2 quarterback rating against. Derek Carr has been spot on so far this season, and I like Ruggs in this matchup that is sure to feature plenty of passing. |
| Will Fuller MIA | Xavier Rhodes IND | The injury bug continues with this guy as he played just one game and his status is in doubt again. The Dolphins moved the ball better than I thought they would, but Fuller still had only three catches for 20 yards. Rhodes has been a great corner in his career, but only played one game due to injury so far this year and allowed all three passes at him to be caught. The Colts defense has been struggling but it is hard to hope for more than WR3 type of production from a banged up Fuller if he even plays. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Denzel Ward CLE | It only took a game against the pathetic Seahawks defense to activate Jefferson and get those numbers we've been after. He led the team in targets for the second straight week and had nine receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown. The Browns defense was better last week, although against the Bears passing game isn't anything to write home about. Ward has allowed 67% of passes his way to be caught, and I think the Vikings are going to continue to have success throwing the ball. Jefferson is an elite talent and I love this game for him at home where he has more catches and more yards in his career despite one fewer game. |
| Nelson Agholor NE | Jamel Dean TB | After shining the first week it has been two duds for Agholor and last week he only had two catches for 17 yards. He was targeted eight times which was encouraging, but his inconsistency remains. N'Keal Harry is due to come back in the next couple weeks which will further hurt Agholor's chances. Jamel Dean continues to be a stud, and I wouldn't touch Agholor with a six foot pole this weekend. |
| Marquez Callaway NO | James Bradberry NYG | He finally broke through and found the end zone last week, but the opportunities are limited when Winston is only throwing the ball 20 times a game. Callaway did have five targets which was his most all season, but even that isn't that impressive. James Bradberry finally played more like the guy we expected last week against the Falcons, and I think he should have little trouble with Callaway. Perhaps you can work him into your season long league flex, but if he was on my team I would park him on the bench. |
| Kenny Golladay NYG | Marshon Lattimore NO | The Giants offense didn't click last week against the lowly Flacons and Golladay had just four catches for 64 yards. Those aren't horrible numbers, but they aren't great from a guy who should be a number one receiver. Lattimore and the Saints secondary has been great to start the year and I would find it hard to start Golladay with a lot of confidence in Week 4. He could be helped out if Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton were forced to miss the game, but they both went out fairly early last week and he still didn't find success against a bad defense. |
| Corey Davis NYJ | Janoris Jenkins TEN | This is getting ugly fast. The Jets offense is quite offensive to the eye, and even when Davis had ten targets it only equaled five catches for 41 yards. That Week 1 huge game is seemingly like a long time ago now. The Titans secondary is no good, so perhaps a lesser opponent will help Zach Wilson be able to move the ball. You can't consider a single Jet for DFS purposes, but Davis should still be a flex in your redraft lineups. |
| DeVonta Smith PHI | Mike Hughes KC | Here's another guy who has fallen off badly after a great Week 1. Smith has just five catches for 44 yards after 71 yards in the opener. Even against a weak Cowboys secondary he couldn't get the job done. Smith still has explosive talent and the Chiefs secondary has been borderline brutal. Hughes has allowed 73 percent of passes his way to be caught and was burned for two touchdowns last week. Given the lack of consistency I still struggle to use Smith in DFS games, but with how much the Chiefs have given up through the air I definitely start Smith in any season long leagues. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Jaire Alexander GB | He was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice so I have a decent amount of faith he will play. It is not good to trust a guy who is coming back on the fast side of his injury estimate and playing a team with one of the best corners in football. I know you want to get Johnson back in your lineups, but this likely isn't a good game for it. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Emannuel Moseley SF | He finally had the week we had been waiting for with six catches on nine targets for 107 yards and his second touchdown of the season in Week 3. It certainly helped to have a weak secondary as an opponent and he should have that same scenario this week as the Niners are really banged up at corner and have little answer right now. They brought in Josh Norman to help and he got hurt in his first game. Moseley isn't horrible, but Davante Adams had his way with him and anyone else who was covering him. This game should have plenty of offense and plenty of throwing as neither team has a great secondary right now. Fire up Metcalf in all formats. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Tre Flowers SEA | It was his worst game of the season with five catches and 52 yards, but Samuel was still targeted ten times and now has 30 on the season. It looks as though Brandon Aiyuk has gotten back on the field which should take some attention on the offense away from Samuel, but it also will force defenses to cover two solid receivers. The Seahawks are just giving up plays in chunks in the passing game right now, and I can't see any reason why Samuel won't be targeted eight times this week as a minimum and perhaps over ten. He is a great start for Week 4. |
| Mike Evans TB | J.C. Jackson NE | He certainly benefitted from Antonio Brown missing last week as Evans had season highs in targets, catches and yards last week against the Rams. It definitely helped that he was not blanketed by Jalen Ramsey like was considered. Jackson has been decent, although not great as the top corner for the Pats. He hasn't allowed a high volume of catches, but he has allowed some big catches which is what Evans is great for. New England hasn't played high powered offenses in Miami, New Orleans, and the Jets so I feel like Tom Brady is set for a big day. |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine TEN | Bryce Hall NYJ | It appears that the Titans will be without both A.J. Brown and Julio Jones this week which opens up the door for Westbrook-Ikhine to possibly have a little one week boost. The Jets secondary is absolute trash, and the Titans are sure to take advantage of that. Sure, Derrick Henry is going to smash and Ryan Tannehill likes the tight ends, but NWI led the team in routes run last week and had a nice game including a touchdown. I'm not beating the drum for him and telling you to pick him up in season long formats, but as a dart throw in a DFS GPP he could be worth the risk. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Fabian Moreau ATL | He has had at least ten fantasy points in all three weeks in PPR leagues and two of those were against pretty decent defenses. This week is not the case as the Falcons are just flat terrible even if they didn't give up a lot to the Giants last week. Moreau has a terrible 125.3 quarterback rating against and has surrendered two touchdowns in three weeks. Taylor Heinickie didn't look great last week, but he showed against the Giants that he can run this offense. I like McLaurin very much in both season long and daily formats. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| A.J. Green ARZ | Darious Williams LAR | Ugh! I guess I have to go back to talking about Green after his big 112 yard game, but my attitude on him hasn't changed. He got some extra work with DeAndre Hopkins at less than 100 percent against one of the worst secondaries in football. This week they will face one of the best in the Rams and honestly it is hard to suggest either Green or Rondale Moore for any sort of starting lineup this week, but if I had to choose one it would be Moore. |
| Olamide Zaccheaus ATL | Darryl Roberts WFT | He was able to get seven targets with Russell Gage missing the game and he parlayed that into five catches but they only added up to 28 yards. The Falcons offense is just terrible right now and Matt Ryan doesn't look good. Washington gave up a ton to Josh Allen last week, but this Falcons offense is nowhere near on Buffalo's level. Keep Zaccheaus on the waiver wire unless you are at the precipice of desperation. |
| Sammy Watkins BAL | Patrick Surtain DEN | Mr. Week 1 has kept his role somewhat reliably as he had four catches for the third straight week and this time it was good for 68 yards. He has not scored a touchdown yet this season, but he team is only averaging 17 completions a game. Rashod Bateman and Miles Boykin are returning soon, which will only further hurt Watkins stock. That won't be happening this week, but with a matchup against a tough Denver secondary I couldn't start any Baltimore pass catchers besides Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews. |
| Emmanuel Sanders BUF | Tremon Smith HOU | As was called by our own Andrew Cooper, Sanders popped off in a big way with five catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns against the Football Team. There are still many mouths to feed in Buffalo, but Josh Allen is capable of feeding them all. He has another bang up matchup this week against the Texans and is a great start again for Week 4. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Anthony Brown DAL | I love how Head Coach Matt Rhule said after Thursday's game that Anderson needs to get the ball more. Hey buddy, I think you are in charge of that!He has just 11 targets and five catches after three weeks and barely eclipsed 100 receiving yards. Is this the week he gets his high volume role back from last year? Or has the team inexplicably moved on from him after signing him to an extension this offseason. As I always say, follow the money. Anderson should get back in the good graces of fantasy players and this is a good week to do it as they face the Cowboys. I certainly am not putting any DFS money on it though. |
| Marquise Goodwin CHI | Bobby Price DET | He was a big play or bust player before the horrible quarterback play for the Bears really set in. Since the offense is incapable of big plays, Goodwin has no value. Even against the Lions maybe he has a catch and breaks it for big yards, but that is not the way to play fantasy football. Leave him on the wire. |
| Mike Thomas CIN | Tyson Campbell JAX | Tee Higgins isn't going to play again which will put Thomas back out there. This is a cupcake matchup against the Jaguars, but given his lack of ability and involvement in the offense there is no way that you can even think about using Thomas in any fantasy format this week. |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE | Bashaud Breeland MIN | The Browns sure did run it a lot against the Bears, but Mayfield also threw the ball 31 times and Peoples-Jones was still only good for two catches on two targets for 39 yards. I like the kid, but until we see more involvement I just can't suggest him. He gets a nice cushy matchup against the Vikings, but I just don't think it is enough to even think about him for any sort of fantasy contest. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | A.J. Bouye CAR | His usage was way down in Week 3, but the guy can't be a super stud every week. The Eagles secondary has actually been better than we expected. The Panthers secondary has been good this season, but not Bouye. He hasn't been the same guy since Jalen Ramsey left Jacksonville. He has already allowed an almost 70% catch rate and 125.3 quarterback rating against. I expect a lot of passing in this game and for Lamb to be the main beneficiary of that aerial attack. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Anthony Averett BAL | With no Jerry Jeudy for now and no more K.J. Hamler this season, Patrick is going to lean on Patrick more. He had five catches for 98 yards against the woeful Jets last Sunday. The situation gets tougher this week against the Ravens and Averett who has allowed only 61% of targets to be caught and is giving up just 10.2 yards per catch without surrendering a touchdown yet. Patrick won't be a guy to look at for DFS, but he is a WR3 or flex option for sure. |
| Kalif Raymond DET | Kindle Vildor CHI | A week after having just two catches and 18 yards, Raymond had ten targets and six catches for 68 yards against the Ravens. Have fun figuring this out from week to week! The only constant in the passing game for the Lions is the running backs and T.J. Hockenson. Starting one of these wide ereceivers is a literal guessing game from week to week and I am not here for that. |
| Allen Lazard GB | James Pierre PIT | With Valdes-Scantling out of this game, it will open up more opportunities for Lazard. However, he certainly isn't a guy who is any more consistent than MVS. He has just five targets all season long and his career is littered with a few big games with a lot of just average to below average output. Leave him on the waiver wire where he belongs. |
| Chris Conley HOU | Levi Wallace BUF | Even with Danny Amendola out you can't even begin to think about even having Conley on your roster. He has three catches in three weeks, the Texans don't have their starting quarterback and the Bills secondary is pretty good. Let's move on. |
| Zach Pascal IND | Byron Jones MIA | The bad news is that Pascal had just two catches for 31 yards last week. The good news was four of his targets were in the red zone, he just wasn't able to connect with Wentz who didn't have a good day which isn't surprising on his bum ankles. This is a tough call because there's no way that Wentz is healthy, but you know he is going to play which compromises his ability. Jones is also a solid corner. He is allowing over 13 yards per catch, but only 56% of passes his way are being caught. Even with the red zone chances unless you are really dealing with injuries I can't suggest you put Pascal in your lineups and feel good about it. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Eli Apple CIN | He caught his second touchdown of the year last week, but still only had three catches for 49 yards. His 12 targets in Week 1 haven't been matched in the next two weeks combined. It does seem that he is the second receiver in the pecking order, but I'm not sure that is a fantasy relevant role on a week to week basis. Apple is being targeted a ton and has given up 18 receptions in three weeks and 160 yards. He only has surrendered nine yards a catch, but if Chark can get a lot of volume he has proven that he can be successful. Chark could be a decent shot in the showdown DFS and is a flex consideration in season long leagues. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Darius Slay PHI | Two targets, two catches, 17 yards is all he could muster. He just isn't fantasy relevant. Josh Gordon is coming but not this week and I don't think that he will be fantasy relevant either. Fade the Chiefs outside of Kelce and Hill. |
| Van Jefferson LAR | Marco Wilson ARZ | In the last two weeks he has just five catches for 56 yards. The Rams have a great passing offense, but right now you can only really trust Cooper Kupp. And when the next person comes to being relevant it is going to be Robert Woods, not Jefferson. He could have a good game here and there, but to think that he could be consistent would be a fool's errand. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Trayvon Mullen LV | He had three catches the first week and two catches the second before laying the big goose egg in Week 3. The Raiders defense has been respectable at least, and Guyton is so far from fantasy relevant it isn't even funny. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | Asante Samuel LAC | If there was a fantasy league where you got extra points for catches made in the last two minutes of the game and overtime, Edwards would be the 1.01. He finihsed with three catches and 89 yards, but for the second time in three weeks it came at the end of the game and in overtime. He hasn't had more than five targets in a game and he needs to be really efficient in order to have any fantasy relevance and I don't trust that he can do that consistently. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | T.J. Carrie IND | He hasn't scored yet, and has topped 45 yards just once. His 23 targets are very nice to see, but the Dolphins offense is going to continue to be led by Jacoby Brissett which doesn't make me excited about them scoring a lot of points again. The Colts defense has been pretty awful and is now without Rock Ya-Sin so if you want to consider Parker as a flex play I won't fault you there but my expectations are not high. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Greedy Williams CLE | He had six catches and a touchdown for the second straight week, but his 89 combined yards in the last two games isn't giving me the warm and fuzzies. Newsome has been solid so far, but it just comes down to the volume for Thielen. K.J. Osborn fell way off last week, and if that continues Jefferson and Thielen can see ten targets each. The Browns will be without Greg Newsome and Greedy Williams will be asked to step up in a matchup I am not sure he is ready for. The Vikings are better at home and Thielen is a must start in seasonal leagues and not a bad cash game play. |
| Kendrick Bourne NE | Carlton Davis TB | He had a great game for the first time this season with six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. I am not in the mindset of thinking that Bourne is going to be fantasy relevant each week. Especially against the Bucs who who have a very strong secondary despite the fact that the Rams ate them up last week. Leave Bourne on the bench. |
| Deonte Harris NO | Adoree Jackson NYG | Six catches for 112 yards through three weeks just isn't going to get it done. The Giants secondary hasn't been good, but the Saints offense isn't throwing a lot, and it isn't going to their outside receivers. Don't even consider Harris for Week 4. |
| Collin Johnson NYG | Paulson Adebo NO | With Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard likely not to play in this game, that puts Johnson out there with four catches on five targets for 51 yards. However, that was against one of the worst secondaries in the Giants and this week is against one of the best in New Orleans. I don't see New York putting up more than 17 points in this one and outside of Barkley and Golladay I'm not sure that you can count on anyone to possibly have a good game. Adebo has been great in his first three games and will certainly have no trouble with Johnson. |
| Keelan Cole NYJ | Kristian Fulton TEN | Cole hasn't done much of anything this year yet, but no one really has considering how bad the quarterback play and offense has been. Cole had two catches last week and the matchup against Tennessee is much eaiser than Denver, but it isn't looking like the Jets will score much at all, so how can you trust anyone but their top receiver? Fulton isn't great, but the Jets are worse. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Deandre Baker KC | He had his most targets with eight last week, but he still hasn't reached 55 yards. The Eagles will be playing from behind in this one and the Chiefs secondary hasn't been good. Baker allowed four catches for 65 yards last week and that was only on 38 snaps. He has a chance to give up more against Reagor and the Eagles. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | Eric Stokes GB | He had a whopping 15 targets last week and had nine catches for 96 yards. With Jaire Alexander likely on the other side of the field, Claypool has an easier matchup although Stokes has been solid. He has allowed just three catches on ten targets. Claypool is a bit of a boom or bust type player, but I still like him here. The Steelers have had a hard time running so Roethlisberger might have to chuck it up even more. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | D.J. Reed SEA | He finally got on the field for a while on Sunday and finished with four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. It was just any volume and to see him trusted again. We know he is a total stud when given the chance and the Seahawks secondary has been awful. He might be a bit more of a risk for you with DFS games but you gotta have stones. Aiyuk is also a must-start in seasonal leagues. |
| Freddie Swain SEA | Deommodore Lenoir SF | As expected, Swain fell crashing back to Earth with one catch for ten yards. The Seahawks offense continues to fall short of expectations of any third receiver being fantasy relevant. Even against a really banged up 49ers secondary, you can't given Swain any fantasy consideration. |
| Antonio Brown TB | Jalen Mills NE | He is back after missing a week with a Covid positive, but Brown is going to return in time for Week 4. It is always tough to figure which Bucs receiver is going to go off. The Patriots secondary is pretty solid and Mills has allowed just four catches in 11 targets at him. I feel like Brown is the least consistent of the three and easier to take out of the gameplan. He is a start in season long leagues, but he can't be considered for DFS. |
| Josh Reynolds TEN | Brian Echols NYJ | The Jets pass defense has been very giving to other offenses and the Titans should be no different. However, obviously they are down two receivers to hurt their choices. However, the Titans brought in Reynolds and he already has 18 targets when the starting receivers have been healthy. Reynolds is a dart throw against a bad defense. Reynolds won't have long enough value to consider picking up unless you have a guy you just want to dump. |
| Dyami Brown WFT | T.J. Green ATL | Curtis Samuel did return to practice but I don't think he returns to games this week. He caught nothing last week and will return to a meaningless role from a fantasy perspective. The Falcons are terrible, but I can't count on any other receiver than McLaurin to be fantasy relevant. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 4.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Avonte Maddox PHI | Hill hasn't been great in either of the last two weeks and the Eagles secondary has been better than advertised. His target share has been down but he did get his total back up to seven against the Chargers. Maddox has only allowed about a 56% catch rate but his average depth of target against is just 8.3 as he is used to covering slot receivers that do a lot of short passes. Hill is a huge deep ball threat and should have a very solid game against the Eagles. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Nate Hobbs LV | The second most targeted receiver in football, Allen has 21 catches for 258 yards and two touchdowns through three games. He also has scored at least 14 fantasy points in all three games in PPR leagues. The Raiders secondary has been pretty decent, but Hobbs has allowed 83% of passes his way to be caught, although so far it has been for just about five yards per catch, while Allen averages 12.3 yards per catch. This game should feature a bunch of points and throwing and this is a pedal to the medal type contest. Allen is always a start in season long leagues and I like him for some DFS cash games too. |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Byron Murphy ARZ | One of the guys tied with Allen with 33 targets is Kupp. He is commanding a 34% target share which is probably unsustainable but we are going to ride it as long as we can. Byron Murphy has allowed just a 58% catch rate, but is surrendering a ridiculous 19.5 yards per catch in the slot. This game has one of the highest point totals on the board and there is virtually no way that Kupp isn't a big part of this. He is an absolute must start in season long leagues and the way he is playing you can't take him out of consideration in GPPs or cash DFS games. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | K'Wuan Williams SF | He left the game for a bit last week because of a leg injury, but was able to return to that game so there doesn't seem to be any threat to him missing this week. Lockett had just four catches for 31 yards after two explosive games to start the season. We saw this last year as well, Lockett would have huge games one week and disappear the next. However, with the way the 49ers secondary is struggling with injury, and the team unlikely to be without tight end Gerald Everett again, there is no reason to think that both Lockett and Metcalf will have good games and be worthy plays in both season long and daily games. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Jonathan Jones NE | Much of his production last week came in garbage time, but hey that counts and Godwin also had a short touchdown run against a tough Rams defense. Godwin has scored at least 16 fantasy points in PPR leagues in every game this season. Jones has allowed a 70% catch rate and 12.3 yards per catch which is a little high for a slot corner. Godwin will have to deal with Antonio Brown coming back this week and cutting into his targets some, but this Tampa offense completely runs through the pass game and there is little doubt that Godwin will continue to produce especially in a game that Tom Brady really wants to have good numbers. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Chris Claybrooks JAX | Tee Higgins will miss another game and that puts Boyd back into fantasy consideration, especially given the opponent. Boyd had four catches for 36 yards and a score last week in a game against the Steelers. Claybrooks has allowed a 91% catch rate and a whopping 14.8 yards per catch. He also has a 118.8 quarterback rating against. The Bengals are sure to get ahead and run the ball plenty, but to get that lead they will rest on Joe Burrow. Look for a minimum of five catches for 70 yards here and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he found the end zone for the second straight week. |
| Cole Beasley BUF | Desmond King HOU | He was targeted 13 times for the second time in three weeks which you love to see in PPR leagues. He had season highs in catches and yards, but has not found the end zone yet in 2021. However, the Texans are allowing 270 yards per game through the air, and Josh Allen got his groove back last week. King played well last week but previously had allowed a catch on all eight targets his way. The Bills are sure to grab a big lead in this one, but I could see Beasley having a great first half and corraling seven catches or more. |
| Jaylen Waddle MIA | Kenny Moore IND | Somehow the guy had 12 catches and it only turned into 58 yards. Those of you in PPR leagues will certainly take it as that is nearly 18 fantasy points, but there has to be more for Waddle. Unfortunately, as long as Jacoby Brissett is at quarterback his chances for downfield production is limited. However, he has proven to be a reliable short passing target for Brissett, so if he can keep this volume up he will continue to be a solid fantasy asset. Moore has allowed a 79% catch rate and 174 yards already through three weeks including two touchdowns. In PPR and half point leagues Waddle is still a great option as your third receiver even if he isn't making the big, splashy plays we expected. |
| Terrace Marshall CAR | Jourdan Lewis DAL | The slot is a little thin this week, but I also have liked what I have seen from Marshall recently. With Robby Anderson still missing in action, Marshall had four catches for 48 yards last week. That certainly isn't anything to write home about, but he gets another plus matchup against the Cowboys. Lewis didn't play poorly last week, but the Eagles don't really have an effective slot receiver. If the ball continues to not go to Robby Anderson we could see Darnold look Marshall's way more often this week and in a game where lots of passing will happen, Marshall at least garners a flex spot. |
| Randall Cobb GB | Cameron Sutton PIT | With Marquez Valdes-Scantling out, targets have to go somewhere. As already stated I have no faith in Allen Lazard and although Cobb had no catchess last week and has just four on the season, I still think this could be his opportunity to make a little noise. I'm not saying he is going to pull in 15-20 fantasy points, but Cameron Sutton has allowed 11 of 13 targets at him to be caught for nearly 100 yards which is a little high considering he plays out of the slot. He has a 123.1 quarterback rating against and since every pass can't go to Davante Adams look for Cobb to bring home 10-13 fantasy points in PPR leagues this week. |
Elite
Stefon Diggs vs. Vernon Hargreaves
The Bills offense looked like it should last week, Hargreaves is regressing to the average corner we knew he would be, and Diggs is just starting to get cooking for 2021. The Bills are going to smoke the Texans just like they smoked Washington last week. And for those avoiding this game because the Bills will get a big lead and sit on the ball, Buffalo crushed Washington last week and Allen threw the ball 43 times for 358 yards. So, teams don’t always follow the script you think they will. Allen is one of the best plays on the board this week.
Terry McLaurin vs. Fabian Moreau
The Falcons defense didn’t look horrible last week, but the Giants offense could be even worse, so I am not crowning the Falcons competent. Taylor Heinicke is not a playoff-bound quarterback, but he can still have some success against bad teams as we saw in the game against New York. We also saw that he really likes to throw to McLaurin as evidenced by his 21 targets in the last two weeks. Moreau has no chance of holding McLaurin in check and he is due for a 15-20 fantasy point kind of day in PPR formats.
Affordable
His day looks fairly lackluster with three targets and three catches for 66 yards, but we would be looking at it differently if he had found the end zone with that big catch. He is still the top receiver or perhaps 1a on a team that is going to throw the ball a lot. The point total on this game is over 50 so we are going to see a good amount of offense and both teams throw the ball well. With the injuries to the Panthers secondary, they are going to have a really hard time keeping both Cooper and Lamb under control for four quarters.
D.J. Moore vs. Trevon Diggs
Diggs had the big pick six last week, but let’s not kid ourselves that the Cowboys secondary is any good. Moore and Darnold seem to be lifetime friends after the way the new quarterback is peppering his new favorite receiver with targets. He has had at least six catches and 75 yards in each game this season which means his floor is super safe and very reliable. The Panthers have thrown the ball at least 34 times in all three games this season, and Moore commands a 29% target share and has a 71% catch rate. The ball is going to be in the air a lot in this one and Moore has all the feels of another big fantasy day.
Bargain Bin
I said in the earlier part of the article that he could be too much of a risk due to the fact he barely saw the field for the first two weeks. However, at what point in DFS do you ever get a player of his talent level in such a plus matchup at such a low price. They are asking you to put Aiyuk on your rosters. Reed hasn’t been good as he has allowed two touchdowns and a 120.1 quarterback rating against. The Seahawks haven’t been able to stop anyone in the air and the risk is so small with Aiyuk that he is definitely worth rostering.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.