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. Only the Rams and Broncos are off this week, but that does take a bunch of solid fantasy wide receivers out of play this week, most notably of course is Cooper Kupp. 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 |
| Christian Kirk ARZ | D.J. Reed SEA | I do think that the team will get Kyler Murray back this week, but I am not expecting Hopkins who didn't practice on Wednesday and wasn't close to playing last week. Kirk has had six or more tagets in four of the last five games and is the most talented receiver they have with Hopkins off the field. He has 149 yards in the last two weeks with Colt McCoy at quarterback, and I expect him to do better with Murray back. Reed has allowed just 50% of passes to be caught and hasn't allowed a touchdown since Week 3. However, I expect nice volume from Kirk this week and while he isn't a recommended DFS option he is a WR3 for season long leagues. |
| Russell Gage ATL | J.C. Jackson NE | A week after having seven catches for 64 yards, Gage put up the ol' chicken egg as he failed to catch any of his three targets against Dallas. Granted, that was a colossal dud of a game for the Falcons, but can we trust that the offense isn't going to do that again? Can we trust that the Patriots aren't going to crush them too? New England is starting to play very well on defense and Jackson is their best corner. The only hope for Gage is it looks like Cordarrelle Patterson won't play on Thursday so after of Kyle Pitts perhaps Matt Ryan will look Gage's way. |
| Rashod Bateman BAL | Jaylon Johnson CHI | With no Marquise Brown in this one, this is the best chance yet for Bateman to show that he belongs in the NFL. He has gotten eight targets in each of the last two weeks, and this could be the break he needs to really boost his fantasy stock for the rest of the season. Jaylon Johnson is only allowing 52% of passes his way to be caught, but he is also allowing a high 15.2 yards per completion. If Lamar Jackson is active in this game then Bateman becomes a near free spot in DFS games and definitely belongs in your season long lineups. If Jackson misses the game then all bets are off and Bateman likely won't have much impact in a game where the Ravens would struggle to throw the ball. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Xavier Rhodes IND | Finally it was the game we hoped for as Diggs had eight catches on 13 targets for 162 yards and a touchdown. He made big plays all day long as he had three catches for over 20 yards against the hapless Jets defense. The task doesn't get too much tougher against the Colts this week who have been an absolute sieve against the pass too. Rhodes missed last week's game but has allowed five passing touchdowns this season as well. Diggs will get all systems go in both season long and DFS contests again this week and I expect another 100+ yard game and a score in Week 11. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Kendall Fuller WFT | Well, the Panthers were certainly energized by the return of Cam Newton in Week 10. Unfortunately, it only translated to four catches for 24 yards in Week 10 against the Cardinals. I'm not ready to get excited about P.J. Walker or Cam Newton, although the Panthers have a cupcake matchup against Washington. The Football Team did limit Tom Brady coming off his bye, but overall the defense has still been terrible this season. Unless we see Cam Newton really transform into the guy he was a decade ago, there isn't any reason to trust Moore outside of season long leagues. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Marlon Humphrey BAL | Although he has clearly taken over as the top receiver on the team in both fantasy and actual football, Mooney still isn't a sure thing to be in your lineups every week. He has topped 50 yards just once in the last five games, and has had under five catches in three of the last five. Hopefully the Bears did some work on the offense over their bye week to make Justin Fields more comfortable. The Ravens defense just gave up a bunch to the Dolphins last Thursday, but at least have had some time to prepare for this one. Humphrey allowed four of six balls to be caught last week and is allowing an average of 16.6 yards per catch. Given his reduced price and the new injury to Allen Robinson I am liking Mooney as a cheap DFS option and is a WR3 in season long leagues. |
| Ja'Marr Chase CIN | Casey Hayward LV | It was a forgettable game before the bye for Chase as he caught just six of 13 targets for 49 yards. He also lost a fumble and dropped a well-thrown would be touchdown pass. However, let's look at the bright side. He had 12 targets in the game and now has nine or more in five of the last six games. However, this isn't a great matchup for him. Despite the terrible performance against the Chiefs, Hayward has only surrendered 13 completions against him all season. There is no chance that I am sitting Chase in season long games, but he won't be a focus in Week 11 in DFS for me. |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE | Amani Oruwariye DET | In the first game without Odell Beckham, the Browns offense was stymied and Peoples-Jones had just one catch on five targets for 16 yards. Mayfield missed a pass or two and DPJ had a bad drop. The Lions are an easy matchup, but the Browns were way out of sync and Baker Mayfield has a myriad of injuries. Even in this plus, plus, plus matchup I am only trusting Jarvis Landry in the Browns passing game. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Charvarious Ward KC | With Amari Cooper now out due to Covid, that does whittle down the passing options just a bit for the Cowboys. However, what it should mean is that even more targets should go Lamb's way in an already plus matchup. The Chiefs secondary has been playing much better of late, but they are still a bottom third secondary in the NFL and have given up a bunch of touchdowns through the air. Lamb has been fantastic this year and likely will see double digit targets. I liked Cooper from a DFS perspective, but now with him out I am pivoting to Lamb. |
| Kalif Raymond DET | Denzel Ward CLE | The Lions offense is just awful right now and it is hard to say who to trust. Three weeks ago Raymond had six catches for 115 yards, but has had just four catches for 29 yards in the last two weeks and that all came last Sunday. They are just playing bad football right now. And while the Browns secondary hasn't been good most weeks, Raymond is just a flex play on rosters where you really don't have great receivers. You can play him, but the confidence level has to be low. |
| Davante Adams GB | Cameron Dantzler MIN | There was sure to be a little rust after Adams missed a game on the Covid list and then Rodgers was out but he still had seven catches for 78 yards. I have to admit I am taken a bit back that Adams has just three touchdowns this season. He is still getting crazy volume and no other player on the team is close to as involved as he is. Dantzler had started the season off well but has allowed eight of the last ten targets his way to be caught. The Vikings secondary has allowed just 13 passing touchdowns in nine games, but they haven't faced Adams yet. He is always in firm consideration for a DFS roster and never sits in season long. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Janoris Jenkins TEN | Cooks saw his volume spike again with TyRod Taylor back in Week 9 with 14 targets, but he was able to catch just six for 56 yards. Could have been a little rust for Taylor, and the Dolphins defense is suddenly playing better. The Titans have allowed 16 touchdowns through the air, and Jenkins has allowed a play of 20+ yards in three of the last four weeks and has a 114.3 quarterback rating against for the year. I am not enthusiastically pushing Cooks for DFS purposes but this is a good matchup for him, and he has been a pretty steady force in your season long leagues. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Tre'Davious White BUF | It has gotten to the point now that it doesn't matter whether T.Y. Hilton plays or not, Pittman is the man in Indy. And while he had just five targets in last week's game, he caught all five of them for 71 yards against Jacksonville. He will face his toughest test to date against White and the Bills who are the toughest secondary in the NFL and have allowed just six passing touchdowns all season long. I am still not sitting Pittman in season long leagues though as the Colts offense has played well for weeks, and he is sure to still give you ten fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
| Marvin Jones JAX | Emmanuel Moseley SF | Yikes! The Jags passing game has gone from not great to putrid over the past few weeks as they couldn't even muster a single touchdown against the Colts. In fact, Jones and his 35 yards were the most among wide receivers. Even in a pretty soft matchup against the 49ers secondary, Jones would really only be a desperation flex play until we see some sort of signs that Trevor Lawrence is getting comfortable in the NFL and can make this offense work. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Trevon Diggs DAL | Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense finally looked like the unit we knew Sunday night and he threw it 50 times and Hardman got exactly three targets. Whomp, whomp. After a brief stint of topping 50 yards, Hardman has now failed to tally 30 yards in three of the last four weeks. Whether the Cowboys put Diggs on him much or not, Hardman still has just one touchdown all season long and has topped 50 yards just four times in ten games. Leave him on your bench in all formats this week again. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Cameron Sutton PIT | OK, my "oh crap" meter is officially going off as Williams had his fourth straight terrible outing as he had just four catches for 33 yards against the Vikings. The whole Chargers passing game hasn't had the same pizzazz as earlier in the year, but Williams struggles really stand out. Without Joe Haden an already sketchy Steelers secondary gets a little sketchier, and hopefully Williams can take advantage of that this week. He certainly has played his way well off the DFS radar, but I am still going to give Williams the green light in any season long league. |
| Bryan Edwards LV | Eli Apple CIN | He does have a touchdown in two of the last three weeks, but Edwards still only had four targets in a game the Raiders threw a bunch against a poor defense in the Chiefs. He did total three catches for 88 yards in those four targets, but the lack of involvement concerns me. The passing game is totally going through Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller right now, but if they are going to make big plays it potentially could go through Edwards. Given how late in the season we are I could see your roster being a bit in trouble at receiver and having to play Edwards, but I would much prefer to sit him on my bench again this week and wait until we see him have another good game or get more involved. |
| Albert Wilson MIA | Bryce Hall NYJ | The Dolphins are down to a skeleton crew after Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki and Wilson made the most of that last Thursday as he had four catches for 87 yards and two carries for 19. He certainly was the most reliable option after Waddle and the tight ends. Bryce Hall has allowed three touchdowns in the last four weeks and has a 115.1 quarterback rating against this season. In a desperate moment, you can certainly do worse than Wilson with the Dolphins sure to have Tua back under center. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Kevin King GB | Well finally! The Vikings offensive coordinator said Jefferson deserved more targets in the offense and they delivered as he had nine catches on 11 targets for 143 yards against the Chargers. It was starting to get concerning when the stud only had nine targets in the previous two games combined. The Packers secondary shut down the Seahawks last week, but I am chalking that up to Russell Wilson coming back too soon. King is allowing nearly 14 yards per catch and a 70% catch rate. Assuming Jefferson gets the same amount of attention this coming week it could be another big game for him and I like him in both season long and DFS contests for Week 11. |
| Nelson Agholor NE | Fabian Moreau ATL | The Patriots just chewed the Browns up on the ground last week, but Agholor still only had two catches for 21 yards on four targets. That is a game after not even seeing a target against the Panthers. Mac Jones is really running this offense well, and Agholor just isn't an integral part of it. Honestly, he doesn't even belong on fantasy rosters, much less a starting spot on one. |
| Marquez Callaway NO | Darius Slay PHI | He is incredibly touchdown dependent as he hasn't had more than three catches or broken 40 receiving yards since the Saints Week 5 game. It sure isn't helping that New Orleans doesn't have a capable quarterback on this roster, at least not one that can accurately get the ball downfield to Callaway. The Eagles secondary is playing incredibly well lately, and Slay is having an All-Pro type season. Plant Callaway on your bench this week unless you are really in a desperate situation. |
| Kenny Golladay NYG | Jamel Dean TB | It was a good sign that Golladay was able to return from his injury in Week 9 and now has had the bye week to rest further. It has been a rough season for the Giants big offensive free agent as he only has one game over 65 receiving yards. They have had a week to get ready for this one, but Golladay draws one of the toughest corners in the league in Dean. He has allowed just 43% of passes to be caught and 130 total yards all season. He hasn't allowed a touchdown since Week 1. There is a phrase in fantasy football that says "play your studs" although I'm not sure Golladay counts as one of those this year. I can't fault you if you put him in your seasonal lineups, but I would definitely really analyze my roster to see if you have someone with a better outlook for Week 11. |
| Corey Davis NYJ | Xavien Howard MIA | That sound you hear is all of the air being let out of the Mike White hype balloon, although the Bills secondary is tough. Davis still had a fine day with five catches for 93 yards, although he lost a fumble at a bad time in the first half. He will get what seemed like a much easier draw until a copule weeks ago as the Dolphins defense is suddenly showing life, led by Howard who had a big forced fumble and touchdown last week. With Zach Wilson likely under center this week for the Jets, I would find it hard to argue that Davis would be a good guy to have in your season long lineups this week at all. |
| DeVonta Smith PHI | Marshon Lattimore NO | The Eagles still only threw the ball 23 times last week against a tough Broncos secondary, but Smith still made the most of it with four catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns. He was certainly helped out by Dallas Goedert leaving the game early. Quez Watkins gets some attention, but there is just no other receiver on this team that Jalen Hurts trusts or honestly that has a lot of talent. This is a tough matchup against the Saints and Lattimore, but given how few options the Eagles have to throw to, I have to still throw Smith out there every week and hope for the best. He is paying off much more than he is disappointing right now. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Chris Harris LAC | Even without Big Ben, Johnson still had seven catches for 83 yards on 13 targets. It truly doesn't matter who the quarterback is, Johnson is going to get a ton of volume. Of course, if you have Johnson, you want Roethlisberger back as he is definitely the better quarterback. Harris has allowed 11 of the last 15 targets his way to be caught and is giving up 13.6 yards per catch. Given the amount of volume that Johnson gets, that is a recipe for success for the Steelers star wideout. He is always a start in season long leagues, and assuming Ben is back I would also consider him for DFS lineups considering they are on a showdown slate this week. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Robert Alford ARZ | So, maybe Russell Wilson came back too quickly? The Seattle offense looked horrible in getting shut out by the Packers and Metcalf had just three catches for 26 yards before being ejected in the fourth quarter. Quite the shocker that Metcalf didn't handle the poor game well, huh? Yes, we need a sarcasm font. The Cardinals secondary played well despite the team getting crushed by Carolina and Alford is allowing just 7.7 yards per catch this season. He has been beaten for four touchdowns though. Given the poor play of Russell Wilson last week it would be tough to trust Seattle players in DFS contests, but even with question marks, Metcalf is always a go-to guy in season long leagues. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Shaquill Griffin JAX | He could not be stopped on Monday night as he had five catches for 97 yards, five carries for 36 yards and a touchdown through the air and one on the ground. Every time the 49ers needed a play, Samuel was there to make it as he has been so many times this year. This should be an interesting game as the Jaguars defense has suddenly started to play better and so has the San Francisco offense. However, no defense really has been able to stop Deebo all season long, so I can't imagine that Jacksonville will be that team. He is an absolute stud and again will be a DFS option as he has been all season long in both cash and GPPs and if you even think about taking him out of your lineups I will come to your house personally and slap you in the face! Wait, that was a bit aggressive. And a lot of travel! I will chastise you aggressively over the internet! There, that's better. |
| Mike Evans TB | James Bradberry NYG | I can't explain how the Bucs didn't completely roll Washington last week, or how Evans only had three targets with no Gronk or Antonio Brown and Chris Godwin wasn't 100%. He now has just two catches in each of the last two games. The Tampa offense is too good to be this ordinary for long, and I expect a bounceback game against the Giants. Not to mention it is Monday Night and the Giants have beaten Tom Brady in the Super Bowl twice. TB12 is going to come out and want to fire the ball around for sure. Despite his volume struggles, Evans still has scored in four of the last five weeks and is always a great choice in all types of fantasy games, even though he will likely draw the attention of Bradberry who has gotten his season back on track and is playing like the elite corner we knew him to be again. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Desmond King HOU | I call it the Marshon Lattimore Effect. Brown was targeted just four times and caught just one pass for 16 yards last week against the Saints. It really hurts Brown that the team doesn't have any other wide receiver that scares a defense and they are able to really just focus on him. This week, though, should be very different. Brown gets a cupcake matchup against the Texans who are coming off their bye, but let's be honest, suck on defense. In the last four games he has played, King has allowed 26 of 32 targets at him to be caught and he has a 109.9 quarterback rating against for the season. It is important to have a short memory in fantasy football and to understand that the matchup for Brown is so much better than it was last week. Fire him up in both season long and DFS. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Stephon Gilmore CAR | He was in and out of the game a bit early, but McLaurin still finished with six catches for 56 yards in a tough matchup against the Bucs. His upside has seriously been capped with Taylor Heinickie at quarterback, and word came last week that Ryan Fitzpatrick is likely to miss the rest of the season. Gilmore has elite talent but still hasn't been playing a full game's worth of snaps. I can't put any Washington player in a DFS lineup right now, but it would certainly be unwise to keep McLaurin out of a season long lineup even with a less than ideal matchup and a struggling quarterback. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| A.J. Green ARZ | Tre Brown SEA | He had his worst game of the season last week with just one catch on five targets for four yards. Of course, this was not with the starting quarterback in there, and the whole offense went to hell. Green is averaging 3.5 catches and just over 50 yards per game with three touchdowns in nine weeks. Brown has played very well after missing the first five weeks and has a quarterback rating against of just 51 and is allowing just 6.3 yards per catch. Green should remain on your waiver wire where he belongs. |
| Olamide Zaccheaus ATL | Jalen Mills NE | What a total cluster of an offense the Falcons put up last week. They were destroyed by the Cowboys in every facet of the game and Zaccheaus had just two catches for 22 yards on seven targets. It won't get any easier this week against the Patriots defense that put the clamps down on the Browns last week. Jackson has played well at corner this season and Zaccheaus doesn't even begin to come into play in any sort of fantasy league. |
| Sammy Watkins BAL | Kindle Vildor CHI | Even with Brown out, I am still not suggesting anyone play Watkins. I do think that Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews will see a nice uptick in production, but I just don't see Watkins playing a meaningful fantasy role, even with the Ravens top receiver out. This applies double if Lamar Jackson isn't able to play. Leave Watkins on waivers where he belongs! |
| Emmanuel Sanders BUF | Rock Ya-Sin IND | Once a hot fantasy item, Sanders has cooled off significantly as he had just two catches for 27 yards in a blowout win over the Jets. Stefon Diggs reclaimed his spot as the go-to guy, and Gabriel Davis was able to get open downfield. The two targets are a concern, but he did have eight the week before against Jacksonville. Sanders has only scored in two of nine games this season and has become a kind of Tyler Lockett-lite kind of player. He has been pretty boom or bust without as big of booms that Lockett has and more often busts. The Bills have a pillow soft matchup against the Colts secondary, but Sanders is still nothing more than a flex option on a season long lineup where you have some injury issues. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Benjamin St.-Juste WFT | Do we have an awakening????? Anderson had four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown last week. Sadl,y it was his most catches and yards since Week 4. We are dealing with a quarterback change in Carolina as Cam Newton is set to start this game, so we always have to keep that in mind as he could have a connection with Anderson where Sam Darnold clearly didn't. However, I am not even confident that Cam Newton will be good considering what we saw in New England. It is a cotton soft matchup against Washington, although they played really well last week against Tampa. I would pick up Anderson if he is on your league waiver wire, but I would stop short of putting him in my starting lineup until we see more of Cam and continued targets to Anderson. |
| Marquise Goodwin CHI | Anthony Averett BAL | With Allen Robinson out for this week that seriously limits the weapons for Justin Fields to throw to. I expect the offense to run through Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet, and David Montgomery. I am not expecting any huge bump in production for Goodwin just because he might play more snaps. Leave him on the waiver wire where he belongs. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Brandon Facyson LV | He was playing well going into the bye with 17 catches for 237 yards in three games, but Higgins still hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 2. He still has had six or more targets in every game but one this year, but he is also yet to have a 100-yard game. Facyson has played fairly well when asked to fill in with the Raiders secondary problems, but expect Joe Burrow to target him plenty with Casey Hayward patrolling the other side of the field. I need a better matchup or a step up in production before I consider Higgins for DFS but he is still without a doubt a weekly starter in seasonal leagues. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | Jerry Jacobs DET | Baker Mayfield is being held together with Scotch tape and a few staples at this point as he added a knee injury to his already busted shoulder. Higgins hasn't had a catch in two weeks and even in a great matchup against the Lions I can't suggest him even as a desperation darth throw. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Rashad Fenton KC | The number of targets that he received in his first week were a nice surprise for Gallup considering he hadn't played since Week 1. He now has a nice matchup, and won't have star receiver Amari Cooper taking targets from him. When given the opportunity, Gallup has had success and this game has the highest point total in Vegas for Week 11. Given how ordinary the Chiefs secondary is and how hot the Cowboys offense is, Gallup just got to be a much more attractive option for DFS games considering his salary is going to be when Cooper was supposed to play. Fire him up in all formats. |
| Trinity Benson DET | Greg Newsome CLE | The Lions offense is putrid, and I am not sure that you can trust anyone at wide receiver. If I had to pick one though, it would be Amon-Ra St. Brown and definitely not Benson. The Browns defense was just embarrassed by the Patriots, but I still can't see any reason to even think about Benson in any DFS format going forward. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Bashaud Breeland MIN | He continues to be a low volume guy with big play capabilities and he lived up to that in Week 10 with just one catch but it was for 41 yards. He hasn't had more than three catches or 59 yards all season and has one touchdown in five games. He is not the kind of guy I like on my fantasy teams and not the kind of guy you want to invest your DFS dollars into. The Vikings secondary isn't great, but you can't roll the dice with MVS and hope that he turns a couple of targets into some big touchdown catch. |
| Nico Collins HOU | Kristian Fulton TEN | Collins has shown a few flashes in his rookie season, but the problem is they are small and impossible to predict when they will happen. Plus, his highest yardage total of the year is 55. Even against a very leaky Titans secondary there is no pass catcher outside of Brandin Cooks that even comes close to fantasy relevant. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Levi Wallace BUF | He is continuously missing games and is always a threat to not finish a game that he starts. He also isn't producing as he has just seven catches for 101 yards combined in the three games he has played. This is now Michael Pittman's team as far as the passing game is concerned. I don't think I would suggest Hilton in an easy matchup anymore as evidenced by his one catch for five yards last week against Jacksonville, and Buffalo has been one of the best secondaries in football. Don't buy into the name recognition and keep Hilton out of starting lineups. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Josh Norman SF | It doesn't appear that it will ever be 'Viska SZN in 2021. He did lead the team with eight targets on Sunday, but he caught just three of them for 15 yards. OUCH. He hasn't topped 25 yards in any of his last three weeks. Trevor Lawrence still looks lost at quarterback, and until that changes, Shenault doesn't stand a chance. The 49ers secondary is pretty awful, but I still can't trust any Jacksonville receiver in Week 11, including Shenault. |
| Byron Pringle KC | Anthony Brown DAL | He did have a very nice touchdown on Sunday night as Mahomes tricked the defense and Pringle was wide open for the score. However, he still only had five targets in a game where Mahomes threw it 50 times. He is the fourth or fifth option on this offense and even though they looked better last week against the Raiders, Pringle is still multiple injuries away from fantasy consideration. |
| Josh Palmer LAC | Justin Layne PIT | The rookie is getting a little more attention as he had a season high three catches in Week 10, but he still hasn't even broken 25 receiving yards and has just one touchdown on the season. The Chargers passing game is a little bit off right now and I need to see more from Palmer before I consider picking him up in season long leagues. |
| DeSean Jackson LV | Darius Phillips CIN | Well, he did catch his only target in his Raiders debut, and then ceremoniously fumbled it away. Jackson has only been on the team a short time, but the Raiders do like to air it out. I think he will need more seasoning on the playbook before he even has a chance of being fantasy relevant. If you want to put him at the end of your bench that is fine, but I don't have high hopes for him this week or really going forward if I am being honest. |
| Isaiah Ford MIA | Javelin Guidry NYJ | He did have four catches for 84 yards last Thursday, but he also did it on just four targets and 52 of those yards came on one catch. Echols has allowed just 65% of passes his way to be caught and has allowed just one touchdown all season. The Jets secondary is pretty awful, but if you have to take an absolute dart throw on a Dolphins receiver (not recommended), it would be Albert Wilson. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Eric Stokes GB | He didn't score as the spotlight shined on Justin Jefferson this week, but the volume was still there and Thielen finished with five catches for 65 yards against the Chargers. I did expect a little bit more out of him, but I wouldn't call it a total disappointment. Stokes continues to play well as he allows just 52% of passes to be caught and has just a 78.2 quarterback rating against this season. They only knock on him is he gives up big plays as he averages 13 yards per catch. This isn't a matchup to shy away from Thielen in season long leagues, but I would look in another direction for DFS purposes for Week 11. |
| Kendrick Bourne NE | A.J. Terrell ATL | The Patriots had their way with the Browns defense and Bourne made the most of it with four catches for 98 yards and a touchdown and also three carries for another 43 yards as they found creative ways to get the ball in his hands. This is the best the Pats offense has played all season, and although he didn't have a lot of targets (four), Bourne was clearly someone that was in the gameplan. The Falcons secondary has been hapless for much of the season, but I still have a hard time trusting a Patriots receiver when Mac Jones has thrown under 25 times in three of the last five weeks. Given that they play on Thursday night I could certainly see Bourne fitting into DFS showdown slate lineups. |
| Deonte Harris NO | Steven Nelson PHI | The big play threat on the Saints, Harris had three catches for 84 yards on Sunday against the Titans. He had been seeing more targets in the two weeks prior, but this was his season high in yardage. Nelson has been hard to judge because he has been very good some weeks, and quite ordinary in others. He does allow 13.4 yards per catch, which isn't great but it isn't horrible and he has allowed just two touchdowns this season. The quarterback play for the Saints is so spotty though that I have a hard time putting Harris in more than one or two GPP lineups in hopes that he hits a big play. |
| Kadarius Toney NYG | Dee Delaney TB | The Giants rookie got our attention with 16 catches for 267 yards in Week 4 and Week 5, but has let us down with just seven catches for 71 yards in the three games he's played since. Dee Delaney has allowed about 75% of passes to be caught against him since Carlton Davis was hurt. Toney is a very boom or bust player but there should be ample garbage time in this one. He has shown enough upside to warrant strong consideration for your Week 11 redraft lineups and he will be a solid option in the Monday Night DFS showdown slate as I expect Golladay to struggle. |
| Elijah Moore NYJ | Byron Jones MIA | Nearly the entire game was garbage time and Moore had three catches for 44 yards and a score. That is three touchdowns in two weeks, but Moore is now dealing with Zach Wilson or Joe Flacco at quarterback, the return of Corey Davis, and a Miami defense that suddenly remembered that there was some talent on their team. Moore has still had six or more targets in six of eight games this season, so the volume is there. However, as I listed above, there are a number of factors working against him. This game is likely to be close so the Jets might not throw as much, but Moore is still a good flex play and a decent cheap option as a DFS dart throw. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Paulson Adebo NO | He has five catches for 31 yards COMBINED in the last five weeks. The Eagles could be playing the local high school and I still might not suggest using Reagor. He has fallen completely off the map after at least getting a little usage early in the season and we have already given him more attention than his play deserves. |
| James Washington PIT | Tevaughn Campbell LAC | Without Big Ben he did score a touchdown, but Washington had just two catches on six targets for 15 yards. Clearly, the team is better with Roethlisberger at quarterback, but Washington only had one catch the week before with Ben in there. I don't think we are going to see a huge uptick in performance out of Washington even with Chase Claypool out. The Chargers offer a tougher matchup than the Lions did, even though Campbell does allow 13.5 yards per catch. Los Angeles is the fourth stingiest pass defense, giving up just 206 yards per game through the air and just 12 passing touchdowns in nine games. Leave Washington on your bench or on your waiver wire, wherever he may be hanging out these days in your league. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Tyson Campbell JAX | After a big game against the Cardinals in Week 9, Aiyuk fell flat again with three catches for 26 yards. Sigh. He keeps teasing us a little here and there and then pulls the carpet out from underneath us. The Jacksonville secondary allows 260 yards per game through the air, but has given up just 11 passing touchdowns in nine weeks. Aiyuk should only get near your starting lineup if you have a couple receivers on bye and a couple injury problems too. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Marco Wilson ARZ | The game was supposed to be an aerial attack with the return of Russell Wilson, but Lockett ended up with just two catches for 23 yards on eight targets. Did Wilson come back too soon? Is he still hurt? What is the prospects for the rest of the season? These questions certainly have Lockett out of DFS consideration and against a tough Cardinals secondary you do have to give it a thought if he is a must-start in season long. I would put him in there this week figuring he is a high level talent, but I am not doing it with 100% confidence. |
| Tyler Johnson TB | Byron Jones MIA | After having five catches for 65 yards in the game before the Bucs bye, Johnson failed to take advantage of the absence of Antonio Brown again in Week 10 as he had just three catches for 17 yards. He will likely get four to six targets, but the Dolphins defense is suddenly looking like they have woken up, and Tom Brady really focuses on Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. I would not pick up Tyler Johnson or use him in a starting spot if you happened to pick him up when AB went down. |
| Marcus Johnson TEN | Terrance Mitchell HOU | He had five catches for 100 yards and has grabbed on to that other outside receiver role with Julio Jones on IR. He certainly will be a popular topic of discussion coming off that game with the Saints and getting the Texans next week. However, his usage certainly had something to do with New Orleans having a talented corner that could shadow A.J. Brown and take him out of the game. Houston does not have that type of corner at all. I expect much more of the offense to flow through Brown this week and for Johnson to take a step back. However, with the tasty matchup I could see him being a flex play or a DFS dart throw against a very soft defense. |
| DeAndre Carter WFT | Donte Jackson CAR | He did score for the second straight week and has 50 yards in back to back games as well as Carter has made the most of his opportunity with all of the injuries to the Washington receivers. The issue is his talent level isn't overly high and the offense isn't overly potent. Donte Jackson isn't an elite talent, but he is still quite solid, allowing just under 11 yards a catch with a 73.4 quarterback rating against for the season and just one touchdown. Carter is an interesting dart throw and perhaps a piece to add to your bench in case his production continues, but not someone I go into Week 11 with in my lineups. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 11.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Jourdan Lewis DAL | The Chiefs still aren't slinging the ball way down the field, but the offense finally started to look like the team we've known the past few years and Hill finished with seven catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns. His yards per catch is down three from last year which was also low for him, but the volume is there as he is only 24 targets short of what he had in 15 games last season. Lewis is for sure the weak link in the Cowboys secondary and this game should be played almost exclusively in the air. If the Chiefs are going to be in this game, Hill is going to have to have an explosive day. Fire him up in all formats. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Arthur Maulet PIT | He had double digit targets and 75+ yards for the third straight game on Sunday against the Vikings as he continues to have another stellar season from a volume perspective. The Chargers pass game has been a bit off lately, and I don't like that Allen has just two touchdowns this season. The Steelers secondary has played well of late, and the only negative to Maulet is he is allowing 15.4 yards per catch. Even if the Chargers don't put up a huge number on the scoreboard I expect Allen to continue to get 10+ targets and come up with 15+ points in PPR leagues and he should always be someone that is in your seasonal lineups. |
| Jamison Crowder NYJ | L'Jarius Sneed KC | So, Crowder isn't my third favorite out of the slot, I had CeeDee Lamb here but with Amari Cooper out he moves to the outside so I had to fill this spot. I don't know how the Jets offense is going to run with Joe Flacco, but I know he is a veteran, and I know he will like Crowder's safe, reliable hands. I don't see him chucking it 40 yards down the field, so the guy in the slot should be his best friend since the Jets don't have a real tight end. Coleman is allowing 68% of passes thrown his way to be caught and 12.4 yards per catch whcih is a little high for a slot guy. Miami's defense has been playing inspired ball, but I can still see Crowder coming out of this game with 10-12 fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Darnay Holmes NYG | The foot issue doesn't seem to be a problem as he had seven catches on eight targets for 57 yards last week. The whole Bucs offense shockingly just ran on a flat tire against Washington. With Antonio Brown still out, Godwin again is either 1 or 1a in the Bucs passing attack, an attack I expect to be more prolific this week. Holmes has allowed all eight targets at him to be caught in the last two weeks with a 113.6 quarterback rating against and 11 yards per catch. Godwin will be firmly in the WR2 discussion in season long leagues and will be a little cheaper than Mike Evans and might not get the long looks or the score but should have more volume. |
| Hunter Renfrow LV | Mike Hilton CIN | He doesn't make huge, flashy big plays but Renfrow is consistent as he has scored in two straight weeks and has had seven catches in three straight. His usage has picked up a little with Henry Ruggs out of the picture, but he is never going to be a guy who has some big 150 yard game. Hilton is allowing a whopping 80% of passes thrown his way to be caught and has given up a bunch of yardage after the catch this season as well. The Raiders and Bengals should play a very aerial game and Renfrow will continue to be a great asset in DFS at his price and is a very solid WR3 in season long leagues. |
| Jaylen Waddle MIA | Michael Carter NYJ | His volume was down a bit last week, but Waddle still had four catches for 61 yards on six targets against the Ravens. Miami will have Tua Tagovailoa back full time for this game, which is always good for the offense. The Jets defense has been an absolute joke lately, and Michael Carter has been a big part of it. He has allowed 13 of the last 15 targets at him to be caught and has given up a play of 20+ yards in four straight weeks. The Dolphins don't really spread the ball around a ton and Waddle will be a big part of the offense and should be in DFS consideration and a definite start in season long leagues. |
| Jakobi Meyers NE | Avery Williams ATL | HE FINALLY SCORED A TOUCHDOWN!!!!! You gotta feel good for Meyers as an undrafted free agent that he is making noise in the NFL and got that elusive touchdown. The Patriots offense is firing on all cylinders right now, and while they are still a run-first team, Meyers definiltey has a role in the passing game. His volume has gone down recently as he has just four targets in each of the last two games, but I am fully confident it will be back in the 7-8 range in this game. The Falcons were just embarrassed by the Cowboys and gave up a lot of production out of the slot. Meyers isn't going to be the reason you win a fantasy matchup, but I would be surprised if he didn't return you 12-14 points in PPR leagues in this one. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Will Harris DET | What a disaster the Browns offense was last week! Assuming that Baker Mayfield is okay, things should get better this week against the Lions. Hell, even Case Keenum should be able to have a decent amount of success against the Lions. Landry had just four catches for 26 yards last week and now has 37 yards in the last two. I know, that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Will Harris allows 76% of passes his way to be caught at a 12.6 yard per catch clip. The Browns might not quite go up and down the field on the Lions, but I do think they will be able to score 24-27 points and Landry should lead the team in receiving. He is not a DFS play but still a reasonable WR3 or flex play for Week 11. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Nate Hobbs LV | After a couple of strong games, Boyd disappeared in the game before the Bengals bye with just one catch on two targets for 11 yards. He is obviously the third target after Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but I think he can be a bigger part of the game play after the week off. The Raiders secondary was just absolutely destroyed by Patrick Mahomes in the dink and dunk game, and Hobbs is allowing nearly 88% of passes thrown at him to be caught. Joe Burrow and the Bengals run one of the more potent passing games in the league, and while I wouldn't put him in a DFS lineup, I definitely think Boyd is worthy of a flex spot this week as he should return 10-12 fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
| Tre'Quan Smith NO | Avonte Maddox PHI | Although he is far from lighting up the box score, Smith has a touchdown in two of the last three weeks and his targets have risen in three straight games. We have already discussed the lack of great play at quarterback for the Saints, but Smith has been making it work lately. Avonte Maddox isn't allowing a lot of yards per catch (6.9), but has had a rough five weeks as he has surrendered a catch on 21 of the last 22 targets at him. Smith might not be a huge fantasy stud, but he will certainly be a steady guy to be in your flex and give you double digit fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
Elite
Stefon Diggs vs. Xavier Rhodes
A week after going 6/85 against the Jags, Diggs finally had that huge game we’ve been waiting for all year against the Jets last week. His reward is another cupcake matchup against the Colts secondary who has been pretty awful all year. They have allowed 23 passing touchdowns in ten games, and Josh Allen looks like he is really dialed in. This should be a great offensive show and Vegas has this one as one of the highest total points on the board. Look for Diggs to go over 100 yards and score again.
As I already said, Brown was held in check not because Julio Jones was out, but because New Orleans has one of the better corners in the league. Well, DFS is one week at a time and the Texans don’t have anyone who is even remotely close to the talent level of Marshon Lattimore. The Titans have played two tough defenses since Derrick Henry went down, but this week they get an easy one. Tannehill should air it out plenty and we know Brown is the number one guy by a mile. I am expecting a big game out of Brown, and he could easily go over 100 yards and a score in Week 11.
Affordable
Brandin Cooks vs. Janoris Jenkins
He is basically everything for the Texans passing game. The deep threat, the red zone threat, the third down receiver. They really don’t have anyone else who is reliable. The bye gave TyRod Taylor a chance to regroup and the Titans secondary gives little resistance. They allow the sixth most yards per game through the air as a team and 18 passing touchdowns in ten games. You only have to look at his early season numbers to see how good it can be. He should be locked and loaded in your lineups for the price he sits at.
Darnell Mooney vs. Marlon Humphrey
Justin Fields has been improving a little bit the past couple games, and Mooney has been his go to guy with 28 targets in the last four games. The 189 yards he has over that span isn’t exactly slate bustin kind of numbers, but there isn’t a lot on the Bears offense to throw to. With Allen Robinson missing practice on Wednesday, that could limit the number of guys for Fields to throw to even more. The Ravens are allowing the most passing yards per game as a defense, and look for Mooney to find the end zone with a half dozen catches for 60-65 yards.
Bargain Bin
Michael Gallup vs. Rashad Fenton
I had Amari Cooper here, but with him hitting the Covid list let’s take advantage of the fact that DFS prices were set before this news came about. The Cowboys passing game is one of the league’s best, and the Chiefs have been one of the more porous pass defenses. Dak threw to Gallup five times in his first game in nine weeks, and that was in a game where the Cowboys sat their starters in the fourth quarter. He is fully healthy and will play the vast majority of snaps. There is going to be a ton of passing in this one and Gallup will be a major cog in the Cowboys offense. This salary is a gift with Cooper out.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus