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 elite, affordable, and bargain. We have four teams on bye, but with A.J. Brown on IR anyway we aren’t missing many big stars with the Titans, Packers, Browns, and Panthers off. Davante Adams is obviously huge, and D.J. Moore has been all right but this won’t impact our weekly lineups too much. 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 | Jaylon Johnson CHI | He hasn't played since Week 8 and hasn’t posted a game of even 90 receiving yards all season long. He clearly won't be 100% coming into this one, and without his touchdowns he would be one of fantasy's bigger disappointments. Johnson did allow the touchdown to Josh Reynolds on Thanksgiving, but hasn't given up more than 45 receiving yards in four straight weeks and has allowed just 56% of passes at him to be caught this season. It is certainly with some apprehension that I suggest starting Hopkins this week, but at this point in the season if he is out there, you gotta start this stud. Obviously, he doesn't warrant DFS consideration. |
| Olamide Zaccheaus ATL | Jamel Dean TB | I know this isn't a news flash, but the Falcons passing game just isn't any good at all. And outside of Cordarrelle Patterson, Russell Gage, and maybe Kyle Pitts, there is just no one else worth thinking about in any matchup on this team. Leave Zaccheaus on the waiver wire where he absolutely belongs. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Joe Haden PIT | The volume continues to be there as Brown had ten or more targets for the fifth time in six games, but the yards per catch have been really low especially since Lamar Jackson's sickness. Is that a coincidence? Or is the Ravens signal caller holding this offense back? Even on a couple deep throws Sunday night he came up way short. The Steelers secondary has been all banged up and porous as Haden is just coming back from missing two weeks with a foot injury. This game will be in hostile territory in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers can't stop anyone right now and I feel comfortable with Hollywood in any fantasy format. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | J.C. Jackson NE | After his seven catch, 74 yards performance with a score on Thanksgiving, Diggs has now scored in five of the last six weeks and is paying dividends to those fantasy players who exercised some patience with him. Now, they haven't exactly been playing the toughest defenses in that stretch, but hey you take what is on the schedule. Jackson and the Pats defense continues to play well, but they also haven't been playing the best teams. With the showdown slate being Monday night he will always be a great option in a single game DFS contest, and in season long leagues there is never a reason not to have Diggs in one of those starting spots. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Robert Alford ARZ | He had his second straight 100-yard game on Thanksgiving and now has 24 targets in the last two weeks. Allen Robinson was out for both of those games, but how much of an impact is Robinson having anymore and how much would he really be cutting into Mooney if he was playing? In my opinion, not much at all. Mooney is blossoming into a high-level receiver right before our eyes and his DFS price still hasn't caught up with his production in my opinion. He faces a much tougher defense in Arizona that has allowed just 14 passing touchdowns in 11 games, but I still fire up Mooney in all fantasy formats as I expect this high volume to continue. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Michael Davis LAC | He had that big game we've been waiting for with six catches for 114 yards and a score against an undermanned Steelers secondary. This is now three of the last four games that Higgins has topped 875 yards after not doing that the first five weeks of the season. He now has six or more targets in every game but two this season, and it appears that his stock might be pointing up as we come down the stretch. Michael Davis has a quarterback rating against over 106 although the Chargers secondary allows fewer than 210 yards per game through the air. Keep Higgins in your starting lineups in your season long lineups. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Marshon Lattimore NO | A positive Covid test has shelved Cooper for the last two games, but the Cowboys will welcome him back for lucky Week 13. His production has been all over the place this season, and trying to predict his outcome has been difficult. However, as much as we all like Marshon Lattimore and his reputation for being one of the best, he has gotten burned a lot this season. He gave up two touchdowns on Thanksgiving and has been burned for seven this year. He is also giving up 19 yards per catch. The Cowboys pass game stayed strong without him and I expect it to continue with Cooper. He is a bit of a DFS risk after the Covid absence, but is an absolute must-start in season long leagues. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Charvarious Ward KC | It is funny that the Broncos extended Sutton recently and he has been thrown to just eight times in the last three weeks and hasn't topped 40 yards since Week 7. For once he wasn't far down on the pecking order as Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick each only had three targets as well. The Broncos would love their offense to run the ball as much as possible and not ask Bridgewater to do too much. Denver is going to have to throw more this week to try to keep up with the Chiefs unless their defense plays an incredible game. I still don't know that you can put Sutton even in a season long lineup as he has just 18 fantasy points combined in the last four games in PPR leagues. |
| Kalif Raymond DET | Patrick Peterson MIN | The Lions offense has turned pretty pathetic no matter the quarterback and Raymond had just three catches on four targets for 16 yards on Thanksgiving. He now has a combined 45 yards in the last four weeks. The Vikings secondary is far from impressive, but it is just impossible to trust a Lion right now, especially Raymond. Even with some bye weeks left he belongs on the waiver wire and nowhere near starting lineups. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Xavier Rhodes IND | He was a hot commodity for a while and I thought with the return of TyRod Taylor that Cooks would finish the season strong, but he had just three catches for 45 yards and a score against the Jets. The most concerning part is that 40 of those 45 yards came on the touchdown. Without that he would have given you a 2.5 point day. He now has just five catches for 63 yards combined in the past two weeks and things aren't going well. He has a cush matchup against the Colts secondary who has allowed 27 passing touchdowns this season, but given recent performance I can't suggest Cooks for anything but a WR/flex spot in season long lineups. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Desmond King HOU | The ten targets were great, especially after having just five in each of the last two weeks, but Pittman had just four catches for 53 yards on Sundady against the Bucs. I would chalk it up to Jamel Dean shutting him down, but the Bucs stud corner went out early. This is now two straight pretty disappointing week and four straight under 75 yards. He had just two catches for 35 yards the first time they played the Texans, but I still have faith in Pittman. Given his recent struggles I won't put him in any DFS lineups, but he is still a WR3 at worst in season long Week 13 lineups. |
| Marvin Jones JAX | Jalen Ramsey LAR | We came into the season with hopes for the Jags with Trevor Lawrence coming in and then more hope for Jones when D.J. Chark went down early in the season. But it has gotten worse as the season has gone along. He had four catches for 43 yards against a soft Falcons secondary and hasn't given you ten fantasy points in full-point PPR scoring since Week 6 against the Dolphins. Unless you are in absolute desperation mode right now, I don't know how you can put Jones into your season long lineups with any hope for an above average day. He will continue to give you seven to nine points per week and that's about it. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Ronald Darby DEN | He only had two catches on three targets in each of the two games before the bye and hasn’t topped 30 receiving yards since Week 8. The Chiefs offense reverted to being not great against the Cowboys again, and Denver is not a terrible unit. Hardman doesn't belong in any season long or DFS lineups for Week 13. |
| Odell Beckham LAR | Shaquill Griffin JAX | In his first real game with the team he was tied for the team lead with ten targets and converted five of them for 81 yards and a touchdown. He was not even remotely fantasy worthy for the Browns, but with Robert Woods gone he should be a pretty highly used piece of the Rams pass game. The Jaguars defense is pretty damn awful and even let Atlanta score 21 points on them. The Rams come inot this game badly needing a "get right" game and they should take it out on Jacksonville. Beckham is a bit of a risky DFS play but has the looks of a WR2/3 for Week 13 in season long leagues. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Chidobe Awuzie CIN | After one big week, it was back to Average Town for Williams again as he had just four catches for 39 yards against the Broncos. Mind you, that wasn't an easy matchup, but I think we were all expecting more. The good news is he had eight targets, and that was his most since Week 5. The Bengals have allowed just 14 passing touchdowns in 11 games this season and just crushed the Steelers last week. The Chargers passing game looked better the past two weeks, but still aren't firing on all cylinders. Williams has played his way out of DFS consideration, but I still feel like even though he has struggled, his potential says that you really shouldn't sit him except against the toughest of matchups. |
| Zay Jones LV | Kendall Fuller WFT | I have no idea what to do with this passing game. I know Hunter Renfroe is good and I know they just scored 36 points, but are we trusting anyone else? Jones had five catches on seven targets for 59 yards on Thanksgiving, but he had four catches the previous four weeks COMBINED! You can't trust Bryan Edwards and we will discuss DeSean Jackson later. I know Washington's pass defense hasn't been good at all, but it has been less awful lately and I feel like Jones still belongs on waiver wires as you can't count on any consistent production from him. |
| Albert Wilson MIA | James Bradberry NYG | After a big game against the Ravens, it has been two straight games where Wilson has failed to top 20 receiving yards. He did have ten targets combined in those games, and did catch eight of them, but the yards per catch are so low that even in PPR leagues he isn't carrying any value. The offense will continue to only be strong enough to keep Jaylen Waddle fantasy relevant as far as their wide receivers go. Leave Wilson on waivers as he doesn't have a big enough role to warrant consideration even in larger PPR leagues. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Amani Oruwariye DET | It was a pretty good day that Jefferson threw a 24 yard pass and had four catches for 83 yards on Sunday against the 49ers. Most of his production did come in a concentrated part of the game, but the yards all count the same. He now has 30 targets in the last three weeks as well. He had seven catchees for 124 yards back in Week 5 against the Lions, and the Detroit secondary has only gotten more beaten up as the season has gone on. Oruwariye has intercepted five passes, but he also gives up 14 yards a catch and 70% of passes his way to be caught. Jefferson will be a dynamite option in both season long and all formats of DFS contests for Week 13. |
| Kendrick Bourne NE | Levi Wallace BUF | He had the second most targets on the team with six and converted them into five catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns. He now has three scores in the last three weeks and has solidified himself as the second option on the team. However, the Pats have played a host of terrible defenses lately, and the task gets much tougher this week against the Bills. They do get an advanatage that Tre'Davious White tore his ACL on Thanksgiving, but Levi Wallace is no slouch either. I'll take Bourne as a flex option if you have some injuries and bye week concerns, but I am still not buying him as an every week must start in season long PPR leagues. |
| Marquez Callaway NO | Trevon Diggs DAL | The warts of his lack of use had been covered up by his scoring in three straight games, but playing that game failed to come through for fantasy players on Thanksgiving as he had just two catches for 24 yards. Granted it was a tough matchup against Buffalo, but in case you haven't been paying attention this year, Diggs is really good and Taysom Hill isn't going to make any more impact than Trevor Siemien did. Callaway probably doesn't even belong on fantasy rosters unless you like boom or bust guys on low powered offenses. |
| Kenny Golladay NYG | Xavien Howard MIA | He had seven targets and a couple of them were in the end zone, but Golladay still only managed three catches for 50 yards against the Eagles in Week 12. Philadelphia has a pretty strong pass defense, but he Giants were also without Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney and Golladay certainly could have done better than this. Xavien Howard is one of the hottest corners in football right now and had his third interception of the year last week. The Giants offense is just running in neutral right now and although it is toughto expect any great production out of Golladay, his talent says that you should probably still send him out there in season long leagues and hope for the best. |
| Corey Davis NYJ | Darius Slay PHI | He wasn't downgraded to doubtful until Saturday last week, so that makes me think he should be able to get out there this week. However, it won't make much of a difference. Zach Wilson continued to struggle and threw for under 150 yards. The Eagles have also been one of the better pass defenses, and Slay is having an All-Pro season. Leave Davis on your bench or probably on the waiver wire if you can grab someone who could help more down the stretch. |
| DeVonta Smith PHI | Bryce Hall NYJ | Jalen Hurts has been pretty inefficient as a passer most of the season, but Smith had still been getting his production. That failed last Sunday as he had just two catches for 22 yards on four targets. Phily continues to run the ball at a ridiculous rate, and Hurts 31 attempts last week were his most since Week 7. James Bradberry certainly played a role in Smith's dud, and the Jets secondary will offer no such hardships for Philadelphia and Smith should have much more success. I could stick him in a tournament lineup or two, but trusting Smith too much in DFS is risky considering how little the Eagles throw. However, with this pillow soft matchup, Smith should be worthy of a WR3 or a flex spot for Week 13. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Kyle Fuller DEN | It might have been all garbage time, but Johnson still had nine catches for 95 yards in Week 12 against the Bengals. He had 14 targets, and now has 13 or more in six of the last eight weeks. How can you argue with that kind of volume even if Ben Roethlisberger isn't playing well at all. The Broncos have allowed just 15 passing touchdowns in 11 games, and Fuller has allowed less than 53% of passes his way to be caught. However, Johnson is just going to get his numbers each and every week no matter the opponent or game flow. He is always in play in both season long and DFS contests. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Emmanuel Moseley SF | We all couldn't wait for Russell Wilson to come back and save the Seattle pass game but in the three games combined since Wilson returned Metcalf has eight catches for 70 yards. Let that sink in for a second. He did have four catches for 65 yards and a score against San Francisco in Week 4, but this isn't the same team and isn't the same quarterback. I guess you start Metcalf in season long leagues because of his name and talent, but you have to give serious consideration to benching him right now until we see this offense get right. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Sidney Jones SEA | Deebo Samuel apparently avoided major injury, but he is going to miss this week's game against the Seahawks, meaning Aiyuk should be the main guy. He has been finally back to being himself as he had a season high 91 yards against the Vikings and now has 85+ in three of the last four games. Seattle gives up the most yards per game through the air and Jones is allowing over 16 yards per catch and a quarterback rating against of over 132. Jimmy Garoppolo has been playing his best football of the season, and while the 49ers will certainly look to run a ton, Aiyuk should get close to ten targets in this one. He will be a great play in both season long and DFS contests this week. |
| Mike Evans TB | Fabian Moreau ATL | I certainly didn't see that epic dud of a game from both Evans and Godwin against a Colts secondary that had been giving up yards and touchdowns like crazy, but that's the NFL sometimes! However, there is no way that the Bucs top receiver drops two duds in a row, I don't care that Antonio Brown is returning. The Falcons are a complete sieve on defense and have allowed 21 passing touchdowns this season. Tom Brady should shred them from start to finish and Evans had five catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns against them in Week 2. Have a short memory of last week's disappointment and get Evans fired up for both season long and DFS contests for Week 13. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Casey Hayward LV | Volume is never a problem for McLaurin as he consistently gets seven or more targets a week, but his production varies greatly. He has had four 100 yard games, but also five games under 60 yards. Hayward is allowing just 53% of passes to be caught in 2021 and hasn't allowed a touchdown all season long. McLaurin, despite his inconsistencies is always a start in season long leagues, but given this matchup I would look for a better value for his salary in DFS games. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| A.J. Green ARZ | Kindle Vildor CHI | Outside of his first game back after missing the week due to Covid, Green hasn't been terrible this season, he just hasn't been very good. He has hovered around the 8-12 fantasy point plateau for most of the season and has scored just three times all season. With DeAndre Hopkins back, I believe that enough of Green's production will be eaten away by Zach Ertz that he isn't someone that I would put in any fantasy lineup for Week 13. |
| Tajae Sharpe ATL | Dee Delaney TB | As previously stated this Falcons offense is one of the worst in the league, and only put up 21 against the Jags and most of that went through Cordarrelle Patterson. Sharpe had just two catches for 22 yards last week and even though the Bucs pass defense hasn't been good lately, there are at least 30-40 options on your waiver wire better than Sharpe this week. |
| Rashod Bateman BAL | Isaiah Rodgers IND | Sunday night was a disastrous game for the Ravens offense as Lamar Jackson was highly inaccurate and inefficient. Bateman did have the third most targets and caught all four of them but only racked up 31 yards. After hitting 80 yards in two of his previous three games, he hasn't topped 35 in the last two weeks and hasn't scored yet this season. Given the cupcake matchup I would still consider Bateman a decent play for your flex in season long leagues, but right now it is impossible to trust anyone but Mark Andrews for DFS purposes. |
| Emmanuel Sanders BUF | Jalen Mills NE | The rejuvenation of Stefon Diggs season coupled with the breakout of Dawson Knox has put a huge damper on Sanders season. Since the team's Week 7 bye he has just 12 catches for 146 yards without a touchdown. That stretch included games against the Jaguars, Jets, and Colts. The Patriots pass defense is better than all three of them by a wide margin, and I can't see Sanders downswing ending this week. I would definitely look in another direction in both season long and DFS games for this coming week. |
| Marquise Goodwin CHI | Marco Wilson ARZ | Whew that bubble burst quickly! One week after having 104 yards against the Ravens, Goodwin failed to have a catch on a single target against the Lions on Thanksgiving. He is an all or nothing guy and the nothing comes up nine times out of ten. He goes back to fantasy irrelevance after a brief blip on the radar. |
| Ja'Marr Chase CIN | Asante Samuel LAC | The Bengals scored a ton of points last week, but Chase only had three catches for 39 yards as it was Tee Higgins that stole the show. But it was also a lack of opportunity as the Bengals only threw the ball 24 times and Joe Mixon destroyed Pittsburgh. However, you have to have a short memory sometimes in fantasy football as the Chargers secondary isn't great and Samuel has allowed plays of 20 yards or more in five games this season. Chase might scare you for DFS purposes, but he is absolutely a must-play in season long leagues. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Paulson Adebo NO | He had ten catches on 18 targets in the two weeks that Amari Cooper was out and had 106 yards on Thanksgiving against the Raiders, but the Cowboys should be at full strength this week against the Saints. However, this doesn't take Gallup completely out of play in fantasy. He will be a much tougher sell in DFS contests, but Adebo was banged up a couple of times on Thanksgiving and has allowed four touchdowns this season. Gallup will be a solid WR4/flex in season long leagues, but I have a hard time trusting hin in DFS contests with all of the Dallas receivers good to go in this one. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Cameron Sutton PIT | He had a couple of good games when Jerry Jeudy returned, but the Denver passing game is having a hard time supporting any receiver to be fantasy relevant when Teddy Bridgewater isn't throwing much and he is spreading it around fairly evenly when he does. Patrick has just five catches for 40 yards combined in the last two weeks. The Chiefs are coming off their bye and actually played a strong defensive game against the Cowboys back in Week 11. Denver is certainly going to have to throw more than 25 times so if you want to put Patrick in your flex I can see an argument, but in Sunday night's DFS showdown slate he might be the best bet at one of these receivers scoring a touchdown. |
| Josh Reynolds DET | Bashaud Breeland MIN | Ok, let's think about this together. He is playing a ton of snaps. He is reunited with his former quarterback where he never had a ton of success, but showed flashes from time to time. He is now on a team that doesn't run an efficient offense, but really has no reliable wide receiver at all. Could Reynolds be a startable fantasy asset down the stretch? I think this week goes a long way to determine the rest of the season. Breeland and the Vikings are a beatable secondary, and if Reynolds has another strong game he could be someone worth using. At worst, he is worth putting at the end of your bench in a speculative add to see how he fares in the near future. |
| Nico Collins HOU | Rock Ya-Sin IND | He had just two catches for 28 yards, and both catches were early and then he was barely even look to again. Collins has broken 30 receiving yards just once in the last five games and has just 12 catches over that span. His five targets in Week 12 were his most in five weeks and he is not even close to the fantasy radar right now. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Terrence Mitchell HOU | He finally found the end zone this year, but Hilton still finished with four catches for just 28 yards. He now has 75 yards in the last four games combined after having 80 yards in his first game this season after injury. The interesting part is that 80 yard game was against this week's opponent in the Texans. You might be tempted to use him in a season long lineup or perhaps DFS after he scored last week, but even though it is against the Texans I would still shy away. Not only can Hilton go out with an injury at any time, but he still hasn't had more than five targets in any game this year and you know how I feel about volume. Use him at your own risk! |
| Laquon Treadwell JAX | Darious Williams LAR | Yeah, he had eight targets and turned that into four catches for 53 yards, but are we really looking for a Jacksonville receiver to fill our lineups out? No, we are not. Treadwell never made a real impact in the NFL after being a first round pick, and he isn't going to start now for a team that runs a terrible offense adn barely throws for 200 yards a game. Don't chase last week's points (which were only nine by the way) and leave Treadwell on the waiver wire. |
| Byron Pringle KC | Patrick Surtain DEN | Each week it seems I keep rotating between Pringle and Demarcus Robinson here. The fun fact is that they both aren't any good and don't warrant any fantasy consideration. Pringle has at least topped 50 receiving yards three times, but still isn't worth even having on a roster in a 16 team fantasy league. |
| Van Jefferson LAR | Tyson Campbell JAX | His usage continues to be solid as he has had seven or more targets in four of the last five games, but Jefferson has been incredibly inefficient with just three catches in five of the last six. He continually drops passes and makes careless mental mistakes like bobbling passes or stepping out of bounds. He gets a world class matchup against the Jaguars and Campbell who is allowing 69% of passes to be caught and 15.2 yards per catch. If Jefferson is on your roster he certainly comes into play in season long leagues depending on what your other options are and with a lower salary he could also be a cheap dart throw in DFS contests and hope that he hangs on to the balls thrown his way. |
| Josh Palmer LAC | Eli Apple CIN | Palmer and Jalen Guyton both don't get enough attention in the Chargers passing game to warrant any fantasy attention no matter the matchup. Palmer hasn't has had three catches just once this season and hasn't topped 25 receiving yards and has just one score all year. He isn't someone to think about rostering. |
| DeSean Jackson LV | William Jackson WFT | He had three catches for 102 yards and a score on Thanksgiving, although honestly he should have been tackled on that touchdown. Jackson though could step into a decent role on the receiver starved Raiders who only have Hunter Renfrow as a reliable option and he is a slot guy. Jackson still has the wheels and if he stays healthy he could have an impact in December. He should at least be on fantasy rosters and he might not be the worst DFS dart throw against one of the worst secondaries in the league. |
| Preston Williams MIA | Adoree Jackson NYG | The Dolphins offense ran about as efficiently as they could have hoped last week and Williams had just one catch for four yards. The pass game runs through Jaylen Waddle, the tight ends, the running backs, and maybe Albert Wilson although he doesn't do a lot with the passes thrown his way. Williams had three catches for 60 yards against the Bucs back in Week 5 and he has had three catches for 11 yards combined since. Stay away from Dolphins pass catchers outside of the ones named above. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Jerry Jacobs DET | The touchdown barrage continued for Thielen as he had five catches for 62 yards and two scores against the 49ers. He now has seven or more targets in six straight games and 60+ yards in five of the last six. Somehow he had his worst game of the season against the Lions back in Week 5, and there is no way that I expect him to only have two catches for 40 yards again in this one. The fact that he only has three games over 80 yards makes him a little touchdown dependent for DFS purposes, but the Lions secondary has been quite giving so I can't argue against you using him there. Obviously he is a no brainer for season long lineups. |
| Nelson Agholor NE | Dean Jackson BUF | He had five catches for 72 yards on the opening week and he has reached five catches just one other time this season and hasn't gotten over 60 yards in any game since. He also has scored just twice since opening weekend so you can't even hope for that. The Pats use a run-heavy offense and even though they have been throwing more of late, Agholor still isn't having an impact. Even with the Bills losing Tre'Davious White to injury, their secondary is still strong enough that I wouldn't even give Agholor a second thought. |
| Deonte Harris NO | Anthony Brown DAL | He is appealing a DUI suspension and that appeal should keep him on the field for this weekend. And while Anthony Brown seems to be a human pass interference penalty, I don't see Harris having a big impact in this game. He has had five or more targets in four of the last five games, but has only had more than three catches once and has just 20 receiving yards combined in the last two weeks. The suspension is likely coming after this week and I don't expect him to have an impact in this game so you can cast Harris to the waiver wire now. The change to Taysom Hill won't make him any more appealing as he doesn't have a deep arm either. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Byron Jones MIA | Kadarius Toney didn't practice Wednesday, and he is not showing to be a guy who plays when he is banged up. Sterling Shepard is also iffy. However, even when those guys have missed games, Slayton hasn't really taken advantage of increased plays on the field. He has just seven catches for 77 yards in the last two weeks, and the Dolphins pass defense continues to play very strong. Daniel Jones might also miss the game, and while he hasn't been great, he is still better than Mike Glennon and none of this makes me feel remotely like hoping that Slayton will have a good game. |
| Elijah Moore NYJ | Steven Nelson PHI | It only took one game with Zach Wilson to torpedo Moore's value as he had just four catches for 46 yards and didn't score for the first time in four weeks. Corey Davis should be back for this one, which could cut into Moore's work more. The Eagles pass defense doesn't give up many yards, but has allowed 20 pass touchdowns. Moore has played well enough to warrant usage in a WR3/flex spot in your season long games, but with the matchup and the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback I wouldn't use him for any DFS contest. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Javelin Guidry NYJ | He had two catches for 31 yards on Sunday, but not even a matchup against the Jets can revitalize this guy's fantasy prospects. His 31 yards were the most since Week 3 and this was the first time he had more than one catch since Week 7. The Eagles are just ultra committed to the run right now and Reagor belongs on the waiver wire even though he was targeted seven times last week. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | Anthony Averett BAL | He has been seeing increased usage over the past couple of weeks as Claypool has 17 targets in the last two games. He also has topped 80 receiving yards in back to back weeks. Yeah, I know Ben Roethlisberger isn't what he used to be, but this team still passes the ball a great deal, and will probably be playing from behind in this one. The Ravens secondary allows 275 yards per game through the air which is the second worst, but Averett is allowing just 55% of passes to be caught and a 78.3 quarterback rating against. Claypool is the big play threat though and only needs a few catches to make his fantasy day. I wouldn't count on him for DFS purposes, but Claypool belongs in your season long lineups for the rest of the season. |
| Jauan Jennings SF | Bless Austin SEA | He has been operating out of the slot lately, but with Deebo out of the picture at least for this week, it will likely put Jennings at the other starting outside spot. His three catches and 24 yards last week were both season highs and he caught his second touchdown of the year. The Seahawks secondary isn't good at all, buut even without Samuel, I feel like the Niners are just going to run even more and throw the majority of the time to the backs, Aiyuk, and George Kittle. Jennings won't be on the fantasy radar for Week 13. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Josh Norman SF | Somehow he avoids being terrible even when the rest of the team is really bad. It was all in the first half, but Lockett had three catches for 96 yards against Washington on Monday night. He has found ways to find holes in the defense and get the ball from Wilson. That is now two straight games with 95+ yard and three of the last four. He had four catches for 24 yards in Week 4 against the Niners, but I expect him to do better than that. Josh Norman has been a bit better lately but still allows 70% of passes to be caught at 14 yards a clip. I can't play Seahawks in DFS games, but Lockett has been good enough that he is still a must-start in season long leagues. |
| Tyler Johnson TB | A.J. Terrell ATL | Antonio Brown still isn't coming back and is going to miss next week's game as well. Unfortunately for fantasy players, Johnson really hasn't taken advantage of his opportunity. He had five catches for 65 yards the first game that Brown missed, and has had a combined five catches for 34 yards in the next three games. The Falcons defense isn't good, but Terrell is actually a top ten corner according to Pro Football Focus and there's no reason to think that Johnson will all of a sudden have a breakout game. Leave him on your waiver wire. |
| Curtis Samuel WFT | Brandon Facyson LV | He played and he didn't get hurt, but Samuel had just one catch on one target for nine yards. With Washington actually having legitimate playoff aspirations and Logan Thomas returning, I don't see Samuel being vaulted back into a prominent role this week either. I expect him to get more work than he did last week and maybe three of four targets, but I don't think he will have a role that will warrant fantasy consideration for Week 13. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 13.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Rudy Ford JAX | How crazy is it that seven catches and 96 yards is one of Kupp's worst games of the season? He hasn't scored since Week 8, but with his neverending volume and 90+ yards in every game but one this season it is hard to complain too much about how he is doing. He gets a cupcake matchup against the Jaguars who haven't been a terrible secondary, but the Rams have lost three straight and are sure going to look to get right against Jacksonville at home. Kupp has been, and remains a must start in season long and DFS games for Week 13. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | P.J. Williams NO | He didn't quite clear concussion protocol in time to play on Thanksgiving, but there is no doubt that Lamb will play this week. He had been playing well with two games over 90 yards in the last four before the conussion and I expect him to come out firing again in this one. Williams has been forced into slot coverage with injuries in the Saints secondary and he has allowed seven of the last eight targets his way to be caught. He has had a great season and I love Lamb in both season long and DFS contests for Week 13. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Kyle Fuller DEN | He has had some down games as far as yardage is concerned, with three games under 50 yards, but Hill has had ten or more targets in seven of the last eight games and in that eighth game he was targeted nine times. The Chiefs offense is still somewhat broken, and short passes to Hill is how it is operating best. Fuller is only allowing 53% of passes to be caught, but has a 107.9 quarterback rating against and is allowing 16.3 yards per catch. I don't expect a high powered offensive show by the Chiefs, but I expect Hill to have 15-17 points in PPR leagues and be a great option on the Sunday night showdown slate. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Mike Hilton CIN | The targets (five straight in double digits), catches (six or more in five straight) and yards (75+ in six of the last seven) are all there for Allen, the only thing stopping him from being one of the top five receivers in fantasy is that he has just two touchdowns all season. Hilton is allowing 76% of passes at him to be caught, and Allen is locked in as the Chargers number one receiver with Mike Williams struggling over the last month or so. Allen should keep his strong volume and production going in Week 13 and if he could find the end zone he would be an elite option. He is always a start in season long and I like him this week in DFS contests as well as I think he will get that third touchdown. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Richie Grant ATL | He had been amazing since Antonio Brown went down, but had just four catches for 24 yards last week against the Colts. Brown will return this week, but I do think that there will be one more game that Godwin could easily be the focal point of the passing game. Plus, despite the Falcons struggles, their outside corners are better than Grant in the slot. He is in there because of injuries and Grant has allowed 85% of passes to be caught and two touchdowns with a 141.8 quarterback rating against. The Bucs are going to look to punch the Falcons in the face early and Godwin had four catches for 62 yards and a score the first time they faced off. Tampa could look to run the ball a lot in the fourth quarter and they could also rest their stars if they get far enough ahead, but Godwin should be a big part of building that strong lead. |
| Hunter Renfrow LV | Landon Collins WFT | His fantasy stock definitely rose on Thanksgiving as he had eight catches for 134 yards against the Cowboys. In this game it wasn't just the short possession action for Renfrow, he had two long catches in this one as well. With Darren Waller iffy for this week, that could put even more of a role in Renfrow's lap as he is the one lone reliable wide receiver on this team. He has eight or more targets in six of the last eight weeks, and I don't expect that volume to decrease. Collins is a safety, not a coverage guy and has a 125.5 quarterback rating against and has allowed 76% of passes his way to be caught. I love Renfrow in all fantasy formats again for Week 13. |
| Jaylen Waddle MIA | Darnay Holmes NYG | He is just starting to own the Dolphins passing game now. After his ten looks on Sunday he now has eight or more targets in six of the last seven games and seven or more catches in five of the last seven. He had his first 100-yard game of the season against the Panthers, and will look to duplicate that against the Giants. While he might not hit triple digits, there is now little doubt that he will be the most targeted receiver and since his explosion against Jacksonville in Week 6, he has had under 10 fantasy points in PPR scoring just once and over 14 points in four of six games. Given his target share you gotta love Waddle in both season long and DFS contests for Week 13 against a fairly easy Giants secondary. I know they shut down the Eagles, but Philadelphia barely even tried to throw. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | L'Jarius Sneed KC | The Broncos decided that passing wasn't something they were interested in last week and Jeudy had just two catches for 25 yards. I am taking it with a grain of salt as none of the three receivers were targeted more than three times so it isn't like one of the others suddenly was favored by Bridgewater. Sneed is coming off a bye, but he is ranked 60th among all corners by Pro Football Focus and is allowing 75% of passes to be caught for 11 yards a clip. As I have stated with other Broncos, they are going to have to throw more than they have, and Jeudy has been the most targeted guy outside of last week. While none of them are great options in DFS games, for the showdown if you are going to pick one, it would be Jeudy. |
| Russell Gage ATL | Mike Edwards TB | The Falcons offense might be complete trash, but Gage is the one guy who is at least doing a little something. He has 15 targets in the last two weeks that has turned into 11 catches for 111 yards and a score. This is nothing to get that excited about for sure, but if you are looking for a desperation flex play or perhaps a dart throw that will have low ownership for DFS you could look to Gage. Tampa's secondary lost Jamel Dean last week and now it is really undermanned. Edwards is primarily a safety more than a coverage guy and if the Falcons are going to do anything, Gage could be in for a 10-12 fantasy point game. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Robert Rochell LAR | I know we all want it to be 'Viska SZN and it hasn't panned out at all. However, the slot continues to be thin with quality options and he has had 22 targets in the last three weeks. It has only amounted to 98 yards, but the increased usage since Jamal Agnew went out is at least worth noting. The Rams have a potent secondary, but Randall Cobb was just having a hell of a game out of the slot last week before he was injured. Trevor Lawrence is a LONG way from being Aaron Rodgers, but if you are looking for a possible ten fantasy points in PPR leagues and you have been unable to let go of Shenault, this might be a week to give him a go |
Elite
I hate going chalk with the top priced receiver, but how can I not here? Even the last two weeks when the Rams have been “down” the guy is still killing it. The price tag is steep, and you want to see him find the end zone to return value, but I love the Rams at home after being outside on the road for the last two weeks. The Jaguars defense isn’t as bad as their record would lead you to believe, but I really expect the Rams to stomp a mud hole in them. Kupp should be a near lock for 10 catches, over 100 yards and that score that he has missed out on for the last three weeks.
Justin Jefferson vs Amani Oruwariye
No Cook will mean a good game for Alexander Mattison, but it also probably leads to the Vikings throwing a bit more. Jefferson is five yards short of having 400 receiving yards in the last three weeks and has two touchdowns in that span. He torched the Lions for seven catches and 124 yards back in Week 5 and there is nothing to think that won’t happen again. Cousins has multiple touchdowns in four straight games and five of the last six, and I expect that streak to continue. Look for Jefferson to go over 100 yards again and likely find the endzone.
Affordable
Another game without Antonio Brown and Godwin has been one of the hottest receivers in football in the weeks without that third receiver. Well, not last week, but the games before that. I don’t think that the Bucs will just grind the game to a halt this time with Leonard Fournette, and Tampa’s offense should look more like we are used to. Godwin had a strong game against the Falcons early this season and that was with Brown in there. It really doesn’t matter who Atlanta puts on him in coverage, the Falcons are allowing almost two passing touchdowns a game on average. Tom Brady tore them apart the first time they played and I like both of their receivers this week, but Godwin a bit more
Hunter Renfrow vs Landon Collins
I debated between Renfrow and Jaylen Waddle here, but with Darren Waller all but sure to miss the game, I love the opportunity for Renfrow here. Renfrow is also more of a bargain option on FanDuel and more of the affordable option on DraftKings. He had extra time to rest and get ready for the game since they last played on Thanksgiving, and he had his best stats of the season in that one. Waller missing should get him even more targets, and he has had nine in three of the last four weeks. The Washington defense is tied with Indianapolis for the most passing touchdowns allowed this season with 26 in just 11 games. They also allow the third most yards. Derek Carr has been playing well of late again, and I expect him to rely quite heavily on Renfrow as his number one target.
Bargain Bin
He is a better price on DraftKings and Yahoo, but still cheaply priced everywhere. No Deebo? No problem! Aiyuk is peaking at the right time. He has six or more targets in four of the last five games and he could have that number by halftime this week. The 49ers are sure to run the ball plenty with Elijah Mitchell, but they should still throw close to 30 times. The pass catching options are very thin after Aiyuk and Kittle, and that should mean plenty of opportunities. Seattle’s defense is swiss cheese against the pass and Aiyuk should easily return value on his salary this week.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.