Welcome to the weekly wide receiver/cornerback breakdown! We will review each of the outside matchups, as well as my 10 favorite matchups in the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my five absolute favorite matchups. This article is also critical for daily players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. It is the fantasy playoffs now, so your lineup decisions have never been more critical. Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| DeAndre Hopkins ARI | James Bradberry NYG | He hasn't had more than 55 yards in a game in three weeks, and that also coincides with the injury to Kyler Murray's shoulder. The offense hasn't been playing up to standards, but they have also been playing pretty decent defenses. The Giants are coming off a huge win over Seattle, and Bradberry was pretty solid against D.K. Metcalf. Bradberry has been solid of late again as he has allowed just eight of the last 19 targets against him to be caught. Hopkins is sure to be the highest targeted receiver on the team, and there is never a time where you can put him on your fantasy bench. There sure are better values for your money on the DFS slate though, and Hopkins could be a solid fade there or possibly a contrarian pick in just a lineup or two. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Casey Hayward LAC | Despite being a question mark coming into the game last week, Jones still had six catches on ten targets for 94 yards. He did limp to the sidelines at one point, but seemed to jog off whatever was bothering him and finished the game strong. That has to lead us to believe that he will be fine for this one. And we know, any time that Julio is healthy, he is a must-play. The Chargers allow just 214 yards per game through the air, but they have given up 24 pass touchdowns in 12 games. Hayward is the best corner that the Chargers have, but he is far from a shutdown kind of guy and Julio should get you 15-17 fantasy points in this one with a chance of more. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Terrance Mitchell CLE | I figure that Denzel Ward will likely miss another game, which opens up the door for Brown a little. He has scored in two straight weeks, but they were also games where the team was missing it's top option in Mark Andrews and their second best receiver in Willie Snead. Last week he went against one of the worst defenses in football in Dallas and had just 39 yards. The Ravens are running the ball at a ridiculous rate right now, and I see that continuing this week. Cleveland has been a beatable pass defense, allowing 25 touchdowns, and Brown did have a great first game against them. So, while he isn't going to have a big 100-yard game, 65 yards or so and a touchdown against a corner who was burned for 95 yards and a score last week seems pretty attainable even with Snead and Andrews likely back. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Steven Nelson PIT | Nelson did miss last week's game, but he should be back for this one and that is mildly bad news for Diggs. He allows just a 60 percent catch rate, and that has been under 50 percent in the last three games. However, Diggs leads the league with 90 catches in just 12 games and has the second most targets with 121. He has had six or more catches in every game but one and that was against Jalen Ramsey and the Rams. Diggs has at least 90 receiving yards in four of the last five weeks. There is no way that you can not play Diggs in your fantasy playoffs, but there are plenty of elite wide receivers with better matchups for DFS purposes. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | A.J. Bouye DEN | We still don't know if Moore is a positive Covid test or a close contact, so his availability for this week is still in question. Not only that, but the ankle injury he suffered at the end of Week 12 before their bye still has to be a factor. Moore had been better of late, but the Broncos secondary has been pretty solid. Given everything working against him, Moore is a total fade in DFS purposes even if he is cleared to play, and honestly he is probably not much more than a flex play in season long contests. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Vernon Hargreaves HOU | It doesn't matter who is the quarterback and how bad they are, Robinson just continues to get it done. He is the fourth most targeted receiver in the league, and has six catches or more in five straight games. The Texans defense is certainly compromised with Bradley Roby out and Hargreaves is a very limited corner. Robinson has four inches on him, and Hargreaves allows 13.4 yards per catch and has allowed 13 of the last 15 targets against him to be caught. The Bears are likely to get Nick Foles back this week which would be a slight boost and I expect Robinson to be a beast this week. He is obviously a great start in your fantasy playoffs and certainly someone that belongs in a number of your DFS lineups as well. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | He has been a slightly better option than expected since the injury to Joe Burrow, and Higgins has been good for 10+ fantasy points in each of those two games. Whether it is Brandon Allen or Ryan Finley, Higgins will be compromised from what he could possibly do if there were anyone better under center. The Cowboys are literally the worst defense in football, so that gives me some hope for Higgins to have his best game since Burrow went down. With A.J. Green completely out of the picture, Higgins will be the preferred red zone target if the Bengals can possibly get inside the 20. Higgins remains a low-end WR3 or at worst a flex play for this week. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | Marcus Peters BAL | Higgins had a great week against the Titans with six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown last week, but that was also against a pretty poor defense. The Browns had one of their best passing games of the year, but it certainly isn't what we should normally expect from Baker Mayfield and Cleveland. The Ravens did give up 285 yards to Andy Dalton and the Cowboys, but the Ravens give up 226 per game on the season. The Browns are likely going to run more than pass this week and with Smith being a tough matchup Higgins is unlikely to have another good fantasy game in Week 14. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | William Jackson III CIN | The Cowboys offense clearly isn't what it was at the beginning of the season, but Cooper has still been a consistent option each and every week. He has at least five catches in four straight weeks and has scored in two straight. We all love to crap on the Bengals, but Jackson actually has been pretty strong. Darius Slayton had no catches and DeVante Parker was far off his usual output. Cooper is still going to be heavily targeted in this game and is likely to still have six catches and 75-80 yards. He won't be someone that will be highly featured in DFS lineups, but of course is always a start in season long leagues. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | Rasul Douglas CAR | He has just four catches in the last two games where Drew Lock has played for just 42 yards. Jeudy hasn't scored in four games, and has just two touchdowns on the season. It appears that Tim Patrick has surpassed him in terms of production, and Jeudy's stock is plummeting fast. I would think there would even be a chance that Douglas spends more time on Patrick than Jeudy, although Donte Jackson is still a good corner assuming he is healthy. The way the Broncos pass game and Drew Lock have been playing I would have a hard time trusting my fantasy playoffs to Jeudy. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Jaire Alexander GB | With Golladay unlikely to return, that will mean that Jones remains the top option. While interim coach Darrell Bevell put the offense at a much higher pace, I am not sure that it will continue. With Jones as the top guy it also puts Jaire Alexander on him who is one of the best corners in football. Jones has been on a nice streak since Golladay got hurt, but this is a tough week to trust him. |
| Davante Adams GB | Amani Oruwariye DET | Ooooooooh Nellie! Prepare yourself for some fireworks! Adams has been targeted nine or more times in every game he has finished this season, and has scored in every game since Week 7. The Lions defense is pretty terrible as we have seen week in and week out. If you look at Adams game log you will see that he had just three catches for 36 yards the first time against the Lions. However, he played just 38 snaps due to injury. The Lions will definitely be without Desmond Trufant and likely Jeff Okudah as well and Rodgers and Adams are going to connect a ton this week. He is definitely my play of the week. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Jaylon Johnson CHI | Cooks was third on the team with pass yards last week in the first game without Will Fuller. He has topped 65 yards in four of the last five, and I do expect him to be better this week than last. I also don't expect Chad Hansen to have a 100-yard game again. Johnson allows just a 54 percent catch rate, but he also allows 15.3 yards per catch and has allowed 190 yards. I do think that the Texans offense will struggle some in Chicago in December, but Cooks is someone that I still have confidence in. He is 25th in targets in the NFL this season, and he should have the most this week for the team. Cooks won't be a highly used DFS option, but in season long leagues he is definitely a play. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Damon Arnette LV | He has scored in two straight weeks and after being a no-show for most of the year we are looking at a revival for Hilton. He was targeted 11 times last week as the Colts offense has been focusing Hilton more than ever. The Colts get another favorable matchup to throw to as the Raiders have allowed 20 passing touchdowns in 12 games. Arnette missed time last week with a head injury, but should play in this one. He allows an 80 percent catch rate and a 101.6 quarterback rating against. Assuming that Philip Rivers continues to look Hilton's way this week, he is a very strong play in both season long and DFS games in Week 14. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Malcolm Butler TEN | Mike Glennon is going to continue to be the quarterback for the Jaguars and he has been taking more shots down the field than Gardner Minshew did. However, it has been a quite up and down season for Chark. He missed Week 12 with a rib injury, but then came back in Week 13 with just two catches on seven targets. Glennon has found more of a connection with Collin Johnson than Chark, but Chark is still the most talented receiver. Butler has allowed a touchdown in two of the last three weeks, and Glennon is not torpedoing the fantasy value of the receivers on the team. There should definitely be some scoring in this one and if you have Chark he isn't a bad play in your crucial matchups this week. I don't think I could trust him in DFS contests though. |
| Sammy Watkins KC | Xavien Howard MIA | His 13 targets since returning from injury have been a nice healthy number, but he has just four catches in each of the last two weeks and hasn't topped 40 receiving yards in either. The Chiefs pass game will continue to revolve around Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce and with the Dolphins having a strong secondary there is no reason to believe that this will be one of Watkins few strong games a year. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Stephon Gilmore NE | There is a crossroads here. Woods has been great the last three weeks with 29 catches on 38 targets, and has been over 80 pounds in the three games. On the bad side, he has a tough matchup with Stephon Gilmore. Last year he was Defensive Player of the Year, but he isn't even in the top-50 corners according to Pro Football Focus. He is allowing 12.5 yards per catch, but many other metrics, Gilmore has been very solid. The Rams offense is on a nice roll right now, and I do think that they will able to pass some on the Patriots, but not enough to trust him for DFS purposes. I still feel good enough in recent weeks that I still trust Woods for season long games. |
| Mike Williams LAC | A.J. Terrell ATL | He is pretty matchup dependent for weeks that we can expect him to have strong outputs. Williams has had three rough weeks in the last month with under 50 receiving yards, but things look sunny and bright this week. The Falcons allow 285 yards per game through the air and have surrendered 24 pass touchdowns. Keenan Allen is going to get the majority of the action here, but there should be plenty more to trickle down to Williams. Terrell allows nearly 14 yards per reception and a 116.5 quarterback rating against. Williams will be a nice DFS GPP play as well as a WR3 for season long matchups. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Xavier Rhodes IND | He does have over 50 yards in two straight games, but Ruggs did this against two of the worst pass defenses in football. He also wouldn't have done much without that deep touchdown at the end against the Jets. Things will get much tougher as the Colts are one of the best pass defenses in football. It was a nice game for Ruggs last week, but the fantasy relevance ends there for him and he is a definite fade in Week 14. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Bashaud Breeland KC | He was ejected last week against the Bengals which stopped him from having more than four catches and 35 yards. The Dolphins offense is certainly not as effective with Tua Tagovailoa under center which is the current stiuation. They will have to throw plenty to try to keep up with the Chiefs which means that there are going to be more opportunites for Parker to succeed. Breeland has had two tough games in the last three as he has allowed 50+ receiving yards in each. He has also allowed four touchdowns in the last three weeks. On the season though, he allows just a 50 percent catch rate and 11 yards per catch. None of this puts Parker on the DFS landscape, but it at least makes him someone that you can count in your WR2 spot or at worst your third receiver. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Carlton Davis TB | The Vikings are on a great roll throwing the ball, and Thielen has been a big part of it. He has been targeted 11 times in each of the last two games with eight catches in each. He has five touchdowns in the last three games. Davis is a solid corner, but the Bucs pass defense which was once stout has allowed 23 touchdowns in 12 games. Davis was embarrassed by Tyreek Hill before the bye and had three nightmare games in a row and has allowed 13.4 yards per catch all season. The week off may have helped him reset, but Thielen is going to get his. This game should feature plenty of points and Thielen is in play in both season long and DFS contests. |
| Damiere Byrd NE | Jalen Ramsey LAR | That game where he had six catches for 132 yards was just two weeks ago, but it seems like forever. Byrd had just five catches for 49 yards in the past two weeks combined and he is going to have Jalen Ramsey on him. Case closed, let's move on. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Darius Slay PHI | So, Taysom Hill does know how to throw to Thomas. If he could only play the Falcons every week as he has had a 100 yard game in each of those last two. There should be little problem this week though against the Eagles who are just imploding in front of us. Darius Slay has been beaten and battered by several elite receivers of late, and Thomas fits that category. His value continues to be tied to Taysom Hill and if the Saints quarterback can throw effectively, Thomas should cruise in this one. If you are scared of Hill you can leave Thomas out of DFS lineups, but there is no sense not playing him in your fantasy playoff match. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Patrick Peterson ARZ | He is one of my biggest misses of 2020. I really thought that Slayton would take a step forward from last year and be a great receiver. However, the schedule was tough on him early, and he never rebounded. Slayton has one catch or less in three of the last four games, and he will now be blanketed by a really solid corner in Peterson. Whether Daniel Jones plays or not, and I think he will, Slayton should be avoided in both season long or DFS contests for Week 14 as the situation is just not good for him. |
| Breshad Perriman NYJ | Shaquill Griffin SEA | He had a nice few game stretch, but Perriman's value took a giant step back last week with one catch for 22 yards against a weak Raiders secondary. With Jamison Crowder back in the mix as the lead receiver, and Denzel Mims requiring more attention, Perriman fell to third on a team that doesn't throw the ball much, or very effectively. The Seattle secondary has been playing much better of late, which also is another strike against Perriman. The only things that make him a consideration is that the Jets should be in garbage time by the second quarter and Denzel Mims might miss the game. If the rookie can't be cleared and you are in dire need of a flex play, Perriman could be someone you could consider using. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Marshon Lattimore NO | The rookie had a couple of good games, but his value has been slowly sapped away and now is not someone you can use. We will see if Jalen Hurts can improve the offense at quarterback, but this is too volatile a situation to try to trust Reagor. The talent is there, but there is too much opportunity for this to go horribly wrong again. He has just four catches for 45 yards in the last two weeks combined and Marshon Lattimore is starting to play at a very high level again. Stay away from Reagor this week. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Tre'Davious White BUF | It was another dozen targets and eight catches for 71 yards and a touchdown for Johnson on Monday. He had a touchdown called back for penalty and then ended up getting it again anyway. Few receivers are targeted as much as Johnson, and on volume alone he is a start. White is a very solid corner who kept Deebo Samuel in check for three quarters last week, but in the end Deebo had a solid stat line. The same should be true for Johnson this week. He might not score you 20-25 fantasy points, but 15 appears to be his floor as he has just been ultra consistent all season long. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Lamar Jackson NYJ | Metcalf is one of the best receivers in football and the Jets are the second worst pass defense. Don't get cute and think about Seattle's inability to move the ball and score on the Giants. The Jets are terrible, Metcalf is awesome and this is one of the most lopsided matchups of the year. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Ronald Darby WSH | He finally seems fully healthy and is back as the focal point of the 49ers pass game with George Kittle out. Deebo has 22 targets in the past two weeks with 17 catches and 206 yards. He hasn't found the end zone since Week 6, but he also missed a chunk of time. Darby is a very solid corner, but allows 14.4 yards per catch, and Samuel has over 20 pounds of girth on him which is going to make it tough to tackle. Samuel is one of the best in the league at shaking tacklers and making yards after the catch and he is a very strong candidate for both season long and DFS games. |
| Mike Evans TB | Cameron Dantzler MIN | He continues to rack up touchdowns even if he isn't getting a ton of catches or yards. Evans has just two 100-yard games all season long, and three games with more than five catches but he has 11 touchdowns on the season. Dantzler has been better of late after a nightmare start to the season, but he has given up four touchdowns this season. The Bucs just have so many weapons to throw to that you can't stop them all and Tom Brady has shown that he loves to throw to Evans near the end zone. You can't expect eight catches or 90 yards, but he has been a great contributor all season long and you can't sit Evans against a Vikings secondary that has allowed 24 touchdowns this season. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Tre Herndon JAX | He did injure his ankle last week, although he was able to finish the game and have nice stats, but Brown did not practice on Wednesday. I feel there's almost no chance he doesn’t play and this will be big for fantasy players as he has a dream matchup. The Jags have allowed 26 pass touchdowns in just 12 games and Herndon is responsible for four of them and allows 70 percent of passes against him to be caught. Brown is having a great season and will be a beast in this one. The concern over the ankle injury hurts his DFS consideration but unless he is truly a game-time decision there is no way you can think about sitting him in the fantasy playoffs. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Richard Sherman SF | He hasn't been beaten for a lot of yards since his return from injury, but Sherman has allowed four of five passes against him to be caught. This could be a problem this week against McLaurin who is the heart and soul of the Washington offense and could get more targets if they have to throw more with Antonio Gibson out. McLaurin busted big time on Monday night with just 14 yards, but every player has a game like that from time to time. That is one you just have to turn the page on and forget. McLaurin is a stud and almost no defense has been able to keep him in check. The Niners allowed a big game to Stefon Diggs last week and I see McLaurin getting right back on track in this one. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARI | Isaac Yiadom NYG | Man has he been sucking! After a great month of October and first week in November, Kirk has completely fallen off the map in the last month. This was culminated by his one catch, two yard effort against the Rams. He has been playing tougher defenses of late and the Giants have been playing great lately and are actually in contention for the playoffs. Yiadom hasn't allowed more than 37 yards against him in the last three weeks, and allows just 63 percent of passes against him to be caught. The Cardinals offense continues to be off with the shoulder injury to Kyler Murray and Kirk likely belongs on your bench in this one. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Michael Davis LAC | He got back on track with his first 100-yard game since Week 5, and Ridley continues his awesome season. At 905 yards this season, he has a great chance of hitting the 1,000 mark against a less than stellar Chargers secondary and that is being nice to them. Pro Football Focus grades this matchup among some of the bigger ones in the receiver's favor and Vegas likes it to approach 50 points total so we know there will be lots of passing in this one. Ridley has been consistent all season long and is an absolute start in this crucial Week 14 matchup for you. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Kevin Johnson CLE | Yes, he had a freak touchdown, but the team was without Mark Andrews, Willie Snead, and Dez Bryant. Two of those three should be back this week and the Browns secondary is better than Dallas. Boykin remains off the fantasy radar as he has all season long. |
| Gabriel Davis BUF | Joe Haden PIT | He sees more time with John Brown injured, but Davis still has just four targets in each of the last two weeks. Of course, he has 147 yards and two touchdowns in those two weeks, so Davis is doing the most he can with limited opportunity. The Bills might struggle to move the ball more against the Steelers than they did San Francisco and with both Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley commanding more attention from Josh Allen it feels like more of a long shot that Davis is able to find that one big play to make his fantasy day. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Michael Ojemudia DEN | There's a chance he is the last man standing from the starting receivers on his team if D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel can't get cleared off the Covid list. And Moore is banged up anyway, which makes me like Anderson this week. With Bryce Callahan injured, that leaves the Broncos with less than ideal corner back play and Ojemudia kinda stinks. He is ranked 101st out of all cornerbacks according to Pro Football Focus and he allows a whopping 15 yards per reception. With the volume that Anderson gets this is looking like a real strong matchup for him with the Panthers having the bye week to prepare for this one. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Phillip Gaines HOU | It feels like he is close to being someone to trust, but the team just isn't good enough for more than one receiver to be fantasy relevant. And they still throw just enough to Anthony Miller to crush Mooney's value. He does have a great matchup against Houston this week at home, but he can be nothing more than an emergency flex play or a really gutsy choice in a DFS GPP. |
| A.J. Green CIN | Rashard Robinson DAL | He has no catches since Joe Burrow went down and a report came out this week that he plans on moving on from the team next year. This sound like a guy who is motivated to you? Even against Dallas, I can't use this guy with such trash quarterback play. |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones CLE | Davontae Harris BAL | He was in on more snaps with KhaDarel Hodge being inactive and he did have a long touchdown, but Peoples-Jones still had just two catches on three targets. You can't count on a crazy big play every week especially on an offense that revolves around the run and is playing a strong secondary this week. I had hope for DPJ when ODB went down, but even I am not chasing this game. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | LeShaun Sims CIN | I don't want to react to his 11 target game with a touchdown, but it is the matchup that still has me intrigued. Now, I am not betting a DFS lineup on this, but I have enough confidence that Dallas should be able to pass some on the Bengals. Sims allows an 80 percent catch rate, and a 129.3 quarterback rating against. The Dallas offense could flop, but you had to like what you saw on Tuesday as they were at least able to move the ball. Gallup is a sneaky flex if you don't have a solid option at the position. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Donte Jackson CAR | This is the receiver to roster on the Broncos going forwards. Patrick has four or more catches in four straight and had both touchdowns against the Chiefs. Depending on how the Panthers want to play it he could see more of Rasul Douglas, but if the Broncos are going to move the ball at all through the air, it will be mostly with Patrick. The problem is the lack of success the offense has had throwing lately. He isn't someone I would consider for any DFS lineup given the current state of the offense, but I can still see Patrick being a WR3 or at worst a flex for Week 14. |
| Kenny Golladay DET | Kevin King GB | There is some optimism that maybe Golladay will play, but I don't have any. He was doing some light warming up before last week's game, but the guy hasn't practiced in many weeks. He would be a risky play even if he doesn't return since he hasn't played since Week 8 and would be going up against a strong corner in Kevin King. If Golladay doesn't play that would put the focus more on Quintez Cephus who had 63 yards and a touchdown last week. The Lions waived Marvin Hall to get a better look at some of their younger receivers down the stretch. This wouldn't be the best week to trust Cephus yet as the Packers have a couple of strong corners and we haven't seen enough yet considering this is the fantasy playoffs unless you are in a total roster emergency. |
| Allen Lazard GB | Justin Coleman DET | You might be looking for a different option in your DFS lineups to get exposure to this matchup against the Lions, but I am having a hard time feeling Lazard. Detroit is down two corners, but their run defense is also terrible, so Green Bay could just pump Adams full of targets and let Aaron Jones take it home with some Robert Tonyan mixed in. I like Lazard better than other dart throws with good matchups like David Moore or Jalen Guyton, but I don't have a ton of confidence in him. He does have two or three blow up games a season, but he still could be feeling some effects from that core injury. |
| Chad Hansen HOU | Kyle Fuller CHI | The Texans receiving group went in flux with the suspension to Will Fuller and Hansen was the surprise star with five catches for 101 yards last week against the Colts. He was a fourth round pick three years ago and was on the practice squad until right before the game. This doesn't bode well for future success. Add that a game in chilly Chicago and there is no way that I even have Hansen on a roster. I need to see him be heavily involved for a second straight week before I have any faith at all. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Trayvon Mullen LV | I had big hopes for Pittman in back-to-back easy matchups against the Titans and Texans and he didn't really come through in either. The five catches for 46 yards last week weren't bad, but it still was a disappointment. He gets another shot at a bogus secondary in Vegas, but it is hard to trust him much given his recent output and the resurgence by T.Y. Hilton. Pittman still deserves flex consideration in a game where I expect the Colts to be able to pass, but I prefer Hilton if you are picking a Colt for DFS purposes. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Breon Borders TEN | Everyone was really excited that he scored a touchdown last week, but Shenault is still not a big part of an anemic Jaguars pass game. He has just three catches in each of the past two weeks, and hasn't topped 40 yards in either. Mike Glennon has been spreading it around and Collin Johnson has been getting most of the red zone work. Even against a soft Titans secondary it will be tough to trust Shenault in this matchup. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Byron Jones MIA | The return of Sammy Watkins has taken Robinson from the fringe of fantasy relevance to the waiver wire scrap heap. He had just two catches on two targets for 39 yards. The Dolphins have strong outside corners and you can't even consider using him this week. |
| Josh Reynolds LAR | J.C. Jackson NE | Remember when Reynolds was a thing for those few weeks? That was cute wasn't it? Ever since his 94 yard output in Week 10 against the Seahawks he has just nine catches for 93 yards and no scores in the three weeks since. In fact, he hasn't scored since Week 7. Reynolds hit rock bottom last week with just one target, and while I think he will see more action than that, he isn't likely to be a factor at all against Jackson who has been a consistently good corner this season. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Darqueze Dennard ATL | Even in a great matchup with the Falcons it would be not wise to go with Guyton. He did have seven targets last week against the Patriots, but he hasn't topped 40 receiving yards since Week 7. Some may like him as a dart throw this week against the Falcons, but that is a very risky proposition as Guyton needs to have a big huge touchdown or he is worthless. Look in another direction even against Atlanta. |
| Nelson Agholor LV | Rock Ya-Sin IND | I've been trying to make Agholor a thing the past couple of weeks with the Raiders having easy matchups against the pass but he has just nine catches for 92 yards in those two games. He hasn't been awful of late, but he just isn't getting it done enough to warrant fantasy usage. He is now going against one of the stingiest fantasy pass defenses in Indianapolis who has allowed just 15 pass touchdowns in 12 games. It would be near impossible to count on Agholor for more than six to eight fantasy points this week. |
| Jakeem Grant MIA | Charvarius Ward KC | While he isn't an option with Ryan Fitzpatrick either, the Dolphins offense isn't nearly prolific enough for Grant to be even on the fantasy landscape. He has just two catches in each of the last three weeks, and has just one touchdown all season long. The Dolphins are going to have to throw some to keep up with the Chiefs, but Grant isn't someone you can consider for any fantasy lineup. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Sean Murphy-Bunting TB | He is on an absolute tear and went over 1,000 receiving yards for the season last week against the Jaguars with his 121 yards and a score. He now has a touchdown or 100 yards in four straight. How can you even think about sitting him right now? Sean Murphy-Bunting is ranked 90th among corners with Pro Football Focus, and an 81 percent catch rate. He has been beaten for four touchdowns this season and has a 116.8 quarterback rating against. Jefferson is an absolute start in your season long leagues and will be in play in DFS contests as well. |
| N'Keal Harry NE | Darious Williams LAR | Fine, he caught a touchdown last week. Wheeeeeeee! Does that excite anyone? He also has eight catches in the last six weeks combined that has turned into 62 yards. Yeah those are six weeks of receiving yards. This offense stinks and Harry isn't very good. Oh yeah, and they are playing the Rams and Williams is one of the best young corners in football. Smell ya later Harry. |
| Emmanuel Sanders NO | Avonte Maddox PHI | Avonte Maddox is actually a bad cornerback. I am surprised that he still has a job to be honest. However, the Saints offense under Taysom Hill isn't likely to take advantage of it. Hill has two things in mind which are running the ball and throwing to Michael Thomas. He gave the tight ends a few bones last week, but Sanders has 109 yards in the three games combined that Hill has been under center. If you are in desperation mode you can go with Sanders who could get you eight to ten fantasy points, but he is also likely to get you four or less which is a huge risk as your fantasy season is on the line this week. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Dre Kirkpatrick ARZ | Ok, so last week was awful, but Colt McCoy was at quarterback and the Seahawks secondary has magically improved. If Daniel Jones is out again, you can't use Shepard. However, I do believe that the Giants starter will be back and that puts Shepard right back in WR3 range. He had six or more catches in every week since he returned from injury, and even though he isn't racking up a ton of yards, he is still solid in PPR leagues. Shepard isn't going to win you any of your matchups this week, but he isn't going to cost you any either. He has a nice safe floor of 11-13 fantasy points with a chance of more if he can find the end zone for a Giants team with a lot to play for. |
| Denzel Mims NYJ | D.J. Reed SEA | He is away from the team for personal reasons and traveling back home so be wary that there's a chance that he might not be available for the game. If he is, it is hard to know what to expect out of him. The Jets were competitive last week against a terrible Raiders secondary and he had just three targets, two catches and 40 yards. He still is yet to find the end zone for the first time. Mims is 6'3" and Reed is 5'9" which could be a big factor in deep passes or if the Jets happen to get into the red zone. The offense is still very ineffective, which limits the ability for Mims to find the end zone. The Seahawks should clobber the Jets which should offer lots of garbage time. The talent is there, I am not sure about the opportunity. Mims will likely be a lower-end flex spot good for 9-12 fantasy points in Week 14. |
| Alshon Jeffery PHI | Patrick Robinson NO | You aren't really thinking about using Jeffery are you? C'mon really? Even with a change at quarterback the Eagles offense isn't going to come to life and this guy is beyond washed up. It is offensive to washed up things to call Jeffery washed up, that's how bad he is. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | Levi Wallace BUF | He disappointed in a huge way against Washington with just two catches for 38 yards. It was a tough game all around for the Steelers pass game outside of Diontae Johnson and James Washington. There's always a chance that the "big play guy" goes cold for a week or two, but you have to keep your eyes on the upside. He goes against Levi Wallace who was just tortured by the 49ers last week and allowed 146 yards and a touchdown against him. He also allows 14.3 yards per catch. I like Claypool in your season long lineups to help you get closer to that fantasy championship. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Kendall Fuller WSH | His return from the Covid list went as well as we could have hoped as Aiyuk had five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Bills on Monday night. He showed that he could get it done with short range passes and farther down the field and is becoming a must-start before our eyes. He has scored in four of his last five games and has had 75 yards or more in four straight. He has a tough matchup this week so I might prefer Samuel in DFS games, but Aiyuk will certainly help you advance in your fantasy playoffs. |
| David Moore SEA | Bryce Hall NYJ | The six yards Moore had last week against the Giants counteracted the -6 yards he had against the Eagles the week before. So he now has five receiving yards in the last three weeks. Some may look at him because they are playing the Jets and they are awful. That is often the recipe for a dart throw and if you take it I won't blame you. However, Moore seems to have better games when facing teams with really good stud corners. He has scored against the Patriots, Dolphins, 49ers, Bills, and Eagles. The Jets don't really have any good corners and both Metcalf and Lockett should be amazing. I'm not sure that leaves enough for Moore to pop off as well. |
| Antonio Brown TB | Kris Boyd MIN | He laid a major egg in the week before the bye with just two catches for 11 yards. His three targets were ten fewer than the week before and I think that last week will show to be an anomaly. The Vikings secondary isn't very good as they have allowed 24 touchdowns in 12 weeks through the air. Boyd himself allows 14.2 yards per catch and a 121.4 quarterback rating against. The Buccaneers are coming off their bye and I am sure that they are going to put up good stats against Minnesota. Look for Brown to find the end zone for the first time and to top 75 receiving yards. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Greg Mabin JAX | If you are a regular reader you would know that I have struggled with the fact that I think Davis is a viable fantasy asset for the rest of the season. I have long trashed this guy as a bust, but in true 2020 fashion, something has happened that we didn't expect. Davis popped off in a big way with 11 catches and 182 yards with a touchdown this past week. He now has five or more catches in three of the last four and over 65 yards in four straight. I do expect A.J. Brown to do more than he did last week, but Davis still has a big role. The Titans are going to have their way with the weak Jaguars secondary and this is another big week to get Davis in your lineups. I still think he is underpriced in DFS contests too and will be a great option in both cash and tournaments. |
| Cam Sims WSH | Jason Verrett SF | For the second time this season we have Sims jumping up and having a big game. Last time a lot of you fell for it, and I am hoping that we learned from that last time. Washington again threw more than they would like in a game, and Sims had a couple of nice catch and runs. He is not a consistent part of the offense, and Terry McLaurin will not be shut out like that again. You will be chasing last week's points if you pick up and put Sims in your lineups for this week. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 14.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Isaiah Oliver ATL | Allen has been off lately as he has just one game in the last four where he had more than 50 receiving yards, but there's few better slump busters than the Falcons. Allen is leading the NFL in targets by 12 and is tied for the league lead in catches. He didn't score for the first time in six weeks last game, but he absolutely will find the end zone in this one. Oliver allows a 73 percent catch rate and 111.8 quarterback rating against. Justin Herbert is going to continue to pepped Allen with targets and I see him having a huge game in this one. He is one of my favorite plays of the week. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Nik Needham MIA | Hill finally broke his ridiculous streak of games with just six catches for 58 yards last week. Imagine that being a bad game for most receivers? The Dolphins have a strong secondary, but their slot corner Nik Needham is suspect. He has been playing better in the last month or so, but this is Tyreek Hill! He has been targeted over ten times in four straight games, and is one of the two focal points of the offense. There are a couple of elite receivers I like better at their salary, but Hill is still a strong choice for some DFS lineups and he is always a no brainer for your season long games. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Jeff Gladney MIN | Dude had some pins removed from his broken finger on Wednesday, but he is still well on track to play this week. Godwin has been the most targeted receiver on the Bucs, and he has over 90 yards in two of the last three games. The Bucs are coming off their bye so they had extra time to get ready for this shoddy Vikings secondary. Gladney is ranked 94th among corners by Pro Football Focus and has allowed 20 of the 27 targets against him in the last four weeks to be caught including a touchdown. While Tampa has to spread the ball around a lot, there is no doubt that Godwin is going to be the highest volume receiver and is someone you must start. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Arthur Maulet NYJ | It has been a very up and down season for Lockett and he has five games with under 50 yards this season and four more with 60-70 yards. His volume is generally pretty much the same it is a matter of how much he takes advantage of it. But folks, this is the Jets. The Seahawks are going to wreck them and both Lockett and Metcalf should both have big games. I won't say that this could be his best game since he had 200 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona, but Lockett is an absolute lock for a minimum of 15 fantasy points but I wouldn't be surprised if he finished with 25. |
| Jamison Crowder NYJ | Ugo Amadi SEA | After barely being involved in the recent weeks since returning from injury, Crowder had five catches on seven targets for 47 yards and two touchdowns. Before we start to celebrate too much, the 47 yards still isn't an impressive total. The Jets offense sucks, but Darnold still favors Crowder. Amadi allows a 73 percent catch rate, although he also gives up just 6.8 yards per catch. The Jets are going to get hammered in this game, which should lead to lots of garbage time in this one. Garbage time to throws which should lead to targets for Crowder which should lead to production and he should be a WR3 against the Seahawks. |
| Juju Smith-Schuster PIT | Taron Johnson BUF | He has had six or more catches in six of the last seven games, although he hasn't topped 40 yards in any of the last three weeks. It does appear that Smith-Schuster is the one who is the most likely odd man out when one of the three Steeler receivers doesn't come through. Taron Johnson is ranked 100th ranked cornerback according to Pro Football Focus, and allows 76 percent of passes targeting him to be caught. The Bills just were tattooed through the air on Monday night and I anticipate that the Steelers will do better. Look for Juju to have 14-16 fantasy points. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Marlon Humphrey BAL | After a rough stretch of bad weather, Landry has 16 catches in the last two weeks with 205 yards and two touchdowns. The Browns offense possibly had its best week of the year in Week 13 against the Titans. Well, the Titans are a long way off of the Ravens. Baltimore has allowed just 17 pass touchdowns in 12 games. However, Landry is the only legitimate receiver that the Browns have so the volume is sure to continue. Landry isn't likely to have another 20+ point fantasy game, but he has a nice safe floor of 10-12 points against Baltimore. |
| Tyler Boyd CIN | Jourdan Lewis DAL | He had a 72 yard touchdown last week before he was thrown out of the game, but we at least got a glimpse that Boyd has the skills to be dynamic even with terrible quarterbacking play. Not only that, but the Dallas defense is probably the worst in the league. Clearly, Brandon Allen isn't going to light up the scoreboard, but if Boyd can have five or six catches for 50-60 yards he still remains a viable play for your fantasy football playoffs. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Mackensie Alexander CIN | He has 11 catches in the last two weeks, although he isn't racking up the yards lately. He did have nine targets last week, and is still a major part of the Cowboys offense. Lamb has a three inch height advantage on Alexander and outside of one solid game against the Giants Alexander has been beaten repeatedly. The Bengals have allowed 23 pass touchdowns in 12 games this season, and Lamb has a real good chance of getting back on track against the Bengals as Andy Dalton plays his old team. |
| Cole Beasley BUF | Mike Hilton PIT | He has either been over 100 yards or under 40 for each of the last six weeks. He has been over 100 in two of the last three, and with John Brown still out, Beasley has settled into the number two receiver role. The Steelers secondary is strong, but Hilton allows a 78 percent catch rate out of the slot and he really struggled on Monday as he allowed eight receptions on ten targets for 58 yards. The Bills and Steelers have fine defenses, but there should be a decent amount of throwing in this one, and Beasley will get six catches for 70 yards in this game. |
Elite
Davante Adams vs. Amani Oruwariye. The Lions have allowed 23 passing touchdowns this season, and Adams as scored in seven straight with 11 touchdowns over that span. The Packers don’t really have another receiver that you could even think that would take any work away from Adams. Don’t pay attention to the fact that his worst game of the season came against the Lions, he didn’t finish that game. Adams has the highest salary on the slate, but he was last week too, and he was well worth it. We can only hope that the Lions are able to score as many points this week as they did last week as that could keep Aaron Rodgers throwing even more than he would in a blowout.
D.K. Metcalf vs. Lamar Jackson . If you look up the phrase No Brainer in the dictionary (I know dictionaries don’t do phrases), you will see “using D.K. Metcalf in DFS against the Jets”. Jackson is ranked 104th among corners by Pro Football Focus and Metcalf is one of the best receivers in football. Jackson has played in six games this season and has allowed five touchdowns, including two last week. I could keep going on, but I just don’t see the need. Smash Metcalf into every lineup you can.
Affordable
Allen Robinson vs Vernon Hargreaves . He has the fourth most targets in the league, and despite the awful quarterbacking play in Chicago he has done nothing but excel. The Texans secondary is among the worst in the league, allowing 22 touchdowns and they have just lost their best corner to suspension. Robinson has 70 or more yards in five of the last six weeks, and he has been consistent all season long. This is one of the easiest calls of the week and I am shocked at how affordable that Robinson is in this one.
Julio Jones vs Casey Hayward . We talked last week about how crazy it was for Michael Thomas to be priced $7,000 on DraftKings. Well, this week Jones is priced at $6,600. He clearly has a shaky hamstring, but he is being rested during the week and played in the previous game and had good success. He has 90 or more yards in five games this season, and he has left several games early. They are begging you to take Jones at this price tag in a game that is sure to have plenty of passing. The Falcons offense has been stuck in quicksand lately, but a game against the Chargers is sure to get them back on track.
Bargain Bin
Corey Davis vs. Greg Mabin . Davis is coming off a monster game where he had 182 yards and is averaging 80 yards a game. The Jaguars are a completely awful pass defense and have several cornerbacks already hurt. Mabin is a journeyman who has bounced around the league since being an undrafted rookie, and has been more of a special teams player. With A.J. Brown having a bit of a gimpy ankle, that could force Ryan Tannehill to look a little more towards Davis again this week. There is some nice value on the slate this week, but Davis has the best chance to really stuff the stat sheet.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.