Remember, the No. 1 wide receiver doesn’t always matchup against the No. 1 cornerback. This isn’t a game of Madden! Seriously, it’s not!
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Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
Michael Crabtree BAL | Michael Davis LAC | The Ravens are winning games, but Lamar Jackson is hardly using his receivers. Crabtree will catch two or three balls for 30-ish yards, but that's it. The upside with Baltimore receivers is limited in this run-heavy offense. Fade Crabtree this week. |
Taylor Gabriel CHI | Rasul Douglas PHI | By the numbers, Douglas struggled the last three weeks of the season, allowing the most yards in coverage and a 66.7 completion percentage.* Gabriel is an intriguing play in this matchup, but I trust another Chicago receiver more than Gabriel. |
Michael Gallup DAL | Tre Flowers SEA | Despite allowing a passer rating of 111.8 when targeted this season, Flowers was better down the stretch run, posting three straight games to end the season with a sub-60.0 passer rating when targeted.* Gallup has caught three passes in each of his last two games, but he lacks the upside needed to dominate a small slate like this. |
DeAndre Hopkins HOU | Pierre Desir IND | In two games this season against the Colts, Hopkins has amassed 10 grabs for 169 yards and a touchdown, and four catches for 36 yards and a touchdown. The Colts slowed him down in the second go around, but Hopkins has three straight 100-yard games and he is going to get double-digit targets in this contest. He's an excellent play in your DFS lineups. |
T.Y. Hilton IND | Johnathan Joseph HOU | Hilton likely won't practice much during the week, but he is a must-start as long as he suits up on Saturday afternoon. He dominates the Texans every time they face off, and in two games this year against Houston, Hilton has 13 receptions on 18 targets 314 yards. While he hasn't scored in these matchups, he's wreaked havoc and is worth every penny in DFS. |
Mike Williams LAC | Jimmy Smith BAL | Williams has four touchdowns (one rushing) in the past three weeks, which may lead to the desire to roster Williams. However, be wary, as Smith has allowed a mere 65.1 passer rating when targeted over the final four weeks of the season. Williams is a very risky play, as that Baltimore defense is nasty. |
Nelson Agholor PHI | Prince Amukamara CHI | Agholor has three touchdowns in his past two games with Nick Foles under center, Agholor is averaging five targets per game. Foles is going to spread it out, but Agholor has a clear role in the offense and should be able to get behind Amukamara for at least one big gain. Amukamara has allowed a 104.2 passer rating over the past three weeks, making Agholor a solid play in Wild Card Weekend. |
Tyler Lockett SEA | Byron Jones DAL | Byron Jones was really good for most of the season, but his play slipped over the final four weeks of the regular season. During that four-game span, he allowed two touchdowns, nearly 17 yards per reception and a 134.8 passer rating when targeted.* Lockett is a very intriguing play against Jones and Co. |
Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
John Brown BAL | Casey Hayward Jr. LAC | In the entire month of December, Brown saw just 18 targets from Lamar Jackson. As mentioned with Michael Crabtree, there is limited upside with Baltimore's receivers due to their nature of their run-heavy offense and Jackson's ability to throw the football. He hasn't yet shown to be a capable NFL passer, but hey, he's a rookie, give it time. |
Allen Robinson CHI | Avonte Maddox PHI | Maddox has been pretty good in coverage over the last two weeks of the season, but it's hard to go away from Robinson's target share the past few weeks. Sure, production has been inconsistent and he hasn't found the end zone, but Robinson is averaging eight targets per game over the last month. I like Robinson a lot this weekend. |
Amari Cooper DAL | Shaquil Griffin SEA | The Dak Prescott to Amari Cooper connection lost some steam after the two hooked up for 217 yards in the beginning of December against the Eagles. Since that game, Cooper has caught just 13 of 23 targets for 83 yards with zero touchdowns. The two should be fine in playoffs, making Cooper an enticing play in Wild Card weekend. |
Vyncint Smith HOU | Quincy Wilson IND | Smith didn't quite come through last week as I thought he might, but the rookie out of Limestone college will be relied upon in the playoffs for the Texans. Keke Coutee should return, meaning Smith is technically the team's third receiver. He will serve as the team's vertical threat, but in DFS contests, he's a risky play, as he may only see a handful of targets, as DeAndre Hopkins and Coutee will dominate Deshaun Watson's attention. |
Zach Pascal IND | Shareece Wright HOU | Pascal scored both of his touchdowns this season against the Texans, and those were in fact his two best games of the season. As long as Shareece Wright is covering Pascal, he has a chance to put up numbers against the Houston secondary. He's an intriguing play at his price point. |
Tyrell Williams LAC | Marlon Humphrey BAL | Humphrey has been a pain on opposing receivers this season, and over the last four weeks of the regular season, he recorded two interceptions, didn't allow a touchdown and held opposing quarterbacks to a 52.9 passer rating when targeted.* Williams has been quiet of late, and with the looming return of Hunter Henry, targets could be even more sporadic for the fourth-year receiver. I'm fading Williams in Week 18, also known as Wild Card Weekend. |
Alshon Jeffery PHI | Kyle Fuller CHI | Since Nick Foles took over, the Eagles have three wins, a playoff berth, and Jeffery is averaging six targets per game. He caught his sixth touchdown of the season last week against the Redskins, but will he make it a second week in a row? It could be tough, as Fuller allowed just four touchdowns all season, with the last coming back in Week 10.* I'd rather roster Nelson Agholor. |
David Moore SEA | Chidobe Awuzie DAL | Moore has the better matchup on the outside for the Seahawks, but he's seen just 10 targets over the past three weeks and he's not finding the end zone like he was in the month of October. He shouldn't be played in more than one or two of your DFS lineups. I just don't see it happening for Moore this week. |
Now, here are this weekend’s matchups in the slot.
Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
Willie Snead BAL | Desmond King LAC | Like the other Baltimore receivers, I'm fading Snead in Wild Card Weekend. He had productive outings against the Bucs and Chiefs a few weeks back, but even in those games, he fell below 10 points in any format other than a PPR. Fade, fade, fade. |
Anthony Miller CHI | Cre'Von LeBlanc PHI | Miller's shoulder injury is considered "nothing significant" but it's worth noting that Miller did not return after the injury. Sure, the Bears had a playoff spot wrapped up, so there was no reason to put him in harms way, but it could bother him in this matchup. If Miller plays without limitation, he's in a great spot against LeBlanc, whom allowed the fourth-most yards in slot coverage over the final four weeks of the regular season.* |
Cole Beasley DAL | Justin Coleman SEA | A great touchdown grab salvaged an otherwise quiet fantasy day from the veteran slot receiver. It was just his third touchdown on the season, but in Wild Card weekend, he's an interesting play, as not every target can go to Amari Cooper or Ezekiel Elliott. Coleman has allowed a passer rating of 83.2 when targeted over the final four weeks of the season, not to mention the eighth-most receiving yards in slot coverage during that span.* |
Keke Coutee HOU | Kenny Moore IND | When on the field this year, Coutee has been a difference maker for Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans. In his only matchup against the Colts this season, he caught 11 of 15 targets for 109 yards. He's logging full practices, but there is concern that his hammy could flare up again. He hasn't played since November 26th, but he's in a great spot for a big game. At his price point, expect him to be owned in quite a few lineups. |
Chester Rogers IND | Kareem Jackson HOU | Rogers had a big first outing against the Texans back in Week 4, but in the team's second matchup of the season, he was far quieter. Jackson has allowed just 6.7 yards per reception in slot coverage in his last three games, making him my least favorite play amongst the Colts wideouts. |
Keenan Allen LAC | Brandon Carr BAL | In a recent matchup against the Ravens, Allen caught five of eight targets for 58 yards. That's a pretty safe floor for Allen in this matchup, but he can go for big production in any given matchup. Carr has allowed just six receptions over the past four weeks in slot coverage, but for what it's worth, that has been on just six targets.* You will want some exposure to Allen in DFS this weekend, but he's not necessarily a core play. |
Golden Tate PHI | Sherrick McManis CHI | Tate just hasn't found his stride with the Eagles, aside from the first matchup against the Redskins. He continues to get playing time, but the results have been inconsistent. In short, Nelson Agholor and Alshon Jeffery are better plays, as McManis has been a beast in slot coverage in recent weeks. |
Doug Baldwin SEA | Anthony Brown DAL | Baldwin was quiet last week, but that wasn't the case in weeks prior. The Dallas defense will pose some challenges for Baldwin, but he looks healthy and had four touchdowns over the last four weeks of the season. In slot coverage, Brown allowed a 103.3 passer rating when targeted and 11.9 yards per reception.* |