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. Covid, bye weeks, and injuries have made this week extremely difficult, so be sure to not miss a single player here! This article is also critical for daily players, 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 | Byron Jones MIA | Miami spent a lot of money on their secondary this offseason and it has been much better than it was last season. However, Jones has battled injury and inconsistency all season. Hopkins is the fifth most targeted receiver in the NFL this season and has only two games of 11 fantasy points or fewer in PPR scoring. Jones allows an average depth of target (DADOT) of 11.7 yards and with Hopkins catching 81 percent of balls thrown to him it would appear that the Cards stud receiver should still be in for a strong game in Week 9 for both season long or DFS GPP games. |
| Julio Jones ATL | Michael Ojemudia DEN | This one is not looking good for Denver. A.J. Bouye is only just back from a concussion and, well Ojemudia just isn't that good. Julio should feast. With Calvin Ridley likely out for this one, even more attention should go Jones way which we saw last week. Ojeumudia allows just under 15 yards per reception, and we saw last week that Matt Ryan looked his way right from the start. Jones is one of the best. and most targeted receivers in football. This one is in the dome in Atlanta and Jones should come away with a big game. |
| Marquise Brown BAL | Xavier Rhodes IND | He momentarily vented some frustration over Twitter about his low usage in the offense, but Brown eventually deleted it. It is hard to blame him as Brown was targeted a season-low twice last week. He has frequently been missed when open by Lamar Jackson's inaccuracies which has to further frustrate the player. The Colts pass defense is one of the best in football and Rhodes allows just a 43 percent catch rate and is the 11th highest rated corner this season according to Pro Football Focus. A corner with a very low catch rate going against a receiver who feels he isn't being targeted enough isn't a good combo. Brown is a flex play for Week 9 in the hopes that he gets the increased usage he craves. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Quinton Dunbar SEA | He is the most targeted receiver in football with 79 to this point, and Diggs came back with a solid game last week after being down for a couple. The Bills look at a "get right" game against a lowly Seahawks secondary that is not at 100 percent right now. Dunbar is allowing 13.1 yards per completion against him this year, and we know that Allen likes to throw deep to Diggs. Dunbar is only rated at 56.7 on coverage according to PFF where the top guy is rated just over 90. The Bills are going to have to throw a lot to keep up with the Seahawks awesome aerial attack (how's that for alliteration?) and Diggs will be one of the better plays of the week. |
| D.J. Moore CAR | Bashaud Breeland KC | I was asked in the Fantasy Alarm chat rooms last week "what do I do with D.J. Moore besides never draft him again?" I think that perfectly sums up the feelings that many with Moore on their roster. He teased us with a nice stretch and then just when you got comfortable against Atlanta, he crushed you with a two catch game. Breeland is rated as the 16th best corner by Pro Football Focus and is allowing just 7.3 yards per reception and a 50 percent catch rate. Considering that Moore has only had more than six targets once since Week 2 means that this is a matchup that I would likely stay away from unless you truly have no other option. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Malcolm Butler TEN | He is the second most targeted receiver which is a good thing for Robinson's fantasy numbers because we know that Nick Foles isn't all that accurate. However, it is this volume that keeps Robinson as a high-level fantasy receiver. He has been under 70 receiving yards just once this season. Robinson carries average depth of target (ADOT) of 10.6 yards, and Butler allows 11.3 yards per reception. The Titans secondary was just crushed by Joe Burrow and the Bengals last week, and while Chicago's offense certainly isn't as prolific, the Titans have no one to shut down Robinson. He will be a solid season long and DFS play this week. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Joe Haden PIT | Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse for the Cowboys offense, Andy Dalton goes and gets the Covid and now Dallas says Ben DiNucci isn't good enough to play. Bring in Cooper Rush or Garrett Gilbert! One of them has two career completions, the other has one. RIP Cooper's fantasy value until Dalton is able to return. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | A.J. Terrell ATL | We always salivate when anyone is playing Atlanta, but it isn't always a guarantee that everyone is going to have a big day. Terrell has been playing a little better of late and has crawled into the top-30 cornerback rankings on PFF. However, he is allowing nearly 14 yards per completion and Jeudy's ADOT is 13.8 yards so Jeudy likes to run longer routes and Terrell tends to give them up. However, Jeudy is only catching half of his targets. Drew Lock showed massive improvements in the second half last week and while Jeudy hasn't gotten into DFS consideration yet, he appears to be a solid WR3 or at worst a flex for Week 9. |
| Marvin Jones DET | Kris Boyd DET | He is far below what his career average in targets has been, but without Kenny Golladay for the near future, that should bode well for Jones usage. However, before we go celebrating that he is now a WR2 I will remind you he had eight catches for 78 yards in the first two weeks of the season when Golladay was hurt last. He did have two touchdowns last week, but they were both short and he only had three catches on the day. The Vikings secondary remains banged up, but I still don't see Jones launching to DFS consideration. He definitely belongs in season long lineups as your WR3 even without Matthew Stafford, but I need to see more from him before I feel confident about his production. |
| Davante Adams GB | Jason Verrett SF | He has a ridiclous 58 targets in five games and that would be much higher if he played that one game to completion. I like Verrett a lot and he has been one of the best surprises for San Francisco this season. However, Adams is just a beast. There is chance that Allen Lazard plays this week, but given that it is a Thursday game that seems unlikely. That means a minimum of a dozen targets for Adams at least. He has seven touchdowns in five weeks and is just unstoppable. The San Francisco secondary was crushed last week by D.K. Metcalf and expect another potential 100-yard game and a minimum of one touchdown in Week 9. |
| Will Fuller HOU | Sidney Jones JAX | There was a thought that Fuller was going to be traded this week but in the end it didn't happen which fantasy players are grateful for since he is playing the Jags. Fuller had scored in five straight weeks before the team's bye and this one is an extra tasty matchup. He had just four catches for 58 yards the first time these two teams played, but he did have a score. Jones allows 19.6 yards per completion which is among the worst in the league. That is great for Fuller because we know what a fantastic deep threat he is. The Texans pass game is in full swing and the Jags have allowed 282 yards per game through the air. There should be some fireworks in this one and Fuller is likely to light some off. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Jimmy Smith BAL | The deep throws are going to Marcus Johnson right now and the week after Hilton showed some lief in Week 5 against the Browns he had just one catch on five targets in Week 6 against the lowly Bengals. If he can't do it against that team, there are very few teams that you can feel comfortable with Hilton. The Lions aren't a great defense, but I wouldn't want Hilton in my starting lineup and at this point maybe not even on my roster. |
| D.J. Chark JAX | Bradley Roby HOU | This one is going to come down to whether you trust a rookie quarterback. It has been a very tough season for Chark thanks to injuries, and he has been pretty poor of late. He had seven catches in Week 6, but he hasn't stopped 50 receiving yards in any of the last three games. The Texans secondary isn't very good, but Roby is the only solid guy they have and he has allowed just over seven yards per reception. With the uncertainty with Jake Luton under center I would give Chark a seat for this one considering Chark had just three catches for 16 yards the last time these two teams played. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Rasul Douglas CAR | With Sammy Watkins still out it remains a coin flip of which outside receiver might have a fantasy impact. Of course, the answer was everyone last week against the Jets, but the Panthers secondary is much better. Douglas is having a great season and is giving up just 9.9 yards per reception and a 60 percent catch rate. Robinson has been targeted more than five times just twice this season, and this combination doesn't make me confident that he will do much of anything this week. Look in another direction for a wide out. |
| Mike Williams LAC | Nevin Lawson LV | Williams is going to be a matchup based guy every week, but this week I like the matchup. The Raiders are allowing over 260 yards per game through the air, and Justin Herbert is just oozing confidence right now. Williams is among the league leaders with an ADOT of 17.2 yards, while Lawson allows 11.7 yards per reception. Williams has three games of eight targets or more and there should be a good amount of passing in this one. Lawson allows nearly a 70 percent catch rate, and while he might not make a lot of big plays, if Williams can make one or two he will give you a solid return in your flex spot. |
| Henry Ruggs LV | Michael Davis LAC | It is bad enough that Ruggs usage is terrible and he had under ten receiving yards last week. This week he is going against a top-25 corner according to Pro Football Focus and he hasn't had more than two catches since the first game of the season…..when he caught three. Call me when the Raiders think of using this guy. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Patrick Peterson ARZ | He does have a touchdown in two of the last three weeks, but Parker has watched his value drop with the insertion of Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins offense went nowhere last week outside of the short touchdown to Parker. The Cardinals defense isn't as good as the Rams so Tua could have more time to throw, but with Patrick Peterson covering Parker this is a week to avoid the Dolphins top guy. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Jeff Okudah DET | Generally a guy who runs some short routes, Thielen has taken on a big role this season being the top guy for the Vikings. He has a 13.2 ADOT this season and is 20th among wide receivers in targets. Okudah is outside the top-100 corners in the league with a nearly 70 percent catch rate while allowing over 13 yards per reception. The Lions allowed three passing touchdowns to freaking Philip Rivers and should allow something similar to Kirk Cousins. Thielen is a great bet for at least 80 yards and a score in this one. |
| Jakobi Meyers NE | Pierre Desir NYJ | This is desperation for the Patriots as their offense is just falling apart. Meyers was the only bright spot last week with six catches on ten targets for 58 yards. The Patriots aren't throwing a ton and when they do Cam Newton hasn't been accurate. However, I think that Meyers will be the most targeted guy again and Desir is not a great corner. He is allowing 12.6 yards per catch and a 72 percent catch rate. This would have to be a bit of a emergency play, but Meyers could work into a flex role in Week 9. |
| Michael Thomas NO | Jamel Dean TB | Hooray he practiced on Wednesday!!!!! We might actually get to see Thomas for the first time since Week 1. It would be a really tough matchup to come back to against the Bucs who are one of the better pass defenses in football. Dean is one of the top five corners in 2020 according to PFF with just a 55 percent catch rate but you've been waiting all year. Just play Michael Thomas in season long leagues but obviously don't trust him in DFS contests. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Kendall Fuller WAS | He had a nice game on Monday night and even saved Daniel Jones behind in that final drive, but things should look very different this week. Fuller is a top five cornerback according to Pro Football Focus and he is allowing just a 35 percent catch rate which is among the lowest in all of football. Slayton had just two catches for 41 yards back in Week 6 against the Football Team and Washington crushed the Cowboys before their bye. Slayton is an emergency flex play at best this week. |
| Denzel Mims NYJ | J.C. Jackson NE | We got all excited for Mims after his debut game when he was targeted seven times, but then we were reminded that the Jets offense and pass game absolutely suck. Mims had two catches early and then forgotten. The Patriots defense hasn't been nearly as good as it was last year, but the run unit is so much worse than the pass game. Jackson is inside the top-ten cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus and Mims can't be used for this game. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Trevon Diggs DAL | It was another game where Johnson was hurt and came up really small for those rostering him. This time he was able to return to the game but was uninvolved after injuring his hamstring. This one is such a conundrum. Johnson is playing the worst defense in football and should be covered by a guy who allows 16.4 yards per completion. It all comes down to your risk tolerance. When he plays he is a target monster as you can see from his 38 targets in the three games he finished and the Cowboys secondary is laughable. However, will he finish the game. The decision is yours folks, I have laid out the facts and you make the call. |
| Trent Taylor SF | Jaire Alexander GB | The 49ers offense is in shambles now as Brandon Aiyuk and Kendrick Bourne are out of the game thanks to Covid. Taylor is decent but he is a short guy most effective out of the slot. Jaire Alexander should be able to shut any of them down. Don't come here for fantasy production. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Tre'Davious White BUF | The guy is just unstoppable at times and we saw that on full display last week against the 49ers. He is just bigger and faster than everyone else. He now has seven touchdowns in seven games and rolls into this game against the Bills where their secondary hasn't been as stout as we thought it would. White is allowing 14.1 yards per catch this season and Metcalf enjoys a healthy five inch height advantage over him. Buffalo has allowed 12 passing touchdowns in eight games and look for Russell Wilson and Metcalf to continue their aerial assualt on the league. |
| Mike Evans TB | Marshon Lattimore NO | He is getting a new teammate this week in Antonio Brown but it appears that Chris Godwin might be one more week away which gives Evans more time to shine. He did well last week against James Bradberry and gets a matchup against Lattimore who has great name value but has been getting beaten each and every week. He is allowing a 72 percent catch rate and very high 15.2 yards per reception. Evans has seven touchdowns in eight games and it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone if he gets another this week against a Saints secondary that has allowed 19 touchdowns in the air through seven games. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Jaylon Johnson CHI | We view Brown as a big down the field threat but his ADOT is just 8.8 yards but he still has been a stud this year. He disappointed last week against the Bengals, but at least still had a touchdown in the game. He gets a much tougher matchup against Johnson and the Bears who have allowed just eight pass touchdowns in eight games this year. He is only allowing a 53 percent catch rate on the season. However, Johnson also allows 16.7 yards per catch so if Brown is targeted his usual seven to nine times per game he should still give you a solid option and can be played in season long lineups for sure. |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | James Bradberry NYG | We know that Kyle Allen is no stud at quarterback, but McLaurin has still been producing and let's face it Dwayne Haskins is no gem either. This is a tough matchup as Bradberry is one of the best corners in the league but hasn't been as dominant lately. He has given up three touchdowns this season, including one to Mike Evans last week. McLaurin also had a solid game with seven catches for 74 yards against him just back in Week 6. The Football Team is looking a little better coming out of their bye, but McLaurin would still be a bit of a longshot to use in a DFS game. There is never a reason to keep him out of your season long leagues though. |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| Christian Kirk ARZ | Xavien Howard MIA | He does have four touchdowns in the last four weeks, but the Cardinals also faced the Seahawks, Cowboys, and Jets over that span. Kirk has been targeted under five times just twice this season, but doesn't get the easiest matchup against Miami and Howard. He is the sixth-ranked corner according to Pro Football Focus and is allowing just a 53 percent catch rate and .23 fantasy points per route targeted, which under .20 is pretty elite. However, Howard does give up 15.8 yards per reception, so Kirk might be able to make a decent day without a lot of volume. |
| Russell Gage ATL | A.J. Bouye DEN | With Calvin Ridley not practicing Thursday and the Falcons off in Week 10 it is wise to figure he won't play. Gage has had some fleeting fantasy value from time to time this season, but his usage has been all over the place. In Week 3 and Week 5 when Julio Jones was out Gage combined for just four catches for 42 yards so just because the Falcons are down a receiver doesn't make Gage a play automatically. Bouye is in his second game back from a concussion, but is a pretty decent corner when he is 100%. Gage is a lottery ticket as he could give you 14-16 fantasy points, but he could also give you five. |
| Miles Boykin BAL | Rock Ya-Sin IND | He did have a touchdown last week, but Boykin's usage is still minimal. He hasn't had more than three targets since Week 4, and hasn't had more than two catches since Week 2. We keep waiting for something to happen with him, but it isn't going to. He still doesn't belong on rosters. |
| John Brown BUF | Linden Stephens SEA | He played last week but had just one catch for 21 yards and then didn't practice on Wedneday. There have been no reports of a new injury, so it was likely the team just giving Brown a break. He honestly hasn't been effective since Week 2. The Seahawks are a terrible pass defense, but Brown is clearly not 100 percent and should be avoided even in a game that looks promising. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | Charvarius Ward KC | His play continues to be down from the start of the season, but Anderson is still the most reliable receiver on the team. He still has been consistently getting over 10 fantasy points a game in PPR leagues and despite the tough matchup still belongs in season long lineups. Ward is allowing 13.7 yards per reception, while Anderson's ADOT is 10.3. The Chiefs allow just 200 pass yards per game and nine pass touchdowns in eight games. In fairness they have played some pretty terrible offenses lately. He isn't in line for his strongest game of the year but still should return you WR3 value. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Kristian Fulton TEN | The Titans waived Johnathan Joseph and Fulton isn't entirely healthy. They did trade for a corner, but Desmond King won't be ready this week. Mooney has been targeted at least five times for six straight weeks. He has slowly continually outplaying Anthony Miller and was able to score last week against the Saints. Mooney catch 62 percent of his targets, and the Titans are going to be shorthanded in a secondary that has already allowed 17 passing touchdowns. Mooney is a less than ideal flex play for Week 9. |
| Michael Gallup DAL | Steven Nelson PIT | Ouch. The Cowboys are down to their fourth-string quarterback and playing one of the best pass defenses in football. I know that Gallup was the most-targeted receiver last week, but don't fall for that. None of them are set for any success in Week 9. |
| Tim Patrick DEN | Blidi Wreh-Wilson ATL | He was not able to play last week with a hamstring injury, but considering that he wasn't ruled out until late makes me confident in Patrick. Before getting hurt Patrick had two straight 100-yard games and seems to be the most reliable receiver on the team. The Falcons secondary is absolutely terrible and Patrick has a three inch height advantage over Wreh-Wilson. Assuming Patrick plays he fits into your season long lineups for sure. |
| Marvin Hall DET | Cameron Dantzler MIN | Hall came out of nowhere with a 100-yard game last week after having just 56 receiving yards in the rest of the season. Boyd is dealing with a back and hamstring injury and two other Vikings corners are also hurt. I can't say that I trust Hall that much after one explosion and if Matthew Stafford isn't able to play that definitely takes Hall out of consideration. |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling GB | Emmanuel Moseley SF | With Allen Lazard potentiall coming back, MVS is about to be three letters that fantasy players don't take into consideration. Even if Lazard doesn't come back this week you should avoid him anyway. Valdes-Scantling has just ten targets and four catches in the last three weeks combined. His early season spike in production is in the rear view, and even against a decimated 49ers team, if Valdes-Scantling were to have a good game it would be a surprise. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | C.J. Henderson JAX | He really came on before the bye with 24 catches for 289 yards and two touchdowns. After a rough schedule to start the year, Cooks has enjoyed facing some softer defenses. He enjoyed the game against the Jags the most in Week 5 when he had eight catches for 161 yards and a touchdown. Henderson is allowing 11.6 yards per catch and Cooks has had a 75 percent catch rate in the last three weeks. Cooks is looks like an amazing option in Week 9. |
| Marcus Johnson IND | Marcus Peters BAL | It seemed like that big game in Week 6 with the 108 yards seemed like a mirage considering his usage of the rest of the season. He came crashing back to life with just two catches for 29 yards last week against the Lions. Marcus Peters allows just a 56 percent catch rate and you shouldn't even have Johnson on fantasy rosters at this point. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Vernon Hargreaves HOU | The good news for Shenault is that he is facing the Texans again who he had seven catches for 79 yards against them back in Week 4. The (likely) bad news is that he is going to be catching passes from a rookie sixth-rounder who is having his first NFL game experience. Hargreaves is one of the lowest rated corners on Pro Football Focus with his 39.2 out of 100. He is allowing 12.9 yards per reception this season and if Luton is even a decent quarterback, Shenault could be a sneaky good play this week. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | Jeremy Chinn CAR | I know that Hardman had a great game last week, but it was the Jets! If you look he has had two catches or less than 50 yards in the four previous games before that. He has only been targeted more than four times just twice in eight weeks. Chinn does allow a 68 percent catch rate, but Hardman's usage just isn't high enough for me to trust him personally. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Trayvon Mullen LV | He is completely reliant on the big play and when it doesn't happen, we get what we saw last week with one catch for three yards. Justin Herbert has recreated the offense and made it pass-happy, but Guyton hasn't had more than four targets all season long. He has made some exciting catches but he doesn't belong on fantasy rosters without more than one injury to receivers to be relevant. |
| Nelson Agholor LV | Casey Hayward LAC | He got us all excited with the five catch, 107-yard effort in Week 7 and then pulled the carpet out from under us with no catches on two targets. Sure, the weather conditions were not ideal, but Agholor was still not even close to involved in the Raiders offense. Hayward allows just a 46 percent catch rate and Agholor likely goes back to fantasy irrelevance right away. I might keep him on the roster for one more week just to be sure it was a flash in the pan, but I feel pretty confident that he is going to be inconsistent all season long. |
| Preston Williams MIA | Dre Kirkpatrick ARZ | The change in quarterback certainly took a hit to the Dolphins pass game as Tua certainly didn't shine like many had hoped. Williams did have five targets but caught just two for 15 yards. Kirkpatrick is allowing a 76 percent catch rate and and is outside of the top-100 corners according to Pro Football Focus. Williams has only topped two catches and 41 yards just once all season. With the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback you likely shouldn't use Williams this week. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Amani Oruwariye DET | After having two straight really good games, Jefferson has been inconsistent with very up and down games. Last week we give him a little bit of a pass considering he was blanketed by Jaire Alexander. Jefferson is at his best when he is able to make big plays and Oruwariye averages 14.6 yards per catch against him. The Lions have allowed 14 pass touchdowns in seven games this season including three last week to the Colts. Jefferson is looking like he could have a really strong game this week. |
| Damiere Byrd NE | Bless Austin NYJ | He had 72 yards in Week 2 and 80 yards in Week 4 and he has been a pretty big disappointment since. Of course, the Patriots offense has completely fallen apart, but the lack of talent at wide receiver is a part of it. Byrd has three catches of less in six of eight games this season and just has little connection with Cam Newton. Austin and the Jets defense has torn apart last week, but Byrd is still a long shot to do anything productive. |
| Emmanuel Sanders NO | Carlton Davis TB | He was back to practice on Wednesday so he should be on track to play this week. Sanders was just finding his stride before a bye week and then Covid struck, and it remains to be seen if he can get that role back when Michael Thomas returns. Davis is a top 12 corner on Pro Football Focus and is allowing just a 50 percent catch rate. Sanders had just three catches for 15 yards in the opener against the Bucs, but he should be more involved. Tampa has allowed just 11 passing touchdowns in eight games this season and Sanders is a borderline start in season long leagues. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | Ronald Darby WAS | He has been a big part of the offense since returning from injury with 14 catches on 18 targets and a touchdown. Right now, he would have to be the most reliable receiver on the team as Golden Tate makes one or two plays a game and Slayton is so inconsistent. Darby allows just a 62 percent catch rate, but he also gives up a substantial 17 yards per completion on the year. Shepard's ADOT is just 7.7 yards so he could look to stretch it for bigger gains in this one. Washington's secondary has been strong nd Shpeard will have to hope that his quarterback brings his best game for Week 9. |
| Jeff Smith NYJ | Jason McCourty NE | We don't know the status of Breshad Perriman or Jamison Crowder heading into Monday night, but they haven't been around in a while and Smith still hasn't been a factor. Even with eight targets last week he only converted them into three catches for 29 yards. Sam Darnold's shoulder is still hurt, but he is going to try to play through it which means he will probably be worse than he usually is. Smith should be kept on the waiver wire where he belongs. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | Anthony Brown DAL | A week after sending those who roster him to the store for many alcoholic beverages to forget his one catch performance, Claypool showed up again with five catches for 42 yards and a touchdown in Week 8 against the tough Ravens. He even led the team in targets which was quite the revelation. His value appears to be very tied to Diontae Johnson, because when Johnson is out is when Claypool seems to shine. However, this week there should be enough to go around for everyone against Dallas. You've watched the Cowboys right so I don't have to go all stastistical about how their defense sucks? Oh good. Play Claypool this week. |
| David Moore SEA | Levi Wallace BUF | He pops up with a touchdown here and there like he did last week, but Moore hasn't had more than three catches all season long. In fact, he has only been targeted more than three times in a game once all season. The Seahawks should throw a great deal in this one, but it is unlikely that Moore is involved in the game plan much at all. |
| Richie James SF | Josh Jackson GB | He is one of just a couple of wide receivers who are eligible to play in the game against the Packers on Thursday. James hasn’t been targeted once yet this season. He will play, he could have a few catches, but he is not even close to the fantasy radar. |
| Antonio Brown TB | Janoris Jenkins NO | One of the bigger mysteries of the season is what will Brown do for the Bucs this year. Tom Brady forced him on the team so surely he feels some sort of connection with him on the football field. However, it has been over a year since Brown has played an NFL game, and he has proven to be a bit of a wild card. He gets a great setup right out of the gate as it seems unlikely that Chris Godwin plays, and Janoris Jenkins has not played well this season as even the Bears receivers had good games against him. If you have Brown on your roster, I would put him in your starting lineups. |
| Corey Davis TEN | Kyle Fuller CHI | Davis has scored in back to back games after returning from injury and Covid, and has 14 catches in those two games. The Titans are using a pretty successful passing game this season, and Davis has been more involved than I would have thought. He has been targeted ten times in each of the last two games, and it appears his fantasy value will hold. However, Kyle Fuller allows just a 51 percent catch rate and .17 fantasy points per route covered which is very strong. Davis isn't a DFS consideration but you could do worse in your Week 9 flex spot. |
| Cam Sims WAS | Isaac Yiadom NYG | He did have a touchdown in Week 6, but Sims has just four catches on five targets all season long. The Football Team offense runs through Antonio Gibson and Terry McLaurin with some Logan Thomas mixed in. Sims should only be considered in leagues where you are only allowed to start guys whose first name is Cam. And even then he is barely a flex. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 9.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Lamarcus Joyner LV | He is the third highest rated wide receiver by Pro Football Focus while Joyner is outside the top-100 when it comes to cornerbacks. There is just nothing not to like about Allen this year. His target share is off the charts, he is catching everything that is thrown his way, and he has been over ten fantasy points in PPR leagues in every game except the opener and Tyrod Taylor was the quarterback then. There is going to be a lot of passing in this game, and allen is a lock for a dozen targets. He will threaten another tean catches, another 100 yards and you shouldn't be the least bit surprised if he scores. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Donte Jackson CAR | He is averaging just over four catches a game, but Hill has topped 75 receiving yards four times and has seven touchdowns in eight games. He eviscerated the Jets crappy pass defense last week, and comes into this one with the Panthers perhaps looking at a banged up Donte Jackson. Mahomes doesn't target Hill like many of the top receivers in the sport, but when he throws to him it is generally a conection and often a big play. Jackson allows a 76 percent catch rate and 12.3 yards per completion. I have a feeling that yards per catch rate against is going to go up for Hill as he seems basically unstoppable for an entire game. Look for Hill to have another typica four catch, 75-yard with a touchdown game in this one. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Taron Johnson BUF | The rollercoaster ride continued for those rostering Lockett as he had just four catches for 33 yards a week after hauling in 15 receptions for 200 yards and three scores. The Seahawks are going to continue to throw and throw for touchdowns. . And with the Bills All-Pro corner on D.K. Metcalf, this bodes well for Lockett. However, he will need to do himself a favor and stop dropping the ball. He has seven drops on the season, and that is a sure way to get the quarterback to stop looking your way. The Bills defense hasn't been as strong as it could be, but some of that was the loss of Levi Wallace. Johnson has been a disaster out of the slot most of the season, and this could be a big feast game for Lockett. |
| Juju Smith-Schuster PIT | Jourdan Lewis DAL | After a month of driving those that roster him crazy, Smith-Schuster is seeing a resurgence in value in the last two weeks with 16 catches for 152 yards against the Titans and Ravens. The good news for him is the targets are back because his ADOT is just 5.6 yards so Juju needs volume and to increase his 4.9 yards after the catch to be a solid fantasy player. He goes from a really tough match against the Ravens to the cupcake of the Cowboys. They have allowed 18 passing touchdowns in eight games and Big Ben should be looking at a minimum of two scores in this one. All of the signs are there for Smith-Schuster to continue to be a low-end WR2 or solid WR3. |
| Randall Cobb HOU | Tre Herndon JAX | He is coming off his season high in targets, catches and yards, and Cobb has been more of a factor in recent weeks. He has been hindered by the surprise health of his teammates at receiver, but he has still been decent most of the year. He gets a great matchup against the Jags and Herndon who allows a 70 percent catch rate and 15 yards per completion against him. Cobb had six catches for 47 yards the first time these two teams met and I think that is the floor of what you can expect in this one. The Texans should air it out big time in this one and Cobb is a solid WR3 play in Week 9. |
| Cole Beasley BUF | D.J. Reed SEA | It wasn't ideal weather conditions last week in Buffalo by a long shot and they only threw the ball 18 times which explains the two target and two catch effort last week for Beasley. He has been helped a lot lately by the injury to John Brown, and he still isn't 100 percent. That should bode well this week for Beasley as the Billsa re definitely going to have to throw more against the Seahawks. Seattle is a team that most people have been successful throwing against. Reed is not typically a starter when everyone is healthy and allows a 3.62 yards per route covered, which is a metric you want to see around 1.00 or lower for it to be good. Stefon Diggs will be the star of this game, but Beasley should be targeted a minimum of eight times in this game and will be a smart choice for those of you in PPR games and perhaps a bit of a DFS dart throw. |
| Hunter Renfrow LV | Tevaughn Campbell LAC | The Chargers know they aren't going anywhere and were smart to trade their slot corner, Desmond King, away. However, that does throw Campbell into the mix who is an extremely inexperienced guy. This is where my confidence in Renfrow comes in. The rest of the team is very inconsistent but he has had four or more catches in four of the last five games. He hasn't had many big yardage totals, but in PPR leagues Renfrow can typically nail you down seven to nine fantasy points. Put him in this matchup against a Chargers secondary that has allowed 14 passing touchdown and against a corner that hardly belongs on the field and it looks like a sneaky good flex play for Week 9. |
| Danny Amendola DET | Jeff Gladney MIN | I liked this pick more before Matthew Stafford had the Covid, but it still holds true assuming that Chase Daniel can play quarterback. Amendola hasn't been overly involved since his back to back seven target games to start the year. And what does Week 9 have in common with the first two weeks? That's right, those were the weeks that Kenny Golladay was hurt. He still had just a combined seven catches for 102 yards, but he also has been over 50 yards in each of the last two weeks. I don't expect Marvin Hall to go off again, and I think that Marvin Jones and Amendola will be the reliable targets for either quarterback. He could nab six catches for 65-70 yards in this one against a banged up Vikings secondary. |
| Curtis Samuel CAR | Rashad Fenton KC | He came through last week and now has three touchdowns in the last two weeks and 15 catches in the last three weeks. It finally feels that Samuel is at least a consistent part of the game plan whether it be in the run or the pass game. Samuel is a very efficient receiver, but Rashad Fenton is a top-20 corner in the whole league for the Chiefs. He allows just a 57 percent catch rate, and Samuel's ADOT is just 6.7 yards so he would need a lot more volume than he is likely to get to have a big game. You have to hope that if you use him in your slot that he can break a big play on either a run or a pass or you could end up with fewer than ten fantasy points in this one. |
| Keelan Cole JAX | Eric Murray HOU | There is some concern here with a rookie quarterback, but when inexperienced quarterbacks first come into the league, they tend to like shorter, more reliable routes unless they are Justin Herbert or Joe Burrow. I promise you Jake Luton is neither of those two. And since the Jaguars don't have a solid, high volume tight end, those safe targets likely go to their slot receiver in Cole. He also is matched up against a pretty poor pass defense in Houston and Murray who allows a ridiculous 81 percent catch rate. He had a touchdown the first time they played the Texans, and if he could grab another one in Week 9 he could be a nice boost to your winning efforts. |
Elite
Julio Jones vs. Michael Ojemudia
Julio has at least nine targets and 97 receiving yards in three straight games and continues to be one of the best. There was little doubt where Matt Ryan was going with the ball last week as he connected with Jones several times early in the Week 8 game. We should see plenty of that again with Calvin Ridley either out or not playing at 100 percent. Ojemudia and the Broncos were scorched by Justin Herbert and the Chargers last week, and the Falcons have had ten days to get ready for this one after playing last Thursday. It is a smash spot for Jones.
Keenan Allen vs Lamarcus Joyner
Speaking of Justin Herbert and his whirlwind tour of destroying NFL defenses, it continues this week against Vegas. His favorite receiver without a doubt is Allen who has 74 targets in seven games, which could be 80+ if he didn’t leave the one game early with injury. Allen also has a six-inch height advantage over Joyner, who is just 5’8”. He also allows a 70 percent catch rate which is a nightmare for the Raiders considering that Allen could see upwards of a dozen targets in this one. There is nothing holding Allen back from a big output in Week 9.
Affordable
Tyler Lockett vs Taron Johnson
It is time to get a good game out of Lockett as he continues his yo-yo type season with some good games and some not so good. We know that the Seahawks are going to throw with them banged up at running back, plus they have thrown all season long. Lockett’s targets have been inconsistent, but Johnson is by far the worst corner on the field. Tre’Davious White is great, and the Bills just got Levi Wallace back. This means that Wilson should look to Lockett early and often. Johnson allows a ridiculous 81 percent catch rate and he isn’t overly fast. It has been boom or bust for Lockett this year, but he is looking like a strong boom candidate this week.
Terry McLaurin vs. James Bradberry
It doesn’t matter how bad the quarterback play is, McLaurin just keeps getting it done. He is coming off his bye and is facing a familiar foe in James Bradberry . They played just three weeks ago and he beat Bradberry for seven catches and 74 yards. After being one of the top corners according to Pro Football Focus most of the season and topping out at the second ranking, Bradberry has fallen off a bit of late and is now sitting just inside the top-20. Washington is coming off their bye and are feeling themselves a little after shellacking the Cowboys. I know, no tough task, but it is Washington here. They don’t even have a real nickname give them something to hold on to here! McLaurin has been targeted ten ore more times in four of seven games, and never fewer than seven times. He is one of the more underappreciated receivers in football and is in for a great Week 9.
Bargain Bin
Brandin Cooks vs C.J. Henderson
Unfortunately for those rostering Cooks, Will Fuller was not traded at the deadline. However, he has really started to be a major part of the offense with at least nine targets in each of the last three games after having just 21 in the first four games combined. He has taken the rookie to school once already this season with eight catches and 161 yards the first time these two teams played, and the Texans will likely be airing it out again on Sunday. The Jags are the fifth worst passing defense allowing over 280 yards per game through the air and 15 touchdowns. Look for Cooks to burn Jacksonville again and give you a great return on his surprisingly low salary.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.