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. After six teams on bye, this week almost seems like a break as we are only missing the Raiders and Ravens but given the injuries, we are all still struggling to field a team. Don’t worry, we have you covered in all formats. This article is critical for daily players and season long, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your lineups. Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!
| Left WR | Right CB | Analysis |
| DeAndre Hopkins ARZ | Eric Stokes GB | He hasn't been having the big yardage games we are accustomed to with Hopkins, but how can you argue with seven touchdowns in seven games? He will have to keep that scoring pace up though, as he has had fewer than five catches in four of seven weeks. . Green Bay still hasn't been giving up a ton of yardage, but they have allowed 14 passing touchdowns in seven games. Kyler Murray should have no trouble keeping that two touchdown allowed pace up. Stokes has been struggling, allowing 16.2 yards per catch over the last three weeks including a touchdown last week. Hopkins is a WR1 for seasonal leagues, and I like him as a high priced player in a DFS showdown slate. |
| Calvin Ridley ATL | Donte Jackson CAR | The touchdown saved his day, but you still have to have some concern after an outing of four catches for 26 yards. The inefficency is also glaring as he has caught just 11 of the 23 passes thrown his way. It isn't like the Falcons couldn't move the ball last week. That being said, Ridley is still a stud receiver that you aren't even thinking of sitting in season long leagues. Jackson has had a solid season allowing just 61% of passes to be caught and a defensive average depth of target of just 10.2 which is a couple of yards lower than his previous career best. Ridley has played his way out of DFS consideration until we see some better numbers, so don't concern yourself with him there. |
| Stefon Diggs BUF | Xavien Howard MIA | This is a tough one to gauge. Diggs has been great in two of the last three weeks, but faces a solid Dolphins secondary. Howard was able to play last week, and played quite well, allowing just one of eight passes targeted at him to be caught. When these two teams played back in Week 2, Diggs had just four catches for 60 yards, but he did have that touchdown. I would never suggest sitting Diggs in seasonal leagues, but unless Howard has some sort of setback and misses the game, I probably wouldn't put too much of my DFS focus on the Bills star. |
| DJ Moore CAR | Fabian Moreau ATL | The Panthers offense was an absolute mess last Sunday only putting up three points against the Giants. It got so bad that Sam Darnold was benched for P.J. Moore. Darnold was given that proverbial vote of confidence after the game by Matt Rhule which means he will be under center again this week. Moore continues to get the most targets, and even in a disaster game had six catches for 73 yards. Moreau has been a little better than expected an allowing 10.6 yards per catch, but has allowed four touchdowns. Given the disaster the Panthers pass game has been it is hard to think of Moore in a DFS capability but he is still always a season long gem. |
| Allen Robinson CHI | Emmanuel Moseley SF | Every time you think it can't get any worse, it does. Robinson was targeted just four times last week and caught two passes for 16 yards. He has just one touchdown all season and has only topped four catches once and 50 yards twice. The 49ers secondary has been an epic disaster they get defensive pass interference on them seemingly twice a quarter. Given the horrendous play of Justin Fields though, I can't consider Robinson a viable option even in seasonal leagues at this point unless you are ridiculously injured at receiver on your team. |
| Tee Higgins CIN | Bryce Hall NYJ | Ja'Marr Chase is outproducing him for sure, but Higgins still led the team in targets with an impressive 15 against the Ravens last week. He turned those into seven catches for 62 yards. Chase is clearly the big play guy, and Higgins needs C.J. Uzomah to stoop eating up the touchdowns! The Jets secondary gets torched on a weekly basis, and this week should be no different as Joe Burrow continues his ascension to fantasy greatness. Hall is the best corner the Jets have, but still has allowed a catch of 20 or more yards in four of six games, and has allowed ten of the last 15 targets at him to be caught. Chase looks to be the DFS play, but Higgins is rock solid in season long games. |
| Odell Beckham CLE | Joe Haden PIT | He has a shoulder injury, his starting quarterback has a shoulder injury, and the Browns passing game just doesn't feature Beckham is an elite option. He now has had two catches in three of five games he has played, and hasn't had 80 receiving yards in a game or scored a touchdown yet. Haden is allowing 12.5 yards per catch so far this season with a 115.3 quarterback rating against, but I still can barely even suggest starting Beckham in season long leagues. No matter who the quarterback is, the Browns are a run-first team, even when their backfield is full of injuries as well. |
| Amari Cooper DAL | Cameron Dantzler MIN | There haven't been any real bad games in the last four for Cooper, but he is not popping off that WR1 ability we know he has. Dak Prescott has been focusing more on throwing to the tight ends and even the running backs, which has taken some opportunity away from Cooper. Cedrick Wilson has also been getting more attention lately than anticipated. Dantzler has been great when healthy this season, allowing just a 38% catch rate and 58.2 quarterback rating against. His only blemish is a 15 yards per catch number which means he can give up the big play. The Cowboys will likely run a lot against a Vikings defense that allows 128 yards per game on the ground especially since Dak isn't playing this week. So, Cooper wasn't a great DFS option before, now he really has to be avoided. I still think he is worth a play in season long leagues though. |
| Courtland Sutton DEN | Kendall Fuller WFT | Jerry Jeudy will be returning this week, and we will see what that means for Sutton's volume. He was only targeted five times in that nightmare game last Thursday, but caught them all for 68 yards. Sutton will certainly still be the alpha even when Jeudy returns, but how much will it cut into his workload? Clearly he has shown a nice chemistry with Teddy Bridgewater, and the Washington offense has been DREADFULLY awful. They are last in the league, allowing 300 yards per game and an embarrasing 19 touchdown passes in seven games. Sutton will be a sneaky DFS play as Jeudy might not play a full compliment of snaps and the Football Team can't stop anything. |
| Kalif Raymond DET | Steven Nelson PHI | It turned out that Amon-Ra St. Brown saw more Jalen Ramsey than Raymond did and he finished with six catches for 115 yards last week against the Rams. He does have six catches in each of the last two weeks, so Raymond is the Lions receiver right now making an impact. Nelson started out strong but has allowed nine of the last 12 targets his way to be caught and gave up a touchdown last week. There seems to be a waning confidence in Jared Goff, but the Lions have no one else. Don't expect Raymond to repeat last week's performance often and is only a desperation flex play. |
| Amari Rodgers GB | Robert Alford ARZ | The rookie hasn't been very involved in the offense yet, but he also hasn't been given much of an opportunity. There is a chance that happens on Thursday now that Davante Adams and Allen Lazard won't be in there. This should be a one week absence for Adams, so Rodgers won't have enough value to be worth picking up. The question is whether he is worth it for the DFS showdown slate. I still think the Pack throw a lot to the tight ends and backs, but I have more faith in Rodgers than Equanimeous St. Brown. He is basically free and could help get studs at other positions. |
| Brandin Cooks HOU | Jalen Ramsey LAR | It doesn't seem like TyRod Taylor will be back this week, which puts the unpredictable Davis Mills under center for another game for the Texans. Cooks has continued to get the target volume, but the production is a question mark as you never know how inept or good the passing game might be under Mills. Cooks gets the revenge game narrative against his former Rams team, but that fun is squashed when Jalen Ramsey is sure to shadow him most of the game. I just still have a hard time believing you have three or four better options on your team than Cooks, even with a tough matchup. |
| T.Y. Hilton IND | Janoris Jenkins TEN | It is the story of Hilton's career anymore, the inability to stay healthy. He missed the first five games of the year before being able to play in Week 6 and then missing last week. The signs point to him playing this weekend, which is great considering the matchup. I know the Titans didn't allow anything to the Chiefs last week but Jenkins has still allowed eight of the last 11 passes his way to be caught and is allowing 12.2 yards per catch and a 121.3 quarterback rating against. However, can you trust that Hilton is going to be able to finish the game? That is the risk with him and why I can't ever use him for DFS purposes. But assuming he is active, Hilton should still be a WR3 for season long leagues. |
| Marvin Jones JAX | D.J. Reed SEA | The last time we saw Jones in London he had seven catches for 100 yards and a score. The problem with Jones is that his volume is all over the map. After 28 targets the first three weeks, he has had just 19 in the last thtree weeks. Hopefully, the bye week found the Jags getting their offense a little more efficient, and that surely means throwing to their reliable receiver in Jones. Reed is the best corner the Seahawks have, and has been coming on strong the past few weeks, allowing just nine of the last 20 targets at him to be caught. He has, however, given up a pass play of over 20 yards in each of the last two weeks. I am not looking Jones way for DFS purposes, and he is likely a WR3 or flex in seasonal leagues with a matchup that is tougher than it seems. |
| Mecole Hardman KC | James Bradberry NYG | The good news for Hardman is it appears that Patrick Mahomes has avoided serious injury, the bad news is that he just isn't very fantasy relevant. He did have four catches for the second straight week, but they were good for just 28 yards and he fumbled. The Chiefs potent pass offense is stuck in neutral right now, and while I think they will breakout at some point, I don't know when that is. James Bradberry had his best game of the season last week, and maybe that will help turn his season around. Hardman is nothing but a desperation flex play, on the thought that maybe this is the week the Chiefs start playing like the Chiefs again. |
| Robert Woods LAR | Desmond King HOU | Cooper Kupp is stealing the show, but Woods has been better as he had six catches for 70 yards with a two point conversion against the Lions. That is now four straight weeks that he has returned double digit fantasy points in PPR leagues, so the early season distress signal should be able to go down now. He gets a great matchup this week against King who has allowed a ridiculous 86% catch rate and 119.2 quarterback rating against. It is still so hard to figure that Woods will outperform Kupp, but I could see starting Mr. Trees in a GPP or two for differentiation. He has also regained his status as an every week start in seasonal leagues, being a WR3 at worst. |
| Mike Williams LAC | J.C. Jackson NE | He had just two catches for 27 yards on five targets in the game before the bye, but he has had a knee injury and he didn't practice the entire week before. Now that they had a week off hopefully he will be in better shape. The Patriots secondary is dealing with some injury problems, but Jackson has been their best. He isn't allowing a lot of passes to be caught (57%) but the near 14 yards per catch is a concern, especially when facing a viable deep threat like Williams. Assuming he is able to practice at the end of the week, I have zero problem putting Williams in some DFS lineups, although I think the better play might be his teammate in the slot. However, he has ascended to weekly WR2 status in your yearly leagues with the potential to always be a top five receiver. |
| DeVante Parker MIA | Tre'Davious White BUF | He should play this week after not being deemed inactive last week until Sunday morning, but I am not sure how much that matters. Not only will Parker not be 100% for sure, but he will also be facing a tough Bills secondary coming off a bye and one of the best corners in the league in White. Parker had five catches for 42 yards back in Week 2 when these two teams played, and if he had a similar stat line this week, I wouldn't be surprised. Honestly, it would be hard to envision him getting much more. The Dolphins spread the ball around a lot after Jaylen Waddle, and although Parker has had seven or more targets in every game, he is a lower end flex spot at best for Week 8. |
| Justin Jefferson MIN | Trevon Diggs DAL | You can't spell Justin Jefferson without S-T-U-D! What? There is no D in his name? Sure, it is there, it is just silent. Just go with me on this one! He has topped six catches and 80 yards in each of the last four games and has three touchdowns in six contests this year. This is probably the most fascinating WR/CB matchup of the week as Diggs has turned himself into an ABSOLUTE beast this year. This will take Jefferson out of DFS consideration for me, even though the Vikings are probably going to have to throw a bunch. But there will never be a scenario where Jefferson is on my bench in a season long league. |
| Nelson Agholor NE | Asante Samuel LAC | Ok, he caught a touchdown last week. However, it was on a trick play and thrown by Kendrick Bourne, another wide receiver. Not to mention the Jets defense was absolutely useless last week as the Patriots dropped a fifty burger on them, on an offense that never dreamed of scoring 50 points in a game. Agholor only had one other catch for the rest of the game, and only had one catch the week before against Dallas. He hasn't had more than three catches in a game since Week 1. He is not someone worth consideration for Week 8. |
| Marquez Callaway NO | Jamel Dean TB | He does have 15 targets in the last two weeks, but this Saints passing game is just straight UGLY under Jameis Winston. It is hard to really trust anyone at receiver given the conservative nature of the playcalling and Winston's inaccuracy when he is throwing the deep ball. Dean has been every bit the lockdown corner that we have known him to be as he has allowed just 42% of passes to be caught, has a puny 35.6 quarterback rating against and hasn't allowed a touchdown since Week 1. Personally, I would keep Callaway on my bench this week. |
| Darius Slayton NYG | Charvarious Ward KC | Slayton has had six or more targets in three of four games, and the Giants are again going to be using a skeleton crew at wide receiver on Monday. He did have five catches for 63 yards last week against the Panthers and he likely will be the top target again on Monday. Ward and the Chiefs can't stop anyone and have allowed 13 passing touchdowns so far this season. With only two teams on bye you probably have better options on your season long leagues, but on a Monday night showdown slate, Slayton isn't the worst option in this game for DFS purposes. |
| Elijah Moore NYJ | Eli Apple CIN | He did have six targets, and he did have a rushing touchdown, but Moore's catch was only good for 13 yards and the Jets offense is set to be horrible under Mike White. I mean it wouldn't be any better with Flacco, but I can't believe the Jets will start him. Apple has only had three balls thrown his way in the last three weeks, and overall has played well. He is allowing just 9.3 yards per catch and the only hope here is that Moore comes up with something in garbage time. I will play that game sometimes, but I would be surprised if the Jets score 13 points this week. Keep Moore on the pine for Week 8 and we will hope to see White surprises us. |
| DeVonta Smith PHI | Amani Oruwariye DET | You can't deny the usage, as outside of Week 6 he has been targeted at least six times in every game and eight or more times in four of seven games this season. The problem is Philly has played some tough defenses, and it takes Jalen Hurts three quarters to get comfortable in a game. He should have some nice breathing room against Oruwariye who has allowed nine of the last 12 passes at him to be caught, and the Lions secondary who has allowed 15 passing touchdowns this season. Smith could have some low roster percentage in DFS this week because of the inefficiency of their offense, but in a plus matchup like this, I think he can excel. |
| Diontae Johnson PIT | Greg Newsome CLE | What do I preach every week? Volume, volume, volume! Johnson is averaging ten targets a game and that includes the Week 5 game where he left early and only had two targets. Ben Roethlisberger throws this guy the ball all the time! And he has not been having the trouble with drops that he did last season. Denzel Ward is hurt again, which pushes Newsome to the big chair. He hasn't been bad but the 113.7 quarterback rating against and nearly 13 yards per catch allowed means he can be had. I like Johnson in all formats this week against a Browns secondary that has allowed the second most passing touchdowns this season with 16. |
| D.K. Metcalf SEA | Tre Herndon JAX | He did have 96 yards and a touchdown, but that score was for 83 of those yards and it was on the first throw of the game. So, Metcalf had one 13 yard catch for the rest of the night. It also seemed that Marshon Lattimore got in his head, because he and Metcalf exchanged small altercations for much of the first half. The Seahawks are understandably running the ball more and a good part of that is because Geno Smith has been bad. But it didn't make sense when the Saints were stuffing the run all game. The Seattle offense should have more room to operate against Jacksonville, but as long as Geno Smith is at QB I am only playing Seahawks in season long leagues. |
| Deebo Samuel SF | Jaylon Johnson CHI | Even in an absolute downpour, Samuel still came away with seven catches on 11 targets for 100 yards and a touchdown. He is clearly the receiver that Jimmy Garoppolo trusts the most, and if he can have that kind of production in that weather, than what can stop this guy? Johnson has really struggled lately, allowing 165 yards and two touchdowns in the last two weeks, at 16.5 yards per catch. The Niners offense has struggled at times, but the one thing that has been consistent has been Samuel. Fire him up in both season long and daily games for Week 8. |
| Mike Evans TB | Marshon Lattimore NO | With no Gronk and no AB, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Evans would have that big game. No one expected three touchdowns, but the ten targets weren't shocking. Brown is likely to be back this week, which will cap the upside of Evans to a degree, but I am more concerned about the matchup with Lattimore. The Saints stud corner was just rounding into form and is now coming off a bye week. I will always like Evans in seasonal leagues, but my DFS focus may switch to Antonio Brown or Chris Godwin figuring that they will have the easier time. |
| A.J. Brown TEN | Xavier Rhodes IND | Clearly the boycott of Chipotle was the answer (see Grande? I told you that place was trash!) as Brown popped off in a huge way with eight catches for 133 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs. That is now 15 catches on 18 targets over the past two games for 224 yards. He certainly will draw the attention of Xavier Rhodes who is the best corner they have but hasn't been playing great, including the rain game last Sunday night where he was beaten for five catches and 75 yards against Deebo Samuel. Brown is just a beast of a man and is so far away the top receiver on the team as he has totally dusted Julio Jones in terms of usage. The Colts have allowed 16 passing touchdowns already which is among the league's worst. Brown to the MOOOOOON in Week 8! |
| Terry McLaurin WAS | Ronald Darby DEN | He is becoming a little boom or bust, and that is partly due to the teams that they are playing, but also due to the inconsistency of Taylor Heinicke. However, Curtis Samuel won't be back, Logan Thomas is still on IR, and Dyami Brown is now also injured. The Broncos secondary is dealing with some injuries, and Case Keenum made them look sort of silly last week. Darby has a 121.9 quarterback rating against in the three games he has played, and is allowing 15.4 yards per catch. If the Football Team can withstand the Broncos pass rush and gives Heinicke time, McLaurin could have a big game! |
| Right WR | Left CB | Analysis |
| A.J. Green ARZ | Rasul Douglas GB | He is still holding on to fantasy relevance, but it is getting a little more tenuous as the weeks progress. He led the team in receiving yards, but 41 of the 66 yards came on one play and he only had three targets. I warned about Ertz eating into Green's production, and he had more targets than Green in his first game. The Cardinals continue to fire on all cylinders and that keeps Green in play in season long leagues, but I do think the more integrated Ertz gets into the offense, the more it hurts Green. Keep him as a flex option if you have been using him into Week 8. Douglas has played pretty well since being forced into action due to injury, but shouldn't prevent Green from succeeding. |
| Russell Gage ATL | Keith Taylor CAR | The box score looks pretty good with four catches for 67 yards, but he ahd a 49 yard touchdown or the rest of the day would have been lost. It was his first game since Week 2, so that is an encouraging sign, not to mention the Falcons offense is starting to show a bit of life. I still need to see more from Gage though. Perhaps if you have an injured player I might put him on a roster. But with Calvin Ridley definitely due to get better and Kyle Pitts starting to rise, it will be tough to put Gage into a starting lineup. |
| Emmanuel Sanders BUF | Byron Jones MIA | The Bills are one of the more potent pass games in the NFL, and Sanders is clearly their number two option, and sadly he gets a boost with Dawson Knox breaking his hand. He only had two catches for 48 yards in Week 2 against Miami, but he seems to be a different player than he was in mid-September. He is also coming off his bye which is good for a player in his mid-30s, and Byron Jones is not even close to 100%. The Dolphins pass defense is third worst in the league at 297 yards per game and have surrendered 15 pass touchdowns. Daily or seasonal, right now is a great time to play Sanders. |
| Robby Anderson CAR | A.J. Terrell ATL | The horrific inefficency continues. Anderson had just three catches on nine targets for 14 yards in Week 7. That is now eight catches on 27 targets the past three weeks. Vomit emoji! Sure it isn't all his fault as Sam Darnold has been awful and was even benched last week, so we can't put everything on Anderson's shoulders. Of course, he was terrible back when Darnold was playing well, so I'm going to continue to blame Anderson. Terrell has allowed just a 45 percent catch rate against and just 6.2 yards per catch. The Falcons secondary as a whole isn't good, and unless you are in dire straits with injuries and bye weeks I would leave Anderson on your bench. |
| Darnell Mooney CHI | Josh Norman SF | Only Cole Kmet had more targets, but no one could come out of this tire fire of an offense and be fantasy relevant. Justin Fields is in over his head, and the playcalling isn't doing him any favors. The Niners secondary has been terrible though, so this could be the little respite that Fields needs. Mooney has taken over the top fantasy receiver post on this team and is the only one you could maybe count on. But until we see Fields start to play better, you might want to let Mooney sit this one out. |
| Ja'Marr Chase CIN | Brandin Echols NYJ | Super. Star! Chase broke career highs with eight catches for 201 yards and a score against the Ravens. That is now 754 yards and six touchdowns in seven games for this explosive rookie. He is the big playmaker, but has been doing more than just making big plays. I don't see any way that the Jets possibly keep him under wraps and I am near salivating at the thought of his production this week. Since his two catch game in Week 2, Chase has put up 112 fantasy points in PPR leagues in five weeks. He is due for an off game, but I just can't envision a scenario where that happens this week. |
| Rashard Higgins CLE | Cameron Sutton PIT | Whether it is Baker Mayfield or not, it really doesn't matter. The Browns pass game isn't exactly a high powered attack these days. They not only run the ball a lot, but after the top two receivers there just isn't a third option that has any fantasy relevance at all. Sutton has struggled a little of late, but it really doesn't matter as I have no faith that Higgins will do anything fantasy worthy in Week 8. |
| CeeDee Lamb DAL | Bashaud Breeland MIN | The last time we saw Lamb he was scoring a game winning touchdown in overtime against the Patriots in his biggest game of the season. He has scored three times in his last two weeks with 233 yards. The Vikings secondary has been playing a little better of late, but lost Patrick Peterson before their bye. The loss of Dak Prescott is huge here and really takes Lamb out of any sort of consideration for DFS purposes. Cooper Rush isn't going to be good, but I'm going to bet on the fact that he will be good enough to warrant playing Lamb in season long leagues still. |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN | Benjamin St. Juste WFT | Ok, he is definitely going to be back this week and has been medically cleared with many days before kickoff. He gets a plus plus plus matchup against the Washington secondary which I have already described as the worst in football. St. Juste is allowing 14.1 yards per catch, a 108.4 quarterback rating against, and the team has been a massive disappointment. I am slightly concerned about Jeudy playing a full snap count, but the fact he was cleared so early means he very well might. Jeudy is a bit of a wild card in DFS because of that, but I do think he is set to have a good game against this awful offense. He definitely belongs right back into your seasonal lineups. |
| Khadarel Hodge DET | Darius Slay PHI | Hodge doesn't have more than two catches in any game this season, nor has he topped 20 receiving yards in any game. Slay is a very good corner and the Lions offense is offensive. We have already given Hodge more attention than he deserves. |
| Equanimeous St. Brown GB | Marco Wilson ARZ | He only has one catch and three targets all season long, but St. Brown is going to be forced into more action with Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling all being out. He has never really made any sort of impact at any time in the NFL, and I don't think the Cardinals will have a hard time shutting him down. If you want to take the dart throw at him on the showdown slate go for it, but I have much more faith in the rookie than I do St. Brown. |
| Nico Collins HOU | Robert Rochell LAR | Collins had two catches for 28 yards last week, and the offense won't get any better this week with Davis Mills still under center. There is a strong chance that Mills won't even throw for 150 yards against this secondary, so unless you are in desperate times for a wide receiver there is no reason to consider the rookie this week. |
| Michael Pittman IND | Greg Mabin TEN | I like this matchup for Pittman whether or not T.Y. Hilton is able to play or not. Without Hilton last week though he had four catches for 105 yards and a score in that monsoon in San Francisco. He has scored in two of the last three weeks and is becoming a more consistent fantasy performer. Mabin only played for the first time last week, but allowed almost 14 yards per catch last season and a 103.5 quarterback rating against. This is setting up for a great game for Pittman and I like him not only in seasonal leagues, but as a cheap option in DFS as well. |
| Laviska Shenault JAX | Sidney Jones SEA | He has been a real roller coaster this season with several good games and a few real duds. You have to figure that he should start to be a more consistent part of the offense at some point, and hopefully the ten targets in London before the bye was the start of it. The Jags aren't loaded with playmakers, so getting Shenault the ball is key. Jones has allowed 77% of passes his way to be caught at a 21.3 yards per catch clip. I am feeling really good about Shenault heading into Week 8. |
| Demarcus Robinson KC | Adoree Jackson NYG | I was tempted to put Byron Pringle here as he had five catches for 73 yards last week, but let's be honest, there is no receiver outside of Tyreek Hill that is worth your time in fantasy. People keep kicking the tires on Mecole Hardman and he rewards them sometimes, but that is even pushing it. Now against a real good secondary, you can forget any thought of Demarcus Robinson, Pringle, or Josh Gordon. |
| Van Jefferson LAR | Terrence Mitchell HOU | It is crazy that his production isn't that far behind Robert Woods, but Jefferson hasn't done enough to warrant consistent fantasy consideration. He did have four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown last week against the Lions, but he has topped 50 yards in a game just twice in seven contests. The Rams offense is a well oiled machine, and they do have a pillow soft matchup against the Texans, but it is just hard to trust Jefferson. If you want to use him as a far dart throw in a DFS GPP, I guess you could make worse choices, but it isn't a move that I would suggest to you. |
| Jalen Guyton LAC | Jalen Mills NE | This is the seventh time this sason that I have offered you how little fantasy relevance that Guyton has, even in a great passing offense. Jalen Mills is no lock down corner, but Guyton doesn't get enough attention or make enough plays to be on any sort of fantasy roster, never mind in a starting lineup. |
| Preston Williams MIA | Levi Wallace BUF | The Dolphins pass game is kind of a mess after Jaylen Waddle, Mike Gesicki, and DeVante Parker when healthy. There really isn't another guy anywhere on the team that has consistently produced at all. Even without Parker last week, Williams had just one catch on four targets for five yards. In fact, he has had under ten yards in two of the three games he has played this season. Levi Wallace has struggled lately allowing ten catches in the last 13 targets his way, but he should still have no trouble keeping Williams in check. He had just one catch for two yards in Week 2 against the Bills. |
| Adam Thielen MIN | Anthony Brown DAL | This isn another guy that I am super excited about for this week. Thielen is coming off a bye and had a banger of a game before that with 11 catches for 236 yards and a touchdown. Many might be shooketh by his two catch dud against the Lions, but fear not this guy is a stud. Trevon Diggs will be locked on Justin Jefferson, leaving Brown on Thielen. He hasn't played poorly but is allowing nearly 15 yards a catch and a play over 20 yards in five of the six games so far this season. As a whole the Cowboys secondary has allowed 295 yards per game and 12 passing touchdowns in six games. Thielen is set up for a great contest here. |
| Kendrick Bourne NE | Michael Davis LAC | It was quite the day for Bourne against the Jets, with four catches for 68 yards and he threw a touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor. It is a solid stat line, although he still hasn't had five targets in a game since Week 4. I like Bourne more than Agholor, but I still don't like either on a consistent basis. Davis has had a strong season allowing just one touchdown, a 60% catch rate and 11.5 yards per catch. I'm sure Mac Jones will be able to move the ball some, but I am just not in love with this receiving corps. |
| Tre'Quan Smith NO | Dee Delaney TB | He had just one catch on three targets in his first game this season after missing the first six weeks with injury. The Saints are just not putting up a lot of points, and not asking Jameis Winston to throw the ball a ton, well unless it is to Alvin Kamara. Delaney is far from a great corner, but I want to see Smith and Winston have some chemistry before I start considering using him in fantasy leagues. Smith had some fantasy flair with Drew Brees, but this is a different Saints team. |
| Kadarius Toney NYG | Rashad Fenton KC | In the last two games he was healthy, Toney was given 22 targets which he turned into 16 catches for 267 yards before aggravating an ankle injury in Week 6. Reports are all good that he will be ready for Monday night, although there has to be some concern of him finishing the game again. However, the Chiefs secondary has been horrible, allowing 13 passing touchdowns so far and Daniel Jones has looked more than competent this year. I give Toney a start in seasonal leagues and on showdown slates he is the guy with the highest upside among Giants receivers. |
| Keelan Cole NYJ | Chidobe Awuzie CIN | He has had one good game and should get more opportunities with Corey Davis set to miss the game, but let's be honest he hasn't had more than four targets in a game and the Jets offense is going to stink on Sunday anyway with Mike White at quarterback. There will be garbage time opportunities, but I certainly don't see Cole being a big part of that. |
| Jalen Reagor PHI | Jerry Jacobs DET | Good news! Reagor scored a touchdown last week! Now let me throw some cold water on that. He still only had two targets, and his catches were only good for 25 yards. In fact, those 25 yards were his highest since Week 3 against Dallas. Let me refresh you, it is about to be Week 8. The Eagles offense struggles, and while they may have some success against the Lions, you would be taking a big risk with Reagor. There's a chance that he catches a touchdown against this abomination of a defense, but I'll take the more expensive but more reliable option in DeVonta Smith if I am playing someone on this team. |
| Chase Claypool PIT | Greedy Williams CLE | People are jumping off the Claypool bandwagon faster than the rich people were getting off the Titanic, but let's hold off just for a second. He has been targeted at least five times in every game, and seven or more times in three of five games he has played. Juju is gone, and James Washington is nothing but a crappy depth piece. So, assuming the Steelers are going to throw, why won't more targets go to Claypool? He might be a little boom or bust (or a lot boom or bust), but the Browns secondary hasn't been good, and Williams has been in and out of the lineup. I might not heavily target him in DFS but I am clearly giving him a WR3 spot in redraft leagues. |
| Brandon Aiyuk SF | Kindle Vildor CHI | I try to remain hopeful, but I just can't anymore. Sure, the game on Sunday night was in horrible conditions but Aiyuk is just not a part of this offense. If I am trashing Allen Robinson, I have to be harder on Aiyuk. He has nine catches the entire season for 96 yards in six games. There is no possible way to think about putting him in your lineups until we see him have another game or two with at least ten fantasy points in PPR leagues or maybe double digit targets. But I've stopped holding my breath waiting for either to happen. |
| Tyler Lockett SEA | Shaquill Griffin JAX | I know I trashed Geno Smith in the D.K. Metcalf portion of this article, but Lockett has been bad. He has just two catches in each of the last two weeks and hasn't topped 60 yards or scored since Week 2. He has been the roller coaster that we came into the season expecting him to be, but this is not good. You have to figure that it will be better against the Jaguars this week, but if he put up four fantasy points again this week I wouldn't be completely shocked as the team is just running the ball a ton. |
| Tyler Johnson TB | Paulson Adebo NO | Even with Antonio Brown out last week and Tom Brady having a big game, Johnson still only had two catches on two targets for 16 yards. Throw in that the Saints secondary is better than Chicago's and we definitely have a situation to avoid here. The Bucs just don't spread the ball around enough to warrant anyone other than the top two receivers and the tight end being fantasy relevant when it comes to the passing game. |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine TEN | Rock Ya-Sin IND | I'm really starting to get annoyed with Julio Jones. He is constantly making me have to update this article. Two weeks ago he was ruled out after this was published so I had to update. Last week he played when I didn't think he would and now again this week ruled out after publishing. Westbook-Ikhine wasn't even targeted last week, and while I see the Titans offense throwing plenty and moving the ball I am really just not interested in anyone besides A.J. Brown. If you want a real desperation start it would be Chester Rogers, not this guy. |
| DeAndre Carter WFT | Patrick Surtain DEN | Dyami Brown hurt his knee, and Curtis Samuel isn't ready to come back. With Adam Humphries living in the slot, that will force Carter into action again. He has had one game where he had four catches for 62 yards and he hasn't had more than even one target in any other game. That number is likely to go up with the lack of options in the offense, but I am not excited for anyone else outside of McLaurin. Adam Humphries is a much better fantasy option for the week but even he is a super long shot. |
Now, here are my 10 favorite matchups in the slot in Week 8.
| Slot WR | Slot CB | Analysis |
| Cooper Kupp LAR | Tavierre Thomas HOU | Wow! Is this the best play on the DFS board for the week? I know it will be super chalky, but Kupp is one of the top five receivers in football this year and the Texans secondary is literal garbage. Houston has allowed 12 passing touchdowns this year including one to Christian Kirk last week out of the slot. Kupp is the most targeted receiver in all of football and has 809 yards and nine touchdowns already. He is easily the WR1 overall this week. |
| Tyreek Hill KC | Darnay Holmes NYG | The Chiefs passing game certainly hasn't been what we expected this year, but the Giants pass defense has been equally disappointing, allowing 14 pass touchdowns in seven games. Hill actually has been under 70 receiving yards in four of seven games so far, but has been targeted seven or more times in every game but one. The Giants have allowed production through the air each and every week and as long as Patrick Mahomes is good to go in this game he should absolutely shred the joke that is the Giants secondary. |
| Keenan Allen LAC | Myles Bryant NE | Not only is Allen elite, but the Patriots lost their great slot receiver in Jonathan Jones to a season ending shoulder injury. The Chargers are coming off their bye and have had two weeks to prepare for this game. The Patriots defense was great last week, but that was against the lowly Jets. Justin Herbert should have little trouble picking this unit apart, and with an injury substitution at slot corner, look for Herbert to target Allen early and often and for him to have his best game of the season. He should have no trouble being targeted double digit times and look for Allen to have a minimum of seven catches and a touchdown as we get ready for Week 8. |
| Chris Godwin TB | Chauncey Gardner-Johnson NO | Without Antonio Brown, it is another great opportunity for Godwin to have a big game. He had eight catches for 111 yards on 11 targets last week when Brown missed the game, and while he might not repeat those numbers, I bet he gets relatively close. The target tree in Tampa (say that five times fast) doesn't have a ton of branches on it, and while it looks like they will get Gronk back, there is no other wide receiver outside of the big two that gets much love. Mike Evans will be tied up with stud corner Marshon Lattimore, giving Godwin even more chances at success. Gardner-Johnson is a solid slot corner allowing just under 11 yards a catch, but I still think the Godwin has a real chance at double digit targets that he should turn into 15-17 fantasy points. |
| Jarvis Landry CLE | Arthur Maulet PIT | He did get dinged up at the end of last Thursday's game, but it shouldn't impact his ability to play this week. The Browns pass game is kind of a mess right now with Odell Beckham clearly not right and even Donovan Peoples-Jones getting hurt during pregame last week. Landry is set to be the guy who gets the most targets this week, and the Steelers secondary has been suspect to be nice. Landry will probably get some attention from all of the Steelers corners given the lack of other talented options on the team. The Browns are still a run first team, but I would be surprised to see Landry get fewer than seven targets which sets him up for 10-12 fantasy points in PPR leagues. |
| Jaylen Waddle MIA | Taron Johnson BUF | The Dolphins are starting to get healthier at wide receiver, but it is still Waddle who is getting the majority of the targets, and he has been quite efficient as well. While his yards per catch are very low, those of you in PPR leagues have been happy with the 17 catches in the last two weeks. Like the rest of the Bills secondary, Johnson is a great defender and is allowing fewer than 50 percent of passes his way to be caught for less than ten yards per catch. I still like Waddle to have a chance at ten targets and if he gets that I would be hard pressed to find a scenario where he doesn't catch five or six of those and have a pretty strong day in PPR leagues. |
| Christian Kirk ARZ | Chandon Sullivan GB | It is really hard to not be excited about almost everyone catching the ball for the Cardinals right now as they have plowed to a 7-0 record with one of the top offenses in football. Kirk has been targeted five or more times in three straight games and five of the team's seven games this season. He has needed to be quite efficient, and he has been, hauling in 30 of his 36 targets. Chandon Sullivan has some nice stats for a corner, although you would like to see a catch rate against lower than 71%. However, the Packers haven't exactly been playing teams with strong slot receivers. I expect the Cardinals to continue their aerial assault on the league and for Kirk to have a chance at scoring again and coming away with a fairly strong game. |
| Cole Beasley BUF | Nik Needham MIA | He has been incredibly hit or miss this season, and a far cry from the guy we saw last year. However, when he is on, he puts up great numbers. Beasley had seven catches for 88 yards and his first touchdown last week and is looking at more success this week against the Dolphins. Nik Needham is a corner I always love to target, and he is allowing 75% of passes to be caught for 11 yards a clip so far this season. Beasley is still third in targets on his team most weeks, so even with this cush matchup I still probably don't use him in DFS games, but if he has been sitting on your bench, this should be a good week to let him take that WR3 or flex spot in your Week 8 rosters. |
| Sterling Shepard NYG | L'Jarius Sneed KC | Well, it looks like he is going to play, which makes him one of my favorite slot plays of the week. Shepard is the volume hog in the Giants pass game, and has been for a few years when healthy. That's the only problem. Health. He has had a hell of a time staying on the field lately. However, let's all play along and hope that he can finish the game. The Chiefs stink, and Sneed has been a disaster. He has allowed 11 of the last 15 targets at him to be caught and he has been burned for three touchdowns already this season. He is also allowing 14.5 yards per catch out of the slot which is really high and a 145.1 quarterback rating against this season. Shepard is a definite play in season long leagues and I think the most reliable option if you are going for a Giants receiver. |
| Adam Humphries WFT | Bryce Callahan DEN | He hasn't been overly productive this season, but given the injuries to Curtis Samuel, Logan Thomas, Dyami Brown, and Cam Sims, Taylor Heinicke is going to have to throw to someone besides McLaurin and Seals-Jones. Humphries did have three catches for 36 yards last week after Brown went out, and is in line for a decent role this week. Callahan started the season hot, but like the rest of the Denver secondary has struggled of late. He has allowed six of the last seven targets at him to be caught and his season yards per catch allowed is 13.5 while most slot corners keep it around ten. I'm not saying Humphries is in some smash spot here, but the slot is thin and it was him or Jakobi Meyers and I thought Humphries had the easier matchup. |
Elite
Cooper Kupp vs. Tavierre Thomas
The chalkiest chalk that ever did chalk! The Texans aren’t the worst secondary in football, but they are pretty damn bad, and Kupp is nearly in his own tier this season. The targets are there, the production is there, Matthew Stafford is playing nearly perfect football this season, and the Rams are basically assured to score at least 30 points in this game. He has had two slate breaking games in a row, and there’s no reason that he can’t make it three against a team that is getting beaten on a weekly basis. Kupp won’t be cheap, but he is worth it.
Deebo Samuel vs. Jaylon Johnson
I was torn between him and Ja’Marr Chase here and they are both elite options, but I wanted to include Deebo. He does have a bit of a calf injury, but there is no way that it will hamper him from playing this weekend. Samuel has been targeted at least eight times in every game this season and has had double digit targets in four of six. As always, he is also a YAC beast, and even horrific weather conditions last week didn’t stop him from having a big game. The Bears secondary doesn’t give up a ton of yardage, but they are allowing an average of two passing touchdowns per game. Deebo is the only reliable receiving option the 49ers have until Kyle Shanahan starts to give Brandon Aiyuk a chance again so he is in line to have another huge game.
Affordable
He has been an absolute horse the past two weeks with 15 catches for 224 yards and a score against the Bills and Chiefs. He left the game the first time that the Colts and Titans played, so we don’t have any data from this year to go off of, but let’s just be real, Brown is one of the top ten receivers in football. The Colts have already allowed 16 passing touchdowns and allowed 100 yards to number one receiver Deebo Samuel last week in a driving rainstorm. This week will have no weather concerns in the dome and with Julio Jones out, this only opens more opportunities for Brown. Look for him to kill it again and take advantage while his DFS price still doesn’t match his abilities.
The Patriots lost slot corner Jonathan Jones last week, so we are looking at a plus matchup for Allen. He only had five targets last week, but that was his lowest total of the season and has had double digit targets in three of the six games this season. The Pats pass defense was torpedoed by Dak Prescott and the Cowboys two weeks ago, and Justin Herbert should see similar success. I like both Mike Williams and Allen in Week 8, but with the slot corner injury for the Pats, I am feeling Allen extra this week.
Bargain Bin
DeVonta Smith vs. Amani Oruwariye
I also like Michael Pittman as a cheaper option, but I can’t look away from Smith here. The rookie is the one reliable option that the Eagles have at wide receiver, and outside of Dallas Goedert there really isn’t much else at all to throw to with confidence. The Lions secondary is allowing an average of more than two touchdowns per game through the air, and even an anemic pass game like the Eagles will take advantage of that. Smith has the volume and the matchup that you are looking for when trying to pick a lower salaried guy to try to fill out your DFS roster.
*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.
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