Week 7 WR Start’ Em or Sit’ Em: Start-Sit Advice for Every Fantasy-Relevant Wide Receiver in Every Game

We’re gearing up for Week 7 of fantasy football action, and with that, there are lots of questions about who to start and who to sit. Below, we’ve provided analysis for every fantasy-relevant wide receiver in every game this weekend.

If you’re looking for all positions, head to our Week 7 Fantasy Football Start-Sit Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.

A.J. Brown, WR | PHI (at NYG)

It took Brown all of 15 minutes to warm up in his return to action last week. After a catch-less first quarter, Brown burned Cleveland for 116 yards and a score on six grabs. It wasn’t just the production after a month’s hiatus that was impressive, it was the timing of execution/importance of those catches.

The touchdown last week came on a picture-perfect fade, and Jalen Hurts dropped a pass into the bucket for a 40-yard gain to close out the win. The Giants have had Brown’s number to a degree (he hasn’t scored against the divisional foe since Dec. 11, 2022, a run of 22 scoreless targets), but the current version of this defense doesn’t scare me. Everything we saw last week indicates that this alpha is at full strength.

Three times over the past four weeks a receiver caught at least seven passes against New York, and they all carried a nice size profile (Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Tee Higgins). Brown is a Tier 1 receiver moving forward and is certainly in the mix to lead the position in fantasy points this week.

Alec Pierce, WR | IND (vs. MIA)

We fundamentally approach fantasy sports differently if you’re considering starting Pierce this week or, to be honest, almost any week when the team is at full strength. Yes, Joe Flacco missed him on what could have been a 60-yard score last week, but that’s the nature of the business when running vertical routes.

Pierce earned 10 targets in 54 routes through the first two weeks of the season, but he’s seen just 11 on 118 routes since, a lack of consistency that makes him near impossible to project with consistency.

Obviously, Anthony Richardson is a better fit for a skill set like that of Pierce. But if your bail-out option is relying on the second-year QB as a thrower of the football, you’re swimming upstream. This season, just 55.9% of yards gained against the Dolphins come through the air, the third-lowest rate and yet another reason to sit Pierce. I’d rather roll the dice on Gabe Davis if you’re in the business of overlooking risk.

Amari Cooper, WR | BUF (vs. TEN)

During his time in Cleveland this season, Cooper had as many targets as their next two leaders in receiving yards have combined (53). While I don’t think the quantity of attempts reflects that in Buffalo, the spike in quality of opportunity should far outweigh that.

With the Browns (2022-24), Cooper produced 56.4% over expectation on passes thrown 20+ yards down the field, a rate that checks in ahead of both of Josh Allen’s primary weapons over that stretch (Stefon Diggs was +34.9% and Gabe Davis +40.3%). Even with those two receivers moving on, Joe Brady has Allen’s average depth of throw up 19.5% this season from last and pacing for a career-high.

Remember way back in 2022 when A.J. Brown came to Philadelphia from a questionable offense in Tennessee? He was a top-15 receiver in five of his first eight games with the team and WR10 over his first 11 games with the team — there are 11 games left in the regular season for the Bills. Guess who was WR9 over that stretch?

Amari Cooper.

He has one top-40 finish this season, and I’m willing to write that off as 100% situational. He’s a top-20 receiver for me this week if he debuts and a top-20 option at the position for the remainder of the season.

And I may not be high enough.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR | DET (at MIN)

From average depth of target to fantasy production over expectation to target rate, everything St. Brown has done through six weeks aligns with his career norms, so no. No, I’m not lowering my position on him because Jameson Williams leads this team in receiving yards and has matched St. Brown in the touchdown department.

Jared Goff might be playing the best football of his life right now, and that means spreading the ball around a bit. St. Brown has more first-down receptions than Williams has total catches this season, so I’m not even entertaining the idea that there is a new WR1 in Detroit and am thus confident in projecting elite output moving forward.

That “elite production” I’m referencing has a great chance to start this week when facing a Vikings team against which he has 48 catches and 62 targets across six career meetings. I think both Lions receivers are starting-lineup-worthy in this spot (there have been 10 instances in five games in which a receiver cleared 11 fantasy points against Minnesota), but I’m going to continue to lean on the more consistent of the two as my primary bet.

Brandon Aiyuk, WR | SF (vs. KC)

After a Week 5 breakout against the Cardinals (8-147-0 on a 37.5% target share), expectations were high against a Seahawks team that struggles to defend perimeter receivers. Two catches and 37 yards later, all of us with exposure to Aiyuk were let down significantly to kick off last week.

Aiyuk didn’t have much of a preseason, and while I don’t doubt that it affected his form, I think the greater impact of his absence was Purdy’s time to develop chemistry in this system and with other pass catchers.

Aiyuk saw just one first-half target last Thursday night, suggesting that getting him looks wasn’t a priority in the pre-game script.

Listen, this is San Francisco. We’ve seen this before. Entering the season, my opinion was that after any down week for any of their primary options, take the temperature of your league, and after any spike week for any of their primary options, take the temperature of your league.

Aiyuk, Samuel, and George Kittle are all elite options, and they’re all going to have their moments in the sun.

It’ll be frustrating, but you knew that when you drafted this summer. If you roster Aiyuk, I think you’re playing him every week in which he is active and not thinking twice about it.

Brian Thomas Jr., WR | JAX (vs. NE)

This kid is all sorts of special, and we’re seeing the sparks of that potential, even in a Jaguars offense that as a whole is struggling.

Thomas had two catches in Jacksonville’s first seven plays last week, but he only had one grab the rest of the way, resulting in fantasy frustrations. Still, the foundation remains.

Thomas dropped what should have been a 15-yard touchdown. If he collects that pass, the story of his Week 6 changes in a significant way.

Remove a slow NFL debut and BTJ is averaging 93.6 air yards per game. Obviously, not all air yards are created equal, but that metric alone has proven pretty predictive. In fact, last season, 13 of the top 19 per-game PPR receivers got to that number on a per-game basis. Thomas is going to be an asset for years to come, but what about Week 7?

Well, it depends on what version of the Patriots shows up. Twice this season (Seattle and Houston) has a team seen multiple receivers clear 18.5 PPR points, a level of production that is off the charts and within the range of outcomes if you’re buying the signs of growth this Jaguars passing game has shown recently (multiple TD passes in three straight games, 73.9% complete over the past two weeks).

Of course, there are two sides to both coins that we are flipping here. Outside of those two matchups, the Patriots haven’t allowed a single receiver to reach 14.5 PPR points, including games facing the 49ers, Bengals, and Dolphins.

While there have been some positive signals for Jacksonville, this is still a 1-5 team that is struggling to put together 60 good minutes. I’m generally bullish on Thomas and have him ranked as a fringe top-20 option at the position in this spot.

Calvin Ridley, WR | TEN (at BUF)

We’ve all come across an individual who has their job based solely on their last name, right? Sometimes said person is ultra-qualified for the position and other times not so much. But there is no denying that their last name played a big role in the opportunity.

If not for Ridley’s name, would he still be rostered? Since Week 3, he has as many targets as receiving yards (14).

Let me say that another way. Since Week 3, there are only 259 players (minimum two games played over that stretch) averaging more receiving yards than Ridley.

Will Levis’ completion percentage is up eight percentage points from his rookie season, but his decision-making hasn’t progressed the way that we need. With a lower average depth of throw, this version of Levis might actually be less valuable for his receivers.

Ridley shouldn’t be sniffing fantasy lineups at this point, and if you have a pressing need on your roster, cutting ties is certainly deserving of consideration.

Chris Godwin, WR | TB (vs. BAL)

We were told this offseason that the Bucs had an interest in moving Godwin into more of a full-time slot — and, man, has it paid off!

Godwin ended up posting a huge stat line last week with Mike Evans departing at various times due to injury, but the plan wasn’t much of a secret coming into the game. He had a 50% target share with 19 yards and a touchdown on Tampa Bay’s opening drive, one that is scripted well ahead of time for most teams.

After breaking through multiple tackles, Godwin took a second-down screen pass 55 yards to the house, locking in his third top-10 finish of the season. His name may not “feel” like it fits among the elite producers in the game, but every number suggests that is where Godwin belongs, and who am I to stand in his way?

The Ravens have allowed a receiver to eclipse 17 PPR points six times this season, and as a set, they ran over one-third of their routes from the slot and owned a 10.3-yard aDOT. Godwin could check both of those boxes this week and should continue his march toward a career year across the board.

Christian Kirk, WR | JAX (vs. NE)

I was optimistic about this Jags passing attack entering the season, and while that has resulted in some nice production from Brian Thomas Jr., Kirk has left me unsatisfied in half of his games this season (including a 3-39-0 stat line against the Bears last week).

We are approaching Halloween, and yet, 25% of Kirk’s fantasy points have come on two single receptions. In theory, his slot role next to BTJ on the perimeter should come with a reasonable floor, but that just hasn’t been the case in a sporadic Trevor Lawrence season.

With a sub-62% catch rate (2023: 67.1%), Kirk offers more risk than reward weekly. The Patriots have allowed the 10th-highest passer rating when opponents target the slot this season, so there is certainly a path to a WR2 finish for Kirk. That’s enough for him to move into my Flex ranks, though the low floor of this offense as a whole prohibits him from graduating into my WR2 tier in anything but a perfect matchup.

Christian Watson, WR | GB (vs. HOU)

Realistically, what did we learn from Watson’s 3-68-1 afternoon against the Cardinals last week?

In my opinion, all we learned was that he has recovered from the ankle injury that cost him a game. His ability to run by defenses is no secret, making his 44-yard touchdown catch that featured 40 air yards more confirmation of his ability than anything else.

I like that Jordan Love went his direction on a fourth-down play in the first half and sought him out on a single-coverage end-zone target later in that drive — that’s where there is value to be gained in the long term.

In the short term, the high-end top speed might be enough to warrant Flexing him. Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed were banged up at different points of last week’s victory, and even if neither misses time, any limitations on their part open up valuable looks for Watson.

DeMario Douglas (6-92-1) produced against this Houston defense last week, thanks in large part to a 35-yard touchdown. He’s not usually viewed as a big-play threat, but he was able to connect the dots on the long catch and run against a Texans unit that has largely been vulnerable to those receivers with big-play potential (in addition to Douglas, Alec Pierce, Brian Thomas Jr., and Justin Jefferson are the receivers with the best games against Houston through six weeks).

Watson isn’t a ”safe” play because Watson isn’t a “safe” player. Regardless of his health status and matchup, the floor is always going to be low, but you know that as you set your roster. With plenty of fantasy teams nearing desperation mode, this is the type of receiver to gamble on — a strong singular skill that can have success in this specific matchup as a part of an explosive offense.

He’s not for everyone, but if you’re considering firing up Watson this week, it means you’re willing to overlook some flaws.

Cooper Kupp, WR | LAR (vs. LV)

And we are back! Probably. Likely.

This is obviously a situation to monitor, but the second he is deemed active for the Rams is the second that Kupp is reinserted into your starting lineups. There are plenty of things to overthink in this fantasy world of ours, but this simply isn’t one of them.

You shouldn’t need it for a man who saw 21 targets in a game this season. But if you do, here’s a note about the matchup to feel good about — twice have the Raiders seen a receiver earn double-digit targets against them this season (Diontae Johnson and Zay Flowers), and they coughed up over 90 yards and a touchdown in both instances.

The Raiders have done what most thought was impossible through six weeks — they rank 25th in pressure rate despite having the machine known as Maxx Crosby on their roster. Matthew Stafford doesn’t need time to find Kupp, but if you give him extended time, where do you think he’s going with the ball?

If the team is confident enough to bring him back, they are doing so knowing where the ball is likely to be headed 30-35% of the time.

Darius Slayton, WR | NYG (vs. PHI)

We know that the WR position doesn’t handcuff quite like the RB position — if a running back goes down, the backup fills a similar role. But if a receiver gets dinged up, the entire target hierarchy adjusts.

Usually.

In the case of the G-men, Slayton has walked right into a poor man’s version of the Malik Nabers (concussion) role. In Weeks 1-4, he was targeted on 15 of 135 routes, but with the star rookie sidelined, he’s seen 22 looks on 80 routes (14 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown, a stat line that could be bigger if not for a defensive pass interference call in the end zone last week).

I hope Nabers returns. Not for my own selfish fantasy reasons, but because I get more nervous every week that a head injury lingers. His status is going to single-handedly swing my ranking of Slayton by some 25 spots, in part due to the volume that appears locked in and in part due to the matchup that awaits …

WR1s vs. Philadelphia Eagles:

• Week 1: Jayden Reed, 33.1 fantasy points
• Week 2: Drake London, 17.4 fantasy points
• Week 3: Chris Olave, 20.6 fantasy points
• Week 4: Mike Evans, 23.4 fantasy points

I’m not giving them credit for shutting down the Browns last week because that situation is a mess. The point here is that the Eagles have struggled to take away where their opponents most want to go and, if the past two weeks have taught us anything, it’s that Daniel Jones is interested in this Nabers role, even if it’s not the rookie sensation filling those shoes.

With an active Nabers, Slayton sits outside of my top 40 without much question. With an inactive Nabers, I think there is a conversation to be had between Slayton, Tank Dell, Amari Cooper, and receivers like that in the high-end Flex position of my Week 7 rankings.

Darnell Mooney, WR | ATL (vs. SEA)

The Falcons have tweaked how Mooney was used during his final season with the Bears, and they’ve had some good success in doing so (pace: 77 catches for 1,041 yards and 8.5 touchdowns), landing the WR2 on the Flex radar more often than not.

If Atlanta can be more consistent with the target type for Mooney, he could end up flirting with top-25 status in a given week. But that’s not yet the case — he has three games with under 40 air yards and three with over 115. That said, if you’ve been riding the roller coaster, I’d continue doing it in this spot.

Seattle’s defense thrived against the bottom-feeders of the league to open the season, but since Week 3, they have the second-highest passer rating allowed (121.4, for reference, which is 11.1 points higher than the NFL’s top-rated QB up to this point).

Davante Adams, WR | NYJ (at PIT)

This move felt close to inevitable, and it’s now official. We will get news on where Adams’ recovery from his hamstring injury sits, but it stands to reason that the Raiders were being cautious with their star so as to not put him in harm’s way and lessen their return in a deal.

So let’s assume that he is good to go from a health perspective, now what?

Adams himself was thought of as a top-15 receiver entering the season (depending on your site, his ADP was in the WR11-13 range) as the focal point of a questionable offense. Now, he is the focal point of a questionable offense that carries some upside.

His history with Aaron Rodgers is impossible to ignore. Considering that, despite iffy quarterback play, Adams opened this season with production rates of +14.5% and +14.8% over expectation, it’s safe to say that there is plenty of gas left in the tank. Rodgers has struggled with the deep ball recently (remove the Hail Mary last night and he is 9-of-31 with no scores and three picks during this three-game skid when throwing the ball 15+ yards down the field). But with the non-verbal communication portion of his timing-oriented game now set, logic would state that a bounce-back is to be expected in rather short order.

The Jets are on short rest this week and face an elite defense in Pittsburgh, but after that, the schedule runs out nicely for Rodgers to push as a fantasy starter with Adams safely inside the top 10 at the position in all formats, assuming health.

• Week 8 at Patriots
• Week 9 vs. Texans
• Week 10 at Cardinals
• Week 11 vs. Colts

New York then goes on bye and the schedule gets even more friendly to close out the fantasy season (Seahawks-Dolphins-Jaguars-Rams-Bills). This move might put the Jets into the playoffs and certainly could vault your fantasy team up the standings if you were holding tight on either former Packer. As for the surrounding pieces …

Garrett Wilson is the loser of this deal in a significant way. He’ll remain fantasy-viable, but his path to stardom has been put on hold while the Jets try to salvage this win-now window. His aDOT this season is down 26.7% from a season ago, seemingly because he and Rodgers couldn’t connect the way the future Hall of Famer could with Adams in the past.

So, reinserting the star receiver into the mix only solidifies the more conservative route tree while capping his number of looks in what should still be a slow offense. There are a lot of moving pieces to consider, but should Adams be active for Week 7, there’s an interesting trend to consider and one that can keep you confident in Wilson. The Steelers have played four teams with a proven WR1:

• Week 1 at ATL: Ray-Ray McCloud III outscored Drake London
• Week 2 at DEN: Josh Reynolds and Lil’Jordan Humphrey outscored Courtland Sutton
• Week 4 at IND: Josh Downs outscored Michael Pittman Jr.
• Week 5 vs. DAL: Jalen Tolbert outscored CeeDee Lamb

As for the juice you’ve squeezed out of Allen Lazard up to this point, those days are likely gone. Rodgers has occasionally supported a third pass-catching option, though. Even in his prime, it’s been more at the tight end position than anything (Richard Rodgers scored eight times in 2015 and Robert Tonyan scored 11 TDs in 2020). Randall Cobb was able to scratch across limited PPR appeal, but Lazard’s profile was thin to begin with. It only seems like a matter of time until you decide to move on.

He’s been able to thrive thanks to clearing 100 air yards and seeing multiple end-zone looks in each of the past two weeks. I’m not sure he has two such games for the rest of the season — that’s going to land him outside of my top 45 receivers consistently moving forward.

Left in Adams’ wake in Las Vegas is a limited offense that can’t move the ball with consistency. Brock Bowers proved last week that he is talented enough to win no matter the coverage schemes, locking in his status as a top-six player at the position moving forward.

Outside of him, there’s no one on this roster to be excited about. A currently banged-up Jakobi Meyers is now their WR1 and should be rostered, but more as depth than a player you plan on using weekly. The Raiders have been and will continue to be an offense you can stream defenses against with confidence, making the Falcons’ defense an interesting add once we hit December (Weeks 13-16: Chargers, Vikings, Raiders, and Giants).

DeAndre Hopkins, WR | TEN (at BUF)

The usage metrics look fine (over 28% on-field target share in three consecutive games with an aDOT that is in line with his career average), but if 2024 has taught us anything, it’s that not all targets are created equal.

The future Hall of Famer has just one top-40 finish on his résumé this season, and without Will Levis showing tangible signs of development, why would we expect things to change in a meaningful way?

Hopkins and Calvin Ridley are both in the middling WR4 discussion, which is not enough to matter in anything but the deepest of formats.

Deebo Samuel Sr., WR | SF (vs. KC)

Process or results?

Samuel’s 76-yard catch-and-run was among the flashy highlights last Thursday night. Plus, he was handed the ball four times, his most since the season-opening win against the Jets. In theory, the ability to rip off big plays and gain volume on the ground should make Samuel a bona fide star — and yet, I’m worried.

Weeks 4-6, targets per route:

• Jauan Jennings: 23.8%
• George Kittle: 22.4%
• Brandon Aiyuk: 21.9%
• Samuel: 15.1%

That table doesn’t even include some nice development for Jordan Mason (Weeks 4-6: 11.5%, up from 4.5% through Week 3), something that will need to be factored in as Christian McCaffrey nears his season debut.

Samuel’s name and YAC skills make him a starter in all formats this week and in the short term, but this is the type of player that I often try to move after a productive outing. Last week was certainly that.

Demarcus Robinson, WR | LAR (vs. LV)

Robinson scored in Week 5 against the Packers before the Rams went on bye, so maybe you held onto him through the week off — there’s no need. If you want to stash him for another week to make sure that Cooper Kupp is back earning looks at the rate we’ve been accustomed to, be my guest. But in many of my leagues, roster spots are too valuable to burn one on a maybe like this (peak weekly finish in 2024: WR38).

Despite a spike in his role due to the injuries in Los Angeles, Robinson hasn’t cleared 50 yards in a game this season, and that’s tough to do for a receiver averaging 15.8 yards per catch. The Rams entered this season without much depth to speak of and that remains the case. I’m not interested in trying to pin the tail on the auxiliary receiver in an offense I don’t trust.

Robinson, Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell, and Tyler Johnson are all reasonable cuts if you need immediate help.

DeMario Douglas, WR | NE (vs. JAX)

Douglas hauled in six of nine targets for 92 yards and a score against the Texans last week in Drake Maye’s first career start, resulting in the first New England WR top-20 finish of the season.

The early returns were positive, but I’d caution against getting over your skies after a single game. Douglas earned the right to be my highest-ranked Patriots pass catcher this week in a matchup with the worst EPA pass defense in the league, but that only lands him in the middling Flex tier.

Maye offers plenty of upside that this offense didn’t have access to prior, but don’t mistake a ceiling for stability.

DeVonta Smith, WR | PHI (at NYG)

Smith has played four games this season, and he’s been a top-25 receiver in each of them. A fourth-quarter, 45-yard touchdown saved his day against the Browns last week in his return to action.

Smith has been great, though the 16.7% target share needs to improve long term.

In consecutive weeks, multiple receivers have scored at least 11.5 fantasy points against the Giants (Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett in Week 5, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins last week on Sunday night), positioning the Eagles’ offense to fly and potentially gain some sustainable traction to avoid the disaster that happened at the end of last season.

Smith has caught a touchdown in three of his past four games against New York, though it’s worth noting that Philadelphia elected to use him as an underneath option in the last two meetings (4.8 aDOT).

That’s the beauty of Smith — he has game-breaking talent if called upon but also the ability to rack up cheap points. I’m not 100% sure how he gets there, but I’m confident that he does in the end, and that’s all that matters.

You’re starting Smith in all formats every week as it is, and I have him a few slots higher this week than normal. His versatile skill set and the overall potency of this offense land him ahead of another receiver I like a lot this week …

Diontae Johnson, WR | CAR (at WAS)

Starting multiple Panthers with supreme confidence feels like a dangerous way to live, but Johnson joins Chuba Hubbard as a locked-in option as part of the worst team in the sport. As the clear-cut WR1 in this offense, Johnson has been a top-15 receiver in three of Andy Dalton’s four starts. That run of production probably doesn’t slow against the third-worst EPA pass defense in the league.

Johnson has 29 catches for 340 yards and three scores this season. The next top two Panthers in terms of receiving yards have combined for 28 catches, 295 yards, and two scores. There is no question as to who is going to expose a defense that allowed Zay Flowers to catch all nine of his targets for 132 yards in the first half last week (he finished as the fifth receiver this season to clear 22 points against the Commanders).

There’s no law saying you have to watch the Panthers play if you start Johnson – simply check the box score when all is said and done, and I think you’ll like what you see.

DK Metcalf, WR | SEA (at ATL)

Box score watchers were let down by a three-catch, 48-yard, touchdown-less effort from Metcalf on Thursday night. But the deeper dive reflects much more optimism. Not only did Metcalf have a 52-yard touchdown wiped off the board due to a Seattle illegal shift that couldn’t have impacted the play less, but he saw two end-zone targets (Weeks 1-5: one) and had 213 air yards (previous season high: 146).

He was clearly the focal point of this passing game (targeted on four of Smith’s first six passes) and, in addition to the long score that came back, he had an early touchdown in his hands but simply couldn’t get a second foot down in the back of the end zone. After three straight games with at least 104 receiving yards, Metcalf has 103 through two October games — you shouldn’t be worried in the least.

You’re playing Seattle’s alpha with the utmost confidence if you have him and it would be worth your while to look at the team with him rostered in the trade market — if that team is 2-4 or worse, they may be in panic mode and susceptible to a short-sighted deal.

Drake London, WR | ATL (vs. SEA)

Could we be looking at a league winner?

Receiver A:

• 104.8 fantasy points
• 35.2% slot usage
• 530 air yards

Receiver B:

• 101.7 fantasy points
• 33.7% slot usage
• 475 air yards

Any guesses?

The first receiver is 2024 Drake London in his first six games with Kirk Cousins and the second is 2020 Justin Jefferson in his first six games with Cousins. London has been a top-20 receiver in four of five games after the dismal Week 1.
While the season-long numbers on the Seahawks still look reasonable, don’t forget that their defense has faltered as the schedule has toughened — five times over the past three weeks they’ve allowed a receiver to reach 16 PPR points.

Garrett Wilson, WR | NYJ (at PIT)

Garrett Wilson has seen a reduced aDOT (8.4 yards) with strong volume (27.3% on-field target share) this season, but his role is at risk of changing significantly with Davante Adams likely taking over the WR1 duties in New York.

The raw talent is enough to keep him in starting lineups, though the upside is significantly less than it was a week ago. Wilson is well ahead of his career scoring rate thanks to being targeted on 34.3% of his red zone routes, and that’s been great to see. However, it’s where the Rodgers/Adams connection has been the strongest in the past.

Last season, we saw Mike Evans score in bunches for the Buccaneers, with Chris Godwin producing on occasion with the scraps. Wilson might be the 2023 Godwin of this offense, and that’s going to result in underwhelming production based on where you picked him this summer.

George Pickens, WR | PIT (vs. NYJ)

Pickens was WR24 in the season opener, but he’s posted just one top-40 finish since. Fields may be the limiting force, especially with his recent regression to his career mean, but that’s the hand we are dealt for now.

We can address the impact of Russell Wilson taking over if it happens (in the effort of getting ahead of things, Pickens would move up 8-12 spots in my WR ranks) — in this matchup with this quarterback, how can you feel good about labeling Pickens as a top-30 play?

The WR position is deep enough that you don’t need to take on risks like this. There are half a dozen slot specialists who have a fraction of Pickens’ physical tools, but until “physical tools” has a fantasy point total tied to it, I don’t really care.

Justin Jefferson is the only WR to hit 80 receiving yards against the Jets this season, and I expect that to still be the case after Sunday. You can sign me up for JuJu Smith-Schuster, Khalil Shakir, or Ladd McConkey over Pickens for Week 7.

Jakobi Meyers, WR | LV (at LAR)

Meyers could not practice through an ankle injury suffered in Week 5 for most of last week, but a limited session on Friday gave us a glimmer of hope that he’d be available.

No such luck, though. The effort to get on the practice field late last week could foreshadow a return to this advantageous spot. With Davante Adams possibly having played his last game for the Silver and Black, Meyers’ path to as much volume as he can handle is reasonably clear, a role that, usually, pays off in a nice way against the Rams. Three times this season has a receiver seen 105+ air yards against the Rams …

• Week 1: Jameson Williams (nine targets, 24.4 PPR points)
• Week 2: Marvin Harrison Jr. (eight targets, 29 PPR points)
• Week 3: Jauan Jennings (12 targets, 46.5 PPR points)

There’s sound logic in wanting to exploit this Los Angeles defense down the field. However, I’m going to use that bit of information as an opportunity to optimize my future lineups (Jordan Addison next week and locking DK Metcalf into Week 9 DFS lineups) as opposed to acting on it this week in an offense being led by Aidan O’Connell, a quarterback with as many completions to the wrong team as the right one on his 12 deep shots this season (two).

Meyers is a “getting cute” DFS play only and sits outside of my top 40 at the position.

Jalen McMillan, WR | TB (vs. BAL)

The third-round pick out of Washington returned to the field, and with Mike Evans dealing with a few injuries (none believed to be serious), McMillan deserves to be on your radar. Receiver handcuffs are rare due to how the position functions, but should Evans miss time at any point moving forward, McMillan will rise up to Flex consideration as long as Mayfield continues to play at this level.

Treat McMillan like you would any backup running back. You’re investing based on contingent value with the understanding that stand-alone value is a long shot. The Ravens allow a league-high 4.8 deep completions per game — tuck that in your pocket if this Evans injury lingers.

Ja’Lynn Polk, WR | NE (vs. JAX)

The 1-5 Patriots are motivated to see what their future looks like, and Polk is likely a part of that. Polk turned four Drake Maye targets into a whopping four yards last week. While that’s not exactly what we had in mind, remember that it’s only a single data point.

I saw enough from the rookie QB to think that there might be some value to extract from this offense as we approach the second half of the fantasy season, which makes Polk a reasonable luxury stash. There might not be redraft value here, but we don’t know that for sure, and I’m happy to invest in some uncertainty for a few weeks to see how this offense develops.

Ja’Marr Chase, WR | CIN (at CLE)

Through six weeks, Chase has three massive games and a trio that falls more into the underwhelming category, but there shouldn’t be any concern. Burrow is playing at a high level, and Chase is making at least one highlight catch weekly (33+ yard reception in four straight games) — it really is that simple.

The big plays have continued to come despite Chase’s aDOT dipping for a third straight season, a nod to his elite playmaking ability. Skeptics will track down his lack of success in this specific matchup (under 50 receiving yards in four of five meetings), but this version of the Browns isn’t the one we’ve feared in seasons past.

The Bengals’ defense almost ensures that this team will struggle to blow out anyone. In two close games that Cleveland has played when the opponent has had a standout WR1, they’ve been burned in a significant way.

• Week 3: Malik Nabers, 28.2 PPR points (8-78-2)
• Week 6: A.J. Brown, 23.6 PPR points (6-116-1)

Chase lives in my top five at the position every week, regardless of matchup. Don’t overthink things — he’s my WR3 and on my DFS radar.

Jameson Williams, WR | DET (at MIN)

The Lions are playing 4D chess these days. In between trying to scheme up hook and ladders to linemen, Detroit’s offense found time to quick snap the Cowboys last week after seeing a coverage edge and exploiting it by way of a 37-yard touchdown to Williams, positioning the burner for his fourth top-24 finish of the season.

Despite having the best EPA pass defense in the league, the Vikings have allowed a receiver to reach 18 fantasy points in each of their past four. While Williams has 76 more receiving yards and five more big plays than Amon-Ra St. Brown this season, he’s still the WR2 in the Lions’ offense, and this is far from an advantageous matchup against an undefeated team coming off a bye.

With various injuries impacting the WR rankings, I still have Williams as a top-24 receiver this week, though I will admit that I’m nervous and will be avoiding him in DFS formats (10 catches in Weeks 1-2, six grabs since).

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR | SEA (at ATL)

If you’re a process-oriented manager, the case for remaining loyal to Smith-Njigba is clear. The target-earning growth was bumpy early on, but with 28 yards over his past three games, the strong fantasy numbers seem close to inevitable.

I like to check out third-down rates when it comes to young receivers — does his quarterback trust him with the fate of the drive on the line? JSN has accounted for a team-high 27.8% of third-down receptions (10), recording as many through six weeks as Metcalf (six) and Lockett (four) have combined.

The Seahawks schemed up a fade for him in the end zone on Thursday night, and while the pass was knocked out because the timing was a little off, I’m encouraged by the confidence that Smith is showing in his budding star. Atlanta is more vulnerable in the slot than anywhere on the field as offenses seek to avoid A.J. Terrell Jr. Put Smith-Njigba in a spot to return Flex value and it’ll start to reward you for hanging in there through the lean times.

Jauan Jennings, WR | SF (vs. KC)

From Weeks 2-5, Jennings was on the field for 63.5% of San Francisco’s offensive snaps, and being on the field regularly is the best way to take advantage of a highly efficient offense like this one.

He showed well for himself when given the opportunity, but his stock is fading quickly with the 49ers now healthy. Against the Seahawks last week, Jennings was on the field for just 49.2% of snaps, a rate that is more likely to regress further than bounce back.

Jennings is to be used like a handcuff receiver — stash him and deploy him if he rises up the depth chart, but ignore him otherwise. He’s a nice player to have on your bench right now, but not in your starting lineup.

Jayden Reed, WR | GB (vs. HOU)

Reed scored and was the only Packers player with a catch through their first two drives last week, a game during which he was dinged up.

The hope is that the ankle injury won’t limit Green Bay’s top receiver, though you should at least be aware that the next two weeks are a little less impactful in the scheme of things than a meeting with the Lions in Week 9 ahead of the Week 10 bye.

I’m operating as if Reed will be a full-go in this spot against a Texans defense that has already allowed four 20-point performances to a receiver this season.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — Reed is the Packers’ version of Deebo Samuel. With a touchdown catch or multiple rush attempts in every game this season, Reed should be considered a fringe WR1 the rest of the way.

Jaylen Waddle, WR | MIA (at IND)

At this point, Waddle is the equivalent of holding a savings bond. You could cash it in now if you’re in need (7-9 PPR points), but waiting for the maturation date is the optimal usage if you have the luxury.

Waddle will move into my top 25 the second Tua Tagovailoa is cleared to return — but not a second before. He’s yet to finish a week as a top-45 receiver since his starting quarterback got injured. While this matchup would indicate a reason for hope if this passing game remains concentrated (every time a receiver has seen at least eight targets against the Colts this season, he’s cleared 15 PPR points), the low floor stands to impact your matchup more than the concept of a ceiling stands to help you.

Jerry Jeudy, WR | CLE (vs. CIN)

Jeudy hasn’t been a top-50 receiver in three of his past four games, and Deshaun Watson is on the short list of worst performers in our QB+ metric over the past decade.

Nick Chubb’s pending return probably results in the pass rate over expectation trending closer to neutral than the top 10 status it has held up to this point, further putting the number of opportunities in question, even after the departure of Amari Cooper on Tuesday afternoon.

A receiver has scored at least 18.5 PPR points against the Bengals five times this season, an upside that is now within the range of outcomes for Jeudy.

Notice how that is worded. “Within the range” is way different than “is projected for.” Upon learning of the Cooper trade, Jeudy moved up 17 spots in my positional ranks and is now in the Flex conversation for deeper leagues.

Jordan Addison, WR | MIN (vs. DET)

Addison has appeared in three games this season and the results have been about what you’d expect — one top-10 finish and two outside of the top 50. He’s a talented receiver with plenty of pedigree, but his production as a rookie didn’t project as stable week-over-week.

With only two teams on a bye this week, my guess is that most of you won’t be pressed into playing Addison this week. Since returning from injury in Week 4, he’s been exclusively viewed as a deep threat (20.2 aDOT).

Could Minnesota scheme him opportunities to produce coming out of the bye? It’s possible, but the Lions have shown great growth up to this point in defending the long pass. That alone is enough for me to look elsewhere this week when filling out my lineup.

Addison will have to improve his efficiency to crack my top 30 in any given week. He caught just five-of-12 targets against a lesser version of this Detroit defense last season.

Josh Downs, WR | IND (vs. MIA)

Downs and — keep reading, Michael Pittman Jr. — have been thriving under Joe Flacco, making the decision under center one that impacts their Week 7 ranking by 20+ slots.

Last week, after Richardson was a late scratch, Downs saw a pair of targets on Indianapolis’ first drive, one that was capped with a 22-yard touchdown catch, vaulting him to his third straight top-20 performance (30 targets across those games).

I’m currently banking on Richardson returning this week — that is fueling my dropping of Downs outside of my top 35. Only twice this season has a receiver reached 12 PPR points against the Dolphins, and neither time was that player in the slot for even 22% of his routes.

With Flacco starting, we’d be talking about a 10-ish point rise in my ranks, putting Downs on the Flex radar, while confirmation with Richardson would back him outside of my top 40.

Joshua Palmer, WR | LAC (at ARI)

Joshua Palmer has dealt with various injuries this season, but the counting numbers for fantasy purposes haven’t been there when he’s been active. The 25-year-old has yet to reach 40 receiving yards in a game in 2024 and has produced under expectations in three of four games.

With a fluid target hierarchy in Los Angeles, there is a path to him offering a week upside in any matchup, but as a part of the 28th-ranked offense in terms of pass rate over expectation, the risk far outweighs the reward in most redraft situations.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR | KC (at SF)

Week 5 feels like a while ago. I encourage you to not forget just how impressive Smith-Schuster’s role was. He played a season-high 66.3% snap share against the Saints and paid it off with eight targets, seven catches, and 130 yards (+34.2% production over expectation) as he essentially assumed the role vacated by Rashee Rice.

2024 Rashee Rice:

• 41% slot
• 33% on-field target share

Week 5 Smith-Schuster:

• 39.6% slot
• 27.6% on-field target share

I’m not suggesting that Smith-Schuster is poised to be Rice, but don’t forget that we were labeling Rice as a top-10 PPR option before his injury. Is a top-30 week too much to ask? I don’t think so. The three highest-scoring WR games against San Francisco this season all spent over 28% of their snaps in the slot (Allen Lazard, Tyler Lockett, and Justin Jefferson), putting Smith-Schuster in a spot to be Kansas City’s WR1 this weekend.

Justin Jefferson, WR | MIN (vs. DET)

Would you believe me if I told you that Jefferson is pacing for the highest fantasy production rate over the expectation of his career this season? It’s true, and we get access to a comfort spot off of a bye, making him my top receiver for the week.

Jefferson’s last three games vs. DET:

Week 14, 2022: 33.3 fantasy points (11-223-0 on 15 targets)
Week 16, 2023: 26.1 fantasy points (6-141-1 on 10 targets)
Week 18, 2023: 36 fantasy points (12-192-1 on 14 targets)

Jefferson has yet to catch more than six passes in a game this season, something that could end this week — he has a 9+ catch game in every season of his career against the Lions.

Due to the QB concerns this summer, you got a discount on Jefferson, and your willingness to buy his raw talent could well result in him guiding your team to glory (Weeks 16-17: at SEA, vs. GB).

Keon Coleman, WR | BUF (vs. TEN)

It’s OK to like the player long-term and acknowledge that it’ll take time for him to be a usable fantasy piece. Coleman has shown promise in spurts, but he’s yet to clear 51 receiving yards in a game this season and is coming off the second-worst yards-per-route performance of his season (1.04).

Buffalo showed the ability to pound the ball in their win against the Jets. With them opening as an 8.5-point favorite in a game with a 41.5-point total in this game, I’m not projecting enough volume through the air to rank him as a top-40 player.

Khalil Shakir, WR | BUF (vs. TEN)

The most efficient receiver in the sport missed Week 5 with an ankle injury. While he played through the injury on Monday night, his 36.7% snap share ranked fourth among Buffalo receivers.

There haven’t been any reports suggesting that a setback occurred. That has me projecting a snap share closer to the 57.7% rate that he posted through the first month. Shakir’s ability to maximize the value of every target is a skill I love having access to in a PPR league. But he’s the type of player that I’m happy to be a wee bit late on rather than a week early in terms of reinserting him into lineups.

His path to mattering revolves around volume, and if he’s at risk of coming off the field like he did last week, the floor is worrisome. I’m not paying Shakir this week, but if we see him assume the role he had pre-injury, I’ll be talking him up as a Flex in Week 8 against the Seahawks.

Ladd McConkey, WR | LAC (at ARI)

A rookie receiver in a run-centric offense isn’t a profile I frequently target. However, with two top-20 finishes on his early-season résumé (Weeks 1 and 3) and a plus matchup, I’m fine with labeling McConkey as a viable PPR Flex play on Monday night.

The Cardinals are the exact opposite of the Chargers, making this a clash of styles that could play out in a variety of ways. If Arizona can dictate the tempo and ramp up the possession count, another top-20 finish could be in store for McConkey. That would maximize his number of reps against the fourth-worst defense in terms of yards per slot completion (13.2) and pass defense EPA. If not, a fourth finish outside of the top 40 is very possible. With the Cardinals banged up, I lean the latter — that is why he lands as my WR37 for Week 7.

Malik Nabers, WR | NYG (vs. PHI)

The Eagles are a bottom-10 defense in terms of interception rate, sack percentage, and yards per completion allowed, making Nabers a WR1 without much thought if he is deemed to be fully healthy.

That’s the tricky part — the rookie suffered a concussion on September 26 and hasn’t returned since. The Giants have sounded cautiously optimistic when discussing the status of their star receiver, though an extended stay in protocol is concerning. Keep an eye on the beat reporters. But barring multiple reports about a snap limit, if Nabers is active for New York, he’s active for you (in a perfect world, you have Darius Slayton on your roster, giving you exposure to this matchup one way or another).

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR | ARI (vs. LAC)

This game being the final one of the week further complicates the already complicated concussion protocol. The most common happening in these situations is one missed game, and with Arizona more interested in the future of Harrison Jr. than the present, it stands to reason that they’ll be cautious with their budding star.

Consistency hasn’t been the hallmark of Harrison, be it week-to-week or even quarter-to-quarter (78.2% of his fantasy production has come in first quarters this season), making it even more difficult to recommend waiting out this injury.

If you can grab Rashod Bateman, Jalen McMillan, or Joshua Palmer off the wire in an effort to protect yourself on Monday night, go for it. But if you have a top-40 receiver on your bench and we enter the weekend without clarity, I’d take the safe approach and bench Harrison this week.

Michael Pittman Jr., WR | IND (vs. MIA)

With basketball season nearly upon us, it was good to see the 6’4” Pittman box out the defense and pull down what was essentially a fadeaway jumper from Joe Flacco last week. The score saved you from an otherwise underwhelming day at the office (3-35-1) against a stingy Titans defense.

That’s now three straight top-30 performances from Indianapolis’ WR1 after opening the season with three games outside of the top 50, a level of production that essentially mirrors Anthony Richardson’s status.

Now, it should be noted that the Richardson-Pittman tandem showed signs of life in Week 4 before injury, but there’s no denying that Pittman’s skill set matches better with the crafty Flacco under center.

Only once this season has a receiver cleared 14.7 PPR points against the Dolphins (DK Metcalf in Week 3), and I’m not expecting Pittman to add to that list if Richardson is named the starter, which is my current read on the situation.

In that world, Pittman is a Flex option who carries more risk than he has in years past. Should Flacco get another start, I’d elevate Pittman into my top 20 and would give him a decent shot to clear that 14.7 number that has proven difficult for receivers to surpass.

Michael Wilson, WR | ARI (vs. LAC)

Wilson has proven to be an oddly consistent receiver (WR28-38 in three of his past four games) despite fluctuating usage rates. But this is a talented receiver who has consistently produced when given the chance (above fantasy expectation in seven of his past eight games with six of those instances coming in at least +27.1%).

With Marvin Harrison Jr.’s status pending after the Week 6 concussion, Wilson’s role has the potential to improve, though I think any increase in target count could be undone by being the focal point of a strong Chargers defense that ranks top five in yards per completion, touchdown-to-interception rate, and first-down percentage this season.

With or without Harrison active, Wilson will be on the low end of his recent production, settling in the WR35-40 range that tiers him with Romeo Doubs and a Tagovailoa-less Jaylen Waddle.

Mike Evans, WR | TB (vs. BAL)

Evans was in and out of last week’s blowout win over the Saints, and for the fourth time in five weeks, he produced at least 12% below the NFL average WR would, given his target type.

The injury doesn’t sound like a major limiting force moving forward (though it should be tracked), and while the box score struggles have underwhelmed given his usage, I think you’re more than safe to stay the course this week against pass-funnel Baltimore.

The Ravens are one of a handful of teams that we are conditioned into assuming that they defend at a high level. Not only is that not the case in 2024, but this secondary could well undo what otherwise could be a special season.

Thus far, Baltimore ranks bottom 10 in passer rating, yards per attempt, first-down rate, and touchdown percentage. Evans has always been a player whose value is driven by his scoring equity, and although he’s lost some of that due to Chris Godwin’s success, he still has plenty of fantasy equity in a matchup like this.

I have both Evans and Godwin ranked as top 15 receivers this week, and if this injury were to linger, Jalen McMillan would move onto my Flex ranks.

Mike Williams, WR | NYJ (at PIT)

Williams was injured toward the end of Monday Night Football, but at this point, it shouldn’t impact your fantasy roster. I was vocal in my support of the idea of Williams this offseason, and I’ve been dead wrong — time to take the “L”.

The idea of a big-bodied WR2 in an Aaron Rodgers-led offense was appealing in August, but now, I wake in the middle of the night in cold sweats thinking about how this team functions on the offensive side of the ball.

Is it possible that with a change in head coach and good health luck, Williams will put together a good week at some point? I’m not ruling it out, but considering he doesn’t have 80 air yards in a game this season and the Allen Lazard phenomena won’t go away, there’s no chance you’ll be playing him for when it does, so why hold?

Quentin Johnston, WR | LAC (at ARI)

Nothing about the Chargers’ structure gives me hope for Johnston when it comes to sustainable value. The three touchdowns over two weeks were fun in September, but he hasn’t cleared 51 receiving yards in a game this season and has been at least 14.4% below production expectations in the majority of contests.

This is an offense that wants to run to set up the run, and with an uncertain target hierarchy in the passing game, even when Los Angeles decides to take to the air, do we have any confidence that throwing in Johnston’s direction is a priority?

Ladd McConkey is the receiver to gamble on if you’re itching for some Chargers exposure. But if that’s your itch, you might want to schedule an appointment with your doctor rather than work your way through this piece.

In two of the past three weeks, multiple receivers have reached 14.5 PPR points against the Cardinals, but those were two very different offenses in Washington and Green Bay. Johnston checks outside of my top 40 this week, behind matchup-driven players like DeMario Douglas and Xavier Legette.

Rashod Bateman, WR | BAL (at TB)

Bateman matched a season-high with four catches last week, and his 71 yards were a season-best. With three finishes of WR40 or better over his past four games, I can understand some optimism around Bateman’s value moving forward.

Baltimore’s WR2 has cleared fantasy expectations in five straight games, though his lack of versatility (6.2% slot rate) is going to scare me off of anything but picture-perfect matchups. This isn’t that — Bateman owns a 14.3 aDOT this season, and the Bucs are a top-five unit when defending passes of 14+ yards in yards per completion, touchdown rate, and touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Bub Means scored 15.5 fantasy points in a blowout situation against these Bucs last week, so I guess you could squint and get there, but I’d rather gamble on matchups with a flier like Xavier Legette (at WAS) or Jerry Jeudy (vs. CIN).

Romeo Doubs, WR | GB (vs. HOU)

We saw Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks both get banged up in Week 6, paving the way for Doubs to produce.

Kind of.

Don’t get me wrong, he produced (49 yards and two touchdowns), but a 13.3% on-field target share despite the injuries isn’t exactly encouraging when it comes to projecting forward. Doubs’ third-quarter touchdown was more of a right-place, right-time situation, as Jordan Love was pressured into throwing a Hail Mary pass of sorts that he never attempts if not under extreme duress on third down.

Doubs gets credit for adjusting and making the play, though it’s not the most repeatable way to make a living.

Doubs has scored on 11.2% of his career receptions and certainly carries scoring equity into every game he plays (it sounds like the bad blood that resulted in the one-game suspension is water under the bridge now), but I’m only interested in going this direction should Wicks’ shoulder result in limitations and/or a DNP.

At the moment, I’m hedging my bet and have Doubs ranked in the mid-30s — he’d move ahead of this Darnell Mooney/George Pickens tier if Wicks is ruled out and falls back into the Xavier Legette range if not.

Stefon Diggs, WR | HOU (at GB)

You could have won a lot of money off of me this preseason if you asked me to accurately guess, through six weeks, how many receivers would have more red-zone receptions than Diggs.

The answer is four (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Drake London, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Godwin).

The veteran has caught at least six passes in four games this season and has posted four top-15 finishes in the process. But can he keep the good times rolling against this opportunistic Packers defense?

I have my concerns. Diggs has been more effective in the slot than anywhere over the last 11 months. That generally isn’t the best spot to attack Green Bay (second-lowest opponent slot passer rating, 69.1). The slot role is where we wanted him this offseason due to the signs of decline down the field for the Bills during the second half of last season, and the Texans seem to agree.

That is until Nico Collins was placed on IR. Diggs’ slot rate was more than halved last week from the first five games (26.5%, down from 53.5%), and he posted 102 air yards, nearly double his per-game average before (54.4). He made it work to the tune of 6-77-1 in New England, but we have a larger sample of this role not fitting the current version of Diggs. That is why I can’t get too excited.

The Texans’ implied total is approaching 23 points for this game and that, along with my trust in C.J. Stroud, is enough to keep Diggs inside my top 20. But I’m going to be lower than the industry on him in this spot and won’t have any DFS shares.

Tank Dell, WR | HOU (at GB)

Some will tell you that this isn’t a picture of Nico Collins and Dell, but you can’t believe everything people say:

Never forget this iconic photo of Shaq and Simone Biles 🐐😂#OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/B8dWAKWgKL

— DraftKings (@DraftKings)

So you can understand my skepticism about Dell seeing a spike in usage when Collins went down, as they seemingly filled different roles. That said, I have to give Houston credit as they’ve clearly made it a priority to get Dell the ball in their WR1’s absence, and they’ve been creative in doing so.

Over the past two weeks, Dell’s aDOT is 41.7% lower than it was prior, and they are experimenting with where he lines up. In Week 5, his slot rate was well above its season norm, catching all four of his targets. In Week 6, his slot rate checked in at a season-low 17.8%, and he averaged north of two PPR fantasy points per target for the first time this season.

I like what I’m seeing. The Texans have him and Diggs as essentially co-favorites to lead this WR room in points until Collins returns (at least three more missed games). Against the Patriots last week, Dell kicked off the scoring with a nice sliding two-yard touchdown and was targeted in six of Stroud’s first 14 passes. I don’t have much in the way of volume concerns for him in this spot. That’s noteworthy when you consider that four of the past six receivers to catch at least five passes against the Packers have found the end zone.

Tee Higgins, WR | CIN (at CLE)

Real Higgins fans will remember the air ball with which he opened the 2023 season against these Browns (zero catches on eight targets), but this isn’t the same Higgins, nor is it the same Cleveland defense.

Higgins has at least six receptions and a red-zone touch in three straight games after working his way up to speed in his Week 3 season debut. Cincinnati ranks third in pass rate over expectation this season, and they are more than willing to feature their WR2 if Ja’Marr Chase is seeing a small army crowd him once the ball is snapped.

As for this once-formidable Browns defense, they are now the definition of average. They rank in the middle third of the league in EPA, yards per play, red-zone defense, passer rating, and third-down conversion rate. We are creatures of habit and the habit is to worry about this matchup.

Don’t.

Higgins is a top-15 receiver for me, a neighborhood I see him spending the rest of 2024 in, barring a significant change.

Terry McLaurin, WR | WAS (vs. CAR)

This Jayden Daniels-led machine is impressive on multiple levels, one of which is their willingness to share the ball. Both running backs have had their moments, and multiple pass catchers have made plays. But McLaurin has established himself as the alpha we knew he could be — it’s amazing to see.

Through six weeks, he has as many catches (29) as any of his teammates have targets, has more receiving yards than any two other receivers on this roster combined, and has accounted for four of six touchdown receptions (he’s scored in three of his past four games after scoring in three of his previous 17 games).

He’s finished three of the past four weeks no worse than WR16, and I think that’s low-balling his standing for Week 7 against a defense that is bottom-five in EPA, red-zone efficiency, third-down prevention, and passer rating.

We’ve waited five long seasons to put McLaurin’s name alongside some of the best in the game, and I see no reason not to do it in this spot. Scary Terry sits at WR8 in my current rankings, and I feel great about it.

Tyler Lockett, WR | SEA (at ATL)

In the past, Lockett’s spike-play ability was his calling card and the reason he always seemed to surpass expectations. That role seems to be fading (though he did just miss on a chunk play last week against San Francisco), and with Smith-Njigba taking over the slot role (82.4% of his routes), the floor is a concern.

Lockett has been able to stave off a stiff decline in raw fantasy production up to this point thanks to seeing a target on a team-best 31.3% of his red-zone routes. That’s a great storytelling stat, but is it predictive? Is it likely that an aging receiver can post a career rate in that stat and more than double his career average in the process?

I don’t have Lockett ranked in the Flex conversation this week, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. If you can talk up his 6+ targets in five of six games to another team in your league, I wouldn’t hesitate to make a move that nets you a top-35 receiver or a running back getting consistent work.

Tyreek Hill, WR | MIA (at IND)

Hill was WR4 in Week 1 and things were going great, but that feels like a distant memory at this point. He hasn’t been a top-30 receiver in a single game since, a run that includes three finishes outside of the top 50.

My hope is that the bye week helps Mike McDaniel adjust. Everything we’ve seen since the Tua Tagovailoa injury points to Hill’s profile holding more risk than reward, but I’ll stick it out for one more week against a Colts defense that has allowed offenses to be consistently elite. The big plays may be hard to come by, but a 6-8 catch day, even if they come on conservative routes, should allow Hill to finish as a low-end WR2 in this spot.

In fact, I’ll take it one step further — could Hill be for sale from a team that is 2-4 and looking for a quick fix? I’d test the waters. By offering a deal for Hill now, you take on potentially another few rough weeks, but you have the bye behind you and you open yourself up for three straight warm weather games (two home and one indoors) in Weeks 14-16. The juice could well be worth the squeeze if the manager currently holding Hill is reaching desperation mode.

Wan’Dale Robinson, WR | NYG (vs. PHI)

If Robinson played for a better team, his 105-catch pace would draw more attention in what appears to be a Year 3 breakout for the former second-round pick.

A chain-mover like Robinson often gets overlooked in favor of Sportscenter Top 10 types, but, much like the “real” NFL, finding a player that you can count on weekly is critical in fantasy. The slot machine has been a top-40 PPR producer in all six weeks this season, something that CeeDee Lamb, Drake London, Mike Evans, and most other receivers can’t claim.

Opponents have completed 31-of-46 passes against the Eagles when throwing to the slot this season, racking up five scores and a 124.3 passer rating (third-highest) in the process. You can count on another double-digit PPR performance, and in most leagues, that floor has a way of landing into optimal starting lineups.

Xavier Legette, WR | CAR (at WAS)

This offense has simmered since the initial Andy Dalton spark, but the rookie has seen four of his 25 targets come in the end zone, no small accomplishment for an offense that doesn’t exactly live in scoring position.

His seven-yard score at the end of the first half last week was a thing of beauty, as it displayed not only his athleticism but Dalton’s understanding of what the rookie is capable of.

Legette has scored in two of three games since Adam Thielen was injured. While the nature of his surroundings will create plenty of ebb and flow, this is exactly the type of player you should be stashing — a young weapon whose team is motivated to get an extended look at him as the season progresses. He’s been productive up to this point, and I think his best is yet to come.

Xavier Worthy, WR | KC (at SF)

Fantasy sports are funny, aren’t they? I just discussed a rookie with the same first name who is in the good graces of fantasy managers due to limited expectations. And now we have Worthy, a speed demon that walked into a role that came with it projections of greatness.

Worthy has just one top-20 finish to his name as the Chiefs have been using him more as a gadget option than a featured piece. His 139 routes this season have resulted in just 12 receptions, a rate that wouldn’t put him in Flex conversations if not for the environment that insulates him.

Benching a player like Worthy means you have to be OK with being very wrong and, in this matchup, I am. The 49ers have allowed the fifth-fewest deep completions per game this year (2.0), and their offense plays at the slowest pace in the league. Is it possible that Andy Reid spent the bye week dreaming up ways to get Worthy the rock? It’s possible — throw a dart in a DFS contest if you want exposure. In a season-long setting, I opt for safety more often than not. With just two teams on a bye, you likely have a “safer” option to plug in.

Zay Flowers, WR | BAL (at TB)

Elite fantasy profiles occur when a player with the perfect skill set fits his surroundings like a glove. I think we have that with Jayden Reed in Green Bay; Flowers is that in Baltimore. Both are versatile receivers playing for offenses that can burn you in a variety of ways, thus allowing them to flourish on a consistent basis over the course of 60 minutes.

Flowers was responsible for each of Lamar Jackson’s first four completions last week (65 yards) and had a career-high in receiving yards by intermission. He’s now finished inside of the top 15 most valuable receivers in three of his past five games. While the floor is concerning (not a top-70 option in the other two games over that stretch), the juice is worth the squeeze given the high floor of this offense as a whole.

Tampa Bay allows the eighth-most yards per slot pass attempt this season, further adding to the projected value of every Flowers target. He’s in the WR1 conversation for me this week, and I prefer him over game-breakers like Tee Higgins, Drake London, and Malik Nabers despite him having a lesser target ceiling.