With fantasy football season heating up, the latest updates are sure to shake up NFL rosters everywhere. Each week, new developments can open opportunities for hidden gems or cause major lineups to shift.
Whether you’re streaming for a one-week boost or working the waiver wire for long-term advantage, being ahead of the news is crucial. Get the edge your fantasy football team needs by staying tuned for the most important updates.
A.J. Brown | PHI (vs DET)
Last week, A.J. Brown caught two passes on five first-quarter routes against the Packers before being shut out the rest of the way on one target across 19 routes.
I know that game was ugly, but we’ve got a pattern developing, and it’s disturbing.
For my basketball fans out there, Brown is being used like he’s more Kevin Huerter than Kevin Durant.
That is, over his past five games, the team seems to test the waters early and, if something connects, stick with it; if not, look elsewhere, much the way NBA teams treat microwave scorers rather than future Hall of Famers.
Over that stretch, in his two games with a splash play in the first quarter, Brown has gone on to total 42.1 fantasy points (24.7 expected) with a 23.8% target rate. In the other three games, we are looking at 15.3 fantasy points (31.8 expected) with a 20.6% target rate.
I’m not sure if this is a team thing or a lack of interest from Brown himself, but it’s a problem fantasy managers really can’t solve.
I could tell you that the Lions have allowed a receiver to clear 15.5 PPR points in four of their past five games or that the game atmosphere figures to skew toward the pass more often than usual for the Eagles, but if his involvement centers around making a play early, it feels like a true coin toss for if he’s going to be WR7 this week or WR37.
The Lions are quietly the fifth-worst red zone defense in the NFL this season, allowing a touchdown on two-thirds of opponent trips inside their 20, and that theoretically opens the door for a touchdown to save us should another inefficient day come about (57.4% catch rate this season).
I’m starting Brown as a WR2, but that’s more of a negative statement on the position than it is confidence in Philly’s alleged WR1. He’s rubbing elbows with a disappointing DK Metcalf, who gets a more favorable matchup (vs. CIN) and Jameson Williams in this game.
Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET (at PHI)
Week 1 was the last time that Amon-Ra St. Brown didn’t catch 8+ passes or score a touchdown.
With Dan Campbell calling the plays, Detroit’s WR1 was in the slot for half of his routes, something that had happened just one time this season prior. That deserves watching, but we have plenty of proof that St. Brown can win at every level and that his connection with Jared Goff is among the best in the game.
In a tough matchup, he seems inevitable, so the fact that there are still games against the Giants and Cowboys on the schedule has a third straight 110+ catch, 10+ TD reception season well within reach.
How many players are you picking in August ahead of St. Brown in a redraft PPR format?
Brandon Aiyuk | SF (at ARI)
At this point, if there were good news, we would have heard it.
The Brandon Aiyuk (knee) timeline hasn’t been clear over the past month, and asking him to take the field is beginning to feel like a long shot, let alone proving he can post usable numbers for an offense that has a handful of other capable options.
If he’s hanging out on your IR and you wouldn’t otherwise use the free roster spot, there’s no real reason to pivot. Still, outside of that situation, it’s time to admit that you’re never going to feel good about plugging him in this season, and that makes him cuttable in redraft formats.
He’s a 27-year-old in a great system with a pair of 75-1,000-7 seasons on his resume: the asking price in 2026 will be interesting, and I’m going to go ahead and guess that I’ll be buying at a discount.
Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX (vs LAC)
Brian Thomas Jr. missed last week with an ankle sprain as his disappointing season continues (50% catch rate with one touchdown).
There have been moments of volume, but with just one finish this season better than WR30, it’s hard to spin much optimism in this direction, as the connection with Trevor Lawrence simply isn’t there.
A fully healthy BTJ has been impossible to trust, which warrants caution in using him, even if he checks all the health boxes leading into this game. Lawrence has offered little upside when sped up this season, so the fact that the Bolts have seen their non-blitz pressure rate spike after a slow start to the season has been associated with more risk than reward when it comes to the profile of his WR1.
Calvin Ridley | TEN (vs HOU)
Calvin Ridley left Week 6 in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and hasn’t returned since.
The 30-year-old survived the trade deadline, something that wasn’t assured to happen given how we’ve seen competitive teams take a flier on this profile in the past, and is now stuck on a roster that is essentially in tank mode.
He’s signed through the next two seasons (there’s a potential out after this year, though there is more than $16 million in dead cap attached to it), so there’s really no reason to extend him for the second half of this season.
Does that mean we don’t see him again?
Doubtful, but his days of being ranked as a top 35 receiver for me are done this year, and if you’re never realistically going to feel good about playing him, he can be let go.
Every situation is different, but I would encourage you to at least be open to the idea, potentially in favor of teammate Chimeré Dike.
Cedric Tillman | CLE (vs BAL)
A hamstring injury had Cedric Tillman on IR since the beginning of October, but he was activated last week, and the Browns showed no hesitation in throwing him right into the mix (72.9% snap share, 33 routes run) against the Jets.
Two catches for 11 yards isn’t exactly a box score that the Tillman family is putting on the fridge. Still, it was good to see him operating at near full strength, especially with Dillon Gabbert throwing multiple touchdown passes for a second consecutive game.
Of course, nothing is certain in Cleveland. We could see a quarterback change, and we will likely see them struggle to move the ball effectively, regardless.
Season Rankings, Browns
- Points Per Game: 29th
- 3rd Down Efficiency: 30th
- Yards per Game: 31st
- Yards Per Play: 32nd
Even marginal gains would have this offense ranking among the five worst in the league, and that makes starting their WR2 with any level of confidence a long shot.
That said, it’s access to a long shot we didn’t have a week ago, and the schedule, after this week, includes games against the Raiders, Titans, and Bears. I’m not saying that Tillman is a must-roster player. Still, two of those plus spots come in the two remaining bulk bye weeks, and with him averaging 17.0 air yards per touchdown reception, color me intrigued for a dart throw in specific situations.
CeeDee Lamb | DAL (at LV)
CeeDee Lamb is back like he never left.
After an ankle injury cost him nearly a month, the star wideout has increased his target share in consecutive weeks, topping out at 33.3% in the Week 9 loss to the Cardinals.
George Pickens was great while Lamb was on the shelf, but there is no question as to who Dak Prescott is looking for first and most often. If you remove the partial game in which he was hurt, we are looking at a 119-catch, 1,669-yard pace for Dallas’s alpha receiver, marks that would rank him among the best in the game.
The Raiders haven’t squared off against many receivers that are at this level, but Michael Pittman is really the only receiver they’ve slowed this season. You can pencil in Lamb for another double-digit target game on Monday night, and that could make for some fun drama in Week 10 matchups that come down to the wire.
Chimere Dike | TEN (vs HOU)
Sometimes you see these rookie-rookie connections, and we might have one quietly brewing in Tennessee.
Chimere Dike was a fantasy asset for three straight games before the bye, and with the Titans simply playing out the string, there’s no reason to think that the fourth-round pick will see his role reduced moving forward.
- Week 7 vs. NE: Caught all four targets, 70 yards, TD
- Week 8 at IND: Caught seven of eight targets, 93 yards
- Week 9 vs. LAC: 67-yard punt return TD
OK, so the punt return last week pulled a three-target, five-yard performance out of the fire, but the general idea remains: this team is motivated to see what they have in the sparkplug out of Florida.
I don’t have him ranked as a starter this week, and I have a hard time thinking that’ll change anytime soon, but if you’re going to bet on a below-average offense like this, you want it to be on youth.
Dike should, at the very least, be rostered.
Chris Godwin | TB (at BUF)
You hate to see this.
Chris Godwin had a brutal injury (fibula) late last season. While he was healthy enough to return at the end of September, the injury has kept him sidelined for the past month, and we could be looking at another few weeks before he trends toward playing.
With Mike Evans on the shelf and Bucky Irving banged up, there are targets to be had, but a 29-year-old receiver who is coming off a full year of battling this injury gives me little confidence.
If you have an IR roster slot that isn’t going to be used elsewhere, I don’t mind keeping Godwin. Still, things seem to be trending in the wrong direction, especially for a team that very well could opt to ease him back when he is reasonably healthy in the hopes of having him close to full speed come the postseason.
Christian Kirk | HOU (at TEN)
The Texans were operating in a passing script for most of last week in the crazy comeback win over the Jags, throwing 45 passes against 22 runs, so surely their WR2 was at least involved, if not very productive, right?
Not even close.
There were as many Davis Mills targets to Christian Kirk caught by Jacksonville as the intended receiver, and he finished tied for fifth on the team in opportunities in the passing game.
The idea of adding Kirk was plenty logical by Houston this offseason, but the execution just isn’t there, and now we have a full-blown committee competing for looks behind Nico Collins.
Week 10 WR Committee
- Xavier Hutchinson: 27 routes, 0 targets
- Jayden Higgins: 26 routes, 7 targets
- Kirk: 24 routes, 3 targets
- Jaylin Noel: 17 routes, 4 targets
This offensive line struggles to protect, and the quality of target suffers as a result, so splitting one iffy role four ways is something I’d rather not do; call me crazy.
Dalton Schultz has earned at least eight targets in three of the past four games, making this one of the more concentrated passing games in the league.
Just because the WR2 role is open for grabs doesn’t mean you have to throw a dart.
Christian Watson | GB (at NYG)
Romeo Doubs suffered a chest injury during the game, which certainly factored in, but I found it interesting that with Matthew Golladay sidelined, Christian Watson was on the field for 81.8% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps, pacing them with 35 routes run.
The offensive sledding was tough all day for the Packers, but he did have catches of 20 and 25 yards with a 32.0-yard aDOT.
Yes, he’s going to be pigeon-holed, but considering that he’s flashed a limited skill that feeds into how he’s being used, that’s all we can ask for. In his three appearances this season, 75% of Watson’s targets have come 15+ yards downfield: this is what he’s going to be, and why I think Matthew Golladay can be cut.
For planning purposes, here’s how the Green Bay schedule runs out in terms of defensive rankings on deep ball efficiency (yards per attempt), noting that Weeks 12 and 14 are the weeks with four teams on a bye, where you may be asked to dig deeper.
- Week 11 at Giants: 25th
- Week 12 vs. Vikings: 31st
- Week 13 at Lions: 13th
- Week 14 vs. Bears: 32nd
- Week 15 at Broncos: 3rd
- Week 16 at Bears: 32nd
- Week 17 vs. Ravens: 14th
- Week 18 at Vikings: 31st
Watson isn’t going to be a lineup staple, but there are certainly windows to use him. There are only two teams on a bye this week, but if you’re replacing Michael Pittman or Chris Olave and want some upside, Watson sneaks inside of my top 35 at the position this week.
Cooper Kupp | SEA (at LAR)
A blowout win where the Seahawks were either scoring or turning the ball over isn’t exactly ripe with data points, but it is worth noting that, in the first quarter, Cooper Kupp, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Rashid Shaheed all ran six routes.
The Seahawks could go three-wide, but I would be shocked if this offense doesn’t lean into Shaheed’s game-breaking potential more over time.
Of course, on the week when they bring in a field stretcher, it’s Kupp finding a hole in the zone and exposing the Cardinals’ shaky tackling for a 67-yard gain.
At the end of the day, we are more than a month removed from the last time Kupp earned more than three targets in a game, and the team, with the NFC seemingly open, opted to add depth at the position.
I’m out on Kupp. I prefer Shaheed (this week and moving forward) if we are looking at secondary Seahawks, and would lean toward a Darius Slayton or Keon Coleman type if you’re rounding out your roster with darts.
Courtland Sutton | DEN (vs KC)
Despite a reasonable level of consistency from a year ago, where he caught 81 passes for 1,081 yards and eight scores (his aDOT is nearly identical to last season, and the quarterback remains the same), the production of Courtland Sutton has fallen off a cliff to the point where he’s on the wrong side of my Week 11 flex ranks.
He’s now failed to clear 30 receiving yards in three of his past five games, and one exception was Cowboys week, a holiday that every offense celebrates with the same passion as the more traditional holidays.
Sutton is struggling to earn targets at the rate he did last season, and it’s been most evident inside the 20, where he was targeted on 31.8% of his routes in 2021 (13.5% this season).
A strong early-season run inflates his season-long numbers, but as this team has evolved into a win-ugly squad, their WR1 is at serious risk of playing himself out of your starting lineup.
Sutton caught at least five passes and scored in both games against the Chiefs last season, but this is a different situation. Bo Nix has under 20 completions in three straight and has been held under 180 passing yards five times for the 8-2 Broncos.
I think this team needs to fail before changing their offensive scheme, and this looks a lot like it could be that spot.
Darius Slayton | NYG (vs GB)
Darius Slayton was onto something with 85 yards in the first 17 minutes last week (three receptions), but a hamstring injury limited his effectiveness the rest of the way.
The deep threat really hasn’t gotten anything going this season, regardless of who is under center.
From a process standpoint, his vertical game would seem to mesh with what Russell Wilson likes to do, making this an interesting DFS punt option should the veteran get the nod and you’re with me in believing the Giants are playing from behind for most of this game.
We have a 6.5-year sample of Slayton being a below-average target earner, and that has me willing to lean into the variance if we get the “moon ball” specialist playing quarterback. Either way, I’m not the least bit tempted to go this direction in redraft leagues.
Darnell Mooney | ATL (vs CAR)
This is getting ugly quickly, and I’m running out of patience.
Over the past three weeks, Darnell Mooney has turned 99 routes into three receptions, a rate that is almost difficult to comprehend. His 13.9-yard aDOT over that stretch introduces variance, but for 14 targets to turn into 43 yards isn’t in the range of outcomes for rosterable players.
The Falcons haven’t had a WR2 step up alongside Drake London, and at the rate he is making plays in traffic, I’m not sure there’s a need for one. With Kyle Pitts averaging 7.8 targets per game over the past month and Bijan Robinson checking in at just under 20 touches per game (six targets), Mooney is on the outside looking in at my top 45 receivers moving forward.
This isn’t a bad matchup, and there was a big DPI flag he caused last week on what was lining up to be an end-zone target, so if you want to hold for one more week, I’ll allow it.
But that’s as long a leash as I’ll give.
Davante Adams | LAR (vs SEA)
An oblique injury kept Davante Adams on the sideline down the stretch of last week’s dominating win, but all seems to be fine for the veteran receiver, and that means you’re starting him without a second thought, even in a tough matchup.
Since 2015, 678 players have earned at least 50 targets through the first 10 weeks of a season, and here are the players on that list who have seen at least 20% of those looks come in the end zone.
- 2019 DK Metcalf: 23.4%
- 2025 Adams: 21.8%
- 2018 Marvin Jones: 21%
- 2020 Adam Thielen: 20%
- 2018 Eric Ebron: 20%
- 2016 Dez Bryant: 20%
That’s a pretty eclectic list, and one that was fun to dig up for those who have been involved in this game for the past decade.
Adams will tie a career high for end zone targets in a season with his next one, something that feels insane for a player nearing his 33rd birthday who plays alongside maybe the best receiver in the sport.
For other players, I’d worry about the sustainability of this profile, especially given that Kyren Williams is more than capable of finishing drives, but Adams is a unique case.
He’s been a near lock for eight targets per game this season, with multiple end zone looks more likely than not. This is a matchup-proof player that has more reward potential than risk: he’s locked in as a top 15 option at the position every single week.
DeAndre Hopkins | BAL (at CLE)
We are more than a month removed from the last time DeAndre Hopkins cleared 20 receiving yards in a game. While the three targets on Sunday in Minnesota were a small step in a positive direction, he’s nowhere near involved enough to justify a roster spot.
If that changes, we will adjust. This team could use a WR2, but they don’t need it. Hopkins is the type of player you keep an eye on to see if Todd Monken ups his snap share as the playoffs approach. You can root for it to happen, though there is no reason to tie up a roster spot assuming that it does.
Deebo Samuel Sr. | WAS (at MIA)
Deebo Samuel had the four-yard touchdown grab last week to save you if you went this direction, but 29 yards on five targets wasn’t exactly an encouraging performance with Terry McLaurin (quad) sidelined.
Treylon Burks and Robbie Anderson were among the receivers fighting for opportunities from Marcus Mariota on Sunday, and Samuel couldn’t separate himself in the target department. That’s obviously a concern, but he does get another chance on Sunday against a below-average defense with McLaurin again spectating.
This season, Samuel has a 75% catch rate from Marcus Mariota, averaging 1.96 fantasy points per target. If we can carry over that rate and get him more in the 7-9 target range, you’ve got yourself a reasonable flex.
The matchup has him hovering around WR30 for me this week, but if he fails in this spot, he’ll likely be on the outside looking in at flex status in Week 13 when this team returns from bye, presumably with their WR1 back in the mix.
DeVonta Smith | PHI (vs DET)
Maybe I’m late to the party.
No, I definitely am.
Regardless, I’ve finally ranked DeVonta Smith ahead of A.J. Brown in a meaningful way.
The presumed WR2 has five of the seven best games by a Philadelphia receiver this season, a total he added to with a 4-69-1 performance in Lambeau on Monday night, making the most of the few splash play opportunities that presented themselves in that game (36-yard TD).
The Lions have fallen victim to some big plays in the passing game this season (Rome Odunze, Rashod Bateman, Marquise Brown, and Ja’Marr Chase have all made splash plays against them), and all signs point to Smith, not Brown, being that guy for the Eagles these days.
With this total pushing 50 points, I expect a fantasy-friendly environment, and that has Smith sitting safely inside of my top 20 this week.
DJ Moore | CHI (at MIN)
DJ Moore had a 40-yard end zone target that would have been enough to save his day, but he couldn’t secure it and ended the afternoon with nothing to show for his four targets against a shaky Giants defense.
The veteran receiver hasn’t scored since Week 3 and has been held under 45 receiving yards in six of eight games since, for 68 yards in the opener against these Vikings.
The rookies are coming.
Colston Loveland has produced in consecutive weeks, and with Luther Burden posting his highest snap share of the season, it’s possible that Moore doesn’t impact your starting lineup again moving forward.
I’m not there yet, but we are closer than I thought we’d be. Loveland and Rome Odunze are the two locked-in top targets for this offense, and I’m not sold that Caleb Williams can sustain a third, especially with the running game being productive.
Moore sits outside my top 35 at the position this week: I’d rather take my chances on exciting young players with upside like Tez Johnson (at BUF) or even Tre Tucker (vs. DAL), understanding I’m assuming a similar floor with a greater ceiling.
DK Metcalf | PIT (vs CIN)
The narrative surrounding DK Metcalf this week is way different if Aaron Rodgers makes a layup throw and allows his top receiver to cash in a 41-yard touchdown, but you have to play with the hand you’re dealt, and the fact of the matter is that this offense is prohibitive.
Can you tell me what Andrei Iosivas, Casey Washington, and Daniel Bellinger all have in common?
Outside of being names on your waiver wire, my guess is no.
They all have deeper receptions (15+ air yards) than Metcalf this season. The same Metcalf who has been the king of air yards in the past. The same Metcalf whose physical build is so off the charts that it inspired Pete Carroll to rip off his shirt and try to measure up.
That Metcalf has three such receptions as we sit here today, not far from Thanksgiving.
This matchup comes with a moral obligation to place the opposing WR1 inside of my top 20 at the position, so Metcalf is a WR2 this week, but I’ve seen very little reason to think he can be anything more than a fringe starter moving forward in this system.
Dontayvion Wicks | GB (at NYG)
Dontayvion Wicks shook off a calf injury to play two-thirds of Green Bay’s offensive snaps on Monday night, earning a season-high eight targets in the process (10.2 aDOT).
This is a thin profile at best.
Wicks is a capable player, but under a point per target in a game where Romeo Doubs got banged up and Matthew Golladay sat, speaks to the volatility of this situation.
This is a democratic passing game that ties up scoring equity on the ground. If you want access to two games with the Bears in December and have the roster flexibility to stash him, go for it, but outside of that, I’m still at least a week away from being interested in Wicks.
Drake London | ATL (vs CAR)
There was talk about a Christian Gonzalez shadow lowering our expectations in Week 9, and then, after the trade, Sauce Gardner was projected to stick on him last week in Germany.
Doesn’t matter.
It should be noted that not all of his production (15 catches on 22 targets for 222 yards and four touchdowns) came against those elite counterparts, but some of it did, and the rest came as the result of creative scheming that freed up Atlanta’s alpha pass catcher.
Michael Penix’s first two completions of last week went in London’s direction (gains of 13 and 30 yards), and the touchdown was the exploitation of a mismatch on a linebacker. He accounted for 72.7% of Atlanta’s receiving yards in the first half, further proving himself to be matchup-proof.
Where London stacks up among the best of the game for 2026 will be an interesting exercise to walk through: you’re in a great spot to have him, at cost, on your roster. I’m not the least bit worried about him turning eight targets into just 55 yards during the Week 3 meeting.
Emeka Egbuka | TB (at BUF)
The efficiency for Emeka Egbuka has been in the tank for the three games post-injury (13 catches on 34 targets), but he scored last week for the first time in a month and continues to look seasoned well beyond his age.
The rookie caught both balls thrown his way on the first drive last week against a strong Patriots defense that was fully aware of Tampa Bay’s limitations at receiver, the second of which was a 21-yard score.
Not included in his 115-yard showing on Sunday was a 22-yard DPI flag that he drew, more hidden yardage that projects well.
Egbuka is a victim of his own success in that he’s not demanding shaded coverage schemes, but it’s clear that he has the trust of the ever-aggressive Baker Mayfield, and that should give you more than enough confidence to start him weekly.
We are 11 weeks into this career, and I’m ranking him alongside future Hall of Famers in Justin Jefferson and Davante Adams.
George Pickens | DAL (at LV)
George Pickens earned 26 targets and caught 19 passes in his three games without CeeDee Lamb, numbers that aren’t much different than what he’s posted in the three games since (24 targets and 17 catches).
The quantity has been similar, but valuable looks have evaporated, which has significantly impacted his fantasy bottom line.
Pickens saw multiple end zone targets in all three games with Dallas’s WR1 sidelined, fueling him to average over three PPR points per target. In the three games since, however, he has a total of one such look and 1.7 PPR points per target.
Those are still viable numbers; they just don’t carry the same week-winning upside they once did.
It’ll be OK.
Pickens is still a lineup lock thanks to his well-defined role in one of the five most pass-heavy offenses in the sport. The week-to-week variance is there, but the floor is still high enough to justify playing him weekly as you hold out hope for the monster week.
This matchup is a great spot for him, and one where Dallas has a chance to produce a pair of top-15 receivers. Remember, even this version of Pickens is a win compared to what you expected when you drafted him nearly three months ago.
Ja’Marr Chase | CIN (at PIT)
Ja’Marr Chase has cleared 90 receiving yards in five straight games and is averaging a cool 15.5 targets since Joe Flacco took over a month ago.
Yep, he’s back.
There was a lot of underneath stuff in Flacco’s first three starts, but he averaged 18.5 yards per catch in Week 9 against the Bears, highlighted by a 36-yard grab. We entered the season thinking that Chase would offer an elite floor/ceiling combination, and he might well be WR1 in both of those categories for the remainder of the season.
Chase has cleared 2.00 yards per route in all four Flacco starts, a run that includes a 16-161-1 win over these Steelers. I’d be surprised if that volume carries over for the rematch, but fading him, even at the high price tag, is dangerous in DFS contests of any kind.
Jakobi Meyers | JAX (vs LAC)
In his Jaguar debut, Jakobi Meyers ranked third among the receivers in routes run, not an ideal role to hold considering that both Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter were inactive.
- Parker Washington: 30 routes run
- Tim Patrick: 22 routes run
- Meyers: 16 routes run
- Dyami Brown: 13 routes run
I think there’s a good chance of that in this spot, but we are very much in a wait-and-see spot with Meyers (his splash play last week was on a busted coverage). If he can carve out a niche role, maybe there is some PPR value to chase in the coming weeks (Arizona and Tennessee in Weeks 12-13).
That said, if you thought getting Meyers out of Vegas was going to be a boon to his value, I think that’s wishful thinking. We aren’t sure yet where he fits in the target hierarchy of this offense, and with the Colts and Broncos making up three of his final four matchups of the fantasy season, I’m not sold he’s a top-30 player.
Jalen Coker | CAR (at ATL)
I apologize if you burned your IR slot early on Jalen Coker at my recommendation; it wasn’t the right play.
The thought process behind that call was sound (open WR role on a bad team with a developing QB who will want to find trusted targets), but not every offense is going to develop at the speed we want.
Heck, in some situations, the offense might not develop at all.
Coker has turned 11 targets into 66 touchdown-less yards in his four games this season and doesn’t need to be rostered in even deeper redraft leagues.
He’ll enter 2026 as my favorite to win the WR2 role in Carolina, but where I went wrong in 2025 was assuming that such a role would mean anything to us.
Jameson Williams | DET (at PHI)
The usage differences for Jameson Williams last week compared to the first nine games of the season were clear, and we can only assume they were due to the change in play caller.
Results From Dan Campbell Calling Plays
- 10.3 aDOT
- Weeks 1-9: 15.0
- 3.72 yards per route
- Weeks 1-9: 1.43
- 21.9% target share
- Weeks 1-9: 15.6%
What got me excited on Sunday was the target-cluster situation we saw. Williams wasn’t overly involved early, but then it seemed like Campbell wanted to press a specific button, and it worked.
Williams was targeted on five of Detroit’s next 11 offensive snaps, and if there is a package that Campbell feels he can weaponize like that, we could be looking at a “wheels up” situation for the rest of the way.
Speed is the only skill in the bag, but it’s certainly a dangerous one, and with this being the last Lion game with anything close to weather concerns, the best days certainly seem to be ahead of us.
Jauan Jennings | SF (at ARI)
Jauan Jennings’ ribs seem to be healing just fine as he has increased his PPR production in four straight weeks and has scored over two points per target in consecutive games, his first two instances of the season.
We will see where his role net out when this offense is healthy, but that’s very much a future conversation with this team struggling to get its WR room near full strength.
I could point to Jaxon Smith-Njigba clearing 20 points in this matchup a week ago, but he’s the best player in the game right now, so that doesn’t seem fair.
How does a 23.8 spot from Hunter Renfrow back in Week 2 sound?
Rick Pearsall got them for 19.7 the following week, and Calvin Ridley scored 18.1 in Week 5.
This isn’t a defense to fear, and if the Jacoby Brissett heater continues, this game has the potential to turn into a fun one.
I view Jennings as a stable WR2 with value similar to AJ Brown (vs DET) this week.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA (at LAR)
We saw the Seahawks unveil a crazy game plan last week that no one saw coming.
Feature the best player on the field.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba scored from 45 yards out on their first possession, further cementing himself as fantasy’s top asset at the position and a real threat for 2,000 yards.
He’s not had five straight games with at least 18 PPR points, so let’s take a look at who else (WRs) has strung together an impressive streak of such performances in the NFC this season.
- Smith-Njigba: 5 straight (current)
- Puka Nacua: 5 straight (Weeks 1-5)
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: 4 straight (Weeks 2-5)
- Davante Adams: 3 straight (current)
- Smith-Njigba: 3 straight (Weeks 1-3)
The NFC West is built differently these days, and JSN is as much a part of that conversation as the other elite fantasy assets within the division. It’ll be interesting to see where his ADP lands this summer, but this versatile skill set certainly makes him as matchup-proof as anyone.
Jayden Higgins | HOU (at TEN)
“If you have three, you have none.”
That’s long been the mantra in fantasy football when it comes to committee situations, and I think it holds true for the WR2 role in Houston.
Jayden Higgins caught a late touchdown against the Jags and paced the secondary in targets, but all three were on the field at about the same level, which has me believing the Texans aren’t sure who they prefer.
- Xavier Hutchinson: 27 routes
- Higgins: 26 routes
- Christian Kirk: 24 routes
Higgins appeared to be the preferred rookie (Jaylin Noel: 17 routes) and comes with more target upside, but I’m not in the business of asking this offense to sustain a third pass catcher.
You can stash any of them if you’d like; there may be a time when simply being on the field is valuable, but counting on any of them to separate isn’t something I’m banking on.
Jayden Reed | GB (at NYG)
Jayden Reed underwent foot and clavicle surgeries in the middle of September, and the first half of November was the initial target. Still, without much in the way of confirmation, I’m skeptical that we’ll get a viable version of him any time soon.
Green Bay’s presumed WR1 scored in Week 1 and was injured on a play in Week 2 that was inches from being a score. It’s only a six-target sample, so do with it what you will, but three came 15+ yards downfield (sub 30% rate in each of his first two seasons).
My thought is that the team was aware of what Tucker Kraft could do in the short receiving game, and the speed of Matthew Golden was anything but a secret, thus opening up Reed to expand his route tree a bit. The names have changed a bit with Kraft on IR and Golden banged up, but the general idea remains that there is a relatively clean role for him to assume when ready.
The Packers play the Bears twice in December, matchups that give Reed the potential to crack my top 24 in those impact weeks, should his usage trend in the direction we saw out of the gates.
Jaylen Waddle | MIA (vs WAS)
Jaylen Waddle has made himself one of the most consistent fantasy assets at the position following the Tyreek Hill season-ending injury, and a struggling Commanders secondary doesn’t exactly profile as the type of unit to slow him down.
Ja’Marr Chase and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
That’s the entire list of players riding a longer streak of games with 80+ receiving yards than Waddle (three), and he’s actually done it in three of his past six. We got reports pre-game last week that the Bills were trying to acquire him, and Miami certainly made a point of making them know what they missed out on.
In the upset win, Waddle was targeted on four of Tua Tagovailoa’s first seven passes, a run that included a 38-yard score where even defensive pass interference couldn’t slow him.
Do I have my questions about the weekly upside of this offense?
I do, but not this weekend. Washington has allowed a receiver to hit 22 PPR points in four straight games and hasn’t held a leading WR under his season average since Week 2. Waddle is an easy lineup lock and would make for an interesting captain choice on the Showdown streets.
Jaylin Noel | HOU (at TEN)
Jaylin Noel earned four targets on his 17 routes last weekend against the Jags and even got a red zone touch. Still, with him ranking fifth in participation at the receiver position on an offense that largely struggles with consistency, I don’t see any value in stashing the rookie in redraft formats.
There might be something there for dynasty managers and potentially as early as next season, so don’t lose track of the name altogether.
Jerry Jeudy | CLE (vs BAL)
Well, well, well, what do we have here?
Jerry Jeudy entered Week 10 having turned 42.7 expected PPR points into 16.5 real-life ones, but against what is left of the Jets, 19.3 expected points yielded 19.8.
It was a clear plan to get their WR1 involved and engaged from the jump (two catches and three targets on the first drive), and it paid off. The 22-yard touchdown wasn’t exactly a work of art, but Dillon Gabbert went his direction in the end zone, across the field, and Jeudy adjusted to make the play against single coverage.
This is what we love to see!
But I’m benching Jeudy this week.
The Ravens are the opposite of the Jets in that their defense is getting better over time, and they quieted the primary Vikings receivers last weekend, instead forcing Jalen Nailor to beat them.
I expect a similar plan here, and that could be a reverting to the first nine weeks (zero top 30 finishes). If you’re pressed into flexing Jeudy, that’s OK, because the spread suggests we’ll see a high-dropback game for Cleveland. But would I rather play Wan’Dale Robinson against a zone-oriented Packers team on a short week, or Khalil Shakir against a pass-funnel Bucs scheme?
I would, and I’m not thinking too hard about it.
Jordan Addison | MIN (vs CHI)
Jordan Addison posted a 26.8% target share last week against the Ravens and gave us 6.5 PPR points with it.
The involvement was nice from a spreadsheet point of view, but unless you’re seeing something I’m not, starting a secondary receiver in a JJ McCarthy-led offense isn’t a comfortable feeling, never mind the fact that we might not know who the second pass catcher on this roster is after Jalen Nailor posted a 5-124-1 week against the Ravens.
I do think Addison sits behind only Justin Jefferson in terms of target hierarchy on this roster, but his value is more in splash plays than volume, and I have far more questions than answers on that front when it comes to this passing game.
Since returning from injury, McCarthy is 6-of-19 on passes thrown over 15 yards downfield with a pair of interceptions and zero touchdowns. We don’t have much proof of Addison as a volume target earner, McCarthy as a consistent passer, or this connection as a big-play threat.
I’m going to need at least one of those boxes checked before I get Addison into my top 30 at the position.
Joshua Palmer | BUF (vs TB)
Another week and another missed game for Josh Palmer (knee/ankle).
He hasn’t played since Week 6, and given that the team has deprioritized him since that wonky Baltimore game to open the season, there’s really no reason for fantasy managers to hold out hope for him.
- Week 1: 9 targets on 40 routes
- Since: 11 targets on 63 routes
For the season, 45% of his looks have come 15+ yards downfield, a profile that is going to carry plenty of variance in a perfect situation, let alone a banged-up secondary option.
I’d bet on “over” 0.5 impactful games moving forward for Palmer this season because of the potency of this offense, but you’re not going to see it coming, and you’ll lose ground by chasing it.
Your wire is littered with players who own a similar skill set but have a better role or better health.
Or both.
Justin Jefferson | MIN (vs CHI)
Justin Jefferson has been held under 50 receiving yards in three of four J.J. McCarthy starts. While the 29.3% target share against the Ravens is a step in the right direction, that’s a lot like victory lapping a child putting vegetables on his/her plate.
Until they are consumed, the mission is not accomplished.
I suspect we’ll get there sooner rather than later. The Bears have allowed the opposing team’s top receiver to exceed his season average in all five games since their bye, and with their offense clicking, this could turn into an NFC North shootout.
I’ve dinged Jefferson in the rankings (WR10), but that’s just a slap on the wrist. There’s nothing to do on your end besides ride this out and take comfort in knowing that he forced a 38-yard DPI flag last week.
Things like that don’t show up in the traditional box score, but they let you know that the big game might not be too far off.
Keenan Allen | LAC (at JAX)
Keenan Allen broke the all-time franchise record for receptions on Sunday night with a cheap flip play at the end of the blowout, and that’s a great accomplishment for him.
For fantasy aficionados, however, under 60 receiving yards in six of seven games with only one touchdown over that stretch isn’t cutting it. His three lowest target games of the season have come in succession during this winning streak, and while I want to bet on a bounce-back, there just aren’t many statistical signs that suggest it is inevitable.
Nothing in his profile (slot rate, snap share, aDOT, etc.) looks drastically different from his hot start; it’s more the players around him. Ladd McConkey is coming on in a big way after a sluggish start, Oronde Gadsden has been a godsend at the TE position, and the running game is settling in.
Allen projects as a player who will mean more to the Chargers than to your fantasy team as the postseason nears. Depending on your matchup, I don’t think it would be crazy to consider home run hitters (Rashid Shaheed, Keon Coleman, and Christian Watson types) over Allen this week: he’s a volume-reliant receiver whose role is declining.
Kendrick Bourne | SF (at ARI)
It was fun while it lasted, but Kendrick Bourne’s role has essentially vanished into thin air since the return of George Kittle, and I expect that to be the case moving forward.
Over the past three weeks, five of his seven targets have come 15+ yards downfield. These targets seem more designed to keep the defense honest than to actually produce chunk plays, not a surprise given the underneath playmakers on this roster.
This all-or-nothing role will be Bourne’s until Ricky Pearsall is at full strength, but I don’t think you need to wait to see that before cutting ties. This profile is available on the wire and can be added whenever your specific matchup needs a jolt of upside: there’s no reason to get too attached to any one such player and burn a roster spot weekly on him.
Keon Coleman | BUF (vs TB)
The back shoulder, 35-yard touchdown last week, was a great reminder of what is possible from Keon Coleman, but unless you think the Bills are going to get dominated for the entire game again, that’s not how this offense functions.
Josh Allen’s aDOT is pacing to decline for a third straight season, and his YPA on deep passes is on track to be his lowest mark since 2019. Coleman is an NFL-level athlete, but not an NFL-level receiver just yet, and that is how he can end up with three catches on eight targets during a game in which Allen completed 70% of his passes.
I’d bet on another splash play or two from Coleman moving forward, but pinpointing those spots is nearly impossible, and you’re going to lose more than you win in guessing.
We as an industry were high on the second-year receiver this preseason, and if we see Allen ramp up the aggression down the stretch, I could see myself jumping back on the bandwagon for 2026.
As for 2025, this isn’t a must-hold player, even after the long touchdown in garbage time against the Dolphins.
Khalil Shakir | BUF (vs TB)
Despite not seeing a first-quarter target last weekend in Miami, Khalil Shakir finished leading the Bills across the board in receiving stats (catches, targets, and yards). This role appears to be his for the remainder of the season.
The slot machine has caught 6+ passes in each of his past three games and has a 76.6% catch rate since the beginning of last season. The only pass catcher on this team that has been a consistent threat outside of Shakir has been Dalton Kincaid, and he’s now banged up and at risk of missing some time.
You’re not going to see him hurdling defenders or winning jump balls, but you will see precise routes and the opening of throwing windows. Nerds love watching that stuff (guilty!), and while you don’t have to enjoy it, your box score benefits as a result.
Shakir’s high floor keeps him as a strong PPR flex, especially in a matchup like this where the short pass could supplement the traditional ground game.
Ladd McConkey | LAC (at JAX)
Ladd McConkey has had one “down” game since September and is back to offering the type of floor/ceiling combination that we saw from him as a rookie.
His 12.2-yard aDOT against the Steelers last week was his highest of the season, and it resulted in his first performance of over 100 receiving yards in 2022. There is still plenty of target competition in his high-powered offense, but after taking a month to adjust, it would appear that the versatile McConkey is locked in.
The Jags have seen a WR1 clear 22 PPR points in three of their past four games, and while putting those sorts of expectations on a receiver with six targets in consecutive weeks isn’t wise, I think we can say with confidence that he is the WR1 in this offense, and it wouldn’t shock me if he finished as a WR1 in this spot (especially should Amon-Ra St. Brown be limited).
Luther Burden III | CHI (at MIN)
Hmm.
Hmmmmm.
Ben Johnson is starting to get comfortable in the Windy City, and with that, we get to pick apart the beautiful mind.
Luther Burden entered last week having never exceeded a 29.8% snap share, but in the comeback win, he was on the field for half of Chicago’s offensive snaps and had a 15-yard gain on the first drive.
Colston Loveland is carving out his role in this offense, and while a spike in usage from Burden would be less impactful for us because of the position he plays, he should at least be rostered after what we saw against the Giants, something I haven’t advocated for up to this point.
The best case is still an awfully thin profile. I think his best-case scenario in 2025 is still a wide range of outcomes — dart throw — but that’s more than we’ve had up to this point. Chicago has a brutal stretch of games the rest of the way, but that could actually work in his favor, as Johnson is aware that beating stout defenses with a million paper cuts is difficult to do.
I’m not close to considering Burden as a flex for this week, but could he get there with time? I think so. Could he pay off his DFS price tag this week with a big play or two against an aggressive defense?
I’ve seen worse gambles, and it opens up a lot on a slate that isn’t short on start power.
Marquise Brown | KC (at DEN)
Marquise Brown has four catches on 58 routes run in the three games since Rashee Rice debuted, and I think that’s what we can expect moving forward.
He had a pair of spike plays in Buffalo before the bye (gains of 33 and 40 yards), and that’s the outlook moving forward. If you’re rolling the dice, you could do worse than tie your wagon to Patrick Mahomes, but I’m not in any hurry to go this direction consistently.
It’s Brown over Tyquan Thornton if you’re throwing darts in Kansas City.
Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI (vs SF)
The touchdown came late, and the Cardinals were out of sorts offensively for most of last week, but it’s not the first and it won’t be the last time that the Seahawks do that to someone.
The second-year receiver has earned double-digit targets and scored in consecutive games. There is no denying that his stock is higher with Jacoby Brissett under center than it ever had a chance at being with Kyler Murray.
This 49ers defense is taking on water in a hurry, and Harrison could certainly be the fourth receiver in four weeks to clear 17 PPR points against them. While the box score wasn’t overwhelming last week, the fact that he doubled his season count in end zone targets is certainly a positive data point when it comes to projecting ahead.
I’ve got Harrison ranked as a solid WR2 in all formats, sharing a tier with Rome Odunze and Zay Flowers.
Marvin Mims Jr. | DEN (vs KC)
The volatility of Bo Nix is one thing, but failing to run 20 routes in three of his past four is another, as it makes betting on him a high-risk parlay.
Marvin Mims has single-play upside that I do believe Sean Payton will solve with time, but we don’t have to wait. Roster spots are simply too valuable this time of year to wait on a profile like this, no matter how talented you think he is.
Denver’s offense is in shambles at the moment, and a sporadic QB is not exactly the type of atmosphere I target when filling out my bench for a playoff run.
Matthew Golden | GB (at NYG)
Matthew Golden sat out last week with a shoulder injury, a decision that came down to the wire. The hope is that the rookie speedster can make a quick recovery and add another dimension to this passing attack.
For the Packers, that’s huge. For fantasy managers, I’m not sold.
Golden has earned just 29 targets across his eight games and has one game with double-digit expected points. As Jayden Reed records, Christian Watson rounds into form, and Romeo Doubs ascends, the runway is narrow at best for the 2023 first-rounder.
I’m fine with ignoring him. Not because there isn’t talent in this profile or upside attached to this offense, but because the parlay of hitting both and starting him in a given week is a long shot at best.
For me, this version of Golden, even if at full strength, is a DFS dart more than a rosterable piece on your way to a redraft championship.
Nico Collins | HOU (at TEN)
Davis Mills helped Nico Collins see his target share rise for a third consecutive game (34.1%), and five end-zone targets are great to see, even if some came under extreme duress, as is customary for any Texans quarterback.
I think we are back on track with Collins owning top 10 upside (100+ air yards in three straight and five of seven), and while I have my overarching questions about this offense, a date with the Titans can certainly calm those concerns for the short term.
Collins is the only team-leading WR to be held under his season average this year by the Titans: I’ll happily bet against them doing it a second time, even with the bye week to prepare.
Parker Washington | JAX (vs LAC)
Parker Washington has posted his best two games of the season over the past two weeks, an impressive string of production given the circumstances.
In Week 9, Brian Thomas was active for the most part, and in Week 10, not only was the star WR inactive, but Jakobi Meyers was introduced to the mix.
It didn’t matter. Washington cleared a 27% target share and 80 air yards in both games. His catch rate fell off a cliff in a tough matchup last week against the Texans, but he saved things with a toe-tap touchdown in addition to a 72-yard punt return score.
I’m worried that the more comfortable Meyers gets in this system, the more of a timeshare occurs between the two similar players. Washington deserves to be rostered, but I don’t think you can start any members of this passing game with confidence, as Trevor Lawrence works through a tough season (59.5% completion rate with as many touchdown passes as interceptions over the past month).
Pat Bryant | DEN (vs KC)
It’s hard to produce as a rookie.
It’s hard to produce next to Bo Nix.
It’s hard to produce on a sub-60% snap share and 15.1 routes per game.
Any of those situations by themselves is a hurdle that few can clear, never mind all three being wrapped into a single profile. Pat Bryant has gained over 15 yards on 60% of his receptions over the past three games and led the Broncos in receiving yards last week against the Raiders.
And that’s the most deceptive stat I’ll type this week.
Those two stats are true, but we are looking at a five-catch sample. I’m encouraged and would encourage you to scoop up dynasty shares where possible, but in the scope of redraft leagues, Bryant has no business being on your roster.
Puka Nacua | LAR (vs SEA)
Puka Nacua has twice as many touchdowns as end zone targets this season and has surpassed his point expectancy in six of eight games this season.
Simply put, the man is a machine, and the Rams are well aware of it.
His slot usage has declined in three straight games, but you’d never know it based on the fantasy point totals. If this Davante Adams oblique injury lingers, Nacua’s path to be a top 5 receiver this week, even in a tough matchup, becomes clear.
As it is, I can’t imagine ranking him (career: 19.0 PPR PPG) as anything but a WR1 with an elite floor/ceiling combination.
Quentin Johnston | LAC (at JAX)
The splits for Quentin Johnston pre-/post-injury are notable, especially with a pair of his teammates thriving in expanded roles.
Weeks 1-5: 22.7% target share, 12.1 aDOT, 30% deep target rate
- Weeks 7-10: 15.8% target share, 7.0 aDOT, 22.7% deep target rate
Johnston is more of a splash-play option in this receiver room, but with a reduction in his role, he has come up with fewer air yards per target — a deadly combination.
This matchup doesn’t really worry me (30th in pass TD% since October 1), and if Oronde Gadsden misses this game, he’ll elevate in my rankings, but for right now, I’ve got him outside of my top 30 receivers, behind “safer” players like Khalil Shakir.
Rashee Rice | KC (at DEN)
Rashee Rice has 24 touches and three touchdowns in his three games since returning, and Andy Reid is clearly interested in making up for lost time.
He’s getting the scripted looks early (eight first-quarter targets), is dangerous on extended throws (six catches on seven targets of 10+ yards), and is featured in close (seven red zone touches).
He does it differently than Puka Nacua, Drake London, or Ja’Marr Chase, and that’s OK. Patrick Mahomes is comfortable with his fate being in Rice’s hands, and that’s all that matters.
There aren’t five receivers in the game that boast a better volume/skill combination moving forward, and that means you’re going to continue to get great return on an investment that took some conviction back in August.
Rashid Shaheed | SEA (at LAR)
If only the Cardinals could have shown a little bit of fight over the weekend.
In a landslide victory for the Seahawks, we learned nothing about how they want to operate in this post-Rashid Shaheed trade world.
My hunch is that they will look to leverage his speed in a major way. They gave up two draft picks (fourth and fifth rounders this year) for the right to feed into this Sam Darnold big year, and Shaheed, on paper, looks like a perfect fit.
I’m not going to recommend playing him until we have a little larger sample, but asking him to out-earn Cooper Kupp and Tory Horton isn’t asking for much. I’m hopeful that he can be a West Coast Jameson Williams for the stretch run.
Rashod Bateman | BAL (at CLE)
Rashod Bateman saw a slant against pressure last week, and that got the Ravens to the one-yard line.
That was his only catch in the win over the Vikings, and I think that’s a pretty good representation of his profile: you’re hoping that he can make what little usage he gets pay off in a big way.
More often than not, you’re left wanting more.
Bateman has turned his 31 targets this season into just 194 yards, and the big shots to him just aren’t there. The Ravens don’t need a WR2 with Zay Flowers and the tight ends handling the majority of targets, so you can cut ties here and look for help elsewhere.
Even a player like Keon Coleman isn’t perfect, but he holds a skill set that is in demand in Buffalo. I’m not sure what Bateman brings that is unique to this offense, and it would appear, based on usage, that the team agrees with me.
Rome Odunze | CHI (at MIN)
I believe that you can tell a lot from first-quarter data.
The best teams will distance themselves from the pack as the game goes on, but those first 15 minutes give us a look at what the team drew up during practice and where they identified mismatches.
Over the past three weeks, Rome Odunze has more first-quarter targets than DJ Moore and both Bear TEs combined, something that I don’t think is an accident.
On Sunday, he was responsible for four of Caleb Williams’ first seven completions (66 yards), and Ben Johnson is constantly scheming up ways to leverage this emerging star.
There was a 38-yard end zone target in the blustery conditions last week that just missed, and a fade (set up by some precise Odunze route running drawing a DPI flag) attempt.
Neither paid off, but there is a clear focal point of this attack.
The Vikings have had their hands full with featured WRs of late (DeVonta Smith, Ladd McConkey, and Amon-Ra St. Brown have all cleared 18.5 PPR points against them since the Week 6 bye), and that’s the company I think this kid has a chance of keeping.
Odunze scored 15.7 points in the season opener in this matchup: sign me up for the “over” in the rematch.
Romeo Doubs | GB (at NYG)
Romeo Doubs missed time on Monday night with a chest injury that was obviously pulling at him after a missed target, but this wasn’t exactly lining up to be a banner game prior.
- 23 routes
- 4 targets
- 5 yards
You see, the problem is that the Eagles had the same impression as we did: this is the head of the snake. Not that the Green Bay offense can’t function without Doubs, but that, especially with Tucker Kraft sidelined, he’s their clear-cut top target.
In some respects, that’s good news. It means we were right with our analysis. In most respects, it’s bad news as Jordan Love doesn’t profile as the type of quarterback who is going to force-feed anyone.
Doubs will remain my WR1 when it comes to ranking the Packers, but he’s more of a flex, presuming health, for fantasy managers. Christian Watson is the most interesting receiver in this room, given the upside he’s shown when healthy, but his range of outcomes is always going to be wide.
I’m looking at Doubs in a very similar way to how I view Jauan Jennings: the top wide receiver on his NFL team by default, but not a must-start in our game.
Tee Higgins | CIN (at PIT)
Tee Higgins has seen 8+ targets in three of four Joe Flacco starts and has scored four times as the veteran QB has vaulted him back into the top 20 after he wasn’t a top 50 receiver in three of four September games.
There are levels to this.
Flacco is leading a concentrated offense, but not one lacking hierarchy. Ja’Marr Chase seems to have double-digit targets preloaded at this point, and while that still leaves meat on the bone for Higgins, it’s not bulletproof (Week 8 vs Jets: two targets on 33 routes).
In the Week 7 meeting, Higgins posted his second-best yards per route rate of the season and saw 17.7% of his routes come out of the slot, his second-highest mark of this season.
Higgins has been a top-15 receiver in two of his past three games, and I think his mean projection is less impacted by any Flacco regression than Chase. I’d bet that his Week 9 performance against the Bears in that crazy back-and-forth game (7-121-2) is easily his best of the season, but I do think there’s a strong floor at play here.
Bank on 7-9 targets and 70-ish yards, understanding that an elite athlete like this in a pass-happy offense always has the potential to post top-shelf numbers.
Terry McLaurin | WAS (at MIA)
Terry McLaurin (quad) has appeared in just one game since Week 3 and hasn’t earned more than four targets in a game since Week 2’s loss at Green Bay.
I still think it’s a touch early to call this a lost season for those who drafted Washington’s WR1, but things are certainly trending that direction with the bye coming up (Week 12) and some difficult matchups after that, should he be close to full strength (Broncos, Vikings, and Eagles).
There is, however, hope that he’s a league winner. If you’re in the playoff hunt and roster McLaurin, you obviously have a talented team, and that would have been holding onto hope. The Commanders get the Cowboys on Christmas Day, a Week 17 game that, as things stand right now, could have Jalen Hurts under center.
I still think a reasonably healthy McLaurin is the top pass catcher on this roster, and we know this defense is struggling to the point that the offense needs to score in bunches to be competitive.
If afforded the luxury, I’d love to wait to see a healthy game before flexing him so that I won’t be ranking him as a top 30 play this week should he find his way onto the pitch this weekend.
Like that?
I’m so cultured.
Tetairoa McMillan | CAR (at ATL)
A late add to the Week 10 injury report with a hamstring injury wasn’t ideal. Still, Tetairoa McMillan played through the inconvenience and posted a target share north of 30% for the third consecutive week.
A large piece of cake is only tasty if the cake is any good in the first place, and that’s not where this Bryce Young offense settles. The elite target share has yielded just two top-20 weeks for McMillan, a hit rate unlikely to change moving forward given this offense’s limitations.
If Carolina is competitive, they are running the ball at a high rate, and if not, the offense isn’t staying on the field long enough for its WR1 to project well.
Atlanta’s defense has come on tough times of late (three straight games where an opposing WR has scored 18+ PPR points against them) and that’s enough to keep McMillan at the back end of your starting lineup. Still, you’re playing him with the understanding that the floor is lower than receivers in a similar range (i.e., Wan’Dale Robinson and Khail Shakir).
Tory Horton | SEA (at LAR)
A groin injury sidelined Tory Horton last week, and while the rookie has shown some splashes of pro-ready skills, the path to mattering in 2025 is simply too crowded to bet on after the Rashid Shaheed acquisition.
Cooper Kupp is still showing signs of productivity, thus making Horton an unproven fourth option in the passing game of a good team that plays with a lead plenty. I’d keep Horton’s name on your radar for next year, and the fifth-round pick is certainly a viable dynasty stash, but he’s roster clutter for the remainder of this season.
Travis Hunter | JAX (vs LAC)
Adding an injury to Travis Hunter’s profile feels inevitable and unfair.
Two weeks ago, news emerged that a knee injury had landed the talented rookie on IR, and we got news on Tuesday that the dual threat’s season is over.
Weekly Participation Report
- Week 1: 27 routes, 6 defensive snaps
- Week 2: 27 routes, 39 defensive snaps
- Week 3: 27 routes, 41 defensive snaps
- Week 4: 23 routes, 9 defensive snaps
- Week 5: 26 routes, 25 defensive snaps
- Week 6: 44 routes, 22 defensive snaps
- Week 7: 51 routes, 12 defensive snaps
This will be a situation to watch as the offseason comes into focus. Not for the health; everything on that end seems fine, but for reports coming out of Jacksonville about how they felt this season went.
Does the injury force their hand in picking a side of the ball to focus on? What does the WR room look like?
This partial rookie season has left me with more questions than answers, but the asking price won’t be nearly as high as it was this August.
Tyler Lockett | LV (vs DAL)
Tyler Lockett led the Raiders in catches, targets, and receiving yards in Denver on Sunday night, Vegas’ first game sans Jakobi Meyers.
That’s running about as hot as you can hope … he didn’t reach 10 PPR points.
His 58.6% snap share was his second-highest of the season, and he should sustain a role, but it’s plenty reasonable to think that the 2-7 Raiders lean into their youth at the position. Even if that doesn’t happen, I’m comfortable in guessing that there aren’t many more 12% target-share games moving forward for Brock Bowers.
My boss asked me last week if a Raider receiver needed to be included in the weekly preview. My answer was no then, and it is no now, but I like my job, so I’ll throw him a bone.
Wan’Dale Robinson | NYG (vs GB)
If you answered “Wan’Dale Robinson” to the “who leads the league in receptions over the past two weeks” question, you deserve a prize.
Technically, if you answered “Drake London,” you do too (tied at 15), but you get the idea.
Robinson is finally fulfilling the role we penciled him in for this preseason (sub-6-yard aDOT in both of those games), and that elevates his floor to a point where he’s in the PPR flex conversation.
That profile doesn’t change dramatically if Russell Wilson is under center, as I view it more as an opposing-defense stat than anything else.
READ MORE: Soppe’s Week 11 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Analysis for Every Player in Every Game
If the opponent is content to give up short passes, Robinson is a threat to reach 15 PPR points. If not, we are looking at a player with as low a floor as any at the position.
Green Bay rarely blitzes and looks to take away the big play, something that leaves plenty of high-percentage, short-yardage targets for the taking. They own the fifth-lowest opponent aDOT this season, and with them as a touchdown-plus road favorite, a high dropback game seems inevitable, thus raising the Robinson projection.
He’s my WR33 this week, making him a flex play in deeper leagues.
Xavier Legette | CAR (at ATL)
I’ve held out hope for the Panthers’ pass game as long as I could, but I’m done.
Tetairoa McMillan is a special prospect that this team is hoping to build around, and outside of that, there’s nothing really to chase. Against the Saints last week, all other members of this offense turned 15 targets into 64 yards, production that would be hard-pressed to hit a fantasy lineup if it were all concentrated onto one person, never mind the fact that six players split that role in Week 10.
It might be too early to call Xavier Legette a lost cause in dynasty leagues. Still, the former first-round pick will enter 2026 on awfully thin ice, even in dynasty formats where patience is a virtue at the WR position.
Xavier Worthy | KC (at DEN)
Xavier Worthy’s yards per route run is down 25.2% since Rashee Rice returned from suspension, and he’s yet to earn a single end zone target across those three games (98 routes).
With Rice in the mix, Travis Kelce healthy, and Tyquan Thornton at least around (13 routes run in two of the three Rice games), the floor/ceiling math is trending away from Worthy.
That’s not to say that Kansas City’s speed demon is a complete fade (he handled an end-around on their fourth offensive snap in Week 9 against the Bills), but I do think the days of starting him with confidence are gone.
He’s a player I’m flexing when my matchup calls for an infusion of upside and the opponent is at least neutral.
This isn’t that. Worthy sits outside of my top 30 at the position this week, and I’d rather look in the direction of boring high-floor options (Khalil Shakir types).
Zay Flowers | BAL (at CLE)
The ceiling isn’t what we saw in that crazy Week 1 loss in Buffalo, but Zay Flowers has cleared 11 PPR points in all three games during this winning streak and in five of six overall, giving the type of high floor that we weren’t sure would ever materialize in this offense.
He’s an analytics dream.
Through 10 weeks, 59.1% of his targets have either come within five yards of the line of scrimmage or over 20 yards down the field.
That gives him access to more projectable upside than the Wan’Dale Robinson types, while maintaining the floor we all love. The Browns have shut down receivers in bad offenses and coughed up 16.5+ to a WR in each of their past four against a respectable opposition.
This matchup certainly falls into that bucket, and you should feel great about clicking Flowers into your lineup as your WR2.