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Week 8 Fantasy WR Breakdown: D.K. Metcalf to Break Out?

DK Metcalf

The Week 8 NFL main slate kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. ET. In this piece, I highlight the wide receivers who stand out in our large suite of analytical DFS Tools, most specifically the industry-leading FantasyLabs Models.

Top Wide Receivers in the FantasyLabs Models

There are four wide receivers atop the individual Pro Models that Jonathan Bales, Peter Jennings (CSURAM88), Adam Levitan, Sean Koerner, Chris Raybon, Kevin McClelland (SportsGeek) and I have constructed.

  • DeAndre Hopkins: $8,100 DraftKings; $8,200 FanDuel
  • Calvin Ridley: $5,600 DraftKings; $5,400 FanDuel
  • D.K. Metcalf: $5,000 DraftKings; $6,600 FanDuel
  • Mike Williams: $4,000 DraftKings; $5,700 FanDuel

DeAndre Hopkins: Houston Texans (-7) vs. Oakland Raiders, 51.5 Over/Under

In Week 1, Hopkins had an epic 8-111-2 receiving onslaught on Monday Night Football against flashy shadow cornerback Marshon Lattimore. His performance placed him among the position’s top-five fantasy finishers.

But in Weeks 2-6, he had maybe the worst stretch of his non-Brock Osweiler career (per RotoViz NFL Stat Explorer).

In not one of those weeks was Hopkins even close to being a fantasy WR1. In fact, over that five-week span, he wasn’t even the No. 1 wide receiver on his own team. That was Will Fuller (per AirYards.com).

  • DeAndre Hopkins in Weeks 2-6: 9.2 FanDuel points per game, 32-291-0 receiving, 43 targets, 393 air yards, 117 yards after the catch
  • Will Fuller in Weeks 2-6: 14.2 FanDuel points per game, 31-375-3 receiving, 45 targets, 589 air yards, 169 yards after the catch

But last week Fuller (hamstring) suffered an in-game injury and played just three snaps. In his absence, Nuk returned to form with 9-106-1 receiving on 12 targets, finishing as the No. 3 fantasy receiver on the slate.

Fuller is expected to miss Week 8 (and probably a few additional weeks), so Hopkins — Texan that he is — is back in the saddle and ready to ride.

Forget the fact that for the season Hopkins has just 13.5 FanDuel points per game. Pay no attention to his value-destroying -0.16 Plus/Minus and 28.6% Consistency Rating (per our FantasyLabs Trends Tool). No other player currently in the league has averaged more than Hopkins’ 16.4 FanDuel points per game since 2017, when Deshaun Watson joined the team.

Without Fuller, Hopkins has a shot to lead all receivers this week in targets. In Watson’s 30 starts (including playoffs), Hopkins has averaged 10.8 targets in Fuller’s 15 games with a snap rate of less than 50% compared to 9.4 targets in Fuller’s 15 games with a snap rate of more than 50%.

As of writing, Hopkins is the No. 1 wide receiver in our Week 8 fantasy rankings.

In addition to Fuller’s absence, what Hopkins really has going for him this week is his matchup: The Raiders are No. 31 with a mephitic 39.5 coverage grade (per Pro Football Focus). They’ve allowed the fourth-most FanDuel points to wide receivers with 35.4 per game.

The Raiders have struggled specifically against physical big-bodied receivers. The three receivers most similar to Hopkins in skill, size and playing style to face the Raiders this year — Courtland Sutton, Demarcus Robinson and Allen Robinson — averaged 24.3 FanDuel points per game against them with a blistering +16.69 Plus/Minus.

The Raiders have a receiver-friendly funnel defense that ranks No. 10 against the run (-18.2% DVOA) but No. 30 against the pass (20.0% DVOA, per Football Outsiders).

And the Raiders might be even worse than usual in pass defense this week. They just traded away 2017 first-round cornerback Gareon Conley, so they’re down a starter. On top of that, they traded him to the Texans, of all teams. Do you think the Texans are going to ask him information about the opposing coverages, scheme tendencies and defensive signals?

The Raiders secondary is basically going to be a naked lunch out there on Sunday. No secrets.

As for the cornerbacks left on the team — the situation is not good.

No. 1 corner Daryl Worley has below-average PFF coverage grades of 51.5 and 59.3 in his two seasons with the Raiders. Slot man Lamarcus Joyner has allowed a putrid 80.6% catch rate. And new starter Trayvon Mullen is a rookie with just 56 coverage snaps to his name.

I expect that he will face Worley the most, but whoever he lines up against, Hopkins should dominate these cornerbacks.

Hopkins will be deservedly chalky in cash games and guaranteed prize pools. Use our Lineup Builder to stack Hopkins with Watson.

Nuk is the No. 1 wide receiver in the Bales, CSURAM88, Levitan, Koerner, SportsGeek and Freedman Models for FanDuel, where Hopkins leads all receivers with his median projection.


Calvin Ridley: Atlanta Falcons (+7) vs. Seattle Seahawks, 53 O/U

UPDATE (Oct. 26): QB Matt Ryan (ankle) is OUTRB Ito Smith (concussion) and LG James Carpenter (knee) are out.

Quarterback Matt Ryan (ankle) is yet to practice this week, but he’s tentatively expected to start. Be sure to monitor Ryan’s injury status over the weekend. If Ryan is out, Julio Jones will be the only Falcons wide receiver I will consider, and even then only for GPPs. The drop from Ryan to professional pick-six artist Matt Schaub is massive, and I don’t want Ridley anywhere near a lineup of mine if he doesn’t have Ryan throwing to him.

As disappointing as Ryan was last week, he has an impressive five 300-yard, multi-touchdown games this season. With Ryan, there are a lot of yards and scores to go around for his receivers. And that’s important for Ridley, because he’s playing behind Julio and tight end Austin Hooper. If the offense isn’t producing a lot of fantasy points, the amount of production that trickles down to him could be relatively minimal.

And because he’s just the No. 3 receiving option, Ridley is a very boom-or-bust player. Either he gets enough production to crush, or he busts out. In his 23 career games, Ridley has averaged 10.9 FanDuel points per game, but his mean is a totally fictitious number. In just two games has Ridley been a fantasy WR2.

Ridley is almost always either a fantasy WR1 or dust.

Because of the target competition on the team, Ridley is very much a touchdown-or-nothing player.

  • Touchdown (11 games): 18.1 FanDuel points, 7.5 targets, 5.3 receptions, 77.7 yards, 1.3 touchdowns
  • No Touchdown (12 games): 4.4 FanDuel points, 4.5 targets, 2.9 receptions, 28.3 yards, zero touchdowns

In full disclosure: I don’t like Ridley’s matchup. Opposing wide receivers have scored the eighth-fewest FanDuel points against the Seahawks this year with 24.0 per game. And I expect Ridley to line up most against No. 1 cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who is having the best season of his career with an 80.6 PFF coverage grade.

But Ridley moves around the formation enough to ensure he’ll get some routes outside of Griffin’s coverage, and with slot receiver Mohamed Sanu’s midweek trade, Ridley might see a few extra targets. In fact, with Sanu gone, it’s possible that Ridley could slide inside and run most of his routes against journeyman slot cornerback Jamar Taylor, who has allowed a 67.4% catch rate for his career and has a 56.8 PFF coverage grade this year.

And since Sanu was traded after salaries were set, Ridley now looks significantly discounted relative to the increased target volume he should have. And he was probably already too cheap anyway on FanDuel, where he has a 98% Bargain Rating. If Ryan plays, Ridley will warrant cash-game consideration.

It helps that the Falcons are No. 2 in the league with a 70.3% pass-play rate: They’re looking to throw, and now Ridley has one less receiver to compete with.

Ridley is the No. 1 option in the Raybon Model for FanDuel, where he leads all receivers in Projected Plus/Minus.


D.K. Metcalf: Seattle Seahawks (-7) at Atlanta Falcons, 53 O/U

UPDATE (Oct. 26): Falcons CB Desmond Trufant (toe) is out.

Metcalf is yet to have a massive game. In not any week has he had double-digit targets, 100 yards or multiple touchdowns. He’s been no better than a fantasy WR3 in any game.

He’s not a cash-game play because he truly has two-catch, 30-yard, zero-touchdown downside.

As I noted in my dynasty rookie rankings, Metcalf is a limited player — but he also has a lot of potential.

In college, Metcalf exhibited little nuance as a player: He lined up almost exclusively as the X receiver and ran a very limited route tree consisting almost entirely of flies, curls and fades. In the NFL, it’s unlikely that he will ever be an effective receiver out of the slot because he lacks the agility and route-running ability to operate in the middle of the field.

In other words, he’s basically a one-dimensional player.

But within the confines of that one dimension, Metcalf can be incredibly dominant. He has unbelievable playmaking potential as a downfield threat: His speed allows him to get past defenders, and his size gives him an edge on contested catches. And before a neck injury cut his season short, he was on pace for a 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown performance in 2018.

A classic boom-or-bust player, Metcalf might have the widest range of professional outcomes of any receiver in this class.

This could be the week Metcalf booms.

The sample is small, but since tight end Will Dissly (Achilles) suffered an in-game season-ending injury in Week 6, Metcalf has enjoyed enhanced target volume.

  • Weeks 1-5: 5.2 targets, 2.4 receptions, 53.4 yards
  • Weeks 6-7: Seven targets, four receptions, 61 yards

Without Dissly, Metcalf could continue to see more targets.

Additionally, Metcalf leads the league with nine end-zone targets, and I don’t think that’s a fluke, because when he throws the ball, Russell Wilson likes to make his attempts count. Since 2017, Wilson ranks No. 1 with 127 end-zone attempts. Each year, he’s been in the top two.

  • 2019: 29 (1st)
  • 2018: 48 (t-2nd)
  • 2017: 50 (2nd)

With his size (6-foot-3, 228 pounds) and speed (4.33-second 40-yard dash), Metcalf is an ideal end-zone weapon both in close and downfield, and now that Dissly is out, Metcalf is the largest of Wilson’s established receivers. I expect that he’ll continue to see regular end-zone usage.

So it’s not hard to see how, with more expected targets, high-value usage and a little positive variance, Metcalf could have a breakout game with 100 yards and two touchdowns. And he definitely has the matchup to facilitate such a performance.

The Falcons are No. 31 with a 51.7% pass defense DVOA, and they have allowed the fifth-most DraftKings points to opposing wide receivers with 43.0 per game. Perhaps most importantly, the Falcons seem likely to be without No. 1 cornerback Desmond Trufant (toe), who has missed the past two weeks and is yet to return to practice.

Running the supermajority of his routes on the perimeter, Metcalf will face cornerbacks Isaiah Oliver and Kendall Sheffield. This year, Oliver has allowed a 72.5% catch rate, and Sheffield has a 44.1 PFF coverage grade. It’s not hard to imagine Metcalf getting the better of both of them.

Metcalf is the No. 1 wide receiver in the Levitan and SportsGeek Models for DraftKings, where he has eight Pro Trends and a 91% Bargain Rating.


Mike Williams: Los Angeles Chargers (+3.5) at Chicago Bears, 41 O/U

UPDATE (Oct. 26): WR Keenan Allen (hamstring) popped up on the injury report in the middle of the week and did not practice on Thursday and Friday. He is truly questionable, and HC Anthony Lynn has said that Allen will play limited snaps if active.

It’s hard to be enthusiastic about Williams when he has to compete for targets with wide receiver Keenan Allen, tight end Hunter Henry and running backs Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon. Year over year, Williams has underperformed.

  • 2019 (six games): 9.7 DraftKings points, -0.12 Plus/Minus, 33.3% Consistency Rating
  • 2018 (18 games): 11.1 DraftKings points, +3.54 Plus/Minus, 66.7% Consistency Rating

And I’m not a fan of his matchup: The Bears are No. 8 with a 72.7 PFF coverage grade. But they have had some struggles this year against big-bodied contested-catch receivers: Michael Thomas (9-131-0) and Terry McLaurin (6-70-1) have had two of the position’s top-five fantasy performances against the Bears.

Even more importantly, Williams is actually getting more opportunities than he had last season.

  • 2019 (six games): 7.3 targets, one end-zone target per game
  • 2018 (18 games): 4.6 targets, 0.67 end-zone targets per game

The problem is simply that last year he averaged 9.4 yards per target, turned seven carries into 28 yards and a touchdown, dominated with 10 receiving touchdowns and chipped in with two 2-point conversions. This season, Williams has averaged 8.0 yards per target, gotten no carries, scored no touchdowns and had no 2-point conversions.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Mike-Williams

Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Mike Williams

I wouldn’t touch Williams in cash games, but he’s more than worthy in GPPs. He’s top-five with 109.3 air yards per game. He’s getting targeted deep, in the end zone and more frequently. At some point, his opportunities will translate into yards and touchdowns. And if he goes off this week, he’s likely to do so at less than double-digit ownership.

Williams is the No. 1 wide receiver in the Bales, CSURAM88, Koerner, Raybon and Freedman Models for DraftKings, where he has a position-high Projected Plus/Minus as well as seven Pro Trends and a 94% Bargain Rating.


Upside Wide Receivers for Guaranteed Prize Pools

Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints ($8,000 DK, $8,500 FD): Thomas entered the season with an all-time NFL-high 321 receptions through his first three. “Nothing stops this train.” Even without Drew Brees (thumb) for most of the season, Thomas easily leads the league with 62 receptions as well as 763 yards. Thomas has a potential shadow matchup with cornerback Patrick Peterson, so it’s justified to go underweight on him, but fading him fully could be risky, considering that he can go off in any matchup. Thomas has position-high median and ceiling projections on DraftKings. UPDATE (Oct. 26): QB Drew Brees (thumb) will START. RB Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) is technically questionable but seems unlikely ahead of the Week 9 bye. WR Tre’Quan Smith (ankle) and TE Jared Cook (ankle) are out.

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons ($7,700 DK, $7,800 FD): Jones is tied for No. 6 with 18.4 DraftKings points per game, but he’s No. 4 with 135.3 air yards and yards after the catch per game. The Falcons are No. 2 with a 70.3% pass-play rate. He has a positive matchup against cornerback Tre Flowers, who has a 53.9 PFF coverage grade this season. UPDATE (Oct. 26): QB Matt Ryan (ankle) is OUTRB Ito Smith (concussion) and LG James Carpenter (knee) are out.

Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams ($7,500 DK, $7,700 FD): Kupp easily leads the Rams with 77 targets, 51 receptions, 572 yards receiving, 280 yards after the catch and four receiving touchdowns. The Rams are laying lots of points, and London favorites are 26-12-2 against the spread, good for a 31.9% return on investment (per Bet Labs). The Bengals could be without cornerbacks Dre Kirkpatrick (knee), William Jackson III (shoulder) and Darqueze Dennard (hamstring). The Rams have a slate-high 30.5-point implied Vegas total. Kupp has a position-high floor projection on FanDuel. UPDATE (Oct. 26): RB Malcolm Brown (ankle) is out. Bengals CBs Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and Darqueze Dennard (hamstring) are out. Bengals CB William Jackson III (shoulder) is in.

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($7,100 DK, $8,100 FD): Godwin should be rested and ready coming off the bye, and he’s No. 1 with 26.2 DraftKings points and No. 2 with 145.3 air yards and yards after the catch per game. The Titans have held opposing wide receivers to the fifth-fewest DraftKings points with 29.4 per game, but that might serve merely to diminish his GPP ownership. UPDATE (Oct. 26): TE O.J. Howard (hamstring) is out. Titans CB Adoree’ Jackson (foot) is out.

Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks ($7,000 DK, $7,200 FD): Lockett has just one fantasy WR1 finish this season, but he has four WR2 performances, and he leads the Seahawks with 48 targets, 40 receptions, 515 yards receiving and four touchdowns receiving. The Falcons are No. 30 with a 40.3 PFF coverage grade, and the Seahawks-Falcons game has a slate-high 53-point over/under. UPDATE (Oct. 26): Falcons CB Desmond Trufant (toe) is out.

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($6,600 DK, $7,400 FD): Evans trails Godwin in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, but they’re tied with 55 targets apiece, and Evans is No. 1 in the league with 151.3 air yards and yards after the catch per game. He’s just No. 15 with 17.1 DraftKings points per game, but he’s better than his 2019 production suggests. UPDATE (Oct. 26): TE O.J. Howard (hamstring) is out. Titans CB Adoree’ Jackson (foot) is out.

Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions ($6,400 DK, $6,700 FD): Golladay is coming off a disappointing 21-yard game, but he’s averaged 8.7 targets across his 14 games since the Lions traded wide receiver Golden Tate last season. Golladay is tied for No. 2 with eight end-zone targets, and in his 10 career games with a touchdown, he’s averaged 21.2 DraftKings points. The Giants are No. 28 with a 43.1 PFF coverage grade.

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers ($6,400 DK, $7,500 FD): Allen is 15-160-0 receiving on 28 targets over the past month, but for the season he’s still No. 3 with 141.9 air yards and yards after the catch per game. He’s likely to have diminished ownership thanks to his recent form and tough matchup against the Bears. Allen leads all receivers with his floor projection on DraftKings. UPDATE (Oct. 26): Allen (hamstring) popped up on the injury report in the middle of the week and did not practice on Thursday and Friday. He is truly questionable, and HC Anthony Lynn has said that Allen will play limited snaps if active.

Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams ($6,300 DK, $7,000 FD): Woods is yet to score a receiving touchdown, and he’s been no better than a fantasy WR3 in every game this year except for one. But in his 32 Rams games as a favorite, he’s averaged 16.3 DraftKings points per game with a +3.87 Plus/Minus. The Bengals are No. 25 with a 49.1 PFF coverage grade, and Woods is slated to face 2016 undrafted backup corner Tony McRae, who has allowed an 80.8% catch rate for his career. UPDATE (Oct. 26): RB Malcolm Brown (ankle) is out. Bengals CBs Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and Darqueze Dennard (hamstring) are out. Bengals CB William Jackson III (shoulder) is in.

Cooper-Kupp-Robert-Woods

Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts ($6,100 DK, $7,600 FD): Hilton is the No. 7 wide receiver with 15.1 FanDuel points per game. Despite missing a game and already having his bye, Hilton is tied for No. 3 in the league with six targets inside the opponent 10-yard line. Hilton is likely to face the shadow coverage of cornerback Chris Harris Jr., but since his first Pro-Bowl season in 2014, Hilton has averaged 19.7 FanDuel points per game with a +4.49 Plus/Minus and 61.3% Consistency Rating. UPDATE (Oct. 26): Broncos SCB/FS Will Parks (hand) is out.

D.J. Chark Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars ($6,000 DK, $6,300 FD): The sophomore breakout is the No. 6 DraftKings wide receiver with 18.4 points per game and a +8.73 Plus/Minus. Chark is scoreless across his two most recent games, but he could have multiple touchdowns against the Jets. Chark has five end-zone targets this season, and perimeter cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts have combined to allow a 71% catch rate. UPDATE (Oct. 26): WR Marqise Lee (foot) is in. WR Dede Westbrook (neck, shoulder) is questionable but seems likely to play. Jets LB C.J. Mosley (groin) is out.

John Brown, Buffalo Bills ($5,900 DK, $5,900 FD): The Abolitionist has a team-high 33 receptions, 473 yards receiving and 636 air yards and career-best marks with a 73.3% catch rate and 10.5 yards per target. The Eagles have allowed a league-high 48.0 DraftKings points per game to opposing wide receivers. Smoke ’em if you got ’em. UPDATE (Oct. 26): Eagles LB Nigel Bradham (ankle) and CB Avonte Maddox (concussion) are out.

Golden Tate, New York Giants ($5,800 DK, $6,100 FD): The sample is small, but Tate leads the Giants with 26 targets, 15 receptions, 195 yards receiving and 99 yards after the catch since returning in Week 5. He has a #RevengeGame in Detroit against the Lions, who just traded safety Quandre Diggs and might be without No. 1 corner Darius Slay (hamstring). UPDATE (Oct. 26): WR Sterling Shepard (concussion) is out. Lions DT Damon Harrison (thigh) and Da’Shawn Hand (elbow) are in. Lions DT Mike Daniels (foot) and CB Darius Slay (hamstring) are out.

Marvin Jones, Detroit Lions ($5,800 DK, $6,300 FD): Jones is the only active player in the league with multiple four-touchdown games. If lightning has struck twice, it could strike thrice. Jones has five end-zone targets this season, and the Giants are No. 27 with a 23.1% pass defense DVOA.

Brandin Cooks, Los Angeles Rams ($5,700 DK, $6,900 FD): Cooks has just one 100-yard game and one touchdown on the year, and he’s averaging just 6.3 targets per game. But the 0-7 Bengals are No. 29 with a 34.6% pass defense DVOA, and Cooks has a significant speed advantage over journeyman corner B.W. Webb (4.33-second 40-yard dash vs. 4.51). UPDATE (Oct. 26): RB Malcolm Brown (ankle) is out. Bengals CBs Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and Darqueze Dennard (hamstring) are out. Bengals CB William Jackson III (shoulder) is in.

Tyrell Williams, Oakland Raiders ($5,500 DK, $5,900 FD): Williams (foot) has missed the past few weeks, but he’s expected back this week. In his 15 Keenan Allen-less games in 2016, Williams averaged 14.5 DraftKings points. This season, he’s averaging 16.4. The Texans are No. 29 with a 41.5 PFF coverage grade.

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos ($5,300 DK, $6,000 FD): Sutton is tied with Keenan Allen at No. 10 with 80.6 yards receiving per game. Sutton has had a minimum of seven targets in each game this year, and his target volume will likely increase now that the team has traded wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

Robby Anderson, New York Jets ($4,900 DK, $6,200 FD): Anderson is slated for a potential shadow matchup with cornerback A.J. Bouye, and Anderson is coming off a 10-yard letdown against shutdown savant Stephon Gilmore, so he’ll likely have sub-5% ownership. But Anderson has scored a touchdown in 40% of his games with quarterback Sam Darnold, averaging 23.2 DraftKings points across the sample. UPDATE (Oct. 26): LT Kelvin Beachum (ankle) is out. LG Kelechi Osemele (shoulder, knee) and TE Chris Herndon IV (hamstring) are technically doubtful, but neither will play.

Robby-Anderson

Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Robby Anderson

Kenny Stills, Houston Texans ($4,700 DK, $5,700 FD): With Will Fuller (hamstring) on the sideline, Stills will serve as the full-time field-stretcher in the Texans offense. After Fuller exited last week, Stills played a season-high 94% snap rate and had his first 100-yard of the season. Stills has an A-plus matchup against rookie cornerback Trayvon Mullen, who has a 51.9 PFF coverage grade.

Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans ($4,400 DK, $5,500 FD): Davis leads all Titans receivers with 221 routes, 34 targets, 22 receptions and 352 air yards. In his first game with quarterback Ryan Tannehill last week, Davis hit season-high marks with six receptions and seven targets. The Buccaneers have allowed the second-most DraftKings points to opposing wide receivers with 46.4 per game. UPDATE (Oct. 26): TE Delanie Walker (ankle) is out.

Keke Coutee, Houston Texans ($4,100 DK, $5,100 FD): Keke played a nice season-high 69% snap rate last week in Fuller’s absence, and he will see regular work in three-wide sets. He has a great matchup against cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, who is probably the league’s worst slot defender with his 33.7 PFF coverage grade. In his five career games in which Fuller has played no more than 50% of the snaps, Coutee has averaged nine targets.

A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans ($4,100 DK, $5,500 FD): The promising rookie has played at least a 50% snap rate in each of the past three games, and last week he set season-high marks with six receptions and eight targets in Ryan Tannehill’s first start. The Buccaneers have a receiver-friendly funnel defense that ranks No. 1 against the run (-38.3% DVOA) but No. 25 against the pass (20.6% DVOA). UPDATE (Oct. 26): TE Delanie Walker (ankle) is out.

DaeSean Hamilton, Denver Broncos ($3,300 DK, $4,800 FD): Hamilton will serve as the No. 2 receiver now that Emmanuel Sanders has been traded, so Hamilton’s target volume and snap rate will likely increase. In his four games without Sanders last season, Hamilton averaged 13.8 DraftKings and 9.5 targets per game. Slot corner Kenny Moore II (knee) missed last game and is currently uncertain for Week 8.

Updated Analysis

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals ($5,400 DK, $5,400 FD): Yeah, this is embarrassing — I just forgot to write about Fitz earlier in the week, and he absolutely is in play in all formats. Fitz leads the team with 55 targets, 36 receptions, 439 yards receiving and 507 air yards. Slot cornerback P.J. Williams (suspension) and backup corner Patrick Robinson (hamstring) are out, and slot receiver Christian Kirk (ankle) is questionable, so Fitz could get the majority of the slot workload against third-string slot fill-ins Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Ken Crawley.

FantasyLabs Positional Breakdowns

For more in-depth NFL analysis information, check out The Action Network.



Matthew Freedman is the Editor-in-Chief of FantasyLabs. He has a dog and sometimes a British accent. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he’s known only as The Labyrinthian.

Pictured above: D.K. Metcalf
Photo credit: USA-Today Sports

The Week 8 NFL main slate kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. ET. In this piece, I highlight the wide receivers who stand out in our large suite of analytical DFS Tools, most specifically the industry-leading FantasyLabs Models.

Top Wide Receivers in the FantasyLabs Models

There are four wide receivers atop the individual Pro Models that Jonathan Bales, Peter Jennings (CSURAM88), Adam Levitan, Sean Koerner, Chris Raybon, Kevin McClelland (SportsGeek) and I have constructed.

  • DeAndre Hopkins: $8,100 DraftKings; $8,200 FanDuel
  • Calvin Ridley: $5,600 DraftKings; $5,400 FanDuel
  • D.K. Metcalf: $5,000 DraftKings; $6,600 FanDuel
  • Mike Williams: $4,000 DraftKings; $5,700 FanDuel

DeAndre Hopkins: Houston Texans (-7) vs. Oakland Raiders, 51.5 Over/Under

In Week 1, Hopkins had an epic 8-111-2 receiving onslaught on Monday Night Football against flashy shadow cornerback Marshon Lattimore. His performance placed him among the position’s top-five fantasy finishers.

But in Weeks 2-6, he had maybe the worst stretch of his non-Brock Osweiler career (per RotoViz NFL Stat Explorer).

In not one of those weeks was Hopkins even close to being a fantasy WR1. In fact, over that five-week span, he wasn’t even the No. 1 wide receiver on his own team. That was Will Fuller (per AirYards.com).

  • DeAndre Hopkins in Weeks 2-6: 9.2 FanDuel points per game, 32-291-0 receiving, 43 targets, 393 air yards, 117 yards after the catch
  • Will Fuller in Weeks 2-6: 14.2 FanDuel points per game, 31-375-3 receiving, 45 targets, 589 air yards, 169 yards after the catch

But last week Fuller (hamstring) suffered an in-game injury and played just three snaps. In his absence, Nuk returned to form with 9-106-1 receiving on 12 targets, finishing as the No. 3 fantasy receiver on the slate.

Fuller is expected to miss Week 8 (and probably a few additional weeks), so Hopkins — Texan that he is — is back in the saddle and ready to ride.

Forget the fact that for the season Hopkins has just 13.5 FanDuel points per game. Pay no attention to his value-destroying -0.16 Plus/Minus and 28.6% Consistency Rating (per our FantasyLabs Trends Tool). No other player currently in the league has averaged more than Hopkins’ 16.4 FanDuel points per game since 2017, when Deshaun Watson joined the team.

Without Fuller, Hopkins has a shot to lead all receivers this week in targets. In Watson’s 30 starts (including playoffs), Hopkins has averaged 10.8 targets in Fuller’s 15 games with a snap rate of less than 50% compared to 9.4 targets in Fuller’s 15 games with a snap rate of more than 50%.

As of writing, Hopkins is the No. 1 wide receiver in our Week 8 fantasy rankings.

In addition to Fuller’s absence, what Hopkins really has going for him this week is his matchup: The Raiders are No. 31 with a mephitic 39.5 coverage grade (per Pro Football Focus). They’ve allowed the fourth-most FanDuel points to wide receivers with 35.4 per game.

The Raiders have struggled specifically against physical big-bodied receivers. The three receivers most similar to Hopkins in skill, size and playing style to face the Raiders this year — Courtland Sutton, Demarcus Robinson and Allen Robinson — averaged 24.3 FanDuel points per game against them with a blistering +16.69 Plus/Minus.

The Raiders have a receiver-friendly funnel defense that ranks No. 10 against the run (-18.2% DVOA) but No. 30 against the pass (20.0% DVOA, per Football Outsiders).

And the Raiders might be even worse than usual in pass defense this week. They just traded away 2017 first-round cornerback Gareon Conley, so they’re down a starter. On top of that, they traded him to the Texans, of all teams. Do you think the Texans are going to ask him information about the opposing coverages, scheme tendencies and defensive signals?

The Raiders secondary is basically going to be a naked lunch out there on Sunday. No secrets.

As for the cornerbacks left on the team — the situation is not good.

No. 1 corner Daryl Worley has below-average PFF coverage grades of 51.5 and 59.3 in his two seasons with the Raiders. Slot man Lamarcus Joyner has allowed a putrid 80.6% catch rate. And new starter Trayvon Mullen is a rookie with just 56 coverage snaps to his name.

I expect that he will face Worley the most, but whoever he lines up against, Hopkins should dominate these cornerbacks.

Hopkins will be deservedly chalky in cash games and guaranteed prize pools. Use our Lineup Builder to stack Hopkins with Watson.

Nuk is the No. 1 wide receiver in the Bales, CSURAM88, Levitan, Koerner, SportsGeek and Freedman Models for FanDuel, where Hopkins leads all receivers with his median projection.


Calvin Ridley: Atlanta Falcons (+7) vs. Seattle Seahawks, 53 O/U

UPDATE (Oct. 26): QB Matt Ryan (ankle) is OUTRB Ito Smith (concussion) and LG James Carpenter (knee) are out.

Quarterback Matt Ryan (ankle) is yet to practice this week, but he’s tentatively expected to start. Be sure to monitor Ryan’s injury status over the weekend. If Ryan is out, Julio Jones will be the only Falcons wide receiver I will consider, and even then only for GPPs. The drop from Ryan to professional pick-six artist Matt Schaub is massive, and I don’t want Ridley anywhere near a lineup of mine if he doesn’t have Ryan throwing to him.

As disappointing as Ryan was last week, he has an impressive five 300-yard, multi-touchdown games this season. With Ryan, there are a lot of yards and scores to go around for his receivers. And that’s important for Ridley, because he’s playing behind Julio and tight end Austin Hooper. If the offense isn’t producing a lot of fantasy points, the amount of production that trickles down to him could be relatively minimal.

And because he’s just the No. 3 receiving option, Ridley is a very boom-or-bust player. Either he gets enough production to crush, or he busts out. In his 23 career games, Ridley has averaged 10.9 FanDuel points per game, but his mean is a totally fictitious number. In just two games has Ridley been a fantasy WR2.

Ridley is almost always either a fantasy WR1 or dust.

Because of the target competition on the team, Ridley is very much a touchdown-or-nothing player.

  • Touchdown (11 games): 18.1 FanDuel points, 7.5 targets, 5.3 receptions, 77.7 yards, 1.3 touchdowns
  • No Touchdown (12 games): 4.4 FanDuel points, 4.5 targets, 2.9 receptions, 28.3 yards, zero touchdowns

In full disclosure: I don’t like Ridley’s matchup. Opposing wide receivers have scored the eighth-fewest FanDuel points against the Seahawks this year with 24.0 per game. And I expect Ridley to line up most against No. 1 cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who is having the best season of his career with an 80.6 PFF coverage grade.

But Ridley moves around the formation enough to ensure he’ll get some routes outside of Griffin’s coverage, and with slot receiver Mohamed Sanu’s midweek trade, Ridley might see a few extra targets. In fact, with Sanu gone, it’s possible that Ridley could slide inside and run most of his routes against journeyman slot cornerback Jamar Taylor, who has allowed a 67.4% catch rate for his career and has a 56.8 PFF coverage grade this year.

And since Sanu was traded after salaries were set, Ridley now looks significantly discounted relative to the increased target volume he should have. And he was probably already too cheap anyway on FanDuel, where he has a 98% Bargain Rating. If Ryan plays, Ridley will warrant cash-game consideration.

It helps that the Falcons are No. 2 in the league with a 70.3% pass-play rate: They’re looking to throw, and now Ridley has one less receiver to compete with.

Ridley is the No. 1 option in the Raybon Model for FanDuel, where he leads all receivers in Projected Plus/Minus.


D.K. Metcalf: Seattle Seahawks (-7) at Atlanta Falcons, 53 O/U

UPDATE (Oct. 26): Falcons CB Desmond Trufant (toe) is out.

Metcalf is yet to have a massive game. In not any week has he had double-digit targets, 100 yards or multiple touchdowns. He’s been no better than a fantasy WR3 in any game.

He’s not a cash-game play because he truly has two-catch, 30-yard, zero-touchdown downside.

As I noted in my dynasty rookie rankings, Metcalf is a limited player — but he also has a lot of potential.

In college, Metcalf exhibited little nuance as a player: He lined up almost exclusively as the X receiver and ran a very limited route tree consisting almost entirely of flies, curls and fades. In the NFL, it’s unlikely that he will ever be an effective receiver out of the slot because he lacks the agility and route-running ability to operate in the middle of the field.

In other words, he’s basically a one-dimensional player.

But within the confines of that one dimension, Metcalf can be incredibly dominant. He has unbelievable playmaking potential as a downfield threat: His speed allows him to get past defenders, and his size gives him an edge on contested catches. And before a neck injury cut his season short, he was on pace for a 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown performance in 2018.

A classic boom-or-bust player, Metcalf might have the widest range of professional outcomes of any receiver in this class.

This could be the week Metcalf booms.

The sample is small, but since tight end Will Dissly (Achilles) suffered an in-game season-ending injury in Week 6, Metcalf has enjoyed enhanced target volume.

  • Weeks 1-5: 5.2 targets, 2.4 receptions, 53.4 yards
  • Weeks 6-7: Seven targets, four receptions, 61 yards

Without Dissly, Metcalf could continue to see more targets.

Additionally, Metcalf leads the league with nine end-zone targets, and I don’t think that’s a fluke, because when he throws the ball, Russell Wilson likes to make his attempts count. Since 2017, Wilson ranks No. 1 with 127 end-zone attempts. Each year, he’s been in the top two.

  • 2019: 29 (1st)
  • 2018: 48 (t-2nd)
  • 2017: 50 (2nd)

With his size (6-foot-3, 228 pounds) and speed (4.33-second 40-yard dash), Metcalf is an ideal end-zone weapon both in close and downfield, and now that Dissly is out, Metcalf is the largest of Wilson’s established receivers. I expect that he’ll continue to see regular end-zone usage.

So it’s not hard to see how, with more expected targets, high-value usage and a little positive variance, Metcalf could have a breakout game with 100 yards and two touchdowns. And he definitely has the matchup to facilitate such a performance.

The Falcons are No. 31 with a 51.7% pass defense DVOA, and they have allowed the fifth-most DraftKings points to opposing wide receivers with 43.0 per game. Perhaps most importantly, the Falcons seem likely to be without No. 1 cornerback Desmond Trufant (toe), who has missed the past two weeks and is yet to return to practice.

Running the supermajority of his routes on the perimeter, Metcalf will face cornerbacks Isaiah Oliver and Kendall Sheffield. This year, Oliver has allowed a 72.5% catch rate, and Sheffield has a 44.1 PFF coverage grade. It’s not hard to imagine Metcalf getting the better of both of them.

Metcalf is the No. 1 wide receiver in the Levitan and SportsGeek Models for DraftKings, where he has eight Pro Trends and a 91% Bargain Rating.


Mike Williams: Los Angeles Chargers (+3.5) at Chicago Bears, 41 O/U

UPDATE (Oct. 26): WR Keenan Allen (hamstring) popped up on the injury report in the middle of the week and did not practice on Thursday and Friday. He is truly questionable, and HC Anthony Lynn has said that Allen will play limited snaps if active.

It’s hard to be enthusiastic about Williams when he has to compete for targets with wide receiver Keenan Allen, tight end Hunter Henry and running backs Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon. Year over year, Williams has underperformed.

  • 2019 (six games): 9.7 DraftKings points, -0.12 Plus/Minus, 33.3% Consistency Rating
  • 2018 (18 games): 11.1 DraftKings points, +3.54 Plus/Minus, 66.7% Consistency Rating

And I’m not a fan of his matchup: The Bears are No. 8 with a 72.7 PFF coverage grade. But they have had some struggles this year against big-bodied contested-catch receivers: Michael Thomas (9-131-0) and Terry McLaurin (6-70-1) have had two of the position’s top-five fantasy performances against the Bears.

Even more importantly, Williams is actually getting more opportunities than he had last season.

  • 2019 (six games): 7.3 targets, one end-zone target per game
  • 2018 (18 games): 4.6 targets, 0.67 end-zone targets per game

The problem is simply that last year he averaged 9.4 yards per target, turned seven carries into 28 yards and a touchdown, dominated with 10 receiving touchdowns and chipped in with two 2-point conversions. This season, Williams has averaged 8.0 yards per target, gotten no carries, scored no touchdowns and had no 2-point conversions.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Mike-Williams

Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Mike Williams

I wouldn’t touch Williams in cash games, but he’s more than worthy in GPPs. He’s top-five with 109.3 air yards per game. He’s getting targeted deep, in the end zone and more frequently. At some point, his opportunities will translate into yards and touchdowns. And if he goes off this week, he’s likely to do so at less than double-digit ownership.

Williams is the No. 1 wide receiver in the Bales, CSURAM88, Koerner, Raybon and Freedman Models for DraftKings, where he has a position-high Projected Plus/Minus as well as seven Pro Trends and a 94% Bargain Rating.


Upside Wide Receivers for Guaranteed Prize Pools

Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints ($8,000 DK, $8,500 FD): Thomas entered the season with an all-time NFL-high 321 receptions through his first three. “Nothing stops this train.” Even without Drew Brees (thumb) for most of the season, Thomas easily leads the league with 62 receptions as well as 763 yards. Thomas has a potential shadow matchup with cornerback Patrick Peterson, so it’s justified to go underweight on him, but fading him fully could be risky, considering that he can go off in any matchup. Thomas has position-high median and ceiling projections on DraftKings. UPDATE (Oct. 26): QB Drew Brees (thumb) will START. RB Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) is technically questionable but seems unlikely ahead of the Week 9 bye. WR Tre’Quan Smith (ankle) and TE Jared Cook (ankle) are out.

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons ($7,700 DK, $7,800 FD): Jones is tied for No. 6 with 18.4 DraftKings points per game, but he’s No. 4 with 135.3 air yards and yards after the catch per game. The Falcons are No. 2 with a 70.3% pass-play rate. He has a positive matchup against cornerback Tre Flowers, who has a 53.9 PFF coverage grade this season. UPDATE (Oct. 26): QB Matt Ryan (ankle) is OUTRB Ito Smith (concussion) and LG James Carpenter (knee) are out.

Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams ($7,500 DK, $7,700 FD): Kupp easily leads the Rams with 77 targets, 51 receptions, 572 yards receiving, 280 yards after the catch and four receiving touchdowns. The Rams are laying lots of points, and London favorites are 26-12-2 against the spread, good for a 31.9% return on investment (per Bet Labs). The Bengals could be without cornerbacks Dre Kirkpatrick (knee), William Jackson III (shoulder) and Darqueze Dennard (hamstring). The Rams have a slate-high 30.5-point implied Vegas total. Kupp has a position-high floor projection on FanDuel. UPDATE (Oct. 26): RB Malcolm Brown (ankle) is out. Bengals CBs Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and Darqueze Dennard (hamstring) are out. Bengals CB William Jackson III (shoulder) is in.

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($7,100 DK, $8,100 FD): Godwin should be rested and ready coming off the bye, and he’s No. 1 with 26.2 DraftKings points and No. 2 with 145.3 air yards and yards after the catch per game. The Titans have held opposing wide receivers to the fifth-fewest DraftKings points with 29.4 per game, but that might serve merely to diminish his GPP ownership. UPDATE (Oct. 26): TE O.J. Howard (hamstring) is out. Titans CB Adoree’ Jackson (foot) is out.

Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks ($7,000 DK, $7,200 FD): Lockett has just one fantasy WR1 finish this season, but he has four WR2 performances, and he leads the Seahawks with 48 targets, 40 receptions, 515 yards receiving and four touchdowns receiving. The Falcons are No. 30 with a 40.3 PFF coverage grade, and the Seahawks-Falcons game has a slate-high 53-point over/under. UPDATE (Oct. 26): Falcons CB Desmond Trufant (toe) is out.

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($6,600 DK, $7,400 FD): Evans trails Godwin in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, but they’re tied with 55 targets apiece, and Evans is No. 1 in the league with 151.3 air yards and yards after the catch per game. He’s just No. 15 with 17.1 DraftKings points per game, but he’s better than his 2019 production suggests. UPDATE (Oct. 26): TE O.J. Howard (hamstring) is out. Titans CB Adoree’ Jackson (foot) is out.

Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions ($6,400 DK, $6,700 FD): Golladay is coming off a disappointing 21-yard game, but he’s averaged 8.7 targets across his 14 games since the Lions traded wide receiver Golden Tate last season. Golladay is tied for No. 2 with eight end-zone targets, and in his 10 career games with a touchdown, he’s averaged 21.2 DraftKings points. The Giants are No. 28 with a 43.1 PFF coverage grade.

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers ($6,400 DK, $7,500 FD): Allen is 15-160-0 receiving on 28 targets over the past month, but for the season he’s still No. 3 with 141.9 air yards and yards after the catch per game. He’s likely to have diminished ownership thanks to his recent form and tough matchup against the Bears. Allen leads all receivers with his floor projection on DraftKings. UPDATE (Oct. 26): Allen (hamstring) popped up on the injury report in the middle of the week and did not practice on Thursday and Friday. He is truly questionable, and HC Anthony Lynn has said that Allen will play limited snaps if active.

Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams ($6,300 DK, $7,000 FD): Woods is yet to score a receiving touchdown, and he’s been no better than a fantasy WR3 in every game this year except for one. But in his 32 Rams games as a favorite, he’s averaged 16.3 DraftKings points per game with a +3.87 Plus/Minus. The Bengals are No. 25 with a 49.1 PFF coverage grade, and Woods is slated to face 2016 undrafted backup corner Tony McRae, who has allowed an 80.8% catch rate for his career. UPDATE (Oct. 26): RB Malcolm Brown (ankle) is out. Bengals CBs Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and Darqueze Dennard (hamstring) are out. Bengals CB William Jackson III (shoulder) is in.

Cooper-Kupp-Robert-Woods

Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts ($6,100 DK, $7,600 FD): Hilton is the No. 7 wide receiver with 15.1 FanDuel points per game. Despite missing a game and already having his bye, Hilton is tied for No. 3 in the league with six targets inside the opponent 10-yard line. Hilton is likely to face the shadow coverage of cornerback Chris Harris Jr., but since his first Pro-Bowl season in 2014, Hilton has averaged 19.7 FanDuel points per game with a +4.49 Plus/Minus and 61.3% Consistency Rating. UPDATE (Oct. 26): Broncos SCB/FS Will Parks (hand) is out.

D.J. Chark Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars ($6,000 DK, $6,300 FD): The sophomore breakout is the No. 6 DraftKings wide receiver with 18.4 points per game and a +8.73 Plus/Minus. Chark is scoreless across his two most recent games, but he could have multiple touchdowns against the Jets. Chark has five end-zone targets this season, and perimeter cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts have combined to allow a 71% catch rate. UPDATE (Oct. 26): WR Marqise Lee (foot) is in. WR Dede Westbrook (neck, shoulder) is questionable but seems likely to play. Jets LB C.J. Mosley (groin) is out.

John Brown, Buffalo Bills ($5,900 DK, $5,900 FD): The Abolitionist has a team-high 33 receptions, 473 yards receiving and 636 air yards and career-best marks with a 73.3% catch rate and 10.5 yards per target. The Eagles have allowed a league-high 48.0 DraftKings points per game to opposing wide receivers. Smoke ’em if you got ’em. UPDATE (Oct. 26): Eagles LB Nigel Bradham (ankle) and CB Avonte Maddox (concussion) are out.

Golden Tate, New York Giants ($5,800 DK, $6,100 FD): The sample is small, but Tate leads the Giants with 26 targets, 15 receptions, 195 yards receiving and 99 yards after the catch since returning in Week 5. He has a #RevengeGame in Detroit against the Lions, who just traded safety Quandre Diggs and might be without No. 1 corner Darius Slay (hamstring). UPDATE (Oct. 26): WR Sterling Shepard (concussion) is out. Lions DT Damon Harrison (thigh) and Da’Shawn Hand (elbow) are in. Lions DT Mike Daniels (foot) and CB Darius Slay (hamstring) are out.

Marvin Jones, Detroit Lions ($5,800 DK, $6,300 FD): Jones is the only active player in the league with multiple four-touchdown games. If lightning has struck twice, it could strike thrice. Jones has five end-zone targets this season, and the Giants are No. 27 with a 23.1% pass defense DVOA.

Brandin Cooks, Los Angeles Rams ($5,700 DK, $6,900 FD): Cooks has just one 100-yard game and one touchdown on the year, and he’s averaging just 6.3 targets per game. But the 0-7 Bengals are No. 29 with a 34.6% pass defense DVOA, and Cooks has a significant speed advantage over journeyman corner B.W. Webb (4.33-second 40-yard dash vs. 4.51). UPDATE (Oct. 26): RB Malcolm Brown (ankle) is out. Bengals CBs Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) and Darqueze Dennard (hamstring) are out. Bengals CB William Jackson III (shoulder) is in.

Tyrell Williams, Oakland Raiders ($5,500 DK, $5,900 FD): Williams (foot) has missed the past few weeks, but he’s expected back this week. In his 15 Keenan Allen-less games in 2016, Williams averaged 14.5 DraftKings points. This season, he’s averaging 16.4. The Texans are No. 29 with a 41.5 PFF coverage grade.

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos ($5,300 DK, $6,000 FD): Sutton is tied with Keenan Allen at No. 10 with 80.6 yards receiving per game. Sutton has had a minimum of seven targets in each game this year, and his target volume will likely increase now that the team has traded wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

Robby Anderson, New York Jets ($4,900 DK, $6,200 FD): Anderson is slated for a potential shadow matchup with cornerback A.J. Bouye, and Anderson is coming off a 10-yard letdown against shutdown savant Stephon Gilmore, so he’ll likely have sub-5% ownership. But Anderson has scored a touchdown in 40% of his games with quarterback Sam Darnold, averaging 23.2 DraftKings points across the sample. UPDATE (Oct. 26): LT Kelvin Beachum (ankle) is out. LG Kelechi Osemele (shoulder, knee) and TE Chris Herndon IV (hamstring) are technically doubtful, but neither will play.

Robby-Anderson

Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Robby Anderson

Kenny Stills, Houston Texans ($4,700 DK, $5,700 FD): With Will Fuller (hamstring) on the sideline, Stills will serve as the full-time field-stretcher in the Texans offense. After Fuller exited last week, Stills played a season-high 94% snap rate and had his first 100-yard of the season. Stills has an A-plus matchup against rookie cornerback Trayvon Mullen, who has a 51.9 PFF coverage grade.

Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans ($4,400 DK, $5,500 FD): Davis leads all Titans receivers with 221 routes, 34 targets, 22 receptions and 352 air yards. In his first game with quarterback Ryan Tannehill last week, Davis hit season-high marks with six receptions and seven targets. The Buccaneers have allowed the second-most DraftKings points to opposing wide receivers with 46.4 per game. UPDATE (Oct. 26): TE Delanie Walker (ankle) is out.

Keke Coutee, Houston Texans ($4,100 DK, $5,100 FD): Keke played a nice season-high 69% snap rate last week in Fuller’s absence, and he will see regular work in three-wide sets. He has a great matchup against cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, who is probably the league’s worst slot defender with his 33.7 PFF coverage grade. In his five career games in which Fuller has played no more than 50% of the snaps, Coutee has averaged nine targets.

A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans ($4,100 DK, $5,500 FD): The promising rookie has played at least a 50% snap rate in each of the past three games, and last week he set season-high marks with six receptions and eight targets in Ryan Tannehill’s first start. The Buccaneers have a receiver-friendly funnel defense that ranks No. 1 against the run (-38.3% DVOA) but No. 25 against the pass (20.6% DVOA). UPDATE (Oct. 26): TE Delanie Walker (ankle) is out.

DaeSean Hamilton, Denver Broncos ($3,300 DK, $4,800 FD): Hamilton will serve as the No. 2 receiver now that Emmanuel Sanders has been traded, so Hamilton’s target volume and snap rate will likely increase. In his four games without Sanders last season, Hamilton averaged 13.8 DraftKings and 9.5 targets per game. Slot corner Kenny Moore II (knee) missed last game and is currently uncertain for Week 8.

Updated Analysis

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals ($5,400 DK, $5,400 FD): Yeah, this is embarrassing — I just forgot to write about Fitz earlier in the week, and he absolutely is in play in all formats. Fitz leads the team with 55 targets, 36 receptions, 439 yards receiving and 507 air yards. Slot cornerback P.J. Williams (suspension) and backup corner Patrick Robinson (hamstring) are out, and slot receiver Christian Kirk (ankle) is questionable, so Fitz could get the majority of the slot workload against third-string slot fill-ins Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Ken Crawley.

FantasyLabs Positional Breakdowns

For more in-depth NFL analysis information, check out The Action Network.



Matthew Freedman is the Editor-in-Chief of FantasyLabs. He has a dog and sometimes a British accent. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he’s known only as The Labyrinthian.

Pictured above: D.K. Metcalf
Photo credit: USA-Today Sports

About the Author

Matthew Freedman is the Editor-in-Chief of FantasyLabs. The only edge he has in anything is his knowledge of '90s music.