With injuries to some of the top quarterbacks in the league, as well as the inevitable change finally coming in New York, the impact will be felt by wide receivers across the league. Throw in some injuries that were are forced to maneuver around as well, and there are a lot of questions that need answering. Who should we be trusting? Who carries too much risk? Let’s take a look at how our rankings currently look for the upcoming week:
- DeAndre Hopkins – Houston Texans – at Los Angeles Chargers
- Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons – at Indianapolis
- Amari Cooper – Dallas Cowboys – vs. Miami
- Odell Beckham – Cleveland Browns – vs. Los Angeles Rams
- Keenan Allen – Los Angeles Chargers – vs. Houston
- Antonio Brown – New England Patriots – vs. New York Jets
- Devante Adams – Green Bay Packers – vs. Denver
- Chris Godwin – Tampa Bay Buccaneers -vs. New York Giants
- Michael Thomas – New Orleans Saints – at Seattle
- JuJu Smith-Schuster – Pittsburgh Steelers – at San Francisco
- Kenny Golladay – Detroit Lions – at Philadelphia
- Tyler Lockett – Seattle Seahawks – vs. New Orleans
- Sammy Watkins – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Baltimore
- Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – vs. New York Giants
- Cooper Kupp – Los Angeles Rams – at Cleveland
- T.Y. Hilton – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Atlanta
- Adam Thielen – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Oakland
- Robert Woods – Los Angeles Rams – at Cleveland
- DJ Moore – Carolina Panthers – at Arizona
- Julian Edelman – New England Patriots – vs. New York Jets
- Calvin Ridley – Atlanta Falcons – at Indianapolis
- Larry Fitzgerald – Arizona Cardinals – vs. Carolina
- Brandin Cooks – Los Angeles Rams – at Cleveland
- John Brown – Buffalo Bills – vs. Cincinnati
- Tyrell Williams – Oakland Raiders – at Minnesota
- Marquise Brown – Baltimore Ravens – at Kansas City
- Allen Robinson – Chicago Bears – at Washington
- Tyler Boyd – Cincinnati Bengals – at Buffalo
- Christian Kirk – Arizona Cardinals – vs. Carolina
- John Ross – Cincinnati Bengals – at Buffalo
- Sterling Shepard – New York Giants – at Tampa Bay
- Stefon Diggs – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Oakland
- Terry McLaurin – Washington Redskins – vs. Chicago
- Demarcus Robinson – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Baltimore
- Marvin Jones – Detroit Lions – at Philadelphia
- Jamison Crowder – New York Jets – at New England
- Nelson Agholer – Philadelphia Eagles – vs. Detroit
- D.J. Chark – Jacksonville Jaguars – vs. Tennessee
- Jarvis Landry – Cleveland Browns – vs. Los Angeles Rams
- DK Metcalf – Seattle Seahawks – vs. New Orleans
- Curtis Samuel – Carolina Panthers – at Arizona
- Will Fuller – Houston Texans – at Los Angeles Chargers
- Emmanuel Sanders – Denver Broncos – at Green Bay
- Josh Gordon – New England Patriots – vs. New York Jets
- [ES1] Samuel – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Pittsburgh
- Mecole Hardman – Kansas City Chiefs – vs. Baltimore
- Randall Cobb – Dallas Cowboys – vs. Miami
- Courtland Sutton – Denver Broncos – at Green Bay
- Corey Davis – Tennessee Titans – at Jacksonville
- Robbie Anderson – New York Jets – at New England
Thoughts:
- Amari Cooper has scored a TD in each of the first two games this season and now draws a Miami defense that’s already allowed 5 TD to opposing wide receivers. Now remember that’s before the Dolhpins traded their best cornerback to Pittsburgh for a first round pick. It’s hard to imagine Cooper not enjoying a big day, isn’t it?
- It’s a bit of a surprise, but through two games Chris Godwin has outproduced Mike Evans, picking up 11 receptions for 174 yards and 2 TD (Evans has 6 receptions for 89 yards). The truth is against the Giants both have to be considered usable options, but if we had to pick one we’re rolling with the guy who’s actually produced.
- As we all know both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Michael Thomas are going to take a small hit in value thanks to the loss of their respective quarterbacks. While it doesn’t remove them from WR1 status, at least until we get a better look at how productive they will be, it does drop them down the rankings a few spots.
- We’ve all heard the hype surrounding Kenny Golladay before, but it’s nice to see him back it up in his third season. Over the first two weeks he has 12 receptions, 159 yards and 2 TD, and things could get even better against an Eagles’ defense that’s allowed the second most points per week to opposing wide receivers. Consider him a borderline WR1 for this week, and one that could entrench himself into the conversation for that type of ranking weekly.
- One of the problems with a deep receiving corps, at least from a fantasy perspective, is that you never know where the targets will go. At this point Cooper Kupp has been the most targeted option (19) for the Rams, but would it be surprising if Robert Woods (15 targets) or Brandin Cooks (10) enjoyed a bigger week? For now Kupp is the best investment, but no one is more than a mid-level WR2 thanks to the risk.
- Will Larry Fitzgerald ever slow down? Over the first two weeks he has 13 catches for 217 yards and 1 TD and he should continue to be a go to target for Kyler Murray. That’s going to keep him on the WR2 radar.
- We’ll have to monitor the news on Tyrell Williams closely, though the early indications are that he’s going to play. Assuming he’s on the field and fairly healthy a matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, coupled with his early season production (11 receptions, 151 yards, 2 TD), puts him right on the WR2 spectrum.
- There are questions as to whether or not Sterling Shepard will be cleared to play, and the questions could keep him from building a strong rapport with Daniel Jones ahead of his NFL debut. Of course Jones offers more upside from a QB perspective, so if Shepard plays he’s a WR3 option and could emerge as a WR2.
Sources – ESPN, NFL.com
Make sure to check out all of our Week 3 rankings:
Quarterbacks |
Running Backs |
Wide Receivers |
Tight Ends |
Kickers |
Defenses |
Std League – Should I start Royce Freeman over Robert Woods for Flex?
I have a tough time trusting the Rams receivers and Freeman has been good. I’d say Woods is the “safe” choice, but I’d roll the dice on Freeman
Thanks for the advice. My biggest worry about Freeman is game script. If Denver falls behind they will revert to Lindsay. I have same concerns with Woods. Let’s roll with Freeman. I’d love for him to run through the packers like Dalvin Cook did.
I have a bit of a conundrum in my quarter-point PPR league. My team looks like this at the moment:
QB: C. Wentz
RB: A. Kamara, C. Carson, D. Singletary, R. Penny, J. Jackson, J. Samuels
WR: K. Allen, M. Evans, T. Boyd, J. Gordon, M. Hardman, D. Samuel
TE: J. Witten
DST: Titans
K: streamer (I need to pick one up before Sunday)
My questions is 2-fold:
1) Jarvis Landry is on waivers, who do I drop to pick him up (or do I just leave him on waivers)? He’s on waivers until 9/19 @ 2am, so I’m not even guaranteed to get him.
2) Who do I drop to stream a kicker?
It might also be important too that we start 2 RB’s, 2 WR’s, 1 TE, 1 Flex (WR/TE only). I probably have too many RB’s considering, and I also have D. Guice in an IR spot.
I’d say Deebo Samuel is the first drop. I’d agree on having too many RB, but none are easy drops.
Hi, Prof. I get 0.5 PPR in my league. Need 2 WRs and a FLEX from the following: Robert Woods, Larry Fitzgerald, Nelson Agholor, Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore, Terry McLaurin, Mecole Hardman, and Sterling Shepard. Thanks.
WR – Wood/Fitzgerald
FLEX – McLaurin
Thanks, Prof!
Flex help and QB question.
PPR- WR J. Brown Bills or RB Montgomery Bears. Leaning towards WR. Brown, agreed?
QB- Cam owner here. Need QB advice. ROS- Bassett ( cake schedule) or Allen. Can get both ( in case Cam is not ” Cam”) but would have to drop Rams RB – Brown ( I have Gurley) or WR E.Sanders ( I have Hops, Golladay and J.Brown,) your opinion, please? Thank you
Sorry type o. Brissett
QB – I’d just take Allen
FLEX – Tough, but I’d agree and lean Brown
Thanks Prof! However I missed out on Allen 🙁 . So Brissett is my guy. And did not drop anyone from the team.
Hey Prof-
Thanks for all the great work… Golden Tate or Will Fuller for Rest of Season?
I’m going Tate once he’s back, but it’s a risk because who knows if he’ll have the rapport with Jones
Hi, Prof. I’m in a 0.5 PPR league. Which 2 of these 3 WRs would you hold on to for the foreseeable future? Terry McLaurin, Nelson Agholor, or Mecole Hardman? Thanks.
For pure upside it’s McLaurin/Hardman, but short-term impact is McLaurin/Agholor
Thanks, Prof.
Prof,
Have Mack in the FLEX this week. He did not practice today, and its sounding like he will be OUT. That being said I own Jordan Wilkins….In the event Mack he is held out on Sunday who would you flex: Diggs/Wilkins/McLaurin/Fuller/Hyde.
Projected to win by 16pts so really just looking for a safe floor….which none of these guys possess (McLaurin may but small sample size)
Thanks as always
If Mack is out I’d probably roll Wilkins in, though Diggs is the “safest”
Do I leave Tyler Boyd as my flex or do I get weird and start Mecole Hardman instead (quarter-point PPR)?
I’d stick ith Boyd. Hardman is going to be a boom or bust
Now that AB is gone, do I start Josh Gordon over Boyd?
I’d still go Boyd, but it’s closer. It’s not like Gordon was a big producer in Week 1 before Brown arrived
Professor, what is your opinion on having two WRs from the same team? I ended up drafting both Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods and have been starting them both. I hesitated to do this on draft day but felt I got good value on both of them. I also have Julio Jones as my WR1. Right now my starting RBs are Chubb and Sony Michel but behind them are a bunch of high risk guys who have yet to perform (Coleman, Cohen, and Linsday). Do I ride things out as-is or try to flip Woods or Cooks for an better RB (thinking I will not get full value for them)?
As the value is there I’m not against it, but the problem here is that it’s impossible to know who “the guy” will be each week. I’d flip if the right trade is there
Hey Prof
Need 2 of 3 for 1 point ppr:
John Brown, Mike Evans, Robert Woods
Keenan Allen is my WR1
Evans is a locked in for me. Between Woods and Brown, the “safe” play is Woods. I’d consider Brown though, because it’s impossible to trust that Woods is going to get the bulk of the targets in a crowded receiving corps