Wide Receiver Matchups To Target In Week 16

In Week 15, Breshad Perriman took advantage of the absence of both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and caught three touchdowns which led him to finish as the No. 1 wide receiver on the week. Julio Jones was targeted 20 times against a banged-up 49ers secondary to finish as the No. 2 wide receiver on the week while Michael Thomas took advantage of a solid matchup against the Colts Defense to finish third. For the most part, the players recommended in the Week 15 column came through, but Courtland Sutton was a little bit of a letdown after Tyrann Mathieu knocked a touchdown catch out of his hands. Here is a complete statistical recap of the Week 15 recommendations:

• Devante Parker - 7 targets, 4 catches, 72 yards, 2 TD
• Pivot: Isaiah Ford - 5 targets, 3 catches, 21 yards
• Terry McLaurin - 5 targets, 5 catches, 130 yards, 1 TD
• Keelan Cole - 6 targets, 3 catches, 76 yards
• D.J. Moore - 12 targets, 8 catches, 113 yards
• Courtland Sutton - 10 targets, 4 catches, 79 yards
• Pivot: Mike Williams - 9 targets, 4 catches, 71 yards, 1 TD

There are three very fantasy-relevant games this Saturday if you have season-long considerations or are playing in a DFS contest inclusive of these games. On the season, the Buccaneers Defense has given up the most fantasy points to wide receivers, 276.8 yards-per-game through the air and 29 passing touchdowns. The Buccaneers are also giving up under 3.5 yards-per-carry which means this is obviously a great spot for DeAndre Hopkins ($8,700 Fanduel / $8,500 DraftKings) and the other Texans wide receivers because it's easier to throw on the Buccaneers than run. The Texans Defense is similarly bad against the pass, giving up 266.1 yards-per-game and 30 passing touchdowns on the year, but the Buccaneers are so banged up at receiver, it's hard to trust any of them. Breshad Perriman ($7,400 Fanduel / $6,000 DraftKings) had a great performance in Week 15, but he scored three touchdowns off of just six targets. If you want to roll Breshad Perriman out there in your lineup, go ahead and do so with confidence, but don't get too crazy with it and play him over a stud because he may not get a ton of volume. Perriman seems to be taking over Mike Evans' role in the offense, and keep in mind Evans was extremely boom-or-bust this year before he went down due to injury. Cole Beasley ($5,800 Fanduel / $4,800 DraftKings) may actually have a decent matchup against a Patriots Defense in Week 16 that's been giving up the least fantasy points to wide receivers on the season. Slot cornerback Jonathan Jones has been ruled out of the game meaning the Patriots may have a problem covering Cole Beasley. While Beasley isn't a world-beater by any means, he's demonstrated that he is more than capable of coming through when he has a good matchup and John Brown has a bad one.

On the high-end this week Amari Cooper ($7,700 Fanduel / $6,700 DraftKings) has a great matchup against Jalen Mills and an Eagles Defense which has been vulnerable to the big play this year, giving up 14 plays of 40+ yards along with 26 passing touchdowns which is tied for seventh-most in the league. On top of that, the Eagles give up just 4.0 yards-per-carry which is the sixth-best mark in the league, and just 90.4 yards-per-game on the ground. The Eagles' poor pass defense also makes Michael Gallup ($6,500 Fanduel / $5,500 DraftKings) a very viable option, even as the Cowboys' No. 2 receiving option. Julio Jones ($8,000 Fanduel / $8,000 DraftKings) saw 20 targets in Week 15 against the 49ers with Calvin Ridley out of the lineup and has a very beatable matchup against Tre Herndon this week. The Jaguars Defense has given up 7.9 yards-per-attempt through the air which is seventh-worst in the NFL and that number has been getting worse since the departure of Jalen Ramsey. As detailed below, this weekend's main slate has some wide receivers with shaky quarterback situations that have great matchups, and in some cases, I am going right back to some of the guys I've leaned on over the last few weeks because they have good matchups and the price is right.

Week 16 WR/CB Matchups to Exploit

Courtland Sutton ($7,100 FanDuel / $6,200 DraftKings) vs Darius Slay

Detroit gives up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers and has allowed 30 passing touchdowns which ties them for fourth-most in the league. Courtland Sutton is a big-play threat and the Lions have given up 66 plays of 20+ passing yards which is a league-high. Last week Sutton had a touchdown in his hands until Tyrann Mathieu knocked it out at the last possible moment. It is also worth noting that Sutton recently took to Twitter noting his Pro Bowl snub, thanking the fans that voted for him, which means he may have a chip on his shoulder and something to prove this weekend.

Tyler Lockett ($7,600 FanDuel / $7,600 DraftKings) vs Byron Murphy

Between all of the Cardinals defensive backs, Byron Murphy has given up the most yards in coverage (598) and touchdowns (9). The Cardinals have given up the ninth-most fantasy points to wide receivers on the season, and throwing towards Byron Murphy seems to be the source of many of them. The Cardinals Defense has given up 290.4 yards-per-game through the air which is the most in the league and Murphy is the fourth-most targeted cornerback in the league. That trend should continue this weekend as Murphy should be covering the Seahawks No. 1 receiving target Tyler Lockett for much of the game.

Tyler Boyd ($6,300 FanDuel / $5,800 DraftKings) vs Jomal Wiltz

The Dolphins Defense has given up 33 passing touchdowns which is second-worst in the league and 8.1 yards-per-attempt which is tied for fourth-worst. Jomal Wiltz has been a liability in coverage for the Dolphins this season, which is no different than the entire secondary, but nearly half of the receiving yards Wiltz has allowed so far this year have come after the catch. This fact bodes well for Tyler Boyd who is more of a possession receiver.

Pivot: John Ross ($5,200 FanDuel / $4,200 DraftKings) vs Nik Needham

The Dolphins have given up 61 pass plays of 20+ yards and surrender a lot of yardage after the catch which means Ross could pop a big one. Ross is extremely hard to trust after starting off the season on fire, but he may be worth a shot as a boom-or-bust receiver in a tournament or a deeper season-long league.

D.J. Moore ($6,600 FanDuel / $6,900 DraftKings) vs Pierre Desir

Similar to the analysis of Michael Thomas last week, the Colts Defense tends to bend and not break, giving up short to intermediate plays in the passing game while preventing the deep ball. D.J. Moore has been on fire lately and is more of a possession receiver than Curtis Samuel who is more of a big-play guy. Moore has 37 more targets than Samuel and has almost doubled his receiving yards. It's a little difficult to trust Moore with Will Grier making his first career start at quarterback this weekend, but Grier is an aggressive quarterback and should be able to at least get the ball to Moore.

DeVante Parker ($6,900 FanDuel / $6,800 DraftKings) vs B.W. Webb

Although the Bengals Defense is fairly stingy against wide receivers, giving up the seventh-fewest fantasy points to the position on the season, Devante Parker will see a lot of B.W. Webb on Sunday who has been terrible in coverage. Out of all the Bengals cornerbacks, Webb has surrendered the most yards while in coverage and opposing quarterbacks have a quarterback rating of 116.8 when throwing in his direction. Darqueze Dennard and William Jackson will likely do a good job, but Webb will be a liability as usual.

Pivot: Terry McLaurin ($6,500 FanDuel / $6,200 DraftKings) vs DeAndre Baker

While in coverage this season, DeAndre Baker has given up 712 yards which is the sixth-most in the league. To compound Baker's coverage woes, he has surrendered seven touchdown passes while in coverage. McLaurin is the clear No. 1 red zone threat in the Redskins passing game and he won't have much resistance in Week 16. The Giants Defense gives up the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers per game, and while their rush defense gives up 115.1 yards-per-game on the ground, that's a product of volume because teams are often playing with a lead against them. On a per play basis, the Giants defense only gives up 3.9 yards-per-carry which is the fifth-fewest in the league, which means the Redskins may have to throw a lot to move the ball.

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