X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Wide Receivers Sending Out Warning Signals: Stefon Diggs, Marvin Jones, Brandon LaFell & More

If you've been keeping up with our weekly Warning Signals piece you'd know that I'm a lot more lenient on wide receivers than I am on running backs. I've continuously preached the idea that in general, receivers are more consistent than their RB counterpart. Even in a year that's been given us one of the most unpredictable fantasy seasons we've ever seen, that principle still holds water.

That's why I've decided to switch it up on the WR side of things as the regular fantasy season winds down. Rather than take the long-view approach we're going to be a little more short term with this week's list of players. The three receivers you'll see listed are guys who are likely to be borderline starters for you depending on the makeup of your team. Basically this will be the "start or sit" edition of Warning Signals.

Some fantasy owners probably have their minds made up on on these particular players but given their recent production or lack thereof, it's still important to at least consider your options. Like I've said before, you know your team better than I do so don't be afraid to stick with what got you this far. Just don't head into the playoffs blindly sticking to your guns without checking out some deeper analysis.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Wide Receivers Sending Out Warning Signals

 

Stefon Diggs – WR, MIN

I've spoken about Diggs in recent weeks and I still happen to be a big fan of his. The Minnesota wideout burst onto the fantasy scene back in Week 4, and he managed to string together four straight notable outings in a row. Over that span, Diggs racked up 419 total yards and two touchdowns, impressive numbers for a rookie who hadn't even seen the field the first three weeks of the season.

Since that stretch, however, Diggs has just 185 total yards and zero touchdowns. As I mentioned in this week's piece about running backs, you can usually deal with a scoring drought if the yardage volume is there, and that's simply not the case with Stefon Diggs right now. What was once an exciting rookie with serious upside and promise has turned into a boom-or-bust play that could easily sway a fantasy playoff matchup. With some teams still fighting for a playoff spot in Week 13, it's hard for me to advocate depending on a player with such inconsistency.

Overall I believe in Diggs as an NFL talent and I think his best days are ahead of him. He's clearly Minnesota's best receiver so he should be a fantasy commodity going forward, especially in keeper and dynasty leagues. Unfortunately for the man they call Diggsy (I'm not sure if anyone actually calls him that), now is not the time to lock him into your fantasy lineups. He's a mid-range WR3 with upside and not much else. The Vikings defense will continue to roll through Adrian Peterson so if you have better, more consistent options at WR on your bench, let Diggs sit out the next few games. After all, his next two contests are against tough defenses in Seattle and Arizona. You'd be better served waiting until the Bears and Giants come to town.

Brandon LaFell – WR, NE

Given the plethora of injuries the New England Patriots have suffered this is sort of a weird time to bring up Brandon LaFell. Nevertheless his head-scratching showings over the last two games are a cause for concern. With Julian Edelman out until the NFL playoffs, LaFell should have seen a minor uptick in targets. Instead, it was Danny Amendola who became the target monster at wide receiver. Granted, no one expected LaFell to take over Edelman's role directly, but he should have at least been a bigger factor in the offense against the Bills two weeks ago.

Fast-forward to Sunday's matchup against the Broncos, a game that saw Rob Gronkowski suffer a knee injury, and LaFell's numbers actually went down. He had four receptions in both games yet his yardage total decreased. I say this is a weird time to talk about him because his recent lack of production would dictate that he isn't worth trotting out in a fantasy lineup, but this is a situation where conventional wisdom needs to be ignored.

Scott Chandler is a decent enough tight end replacement for Gronkowski but once again there are more targets available within the New England offense. At some point the Patriots have to simply make use of what they have, so LaFell is now poised to be a legitimate WR3/flex player over the next week or two. This week's game against the Philadelphia Eagles is the perfect opportunity for LaFell to put together a big game, even with Danny Amendola set to return. The two of them should lead the team in targets so I'm willing to roll the dice on LaFell in Weeks 13 and 14.

Marvin Jones – WR, CIN

Full disclosure here, I've never really been the biggest Marvin Jones fan and I didn't think I'd ever even consider bother throwing him on this list. Yet the more fantasy questions I see and more lineups I look at I still see Jones lingering around as a starter for some people. I honestly don't get it, but given how frequently I've seen his name come up lately it's probably best we at least address him even if it is briefly.

Here are Marvin Jones' stats on the season: 42 receptions on 72 targets for 540 yards and three touchdowns. By comparison, Anquan Boldin has 44 receptions on 71 targets with 558 yards and two touchdowns. That's the level of fantasy wide receiver we're talking about here. You wouldn't want your fantasy playoff hopes clinging to the likes of Anquan Boldin, so why would you want to use Marvin Jones? All you're hoping for with either of them is a touchdown and quite frankly that's not really part of their game anyway.

Jones is a WR4 who shouldn't even really be in flex consideration unless you're truly desperate at the position. I will say that the recent injury to tight Tyler Eifer does raise some intrigue in regards to Cincinnati's target share. That said, they are playing the Browns this week so I can't imagine they'll need to throw all that much. Besides, Cleveland is deplorable against the run so you can expect that to be a heavy Jeremy Hill/Giovani Bernard game regardless of who is out there catching passes from Andy Dalton.

 

Updates From Last Week

Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree – WRs, OAK

We can now go back to grouping these two receivers together as both guys had bounce-back outings against the Titans in Week 12. Amari Cooper led the team in receiving yards with 115 while Michael Crabtree found the endzone even with limited receptions. The Raiders offense is going to continue utilizing both of them with frequency so you can safely ignore the crazy game out of fellow wide receiver Seth Roberts. It's a two-man show in Oakland.

Jeremy Maclin – WR, KC

Jeremy Maclin had a massive outing against the Bills on Sunday, racking up 160 yards on nine receptions. Included in that stat line was a 41-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alex Smith. This isn't a team that likes to utilize the deep ball all that match so plays like that aren't really that repeatable and neither is the 160-yard outing but it was still nice to see Maclin get back on track. The Chiefs actually have an extremely favorable schedule down the stretch with matchups against the Raiders, Chargers, Ravens, and Browns through the fantasy playoffs. None of those secondaries scare you so you should happily lock Maclin into your lineup the rest of the way.

Willie Snead – WR, NE

The Saints were on a bye in Week 11, so here we are two weeks later talking about Willie Snead. New Orleans was absolutely smothered by the Texans in Week 12 as the team only managed to put up six points in a losing effort. Snead did have four receptions for 50 yards but his days as the team's top receiver appear to be over. I wouldn't depend on him in any format and I most certainly wouldn't want to trot him out there this week against the Panthers.

Dez Bryant– WR, DAL

Normally I wouldn't address a player who was listed in the "Updates From Last Week" section twice in a row but the circumstances regarding Dez Bryant's fantasy relevance are a lot different from everyone else's. Unfortunately for Dez, he lost his quarterback once again as Tony Romo re-injured his clavicle and is now out for the remainder of the season. That's a huge blow for a Dallas offense that has struggled mightily with Matt Cassell and Brandon Weeden under center. I don't think you can bench a player the caliber of Dez Bryant but he's not going to be anywhere near as productive without his starting QB. This is basically a lost year for Bryant which is a real shame.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Malcolm Brogdon

Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon Both Staying with the Knicks?
Detroit Pistons

Charles Bediako Agrees to a Training Camp Deal with Detroit
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery, Uncertain for Training Camp
Charlotte Hornets

DaQuan Jeffries Waived by the Hornets
CFB

Eric Singleton Jr. Questionable For Saturday
Braden Schneider

Limited in Training Camp
Lars Eller

Recovering From Abdominal Procedure
Nick Jensen

in Danger of Missing Start of Season
Brandon Montour

to Miss Two Weeks After Ankle Surgery
Gabriel Landeskog

a "Full Go" for the Season
Samuel Girard

Avalanche Hope to Have Samuel Girard Available for Start of Season
Mackenzie Blackwood

Out Week-to-Week
Alex Tuch

Day-to-Day With Undisclosed Injury
Jordan Greenway

to Sit Out Training Camp
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Considered Day-to-Day
Simon Edvinsson

to Miss a Couple of Weeks
Mikael Backlund

Signs Two-Year Extension
Connor Ingram

to Be Waived by Mammoth
Zach Hyman

Misses Start of Training Camp
Nick Paul

Out Until November
Kris Letang

Cleared for Training Camp
David Pastrnak

Out for Start of Training Camp
Matthew Tkachuk

Expected to Be Out Until December
NBA

Trevelin Queen Joins Chinese Team
Damian Lillard

Not Rushing His Return
Brooklyn Nets

Keon Johnson Waived by Nets
Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP