Analyzing All RBs and WRs Matchups – Week 1

Wide Receivers 

Your WR1	WR1 Potential	WR2 and WR3	Deep League Plays
Antonio Brown	Odell Beckham Jr.	Doug Baldwin	Corey Davis
Julio Jones	T.Y. Hilton	Marvin Jones/Golden Tate	Will Fuller
DeAndre Hopkins	Adam Thielen/Stefon Diggs	Jarvis Landry	Jordy Nelson
Michael Thomas	Davante Adams	Robby Anderson	Pierre Garcon
Keenan Allen	Larry Fitzgerald	JuJu Smith-Schuster	Kelvin Benjamin
A.J. Green	Tyreek Hill	Nelson Agholor	Jamison Crowder/Josh Doctson
Chris Hogan	Allen Robinson	Cooper Kupp	Allen Hurns
	Demaryius Thomas	Emmanuel Sanders	Randall Cobb
	Amari Cooper	Kenny Stills	DeVante Parker
	Mike Evans	Michael Crabtree	Keelan Cole
	Robert Woods/Brandin Cooks	Marquise Goodwin	Kenny Golladay
		Devin Funchess	Sterling Shepard

Your WR1 Options

Antonio Brown (PIT) @ Cleveland Browns

Julio Jones (ATL) @ Philadelphia Eagles

Prefacing this with the simple fact that Julio Jones is without a doubt the most inconsistent WR1 in fantasy football. So much so, that many believe he can almost be valued as a WR2 because of his down games. The last time we saw the star receiver was in a playoff loss to this same Eagles squad. A game where he finished with 9 receptions on 16 targets 101 yards. It’s impossible to predict when Jones is capable of his 200+ yard games, but everyone knows he shows up when it matters. Expect #11 to be a presence on opening night.

DeAndre Hopkins (HOU) @ New England Patriots

Michael Thomas (NO) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Keenan Allen (LAC) vs. Kansas City Chiefs

A.J. Green (CIN) @ Indianapolis Colts

Chris Hogan (NE) vs. Houston Texans

Hogan will likely be the most disputed name on this list (through all tiers). New England is known for finding random contributors, but I expect Hogan to lead the team in Week 1. With little wide receiver depth, and arguably less talent, Hogan and star tight end Rob Gronkowski stand apart. The pair combined for a trio of touchdowns in last year’s shootout. A similar performance can be expected from the receiver once again.

Names Offering WR1 Potential

Odell Beckham Jr. (NYG) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Easily a top tier talent, Beckham is in the lower tier simply because this New York offense is an unknown. The star wideout is returning from an injury with an offense that will look very different. Evan Engram showcased his talents last year, and rookie back Saquon Barkley adds a threat potentially more dangerous than Beckham himself. Fresh off his new extension, it will not be long before he is back in the top tier…take this as a precautionary move to start the year.

T.Y. Hilton (IND) vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Adam Thielen/Stefon Diggs (MIN) vs. San Francisco 49ers

Davante Adams (GB) vs. Chicago Bears

Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) vs. Washington Redskins

Allen Robinson (CHI) @ Green Bay Packers

Demaryius Thomas (DEN) vs. Seattle Seahawks

Amari Cooper (OAK) vs. Los Angeles Rams

Former Pro Bowl wideout Cooper returns to the field after one of the most confusing season-long performances of 2017. The same receiver that caught 11 balls for 210 yards and 2 TDs against the Chiefs posted five games with two or fewer catches. Former Chief Marcus Peters will now be lining up for the Rams, offering Cooper a familiar sight on the field. In reality, the opportunity will not come from his competition, rather the lack of competition between teams. Expecting an early lead from the Rams, Oakland will need to throw their way back into the game, looking to Cooper for much of the workload.

Mike Evans (TB) @ New Orleans Saints

Robert Woods/Brandin Cooks (LAR) @ Oakland Raiders

WR2 and WR3 Slots

Doug Baldwin (SEA) @ Denver Broncos

Marvin Jones/Golden Tate (DET) vs. New York Jets

Jarvis Landry (CLE) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Coming off a career-high 112 reception season, Jarvis Landry has been paid and is leading the Cleveland Browns’ receiving corps. With an offense likely to see a decent amount of personnel changes throughout the season, Landry will be a constant. Having faced the Pittsburgh Steelers twice in his career (both times in 2016), he will look to extend his previous record of success. Those performances totaled to 18 receptions for 193 yards on 23 targets. Although the uniform is different, the potential remains there.

Robby Anderson (NYJ) @ Detroit Lions

JuJu Smith-Schuster (PIT) vs. Cleveland Browns

Nelson Agholor (PHI) vs. Atlanta Falcons

Cooper Kupp (LAR) @ Oakland Raiders

Emmanuel Sanders (DEN) vs. Seattle Seahawks

Kenny Stills (MIA) vs. Tennessee Titans

The return of Ryan Tannehill, addition of Frank Gore, and departure of Jarvis Landry results in a new look for the Miami Dolphins this season. Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker are in line for the most production, with Stills gaining favor in my opinion. He totaled a career-high 106 targets in 2017, though his yards per catch dropped to a three-year low with the Dolphins. His ability to take the top off the coverage makes him a valuable asset, but it is unclear how Tennessee will line up between the two receivers, potentially limiting Stills who totaled just 13 yards against the Titans last year.

Michael Crabtree (BAL) vs. Buffalo Bills

Marquise Goodwin (SF) @ Minnesota Vikings

Devin Funchess (CAR) vs. Dallas Cowboys

Deep League Plays

Corey Davis (TEN) @ Miami Dolphins

Will Fuller (HOU) @ New England Patriots

Jordy Nelson (OAK) vs. Los Angeles Rams

Pierre Garcon (SF) @ Minnesota Vikings

Kelvin Benjamin (BUF) @ Baltimore Ravens

Jamison Crowder/Josh Doctson (WAS) @ Arizona Cardinals

These two provide an interesting storyline to watch over the first few weeks. Theoretically, Crowder should play perfectly into Alex Smith’s repertoire of short-to-intermediate passes. However, Doctson has proven to be an effective jump ball receiver, potentially threatening Jordan Reed for red zone targets. All that said, the backfield is a tangled mess and this unit is yet to actually play together when it matters. Both offer interesting potential, but there are a lot of question Week 1.

Allen Hurns (DAL) @ Carolina Panthers

Randall Cobb (GB) vs. Chicago Bears

DeVante Parker (MIA) vs. Tennessee Titans

Keelan Cole (JAC) @ New York Giants

Cole has arguably the highest upside of any receiver in this tier (along with Corey Davis). The Jaguars have seen three receivers from last year’s opening day leave or suffer a season-ending injury, creating new opportunities for the second-year receiver. His production began trending upwards half way through 2017, and that is likely to continue into the beginning of 2018. Matchups will play a major part in Cole’s value this week. If he’s matched up with Janoris Jenkins, he becomes a limited weapon reliant on a big play. If he’s matched up with Eli Apple, well he may outperform the majority of the receivers mentioned in this article.

Kenny Golladay (DET) vs. New York Jets

Sterling Shepard (NYG) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars