Christopher Hanewinckel – USATODAY Sports
Looking at your fantasy football roster this week and realizing that the wide receiver pool is hit incredibly hard by bye weeks? You’re not alone. With Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Eric Decker, Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, Larry Fitzgerald and Justin Blackmon all watching this week’s action from their couches, the odds are good that your fantasy roster is feeling the effects.
Here are a pair of wideouts that have a great shot at producing at a top-15 level this week and should be started in all formats.
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Denarius Moore vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Oakland Raiders‘ top threat has been heavily targeted (he’s actually averaging more looks per game this season than Fitzgerald) and is having a better season than most people realize with 27 catches for 431 yards and four touchdowns. Terrelle Pryor has been a bit up and down statistically speaking, but he has performed well in his last two games against subpar defenses, completing 72.5 percent of his passes while accounting for 569 yards and three touchdowns and no turnovers.
The Eagles have been the worst defense in the league in terms of fantasy points surrendered to wide receivers, and if you’re buying Moore as the Raiders’ go-to option, then ranking Moore in the top-15 might not be near high enough. Philadelphia’s secondary has allowed an average of 25.5 fantasy points (PPR scoring) to their opponents’ top-producing receiver, a number that ranks as a WR1 most every week.
Moore struggled last week as Pryor used his legs more than his arm, but he had caught at least five passes in four of his previous five games, reaching paydirt four times. The word “fantasy stud” and “Oakland Raiders” rarely go in the same sentence, but this matchup has the potential for just that.
Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Atlanta Falcons
We don’t always get to see “the good” Cam Newton, but when we do, we tend to see it for a month or two at a time. Newton was clicking on all cylinders over the last three week with 773 total yards, eight touchdowns and no turnovers, and should continue his upward trend as he gets a long week to prepare for a porous Falcons defense.
Steve Smith is technically the Carolina Panthers‘ no. 1 option, but he is trending downward and will garner more focus than any other pass catcher on this offense. Ginn’s ability to take any pass the distance gives him tremendous upside, and that’s reason enough to like him this week.
Atlanta has allowed lesser valued fantasy commodities like Tavon Ausitn, Austin Pettis, Brian Hartline, Kenbrell Thompkins, Jeremy Kerley and Michael Floyd to average 19.1 points in PPR formats, and you could argue that Ginn has as much upside as any of those receivers. I like Ginn finish Week 9 as not only the top Panthers WR, but also a top-15 option at his position.
Need more fantasy advice? Get at me @unSOPable23 or on Google
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