Wide receivers are the backbone of your NFL DFS lineups. It’s a spot where you’ll need massive production if you’re going to take down a GPP, but it’s also a spot where you can save money on occasion. Some of the best values in a given week are likely to be found at the receiver position.
In this piece, I highlight wide receivers who stand out in our large suite of analytical fantasy tools, most specifically, our FantasyLabs Player Models. While the models are built for DFS contests, this is an all-purpose fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.
As news breaks throughout the week and we adjust our projections (powered by Sean Koerner), player ratings in our Player Models will change as the projections change. For updates, visit the models directly.
And don’t forget about the tools that FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s come included with a FantasyLabs subscription) within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you’re a subscriber to those specific sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
Top NFL DFS Cash Game Options
Drake London ($6,400 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel)
There are some big concerns with the Falcons’ passing attack at the moment. Kirk Cousins is coming off a disastrous showing last week, and some are wondering if the team would be better off switching to Michael Penix Jr.
Things don’t figure to get any easier for Cousins against his old team. The Vikings have had one of the best pass defenses in football this season, and they generate plenty of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. That’s not a good combination for Cousins, who has displayed virtually no mobility with the Falcons.
Still, even with Cousins struggling, London continues to provide solid value for fantasy players. He’s scored at least 17.3 DraftKings points in two of his past three outings, and he has one of the best workloads in football. He’s racked up a 28% target share for the year, and he’s been at 36% or better in two of his past three games.
The Vikings’ secondary also leaves a lot to be desired, making this an above-average matchup for receivers. In fact, they’ve allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to the position.
Finally, London’s salary has come down pretty significantly after topping out at $7,200. He checks all the boxes in Week 14, outside of who is actually throwing him the ball.
Jauan Jennings ($5,200 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel)
Jennings is one of the last men standing for San Francisco. They’ve had a disastrous season from an injury perspective, losing key contributors at virtually every position across the board. At the skill positions, they’re without Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, and Jordan Mason moving forward, so they’re way less talented than they’ve been in years past.
It’s allowed Jennings to step into a more prominent role for the 49ers. He’s been targeted on 25% of his routes run this season, and he’s now running way more routes than he was at the beginning of the year. Since returning from an injury of his own in Week 10, he’s posted an elite 32% target share and racked up 39% of the team’s air yards. Those are elite figures, especially for someone in this price range.
Jennings has failed to provide value in back-to-back games, but he had 25.1 and 16.3 DraftKings points in his first two games post-injury. One of the games where he failed to return value was without Brock Purdy, while the other was a snowy night game in Buffalo.
The circumstances should be much friendlier this week vs. the Bears. It’s not the best matchup, but the Bears’ defense has regressed a bit in recent weeks. They’ll also be back home in San Francisco, so the weather shouldn’t be an issue.
Overall, this is simply too cheap of a price tag for a player who has dominated the 49ers’ targets of late. He’s No. 2 in projected Plus/Minus at receiver on both DraftKings, and he’s third on FanDuel.
Calvin Ridley ($5,700 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel)
Ridley is another player whose salary doesn’t reflect how much he’s seeing the ball in Tennessee. He’s been an absolute target hog of late, racking up a 29% target share since Week 8. He’s also seen 45% of the team’s air yards over that time frame. That hasn’t materialized into consistent fantasy production, but he did turn in spike weeks vs. the Chargers and Lions. He scored at least 25.4 DraftKings points in both outings and finished as a top-four scorer at the position in both contests.
If Ridley continues to garner that many opportunities, he has the potential for some big performances moving forward. Will Levis has played much better of late, but Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is doing most of the scoring. NWI has eight actual TDs compared to 3.3 expected (per PFF), while Ridley has been much less fortunate.
That should even out moving forward, and the Jaguars are an elite spot for Ridley to produce. They’ve been the worst pass defense in football by a comical margin this season, and they’ve allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers. Ridley has a strong ceiling in virtually any matchup, but his floor should be significantly improved vs. Jacksonville. That elevates him into cash-game consideration.
Jakobi Meyers ($5,600 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel)
Meyers continues to make the cash-game section of this write-up basically every week. The DFS sites continue to underprice him, and he continues to provide outstanding value. Meyers has posted a positive Plus/Minus in four of five games since returning from injury, and he’s had at least 11 targets in three of his past four. That includes each of his past two outings.
Overall, Meyers has racked up a 29% target share and 40% air yards share since Davante Adams left the team in Week 4. He and Brock Bowers on the only reliable pass-catchers on the roster, and both players have been peppered with targets, regardless of who is at quarterback.
Meyers is officially questionable for Week 14 vs. the Buccaneers, but he was able to get in a limited practice on Friday. That puts him on track to suit up, and as long as he’s active, he’s worth considering vs. Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have allowed opposing offenses to throw all over them this season, ranking 29th in pass defense EPA. They’ve surrendered the eighth-most PPR points per game to opposing receivers.
Of course, with the Raiders having nothing to play for, it’s possible they sit Meyers this week. In that event, Brock Bowers becomes the slam-dunk top option at tight end, while Tre Tucker becomes a strong value play. It’s a win-win for DFS players either way.
Try out our NFL DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
Top NFL DFS Tournament Options
George Pickens ($6,800 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel)
The football nerd in me is irrationally excited for the upcoming Pickens vs. Greg Newsome matchup. These two guys have been talking trash all week, and it’s fair to say they don’t like each other:
Personally, Pickens does not stand out as the type of dude I want to piss off. He typically doesn’t need any extra motivation, but he’ll have it on Sunday.
Regardless, Pickens simply stands out as underpriced at the moment. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his past six outings on FanDuel, and he’s seen a big spike in production with Russell Wilson at quarterback. Pickens has accounted for 26% of the team’s targets and 44% of their air yards in six games with Wilson, and he’s posted four finishes of WR21 or better.
The Browns defense was one of the best in football last year, but they’ve regressed badly this season. They’re merely 20th in pass defense EPA, and they’ve allowed the 10th-most PPR points per game to opposing receivers. Pickens leads the position in projected FanDuel Plus/Minus, and with a chip on his shoulder this week, he’s not someone I’m interested in fading.
Jaxson Smith-Njigba ($6,300 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel)
The Seahawks have a pair of stud receivers in Smith-Njigba and DK Metcalf, and it can be tough to separate those guys most weeks. However, when Metcalf went down with an injury earlier this season, it allowed JSN to put together some huge performances.
He’s carried that production forward even with Metcalf back in the lineup. He’s had at least 19.7 DraftKings points in two of his past three games alongside Metcalf, and he owns a 25% target share over that stretch.
Last week’s game stands out as a bit of an outlier. He saw just four targets vs. the Jets, and despite all their struggles, they still boast a strong secondary. His current matchup vs. the Cardinals should be significantly easier, and Smith-Njigba had six catches, 77 yards, and a touchdown in their last matchup.
Ultimately, both Seahawks’ receivers have appeal on Sunday, but Smith-Njigba stands out as the superior target in Sim Labs. He’s showing up in the DraftKings optimal lineup simulations at the third-highest rate, trailing only London and Meyers.
Deebo Samuel ($5,900 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel)
What has happened to Deebo Samuel? Even with the 49ers extremely banged up, Samuel has not been able to produce at the level we’ve become accustomed to. He has zero finishes inside the top 20 at the position over his past six outings, and he has four finishes outside the top 50.
Still, it’s not like Samuel isn’t getting opportunities. He has a 23% target share over his past five outings, and while that puts him behind Jennings in the pecking order, it’s still a very respectable number.
There’s also a chance that Samuel gets more involved in the run game with McCaffrey and Mason out of the picture. He’s a dynamic producer with the ball in his hands, so one way or another, they need to get him more opportunities.
Samuel’s price tag has decreased by more than -$1,000 since its peak, making him an intriguing buy-low candidate vs. the Bears. He’s showing up in the optimal lineup sims more frequently than Jennings despite less projected ownership.
Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Options With Upside
Cooper Kupp ($7,000 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel)
Over the past four weeks, it’s become pretty apparent that Puka Nacua is the No. 1 option in the Rams’ passing attack. He’s posted a 35% target share and 37% air yards share, while Kupp is at 25% and 27%, respectively. That’s not ideal for Kupp, but those numbers are far from bad. He’s still managed double-digit targets in two of his past three games, so he still brings significant upside to the table.
The gap between Kupp and Nacua is also growing from a pricing standpoint. Kupp is available at $7,000 on DraftKings, and that seems too cheap for a player of his caliber. He’s had a comparable salary in four games this season, and he’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +4.50 in those contests (per the Trends tool).
Keenan Allen ($5,600 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel)
The Bears’ offense has shown some signs of life since switching up their offensive play-caller. That’s been particularly apparent with their receivers. He’s racked up back-to-back games with at least 23.6 DraftKings points, while D.J. Moore has two games of at least 23.7.
Both players have appeal on this slate, but Moore is currently questionable with a quad injury. He was able to get in a limited practice on Friday, but if he’s ruled out, Allen should see all the targets he can handle. He already has a slight edge on Moore in terms of target share – 26% vs. 25% – and the gap has widened over the team’s past six games. His target share has increased to 28%, while Moore has stayed stagnant.
Both players stand out as potentially undervalued this week, with both posting higher optimal lineup rates than projected ownership. However, given the injury uncertainty with Moore, Allen seems like the superior option.
Khalil Shakir ($5,900 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel)
A lot has been in flux for the Bills this season. They traded for Amari Cooper, while Dalton Kincaid has missed some time recently with injuries. Shakir has been the one constant. His role has grown as the year has progressed, and he’s coming off a massive 41% target share last week vs. the 49ers. Since Week 8, his target share sits at a very healthy 28%.
The Bills didn’t need to throw the ball much last week, but that may not be the case in Week 14. They’re on the road against the Rams, and they’re listed as just 3.5-point favorites.
This game also features one of the highest totals of the week at 49.5 points, so grabbing Josh Allen’s top pass-catcher has plenty of viability. He’s a particularly strong target on FanDuel, where he has the third-highest optimal rate at receiver.
Ladd McConkey ($7,000 FanDuel)
McConkey is a Sunday Night Football option this week, which means he’s available only on FanDuel. He’s also dealing with some injuries, which could result in lower ownership than you’d expect.
However, McConkey is tentative expected to go after logging some limited practices, and he has plenty of appeal vs. the Chiefs. He’s been the team’s clear top pass-catcher all season, and the Chargers have gone with a more pass-heavy approach in recent weeks.
The Chiefs have also struggled against the pass far more this season than they did last year. They’re merely 21st in pass defense EPA, and Justin Herbert has historically fared well in this matchup. Targeting his top receiver is definitely reasonable, especially since McConkey has the highest optimal rate on FanDuel.
