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. 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 150 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Top NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks in the FantasyLabs Models
On DraftKings, there are two wide receivers near the top of the Sean Koerner, Chris Raybon, Cash Game, and Tournament Player Models.
- Tyreek Hill
- Tyler Lockett
We’ll discuss why these are popping in our models, as well as take a look at some other wide receivers.
Top Model NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Tyreek Hill ($8,500 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel): Miami Dolphins (-3.5) at Detroit Lions (51.5 total)
Tyreek Hill has seen monster usage in the passing game since joining Miami. He has run a route on 83% of team dropbacks on the year, seeing 32% of team targets. He’s averaged an 11.0-yard average depth of target while commanding 39% of team air yards.
Hill has 12+ targets in five of seven games, with some monster performances of 45, 28.9, and 32.7 DraftKings points. He’s run rampant in some back-and-forth shootouts, especially in Week 2’s 42-38 comeback victory over Baltimore. With how potent Detroit’s offense has been at times, we could be in for a load of fireworks on Sunday.
The defense that Detroit deploys will bode well for Hill, as they play man coverage on 60.6% of their snaps. Detroit also likes to blitz, and Tua Tagovailoa has shredded the blitz so far this season. Against man coverage, Hill is averaging 4.07 yards per route run while being targeted on 37.2% of his routes, both of which ranking fourth in the league. Detroit has allowed the third most yards to wide receivers in man coverage this season, and they’ve already missed a game due to a bye.
Hill is set to have a monster game, and he leads all four of our models.
He is second in Projected Plus/Minus while being tied for first in Points/Salary despite having a hefty price tag.
Tyler Lockett ($6,500 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel): Seattle Seahawks (-3) vs. New York Giants (44.5 total)
Tyler Lockett was battling a hamstring injury last week but still suited up and caught seven balls for 45 yards. With DK Metcalf now sidelined, Lockett will become the alpha of this offense. He’s seen a 22.2% target rate per route run with Metcalf on the field, and that climbed to 33.3% after Metcalf left the game. He also saw 35.3% of overall team targets with Metcalf off the field.
The Giants like to blitz and deploy a lot of man coverage which should be a positive sign for Lockett. He has seen a 30% team target share amongst the blitz while racking up 41.8% of team air yards. The matchup isn’t a cake walk though, as the Giants’ secondary has been formidable despite playing a lot of man coverage, They’re allowing a 54.4% catch rate and 6.8 yards per target to opposing wideouts.
The good news is that New York has gotten beaten by interior receivers, where Lockett lines up a good chunk of the time. CeeDee Lamb, Randall Cobb, and Christian Kirk all caught seven or more balls for 87 or more yards, with Lamb finding the end zone.
Lockett has had some stellar games so far, with 22.7 DraftKings points in Week 2, and 30.4 in Week 5. However, the ceiling is even higher now with the potential for alpha-WR1 usage.
Lockett ranks towards the top in Points/Salary on the week and is second in three models.
Other Notable NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Amon-Ra St. Brown ($6,900 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel): Detroit Lions (+3.5) vs. Miami Dolphins (51.5 total)
St. Brown still hasn’t cleared concussion protocol since leaving last week’s game due to a head injury, but Dan Campbell said on Friday that he thought St. Brown would suit up. While healthy, St. Brown has been a monster, being targeted on 33.1% of his routes and commanding a 36% share of team targets, which rank second and first in the league, respectively. He does rely on volume and explosiveness, as he has a 5.4-yard average depth of target.
The matchup is middling, as Miami allows 7.7 yards per target and a 65.3% catch rate to slot receivers, both ranking in the middle of the league. His upside is undeniable, as seen by his 42.4 DraftKings point eruption in Week 2 against Washington. St. Brown makes for an awesome player in game stacks.
Chris Olave ($6,000 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel): New Orleans Saints (+1.5) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (49.5 total)
Both Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry didn’t practice this week, which means we may see little target competition again for Chris Olave. He’s seen 26%, 25%, and 28% of targets in his last three games, with 15 or more DraftKings points in each of his last four games. He’s seen 13+ targets in three of six games, showing that the alpha wide receiver usage is potentially there.
The Raiders have been solid against perimeter receivers, allowing the third least fantasy points per game to boundary pass-catchers. With Olave’s talent and volume, we’re willing to bet against the difficult matchup. Olave makes for the perfect tournament option, with massive upside at a middling price tag.
DJ Moore ($5,300 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel): Carolina Panthers (+4) at Atlanta Falcons (41 total)
DJ Moore has a pulse, everybody! Moore and P.J. Walker hit it off last week, as Moore caught seven of ten targets for 69 yards and a touchdown. Carolina didn’t sling it that much, but when they did, they looked Moore’s way. He commanded a 47.6% share of team targets last week, which is the sixth-highest single-game target share for a receiver this year. The departures of Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson have opened up some targets in this offense, and Moore has seen the bulk of them.
Atlanta’s top receiver is set to miss this matchup with a hamstring injury, so the matchup for Moore has just gotten even better. Casey Hayward has already been placed on injured reserve, so the Falcons are really hurting on the back end. Moore’s usage in Week 7 is worth chasing and banking on in a plus matchup in Week 8.
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