Through two weeks of the 2015 season, the top-two scoring leaders among wide receivers in fantasy football shouldn’t be any surprise.
Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown and Atlanta’s Julio Jones are the leaders, with Brown tallying 46.80 points and Jones with 39.60 points. From there, the surprises are noticeable.
Travis Benjamin, who is likely stuck in your league’s waiver wire, is third with 38.40 points, while Larry Fitzgerald, who entered the season with little hype despite his longevity, is fourth with 37.90 points.
Players like Donte Moncrief and James Jones also are in the top 12, and until this week, they likely were on your league’s waiver wire.
With week 3 almost upon us, here’s our best bets for who to start and who to sit in fantasy football.
Daily fantasy start of the week
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Tampa Bay
Wait a few days before locking in your daily fantasy roster with Hopkins. He did sit out of practice Wednesday because of a concussion, so if he doesn’t go, the better bet would be to look at Denver’s Demaryius Thomas, who should garner plenty of attention from quarterback Peyton Manning.
The one worry about Thomas is that he splits many of the targets with Emmanuel Sanders, who has put up two solid weeks so far.
Back to Hopkins, though. The Texans don’t have a running game. And their passing game isn’t great, but it appears they’re far more willing to sling it than run it.
And who else does Houston have at the wide receiver position? Cecil Shorts? Nate Washington?
Hopkins has been a target monster this season, totaling 24 targets in two games. And although Tampa Bay hasn’t faced as many pass attempts as other teams (54 attempts, ranking 28th in the NFL), it’s giving up a lot of yards per pass.
The Buccaneers are sixth-worst in per-pass average, allowing 8.6 yards per pass. The Texans will throw it, and the majority of those looks will be toward Hopkins. If he goes, he’s a solid daily fantasy start.
Start
Travis Benjamin vs. Oakland
We don’t believe there’s a lot of value with Benjamin on a week-to-week basis. But if the matchup is there, he’s shown the ability to produce.
He was a one-man wrecking machine last week against Tennessee, going for 115 yards receiving and two touchdowns. He also added a touchdown on a punt return.
What we like about him so much against the Raiders is that he’ll be lined up against a defense that ranks 22nd among NFL teams against wide receivers in points allowed in fantasy football.
Teams are throwing an average of 39.5 times per game so far against the Raiders, and they’re completing more than 70 percent of those passes. We actually like Josh McCown better than Johnny Manziel anyway, so that should give Benjamin more value in this week.
He’s a boom or bust receiver, but he should boom this week against the Raiders.
Rishard Matthews vs. Buffalo
Miami isn’t making it any secret that it intends to throw the ball this year.
The Dolphins are averaging 39 pass attempts per game this season, which is just shy of the top 10. And it’s not like they’re doing that coming from behind, like league-leading Houston.
Each of Miami’s first two games have been close, but they’re employing a strategy devoted to throwing, and that’s what makes Matthews such a good option in week three.
Matthews has scored 20.90 points so far this season, with consistent efforts in both weeks. He also totaled seven targets in Sunday’s loss against Jacksonville, when he tallied 115 yards receiving.
Against Buffalo, look for Miami to throw again. Teams have attempted 108 passes in two weeks against the Bills. Granted, Buffalo faced Indianapolis, which fell behind and aired it constantly, and New England, a perennial passing team, but that number is big.
We believe Miami is getting more into the passing game, so the Dolphins should utilize a similar strategy as the Colts and Patriots. And although Jarvis Landry is quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s primary target, expect Matthews to get his fair share of looks.
Harry Douglas vs. Indianapolis
Are we crazy? Maybe.
But it’s not always about production in the past that will determine future value. Douglas’ running mate Kendall Wright is an easy start this week against the Colts.
But Douglas should also get consideration. Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota targeted Douglas eight times during Sunday’s loss to Cleveland. Douglas only hauled in one of those for nine yards, but we’re encouraged by the amount of times Mariota looked Douglas’ way.
And against the Colts, there isn’t much talent in the secondary, other than Vontae Davis, who may be out this week due to a concussion.
The Titans will likely pass all day against the Colts and Mariota is showing that he’ll give Douglas plenty of looks.
Daily fantasy sit of the week
Jordan Matthews
We were all excited about that potent Philadelphia offense entering the season. After two weeks, we’re reconsidering the hype.
Even if you’re still on the Chip Kelly bandwagon, this week just isn’t a good week for Matthews. He hasn’t been bad in fantasy, notching 24.10 points through two weeks. The biggest issue for him in Sunday’s game is that he’ll square off against Darrelle Revis, who likely won’t allow many balls to come his way.
Matthews’ value just isn’t there this week against such a talented cornerback. Wait a week before looking at him as an option on your daily fantasy roster.
Sit
Marques Colston vs. Carolina
If you’re still starting New Orleans wide receiver Marques Colston, then you’re fantasy football team may be in trouble.
Colston is not the same receiver he once was on an offense that just isn’t the same from years ago. Quarterback Drew Brees’ injury complicates this situation even further.
Colston has only 9.80 points this season and against Carolina, the passing game likely won’t be a strong option. The Panthers are allowing 4.4 yards per pass, the lowest number by an entire yard in the NFL.
The opposing teams’ completion percentage is only 50 percent against Carolina’s defense, once again the lowest in the league.
This is a bad week to have any Saints players on your fantasy football roster.
Michael Crabtree vs. Cleveland
It sure felt like the old days with Crabtree during Sunday’s come-from-behind win against Baltimore.
Crabtree went crazy in the game, netting 16 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown. But that was against Baltimore’s secondary. This week’s assignment against Cleveland poses a much bigger challenge.
The Browns are stingy against the pass and light against the run. Teams are employing a run-first approach against Cleveland, attempting 61 passes compared to 66 rush attempts, which ranks fifth-highest in the NFL.
The Raiders will use Latavius Murray a lot in this game, so that should stunt Crabtree’s ability to generate targets.
Leonard Hankerson vs. Dallas
On paper, Hankerson could deliver some value in the future for fantasy football owners.
But this week isn’t a good one to test that possible return on an investment.
Hankerson was targeted 11 times during Sunday’s win against the New York Giants. That was more than double his targets in week 1 when he hauled in two catches.
It may take awhile for Hankerson to see a more consistent amount of passes, so it’s not worth the gamble to start him this week against Dallas. The Cowboys are defending the pass as a top-five defense in the NFL, and it’s still not clear whether Hankerson has jumped ahead of Roddy White for the No. 2 role in Atlanta.
Don’t take the risk just yet with Hankerson. He may develop into a nice addition to your roster by season’s end, but this isn’t his week.
