Julio Jones looks to stay hot, Michael Thomas returns from injury and Mike Evans/Chris Godwin search for target clarity.
Other positions: Quarterback | Running Back | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Rankings updated 10/22 at 7:00 PM ET. Added Sterling Shepard and DeSean Jackson.
Week 7 Receivers
WR Notes: Davante Adams had a frustrating return against the Bucs. Receivers, or really skill players of any kind, rarely have frustrating days vs. the Texans. … DeAndre Hopkins couldn’t quite connect with Kyler Murray in Dallas. Everyone connects vs. the Seahawks. … DK Metcalf will need more volume to continue clearing 90 yards. In Week 5, he got it, drawing a season-high 11 looks even as Russell Wilson attempted his second fewest passes of 2020 (32). Metcalf gets a top-three spot for Sunday’s 56.5-totaled showdown with the Cardinals. … Held under six receptions once, Stefon Diggs has either reached 100 yards or scored every time out. Even with Josh Allen coming back down to earth following his otherworldly start, Diggs should do both against the barely-there Jets. … 100 percent healthy for the first time since Week 1, Julio Jones immediately returned to top form, destroying the Vikings for 8/137/2. Jones has posted 17/294/2 across his two healthy 2020 appearances. Even as they have stopped embarrassing themselves on an every-play basis, the Lions have no one capable of matching up with Julio. … Who knows what might get in the way, but Michael Thomas will supposedly play for the first time since Week 1. The Panthers’ pass defense limits big plays. They concede the kind of layups Thomas thrives on.
By his standards, it was a quieter day for Calvin Ridley in Julio Jones’ return, as he posted a 6/61/1 line in the Falcons’ easy win over the Vikings. With a 55 over/under on tap for a matchup with a Lions Defense bequeathing the seventh most receiver fantasy points, 6/61/1 is probably Ridley’s Week 7 baseline. … Kenny Golladay finally had a 100-yard day against the Jaguars. Now it is Matthew Stafford’s turn to reach a benchmark and post 300 yards for the first time in 2020. It’s difficult to envision the Falcons, who are allowing the second most passing yards per game and most yards per attempt, not obliging. … Yet to have a 100-yard receiving day, Tyreek Hill hasn’t even reached five receptions since Week 3. Is it the two-high safeties? Whatever it is, it’s not going to keep Hill down forever. He just doesn’t have the case that the eight wideouts ahead of him do right now. The Broncos limit big plays. … Only a back injury could interrupt Keenan Allen’s 10-target-athon. He’s since had the Chargers’ bye week to get healthy. The Jaguars just sprung Kenny Golladay for 100 yards.
The route was circuitous, but Amari Cooper still reached 10 targets in Andy Dalton’s first start. Although any type of game flow seems possible in Sunday’s pick ‘em with the Football Team, that should remain Cooper’s floor. … Averaging as many yards per route run as DeAndre Hopkins, Robby Anderson’s 77-yard Week 6 was his second lowest output of the season. That tells you all you need to know about his effectiveness. They just had a bye week to try to clean things up, but the Saints have handed out 15 passing touchdowns in five games. … Stop the clocks: Will Fuller has been one of the most consistent receivers in fantasy. That should continue against a Packers Defense that sometimes feels like it is hanging on for dear life before breaking. There’s a 57 over/under in Houston this weekend. … We need to have a little faith with Terry McLaurin. Kyle Allen finally settled down a little bit last week. The sky is the limit against the Cowboys’ historically-bad defense. … Allen Robinson has essentially been the lower-floor, lower-ceiling version of Amari Cooper. That is still quite good. He’s docked for Week 7 because the Rams permit the second fewest receiver fantasy points. It’s going to be a long day for Nick Foles.
Tyler Lockett has been held under 70 yards in three of his past four games. His usage isn’t all that different than DK Metcalf’s. His skill? There’s not really much debate at this point. Lockett is a great player. Metcalf is looking like a special one. … We have to get more information on Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, a weird fact since we’ve already played six games. The Raiders are by no means a stay-away spot for enemy wideouts. Godwin and Evans are WR2s who could look like no-brainer WR1s again by this time next week. … We would like to see slightly more volume for A.J. Brown. His post-injury results still speak for themselves. A special player who is growing and improving. … D.J. Moore can almost taste the ceiling. He just can’t get his floor high enough to re-crash the top 15. … He was finally held under 100 yards, but Jamison Crowder is at least 7-of-10 in all four 2020 appearances. He did pop up on Wednesday’s injury report with a groin issue. Worth monitoring. … It’s hard to believe slot man CeeDee Lamb will end up the odd man out for Andy Dalton. Michael Gallup, sadly, has run out of WR3 juice.
Diontae Johnson (back) is practicing in full for Week 7. Now what the heck do we do with him and meteor Chase Claypool? We have to wait and see with Johnson, and chase (no pun intended) Claypool’s points despite last week’s four targets. Players who score this many touchdowns have a way of forcing the issue. … Robert Woods has been under 40 yards in 3-of-6 games and over 70 in 3-of-6. Floor isn’t what it used to be, but the ceiling remains. The latter will be difficult to attain with Jared Goff against the Bears. … Despite Keelan Cole’s Week 7 production, D.J. Chark’s 14 targets speak to a wideout who is still the “Jaguar to roster.” … A.J. Green finally revived, but Tee Higgins still had his best game of the season. Higgins’ recent consistency and emerging floor/ceiling combo keep him ahead of Green. … DeSean Jackson (hamstring) is returning for Thursday Night Football. How much will that matter for Travis Fulgham, who has drawn 13 targets over the past two weeks? Hilariously, Fulgham is currently the WR1 by average points in half-PPR leagues. No. 1 Giants CB James Bradberry will have a decision to make. … Tim Patrick is the captain now of the Broncos’ receiver corps, with the long-prophesied size/speed prospect reaching 100 yards in back-to-back games, with two different quarterbacks, no less. He has out-targeted Jerry Jeudy 15-9 in the process.
