A player does not have to be Jaxon Smith-Njigba or CeeDee Lamb to be a must-start in fantasy football. We must find players with high volume and/or a favorable matchup. Among many different factors, they are expected to have great weeks. The following eight wide receivers should be seriously considered for your lineup this week.
Jakobi Meyers
Meyers has run the same number of routes this season as Parker Washington. His target share is only 14%, which is expected for Meyers given his snap rate.
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The Jaguars face off against the Texans, who rank a disappointing 30th against wide receivers in fantasy football. Meanwhile, Meyers is 9th in the NFL in Yards per Target and 3rd in EPA per Target.
Tre Tucker
No team is worse against wide receivers in fantasy football
than the Buffalo Bills. They are letting teams run rampant, giving up 28.2 fantasy points per game: 15.2 receptions, 187.4 yards, and 1.8 touchdowns.
As for Tucker, he has 17% of the team's receptions and 21% of the team's receiving yards through five games.
Josh Downs
Keenan Allen is expected back, but that is not worth a scare. Allen plays outside, and Downs plays in the slot.
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This season, Downs is running about 34 routes per game. He is targeted 6.2 times per game for 50 yards. The Colts face the Titans, who rank 6th-worst in Defensive Pass EPA per Play Allowed.
DeVaughn Vele
Vele is projected to have just around 7.0 targets this coming week. He leads the Saints in red-zone targets (6) and red-zone touchdowns (2). The Giants offer a less-scary matchup, ranked 23rd in Defensive Pass EPA per Play Allowed.
Khalil Shakir
The Bills have struggled to get the ball to Dalton Kincaid, with one reception each in the past few weeks. Meanwhile, Shakir is surging with 5.0 targets per game and has hit back-to-back 80+ yard games.
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Given that the Bills average over 30 points per game, their WR1 really should be a weekly must-start. While there was debate over who their top pass-catcher was (Kincaid, Keon Coleman), Shakir led with 0.8 targets and 0.5 receptions per game.
Denzel Boston
KC Concepcion may be out with a concussion. Jerry Jeudy is rumored to be traded. That leaves Boston as the WR1 in a role he has already commanded.
The Rookie of the Year Contender is averaging 5.6 targets and 3.2 receptions per game. More importantly, he has three touchdowns and is the WR22 in fantasy football.
Germie Bernard
He was not on most rosters just days ago, but now you have to start Bernard. Roman Wilson is out. Michael Pittman Jr. is out. DK Metcalf then struggles to live up to his best. Meanwhile, Bernard has earned Aaron Rodgers' trust, catching 6 of 8 targets in Week 5.
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Bernard can easily sprout into a target share well beyond 20%. The Buccaneers are a mediocre defensive matchup in Week 6, so volume plays.
Dontayvion Wicks
In Week 5, Wicks ran the most routes and had the most targets of any Eagles wide receiver. That was 8 targets, 5 receptions, and 63 yards. His volume without DeVonta Smith is noteworthy. I expect Wicks' target share to stay around 25ish percent while Smith is out, assuming he stays out.
On the whole of the season, Wicks has a 21% target share on 52 yards per game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Khalil Shakir, Germie Bernard, and 6 More Must-Start Wide Receivers in Week 6 Fantasy Football
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