The weekly start-sit game can cause a lot of start-sit headaches. Should I start this guy, that guy, and why or why not? I review a bunch of data points that historically measure start-sit accuracy. The following eight wide receivers profile as tranquilizing players in Week 8.
Sutton is averaging 4.3 targets and 2.7 receptions per game over his last three games. He has just 32 targets across seven games, and his catch rate is only 50%. He now faces the Chiefs, and whether Jaylen Waddle plays doesn't matter, as Kansas City ranks 7th-best in Yards per Target Allowed to outside wide receivers.
I'm not sure we can trust Godwin, and he carries risk in Week 8. Baker Mayfield is playing through a thumb injury and only attempted 11 passes last week. Meanwhile, Godwin has an average depth of target of 3.1 Yards.
Despite averaging 6.3 targets per game, Allen has caught only one touchdown in seven games. He has eclipsed 45 receiving yards twice, and the Colts are in a fire sale after trading both Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner on Tuesday.
If Rashee Rice returns, Worthy is all the less viable. He currently ranks 57th in PFF Receiving Grade and 80th in Receiving EPA per Play. Worthy has about a 15% red zone target share and only one touchdown this season. The Broncos are 5th in Yards per Target Allowed to wide receivers.
Excluding Week 3, Addison averages 4.0 targets, 2.0 receptions, and 23.3 yards per game. He has one red-zone target all season. Justin Jefferson's return will complicate this start-sit debate.
Odunze has about a 16% target share and 3.4 receptions per game. He has not scored a touchdown yet, and this weekend doesn't make a strong case for him. The Seahawks are 1st in Yards per Target Allowed to wide receivers.
A slot receiver generally has an elevated catch rate and typically catches the ball at a shallower depth. But Downs is only catching 62% of his targets. He has a 19% target share. He is not all that exciting on a bad team. Downs has not caught a single target inside the 10-yard line, and he hasn't scored a touchdown there this season.
One would have thought Douglas might have a big game with Romeo Doubs on the IR. But that didn't happen in Week 7, as Douglas had just 4 targets and 3 receptions. That's because Douglas has an 84% slot rate, while Doubs has a 10% slot rate. The beneficiary is Kyle Williams, not Douglas.
The Patriots have completed passes to at least eight different receivers in their last three games. With the spread offense they run, I cannot count on Douglas to have a huge game count. Nor does he have the matchup, as the Dolphins rank 3rd in Fantasy Points Allowed to wide receivers.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Xavier Worthy, Josh Downs, and 6 More Must-Sit Wide Receivers in Week 8 Fantasy Football .
