Wide Receiver Starts and Sits: Week 5 – Using the Slot vs Wide Analysis Tool

This season, I’ll be taking you through my favorite wide receiver start/sits using the brilliant Slot vs Wide tool on the Razzball website. This tool is revolutionary in analyzing not just the difficulty of a wide receiver’s matchup but also the success of their opponent against a specific style of player. Through four weeks, FantasyPros ranked my WR rankings as their ninth most accurate from among over 200 rankers. So yeah, the Razzball tools work. I recommend using them to help you with those tough start-sit decisions though you’re welcome to add your questions in the comments too. Please also check out my rankings at ffdfantasyfootball.com and you can find my long-form videos on the Fantasy First Down YouTube channel and my Slot/Wide analysis on the Razzball Fantasy YouTube channel.

Be sure to check out the latest tools on Razzball.com: Slot vs. Wide PPG Allowed | WR Slot vs. Wide| DEF Targets Allowed | Home vs. Away | Wins vs. Losses | TD Tool

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Top WR Starts

• Player: Dontayvion Wicks
• Matchup: Rams
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 1st 

The Rams have conceded the most points to outside wide receivers through a month of games and, for the first time this year, Dontayvion Wicks is a full-time starter. We saw last week how big his boom games can be, and that was despite him only snagging five of his 13 targets. Romeo Doubs is also a solid deeper option in Week 5 but I favor Wicks’s touchdown upside and target floor more.

• Player: Michael Pittman
• Matchup: Jaguars
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 3rd 

 Joe Flacco’s cameo certainly helped Michael Pittman Jr last weekend but MPJ was getting involved even before Anthony Richardson’s injury. This week, Pittman faces the generous Jacksonville secondary in a matchup Vegas projects as high-scoring. The Colts WR1 is a solid starting option this weekend.

• Player: Garrett Wilson
• Matchup: Vikings
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 5th 

 The Vikings have been susceptible to outside receivers for years, and after a solid start this season, they’ve reverted back to their old ways. I’ve been getting a lot of questions asking about trading away Garrett Wilson but that could be a major mistake right now. Wilson gets a great matchup against Minnesota with an opportunity to get right. Let him boom this week, then you can sell him high if you’re so inclined.

• Player: Amari Cooper
• Matchup: Commanders
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 6th

Outside his Week 3 explosion, Amari Cooper has nine receptions for 62 yards. Embarrassingly, that’s on 25 targets. Deshaun Watson is proving a real liability but Week 5 brings an opportunity to rebound against a Commanders secondary that has been awful for years. While Washington’s defense has started to improve the last couple of weeks, I still love this matchup for Cooper.

Desperation WR Starts

Jerry Jeudy (CLE @ WAS): The Commanders give away a lot of points to outside wide receivers, but this season they’re even worse against the slot. Jerry Jeudy has 28 targets through four weeks, a team high, and has the chance to feast in Washington.

Allen Lazard (NYJ @ MIN): Each week I like to include one particularly low-end option who will be available in most leagues. With bye weeks adding to the pain of injuries, Allen Lazard may be a guy you need to start in Week 5. He has become the primary slot receiver in NY and faces a Vikings defense that has conceded the fourth most points to slot receivers this season.

Top WR Sits

• Player: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
• Matchup: Giants
• Slot Matchup Rank: 32nd

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has excelled in excellent slot matchups against the Patriots and Lions, but this is not another one of them. The Giants have conceded the fewest points against slot receivers by far and it’s not due to a lack of talent in their opponents. If you’re going to sit JSN, and it’s hard to do so, this might be the week.

• Player: Tank Dell
• Matchup: Bills
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 31st

Tank Dell returns from injury to find a brutal Bills defense waiting for him. Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs will find ways to be involved but Dell was playing lower snap counts even before his injury. There’s no way you can trust him this week, with the injury, in this matchup. No, thank you!

• Player: Jordan Addison
• Matchup: Jets
• Out Wide Matchup Rank: 30th

Jordan Addison impressed in his return from injury but he now gets a brutal matchup against the excellent Jets outside cornerbacks. Even if he bounces back to a full snap count, which is not a given, he could still struggle to produce in Week 5 and is best avoided.

• Player: Keenan Allen
• Matchup: Bills
• Slot Matchup Rank: 30th

The Panthers have consistently excelled against opposing slot receivers. This week they face veteran Keenan Allen. Allen played only two thirds of the team’s snaps in Week 5 and still seems a little hampered by his injury. Even if he’s healthy though, this isn’t a great situation. The Bears will likely run the ball a lot and target DJ Moore when they’re not. I’m sitting Allen in all leagues.

WR Exceptions

Rome Odunze (CHI vs CAR): The Panthers concede a lot of points to outside receivers, but I wouldn’t be trusting Rome Odunze this week. The return of Keenan Allen, their improvement in the run game and Cole Kmet’s involvement all combine to make the rookie receiver a very risky option.

All Rams Receivers (LAR vs GB): The Packers have conceded a lot of points to outside receivers, making the Rams a good team to target for wide receivers on paper. However, the WR rotation is such a mess that I’m not willing to trust any of them. This is a situation best avoided.

Good luck in Week 5 and remember, every player will be a sit in some leagues and a start in others so if you have any start-sit questions, drop them in the comments below or hit me up on Instagram @TheFantasyFirstDown