Surprise! You get a two-fer this week from the ol’ Lineup Builder. Our buddy, Jefferson, needed a mulligan this week so I’m here to give you my favorite WR starts and sits for Week 6. Just like Jefferson, I’m utilizing Razzball’s Wide Receiver Fantasy Points Scored Slot vs. Wide and our Defense Slot vs. Wide for these recommendations…and YOU SHOULD TOO!
The Slot vs Wide chart breaks down how many fantasy points a wide receiver has scored so far this season from the slot vs. out wide. With five weeks now under our belts, the sample size is growing, and trends are there for the taking. So let’s take them!
But first:
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 | RB Zone vs. Gap Rushing | DEF Zone vs. Gap Rushing |
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Starts
- Player: DeVonta Smith
- Opponent: at New York Giants
If you’re counting on a strong start from TNF, look no further than DeVonta Smith. I hear you out there, “Really…you want me to trust the Phily passing game?” Well, no I don’t really TRUST the Phily passing game but I’m here to tell you he is primed for a good game. Here’s why: The Giants Defense allows the 2nd most fantasy points to slot WRs at just over 16 PPG. Smith is racking ( I admit, I use that term loosely) up fantasy points from the slot at a 73% clip. He’s had 9+ TGTs in two of his last three games and is coming off a 110+ yard effort against Denver. The Giants have a strong pass rush too so it makes sense that Hurts may be looking for Smith with quick hitters to beat the rush. I know there’s risk here but to me, he’s worth it.
- Player: Tetairoa McMillan
- Opponent: vs. Dallas Cowboys
We know the Cowboys Defense is something less than a stone wall these days and the numbers bear it out. In fact, the Cowboys allow the MOST fantasy points to wideouts in the league. If you’re scoring at home, and why would you not, that’s 31 fantasy points per game to wideouts. For the Panthers, the clear beneficiary is Tetairoa McMillan. He’s yet to finish a game with less than 8 TGTs and only once has scored less than double digit fantasy points (PPR, of course). I also love seeing an aDOT of almost 12 yards for Tet. This one looks like a no-brainer and I’m almost embarrassed to not dig deeper to find contrary arguments. Run with Tet and don’t look back.
WR3 Starts (WRs ranked outside the top 25)
- Player: Olamide Zaccheaus
- Opponent: at Washington Commanders
Here’s another predominantly slot WR I like this week for a Flex consideration. The Commanders are #30 (that’s 3rdWORST) in allowing points to slot WRs and 9th WORST in allowing total WR points. Rome Odunze is the alpha WR on the Bears, no question, but DJ Moore is not the 1b anymore. Zaccheaus has worked himself up to an 80+% snap share and is clearly the Bears slot WR to own, averaging over 5 TGTs per game and scoring 80% of his fantasy points from the slot. As a WR 3/Flex option with a couple teams on BYE, he looks to provide a nice floor…or dart throw in DFS.
- Player: Calvin Ridley
- Opponent: at Las Vegas Raiders
I’m going out on a limb to say Calvin Ridley has fallen outside your top 25 WRs on a weekly basis but is in WR2 potential this week. If he hasn’t fallen outside your top 25, perhaps we need to talk on the side. For now, let’s just assume he is and I’m out on this limb. He, and the Titans, got on track last week in the comeback win at Arizona. That must have been a fun locker room this week and the medicine is to travel to Sin City for more fun. I’m talking about the matchup against a Raiders defense allowing the 3rd most fantasy points to wideouts. What were you talking about? Once you get your mind back on football, realize that Ridley is scoring out wide 78% of the time and coming off a 10 TGT game. Cam Ward is a smart young QB. You think he’s going to forget how important it is to get the ball to Ridley? I don’t.
Sits
- Player: George Pickens
- Opponent: at Carolina Panthers
Unless you’re in a shallow league or are STACKED at WR, you probably need to start George Pickens. I understand that and will likely start him in that situation too. However, listen to me when I tell you not to expect north of the 20.7 fantasy points that he’s averaged over the past four games. Carolina has been rock-solid in defending wideouts, limiting them to just over 15 fantasy points per game. That’s 2nd best in the league. Pickens is scoring 90% of his fantasy points out wide. Something has to give here. My bet is that Carolina will limit him A LOT closer to the 13.7 fantasy points that he logged last week rather than the 33.4 he logged at home vs. GB. I know you want a shootout here, me too, but just temper your expectations is all I’m saying.
- Player: DeMario Douglas
- Opponent: at New Orleans Saints
Stay away from DeMario Douglas this week. You may already be there and that’s great but if you’re considering him as a deep WR option, I say look elsewhere. The Saints Defense has been particularly good in limiting slot WRs and that’s where Douglas scores 73% of his fantasy points. His snap share has been steadily going down lately too. It just doesn’t look good no matter the angle.
That’s All Folks
A special thanks to Jefferson for asking me to fill in here this week. A little behind-the-curtain secret here, I get to put together the weekly data for many of our free tools, including this one, so it’s fun to step on stage and give my takes. I hope they pay off for you.
Speaking of our free tools, do you take advantage of all of them? If you don’t, why not? The RazzballNFL staff is here to help so get on the ball. Be sure to read our daily articles and especially join us on gameday morning for the Razzball Sunday Start/Sit show. We had another great turnout last Sunday with excellent (i.e., tough) lineup questions to talk through. Keep bringing it!
As always, the show airs LIVE on the Razzball YouTube channel this Sunday from 11:00 am EDT (8:00 PDT) right up right up to gametime. Sky – @SkyGuasco, Matt – @Stiles08, Dave – @Crewser128, Jeff – @Jefferson__21 and I will be there to answer all your fantasy football questions. Don’t miss it.
As always, look for my RB Zone vs Gap (and sometimes OL/DL “In The Trenches”) articles right here each week and be sure to follow me on Twitter/X @Derek_Favret. I’m also on BlueSky as well (@dfavret.bsky.social).
Until next time, my friends.
| Download Table as CSV | |||
| Note: Filters and sorting in the table below apply to the output | |||
| # | Defense | Total PPG Allowed | Slot PPG Allowed | Wide PPG Allowed | Slot% | Wide% | Next Opp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARZ | 27.1 | 8.3 | 18.9 | 29% | 71% | LA | |
| ATL | 37.4 | 9.4 | 28.0 | 23% | 77% | SEA | |
| BLT | 31.4 | 9.4 | 21.9 | 32% | 68% | PIT | |
| BUF | 25.2 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 49% | 51% | CIN | |
| CAR | 29.7 | 11.4 | 18.3 | 38% | 62% | BYE | |
| CHI | 34.9 | 11.2 | 23.7 | 37% | 63% | GB | |
| CIN | 18.4 | 7.8 | 10.5 | 34% | 66% | BUF | |
| CLV | 20.2 | 5.6 | 14.6 | 44% | 56% | TEN | |
| DAL | 37.2 | 11.3 | 25.8 | 27% | 73% | DET | |
| DEN | 29.3 | 9.5 | 19.8 | 41% | 59% | LV | |
| DET | 36.1 | 10.2 | 25.9 | 28% | 72% | DAL | |
| GB | 26.2 | 6.1 | 20.1 | 21% | 79% | CHI | |
| HST | 24.0 | 10.9 | 13.2 | 45% | 55% | KC | |
| IND | 32.5 | 14.3 | 18.2 | 46% | 54% | JAX | |
| JAX | 28.0 | 8.6 | 19.4 | 35% | 65% | IND | |
| KC | 28.4 | 8.5 | 19.9 | 32% | 68% | HST | |
| LA | 31.4 | 10.7 | 20.8 | 30% | 70% | ARZ | |
| LAC | 23.1 | 7.9 | 15.2 | 35% | 65% | PHI | |
| LV | 36.5 | 13.6 | 23.0 | 37% | 63% | DEN | |
| MIA | 26.1 | 10.9 | 15.2 | 45% | 55% | NYJ | |
| MIN | 23.2 | 8.5 | 14.7 | 38% | 62% | WAS | |
| NE | 27.5 | 11.4 | 16.0 | 43% | 57% | BYE | |
| NO | 24.7 | 6.0 | 18.8 | 30% | 70% | TB | |
| NYG | 33.1 | 10.3 | 22.8 | 29% | 71% | BYE | |
| NYJ | 27.0 | 8.4 | 18.6 | 30% | 70% | MIA | |
| PHI | 28.3 | 6.8 | 21.6 | 29% | 71% | LAC | |
| PIT | 35.6 | 12.8 | 22.8 | 33% | 67% | BLT | |
| SEA | 20.7 | 9.7 | 11.1 | 45% | 55% | ATL | |
| SF | 37.6 | 18.6 | 19.0 | 50% | 50% | BYE | |
| TB | 36.9 | 13.6 | 23.3 | 42% | 58% | NO | |
| TEN | 39.4 | 13.3 | 26.1 | 33% | 67% | CLV | |
| WAS | 38.7 | 15.7 | 23.0 | 40% | 60% | MIN | |
| NFL Average | 29.9 | 10.4 | 19.5 | 36% | 64% |
