The wide receiver position has been all over the place this year in fantasy football, with some star players getting injured. The best fantasy receiver last year was Justin Jefferson, who has missed the last three games with an injury.
Getting your lineups right is even more important, as we are now halfway through the NFL season. Now is the time when the playoff contenders start to separate from the rest of the pack, and it is imperative you make the right decision.
Let’s take a look at two wide receivers who could potentially be the difference this week in Amari Cooper and Josh Downs.
Amari Cooper’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
It has been a challenging fantasy year for Cooper, and a lot of it isn’t his fault. The quarterback situation in Cleveland has been interesting, to say the least, as Deshaun Watson has been out an extended time despite being cleared. This has forced PJ Walker into the starting role, and the Browns haven’t been able to put up big numbers.
Cooper still has had some big weeks, as he has four games with at least 89 yards. Against the Seattle Seahawks last week, he had six catches for 89 yards. However, the issue for fantasy managers is Cooper has only one touchdown this year, and that was in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans.
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With Walker at the quarterback, it has been hard for the Browns to get big plays in the passing game, as they have scored only five touchdowns through the air. Cooper has also had a tougher matchup since the injury to Nick Chubb. Chubb demanded another defender in the box, and without him in the lineup, that defender is shading a lot of the time toward Cooper.
At least Week 9 sees the Browns with a favorable matchup, as they are going up against an Arizona Cardinals defense that ranks 18th against the pass (225.1 yards).
Josh Downs’ Fantasy Outlook This Week
Downs has had an impressive rookie season thus far, and if you don’t believe it, ask future NFL quarterback Drake Maye how much he misses Downs.
The rookie receiver from North Carolina has been especially good as of late. He had seven catches for 72 yards last week against the New Orleans Saints, and that was following a five-catch, 125-yard, and one-touchdown performance against the Browns. Both of his TDs have come in the last three weeks, and he is on the same page with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew.
The Carolina Panthers are next on the schedule for the Colts, and that will be a tough matchup for Downs. The Panthers are only 1-6 on the year, but that isn’t because of the defense. Carolina gives up only 186.6 yards per game through the air, which ranks sixth in the NFL.
Which of the Wide Receivers Should You Start?
Pro Football Network’s Start/Sit Optimizer says that Downs is the player to start. His projected 11.3 points include five receptions and 58 yards. That stat line outperforms the consensus projection for Cooper (10.7).
This is a tricky one, but we are going to go against the Start/Sit Optimizer on this one. Downs is in for a tough matchup against that talented Panthers defense. Cooper has a much more favorable matchup, and this could be a big game for the Browns. The Cardinals just traded their quarterback, showing the team is gearing up for the 2024 draft.
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