In fantasy football, it isn’t always the star players that get the win for you. There will be the lower ranked guys who come in and have a big game. Maybe it is because of the matchup, or maybe another player on their team is injured and gives them more opportunities.
Regardless of the reason, fantasy managers have to make some tough decisions every week. Let’s take a look at Demario Douglas and Rashid Shaheed for example: Two guys who may not be the top target on their roster, but which one of these guys could be that wild card that gets you a win in Week 9?
Should You Start Demario Douglas or Rashid Shaheed This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Shaheed is the player to start. His projected 9.0 points include a projection of three receptions and 44 yards. That doesn’t seem like a big stat line, it outperforms the consensus projection for Douglas (7.8 points).
Shaheed showed a ton of potential last season, but he was more of a gadget player. He was involved more as a returner but showed big-play potential. He had only 28 catches, but those went for 488 yards and four touchdowns. This year, though, he has become a much bigger part of the Saints’ offense.
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Through eight games, he has 23 catches for 479 yards and three touchdowns. He is on pace to shatter last season’s numbers, and is right on pace for a 1,000-yard season. His 20.8 yards per catch is by far the most in the league, as Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds (18.0 yards) is No. 2.
The Saints are still not a juggernaut offensively, but this team has put up 24 and 38 points in consecutive weeks. If the offense can continue to take positive steps, Shaheed could become a valuable receiver. New Orleans plays Chicago this weekend, and the Bears rank 30th against the pass (262.3 yards).
Douglas started the season slow, but he’s become much more involved with the New England Patriots as of late. He has 30 targets on the year, but 13 of those have been in the last two weeks. Two weeks ago, he had four catches for 54 yards, following that up with five catches for 25 yards against the Miami Dolphins.
While he isn’t putting up big numbers, the fact he is becoming more involved is a good sign moving forward. There is opportunity for Douglas to have another productive week, as the Patriots play the Washington Commanders. Washington is currently ranked 29th against the pass, allowing 256.8 yards.
The sleeper of the week of fantasy wide receivers will be Shaheed. The Bears’ pass defense has been terrible, and this is a matchup where you see Shaheed have a big week.
Look for Shaheed to have 100 yards, including a big touchdown. The Saints’ offense has been much better recently and is showing signs of exploding. In his last three games, Carr has thrown for at least 301 yards, and there have been a lot more big plays by New Orleans.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!