Joel Bartilotta 
Last week’s article was pretty good but not great. Players like Adam Thielen and Terry McLaurin were superb in our cash game section but Will Fuller and Byron Pringle were disappointing in the GPP write-up. We did hit on Jamison Crowder, though. and that shows just how important it is to have a solidified QB throwing the ball to our WRs. So, let’s keep the momentum rolling here and get into our Week 7 Wide Receiver Breakdown.
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Week 7 Wide Receiver Cash Game Plays
DeAndre Hopkins, HOU at IND
DK ($7,800) FD ($8,000)
This Colts-Texans matchup may not be the marquee game to the media but it certainly should be. This is the sort of game that’s going to go a long way in deciding who will win this division and that makes me want to ride the studs. Hopkins is just that and his role is simply impossible to overlook. Receiving at least seven targets in all six games is a good indicator of how important he is to this team and he actually recorded 12 targets and nine receptions in Week 6.
My favorite stat is that he’s played 97 percent of his team’s snaps this season, which is tied with Odell Beckham for the leading mark of all position players. Something lights up in Hopkins’s eyes when he sees the Colts too, collecting 20 catches for 291 receiving yards and three TDs in his last three games against Indy. What’s more is the fact that he was targeted an absurd 39 times in those three games, thus indicating how important these matchups are to Houston.
Cooper Kupp, LAR at ATL
DK ($7,400) FD ($7,800)
Kupp is actually second among all WRs in fantasy points per game and it’s really no surprise when you see his statistics. Not only does he see 28.4 percent of his team’s targets, he also leads the NFL with 69 targets in total. That’s led to him recording 45 receptions for 522 yards and four TDs. Those steady numbers have to be horrifying for a defense like this, with Atlanta sitting at the bottom of the league in nearly every statistic. In fact, the Falcons allow the second-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season.
Week 7 Wide Receiver GPP Plays
Robert Woods, LAR at ATL
DK ($5,900) FD ($7,300)
I absolutely love the Rams on this slate. After a disastrous Week 6, they should have no problem rolling right through this defense. Allowing the second-most fantasy points to WRs is one thing but they also rank 31st in total defense as well. That’s a recipe for disaster against a talented offense like this, particularly a guy like Woods. While he had just four targets in Week 6, Woods actually had at least eight targets in four of his first five games. That target share is important but playing a team-high 96 percent of the team’s snaps tells us that he’s a near guarantee to reach that target total again against this bad defense. Don’t forget about Brandin Cooks too, as he should get a few long balls in this stellar matchup.
John Brown, BUF vs. MIA
DK ($5,500) FD ($5,900)
Many people overlook Brown’s exploits because he’s on a weak Buffalo offense but he’s quietly had a great year for them. The thing that I really like about him is the fact that he’s the focal point of this offense. In fact, Brown leads the Bills with 39 targets while playing 86 percent of the team’s snaps. He’s been productive with that usage too, averaging 15.3 DK points per game. That’s fantastic news against a Dolphins defense that allows the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers while being ranked last in both total yardage and points allowed.
Week 7 Wide Receiver Punt Plays
Auden Tate, CIN vs. JAX
DK ($4,500) FD ($5,900)
With A.J. Green and John Ross out for the foreseeable future, Tate has found himself in quite the role. Let’s take a look at that usage, with Tate playing 93 percent of the teams snaps over his last four games while averaging 8.5 targets per game. That’s really all you can ask for, especially considering that Tate has 18 catches for 255 receiving yards in that span as well. We’re really not concerned with the Jags defense right now either, allowing an average of 381 total yards to Teddy Bridgewater, Joe Flacco and Kyle Allen over their last three games.
Dante Pettis, SF at WSH
DK ($4,100) FD ($5,100)
Gosh, this is truly a punt play. Pettis has been an absolute dumpster fire this season but there are signs that he’s starting to find a real role in this offense. While they haven’t supported a receiver all season, there’s an opportunity for someone to take over that role. The usage numbers would tell us that its Pettis, leading all San Fran WRs in targets and snaps over the last three weeks. He actually played a season-high 72 percent of the snaps on Sunday and his six targets also marked a season-best. That’s really all you can hope for with someone priced this cheaply, especially against a Washington defense who allows the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers while sitting 28th in total defense.
