This weekly series covers several cost-efficient wide receivers who provide massive upside for GPP tournament lineups. These are typically wideouts with high volatility in a pass-heavy environment in a game projected to produce a lot of points. We’ll use advanced stats and metrics from the PlayerProfiler Data Analysis Tool to identify each player.
Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals
Christian Kirk showed off his explosive playmaking ability on Monday night by burning the Cowboys secondary for an 80-yard touchdown. He scored again on a jet sweep, finishing as the WR4 on the week. The breakout performance came on the back of a seven-target, five-catch, 78-yard outing against the Jets the week prior. He has now scored three times in the last three weeks and ranks in the top-12 with a 15.8 (No. 12 among qualified wide receivers) Average Target Distance mark and nine (No. 10) Deep Targets, with an 18.5 (No. 6) Yards Per Reception average.
Christian Kirk 2020 Game Logs
The Week 7 matchup with Seattle makes for the perfect setting for a volatile playmaker like Kirk to go off. The Cardinals are 3.5-point underdogs in a game with a 55.5 point total over/under. The Seahawks have allowed 64.2 Fantasy Points per Game to wide receivers this season. The next closest team is the Vikings at 49.3. Despite all this, Kirk is priced at $4,900 on DraftKings this week. Get him in lineups.
Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team
Terry McLaurin bounced back nicely in Week 6 after posting a season-worst 26 yards on three receptions in Week 5, while coming off a thigh injury and dealing with putrid quarterback play. He caught seven of 12 targets in the 20-19 loss to the Giants while leading the team in receptions, receiving yards, and targets. It was more of what we’ve seen from McLaurin all season. He has drawn 58 (No. 5) targets, run 235 (No. 4) routes, and has a 44.2-percent (No. 2) Air Yards Share. He has a 27.5-percent (No. 8) Target Share and 242 (No. 2) Yards After Catch. McLaurin will have the opportunity to attack a Cowboys defense that has allowed the fifth-most Fantasy Points per Game to wide receivers and is only $5,800 on DraftKings.
D.J. Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars
D.J. Chark was clearly Gardner Minshew‘s top option in Week 6 on his way to 14 targets against the Lions. Unfortunately, he was only able to turn those into seven receptions for 45 yards. The good news is, he didn’t suffer any setbacks to his ankle injury that had him questionable coming in. Chark saw a 91.7-percent Snap Share, his highest since Week 1. He led Jaguars pass-catchers in snaps (55), routes (42), and targets (14), and even ran 13 routes from the slot, which was second to the 25 run by Keelan Cole.
!SPOILER ALERT! the lineup genius will be on chark at $5.5k on dk in week 7.
— the podfather (@Fantasy_Mansion) October 19, 2020
While he has struggled to match last season’s breakout numbers to this point, Chark’s usage is encouraging and will lead to more production going forward. Jacksonville, who averages 43.0 (No. 4) Team Pass Plays per Game, are a 7.5-point underdog against the Chargers this week. Los Angeles ranks in the bottom half of the league in Fantasy Points per Game allowed to wide receivers. This may be the week we see a big Chark performance and he’s only priced at $5,500.
Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
A back issue kept Diontae Johnson out of Week 6, but he returned to full practice this week and will be good to go on Sunday against the Titans. He has also dealt with a toe injury and concussion. Though when on the field, Johnson has been a target magnet. Before the injuries popped up, and before the unexpected bye in Week 4, Johnson saw 23 targets in Weeks 1 and 2. He has a 19.5-percent (No. 4) Hog Rate, meaning he is targeted at a high rate when he’s on the field.
Check out Diontae Johnson on PlayerProfiler’s Updated Weekly Rankings and Projections:
In Johnson’s absence, rookie Chase Claypool emerged as a playmaking threat in the Steelers offense, but he is not garnering a Target Rate that would indicate he’s a threat to Johnson’s WR1 role. Johnson will see a Titans defense in Week 7 that has allowed the fourth-most Fantasy Points per Game to opposing wide receivers. At $4,200 on DraftKings, and in a game with a point total over/under above 50, he’s a no-brainer.
