If you pulled off the win in Week 14, then you should be like Tom Brady and the Patriots... onto Week 15! Hopefully you guys had better luck than me. I was bounced on Carson Wentz's game winning TD pass in overtime on Monday night! If you had better luck, the slot report is here to help you decide who to start and who to sit! It also has some streamers for those of you who lost a player due to injuries in Week 14 (and there were a lot!).
Week 14 Slot Leaders
Routes- Randall Cobb, 41
Targets- Julian Edelman, 11
Receptions- Julian Edelman, 7
Yards- Chris Godwin, 73
TD- Allen Robinson/Jared Cook, 2
Fantasy Points- Allen Robinson, 20.10
Tough Slot Matchups:
Top-5 teams (not on bye) allowing the fewest fantasy PPG to slot WR and their Week 15 opponents top slot option:
- Eagles, 7.90 fantasy PPG (Steven Sims)
- Broncos, 8.39 fantasy PPG (Sammy Watkins)
- 49ers, 9.71 fantasy PPG (Russell Gage)
- Bills, 9.74 fantasy PPG (James Washington)
- Bears, 9.92 fantasy PPG (Davante Adams)
QBs Throwing to Slot the Most
Top-5 QBs in percent of passes to the slot:
- Mitchell Trubisky, 40.6 percent
- Kyler Murray, 40.3 percent
- Lamar Jackson, 39.5 percent
- Jared Goff, 38.8 percent
- Ryan Tannehill, 36.9 percent
Top Slot Performers in the Last Month
Here are the Top fantasy scoring WRs from the slot since Week 11 and their PPG:
- Allen Robinson, 15.80
- Anthony Miller, 13.28
- Julian Edelman, 12.78
- Chris Godwin, 10.78
- Cole Beasley, 10.50
Strong Slot Matchups
Davante Adams has been featured in this column the last couple of weeks and while he flopped in Week 14, his continued use in the slot in the red zone only adds to his value. In Week 14 he ran only seven routes and had two from the slot. But, he led the team with two red zone slot routes and one of his slot targets was from in the red zone. He may not have found pay dirt, but he did so from the slot in the red zone in each of his two previous games. This week he faces the Bears, who have allowed two touchdowns to slot receivers over the last month. Adams has a strong chance to make that three this week.
Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are both in great positions to succeed this week against the Cowboys, who have been torched by slot receivers as of late. In fact, Dallas has allowed the most receptions per game (7), receiving yards per game (106.8), touchdowns (5) and fantasy PPG (25.08). Expect Jared Goff, who throws to the slot the fourth most in the NFL (see above), should target both of these guys plenty. Over the last month, Kupp has averaged 15.5 slot routes and 4.3 slot targets per game. Woods in that span is averaging 10.3 slot routes and 3.7 slot targets per game. Both are typically a WR2/3 each week, but I expect both to eat in Dallas this week. Fire them up as safe WR2 plays.
Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller are the two top scoring slot receivers over the last month (see above). In that span, Miller is averaging 27 slot routes, 7.5 slot targets and 13.28 fantasy PPG from the slot alone. Robinson does not see as much action, but still plenty, averaging 19.3 slot routes and 4.8 targets per game. He is the top scoring slot receiver though because he has four slot touchdowns in his last four games combined. It also doesn't hurt that their QB has looked their way plenty! Mitchell Trubisky, who has been in the Top 5 in percent of throws to the slot, but since Week 11, he leads the NFL in that, at 45.1 percent. You can trust Robinson as a super safe WR2 and Miller as a WR3 or flex. The duo comes with upside against the Packers, who have allowed 14.27 fantasy PPG to slot receivers over the last month (10th-most in NFL).
Michael Thomas is always a must start option, but this could be another blow up game, just like he did last week. He faces the Colts this week who have allowed 22.75 fantasy PPG to slot receivers since Week 11, the second most in the NFL, including five touchdowns in that span (tied for most). Oh, and this game is in New Orleans and Michael Thomas has averaged 27.7 fantasy PPG in the dome this season. Not only is he the WR1 this week, but with the game being on Monday night, you will never truly be out of it at any point this week!
Chris Godwin takes on the Lions who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy PPG to slot receivers since Week 11 (19.03). Guarding slot receivers has been an issue for the Lions all season, as they have allowed the second-most to slot receivers on the season (17.74). Godwin is a must play every week, but in the past you had to hope for a blow up game and not the floor of about 10 fantasy points. Him and Mike Evans would take turns putting up big numbers, but with Evans now sidelined with a hamstring, Godwin is the unquestioned top option. He is a Top 5 fantasy WR this week.
Allen Hurns may seem like purely a deep league option, but hear me out! First, DeVante Adams suffered a concussion last week and Hurns saw eight targets. Not only that, the Giants have allowed the third most fantasy PPG to slot receivers since Week 11 (20.57) and on the year (16.77). Hurns has a good matchup and should see plenty of opportunity, meaning that he is a worthy streaming option for teams in need of injury replacements.
Danny Amendola is another injury replacement option. He faces the Bucs who have allowed the most fantasy PPG to slot receivers, after getting torched by them all last season. It is the best matchup a slot receiver can ask for. There also should be added volume as Marvin Jones Jr. was placed on the IR this week, joining his teammate T.J. Hockenson. Amendola is one of the few Lions healthy bodies remaining and has a strong matchup. If you are looking on the waiver wire to an option to plug and play, Amendola is your guy.
Make sure to follow Michael Florio on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.
