by Kirk Hollis
This week, we’re going to flip last week’s Forecast edition upside down and explore additional players who have favorable/unfavorable match-ups coming in the weeks that matter most to fantasy football enthusiasts- that is, playoff weeks.
The Weeks that constitute 15-17 on the schedule if you will. Last week, we looked at quarterbacks and running backs within those boundaries. This week, it will be all other positions (excluding kicker) beginning with wide receivers. We’ll combine this week with last and together you’ve got your players to target and avoid as the playoff window begins.
Here we go!
Wide Receivers with Favorable Playoff Window (Weeks 15-17) Match-ups:
A.J. Brown/DeVonta Smith (Philadelphia): @ Seattle, vs. NY Giants, vs. Arizona
The Eagles are about to unleash all of their frustrations over having to play the 49ers and the Cowboys back-to-back on three teams that won’t be able to defend the pass well at all. It starts with Seattle and if you can remember back to what CeeDee Lamb did to them, you’ll know what is likely coming in the form of Brown and Smith as well.
Chris Olave (New Orleans): vs. NY Giants, @ LA Rams, @ Tampa Bay
With Micheal Thomas out for the remainder of the season most likely and Rashid Shaheed and Taysom Hill banged up, Olave is getting a huge target share in games of late. And, all three match-ups between now and January are juicy to say the least. Expect good things.
Courtland Sutton (Denver): @ Detroit, vs. New England, vs. LA Chargers
Before each of the last two seasons, it’s been speculated that Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, or both would be traded before the trade deadline in those seasons. Both have lasted in a battle to see who would emerge as WR1 for Denver for years to come. Touchdown machine Sutton is that man and these match-ups make him a top-10 option for the remainder of the year.
Wide Receivers with Poor Playoff Window (Weeks 15-17) Match-ups:
Tyreek Hill/Jaylen Waddle (Miami): vs. NY Jets, vs. Dallas, @ Baltimore
I’m not telling you to bench Tyreek Hill. Ever. He transcends any list of players to target and/or avoid. What I am saying is that the Dolphins have the toughest schedule in the whole league in weeks 15-17 when it comes to wide receiver production. Temper expectations as they continue to run just as much as they pass.
Amari Cooper (Cleveland): vs. Chicago, @ Houston, vs. NY Jets
First of all, kudos to Joe Flacco. Flacco certainly has enough coin at this point to no longer need the NFL and yet, here he is slinging it (and pretty effectively) for Cleveland for the rest of this year. The problem for him and for Cooper and other Browns WRs is that these three teams defend WRs well. Very well actually.
Tight Ends with Favorable Playoff Window (Weeks 15-17) Match-ups:
T.J. Hockenson (Minnesota): @ Cincinnati, vs. Detroit, vs. Green Bay
The Vikings will try out Nick Mullens at QB this weekend and how that impacts the Vikings’ pass game is really anybody’s guess. That said, you don’t have to guess how the Bengals, Lions, and Packers defend the TE position. I’ll save you the trouble of looking it up. Not at all well. Expect Hockenson to overtake Travis Kelce as top fantasy TE by season’s end as a result.
David Njoku (Cleveland): vs. Chicago, @ Houston, @ NY Jets
You might be thinking “How can you put Amari Cooper on a list of players with poor match-ups and turn around and say that teammate, David Njoku, has match-ups to exploit?” Simple. David Njoku plays a different position and these teams do stop WRs well. They just haven’t been able to figure out how to stop TEs yet. Njoku’s star, thus, continues to be on the rise.
Tight End with Poor Playoff Window (Weeks 15-17) Match-ups:
Trey McBride (Arizona): vs. San Francisco, @ Chicago, @ Philadelphia
This has been a break-out year for McBride and Dynasty owners no doubt have him on their short lists for who to keep for 2024 and beyond. But, the 49ers and Eagles generally swallow up tight ends with the 49ers being particularly brutal on them. That makes McBride a poor play in two of the three weeks and thus off my radar for guys to definitely have in lineups.
Team Defenses with Favorable Playoff Window (Weeks 15-17) Match-ups:
Indianapolis Colts (vs. Pittsburgh, @ Atlanta, vs. Las Vegas
Cleveland Browns (vs. Chicago, @ Houston, @ NY Jets
When picking a defense to start during the playoff weeks, the formula is pretty simple. Find a team whose opponents have a QB who is struggling or commits lots of turnovers (both of those things sort of go hand in hand, I think). Anyway, the Colts face Mitch Trubisky, Desmond Ridder, and Aidan O’Connell. The Browns face Justin Fields, a hurting C.J. Stroud with hurting receivers, and Zach Wilson. Fire both up with confidence based on that hypothesis as you can see.
Finally, we mentioned last week that we would name the teams playing in potentially bad weather in December. Here are three to watch: Chicago, New England, and Cincinnati. As if you’ll be starting anyone for the Patriots anyway! The other two, though, play in nothing but cold weather and possible precipitation.
Good thing LPJ readers live in Louisiana for the most part. Enjoy and good luck this weekend!
