Week 6 was very generous to the slot report. Seven of the players that were included in the Week 5 Slot Report ended up finding pay dirt! You may call that bragging, I call it, enticing you to keep reading (but yeah, it's probably bragging).
Week 5 Slot Leaders
Routes - Mohamed Sanu, 37
Targets - Cooper Kupp, 12
Receptions - Tyler Boyd, 7
Yards - Tyler Boyd, 106
TD - Adam Thielen, 2
Tough Slot Matchups:
Top-5 teams (not on bye) allowing the fewest fantasy PPG to slot WR and their Week 5 opponents top slot option:
- Packers, 6.42 fantasy PPG (Danny Amendola)
- Cowboys, 7.82 fantasy PPG (Jamison Crowder)
- Broncos, 10.06 fantasy PPG (Adam Humphries)
- Seahawks, 10.52 fantasy PPG (Jarvis Landry)
- Vikings, 10.58 fantasy PPG (Nelson Agholor)
QBs Throwing to Slot the Most
Top-5 QBs in percent of passes to the slot:
- Kyler Murray, 44.3 percent
- Carson Wentz, 42.5 percent
- Jared Goff, 42.3 percent
- Lamar Jackson, 41.4 percent
- Sam Darnold, 36.6 percent
Note: Sam Darnold is back and as you see above, loves the slot. He threw to the slot 35 percent of the time in 2018 and targeted Jamison Crowder 17 times in Week 1. If Crowder was dropped in Darnold's absence, go grab him!
Studs Who Get a Boost:
Keenan Allen went from looking like a league winner the first three weeks, to looking like a ghost the last two. That should change this week against the Steelers, who are allowing the most fantasy PPG (24.8), yards per game (114.8) and tied for the most touchdowns allowed (5) to slot receivers this season. Allen should break out of this mini-slump he is in with a prime matchup this week.
Tyler Boyd has been seeing big volume and making the most of it this season. In fact, he's seen 10 or more targets in every game but one this season. That should bode well for him this week against the Ravens, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points and second-most yards per game (105.6) to slot receivers. The Bengals, who have a very questionable offensive line, should learn from the Browns game plan against the Ravens. They constantly used Jarvis Landry out the slot, allowing them to make quick, safe throws. Boyd should continue to see big volume this week.
Larry Fitzgerald is in a great spot this week. He faces a Falcons defense that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy PPG to slot receivers (17.6). In fact, they allowed 45.1 fantasy PPG to receivers in general this season, the second-most in the NFL. There should be a lot of points scored in this game and Fitzgerald needs to be started everywhere.
Chris Godwin is the new top receiver for the Bucs. Sorry to those who have Mike Evans, but Godwin continues to dominate volume. That should continue this week against the Panthers, who have allowed seven receptions per game to slot receivers, tied for the second most in the NFL.
DeAndre Hopkins has been a disappointment this season. That changes this week against the Chiefs, who have allowed a (tied for) league-most five touchdowns to slot receivers this season. While Hop is far from your average slot receiver, he does lead the Texans with 11.2 slot routes and 3.4 slot targets per game. In Week 5 he had five catches for 65 yards just from the slot.
More Slot Options:
Dede Westbrook should be heavily used against the Saints, who have allowed the second most fantasy PPG (20.5), third most yards per game (97.6) and four touchdowns to slot receivers this season. Not only is it a great matchup for Westbrook, but he still is the top target of Gardner Minshew II. While D.J. Chark Jr. has been the more productive receiver, Westbrook has 37 targets from Minshew II, which leads the Jags.
Geronimo Allison averages 17.6 slot routes per game, the most on the Packers. That should help him this week when the Packers take on the Lions, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy PPG to slot receivers (17.8). Allison would be a flex option if Davante Adams sits. If he suits up, he is more of a deeper league play.
Trey Quinn was looking like a safe floor receiver, but with the QB changes he's been disappointing the last two weeks. He should get back to being that safe deep league receiver this week, facing the Dolphins who have allowed the 10th-most fantasy PPG to slot receivers this season (16.1).
DeVante Parker ran 17 slot routes in Week 4, no other receiver ran more than nine. Parker caught both of his two slot targets for 44 yards and a touchdown. That should help him this week against the Redskins, who have allowed 20.1 fantasy PPG to slot receivers, the third most in the NFL. He's also averaged 121.75 air yards per game this season, the third-most in the league.
Make sure to follow Michael Florio on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.
