Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate weekly look at NFL matchups and how they'll affect your fantasy football team. Fantasy superstars such as Patrick Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey will not be featured in this column. All player matchups are based on a PPR scoring system. For your final starting lineup decisions, check my weekly fantasy football lineup rankings.
Byes:New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
Lockett, listed as a start 'em last week, posted 11 catches, 154 yards and a touchdown against the Saints. He has another nice matchup ahead against the Cardinals, who have surrendered an average of 140 yards and 33.4 fantasy points per game to slot receivers. Lockett, who runs out of the slot 72.6 percent of the time, should feast.
Boyd ranks third among wide receivers in targets, which keeps him from ever putting up a true stinker in the stat sheets. He should thrive against the Steelers, who have allowed an average of 176.7 yards and over 36 fantasy points to slot receivers. That's where Boyd has run 72 percent of his routes in the first three weeks.
Fitzgerald has been a reliable option for fantasy fans thus far, scoring 14-plus fantasy points in three straight games. He leads all wideouts in routes run and ranks eighth in targets as well, and a matchup against the Seahawks makes him a solid No. 2 option. Keep the future Hall of Famer in your starting lineups in this important NFC West battle.
Moore didn't get a ton of volume last week, but he did score on a long catch and run in last week's game against the Cardinals. I'd keep him in your lineup once again, as the Texans have allowed 34.5 fantasy points per game to receivers lined out wide. Moore ranks second among receivers in routes lined out wide, so you can do the math.
Moore didn't get a ton of volume last week, but he did score on a long catch and run in last week's game against the Cardinals. I'd keep him in your lineup once again, as the Texans have allowed 34.5 fantasy points per game to receivers lined out wide. Moore ranks second among receivers in routes lined out wide, so you can do the math.
Start 'Em:Kenny Golladay vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Mecole Hardman at Detroit Lions
Sleepers:Curtis Samuel at Houston Texans, Paul Richardson at New York Giants
Sit 'Em
Sit of the Week
Sanders ranks a very solid 17th in fantasy points among wideouts, so it's tough to sit him. However, a matchup against the Jaguars and CB Jalen Ramsey is enough to put him on the sidelines this week. In the last two weeks, the opposition's top wide receiver (DeAndre Hopkins, Corey Davis) have finished with a combined 16.4 fantasy points.
I get it ... you probably have to play Diggs. You don't have to like it, though. In the Vikings' new run-based offense, he's seen just four targets per game. So, it's no wonder he ranks 72nd in points among wideouts. The Bears' defense is no joke either, even more so on their home field, so Diggs could be in for yet another stinker.
Brown has emerged as the top option in the pass attack for the Bills, but it's hard to trust him in a brutal matchup against the Patriots and shutdown CB Stephon Gilmore. In fact, our friends over at Pro Football Focus rank this as the worst matchup for any wideout this week. Unless you're desperate, Brown should be benched.
Westbrook continues to lead the Jaguars in targets, but it's D.J. Chark who has been the big fantasy wideout. He's a fade for me this week, as the Broncos have allowed a meager 38.7 yards and just 11.3 fantasy points to opposing slot receivers. If you're starting a wide receiver in Jacksonville, it should be Chark ... not Westbrook.
Sit 'Em:Corey Davis at Atlanta Falcons, John Ross at Pittsburgh Steelers (Mon.)
Busts:Allen Robinson vs. Minnesota Vikings, Josh Gordon at Buffalo Bills
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook**, **YouTube** and **Instagram** for all of the latest fantasy football news, notes and in-depth analysis!
