4) Ja’Marr Chase vs. Steelers
On name value alone, the Steelers have what looks like one of the best secondaries of all time. Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, and Joey Porter are all great names in the Pantheon of NFL defensive backs, but those names have managed to rank a paltry 26th in the league when it comes to defending the pass. Those numbers have come defending against some other names that have appeared on this list, such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba (8-103), Garrett Wilson (7-95-1), and Justin Jefferson (10-126). Expect Chase to outscore them all as long as Joe Flacco is kept upright. In his first game as the Bengal QB, Flacco took the first half to figure things out as he only looked Chase’s way three times. In the second half, he came to his senses and locked in on his top WR with 9 targets, leading to a more than respectable 10 grabs for 94 yards and a score. I expect that to be the starting point going forward and for Chase to be a weekly fixture in the top 5 of this list.
5) Justin Jefferson vs. Eagles
Jefferson was finally hitting full stride before the Vikings’ Week 6 bye with his second consecutive 11-target and 120+ yard game. Just as Carson Wentz looked like he figured out his weekly assignment, the team will likely turn back to second-year signal caller, J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy is back practicing in full, and barring a change in plans, he should be back under center for the Vikes this Sunday against the Eagles. The Eagles defense has been a shadow of their former self, and if their second-year standout, Quinyon Mitchell, remains out with the hamstring injury that forced him from last Thursday’s game against the Giants, they will really struggle to slow down Jefferson. Jefferson is not somebody you were considering benching anyway, so leave him in your lineup and enjoy.
6) Davante Adams @ Jacksonville
Adams and Puka have been the best 1-2 punch in the league this year, and this week they get a solid matchup in the Jaguars pass defense in London. Typically, I wouldn’t rank two players from the same team this closely together, as it’s fairly difficult for one passing offense to sustain two players in the top 10. This has more to do with Puka’s questionable ankle injury than it does the matchup. If Nacua is unable to go, that would elevate Adams as one of the top options in the league this week. With a healthy Puca on the field, Davante is still easily a top 12-14 option, but with an increased workload, he will be elite. You should start him regardless of Puka’s gametime status, but set your expectations accordingly.
