6) Rashee Rice vs. Commanders
Rice returned from his 6-game suspension, and the Chiefs wasted no time in getting him involved in their offense. Mahomes looked for him on mostly short to intermediate patterns, and it looks like he will slide right in as their top pass catcher going forward. It was slightly concerning that he needed to score two touchdowns to have a big fantasy day, but I expect more yards to come as we get further into the season. This week, the Chiefs will host a Commanders defense that ranks 25th in the league against the pass. Get Rice into your lineup as he will be a top 12-15 receiver every week for the rest of the way.
7) A.J. Brown vs. Giants
Two weeks ago, when these same two teams met. Brown was able to put together a solid line with 6 grabs for 80 yards. He followed that up last week with a statistical explosion thanks to two touchdowns on top of 121 yards receiving. The Giants don’t have anybody who can match up with Brown’s physicality, and it’s just a matter of how many targets he will get from Jalen Hurts. He’s been consistently getting about eight looks a week, and anything close to that will allow him to finish as a top 12 option for the week. His upside is WR1 overall in any given week, so get him in your lineup.
8) Rome Odunze vs. Ravens
Odunze has been quiet since the Bears returned from their Week 5 bye, putting up consecutive single-digit weeks with almost identical stat lines of 2 grabs for 32 and then 31 yards. The targets have been slightly lower, and that may simply be a result of opponents paying closer attention to the second-year wideout. This week, the Bears will go to Baltimore to face a Ravens defense that is ranked 28th against the pass. Although they will be getting back Chide Awuzie, he’s not quite the defender he was 4 years ago. I expect the Ravens to jump ahead and force Caleb Williams into a heavier passing day than we saw last week. Odunze should be the prime beneficiary of the increased volume. If you are hurting for a bye week filler, rookie teammate, Luther Burden also makes a solid boom or bust flyer.
