What a depressing season 2025 has been for Jefferson. He’s
only scored once since Week 1, hasn’t topped 80 yards since
Week 5, and is coming off the worst two games of his career with
4 receptions for 15 yards total. J.J. McCarthy looked mildly competent
last week, and Coach O’Connell has come out and expressed
a dedication to get the ball to Jefferson early and often. It
just so happens that the ripe for the picking Dallas secondary
is up next, as the Cowpokes have allowed the most fantasy points
to the position. It’s been a rough ride, but all could be
forgiven with a big week in the playoffs.
Another receiver who's been a fantasy bust this year is McLaurin.
While his dive can be attributed to lower leg injuries, he returned
with a vengeance in Week 14 with a 7-96-1 line on 14 targets.
In Week 14 the Commanders were blitzed 31-0, but with Mariota
back behind center, and little to play for but pride, look for
McLaurin to take advantage of a Giant secondary that allows the
4th most fantasy points to the position.
Yes, it’s not inconceivable that BOTH Andrews and Likely
could be in play this week against Cinci. The Bengals are comically
bad against the position, yielding the most yards and touchdowns
to the tight end position in decades. Andrews has been a few tipped
balls from having some big games, and Likely has 12 targets and
nine receptions for 120 yards and a score in his last two. Outside
of Kittle and McBride, this position is a weekly coin flip anyway.
Dome games in December are great for passing games, but The Superdome
has been a hellscape for Bryce Young and Carolina. In his last
two trips to New Orleans, he’s totaled 298 yards passing,
a lonely touchdown, and two interceptions. The Saints seem to
have his number, and McMillian could suffer. As the Panthers have
embraced the run game, McMillian has only pulled in three receptions
on nine targets in the last two weeks. His four touchdowns in
three games have kept him afloat, but that’s going to be
hard to continue to do.
Return with me to 1999 and let me tell you about a man named
Patrick Jeffers. A mid-tier receiver on a mediocre Carolina Panthers
team, Jeffers went on one of the most unlikely fantasy runs of
all time. In the last five games of that season, he totaled 717
yards and scored eight touchdowns. He languished on the benches
or waiver wire of many leagues, before propelling teams to unlikely
championships. Wilson has done something similar in his last four
games. Soaking up a silly 56 targets and 39 receptions for 481
yards in those games. The balloon is likely to burst this week,
but can you really sit someone on this kind of heater? No, but
temper expectations.
Jets Receivers @ JAX
Will it be a gimpy Tyrod Taylor? A burnt Justin Fields, or undrafted
free agent rookie Brady Cook? More importantly, does it matter?
With Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie on rollercoaster rides of
production the last few weeks how could you possibly trust any
offensive player on the road against the Jags. Easy answer, you
can’t.
