Welcome back to the Cheap WR Volume column — your one-stop shop for all of our favorite discounted wideouts. Realistically, this list can be used for cash games or tournaments as we can be looser with the WR spots in our lineups, showing profit with lower-owned plays (vs. RBs) and cheaper salaries (vs. RBs). I’ll try to be sure to contextualize the plays we expect to be popular both as cash-game “locks” and tournament options, as well as hit on some deeper cuts.
There are many paths to increased volume for cheap WRs throughout the season, especially early on. Volume is what we’re looking for — even at the cheap end. The surest path to fantasy points is simply opportunity, and this article will explore projected opportunities for these cheap wide receivers.
Each week, I’ll discuss my favorite main-slate wideouts at under $5,000 on DraftKings and $6,000 or cheaper on FanDuel who we project for 5+ targets. Please note that this is not a full look at all cheap WR options; just the ones we deem worth mentioning. Be sure to consult our Projections (DraftKings, FanDuel), Top Plays, and Silva’s Matchups for more context on the position as a whole.
DraftKings & FanDuel
Elijah Moore ($4,800 DK, $5,600 FD) – Mike Woods filled in as the WR3 with Cedric Tillman out last week but only had an 8% target share. Meanwhile, volume condensed hard around Moore, Jerry Jeudy, and David Njoku. Moore registered a 24% target share, and with Tillman on track to miss again, he’ll be heavily involved in this passing attack again.
Rome Odunze ($5,000 DK, $5,600 FD) – Rome had a 32% and 21% target share in Thomas Brown‘s first two games calling the shots, and any of the Bears’ WRs could pop off in any given week. Against a struggling 49ers team missing key defensive weapons, Odunze is poised to have a sizable role again.
Sterling Shepard ($4,000 DK, $5,400 FD) – Shepard has played 65.7% of his snaps from the slot over the previous two games, filling the slot role vacated by Chris Godwin. Shepard is obviously not the player Godwin is, especially at this stage in his career, but he does have at least a 21% target share in each of the past two games with Mike Evans back. The slot role in this Liam Coen offense is lucrative for fantasy, and Shep has a strong grip on that position.
David Moore ($4,000 DK, $5,300 FD) and Xavier Legette ($4,900 DK, $5,500 FD) – Admittedly, it doesn’t feel great firing up David Moore in 2024, but he has 19 targets in his past two games and has quietly posted a 20% target share over the Panthers’ previous four outings. With Jalen Coker out again, Carolina’s 3-WR set is etched in stone, and Moore should be on the field again plenty in Week 14. The same goes for Legette, who has six-plus targets in four of Carolina’s last five games. With the Panthers as double-digit underdogs, they project to be throwing all game long.
DraftKings Only (Over $6,000 on FanDuel)
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine ($4,700 DK) – NWI’s scoring streak (eight TDs in the last eight games!) gets all the accolades, but he has quietly posted a 19% target share over the Titans’ last four games, and he’s played at least 85% of snaps in six straight. Westbrook-Ikhine has stepped up as a legit WR2 for Will Levis and gets a prime matchup against this Jaguars defense in Week 14. Plus, if he’s going to score a touchdown every week, you might as well benefit from it.
Honorable Mentions
Adam Thielen ($5,900 FD) – Thielen went for 8/99/1 on 10 targets last week and should retain primary slot duties with Jalen Coker (quad) set to miss again. Thielen has shown before he can earn big volume with Bryce Young (see: the first half of the 2023 season) and certainly didn’t look 34 years old last weekend. The Eagles’ pass defense is daunting, but perhaps pass volume (Carolina is a 13-point underdog) can make up for it.
Wan’Dale Robinson ($4,800 DK, $5,400 FD) – Robinson’s target shares have fallen off a cliff over the past month — just a 15% target share during that stretch — but Theo Johnson‘s season-ending injury chops off another pass-catching option from a skill-position group that is already desperate for playmakers. We know Malik Nabers will get a massive share, but Robinson should be in line for a voluminous role, too. Granted, the majority of his targets are low-depth and low-value targets for fantasy purposes.
