Last Updated: December 7th at 12:30 AM EST
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 $5,500 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 (released Friday night), and Silva’s Matchups for more context on the position as a whole.
DraftKings & FanDuel
Josh Downs ($4,900 DK, $5,900 FD) – Perhaps the 2023 poster boy of Cheap WR Volume, Downs qualifies on both sites this week, as he is below $5K on DraftKings and below $6K on FanDuel. He also gets a very strong matchup here against a Bengals team that is 10th worst in the NFL in slot fantasy PPG allowed to slot WRs. While Michael Pittman dominated targets in Week 13, Downs is averaging 6.6 targets per game this season and is still a premier piece of a very concentrated offense.
Projected Targets: 6.8
Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($4,100 DK, $5,500 FD) – Yes, JSN is still competing for targets with certified veterans DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but the rookie has certainly established himself as a legit target earner recently, leading Seattle in targets in their shootout game with Dallas last Thursday night. Smith-Njigba earned an impressive 11 targets for a noteworthy 31.4% share, and he will look to build upon that in a game with San Francisco that is a better matchup than many may think, in game script that should work in Seattle’s passing-game’s favor.
Projected Targets: 6.1
DraftKings Only (Over $6,000 on FD)
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