ETR’s Cheap WR Volume: Week 2

Last Updated: Sept. 14 at 4:00 PM 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

Puka Nacua ($4,900 DK, $5,800 FD) – There’s not much to say about the fifth-round rookie that his play on the field didn’t say for him. Nacua’s first NFL game ended with an uber-impressive 10 catches on 15 targets for 119 yards. Nacua had a 40% targets-per-route-run rate, trailing only Tyreek Hill and Jakobi Meyers in Week 1. Enjoy him “cheap” while you still can.

Projected Targets: 8.2

Tutu Atwell ($4,700 DK, $5,500 FD) – While his performance wasn’t quite as impressive as Nacua’s, Atwell seemed firmly established as Matthew Stafford’s second favorite target and had an impressive stat line in his own right, catching six of eight targets for 119 yards. The Rams moved Atwell all over the field too, roughly splitting his time in the slot and out wide, which bodes well for his outlook against a tougher opponent in San Francisco. 

Projected Targets: 6.1

Treylon Burks ($4,500 DK, $5,400 FD) – Titans WR1 and big offseason addition De’Andre Hopkins did in fact dominate Tennessee targets in Week 1, earning a 38.7% target share according to PFF. Burks, meanwhile, had a paltry 9% share (three targets total).