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FFL: Week 11 | NFL: Week 11

WR Strength of Schedule

Fri May 31 10:52am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Lamb could top last season


Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the receiver position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to receivers last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the receivers with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the receivers that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.

  WR SOS  
1. Denver Broncos 531.34
2. Los Angeles Chargers 536.08
3. Miami Dolphins 537.31
4. Kansas City Chiefs 549.96
5. Las Vegas Raiders 552.89
6. Pittsburgh Steelers 554.85
7. New England Patriots 555.93
8. Buffalo Bills 556.13
9. Houston Texans 561.75
10. San Francisco 49ers 565.73
11. New Orleans Saints 566.06
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 566.19
13. Cincinnati Bengals 566.32
14. Jacksonville Jaguars 570.07
15. Baltimore Ravens 571.77
16. Seattle Seahawks 573.41
17. Minnesota Vikings 573.91
18. Philadelphia Eagles 574.46
19. Carolina Panthers 575.49
20. Los Angeles Rams 575.79
21. Washington Commanders 575.91
22. Detroit Lions 576.36
23. Atlanta Falcons 577.76
24. New York Jets 577.99
25. Tennessee Titans 578.06
26. Indianapolis Colts 578.18
27. Cleveland Browns 583.5
28. Arizona Cardinals 586.09
29. New York Giants 586.93
30. Chicago Bears 601.21
31. Dallas Cowboys 608.4
32. Green Bay Packers 610.22

 

The Packers have the easiest fantasy schedule for receivers. Jayden Reed and Christian Watson could be setup for career best seasons with this schedule. These are guys you can get a little later come draft day and mid-round options that could be difference makers for fantasy owners.

CeeDee Lamb is considered the No. 1 overall fantasy receiver for many and his schedule helps make that claim even stronger. Lamb has the second most favorable schedule for receivers. Lamb was huge last year and could improve on that even more, especially since the Cowboys could struggle to run the ball with their current options.

The Bears, Giants and Cardinals also round out the top-five most favorable receiver schedules. Chicago has a great trio of receivers with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze.  These guys could produce big as long as rookie Caleb Williams gets the job done at quarterback in year one. Moore has more to compete with for targets this year, but you still have to like his chances for a big season in year two with the Bears.

The Giants and Cardinals both have some question marks at receiver, but a couple rookies lead the way for both teams. Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison could have big rookie seasons with their new teams. These guys both have a chance to lead all rookie fantasy receivers in scoring.

On the opposite side of things, the Broncos have the most challenging schedule for receivers. The Broncos have all sorts of questions at receiver outside of Courtland Sutton. This is a unit of receivers you just might want to avoid come draft day. This schedule won’t make anything easier for this group.

The Chargers are a similar team to the Broncos, having openings and questions at receiver. So once again, it might be best to let someone else put Chargers receivers on their roster. Plus, the Chargers could be a lot more run heavy with a new coach running the show. The tough schedule and new offense make taking any Chargers receiver a bit of a risk.

There are two really good offenses on the list that have tough schedules for receivers. Both the Dolphins and Chiefs have a top-five least favorable schedule for receivers. The Dolphins have one of the best receiver duos in football, so it is tough to fade them because of this schedule. Both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should be able to produce big numbers once again in this offense.

The Chiefs are a little more concerning. This offense is a little matchup proof, but don’t have that elite receiver on their roster. Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown lead the way. Brown hasn’t been great in recent seasons and Rice is facing a suspension. These guys will carry some risk come draft day, especially after seeing this schedule.

Davante Adams is usually another star receiver that is matchup proof, but you have to wonder a little this year. He has some question marks at quarterback, which could hurt his production when you pair it with this schedule. Adams is dealing with the fifth toughest fantasy schedule for receivers.

We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy receivers. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the receivers with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.

  WR PLAYOFF SOS  
1. Los Angeles Rams 501.93
2. Jacksonville Jaguars 515.53
3. Kansas City Chiefs 519.43
4. New York Giants 521.63
5. Miami Dolphins 532.77
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 534.53
7. Houston Texans 538
8. Buffalo Bills 540.87
9. Las Vegas Raiders 541.9
10. Carolina Panthers 549.33
11. Cincinnati Bengals 552.17
12. Detroit Lions 553.73
13. Arizona Cardinals 555.27
14. Cleveland Browns 555.4
15. Minnesota Vikings 560.93
16. New England Patriots 573.03
17. Los Angeles Chargers 573.1
18. Tennessee Titans 575.17
19. Baltimore Ravens 581.27
20. Seattle Seahawks 585.08
21. New York Jets 585.5
22. Denver Broncos 587.2
23. Pittsburgh Steelers 587.8
24. Philadelphia Eagles 589.73
25. Green Bay Packers 590.85
26. Washington Commanders 591.57
27. New Orleans Saints 604.13
28. Dallas Cowboys 609.73
29. Indianapolis Colts 614
30. San Francisco 49ers 641.53
31. Atlanta Falcons 644.93
32. Chicago Bears 647.98

 

The Bears and Cowboys are the teams that make both the top five easiest receiver schedules for both the regular season and playoffs. Chicago has the easiest for the entire playoffs. Once again, their top trio of receivers are looking pretty good come draft day.

Lamb continues to make his case to be the first receiver selected come draft day. He could have a monster season and finish strong as well with the fifth easiest schedule for the playoffs. Lamb might be the most surefire first-round pick come draft day.

The Falcons, 49ers and Colts also have a top-five favorable playoff schedule for receivers. Atlanta receivers were looking up to begin with, getting a legit quarterback throwing them passes this year. And this schedule makes their options look even better, especially Drake London. He could have a breakout season.

San Francisco has great options at receiver in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. They are pretty safe picks come draft day. And they get a very favorable playoff schedule that could make them even more appealing to fantasy owners. These guys both have really solid floors come draft day in this offense.

Michael Pittman keeps getting it done as the No. 1 option for the Colts. If Anthony Richardson can become that true No. 1 at quarterback for Indy, Pittman would look even better. Pittman has produced in recent year despite having some quarterback issues. His game could go to a higher level this year if Richardson breaks out. Pittman could be a league winner if everything breaks his way in 2024.

The Chiefs and Dolphins are two of the best offenses in football but also the only two teams to make the top five most unfavorable receiver schedules for both the regular season and playoffs. This is a tad concerning for both teams, Again, it is tough to bet against Hill, but maybe you drop him down your rankings just few spots behind the other elite guys because of this. You hate to use an early round pick on a receiver to see him maybe not produce what he should come playoff time.

And as mentioned with the Chiefs, their top two receivers already face a few question marks, so maybe their tough schedules make them players to let someone else draft. Both Brown and Rice could be a little erratic.

The Rams actually have the toughest playoff schedule for receivers. They are another team with two of the best receivers in football. It is tough to bet against either Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp, but the playoff schedule is a little scary, especially for Kupp. He seems to be trending down at this stage of his career.

The Jaguars and Giants are the two other teams with a top-five unfavorable fantasy schedule for the playoffs. The Jags have Christian Kirk and Gabriel Davis as their top two receivers. Kirk is normally pretty steady but Davis can be boom or bust. Seeing his playoff schedule should bump him down a few spots in your rankings. It could be more of the same for Davis with his new team.

And the Giants are an outlier here, having an easy schedule for receivers during the regular season but the fourth toughest for the playoffs. This makes it tough come draft day. Their receivers could be good values for the regular season but disappoint when it counts. You do have to just make the playoffs, though, so we aren’t sure we shy away from Giant receivers just because of their tough playoff schedule. You still might be able to get good value with their options that help you win during the season.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11

Player Notes
Tanner Conner Nov 13 12:50am ET
Tanner Conner

Miami Dolphins tight end Tanner Conner (knee) has been placed on injured reserve. The 26-year-old injured his knee during Monday night's win over the Los Angeles Rams. Conner has primarily played on special teams this season, registering just three catches for 16 yards along the way. Jonnu Smith, Durham Smythe, and Julian Hill remain the top three tight ends on Miami's offensive depth chart.

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Ke'Shawn Vaughn Nov 13 12:50am ET
Ke'Shawn Vaughn

The San Francisco 49ers released running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn from their practice squad on Tuesday. He'll be replaced by running back Patrick Taylor Jr., who signed to the Niners' practice squad the same day. Vaughn bounced around with the Buccaneers and Patriots from 2020 through 2023, amassing 384 rushing yards, 81 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns. He had not yet registered a stat with the Niners at the time of his release. Moving forward, the 49ers' running back depth chart will feature Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason, Isaac Guerendo, and Taylor (in that order).

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Jakeem Grant Nov 13 12:40am ET
Jakeem Grant

The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran wide receiver and special teamer Jakeem Grant to their practice squad on Tuesday. Grant spent a portion of 2024 training camp with Atlanta before being cut loose. He hasn't touched the football in a game since 2021, a year in which he made the Pro Bowl as a returner. The 32-year-old could work his way onto the active roster with his special teams experience, but he's not a dependable offensive weapon and therefore should be left untouched in all fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Desmond Ridder Nov 12 11:20pm ET
Desmond Ridder

The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make the change to quarterback Desmond Ridder after Gardner Minshew II was benched for a third time this year in the Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Nothing is official yet, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Raiders go with Ridder under center coming off their bye to face the Miami Dolphins this Sunday. Aidan O'Connell (finger) is on Injured Reserve. Head coach Antonio Pierce is feeling the pressure after losing five straight games to fall to 2-7 before the Week 10 bye. After Ridder took over for Minshew in the loss to the Bengals, he went 11-for-16 for 74 yards and a touchdown while also losing a fumble. The former Falcons QB won't be anything more than a desperation QB2 in superflex leagues if he gets the start against a Dolphins D that just kept the Rams out of the end zone all game on Monday.

From RotoBaller

Siran Neal Nov 12 10:00pm ET
Siran Neal

Miami Dolphins defensive back Kendall Fuller (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to head coach Mike McDaniels. Fuller suffered a concussion during Monday's win over the Los Angeles Rams. This is his second concussion of the season and as a result he'll be held out in Week 11 while he works to clear concussion protocol. Either Siran Neal or Cam Smith will take over as the opposite corner to Jalen Ramsey. The loss of Fuller will hurt, but the Dolphins defense should still be fine against a struggling Raiders offense.

From RotoBaller

Will Grier Nov 12 10:00pm ET
Will Grier

The Dallas Cowboys have signed quarterback Will Grier to their practice squad on Tuesday. Grier was recently cut off the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad, but it didn't take him long to find a new home. He figures to join the team as depth with Dak Prescott (hamstring) done for the season. The former third-round pick has done very little since being drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2019. He played in two games as a rookie and hasn't done anything since then. Grier is likely brought in as depth in case Cooper Rush or Trey Lance suffer an injury at some point. The 29-year-old figures to remain on the practice squad going forward.

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Patrick Taylor Nov 12 9:40pm ET
Patrick Taylor

San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. was waived by the team last week to make room for Christian McCaffrey on the active roster. However, Taylor is back with the organization less than a week later. It appears Taylor was decided to rejoin the practice squad after clearing waivers this week. This move doesn't mean much right now considering Taylor has seven carries for 25 yards on the season. He's nice depth to have given the how often running backs get injured in San Francisco. He figures to fall behind Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo in the pecking order for backups, so fantasy managers can ignore Taylor.

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Austin Seibert Nov 12 9:30pm ET
Austin Seibert

Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert (hip) was unable to participate during Tuesday's practice session. Seibert sat out last week's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a hip issue. It seems that Seibert is still dealing with that problem after missing Tuesday's practice. He's trending in the wrong direction ahead of Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Zane Gonzalez figures to be asked to take over the kicking duties if Seibert sits out during this short week. Gonzalez knocked down both his field goal attempts and three extra point kicks during last week's game. The 29-year-old could be worth streaming if Seibert is unable to play.

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Darius Slay Nov 12 9:20pm ET
Darius Slay

Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) was able to get through a limited practice session on Tuesday. His return to the practice field is a good sign heading into Thursday's game against the Washington Commanders. Slay was forced to exit early during last week's game against the Dallas Cowboys due to an ankle issue. He did return in the second half, but sat out of Monday's practice, which was a bit concerning. However, Slay is back to practicing now which means he should be fine ahead of this Thursday Night matchup. His absence would leave a big hole in this secondary, so fantasy managers planning to stream the Eagles defense should check on Slay's final status before doing that.

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Daniel Jones Nov 12 7:40pm ET
Daniel Jones

ESPN's senior inside Adam Schefter said on Tuesday that he "would guess Daniel Jones never plays another snap for the New York Giants" after losing to the Carolina Panthers in Week 10 in Munich, Germany. The Giants currently have the worst record in football at 2-8 and would be in line to have the first overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft. Head coach Brian Daboll has stood behind Jones as the starting QB this year, but Schefter notes that Daboll's tone was different after Sunday's loss to Carolina in which Jones missed several open receivers and made questionable decisions. Going into their Week 11 bye, the Giants are evaluating everything and could head into Week 12 with some notable changes. If the G-Men bench Jones, who has a $23 million injury guarantee, to avoid him getting hurt to close things out, Drew Lock would be thrust into the starting role in the Big Apple.

From RotoBaller

Tyreek Hill Nov 12 7:30pm ET
Tyreek Hill

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) told ESPN's Lisa Salters that he has a torn ligament in his left wrist but has been playing through it. The ligament has bothered Hill since training camp, but it became an issue when he was detained by police and thrown on the ground back in September. The 30-year-old All-Pro pass-catcher was listed as questionable to play in Week 10 on Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, but he was ultimately active for the 23-15 victory and caught three of his four targets for 16 yards and just his second touchdown of the year. He added two carries for 11 yards. The TD was nice, but the Cheetah had his second-lowest yardage total of the year on Monday night, and his wrist could bother him the rest of the way. Miami's offense has yet to find its stride with QB Tua Tagovailoa back, but that could happen in a juicy Week 11 matchup against the Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Deommodore Lenoir Nov 12 7:20pm ET
Deommodore Lenoir

The San Francisco 49ers and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir reached an agreement on Tuesday on a five-year, $92 million contract extension. Lenoir was in the final year of his rookie deal in 2024 but will now stick around in the Bay Area for the long term after becoming one of the most underrated players on the Niners' defense in recent years. The former fifth-round selection in 2021 out of Oregon had a career-high 84 tackles (58 solo), a career-high three interceptions and 10 pass breakups in 17 regular-season starts for the team last year and currently has 53 tackles (33 solo), two interceptions, six pass breakups and a forced fumble in nine games in 2024 heading into the Week 11 game against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. The 25-year-old defensive back has become an every-down player for the 49ers defense and a key member of their secondary.

From RotoBaller

Tua Tagovailoa Nov 12 7:10pm ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores suggested that he would like another crack at a head-coaching job during his appearance on the Adam Schefter podcast on Tuesday. Flores has led a serious turn around of the Vikings' defense over the last couple of years. The Vikings have the No. 2 rush defense in the NFL in 2024. Their pass defense is No. 26 in yards allowed per game. However, that statistic is likely due to the fact that the run defense is so dominant and the Vikings' offense generally forces opposing teams to play from behind. Flores was once a head coach for the Miami Dolphins and had an infamously poor relationship with young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He was eventually fired which resulted in his filing of a lawsuit against the league for injustice in head coach termination. Flores' name is sure to come up again over the next couple of head coaching cycles. His success with the Vikings is eye popping considering their defense was so poor prior to his arrival. For now, he will continue to lead one of the best units in the NFL as the Vikings find themselves in a surprisingly excellent position in the NFC playoff race through 10 weeks.

From RotoBaller

Marshon Lattimore Nov 12 6:40pm ET
Marshon Lattimore

Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) was listed as a DNP on Tuesday's practice estimation. Lattimore has not practiced or played since he was traded to the Commanders ahead of the trade deadline last week. The Commanders are clearly going all in on this season with the addition of Lattimore and are surely eager to get him on the field to bolster their secondary. Lattimore has not played since Week 8 when he was still a member of the New Orleans Saints. In seven games played in 2024, Lattimore has recorded just two passes defensed and no interceptions. The Saints were struggling as a whole and Lattimore was not immune to those struggles. For the Commanders' sake, hopefully Lattimore finds himself again in Washington. Either way, he should be an upgrade over their current secondary. Lattimore's lack of participation on Monday and Tuesday does not bode well for his chances of suiting up on Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a situation to monitor for fantasy managers who roster Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Both players would likely be negatively impacted by the presence of Lattimore on the field.

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Dallas Goedert Nov 12 6:30pm ET
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) was a limited participant in practice on Tuesday. Goedert returned from injury in Week 10 against the Dallas Cowboys and scored a respectable 10.5 fantasy points. He also scored his first touchdown on the season in Week 10. Prior to his injury, Goedert had been one of the best tight ends in fantasy so his return to the lineup is a welcome one for fantasy managers. Goedert draws a solid matchup in Week 11 against the Washington Commanders. Both teams' defenses have improved as the season has gone on but both offenses are potent and should generate a lot of passing attempts. That bodes well for Goedert who is the third option on his team behind wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Although Goedert was listed as a DNP on Monday, his activity on Tuesday suggests that he should suit up once again in Week 11. He should be a solid fantasy option if healthy.

From RotoBaller

Brian Robinson Jr. Nov 12 6:30pm ET
Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) was listed as limited on the Commanders' injury report on Tuesday. Robinson has not played since Week 8 because of the injury. He was close to returning in Week 11 so his activity on Tuesday suggests that he may be on track to return this week. Additionally, Robinson was limited on Monday's practice report as well. As long as Robinson keeps up this trend then he seems to have a good shot to play in Week 11 against the Washington Commanders. Fantasy managers will rejoice to have Robinson back in lineups. In seven games played in 2024, Robinson has racked up six touchdowns and 461 rushing yards. The Commanders' offense has been one of the best in the league thanks to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. As such, Robinson's scoring opportunities have been constant. The Eagles defense presents a tough challenge for Robinson and he may be worked back into the lineup slowly. Should he suit up, he will likely be a low-end RB2 in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Nov 12 6:20pm ET
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was a limited participant in practice on Tuesday. Smith did not participate in Monday's walk through so his activity on Tuesday suggests that it was all maintenance related. Additionally, Smith has been dealing with the injury for a couple of weeks and it did not prohibit him from playing in Week 10. Smith was quiet in Week 10. He recorded just two receptions for 14 yards in the Eagles' blowout win in Dallas. It is unclear if his injury was affecting his play but Smith managers will be hoping for better days to come. Smith has 37 receptions for 487 yards and four touchdowns in eight games this season. His overall fantasy production has been relatively inconsistent but he is still the WR22 in PPR formats. Smith has a solid chance to get back on track in Week 11 against the Washington Commanders.

From RotoBaller

Tyrel Dodson Nov 12 5:50pm ET
Tyrel Dodson

The Miami Dolphins claimed linebacker Tyrel Dodson off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday after the Seahawks surprisingly waived him on Monday, according to a source. Dodson was leading the Seahawks with 71 tackles through the first 10 weeks of the season, in addition to two sacks, and had started every game. It's no surprise that he was quickly picked up off waivers, and the 26-year-old will now head to the AFC East division. He will be joining a linebacking corps in Miami that includes Jordyn Brooks, Anthony Walker and David Long. Based on how well Dodson was playing before being cut by Seattle, he figures to have a prominent role on defense with his new club. The Texas A&M alum debuted in 2020 with the Buffalo Bills and spent his first four seasons in Buffalo, recording 143 tackles (102 solo), 4.5 sacks, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 59 games (15 starts).

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Jack Stoll Nov 12 5:50pm ET
Jack Stoll

The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Tuesday that they waived tight end Jack Stoll. The move comes after Dallas Goedert returned from a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury to play in the Week 10 win over the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. When Goedert was sidelined, Stoll was serving as the No. 2 TE for the Eagles behind Grant Calcaterra. In seven games for Philly this year, Stoll had only two catches on three targets for 10 yards, and he has yet to score a touchdown in 57 games (28 starts) since debuting with the Eagles in 2021. If the 26-year-old is not claimed off waivers by another team, he could find himself back on the Eagles' practice squad in short order. If Stoll is claimed by another team, he'll likely operate as TE depth and won't suddenly become fantasy relevant.

From RotoBaller

Nico Collins Nov 12 5:40pm ET
Nico Collins

The expectation is that Houston Texans star wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) will practice all week and then return on Monday night in Week 11 to face the Dallas Cowboys, according to multiple league sources. "He's 100 percent ready to go," a source said. Collins returned to practice for the first time last week since injuring his right hamstring in Week 5 but didn't get cleared to play in the Week 10 loss to the Detroit Lions despite being activated from Injured Reserve last Saturday. Barring a setback in practice this week, the 25-year-old is on track to return as Houston's leading wideout with Stefon Diggs (knee) done for the year. Before getting hurt, Collins led the NFL with 567 receiving yards in five games and will return to having a high ceiling and high floor for fantasy managers with quarterback C.J. Stroud throwing him the football.

From RotoBaller