Getty Gallery: 4/5
Start: WR D.J. Moore at Bucs
Sit: WR Jarvis Landry at Texans
D.J. Moore has hit a hot streak over the last two weeks and could have had even better numbers in Week 12 if he was able to secure a couple of close calls on TD opportunities. Moore finished with eight receptions for 91 yards against the Seahawks. The Panthers wide receiver posted seven receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown against the Lions in Week 11.
Moore has an opportunity to keep putting up good numbers this week against the Bucs. Tampa Bay ranks in the bottom five in passing yards allowed at 282.3 yards per game. After the Panthers narrow loss to the Seahawks, Carolina head coach Ron Rivera noted that the team has a lot of faith in their rookie wide receiver.
"“He is right where you would hope he would be, contributing the way he has,” Rivera explained to The Charlotte Post. “He has made a lot of plays for us. He is showing he is an explosive player. He is a dynamic player, and a player like that gives us a chance to win football games. We have to take advantage of those skill sets.”
Moore's teammates admit they have stopped classifying the wide receiver as a rookie based on his play on the field.
“I don’t see him as a rookie, or Curtis as a second-year player,” Jarius Wright told The Charlotte Post. “We’re all just wide receivers, especially with me being the oldest. We’re all just players now. Those guys have been playing lights out. It’s great to see. It goes to show that our future is very bright, but unfortunately we’ve gotta live in the right now.”
Jarvis Landry Is No Longer a WR1 in Fantasy
Jarvis Landry may eventually get back to fantasy relevance, but he is not there right now. With the way he is producing, you cannot risk putting him in your lineup and have his lack of production cost you a playoff spot. Landry has not scored a touchdown in more than a month.
This week, he faces a Texans team that is top 10 in passing yards allowed. Given the less than ideal matchup, I want to wait until Baker Mayfield starts leaning on Landry once again before he finds his way back into my fantasy lineup. Rotoworld broke down what has been a difficult stretch for Landry.
"Landry was a victim of not being a part of the Browns offensive explosion in the first half and then buried by the team attempting just four passes in the second half," Rotoworld explains. "Landry has now received just 17 targets over his three games since the Browns coaching shake up, catching just 10 passes over that span for 102 yards. Landry has now posted 50 or fewer receiving yards in 6-of-8 starts by Baker Mayfield. He has to now be treated as a lower-end WR3 option moving forward."
Landry should be kept on your roster, but that does not mean you need to start him until things improve.