Getty Chris Conley of the Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars aerial attack has captivated the nation this season. They are led by quirky yet talented gunslinger Gardner Minshew and second-year breakout receiver DJ Chark.
While Chark, fantasy football’s WR5 throughout the first eight weeks of this season, has garnered most of the recognition within the Jags receiver corps, he isn’t alone.
Former Kansas City Chiefs wideout Chris Conley has taken his game to new levels in what is his first season in Duval. Can Conley continue his impressive play in a divisional matchup against the Houston Texans in London on Sunday morning? Let’s discuss.
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Chris Conley’s Fantasy Outlook vs. Houston Texans
Since arriving in Jacksonville, all Chris Conley has done is put up his second-most receiving yards and second-most receiving touchdowns in a single season in his five-year NFL career. Just to remind you, he’s accomplished this feat in just eight games.
Conley came out the gates hot for the Jags, seeing an average of six targets and 85 receiving yards in his first two games of the season. Unfortunately, his production took a major dip for the next four weeks, averaging just one reception and slightly above 18 receiving yards per game.
Yet over the past two weeks, Conley has stepped up his play, elevating his fantasy relevance to arguably the highest it’s been at any point in his NFL career prior. Since Week 7, Conley has served less as the Robin to DJ Chark’s Batman, and more like a legitimate WR1 in fantasy.
Conley’s average of 93 receiving yards over the past two weeks has helped the pass-catcher rank as the sixth-highest scoring fantasy player at his position over that time frame, with an average of 13.3 points per game. That’s more points than not only Chark, but also players such as Julio Jones, Julian Edelman, and Conley’s former teammate in Kansas City, Tyreek Hill.
While Conley’s fantasy production has been impressive, the most positive takeaway from his two-game awakening is his usage within the offense. Conley has averaged nearly eight targets per game since Week 7, giving fantasy owners faith that the one-time irrelevant fantasy option is much more than just a fluke, but an actual key piece of the Jaguars offense.
Speaking of the Jaguars offense, they are set to take on a Houston Texans defense on Sunday who has seen their fair share of struggles this season. Heading into Week 9, the Texans had allowed the most passing yards in football through the first eight weeks of play. Their 18 passing touchdowns allowed ties them for the fourth-highest total in the NFL. It doesn’t end there, as only the Philadelphia Eagles have surrendered more than the Texans’ 36.11 fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers this year.
Oh, and if that wasn’t enough to tempt Conley owners to insert him in their starting lineups, maybe this will do the trick. Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew will likely have a bit more time to scan the field on Sunday, as Texans superstar defender JJ Watt will miss his first game of the year due to what is a season-ending pectoral injury.
Should You Start or Sit Chris Conley in Week 9?
All signs are pointing towards Conley having a productive fantasy outing in London on Sunday morning. Owners should keep an eye on fellow Jags wideout Dede Westbrook’s availability for Week 9, as he is currently listed as questionable. If Westbrook can’t give it a go vs. the Texans, Conley has a chance to sneak his way into low-end WR2 territory.
If Westbrook does play, it will likely slide Conley down to a viable WR3. However, Westbrook’s availability shouldn’t have as much effect on Conley’s usage as one may think. Conley has outsnapped the former Oklahoma Sooner in every game since Week 3.
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