Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or Khalil Shakir

Tuesday, October 7, 2:11 PM

The Minnesota Vikings are on a bye in Week 6, but their return to the field could have fantasy implications for wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) has not played since Week 2, but the team is targeting Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles as his projected return. Jefferson drew 6.5 targets in two games with McCarthy compared to 9.7 with backup Carson Wentz, though Minnesota has been much more intentional about getting their star wideout the ball in the past two weeks, throwing his way a robust 22 times. Despite Minnesota facing tons of injury issues on the offensive line and both opponents surely game-planning for Jefferson to be heavily featured, he still put up 100-yard efforts in both games. Among fantasy receivers, Jefferson is about as QB-proof as there is, but McCarthy's return still will be a variable worth monitoring.

Saturday, October 11, 2:10 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir could see an uptick in targets Monday night with tight end Dalton Kincaid (oblique) questionable after limited practice participation this week. Shakir tied his season-high with nine targets in Week 5 and now sits tied for the team lead with 29 on the year, turning them into 235 receiving yards through five games. With the Bills set to face the NFL's top-ranked pass defense in Atlanta, Shakir will need to create separation against cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Dee Alford to stay productive. If Kincaid is ruled out, Shakir should serve as a reliable safety valve for Josh Allen and could offer sneaky PPR value as a volume-based WR3 or flex play in Week 6.