Who Should I Start? Keenan Allen or Tyler Lockett

Saturday, November 23, 5:37 AM

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen will be looking to bounce back in Week 12 as he faces a tough matchup against the Minnesota Vikings' secondary. After a frustrating performance in Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers where Allen saw eight targets but only caught four passes for 41 yards he's eager to get back on track. Despite seeing consistent target volume from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, Allen's fantasy production has been underwhelming this season, and the connection has yet to click fully. The Vikings' defense has been one of the most formidable in the league, ranking 4th in points per game allowed and 5th in EPA per pass. This makes it a difficult matchup for any passing game, including Allen's. To make matters more uncertain, Allen (ankle) was added to the injury report late in the week and is now listed as questionable. Head coach Matt Eberflus said it was a rolled ankle in practice, but they don't believe it's serious. While Allen is not a recommended start this week due to the tough matchup and his injury concern, fantasy managers dealing with bye weeks or injuries might be forced to use him as a desperation flex. Keep a close eye on his status before game time.

Friday, November 22, 7:14 PM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett has been a low-end flex option throughout most of the season. He checks in as such in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals, but it comes with a lot of risk. Lockett's usage out of the Seahawks' Week 10 bye was puzzling and could be prescriptive for the rest of the season. Lockett was clearly operating as the Seahawks' No. 3 wide receiver in Week 11 against the San Francisco 49ers. In his last three games played, Lockett has only averaged 3.3 targets per game after averaging 6.6 targets per game over his first seven games. The emergence of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba as a preferred target for quarterback Geno Smith is eating significantly into Lockett's volume. With the Seahawks switching to a less pass-heavy attack after the bye week, there may not be enough targets to go around for the Seahawks' top three wide receivers. With six teams on a bye this week, Lockett is still a risky flex play.