Who Should I Start? Tim Patrick or Ray-Ray McCloud

Saturday, December 21, 12:37 PM

Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick will be looking to keep his two-game touchdown streak going in a Week 16 divisional clash versus the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday. Patrick has seen a bigger role in the last two weeks against the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills, catching 10 of his 15 targets for 73 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to Week 14, though, Patrick hadn't seen more than four targets in a game. The 31-year-old veteran pass-catcher has 19 catches for 202 yards and the three TDs on 26 targets in his last five games, which has made him the WR29 in that span. With the elevated role of late, Patrick has settled in as Detroit's No. 3 receiver behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams in a high-volume passing offense. However, he's still more of a touchdown-dependent WR4/5 in fantasy that will be taking on a Bears defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest half-PPR points per game to wideouts in the last five weeks.

Saturday, December 21, 10:22 AM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III caught just one of his three targets for 14 yards last week, but it wasn't just McCloud who had a dud. The receiving corps in general underperformed as a result of ineffective passing from Kirk Cousins and from a ground game that was clicking, with the backs totaling 168 rushing yards. The 28-year-old had been much more involved in Weeks 11-14, averaging six catches and over seven targets during that stretch. With Michael Penix Jr. making his first career start on Sunday, how the passing attack will unfold is a bit of an unknown, but if the left-handed quarterback needs a safety blanket, McCloud III could fit the bill. The wideout has the lowest average depth of target out of the first-team receivers with an aDOT of 6.27. The Clemson product is shaping up to be a WR5 this week with perhaps some slight upside in PPR leagues, but it's a risky proposition with the quarterback situation and fantasy playoffs on the line.