Who Should I Start? Tyler Lockett or Cooper Kupp

Tuesday, December 2, 11:00 PM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tyler Lockett quickly established himself in the Raiders' offense after the team traded away Jakobi Meyers at the deadline, with his familiarity and chemistry with quarterback Geno Smith from their days in Seattle playing a big part in that. Lockett had only 10 catches on 21 targets for 70 yards in seven games with the Titans to begin the year, but in five games with Vegas, he has 13 catches on 16 targets for 150 yards. Most of that damage came in Weeks 10-12 (12 catches, 139 yards). He regressed in the Week 13 loss to the Chargers, catching one of three targets for 11 yards. It's no secret that Smith likes to look for Lockett, but the Raiders' offensive line is giving Smith very little time to throw the football, and the Raiders are averaging only 184.1 passing yards per game (seventh-fewest in the NFL). Lockett will have a low ceiling again as a WR5/flex in deeper fantasy leagues against Denver's stingy defense in Week 14. However, Lockett did have a season-high five catches for 44 yards in the first meeting with the Broncos on Nov. 6.

Friday, December 5, 11:03 AM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp remains a lower-tier option in fantasy in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are a middle-tier defense against opposing wide receivers in fantasy. They have been very inconsistent, shutting down some teams while allowing others to have huge days. Whichever version of the Falcons' defense shows up on Sunday will not matter for Kupp. He is not a large enough part of the Seahawks' offense to merit fantasy consideration. Kupp has not caught more than three passes in a game since Week 5. That simply will not cut it for fantasy. The Seahawks value Kupp for his leadership and ability to make a big catch at the right moment. However, with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba running wild on the outside, the Seahawks do not need Kupp to be anything close to an alpha. If you are looking for a flex play in Week 14, you should look elsewhere.