Week 14 at Atlanta Falcons
After only one touchdown through the first 10 games of the season, D.J. Moore now has three over his last two, including one last week against Washington. It was a bitter defeat for the panthers that cost Ron Rivera his job, but Moore was targeted 12 times, catching six balls for 75 yards. He’s fourth in the league with 980 yards going into this week’s matchup and has been remarkably steady with double-digit PPR points in five straight games.
This week, he’ll face a Falcons team that ranks 24th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers this year. He had eight catches for 95 yards against them just three weeks ago, and he should once again be heavily targeted. Fantasy owners should start him as a WR1 option in all leagues.
Week 13 vs. Washington Redskins
D.J. Moore finally found the end zone last week against the Saints. After only scoring one touchdown through 11 weeks, Moore hit pay dirt twice on his way to six catches and 126 yards in a narrow loss on Sunday. Moore was targeted nine times and is averaging 9.4 targets per game this season. He’s been enjoying a breakout season that has largely gone under the radar due to his lack of touchdowns, but he may get more recognition now. He has double-digit PPR points in all but two games this season.
This week, Moore faces a Washington defense that ranks eighth in aFPA to opposing wide receivers, surprisingly high for a team that has struggled so much all season and is coming off their first victory. Still, as the key target in the offense, Moore should be considered a top-end fantasy receiver this week with a high floor due to his usage. Start him.
Week 12 at New Orleans Saints
Another game, another nice performance from D.J. Moore spoiled by the lack of a touchdown. Moore has double-digit targets in four of his last five games and is tied for eighth in the league with 62 receptions this season. He’s the primary target in the Carolina passing game and should continue to be heavily featured moving forward. At some point, the lack of touchdowns is bound to change.
This week, Moore has a tough matchup against the Saints, who rank third in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. However, with the likelihood that the Saints will keep the Panthers throwing the ball and his volume of targets over the last five games particularly, Moore has a high floor and should be considered a quality WR2 option, especially in PPR leagues. Start him.
Week 11 vs. Atlanta Falcons
If D.J. Moore could find the end zone, we’d all be talking about him having a breakout season. He’s currently on pace for 96 catches and 1,216 yards, but he’s scored only one touchdown all year. Last week, he caught nine balls for 120 yards and was targeted a team-high 11 times. He has at least eight targets in all but two games this season, and it seems like his lack of end zone production is bound to turn around at some point. Only Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyler Boyd have more targets with a single touchdown this season.
This week, Moore has a pretty good chance to break that trend. The Falcons rank 28th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers and have allowed the sixth-most passing touchdowns this season. Expect both teams to throw the ball and for Moore to put up borderline WR1 numbers in a great matchup.
Week 10 at Green Bay Packers
D.J. Moore had a nice game last week against the Titans, catching seven of the 10 balls thrown his way for 101 yards. Moore is averaging 9.25 targets over his last four games and seems to have built a nice rapport with quarterback Kyle Allen, which bodes well for a final stretch during which the Panthers face the horrible Atlanta Falcons pass defense twice. Moore is worth buying now if you can get him.
This week, Moore faces a Packers defense that just held Keenan Allen to 40 yards a week ago and ranks ninth in aFPA to opposing wide receivers this year. Moore still has upside as a heavily targeted option in the Panthers’ passing attack, and he should be featured if the Packers run the score up and keep Carolina throwing, but expecting more than low-end WR2 numbers from him might be a stretch in most fantasy leagues.
Week 9 vs. Tennessee Titans
D.J. Moore gained only 38 yards last week in a tough matchup against the 49ers, but he was targeted nine times and caught five passes, making it three straight games with at least five receptions. This is a good sign for a player who was targeted only seven times during quarterback Kyle Allen’s first two starts of this season, as the rapport between Allen and Moore grows.
This week, Moore faces a Titans defense that gave up 11 catches, 198 yards and two touchdowns to Mike Evans last week despite ranking 10th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. Expect Moore to be heavily targeted again this week, giving him upside if he can exploit the same holes Evans found a week ago. He’s a fringe WR2/WR3 option this week.
Week 8 at San Francisco 49ers
After only seven targets in Kyle Allen’s first two starts, D.J. Moore has 17 over his last two, including 10 against the Buccaneers before the bye last week. Moore ended up with seven receptions and 73 yards, but it was his second consecutive double-digit PPR performance and he remains the top wide receiver on the roster, playing 91% of the team’s offensive snaps.
This week probably isn’t the best time to trust Moore however. The 49ers are the top defense in the league in aFPA to opposing wide receivers and have allowed only five passing touchdowns all season. Fantasy owners should look elsewhere if possible.
Week 6 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (London Game)
After only seven targets total in the two prior games, D.J. Moore was targeted eight times last week against the Jaguars. He finished with six catches and 91 yards, a decent outing in a much-needed Panthers victory. Moore has yet to have 100 yards receiving this year, but he leads the team in receiving yards and is second only to Christian McCaffrey in receptions and targets.
This week, Moore faces a Tampa Bay defense that has struggled against the pass. Only the Eagles and the Falcons rank lower than the Buccaneers in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. He caught nine balls for 89 yards against the Bucs back in Week 2 and he’ll look to build on that performance this week. Fantasy owners should consider him a high-end WR3 this week in what should be a great matchup in England.
Week 5 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
D.J. Moore caught three of the five balls thrown his way last week for 44 yards. Moore has been disappointing overall, despite a touchdown against the Cardinals in Week 3, and it’s concerning to see his targets go from 24 in two games with Cam Newton at the helm to seven in two games with Kyle Allen at quarterback. Still, Moore is talented and still has upside for the rest of the season and it’s too early to panic.
The Jaguars have a great defense but have actually allowed the eighth-most aFPA to opposing wide receivers this season. That’s a little skewed due to huge numbers allowed to the Chiefs in Week 1, but with Jalen Ramsey a question mark, there’s some upside in the Carolina receiving corps. It’s risky to trust him, but fantasy owners in deep leagues could gamble on him as a WR3 option.
Week 4 at Houston Texans
D.J. Moore had a 52-yard touchdown last week against the Cardinals, but he was targeted only twice on the day after totaling 26 targets over the first two games of the season. The target-reduction coming after a quarterback change is concerning, with Kyle Allen set to make another start in relief of the injured Cam Newton. That being said, Moore was targeted eight times in the season-finale last year – Allen’s last start – so it’s too soon to panic.
This week, Moore faces a Texans defense that has given up the fifth-most aFPA to the wide receiver position so far this season, and they were torched by Keenan Allen last week to the tune of 13 catches, 183 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Moore isn’t Keenan Allen by any means, but he has tremendous rebound potential in what should be a good matchup. Start him as a WR2 in all leagues.
