Week 2 at Los Angeles Rams
Crowder had a quiet Week 1, after showing up on the injury report with a hip flexor. He turned 7 targets into only 3 receptions for 14 yards, which is out of the ordinary for this highly efficient receiver. He gets an even better matchup this week against a Rams defense that is bottom-five in our aFPA vs. PPR WR rankings. He's a WR3 consideration for Week 2, despite the rough Week 1 outing.
Week 1 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Jamison Crowder should add volume to his efficiency from a year ago, as he is now slated to also play in 2-WR sets opposite Terrelle Pryor. In two games last year, the Eagles allowed a horrendous 36.5 and 41.8 PPR points to Washington receivers. DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon are gone. So, Crowder should be a beneficiary if Washington can look better than it did in the preseason. Consider Crowder a FLEX option for Week 1; however, monitor his status, as he was added to the injury report Thursday with a hip flexor.
Fantasy Upside
The Redskins lost 216 wide receiver targets from a year ago with the departures of Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, making Crowder the best returning player in this offense. Washington did sign Terrelle Pryor, who should be ahead of Crowder in red zone targets; but given Crowder's 1.97 PPR points per target last season, if he were to increase his target count by 20, that would've put him in the top-15 PPR WR conversation a year ago.
Fantasy Downside
Increasing his targets by 20 would have given Crowder 117 targets last season, a total that no Washington receiver has hit in the last three seasons. Receivers have come close, but that has been the ceiling for receiver targets with Kirk Cousins, meaning Crowder will have to be above Pryor in the target pecking order to get there.
2017 Bottom Line
Crowder was actually slightly better in standard leagues than PPR leagues last season, just outside the top 30 in PPR leagues. He's being drafted in the seventh round as the WR33 in drafts, meaning he's being selected around where he finished last year, which does not take into account the potential to increase his target count this year. That means there's less risk and more potential to return on investment at that spot in drafts.
Week 17 vs. New York Giants
Jamison Crowder has pretty much disappeared over the last few weeks after suffering a hip injury. Crowder caught one ball for three yards last week and comes in just 45th on our list this week, below DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. Despite not much help in terms of yards and catches from the TE position, Crowder hasn't really taken advantage of the Jordan Reed shoulder injury. Crowder has seven catches for 64 yards over his last three games total, and he's now a risky option after looking pretty solid a few weeks ago.
Jamison Crowder had just four catches for 24 yards last week on five targets and also fumbled at the end of the game.
Crowder has struggled a bit the past three weeks. He did have a TD in Week 13, but in this three-game span he's averaging just three catches for just over 34 yards a game, which is a far cry from the weeks leading up to this point. Crowder is still a higher-end WR3 play this week, coming in at 29th on our list. The Bears are 21st in allowing fantasy points to WRs so it's a decent enough matchup. But Crowder hasn't be producing fantasy points lately so owners may want to think about another option.
Week 15 vs. Carolina
Jamison Crowder has had back-to-back average weeks now. He finished with just two catches for 37 yards on five targets last week. Crowder is battling a hip pointer injury, but practiced fully last week, so it's tough to say if this has had anything to do with a dip in production.
This week, it's a nice matchup against Carolina, which is just 28th in allowing fantasy points to WRs. It may be a tough go in the run game, which means QB Kirk Cousins may need to take to the air this week. Crowder is ranked 20th on our WR list, but after a couple of sluggish weeks, he may be tough to trust for the fantasy playoffs.
Week 14 at Philadelphia
Jamison Crowder caught three balls for 42 yards and a TD last week against the Cards. He also suffered a hip pointer injury and was apparently in some pain. He was on the field late in the game, so no one is quite sure if he missed time because of the injury and he's expected to play this week.
It's a nice matchup against the Eagles this week, who are 25th in allowing fantasy points to WRs. Crowder scored in a Week 6 matchup with the Eagles as well, putting up a 3-52-1 line. Crowder's ranking will take a hit because of all the targets in Washington to throw to. And, the Skins may try to run in this contest after collecting 230 yards back in Week 6. But Crowder is at least a low-end WR2 play coming in 22nd on our list.
Week 13 vs. Washington
Jamison Crowder didn't find the end zone last week, but still had eight catches for 88 yards on 10 targets. It's only the second time since Week 6 Crowder hasn't scored a TD, meaning he has four touchdowns over his last six games.
Crowder continues to be the team's WR1 for fantasy purposes, despite DeSean Jackson getting a deep TD reception and over 100 yards last week last week. This week, Crowder takes on the Cards, who are 18th in allowing fantasy points to WR. Crowder is just 27th on our WR list, making him more of a high-end WR3 play. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Washington, but if Jordan Reed (shoulder) can't go, it could be good news for Crowder owners. Still, given all the targets for QB Kirk Cousins, Crowder seems pretty safe as a WR3 play.
Week 12 at Dallas
Jamison Crowder had another nice fantasy game last week. He had just three catches but turned it into 102 yards and a TD. Crowder has been on a bit of a role with four TDs in his last five games and TDs in three-straight games now. In fact, in his last five games he has either 100 yards or a TD in that span and that's really all fantasy owners can ask for.
The Skins WR situation is a bit crowded so Crowder is ranked just 30th this week in what is a pretty good matchup against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Dallas is 19th in allowing fantasy points to WRs but all the targets on offense can make for a bit of a risk. Crowders TD production is tough to ignore though and when you combined Crowder's last two games against Dallas he totals a line of 11-148-2. He should at least be a solid WR3 option.
Week 11 vs. Green Bay
Jamison Crowder had four catches for 37 yards last week, but did have a TD to help boost his fantasy totals. We moved Crowder up to the team's WR1 on our fantasy depth charts, but it was Peirre Garcon who had the bigger day last week at least in terms of yards and catches. Still, the upside lies with Crowder and if he's still on your wire he's worth grabbing.
Crowder now has three TDs over his last four games and has either a TD or 100 yards in that same four-game span. This week's matchup is a juicy one, as the Packers are 29th in allowing fantasy points to WRs. Crowder, though, is just 23rd on our WR list this week because of all the other targets to throw to for QB Kirk Cousins - with includes Garcon, Jordan Reed and now apparently Vernon Davis. That makes Crowder a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3, which seems like a pretty safe spot to play him.
