Week 15 at Baltimore Ravens
Though Marquez Valdes-Scantling has at points been an absolute fantasy unit this season, the Green Bay Packers' deep threat projects to be a lower-end WR4/5 in Week 15. This offense runs through Davante Adams in the air, but the secondary receiving roles shift to fit the situations at hand. A few weeks ago, MVS saw 19 targets across two games. Last week, he was limited to just five targets and saw his red-zone work go to Allen Lazard. Unless you're in a deeper format or just desperate, MVS is probably a bench option despite the Baltimore Ravens allowing the ninth-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points (aFPA) to opposing wide receivers.
Week 14 vs. Chicago Bears
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has tended to play a low-volume, high depth-of-target role as a field-stretching wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers. In 2021, however, he holds a meaningful 16.6% team target share when healthy that ranks second on the team. Over their last two games, MVS has compiled a whopping 19 targets, turning them into eight catches for 173 yards and a score.
In Week 14, it's not likely Valdes-Scantling will exactly repeat his recent performances, but our models project him as a top-30 wide receiver option. He faces a Chicago Bears defense allowing a middle-of-the-road 16th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points (aFPA) to wide receivers.
Week 12 vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams of 2021 are not the Rams of old, with an insanely productive pass-rush and stifling secondary. No, this year they are playing more with a "bend-don't-break" mentality, which is good for fantasy options in opposing passing games. The Rams' defense ranks 10th-highest by schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed (aFPA) to wide receivers, which is why Green Bay Packers deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a feasible fantasy option in Week 12.
MVS has the second-highest target share on the Packers at 15.7%, in spite of seeing just four combined targets in his first two games back from IR (Weeks 9 and 10). Week 11 sent 10 targets his way, the highest volume of looks since Week 1's eight-target outburst. In a game that appears likely to shoot out in Week 12, there's a decent chance for MVS to outplay his WR3/4 projection in our models.
Week 11 at Minnesota Vikings
With fewer running back mouths to feed this week, some additional volume in the passing game may trickle down to wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. MVS is primarily a better NFL player than a fantasy one, but our models still project him as a near-top-50 option at wide receiver.
Week 8 at Arizona Cardinals
There's a chance for Marques Valdes-Scantling to come off injured reserve (hamstring) this week and step into a major target share right away, but the Packers have been cautious with injuries in the past. We currently don't expect him to suit up on a short week of practice in Week 8.
Week 4 vs. Steelers
MVS is out for Sunday, and at least the next three weeks, with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 3.
Week 3 at 49ers
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has a surprisingly stout 19.0% team target share through two games for the Green Bay Packers, and an unsurprisingly prolific 45.2% team air yards share to boot. On the unfortunate side, he also has caught just 25% of his 12 targets, but his profile as a big play waiting to happen might be undergirded by sneaky target volume that hasn't been there in the past.
With a not-untouchable passing defense on the other side – the San Francisco 49ers rank 14th in schedule-adjusted defense versus opposing wide receivers – MVS has some sleeper appeal in deeper formats and desperation contexts this week.
Week 2 vs. Lions
The biggest surprise of Week 1 for the Green Bay Packers wasn't so much the blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints as it was Marquez Valdes-Scantling's workload in the game. The downfield specialist saw, depending on the stats provider, six to eight targets out of 23 pre-blowout looks from starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That was within shouting distance of clear top receiver Davante Adams, and might even have been the most on the team. This workload bodes well for MVS, even if he ended up with just three catches.
In Week 2, our models project a more modest output of 3.1 catches for 54.9 yards and 0.4 touchdowns for Valdes-Scantling. It's unlikely Green Bay will need his deep-ball stylings much in a game against the Detroit Lions that should end up a blowout in the Packers' favor. Still, he's a guy to keep an eye on for the workload upside and a potential breakout later this season.
Week 1 at Saints
It's hard to know how the Green Bay Packers' target shares will be dispersed among the lower wide receivers on the depth chart, but our best assumption is that deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling will remain the number-two. Our models project MVS for 3.0 receptions for 52.5 yards and 0.3 touchdowns, which would put him just outside the top-50 fantasy wide receivers for the first week of the 2021 season.
Week 8 vs Minnesota
MVS continues to see his production slip as he did not record a catch while seeing four targets last week against the Texans. Valdes-Scantling’s only productive play came from a nine-yard rush. It’s getting harder and harder to justify rostering MVS, as the bulk of the targets are going to Davante Adams with the rest being peppered to Robert Tonyan and the backfield. MVS is barely a WR4 in Week 8 and should remain on your bench.
