Week 1 vs. Oakland Raiders
Rishard Matthews led the Tennessee Titans in targets last season after a slow start. He turned into a nice No. 2 fantasy receiver—albeit one who was touchdown reliant. Eric Decker could steal some of those scoring chances in the red zone, but Matthews should still see enough targets to keep him viable as a No. 3 fantasy receiver.
Fantasy Upside
At midseason last year, few receivers in the league were as valuable as Rishard Matthews. That was largely because he went through a stretch where he had 5 touchdown catches in five games. He finished with a solid line of 65-945-9 and was clearly Tennessee's No. 1 receiver.
Fantasy Downside
Last season was last season and the Titans have brought in Eric Decker and rookie Corey Davis to take some pressure—and targets—off of Matthews. While his final numbers were good, Matthews also had eight games last season with 40 or fewer yards.
2017 Bottom Line
Matthews might eventually be replaced as the top target in Tennessee's offense, but until further notice, he's it. Decker and Davis have received more of the publicity this offseason, but don't forget about Matthews, who has a nice rapport with quarterback Marcus Mariota. He's currently going in the 10th to 12 rounds of most drafts, but he could be a nice option, especially early in the season. Davis has been sidelined by injuries and Decker is still trying to find a role. It's doubtful Matthews sees the 106 targets he led the team with in 2016, but he could be equally as productive with less.
Week 17 vs. Houston
Matthews caught a TD pass last week to salvage a game in which he was limited to 31 yards on three catches. He had just two catches the first time around against the Texans, but they were good for 82 yards. Matt Cassel's presence in the lineup hurts Matthews' value to be sure. But he should produce just enough to be a decent No. 3 start this week, even with an unfavorable matchup.
Week 16 at Jacksonville
Matthews had a bounceback week against Kansas City, catching four passes for 105 yards, but he failed to catch a touchdown pass for the second consecutive game. He had four receptions for 38 yards and a score in the first meeting with the Jaguars back in Week 8 and is the top touchdown option in Tennessee's offense. He should prove useful as a solid No. 3 option this week against the Jaguars.
Week 15 at Kansas City
Matthews was held in check by Denver's top-notch pass defense last week, snagging just one pass for 26 yards. He should find a little more room against the gambling style of the Kansas City defense. No team gives up more passing yards to wideouts than Kansas City. Touchdowns? They've given up 15 of those to receivers, as well. Matthews should have a bounce back game.
Week 14 vs. Denver
Matthews has been on a roll of late, with five TDs in his past five games as he and Marcus Mariota have clearly gotten on the same page. They'll need to be this week against a very tough Denver pass defense. Denver has given up the fewest yards to opposing wideouts this season and have given up just six touchdowns all season to the position. That doesn't make Matthews a very attractive play this week except as a low-end WR3 or flex play.
Week 12 at Chicago
Matthews failed to score for just the second time in seven games last week, but had a career game otherwise, catching nine passes for 122 yards. He's emerged as a solid WR 2 option from week to week and should be so again this week. Chicago has given up 11 WR scores this season and double digits in catches to the position every week. Matthews should continue to roll.
Week 11 at Indianapolis
With four touchdowns in his past three games and six in his last six, Matthews remains red-hot as a scoring option. But he only had three receptions for 63 yards last week, showing that he is still somewhat risky as a play in other formats. Despite all of the TDs, he hasn't topped 70 yards in any of those games. Use Matthews as a No. 3 receiver with upside because of his scoring potential, but that can be risky.
Week 10 vs Green Bay
After catching six passes for 63 yards and two scores last week, Matthews now has five TD catches in his past five games. If he somehow got more targets, he would be worth a WR3 start each week. His 10 targets last week were a season-high and he's trending in the right direction. This is a nice matchup this week against the Packers in what could be another shootout. Use Matthews as a low-end No. 3 or flex play this week.
Week 9 at San Diego
Matthews has now scored in three of his past four games,after putting up a line of 4-38-1 last week, but he's doing so on limited targets (with just one game over four targets in his past four games). He actually has 17 catches in the past five games on just 20 targets, so he's maximizing his chances. But they've been limited. San Diego has given up just seven TDs to wideouts this season, so it might be tough for Matthews to keep his streak alive. Use him as a flex and nothing more.
