Hello and welcome back, Nerds! The Dynasty Nerds writers are here to provide you with weekly starts and sits. I will be doing the WR starts and sits for the 2023 season! We, as a group, will be making our recommendations based on weekly consensus PPR rankings from FantasyPros. Here is our squad and the position groups they will be covering to help you each week. Follow, DM, and Tweet us.

We look forward to hearing from you!

One thing to keep in mind when making your start/sit decisions, it will ALWAYS depend on who your other options are. The players listed below are WRs that I expect to finish above/below their respective rankings. But it doesn’t mean you need to take them out of (or put them into) your lineup unless your alternatives are worth it.

NOTE: Rankings are based on a 12-team PPR league. So, saying WR2 means top 24, or TE1 means top 12, etc., and are pulled from Fantasy Pros consensus expert rankings.

RECAP

Before we get into the recap of last week’s picks, let’s go over how I determine the success and failure of my picks: 

1. Regardless of whether I have a player listed as a start or sit, if they get injured during the game where it significantly impacts their fantasy output, it is ruled a no decision based upon injury.
2. If a player finishes within a handful of spots of their ranking, either above or below, it is considered a push. 
3. My goal is always to get all my picks correct. 

However, I consider above 50% a moderately successful week. Let’s get to it.

Last week was a moderate success. Of my six calls, only two were particularly noteworthy. The other four were all finished within a handful of spots of their respective rankings. My best call was Calvin Ridley as a ‘start.’ He came into the week ranked as the WR29 and finished as the top-scoring WR. My worst call was to ‘sit’ Tank Dell. He managed to finish 11 spots higher than he was ranked. As for the others, Hopkins, Collins, and Jeudy were all ‘starts’ and finished slightly above their rankings. Chris Godwin was also a ‘start’ and finished slightly below his ranking. On to Week 12 we go…

START

Josh Downs, Colts – WR 34

Week 11 Stats | WR x | FPts: x.x | Tgts: x | Rec: x | Yds: x | TDs: x (BYE)

My first ‘start’ of Week 12 is Josh Downs. He struggled in back-to-back games prior to last week’s BYE, catching only 3 of his 5 targets over his last two games. Before that, Downs had rattled off four consecutive games as a top-30 fantasy WR, including his WR4 performance in Week 7 against Cleveland.

Normally, I wouldn’t be optimistic about playing a receiver who has only been targeted 5 times over the last two games. But there are always exceptions to the rule. This exception is solely due to the fact that the Colts are playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the second-worst pass defense in the entire NFL. Moreover, the Bucs have the fifth-best rush defense in the league. The way to attack Tampa Bay is through the air. So, I expect to see Gardner Minshew throwing the ball much more often and Josh Downs to be a major beneficiary.

Cooper Kupp, Rams – WR 36

Week 11 Stats | WR 86 | FPts: 2.1 | Tgts: 1 | Rec: 1 | Yds: 11 | TDs: 0

Cooper Kupp is my next ‘start’ for this week. This ranking (WR36) is largely due to the uncertainty around the health of his right ankle, which got stepped on last week against Seattle. I include Kupp in this list because it looks like Cooper Kupp will be returning to the field this week as the Rams face off against the Arizona Cardinals. If he takes the field, you should have him in your lineup. The Rams aren’t going to bring Kupp back if he isn’t healthy enough to contribute, so this is your friendly reminder to get him back in your lineup if you had taken him out. 

Zay Flowers, Ravens – WR 24

Week 11 Stats | WR 44 | FPts: 8.0 | Tgts: 4 | Rec: 3 | Yds: 43 | TDs: 0

My final ‘start’ is Zay Flowers. He’s been inconsistent so far in his rookie year, but after the injury to Mark Andrews, he should see an uptick in production. In the seven games Flowers has received at least 6 targets, he has finished as a WR3 or better in six. When he’s received the targets, Flowers has demonstrated that he can be a viable fantasy option.

This week, the Ravens take on the Chargers, who are the only team in the NFL to allow more passing yards per game than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Flowers has a very high floor, and now, with the absence of Andrews and against the worst pass defense in the NFL, his ceiling has been raised. Get Zay in your lineup this week.

SIT

Courtland Sutton, Broncos – WR 28

Week 11 Stats | WR 14 | FPts: 16.6 | Tgts: 5 | Rec: 4 | Yds: 66 | TDs: 1 

My first ‘sit’ this week is Courtland Sutton. He has been a solid fantasy option in 2023 for your team, but this week I am looking elsewhere. The Broncos are in the midst of a four-game winning streak and have looked like a different team than they did early this season. However, this week, they take on the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland has the best pass defense in the NFL, allowing only 143.7 passing yards per game. If you are starting Sutton, you will likely need a touchdown for him to be a viable play. Sutton has scored in eight of Denver’s ten games this year, but counting on a touchdown is a risky play, so I’ll be looking at my other options.

Puka Nacua, Rams – WR 6

Week 11 Stats | WR 12 | FPts: 18.7 | Tgts: 7 | Rec: 5 | Yds: 70 | TDs: 1 

My next ‘sit’ is Puka Nacua. After the return of Cooper Kupp, Nacua’s production has been quite inconsistent. Before last week, a game in which Kupp left early and did not return, Nacua has only eclipsed 7.3 fantasy points once since Week 5. This call is chiefly related to Kupp playing. If he misses the game, you should get Nacua back into your lineups. But, if Kupp suits up (as expected), you should strongly consider looking elsewhere. Nacua could still be a flex play, but WR6 is way too high of a ranking.

Marquise Brown, Cardinals – WR 25

Week 11 Stats | WR 80 | FPts: 3.2 | Tgts: 5 | Rec: 2 | Yds: 18 | TDs: 0

My final ‘sit’ is a player on the other sideline in the Rams/Cardinals game, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. He started the season strong with four weeks inside the top-22 WRs in his team’s first five games. But, Since Week 5, Brown has struggled. His best week was Week 8, when he finished at WR23. Outside of that game, his finishes have been WR49, WR47, WR52, WR71, and WR80.

There was some excitement that Brown might put up some better numbers with the return of Kyler Murray. But the opposite has been true. Marquise Brown’s worst two games have been the last two weeks with Kyler under center. This matchup with the Rams isn’t particularly worrisome, but Los Angeles is much worse against the run than the pass. So, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Arizona focus more heavily on the rushing attack. I’m staying away from Hollywood this week.

That’s it for Week 12. Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (@THEtristancook) if you have any specific questions about who I would start. 

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