It is the championship week of fantasy football, and this is for all the marbles. Here are five receivers to consider starting in your fantasy leagues, if you’re lucky enough to still be playing.
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Jalen Hurd, Baylor
The Tennessee transfer who transitioned nicely from a running back to a wide receiver leads the Bears with 66 catches for 905 yards, but he’s only caught four TD passes this season. If Texas Tech starts to get a lead on Baylor then the Bears will have to throw the ball more and this Big 12 game has the makings of a high-scoring shootout. The Red Raiders are giving up more than 286 passing yards per game and have allowed 25 passing TDs. Hurd will be targeted a lot, and I like his chances of having a big weekend. Owned in only 55 percent of leagues, he could be a nice addition for the championship round.
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Gary Jennings, West Virginia
I’m recommending skill players from both West Virginia and Oklahoma this weekend because of one number: 82. That’s where the over/under line has started in this game and that’s phenomenal for fantasy owners who have those players in the lineup. David Sills would be an excellent option as well, but if Oklahoma tries to limit his catches Jennings could find himself open more often. The Sooners have been atrocious defensively in recent weeks, so the Mountaineers should come into the game mad as hell after blowing it against Oklahoma State last weekend and ready to score on a bad defense.
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Dillon Mitchell, Oregon
Mitchell is having a phenomenal season in Eugene, and nobody’s really talking about it. With 68 catches for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns, Mitchell leads the Ducks by far in every statistical category and those numbers should only grow against a weak Oregon State defense that has given up 32 passing touchdowns this season. Even though he’s scored the eighth-most fantasy points among receivers, he’s still owned in only 53 percent of leagues. He would be an absolute steal against a bad Beavers defense.
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Lee Morris, Oklahoma
It’s easy to recommend top receivers Marquise Brown and CeeDee Lamb for your fantasy championships, but they’re basically completely owned so they’re out. Morris is in. He has only 19 catches this season, but Morris is averaging more than 22 yards per grab and he has eight touchdowns - just as many as Brown and one fewer than Lamb. In a game that is expected to have 80 or so points, Morris is a viable option, especially since he’s strangely only owned in four percent of leagues.
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Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State
Another player that is definitely not receiving enough attention nationally is Wallace, who is owned in 82 percent of leagues, but it is definitely worth seeing if he’s available for the championship round this weekend. Wallace is now leading all fantasy receivers in points, and he could have another big weekend since the Cowboys’ offense has been humming. Two of the last three in this matchup have been high scoring for both sides and I think Oklahoma State could put points on the board against a good TCU defense.