Tyler Lockett

4th most fantasy-friendly player in terms of projected PPR per target after assigning different weights to red zone and deep ball targets (min. 50 total targets) @IHartitz

Can we conduct a search party for Tyler Lockett? He has been bad over the past month and this matchup doesn't look much better. The Seahawks are likely to run the ball early and often against this bad run defense for Carolina, so the opportunity may not be there for a bounce-back week for Lockett. I value him as a low end WR2 this week, though it only takes one play for him to wake up and suddenly be a top player again. I just don't think Seattle needs to do it in this game, and they could limit him if they get up, if he is dealing with some injuries.

Lockett has not shown much over the last month, but he has a great matchup on the road against the Panthers 25th ranked fantasy wide receiver defense.

It's now been four straight games where Lockett has been outside the top-50 fantasy receivers. That comes after nine straight games as the WR46 or better. Clearly, the leg injury he sustained in that 49ers game affected him. He's playing a full complement of snaps, so we have to think he'll bounce back at some point. The Panthers are probably the best team to do it against, as they have James Bradberry and Donte Jackson on the perimeter with Ross Cockrell in the slot. While Cockrell is a solid NFL cornerback when healthy, he's not a slot cornerback. He's allowed 16-of-23 passing for 133 yards and a touchdown in his slot coverage, but just 12-of-32 passing for 212 yards and no touchdowns on the perimeter. We've seen Chris Godwin (twice), Dede Westbrook, Larry Fitzgerald, and Adam Humphries all finish as top-36 options against them. I'm trusting Lockett as a middling WR2 this week and expecting him to bounce back in a big way.