Fantasy Football: Start or Sit DeSean Jackson in Week Six?

If you drafted DeSean Jackson in your fantasy football draft, you knew exactly what you were getting yourself into. Jackson is one of the best deep threats of the last decade, but his inconsistent hands and spotty usage make him an iffy draft day proposition. He usually ends up as a top-thirty wide receiver, but he makes you want to drop him just about as often as he make you want to kiss him. Now he’s paired with Jameis and his propensity for the deep ball. Will this be a murder week or a smoocher week as D-Jax takes on the Cardinals?

He’s been vintage D-Jax this season, going for 39 yards, 84 yards (and a score), 20 yards and 106 yards after the Bucs missed week one. Jackson is on pace for 116 targets, the most he’s had since 2013, and the third-most targets of his career. He’s getting plenty of opportunities, but he has the lowest catch rate of his career (48.3%). That will undoubtedly increase as no wide receiver of his talent can keep a catch rate that low for long.

This week’s matchup against the Cardinals makes for a good opportunity for production. The Cardinals allow the sixth-most fantasy football points to wide receivers this season. You would think it odd that would occur, given that Patrick Peterson could be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. The magic in attacking the Cards defense is attacking the secondary wide receivers. While the Cards allow the sixth-most points, it’s mostly to secondary receivers. It was Kenny Golladay week one, Brice Butler in week three and Nelson Agholor/Torrey Smith last week. That makes it DeSean Jackson’s turn in week six.

DeSean Jackson is pretty much the same player he’s always been. His catch rate is a bit low, and that should go up (though Jameis’ scattershot accuracy might limit that). Still, he gets a great matchup this week as the formula to defeat the Cardinals is attacking wherever Patrick Peterson isn’t. He’s a perfect WR3 or flex option for you this week. Fire him up, this will be one of the good weeks.