Lemon
WR · PHI @ WAS
Kickoff Sun 8:20 PM ET
Projected points8.9ptsUsage estimate
Royals
WR · KC @ DEN
Kickoff Sun 4:25 PM ET
Projected points6.5ptsUsage estimate
Lean
Bench
Jalen Royals or Makai Lemon: Who Should I Start in Week 8?
Lean Makai Lemon over Jalen Royals.
- Ahead by
- +2.4pts
- over Royals
- Confidence
- Moderate
- Lean
- Started
- 45%
- of leagues
Flips if
Start Jalen Royals instead if you want an offense expected to score more (20.8 points to 17.0).
Risk
The risk: Royals faces a Broncos defense without linebacker Jonah Elliss.
Highlights
LemonLeanWR · PHI @ WASUsually 7.1+1.7pts this week
Helps him
- +2.2ptsroleHe’s expected to play more snaps this week than he has lately.
- WASvs WRsEdgeWAS is the 11th softest defense for receivers.
- +4.2last 3 vs avgHis last three games run 4.2 points above his season average.
Hurts him
- 17.0team totalEdgeHis team is expected to score only 17.0 points.
- 5.2floorA quiet week could drop to about 5.2 points.
RoyalsFirst outWR · KC @ DENUsually 2.5+4.0pts this week
Helps him
- +2.8ptsroleHe’s expected to play more snaps this week than he has lately.
- +1.9ptspaceMost players at his position produce more than he has, so we expect him to bounce back some.
Hurts him
- −0.5ptstrack recordHis projection also weighs his past seasons, which ran below this year’s pace.
Points are what each line adds to or takes off his usual week. EdgeFrom the game around him.
Stat comparison
Every player you picked, stat by stat, most important first.
Stat
Scoring
ProjectionLemon: 8.9 (best)Royals: 6.5
Projected team pointsLemon: 17.0Royals: 20.8 (best)
Red zone targetsper gameLemon: 0.1Royals: 0.3 (best)
Role
Snap shareLemon: 75% (best)Royals: 40%
Usage worthptsLemon: 7.8 (best)Royals: 3.1
Target shareLemon: 17% (best)Royals: 6%
Targets / gameLemon: 5.1 (best)Royals: 1.8
Air yards shareLemon: 11% (best)Royals: 6%
WOPRLemon: 0.34 (best)Royals: 0.14
RZ target shareLemon: 6%Royals: 8% (best)
Catch rateLemon: 69% (best)Royals: 45%
SeparationLemon: 2.7 ydsRoyals: Not tracked
YAC over expectedLemon: −0.4Royals: Not tracked
Usage worth vs scoredLemon: Earned by usage 7.8Scored 7.1Royals: Earned by usage 3.1Scored 2.5
Vacated targets this weekLemon: 0.0Royals: 3.8 (best)
Inside 10 target shareLemon: 11%Royals: 18% (best)
Range
FloorLemon: 5.2 (best)Royals: 3.0
CeilingLemon: 13.8 (best)Royals: 11.5
Points from TDssteadier when lowerLemon: 12%Royals: 40%
Big weeks (20+ pts)Lemon: 0%Royals: 0%
Dud weeks (under 7 pts)lower is betterLemon: 71% (best)Royals: 100%
SteadinessLemon: Up & down (best)±6.1 pts · 7 gamesRoyals: Volatile±1.8 pts · 4 games
Matchup
Matchup gradevs his positionLemon: B (best)2026, 6 gmRoyals: D2026, 7 gm
Game scriptLemon: Expected to trailRoyals: Expected to lead (best)
Opp takeaways / gamelower is betterLemon: 1.3 (best)Royals: 1.4
Defense funnelLemon: NeutralRoyals: Neutral
Opp pass yds allowedLemon: 28th (soft) (best)Royals: 17th (average)
Starting QBLemon: McKee (Active)Royals: Mahomes (Active)
Opp defender outLemon: Kinlaw (DT)Royals: Elliss (LB)
Roof / surfacegrassLemon: OpenRoyals: Open
Rest / scheduleLemon: NormalRoyals: Normal
Opp paceLemon: 12th (average) (best)Royals: 30th (slow)
Opp deep targets allowed / gameLemon: 3.8 (best)26th (soft)Royals: 3.319th (average)
Opp catch rate allowedLemon: 67% (best)28th (soft)Royals: 54%2nd (tough)
Form
Last 3 avgLemon: 11.3 (best)Royals: 1.5
Last 5 avgLemon: 9.1 (best)Royals: 3.0
vs seasonLemon: +4.2 (Rising) (best)Royals: −1.1 (Cooling)
Yards per route runLemon: 0.91 (best)Royals: 0.56
Receiving aDOTLemon: 5.1Royals: 5.8
Target share trendLemon: SteadyRoyals: Steady
Crowd
Started in leaguesLemon: 46%Royals: Not widely started
Nuvela position ranklower is betterLemon: WR42 (best)Royals: WR57
Deciding on someone else?
Choose 2 to 5 players for any week.