In many ways, Calvin Ridley and the 2024 Titans are a perfect match. Both player and team are highly unpredictable, leaving fans scratching their heads for better and for worse. Ridley has enjoyed big weeks as the fantasy WR6, and he’s had horrid weeks as the WR102. Despite holding halftime leads in three games this year, Tennessee has a paltry 1-3 record. So far, these two have been made for each other.
Entering Week 6, Ridley needs a bounce-back desperately. In his past two games, the wide receiver has a combined two catches for 15 yards. The poor play of quarterback Will Levis hasn’t helped. On the season, the second-year passer has thrown for just 6.2 yards per attempt (29th in the NFL) and six interceptions. Dig deeper, and the numbers only get worse:
The young gunslinger suffered a shoulder injury against the Dolphins two weeks ago, so his status for Sunday’s game against the Colts remains uncertain. Still, a good fantasy performance isn’t guaranteed with backup QB Mason Rudolph behind center. Against the Jets in Week 2, Ridley and Levis connected on four receptions and a touchdown.
So, is Ridley someone you can trust this week? No, but you might have to start him anyways. The Colts are currently allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, and Tennessee is bereft of pass-catching talent. Ridley’s top competition for catches is the aging DeAndre Hopkins and solid veteran Tyler Boyd. Ridley’s target share of 16.5% isn’t particularly impressive, but any WR1 going up against a bad pass defense warrants immediate fantasy consideration.
While inconsistent, we’ve seen Calvin Ridley put up monster stat lines before. Just last year with the Jaguars, he finished the season as the WR18. At this point, fantasy managers are just hoping for a modest return to form. If a get-right game is ever going to happen, a divisional matchup against a weak secondary would be it. In 12-team or deeper leagues, Ridley is a high-risk, high-reward flex play that deserves one more week in your lineup.
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