By utilizing our play-by-play data, we're now able to identify where each wide receiver and cornerback lines up on each play. By tracking matchups between the two positions, including potential shadow situations, we can offer the best projections, rankings and fantasy advice each week this NFL season.
Below are the receivers with the best and worst Week 6 matchups, as well as the corresponding fantasy impact.
To view the primary defenders the top three wide receivers for each team will see this weekend, be sure to check out our weekly WR vs. CB cheat sheet.
Because of the size of the chart in the PDF, here is a key to help you get the most out of it each week:
Rt = Number of routes run by each player during the 2017 season
LWR/Slot/RWR = Percentage of the player's routes run from left wide receiver, the slot and right wide receiver, respectively
T/R = Percentage of a player's pass routes in which he's targeted
F/R = Fantasy points per pass route
Green suggests an advantage for the offensive player, while red indicates an advantage for the defender
An "S" indicates projected shadow coverage
Advantageous matchups
Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown and Jaron Brown vs. Buccaneers' Vernon Hargreaves III and Robert McClain
The Buccaneers are surrendering an NFL-high 48.3 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. Wideouts lined up across from Hargreaves have been targeted 40 times (sixth most) and have accrued 76 fantasy points (fourth). The Bucs have allowed the second-most fantasy points to players lined up in the slot, which bodes well for Fitzgerald (67 percent slot this season). He'll be on Bucs slot man McClain throughout this weekend's game. The Browns will see a fairly even share of Hargreaves and Brent Grimes. Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and Jaron Brown each scored a touchdown when these teams met in Week 2 last year.
Panthers' Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess vs. Eagles' Jalen Mills and Rasul Douglas
Only the aforementioned Buccaneers have allowed more fantasy points to wide receivers than the Eagles this season. Philly is allowing a league-high 35.0 fantasy points to receivers lined up on the perimeter, which is where Benjamin (82 percent) and Funchess (76 percent) generally align. Mills has become a poster boy for this article and was targeted eight more times in Week 5 to bring his league-high total to 59. Receivers lined up across from Mills have piled up 90 fantasy points, which is also tops in the NFL. With 57 fantasy points allowed, Douglas ranks 16th in the category. Expect Carolina's top two receivers to be targeted early and often on Thursday night.
Colts' T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief vs. Titans' Adoree' Jackson and LeShaun Sims
Only the Buccaneers and Eagles have surrendered more fantasy points to wide receivers than the Titans this season. Sensing a trend? The rookie Jackson has been picked on often and has surrendered 64 fantasy points in five games (seventh most). Sims has been a part-time player (79 routes faced) but has still managed to rank 40th in fantasy points allowed with 40. Hilton fleeced Tennessee for 230 yards and two touchdowns in two meetings last year, but a) Andrew Luck played and b) Tennessee has almost completely overhauled at cornerback this year. Still, the matchup is ripe for the picking with the Titans' struggling so badly against the position. Lock Hilton in and consider Moncrief for your flex.
Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Chiefs' Phillip Gaines
As well as Marcus Peters has played this season, the Chiefs have still managed to allow the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this year. Part of that is game script (teams have been pass-heavy in comeback mode against the Chiefs in all five games), but an even bigger part has been the struggles of the team's other corners. Gaines is the team's slot corner and wideouts lined up against him have put up 44 fantasy points on the year (32nd most). Smith-Schuster has emerged as the Steelers' slot man and has actually run more routes than Martavis Bryant over the past three weeks. He's an intriguing DFS tournament dart throw. Terrance Mitchell has also struggled (78 fantasy points allowed, third most), which will provide some relief from Peters for both Bryant and Antonio Brown on the perimeter. Brown caught 10 of 16 targets for 172 yards and two touchdowns in two meetings against the Chiefs last year.
Vikings' Adam Thielen vs. Packers' Quinten Rollins
Thielen and Stefon Diggs both annihilated the Packers' secondary last season, and considering that Green Bay's cornerback woes remain, both are intriguing plays in Week 6. Thielen caught 16 of 21 targets for 243 yards and two scores, and Diggs hauled in 13 of 16 targets for 211 yards and two touchdowns during the 2016 meetings. In terms of fantasy points allowed, the Packers have been better than average against perimeter receivers this year, but they have allowed the 10th-most points to players lined up in the slot. That's where Thielen has aligned on 65 percent of his routes this season, which is why he gets a larger boost than Diggs. Both obviously should be in lineups.
Redskins' Terrelle Pryor Sr. and Jamison Crowder vs. 49ers' Dontae Johnson, Rashard Robinson and K'Waun Williams
The 49ers' starting cornerback trio has struggled all season, and life won't be any easier for them against Washington. Johnson has allowed 69 fantasy points (fifth most), Williams has surrendered 50 (22nd) and Robinson sits at 44 (35th). Pryor will primarily see Johnson and Robinson in coverage, and Crowder should feast on Williams in the slot. Josh Doctson figures to see more work off the bye, though he's still a risky play.
Tough matchups
Buccaneers' Mike Evans vs. Cardinals' Patrick Peterson
This week's most intriguing showdown features one of the game's top, young wide receivers in Evans and arguably the league's best cover corner in Peterson. When these teams met in Week 2 last season, Peterson shadowed Evans on 30 of the 40 pass plays Peterson was on the field for. Evans was targeted a whopping 18 times in the game but was limited to four catches, 49 yards and one touchdown. Incredibly, half of those targets came on the 22 routes he ran when Peterson wasn't on him. Evans has lined up on the perimeter 80 percent of the time this year and you can expect Peterson to be on him for nearly all of those plays. Avoid Evans in DFS cash games. As usual, DeSean Jackson is the indirect beneficiary here. Expect him to feast on Justin Bethel throughout this contest. Despite Peterson's strong play, Arizona has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Players lined up across from Bethel have found the end zone four times, which is tied for most in the league.
Saints' Michael Thomas vs. Lions' Darius Slay
When these teams met in Week 13 last season, Slay shadowed Thomas on 35 of his 40 routes (including 35 of 36 on the perimeter). Thomas managed only four catches for 42 yards on five targets in the game, including two catches for 24 yards on three targets against Slay. Needless to say, expect the Lions to deploy a similar game plan this week. Considering Slay's success in last season's meeting, Thomas needs to be downgraded and should be avoided in DFS cash games. Ted Ginn Jr. will be a sneaky play against Nevin Lawson and D.J. Hayden on the other side.
Packers' Jordy Nelson vs. Vikings' Xavier Rhodes
This is a tricky one. Rhodes didn't shadow during the first meeting between these teams last season, but he ended up chasing Rhodes for roughly half of the second meeting. Nelson has, once again, been terrific this season, but so has Adams on the other side. Aaron Rodgers is no dummy. If Rhodes is following Nelson, Rodgers won't have any qualms about featuring Adams against struggling Trae Waynes. Receivers lined up across from Waynes have scored 56 fantasy points this season (18th most), and those across from Rhodes have totaled 34 (57th most). Though Rhodes would obviously present a challenge for Nelson should he shadow, it's worth noting that both Nelson (22 targets, 14 receptions, 227 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Adams (12-7-70-1) had little trouble filling the box score during the two 2016 meetings. This is a situation to monitor throughout the week.
Rams' Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods vs. Jaguars' A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey
Bouye and Ramsey have been lights out for a Jaguars defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. Watkins and Woods have both lined up on the perimeter 74 percent of the time this season, which is where they'll see the Jaguars' dynamic duo throughout this weekend's game. Watkins caught both of his targets for 74 yards on seven routes when lined up opposite Ramsey last year, but that's obviously a small sample and he was with Buffalo at the time. Both receivers should obviously be downgraded and are not recommended flex options. Though I honed in on the perimeter matchups here, note that the Jaguars have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to slot receivers. That suggests Cooper Kupp will also be in for a long day against Aaron Colvin.
Jaguars' Marqise Lee vs. Rams' Trumaine Johnson
Johnson hasn't shadowed often over the past three seasons, but he has during two of the team's past three games (Pierre Garcon in Week 3 and Dez Bryant in Week 4). What's notable about those two games is that the opposing offense had a clear No. 1 perimeter receiver, whereas Seattle's Doug Baldwin (whom Johnson didn't shadow last week) primarily lines up in the slot. Lee usually lines up outside (86 percent of the time this season) and is the Jaguars' clear top perimeter receiver ahead of rookie Keelan Cole. That said, expect Johnson to be on Lee often during this week's game. The Rams have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to wideouts this year. Lee should be downgraded and Cole can be viewed as a desperation flex against Kayvon Webster in 24-team leagues.
Chiefs' Tyreek Hill vs. Steelers' Joe Haden, Artie Burns and Mike Hilton
The Steelers have surrendered an NFL-low 18.6 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. Granted, their schedule has been light, but that mark is a whopping 13.6 points below league average for wide receiver units this season. Terrific across the board, they've allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to players lined up wide to the left, second fewest to those wide to the right and fourth fewest to the slot. That's key here considering Hill lines up all over the Chiefs' offensive formation. Albeit in a lesser role, Hill caught nine of 13 targets for 51 yards and one touchdown in two games against the Steelers last season. Hill should be downgraded a bit here, but his explosive play-making ability means he should be locked into lineups.
Dolphins' DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills vs. Falcons' Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford
The Falcons have allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to wideouts this year. That includes 17.0 points per game to players lined up on the perimeter, which is seventh best. That doesn't bode well for Parker (79 percent perimeter) and Stills (59 percent) this week. Both should be downgraded. Jarvis Landry, meanwhile, will face off with slot man Brian Poole. Poole is a solid player, but Atlanta has surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to players lined up in the slot. Landry is a fine Week 6 play, especially considering his massive 32 percent target share this year.
Patriots' Danny Amendola vs. Jets' Buster Skrine
The Jets are allowing an NFL-low 8.8 fantasy points per game to slot receivers this season. A big part of that success has been Skrine, who has aligned inside on 76 percent of the pass plays he's been on the field for this season. Though Skrine has been good this year, it's worth noting that Amendola has faced him on 66 routes in his career. The results were nine catches on nine targets for 94 yards and one touchdown. Amendola has lined up in the slot on 87 percent of his routes and has been heavily targeted when active this season. He's still in the flex discussion, but early-season indications suggest this may be one of his tougher challenges.
Raiders' Amari Cooper vs. Chargers' Casey Hayward
When these teams met in Week 15 last season, Hayward shadowed Cooper and Trevor Williams shadowed Michael Crabtree. Cooper was limited to one catch for 28 yards on three targets in the game. Crabtree posted an 8-6-60-1 line. For that reason, I'm projecting the same setup here in Week 6. The variable that could throw this off is the fact that Cooper has struggled mightily so far this season. It's possible the Chargers have noticed that and decide to put their shutdown corner (Hayward) on Crabtree. That's something to keep in mind as you make lineup decisions this week, though to his credit, Williams has held his own opposite Hayward so far this season.
Other notes
The Giants' Janoris Jenkins shadows quite a bit, but it's very possible -- if not likely -- that he simply plays his side this week against Denver. That would mean Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders would see a fairly even share of both Jenkins and struggling second-year man Eli Apple during the game.
If the Lions' Kenny Golladay is out this week, don't be surprised if Saints rookie Marshon Lattimore shadows Marvin Jones at least part of the game. Lattimore has been outstanding and would mean a big downgrade for Jones.
The Giants' Sterling Shepard is questionable for this week's game against Denver, but even if he plays, most of his routes will come in the slot against Chris Harris Jr. That's about as tough a matchup Shepard will see this season. He's best left on your bench, even with Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall out for the year.