By utilizing our play-by-play data, we're now able to identify where each NFL 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.
What follows are the receivers with the best and worst Week 1 matchups, as well as the corresponding fantasy impact.
To view the primary defenders the top three wide receivers for each team will see in Week 1, be sure to check out my weekly WR vs. CB cheat sheet.
Advantageous matchups
Lions' Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Cardinals' Tramaine Brock and Chris Jones
Both Patrick Peterson (suspension) and Robert Alford (injured reserve) are out, leaving Arizona to roll with reserves Brock and Jones on the outside and rookie Byron Murphy in the slot. That's ...
Jaguars' Chris Conley and DJ Chark vs. Chiefs' Bashaud Breeland and Charvarius Ward
Conley and Chark make for intriguing deep sleepers as Jacksonville's top two perimeter receivers this season, and both have an opportunity to get off to a fast start against Kansas City's shaky perimeter cornerback situation. Breeland, who has struggled to hold down a job in recent seasons, is filling in for suspended Morris Claiborne. Ward went undrafted in 2018 before being heavily targeted in limited action in 2018. The Chiefs allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to perimeter receivers last season. Keep Conley and Chark in mind in DFS tournaments this week.
Patriots' Julian Edelman vs. Steelers' Mike Hilton
When these teams met in Week 15 last season, Joe Haden shadowed Edelman on nine of his 11 perimeter routes but was on him for only two of 24 slot routes. It's possible Pittsburgh does something similar this weekend, but either way, Edelman will do most of his damage in the slot, which means primary coverage against Hilton. Hilton is a solid player, but teams aren't afraid to throw at him and, in fact, Pittsburgh allowed the second-most fantasy points to the slot last season. Edelman had little trouble in that 2018 game, catching seven of 11 targets for 90 yards. It's also possible that Haden will shadow Josh Gordon, but he did not in last season's meeting, so there's little reason for concern about Gordon's value.
Seahawks' Tyler Lockett vs. Bengals' B.W. Webb
Lockett lined up in the slot 52% of the time last season, and it's possible that number will be higher in 2019 following Doug Baldwin's retirement. Even if that number doesn't change much, Lockett will still see plenty of Webb in the slot Sunday. Webb is replacing Cincinnati's normal slot corner, Darqueze Dennard, who is on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury. The Bengals allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to players lined up in the slot last season. Expect Lockett to be targeted early and often in his debut as Seattle's clear No. 1 wide receiver.
Redskins' Paul Richardson and Terry McLaurin vs. Eagles' Ronald Darby, Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones
If you read this piece (or watched the Eagles) last season, you know opposing offenses picked on their perimeter corners over and over and over again. That's likely to be the case again this season, especially with Darby returning from a torn ACL (he didn't play in the preseason) and with fellow starter Jalen Mills on the PUP list. Instead, the Eagles will look to slow Richardson and rookie McLaurin with a likely limited Darby, as well as Douglas and Jones on the perimeter (that would leave Avonte Maddox to face off with Trey Quinn in the slot). The Eagles allowed the second-most fantasy points to perimeter receivers last season, including the most over the final two months of the season. They allowed the most points to left perimeter receivers and the second-most to right perimeter receivers, but the third-fewest to the slot. We don't want to overvalue 2018 data, but the Eagles will be using similar personnel in the same scheme, so downgrading Quinn here makes some sense. Meanwhile, Richardson and McLaurin are sneaky plays, particularly in DFS tournaments.
Other notables:
Upgrade Bills slot WR Cole Beasley vs. Jets slot CB Brian Poole
Upgrade Packers slot WR Geronimo Allison vs. Bears slot CB Buster Skrine
Tough matchups
Chiefs' Tyreek Hill vs. Jaguars' Jalen Ramsey (shadow)
The showdown of the weekend will feature one of the game's best playmaking wide receivers in Hill against arguably the league's best cornerback in Ramsey. Though the Jaguars were quick to admit Ramsey would shadow Hill, it's worth noting that he aligned in the slot only 9% of the time last season. Hill, meanwhile, aligned inside on 45% of his routes. This suggests Hill will be free of Ramsey's coverage at least occasionally, though Jacksonville has another great corner in A.J. Bouye on the other side and allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the slot last season. Hill's explosiveness means we should never downgrade him more than slightly, but perhaps we want to spend elsewhere in DFS cash games this week.
Even with Ramsey on Hill, life won't be easy for Sammy Watkins, who will need to deal with A.J. Bouye the 60-70% of the time he's on the perimeter. He should be downgraded.
Texans' DeAndre Hopkins vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore (shadow)
Matchups like this one are always tricky, as Hopkins is a heavily targeted superstar and, while we know Lattimore is a standout young corner, he was thrown at often, and New Orleans allowed a ton of fantasy points to opposing wide receivers last season. In fact, the Saints allowed more fantasy points to perimeter receivers than any other team, including the third-most over the final two months of the 2018 regular season. Lattimore shadowed often last season, including matchups against Mike Evans, Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., Alshon Jeffery, Amari Cooper and Antonio Brown, so it's fair to expect these two to go head-to-head throughout Monday's game. Hopkins should be downgraded only slightly and Will Fuller, meanwhile, will be freed up against Eli Apple on the other side of the field and should be upgraded.
Falcons' Julio Jones vs. Vikings' Xavier Rhodes (shadow)
Rhodes shadowed the opposing No. 1 receiver in nearly every game last season and has shadowed Jones during both of the meetings between these two teams over the past four seasons. Jones was limited to seven receptions, 80 yards and no touchdowns on 13 targets in those two games. For his career, Jones has caught six of 13 targets for 77 yards and no scores on 67 routes when aligned across from Rhodes. The veteran corner has obviously done a nice job containing Jones, so it's fair to say Atlanta's top wideout should be downgraded playing at Minnesota here in Week 1. Jones should still be started in all fantasy leagues, of course, but is a name to consider avoiding in DFS.
Minnesota's Mike Zimmer-led defense allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to perimeter wide receivers and ranked no worse than fifth against left perimeter, right perimeter and slot receivers last season. That said, Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu also need to be downgraded.
Colts' T.Y. Hilton vs. Chargers' Casey Hayward (shadow)
Hayward has typically shadowed opposing No. 1 receivers since joining the Chargers, so we should expect him to follow Hilton around Sunday. Hayward was outstanding again last season, and receivers in his coverage were targeted only 13% of the time. Hayward almost never travels to the slot, so Hilton will occasionally dodge his coverage. Of course, that will just mean a matchup with one of the league's best slot corners in Desmond King. The Chargers allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to slot receivers last season, including over the final two months. With Indianapolis playing on the road and without Andrew Luck for the first time since 2017, Hilton will need to be downgraded.
Cowboys' Amari Cooper vs. Giants' Janoris Jenkins (shadow)
Cooper (heel) is entering the 2019 season at less than full health, so shadow coverage against Jenkins just adds to his list of concerns. In their first-ever meeting, Jenkins shadowed Cooper on 37 of his 47 routes, including 37 of 38 on the perimeter, in Week 17 last season. Cooper struggled to five receptions for 31 yards and no touchdowns on 11 targets. He posted a 9-4-17 line when aligned against Jenkins. Cooper should be downgraded a bit, while Michael Gallup (vs. rookie Deandre Baker) and slot Randall Cobb (vs. Julian Love) should be upgraded.
Jets' Robby Anderson vs. Bills' Tre'Davious White (shadow)
The Bills return a trio of corners who were nothing short of dominant slowing opposing wide receivers in fantasy last season. Buffalo allowed the fewest points to opposing perimeter receivers for the season and over the final eight weeks, while ranking no worse than sixth against left perimeter, right perimeter and slot receivers. Assuming that will translate to 2019 at some extent, we'll need to downgrade all Jets receivers, but especially Anderson, who will draw shadow coverage from Buffalo's top corner. White shadowed Anderson twice over the past two seasons, with Anderson managing a 5-4-48-1 line on 21 routes (14 vs. White) in Week 9 of 2017 and a 7-4-76-1 line on 22 routes (20 vs. White) in Week 14 last season. Anderson has obviously had some moderate success, but this will still be a tough challenge against one of the game's best young corners. Downgrade Anderson and try to stay away in DFS.
Eagles' Alshon Jeffery vs. Redskins' Josh Norman (shadow)
After not shadowing even once for about a year and a half, Norman was converted back into a full-time shadow corner starting in Week 8 last season. The second half of the season could not have been much tougher, with showdowns against Beckham, Jones, Evans, Hopkins, Jeffery (twice) and Corey Davis. Norman was solid as usual and, in fact, Washington allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to perimeter receivers over the final four weeks of the season. Jeffery was held to a 5-3-31-0 line on 39 routes (34 vs. Norman) in last season's Week 13 meeting but rebounded with a 5-5-59-1 showing on 33 routes (30 vs. Norman) in the Week 17 affair. Jeffery has caught 14 of 23 targets for 194 yards and one touchdown on 120 career routes aligned across from Norman. He'll need to be downgraded a bit this weekend.
Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Donte Moncrief vs. Patriots' Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson and Jason McCourty.
The Patriots almost always shadow, and we should expect that to be the plan against Pittsburgh. Of course, figuring out how they'll shadow is another story. When these teams met in Week 15 last season, Gilmore shadowed Antonio Brown half the time, Jackson shadowed Smith-Schuster full-time and McCourty was primarily on Washington. Brown is gone and Smith-Schuster is expected to play outside more often, so logic suggests New England's top corner, Gilmore, will follow Smith-Schuster. That's the most likely outcome, though Jackson did have a lot of success against Smith-Schuster last season, holding him to four catches for 40 yards on 10 targets. Steelers wide receivers should be downgraded slightly across the board.
Other notables:
Lions star shadow CB Darius Slay didn't shadow against Arizona last season, with No. 1 WR Larry Fitzgerald primarily aligning in the slot. He's likely to stay put Sunday, too, with Arizona expected to use a lot of four-wide receiver sets. That would allow Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk to mostly avoid Slay.
Downgrade Raiders slot WR Hunter Renfrow vs. Broncos slot CB Chris Harris Jr.