By using 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.
Down below are the receivers with the best and worst Week 4 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
Advantageous matchups
Redskins' Terry McLaurin and Paul Richardson vs. Giants' Janoris Jenkins and DeAndre Baker
Jenkins has shadowed Amari Cooper, John Brown and Mike Evans so far this season and very well could travel with the speedy McLaurin in Week 4. That would be a positive development for the rookie, considering that Jenkins has been targeted on a massive 29% of his coverage snaps and is allowing 0.66 fantasy points per coverage snap this season. The Giants are getting absolutely torched by wide receivers, allowing the second-most fantasy points to the position, as well as the most to perimeter receivers and specifically left perimeter receivers. The latter is where McLaurin has aligned on 54% of his routes this season. Both he and Richardson (74% perimeter) will see plenty of Jenkins and the rookie Baker, so they should be updated significantly. Slot man Trey Quinn also has a good matchup against Grant Haley.
Falcons' Julio Jones vs. Titans' Malcolm Butler
Butler simply hasn't lived up to his contract since being signed by Tennessee last offseason. The former Patriot has struggled badly this season, allowing 0.57 fantasy points per coverage snap while being targeted on 23% of his coverage snaps. Butler has aligned at right corner on 88% of his snaps and Tennessee has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to that spot. That is especially notable this week, as Jones aligns at left wide receiver 63% of the time. DJ Chark, T.Y. Hilton and Odell Beckham Jr. each reached 14 fantasy points while playing a similar role to the one Jones will play this week. Tennessee has otherwise been good against wide receivers (sixth-fewest fantasy points allowed to the position overall), so Jones is conveniently in the best spot as Falcons receivers go. He figures to be worth the coin in DFS.
Bengals' Tyler Boyd vs. Steelers' Mike Hilton
The Steelers have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, and Hilton's struggles in the slot have been the primary culprit. Hilton has been targeted on 33% of his coverage snaps and is allowing 1.1 fantasy points per pass play, both of which are worst among all corners projected for a top-three role this weekend. Pittsburgh has allowed the most fantasy points to the slot in 2019 but the fourth-fewest to the perimeter. Boyd posted a 7-62-2 line on nine targets in one game against Pittsburgh during his breakout 2018 season. Boyd has been heavily targeted while aligning in the slot on 56% of his routes this season. He'll see a ton of Hilton this weekend and should be upgraded.
Packers' Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Eagles' Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones
As if the Eagles' cornerback woes aren't enough of a problem as is, the team will be without both starting perimeter corners, Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby, for the trip to Green Bay on Thursday. The Eagles have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. That includes the most to right perimeter receivers (Adams' primary spot) and the second most to perimeter receivers as a whole. Those perimeter receivers include Jones, Calvin Ridley, McLaurin and Marvin Jones Jr., each of whom reached 22 fantasy points against Philadelphia. Adams (68% perimeter) and Valdes-Scantling (87%) are next up and primed for big fantasy nights. Adams has scored three touchdowns on eight targets in two career games against the Eagles.
Seahawks' Tyler Lockett vs. Cardinals' Tramaine Brock
The Cardinals have held down the fort at cornerback better than expected sans Patrick Peterson and Robert Alford, but they've still struggled to slow opposing slot receivers. With Brock operating as the slot corner in nickel situations, Arizona has allowed the second-most fantasy points to players aligned inside. Enter Lockett, who ranks fifth in the league in receptions and has aligned in the slot on 73% of his routes. Lockett has handled 12-plus targets in back-to-back games and is a good bet to push for double digits again this week.
Other notable upgrades:
Panthers' DJ Moore vs. Texans' Lonnie Johnson Jr.
Cardinals' Damiere Byrd vs. Seahawks' Tre Flowers
Titans' Adam Humphries vs. Falcons' Damontae Kazee
Tough matchups
Bills' John Brown vs. Patriots' Stephon Gilmore (shadow)
The Patriots are the only team yet to allow a touchdown this season and, in turn, have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. They've also allowed the fewest to perimeter receivers and left perimeter receivers and the third fewest to players lined up in the slot. Brown lines up all over the formation, so this was already setting up as a bad matchup, but it's even worse with Gilmore's shadow coverage looming. Gilmore has shadowed JuJu Smith-Schuster (6-78-0) and Robby Anderson (3-11-0) already this season and helped contain Miami's DeVante Parker and Preston Williams (combined 4-63-0). Considering Brown has handled a generous 24% target share as Buffalo's clear No. 1 perimeter receiver, we should expect these two to be matched up throughout Sunday's game. Brown will obviously be a shaky fantasy option, and the same can be said for slot man Cole Beasley against red-hot Jonathan Jones.
Bears' Allen Robinson vs. Vikings' Xavier Rhodes (shadow)
Rhodes missed the Week 17 meeting between these teams last season but did shadow Robinson on 18 of his 25 routes in the Week 11 meeting. Robinson was held to a 3-39-0 line on seven targets in the game. Similarly, Rhodes shadowed Robinson back in 2016, and Robinson was held to 1-17-0 on three targets in that game. Minnesota's pass defense hasn't been as dominant as usual this season (sixth-most fantasy points allowed to perimeter receivers), but Robinson hasn't been particularly efficient either (0.32 fantasy points per route), with most of his fantasy production coming thanks to a hefty 26% target share. Rhodes is a good bet to travel with Robinson after shadowing Jones and Adams earlier this season. Considering his past success against Robinson, we should downgrade Mitchell Trubisky's top target.
Chiefs' Sammy Watkins vs. Lions' Darius Slay (shadow)
With Arizona aligning its top two receivers in the slot and the Eagles playing without their top two perimeter receivers, Slay has shadowed full time only once this season. That was against Keenan Allen, whom Slay limited to 98 yards on 15 targets (6.5 YPT). Watkins has aligned in the slot 68% of the time this season, which, in past years, might have meant avoiding Slay's coverage, but Detroit's standout corner has worked inside on 27% of his coverage snaps this season. Slay has been targeted on only 15% of his coverage snaps and continues to play at a high level. With Rashaan Melvin playing well on the other side and Justin Coleman holding down the slot, Detroit's cornerback play has been much better behind Slay, which is notable for the prospects of Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson.
Vikings' Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs vs. Bears' Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara
As good as Thielen was during the 2018 season, he wasn't quite as dominant against the Bears. Thielen posted a combined 10-104-0 receiving line on 16 targets in two games against Chicago. He's never cleared 68 yards in a game in nine tries against the Bears, and he hasn't scored a touchdown against them since 2014. Diggs, meanwhile, has had better luck against Chicago, scoring seven touchdowns in seven career games against Minnesota's NFC North rival. That includes a 21-173-2 receiving line on 28 targets in two games last season. Amukamara has allowed very little production this season. Rarely targeted and effective in coverage when he is, Amukamara has aligned at right corner on 97% of his coverage snaps, and Chicago has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to that spot. Fuller has been targeted nearly twice as often (22% of coverage snaps) and hasn't been quite as effective, but we don't want to overreact to a small sample from one of the league's better corners in 2018. It's been a slow start to 2019 for the Vikings' pass offense, and despite Diggs' past success against Chicago, a tough Week 4 matchup doesn't figure to help get it back on track.
Eagles' Nelson Agholor vs. Packers' Tramon Williams
Believe it or not, the Packers have allowed the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season. That includes the fewest allowed to slot receivers, which is where Agholor has aligned on 85% of his snaps this season. Williams has manned the slot for Green Bay and has been terrific. He's been targeted on an extremely low 10% of his coverage snaps and is allowing 0.14 fantasy points per pass play. Minnesota slot man Chad Beebe caught a 61-yard pass on his only target against Green Bay, but Bears and Broncos primary slot receivers Anthony Miller and DaeSean Hamilton, respectively, combined for one target and zero catches on 56 routes against the Packers. Facing a tough matchup and with Alshon Jeffery expected back, Agholor isn't as appealing in fantasy this week as he was in Week 3.
Other notable downgrades:
Dolphins' DeVante Parker vs. Chargers' Casey Hayward (shadow)
Broncos' Courtland Sutton and Emmanuel Sanders vs. Jaguars' Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye
Buccaneers' Mike Evans and Breshad Perriman vs. Rams' Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib
Other potential shadow matchups
Expect Cowboys' Amari Cooper to be shadowed by Saints' Marshon Lattimore this week. Though these two figure to go head-to-head on roughly 80% of Cooper's routes, we don't need to downgrade Dallas' top receiver. Lattimore has been heavily targeted (24% of his coverage snaps), and the Saints are allowing the second-most fantasy points to left perimeter receivers, which is where Lattimore has aligned 82% of the time. Lattimore shadowed Cooper in a Week 13 meeting last season and Cooper caught all nine of his targets for 81 yards on 30 routes in the game.
If Browns' Denzel Ward returns from a hamstring injury this week, it's possible he'll shadow Ravens rookie Marquise Brown. It's far from a lock, however, and Ward hasn't played well enough that we need to downgrade Brown here. Cooper Kupp, Brandin Cooks, A.J. Brown and Anderson have all cleared 80 yards against Cleveland this season.
Dolphins' Xavien Howard shadowed Josh Gordon and Cooper over the past two weeks but is unlikely to be on Chargers' Allen more than half the time in Week 4. Allen aligns in the slot on 49% of his routes, whereas Howard rarely travels inside (4% of his coverage snaps this season). Expect Howard to cover whoever among Allen and Mike Williams is aligned outside. Neither needs to be downgraded, considering Miami's woes elsewhere at corner.