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 5 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
Buccaneers' Mike Evans vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore (shadow) and Chris Godwin vs. P.J. Williams
Lattimore was effective while shadowing Amari Cooper in Week 4, but he has struggled overall this season and in recent matchups with Evans. Lattimore had some luck against Evans in two 2017 matchups, with Evans totaling a 6-68-0 line on 19 targets (4-47-0 on 11 targets vs. Lattimore). However, last season was a much different story. Lattimore shadowed Evans in both games, with the Bucs' top perimeter receiver totaling an 11-233-1 receiving line on 13 targets. Evans lined up against Lattimore on 51 of his 63 routes and produced an 8-188-1 line on eight targets on those plays. Even after holding Cooper to a 5-48-0 line on eight targets last week, Lattimore has been targeted on 24% of his coverage snaps and is allowing 0.46 fantasy points per coverage snap on the season (both are much worse than league average). Lattimore has aligned at right perimeter corner on 72% of his coverage snaps this season and the Saints are allowing the most fantasy points to that spot.
Godwin, by the way, will face off with Williams in the slot. Williams also has been heavily targeted and New Orleans has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the slot (and the sixth-most to wide receivers overall). Evans and especially Godwin should be upgraded this week.
Falcons' Julio Jones vs. Texans' Lonnie Johnson Jr.
Jones is coming off a bit of a down game against Tennessee despite a good matchup against struggling Malcolm Butler, but the star receiver is a good bet to get back on track against the rookie Johnson this week. Johnson primarily aligns at right perimeter corner and Houston is allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to that spot. Jones will be across from Johnson on 61% of his routes (using 2018 deployment as a guide), so he'll also see some of Johnathan Joseph, who has been heavily targeted this season (23% of his coverage snaps to be exact). The Texans are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers, with No. 1 receivers Keenan Allen, Michael Thomas and DJ Chark each reaching 19 fantasy points against Houston.
Vikings' Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs vs. Giants' Janoris Jenkins and DeAndre Baker
Despite a good performance against the disaster that was the Case Keenum/Dwayne Haskins-led Redskins offense in Week 4, the Giants are still allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. That includes the second most to perimeter receivers. Enter Thielen (72% perimeter) and Diggs (82%), who could use a big week after ranking 38th and 56th, respectively, among wide receivers in fantasy points during Weeks 1-4. The duo will be covered primarily by Jenkins (who has been targeted on a massive 28% of his coverage snaps this season) and the struggling rookie Baker. Thielen and Diggs are no more than WR3/flex options at this point, but the good matchup boosts them a bit higher for at least one week.
Jets' Robby Anderson vs. Eagles' Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones
Anderson has struggled to a 10-115-0 receiving line on 18 targets through three games, but the Eagles' secondary may be what he needs to get back on track. Skip ahead if you've read this many times before, but the Eagles have allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the most to perimeter receivers this season (Anderson aligns on the perimeter 83% of the time). Davante Adams, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Terry McLaurin and Marvin Jones have all reached 22 fantasy points against Philadelphia this season. As if that's not bad enough, top-three corners Ronald Darby, Jalen Mills and Avonte Maddox are all sidelined. Anderson will be a risky play if Darnold isn't back, but it's possible he'll make some noise even if Luke Falk is under center. Upgrade Anderson and, to a lesser extent, Jamison Crowder, who could see a lot of Malcolm Jenkins with Maddox sidelined.
Eagles' Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson vs. Jets' Darryl Roberts and Nate Hairston
The Jets are fresh off their Week 4 bye, but let this serve as a reminder that they have allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers on a per-game basis this season, including the sixth-most to perimeter receivers. In fact, all three No. 1 wide receivers the Jets have faced have reached 19 fantasy points. That list includes Odell Beckham Jr., John Brown and Julian Edelman (Phillip Dorsett also reached 19). Jeffery and Jackson (assuming he returns from injury) do most of their damage on the perimeter, which means a lot of run against Roberts (who has been targeted on 30% of his coverage snaps) and Trumaine Johnson-replacement Hairston. Jackson has run 49% of his routes from the slot this season, so he'll also see some of Brian Poole (the Jets have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to the slot).
Other notable upgrades:
Bengals' Tyler Boyd vs. Cardinals' Tramaine Brock
Ravens' Willie Snead vs. Steelers' Mike Hilton
Patriots' Julian Edelman vs. Redskins' Fabian Moreau
Tough matchups
Broncos' Courtland Sutton vs. Chargers' Casey Hayward (shadow)
The answer to who Hayward will shadow this week (Sutton or Emmanuel Sanders) can likely be found in the 2018 matchups between these teams. Hayward shadowed Sutton during both affairs (Sanders was active for one of them). Sutton aligned across from Hayward on 67 of 79 routes during the two games and posted receiving lines of 3-78-0 and 1-25-0. Hayward has been terrific, as usual, this season, holding DeAndre Hopkins to a 6-67-0 receiving line and Marvin Jones to a 5-43-0 line in the two games he shadowed the entire game. There's a no-zero chance Hayward travels with Sanders (who is aligning on the perimeter more this season than he did in 2018), but the evidence suggests it will be Sutton, who appears to have emerged as Denver's No. 1 wideout this season. That said, we should downgrade him and avoid in DFS. In that scenario, Sanders would be a good play against Michael Davis on the other side of the field.
Cowboys' Amari Cooper vs. Packers' Jaire Alexander (shadow) and Randall Cobb vs. Tramon Williams
The Packers continue to shut down opposing wide receivers and have, in turn, allowed a league-low 84 fantasy points to the position this season. No wide receiver has cleared 17 fantasy points against them (Allen Robinson reached 17) and only two have found the end zone (Alshon Jeffery, Stefon Diggs). Bear with me here as I connect some dots: Alexander, who stands 5-foot-11, shadowed 5-foot-11 Emmanuel Sanders two weeks ago, leaving 6-foot-3 Kevin King to travel with 6-foot-3 Courtland Sutton. Last week, King shadowed 6-foot-3 Alshon Jeffery and Alexander followed 6-foot Nelson Agholor on his perimeter routes. Cooper stands 6-foot-1 and is clearly Dallas' No. 1 receiver, so recent history suggests Alexander will travel with him this week. Alexander is in the early stages of a breakout second season, having allowed only 0.19 fantasy points per coverage snap this season.
Slot CB Williams has been even better, as he has been targeted on 9% of his coverage snaps (lowest among qualified corners) and is allowing 0.11 fantasy points per pass play. Green Bay has allowed the fewest fantasy points to the slot, which is bad news for Cobb (91% slot). Despite Cobb's "Revenge Game" narrative, both he and Cooper need to be downgraded.
Redskins' Terry McLaurin vs. Patriots' Stephon Gilmore (shadow)
New England has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wideouts this season, including the third-fewest to perimeter receivers and the fewest to players lined up wide to the left (which is where McLaurin has aligned on 54% of his routes). The Patriots have yet to allow a touchdown to an opposing wide receiver and slot receivers Cole Beasley and JuJu Smith-Schuster are the only wideouts that have cleared 12 fantasy points in a game against them. Enter "F1" McLaurin, who has been outstanding as a rookie, but who has missed Week 4 with a hamstring injury. McLaurin, assuming he plays, will likely draw Gilmore shadow coverage. New England's top corner has already traveled with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Robby Anderson and John Brown this season. Especially with a quarterback change likely on tap, McLaurin will need to be downgraded this week against the Patriots' shutdown defense.
Other notable downgrades: If Jalen Ramsey returns this week, DJ Moore (88% perimeter) and Curtis Samuel (73%) will run most of their routes against Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Jacksonville's cornerback duo hasn't been quite as dominant as in past years, but they remain two of the league's best, so this is something to keep under consideration when setting your lineup.
Other potential shadow matchups
The Ravens used Marlon Humphrey to shadow Sammy Watkins on his perimeter routes in Week 3, but on only five of 24 slot routes. Last week, Humphrey shadowed Odell Beckham Jr. nearly full time, including seven of nine slot routes. This week, Baltimore plays Pittsburgh and JuJu Smith-Schuster (63% slot) is used more like Watkins than Beckham. It's possible Humphrey follows him full time, but the better bet is Brandon Carr handling Smith-Schuster in the slot and Humphrey covering him the 30-35% of the time he's outside. Smith-Schuster doesn't need to be downgraded against the defense allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to the slot.
Broncos' Chris Harris Jr. has been effective as usual this season, but the star corner has rarely aligned in the slot. That's notable with Chargers' Keenan Allen (53% slot) on tap this week. It's possible Harris shadows Allen (especially if some combination of Kareem Jackson, Bryce Callahan and Mike Williams remain out), but it's far from a lock. Regardless of coverage, Allen's massive target share makes him a strong fantasy play.