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.
Down below are the receivers with the best and worst Week 8 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
Titans' Corey Davis, A.J. Brown and Adam Humphries vs. Buccaneers' Vernon Hargreaves III, Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting
The Buccaneers have allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the third most to both the perimeter and slot this season (most over the past month). They've been especially bad against left perimeter receivers (most fantasy points allowed), which is where Hargreaves has aligned 92% of the time. Brown (lined up on the left side 42% of his routes) benefits most in that matchup.
Humphries (revenge game!) has aligned in the slot on 84% of his routes and will see a lot of the rookie Murphy-Bunting. Davis will draw second-year player Davis (the best of the trio) most often but moves around enough that he'll work against all three struggling corners. Upgrade the Titans' wide receiver trio to borderline flex territory in 12-team leagues.
Lions' Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Giants' Janoris Jenkins and Deandre Baker
The Giants have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the seventh most to the perimeter this season. A closer look shows that they've seemingly been better of late (10th fewest to perimeter receivers over the past month), however, light competition is the primary reason. Over the past four weeks, New York has faced off with the Terry McLaurin-less Redskins, Vikings (Adam Thielen went for 7-130-2), Patriots (Julian Edelman went for 9-113-0) and Cardinals (only 14 WR targets in a low-volume game).
The rookie Baker has continued to struggle in coverage, and Jenkins has been heavily targeted and allowed significant fantasy-point production throughout the season. Golladay (84% perimeter) will see Baker most often, whereas Jones (68%), who is fresh off a four-touchdown game, will see Jenkins the most. Both should be upgraded.
Seahawks' Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf vs. Falcons' Desmond Trufant, Isaiah Oliver and Damontae Kazee
The Falcons have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. That includes the most to the perimeter over the past month and the fifth-most to the perimeter for the season. Atlanta has been especially bad against left perimeter receivers (most fantasy points allowed over the past month and second most on the season), which is where Metcalf aligns 57% of the time and will see plenty of Oliver (88%). Metcalf (85% perimeter) will also see either Trufant or, if he remains out, rookie Kendall Sheffield when aligned wide to the right (Jaron Brown will see similar coverage). Lockett, meanwhile, draws Kazee in the slot. Atlanta has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to the slot this season.
Texans' Kenny Stills vs. Raiders' Trayvon Mullen
Oakland has allowed the second-most fantasy points to right perimeter receivers, including the most over the past month, which may explain why they traded primary LCB Gareon Conley to Houston earlier this week. Replacing Conley will be either the rookie Mullen or perhaps veteran Nevin Lawson. Either way, this could potentially develop as a funnel for fantasy production with Daryl Worley playing solid ball on the other side of the field.
This could also set up as a good matchup for DeAndre Hopkins (Oakland has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points overall to wide receivers), but I think there's a chance Worley shadows him, leaving Stills to do most of his damage against Mullen and/or Lawson. Stills is positioned to play a major role opposite Hopkins with Will Fuller V out with an injury. Upgrade him to WR3 territory.
Slot man Keke Coutee is a PPR sleeper against slumping Lamarcus Joyner. Oakland has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to the slot, including the second-most over the past four weeks.
Bills' John Brown and Duke Williams vs. Eagles' Jalen Mills and Rasul Douglas
Another week, same story. After getting trounced by Amari Cooper in Week 7, the Eagles have now allowed seven wide receivers to reach 100 receiving yards against them this season. They've allowed 11 touchdowns to wideouts (third most) and 1,383 receiving yards (second most). Philadelphia has, in turn, allowed the most fantasy points to the position, as well as the most to perimeter receivers. Mills was solid in his season debut on Sunday but was nonetheless heavily targeted (25% of coverage snaps) and allowed 0.43 fantasy points per coverage snap (well above the 0.33 league average).
Williams and especially Brown (79% perimeter) will get the most outside run for Buffalo in this one. That means coverage from Mills, Douglas and perhaps a healed Ronald Darby. Both should be upgraded, with Brown a must-start and Williams more of a sleeper. Cole Beasley will see struggling Avonte Maddox or perhaps Sidney Jones, though with opponents attacking the perimeter so often, the Eagles have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the slot.
Other notable upgrades:
Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk vs. Saints' Patrick Robinson and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
Rams' Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp vs. Bengals' B.W. Webb, Tony McRae and Darqueze Dennard
Jaguars' DJ Chark Jr. and Chris Conley vs. Jets' Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts
Tough matchups
Browns' Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Patriots' Stephon Gilmore (shadow) and Jarvis Landry vs. Jonathan Jones
The Patriots' 2019 defense is one of the best in league history through seven weeks, and the unit's elite play has certainly drained the production of opposing wide receivers. New England has allowed the fewest fantasy points to the position, as well as the fewest to perimeter receivers. The Patriots have also allowed the third-fewest points to left perimeter receivers, the fourth-fewest to right perimeter receivers and the fifth-fewest to the slot. That's the long way of saying they've dominated across the board.
This week, that's bad news for all Browns wide receivers, especially Beckham. Top CB Gilmore has shadowed JuJu Smith-Schuster, Robby Anderson (twice), John Brown and Terry McLaurin already this season. Beckham does escape to the slot 23% of the time, but Gilmore (15% slot) has traveled inside plenty when shadowing. These two figure to be matched up often on Sunday. Needless to say, downgrade all Cleveland receivers.
Panthers' DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel vs. 49ers' Richard Sherman and Emmanuel Moseley
The 49ers continued their domination of wide receivers in Week 7 and have now allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers on the season. That includes the third-fewest to the perimeter (fewest over the past month), fewest to the slot and second fewest to left perimeter receivers. This week, that means trouble for Moore (89% perimeter) and Samuel (70%).
Moore will see Moseley (or Ahkello Witherspoon if he returns) most often, with Samuel primarily up against Sherman. Sherman has been heavily targeted (23% of his coverage snaps) but is better than average in fantasy-points-per-coverage snaps (0.24). Both Moore and Samuel will need to be downgraded against the defense allowing the fewest receptions and receiving yards to wideouts this season.
Bears' Allen Robinson vs. Chargers' Casey Hayward Jr. (shadow)
Los Angeles has allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, including the 10th-fewest to the perimeter this season. That's not quite as dominant as this pass defense has been in recent years, but that might not matter much here for Robinson with Hayward's shadow coverage looming.
Hayward has been targeted quite a bit this season (21% of his coverage snaps), but that can primarily be attributed to tough weekly assignments. Hayward shadowed T.Y. Hilton, Marvin Jones, Hopkins, Courtland Sutton, Smith-Schuster and Corey Davis on nearly every perimeter route run by the six receivers against the Chargers this season. Robinson is playing at a high level and enjoying a hefty 27% target share, so while he needs to be downgraded in this matchup, he's still a viable fantasy starter.
Colts' T.Y. Hilton vs. Broncos' Chris Harris Jr. (shadow)
The Broncos have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, including the sixth-fewest to the perimeter and seventh-fewest to the slot this season. Harris has been a big reason for the success and part of that has included shadow coverage. Harris has traveled with Allen Robinson, Davante Adams, Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill at least part-time during the first half of the season. Harris has surprisingly spent little time in the slot this season (7% of his coverage snaps), but that won't matter much this week, as Hilton has aligned on the perimeter on 70% of his routes. Expect Harris to cover Hilton on those outside routes, with Duke Dawson handling Hilton on most of his slot routes. This is a tough spot for Hilton, who is worth passing on in DFS this week.
Jets' Robby Anderson vs. Jaguars' A.J. Bouye (shadow)
The Jaguars have been midpack against wide receivers this season, but with Jalen Ramsey gone to Los Angeles, Bouye has taken over as the team's primary shadow corner. That meant traveling with Michael Thomas in Week 6 and shadowing Tyler Boyd on all 16 of his perimeter routes in Week 7.
This week, expect Bouye to travel with Anderson. Anderson has aligned on the perimeter 81% of the time and Bouye rarely travels to the slot (6%), so these two will be aligned against each other during the majority of the game. Bouye has had better seasons, but he still ranks among the league's better corners. This is a slight downgrade spot for Anderson.
Other notable downgrades:
Dolphins' Preston Williams and DeVante Parker vs. Steelers' Joe Haden and Steven Nelson
Eagles' Nelson Agholor vs. Bills' Taron Johnson
Other potential shadow matchups
The way Packers cornerbacks have been deployed this season, we should expect Jaire Alexander to shadow Tyreek Hill on his perimeter routes (Hill aligns outside 50% of the time) and Kevin King to shadow Demarcus Robinson (79% perimeter) on the other side. That would lead to a matchup between Sammy Watkins (if he returns) or Mecole Hardman vs. Tramon Williams in the slot. Robinson has the best matchup against the oft-targeted and struggling King. Alexander is a good corner, but Hill moves around enough that he doesn't need to be downgraded for the matchup.
The Cardinals' Patrick Peterson did not shadow in his 2019 debut in Week 7, but it's possible he does with the Saints' Michael Thomas on tap. Rookie Byron Murphy has been competent thus far, so it's possible the Cardinals' corners play sides. Of course, Thomas is so good and so heavily targeted that we shouldn't overreact to the shadow possibility, but it's worth considering when making DFS decisions.
The Giants' Sterling Shepard and Lions' Darius Slay are both uncertain for Week 8 because of injuries. If both play, Slay figures to shadow Shepard, who will be working on the perimeter most of the time now that Golden Tate is back and locked into the slot. In this scenario, Shepard would be a shaky start in his first game back against one of the game's best corners. Tate will also have his hands full against Justin Coleman this week and should be downgraded.