By utilizing our play-by-play data, we're 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.
Below are the receivers with the best and worst Week 11 matchups, as well as the corresponding fantasy impacts.
To view the primary defenders the top three wide receivers for each team will see this weekend, be sure to check
Advantageous matchups
Panthers' DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel vs. Falcons' Desmond Trufant and Isaiah Oliver
Atlanta has surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the most to the perimeter the past eight weeks. The Falcons have been especially bad at right corner, which is where Oliver aligns 86% of the time. The second-year cornerback has surrendered 0.53 fantasy points per coverage snap, and Atlanta is allowing the third-most fantasy points to that spot (most since Week 3). Based on his usage so far this season, Moore, who has produced back-to-back 100-yard games, will be aligned across from Oliver on 58% of his routes this week and should be upgraded significantly. Samuel will see plenty of Trufant, Oliver and slot Kendall Sheffield and also gets a boost. Both should be in lineups.
Broncos' Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick vs. Vikings' Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes
I broke down the Vikings' recent struggles against wide receivers here one week ago, and boy, did they deliver the goods in Week 10. Amari Cooper (11-147-1), Randall Cobb (6-106-1) and Michael Gallup (4-76-1) all had big fantasy performances while combining for 32 targets. Minnesota has now allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the most to perimeter receivers and specifically to right perimeter receivers. Interestingly, Patrick benefits the most here, as he'll be the right outside receiver and will thus see a lot of Waynes (if he returns from injury) or Mike Hughes. Patrick will be playing in his first game since he suffered an injury in Week 1, so he isn't quite a deep-league flex play just yet. Sutton also gets a bump, with 55% of his routes set to come against struggling Rhodes and 27% more against Waynes/Hughes.
Saints' Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr. and Tre'Quan Smith vs. Buccaneers' Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting and M.J. Stewart
I've picked on the Buccaneers' pass defense ad nauseam this season (for several seasons), so I'll keep this as tight as possible. Tampa Bay has allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the third-most to the perimeter, second-most to the slot and most to left perimeter receivers, which is where Thomas aligns 45% of the time. Thomas posted an 11-182-2 receiving line on 13 targets in the Week 5 meeting between these teams. Ginn also scored a touchdown, and Smith wasn't targeted before leaving injured. Thomas gets a big boost here, especially when you consider that his fantasy point totals in seven career games against Tampa Bay are as follows: 20, 32, 28, 11, 23, 8, 28. Ginn and Smith should be considered Week 11 sleepers. Note that Tampa Bay released primary slot CB Vernon Hargreaves on Tuesday, and Stewart figures to step into that role.
Other notable upgrades:
Ravens' Marquise Brown vs. Texans' Johnathan Joseph
Redskins' Terry McLaurin and Paul Richardson vs. Jets' Darryl Roberts and Arthur Maulet
Bengals' Tyler Boyd and Auden Tate vs. Raiders' Nevin Lawson, Daryl Worley and Trayvon Mullen
Patriots' Phillip Dorsett vs. Eagles' Ronald Darby
Bills' Cole Beasley vs. Dolphins' Chris Lammons
Raiders' Hunter Renfrow vs. Bengals' Darqueze Dennard
Tough matchups
Bears' Allen Robinson vs. Rams' Jalen Ramsey (shadow)
In three games since Ramsey joined the Rams, three wide receivers have reached 90 yards, and three more reached 60 yards against Los Angeles. Ramsey had primary coverage against one of them (Julio Jones posted a 6-93-0 receiving line on nine targets) but gave up little against the Bengals and all but shut down JuJu Smith-Schuster last week (3-44-0 on six targets). Based on how he has been utilized, we should expect Ramsey to shadow former teammate Robinson this week. Robinson aligns in the slot 40% of the time, but we saw Ramsey travel inside often to shadow Smith-Schuster last week, so these two figure to face off nearly full-time this weekend. Robinson has had a very good season, despite Mitch Trubisky's struggles, but he needs to be downgraded significantly in what might be his toughest matchup this season.
Falcons' Julio Jones vs. James Bradberry (shadow)
Bradberry missed Week 10 because of an injury and is questionable for Week 11. If he plays, we should expect Carolina's top corner to shadow Jones, as he has in three of the past four meetings between these teams, including twice in 2018. Jones posted receiving lines of 5-64-0 on nine targets and 4-28-1 on five targets in those games, so Bradberry did a relatively nice job. Jones has reached double-digit fantasy points in 10 consecutive games against the Panthers and is averaging 17.2 fantasy points per game during the span. However, he has cleared 13 points only once in the past four meetings, so his upside isn't quite as high as it was prior to Bradberry's emergence. Jones should be downgraded slightly if Bradberry plays but upgraded if he does not.
Note that Calvin Ridley saw five targets in both games against Carolina last season and posted 4-64-1 and 3-90-1 receiving lines. He can be upgraded slightly against Donte Jackson and a Panthers' defense allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
Cowboys' Amari Cooper vs. Lions' Darius Slay (shadow)
Slay has missed two games due to injury this season, but he has been busy (and effective) when active, shadowing Damiere Byrd, Keenan Allen, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Stefon Diggs, Zay Jones and Allen Robinson. We should expect him to travel with Cooper in Week 11. Cooper has aligned against Slay on only 20 routes in his career and totaled zero catches on three targets on those plays in a Week 11 game back in 2015. Slay is one of the best in the business and has been targeted on only 14% of his coverage snaps this season, so we'll need to bump Cooper down a few pegs in this one.
With Slay likely on Cooper, Rashaan Melvin will work against Michael Gallup, and Justin Coleman will handle Randall Cobb in the slot. Melvin has been serviceable, but Gallup can be upgraded slightly, considering that Detroit is allowing the 12th-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Cobb, meanwhile, gets the biggest boost against a Detroit defense allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to the slot this season (fifth-most in the past month).
Buccaneers' Mike Evans vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore (shadow)
These teams met back in Week 5, and it's safe to say that Lattimore had Evans' number in that one. Shadowed by Lattimore on 24 of his 30 routes, Evans was held without a catch on three targets. Lattimore went down with an injury in Week 10 and is questionable for this week's game, but if he plays, he's a strong bet to travel with Evans. Evans has produced three top-10 fantasy weeks since that Week 5 dud, and he had a lot of success against Lattimore in 2018, so although we shouldn't ignore the latest matchup, fantasy's No. 2 scoring wideout needs to be downgraded only slightly. If Lattimore is out, the Saints could use Eli Apple in shadow coverage. Apple has been solid this season, but we won't need to downgrade Evans.
Chris Godwin, meanwhile, took advantage of Evans' Week 5 struggles by posting a 7-125-2 line on nine targets while working primarily from the slot. Godwin should be upgraded again this week against P.J. Williams or, if Lattimore is out, rookie C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The Saints have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to the slot this season, which is where Godwin aligns 62% of the time. Godwin is a strong candidate for his first big game since Week 6.
Eagles' Alshon Jeffery vs. Patriots' Stephon Gilmore (shadow)
The Patriots have allowed the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, including the fewest to perimeter receivers this season. They've also allowed the fewest to left perimeter receivers, which is where Jeffery aligns 50% of the time. If that's not damning enough, Jeffery is a strong bet to draw shadow coverage from Gilmore, who has already traveled with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Robby Anderson (twice), John Brown, Terry McLaurin, Odell Beckham Jr. and Marquise Brown this season. Gilmore shadowed Jeffery on 28 of his 41 routes when these teams last met in the Super Bowl two seasons ago. Jeffery produced a 3-73-1 receiving line on eight targets in the game but caught none of his four targets when against Gilmore. Jeffery should be avoided if possible this week in Philadelphia's new-look, run-first offense.
The Patriots have also allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the slot, which doesn't bode well for Nelson Agholor. He shouldn't be in lineups.
Cardinals' Christian Kirk vs. 49ers' Richard Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon and Larry Fitzgerald vs. K'Waun Williams
The 49ers have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, including the fifth-fewest to the perimeter and fewest to the slot. The 49ers do not shadow, so Kirk, Arizona's right perimeter receiver, will work primarily against 49ers' LCB Sherman. The 49ers are allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points to that spot both this season and in the past month, which does not bode well for Kirk. Fitzgerald has aligned in the slot 91% of the time and will see Williams on most of his routes.
These teams met only two weeks ago, and besides an 88-yard touchdown catch by Andy Isabella, Cardinals' wide receivers combined for 10 catches for 83 yards and one score on 14 targets. Fitzgerald was held to 38 yards on four targets in that game and is a poor bet for much of a step forward this week. Kirk was held to a 2-8-0 receiving line on five targets and will be a risky start despite last week's 6-138-3 line on 10 targets against Tampa Bay.
Dolphins' DeVante Parker vs. Bills' Tre'Davious White (shadow)
After spending a large chunk of the 2018 season as a shadow corner, White stayed at home during Weeks 1-8 this season before reverting back to shadow duties in recent weeks. White traveled with Terry McLaurin in Week 9 and Odell Beckham Jr. in Week 10. The two receivers posted receiving lines of 4-39-0 and 5-57-0, respectively, in the two games. With that in mind, as well as the fact that Parker is clearly Miami's No. 1 receiver with Preston Williams out, we can count on White to travel with Parker this week. Although White has never shadowed him, Parker has run 59 routes with White across from him and has totaled an 8-120-0 receiving line on 18 targets on those plays. Buffalo is 26th in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, including 23rd to the perimeter the past eight weeks, which is where Parker aligns 73% of the time. Fantasy's No. 35 scoring receiver should be downgraded quite a bit.
Other notable downgrades:
Colts' Zach Pascal vs. Jaguars' A.J. Bouye (shadow)
Jaguars' Dede Westbrook vs. Colts' Kenny Moore
Lions' Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Cowboys' Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie
Texans' DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller and Kenny Stills vs. Ravens' Marcus Peters, Jimmy Smith and Marlon Humphrey
Chargers' Keenan Allen and Mike Williams vs. Chiefs' Charvarius Ward, Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller
Rams' Josh Reynolds vs. Bears' Prince Amukamara
Other potential shadow matchups
The Chargers' Casey Hayward is unlikely to shadow the Chiefs' Tyreek Hill this week. Hayward hasn't shadowed in his past three games, nor has he shadowed against the Chiefs on more than a handful of snaps the past two seasons. The Chargers are among the best defenses in the league across the board against wide receivers, so though this group (looking at you, Sammy Watkins) should be downgraded a bit, Hill is, of course, safe to use in all formats. Hill posted a 7-169-2 and 4-46-0 receiving lines in two games against the Chargers last season, and all other Chiefs' receivers combined for 16 targets, 10 receptions, 80 yards and two touchdowns on 191 snaps.
If the Vikings' Adam Thielen remains out this week, expect the Broncos' Chris Harris Jr. to shadow Stefon Diggs. In that scenario, downgrade Diggs against one of the game's best corners. Determining who Harris will shadow will be tougher if Thielen is back, and it could change if Bryce Callahan is able to make his Denver debut. Denver has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season, so this figures to be a tough spot for Vikings' receivers, regardless of who is able to go.
To "Mad Lib" a few lines from last week's article, the Cardinals' Patrick Peterson has shadowed Michael Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Evans the past three weeks, and it has not gone well. Thomas put up an 11-112-1 receiving line on 11 targets, Sanders posted a 7-112-1 line on nine targets, and Evans went for 4-82-0 on six targets. A majority of that damage was done when he was aligned against Peterson. Peterson is one of the league's best corners of the past decade, but the 29-year-old continues to struggle in coverage since his return from suspension. He's a good bet to shadow the 49ers' Emmanuel Sanders this week, but Sanders' strong production since he joined San Francisco combined with Peterson's struggles suggest we don't need to downgrade Jimmy Garoppolo's new top receiver.