Shadow Report: Key WR/CB battles for Week 13

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 13 matchups, as well as the corresponding fantasy impact.

To view the primary defenders whom the top three wide receivers for each team will see this weekend, be sure to check out my weekly WR vs. CB cheat sheet.

Advantageous matchups

Jaguars' DJ Chark, Chris Conley and Dede Westbrook vs. Buccaneers' Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting

The Tampa Bay pass defense was better than usual on Sunday and yet each of the Falcons' top three wide receivers came away with double-digit fantasy points. The Buccaneers have allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, over the past eight weeks and over the past month. That includes the second most to the perimeter this season and most over the past eight weeks. Chark (78% perimeter) and Conley (91%) will draw Davis and the rookie Dean this weekend. Westbrook (86% slot) will primarily work against rookie Murphy-Bunting inside. Tampa Bay has also allowed the most fantasy points to the slot this season and over the past month. All three of Jacksonville's wideouts should be upgraded significantly.

Saints' Michael Thomas vs. Falcons' Isaiah Oliver

Atlanta's pass defense has been much better in recent weeks, but Oliver continues to struggle at right perimeter corner. Atlanta has allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, the fourth most to the perimeter and the second most to Oliver's side of the field. Oliver's side is where Thomas lines up 43% of the time, so these two will face off quite often. Thomas caught 13 of 14 targets for 152 yards when these teams met in Week 10. Trufant was out for that game, but Thomas did most of his damage on 22 routes against Oliver anyway (9-103-0 receiving line on nine targets). Trufant might make sense as someone who could shadow Thomas, but note that he hasn't done so since Thomas entered the league in 2016. Thomas' great matchup simply makes him a strong play in DFS.

Seahawks' DK Metcalf and Josh Gordon vs. Vikings' Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes

Minnesota has allowed the fourth most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the most to the perimeter both for the season and over the past month. Though both RCB Rhodes and LCB Waynes have struggled, the Vikings are especially bad against the latter's side of the field. Waynes has been heavily targeted and Minnesota is surrendering the most fantasy points to right perimeter receivers on the season, over the past eight weeks and over the past month. Gordon has aligned there on 19 of his 32 routes since joining Seattle and stands to benefit most. Of course, Metcalf (83% perimeter) will also get a lot of run on the outside and can be upgraded. Lock Metcalf into lineups along with Tyler Lockett, and though Gordon isn't playing enough snaps yet to make him a safe weekly play, he's an interesting dart throw in DFS tournaments.

Packers' Davante Adams vs. Giants' Janoris Jenkins, DeAndre Baker and Corey Ballentine

The Giants have allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the fourth most over the past month. Though Adams' usage suggests he'll see New York's top corner Jenkins most often, he'll run roughly 60% of his routes against struggling youngsters Baker and Ballentine. The Giants have allowed the third-most fantasy points to Baker's side of the field this season and the most to the slot (Ballentine's home) over the past eight weeks. Adams has been targeted on a massive 31% of his pass routes and should be significantly upgraded. This technically applies to Allen Lazard and slot Geronimo Allison, as well, but neither are seeing enough targets to warrant flex consideration in all but the very deepest of formats.

Other notable upgrades:

• Bengals' Auden Tate and Alex Erickson vs. Jets' Darryl Roberts and Arthur Maulet

• Eagles' wide receivers vs. Dolphins' Nik Needham, Ryan Lewis, Ken Crawley and Jomal Wiltz

Tough matchups

Texans' DeAndre Hopkins vs. Stephon Gilmore (shadow)

If you've been doubting Gilmore's shutdown ability throughout the season, his Week 12 performance against Amari Cooper (two targets, zero receptions) should be the last wakeup call you need. Gilmore has been tremendous again this season while shadowing Cooper, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Robby Anderson (twice), John Brown, Terry McLaurin, Odell Beckham Jr., Marquise Brown and even Zach Ertz on 11 plays. In turn, the Patriots have allowed the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers on the season, over the past eight weeks and over the past month. They've also allowed the fewest fantasy points to the perimeter and fifth fewest to the slot.

Hopkins is one of the league's best receivers and aligns all over the Texans' offensive formation, but he's likely to see Gilmore on nearly all of his pass routes in Week 13. These two have faced off quite often in recent seasons, with Hopkins managing an 11-128-0 receiving line on 17 targets (69 routes) against Gilmore. That included the 2018 season opener, which saw Gilmore shadow Hopkins on 26 of his 37 routes. Hopkins posted an 8-78-0 line on 11 targets, though 5-52-0 came on eight targets against Gilmore. You don't bench DeAndre Hopkins, but he's a strong bet for a down game and should be avoided in DFS. Will Fuller V and Kenny Stills should also be downgraded significantly.

Cowboys' Amari Cooper vs. Bills' Tre'Davious White (shadow)

It has been a rough couple of weeks for Cooper, who has been working to overcome an injury while also succumbing to shadow coverage from Darius Slay (3-38-0 receiving line) in Week 11 and Stephon Gilmore (catch-less on two targets) in Week 12. Life won't be any easier on Thanksgiving with White shadow coverage looming.

White has traveled with Terry McLaurin, Odell Beckham Jr., DeVante Parker and Courtland Sutton during Buffalo's past four games. Parker showed well against him (7-135-0 line on 10 targets in the game), but White was a problem for McLaurin (4-39-0 on five targets), Beckham (5-57-0 on 12 targets) and, most recently, Sutton (1-27-0 on eight targets). White was on those three receivers on 112 of their 122 perimeter routes, which is where Cooper aligns 84% of the time. That said, we should expect Cooper and White to face off throughout most of Thursday's game. These two did meet once while Cooper was with Oakland. In that 2017 affair, Cooper was held to a 3-26-0 receiving line on seven targets while aligned across from White on 40 routes.

With White on Cooper, Gallup has a decent matchup against Levi Wallace on the other side of the field, though note that Buffalo has only allowed four touchdown receptions to wide receivers in 11 games this season and a league-low 43 passing touchdowns in 43 games with Sean McDermott as head coach. Randall Cobb should also be downgraded against Taron Johnson.

Cardinals' Christian Kirk vs. Rams' Jalen Ramsey (shadow)

Although I'm not sure this one is a lock, I think there's a very good chance Ramsey will travel with Kirk, as opposed to Larry Fitzgerald, this week. There are a few reasons why I could be wrong. For starters, size. Ramsey (6-foot-1) is tallest among the Rams' top-three corners and Fitzgerald (6-foot-3) is tallest among Cardinals' receivers. Also, Ramsey has, at times, aligned in the slot when shadowing an opposing No. 1 receiver this season. That's notable because Fitzgerald aligns in the slot 90% of the time.

Fitzgerald is, of course, one of the best ever at his job, but it has become fairly clear over the past few months that Kirk is now Arizona's No. 1 receiver. Kirk has also aligned outside on 88% of his routes during the team's past three games, which makes him a better fit for how the Rams would prefer to use Ramsey (86% perimeter) and Nickell Robey-Coleman (81% slot). Ramsey has shown well while shadowing Julio Jones (6-93-0 receiving line in the game), JuJu Smith-Schuster (3-44-0) and Allen Robinson (4-15-0) since joining Los Angeles. Kirk will need to be downgraded, though not completely avoided, with the Arizona offense playing well before the Week 12 bye. Andy Isabella, meanwhile, isn't yet a full-time player, but will make for a sneaky flier against Troy Hill.

Falcons' Julio Jones vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore (shadow)

Lattimore hasn't played since going down with an injury when these teams faced off back in Week 10, but, if he's good to go Thursday, expect him to travel with Jones. Lattimore shadowed Jones on 10 of his 12 routes (including all three in the slot) before leaving the Week 10 affair. Jones failed to catch his only target on 10 routes against Lattimore and ended up with a 3-79-0 receiving line on nine targets. Prior to that game, Lattimore had been impressive while shadowing DeAndre Hopkins, Amari Cooper, Mike Evans, DJ Chark and Allen Robinson. Lattimore shadowed Jones once in 2018 (Jones posted a 5-96-0 receiving line on six targets) and twice in 2017 (Jones totaled a 12-247-0 line on 22 targets). This might be a good week to spend elsewhere in DFS.

Eli Apple has played well opposite Lattimore (New Orleans has allowed the fewest fantasy points to the side of field Apple has aligned 64% of the time), so Calvin Ridley should also be downgraded. Russell Gage can be upgraded slightly against P.J. Williams in the slot.

Bears' Allen Robinson vs. Lions' Darius Slay (shadow)

Slay has shadowed Damiere Byrd, Keenan Allen, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Stefon Diggs, Zay Jones, Allen Robinson, Amari Cooper and Terry McLaurin this season. Despite the tough assignments, Slay has been targeted on 18% of his coverage snaps and is allowing a strong 0.25 fantasy points per coverage snap. In other words, Slay is still operating at a high level. When these teams met in Week 10, Slay shadowed Robinson all 10 of his perimeter routes but only four of 15 slot routes. Robinson ended up with a solid 6-86-0 receiving line on nine targets. These two also faced off once in 2018 and once in 2016 and the situation was similar with Slay shadowing on the perimeter, but not the slot. Robinson struggled to a total receiving line of 3-40-1 on eight targets while against Slay on 49 routes in those games and contributed almost nothing otherwise. Robinson should be downgraded some in this matchup, but he'll also run 40% of his routes from the slot, so there's still plenty of reason for optimism that he can put up a solid performance. Detroit has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the slot this season.