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 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 our weekly WR vs. CB Cheatsheet.
Advantageous matchups
Packers' Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Falcons' Isaiah Oliver, Kendall Sheffield and Blidi Wreh-Wilson (or A.J. Terrell)
Atlanta enters Week 4 having allowed no fewer than 15 catches, 212 yards and 46 fantasy points to wide receivers in three games against Seattle, Dallas and Chicago. The Falcons have allowed the third-most fantasy points and a league-high 15.7 YPR to the position. Not great, Dan. The Falcons have allowed the second-most points to the perimeter, which is where Adams (75%) and Valdes-Scantling (72%) primarily align. They've allowed the third most to the slot, which is where Lazard has aligned 57% of the time. Darqueze Dennard was placed on IR and Terrell is on the COVID list and likely out this week, which means Oliver (who has allowed the third-most fantasy points in coverage among corners) and Sheffield (if he returns from injury himself) will be outside with Wreh-Wilson in the slot against Lazard. If Terrell plays, he'll work outside with Oliver. Upgrade the entire trio in a game that has shootout written all over it.
Dolphins' DeVante Parker, Preston Williams and Isaiah Ford vs. Seahawks' Shaquill Griffin, Quinton Dunbar (or Tre Flowers) and Ugo Amadi
Seattle has abandoned the run and is instead leaning on the league's pass-heaviest offense. That's benefited the offensive statistics page and kept fantasy players happy, but certainly has put a lot of pressure on a struggling cornerback room. Seattle has allowed at least 33 targets, 23 catches, 330 yards and 56 fantasy points to wide receivers in each of its three games (Falcons, Patriots, Cowboys). The Seahawks have faced the most routes and targets and have allowed the most receptions, receiving yards (by 400) and fantasy points to the position. Opposing wideouts are averaging 10.8 yards per target (highest), have caught 72% of their targets (fourth highest), have seen seven end zone targets (second most) and have scored five touchdowns (second most). You get the picture. Upgrade Miami perimeter receivers Parker (82%) and Williams (96%) against Griffin (who has allowed 12 more fantasy points in coverage than any other corner) and Dunbar (or Flowers if he's out again) and bump up Ford against Amadi in the slot.
Browns' Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Cowboys' Trevon Diggs and Daryl Worley, Browns' Jarvis Landry vs. Cowboys' Jourdan Lewis
The Cowboys remain down two of their top-three corners with both Chidobe Awuzie and slot Anthony Brown on IR. That leaves the rookie Diggs (who trails only Dunbar in fantasy points allowed this season) and Worley, who had been working as Dallas' third safety, to handle outside duties against the heavily targeted Beckham (87% perimeter). Dallas has allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the third most to the perimeter this season. All three wide receiver groups the Cowboys faced reached 189 receiving yards and 53 fantasy points, with the units in Atlanta and Seattle combining for seven touchdowns. Dallas hasn't been as poor against the slot, but Landry gets the edge over a struggling Lewis (0.66 fantasy points allowed per coverage snap).
Texans' Will Fuller V, Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb vs. Vikings' Cameron Dantzler, Jeff Gladney, Holton Hill and Mike Hughes
The Vikings' cornerback room opened the 2020 season by getting lit up by Green Bay to the tune of 315 yards, four touchdowns and 79 fantasy points in Week 1. The unit bounced back against the Colts in Week 2, but crashed again last week with 228 yards allowed to the A.J. Brown-less Titans. Minnesota has now allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the sixth most to the perimeter and seventh most to the slot. Fuller (78% perimeter) and Cooks (67%) are off to a slow start, but should be upgraded against Hill and the rookies Gladney and Dantzler (if he's back from injury). Cobb will draw Hughes (who also missed Week 3 with an injury) or Kris Boyd in the slot. After three consecutive tough matchups to open 2020, the Texans' wide receiver trio can finally be upgraded.
Rams' Cooper Kupp vs. Giants' Darnay Holmes, Rams' Robert Woods vs. Giants' James Bradberry (shadow)
The Rams' offense has bounced back in a big way this season, which has helped both Woods and Kupp to the 12th- and 18th-most fantasy points among wide receivers, respectively. The heavily targeted duo will benefit this week from a Giants pass defense that has allowed the 13th-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the 12th most to the perimeter. The rookie Holmes has been heavily targeted and is struggling in the slot, which is great news for Kupp (52% slot). Woods is a bit trickier to diagnose as he's likely to draw Bradberry shadow coverage. New York's top corner has shadowed Allen Robinson and Kendrick Bourne already this season and, though he's playing at a high level, opposing quarterbacks haven't been afraid to target him (he's been thrown at on a hefty 24% of his coverage snaps). Kupp should be upgraded, whereas Woods' situation should be viewed as neutral.
Other notable upgrades:
Bengals' Tyler Boyd vs. Jaguars' D.J. Hayden
Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb vs. Browns' Tavierre Thomas
Broncos' KJ Hamler and Tim Patrick vs. Jets' Bless Austin and Pierre Desir/Quincy Wilson
Saints' Michael Thomas, Tre'Quan Smith and Emmanuel Sanders vs. Lions' Amani Oruwariye, Desmond Trufant, Jeff Okudah and Darryl Roberts
Tough matchups
Lions' Kenny Golladay vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore (shadow)
Golladay and Lattimore are set to meet for the first time this weekend in what may be the week's best WR/CB showdown. Lattimore hasn't shadowed the past two weeks (as expected against the Raiders and Davante Adams-less Packers), but did in Week 1 against Mike Evans and against most standout No. 1 wideouts in 2019. Lattimore has been stellar again this season and has been targeted on an extremely low 6% of his coverage snaps. New Orleans has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, including the second fewest to the perimeter. Golladay (82% perimeter) is a candidate for a down week and should be avoided in DFS.
Buccaneers' Mike Evans vs. Chargers' Casey Hayward (shadow)
Hayward has yet to shadow this season, but several years of traveling with clear No. 1 perimeter receivers suggest he's a strong bet to follow Evans this week. Hayward hasn't allowed much in coverage this season and the Chargers have allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers overall and seventh fewest to the perimeter. These two players haven't met since a 2016 game in which Hayward shadowed Evans on 24 of his 30 routes. It was a while ago, but for what it's worth, Evans was held to three catches for 38 yards on six targets in the game. Evans should be downgraded slightly for the matchup, but with Chris Godwin likely out, the star receiver won't be short targets.
Washington's Terry McLaurin, Dontrelle Inman and Steven Sims Jr. vs. Ravens' Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters and Jimmy Smith
Baltimore's secondary was lit up by Patrick Mahomes on Monday Night Football, but let's be honest: It's hard to hold that against them. Baltimore still has what is arguably the league's best cornerback trio and we saw that on display when it held the Browns and Texans' WR rooms in check in Weeks 1-2, not to mention elite play down the stretch in 2019. Enter McLaurin, who sits 15th among wideouts in fantasy points, but who will also see all three of these corners (primarily Smith) in coverage this weekend. McLaurin has aligned outside on 78% of his routes this season and Baltimore has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to outside receivers. Especially with Dwayne Haskins struggling, McLaurin will need to be downgraded.
Chiefs' Sammy Watkins vs. Patriots' Stephon Gilmore (shadow)
We have a few recent matchups between these teams that we can look at in order to get an idea of what to expect this weekend, so bear with me. In Week 6 back in 2018, Gilmore shadowed Watkins on 24 of his 36 coverage snaps, including 22 of 23 on the perimeter. Gilmore and Jason McCourty combined to cover Tyreek Hill on all 16 of his perimeter routes, but only one of his 17 slot routes. In the AFC Championship later that season, Gilmore shadowed Watkins (22/32 overall, 7/13 slot), Jonathan Jones shadowed Tyreek Hill (18/21 overall) and McCourty covered Chris Conley. We also saw Gilmore shadow Travis Kelce on four late-game pass plays. Finally, we have last season's Week 14 meeting. Gilmore shadowed Watkins (34/41 overall, 11/16 slot) again and J.C. Jackson shadowed Demarcus Robinson (28/37 overall, 11/15 slot), with Jones primarily on Hill (21/40 overall, 10/14 slot). Gilmore also covered Hill on seven perimeter routes. Got all that? Good. Some simple dot-connecting tells us that we should expect Gilmore to spend most of this week's matchup against Watkins (53% perimeter). Jones has been manning the slot this season and will see a lot of Hill (55% slot), with Jackson facing off with Robinson and Mecole Hardman on the perimeter opposite Gilmore. Hill had a lot of success in the three meetings (14-246-3 receiving line on 23 targets), whereas Watkins did not (10-182-0 line on 20 targets). New England has actually allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season (eighth most to the perimeter), so Hill is, of course, safe to start in all formats. Watkins should be avoided with Gilmore on the other side.
Vikings' Adam Thielen vs. Texans' Bradley Roby (shadow)
Roby has been busy this season, having already shadowed Tyreek Hill, Marquise Brown and Diontae Johnson. Those three combined for eight targets, six catches, 65 yards and one TD on 43 routes against Roby, who has obviously played well this season. This week, it makes sense that Roby would shadow Minnesota's top receiver, Thielen, who has aligned outside 81% of the time this season. Thielen has run only two career routes against Roby and they came way back in 2015, so we can't learn anything there, but Roby's strong play suggests we should downgrade Thielen. With Roby on Thielen, Justin Jefferson will see a lot of Vernon Hargreaves on the other side of the field. Hargreaves has been heavily targeted and continues to struggle in coverage, so this is an upgrade spot for the rookie, who exploded for 175 yards in Week 3.
Other notable downgrades:
Patriots' Julian Edelman vs. Chiefs' Tyrann Mathieu
Jaguars' Keelan Cole vs. Bengals' Mackensie Alexander
Other potential shadow matchup
Chargers' Keenan Allen vs. Buccaneers' Carlton Davis
Allen is fresh off a game in which he posted a 13-132-1 receiving line on 18 targets, so he'll no doubt have Tampa Bay's attention this week. Davis is Tampa Bay's top corner and shadowed Michael Thomas in Week 3 before playing his side against Carolina and Denver offenses that haven't had a clear No. 1 go-to target this season. Because Davis followed Thomas on his outside routes, but on only two of his slot routes, we should expect some, but not full-time, shadowing of Allen this week. Allen aligns in the slot 47% of the time. He should only be downgraded slightly, especially with Tampa Bay slot corner Sean Murphy-Bunting sidelined.
Falcons' Julio Jones vs. Packers' Jaire Alexander
Assuming Jones is back in the lineup this week, it's possible he will draw Alexander shadow coverage. That's far from a lock, however, when you consider past tendencies of the Green Bay defense. Last season, for example, 6-foot-3 Kevin King shadowed "bigger" receivers such as Courtland Sutton, Alshon Jeffery, Michael Gallup, Kenny Golladay and Adam Thielen, leaving 5-foot-11 Alexander to handle Emmanuel Sanders, Nelson Agholor/Mack Hollins, Amari Cooper, Marvin Jones and Stefon Diggs, respectively. That strategy applied to Week 4 would place King on 6-foot-3 Julio Jones and Alexander on red-hot 6-foot Calvin Ridley. When these teams met back in 2018, Alexander shadowed Jones, but it didn't go well, with Jones posting an 8-106-2 receiving line on 11 targets. Alexander hasn't been targeted much and is playing at a high level this season, but both Falcons receivers are too heavily targeted and too productive to be downgraded, especially against a pass defense that has been midpack in points allowed to the position.
Giants' Darius Slayton vs. Rams' Jalen Ramsey
Ramsey did not shadow against the Cowboys, Eagles and Bills, but the Rams have been moving their star corner around quite a bit. That movement included ensuring he was on Amari Cooper or Michael Gallup during Week 1's victory and meant getting him on Stefon Diggs at times last week. Ramsey and perimeter running mate Darious Williams have been solid in coverage this season, so the explosive Slayton (88% perimeter) can be downgraded slightly. Golden Tate draws struggling Troy Hill in the slot and can be upgraded.
Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins vs. Panthers' Rasul Douglas (shadow) and Cardinals' Christian Kirk vs. Panthers' Donte Jackson (shadow)
Carolina matched 5-foot-11 Jackson with 6-foot-1 Keenan Allen and 6-foot-2 Douglas with 6-foot-3 Mike Williams during last week's matchup with the Chargers. Assuming a similar plan, Jackson would be on 5-foot-10 Kirk and Douglas on 6-foot-1 Hopkins in Week 4. Carolina has been better than expected against the pass, but benefited from facing Las Vegas in Week 1, Chris Godwin-less Tampa Bay in Week 2 and a Chargers team that lost Williams for a chunk of the game in Week 3. This isn't a matchup to be alarmed about, especially after Allen's 13-132-1 receiving line on Sunday.