By using our play-by-play data, we're able to identify defensive schemes and where each wide receiver and cornerback lines up on each play of an NFL game. By tracking these WR/CB matchups, including potential shadow situations, we can offer the best projections, rankings, sit/start decisions and fantasy advice each week. Fantasy football is a weekly game, so knowing the matchups can help you make the best waiver-wire pickups.
Below are the receivers with the best and worst Week 12 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
Unless otherwise noted, references to where teams rank in statistical categories adjust to a per-game basis in order to avoid distortion due to bye weeks.
Advantageous matchups
Dolphins' DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant and Malcolm Perry vs. Jets' Bryce Hall, Lamar Jackson and Arthur Maulet
Following their Week 10 bye, the Jets placed No. 1 corner Bless Austin and starting slot corner Brian Poole on injured reserve. They also cut No. 2 corner Pierre Desir. That left them with fifth-round rookie Hall and undrafted rookie Jackson as their perimeter corners and journeyman CB Maulet in the slot against the Chargers on Sunday. It didn't go well. The three corners combined to allow a 16-156-2 receiving line on 22 targets. Keenan Allen (16-145-1 receiving line) and Mike Williams (4-72-1) both had big games. This week, the Dolphins will look to take advantage of a Jets defense that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the second-most over the past month. New York allowed the 11th-most points to the perimeter, which is where Parker (77%) and Grant (79%) primarily align. The Jets have also allowed the fifth-most points to the slot (most over the past month), which makes Perry (87% slot) an intriguing deep sleeper. Upgrade this unit across the board.
Panthers' DJ Moore, Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel vs. Vikings' Cameron Dantzler, Chris Jones, Kris Boyd and Jeff Gladney
The Vikings appeared to be on the right track after a slow start to the season, but the wheels fell off yet again against Dallas on Sunday. Minnesota's cornerback woes were partly to blame, as the promotion of Jones to starter over the rookie Dantzler lasted about three quarters. From that point on, the Vikings rolled with Boyd and Dantzler on the outside and Gladney in the slot. Minnesota has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the sixth-most to the perimeter. The numbers look better as of late, but the personnel issues are clear and obvious. There's a good chance those issues are exposed this week against a Carolina offense with three heavily targeted wide receivers. Moore (76% perimeter) and Anderson (67%) will primarily work against Dantzler, Boyd and perhaps Jones on the outside with Samuel (76% slot) inside against Gladney. All three can be upgraded.
Vikings' Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson vs. Panthers' Rasul Douglas and Donte Jackson
On the other side of that game, we have Minnesota's wide receivers getting the boost against Carolina's stumbling pass defense. The Panthers actually showed well against wideouts earlier this season but have been brutal as of late, allowing the 11th-most fantasy points over the past month, including the most to perimeter receivers. Douglas has had his good days while shadowing oversized perimeter receivers, but quarterbacks haven't been afraid to target him. He'll be joined on the outside by some combination of Jackson (if he returns from injury) and Day 3 rookies Troy Pride Jr. and Stantley Thomas-Oliver. Thomas-Oliver has barely seen the field this season, whereas Jackson and Pride have both struggled badly in coverage. If activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list, Thielen (74% perimeter) will certainly be in a good spot. Jefferson (61% perimeter) will be a great play regardless. If Thielen sits, Olabisi Johnson is the likely next man up and could be a sneaky punt in DFS tournaments.
Football Team's Terry McLaurin vs. Cowboys' Chidobe Awuzie, Rashard Robinson and Jourdan Lewis
When these teams met back in Week 7, Dallas chose to shadow McLaurin with rookie Trevon Diggs. It didn't go well, with McLaurin posting a 7-90-1 receiving line on 11 targets. Dallas has shadowed in only two games since McLaurin was drafted in 2019, and both were Diggs earlier this season, so it's unlikely that Awuzie or Anthony Brown-replacement Robinson will travel with him on Thursday. Of course, it shouldn't matter, as Dallas continues to struggle to slow wide receivers. The Cowboys have allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, including the third-most over the past month. They've also allowed the fourth-most points to perimeter receivers this season and, though they've been closer to mid-pack in that department recently, their coverage of the slot has regressed (seventh-most points over the past month). McLaurin aligns all over the formation and will see plenty of all three corners (including Lewis in the slot) and can be upgraded.
Bengals' Tyler Boyd vs. Giants' Darnay Holmes
Boyd has become such a reliable player for the Bengals and fantasy teams that he's probably one of the league's more underrated players. In fact, with 11 weeks in the book, it may surprise you to know that he sits 11th at wide receiver in targets and fantasy points and is fifth in receptions. Boyd's value surely takes a hit with Joe Burrow done for the season, but he'll benefit from a good Week 12 matchup against New York's struggling rookie slot man Holmes. The Giants have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to the slot, including the seventh-most over the past eight weeks and the sixth-most over the past month. Boyd should be upgraded.
Speaking of this Giants-Bengals matchup, you may be wondering about James Bradberry's deployment. Teams should be viewing Tee Higgins as the Bengals' No. 1 perimeter wide receiver, but we don't know for sure that the Giants agree. That said, it's possible they choose to shadow A.J. Green with Bradberry, leaving the struggling Isaac Yiadom on Higgins. Bradberry has been terrific, so this could be a situation where a lot of targets are funneled to whoever is facing Yiadom (and Boyd). Of course, this isn't useful information unless we get a report on who Bradberry will travel with (or if he will at all). For now, we'll stick to upgrading only Boyd.
Other notable upgrades:
Eagles' Travis Fulgham, Jalen Reagor and Greg Ward Jr. vs. Seahawks' Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers and Ugo Amadi
Browns' Jarvis Landry vs. Jaguars' Tre Herndon
Falcons' Russell Gage vs. Raiders' Lamarcus Joyner/Nevin Lawson (slot)
Texans' Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller V vs. Lions' Desmond Trufant and Amani Oruwariye
Raiders' Nelson Agholor, Henry Ruggs III and Hunter Renfrow vs. Falcons' A.J. Terrell, Darqueze Dennard and Isaiah Oliver
Giants' Sterling Shepard vs. Bengals' LeShaun Sims
Tough matchups
Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins vs. Patriots' Stephon Gilmore (shadow) Cardinals' Christian Kirk vs. Patriots' J.C. Jackson (shadow)
One of the week's most intriguing matchups features what will likely be shadow coverage by Gilmore against Hopkins. Gilmore and Hopkins (while with the Texans) have faced off each of the past three seasons. In 2017, Gilmore didn't shadow, and Hopkins posted a 7-76-0 receiving line on eight targets (roughly half was against Gilmore). Gilmore shadowed Hopkins on 33 of his 37 routes in a 2018 meeting, and Hopkins posted an 8-78-0 receiving line on 11 targets in the game (all but one 12-yard catch was against Gilmore). Last season, Gilmore shadowed Hopkins on 21 of his 27 routes. Hopkins posted a 5-64-0 line on seven targets, again with all but one catch coming against the star corner. Hopkins has obviously had some mild success, though he was far off his ceiling and didn't find the end zone in any of the three games. The Patriots' defense hasn't been nearly as dominant as in years past here in 2020, but the unit has still allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to perimeter receivers over the past two months. Gilmore and Jackson have been competent (at worst) on the perimeter, and we know from years past that they are generally strong in coverage. Hopkins should be downgraded a bit and the same can be said for Kirk, who will see Jackson on a generous chunk of his routes. Slot man Jonathan Jones has been the weak spot among New England's corners this season, as he's been targeted on an absurd 29% of his coverage snaps and is allowing 0.51 fantasy points per route. Larry Fitzgerald (88% slot) stands to benefit.
49ers' Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Kendrick Bourne vs. Rams' Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams and Troy Hill
Samuel and Aiyuk were both active for the Week 6 meeting between these teams. Samuel saw a fairly even share of Los Angeles' top-three corners and posted a 6-66-1 receiving line on six targets. Aiyuk was up against Hill most often and was held to 12 yards on four targets, though he did find the end zone. Slot man Bourne managed 44 yards on three targets. Though the production was OK, we should still be worried about this week's matchup against a Rams defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers and the fewest to the perimeter. That applies to both the full season and over the past eight weeks. Samuel (72% perimeter) and Aiyuk (78%) figure to see a lot of Ramsey and Williams, both of whom have been exceptional this season, whereas the less appealing Bourne will face Hill in the slot. All three should be downgraded.
Steelers' Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Ravens' Marcus Peters, Jimmy Smith and Marlon Humphrey
These teams met back in Week 8, and the Ravens did a respectable job against the Steelers' high-performing trio. Claypool posted a 5-42-1 receiving line on nine targets, Johnson was held to 6 yards on three targets and Smith-Schuster posted a 7-67-0 line on eight targets. The 30.1 fantasy points scored by Steelers' wide receivers in the game was just below the 31.4 per game Baltimore has allowed to the position this season. The Ravens continue to shut down the position, having allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points this season and fourth-fewest over the past month. They've been especially good against the perimeter, allowing the fourth-fewest points this season and second fewest over the past month. Johnson (82% perimeter) and Claypool (75%) are too good and too heavily targeted to bench, but both should be downgraded against Smith and Peters. Smith-Schuster (84% slot) will see a lot of Humphrey inside and should also be downgraded.
Seahawks' DK Metcalf vs. Eagles' Darius Slay (shadow)
Metcalf has been in the league since only 2019, but Sunday will mark his third meeting with the Eagles. In Week 12 last season, then-rookie Metcalf posted a 3-35-0 receiving line on six targets against Philadelphia. He was much better in the wild-card round of the playoffs, posting a 7-160-1 line on nine targets. Of course, the Eagles did not have star shadow corner Slay on the roster at that point. So far this season, Slay has shadowed Terry McLaurin, A.J. Green, Darius Slayton (twice) and Michael Gallup. His trend of covering clear No. 1 perimeter receivers has dated back to his early days in Detroit, so we should expect him to chase Metcalf this weekend, especially with Tyler Lockett aligning inside 61% of the time. Believe it or not, the Eagles have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers over the past month and the second-fewest to perimeter receivers over the past two months (Metcalf aligns outside 84% of the time). This is a sneaky poor matchup for Metcalf, but we also know that he has developed into one of the game's best receivers. Expectations can be lowered slightly, but he can be started with confidence.
Jets' Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims vs. Dolphins' Xavien Howard and Byron Jones
When these teams met back in Week 6, Perriman was held to a 4-62-0 receiving line on eight targets. Of his 43 routes, 30 were against Jones or Howard. Mims was inactive for that game, but replacement Jeff Smith managed only 8 yards on four targets (26 of his 40 routes were against Howard or Mims). Jamison Crowder also struggled with only 48 yards on 13 targets. It's possible Miami chooses to shadow here, but it doesn't matter much, as both Jones and Howard are standouts in coverage. Miami is mid-pack in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers this season, but ninth-best against the perimeter. Perriman (74% perimeter) and Mims (76%) should both be downgraded.
Other notable downgrades:
Buccaneers' Mike Evans, Antonio Brown and Chris Godwin vs. Chiefs' Bashaud Breeland, Charvarius Ward and Rashad Fenton
Titans' Corey Davis and A.J. Brown vs. Colts' Xavier Rhodes and Rock Ya-Sin
Broncos Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore and Janoris Jenkins
Ravens' Marquise Brown and Dez Bryant vs. Steelers' Steven Nelson and Joe Haden
Bills' Stefon Diggs and John Brown vs. Chargers' Casey Hayward and Michael Davis
Additional potential shadow matchups
The Packers' Jaire Alexander may seem like a logical candidate to shadow the Bears' Allen Robinson this week, but I believe there's a good chance he will not. Alexander has shadowed in five games this season, but running mate Kevin King missed three of them. The others were Week 1 against Adam Thielen and a Week 4 game in which he shadowed 6-foot Calvin Ridley, leaving King to shadow 6-foot-3 Julio Jones. Robinson is 6-foot-3, whereas Alexander is 5-foot-11 and King is 6-foot-3. Past Green Bay cornerback deployment suggests they may play sides or perhaps even put King on Robinson and Alexander on 5-foot-10 Darnell Mooney. Alexander has yet to shadow Robinson since entering the NFL in 2018. Green Bay's top corner has been terrific this season, but King has been mediocre, so we don't need to make drastic adjustments here.
If the Lions' Kenny Golladay returns on Thursday, he should anticipate shadow coverage courtesy of the Texans' Bradley Roby. Roby hasn't shadowed since he went down with an injury in Week 7, but he wasn't projected to against Cleveland or New England offenses lacking a clear No. 1 presence on the perimeter. Earlier this season, Roby shadowed in six consecutive games against Tyreek Hill, Marquise Brown, Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, DJ Chark and A.J. Brown. Roby had varying levels of success and we don't need to adjust expectations for Golladay much, but we should upgrade Marvin Jones Jr. in this scenario, as he'll see a ton of Vernon Hargreaves. Hargreaves continues to get absolutely lit up in coverage, and only four corners have allowed more fantasy points this season.