By utilizing our play-by-play data, we're able to identify defense schemes and where each wide receiver and cornerback lines up on each play. 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 also can help you make the best waiver wire pickups.
Down below are the wideouts with the best and worst matchups this week, as well as the corresponding fantasy impact.
To view the primary defenders that the top three wide receivers for each team will see this weekend, be sure to check out our weekly WR vs. CB Cheatsheet.
Note that references to where teams rank in statistical categories adjust to a per-game basis in order to avoid distortion due to bye weeks, unless otherwise indicated.
Advantageous matchups
Cardinals' Marquise Brown and A.J. Green vs. Raiders' Amik Robertson and Rock Ya-Sin
The Raiders did a surprisingly good job of slowing the Chargers' perimeter receivers in Week 1, allowing the fewest points; so I might be playing with fire here, but in terms of personnel, this still looks like a matchup that favors Arizona's boundary targets. The Raiders will be down one of their top outside corners (Anthony Averett), which vaults former fourth-round pick Robertson into the starting lineup opposite Ya-Sin. Brown (82% perimeter in Week 1) and Green (90%) will work against those two throughout the game and can be upgraded. Rondale Moore (if back from injury) has a tougher assignment against Raiders' standout slot CB Nate Hobbs.
Raiders' Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Mack Hollins vs. Cardinals' Marco Wilson, Jace Whittaker and Byron Murphy Jr.
We knew coming into the season the Cardinals had major CB issues, and that was on display in Week 1. Arizona allowed a league-high 45.6 fantasy points to players aligned on the perimeter during a 44-21 shellacking by the Chiefs. Adams aligned all over the field while posting a 10-141-1 receiving line on a league-high 17 targets in his Raiders debut. He'll see plenty of all three Arizona corners, specifically Wilson and Murphy on the perimeter and Whittaker the 29% of the time Adams is in the slot. Adams can be upgraded significantly, and the same goes for Renfrow (92% slot in Week 1).
Rams' Cooper Kupp vs. Falcons' Dee Alford (Slot)
Kupp was his usual dominant and heavily targeted self in Week 1, and he is set up with a terrific Week 2 matchup. Alford manned the slot in place of an injured Isaiah Oliver against New Orleans, and it didn't go well. The Falcons allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to the slot, as well as the second most overall to wide receivers. Kupp aligns all over the field, but 50% of his Week 1 routes came from the slot. He'll align against Alford on nearly all of those plays. We're upgrading Kupp. But Rams' perimeter WRs Allen Robinson II and Van Jefferson, on the other hand, will have their hands full against standout boundary corners A.J. Terrell and Casey Hayward.
49ers' Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel vs. Seahawks' Tariq Woolen, Justin Coleman and Mike Jackson
The Seahawks pulled off a surprising upset on Monday night, but concerns remain at the cornerback position. Both Jerry Jeudy (4-102-1 receiving line) and Courtland Sutton (4-72-0) came away with solid-to-good production against a Seattle defense that sat in two-high and Cover 3 looks on over 80% of pass plays. Seattle rolled with fifth-round rookie Woolen and journeyman Jackson as its perimeter corners for a majority of the game, with veteran Coleman handling the slot. Aiyuk (87% perimeter in Week 1) will mostly work against Woolen and Jackson. Samuel (81% perimeter) will get some run in the backfield, but he'll see those two most often when playing receiver this week. Both pass-catchers can be upgraded despite a slow start in rainy conditions in Week 1.
Other notable upgrades:
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Commanders' Benjamin St-Juste (Slot)
Patriots' Jakobi Meyers vs. Steelers' Arthur Maulet (Slot)
Tough matchups
Buccaneers' Mike Evans vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore (Shadow)
Evans and Lattimore have a lengthy history, as their teams have faced off at least twice per season since Lattimore was drafted in 2017. Lattimore shadowed Evans once as a rookie, twice in 2018, once in 2019 (Lattimore missed the other game), three times in 2020 and twice last season. Evans' stat lines in the games Lattimore shadowed him are as follows (in chronological order, starting with 2017): 5-55-0, 7-147-1, 4-86-0, 0-0-0, 1-2-1, 4-64-0, 1-3-1, 2-48-1 and 1-14-0. Evans was held in check in both 2021 meetings, though note that he left the second game with an injury after 15 routes. Evans has mixed in the occasional big game, but it's no secret that Lattimore has had his number over the years. You're never benching Evans (especially during a week in which Chris Godwin is out), but he obviously needs to be downgraded.
Ravens' Rashod Bateman vs. Dolphins' Xavien Howard (Shadow)
Howard shadowed DeVante Parker on 30 of his 32 routes in Week 1, so it seems likely that the star corner will follow top Baltimore WR Bateman here in Week 2. Howard was his usual dominant self in the opener, holding Parker to one 9-yard catch on two targets. Bateman aligned on the perimeter 91% of the time in Week 1, so he won't escape Howard via the slot very often. This is about as tough as it gets for Bateman, and he should be downgraded.
Panthers' DJ Moore vs. Giants' Adoree' Jackson (Shadow)
Jackson shadowed Robert Woods on 17 of his 18 perimeter routes and two of six slot routes in Week 1. Jackson's prowess showed up in the box score, as Woods was held to one 13-yard catch on two targets in the game. Seemingly set to replace James Bradberry as the Giants' weekly shadow corner, Jackson is a decent bet to follow Moore this week. Baker Mayfield's top target aligned out wide 81% of the time in Week 1, which means these two will face off quite a bit. We're not benching Moore, but downgrade him slightly. With Jackson on Moore, New York's Aaron Robinson will face off with Robbie Anderson quite a bit. Anderson is a sneaky flex after a strong Week 1.
Texans' Brandin Cooks vs. Broncos' Patrick Surtain II (Shadow)
Denver didn't shadow at all during Surtain's rookie season, but things have changed under the team's new coaching staff. The second-year corner traveled with DK Metcalf on Monday night, aligning against him on 23 of 28 routes, including 23-of-24 on the perimeter. Metcalf caught all seven of his targets but for only 36 yards (28 yards on five targets when covered by Surtain). Surtain appears set for a breakout season and, if Week 1 is any indication, he'll be following opposing No. 1 receivers, at least when they're on the perimeter. Cooks aligned out wide 76% of the time in Week 1, so he is a good bet to see Surtain on roughly three-quarters of his Week 2 routes. Cooks can be downgraded.
Saints' Michael Thomas vs. Buccaneers' Carlton Davis III (Shadow)
Davis doesn't always shadow, but he did during four of Tampa Bay's past five meetings with New Orleans. That includes three showdowns with Thomas in 2020, one of which was a playoff game. (Thomas was out all last season.) In those three 2020 games, Thomas totaled an 8-68-0 receiving line on 15 targets. That's an average of 4.9 fantasy points per game. Davis was in primary coverage on 50 of his 82 routes, and Thomas was held to a 5-47-0 receiving line on 11 targets on those plays. You can't bench Thomas after his two-score Week 1, but his history with Davis suggests we should lower expectations.
Other notable downgrades:
Jaguars' Christian Kirk vs. Colts' Kenny Moore II (Slot)
Vikings' Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen vs. Eagles' James Bradberry and Darius Slay