Fantasy football is a weekly game, so knowing the matchups can help you make the best lineup decisions. By utilizing our play-by-play data, we're able to identify defensive 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.
Below are the receivers with the best and worst matchups this week, 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 cheat sheet.
Unless otherwise noted, references to where teams rank in statistical categories adjusts to a per-game basis in order to avoid distortion due to bye weeks.
Advantageous matchups
Eagles' A.J. Brown, Quez Watkins and DeVonta Smith vs. Steelers' Ahkello Witherspoon, Cameron Sutton and Levi Wallace
The Steelers have allowed the most yards and second-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, as well as the third-most points to the perimeter and seventh most to the slot. Witherspoon, Sutton and Wallace have all missed time due to injury, and Witherspoon remains uncertain for Week 8. If he's out, Sutton and Wallace will man the perimeter against Brown (78% perimeter) and Smith (77%). If Witherspoon returns, he and Wallace will work outside, with Sutton handling the slot and Arthur Maulet moving to the bench. Needless to say, the Eagles' dynamic WR duo can be upgraded.
Colts' Michael Pittman Jr., Parris Campbell and Alec Pierce vs. Commanders' Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste and William Jackson III
Granted, they've been a bit better as of late, but the Commanders have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, as well as the 11th most to the perimeter. As noted in previous weeks, one starting perimeter corner, Jackson, was benched prior to missing the past two games with a back injury. The other, Fuller, has allowed a league-high 514 yards and 95.4 fantasy points in coverage this season. This week, it will be Fuller and either Jackson or St-Juste on the boundary against Pittman (77%) and Pierce (93%). If Jackson returns and starts, St-Juste will man the slot against Campbell (76% slot), else it will be Rachad Wildgoose. The Colts' offensive outlook is tough to predict with Sam Ehlinger replacing Matt Ryan under center, but Pittman and Pierce can, at least, be upgraded in this matchup.
Vikings' Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen vs. Cardinals' Marco Wilson, Byron Murphy Jr. and Antonio Hamilton
The Cardinals have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the perimeter this season, and are no better than 10th against both left and right boundary receivers. That's good news for both Jefferson (67% perimeter) and Thielen (65%), who will see Wilson and Hamilton on a majority of their routes this season. Jefferson and Thielen can be upgraded, but K.J. Osborn (57% slot) will have his hands full against Murphy in the slot and can be downgraded slightly.
Texans' Nico Collins, Chris Moore and Brandin Cooks vs. Titans' Kristian Fulton, Roger McCreary and Terrance Mitchell
The Titans have allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season (most over expected), as well as the most to the perimeter. They've also allowed the sixth most to the slot over the past four weeks. Cooks (75% perimeter) and Collins (94%) will work primarily against Fulton and Mitchell on the perimeter and can be upgraded. Moore (89% slot) isn't on the fantasy radar, but he'll do most of his work in the slot against the rookie McCreary, who has been solid.
Dolphins' Jaylen Waddle, Trent Sherfield and Tyreek Hill vs. Lions' Jeff Okudah, AJ Parker and Amani Oruwariye
Detroit has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to wide receivers (eighth most over expected) this season. That's actually an improvement statistically, but major personnel concerns remain. Two weeks after going from starter to healthy scratch, Oruwariye was reassigned a starting gig opposite Okudah in Week 7. Parker manned the slot and Mike Hughes was sent to the bench. It went OK (Dallas' top three wide receivers totaled 120 yards on 15 targets), though it was obviously a low-volume outing for the Cowboys' passing game. Over at PFF, Hill is the league's highest-graded WR this season and Oruwariye is the lowest-graded CB. Okudah has cooled after a great early-season effort against Justin Jefferson, and Parker is just the team's latest dart throw in the slot (he was on the practice squad until recently). Upgrade Miami's elite WR duo.
Other notable upgrades:
Lions' Kalif Raymond, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds vs. Dolphins' Noah Igbinoghene, Kader Kohou and Xavien Howard
Miami has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers (sixth most over expected), as well as the 10th most to the perimeter. Kohou was out in Week 7 and, if he remains sidelined, special-teamer Justin Bethel is the next man up in the slot. His primary assignment? St. Brown.
Bears' Darnell Mooney vs. Cowboys' DaRon Bland (Slot)
With Jourdan Lewis out for the season, fifth-round rookie Bland takes over in the slot for Dallas.
Buccaneers' Chris Godwin vs. Ravens' Damarion Williams (Slot)
Baltimore continues to rotate its slot corner, and the team has allowed the second-most fantasy points to the slot this season. Godwin has aligned inside 73% of the time.
Saints' Jarvis Landry vs. Raiders' Amik Robertson (Slot)
The Raiders have allowed the most fantasy points to the slot this season.
Tough matchups
Bills' Stefon Diggs vs. Packers' Jaire Alexander (Shadow)
Alexander shadowed Garrett Wilson in Week 6 and Terry McLaurin in Week 7. Wilson was held to an 8-yard catch in the game (albeit on 12 routes) and McLaurin produced a 5-73-1 receiving line on eight targets in Week 7. The Packers have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, but that's mostly a product of minimal volume; they've faced just 105 WR targets (second fewest), a league-high 71% of which have been caught. Alexander is one of the league's best corners, so this is nothing to sneeze at, but Diggs is borderline matchup-proof in this offense, so there's no need to adjust expectations much. Assuming Alexander is on Diggs, we can upgrade Gabriel Davis' outlook against Eric Stokes.
Browns' Amari Cooper vs. Bengals' Chidobe Awuzie (Shadow)
Awuzie has shadowed when the matchup has called for it this season. That included a majority of the perimeter routes run by Diontae Johnson, CeeDee Lamb and Elijah Moore during Weeks 1-3. He didn't shadow during Weeks 4-6, but that was expected against Miami, Baltimore (Rashod Bateman was out) and New Orleans (Michael Thomas and Chris Olave were out). In Week 7, he didn't shadow against Atlanta's extremely run-heavy offense. This week, the Bengals' top corner is a good bet to travel with Cooper the 75% of the time he's on the perimeter. With Awuzie leading the way, the Bengals have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, as well as the fewest to the perimeter. Cooper is at home this week (notable considering his ridiculous home/road splits), but he still needs to be downgraded in this matchup.
Jaguars' Marvin Jones Jr., Christian Kirk and Zay Jones vs. Broncos' Patrick Surtain II, K'Waun Williams and Damarri Mathis
The Broncos have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers (fewest over expected) this season. They've been excellent against both the perimeter (sixth-fewest points allowed) and slot (second fewest allowed). Jones Jr. (89% perimeter) and Jones (62%) do most of their work outside and will see a ton of Surtain and Mathis in this game. Both can be downgraded. Surtain has shadowed in four games this season, but all of that was on the perimeter, so Kirk (75% slot) will see him on no more than a handful of plays. As noted, though, Denver has also been good against the slot, so expectations for Kirk should be downgraded a bit against Williams.
Steelers' Diontae Johnson vs. Eagles' Darius Slay (Shadow)
Steelers' George Pickens vs. Eagles' James Bradberry (Shadow)
Steelers' Chase Claypool vs. Eagles' Avonte Maddox (Slot)
Slay shadowed Justin Jefferson in Week 2 (6-48-0 receiving line in the game) and Terry McLaurin in Week 3 (6-102-0), but did not follow Marquise Brown in Week 5 or CeeDee Lamb on his perimeter routes in Week 6. While it's not a lock that the standout corner will travel with Johnson this week, I'd lean toward it going that direction. Johnson is the Steelers' clear top receiver, he aligns outside 91% of the time and he and Slay match up well sizewise, as do Bradberry and Pickens on the other side of the field. Slay has been terrific this season, having allowed a 17-214-1 receiving line on 37 targets (187 coverage snaps). Bradberry has been extremely good in his own right, and the Eagles have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points over expected to wide receivers this season. The Steelers' receivers should be downgraded across the board, especially Johnson and Pickens (91% perimeter).
Commanders Terry McLaurin vs. Colts' Stephon Gilmore (Shadow)
The Colts have allowed the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season, as well as the fourth fewest to the perimeter. They haven't faced many standout boundary receivers, but when they have, Gilmore has shadowed. That includes 15 of Brandin Cooks' 21 perimeter routes in Week 1 and all 37 of Courtland Sutton's perimeter routes in Week 5. He also covered Travis Kelce on all six of his perimeter routes in Week 3 and shadowed Nick Westbrook in Week 7. That usage suggests that Gilmore will follow McLaurin (79% perimeter) in Week 8. McLaurin should be downgraded, as should Curtis Samuel (primarily against Kenny Moore in the slot) and Jahan Dotson (primarily against Isaiah Rodgers).
Other notable downgrades
Cowboys' Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb and Noah Brown vs. Bears' Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon and Kindle Vildor
The Bears have faced very little WR target volume (107, second fewest) and have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to WRs, as well as the second fewest to the perimeter. Justin Jefferson is the only WR to clear 12.6 fantasy points against them this season.
Ravens' Rashod Bateman vs. Buccaneers' Jamel Dean
Tampa Bay has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to left perimeter receivers, which is where Bateman has aligned 68% of the time. It's also possible that Tampa Bay shadows Bateman with Carlton Davis.
Bengals' Tyler Boyd vs. Browns' Greg Newsome II (Slot)
The Browns have allowed the fewest fantasy points to the slot, which is where Boyd aligns 85% of the time.
Patriots' DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton vs. Jets' D.J. Reed and Sauce Gardner
Over the past four weeks, the Jets have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers (fewest over expected) and the second fewest to the perimeter. Parker (90% perimeter) and Thornton (85%) are New England's top boundary receivers.
Other notables
Raiders' Davante Adams vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore (Shadow)
Lattimore has shadowed Mike Evans and Justin Jefferson this season, though he did not travel with DJ Moore or DK Metcalf prior to missing the past two games with an abdominal injury. It's unclear if Lattimore will return for Week 8, but even if he does, (a) his aforementioned usage suggests it's not a lock that he'll shadow Adams and (b) it might not matter, as Jefferson didn't have much trouble in Week 4 (10-147-0 receiving line on 13 targets), nor did Metcalf (5-88-1) and Tyler Lockett (5-104-2) against New Orleans in Week 5. In fact, the Saints have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to WRs this season, as well as the second most to the perimeter. Utilize Adams (and Mack Hollins and Hunter Renfrow) as you normally would and consider upgrading them if Lattimore, Adebo (also out in Week 7) and/or Roby (left Thursday's game with an ankle injury) miss the game.
Panthers' DJ Moore vs. Falcons' A.J. Terrell (Shadow)
Terrell left Week 7's game with an injury, so while he's uncertain for Week 8, he's a strong bet to travel with Moore if active. Terrell has shadowed either full- or part-time in all seven games this season. That includes part-time against Michael Thomas, Cooper Kupp and Brandon Aiyuk and on nearly all perimeter routes against DK Metcalf, Amari Cooper, Mike Evans and Ja'Marr Chase. Terrell has been decent in coverage (297 yards on 40 targets) but has allowed a league-high six TDs, which has led to 90.7 fantasy points (fourth most among defenders). The Falcons have allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers and sit top 5 in points allowed to the perimeter and slot. Fire up Moore as you normally would.