Fantasy football Shadow Report: Cowboys' WRs highlight key matchups for Week 11

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 can also help you make the best waiver wire pickups.

Down 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 Cheatsheet.

Unless otherwise noted, references to where teams rank in statistical categories adjusts to a per-game basis to avoid distortion due to bye weeks.

Advantageous matchups

Bears' Chase Claypool, Darnell Mooney and Equanimeous St. Brown vs. Falcons' A.J. Terrell, Isaiah Oliver and Rashad Fenton

The Falcons have allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, as well as the fifth most to the perimeter and seventh most to the slot. Atlanta promoted newcomer Fenton into a full-time perimeter role last week, but with Terrell having missed three-straight outings and Casey Hayward on IR, personnel remains a major issue. Mooney (59% slot) moves all over the formation and can be upgraded. Claypool was limited to five routes last week and is hard to count on in fantasy right now, but if reports indicate his role will increase, he'll be in a good spot out wide against some combination of Fenton, Terrell (if back) and Darren Hall.

Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins vs. Steelers' Levi Wallace, Cameron Sutton and Ahkello Witherspoon

The Steelers continue to struggle against the pass, having allowing the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the third most to the perimeter and fourth most to the slot. Injuries have been an issue, but so has execution, and the Bengals can expect to see some combination of Wallace, Sutton, Witherspoon and slot man Arthur Maulet this week. That's a big edge for the Bengals, and we saw that on display in Week 1. Chase (who is questionable for this game) put up a 10-129-1 receiving line on 16 targets, and Tyler Boyd added 33 yards and a score on seven targets (Higgins left early because of an injury). Upgrade the Bengals' receivers.

Cowboys' Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb and Noah Brown vs. Vikings' Akayleb Evans, Chandon Sullivan and Patrick Peterson

The Vikings have allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers (most over expected), as well as the most points to the perimeter and eighth most to the slot. They've surrendered the second-most catches and yards to the position and sit top five in catch rate and yards per target allowed. As if that's not enough, every-down perimeter CB Cam Dantzler is on IR and replacement Evans left last week's game because of a concussion. Even if he's able to go in Week 11, Evans -- a fourth-round rookie -- has been heavily targeted and has struggled. If he's out, second-round rookie Andrew Booth Jr. will be next up. Dallas' wide receivers can obviously be upgraded.

Ravens' Demarcus Robinson, James Proche and Devin Duvernay vs. Panthers' CJ Henderson, Myles Hartsfield and Jaycee Horn

The Panthers have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points overall and ninth most to the perimeter this season. They've been even worse as of late, having surrendered the third most to the perimeter over the past month. As if that's not enough, top corner Donte Jackson (Achilles) was lost for the season in Week 10. That leaves Henderson, Horn and Keith Taylor as the team's perimeter corners and Hartsfield as the slot. Baltimore's receivers aren't super enticing in fantasy these days, but Duvernay has more flex appeal in this matchup.

Other notable upgrades:

Cardinals' Rondale Moore vs. 49ers' Jimmie Ward (Slot)

The 49ers have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to the slot, including the most over the past eight and four weeks.

Falcons' Drake London, Olamide Zaccheaus and Damiere Byrd vs. Bears' Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon and Kindle Vildor

Chicago has allowed the third-most fantasy points over expected to WRs, as well as the eighth-most points straight up over the past month.

Broncos' Courtland Sutton, Kendall Hinton and KJ Hamler vs. Raiders' Sam Webb, Nate Hobbs and Rock Ya-Sin

Las Vegas benched Anthony Averett for UDFA rookie Webb last week, and Hobbs has missed four games because of a hand injury.

Saints' Kevin White and Chris Olave vs. Rams' Jalen Ramsey, Troy Hill and David Long Jr.

The Rams have allowed the second-most fantasy points to the perimeter, which is where Olave (72%) and White (83%) align most often.

Tough matchups

Colts' Michael Pittman Jr. vs. Eagles' Darius Slay (Shadow)
Colts' Alec Pierce vs. Eagles' James Bradberry
Colts' Parris Campbell vs. Eagles' Josiah Scott (Slot)

Slay has shadowed three times this season: Justin Jefferson in Week 2 (6-48-0 receiving line in the game), Terry McLaurin in Week 3 (6-102-0) and McLaurin in Week 10 (8-128-0). Slay did not travel with the likes of Marquise Brown, CeeDee Lamb or Diontae Johnson in recent weeks. That being the case, it's no lock that he'll follow Pittman this week, but it might not matter. The Eagles have allowed the fewest fantasy points over expected to receivers, as well as the fourth fewest to the perimeter. They've allowed a 56% catch rate (second lowest) and 6.4 yards per target (second lowest) to wide receivers. Pittman aligns out wide 75% of the time and will see either Slay full time or a combination of Slay and Bradberry on those plays. He should be downgraded a bit, as should Pierce. With slot corner Avonte Maddox on IR, Campbell doesn't need to be downgraded as much.

Raiders' Davante Adams vs. Broncos' Pat Surtain II (Shadow)

When these teams played in Week 4, Surtain shadowed Adams on 25 of his 35 routes, including 24 of 25 perimeter routes. Adams had a pretty good fantasy day (9-101-0 receiving line on 13 targets), though Surtain held him to 54 yards on nine targets when in primary coverage. Surtain has also shadowed DK Metcalf, Mike Williams and Christian Kirk full time on the perimeter this season, and also spent some time traveling with Brandon Aiyuk in Week 3. Surtain has emerged as one of the league's best corners, and it shows up statistically, as Denver has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, as well as the fewest to the perimeter (Adams aligns outside 70% of the time). Adams is a name to consider fading in DFS this week.

Eagles' A.J. Brown vs. Colts' Stephon Gilmore (Shadow)

The Colts have allowed the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season, as well as the sixth fewest to the perimeter. When they've faced a standout boundary receiver, Gilmore has usually been called on to shadow. That includes 15 of Brandin Cooks' 21 perimeter routes in Week 1, all 37 of Courtland Sutton's boundary routes in Week 5 and all 21 of Terry McLaurin's perimeter routes in Week 8. He also covered Travis Kelce on all six of his perimeter routes in Week 3 and shadowed Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in Week 7. One potential curveball here is Gilmore did not shadow Davante Adams in Week 10, which was Jeff Saturday's first game as head coach. Gilmore aligned against Adams on 11 of 39 routes, including 11 of 25 on the perimeter, and also covered TE Foster Moreau on nine of his 13 perimeter routes. It makes sense for Indy to put Gilmore on Brown this week, but it's not a lock, so there is no reason for anything more than a slight downgrade.

Patriots' DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton vs. Jets' D.J. Reed and Sauce Gardner