By using 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.
Here 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 adjust to a per-game basis to avoid distortion due to bye weeks.
Advantageous matchups
Lions' DJ Chark, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds vs. Vikings' Akayleb Evans, Chandon Sullivan and Patrick Peterson
The Vikings have allowed the second-most fantasy points overall to wide receivers and to the perimeter this season. They've allowed the most in both categories over the past eight weeks. Peterson has been solid as Minnesota's top perimeter corner, but with Cameron Dantzler on IR, the heavily targeted rookie Evans has struggled on the other side of the field. St. Brown, Chark, Reynolds and rookie Jameson Williams move around quite a bit and will see each of these corners a bit. They all get the Week 14 upgrade.
Jaguars' Marvin Jones Jr., Christian Kirk and Zay Jones vs. Titans' Kristian Fulton, Elijah Molden and Roger McCreary
Tennessee got roasted for 274 yards, three TDs and a season-high 65 fantasy points against Eagles' wide receivers last week. The Titans have now allowed the most fantasy points and TDs (17) to wide receivers this season, as well as the most to the perimeter. Top corner Fulton left Week 13 injured, and his uncertain status for this week just adds to the secondary concerns. Jaguars receivers can be upgraded across the board, with Jones' standing to benefit most, as they primarily align on the perimeter.
Vikings' Justin Jefferson vs. Lions' Jeff Okudah (Shadow)
Vikings' K.J. Osborn vs. Lions' Will Harris (Slot)
Vikings' Adam Thielen vs. Lions' Jerry Jacobs
I'm filing this one under "upgrades," but bear with me for a minute. When these teams played in Week 3, Okudah shadowed Jefferson on 32 of his 41 routes, including 27 of 28 on the perimeter and five of 13 in the slot. The plan worked, with Jefferson limited to a 3-14-0 receiving line on six targets in the game, so we should expect to see Okudah deployed the same way here in Week 14. Jefferson is too good to downgrade much (if at all), however, so use him as you normally would. With so much attention on Jefferson in Week 3, both Thielen (6-61-1 receiving line), who drew the Amani Oruwariye shadow, and slot man Osborn (5-73-1), who worked primarily against Mike Hughes, had strong games. Both can be upgraded in similar spots this week (Thielen vs. Jerry Jacobs and Osborn vs. Will Harris). Detroit has allowed the third-most fantasy points to the slot (and the fifth most to receivers overall), which adds to Osborn's deep sleeper appeal.
Eagles' A.J. Brown, Quez Watkins and DeVonta Smith vs. Giants' Fabian Moreau, Darnay Holmes and Nick McCloud
The Giants remain shorthanded in the secondary, with Adoree' Jackson out the last two weeks, fellow starting CB Aaron Robinson on IR since Week 4 and slot corner Darnay Holmes out last week (not to mention top safety Xavier McKinney is out with a hand injury). New York has, in turn, allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to WRs over the last four weeks, as well as the seventh most to the perimeter. The Giants chose to shadow Terry McLaurin with Moreau last week, and it went about as well as you would've expected (McLaurin posted an 8-105-1 receiving line on 12 targets). Jahan Dotson (5-54-1) and Curtis Samuel (6-63-0) also had double-digit fantasy outings. This week, expect the Eagles' receivers to take advantage. It's possible Moreau shadows Brown, but he -- as well as Smith and Watkins -- can be upgraded regardless.
Tough matchups
Bills' Gabe Davis vs. Jets' Sauce Gardner (Shadow)
Bills' Isaiah McKenzie vs. Jets' Michael Carter II (Slot)
Bills' Stefon Diggs vs. Jets' D.J. Reed (Shadow)
The Jets' domination of wide receivers continues. New York has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to the position (fewest over the last eight weeks), as well as the fourth fewest to the perimeter for the season (second fewest over the last eight weeks). New York has also allowed the fifth-fewest points to the slot over the last month. The Jets have shadowed in only one game this season -- Week 9 against these Bills. Reed shadowed Diggs on the boundary, aligning against him on 15 of 17 perimeter routes, but zero of 16 slot routes. Reed and Gardner combined to cover Davis on 37 of his 38 routes and Gardner also covered McKenzie and Dawson Knox on all eight of their combined perimeter routes. The plan worked pretty well, with Buffalo limited to 203 pass yards, zero pass TDs and two INTs. Diggs had a fine showing (93 yards on 10 targets), but no one else was above 33 yards. We should expect a similar deployment by the Jets this week, so expectations for Diggs and especially Davis should be lowered. McKenzie is a less appealing flex against Carter in the slot.
Browns' Amari Cooper, David Bell and Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. Bengals' Cam Taylor-Britt, Mike Hilton and Eli Apple
Even without Chidobe Awuzie, the Bengals continue to thrive against wide receivers. Cincinnati has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the position (second fewest over the last eight weeks), as well as the second fewest to the perimeter this season. The Bengals have allowed a league-low 116 receptions and only six TDs (third fewest) to the position. Especially after a rough Week 13 (Deshaun Watson's team debut), this matchup is reason for some concern for Cleveland's receivers. Both did reach double-digit fantasy points when these teams faced off in Week 8 -- Cooper went for a 5-131-1 on seven targets and Peoples-Jones posted a 4-81-0 line on four targets -- but note that Awuzie went down for the season in that game and Apple was also out. Cooper (73% perimeter) and Peoples-Jones (69%) will see a lot of Apple and Taylor-Britt and can be downgraded a bit this week.
Chiefs' Kadarius Toney, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Broncos' Pat Surtain II, Essang Bassey and Damarri Mathis
Denver has been terrific against receivers all season long, having allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to the position, as well as the fifth fewest to the perimeter. Surtain has often been utilized as a shadow corner, but that's unlikely this week against a Chiefs offense that constantly moves its wide receivers around the formation. This means one single Chiefs receiver won't exclusively need to deal with top corner Surtain, but the overall matchup is obviously still very tough. Downgrade expectations for the Chiefs' passing game.
Other notable downgrades
Bengals' Tyler Boyd vs. Browns' Greg Newsome II (Slot)
Cleveland has allowed the fewest fantasy points to the slot.
Other notes
Raiders' Davante Adams vs. Rams' Jalen Ramsey (partial shadow)
Ramsey hasn't shadowed full time at all this season, but occasionally leaned toward the opposing No. 1 perimeter receiver. That included following the likes of Stefon Diggs, Marquise Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Mike Evans, DeAndre Hopkins and DK Metcalf part time. As projected, Ramsey ended up on Metcalf on just over half of his routes last week, and we should expect similar deployment against Adams, who moves around the formation quite a bit. That's not quite enough to force much concern for Adams' outlook, especially since the Rams have not been good against receivers this season (seventh-most fantasy points allowed) and have especially struggled against the perimeter (third most allowed). It's tough to trust any other Raiders' wide receivers, but Mack Hollins and Hunter Renfrow (or Keelan Cole if Renfrow remains on IR), stand to benefit from matchups with Troy Hill, Derion Kendrick and David Long Jr.