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 advice and waiver wire suggestions each week.
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.
Note that, 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.
Projected Shadow Matchups
Dolphins' Tyreek Hill vs. Chiefs' L'Jarius Sneed (Shadow)
It's speed vs. speed, as Sneed and his 4.37 wheels are set to try to keep up with arguably the league's most explosive player in Hill. Hill is rarely shadowed because he moves around so often, but Sneed has shadowed in seven consecutive games tracing back to Week 2. That includes showdowns with Calvin Ridley, DJ Moore, Garrett Wilson, Justin Jefferson, Jerry Jeudy, Josh Palmer and Courtland Sutton. While Hill is a unique matchup, he has aligned on the perimeter 66% of the time, and Sneed seems like a good bet to align opposite him on most of those plays. The Chiefs have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
Takeaway:
Raiders' Davante Adams vs. Giants' Deonte Banks (Shadow)
This is a tricky one, as Banks was asked to shadow the perimeter on a full-time basis against DK Metcalf in Week 4 and Garrett Wilson in Week 8, but in no other outings. That includes not shadowing against Marquise Brown, Brandon Aiyuk/Deebo Samuel, Stefon Diggs or Terry McLaurin (there was some matching up against Miami in Week 5, with Banks on Jaylen Waddle and Adoree' Jackson on Tyreek Hill). Perhaps last week's usage suggests the Giants are now ready for their first-round rookie to man up against opposing No. 1 receivers, which is why I suspect he'll travel with Adams the 81% of the time he's on the perimeter here in Week 9. Though Banks has been serviceable thus far, the rookie (as well as Jackson) has been heavily targeted and New York has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to WRs (fifth most to the perimeter) over the past four weeks.
Takeaway: Adams does not need to be downgraded, and Jakobi Meyers has added appeal against struggling Jackson on the other side of the field.
Tough Matchups
Eagles' DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown vs. Cowboys' DaRon Bland, Jourdan Lewis and Stephon Gilmore
No defense has been in man coverage more than Dallas (68%) this season. Bland has been serviceable while kicking outside to replace Trevon Diggs opposite Gilmore, and Lewis has been his usual solid self in the slot. Dallas has, in turn, allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to WRs, including the fourth fewest to the perimeter and seventh fewest to the slot. Red-hot Brown (78% perimeter) and Smith (69%) will work primarily against Gilmore and Bland and should be downgraded slightly.
Chargers' Quentin Johnston, Keenan Allen and Joshua Palmer vs. Jets' D.J. Reed, Michael Carter II and Sauce Gardner
Despite both Gardner and Reed missing time this season, New York's domination of wide receivers has carried over from 2022. The Jets have allowed the fewest fantasy points to WRs, including the fewest to the perimeter and fifth fewest to the slot. Only one defense has held an opposing QB, RB, WR or TE unit below its season average in 100% of games, and that defense is the Jets against wide receivers.
Star receivers Stefon Diggs (Week 1), CeeDee Lamb (Week 2) and A.J. Brown (Week 6) are the only receivers who have cleared 11.0 fantasy points against the Jets this season (and Brown's showing came with Reed and Gardner out). Allen (64% slot) will see Carter more than he does the elite Gardner/Reed duo, so he can still be started with confidence, even if expectations are lowered slightly. Palmer makes for a shakier WR3/flex than usual, whereas Johnston remains off the flex radar.
Ravens' Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Seahawks' Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon and Tre Brown
Seattle got off to a slow start against wide receivers, but that was easy to understand with top corners Woolen and Witherspoon missing time with injuries. The ship appears to have been righted, as the Seahawks have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to the position (second fewest to the perimeter) over the past four weeks. With Woolen and Witherspoon (who mans the slot in nickel) playing well, Seattle hasn't allowed a WR to reach 17 fantasy points since Week 3, and the only WR to reach 15 points since then was slot receiver Tyler Boyd.
Beckham (93% perimeter) and Bateman (86%) will primarily see Woolen and Brown and won't be good flex options. Flowers has aligned out wide 74% of the time this season but saw added slot work last week, so he could see a lot of the impressive rookie Witherspoon. Expectations should be lowered, but Flowers remains in the WR2 discussion.
Seahawks' DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett vs. Ravens' Brandon Stephens, Arthur Maulet and Marlon Humphrey
On the other side of that game, we have a Baltimore defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points over expected to wide receivers this season. Despite missing Humphrey to begin the season and having faced the second-most WR targets, the Ravens have allowed the eighth-fewest points to the position (fourth fewest over the last four weeks). Wideouts are averaging 5.7 yards per target and 9.7 yards per reception against them, both of which are lowest in the league.
Metcalf and Lockett are too good and heavily utilized to bench in season-long scenarios, but neither makes for a great DFS cash play. Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo shouldn't be in lineups.
Bears' DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney and Tyler Scott vs. Saints' Marshon Lattimore, Alontae Taylor and Paulson Adebo
The Saints have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points over expected to wide receivers this season. They've faced the seventh-most WR targets, but are allowing 6.6 yards per target (second lowest) and a 58% catch rate (fifth lowest) to the position. The most points scored by a WR in a game was Adam Thielen's 20.4 in Week 2. Their key has been domination of the perimeter, having allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to the boundary but the seventh most to the slot. Moore (83% perimeter) will see a lot of man coverage from Lattimore in this one, which is notable considering New Orleans has also allowed the fewest fantasy points to left perimeter receivers (where Lattimore has aligned 95% of the time). Moore should be downgraded, whereas Mooney (72% slot) is a deep sleeper.
Advantageous Matchups
Cowboys' Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks vs. Eagles' James Bradberry, Sydney Brown and Darius Slay
The Eagles have allowed the most fantasy points to WRs this season, including the fourth most to the perimeter and third most to the slot. Incredibly, Philadelphia ranks among the 10 worst defenses in points allowed to the left perimeter, right perimeter and slot. The Eagles have actually been pretty efficient against receivers (7.1 yards per target is fifth lowest), but they've faced massive volume (league-high 27.1 WR targets faced per game). Thirteen WRs have reached 16 fantasy points against them in eight games, including three Commanders in Week 8.
Lamb (65% slot) actually has the best matchup here against the Eagles' patchwork slot corner situation (rookie safety Brown and Eli Ricks handled it in place of injured Bradley Roby last week) and should be upgraded. Cooks and Gallup are risky fantasy options but have deep league sleeper appeal.
Patriots' DeVante Parker, Demario Douglas and JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Commanders' Kendall Fuller, Danny Johnson and Benjamin St-Juste
Washington has allowed the second-most fantasy points to WRs this season, including the most over expected. The Commanders have surrendered the most points to the perimeter and ninth most to the slot. Perimeter CBs Fuller and St-Juste got roughed up while shadowing DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, respectively, and Johnson has struggled in the slot.
New England's wide receivers are best avoided for the most part, especially with Kendrick Bourne done for the season, but the group can be upgraded. Douglas (80% slot) has impressed as a rookie and will certainly be busy against Johnson this week.
Browns' Amari Cooper, Marquise Goodwin and Elijah Moore vs. Cardinals' Marco Wilson, Garrett Williams and Antonio Hamilton Sr.
The Cardinals have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to WRs this season, including the second most over the past four weeks, and have surrendered the seventh-most points to the perimeter this season, and the second most over the past month.
Though this still has the look of a plus matchup (Wilson and Hamilton aren't the most intimidating perimeter duo and third-round rookie/slot man Williams has played 58 career snaps), it's possible better days are ahead now that this group is as healthy as it has been all season. In fact, Ravens WRs were held to a 7-53-0 receiving line on 13 targets against Arizona last week (granted, Gus Edwards and Trey McBride has huge games).
Upgrade Cleveland's receivers slightly, especially Cooper (78% perimeter) and Goodwin (66%).