Fantasy football is a weekly game, so knowing the matchups can help you make the best lineup decisions. By using 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.

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 adjust to a per-game basis to avoid distortion due to bye weeks.

Projected shadow matchups

Bengals’ Tee Higgins vs. Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. (shadow)
Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase vs. Steelers’ Donte Jackson (shadow)

Porter has shadowed for a substantive chunk of the game eight times this season, which has included showdowns with Drake London, Courtland Sutton, Quentin Johnston, CeeDee Lamb, Terry McLaurin, Rashod Bateman, Higgins and A.J. Brown. He covered the group on a combined 163 of 252 routes, including 158 of 208 on the perimeter. Their receiving lines were as follows: London (4 targets-2 receptions-15 yards-0 touchdowns), Sutton (5-1-26-0), Johnston (2-2-44-1), Lamb (9-5-62-0), McLaurin (6-5-113-0), Bateman (3-2-30-0), Higgins (10-5-69-1) and Brown (11-8-110-1). The group combined to average 11.9 fantasy points, though McLaurin, Higgins and Brown have cleared 16 points in recent matchups.

The Higgins stat line is most notable this week, of course. In that game, Porter aligned against him on 30 of 37 perimeter routes, whereas Jackson shadowed Chase on 23 of his 26 perimeter routes. Chase also came up big, posting a 6-86-1 line on nine targets. The Steelers have allowed the fourth-most points to the boundary this season, including the second most over their past eight games.

Takeaway: Despite the shadow treatment, both Chase and Higgins can be upgraded against Pittsburgh’s struggling perimeter defense.

Jets’ Garrett Wilson vs. Dolphins’ Jalen Ramsey (shadow)

Ramsey hasn’t shadowed full time very often this season, but he did against DK Metcalf (6-4-104-1 receiving line in the game) and Calvin Ridley (3-1-5-0) earlier this year and against Wilson (10-7-114-0) in Week 14. Ramsey aligned against Wilson on 35 of 41 routes, including all 29 on the perimeter, in the first meeting. Wilson obviously came away with a strong fantasy showing and roughly half of it came with Ramsey as the closest defender.

Davante Adams has primarily operated from the slot and is unlikely to see much of Ramsey in this game. He also came up big in the Week 14 meeting, posting a 9-109-1 line on 11 targets.

Takeaway: Wilson did well against Ramsey a few weeks ago, so there’s no need for much concern here. Adams can be upgraded slightly in the slot.

Commanders’ Terry McLaurin vs. Cowboys’ DaRon Bland (shadow)

Since Bland’s return from IR in Week 12, he has shadowed Malik Nabers, Mike Evans and A.J. Brown. All three receivers — Nabers (13-8-69-0), Evans (7-5-69-0), Brown (5-3-36-1) — exited their game against Bland with solid, but unspectacular statistical showings, though Dallas continues to struggle as a whole against wide receivers (third-most fantasy points allowed to the position over their past eight games, including the 11th most to the perimeter and fourth most to the slot).

McLaurin aligns on the perimeter 82% of the time and can expect to see Bland on those plays.

Takeaway: Despite Dallas’ struggles against receivers, those Bland has shadowed haven’t done much damage. McLaurin should be downgraded a bit.

Falcons’ Drake London vs. Panthers’ Jaycee Horn (shadow)

Horn dabbled as a shadow corner throughout the season, but we’ve seen him do it on a nearly full-time basis twice in recent weeks. He shadowed DeAndre Hopkins on 13 of his 16 perimeter routes in Week 12 (Hopkins had a 5-35-1 line on six targets in the game) and then traveled with Evans on 16 of his 22 perimeter routes in Week 13 (8-118-1 on 12 targets).

When these teams met in Week 6, London aligned in the slot 18 times (Horn aligned against him on none of those plays), but Horn traveled with him on nine of his 12 perimeter routes. London posted a 6-74-1 line on 10 targets. The Panthers are midpack against wide receivers overall this season, though they’ve struggled against the perimeter (second-most fantasy points allowed).

Takeaway: London doesn’t need to be downgraded.

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Tough matchups

Cardinals’ Marvin Harrison Jr., Zay Jones and Michael Wilson vs. 49ers’ Renardo Green, Deommodore Lenoir and Charvarius Ward

The 49ers have allowed the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers over their past eight games, including the third fewest to the perimeter and fewest to the slot. Harrison (73% perimeter) and Jones (79%) will work the boundary against Ward and Green, whereas Wilson has recently been moved to the slot and figures to see plenty of Lenoir.

When these teams met in Week 5, Arizona totaled 195 yards and one TD through the air. Harrison was limited to 36 yards on seven targets and Wilson led the team with 78 yards on six targets. Downgrade the Arizona WR room.

49ers’ Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel Sr. vs. Cardinals’ Starling Thomas V, Max Melton, Garrett Williams and Sean Murphy-Bunting

The Cardinals have quietly become one of the league’s top teams at slowing receivers. Arizona has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to the position over the past eight weeks, including the second fewest to the perimeter. Samuel (65% perimeter), Pearsall (56%) and Jennings (59%) align all over the formation and will see a fairly even share of Thomas, Melton, Murphy-Bunting and slot man Williams.

When these teams met in Week 5, Brandon Aiyuk (11-8-147-0) had a big game, but Jennings (4-1-13-0) and Samuel (3-1-11-0) were shut down. Expectations for the Niners’ passing game should be reduced a bit.

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Advantageous matchups

Buccaneers’ Mike Evans, Sterling Shepard and Jalen McMillan vs. Saints’ Kool-Aid McKinstry, Ugo Amadi and Alontae Taylor

Over their past eight games, the Saints have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, including the 10th most to the perimeter. For the season, they now sit no lower than seventh in targets, receptions and yardage allowed to the position.

Evans (67% perimeter) and McMillan (75%) can be upgraded against the rookie McKinstry and the struggling Taylor, whose 34.9 PFF coverage grade ranks last among 117 qualified corners this season. In the Week 6 meeting, Chris Godwin (11-8-62-0) had a strong game, but Evans (5-2-34-0) wasn’t asked to do much in the blowout win. This is an excellent matchup for the red-hot Evans and McMillan, who should be upgraded.

Lions’ Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tim Patrick vs. Vikings’ Shaquill Griffin, Byron Murphy Jr. and Stephon Gilmore

Minnesota has allowed the most fantasy points to receivers this season, including the fifth most to the perimeter and second most to the slot. The Vikings aren’t bad against receivers in general, but they’ve faced the most WR routes, second-most WR targets, and fourth-most WR end zone targets. That’s what tends to happen when you’re ahead on the scoreboard on a league-high 57% of your offensive snaps.

When these teams met in Week 7, Williams was shut down (minus-4 yards on his lone target), but St. Brown came up big (8-8-112-1) and Kalif Raymond also found the end zone. Upgrade the Detroit pass offense.

Panthers’ Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen and Jalen Coker vs. Falcons’ A.J. Terrell, Dee Alford and Mike Hughes

Atlanta has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season (and the most over their past eight games), including the third most to the perimeter. Legette (72% perimeter) and Coker (about half the time as of late) have been manning the outside and will see plenty of Terrell and Hughes, whereas the surging Thielen will work against Alford in the slot. Upgrade the Carolina passing game.

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