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NFL Week 15 WR/CB Matchups: Can Patrick Peterson Slow Down Julio Jones?

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) is pushed out of bounds by Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) in the third quarter at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Cardinals 29-18.

I’ll be breaking down the top wide receiver/cornerback matchups every week throughout the 2018 NFL season.

Below is a data-driven analysis of the week’s best passing-game matchup, eight potential shadow matchups and an additional nine potential non-shadow matchups. At the end, I’ll wrap up with a quick look at plus and minus matchups.

Visit the FantasyLabs NFL page for more weekly fantasy breakdowns. You can also view all of this week’s wide receiver/cornerback matchups using our Matchups tool.

Jump to: Matchup of the Week | Shadow Matchups | Non-Shadow | Plus/Minus



Matchup of the Week

Rams Offense vs. Eagles Defense

The Bears managed to hold the Rams’ high-octane offense to just six points last Sunday night. This marked the first time all season the Rams have scored fewer than 23 points, and just the third time they were held below 30.

The Bears were able to accomplish this thanks to their absurd pass rush and talented cornerbacks. The Eagles certainly boast plenty of capable bodies across their tenacious defensive line, but they also might have the league’s single-worst group of cornerbacks at this point.

  • Starting corners Ronald Darby (knee) and Jalen Mills (foot) are both on the injured reserve list and done for the season.
  • Both Sidney Jones (hamstring) and Avonte Maddox (leg) are far from 100% and not guaranteed to suit up Sunday night.
  • Rasul Douglas is a former 2017 third-round pick and probably the best remaining cornerback on the roster. PFF has graded Douglas as their 47th best corner this season.
  • Chandon Sullivan is an undrafted free agent who has played 87 career snaps on defense.

The Eagles were forced to play starting safety Malcolm Jenkins as a slot corner on a season-high 39 snaps in Week 14 against the Cowboys. Jenkins is one of the league’s few safeties capable of holding his own as a nickel back, but the same can’t be said for the rest of the secondary.

Overall, only the Saints have been worse than the Eagles in receptions (192) yards (2,543) and DraftKings PPG (43.8) allowed to the wide receiver position this season.

Robert Woods (46 targets) has been featured ahead of Brandin Cooks (38), Todd Gurley (27) and Josh Reynolds (26) during five games without Cooper Kupp (knee, IR) this season. Each player is firmly in play across all fantasy formats in a matchup featuring a week-high 53.5-point over/under.

The Week 15 Shadow Club

Not many cornerbacks are consistently asked to travel with the opposition’s No. 1 wide receiver, but we can expect the following eight teams to regularly line up across from their opponent’s top receiver in Week 15.

Lions WR Kenny Golladay vs. Bills CB Tre’Davious White

Patrick Peterson wound up tracking Golladay on 60% of his routes last week, but alas, Stafford wound up with the fourth-fewest pass attempts in a single game of his entire career (23). Golladay’s two receptions for five-scoreless yards on four targets was a firm reminder that anybody involved in one of the league’s worst offenses will carry a frighteningly-low weekly floor.

This week’s matchup won’t be much easier for Golladay, as White has emerged as one of the league’s brightest young stars at the cornerback position.

The Bills’ third-ranked defense in both overall and pass DVOA isn’t a unit to target in general, especially not with the Lions’ slow-paced and low-scoring offense. Only the Redskins-Jaguars’ matchup currently has a lower over/under as of Wednesday.

Buccaneers WR Mike Evans vs. Ravens CB Jimmy Smith

The Ravens have asked Jimmy Smith to shadow twice since he returned from suspension in Week 5. The defense’s long-time No. 1 cornerback held up about as well as possible, as Michael Thomas (7-69-1) and Julio Jones (2-18-0) were largely held in check for most of the afternoon.

It’d make sense for the rangy Smith (6-foot-2 and 211-pounds) to track Evans (6-foot-5 and 231-pounds) this Sunday. Evans has yet to surpass 100 yards or find the end zone in December, but he’s plenty capable of winning against any cornerback in the league. He joins A.J. Green and Randy Moss as the only players to ever gain at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of their first five seasons.

Evans doesn’t belong on your fantasy bench, although it’s fair to question his upside against the Ravens’ fourth-ranked defense in pass DVOA. Neither Chris Godwin nor Adam Humphries are set up particularly well against the likes of Marlon Humphries (PFF’s No. 16 CB), Brandon Carr (No. 32) and Tavon Young (No. 59).

Falcons WR Julio Jones vs. Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson

Jones predictably went off against the Packers last week after his dud in Week 13. Up next is arguably his toughest matchup of the season, although the Cardinals’ zone-heavy scheme and their unwillingness to move Peterson into the slot hasn’t exactly resulted in consistent shut-down performances.

  • Week 6 vs. Stefon Diggs: three receptions-33 yards-zero touchdowns (four targets)
  • Week 8 vs. Marquise Goodwin: 1-55-1 (4)
  • Week 10 vs. Tyreek Hill: 7-117-2 (10)
  • Week 13 vs. Davante Adams: 8-93-1 (13)
  • Week 14 vs. Kenny Golladay: 2-5-0 (4)

It’s worth noting that Peterson has only been charged with two touchdowns and 279 yards allowed into his coverage all season, so opponents have been able to consistently free their No. 1 receiver from Peterson’s cross-hairs.

Jones has run 21% of his routes from the slot this season, while Peterson has played just 11 total snaps in the slot all year. The Falcons’ No. 1 receiver leads the league in receiving yards after 14 weeks and has mostly won his career-long rivalry with Peterson dating back to their SEC battles in college.

Jones has worked as the league’s overall PPR WR4 since his infamous touchdown drought ended in Week 9.

Neither Mohamed Sanu nor Calvin Ridley have exactly balled out recently, but they could benefit from the return home and have the potential for enhanced target share if Peterson emerges from the battle victorious.

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Titans CB Adoree’ Jackson

Beckham (quad) wasn’t able to suit up for last week’s matchup against the Redskins and didn’t practice Wednesday. He should be considered questionable for this Sunday’s battle against the Titans. Be sure to monitor our Week 15 Injury Report for OBJ’s daily practice participation along with his estimated and official game status.

The Giants’ No. 1 receiver will likely do everything in his power to get right for this matchup, as Beckham’s potential shadow date with Jackson is extraordinarily winnable.

OBJ is plenty capable of winning any matchup, but his participation in practice will need to be monitored closely this week. Beckham has finished with fewer than 65 receiving yards in three of his five career games when listed on the final injury report.

Dolphins WR DeVante Parker vs. Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes

Parker (6-foot-3, 209-pounds) is the exact type of big-bodied receiver that could have all sorts of trouble shaking free from Rhodes (6-foot-1, 210-pounds). The Vikings’ stud corner wasn’t utilized in shadow coverage against Josh Gordon in Week 13 (perhaps due to his lingering hamstring injury), but Rhodes was back to moving all around the formation during the Vikings’ Monday night loss to the Seahawks.

Not helping matters for Parker is consistently inconsistent target volume that has left him with fewer than 20 receiving yards in four of his eight games this season. Danny Amendola’s return to the lineup in Week 14 left Parker with just four total targets, while Kenny Stills caught eight of his nine targets for 135 yards and a touchdown.

Ultimately, targeting receivers in the league’s third-most pass-adverse offense isn’t a winning proposition. Especially not in a tough matchup vs. the Vikings’ No. 3-ranked defense in DVOA vs. No. 1 wide receivers.

Steelers WRs Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster vs. Patriots CBs Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty

Bill Belichick and company have had more success than most with slowing down Antonio Brown over the years, but he’s still found a way to make an impact.

  • 2011: Nine receptions-67 yards-one TD (15 targets)
  • 2013: 5-71-1 (9)
  • 2015: 9-133-1 (11)
  • 2016: 7-106-0 (11)
  • 2016 playoffs: 7-77-0 (9)
  • 2017: 2-24-0 (3) – left early due to injury.

AB has been held under 70 yards and scoreless in two of the past three weeks, leading to multiple victory laps for FantasyLabs Editor-in-Chief Matthew Freedman. However, those performances have coincided with 13-189-1 and 8-130-2 eruptions from Juju Smith-Schuster, something that Ben Roethlisberger suggested wasn’t a coincidence.

Per our Pro Models, AB and Smith-Schuster carry a -0.57 correlation with their fantasy production on DraftKings. They’ve both surpassed 75 yards in four games this season. For comparison, the similarly-talented duo of Thielen and Diggs have posted a +0.19 correlation this season with five games where each receiver surpassed 75 yards.

With all due respect to those 15 seconds where Martavis Bryant was the greatest wide receiver on the planet, Smith-Schuster is easily the best No. 2 pass-game option the Steelers have had during the AB-era.

Brown and Juju are the league’s WR4 and WR7 in PPR scoring, but their lack of consistent production together should be closely monitored in DFS. They are matchup-proof, although it’s tough to get too excited about facing off against Gilmore and McCourty — PFF’s No. 2 and No. 12 overall cornerbacks this season.

Don’t be surprised if the Patriots approach this matchup in a similar manner as they did against the Vikings, when Gilmore stuck to Diggs on the outside while McCourty tracked Thielen from the slot with consistent safety help.

Patriots WR Josh Gordon vs. Steelers CB Joe Haden

The Steelers have been very particular about asking Haden to travel with their opponent’s No. 1 receiver. Only the best-of-the-best have earned this “privilege” since he joined the team last season.

Haden’s shadow duties haven’t extended into the slot, as he’s spent just 14 snaps as the defense’s nickel back all season. This schematic principle was exploited by Keenan Allen and the Chargers in Week 13, when Allen caught just three passes for 31 yards and a touchdown in Haden’s coverage, but 11-of-15 targets for 117 yards against everyone else.

However, Gordon has only run 10% of his routes from the slot since joining the Patriots. Flash has become somewhat matchup-proof with at least 70 yards and/or a touchdown in seven of his 10 games with New England, but the likes of Tre’Davious White (4-42-0) and Adoree’ Jackson (4-81-0) largely held Gordon in check during their respective shadow dates.

Another way to look at all of this: Julian Edleman should smash. Edelman has posted 11-97-0, 9-60-0, and 8-118-1 lines vs. the Steelers in three matchups since 2015.

Saints WRs Michael Thomas and Tre’Quan Smith vs. Panthers CBs James Bradberry and Donte Jackson

Thomas and Bradberry aren’t strangers at this point, but the Panthers’ No. 1 cornerback is simply another defensive back that can attest to not being able to guard Drew Brees’ best receiver ever. Thomas has caught 30-of-36 targets for 434 yards and three touchdowns in five career games against the Saints’ divisional rival.

The only thing holding back Thomas is the Saints’ reduced pass volume of late that has prohibited him from finding the end zone since Week 11. Thomas hasn’t surpassed 100 yards in a game since Week 9, although this week’s matchup vs. the league’s 29th-ranked defense in pass DVOA is as good a time as ever for a breakout.

Jackson (4.32-second 40-yard dash) isn’t the cornerback to bet on Tre’Quan Smith (4.49) burning, but Steelers No. 2 cornerback Coty Sensabaugh might be that man come Week 16.

Potential Non-Shadow Matchups

  • Packers CB Jaire Alexander: The Packers’ talented first-round pick has predictably struggled in his only two shadow dates this season against Thielen (8-125-1) and Jones (8-106-2). Allen Robinson (28% target share) has worked as the Bears’ No. 1 receiver for most of the season, but Taylor Gabriel (25%) and Anthony Miller (17%) have also been plenty involved. It seems most likely Alexander won’t stray from his spot as the defense’s left cornerback too often. A-Rob has at least seven targets in four of his past five games, but the floor of each receiver remains low in this balanced offense.
  • Lions CB Darius Slay: Slay didn’t shadow vs. the Christian Kirk-less Cardinals last week, and it again seems unlikely he will against the Bills. Zay Jones (19 targets), Robert Foster (14) and Isaiah McKenzie (14) have each seen fairly consistent work in three games since Josh Allen returned from injury. The Bills also found a way to get McKenzie four rush attempts last week. The floor of any receiver involved with a quarterback completing just 52% of his passes and averaging 6.3 yards per attempt is low, but Allen does have a fantasy-friendly and league-high average target depth of 11.4 yards.
  • Dolphins CB Xavien Howard: First-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick shadowed Gordon (5-96-0) last week and could do so vs. Diggs if Howard (knee) is unable to suit up. Fitzpatrick and Howard worked as the defense’s right and left cornerbacks, respectively, in Weeks 12-13, which would lead to Adam Thielen running most of his routes against slot liability Bobby McCain — PFF’s No. 91 overall cornerback. Diggs is capable of winning against either cornerback, but the absence of the league’s co-leader in interceptions  (Howard and Kyle Fuller each have seven) would certainly benefit an offense that just fired their offensive coordinator.
  • Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey: There’s a chance Ramsey is asked to travel with Josh Doctson, but the Redskins’ “No. 1” wide receiver is in the concussion protocol and has just one game all season with over 75 receiving yards. There are more questions than answers in a Redskins’ pass offense that will likely be without Jordan Reed (foot) and will have Josh Johnson under center. Vernon Davis and Chris Thompson are the only passing options that should be considered in any fantasy format, as Jamison Crowder’s 2-87-1 line on seven targets last week doesn’t seem sustainable.
  • Giants CB Janoris Jenkins: The Giants haven’t asked Jenkins to shadow since Week 4. PFF has graded Jenkins and B.W. Webb as the league’s No. 41 and No. 64 best cornerbacks this season, respectively. Corey Davis is more than capable of smoking them both, but we haven’t seen the Titans’ No. 1 receiver get very consistent volume over the past month. Davis saw fewer than five targets in three of his past four games after surpassing that threshold in seven of his first nine games. Life as the No. 1 receiver on the league’s second-most pass-adverse offense has Davis as the PPR WR24 entering Week 15.
  • Redskins CB Josh Norman: Norman didn’t shadow Sterling Shepard in Week 14 even with OBJ ruled out. The Jaguars’ run-first offense likely won’t require his services again this Sunday. Donte Moncrief (18% target share), Dede Westbrook (17%) and Keelan Cole (14%) have all struggled to establish much consistency this season, and only Westbrook (7-88-1 in Week 14) has shown any signs of upside in two games with Cody Kessler under center. The Jaguars join the Bills and Cardinals as the league’s only teams that have scored 10 or fewer points in at least five games this season.
  • Cowboys CB Byron Jones: The Cowboys have begun to move Jones into the slot against their opponent’s No. 1 receiver in high-leverage situations for a handful of snaps per game in recent weeks, but he’s still ultimately spent 88% of his snaps as the defense’s left cornerback this season. Jones is the Cowboys’ version of Richard Sherman under ex-Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard. This means we can confidently project T.Y. Hilton to run roughly 60% of his routes away from PFF’s No. 7 overall cornerback this season. Nobody has been able to slow down Hilton recently anyhow, as Captain Andrew Luck’s BFF has posted an asinine 33-556-2 line over the Colts’ last four games.
  • 49ers CB Richard Sherman: The 49ers haven’t asked Sherman to do anything this season that he hasn’t already mastered. He’s ultimately spent 85% of his snaps as the defense’s left cornerback, meaning Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett should run the majority of their routes vs. K’Waun Williams and Akhello Witherspoon — PFF’s No. 57 and No. 113-ranked cornerbacks out of 113 qualified corners. Still, every pass catcher in the offense carries a low ceiling considering only Josh Allen and Marcus Mariota have more games (4) than Wilson (3) with 10-to-20 pass attempts this season.
  • Saints CB Marshon Lattimore: Lattimore has shadowed Alshon Jeffery (4-33-0), Calvin Ridley (8-93-1), Amari Cooper (8-76-0)and Mike Evans (7-147-1) since the Saints acquired Eli Apple before Week 8. The Saints’ No. 1 corner largely shut down Devin Funchess (4-79-0)
  • during the team’s Wild Card win over the Panthers last season, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Lattimore and Apple utilized as the defense’s right and left cornerback, respectively, against a Panthers offense that has evolved into a full-blown committee in the pass game during recent weeks.

Potential Plus Matchups

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald vs. Falcons

Josh Rosen’s target distribution in the offense’s first game without Christian Kirk (foot, IR) featured David Johnson (10 targets), Larry Fitzgerald (9), Trent Sherfield (7) and J.J. Nelson (7).

Fitz seems to be the most-likely candidate to continue to see a hefty target share and is set up for success against a Falcons defense that has struggled against seemingly any-and-every slot receiver this season.

The floor is low for anyone involved in an offense presently implied to score just 17.75 points, but Fitz is popping a bit in our Pro Models on DraftKings, where his $4,700 price tag comes with a +2.4 Projected Plus/Minus.

Cowboys WRs Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Cole Beasley vs. Colts

Cooper has emerged as one of the league’s most-productive wide receivers since joining the Cowboys in Week 9.

  • Targets: 53 (7th among all wide receivers)
  • Receptions: 40 (T5th)
  • Yards: 642 (1st)
  • Yards per target: 12.1 (7th)
  • Receiving TDs: 6 (T1st)
  • PPR: 138.2 (2nd)

Dak Prescott has unsurprisingly flourished during this stretch, as he’s posted top-10 marks in completion rate (74%), yards per attempt (8.08), quarterback rating (9th) and pass yards per game (8th) during the past six games.

The Cowboys’ 6-foot-1 and 210-pound receiver with fluid route-running and a 4.42-second 40-yard dash has left most of the NFC East in the dust thus far.

As Chris Raybon and I discussed on this week’s episode of The Action Network NFL Podcast, it’ll be tough to get behind any of the Cowboys’ other pass catchers until Prescott demonstrates better chemistry and consistency with anyone other than Cooper. Still, the Colts’ 18th-ranked defense in pass DVOA isn’t a unit for fantasy investors to fear.

Bengals WRs Tyler Boyd and John Ross vs. Raiders

Anybody facing the Raiders’ league-worst defense in pass DVOA qualifies with having a good matchup. Still, Boyd hasn’t exactly thrived in four games with A.J. Green (foot, IR) sidelined this season.

  • vs. Saints: 3 receptions-65 yards-0 TDs (4 targets)
  • at Ravens: 4-71-0 (11)
  • vs. Browns: 7-85-1 (8)
  • at Chargers: 3-52-0 (6)

Not helping matters is a Raiders defense that shockingly ranks second in the league in DVOA against No. 1 WRs. This has resulted in some splash performances from non-lead wide receivers in games that appears to be smash spots.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed in an offense that has scored just 31 combined points in the last eight quarters of the Jeff Driskel experience.

Raiders WRs Jordy Nelson, Marcell Ateman and Seth Roberts vs. Bengals

Here’s a dirty little secret: Jon Gruden has brought out one of the best versions of Derek Carr that we’ve ever seen.

This is both a mockery of the idea that people thought Carr should’ve been in contention for the 2016 MVP, as well as a tip of the cap to some solid play from Carr in recent weeks.

Jordy Nelson returned from injury in Week 12 and hasn’t been the team’s No. 1 receiver during the team’s ensuring three games. Jared Cook (23 targets) leads the way, with Nelson (19), Marcell Ateman (18) and Seth Roberts (16) close behind.

The Bengals’ cornerbacks aren’t as bad as you might expect from the league’s worst scoring defense, but there’s still little reason to shy away from dart throws at each of Nelson ($4,200), Ateman ($3,600) and Roberts ($3,700) at their cheap DraftKings salaries.

Cook ($5,600) has the best matchup of the group vs. a group of safeties and linebackers that have allowed the fourth-most average DraftKings points per game to opposing tight end units this season.

Potential Minus Matchups

Packers WR Davante Adams vs. Bears

It’s hard to understate just how much talent the Bears have at all three levels of their defense.

The only starters that aren’t currently ranked among PFF’s top-25 players at their position are linebacker Roquan Smith and pass rusher Leonard Floyd, each of whom are former top-10 overall draft picks. Starting slot cornerback Bryce Callahan (broken foot, IR) is done for the season, but backup Sherrick McManis has actually been graded out as a better cornerback by PFF in limited snaps.

Overall, the Bears boast the best defense in the league in DVOA vs. No. 1 receivers, and their ferocious pass rush could be taking on a Packers offense potentially without both starting guards and their starting right tackle.

This is a brutal matchup for Aaron Rodgers and the pass game in general, but it’d still be shocking if Davante Adams find a way to have a productive afternoon. Fantasy’s overall PPR WR2 has scored an incredible 32 touchdowns in 39 games with Rodgers under center since 2016.

Eagles WRs Alshon Jeffery, Golden Tate and Nelson Agholor vs. Rams

Just when we thought we had the Eagles figured out, Tate played 20-of-52 snaps (38%) in a must-win game vs. the Cowboys in Week 14. Alshon Jeffery (9 targets), Zach Ertz (8) and even rookie tight end Dallas Goedert (5) were featured ahead of Tate (3) and Nelson Agholor (3).

Ertz played 32 snaps in the slot or out wide after averaging 23.5-such snaps in Weeks 12-13. It’s not surprising the offense was still looking for answers after back-to-back underwhelming wins over the Giants and Redskins, but this offense is tough to trust moving forward outside of Ertz.

Not helping matters for anybody is the expected absence of Carson Wentz (back). Nick Foles might have won a Super Bowl, but he also failed to surpass 21 points against the Falcons and Buccaneers during the first two weeks of the season.

Also complicating things is a Rams defense that has consistently risen to the occasion with Aqib Talib on the field this season. One player obviously doesn’t make a defense, but the Rams have managed to hold opponents to just 13.4 PPG in five games with Talib this season compared to 30.8 PPG in eight games without their stud No. 1 cornerback.


Be sure to check out FantasyLabs’ industry-leading NFL News and Models, along with the Multi-Lineup Builder, Stack Builder, ownership projections and more. Other tools for the 2018 season are also available, including the Matchups page, DFS Contests Dashboard, NFL Ownership page and NFL Correlations page.

Pictured above: Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11), Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21)

Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

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I’ll be breaking down the top wide receiver/cornerback matchups every week throughout the 2018 NFL season.

Below is a data-driven analysis of the week’s best passing-game matchup, eight potential shadow matchups and an additional nine potential non-shadow matchups. At the end, I’ll wrap up with a quick look at plus and minus matchups.

Visit the FantasyLabs NFL page for more weekly fantasy breakdowns. You can also view all of this week’s wide receiver/cornerback matchups using our Matchups tool.

Jump to: Matchup of the Week | Shadow Matchups | Non-Shadow | Plus/Minus



Matchup of the Week

Rams Offense vs. Eagles Defense

The Bears managed to hold the Rams’ high-octane offense to just six points last Sunday night. This marked the first time all season the Rams have scored fewer than 23 points, and just the third time they were held below 30.

The Bears were able to accomplish this thanks to their absurd pass rush and talented cornerbacks. The Eagles certainly boast plenty of capable bodies across their tenacious defensive line, but they also might have the league’s single-worst group of cornerbacks at this point.

  • Starting corners Ronald Darby (knee) and Jalen Mills (foot) are both on the injured reserve list and done for the season.
  • Both Sidney Jones (hamstring) and Avonte Maddox (leg) are far from 100% and not guaranteed to suit up Sunday night.
  • Rasul Douglas is a former 2017 third-round pick and probably the best remaining cornerback on the roster. PFF has graded Douglas as their 47th best corner this season.
  • Chandon Sullivan is an undrafted free agent who has played 87 career snaps on defense.

The Eagles were forced to play starting safety Malcolm Jenkins as a slot corner on a season-high 39 snaps in Week 14 against the Cowboys. Jenkins is one of the league’s few safeties capable of holding his own as a nickel back, but the same can’t be said for the rest of the secondary.

Overall, only the Saints have been worse than the Eagles in receptions (192) yards (2,543) and DraftKings PPG (43.8) allowed to the wide receiver position this season.

Robert Woods (46 targets) has been featured ahead of Brandin Cooks (38), Todd Gurley (27) and Josh Reynolds (26) during five games without Cooper Kupp (knee, IR) this season. Each player is firmly in play across all fantasy formats in a matchup featuring a week-high 53.5-point over/under.

The Week 15 Shadow Club

Not many cornerbacks are consistently asked to travel with the opposition’s No. 1 wide receiver, but we can expect the following eight teams to regularly line up across from their opponent’s top receiver in Week 15.

Lions WR Kenny Golladay vs. Bills CB Tre’Davious White

Patrick Peterson wound up tracking Golladay on 60% of his routes last week, but alas, Stafford wound up with the fourth-fewest pass attempts in a single game of his entire career (23). Golladay’s two receptions for five-scoreless yards on four targets was a firm reminder that anybody involved in one of the league’s worst offenses will carry a frighteningly-low weekly floor.

This week’s matchup won’t be much easier for Golladay, as White has emerged as one of the league’s brightest young stars at the cornerback position.

The Bills’ third-ranked defense in both overall and pass DVOA isn’t a unit to target in general, especially not with the Lions’ slow-paced and low-scoring offense. Only the Redskins-Jaguars’ matchup currently has a lower over/under as of Wednesday.

Buccaneers WR Mike Evans vs. Ravens CB Jimmy Smith

The Ravens have asked Jimmy Smith to shadow twice since he returned from suspension in Week 5. The defense’s long-time No. 1 cornerback held up about as well as possible, as Michael Thomas (7-69-1) and Julio Jones (2-18-0) were largely held in check for most of the afternoon.

It’d make sense for the rangy Smith (6-foot-2 and 211-pounds) to track Evans (6-foot-5 and 231-pounds) this Sunday. Evans has yet to surpass 100 yards or find the end zone in December, but he’s plenty capable of winning against any cornerback in the league. He joins A.J. Green and Randy Moss as the only players to ever gain at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of their first five seasons.

Evans doesn’t belong on your fantasy bench, although it’s fair to question his upside against the Ravens’ fourth-ranked defense in pass DVOA. Neither Chris Godwin nor Adam Humphries are set up particularly well against the likes of Marlon Humphries (PFF’s No. 16 CB), Brandon Carr (No. 32) and Tavon Young (No. 59).

Falcons WR Julio Jones vs. Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson

Jones predictably went off against the Packers last week after his dud in Week 13. Up next is arguably his toughest matchup of the season, although the Cardinals’ zone-heavy scheme and their unwillingness to move Peterson into the slot hasn’t exactly resulted in consistent shut-down performances.

  • Week 6 vs. Stefon Diggs: three receptions-33 yards-zero touchdowns (four targets)
  • Week 8 vs. Marquise Goodwin: 1-55-1 (4)
  • Week 10 vs. Tyreek Hill: 7-117-2 (10)
  • Week 13 vs. Davante Adams: 8-93-1 (13)
  • Week 14 vs. Kenny Golladay: 2-5-0 (4)

It’s worth noting that Peterson has only been charged with two touchdowns and 279 yards allowed into his coverage all season, so opponents have been able to consistently free their No. 1 receiver from Peterson’s cross-hairs.

Jones has run 21% of his routes from the slot this season, while Peterson has played just 11 total snaps in the slot all year. The Falcons’ No. 1 receiver leads the league in receiving yards after 14 weeks and has mostly won his career-long rivalry with Peterson dating back to their SEC battles in college.

Jones has worked as the league’s overall PPR WR4 since his infamous touchdown drought ended in Week 9.

Neither Mohamed Sanu nor Calvin Ridley have exactly balled out recently, but they could benefit from the return home and have the potential for enhanced target share if Peterson emerges from the battle victorious.

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Titans CB Adoree’ Jackson

Beckham (quad) wasn’t able to suit up for last week’s matchup against the Redskins and didn’t practice Wednesday. He should be considered questionable for this Sunday’s battle against the Titans. Be sure to monitor our Week 15 Injury Report for OBJ’s daily practice participation along with his estimated and official game status.

The Giants’ No. 1 receiver will likely do everything in his power to get right for this matchup, as Beckham’s potential shadow date with Jackson is extraordinarily winnable.

OBJ is plenty capable of winning any matchup, but his participation in practice will need to be monitored closely this week. Beckham has finished with fewer than 65 receiving yards in three of his five career games when listed on the final injury report.

Dolphins WR DeVante Parker vs. Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes

Parker (6-foot-3, 209-pounds) is the exact type of big-bodied receiver that could have all sorts of trouble shaking free from Rhodes (6-foot-1, 210-pounds). The Vikings’ stud corner wasn’t utilized in shadow coverage against Josh Gordon in Week 13 (perhaps due to his lingering hamstring injury), but Rhodes was back to moving all around the formation during the Vikings’ Monday night loss to the Seahawks.

Not helping matters for Parker is consistently inconsistent target volume that has left him with fewer than 20 receiving yards in four of his eight games this season. Danny Amendola’s return to the lineup in Week 14 left Parker with just four total targets, while Kenny Stills caught eight of his nine targets for 135 yards and a touchdown.

Ultimately, targeting receivers in the league’s third-most pass-adverse offense isn’t a winning proposition. Especially not in a tough matchup vs. the Vikings’ No. 3-ranked defense in DVOA vs. No. 1 wide receivers.

Steelers WRs Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster vs. Patriots CBs Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty

Bill Belichick and company have had more success than most with slowing down Antonio Brown over the years, but he’s still found a way to make an impact.

  • 2011: Nine receptions-67 yards-one TD (15 targets)
  • 2013: 5-71-1 (9)
  • 2015: 9-133-1 (11)
  • 2016: 7-106-0 (11)
  • 2016 playoffs: 7-77-0 (9)
  • 2017: 2-24-0 (3) – left early due to injury.

AB has been held under 70 yards and scoreless in two of the past three weeks, leading to multiple victory laps for FantasyLabs Editor-in-Chief Matthew Freedman. However, those performances have coincided with 13-189-1 and 8-130-2 eruptions from Juju Smith-Schuster, something that Ben Roethlisberger suggested wasn’t a coincidence.

Per our Pro Models, AB and Smith-Schuster carry a -0.57 correlation with their fantasy production on DraftKings. They’ve both surpassed 75 yards in four games this season. For comparison, the similarly-talented duo of Thielen and Diggs have posted a +0.19 correlation this season with five games where each receiver surpassed 75 yards.

With all due respect to those 15 seconds where Martavis Bryant was the greatest wide receiver on the planet, Smith-Schuster is easily the best No. 2 pass-game option the Steelers have had during the AB-era.

Brown and Juju are the league’s WR4 and WR7 in PPR scoring, but their lack of consistent production together should be closely monitored in DFS. They are matchup-proof, although it’s tough to get too excited about facing off against Gilmore and McCourty — PFF’s No. 2 and No. 12 overall cornerbacks this season.

Don’t be surprised if the Patriots approach this matchup in a similar manner as they did against the Vikings, when Gilmore stuck to Diggs on the outside while McCourty tracked Thielen from the slot with consistent safety help.

Patriots WR Josh Gordon vs. Steelers CB Joe Haden

The Steelers have been very particular about asking Haden to travel with their opponent’s No. 1 receiver. Only the best-of-the-best have earned this “privilege” since he joined the team last season.

Haden’s shadow duties haven’t extended into the slot, as he’s spent just 14 snaps as the defense’s nickel back all season. This schematic principle was exploited by Keenan Allen and the Chargers in Week 13, when Allen caught just three passes for 31 yards and a touchdown in Haden’s coverage, but 11-of-15 targets for 117 yards against everyone else.

However, Gordon has only run 10% of his routes from the slot since joining the Patriots. Flash has become somewhat matchup-proof with at least 70 yards and/or a touchdown in seven of his 10 games with New England, but the likes of Tre’Davious White (4-42-0) and Adoree’ Jackson (4-81-0) largely held Gordon in check during their respective shadow dates.

Another way to look at all of this: Julian Edleman should smash. Edelman has posted 11-97-0, 9-60-0, and 8-118-1 lines vs. the Steelers in three matchups since 2015.

Saints WRs Michael Thomas and Tre’Quan Smith vs. Panthers CBs James Bradberry and Donte Jackson

Thomas and Bradberry aren’t strangers at this point, but the Panthers’ No. 1 cornerback is simply another defensive back that can attest to not being able to guard Drew Brees’ best receiver ever. Thomas has caught 30-of-36 targets for 434 yards and three touchdowns in five career games against the Saints’ divisional rival.

The only thing holding back Thomas is the Saints’ reduced pass volume of late that has prohibited him from finding the end zone since Week 11. Thomas hasn’t surpassed 100 yards in a game since Week 9, although this week’s matchup vs. the league’s 29th-ranked defense in pass DVOA is as good a time as ever for a breakout.

Jackson (4.32-second 40-yard dash) isn’t the cornerback to bet on Tre’Quan Smith (4.49) burning, but Steelers No. 2 cornerback Coty Sensabaugh might be that man come Week 16.

Potential Non-Shadow Matchups

  • Packers CB Jaire Alexander: The Packers’ talented first-round pick has predictably struggled in his only two shadow dates this season against Thielen (8-125-1) and Jones (8-106-2). Allen Robinson (28% target share) has worked as the Bears’ No. 1 receiver for most of the season, but Taylor Gabriel (25%) and Anthony Miller (17%) have also been plenty involved. It seems most likely Alexander won’t stray from his spot as the defense’s left cornerback too often. A-Rob has at least seven targets in four of his past five games, but the floor of each receiver remains low in this balanced offense.
  • Lions CB Darius Slay: Slay didn’t shadow vs. the Christian Kirk-less Cardinals last week, and it again seems unlikely he will against the Bills. Zay Jones (19 targets), Robert Foster (14) and Isaiah McKenzie (14) have each seen fairly consistent work in three games since Josh Allen returned from injury. The Bills also found a way to get McKenzie four rush attempts last week. The floor of any receiver involved with a quarterback completing just 52% of his passes and averaging 6.3 yards per attempt is low, but Allen does have a fantasy-friendly and league-high average target depth of 11.4 yards.
  • Dolphins CB Xavien Howard: First-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick shadowed Gordon (5-96-0) last week and could do so vs. Diggs if Howard (knee) is unable to suit up. Fitzpatrick and Howard worked as the defense’s right and left cornerbacks, respectively, in Weeks 12-13, which would lead to Adam Thielen running most of his routes against slot liability Bobby McCain — PFF’s No. 91 overall cornerback. Diggs is capable of winning against either cornerback, but the absence of the league’s co-leader in interceptions  (Howard and Kyle Fuller each have seven) would certainly benefit an offense that just fired their offensive coordinator.
  • Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey: There’s a chance Ramsey is asked to travel with Josh Doctson, but the Redskins’ “No. 1” wide receiver is in the concussion protocol and has just one game all season with over 75 receiving yards. There are more questions than answers in a Redskins’ pass offense that will likely be without Jordan Reed (foot) and will have Josh Johnson under center. Vernon Davis and Chris Thompson are the only passing options that should be considered in any fantasy format, as Jamison Crowder’s 2-87-1 line on seven targets last week doesn’t seem sustainable.
  • Giants CB Janoris Jenkins: The Giants haven’t asked Jenkins to shadow since Week 4. PFF has graded Jenkins and B.W. Webb as the league’s No. 41 and No. 64 best cornerbacks this season, respectively. Corey Davis is more than capable of smoking them both, but we haven’t seen the Titans’ No. 1 receiver get very consistent volume over the past month. Davis saw fewer than five targets in three of his past four games after surpassing that threshold in seven of his first nine games. Life as the No. 1 receiver on the league’s second-most pass-adverse offense has Davis as the PPR WR24 entering Week 15.
  • Redskins CB Josh Norman: Norman didn’t shadow Sterling Shepard in Week 14 even with OBJ ruled out. The Jaguars’ run-first offense likely won’t require his services again this Sunday. Donte Moncrief (18% target share), Dede Westbrook (17%) and Keelan Cole (14%) have all struggled to establish much consistency this season, and only Westbrook (7-88-1 in Week 14) has shown any signs of upside in two games with Cody Kessler under center. The Jaguars join the Bills and Cardinals as the league’s only teams that have scored 10 or fewer points in at least five games this season.
  • Cowboys CB Byron Jones: The Cowboys have begun to move Jones into the slot against their opponent’s No. 1 receiver in high-leverage situations for a handful of snaps per game in recent weeks, but he’s still ultimately spent 88% of his snaps as the defense’s left cornerback this season. Jones is the Cowboys’ version of Richard Sherman under ex-Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard. This means we can confidently project T.Y. Hilton to run roughly 60% of his routes away from PFF’s No. 7 overall cornerback this season. Nobody has been able to slow down Hilton recently anyhow, as Captain Andrew Luck’s BFF has posted an asinine 33-556-2 line over the Colts’ last four games.
  • 49ers CB Richard Sherman: The 49ers haven’t asked Sherman to do anything this season that he hasn’t already mastered. He’s ultimately spent 85% of his snaps as the defense’s left cornerback, meaning Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett should run the majority of their routes vs. K’Waun Williams and Akhello Witherspoon — PFF’s No. 57 and No. 113-ranked cornerbacks out of 113 qualified corners. Still, every pass catcher in the offense carries a low ceiling considering only Josh Allen and Marcus Mariota have more games (4) than Wilson (3) with 10-to-20 pass attempts this season.
  • Saints CB Marshon Lattimore: Lattimore has shadowed Alshon Jeffery (4-33-0), Calvin Ridley (8-93-1), Amari Cooper (8-76-0)and Mike Evans (7-147-1) since the Saints acquired Eli Apple before Week 8. The Saints’ No. 1 corner largely shut down Devin Funchess (4-79-0)
  • during the team’s Wild Card win over the Panthers last season, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Lattimore and Apple utilized as the defense’s right and left cornerback, respectively, against a Panthers offense that has evolved into a full-blown committee in the pass game during recent weeks.

Potential Plus Matchups

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald vs. Falcons

Josh Rosen’s target distribution in the offense’s first game without Christian Kirk (foot, IR) featured David Johnson (10 targets), Larry Fitzgerald (9), Trent Sherfield (7) and J.J. Nelson (7).

Fitz seems to be the most-likely candidate to continue to see a hefty target share and is set up for success against a Falcons defense that has struggled against seemingly any-and-every slot receiver this season.

The floor is low for anyone involved in an offense presently implied to score just 17.75 points, but Fitz is popping a bit in our Pro Models on DraftKings, where his $4,700 price tag comes with a +2.4 Projected Plus/Minus.

Cowboys WRs Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Cole Beasley vs. Colts

Cooper has emerged as one of the league’s most-productive wide receivers since joining the Cowboys in Week 9.

  • Targets: 53 (7th among all wide receivers)
  • Receptions: 40 (T5th)
  • Yards: 642 (1st)
  • Yards per target: 12.1 (7th)
  • Receiving TDs: 6 (T1st)
  • PPR: 138.2 (2nd)

Dak Prescott has unsurprisingly flourished during this stretch, as he’s posted top-10 marks in completion rate (74%), yards per attempt (8.08), quarterback rating (9th) and pass yards per game (8th) during the past six games.

The Cowboys’ 6-foot-1 and 210-pound receiver with fluid route-running and a 4.42-second 40-yard dash has left most of the NFC East in the dust thus far.

As Chris Raybon and I discussed on this week’s episode of The Action Network NFL Podcast, it’ll be tough to get behind any of the Cowboys’ other pass catchers until Prescott demonstrates better chemistry and consistency with anyone other than Cooper. Still, the Colts’ 18th-ranked defense in pass DVOA isn’t a unit for fantasy investors to fear.

Bengals WRs Tyler Boyd and John Ross vs. Raiders

Anybody facing the Raiders’ league-worst defense in pass DVOA qualifies with having a good matchup. Still, Boyd hasn’t exactly thrived in four games with A.J. Green (foot, IR) sidelined this season.

  • vs. Saints: 3 receptions-65 yards-0 TDs (4 targets)
  • at Ravens: 4-71-0 (11)
  • vs. Browns: 7-85-1 (8)
  • at Chargers: 3-52-0 (6)

Not helping matters is a Raiders defense that shockingly ranks second in the league in DVOA against No. 1 WRs. This has resulted in some splash performances from non-lead wide receivers in games that appears to be smash spots.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed in an offense that has scored just 31 combined points in the last eight quarters of the Jeff Driskel experience.

Raiders WRs Jordy Nelson, Marcell Ateman and Seth Roberts vs. Bengals

Here’s a dirty little secret: Jon Gruden has brought out one of the best versions of Derek Carr that we’ve ever seen.

This is both a mockery of the idea that people thought Carr should’ve been in contention for the 2016 MVP, as well as a tip of the cap to some solid play from Carr in recent weeks.

Jordy Nelson returned from injury in Week 12 and hasn’t been the team’s No. 1 receiver during the team’s ensuring three games. Jared Cook (23 targets) leads the way, with Nelson (19), Marcell Ateman (18) and Seth Roberts (16) close behind.

The Bengals’ cornerbacks aren’t as bad as you might expect from the league’s worst scoring defense, but there’s still little reason to shy away from dart throws at each of Nelson ($4,200), Ateman ($3,600) and Roberts ($3,700) at their cheap DraftKings salaries.

Cook ($5,600) has the best matchup of the group vs. a group of safeties and linebackers that have allowed the fourth-most average DraftKings points per game to opposing tight end units this season.

Potential Minus Matchups

Packers WR Davante Adams vs. Bears

It’s hard to understate just how much talent the Bears have at all three levels of their defense.

The only starters that aren’t currently ranked among PFF’s top-25 players at their position are linebacker Roquan Smith and pass rusher Leonard Floyd, each of whom are former top-10 overall draft picks. Starting slot cornerback Bryce Callahan (broken foot, IR) is done for the season, but backup Sherrick McManis has actually been graded out as a better cornerback by PFF in limited snaps.

Overall, the Bears boast the best defense in the league in DVOA vs. No. 1 receivers, and their ferocious pass rush could be taking on a Packers offense potentially without both starting guards and their starting right tackle.

This is a brutal matchup for Aaron Rodgers and the pass game in general, but it’d still be shocking if Davante Adams find a way to have a productive afternoon. Fantasy’s overall PPR WR2 has scored an incredible 32 touchdowns in 39 games with Rodgers under center since 2016.

Eagles WRs Alshon Jeffery, Golden Tate and Nelson Agholor vs. Rams

Just when we thought we had the Eagles figured out, Tate played 20-of-52 snaps (38%) in a must-win game vs. the Cowboys in Week 14. Alshon Jeffery (9 targets), Zach Ertz (8) and even rookie tight end Dallas Goedert (5) were featured ahead of Tate (3) and Nelson Agholor (3).

Ertz played 32 snaps in the slot or out wide after averaging 23.5-such snaps in Weeks 12-13. It’s not surprising the offense was still looking for answers after back-to-back underwhelming wins over the Giants and Redskins, but this offense is tough to trust moving forward outside of Ertz.

Not helping matters for anybody is the expected absence of Carson Wentz (back). Nick Foles might have won a Super Bowl, but he also failed to surpass 21 points against the Falcons and Buccaneers during the first two weeks of the season.

Also complicating things is a Rams defense that has consistently risen to the occasion with Aqib Talib on the field this season. One player obviously doesn’t make a defense, but the Rams have managed to hold opponents to just 13.4 PPG in five games with Talib this season compared to 30.8 PPG in eight games without their stud No. 1 cornerback.


Be sure to check out FantasyLabs’ industry-leading NFL News and Models, along with the Multi-Lineup Builder, Stack Builder, ownership projections and more. Other tools for the 2018 season are also available, including the Matchups page, DFS Contests Dashboard, NFL Ownership page and NFL Correlations page.

Pictured above: Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11), Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21)

Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

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