Corner Report: Week 10

This article will go game by game looking at the top wide receivers from an offense and, based on the inside/outside and left/right splits in the alignment data of those receivers, identify the cornerbacks most likely to face them in man coverage. The corners named will parenthetically cite the rank of their coverage grade from Pro Football Focus from the 2019 season. The snap counts listed are not a projection, but rather the totals from so far this year.

Receivers very rarely see the same corner every play, be it due to formational quirks or zone coverage calls by the defense, so a receiver's fortunes depend on much more than just the quality of the corner they're likely to see the most in a given game. But it's part of the puzzle, and it's worth keeping track of.

Receivers are left with an Upgrade, Downgrade, or Even verdict based on their projected matchup. This shouldn't be read as 'good' or 'bad' but rather a measured tweak from the receiver's baseline projection.

CIN vs BAL

CINCINNATI WR SNAPS

Tyler Boyd: 494 snaps – 80 wide (49 left, 31 right), 373 slot (181 left, 192 right), 13 tight (seven left, six right), 28 back

Auden Tate: 397 snaps – 198 wide (124 left, 74 right), 191 slot (107 left, 84 right), four tight (two left, two right), four back

Alex Erickson: 213 snaps – 84 wide (37 left, 47 right), 119 slot (46 left, 73 right), 10 back

The Ravens cornerback rotation is suddenly imposing on paper, its firepower heightened by the return of Jimmy Smith (76.8 PFF) and the trade for Marcus Peters (79.3 PFF), with the former primarily at right corner and the latter at left corner. Those two should spend most of their snaps on either Auden Tate or Alex Erickson, with Tate probably seeing a bit more of Smith and Erickson seeing more of Peters. Marlon Humphrey (76.6 PFF) will be Tyler Boyd's problem, as the former boundary corner has seemingly become Baltimore's lead slot corner. It's a tough draw for all three Bengals wideouts, who also have Ryan Finley presenting a potential downgrade from Andy Dalton.

Upgrade: N/A

Downgrade: Tyler Boyd, Auden Tate, Alex Erickson

Even: N/A

BALTIMORE WR SNAPS

Willie Snead: 387 snaps – 52 wide (23 left, 29 right), 282 slot (140 left, 142 right), nine tight (one left, eight right), 44 back

Seth Roberts: 304 snaps – 260 wide (190 left, 70 right), 41 slot (31 left, 10 right), three back

Marquise Brown: 256 snaps – 143 wide (44 left, 99 right), 99 slot (46 left, 53 right), one tight (one right), 13 back

Miles Boykin: 222 snaps – 182 wide (131 left, 51 right), 39 slot (27 left, 12 right), one tight (one left)

Marquise Brown played 40 snaps last week and seems likely to run his routes a little more often on the right than the left. That means while he should see all of Cincinnati's top three corners, Brown should see B.W. Webb (60.7 PFF) a little more than the other two. Webb is a springy athlete, but he's nearing age 30 and only ran a 4.51-second 40 before the 2013 draft. Webb is a more favorable matchup for Brown than William Jackson (65.9 PFF), who possesses sub-4.4 speed and is probably better than his current 2019 grade. Darqueze Dennard (65.0 PFF) is likely the slot corner, but it's his first game back and it might be asking a lot of him to run with a burner like Brown. Dennard should be a significant test for Willie Snead, on the other hand, on the snaps where Brown lines up outside. It's hard to see why Seth Roberts or Miles Boykin would find much success against Jackson.

Upgrade: Marquise Brown

Downgrade: Seth Roberts, Miles Boykin

Even: Willie Snead

TEN vs KC

TENNESSEE WR SNAPS

Corey Davis: 451 snaps – 180 wide (69 left, 111 right), 251 slot (116 left, 135 right), 19 tight (10 left, nine right), one back

A.J. Brown: 318 snaps – 205 wide (123 left, 82 right), 102 slot (48 left, 54 right), seven tight (four left, three right), four back

Adam Humphries: 308 snaps – 28 wide (15 left, 13 right), 256 slot (136 left, 120 right), 15 tight (10 left, five right), nine back

Tajae Sharpe: 257 snaps – 166 wide (98 left, 68 right), 87 slot (50 left, 37 right), two tight (two left), two back

It appears Corey Davis (hip) will miss this game, in which case I think we can assume Tajae Sharpe will take up a three-down role. An unclear but similarly important question is whether Sharpe plays primarily on the left or right. Both Sharpe and A.J. Brown have played slightly more often on the left than the right, and they'll switch sides plenty over the course of the game, but whoever is on the right side probably has the easiest matchup on the play. Barring a change in Kansas City's corner rotation, the receiver on the right should draw Bashaud Breeland (38.8 PFF) and Morris Claiborne (60.9 PFF). The receiver on the left draws Charvarius Ward (72.0 PFF), a beatable corner but one who appears much better than Breeland/Claiborne rotation on the other side. Perhaps rookie sixth-round pick Rashad Fenton (68.3 PFF) can maintain playing time even upon the return of Kendall Fuller (60.5 PFF), but if Fuller can return from his thumb injury this week then he probably beats Fenton for snaps, and Fenton had specifically been playing Fuller's slot position. Whoever is slot corner gets to cover Adam Humphries, who should be able to at least hold his own in either case.

Upgrade: A.J. Brown, Tajae Sharpe

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Adam Humphries

KANSAS CITY WR SNAPS

Demarcus Robinson: 452 snaps – 277 wide (164 left, 113 right), 148 slot (75 left, 73 right), 19 tight (10 left, nine right), eight back

Sammy Watkins: 373 snaps – 97 wide (46 left, 51 right), 241 slot (117 left, 124 right), 31 tight (nine left, 22 right), four back

Mecole Hardman: 308 snaps – 120 wide (68 left, 52 right), 150 slot (81 left, 69 right), 13 tight (four left, nine right), 25 back

Tyreek Hill: 205 snaps – 79 wide (36 left, 43 right), 102 slot (58 left, 44 right), 16 tight (six left, 10 right), eight back
 

Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins both play all over the place, their only real distinction being that Watkins plays in the slot more often. That probably makes Watkins the Chiefs receiver most likely to see Logan Ryan (70.6 PFF), a totally good slot corner but one at a significant speed disadvantage against Watkins. Hill's speed poses an even greater threat to Ryan on the applicable snaps, but Hill should see a higher percentage of outside snaps than Watkins, meaning Hill should see more of Adoree Jackson (71.8 PFF) at left corner and Leshaun Sims (42.1 PFF) at right. Andy Reid can make things easier on himself if he just keeps Hill on the offense's left side. Demarcus Robinson is the favorite for the remaining outside receiver snaps, and he too is a candidate to beat Sims if the leftward slant of his snaps persists. 

Upgrade: Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Demarcus Robinson

TB vs ARZ

TAMPA BAY WR SNAPS

Chris Godwin: 549 snaps – 98 wide (48 left, 50 right), 335 slot (157 left, 178 right), 111 tight (62 left, 49 right), five back

Mike Evans: 516 snaps – 404 wide (223 left, 181 right), 110 slot (53 left, 57 right), one tight (one right), one back

Breshad Perriman: 234 snaps – 125 wide (56 left, 69 right), 91 slot (45 left, 46 right), 16 tight (11 left, five right), two back

Patrick Peterson (51.0 PFF) should shadow Mike Evans, to what effect is less clear. Peterson's PFF grade is poor so far in his return from the six-game suspension, but the grade was mostly tanked by a bad showing against Emmanuel Sanders last week. I struggle to believe Peterson is washed up, and also think Sanders in a Kyle Shanahan offense is a tougher cover for a player of Peterson's traits than covering Evans in a Bruce Arians offense. Maybe I'm wrong to do it, but I consider Peterson a significant obstacle for Evans. The matchup should be unambiguously easy for Chris Godwin, though his exact assignment in the slot isn't clear. Arizona slot corner Tramaine Brock is out, and his replacement isn't known. Safety Budda Baker will contribute some cover snaps there, but someone out of Byron Murphy (55.6 PFF), Kevin Peterson (65.9 PFF), or Chris Jones (70.1 PFF) will need to replace Brock's snaps. Murphy has the most experience in the slot between the three, but there's no way to know ahead of time. Each of Murphy, Peterson, or Jones project similarly against Godwin, and it should be a clear advantage for Godwin. Breshad Perriman would likely run against the leftovers of the Murphy/Peterson/Jones group that don't play the slot. It's arguably an upgrade for Perriman.

Upgrade: Chris Godwin, Breshad Perriman

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Mike Evans

ARIZONA WR SNAPS

Larry Fitzgerald: 504 snaps – 46 wide (30 left, 16 right), 433 slot (240 left, 193 right), 18 tight (12 left, six right), seven back

Christian Kirk: 359 snaps – 105 wide (20 left, 85 right), 228 slot (69 left, 159 right), six tight (two left, four right), 20 back

KeeSean Johnson: 315 snaps – 261 wide (43 left, 218 right), 47 slot (22 left, 25 right), three tight (one left, two right), four back

Pharoh Cooper: 87 snaps – three wide (one left, two right), 70 slot (30 left, 40 right), three tight (one left, two right), 11 back

Andy Isabella: 53 snaps – 21 wide (19 left, two right), 23 slot (12 left, 11 right), nine back
 

The Cardinals wideout rotation might be a bit fluid after Andy Isabella showed off his speed on a 88-yard touchdown against the 49ers. Isabella hasn't played much, and mostly on the left when he has played, but there might be an opening at left receiver, where the main competition appears to be fellow rookie KeeSean Johnson, who has struggled this year. Christian Kirk appears to be emerging as Arizona's lead right-side receiver, a contrast from his pre-injury role when the Cardinals were using more four-wide sets. The Cardinals have gotten the tight ends more involved in recent weeks, deleting the second slot position and forcing Kirk to move outside. Both Kirk and whoever the left wideout is are likely to split their snaps against both rookie Tampa outside corners: Sean Murphy-Bunting (59.2 PFF) and Jamel Dean (36.9 PFF). Both players are super athletic, but a route runner like Kirk can pose a real danger to corners with more tools than skills. Larry Fitzgerald should in any case run mostly against Vernon Hargreaves (42.0 PFF), a bust former first-round pick who might be in the midst of his worst season yet.

Upgrade: Christian Kirk, Larry Fitzgerald

Downgrade: N/A

Even: KeeSean Johnson, Andy Isabella

CHI vs DET

CHICAGO WR SNAPS

Allen Robinson: 470 snaps – 205 wide (109 left, 96 right), 246 slot (129 left, 117 right), 15 tight (seven left, eight right), four back

Taylor Gabriel: 289 snaps – 158 wide (71 left, 87 right), 125 slot (55 left, 70 right), three tight (one left, two right), three back

Anthony Miller: 271 snaps – 33 wide (16 left, 17 right), 223 slot (124 left, 99 right), 12 tight (nine left, three right), three back
 

Allen Robinson figures to see Justin Coleman (58.6 PFF) when in the slot and Darius Slay (66.7 PFF) when running outside, with the chance that Slay follows Robinson into the slot also. Both are good corners despite their low PFF grades, but Detroit's anemic pass rush asks them to do too much. Their skills negated by the dysfunction of their own team, Coleman and Slay are not nearly as concerning for Robinson as quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who blew it despite an easy matchup against Philadelphia last week. If Slay shadows Robinson, then Taylor Gabriel should mostly run against Rashaan Melvin (50.0 PFF), one of the lesser starting outside corners in the NFC. Anthony Miller should almost exclusively run against Coleman.

Upgrade: Taylor Gabriel

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller

DETROIT WR SNAPS

Marvin Jones: 483 snaps – 208 wide (85 left, 123 right), 259 slot (110 left, 149 right), 14 tight (seven left, seven right), two back

Kenny Golladay: 467 snaps – 303 wide (185 left, 118 right), 158 slot (90 left, 68 right), four tight (two left, two right), two back

Danny Amendola: 257 snaps – 28 wide (19 left, nine right), 220 slot (120 left, 100 right), six tight (three left, three right), three back
 

Prince Amukamara (76.1 PFF) is in the midst of a strong season at right corner, and although Kyle Fuller (58.2 PFF) may have had a down year at left corner so far, his high grades in 2018 (82.3) and 2017 (79.0) give reason to think he'll finish strong. Kenny Golladay should run primarily against Amukamara, and Marvin Jones primarily against Fuller. While I'm leery of downgrading receivers as good as Golladay and Jones, it's definitely far from the ideal. Danny Amendola has the easiest draw of the three, facing off against slot corner Buster Skrine (58.3 PFF).

Upgrade: Danny Amendola

Downgrade: Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones

Even: N/A

NO vs ATL

NEW ORLEANS WR SNAPS

Michael Thomas: 504 snaps – 293 wide (183 left, 110 right), 208 slot (127 left, 81 right), three back

Ted Ginn: 358 snaps – 217 wide (97 left, 120 right), 116 slot (61 left, 55 right), 10 tight (five left, five right), 15 back

Tre'Quan Smith: 98 snaps – 23 wide (16 left, seven right), 63 slot (36 left, 27 right), 12 tight (nine left, three right)
 

Desmond Trufant (57.9 PFF) might return from injury this week, but even he was struggling about as much as any other Falcons corner before the injury. His return might prove meaningless, especially playing in New Orleans. Trufant should see Ted Ginn the most, which could be an upgrade for Ginn. Playing at less than 100 percent with a toe injury is a good way to get beat by a receiver with Ginn's speed. If not Trufant, the left corner would seemingly be either Blidi Wreh-Wilson (42.4 PFF) or Kendall Sheffield (37.4 PFF). Isaiah Oliver (59.0 PFF) should be the primary victim of Michael Thomas, while in his return from injury Tre'Quan Smith should mostly run against Sheffield or perhaps Damontae Kazee (51.4 PFF), though Kazee seemingly moved to safety in his last game after playing slot corner all year before that.

Upgrade: Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn, Tre'Quan Smith

Downgrade: N/A

Even: N/A

ATLANTA WR SNAPS

Julio Jones: 407 snaps – 235 wide (144 left, 91 right), 169 slot (94 left, 75 right), two tight (one left, one right), one back

Calvin Ridley: 401 snaps – 251 wide (92 left, 159 right), 143 slot (43 left, 100 right), two tight (two left), five back

Russell Gage: 128 snaps – 61 wide (34 left, 27 right), 63 slot (38 left, 25 right), one tight (one right), three back
 

Eli Apple (70.1 PFF) plays left corner in games where the Saints decline to use Marshon Lattimore (68.6 PFF) as a shadow, but Julio Jones might be a shadow assignment for Lattimore this week. If that proves true, then Calvin Ridley might primarily run against Apple. P.J. Williams (55.6 PFF) returns from suspension and could return to his prior role as the team's slot corner, but the Saints might instead roll with rookie Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (77.9 PFF) after outplaying Williams in his absence. If you're Russell Gage you'd rather see Williams (an upgrade) than CGJ (an arguable downgrade).

Upgrade: N/A

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage

CLE vs BUF

CLEVELAND WR SNAPS

Odell Beckham: 507 snaps – 381 wide (196 left, 185 right), 114 slot (52 left, 62 right), three tight (one left, two right), nine back

Jarvis Landry: 492 snaps – 96 wide (39 left, 57 right), 368 slot (168 left, 200 right), 18 tight (12 left, six right), 10 back

Antonio Callaway: 151 snaps – 108 wide (56 left, 52 right), 42 slot (25 left, 17 right), one back

Tre'Davious White (70.5 PFF) is a candidate to shadow Odell Beckham, but that might have less to do with White being a truly standout corner and more to do with hiding the lack of speed in the case of Levi Wallace (61.9 PFF). If that's true, then Buffalo might not bother with the shadow since placing White on Beckham would mean leaving Wallace on Antonio Callaway, who goof or not is extremely fast and quick. With that said, you'd probably rather leave your slow corner on a fast doofus receiver like Callaway than a fast elite receiver like Beckham. Both corners but especially Wallace will have safety help. That might leave Jarvis Landry with the lowest difficulty level among Browns wideouts, as slot corner Taron Johnson (52.4 PFF) has struggled in his return from a five-week injury absence.

Upgrade: Jarvis Landry

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Odell Beckham, Antonio Callaway

BUFFALO WR SNAPS

John Brown: 470 snaps – 320 wide (199 left, 121 right), 145 slot (78 left, 67 right), five back

Cole Beasley: 338 snaps – 43 wide (24 left, 19 right), 293 slot (154 left, 139 right), two back

Isaiah McKenzie: 111 snaps – 13 wide (eight left, five right), 67 slot (30 left, 37 right), 31 back

I can't tell what the Bills are doing with their wideout rotation, but last week they scratched Duke Williams and went with the above rotation as its top three. Cole Beasley and Isaiah McKenzie are both slot specialists, and it might be hard to maintain last week's rotation as a long-term approach. Still, I think we're forced to conclude McKenzie is ahead of Williams and Robert Foster at the moment, fleeting as the arrangement might turn out. Beasley should in any case run primarily against T.J. Carrie (49.1 PFF), an upgrade for Beasley. John Brown is a good candidate to see shadow coverage from mirror athlete Denzel Ward (57.6 PFF), though Ward has played almost exclusively on the left side this year. If Brown continues to line up on the left more than the right then he should more so see rookie Greedy Williams (65.6 PFF), who also boasts great speed (4.37-second 40) but also might be vulnerable to Brown's quickness at a lanky 6-foot-2 build. McKenzie played outside more than Beasley last week, so he'll be left with the leftover of whoever isn't on Beasley or Brown.

Upgrade: Cole Beasley

Downgrade: N/A

Even: John Brown, Isaiah McKenzie

NYJ vs NYG

JETS WR SNAPS

Robby Anderson: 451 snaps – 349 wide (207 left, 142 right), 102 slot (65 left, 37 right)

Jamison Crowder: 398 snaps – 71 wide (37 left, 34 right), 320 slot (163 left, 157 right), one tight (one left), six back

Demaryius Thomas: 231 snaps – 104 wide (52 left, 52 right), 122 slot (61 left, 61 right), two tight (one left, one right), three back
 

The Giants corner rotation is a mess, and none of them is more vulnerable than rookie (reach) first-round pick DeAndre Baker (36.0 PFF), who has played on the right side to this point. If the Giants don't bench him then Baker will therefore primarily defend Robby Anderson, who has a profound advantage on the smallish, slowish Baker both in terms of reach and speed. On snaps where Anderson faces Baker, Demaryius Thomas would likely be left with Janoris Jenkins (63.5 PFF), who at once is easily the best Giants corner but also a still easily beaten one. Grant Haley (45.5 PFF) has been the slot corner to this point, and if he doesn't get benched then he's a green light for Jamison Crowder.

Upgrade: Robby Anderson, Jamison Crowder

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Demaryius Thomas

GIANTS WR SNAPS

Darius Slayton: 351 snaps – 299 wide (178 left, 121 right), 42 slot (24 left, 18 right), 10 tight (four left, six right)

Golden Tate: 299 snaps – 39 wide (19 left, 20 right), 244 slot (126 left, 118 right), seven tight (three left, four right), nine back

Bennie Fowler: 281 snaps – 154 wide (60 left, 94 right), 110 slot (61 left, 49 right), 11 tight (three left, eight left), six back

Cody Latimer: 248 snaps – 165 wide (100 left, 65 right), 80 slot (46 left, 34 right), two tight (two right), one back

Golden Tate gets a tough matchup against slot corner Brian Poole (75.5 PFF), but Poole's PFF grade is buoyed primarily from a three-week stretch back in September. He hasn't seen a 70 coverage grade from PFF in any of the last four games, indicating some potential ongoing regression. Even if Poole is at his best, though, Tate's huge target volume and substantial skill level make this an 'even' rather than a 'downgrade' for me. Darius Slayton will almost certainly see favorable matchups outside, and with a slight leftward slant in his snap splits Slayton might primarily run against right corner Darryl Roberts (53.0 PFF), who has really struggled in 2019. When lining up on the right Slayton should to a lesser extent see Nate Hairston (61.0 PFF), but Hairston should more so see Bennie Fowler. Perhaps Cody Latimer plays more at Fowler's expense this week after scoring on just 11 snaps last week, perhaps not.

Upgrade: Darius Slayton

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Golden Tate, Bennie Fowler, Cody Latimer
 

IND vs MIA

INDIANAPOLIS WR SNAPS

Zach Pascal: 339 snaps – 136 wide (92 left, 44 right), 168 slot (84 left, 84 right), 25 tight (eight left, 17 right), 10 back

Chester Rogers: 299 snaps – 39 wide (12 left, 27 right), 242 slot (116 left, 126 right), 16 tight (four left, 12 right), two back

Deon Cain: 231 snaps – 198 wide (102 left, 96 right), 32 slot (19 left, 13 right), one tight (one right)

Injuries have badly depleted the Colts' wideout rotation, forcing backup type Zach Pascal into a WR1 role while leaving them without an obvious WR2 in light of the release of Deon Cain. Undrafted rookie Ashton Dulin is a candidate to see outside snaps if the Colts don't envision Saturday callup Marcus Johnson as an immediate option, but it appears we'll see Pascal in a three-down role, Chester Rogers serving as the slot specialist, and then some combination of Johnson and Dulin on the remaining snaps. The Dolphins have a weird corner rotation – Nik Needham (59.0) is lining up everywhere, including the slot at times, while Ryan Lewis (29.0 PFF) played both sides last week after primarily playing the right side before. Meanwhile, slot corner Jomal Wiltz (41.8 PFF) has evidently seen some time at safety recently, with Chris Lammons (37.2 PFF) seemingly replacing him at slot corner in such instances. I'd guess Pascal mostly splits his time between Needham and Lewis, while Rogers mostly runs against Wiltz and Lammons. In the case of Dulin or/and Johnson all we really know is they should generally avoid the slot – Needham and Lewis seem like their primary assignments.

Upgrade: Zach Pascal, Chester Rogers

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Ashton Dulin, Marcus Johnson

MIAMI WR SNAPS

DeVante Parker: 434 snaps – 207 wide (84 left, 123 right), 216 slot (102 left, 114 right), 11 tight (six left, five right)

Jakeem Grant: 168 snaps – 51 wide (16 left, 35 right), 101 slot (40 left, 61 right), one tight (one left), 15 back

Allen Hurns: 167 snaps – 22 wide (14 left, eight right), 138 slot (58 left, 80 right), two tight (two right), five back

Albert Wilson: 94 snaps – eight wide (four left, four right), 81 slot (39 left, 42 right), one tight (one left), four back

DeVante Parker is the only obvious outside Miami wideout with Preston Williams out for the year, and in Williams' absence the Dolphins have a lot of snaps to replace on the left side in particular. Jakeem Grant has played more on the outside than Allen Hurns or Albert Wilson and yet all three are more slot-ready than anything else. Still, someone is going to have to see their role altered in Williams' absence, and based on past tendencies we might single out Grant as the one who can earn most of Williams' vacated snaps. Grant is profoundly small at 5-foot-6, though, so I'd imagine there's something of a snap cap on him, and I'd expect Hurns to form a bit of a committee with Grant at left outside receiver. Wilson has played almost exclusively in the slot, so I imagine he'll stay there. If Pierre Desir (48.0 PFF) can't return from his hamstring issue then the Colts should trot out rookies at both outside corner spots. Rock Ya-Sin (47.8 PFF) should mostly play on the left while Marvell Tell (81.1 PFF) plays on the right. It's only 58 coverage snaps, but Tell has been excellent so far and is one of the quickest, most springy athletes in the league at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds (42-inch vertical, 136-inch broad jump, 10.64 agility score). Perhaps Parker can beat the rookie, but he won't beat him with athleticism. Slot corner Kenny Moore (66.3 PFF) is in any case the most proven Colts corner, and he'll probably face Hurns and Wilson primarily.

Upgrade: DeVante Parker

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Jakeem Grant, Allen Hurns, Albert Wilson

PIT vs LAR

JuJu Smith-Schuster: 406 snaps – 103 wide (66 left, 37 right), 277 slot (119 left, 158 right), 20 tight (eight left, 12 right), six back

Diontae Johnson: 298 snaps – 206 wide (118 left, 88 right), 83 slot (52 left, 31 right), two tight (two right), seven back

James Washington: 252 snaps – 125 wide (62 left, 63 right), 89 slot (36 left, 53 right), 33 tight (10 left, 23 right), five back

Johnny Holton: 127 snaps – 72 wide (40 left, 32 right), 43 slot (13 left, 30 right), two tight (two left), 10 back
 

JuJu Smith-Schuster had a tough matchup anyway, yet added more concern for his owners by showing up on the injury report Friday with a foot issue, receiving the 'questionable' tag. As much as JuJu an overrule a tough matchup because of his standout talent, it's much tougher to do so when your quarterback is trash. So between Mason Rudolph, the foot, and Nickell Robey-Coleman (72.0 PFF) or/and Jalen Ramsey (56.0 PFF), that's a lot for JSS to overcome. If Ramsey isn't on Smith-Schuster then perhaps he's on James Washington, who tends to end up on the right side more often than Diontae Johnson. In his last game out, Ramsey almost exclusively played on the left side. Johnson might more so run against Troy Hill (71.9 PFF), who has a high grade at the moment but only because of an unusually high grade in one game (88.4 against Cincinnati, 54.6 the week prior). Johnny Holton factors in somewhere but I'd guess he splits his snaps between Ramsey and Hill.

Upgrade: N/A

Downgrade: JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington

Even: Diontae Johnson, Johnny Holton

RAMS WR SNAPS

Robert Woods: 521 snaps – 114 wide (27 left, 87 right), 309 slot (90 left, 219 right), 58 tight (six left, 52 right), 40 back

Cooper Kupp: 474 snaps – 33 wide (23 left, 10 right), 338 slot (191 left, 147 right), 90 tight (32 left, 58 right), 13 back

Brandin Cooks: 431 snaps – 171 wide (133 left, 38 right), 226 slot (180 left, 46 right), one tight (one left), 33 back

Josh Reynolds: 160 snaps – 63 wide (43 left, 20 right), 84 slot (49 left, 35 right), seven tight (one left, six right), six back

Brandin Cooks (concussion) is out, and since he played almost exclusively on the left side then we can expect replacement Josh Reynolds to do the same. Running on the left, Reynolds should primarily see Steven Nelson (70.8 PFF), arguably the top Pittsburgh corner. Reynolds probably has some talent and is especially good as a jumpball receiver in the red zone, but Jared Goff is frankly not very good and if Cooks can't succeed in a role then it's asking a lot of the replacement, whoever it is, to outproduce Cooks. Joe Haden (60.9 PFF), and he should mostly cover right receiver Robert Woods. Cooper Kupp is of course the slot receiver, and there he should see the coverage of Mike Hilton (77.7 PFF), who is probably one of the league's better slot corners. Kupp is one of the best slot receiver, though, and has a significant size advantage on Hilton, so I won't call it a downgrade.

Upgrade: N/A

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, Josh Reynolds

GB vs CAR

GREEN BAY WR SNAPS

Marquez Valdes-Scantling: 437 snaps – 254 wide (145 left, 109 right), 164 slot (100 left, 64 right), two tight (one left, one right), 17 back

Geronimo Allison: 350 snaps – 58 wide (21 left, 37 right), 277 slot (142 left, 135 right), 12 tight (seven left, five right), three back

Davante Adams: 273 snaps – 118 wide (58 left, 60 right), 148 slot (66 left, 82 right), one tight (one right), six back

Allen Lazard: 157 snaps – 47 wide (27 left, 20 right), 101 slot (46 left, 55 right), two tight (two right), seven back

James Bradberry (70.1 PFF) is playing through a groin issue, which might turn him from a positive to a negative given the greater burden his legs take on as a big corner. He typically lines up mostly on the left, leaving Donte Jackson (70.8 PFF) to generally line up on the right side. It will be interesting to see if they shed that approach to shadow Davante Adams with the healthier of their two outside corners, but if they don't then Adams should see both players equally. Adams plays everywhere, and generally with even left/right splits. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, by contrast, lines up on the left more than the right, meaning he projects to see Jackson more than anyone else. Jackson can match MVS' speed, but MVS has a half-foot and probably almost 30 pounds on Jackson. Geronimo Allison has Allen Lazard closing in for the slot receiver role, but if he holds off Lazard another week then Allison should primarily run against Ross Cockrell (60.5 PFF). Cockrell is nothing special, but he's arguably a better corner than Allison is a receiver.

Upgrade: N/A

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Davante Adams (upgrade if Bradberry is out), Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Geronimo Allison

CAROLINA WR SNAPS

D.J. Moore: 486 snaps – 345 wide (250 left, 95 right), 122 slot (76 left, 46 right), six tight (six left), 13 back

Curtis Samuel: 466 snaps – 235 wide (77 left, 158 right), 193 slot (93 left, 100 right), five tight (two left, three right), 33 back

Jarius Wright: 321 snaps – 49 wide (26 left, 23 right), 255 slot (126 left, 129 right), nine tight (five left, four right), eight back

Jaire Alexander (75.7 PFF) alarmingly was added to the injury report Friday, left with a questionable designation after a limited practice due to a groin issue. Particularly if the injury occurred Friday, that's a huge deal. Not just that, but safety Adrian Amos is questionable as well. The Packers, in other words, could be without both their shadow corner and their top cover safety. Tramon Williams (81.6 PFF) is in the midst of a strong season as Green Bay's slot corner, and in base formation he tends to line up at right corner. It will be a waste of Williams' talents if the Packers line him up against modest slot wideout Jarius Wright on too many reps, especially because that would necessarily mean D.J. Moore or Curtis Samuel is lining up against the highly vulnerable Kevin King (55.7 PFF) in three-wide sets. If Alexander is out, King might need to play a three-down role, which would be a disaster scenario for Green Bay. Moore arguably has the best matchup since as the team's primary left side receiver he will see King on almost all of his snaps, and should avoid Williams the most in three-wide sets. Samuel can get open against anyone, especially King, but even a hobbled Alexander would be hard-pressed to manage Samuel's 4.31 speed and standout route running. The Green Bay pass rush needs to step up and rattle Kyle Allen, because there's a good chance Moore and Samuel get open quite a bit if Alexander's injury doesn't take a turn for the better.

Upgrade: D.J. Moore

Downgrade: Jarius Wright

Even: Curtis Samuel (upgrade if Alexander is out)

DAL vs MIN

DALLAS WR SNAPS 

Amari Cooper: 412 snaps – 265 wide (129 left, 136 right), 130 slot (66 left, 64 right), eight tight (five left, three right), nine back

Michael Gallup: 361 snaps – 275 wide (175 left, 100 right), 83 slot (42 left, 41 right), one tight (one left), two back

Randall Cobb: 344 snaps – 11 wide (four left, seven right), 301 slot (152 left, 149 right), 21 tight (seven left, 14 right), 11 back

Running from the slot almost exclusively, Randall Cobb should run against the slot corner committee comprised of Mackensie Alexander (66.9 PFF) and Mike Hughes (59.2 PFF). Xavier Rhodes (51.1 PFF) lines up on the right and Trae Waynes (48.8 PFF) on the left, and neither looks any good these days. The Minnesota pass rush is a problem for Dallas, but Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup should both be able to dust their matchup on a given play. Gallup plays on the left a little more often than the right, so he might see the most of Rhodes between himself and Cooper.

Upgrade: Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Randall Cobb

MINNESOTA WR SNAPS

Stefon Diggs: 457 snaps – 292 wide (144 left, 148 right), 156 slot (85 left, 71 right), nine back

Adam Thielen: 353 snaps – 143 wide (80 left, 63 right), 183 slot (72 left, 111 right), eight tight (six left, two right), 19 back

Bisi Johnson: 269 snaps – 115 wide (62 left, 53 right), 147 slot (70 left, 77 right), four tight (two left, two right), three back

Laquon Treadwell: 65 snaps – 30 wide (16 left, 14 right), 32 slot (12 left, 20 right), three tight (three left)

Stefon Diggs may or may not see a little more slot work with lead slot receiver Adam Thielen out, but if not then we can expect him to see his usual workload as a predominately outside receiver with even left/right splits. If that persists, he should pretty evenly split his time between Byron Jones (70.9 PFF) when running from the left, and Chidobe Awuzie (63.8 PFF) when running from the right. Diggs can beat anyone, but it would be smart for Minnesota to try to match him up on the right side as much as possible. Bisi Johnson should play the slot when Diggs doesn't, with even left/right splits otherwise. Jourdan Lewis (76.7 PFF) has only played slot corner recently because Anthony Brown (61.7 PFF) was hurt, but PFF has always graded Lewis substantially higher than Brown. Dallas could go back to Brown this week since he's healthy, and according to PFF, that would play into the Vikings' interests. Even Brown would probably be just an 'even' draw for Johnson, though. Laquon Treadwell is probably the outside receiver opposite Diggs in three-wide sets, but he's been so poor in the NFL it's hard to see why he'd have an advantage over any particular corner.

Upgrade: N/A

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Stefon Diggs (upgrade if he plays more on the right), Bisi Johnson, Laquon Treadwell
 

SF vs SEA

SAN FRANCISCO WR SNAPS

Deebo Samuel: 299 snaps – 97 wide (58 left, 39 right), 164 slot (112 left, 52 right), 14 tight (six left, eight right), 24 back

Dante Pettis: 273 snaps – 74 wide (48 left, 26 right), 169 slot (103 left, 66 right), 14 tight (eight left, six right), 16 back

Emmanuel Sanders: 109 snaps – 81 wide (35 left, 46 right), 34 slot (19 left, 15 right), three tight (one left, two right), one back

In the past two weeks Emmanuel Sanders is the clear WR1 in San Francisco, and Deebo Samuel the WR2. Sanders has lined up everywhere, while Samuel has mostly played on the left side. Tre Flowers (47.6 PFF) is the right corner and Shaquill Griffin (73.8 PFF) is the left one, and as you can see Flowers is the easier one to beat. It will be interesting to see if Kyle Shanahan tries to get Sanders more so on the left side of the offense in this game – it would be in Sanders' interests to do so. But Samuel and Dante Pettis have tended to line up on that side more reliably, and unless that changes then they might benefit from Flowers' lax coverage as much or more than Sanders. The slot corner in Seattle, Jamar Taylor (49.2 PFF), is very easily beaten, so much so that the Seahawks often opt to cover the slot with outside linebacker zone coverages instead. The more Taylor plays, the better for Samuel and Pettis.

Upgrade: Deebo Samuel

Downgrade: N/A

Even: Emmanuel Sanders, Dante Pettis

SEATTLE WR SNAPS

Tyler Lockett: 595 snaps – 110 wide (56 left, 54 right), 444 slot (192 left, 252 right), nine tight (five left, four right), 32 back

DK Metcalf: 505 snaps – 381 wide (248 left, 133 right), 120 slot (91 left, 29 right), three tight (one left, two right), one back

Jaron Brown: 335 snaps – 136 wide (42 left, 94 right), 181 slot (90 left, 91 right), 17 tight (nine left, eight right), one back

David Moore: 178 snaps – 118 wide (56 left, 62 right), 55 slot (29 left, 26 right), four tight (four right), one back

Tyler Lockett is the most feared skill position player in the Seattle offense, and this week he draws a formidable assignment in K'Wuan Williams (81.6 PFF), who's earned one of the higher grades this year among slot corners. Lining up reliably on the left side of the offense, DK Metcalf ought to run primarily against right corner Emmanuel Moseley (74.4 PFF), who's mostly done well for himself since replacing Ahkello Witherspoon. Metcalf has a size advantage over Moseley, as he does against any corner, but Moseley is legitimately fast and quick. The right outside receiver spot should mostly split between David Moore and Josh Gordon, but on what basis is unclear. Whoever is on the right will likely run against left corner Richard Sherman (84.9 PFF), who might be the toughest of the three formidable 49ers corners.

Upgrade: N/A

Downgrade: David Moore, Josh Gordon

Even: Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf