Corner Report: Week 15

Note: Injury/Covid situation threw this article back a bit -- games beyond the original Sunday slate will be added over the day

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This article will go game by game for the Sunday main slate 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.

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. Even against a bad corner, a good receiver can be denied the opportunity if the pass rush or something else outside his control complicates things. 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.

NYG vs DAL

GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Sterling Shepard against Jourdan Lewis is probably the matchup most in the Giants' favor. Kenny Golladay and Darius Slayton can both beat Anthony Brown – especially Golladay – but Trevon Diggs is probably a tougher matchup and one of Golladay and Slayton will need to face him each play. The outside receiver who sees the most of Brown is probably in the best spot to produce.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Sterling Shepard, Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton

DALLAS WIDE RECEIVERS

Perhaps the Giants might try to shadow CeeDee Lamb with top corner James Bradberry, but that's probably not a tough enough matchup to downgrade Lamb even if so. Bradberry has more reason to fear Lamb than the other way around. If Lamb, Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup are all on the field then Cooper is probably the most likely slot target, followed by Lamb. Practice squad player Jarren Williams appears the Giants' main slot corner, while rookie third-round pick Aaron Robinson takes the outside receiver opposite Bradberry. The Cowboys have the clear advantage.

Upgrade: CeeDee Lamb (arguably lower to 'Even' if shadowed by Bradberry), Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

PIT vs TEN

PITTSBURGH WIDE RECEIVERS

Kristian Fulton might be a deterrent at outside corner, but he generally plays on the right side and therefore can be avoided if the receiver lines up on the offense's right side (the defense's left). Buster Skrine appears to be the main corner on the defense's left side, leaving rookie Elijah Molden as the slot man. Molden and especially Skrine are probably upgrades for whoever runs against them. 

Upgrade: Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, James Washington
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

TENNESSEE WIDE RECEIVERS

If Joe Haden (foot) can't return here then the main outside corners for Pittsburgh should be Cameron Sutton and Ahkello Witherspoon. Arthur Maulet might play slot corner if Haden is out again, but if Haden is back then Sutton is the main candidate to play the slot coverage. Sutton and especially Witherspoon are better built to run with Julio Jones, while Haden might be a bit undersized and slow to match up against Jones. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine probably doesn't project for the advantage against any of them.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Julio Jones, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

JAC vs HOU

JACKSONVILLE WIDE RECEIVERS

It's possible that Darrell Bevell taking over for Urban Meyer might result in personnel changes, including at receiver. Most recently the Jaguars had used Marvin Jones and Laquon Treadwell as their two lead outside wideouts. Laviska Shenault mostly worked in the slot, where he only took over after the injury to Jamal Agnew – Shenault was playing outside and struggling outside at the time. If someone's playing time were to drop at another player's expense, then it might be Treadwell losing outside snaps to Shenault as Shenault still keeps most or all of the slot snaps. That would be more in line with how Jacksonville opened the year and intended to go through this year, anyway.

The Texans recently moved Lonnie Johnson – previously a safety conversion project after failing somewhat at corner – back to the cornerback position he played at Kentucky. A route runner like Jones might be tough for an oversized corner like Johnson to mirror in coverage, though slower guys like Shenault and Treadwell might be easy for Johnson to manage. Desmond King is pretty much the same deal on the other side – threatened by Jones but probably not the other two. Slot corner Tavierre Thomas might be competent but probably isn't imposing to Shenault.

Upgrade: Marvin Jones
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Laviska Shenault, Laquon Treadwell

HOUSTON WIDE RECEIVERS

Davis Mills helped Brandin Cooks get going a bit last week, and he might be able to keep it going here. The Jaguars pass defense has been bizarrely good lately, but Cooks is a better receiver than top Jaguars corner Shaquill Griffin is a corner, and that's no disrespect to Griffin. The rookie Tyson Campbell is athletic opposite Griffin, but Cooks' route running could be a tough lesson for Campbell. Slot man Rudy Ford has played decently enough but, again, can't be expected to run with Cooks. These Jaguars corners might be able to handle the rest of the Texans receivers, though – while Cooks has the upper hand Nico Collins and Chris Conley might not.

Upgrade: Brandin Cooks
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Nico Collins, Chris Conley

MIA vs NYJ

MIAMI WIDE RECEIVERS

Jaylen Waddle would have the advantage here, but if he can't play then DeVante Parker might have to claim most of the spoils. Guys like Albert Wilson and Mack Hollins can probably win their matchups in a setting like this, too, but their usage will probably lag far behind that of Parker and tight end Mike Gesicki.

Upgrade: DeVante Parker
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Mack Hollins, Albert Wilson
 

JETS WIDE RECEIVERS

Jamison Crowder is a good slot receiver, but he's not the kind of player you want in two-wide sets, which is how the Jets used him last week. Crowder and Keelan Cole are a weak two-wide loadout and at a clear disadvantage to Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, decent enough as the wideouts might be when in their appropriate roles. D.J. Montgomery might take some of those outside snaps from Crowder and might be an interesting, athletic fringe prospect to keep an eye on, but in the meantime he's a total wildcard.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Jamison Crowder, Keelan Cole
Even: D.J. Montgomery

DET vs ARI

DETROIT WIDE RECEIVERS

Josh Reynolds doesn't have an obvious upper hand on corners like Byron Murphy, Robert Alford or Marco Wilson, but he has the trust of Jared Goff and semi-regularly gets the opportunity to make a play even when somewhat covered. Kalif Raymond is too fast for Murphy or Alford, but the play designs that get him open enough for Goff tend to be more delicate. Amon-Ra St. Brown gets the toughest matchup getting the most snaps against Murphy in the slot, though he still might have an easier route to target volume than Raymond.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, Amon-Ra St. Brown

ARIZONA WIDE RECEIVERS

Unless they move him to the left side of the defense in this game, Amani Oruwariye should mostly see Antoine Wesley and to a lesser extent A.J. Green. Jerry Jacobs should draw whichever of those two does not face Oruwariye. Detroit will need more than one slot corner against Arizona's four-wide tendencies, because both Christian Kirk and Rondale Moore run in that part of the field. It's probably upgrades all around.

Upgrade: A.J. Green, Christian Kirk, Antoine Wesley, Rondale Moore
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

BUF vs CAR

BUFFALO WIDE RECEIVERS

Stefon Diggs figures to see the shadow coverage of Stephon Gilmore, a daunting matchup but one where Diggs probably deserves the benefit of the doubt, especially given how uniquely effective Diggs is against press-man coverage. If Gilmore is on Diggs then it leaves some combo of C.J. Henderson and Keith Taylor to cover Gabriel Davis. It's maybe not an upgrade for Davis per se, but his coverage would be a lot easier to face than Diggs' against Gilmore. Cole Beasley might mostly run against Myles Hartsfield.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, Cole Beasley
 

CAROLINA WIDE RECEIVERS

Who knows whether Cam Newton or/and Philip Walker can get the ball to him, but DJ Moore is certainly a better receiver than Levi Wallace or Dane Jackson are corners. The Bills have good safety support to help their corners overachieve, on the other hand, so between that and Carolina's general instability it might not be a given that Moore or/and Robby Anderson capitalize on their otherwise talent advantage over the cornerbacks they'll face.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DJ Moore, Robby Anderson

PHI vs WAS

PHILADELPHIA WIDE RECEIVERS

Boundary corners William Jackson and Kendall Fuller have produced better lately, and more in line with the expectations of that duo coming into this year. If Jackson and Fuller are no longer struggling then it makes the matchup a bit tougher for DeVonta Smith, but even the 'good' versions of Jackson and Fuller aren't good enough to warrant a downgrade for Smith. Receivers like Quez Watkins and Jalen Reagor are less likely to get open against a good defense.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Quez Watkins, Jalen Reagor
Even: DeVonta Smith
 

WASHINGTON WIDE RECEIVERS

Terry McLaurin is a monster, but even if he's active (concussion) it might be asking him too much to produce with Garrett Gilbert throwing passes, after taking snaps from a fifth-string center.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Terry McLaurin, Adam Humphries

SF vs ATL

SAN FRANCISCO WIDE RECEIVERS

A.J. Terrell is doing a great job at left corner, but as of to this point the Falcons still only use him on the left side, meaning Deebo Samuel or/and Brandon Aiyuk need not see Terrell even a single time. They both almost certainly will at least a few times, but it doesn't need to happen and when running against Fabian Moreau the receiver in question is in great shape. 

Upgrade: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

ATLANTA WIDE RECEIVERS

Russell Gage tends to get most of the viable targets in this offense, and from his slot position he should see many or most of those targets against K'Waun Williams. Williams isn't a feared player, but he's capable of playing well in that part of the field. Tajae Sharpe gets easier matchups against Josh Norman and maybe Ambry Thomas, but Sharpe might not be able to beat anyone. Olamide Zaccheaus comes off the bench, splitting time in the slot and outside, for three-wide sets.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Russell Gage, Tajae Sharpe, Olamide Zaccheaus

DEN vs CIN

DENVER WIDE RECEIVERS

Chidobe Awuzie is out, which is great news for Courtland Sutton, who as a result should face Eli Apple and Vernon Hargreaves instead. Tim Patrick should mostly face those two as well, and like Sutton he has the advantage over both corners. Jerry Jeudy probably faces the toughest remaining Bengals corner in slot man Mike Hilton, yet Jeudy would sooner have the advantage there than a disadvantage.

Upgrade: Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jerry Jeudy

CINCINNATI WIDE RECEIVERS

Patrick Surtain and Ronald Darby are both very athletic corners on the outside, and Kyle Fuller is a very good athlete in the slot. Fuller's skill set there isn't as proven, so that might leave Tyler Boyd with the easiest cornerback matchup among the Bengals receivers. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are arguably better receivers than Surtain and Darby are corners, however, and they're specifically dangerous downfield, where the Broncos might be their weakest. If Joe Burrow has time to throw then Chase and Higgins are candidates to hold their own against if not get the better of even good pass defenses, though the Burrow part is far from a given.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd

LAR vs SEA

RAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

Odell Beckham (COVID) will hopefully gain clearance before this game, one with a favorable cornerback matchup against the likes of D.J. Reed and Sidney Jones. Cooper Kupp gets an easy matchup himself, perhaps mainly against Ugo Amadi. Van Jefferson easily has the upper hand on all these corners, too. It's possible that these corners can get the better of Ben Skowronek, but fringe prospect or not Skowronek is much bigger than these corners.

Upgrade: Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham, Van Jefferson
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Ben Skowronek

SEATTLE WIDE RECEIVERS

DK Metcalf (back/foot) and Dee Eskridge (foot) are evidently ready to go for this one, giving Seattle an imposing three-wide set with Tyler Lockett otherwise red-hot going into this game. If Jalen Ramsey (COVID) can play then he might see Lockett the most, tending the play in the slot, but if Ramsey is out then it's a clear runway for Lockett and everyone else. Metcalf is imposing for the good but undersized Darious Williams, while remaining corners David Long and Kareem Orr just don't really belong on the field ideally. All three Seahawks receivers could be open in this one.

Upgrade: Tyler Lockett (lower to 'Even' if Ramsey plays), DK Metcalf, Dee Eskridge
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

BAL vs GB

BALTIMORE WIDE RECEIVERS

Rasul Douglas has been a mammoth upgrade over Kevin King opposite rookie first-round pick Eric Stokes, but neither projects especially well against a small burner like Marquise Brown, or a technician like Rashod Bateman. Soon to be activated corner Jaire Alexander is well-built to slow either Brown or Bateman, but he can only line up against one at a time. If Alexander shadows one receiver – something Green Bay normally doesn't do – then that one receiver would be left with the 'downgrade' designation here. As much or more as the corner personnel, an intimidating detail in the Green Bay secondary is the play of its safety duo. Part of why the Packers often get away with fringe talents like Douglas or King is the fact that Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos are giving them a lot of support.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman, Sammy Watkins, Devin Duvernay

GREEN BAY WIDE RECEIVERS

Perhaps the Ravens defense might have been good this year with better injury luck. As it turns out, none of Baltimore's starting four defensive backs are available for this game. All the Packers receivers have upgraded matchups here.

Upgrade: Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

TB vs NO

TAMPA BAY WIDE RECEIVERS

Mike Evans versus Marshon Lattimore is maybe the single most reliably occurring wideout versus corner matchup in the league, and it's possible Lattimore is the single best corner against Evans, for whatever reason. Evans will probably get the better of Lattimore one of these days, but Evans' numbers have to this point reliably suffered when facing New Orleans. Chris Godwin and Rob Gronkowski both run against a weaker part of the Saints defense in the middle of the field and down the seam. That's not to say it's easy there exactly, but Godwin does have some big games against the Saints and that's exactly what you'd figure given the easier matchup.

Upgrade: Chris Godwin
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Mike Evans, Tyler Johnson

NEW ORLEANS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Buccaneers are without CB2 Jamel Dean, but Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting are a decent top-two at corner even without him. Davis might shadow and get the better of Marquez Callaway, while Tre'Quan Smith should probably see more of Murphy-Bunting. Of the two, Davis is more intimidating.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Marquez Callaway
Even: Tre'Quan Smith

CLE vs LV

CLEVELAND WIDE RECEIVERS

Donovan Peoples-Jones is a downfield threat against a corner like Casey Hayward, but the Vegas pass rush tends to make the quarterback throw the ball before the receiver can run Hayward out of his comfort zone. That, and Nick Mullens isn't as good of a bet to land a deep target as Baker Mayfield or Case Keenum. Rashard Higgins has been productive in the past and might have an easier route to targets than Peoples-Jones, though the rookie Nate Hobbs is an imposing matchup in the slot.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Donovan Peoples-Jones, Rashard Higgins

LAS VEGAS WIDE RECEIVERS

Hunter Renfrow is unstoppable lately and the Browns are without their slot corner. It's not clear who they'll use there – maybe safety M.J. Stewart? Stewart played some slot corner in past years. Denzel Ward might lobby to shadow Renfrow in the slot, but that's the only way he'll see Renfrow. Bryan Edwards doesn't have an obvious advantage over Greedy Williams, while Ward easily matches up with guys like Zay Jones and DeSean Jackson.

Upgrade: Hunter Renfrow
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DeSean Jackson, Zay Jones, Bryan Edwards

CHI vs MIN

CHICAGO WIDE RECEIVERS

It's probably a loss for the Bears receivers that the Vikings cut Bashaud Breeland. Breeland can't cover speed, and Darnell Mooney, Jakeem Grant and Damiere Byrd have plenty of that. Cameron Dantzler probably can't cover speed, either, so he'll need to worry about getting beat deep. Patrick Peterson is more athletic than Dantzler or slot corner Mackensie Alexander, so Peterson can probably match stride with Mooney et al for some stretch, but Peterson is much taller than those receivers and probably loses something when they go laterally.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Darnell Mooney, Damiere Byrd, Jakeem Grant

MINNESOTA WIDE RECEIVERS

Jaylon Johnson is a good corner and the Bears might try to assign him specifically to Justin Jefferson, but that's not a concern for Jefferson. He's golden either way. If the Bears don't shadow Jefferson with Johnson then they'll be in even worse trouble. K.J. Osborn has the advantage over the remaining corners even if Adam Thielen can't play. Dede Westbrook probably can beat these corners too, though he hasn't shown anything as a Viking.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, K.J. Osborn, Dede Westbrook