Wide Receivers vs. Cornerbacks: Week 14 Matchups

--Sorry for being late, had some off-field challenges the past couple weeks

This article will go game by game for the Week 14 slate looking at the top wide receivers from an offense and, based on the inside/outside and left/right splits of those receivers, identify the cornerbacks most likely to face them in man coverage. This post will have to be a little shorter and lean more on speculation/generalities than the entries to come, because teams haven't yet conclusively revealed their personnel tendencies.

Receivers rarely see the same corner every play, be it due to formation 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.
 

Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets

MIAMI DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Jets have normally had the number of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in past matchups – or at least, either that is true or the Jets had Tua Tagovailoa's number specifically – but it's not obvious whether that trend will hold here. The Jets of course are an all-timer mess of an organization and all year they've failed to convert their talent into on-field results. Sauce Gardner (hamstring) is out and while D.J. Reed is a good player on the boundary, he's a lot better suited to a CB2-type role than a CB1 role. Replacement options like Brandin Echols and Qwan'tez Stiggers are less likely to look sharp. The Dolphins still need to be worried about the pass rush and it will be important to run effectively to keep distances manageable for Tagovailoa, but if the Dolphins stall the pass rush and get some first downs then this could be one of the better games the Dolphins passing game has had against the Jets in recent years.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle

NEW YORK JETS WIDE RECEIVERS

Aaron Rodgers is just abysmal, a true team wrecker, so as always it's difficult to tell what might be possible for the otherwise immense talents of Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams. Against Miami it's reasonable to assume that the slot target is the easiest one on a given play, but even Kader Kohou seems like a pretty good corner. Jalen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller on the boundary are nonetheless more conventionally intimidating. Neither Ramsey nor Fuller would normally project as a serious deterrent for target hogs like Wilson and Adams, but the Rodgers variable is liable to tank either of them in a given week.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Garrett Wilson, Davante Adams

Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons

MINNESOTA VIKINGS WIDE RECEIVERS

If the Falcons assign AJ Terrell to Justin Jefferson and then give more help to the rest of the pass defense to account for Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson then this could be Jefferson's best matchup in weeks. The usual issue for Jefferson is the defense selling out its entire scheme to limit him, thus freeing up Addison and Hockenson for some big recent games, but if a team assigns an ostensible Shadow Corner they sometimes do so under the reasoning that they need less safety help than the other corners. Against Jefferson the deal is simple: you must assign your best corner and you must still give that corner as much help as you can give them. If the Falcons assign Terrell and still do the constant double/triple teaming, then it might be another grinding effort for Jefferson despite his otherwise high floor. The problem for Atlanta is that Mike Hughes always needs safety help, even when he's not facing someone as good as Jefferson or Addison, so it seems like the Vikings should be able to pose more firepower than the Falcons can withstand.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison

ATLANTA FALCONS WIDE RECEIVERS

No Stephon Gilmore should mean easier separation for Drake London and Darnell Mooney, though even Shaquill Griffin has gotten good results as the Vikings' fourth corner this year. Perhaps the extended exposure will be too much and Griffin will be revealed for a weakness Gilmore wasn't, but in any case Byron Murphy is the Vikings corner you'd prefer to avoid. Ray-Ray McCloud doesn't have an obvious angle on Josh Metellus. If the Vikings consider London the bigger threat than Mooney then they might partially assign Murphy to London, but if not then London and Mooney should roughly split their exposure against Murphy and Griffin.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Drake London, Darnell Mooney (arguable Upgrade if Murphy follows London), Ray-Ray McCloud

New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints

NEW YORK GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS

If Malik Nabers can play then hopefully it would be under the assumption that he's near full health, because otherwise the point isn't obvious. Alontae Taylor and Kool Aid McKinstry are not an imposing duo exactly, but the Giants roster is uniquely bad and things have a way of going wrong for no obvious reason. Drew Lock barely seemed able to go through his reads, to the point that it looked like he had only been with the team for a few days rather than all offseason. Slot man Ugo Amadi might be a decent counter to Wan'Dale Robinson but probably isn't nearly the deterrent Lock is. Darius Slayton has the most fragile target application for any of the three lead Giants wideouts, but like Nabers he can get open.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Malik Nabers, Wan'Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Marquez Valdes-Scantling has numbers that are clearly marked for regression but not necessarily quite yet. Hot streaks inherently have no justification – time is clearly working against MVS but in the meantime the fact that his stats aren't sustainable doesn't itself dictate that MVS needs to fall off this week. When MVS makes plays it's because his height and speed was applied such that the defense couldn't contain him downfield, and against this Giants defense there's plenty possibility of failed containment. Greg Stroman is a step or two slower than MVS even at about 20 pounds lighter, and Cor'Dale Flott on the other side is maybe a little lighter and slower yet. Kevin Austin has played more than Cedrick Wilson but hasn't done a whole lot.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kevin Austin

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Carolina Panthers

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES WIDE RECEIVERS

A.J. Brown won't be impeded by Jaycee Horn if the Panthers opt for that assignment, but DeVonta Smith would probably beat Mike Jackson more easily than Horn, so Smith investors might want to hope for that outcome. It seems like a good opportunity for both receivers, though the Eagles' passing volume has been down the past couple months.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: A.J. Brown (arguable Upgrade if not shadowed by Horn), DeVonta Smith (arguable Upgrade if Horn shadows Brown)

CAROLINA PANTHERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Adam Thielen gets an interesting but concerning matchup against Cooper DeJean here – a case of a declining veteran against a promising rookie. Perhaps Thielen has veteran tricks that can work, but he won't be outrunning or overpowering DeJean. Xavier Legette probably won't be beating fellow rookie Quinyon Mitchell on the other side, but Legette has the wheels to threaten DeJean downfield in base formations. David Moore doesn't have an obvious angle on Mitchell or DeJean, but CB3 Isaiah Rodgers is very light at around 170 pounds. If the Panthers wideouts have something in their favor here it might be the fact that it's difficult to run on Philadelphia.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, David Moore

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns Steelers

PITTSBURGH STEELERS WIDE RECEIVERS

George Pickens (hamstring) would probably rather see Martin Emerson or Greg Newsome than Denzel Ward, but the Browns might similarly prefer to see Ward on Pickens. Pickens is a unique enough talent and the Steelers passing game is dependent enough on him that Ward would not be a true deterrent, but it would probably be more of a limiting factor than Emerson or Newsome would. Pickens' hamstring injury is the bigger concern by far. Calvin Austin has proven he's a real threat to NFL defenses, if only a flickering one, but the Browns need to take that threat seriously. Emerson and especially Newsome are both good athletes, but Ward's low-4.3 speed is their only true counter to Austin's speed. If Pickens avoids Ward it might be owed to Austin's presence. Hopefully Mike Williams gets more snaps than Van Jefferson but nothing is guaranteed there.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: George Pickens, Calvin Austin, Van Jefferson, Mike Williams

CLEVELAND BROWNS WIDE RECEIVERS

Jerry Jeudy is tough to doubt after a game like last week, and at the very least that game was a reminder that Jeudy remains very talented despite the turbulent start to his career. Joey Porter and Donte Jackson are dependent on the pass rush complementing the aggressive tactics of the Steelers secondary, so it should follow that Jeudy should remain busy as long as the Browns offensive line doesn't fall apart. Moreover, Jameis Winston doesn't really have any flinch to him and while he might take a beating there's less concern about him bailing on route development to avoid hits. Elijah Moore gets a comparably easy matchup against Beanie Bishop, and with Cedric Tillman out Moore could see a boost to his target volume again. WR3 Michael Woods isn't an awful prospect but he kind of seems like a Zach Pascal type at best.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, Michael Woods

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Las Vegas Raiders

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Mike Evans should be in a great spot here, assuming the Buccaneers are being truthful by removing Evans from the injury report. Jack Jones and Decamerion Richardson are ill-suited to covering Evans, but Jalen McMillan has seemed a bit overwhelmed as a rookie. Meanwhile, Sterling Shepard has seemed to unable to recapture his early-career form in the slot, where there's otherwise a great matchup to be had.

Upgrade: Mike Evans
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jalen McMillan, Sterling Shepard

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Jakobi Meyers has an ankle injury to monitor but he otherwise has been one of the league's best receivers this year. Guys like Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum might be too heavy-footed to anticipate Meyers' route breaks, and the Raiders are almost always dependent on Meyers for double-digit targets. Tre Tucker is a flickering presence but he has shown he'll make the big play if the defense fails to account for him. Terrace Marshall might have some salvageable talent but if he's replacing DJ Turner in the slot then that probably won't work. Marshall needs to be on the boundary to be effective, but then again Dean and McCollum are probably strong counters to Marshall's traits.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, Terrace Marshall

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS WIDE RECEIVERS

Assuming Parker Washington (shoulder) can play it would appear that the Jaguars might continue to use him on the boundary while Devin Duvernay plays mostly in the slot. Duvernay is a step or three faster than Washington, so it might suit Washington better to play in the slot, but either way Washington seems to have a decent rapport with Mac Jones. The return of Chidobe Awuzie introduces a potential obstacle on the boundary, but Roger McCreary didn't practice all week and otherwise-struggling rookie Jarvis Brownlee is questionable himself. Brian Thomas is set up well either way, Jones-imposed limitations aside.

Upgrade: Brian Thomas
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Parker Washington, Devin Duvernay

TENNESSEE TITANS WIDE RECEIVERS

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine seems pretty difficult to question at this point, though his modest target volume and far-downfield targets make it something of a tightrope act as far as probability goes. The reality might simply be that he's good at walking that particular rope. Calvin Ridley has had an incredibly weird season and basically is not to be trusted, but this still looks like a good setup for him. Tyson Campbell appears to be playing limited, and Ronald Darby on the other side is not imposing. And of course, the Jaguars are just a complete mess.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Calvin Ridley (arguable Upgrade if Campbell is out or limited), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (see Ridley), Tyler Boyd

Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks

ARIZONA CARDINALS WIDE RECEIVERS

Marvin Harrison might have a tough matchup here against a Seattle defense that's prepared to pay special attention to him, concluding (probably correctly) that the Cardinals can't hurt them for playing 'dishonest' defense toward Zay Jones in particular. Jones is on an all-time bad pace this year and the Cardinals need to call it off already. Greg Dortch isn't much better, unfortunately, so either way Harrison is likely to see double-teams and Michael Wilson probably is better suited as a WR3 than a WR2. Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon figure to make things challenging for Harrison and Wilson, though Josh Jobe can probably be beaten more easily.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Marvin Harrison, Michael Wilson

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS WIDE RECEIVERS

DK Metcalf is going to have one of his big games eventually, and improved recent play aside the Cardinals still don't have good personnel at corner. Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas are both athletic but liable to be out of position, while slot man Garrett Williams is the top Cardinals corner. Metcalf should mostly avoid Williams, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba should be the primary Williams matchup. Williams didn't slow Smith-Njigba much last time, so it's no real concern. Tyler Lockett lost snaps last week to Jake Bobo which... isn't good.

Upgrade: DK Metcalf
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills

LOS ANGELES RAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp both have a challenging matchup here, but as long as Matthew Stafford has enough time in the pocket Nacua and Kupp tend to become matchup-proof. As much as Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford are both big corners built for physical, downhill play that largely mirrors the style of Nacua and Kupp, the Rams are always prepared to work with tight windows as long as Stafford has time to set up the shot. Demarcus Robinson is unlikely to do much more than stand around the three-point line in case the defense forgets to guard him, but it happens occasionally.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson

BUFFALO BILLS WIDE RECEIVERS

Amari Cooper has had a weird confluence of factors limiting his production since his first game with the Bills – where he initially produced at a blistering pace – so while Cooper's numbers in Buffalo have been a hindrance to his fantasy investors it still remains likely that he'll become highly productive at some near point in time. This game might be a viable time for Cooper's numbers to correct. Boundary corners Darious Williams and Cobie Durant are both decent and can definitely run, but Cooper has an extensive history of beating better corners than that. Khalil Shakir should be in a good spot here, too, as the Rams usually use safety Quentin Lake in the slot. The Curtis Samuel versus Keon Coleman question largely comes down to the health of the latter, but the Bills are so crowded at wideout when you throw in Mack Hollins that it might be best to stay away from the non-Cooper, non-Shakir candidates.

Upgrade: Khalil Shakir
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Amari Cooper, Curtis Samuel, Keon Coleman, Mack Hollins

San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings should be set up reasonably well here, assuming the 49ers keep Montez Sweat and company from causing too much trouble in the absence of Trent Williams. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are both solid corners capable of playing physically underneath, but if the run game is going at all then Kyle Shanahan should be able to get Samuel and Jennings the chain-moving type of targets at least. Ricky Pearsall might struggle to draw more than 25 or so snaps in this game.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings

CHICAGO BEARS WIDE RECEIVERS

DJ Moore expects to play, but between his quadriceps injury and the solid 49ers corner rotation it still looks like a challenging matchup for Moore. Moore has transcended circumstances often in his career, and the absence of Nick Bosa helps at least a little, but it really would be nice if Moore had practiced more this week (just one limited appearance Friday). Rome Odunze might or might not be capable of stepping up in the event that Moore is out or limited – Charvarius Ward seems like a particularly tough matchup for Odunze, though the squattier Deommodore Lenoir on the other side could be more to Odunze's liking. Keenan Allen doesn't have an obvious angle on Lenoir from the slot, while boundary replacement Renardo Green seems like a solid player.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS WIDE RECEIVERS

The names of the Chargers defenders aren't important at this point – we should just assume whoever it is will play well – but at the moment the lead corners are Kristian Fulton and Tarheeb Still. Jesse Minter has done an incredible job this year and while the Chargers have overachieved to produce the numbers they have, it might be the case that they will just almost always overachieve in that case. The Chiefs offense, meanwhile, has definitely not overachieved this year. Giving their best receiver (DeAndre Hopkins) more snaps than their worst receiver (Justin Watson) would be a reasonable start, but Andy Reid likes to live dangerously. Xavier Worthy can run past anyone but if the Chargers are as disciplined as they have been all year they'll do a good job of keeping Worthy neutralized with press and a deep shadow, at which point the remaining non-Hopkins wideouts are almost certainly covered. JuJu Smith-Schuster is about as bad of a drain on the offense as Watson. The less Hopkins plays, the more harrowing it gets for the Chiefs, simple as that.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DeAndre Hopkins, Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, JuJu Smith-Schuster
 

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Ladd McConkey would ideally get healthy but he does have a history of playing well injured, including this year already. McConkey is the closest thing the Chargers have to a WR1, so if he plays as many as 35 snaps he should be pushing for eight targets here. Joshua Palmer is capable of more than he showed this year, but he needs someone else to create space for him to operate. Quentin Johnston can't create that space. Jim Harbaugh has done a great job, but he needs to wake up to the fact that this rotation has nothing going for it aside from McConkey. Even if Trent McDuffie shadows McConkey here, there's grounds for thinking McConkey can get the better if necessary.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Ladd McConkey, Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston

Dallas Cowboys vs. Cincinnati Bengals

DALLAS COWBOYS WIDE RECEIVERS

The pass blocking could be a real problem for both teams in this game. In Dallas' case it's the potential absences of Tyler Guyton and Zack Martin, which means more pressure on the delicate Cooper Rush. CeeDee Lamb will definitely beat these corners, but he needs to beat them faster than Trey Hendrickson finds Rush. Lamb investors should start him either way, it's just that this game might be a bit feast-or-famine from drive to drive, or quarter to quarter. Guys like Jalen Tolbert and Brandin Cooks need a little more luck, because target volume won't be in their favor as long as Lamb is on the field.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, Brandin Cooks

CINCINNATI BENGALS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Cowboys corners can't cover Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins, but the Bengals have a concern on the left side of the line where the heavy-footed Orlando Brown missed practice Thursday and Friday. Micah Parsons might be a problem for Brown even when fully healthy, but if Brown is out or limited then Joe Burrow will need to spend more time thinking about the left-side protection than normal. Chase is a ruthless YAC threat and that's a big reassurance, but seven-step drops might not be as viable if Parsons becomes an issue.

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