Wide Receivers vs. Cornerbacks: Week 16 Matchups

This article will go game by game for the Week 16 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.

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.

BAL vs ATL

BALTIMORE WIDE RECEIVERS

Demarcus Robinson won't ever be open yet sometimes draws targets due to being left 1 on 1 at all times, and A.J. Terrell has yet to demonstrate himself as a ballhawking threat. If Terrell can't make a play on the ball then even if he shadows Robinson there might not be any more reason than usual to throw elsewhere. He's never open, so that he would never be open against Terrell would be an immaterial point.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Demarcus Robinson, Devin Duvernay

ATLANTA WIDE RECEIVERS

Drake London warrants shadow coverage from Marlon Humphrey, both because the Falcons have no other standout receivers and because the Ravens shouldn't want to see London lined up against their lesser, non-Humphrey corners. If Humphrey shadows London it would be bad for London, though keep in mind his substantial target share.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Drake London
Even: N/A

CAR vs DET

CAROLINA WIDE RECEIVERS

D.J. Moore and Terrace Marshall are both too athletic for outside corners Jerry Jacobs and Jeff Okudah to run with very far. The Carolina passing game lacks ambition, but Moore and Marshall can beat these guys.

Upgrade: DJ Moore, Terrace Marshall
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

DETROIT WIDE RECEIVERS

Jaycee Horn might or might not shadow anyone here – he can play the slot to shadow even Amon-Ra St. Brown, where Jeremy Chinn would otherwise be a mismatch in St. Brown's favor – but St. Brown isn't enough of a big-play threat to traditionally warrant shadow coverage. If Horn doesn't follow St. Brown then he might follow DJ Chark, the most prominent big-play threat in the offense. Josh Reynolds would likely run most of his routes against C.J. Henderson if Horn is elsewhere.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Amon-Ra St. Brown (arguable upgrade if not shadowed by Horn), DJ Chark (downgrade if shadowed by Horn), Josh Reynolds

CHI vs BUF

CHICAGO WIDE RECEIVERS

These receivers? In this weather?

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: All
Even: N/A

BUFFALO WIDE RECEIVERS

Stefon Diggs might see extra attention from Jaylon Johnson, but it's unlikely to matter if so. The non-Johnson corners are all beatable for the Bills receivers, but keep in mind the cold might limit the pass attempt volume.

Upgrade: All
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

CLE vs NO

CLEVELAND WIDE RECEIVERS

Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones both project for the advantage against the Saints' non-Marshon Lattimore corners. It's not clear whether Lattimore will return from his abdomen injury in this game, and if he does it's not clear how the Saints will use him. It's possible they ease him back into action in terms of playing time and assignment.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Amari Cooper (the less Lattimore the better), Donovan Peoples-Jones

NEW ORLEANS WIDE RECEIVERS

Rashid Shaheed is on a roll and he'll need to play full time with Chris Olave out, but unfortunately Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome are strong counters to Shaheed's standout speed. Tre'Quan Smith might get open more easily against Ward, just on the basis of size differential, but no Saints pass receiver looks great here.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Rashid Shaheed
Even: Tre'Quan Smith

KC vs SEA

KANSAS CITY WIDE RECEIVERS

Tariq Woolen can shut down the sideline, especially vertically, but it suits him less to cover laterally. Mike Jackson and Coby Bryant in general are not good to this point. JuJu Smith-Schuster should be in a position to capitalize here as a result. Marquez Valdes-Scantling can run past Bryant but definitely not Woolen. Justin Watson should be a backup but apparently Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore just aren't as useful to the Chiefs.

Upgrade: JuJu Smith-Schuster
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson

SEATTLE WIDE RECEIVERS

DK Metcalf won't have a size advantage against corners like Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams, but the two rookies would still likely be at a disadvantage. The better rookie is Trent McDuffie, but at under 6-foot and with short arms it might not be fair to expect McDuffie to hold up against Metcalf, who might be McDuffie's single worst matchup in the league and is certainly among the top five. L'Jarius Sneed plays all over but mostly in the slot, so he should be the primary matchup for Marquise Goodwin. Goodwin might rather see Sneed than McDuffie, but he'd really like to get a crack at Watson or Williams.

Upgrade: DK Metcalf
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Marquise Goodwin (the less McDuffie the better)

MIN vs NYG

MINNESOTA WIDE RECEIVERS

The Giants defense was thin on corner personnel to start with, then injuries took away CB1 Adoree' Jackson and standout slot safety Xavier McKinney. It would take a very low-ranked receiver to be at the disadvantage here.

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

GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Darius Slayton can dust any of these corners but especially the non-Patrick Peterson ones. Isaiah Hodgins definitely can't get vertical from the boundary but he could continue to chop away as a chain-moving threat, even though Peterson and Cam Dantzler can match his reach. Richie James might or might not have an advantage over Duke Shelley but it's certainly not an intimidating matchup.

Upgrade: Darius Slayton
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Isaiah Hodgins, Richie James

NE vs CIN

NEW ENGLAND WIDE RECEIVERS

Jakobi Meyers can probably beat Mike Hilton but Hilton rarely lets up anything easily. Nelson Agholor usually needs a speed advantage to thrive and he doesn't have that against Cam Taylor-Britt or Eli Apple.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor

CINCINNATI WIDE RECEIVERS

Tee Higgins can't separate from Jonathan Jones and maybe not even Jack Jones, but neither of the Joneses nor short slot liability Myles Bryant can do anything if Higgins plays Keepaway. Jack is the 'big' one of that group at 5-foot-11, 177 pounds, so the Patriots simply don't have the personnel to deal with this. Tyler Boyd is at a distinct advantage, too. If the Patriots stop the Cincinnati passing game they'll have to do it without winning in coverage – they can't do it.

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

TEN vs HOU

TENNESSEE WIDE RECEIVERS

If Treylon Burks (concussion) can play then he might still struggle due to the Titans' quarterback play with Malik Willis. Robert Woods and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine struggled even with Ryan Tannehill, so it's difficult to feel any optimism for them, either.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Treylon Burks, Robert Woods, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

HOUSTON WIDE RECEIVERS

Chris Moore and Brandin Cooks can beat these corners, especially with Tennessee dealing with so many injuries. Amari Rodgers might have a favorable lineup if Amani Hooker remains out for the Titans, but if Hooker returns he could shut down the slot.

Upgrade: Brandin Cooks, Chris Moore
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Amari Rodgers (arguable downgrade if Hooker is active)

SF vs WAS

SAN FRANCISCO WIDE RECEIVERS

The Washington defense has gotten better results against the pass lately not because of its secondary personnel but because of its defensive line. Brandon Aiyuk can't be covered by these corners, so if Aiyuk can't draw viable targets then it would occur for some other reason. If Washington sells out to stop Aiyuk specifically then they might leave themselves vulnerable to Jauan Jennings, who can bully smaller corners like Danny Johnson and Bobby McCain.

Upgrade: Brandon Aiyuk
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jauan Jennings

WASHINGTON WIDE RECEIVERS

If Charvarius Ward (concussion) cannot play then it would make things much easier for Terry McLaurin. Ward isn't a shutdown corner – the label might not exist for McLaurin, anyway – but he's very good and a perfect fit for the DeMeco Ryans scheme. The non-Ward corners, moreover, are all beatable, especially youngsters Deommodore Lenoir and Samuel Womack. Curtis Samuel has no concerns in terms of CB matchup but runs a lot of his routes worryingly close to where Fred Warner roams.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Curtis Samuel
Even: Terry McLaurin (arguable upgrade if Ward is out), Jahan Dotson

DAL vs PHI

DALLAS WIDE RECEIVERS

CeeDee Lamb might be able to beat the likes of Darius Slay and James Bradberry on occasion but he'd have much more success in the slot against Avonte Maddox. Slay and Bradberry make things difficult outside, but there's only so much the Eagles can do about Lamb versus a 5-foot-9 slot corner. Noah Brown and Michael Gallup are unlikely to get much going against Slay and Bradberry.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Michael Gallup
Even: CeeDee Lamb, Noah Brown

PHILADELPHIA WIDE RECEIVERS

A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are both set up very well here. The Dallas pass rush is a problem for other offenses but might not be for the Eagles offensive line, which might be the best in the league. Trevon Diggs is the only good Dallas corner and even he is Good in a way that concedes opportunity to the offense.

Upgrade: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

PIT vs LV

PITTSBURGH WIDE RECEIVERS

Nate Hobbs can only cover one of Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, and the other will always be left against a beatable corner. Whether the ball gets there is another question.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Diontae Johnson (arguable downgrade if shadowed by Hobbs), George Pickens (arguable downgrade if shadowed by Hobbs)

LAS VEGAS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Steelers can't play the game of man coverage so they don't try for extended periods. Davante Adams, Mack Hollins and Hunter Renfrow should all have the opportunity to get open, but it depends on where the Steelers leave the zone weak and whether Derek Carr detects it in sync with the receivers.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Davante Adams, Mack Hollins, Hunter Renfrow

MIA vs GB

MIAMI WIDE RECEIVERS

Jaire Alexander is a good corner and perhaps slot project Keisean Nixon will turn out to be a good one, but Rasul Douglas is truly hopeless against Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The Packers defense is not well coached or well schemed so the possibility of Mike McDaniel toying with the Green Bay defense is very much on the table.

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

GREEN BAY WIDE RECEIVERS

There is nothing concerning in the Miami personnel for the Green Bay receivers. Xavien Howard is theoretically their top corner and he's big enough to defend the rim even against bigger receivers like Allen Lazard and Christian Watson, but Howard might struggle to run with Lazard at this point and certainly can't keep up with Watson for more than 15 yards or so. Romeo Doubs didn't play much last week but can beat these corners, too.

Upgrade: Allen Lazard, Christian Watson
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

LAR vs DEN

RAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

Van Jefferson might not be all that great but he still might see the shadow coverage of Patrick Surtain. Tutu Atwell might be a surprisingly tough matchup for a big corner like Surtain, so that would be the second reason why the Broncos might want Surtain on Jefferson.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Van Jefferson
Even: Tutu Atwell

DENVER WIDE RECEIVERS

Courtland Sutton (hamstring) might or might not see shadow coverage from Jalen Ramsey, but no matter whether it's Ramsey or Troy Hill it's difficult to trust Sutton too much given the disrepair of the Denver passing game. Jerry Jeudy is in the same boat, though arguably he has outplayed Sutton this year and could warrant more benefit of the doubt.

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

ARI vs TB

ARIZONA WIDE RECEIVERS

DeAndre Hopkins might see Carlton Davis on nearly every play, which normally wouldn't be a problem but might be a slight one with Trace McSorley at quarterback. The Cardinals are a mess in general, too, and it's unclear whether Marquise Brown (groin) will be able to take advantage of the absence of Antoine Winfield in the slot. If Brown can't then perhaps Greg Dortch can.

Upgrade: Marquise Brown, Greg Dortch
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DeAndre Hopkins

TAMPA BAY WIDE RECEIVERS

The Arizona corner rotation was bad to start with and now it's badly beat up, too.

Upgrade: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Julio Jones
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

IND vs LAC

INDIANAPOLIS WIDE RECEIVERS

Michael Pittman gets a wealth of targets schemed open for him and the Chargers' tendency to play off coverage might only invite more of that. In order to clear space for Pittman the Colts often call fake routes for Parris Campbell where he more or less just sets picks downfield to clear open room for Pittman to not go very far.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Michael Pittman, Parris Campbell, Alec Pierce

CHARGERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Somewhere in the Colts secondary should always be vulnerable in this game. Stephon Gilmore might shadow Mike Williams but (A) that's not a huge concern to Williams and (B) whoever Gilmore isn't on is in a really good position. Keenan Allen should have his usual runway space and Joshua Palmer might be productive, too, especially if Gilmore diverts any usage away from Williams. If Gilmore is on Williams then Palmer is on the beatable Brandon Facyson or, better yet, the tiny Isaiah Rodgers.

Upgrade: Keenan Allen, Joshua Palmer
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Mike Williams (arguable Upgrade if not shadowed by Gilmore)