Week 5 WR CB Matchups
Week 5 WR/CB Matchups are here! This weekly article is designed to help you make better decisions when setting your lineups.
Key:
Coverage Rating: From PlayerProfiler.com, A comprehensive cornerback efficiency metric incorporating target rate, pass break-ups, catch rate allowed, and fantasy points allowed per snap. The lower values are favorable for the WR, which is why they are in green while the higher values are listed in red/orange.
Opp vs WR: Where the WR’s opposing team ranks in fantasy points allowed per game to the wide receiver position.
Matchup Rating: A Metric that combines the Coverage Rating of the projected primary cornerback assigned to cover the selected wide receiver and the opponent’s team ranking vs WRs in fantasy points allowed per game.
Shadow: A ‘Yes’ designation means the cornerback is expected to be in shadow coverage on the selected WR.
Click To Enlarge Chart
Matchups To Exploit
Mike Evans, Buccaneers at Saints
Week 4 was the Chris Godwin show but Mike Evans did his share of damage too, with 89 yards and a score in the 55-40 shootout. Evans has 30 targets and four touchdowns over the last two weeks. He holds a share of the league lead with 12 deep targets, ranking second in both Completed Air Yards and Target Distance. He is averaging 20.4 (No. 7) yards per reception and holds a 26.1-percent (No. 10) Target Share. This week he gets the privilege of going against Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore has allowed 262 total yards and 15.3 (No. 67) fantasy points per game. His -16.9 coverage rating ranks No. 63 among qualifying cornerbacks, per PlayerProfiler.com. While Godwin will be in a ton of DFS lineups, the move is to pivot back to Evans like I recommended before his blowup performance in Week 3.
Tyler Boyd, Bengals vs Cardinals
This is a prime bounce-back spot for Tyler Boyd, who is coming off his worst performance of the season this past Monday night against the Steelers. The whole Bengals offense struggled to get anything going against the Pittsburgh defense. It will be much different in Week 4 against a Cardinals defense that has allowed nearly 30 points per game. Only the Dolphins have allowed more offensive yards and passing touchdowns.
With John Ross on injured reserve and A.J. Green still weeks away from a return, Boyd is the clear number one option in the passing game. That’s a passing game that was already targeting him at a rate of 23.6-percent before the Ross injury. Boyd’s 38 receptions and 27 targets rank fourth among qualified wide receivers. He has three games with at least 10 targets and six receptions. Lock him in for a high target volume week in what should be a shootout.
Keenan Allen, Chargers vs Broncos
The Chargers are running out of healthy pass-catchers and Keenan Allen is dominating. He leads in targets, receptions, receiving yards and completed air yards.
Chris Godwin, Buccaneers at Saints
God + Win = WR1. Start him.
Adam Thielen, Vikings at Giants
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Adam Thielen called out his quarterback and coaching staff after another poor performance from the passing game. The Vikings will feed their star pass-catcher against one of the league’s worst secondaries.
Top-5 Most Favorable Matchups
Emmanuel Sanders at Chargers
Larry Fitzgerald at Bengals
Adam Thielen at Giants
D.J. Moore vs Jaguars
Phillip Dorsett at Redskins
Top-5 Least Favorable Matchups
Redskins WRs vs Patriots
Cowboys WRs vs Packers
James Washington vs Ravens
Cole Beasley at Titans
Corey Davis vs Bills
