Welcome to the weekly wide receiver/cornerback breakdown for fantasy football Week 2! We will analyze each of the outside matchups one by one, as well as 10 of my favorite matchups in the slot. With the 2023 NFL season officially underway, it is important to find the best WR/CB matchups to optimize your starting fantasy football lineups and crush your opponents. This article is also critical for NFL DFS players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your daily fantasy football lineups. You can follow me on Twitter, @FantasyCoachJB, and reach out with all your fantasy football questions as well.

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2023 Fantasy Football WR/CB Matchup Report Week 2

Left WR vs Right CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDK / FD $CornerbackOppMatchup
Marquise BrownARI$4900 / $6200Deonte BanksNYGModerate
With the departure of DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown fills the role as the top receiver in Arizona. The Cardinals are not expected to do much offensively with Joshua Dobbs under center, but they are a team who should be playing from behind a lot which will lead to more passing volume. As the lead receiver in a weak wide receiver room, Brown should have a floor of 5 targets a game which should equate to moderate PPR production. This week, they play a Giants team looking to bounce back with something to prove after a brutal beatdown on national television last week. The Giants should be able to score on Arizona which will lead to a gamescript that has Arizona passing. The offense is ugly, but "Hollywood"'s targets make him an ok play.
Drake LondonATL$5000 / $5800Jaire AlexanderGBRisky
Oh Arthur Smith, don't change. Ok, please change for us fantasy football players! He won't. Atlanta is winning by featuring their run game and with Bijan Robinson AND Tyler Algeier now forming a 2-headed monster in the backfield, Smith will have even less of a reason to throw. London was only targeted 1 time in last week's win and compound that with the fact that he has to go up against Jaire Alexander this week who neutralized DJ Moore last week and London becomes an even riskier play this week. No thank you.
Rashod BatemanBAL$5100 / $5700Chidobe AwuzieCINRisky
Coming off of the Lisfranc injury that ended his 2022 season, Bateman kicked off the 2023 season with 3 catches on 3 targets in week 1. The concern here is that we saw Bateman come off the field in the 2 wide receiver sets and Zay Flowers was featured as the most targeted receiver on the team. Baltimore could be easing Bateman back in, OR, he could truly be the 3rd receiver in the room, so we need to see more before we could have any confidence playing him. Until we see him play a larger role and increase his snap share we should tread carefully here.
Stefon DiggsBUF$8000 / $8000Marcus PetersLVSafe
Stefon Diggs is one of the best plays on the slate this week. Buffalo is coming into this game fired up off of an extremely disappointing loss on Monday Night Football against a Zach Wilson-led Jets team. Nobody was more frustrated with the loss than Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs and they should come out this week on a mission. Diggs had 10 catches on 13 targets last week and he should pick up where he left off against one of the weaker secondaries in the league. Marcus Peters is not the cover corner he once was and allowed 4 catches on 5 targets in his coverage last week. Expect a big game from Diggs and don't be surprised if we see a multi-TD performance this week.
Terrace MarshallCAR$3300 / $5400Marshon LattimoreNORisky
The Panthers are going to struggle this season, especially early on, and we saw that last week. Rookie quarterback Bryce Young has some adjusting to do and he and Marshall were not on the same page last week. Marshall was targeted 6 times, most among all the Carolina wide receivers, but only caught 2 balls for 23 yards. Matched up against a solid cover corner in Lattimore and on an offense that looks like a baby giraffe learning to walk, Marshall is a no-play this week.
DJ MooreCHI$5500 / $6100Carlton DavisTBSafe
Do not hit the panic button on DJ Moore and the Chicago offense after a terrible first week. Yes, he and Justin Fields only connected twice for 25 total yards, but Moore also faced a tough matchup against Jaire Alexander and the team looked defeated after they took a few punches in the mouth from Green Bay. Coming into sunny Tampa Bay, they should be able to establish the connection that we expected to see and give fantasy managers renewed hope. Tampa is going to compete so this game should stay close. Carlton Davis is a decent corner, but he does allow a lot of catches in his coverage. Moore has the advantage in the matchup and should be a solid play in a close game this week.
Ja'Marr ChaseCIN$7900 / $8400Brandon StephensBALSafe
We are all still trying to figure out what happened to the Cincinnati offense last week. Joe Burrow looked like a guy who hasn't played since last year so the rust from not playing in the preseason due to the calf injury was certainly visible last week. The weather was bad on top of that and it was just overall ugly. Ja'Marr Chase still saw his volume though and was targeted 9 times for a 29% target share. Brandon Stephens plays the right side corner for Baltimore and while Chase does move around the field, he did play more snaps on the left side last week which will give him plenty of matchups against Stephens. Last week Stephens was targeted 10 times and gave up an 80% catch percentage so Burrow and Chase should be able to exploit this matchup this week.
Amari CooperCLE$5700 / $6300Levi WallacePITSafe
In the same sloppy game we just talked about with Chase, Cooper didn't do much from a fantasy standpoint last week. He was tied for the team lead in targets and although he only caught 3 balls for 37 yards, he did have an impressive 108 air yards. His matchup against Levi Wallace is advantage Cooper. Wallace allowed a 100% catch rate last week and is not a sure tackler. Look for Cooper to be heavily targeted, slip some tackles and take one to the house this week.
Michael GallupDAL$4200 / $5700D.J. ReedNYJRisky
The Jets have a strong secondary, led by last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year, Sauce Garder, but they play sides. Sauce plays the left side, Reed plays the right side, Carter plays the slot. Dallas uses CeeDee Lamb in the slot so the outside receivers will have the tougher matchups this week. Because of that, most of the targets should go to Lamb and the outside receivers will struggle. Add to that the fact that Dallas should be playing with a lead and running the football and the matchup for Gallup this week looks like a poor one.
Courtland SuttonDEN$5400 / $6800Emmanuel ForbesWASSafe
Courtland Sutton led the Broncos last week with Jerry Jeudy out and was able to find the endzone. He played an 85.9% snap rate and had a 86.5% route percentage which we love to see. Even if Jeudy returns this week, Sutton should continue to be a major piece of this passing offense as he plays the X role in a Sean Payton offense, made famous by Michael Thomas. The volume will be there and Sutton finally looks healthy so its wheels up for Sutton!
Marvin JonesDET$3600 / $5400Tariq WoolenSEARisky
It was pretty surprising to see how much Jones was targeted last week, but he only managed to reel in 2 of his 6 targets for 8 yards. He only had a 55.7% snap percentage so he was frequently coming off the field and slots in behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds and maybe even Sam LaPorta in the pecking order. Going up against a strong corner in Woolen this week on top of his limited usage makes Jones one of the riskier plays of the week.
Christian WatsonGB$5900 / $6400Jeff OkudahATLRisky
Keep an eye on the practice reports on this one as Watson is still dealing with a hamstring injury and may not suit up again for this game. If he doesn't go, it will be a rotation of players slotting in this spot like we saw last week. Whether it's Dontayvion Wicks, Samori Toure or even some Jayden Reed (who works mostly out of the slot), none are particularly enticing starts here. Okudah is coming off his own injury but looks to be healing from the foot ailment and has an advantage over the backup receiving options. If Watson does get out there and suit up, it will be a better matchup, but we may want to see him in action before rolling him out there without practicing in weeks. There are better options for your lineups this week.
Nico CollinsHOU$4800 / $6200Dallis FlowersINDSafe
It feels funny even saying this, but starting Nico Collins this week is a safe play. He showed last week that he is embracing the alpha role in the receiver room and already has a solid connection with his rookie quarterback. He was targeted 11 times last week and led the team in targets, receptions, air yards and targets per route run. The only negative is that this could be a low-scoring game which could be played at a slow pace. While that limits Collins' upside this week, his volume and target share will keep him involved and give a solid floor in a ppr league.
Michael PittmanIND$6300 / $7200Derek StingleyHOUModerate
It was a strong week 1 performance for Pittman who turned 11 targets into 8 catches, 97 yards and a touchdown. He helped rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson by being a strong go-to target and that should continue throughout the season. This week however, they face a much improved Houston secondary and Pittman will be matched up with the young superstar corner Derek Stingley Stingly is stingy in coverage and will likely get some help over the top from the safeties as well since Pittman is the main weapon they should look to take away from Richardson. With the tough matchup on hand and the probability of a low scoring game, expectations are tempered for Pittman in this matchup.
Calvin RidleyJAX$7200 / $8300L'Jarius SneadKCSafe
In his first real game action in a year and a half, Ridley impressed not only his new Jacksonville teammates, but everybody with a solid game last week. Trevor Lawrence looked his way early and often, throwing 11 passes his way which Ridley turned into 8 catches, 101 yards and a touchdown. He had a 97% route percentage and didn't look like he missed a beat from those Atlanta days we all remember. In a potential shootout game this week, Ridley and Lawrence should pick up right where they left off and continue to connect in the passing game. The Kansas City secondary is exploitable and Ridley will find ways to get open and produce this week.
Kadarius ToneyKC$4600 / $5300Tyson CampbellJAXModerate
On the other side of the same potential shootout we just talked about, Patrick Mahomes will also be slinging the rock. The problem is will the people on the receiving end of the passes actually reel them in this week? We saw Toney doing his best impression of early season "Hot Hands" from Little Giants last week so hopefully he invests in some sticky stuff this week to haul some passes in. Travis Kelce will be back so a bulk of the targets will go his way, but as long as Toney is out there he has the athletic ability to take a play to the house at any given moment. While it is a somewhat risky start, the upside is there, so it bumps him up to a moderate play if you like to gamble!
Davante AdamsLV$7600 / $7500Tre'Davious WhiteBUFModerate
The Las Vegas offense looked as simple as it could get last week. The ball either went to Josh Jacobs or it was thrown to Davante Adams or Jakobi Meyers. There were only 2 targets in the game that went to pass catchers not named Adams or Meyers so it looks like a simple 1-2 punch in Vegas. While Adams had a 100% route percentage last week, he faces a much tougher matchup this week against Tre'Davious White. White only gave up 13 receiving yards in his coverage last week and is a solid cover corner. This will be a fun matchup to watch all game between two greats at their positions, but the tough matchup bumps Adams from Safe to Moderate this week.
Mike WilliamsLAC$5700 / $6700Kristian FultonTENSafe
Williams got knicked up last week and had to leave the game temporarily, but was able to return and be a big contributor in the shootout. Even with leaving the game briefly, Williams had a 77.5% snap percentage and was second on the team behind Keenan Allen in target share. He has a size advantage over Fulton and will be able to get behind him and go up and high-point some big plays against Fulton this week.
Van JeffersonLAR$4300 / $5400Ambry ThomasSFRisky
The Rams were the surprise of week 1 with an impressive 30 point game in Seattle that nobody saw coming. Many people watched to see if Jefferson would be the man to step up in the absence of Cooper Kupp, but it was Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell who were the playmakers. While Jefferson was out there for 92.6% of the snaps, he only has a 14.3% target share and looked to be a strong candidate for the Kevin Tompkins "All Exercise Team". The matchup this week against San Francisco is a bad one for anybody, but especially given the lack of usage for Jefferson last week, there are much better options out there.
Tyreek HillMIA$8800 / $9700Christian GonzalezNESafe
FIRE HIM UP! Tyreek Hill is one of the best plays on the slate this week and may even be the top wide receiver on the slate. Fresh off his 11 catch, 215 yard, 2 touchdown game last week, Hill gets a divisional macthup against a rookie corner. While Hill does move around and lines up in the slot at times, he played 57% of his snaps on the outside last week and should be able to easily take advantage of the rookie corner Gonzalez. Not to take away anything from Gonzalez, he is extremely talented, but this is only his second prefessional football game and he has to go against arguably the most electric playmaker in the game. Hill will eat once again this week.
Justin JeffersonMIN$9200 / $9200Darius SlayPHIModerate
This matchup between Jefferson and Slay will be must see tv. Last week, we saw the Eagles corners play sides and Slay played 93% of snaps on the left side with Josh Jobe playing 100% on the right side. With Minnesota coming to town in a prime time game, you can expect that to change this week. Justin Jefferson is a top tier wide receiver and the defense will be focused on him which means that he will be seeing plenty of "Big Play Slay" this week. When the teams squared off last year, Jefferson was only able to catch 6 passes for 48 yards and a big part of that was Slay. Slay matched up with Jeffersonon 36.2 percent of the routes he ran which was the most of all the Eagles corners in the game. This will be a fun one to watch on Thursday Night Football!
Juju Smith-SchusterNE$4700 / $5700Xavian HowardMIARisky
Coming into the season we didn't know who would step up in the New England wide receiver room. JuJu was a guy who has shown the ability to step up in the past, but it was Kendrick Bourne who had the big game last week. What was more concerning was the 53% snap share and 13% target share that Juju got. His stat line was almost identical to Demario Douglas and that's alarming for Juju's fantasy managers. A matchup with the Miami secondary doesn't set up for a much better outcome this week so it is a risky play until we see more from Smith-Schuster.
Michael ThomasNO$5300 / $5700Donte JacksonCARModerate
Returning once again from injury, Michael Thomas looked pretty healthy out there last week. He was out on the field for 78.5% of the Saints offensive snaps and reeled in 5 catches on 8 targets. He was the second most targeted player from new quarterback Derek Carr and will look to build on that this week. While it looks like Chris Olave has established himself as the main target of the New Orleans offense, they look like a team that will look to pass often so there is plenty of meat on the bone for Thomas. In a favorable matchup and with Olave taking some attention off Thomas, he is a good play this week.
Isaiah HodginsNYG$5000 / $6200Marco WilsonARIRisky
The Giants offense was an absolute mess last week. We can chalk it up to first game jitters and playing against one of the best defenses in the league, but it caused some panic for anybody considering starting a Giants player in fantasy. On the positive side, they get a much softer matchup against Arizona this week but the Arizona defense didn't look too terrible last week in a game they hung in until the end. With the rotating stable of pass catchers and some uncertainty after last week, its probably better we wait and see before playing any Giants receivers.
Garrett WilsonNYJ$7500 / $7400Trevon DiggsDALRisky
There's no question that Garrett Wilson is one of the best young receivers in the game, which is why he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year last year. There was a lot of excitement for Wilson this year with Aaron Rodgers coming to town and anticipation that it owuld raise his game and production to an elite level. Well as we all know now, that plan is no longer in place and Zach Wilson is back at the helm throwing the ball to Garrett. Last week Garrett was able to save his game by making an amazing touchdown catch in tough coverage. This week, not only does he have to deal with his quarterback downgrade, but he also gets a matchup against Trevon Diggs. As good as Wilson is, the odds are stacked against him this week and that's why hes risky.
A.J. BrownPHI$7700 / $7900Akayleb EvansMINSafe
This is a dynamite player in a dynamite matchup this week. The Minnesota defense just let Baker Mayfield come into their house and do a Tom Brady impersonation to lead the Buccaneers to an upset win. This week, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and company get to host that same swiss cheese secondary and they should be able to fully take advantage of the matchup. Brown had 7 catches for 79 yards this week and it wouldnt be surprising to see him get over 100 this week and score a touchdown or 2.
George PickensPIT$5100 / $6300Martin Emerson Jr.CLERisky
It will be interesting to see how Cleveland plays this game against a Pittsburgh team that is now without Dionte Johnson for a few weeks. Typically, Ward plays left side and Newsome plays slot, leaving Martin Emerson Jr. as the right side corner that would match up with Pickens. With Pickens being the main offensive weapon left, Cleveland may choose to move Ward around or even double cover Pickens. With that possibility, and the Pittsburgh offense struggling out of he gate, starting Pickens this week becomes risky.
Brandon AiyukSF$5800 / $7500Derion KendrickLARSafe
What an opening week for Brandon Aiyuk. He had 8 catches on 8 targets for 129 yards and two scores and will look to build upon that this week. The Rams secondary played decent last week, but they are one of the weaker secondary groups in the league. Brock Purdy should continue to find Aiyuk and another big game from the receiver is very possible this week.
DK MetcalfSEA$7000 / $7700Emmanuel MoseleyDETSafe
Emmanuel Moseley is coming off an ACL injury and immediately has to match up against the physical specimen that is DK Metcalf. DK only had 3 receptions last week but one of them was a touchdown and he had a healthy 93.1% route percentage. Seattle will be looking to get back on track after a dissappointing loss last week and in order to do that, Metcalf has to be involved. The targets will come his way and the touchdown possibility is always there for him, making him a good start pretty much every week.
Mike EvansTB$6200 / $7100Tyrique StevensonCHISafe
Evans wasn't able to get the contract extension he wanted, but it didn't effect him on the field at all. He wasthe favorite target of new quarterback Baker Mayfield and led all Bucs receivers with 10 targets and 66 yards while adding a touchdown as well. The veteran receiver knows how to win on the outside and Mayfield knows he can trust Evans to make the big plays. The matchup is favorable and the big play ability is always there for Evans. As long as the game stays close, which it should, Evans should have a solid game.
DeAndre HopkinsTEN$6700 / $7100Michael DavisLACSafe
Hopkins paced all Tennessee receivers with a whopping 13 targets last week, but was only able to turn them in to 7 catches for 65 yards. He gets a matchup against Michael Davis who got torched by Miami last week. I his coverage, the Dolphins receivers had a 70% reception percentage and 2 touchdowns. With the plus matchup and dominat target share, even with shaky quarterback play, Hopkins is still a reliable starter this week.
Terry McLaurinWAS$5700 / $6400Pat Surtain IIDENRisky
McLaurin was questionable coming into week 1 and didnt do much out there. He only caught 2 passes despite playing 88.7% of the offensive snaps. Some of that was due to the Washington offense not being able to get much going in the air, and some of it was due to Jahan Dotson's rise. Dotson looks to be poised for a breakout which commands more targets his way and less to McLaurin. Squaring off against Pat Surtain II this week and not knowing if hes back to 100% health yet, "Scary Terry" is a scary start.
Right WR vs Left CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDraftKings/FanDuelCornerbackOppMatchup
Michael WilsonARI$3300 / $4600Tre HawkinsIIINYGRisky
After a strong preseason, Michael Wilson earned the other outside receiver role opposite Marquise Brown. He was second to Brown in targets last week and wa son the field for over 90% of the offensive snaps. Unfortunately, Arizona does not have a good quarterback to get the receivers the ball and this week the matchup isnt great either against the Giants secondary. There will be some targets going Wilson's way, especially if they're playing from behind, but we just cant trust this Joshua Dobbs passing offense to produce for fantasy.
Mack HollinsATL$3700 / $5500Rasul DouglasGBRisky
I'll make this one simple - we arent playing a wide receiver in an Arthur Smith offense against a good secondary. This game has the potential to be an ugly, giriding game and I have zero interest in starting a Falcons wide receiver against the Packers secondary in this one.
Odell BeckhamBAL$4700 / $5300Cam Taylor-BrittCINModerate
The usage for Beckham last week was great to see. He was out there on over 92% of the Baltimore offensive snaps played significantly more than Rashod Bateman. Zay Flowers was the star of the show, but in a game that should be close, Lamar Jackson may need to spread it around a bit more this week. With Odell seeing the snaps and getting the opportunity, his talent will lead him to some solid fantasy weeks. Its not a great matchup against Taylor-Britt, but the usage alone makes Beckham a viable flex play.
Gabe DavisBUF$5800 / $6500Jakorian BennettLVModerate
This is a great spot for a bounceback performance for Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. They suffered an ugly loss to the Jets last week and now they get to take that out on the porous Raiders secondary. While Stefon Diggs commands the bulk of the target share, this is a week where they could look to make a statement and Josh Allen could throw for 3 or 4 touchdowns. If Davis can be on the receiving end of one of those, he will pay off for his fantasy managers this week.
Jonathan MingoCAR$3500 / $4700Paulson AdeboNORisky
Mingo shows promise but Carolina is going to take some time to click on offense. Bryce Young struggled last week and he is facing a fierce New Orleans defense this week that will cause him fits. Carolina likely wont be scoring many points this week so I'm not interested in starting any piece of this passing offense until they start to click or get a favorable matchup.
Chase ClaypoolCHI$3200 / $5200Jamel DeanTBRisky
It is a better matchup this week for Chicago, but until we see more effort from Claypool and a better connection with Justin Fields, he will be tough to trust. Jamel Dean is a decent cover corner so its not a walk in the park matchup either. Both of the other Chicago receivers are good plays this week, but Claypool is a risky one.
Tee HigginsCIN$6400 / $7000Ronald DarbyBALModerate
Higgins was one of the biggest dissapointments in fantasy football last week with his goose egg. The Cincinatti offense really struggled but they will take a step forward this week. While they still may not be firing on all cylinders, Higgins is poised for a bounce-back game, even in a tough matchup with Ronald Darby. Its easy to be dissappointed with Higgins' 0 catches last week, but if you look at his 8 targets, 100% route participation and 96.4% snap percentage you can see the reason for optimism. Hell get back on track this week.
Donovan Peoples-JonesCLE$3700 / $5600Patrick PetersonPITRisky
A favorite target of Deshaun Watson last year, DPJ looked to be discarded last week like he was Woody and Watson was Andy. He played the most snaps of all the Cleveland receivers, but only got 2 targets and 1 reception for 12 yards. With the uncertain usage and tough matchup with Patrick Peterson, Peoples-Jones can stay on the bench this week.
Brandin CooksDAL$5200 / $6000Sauce GardnerNYJRisky
Cooks stepped right into the number 2 receiver role in Dallas and seems to be a good fit to compliment CeeDee Lamb. He had a 16% target share but was only able to reel in 2 catches. The Dallas passing offense didnt have to do much last week as they took an early lead and shut out their opponents, but this week could be the same against backup quarterback Zach Wilson and the Jets. The other part of the equation is the Sauce factor. When Cooks lines up against Sauce Gardner on the right side, he will have to try to beat one of the best at the position. Cooks will have a good year here, but maybe not this week.
Marvin MimsDEN$3500 / $4600Kendall FullerWASRisky
Even without Jerry Jeudy last week, Mims only managed to get 2 receptions for 9 yards and split time with Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Brandon Johnson. Johnson had the most targets of the 3 and Humphrey caught the touchdown. With Jeudy returning to practice this week, the Denver passing game will go back to flowing through Sutton and Jeudy, making whichever receiver is on theother side and part of this carousel a risky play for fantasy.
Josh ReynoldsDET$3700 / $5900Tre BrownSEAModerate
Jared Goff can't throw the ball to Amon-Ra every single play, so there is opportunity for Josh Reynolds on the outside. He led the team in receiving yards last week with 80 yards on 4 catches. He had an impressive 32.3 air yards percentage and is clearly the downfield threat for the Lions offense. He should see a lot of Tre Brown who is the weakest of the Seattle cornerbacks so it is a good matchup. As a dart throw in a GPP, Reynolds is at a great price.
Romeo DoubsGB$4800 / $6300A.J. TerrellATLModerate
Christian Watson still isn't practicing as of the time of this writing so keep an eye on that situation. Doubs capitalized last week with 2 touchdowns even in limited action. It was impressive that he was able to do that while playing less than 50% of the team's offensive snaps. Doubs was coming off an injury of his own so they were likely easing him back in and using him in high profile situations. His role should expand this week being another week healthier, but it is a tough matchup against a solid cover corner in A.J. Terrell. If Watson is out, the anticipated volume alone for Doubs makes him a decent enough value play at his DFS salary.
Robert WoodsHOU$4600 / $5800Darrell Baker Jr.INDSafe
It was nice to see Robert Woods back out there looking like his old self. He looked healthy while reeling in 6 catches on 11 targets and leading the team with 80 receiving yards. He had the highest snap percentage on the team and the usage was encouraging. Darrell Baker Jr. graded out as the worst Colts player last week in PFF coverage grades. He allowed 4 catches, including a touchdown last week. While he is healthy and getting the targets and playing in a favorable matchup, Woods looks like a solid value at his current pricepoint in DFS.
Alec PierceIND$3500 / $5100Steven NelsonHOURisky
Pierce showed some promise early last season but fell apart down the stretch and had a very dissappointing week 1. It may not be long before rookie Josh Downs takes over as the second target on this team if Pierce continues to underwhelm. Matched up against a stingy Houston secondary, Pierce should continue to struggle this week.
Zay JonesJAX$4700 / $6300Joshua WilliamsKCModerate
It was Jones, not Christian Kirk, who was the receiver who stayed on the field in 2 wide receiver sets last week. Jones had a 91.4% route participation compared to Kirk's 65.7%. he capatilized on the opportunity catching 5 of 7 targets and finding paydirt. He does have good competition for targets with the other receivers along with Evan Engram at tight end and Travis Etienne out of the backfield, but it is also a game where Trevor Lawrence is going to have to throw to keep up with Patrick Mahomes. With Jones being on the field and a high scoring game likely on tap, the path to fantasy relevance is there for Jones.
Marquez Valdes-ScantlingKC$4500 / $5700Darious WilliamsJAXRisky
While MVS played plenty in the season opener with his 73.3% route participation, he didnt do much of anything on those routes. He only caught 2 passes on 2 targets in a game without Travis Kelce. Darious Williams is a solid cover corner on the left side and MVS still needs to compete with all of the other receiving options in KC who all have more playmaking ability than MVS. He is another guy who is out there running routes but doesnt have much to show for them. He is a risky fantasy option even with the usage being there.
Jakobi MeyersLV$5300 / $6600Christian BenfordBUFSafe
Who had Jakobi Meyers scoring 2 touchdowns on your radar last week? Even me, who drafted a good share of Meyers and spoke about him as a favorite target of mine on the Polly's Playoffs podathon, didnt see that game coming! Meyers looks to be the clear second option to Davante Adams in this offense, so ina game like this where they should be playing catchup against an angry Buffalo team, Meyers should continue to see the volume that keeps him fantasy relevant.
Joshua PalmerLAC$3400 / $4800Sean Murphy-BuntingTENModerate
Palmer tied Mike Williams for second on the team with a 73.8 route percentage in opening week. The matchup against Murphy-Bunting, one of the worst starting corners in the league, is an enticing one. The problem is that even with a good matchup, there is only 1 football to go around and Palmer is clearly 3rd or 4th target at best in this offense.
Tutu AtwellLAR$4700 / $5500Charvarius WardSFRisky
It was nice to see Atwell step up last week and put up 119 receiving yards in the season opener. Atwell was overshadowed by fellow wide receiver Puka Nacua, but Atwell did look very good on the outside and finally looked like he would live up to his potential. That said, he gets the San Francisco secondary this week and that alone makes most receivers risky starts.
Jaylen WaddleMIA$7400 / $7300Jonathan JonesNESafe
Tyreek Hill has the matchup of the week, but Waddle draws a second year corner on his side of the field this week too. The inexperience as a whole in the Patriots secondary makes them vulnerable to the pass, especially going up against arguably the most electrifying wide receiver duo in the game. With the running backs also banged up this week, Miami could be forced to throw even more which is great for Waddle.
Jordan AddisonMIN$5300 / $6000Josh JobePHIRisky
If Philldelphia chooses to shadow Justin Jefferson with Darius Slay, Addison will benefit from the matchup against Josh Jobe on the other side. Addison scored his first NFL touchdown last week and will look to add to that total this week. Minnesota is going to give up plenty of points to the Philadelphia offense, so they're going to need to try to keep pace. Addison should see plenty of action this week and is a solid receiving option at a mid-range price point.
Kendrick BourneNE$4300 / $5900Eli AppleMIARisky
It was great to see Bourne step up last week with New England needing someone that Mac Jones could trust to make plays. Bourne was targeted 11 times and 2 of those were touchdown catches giving him over 24 fantasy points in a ppr league. Bourne does have a better matchup against Eli Apple than Juju does on the other side, so there is a path to a good fantasy performance agains this week, but dont expect 24 point games from him all the time.
Rashid ShaheedNO$4100 / $5900CJ HendersonCARRisky
The touchdown catch last week along with his 89 receiving yards was nice to see. The problem is that Shaheed will always be behind Chris Olave and Michael Thomas as long as all the receivers are healthy. The Saints should also be playing with a lead this week and not have to throw as much as they did last week so Shaheed becomes a risky boom or bust option at wide receiver this week.
Darius SlaytonNYG$4400 / $5600Kei'Trel ClarkARIModerate
Slayton was the leading target earner for the Giants in their week 1 beatdown at the hands of the Cowboys. He played the most snaps and ran the most routes of all the Giants receivers so coming back this week in a plus matchup against Arizona is a decent spot for Slayton to bounce back and score some points in our lineups.
Allen LazardNYJ$5400 / $5700Stephon GilmoreDALRisky
Lazard was brought to New York by Aaron Rodgers to give him a familiar face to throw to. Lazard doesnt have the same relationship with Zach Wislon who will be behind center now, and he also draws a tough matchup against Stephon Gilmore in the Dallas secondary. After seeing the Dallas defense destroy the Giants last week, I have no interest in trying to play against them this week with Zach Wilson.
Devonta SmithPHI$7300 / $7400Byron Murphy Jr.MINSafe
Smith tied his teammate AJ Brown for the team lead with 10 targets each in week 1. Smith had 7 receptions and a touchdown with a fantastic 98.5% snap percentage and 97.4% route percentage. In what could be a high scoring game against a weak secondary, Smith and Brown are both great plays this week.
Calvin AustinPIT$3300 / $4900Denzel WardCLEModerate
As mentioned above, Cleveland could choose to move Ward around to match up against George Pickens, some, but it should be Calvin Austin who sees him the most on his side of the field. He stepped in admirably after the Dionte Johnson injury and caught all 6 of the targets that came his way. It is a challenging matchup, but if Cleveland chooses to focus on shutting down Pickens, Austin should see plenty of targets to make him playable, especially in GPP tournaments.
Deebo SamuelSF$5600 / $6900Ahkello WitherspoonLARSafe
Sure, Aiyuk had the big game last week, but Deebo was plenty involved with 7 targets and a 100% route percentage! While Aiyuk had the 2 scores last week, we know that Deebo is a guy who can take a ball to the house at any given time with his playmaking ability. In a very positive matchup against the weak Rams secondary, Deebo is a solid play this week.
Tyler LockettSEA$6100 / $6500Cameron SuttonDETModerate
It was a very dissappoinitng outing for Lockett last week. He only managed 2 catches and 10 yards but everything about the Seattle performance last week was dissappointing. This game has one of the highest totals of the week so there is an expectation that plenty of points will be scored. If Seattle is going to get back on track, they're going to need Lockett to be involved early and often.
Trey PalmerTB$3400 / $5000Jaylon JohnsonCHIRisky
Playing alongside Evans and Godwin, Palmer will always be the 3rd fiddle at best. He does have good speed on the outside and he showed his ability to get open last week when he found the open spot in the defense and settled in to catch a touchdown. He did run the 3rd most routes among the Tampa receivers, but that was only 42.1% compared to Evans and Godwin both being above 90%. Hes simply not out there enough to trust right now.
Treylon BurksTEN$4500 / $5400J.C. JacksonLACModerate
Coming off a very dissappointing opening week, Burks will look to build something up with Ryan Tannehill this week in a game that Tennessee will likely be playing from behind and need to throw. He only had 2 catches on 3 targets last week, but he was on the field for 90.5% of the offensive snaps and had a 92.5% route participation. It is hard to trust Tannehill, but Burks should be in a better spot this week than he was last week.
Jahan DotsonWAS$4900 / $6100Damarri MathisDENSafe
Dotson showed us last week why people think he will be the Commanders #1 receiver this season. He led the team in targets with 7 and had an incredible 95.2% route percentage. With McLaurin drawing a tough matchup on the other side, Sam Howell should be peppering Dotson with targets once again in this one.

Top 10 Slot WR Matchups for Week 2

Now, here are 10 of my favorite matchups in the slot for Week 2:

Slot WR vs Slot CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDraftKings/FanDuelCornerbackOppMatchup
Chris OlaveNO$6900 / $7600Jeremy ChinnCARSafe
Olave is poised to make a jump into the converstion for top wide receivers in the league this season. The second year breakout began last week with a 112 yard game on 8 receptions en route to leading New Orleans to a narrow victory. He will look to build on that performance with extra motivation in a big divisional matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Chinn is a safety who plays the nickle for Carolina and Olave should have the upper hand in this matchup. Already looking like Derek Carr's favorite target, Olave should follow up his 10 target week 1 with another nice game.
CeeDee LambDAL$7700 / $7600Michael Carter IINYJSafe
The Dallas Cowboys completely dismantled the Giants last week so the passing offense didn't have to do much. As will be the case in most games, Lamb led the team in receptions with 4 catches but also showed his big play ability with a 49 yard reception. I do have some worries that this game could be a defensive battle and/or that the Dallas defense will dismantle Zach Wilson and the offense wont have to do much again. That said, if they do need to throw at all, it should be to Lamb out of the slot who should avoid the Jets outside cornerback duo and get the favorable matchup against Carter in the nickel.
Amon-Ra St. BrownDET$7800 / $8100Coby BryantSEASafe
Amon-Ra is far and away the best target on the Detroit offense and he commands the target share he gets. It seems that whenever Jared Goff needs to make a play, it's St. Brown who knows how to get open for him. St. Brown had a 28% target share in week 1 and with a lack of real weapons, that trend should continue this week. He will match up against 2nd year corner Coby Bryant who was targeted 10 times last week and gave up 7 catches in his coverage.
Chris GodwinTB$6000 / $6300Josh BlackwellCHISafe
Coming off of a surprising victory last week, Baker Mayfiled will look to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into their home opener with momentum. Godwin and Evans combined for 16 of Baker's 32 targets last week and the dynamic duo will be heavily targeted every week. This week should be a close game and should keep Mayfield throwing. Godwin gets a matchup against Blackwell, an undrafted second year corner from Duke, and should take full advantage of the matchup. The sure-handed Godwin should be able to cash in with another 6-10 targets this week.
Keenan AllenLAC$7100 / $7800Roger McCrearyTENSafe
Keenan Allen picked up where he left off in week 1. He is a notorious target monster and that hasn't changed as Allen continues to be Justin Herbert's favorite target. He caught 6 passes on 9 targets and gets a good matchup this week against a Tennessee secondary that just gave up over 300 yards to New Orleans. Allen has an advantage over McCreary and an even bigger one when he bounces outside against Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Zay FlowersBAL$5000 / $6600Mike HiltonCINSafe
Electric. Dynamic. Playmaker. Those are the words that immediately come to mind when describing Zay Flowers. He showed us all of that last week when he took his 10 targets and turned them into 9 catches for 78 yards. The offense found ways to get the ball in to Flowers' hands with designed playcalls and he was out on the field for the majority of the game. His 83% snap share was particularly encouraging as he wasn't the one coming off the field in 2-wide sets. He had a 48% target share and had 4 of the 5 Baltimore red zone targets. As long as he continues to see that kind of involvement in an exciting Lamar Jackson offense, he will be a solid start in fantasy lineups.
Elijah MooreCLE$4000 / $5700Chandon SullivanPITModerate
Elijah Moore was brought in to Cleveland with a plan to find ways to keep him involved in the offensive gameplan. Right off the bat, he tied for the team lead in targets last week equalling Amari Cooper's 7. They also designed some runs to Moore and he took 2 carries for an additional 19 yards. The combined 62 yards were second on the team to Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson and Offensive Coordinator Alex Van Pelt will continue to find ways to get Moore the ball. He will avoid Patrick Peterson by playing out of the slot so the volume and matchup against Sullivan makes Moore a start this week.
Darnell MooneyCHI$4400 / $5700Christian IzienTBModerate
Mooney struggled last season as the defacto #1 wide receiver in Chicago, but the addition of DJ Moore this year takes a lot of the pressure off of Mooney, not to mention, some of the better coverage from opposing defenses as well. With Moore being locked up by Jaire Alexander last week, Mooney led the team in targets and yards with 53 receiving yards and 7 targets. Playing mostly out of the slot, Mooney has an advantage in a matchup against rookie nickel corner Christian Izien this week. Tampa Bay has decent outside corners in Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean and while Izien played well last week, he is the weakest link in the Tampa secondary. Justin Fields will be coming in to Tampa angry off a poor week 1 performance and will look to make a statement. Mooney should be the guy who gets open for him the most in this matchup and that is why this is a solid matchup for Mooney.
Puka NacuaLAR$4900 / $5800Deommodore LenoirSFModerate
This week's hot waiver wire target started his NFL career red hot with 10 catches for 119 yards and 15 TARGETS! He showed a great ability to get open and an immediate rapport with Matthew Stafford. Stafford is going to need Puka again this week in a game that they are likely to be trailing against San Francisco. The outside corners for the 49ers should be able to neutralize the outside receivers for the Rams, so Puka will be the beneficiary and will need to get open out of the slot for Stafford this week. The matchup isnt the best, but the volume should be there in a game where they will have to throw the football.
Adam ThielenCAR$4000 / $5600Alontae TaylorNOModerate
The Carolina offense as a whole looked terrible last week. There will be some growing pains with rookie quarterback Bryce Young finding his footing, and Young should have to throw in this game against New Orleans. When he does, his veteran slot target, Adam Thielen, should be his target of choice. First, he is matched up against nickel corner Alontae Taylor who allowed 7 catched on 9 targets in his converage last week. Second, New Orleans has a fierce pass rush which wont allow much time for Young to go through progressions. First read, short passes to his veteran slot man should be frequent in this game and that makes Thielen a moderate play at wide receiver this week.

*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus and from Kevin Tompkins' Target Report 

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