With two weeks in the books we're starting to get a better sense of how to project cornerbacks' performance and receivers' roles in their offense. We've mostly got "Neutral" matchups this week but there are several juicy spots on the board, mostly for those lining up on the right side of the formation. As a reminder, this report should be mainly used for those building DFS lineups and if you need a tie-breaker between two (very) closely ranked receivers. 

 

 

 

2024 Fantasy Football WR/CB Matchup Report For Week 3

Left WR vs Right CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDK / FD $CornerbackOppMatchup
Michael WilsonARI$4100 / $5000Terrion ArnoldDETUpgrade
We’ve been playing the odds with rookie cornerbacks all season, banking on a sizable learning curve to the NFL level, and in the case of Terrion Arnold it’s been paying off. Arnold has the 16th-lowest coverage grade (among qualifying corners) and is allowing nearly 85% of passes to be reeled in. Wilson is a fringy option most weeks but this matchup makes him an interesting way to get into this game in DFS.
Darnell MooneyATL$4100 / $5300Trent McDuffieKCDowngrade
It was nice to see Darnell Mooney spike onto the fantasy radar last week, where he turned 7 targets into a 3/88/1 statline. Unfortunately it will be tough sledding for Mooney to repeat that performance as he draws Trent McDuffie this week. McDuffie has been stingy this year, allowing a 42.9% catch rate and just 26 total yards on the season.
Rashod BatemanBAL$3800 / $4900Trevon DiggsDALDowngrade
This one is an interesting spot to watch. Trevon Diggs shadowed last week, covering nearly 65% of the routes that Rashid Shaheed ran. Despite Shaheed’s big day, only 1 catch and 39 yards came while in Diggs’ coverage. Based on how the Ravens deploy their receivers, I’d project Bateman to be the shadow candidate, in addition to their typical alignment overlapping as well. 
 
Mack HollinsBUF$3200 / $4800Montaric BrownJACNeutral
Two weeks of data is supporting the trend that Mack Hollins is the primary LWR for the Buffalo Bills this year. This week, that places him into the sights of Jacksonville’s Montaric Brown. Brown is your run of the mill volume corner that has allowed 10 catches on 14 targets (71.4%) but keeping route runners to under 7 yards per catch. Those data points even out to a “Neutral” matchup with Brown.
Jonathan MingoCAR$3000 / $4500Jakorian BennettLVNeutral
Another surprising shadow situation last week was Jarokian Bennett covering Rashod Bateman on over 70% of his snaps. In that coverage, he allowed 5 catches on 7 targets for 68 yards. That would be a fine day in the office for Jonathan Mingo, who can be found well outside of flex range on any Week 3 rankings, but unfortunately the Panthers’ offense isn’t likely to support that type of production.
DJ MooreCHI$6700 / $6500Samuel Womack IIIINDUpgrade
The Week 1 injury to Juju Brents has sent the Colts’ secondary into a bit of a frenzy as they search for an adequate replacement. Last week, they started working in converted safety Samuel Womack III, who played 20 snaps and 7 in coverage. In a small sample with San Francisco, Womack allowed a 77.8% catch rate and 3 touchdowns on just 27 targets thrown his direction. Moore is in prime position for a statement game.
 
Ja'Marr ChaseCIN$7500 / $8600Benjamin St-JusteWASUpgrade
When Benjamin St-Juste is your top-rated cover corner, that is all you need to know about the state of the Commanders’ defensive backfield. Despite sporting a coverage rating that resides in the core of the middle-class, St-Juste is the 4th-most targeted corner in the NFL. On those 18 targets, he’s given up 10 catches for 124 yards and 2 scores. Ja'Marr Chase moves all around the formation but the presumed return of Higgins should leave Chase in St-Juste’s coverage for most of the day.
Jerry JeudyCLE$5200 / $5800Deonte BanksNYGUpgrade
Pinning down which Browns pass-catcher to designate as their “Left Receiver” is easier said than done. Jerry Jeudy plays the same or more snaps on the right and in the slot as he does on the left but has more time on that side of the formation than any other Brown. When he lines up there, he’ll mostly face Deonta Banks - who can often be seen giving chase on other receivers’ highlight plays this year. This matchup has Jeudy back on the fantasy radar in Week 3.
Brandin CooksDAL$5500 / $5900Brandon StephensBALNeutral
Cooks and Stephens will face off in Week 3 to finally settle the correct spelling of their first name. Perhaps. Looking at the tale of the tape, this sets up to be a pretty fair fight. Brandon Stephens has some blemishes on his statline, namely his 77.8% catch rate and 18.6 yards per catch. A close look will show that he’s actually playing pretty tight coverage on the whole, but has been gashed by a couple big plays that inflate his numbers.
Courtland SuttonDEN$5400 / $5300Jamel DeanTBDowngrade
Jamel Dean saw a little more action in Week 2, jumping from 2 targets the previous week up to 7 targets against the Lions. He managed to maintain a catch rate in the 50’s, despite the increase in volume, but his yards per reception did balloon up to 18.8. This was largely inflated by a 50-yard catch to Jameson Williams in the 1st quarter. Given what we’ve seen of Bo Nix this year, I think it's unlikely that we see another deep outlier play against Dean this week.
Jameson WilliamsDET$5800 / $6300Starling Thomas VARINeutral
The Jameson Williams breakout season rolls on! Currently WR7, 5th in the league with 20 targets, 2nd in receiving yards, and the list goes on. There is little reason for concern about his ability to maintain his momentum as he faces Starling Thomas V in Week 3. Thomas has been pretty much bang average in every category this year but looked good against a depleted Rams corps last week.
Romeo DoubsGB$5600 / $5200L'Jarius SneedTENNeutral
The Tennessee Titans certainly didn’t trade for L’Jarius Sneed with visions of him sitting with the 10th-worst coverage rating (among qualifying corners) 2 weeks into the season. While running a third of your routes in the coverage of someone who is carrying a 37.8 PFF grade sounds like it should be an “Upgrade,” there's more to this story. Sneed has actually been playing a solid brand of coverage but has been hurt by penalties and those penalties don’t stand to help Romeo Doubs from a fantasy perspective.
Nico CollinsHOU$7300 / $7600Shaquill GriffinMINNeutral
While it is clear to anyone watching that Nico Collins has ascended to a new stratosphere among NFL wide receivers, the evaluation of Shaquill Griffin this year can be filed as “incomplete.” Griffin has only seen 3 targets thrown into his coverage, allowing 2 catches for just 14 yards. A costly Pass Interference penalty and a missed tackle are dragging down his coverage grade but we simply don’t have a large enough sample to glean his impact on any given matchup.
Alec PierceIND$4800 / $5800Tyrique StevensonCHINeutral
Tyrique Stevenson has seen both sides of the coin this season. In Week 1 he took full advantage of Will Levis and a hapless Titans’ offense. In Week 2 he was getting torched by Nico Collins to the tune of a 70% catch rate and whiffing for 3 missed tackles. I rate this matchup against Alec Piece closer to the “Titans” end of the spectrum and think we see Stevenson move back toward the middle of the pack this week. 
 
Gabe DavisJAC$4200 / $5700Christian BenfordBUFDowngrade
Christian Benford looks to be taking a nice step forward in year number 3. He was peppered with targets last week and kept his catch rate below 50% while picking off a pass at the end of the 1st quarter. The revenge game narrative might be derailed as Gabe Davis faces his old team this week; partly due to Benford’s coverage and partly because of the state of Jacksonville’s stuttering offense.
Justin WatsonKC$3200 / $4700A.J. TerrellATLNeutral
It pains me to make this move, but it’s time to slot A.J. Terrell into the “Neutral” category, for now. He’s already set career-low marks for catch rate (87.5%) and yards per reception (13.4) and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chiefs’ game plan would be to test him early and often this week. This doesn’t really impact Watson’s viability, given his role in the Chiefs’ offense is limited to running “go” routes but how Terrell fairs will certainly be something to keep an eye on. 
 
Davante AdamsLV$7600 / $7800Jaycee HornCARDowngrade
Jaycee Horn remains one of the toughest outs in all of the NFL. His 2024 stats don’t quite live up to the very high standard he’s set, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Partly because his most glaring blemish is being on the wrong side of Rashid Shaheed’s 59-yard score in Week 1. A closer look shows that it was the blown safety help of Jordan Fuller that sprung Shaheed for the score. Fortunately Horn doesn’t shadow much so Adams will have opportunity to produce elsewhere in the Panthers’ secondary but it will be tough sledding when he’s lined up across from #8.
Quentin JohnstonLAC$4600 / $5600Joey PorterPITDowngrade
Last week I teased that Quentin Johnston about catching 3 of 5 passes was cause for optimism and clearly he used that as bulletin board material - exploding onto the fantasy scene for a 5/51/2 line. He did so in the very tough coverage of Jaycee Horn and he’ll have to rise to the occasion again this week, facing off against Joey Porter Unlike Horn, Porter Jr. is among the league-leaders in shadow rate and has been doing a better job of containing his opponents through 2 games. Johnston can cement his status if he manages to produce in this tough spot.
Demarcus RobinsonLAR$5000 / $6100Isaac YiadomSFNeutral
Last week I wrote about the expanded role awaiting Demarcus Robinson thanks to the absence of Puka Nacua but apparently I didn’t know the half of it. Cooper Kupp is sidelined as well, making Robinson the de facto WR1 for the Rams. When he lines up to the left, he’ll be almost exclusively running in the coverage of Isaac Yiadom. Yiadom is pretty close to league average in most regards, but get bonus points for posting average numbers when assigned to Garrett Wilson and Justin Jefferson for the first two weeks.
Jaylen WaddleMIA$6000 / $6600Tariq WoolenSEADowngrade
Tariq Woolen’s 3rd season in the NFL is off to an amazing start. Among qualified DB’s, Wollen currently sits 4th with a, 84.6 coverage grade on PFF. Through 2 games he’s posted a stellar 44% catch rate and 7.8 yards per reception and already has a pick and a PBU on just 9 targets thrown his way. Jaylen Waddle was already slated to take a step back with Tua headed to IR, his matchup this week adds insult to injury.
Jalen NailorMIN$4400 / $5900Kamari LassiterHOUNeutral
Kamari Lassiter put on a showcase last week. Lassiter was the responsible party for nearly all of the Colts’ deep plays in Week 1 but he got on track in a big way against the Bears. Chicago tested him with 7 targets but he allowed just 2 catches for 20 yards and came down with an interception en route to a 90.3 coverage rating. I’ll need to see him do it again before recategorizing his matchup but Week 2 was a huge step for Lassiter as he acclimates to the NFL level.
Ja'Lynn PolkNE$3900 / $5100DJ ReedNYJDowngrade
Kudos to the New England Patriots for busting everyone’s pick ‘em pool with their win over the Bengals last week. Tyquan Thornton had little to do with that win, turning in a 2 for 27 effort, and things only get harder from here. This week he’ll face off against one of the bright young stars in defensive backfields across the league, Tariq Woolen. Woolen gave up just 2 catches on 6 balls thrown his way and undercut a Bo Nix pass for his first interception of the season. Thornton should be avoided this week.
Cedrick Wilson JrNO#N/AQuinyon MitchellPHINeutral
It has been a bit of a revolving door at WR3 for the Saints this year but, despite playing on just 30% of snaps, Cedric Wilson looks to have the inside track to that claim. When he is out there, Wilson will say a fair amount of rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Mitchell has adjusted to the NFL level quite nicely and posting league-average numbers this early into their career is commendable. [
Malik NabersNYG$6400 / $7100Martin Emerson JrCLENeutral
If you have to choose your matchup against a tough Browns’ secondary, Martin Emerson Jr. is the one you’d pick. That isn’t offering relief, however, as Emerson has allowed just 10.7 yards per reception and a 58.3% catch rate on the season. Malik Nabers enters the matchup fresh of a statement game against the forgiving Commanders' secondary. He’ll certainly face more resistance this week, but not enough to change the matchup designation at this point. 
 
Garrett WilsonNYJ$7100 / $7900Christian GonzalezNEDowngrade
I was a bit surprised to see Garrett Wilson align to the left on 45% of plays after occupying the slot so much in the prior season. Wherever he lines up, he remains one of the bright young talents in the league and looks to be in a good rhythm with Aaron Rodgers. His opponent is a bit of a head-scratcher after Week 1. L'Jarius Sneed rated very poorly in terms of coverage last week but the overall ineptitude of the Bears’ passing game left him with respectable numbers in the stat sheet. I’m giving Sneed the benefit of the doubt and calling this one “Neutral.”
DeVonta SmithPHI$6900 / $8000Koolaid McKinstryNOUpgrade
Week 2 saw Koolaid McKinstry step into a full time role for the Saints and he had some bumps along the way. Last week he allowed a catch on 6 of 7 targets and missed on 2 tackles but his yards per catch was kept in check, largely due to a 7.6 yards average depth of target. In a defensive backfield where the alternative is to target Paulsen Adebo and Marshon Lattimore, I’d expect a lot of volume to head McKinstry’s direction and that should be a nice boost for DeVonta Smith.
George PickensPIT$5700 / $6300Kristian FultonLACDowngrade
Things are still clicking for Kristian Fulton as he settles into his role for the Chargers. Last week he only allowed 1 catch in his coverage and blew the play up for a 2 yard loss. This dropped his catch rate allowed on the season to 40% and his yards per reception to a stingy 0.5 yards, the best in the league. The tough matchup, paired with an incredibly low passing volume for the Steelers, moved Pickens down to the “flex” range this week.
Brandon AiyukSF$6200 / $6500Tre'Davious WhiteLARUpgrade
The wheels have completely fallen off for Tre’Davious White as a Ram. He’s sporting a sub-50 coverage grade on PFF and his counting stats are appalling. He’s being targeted nearly 20 yards down the field on average and still allows a catch on 71.4% of targets; giving up 3 touchdowns and being charged with 2 penalties on the young season. This matchup and the lack of reliable receiving options for the 49ers give Brandon Aiyuk top-10 upside in Week 3.
DK MetcalfSEA$6300 / $7200Kendall FullerMIANeutral
DK Metcalf showed his true potential in Ryan Grubb’s system as he turned in a 10/129/1 performance against Christian Gonzales, one of the league's better young corners. He’ll have another tough test week as his opponent, Kendall Fuller, has continued his nice start to the season. Fuller still only has 1 reception allowed on the season for just 18 yards but, like last week, has a considerable size disadvantage against DK Metcalf.
Mike EvansTB$7200 / $8300Pat SurtainDENDowngrade
In a surprising turn of events, Pat Surtain has one of the lowest coverage grades on PFF this season, 37.0. This shows the dramatic impact of Pass Interference penalties on one’s coverage rating, as Surtain as amassed 4 on the season. Setting those aside, Surtain is still one of the toughest matchups in the NFL. He shadows at the 2nd-highest rate in the league and is keeping his opponents to just 11 yards per catch this season. Mike Evans is always on radar to find the end zone but his yardage might be capped this week.
DeAndre HopkinsTEN$5300 / $5400Eric StokesGBNeutral
Last week we called for an increase to DeAndre Hopkins’ playing time and while he did play more, increasing from 27% of snaps to 44%, he still wasn’t on the field enough to make much of a fantasy impact. Let's hope this is the week where he returns to a full complement of snaps and gets back on the fantasy radar. He’ll face little resistance in doing so against Eric Stokes, who is near league average in almost every counting statistic. 
 
Terry McLaurinWAS$5600 / $5900Cam Taylor-BrittCINNeutral
Cam Taylor-Britt hasn’t been shy about voicing his opinion this season and, to his credit, he’s done a good job of backing it up with his play. The only real blemish on his resume is biting on an inside move that Rashee Rice turned into a 44-yard touchdown. Its enough to keep him designated as “Neutral” but Terry McLaurin has a tall task running nearly 80% of his routes in Taylor-Britt’s coverage.
 

 

Right WR vs Left CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDraftKings/FanDuelCornerbackOppMatchup
Marvin HarrisonARI$7400 / $7500Carlton Davis IIIDETDowngrade
It was a lackluster NFL debut for Marvin Harrison Jr, who hauled in 1 of 3 targets for just 4 yards. Harrison dropped a pass early and was largely put on ice for the remainder of the game. He struggled to create separation against press coverage but was able to get open several times throughout the game. He’ll have a tough time creating separation this week running against Cobie Durant; who gave up a 50% catch rate last week and just 1.0 yards of average separation. Brighter days are ahead for the 4th overall pick but it might be a slower ramp up than we’d like.
Drake LondonATL$5800 / $6400Darius SlayKCUpgrade
Another rough start to the season for Drake London as he posted a 2 of 3 effort for just 15 yards in Week 1. Much of this had to do with his very tough matchup against standout corner Joey Porter This week things get only incrementally better as London prepares to face the Eagles’ Darius Slay. Last week I posited that Slay is not the DB he once was but that he was still clearly the most difficult out in the Philly backfield and that largely came to pass. Slay surrendered just 15 yards as the Packers largely avoided throwing his direction. I’d expect a similar gameplan from the Falcons this week.
Zay FlowersBAL$6800 / $6800Caelen CarsonDALNeutral
Zay Flowers showed up in a big way in the Ravens’ Week 2 loss to the Raiders: catching 7 of his 11 targets for 91 yards and a score. With Diggs projected to shadow Rashod Bateman, that leaves Zay in friendly confines - running routes against Caelen Carson. Carson is a fairly pedestrian corner so no swing on the advantage scale either way but the involvement of Flowers through 2 games is very promising.
Keon ColemanBUF$4800 / $5800Ronald DarbyJACUpgrade
It's been a quiet start to the NFL season for Keon Coleman, really for much of the Bills’ receiving corps. What Coleman does have working in his favor is opportunity, where he leads Bills pass-catchers in snap share (80%) and route participation (100%). He’ll have another shot to capitalize on his opportunity this week against Ronald Dary. Darby almost exclusively plays the left side and is allowing a catch on 70% of targets at a rate of nearly 19 yards per.
Diontae JohnsonCAR$4900 / $5300Jack JonesLVUpgrade
Following the “nowhere to go but up” principle, Diontae Johnson is in a position to improve on his short tenure with the Panthers. Carolina has opted for a steadier hand at quarterback, Andy Dalton, and that stability benefits the receivers most directly. This week Diontae Johnson gets another upgrade, running his routes in the coverage of Jack Jones. Last week Jones let another player known as a good separator, Zay Flowers, break loose for a 7/91/1 statline.
Rome OdunzeCHI$4200 / $6100Jaylon JonesINDUpgrade
The breakout game is coming for Rome Odunze and I like the chances of it being this week against the Colts. Odunze is often found running free in opposing secondaries but Caleb Williams doesn’t get through the progressions to spot him. He also narrowly missed his first touchdown last week on a play where he had Kamari Lassiter dead to rights. His breakout opportunity is heavily influenced by his primary matchup this week, Jaylon Jones. Jones has been getting carved up to the tune of a 70% catch rate and nearly 18 yards per reception through two games.
Tee HigginsCIN$5900 / $6500Michael DavisWASUpgrade
Higgins is set to make his 2024 debut after missing the first 2 games with a hamstring issue. He couldn’t have picked a better spot to do so as he is set to square off against Michael Davis and the turnstile that is the Commanders’ secondary. They turned to Davis mid way through the game last week and he promptly game up 3 catches and missed 3 tackles, allowing the YAC to flow like wine. I’m looking forward to Higgins making a statement on Monday Night Football.
Amari CooperCLE$6100 / $6000Cor'Dale FlottNYGUpgrade
The Browns offense showed a bit of life last week against Jacksonville and I think that trend holds against the soft secondary of the Giants. Amari Cooper doesn’t have much to show for himself this season but that isn’t for lack of opportunity. Cooper is averaging 8.5 targets per game and leads the league in unrealized air yards. I like his odds to convert those to the “realized” category this week, running against Cor'Dale Flott. Flott has been nothing short of a liability for the Giants; allowing a 100% catch rate, nearly 28 yards per catch, and a touchdown on just 46 coverage snaps.
Jalen TolbertDAL$3800 / $4900Marlon HumphreyBALDowngrade
Marlon Humphrey is quite having a season that lives up to the lofty standard he has set for himself but he remains one of the better cover corners in the league. He’s allowing a few more balls to be caught but still boasts an impressive yards per catch average at just 6.9. Jalen Tolbert is in for a long day at the office running against Humphrey.
Josh ReynoldsDEN$4400 / $5200Zyon McCollumTBNeutral
The Buccaneers called up Zyon McCollum to their staring lineup last week and he performed admirably. He saw 6 passes thrown his direction, allowing just 2 catches for 20 yards while bringing in an interception. There isn’t enough of a sample here to project forward but certainly interested to see if McCollum can keep it up against Josh Reynolds.
Kalif RaymondDET$3600 / $4800Sean Murph-BuntingARIUpgrade
Kalif Raymond is certainly the odd man out among Lions pass-catchers, seeing just 4 targets on 47% snap share. This week he’ll mainly be covered by Sean Murphy-Bunting, who has done little to change our opinion that he is a plus matchup this season.
Christian WatsonGB$4900 / $5400Chidobe AwuzieTENNeutral
It's hard for me to find a player who is more of an embodiment of average than Chidobe Awuzie. The availability of of Watson’s signal caller, Jordan Love, holds much more influence over his viability this week. 
 
Tank DellHOU$5200 / $6200Stephon GilmoreMINNeutral
We’ve yet to see Tank Dell return to his 2023 form this season but I think that can change as soon as this week. Dell’s involvement in the game plan is far out-pacing his productivity but they’ve got a chance to get back into alignment with his matchup against Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore has played well enough to be considered a “Neutral” matchup but he’s allowing a ton of catches this year and Tank Dell has the speed to create chunk yardage out of any catch.
Michael PittmanIND$6100 / $6200Jaylon JohnsonCHIDowngrade
We knew that Jaylon Johnson wouldn’t be able to sustain is -2 yards per catch pace for the entirety of the season but beyond that he exits Week 2 with fairly comparable numbers. He still sports a top-tier coverage rating, he’s accumulated 2 PBUs and a pick, and opposing quarterbacks have a 9.6 rating when throwing into his coverage. Michael Pittman has been off to a slow start to the season and I don’t see it likely to improve this week.
Brian ThomasJAC$4900 / $5800Rasul DouglasBUFNeutral
While Brian Thomas Jr hasn’t quite matched the immediate impact of recent LSU 1st rounders entering the league, he is off to a fine start to his NFL career. The Jaguars are not shy about using Thomas downfield and he is generating nearly 2.4 yards of separation on his targets. There isn’t much to call out about his matchup against Rasul Douglas this week but I do think the game script is one that should support more passing from the Jags.
Xavier WorthyKC$6000 / $6000Mike HughesATLNeutral
Xavier Worthy came back to earth in Week 2 and reminded us all of the ebbs and flows of relying on a player with a 14% target share. Obviously he’s got the explosiveness to make the most out of any opportunity but I think the first 2 weeks are a good snapshot of how the season will unfold for Worthy. There isn’t much to say about matchup against Mike Hughes this week as we haven’t seen him targeted but 2 times this year. Historically he’s hovered around league average so we’ll chalk this up as “Neutral.”
Tre TuckerLV$3300 / $4700Mike JacksonCARNeutral
Tre Tucker will avoid the attention of Jaycee Horn when he faces the Panthers this week, so he’s got that goin for him. He’s playing nearly 70% of snaps but is largely an afterthought in the Raiders’ offense. Mike Jackson will be lining up against Tucker and has done little to catch anyone’s attention this season.
Joshua PalmerLAC$4800 / $5400Donte JacksonPITNeutral
Joshua Palmer decided not to get ejected from last week’s game but still only played 45% of snaps. This week he’ll face Donte Jackson, who has accumulated better than average stats this year but did so while facing fairly lackluster competition. He’s keeps that streak alive this week against Palmer.
Tyler JohnsonLAR$4700 / $5800Charvarious WardSFDowngrade
If it wasn’t for a touchdown to Jalen Nailor, one where Ward’s backside help didn’t adjust to motion, he’d be sporting a coverage grade near the top of the league (as he usually does). He’s allowed just 3 catches for 24 yards on the season and is largely being avoided by opposing signal-callers. Tyler Johnson failed to take advantage of a plus matchup last week, I don’t see him doing much in this tough spot against Ward.
Tyreek HillMIA$8400 / $9000Tre BrownSEANeutral
It’s the absence of Tua Tagovailoa, not the matchup with a pedestrian Tre Brown, that is cause for concern for Tyreek Hill managers this week. Tyreek obviously has the skills to make something meaningful happen on any catch, but his upside is clearly limited with Skylar Thompson at the helm.
Justin JeffersonMIN$8600 / $9200
Derek Stingley		HOUDowngrade
This is one of those tough spots where an all-world receiver is squaring off against an elite corner. In these situations, I tend to err on the side of the receiver being able to overcome their circumstance and perform adequately. We did see Stingley shadow DJ Moore last week, a rarity for him, so if that trend holds it caps Jefferson’s upside a bit. Not to the point where you’re sitting him in any format though.
K.J. OsbornNE$3600 / $5000Tre BrownNYJNeutral
Chris Olave is another of the back-end WR1s this year whose poor performance in Week 1 have fantasy managers panicked. Fortunately for Olave its not every day you’re being shadowed by Jaycee Horn. Including this week where he’ll see a good amount of Caelen Carson. Carson is fresh of f a performance where he gave up a 55.6% catch rate and 1 touchdown allowed. I like Olave to return to form this week. 
 
Chris OlaveNO$6300 / $6700Darius SlayPHINeutral
As has become a weekly tradition in this report, I’ll remind you that the 2024 version of Darius Slay is not the defender he once was. He kept his “perfect streak” alive last week, allowing all 5 of his targets to be caught for 48 yards and a score. One more performance like this and we’ll have to move Slay out of the “Neutral” category.
Darius SlaytonNYG$3900 / $4800Denzel WardCLEDowngrade
Denzel Ward looked like his old self last week against the Jaguars, posting 90.4 coverage rating and allowing just 1 catch on 4 targets. That moves his season average to just 27.3% and I wouldn’t be surprised if he improves on that figure this week against Darius Slayton and the sputtering Giants. 
 
Allen LazardNYJ$3800 / $5500Chidobe AwuzieNEDowngrade
Allen Lazard was one of the hot waiver wire pickups on Tuesday after he had 2 trips to the end zone on Monday Night Football against the 49ers. I think we see him come back to earth this week as he gears up to face Chidobe Awuzie of the Titans. Awuzie had a respectable outing in Week 1 and is plenty capable of slowing a player of Lazard’s talent.
Jahan DotsonPHI$4500 / $5500Paulson AdeboNONeutral
Dotson was not the savior that AJ Brown managers were hoping for last week, turning his 1 backward target into 6 yards in a very quiet matchup against the Falcons. This week he’ll primarily face Paulson Adebo, who has been all over the map this season. We can ostensibly net out the good game and the bad game we’ve seen from Adebo and file this one in the “Neutral” category.
Van JeffersonPIT$3300 / $4800Asante Samuel Jr.LACNeutral
Being the 2nd banana on one of the league’s most conservative passing offenses is a tough spot and that’s precisely where Van Jefferson finds himself this season. This week he’ll be the primary assignment of Asante Samuel Jr, who has allowed a 75% catch rate but has done a good job of keeping everything in front of him.
Jauan JenningsSF$4100 / $5200Cobie DurantLARNeutral
I’m working under the assumption that the absence of Deebo Samuel means we see Jauan Jennings not only get more involved, but also move out from the slot role he occupies for the 49ers. If he does, he’ll mainly face Cobie Durant. Durant stands to offer the most resistance among Rams corners, but that isn’t saying much. Durant isn’t a liability back there, just not someone to worry about overall.
Tyler LockettSEA$5100 / $5900Jalen RamseyMIADowngrade
In addition to battling back the emergence of Jaxon Smith Njigba in the Seahawks pecking order; Lockett’s right-heavy alignment means he’ll be battling Jalen Ramsey to get open this week. Ramsey’s coverage grade doesn’t appear impressive but its mostly due to a low number of targets going his way and a PI call having an outsized impact.
Jalen McMillanTB$3700 / $5000Ja'Quan McMillianDENNeutral
The McMill(i)ans face off in our second battle to determine the correct spelling of a shared name this week. Jalen has been seeing the field a fair amount and has 53 yards and a touchdown to his name this year. Ja’Quan has allowed a 100% catch rate on limited targets but is keeping contain with just 7 yards per reception.
Calvin RidleyTEN$6000 / $6400Jaire AlexanderGBDowngrade
How Calvin Ridley has managed to be so productive in the midst of the chaos that is the Tennessee Titans’ offense is one of the great mysteries of the 2024 season. He’ll have his work cut out for him this week as he’s set to be shadowed by Jaire Alexander of the Packers. Alexander looked much more like himself last week, allowing just 1 catch for 18 yards and 54.9 passer rating on balls thrown into his coverage.
Dyami BrownWAS$3200 / $4100Dax HillCINNeutral
Dyami Brown saw his snap share increase incrementally last week, where he saw 4 targets and caught 2 of them for 17 yards. It is interesting to note that Brown did see 2 red zone targets in this game as well. In Week 3 he’ll face Dax Hill of the Bengals, who has done little to make himself standout from the pack this year.
 

 

Slot WR vs Slot CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDraftKings/FanDuelCornerbackOppMatchup
Jaxon Smith-NjigbaSEA$5400 / $6100Kader KohouMIAUpgrade
We will continue to go back to the Kader Kohou well. This week Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the beneficiary of Kohou’s coverage, which has allowed a 75% catch rate and 14.5 yards per reception this year. What’s most exciting about this situation is that it mirror’s last week perfectly, where the clear advantage in the secondary is throwing to the slot. JSN is in line for a 2nd big game in as many weeks.
Khalil ShakirDET$5500 / $5900Jarrian JonesARIUpgrade
While Khalil Shakir isn’t playing quite as many snaps as I would like, when he is out there - he’s in the slot. That means he’ll run the vast majority of his routes in the coverage of Jacksonville’s Jarrian Jones. Jones has been getting peppered with targets this year and has allowed 14.5 yards per catch, a very high number for a slot corner.
Chris GodwinPHI$6500 / $6600Riley MossNOUpgrade
Chris Godwin moving back to the slot is going better than just about anyone could have hoped. Godwin is currently the WR1 and has seemingly taken over the mantle of teammate Mike Evans, averaging 100 yards and a touchdown per game. Playing the slot means this week he’ll face Riley Moss this week, who has allowed a 72.7% catch rate and has had trouble with missed tackles this year.
Rashee RiceKC$7000 / $7300Devon WItherspoonATLSafe
Kupp has seen at least 7 targets in every game since his return, but has struggled since week 6. The Seattle secondary has played well for the most part, but Kupp is too good to be held down any longer and I expect him to come out of the bye fired up and ready for a big game.