Now that we've got 5 weeks of data, we can start adjusting matchup statuses more confidently and, in turn, we've got several notable names who have been adjusted this week. 

We're also keeping close tabs on an emerging trend; where a bad matchup will steer target volume away from certain corners and towards more favorable matchups. This can be a leading indicator of the strength of a corner that the stats will take a few weeks to catch up to. 

 

 

2024 Fantasy Football WR vs CB Matchup Report For Week 6

Left WR vs Right CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDK / FD $CornerbackOppMatchup
Marvin HarrisonARI$7200 / $7000Eric StokesGBNeutral
The boom/bust nature of Marvin Harrison Jr’s rookie season has been very frustrating for fantasy managers. Much of the same could be said for his primary matchup this week, Eric Stokes of the Packers. Stokes is hovering around the midpoint in most regards but he’s coming in of a 3-game stretch where he’s allowed more than 70% of passes to be caught and has given up 2 touchdowns.
Darnell MooneyATL$5300 / $6500Mike JacksonCARNeutral
The story largely remains the same with Mike Jackson as it has throughout the season. He’s seeing an abundance of targets as opponents avoid throwing into the coverage of his top-notch teammate, Jaycee Horn. Jackson has allowed 21 catches for 255 yards this season and in Week 6 will face Darnell Mooney, who enters having posted his best game as a Falcon last week.
Rashod BatemanBAL$4100 / $5500Benjamin St-JusteWASUpgrade
Benjamin St-Juste, and all Washington corners for that matter, enter this game seeing a 1-week uptick in their coverage stats. This is thanks in large part to the ineptitude of Deshaun Watson, who they faced in Week 5. Even with that artificial boost, St-Juste remains one of the most beneficial matchups to opposing wide receivers; having allowed 285 yards and 3 touchdowns this season. Bateman gets an upgrade in a game that has the potential to be a shootout.
Keon ColemanBUF$4900 / $5400D.J. ReedNYJDowngrade
Keon Coleman had a huge opportunity last week, in a fast-paced game with his teammate Khalil Shakir sidelined, and looked to make the most of it to box score-watchers. Unfortunately his 11.9 fantasy points came from a single catch for 49 yards and a score; a feat that will be very difficult to replicate against one of the league’s best cover corners this week. DJ Reed is one of 3 qualifying players with a coverage grade north of 90 and has allowed just 42 receiving yards through 5 games.
Diontae JohnsonCAR$6100 / $6900Mike HughesATLNeutral
It is hard to say at this juncture who, if anyone, AJ Terrell of the Falcons will shadow this week. I think he profiles to be a tougher matchup for Xavier Legette and in the event he doesn’t shadow, that side of the field is his more typical alignment. That leaves Diontae Johnson in the coverage of Mike Hughes, who has been very hot and cold this season. The biggest challenge for Hughes has been yards after catch, which accounts for more than half of what he’s allowed this year - thanks in large part to a whopping 9 missed tackles this season.
DJ MooreCHI#N/AMontaric Brown#N/ANeutral
DJ Moore looked to finally get on the same page with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams last week and should have a decent shot to keep it rolling in Week 6. He’ll face Montaric Brown of the Jaguars who looks pretty solid by most regards, with a 65.7% catch rate and 10.5 yards per reception allowed, but is buoyed by a single game pulling those averages in the right direction.
Ja'Marr ChaseCIN$8400 / $9500Deonte BanksNYGUpgrade
Deonte Banks has been one of our favorite punching bags since he entered the league in 2023 but even he can luck-box into a good game and that's exactly what happened last week against DK Metcalf. He was playing tight coverage all day and for whatever reason, Seattle didn’t make him pay with a double move. A game like this is the exception, not the rule, and I’m expecting Ja'Marr Chase to put on a clinic running in his coverage this week.
Amari CooperCLE$6000 / $6200Quinyon MitchellPHINeutral
Quinyon Mitchell has done a nice job of getting his footing under him at the NFL level. After a rough start he’s settled into a respectable 60.9% catch rate and has done very well to hold opponents to just 39 yards after catch. Amari Cooper, his primary assignment this week, has bigger problems on his hands as his quarterback is rapidly playing his way out of the league.
Jalen BrooksDAL$3300 / $4500Terrion ArnoldDETUpgrade
It was Jalen Brooks, not KaVontae Turpin who saw the biggest boost in playing time from the absence of Brandin Cooks. Unfortunately his involvement didn’t change much as he finished Week 5 with just 1 catch for 10 yards. Should he get more looks this week, he’s in a terrific spot against Terrion Arnold and the Lions secondary. Arnold leads the league with 8 penalties, largely because he’s getting beat left and right.
Courtland SuttonDEN$5300 / $5600Kristian FultonLACNeutral
Courtland Sutton remaining near the top of the league in targets and air yards while having little realized production to show for it, has become a major theme for 2024. He’s routinely projected as a top-10 receiver in expected fantasy points per game but the 67th-ranked target accuracy on balls thrown his way make it hard to do much. This week he’ll see Kristian Fulton who is still firmly in the “Neutral” category but has been showing some promising signs of late.
Jameson WilliamsDET$5800 / $6300Trevon DiggsDALNeutral
Because Trevon Diggs has played just 8 snaps (out of a possible 326) in the slot, its clear that he’ll focus his attention on Jameson Williams this week. Diggs hasn’t been racking up the interceptions and pass-breakups the way we’ve grown accustomed to but he’s still one of the tougher outs in the league. He has been known to bite on the double move so Williams still has some big play upside but our overall expectations should be tempered.
Romeo DoubsGB$5200 / $5700Starling Thomas VARINeutral
Romeo Doubs was at odds with his coaching staff last week, causing him to miss their Week 5 matchup against the Rams having been suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team.” He is expected to return this week and should slot right into his typical role in 2-receiver sets. When he’s out there, he’ll have a nice matchup against Starling Thomas of the Cardinals. Thomas has earned a coverage grade of 55 or lower in 4 of 5 games and has been rung up for 14.9 yards per reception this season.
Tank DellHOU$6200 / $6700Jonathan JonesNENeutral
The Texans wide receiver room is reeling in light of their leader, and the NFL’s leading receiver, Nico Collins heading to IR. Projecting their deployment going forward is going to be a bit murky but I think we see Tank Dell step into more snaps from the left side of the formation. This week that will have him facing Jonathan Jones of the Patriots. It's been an up and down season for Jones but his averages are near the wrong side of the midpoint in the NFL. Avoiding the attention of Christian Gonzalez is the bigger win here for Dell.
Alec PierceIND$5400 / $5800L'Jarius SneedTENNeutral
Its hard to say what we should make of L’Jarius Sneed’s 2024 campaign. He had gotten worked over in each of the first two games and then proceeded to skunk his opponents in weeks 3 and 4; facing a Packers team that was hiding their quarterback and a Dolphins team that would have been right to consider doing the same. I’ll keep him in the “Neutral” category for now but we’ve seen what he is capable of. Alec Pierce should be his primary matchup and will either catch a 50-yard touchdown or put up a goose egg.
Brian ThomasJAC#N/AJaylon Johnson#N/ADowngrade
Brian Thomas exploded last week for a 5/122/1 line and took the mantle of the NFL’s fastest ball-carrier this year, topping out at 22.15 MPH. Not terribly surprising if you’ve been tracking Thomas’ rookie campaign as the LSU product looks every bit as advertised. He’ll have a bellwether moment in front of him as he sets to face Jaylon Johnson of the Bears. Johnson has allowed just 9 catches for 108 yards this season and is allowing a 33.1 passing rating when quarterbacks throw into his coverage. Its categorically a tough spot for Thomas but we will walk away from this week knowing if he is among the elite at his position or simply the very very good.
Justin WatsonKC#N/AMarshon Lattimore#N/ADowngrade
The Chiefs wide receiver room is reeling after the loss of Rashee Rice in Week 4. While this clearly creates a void for someone to emerge, I doubt its Justin Watson. There is nothing about the way the Chiefs have utilized him that would suggest he’d step into that role. Further complicating the issue is that Watson is set to run against Marshon Lattimore this week. Lattimore has quickly become one of the stingiest corners this season, allowing just 5 catches for 56 yards so far.
Jakobi MeyersLV$5400 / $5700Joey Porter JrPITDowngrade
Oddly enough, Jakobi Meyers had his best game of the season last week while running opposite of Patrick Surtain. He tallied 6 catches and 72 yards against the all-pro corner but 13 points being the high-water mark tells you what you need to know about Meyers. He’s got another tough one this week as he’s set to be shadowed by Joey Porter Jr of the Steelers. Porter has held his assignment to 3 or fewer catches in 4 of 5 games and is allowing just under 29 yards per game this season.
Quentin JohnstonLAC$4700 / $5800Pat SurtainDENDowngrade
Apparently relying on Quentin Johnston was the Chargers plan all along. Last year’s 1st-rounder leads the bolts in snaps and receiving touchdowns this year but is doing so despite less-than-ideal route participation. Relying on a touchdown-dependent receiver who is running against Patrick Surtain, as Jonston will this week, is usually a bad proposition. Surtain has yet to yield a score and has only allowed 11 catches on the season.
Demarcus RobinsonLAR#N/AEric Stokes#N/ANeutral
Deciphering the receiver pecking order for the Rams has been tricky. Demarcus Robinson is still seeing the field a ton but is rarely converting that playing time into fantasy production and last week we saw both Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington surpass Robinson in snap count. The snaps where Robinson is out there, he’ll run against Eric Stokes. Stokes is hovering near the midpoint in most stats, though his 72.2% catch rate is starting to get away from him.
Jaylen WaddleMIA#N/AJonathan Jones#N/ANeutral
We’ve got to do a bit of projecting here but my expectation is that we’ll see Christian Gonzalez cover Tyreek Hill this week, as he did for their only matchup last year. That leaves Jaylen Waddle in the much friendlier coverage of Jonathan Jones. Jones hasn’t been bad this season, allowing just 8 catches on the year, but has been known to get beat for chunk plays at 17.6 yards per reception.
Jordan AddisonMIN#N/AD.J. Reed#N/ADowngrade
Jordan Addison returned from a 2-week absence and stepped back into a big role for the Vikings; catching a 29-yard touchdown from Sam Darnold and scoring a 2nd time on a 7-yard end around. It was great to see Addison get back to his usual self last week but Week 5 presents a new challenge, running against DJ Reed. Reed is the 1a in the league’s toughest secondary and his stats bear that out; allowing just 26 yards on a 36.4% catch rate this season. Addison is still startable but expectations should be tempered.
Kendrick BourneNE$3800 / $4800Kamari LassiterHOUNeutral
The Patriots have handed the quarterbacking reins to their 3rd overall pick, Drake Maye. While Maye’s ability at the NFL level is an open question, there is at least some hope that his emergence will direct some passes toward receivers; who have been targeted at the 2nd-lowest rate in the league this year. When Kendrick Bourne is targeted, he’ll mostly see the coverage of Kamari Lassiter. Lassiter has improved since the first couple weeks of the season but has been getting gashed for more than 21 yards per catch on average.
Chris OlaveNO$6600 / $7100Jamel DeanTBNeutral
The biggest determining factor in the success of Chris Olave this week is not his matchup with Jamel Dean of the Bucs, its the effectiveness of rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler. Rattler has said that his aim is to get the ball to Olave but that has proven easier said than done this year. Dean has given up 278 receiving yards this year but much of that is due to volume as he’s holding opponents to just 12.6 yards per reception.
Jalin HyattNYG$3000 / $4200Cam Taylor-BrittCINUpgrade
Technically Jalin Hyatt is the one seeing the biggest boost to playing time in absence of Malik Nabers, but that didn't result in any targets for him last week. Maybe he’ll have better luck in Week 6 against Cam Taylor Britt of the Bengals. Taylor-Britt is nearing 300 receiving yards allowed this year and has already surrendered 3 touchdowns on the young season.
Garrett WilsonNYJ$7100 / $7800Christian BenfordBUFDowngrade
I don’t know what Christian Benford has to do to get a higher coverage grade but by my eye, he’s checking all the boxes. He’s allowed just 6 catches for 29 yards, zero touchdowns, hasn’t missed a tackle, or drawn a penalty. Needless to say, Garrett Wilson will have his work cut out for him this week. Not something that a player of Wilson’s caliber can’t overcome but it would be wise to temper expectations a bit.
AJ BrownPHI#N/AMartin Emerson Jr.CLENeutral
It appears that we, and the Philadelphia Eagles, will have AJ Brown back for the 1st time since Week 1. In his return, he’s set to face off with Martin Emerson Jr of the Browns. Emerson is a better pure corner than his 38.8 grade would indicate, it's just hard to be effective when your offense leaves you on the field for the vast majority of a game. The stats should make this a clear upgrade but I’m listing Emerson as a “Neutral” based on his body of work.
George PickensPIT$5900 / $6200Jakorian BennettLVNeutral
Its hard to judge the cause behind George Pickens’ roller coaster of a season. He remains one of the more talented receivers in the league and is cleary the best pass-catcher on his time, yet he’ll often find himself sidelined or mixed up in the newscycle. I’ll insead judge him on the merits of his matchup in Week 6, which looks to create some opportunity. Jakorian Bennett has actually posted decent stats overall this year but can’t tackle to save his life, missing a tackle 58.3% of the time. This creates nice yards after the catch ability for Pickens, should he be involved in the game plan.
Brandon AiyukSF#N/ATre Brown#N/AUpgrade
The slow start to Brandon Aiyuk’s 2024 dragged on last week as he posted a 2/48 line in their blowout of the Patriots. He’ll look to shake off the hold out rust this week against Starling Thomas of the Cardinals. Thomas has been has been playing a pretty average level of corner-backing but has allowed a touchdown in each of his prior two games.
DK MetcalfSEA#N/AIsaac Yiadom#N/ANeutral
DK Metcalf continues to thrive in this Ryan Grubb after he posted his 3rd-straight 100-yard game Monday night against the Lions. He’s got a great opportunity to stay hot this week as he draws one of our favorite punching bags, Deonte Banks. Banks is 5th in the league with 259 yards allowed and has been rung up for 4 touchdowns this season. Wheels up DK.
Mike EvansTB$7300 / $8200Marshon LattimoreNONeutral
Its time for our twice annual heavyweight bout between Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore. While on the whole Lattimore has done a good job of limiting Evans’ production, he rarely removes him from the game entirely and often only covers Evans about 60% of the time. Lattimore (and Evans for that matter) are having fairly typical seasons by their lofty standards and this one sets up as a fair fight between the familiar foes.
DeAndre HopkinsTEN$5100 / $5800Jaylon JonesINDUpgrade
It will reportedly be Will Levis back under center this week for the Titans so that makes things, like DeAndre Hopkins’ production, a bit unpredictable. He’s in a great spot from a matchup standpoint, lining up across from the Colts’ Jaylon Jones. The 330 yards Jones has allowed are the 2nd most in the NFL and its only a matter of time before that type yardage leads to touchdown production. Hopkins was still seeing limited snaps earlier this year but hopefully he comes out of the bye ready to take the field more often.
Terry McLaurinWAS$6400 / $6800Brandon StephensBALNeutral
Terry McLaurin has been the primary beneficiary of the emergence of Jayden Daniels and he is currently pacing toward career high marks in most statistical categories. He’ll have a decent shot at maintaining that pace this week against Brandon Stephens of the Ravens. Stephens has done a decent job at keeping catch rate in check (62.5%) but target volume has driven his receiving total up to 277 for the year.
 

 

Right WR vs Left CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDraftKings/FanDuelCornerbackOppMatchup
Michael WilsonARI$4600 / $5900Keisean NixonGBNeutral
After a week of limited practices, its unclear if the Packers top corner, Jaire Alexander, will be available for the Week 6 tilt against the Cardinals. In the event he misses, it will be Keisean Nixon moving over from the slot and covering Michael Wilson. Nixon has done so for the last two games and has allowed 9 of 13 passes to be caught for 98 yards and a score.
Drake LondonATL$6700 / $7400Jaycee HornCARDowngrade
Obviously, everybody’s stats are going to be inflated when your quarterback throws for 509 yards and 4 scores but it appears that the connection between Kirk Cousins and Drake London really clicked last week. London went 12/154/1 against a premier corner in Zyon McCollum and he’ll have similarly stout resistance this week running against Jaycee Horn. Horn splits his time somewhat evenly but tends to shade his coverage toward the primary target of his opponent, where he’s allowed just 52.2% of targets to be hauled in this year.
Zay FlowersBAL$6500 / $7200Mike SainristilWASUpgrade
Many are projecting the Week 6 tilt between the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders to be one of the highest-scoring on the slate. If this game does shoot out, its likely that Zay Flowers had a hand in it. Flowers has blossomed into one of the best separators in the league and should be able to take full advantage of that skill running against Mike Sainristil. To be fair, Sainristil has stabilized a bit over his last two game but he still has 3 touchdowns to his name on the year.
Mack HollinsBUF$3200 / $5300Sauce GardnerNYJDowngrade
The Jets' Sauce Gardner has some penalties to his name this season, which are the thing dragging down his PFF coverage grade, but make no mistake - he is still one of the elite players at his position. He’s allowing just 2 catches per game and is on the very short list of players who yield less than 1 full yard of separation on the routes they cover. Mack Hollins will have his work cut out for him in this one.
Xavier LegetteCAR$4900 / $5900A.J. TerrellATLNeutral
The Falcons AJ Terrell is up to his usual tricks. He’s letting a very high percentage of passes to be caught this year, 78.9% to be exact, but has done a great job of limiting the damage with a yards per reception average that's sitting below 10. This week he’ll face rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette who, apart from one game, has done little to establish himself at this level.
Rome OdunzeCHI#N/ARonald Darby#N/AUpgrade
Ronald Darby has been getting gashed this year and currently sits 4th on the list with 326 yards allowed. His catch rate has ballooned up to 75.9% and nearly half of the yards he’s allowed have come after the catch. This week we’ll be assigned to cover Rome Odunze of the Bears, who he cedes 3 inches and almost 20lbs to. In the Bears’ pass-heavy offense, Odunze should see plenty of looks and can make the most of them in Darby’s coverage.
Tee HigginsCIN$6300 / $7600Cor'Dale FlottNYGUpgrade
Both Cor’Dale Flott and his primary assignment this week, Tee Higgins, enter this game off their best performance of the season. Despite the good game, Flott is still allowing a 78.9% catch rate on the season and has already racked up 7 missed tackles. That's a dangerous combination when facing the size/speed combination of a player like Tee Higgins.
Jerry JeudyCLE$5000 / $5700Darius SlayPHINeutral
Before the Eagles went on bye in Week 5, the Buccaneers made it a point to test Darius Slay. He saw a season-high 7 targets and found mixed results, allowing just 4 catches for 30 yards but surrendering a touchdown to Chris Godwin. These type of mixed results have been the story of Slay’s 2024 season and makes him a “Neutral” matchup this week for Jerry Jeudy.
Jalen TolbertDAL$5000 / $6100Carlton Davis IIIDETUpgrade
While his teammate Jalen Brooks saw the biggest uptick in playing time last week, Jalen Tolbert saw a huge increase in utilization. Tolbert set career-highs with 10 targets, 7 catches, and 87 yards as well as a trip to the end zone in Week 5. He’ll have a great chance to repeat this type of performance against Carlton Davis III of the Lions. Davis has given up 313 receiving yards, the 5th-most in the league, and the whole of the Lions secondary has been hemorrhaging production (and penalties) this season.
Josh ReynoldsDEN$4000 / $4900Asante Samuel Jr.LACNeutral
This matchup between Josh Reynolds and Asante Samuel Jr is the embodiment of mediocrity. Reynolds is very likely to see 2 targets this week, as he has in 3 straight games, while Samuel will continue to post catch rates and yards per reception that are dead on the midpoint of the league.
Tim PatrickDET$3300 / $4600Caelen CarsonDALNeutral
Tim Patrick stepped into the starting lineup for the Lions a few weeks ago but his time on the field has yet to lead to any meaningful production. This week he’ll square off with Caelen Carson of the Cowboys, who is returning from a 2-game absence. There isn’t much that stands out about Carson’s statline or on-field performance overall, apart from a big yards after catch total in Week 3 against Baltimore.
Dontayvion WicksGB$5200 / $6000Sean Murphy-BuntingARINeutral
For however frustrated fantasy manager who picked up Dontayvion Wicks might be with his fantasy production last week, he is still their starting receiver and was tied for the most snaps among Packers in Week 5. This week his role in 2-receiver sets finds him across from Sean Murphy-Bunting of the Cardinals. He’s allowing a high percentage of targets to be hauled in, 76.5% to be exact, but is doing a good job of limiting yardage; giving up less than 50 yards receiving in each of his games this year.
Stefon DiggsHOU$7400 / $8000Christian GonzalezNEDowngrade
My expectation is that the loss of Nico Collins to IR will draw Stefon Diggs out of the slot and to the right side of the Texans’ formation. Waiting to greet him this week will be Christian Gonzalez of the Patriots. Gonzalez has been peppered with targets this season but has answered the call with a stingy 55.6% catch rate and just 8.3 yards per reception allowed. This is a tough spot for Diggs but will be a fun matchup to watch unfold.
Michael PittmanIND$6300 / $6600Jarvis Brownlee Jr.TENNeutral
Surprise! After a quick stint of being reported as “doubtful” to play this week and even rumors of IR swirling, it looks like Michael Pittman is going to give it a go afterall. When he does take the field this week, he’ll be in the coverage of Jarvis Brownlee Jr. of the Titans. Brownlee appears to be taking a nice step forward this year and, while not quite at the point of being in the “downgrade” conversation, is doing a solid job of limiting his opponent’s production. Receivers have only posted 6 catches for 40 yards when running against Brownlee this year.
Gabe DavisJAC#N/ATyrique Stevenson#N/ANeutral
Tyrique Stevenson has been one of our favorite corners to target this year, not because he’s playing poorly but because he’s seeing an abundance of targets as opposing quarterbacks avoid throwing toward Jaylon Johnson’s coverage. This week, that means a potential uptick in volume for Gabe Davis, who needs it badly in order to be fantasy viable. The volume is nice but the matchup itself is still technically “Neutral.”
Xavier WorthyKC#N/APaulson Adebo#N/AUpgrade
Xavier Worthy is going to have to step up in a big way for the suddenly thin Chiefs wide receiver room and he’s got a great opportunity in front of him this week. Worthy will run the majority of his routes in the coverage of Paulson Adebo. Adebo has been the benefactor of offenses avoiding Marshon Lattimore this season, seeing a league-high 40 targets this season. He’s done a commendable job of limited catches at just 57.5% but that volume of targets has him near the top of the list with 308 receiving yards allowed. Worthy slides into WR2 territory and makes for an interesting captain play in DFS Showdown.
Tre TuckerLV$4200 / $5400Donte JacksonPITNeutral
Like we’ve seen with many of the league’s best corners, their teammate on the other side is often picked on by opposing quarterbacks. This has been the case with Donte Jackson this year, but the veteran has been putting in work this year for the Steelers. He’s allowed just 54.2% of targets and only 11.1 yards per catch this year and will be looking to slow Tre Tucker this week. His body of work isn’t quite at this level but if Jackson keeps this up he’ll be in “downgrade’ territory soon.
Joshua PalmerLAC$4500 / $5100Riley MossDENNeutral
Riley Moss is another of the league’s right cornerbacks who has been stepping up his game this year and making his opponents think twice about diverting targets his way. Over his last 3 games Moss has allowed 11catches on 20 targets for just 9.2 yards per catch while racking up 3 PBUs and a pick. Joshua Palmer will be the focus of his attention this week and is in one of the tougher spots of those still listed at “Neutral.”
Jordan WhittingtonLAR#N/ACorey Ballentine#N/AUpgrade
While his fantasy production wouldn’t show it, Jordan Whittington’s underlying metrics are starting to suggest he’s the preferred option in the Rams patch-work receivers room. He led the team in snap-share last week and ran a route on 100% of drop backs en route to a career-high 8 targets. This week he’ll face Corey Ballentine, the next man up in the Packers secondary after they lost Jaire Alexander to injury. We’ve only got a small sample size to work with for Ballentine, one where he’s given up a touchdown and 21.5 yards per catch on the 2 receptions he’s allowed.
Tyreek HillMIA#N/AChristian Gonzalez#N/ADowngrade
I’m sure you’re tired of reading this but it needs to be stated again. Until the Miami Dolphins can secure competent quarterback play, things like individual matchups are a secondary consideration. When these teams faced off last year, Christian Gonzalez took on the task of shadowing Tyreek Hill, who caught 4 passes for 40 yards. Hill can clearly break loose on any given play but this matchup is a tough one, even for him.
Justin JeffersonMIN#N/ASauce Gardner#N/ADowngrade
We will get the true test of what Sam Darnold and the Minnesota passing game can do this week, as two of the greats at their position will square off. To date, even the best of corners have struggled to slow Justin Jefferson - who has posted WR1 numbers against corners like Derek Stingley and Jaire Alexander. Against lesser corners he might have been THE WR1 in those weeks, so the matchup isn’t without impact, but a player of Jefferson’s caliber is rarely denied.
Ja'Lynn PolkNE$3600 / $4700Derek StingleyHOUDowngrade
Ja'Lynn Polk is another player hoping the introduction of Drake Maye to this offense will spark the wide receiver production. Polk played a season high 60 snaps, 100% participation, last week and profiles to fit nicely with Maye’s style of play. Unfortunately he’ll have to contend with Derek Stingley Jr of the Texans. Stingley hasn’t put up the interception or PBU numbers we’ve grown accustomed to but he’s still in the “lockdown” conversation this year, allowing 21 yards or fewer in 4 of 5 games.
Rashid ShaheedNO$5600 / $6400Zyon McCollumTBDowngrade
I’m very concerned about Rashid Shaheed this week. He has become a deep-ball specialist and those types of routes take some work to get right, work he doesn’t have with incoming rookie Spencer Rattler. To make matters worse, he’ll see Zyon McCollum on the majority of his routes. McCollum bit on a couple moves last week that resulted in touchdowns but on the whole of the season, he’s playing one of the toughest brands of coverage in the league.
Darius SlaytonNYG$4600 / $5900DJ Turner IICINNeutral
However concerned we may be by Malik Naber’s prolonged absence with a concussion, we must absorb the news and determine the path forward. For the Giants, that means another week of Darius Slayton. Slayton performed well last week where he posted an 8/122/1 line and he’ll have a decent shot of repeating such a performance against DJ Turner II of the Bengals. Turner has already been rung up for 100 receiving yards allowed this year despite limited playing time as the Bengals’ backup.
Mike WilliamsNYJ$4500 / $5400Rasul DouglasBUFNeutral
Mike Williams has been slowly getting more involved in the Jets offense this year, seeing season highs in snaps and routes last week, but hasn’t done enough to make fantasy radars quite yet. He’ll have tough sledding ahead of him this week as he faced Rasul Douglas of the Bills. Douglas has done well to limit yardage this season but has allowed a couple of scores, dragging down his coverage grade overall.
Jahan DotsonPHI$4800 / $5600Denzel WardCLEDowngrade
Its the return of AJ Brown and Devonta Smith that will have the greatest impact on Dotson’s production this week, although his matchup against Denzel Ward only makes things worse. Like we detailed with his teammate, Ward’s been left to dry by his offense but he’s still doing the best with what he has. His catch rate is a stingy 42.9% and he's amassed 8 pass break ups this year.
Van JeffersonPIT$3100 / $4800Jack JonesLVUpgrade
Jack Jones of the Raiders has been struggling his way through the 2024 season. He’s allowed a catch on nearly 71% of targets thrown his way and 3 touchdowns have been scored in his coverage. He has a chance to stop the bleeding this week as he’s assigned to Van Jefferson, who's largely an afterthought in the Steelers’ passing attack.
Deebo SamuelSF#N/ATariq Woolen#N/ADowngrade
Its nice to see Deebo Samuel back for the San Francisco 49ers and this week he's in a beautiful spot against Sean Murphy-Bunting of the Cardinals. Murphy-Bunting has kept things under control from a yardage standpoint, where he’s allowed just 99 on the season, but has allowed a catch on 90.9% of his targets. That is extremely problematic when you’re covering a YAC monster like Deebo Samuel. Look for Deebo to bounce back nicely this week.
Tyler LockettSEA#N/ACharvarius Ward#N/ANeutral
Yes, the benefit of being shadowed by Deonte Banks is going to Lockett’s teammate (DK Metcalf) this week but the opportunity is still terrific for Tyler Lockett as well. They’re facing the Giants secondary that has been getting gashed all season and Lockett specifically gets to fae Cor’Dale Flott. Flott is allowing an 81% catch rate and opposing quarterbacks have a 128.4 passer rating when throwing into his coverage.
Sterling ShepardTB$3300 / $4900Paulson AdeboNOUpgrade
Sterling Shepard caught 1 pass for 4 yards last week against the Falcons. It just so happened to be in the end zone for a score. This is the embodiment of variance in the fantasy landscape we navigate and very unlikely to repeat. His matchup this week does offer an opportunity to get more involved as he’s set to face Paulson Adebo of the Saints. Adebo is 3rd in the league, having allowed 328 receiving yards this year.
Calvin RidleyTEN$5700 / $6000Samuel Womack IIIINDNeutral
The Colts’ Samuel Womack III is turning into a nice little player for them. This year he’s allowed only 3 catches for 25 yards filling in for Juju Brents since Week 2. There isn’t enough tape to say if Womack can sustain this for the long run or not but he’s proving to be a tough out this year. His primary assignment in Week 6 is Calvin Ridley of the Titans, who has to deal with the inconsistent play of Will Levis in addition to Womack’s coverage.
Noah BrownWAS$3900 / $4700Marlon HumphreyBALNeutral
Prior to last week’s offensive outburst by the Bengals, Marlon Humphrey was having another strong season in 2024. On the whole he’s still averaging a 65% catch rate and just 9.4 yards per reception but those numbers are both way up following the Week 5 performance. This week he’ll be assigned to cover Noah Brown of the Commanders, who is seeing his snap share increase weekly but rarely converts that into more than a couple of targets in any given week.
 

 

Slot WR vs Slot CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDraftKings/FanDuelCornerbackOppMatchup
Jaxon Smith-NjigbaSEA#N/ANick McCloud#N/AUpgrade
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before… attack the Giants secondary at every opportunity. Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s opportunity this week comes against Nick McCloud of the Giants. McCloud has gotten limited run but has allowed a 100% catch rate so far and the way the Seahawks move JSN around the formation, he’ll see plenty of routes in the coverage of the other favorable matchups offered by the Giants.
Chris GodwinTB$6900 / $7500Alontae TaylorNOUpgrade
Godwin’s move to the slot continues to bear fruit, a trend which I believe will hold in Week 6 against Alontae Taylor of the Saints. While Lattimore will focus his attention on Mike Evans, Godwin will be running his routes in the coverage of a corner who has allowed nearly 85% of targets to be hauled in. Chris Godwin’s floor is as high as its ever been this week and he has the skill to convert those catches into upside as well.
Jayden ReedGB$7000 / $7700Garrett WilliamsARIUpgrade
Jayden Reed has been getting more involved with Christian Watson sidelined and his alignment in the slot gives him a nice opportunity this week, where he’ll see Garrett Williams of the Cardinals. Reed is a YAC monster and should have more than enough chances to display that against Williams, who is allowing a 72.8% catch rate and misses a tackle on nearly 16% of attempts.
Ladd McConkeyLAC$4900 / $5800Ja'Quan McMillianDENUpgrade
I’m hopeful for another good game this week for Ladd McConkey as he and the Chargers return from their bye. Also working in his favor is a matchup against Ja'Quan McMillian of the Broncos. Denver has become a major funnel toward the middle of the field and McMillian is doing all he can to stay above water. He’s seen 33 targets already and is allowing a catch on nearly 70% of them.