Fantasy football is a weekly game, so knowing the matchups can help you make the best lineup decisions. Using our play-by-play data, we can identify defensive schemes and where each wide receiver and cornerback lines up on each play. By tracking these WR/CB matchups, including potential shadow situations, we can provide the best projections, rankings, sit/start advice, and waiver wire suggestions each week.

Below are the receivers with the best and worst matchups this week, and their associated fantasy impacts.

To see which defenders each team’s top three wide receivers will face this weekend, be sure to consult our weekly WR vs. CB Cheat Sheet.

Please note that, unless otherwise stated, references to team rankings in statistical categories are adjusted on a match-by-match basis to avoid bias due to off weeks.

Projected Shadow Matchups

Broncos’ Courtland Sutton vs. Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr.

As expected, Porter shadowed Drake London in Week 1. Pittsburgh’s standout corner traveled with the third-year receiver on 17 of his 27 routes, including 15 of 21 from the perimeter. The plan worked, as London was limited to a 2-15-0 receiving line on four targets in the game. Sutton lined up out wide 86 percent of the time in Week 1, so he can expect to see Porter a majority of the time this weekend.

Takeaway: Sutton should be demoted because there is a high risk of failure. Consider Devaughn Vele a deep sleeper against fellow rookie Beanie Bishop Jr. in the slot.

Eagles’ AJ Brown vs. Falcons’ AJ Terrell

No surprise, but Terrell was tasked with shadowing George Pickens in Week 1. He faced Pittsburgh’s leading receiver on 14 of his 20 routes, including 14 of 15 from the perimeter. Pickens had plenty of success in the game, posting a 6-85-0 receiving line on seven targets, with all of the yardage coming against Terrell.

Brown, who performed well against Jaire Alexander in shadow coverage in Week 1, was on the wing 69 percent of the time in the opener. He can expect to see Terrell on all those boundary routes on Monday Night Football.

Takeaway meal: Terrell is a good corner, but he didn’t slow Pickens down, and Atlanta played zone a lot. Expectations for Brown don’t need to be adjusted much, and DeVonta Smith can be upgraded from Dee Alford in the slot.

Steelers’ George Pickens vs. Broncos’ Pat Surtain II

Surtain shadowed DK Metcalf as expected in Week 1, traveling with him on 24 of his 25 routes, including all 23 on the perimeter. Surtain won the battle, as Metcalf was limited to a 3-29-0 receiving line on four targets in the game. Pickens showed well against Terrell in Week 1, but this will be a tougher challenge against arguably the league’s best corner and, considering he spent just 21 percent of the opener in the slot, these two will be going head-to-head for the majority of Week 2.

Takeaway: Pickens should be demoted and Van Jefferson is a ‘deep sleeper’ against Riley Moss.

Seahawks’ DK Metcalf vs. Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez

Back from an injury that cost him much of his rookie season, Gonzalez was immediately thrown to the wolves in Week 1. The sophomore corner shadowed Ja’Marr Chase on 18 of his 28 routes, including all 15 on the perimeter. Chase was held to a 2-15-0 receiving line on a pair of targets when facing Gonzalez, though he did escape coverage a few times when he wasn’t with him, posting a solid 6-62-0 line on six targets in the game.

Metcalf, who missed against Surtain last week, faces a new tough challenge and can expect to see Gonzalez 92% of the time he’s on the wing.

Takeaway: Lower Metcalf’s rating, but not as much as last week.

Commanders’ Terry McLaurin vs. Giants’ Deonte Banks

Banks was called upon to shadow Justin Jefferson in Week 1, and traveled with the star receiver on 18 of his 25 routes, including 16 of 17 on the boundary. It was a low-volume game for the Minnesota offense, but Jefferson still managed a 4-59-1 receiving line on six targets, to go 2-47-1 against Banks.

McLaurin (81% perimeter in the season opener) can expect Banks to see a lot, which is good news considering the Giants allowed the most fantasy points on Banks’ primary end of the field in Week 1.

Takeaway meal: Upgrade McLaurin, as well as secondary receivers Luke McCaffrey and Dyami Brown.

Giants’ Malik Nabers vs. Commanders’ Benjamin St-Juste

With Kendall Fuller in Miami and without a strong starter opposite him, St-Juste appears ready to travel with opposing No. 1 wide receivers this season. We saw that in the opener when he shadowed Mike Evans on 19 of his 25 routes, including all 15 on the perimeter.

That didn’t go well, as Evans posted a 5-61-2 receiving line on five targets (almost all of which were to St-Juste). Overall, the Commanders allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers in Week 1.

Takeaway: Upgrade Nabers, who is primed for a breakout game. Chris Godwin (8-83-1) and Jalen McMillian (1-32-1) also found the end zone in Week 1, suggesting New York’s secondary receivers (Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson) will also need to be strengthened against Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and rookie slot CB Mike Sainristil.

Difficult confrontations

Titans’ DeAndre Hopkins, Tyler Boyd and Calvin Ridley vs. Jets’ DJ Reed, Michael Carter II and Sauce Gardner

The Jets allowed the fewest fantasy points to WRs in 2023 and were back in the opener. Against the potent 49ers’ offense, and with Gardner and Carter both missing time in the game with injuries, New York allowed the fewest fantasy points to perimeter receivers and right outside receivers (Gardner’s side) in Week 1.

Not 100 percent healthy, Hopkins was limited to seven routes in Week 1 but is expected to play an expanded role against the Jets. He’ll join Ridley on the perimeter against Gardner and Reed, with Boyd in the slot against Carter. All three should be demoted in what will be one of their toughest tests of the season.

Advantageous matchups

Packers’ Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks vs. Colts’ Jaylon Jones and Dallis Flowers

The zone-heavy Colts struggled against Houston’s receivers in Week 1, giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to the position, including the eighth-most on the perimeter. And that was before starter JuJu Brents landed on IR this week. Kenny Moore is a great slot corner, which is why Jayden Reed isn’t in the picture here, but Jones and Flowers (who will replace Brents) could be inserted on the outside.

Doubs was Green Bay’s only full-time perimeter receiver in the opener, but Watson and Wicks will also be running backs. All three are upgradeable, but be careful with Jordan Love on the sidelines.

Rams’ Demarcus Robinson, Cooper Kupp and Tyler Johnson vs. Cardinals’ Starling Thomas V, Garrett Williams and Sean Murphy-Bunting

Arizona entered another season with one of the league’s most shaky CB rooms and it showed in the season opener, when the Cardinals allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. What’s especially troubling is that Arizona allowed the sixth-most points to the slot, where Kupp was targeted 59 percent of the time in his rookie season with 21 targets.

Give Kupp an upgrade against Williams and increase the attractiveness of Robinson and, with Nacua sidelined, Johnson.

Buccaneers’ Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan vs. Lions’ Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson and Carlton Davis III

On paper, the Lions have a pass defense that should be effective, but that wasn’t the case against the Rams in Week 1. Davis allowed a 9-115-1 receiving line (the 26.5 fantasy points he allowed ranked second among defenders in Week 1), and Detroit gave up the most fantasy points to wide receivers as a team. In fact, the Lions gave up the fourth-most points to the slot and the seventh-most on the perimeter.

Better days may be ahead, but Evans (60% perimeter in Week 1), Godwin (54%) and McMillian (44%) could benefit in the meantime. All three are upgradeable.