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Fantasy Football Week 16: 3 WR/CB matchups to target and 3 to avoid

2YXPG1P Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) in action during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

• WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles vs. CB Noah Igbinoghene, Washington Commanders: Smith should lead Philadelphia’s injury-weakened pass-catching corps.

• WR Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. CB Shaquill Griffin, Minnesota Vikings: Lockett is no longer a weekly must-start wide receiver.

• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!

Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes


Identifying advantageous and disadvantageous cornerback matchups is a critical facet of fantasy football’s lineup-setting process.

This article details three wide receivers who can be started with confidence and three wide receivers who should be avoided, thanks in part to their primary defensive counterpart in Week 16.


WR/CB Matchups to Target

WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles vs. CB Noah Igbinoghene, Washington Commanders 

Smith should take on a featured passing-game role against the Commanders, and slot cornerback Noah Igbinoghene and rookie No. 2 perimeter cornerback Mike Sainristil make for matchups to target. Smith’s 79.8 PFF overall grade ranks 17th among 65 wide receivers with at least 475 offensive snaps.

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