• WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts vs. CB Tre Herndon, Jacksonville Jaguars: Downs can return WR2 value against Jacksonville.

• WR Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. CB Chidobe Awuzie, Cincinnati Bengals: A likely run-centric game plan reduces Lockett’s fantasy football viability.

• Dominate your fantasy league in 2023: For up-to-date fantasy draft rankings and projections, check out PFF’s fantasy rankings tool!

Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Knowing when an NFL wide receiver has an advantageous or disadvantageous cornerback matchup is critical for fantasy football start-sit decisions. This article details six players who should either be started with confidence or avoided at all costs, thanks in part to their primary defensive counterpart for Week 6.

3 Wide Receivers to Target

WR CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys vs. CB Ja’Sir Taylor, Los Angeles Chargers

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy heads to Los Angeles for a Monday Night Football showdown with his former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. McCarthy’s offensive scheme notoriously relies on its wide receivers to succeed in one-on-one matchups, teeing up No. 1/slot receiver CeeDee Lamb (75.0 PFF receiving grade) for a voluminous workload. The matchup provides Lamb with a high-end WR1 bounce-back opportunity.

FanDuel implies Dallas to score 26.5 points in Week 6’s highest totaled game (50.5 points).

PFF’s OL/DL matchup chart gives Dallas a 4.0% pass-blocking matchup advantage rating. Los Angeles edge rusher Joey Bosa (64.0 PFF pass-rush grade) failed to play in Week 4 and remained sidelined on Tuesday following the team’s Week 5 bye. He is slowed by a Week 1 hamstring strain and a Week 3 toe injury. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott (64.0 PFF passing grade) stands to benefit, should Bosa sit.

Lamb runs routes at a 70.8% pre-snap slot alignment, and PFF’s WR/CB matchup chart projects Lamb to face Los Angeles slot cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor (47.6 PFF slot-coverage grade) on 24 of 38 receiving snaps, giving Lamb a good 82.0 receiving matchup advantage rating. Among 33 NFL slot cornerbacks with at least 25 wide receiver coverage snaps, Taylor’s 22.3 yards per wide receiver reception allowed is the position’s highest average.

Among 67 NFL perimeter cornerbacks with at least 40 perimeter wide receiver coverage snaps, Los Angeles No. 2 cornerback Michael Davis (40.8 PFF perimeter coverage grade) ranks outside the top 55 in catch rate allowed (75.0%), yards allowed per coverage snap (3.53) and explosive pass plays allowed rate (9.0%). No. 1 cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (84.5 PFF perimeter coverage grade) ranks 39th in both catch rate allowed (65.0%) and yards allowed per coverage snap (2.28).

Safeties Alohi Gilman (70.8 PFF coverage grade, heel) and Derwin James (61.0 PFF coverage grade, hamstring strain) are both recovering from injuries.

Update 10/14/23: Both Bosa and Gilman failed to practice on Wednesday and Thursday, putting their Week 6 availability in doubt. Backup cornerback/special teams player Deane Leonard (69.0 PFF preseason coverage grade) failed to practice on Friday after attempting to return from a multi-week hamstring strain the day prior. Los Angeles traded away rotational starter J.C. Jackson (47.1 PFF coverage grade) in Week 5.

The surehanded Lamb remains an efficient pass-catcher despite moderate sums.

The table below ranks in parentheses Lamb’s receiving data among 41 NFL wide receivers with at least 150 receiving snaps.

Among 40 NFL wide receivers with at least 100 first-read receiving snaps, Lamb’s 23.7% target rate ranks 16th. He is a top-tier WR1 against Los Angeles.

WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts vs. CB Tre Herndon, Jacksonville Jaguars

Indianapolis third-round rookie wide receiver Josh Downs (71.9 PFF receiving grade) profiles as a points-per-reception WR2 with backup quarterback Gardner Minshew (64.4 PFF passing grade) at the helm while starting quarterback Anthony Richardson (56.5 PFF passing grade) rehabilitates a Grade 3 AC joint sprain.

The game opened with a fantasy-friendly 46.5-point FanDuel over/under.

Minshew has totaled 91 offensive snaps in relief of Richardson this year, with 89 coming in Weeks 2, 3 and 5.

PFF’s OL/DL matchup chart gives Indianapolis a 16.0% pass-blocking matchup advantage rating, the ninth best on the week. Should Jacksonville edge rusher Josh Allen (81.3 PFF pass-rush grade) beat his man, Downs stands to benefit by already having earned two of Minshew’s three scramble-drill passing attempts.

Downs’ 82.8% pre-snap alignment slot rate results in PFF’s WR/CB matchup chart projecting him to face Jacksonville slot cornerback Tre Herndon (67.1 PFF coverage grade) on 24 of 28 receiving snaps.

The table below ranks in parentheses Herndon’s slot receiver coverage data among 33 NFL slot cornerbacks with at least 25 wide receiver coverage snaps.

Downs excels on Minshew’s first-read targets. His offensive role should continue to grow in Week 6.

The table below ranks in parentheses Downs’ first-read receiving data among 61 NFL wide receivers with at least 50 first-read receiving snaps in Weeks 2, 3 and 5.

Downs has easy access to a top-24 Week 6 PPR finish.

WR Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings vs. CB Tyrique Stevenson, Chicago Bears

Minnesota first-round rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison (66.6 PFF receiving grade) faces a Chicago secondary missing its No. 1 cornerback, both starting safeties and Nos. 1 and 2 slot cornerbacks. Minnesota's No. 1 wide receiver and the NFL’s No. 4 target earner (52 targets) Justin Jefferson (89.5 PFF receiving grade) resides on injured reserve (hamstring strain). Addison is a PPR WR1.

Update 10/14/23: Chicago is expected to return No. 1 cornerback Jaylon Johnson (84.1 PFF coverage grade) and slot cornerback Kyler Gordon (65.0 PFF coverage grade). Johnson is a capable starter but Gordon’s 1.00 yards allowed per coverage snap and 6.3% explosive pass plays allowed rate are matchups-to-target material. Jackson practiced in a limited capacity this week. He is risking a Lisfranc injury reaggravation if he returns to play too quickly.

FanDuel implies Minnesota to score 23.5 points.

PFF’s OL/DL matchup chart gives Minnesota a 44.0% pass-blocking matchup advantage rating, No. 1 on the week. Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins (76.3 PFF passing grade) boasts a No. 3-ranked 62.5% past-the-sticks throwing rate on non-pressured passing attempts.

Chicago rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (54.0 PFF coverage grade) operates as the de facto No. 1. Among 59 NFL cornerbacks with at least 120 coverage snaps, Stevenson ranks outside the top 40 in catch rate allowed (74.1%), yards allowed per coverage snap (1.49) and explosive pass plays allowed rate (3.0%).

Addison’s receiving data is negatively skewed by a Week 4 in-game benching, likely stemming from a missed block that resulted in Jefferson receiving a hard hit. His 1.49 yards per route run improves to 1.64 when Week 4 is removed from his sample. Addison produced at least one explosive pass play in Minnesota’s other four games, and among 63 NFL wide receivers with at least 125 receiving snaps, his 60.0% contested catch rate ties for 13th and his 22.2% deep-target rate ranks 20th.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski already trusts Addison over floundering veteran K.J. Osborn (51.5 PFF receiving grade), scheming up a 17.4% first-read target rate for Addison and just a 12.2% rate for Osborn. Addison’s offensive role should sizably increase against Chicago’s practice squad-level defense. Osborn’s 0.82 yards per route run ranks 57th among qualifying NFL wide receivers. His 1.30 career high sits 0.70 yards below the NFL ideal.

The table below ranks in parentheses Chicago’s wide receiver coverage data among NFL teams.

Addison has a top-12 finish squarely in his range of outcomes.

3 Wide Receivers to Avoid

WR Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. CB Chidobe Awuzie, Cincinnati Bengals

Tyler Lockett (72.4 PFF receiving grade) projects for a problematically low-volume outing against Cincinnati in a likely run-centric game plan. This dynamic coupled with a sharp decline in play renders Lockett a low-floor PPR WR4.

Lockett’s 9.2 yards per reception, 2.6 yards after the catch per reception and 65.4% catch rate are career lows, and his 1.26 yards per route run is his lowest per-route average since his 2017 return to action following season-ending tibia and fibula compound fractures in Week 16 of 2016.

As detailed in Week 6’s QB Matchups, Streamer of the Week, Rankings and More, Seattle’s offensive line could be missing up to four starters. PFF’s OL/DL matchup chart gives Seattle a -5.0% pass-blocking matchup advantage rating, and Cincinnati’s near-league-worst run defense offers Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll his beloved old-school, run-heavy path to victory.

Lockett’s 46.4% wide-right pre-snap alignment rate signals a showdown between him and Cincinnati No. 1/primary left cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (65.4 PFF coverage grade). Awuzie missed Week 5 with a back injury but nearly suited up, indicating a likely Week 6 green light. Awuzie is impressively limiting opposing wide receivers to just 0.95 yards allowed per coverage snap, ranking sixth among 76 NFL cornerbacks with at least 50 wide receiver coverage snaps. No. 2 cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt’s (64.7 PFF coverage grade) 52.4% catch rate allowed ranks 17th.

Awuzie (51.9 PFF run-defense grade) is a stout run defender, ranking in the top 10 among 55 NFL cornerbacks with at least 75 run-defense snaps in both tackles (six) and a positively-graded run-play rate (4.0%). Taylor-Britt’s (39.1 PFF run-defense grade) five run-defense tackles tie for 16th.

Lockett’s (58.0 PFF run-blocking grade) 66 run-blocking snaps tie D.K. Metcalf (47.3 PFF run-blocking grade) for the position lead. He could push for a season-low target sum, primarily functioning as a run-blocking specialist.

Lockett is a low-floor PPR WR4.

WR Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns vs. CB Charvarius Ward, San Francisco 49ers

Cleveland No. 1 wide receiver Amari Cooper (74.7 PFF receiving grade) enters Week 6 with an ominous quarterback situation, facing San Francisco’s No. 1-graded defense (90.5 PFF defense grade). Talent is all that keeps him PPR-WR4 viable.

The game sits at a 37.5-point FanDuel over/under as the only sub-41.0-point contest. FanDuel implies Cleveland to score just 16 points.

PFF’s OL/DL matchup chart gives Cleveland’s injury-plagued offensive line a catastrophic -49.0% pass-blocking matchup advantage rating. As detailed in Week 6’s “QB Matchups, Streamer of the Week, Rankings and More,” quarterback Deshaun Watson’s (69.1 PFF passing grade) shoulder contusion foreruns Cleveland's pass-catcher predicaments. No. 2 quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (33.5 PFF passing grade) flopped in his Week 4 spot start, tying for the positional week-low with 3.4 yards per passing attempt.

Cooper lines up across the formation pre-snap, and PFF’s WR/CB matchup chart gives him below-average 42.0 and 41.6 receiving matchup advantage ratings against No. 1 cornerback Charvarius Ward (78.8 PFF coverage grade) and slot cornerback Isaiah Oliver (69.3 PFF slot-coverage grade), respectively.

San Francisco perimeter cornerbacks are allowing 3.92 yards per wide receiver coverage snap to rank 14th among NFL-team perimeter cornerback units. Their 7.8% explosive pass plays allowed rate ranks seventh.

San Francisco slot cornerbacks are allowing 1.69 yards per wide receiver coverage snap, tied for 13th among slot cornerback units, and their 1.2% explosive pass plays allowed rate ranks fourth.

Cooper will struggle to create explosive gains on his own. San Francisco safeties Tashaun Gipson Sr. (77.2 PFF defense grade) and Talanoa Hufanga (71.0 PFF defense grade) make a strong case for the league’s top centerfield duo.

The table below ranks in parentheses San Francisco’s safety coverage data among 64 NFL safeties with at least 115 coverage snaps.

Cooper is a frightening PPR WR4.

WR Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos vs. CB Trent McDuffie, Kansas City Chiefs

Denver No. 1/slot receiver Jerry Jeudy (68.9 PFF receiving grade, 1.59 YPRR) is averaging fewer than 1.90 yards per route run for the third time in his four-year career, terminating the 2020 NFL Draft dream that Jeudy could ascend to greatness. He profiles as a WR4 floor play against Kansas City.

FanDuel implies Denver to score just 18.5 points.

PFF’s OL/DL matchup chart gives Denver a -2.0% pass-blocking matchup advantage rating. Star interior defender Chris Jones (82.8 PFF pass-rush grade) is on his way to a fifth consecutive first- or second-team All-Pro nomination, and Denver left guard Ben Powers’ (58.9 PFF pass-blocking grade) 4.7% quarterback pressure rate allowed ranks 31st among 62 NFL guards with at least 100 pass-blocking snaps.

Denver quarterback Russell Wilson (70.5 PFF passing grade) folds under pressure; his 35.9% pressured past-the-sticks throwing rate ranks 26th among 34 NFL quarterbacks with at least 25 pressured dropbacks, and his 15 sacks tie for sixth most.

Jeudy averages a 69.6% pre-snap alignment slot rate.

Former slot cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (56.9 PFF coverage grade) transitioned to a shadow-coverage perimeter role this season, leaving 2022 first-round rookie Trent McDuffie (79.4 PFF coverage grade) to lock up the slot. McDuffie ranks in the top 12 in catch rate allowed (66.7%) and yards allowed per coverage snap (1.16) among 33 NFL slot cornerbacks with at least 25 slot receiver coverage snaps. His 72.8 PFF slot-coverage grade ranks sixth.

Kansas City will likely deploy Sneed to cover Jeudy when the receiver exits the slot, but No. 3 cornerback Joshua Williams (69.8 PFF coverage grade) is a rising star. Among 67 NFL perimeter cornerbacks with at least 40 perimeter wide receiver coverage snaps, Williams’ 44.4% catch rate allowed ranks 10th and his 0.70 yards allowed per coverage snap ranks fourth.

Jeudy is unlikely to produce a ceiling performance in Week 6.