X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

WR/CB Matchups to Target and Downgrade - Week 2 (2023)

Amon-Ra St. Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 2 is here, and I'm excited to update the depth charts for the completely free fantasy football WR/CB Matchup Chart.

During the past three seasons, I have tweaked my process to make the chart more user-friendly and predictive, but NFL teams are moving receivers around more than ever in today's game. It is difficult to pinpoint which CB each WR will be matched up against. The chart is designed to give a 1-vs-1 matchup for each player, but the reality is that most NFL WRs will see a mix of all the DBs they face each week.

Week 1 gave us a lot of new information to work with, as the chart will have updated alignment homes and the PPGA (points per game against) column filled with Week 1 points.  Keep in mind that the sample is obviously extremely small, with just one week of 2023 data.

As a reminder, the process for assigning points to a specific matchup has to do with how the entire defense defends the player who lines up at one of the three spots (LWR, RWR, slot) the most. For example, in Week 1 last year, Jahan Dotson scored a TD from the LWR spot and the right slot, but all of his points were assigned to Shaquill Griffin because Griffin played primarily LCB and Dotson was the Washington receiver with the most snaps at RWR.

The chart is best used to understand how teams are defending outside versus inside receivers if teams are shadowing, and how much emphasis they put on slowing down the opposing WR1.

 

WR vs. CB Chart Details

The CB Matchup Chart below is a snapshot of each team's cornerback group as it relates to allowing fantasy points. There are inherent flaws within the data compilation of cornerback play. The first is the fact that quantifying a 1-on-1 matchup in an NFL game is unfair because of zone coverages, mental errors, certain passing concepts, and a million other things. Assigning fantasy points against a cornerback isn't a perfect science.

The purpose of this chart is to give more of a general sense of how defenses are handling opposing WR groups rather than identifying exactly where, when, and how every single encounter happened. Another factor to consider is that players are listed based on where they line up the majority of the time. Most receivers do not line up on one side on every single snap, so they won't be matched up with the same CB on every snap.

The "Rtng" column is the rating of each cornerback based on film study and analytics. The lower a player is graded, the easier the matchup for the WR, so low ratings are green, and high ratings are red. The "PPGA" is the number of fantasy points per game that the player has given up on average this year. Keep in mind that team scheme is a huge factor in points assigned to specific players. A name in blue means the corner could possibly shadow the WR1. A name in red means that the player is dealing with an injury.

 

Cornerback Ratings and Matchups Chart - Week 2

 

Click the image for a full-screen view

 

WR/CB Matchups to Target

Nico Collins and Robert Woods appear to be the clear-cut top two options in the Houston passing game. This week, they get an Indianapolis secondary that was just shredded by Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones. C.J. Stroud's outside weapons are in a good spot.

Stefon Diggs took advantage of the Jets keeping Sauce Gardner at LCB, as the Bills moved Diggs around the formation in Week 1. This week, Diggs gets a much easier matchup against the Raiders, and has WR1 well within his range of outcomes.

A.J. Brown is in a great spot against a Minnesota secondary that couldn't stop Baker Mayfield in the second half last week. He gets an upgrade.

Patrick Peterson's best days are behind him, as the Steelers secondary was predictably torched by Brandon Aiyuk last week. It's a great matchup for Amari Cooper.

Amon-Ra St. Brown scored a touchdown in Week 1 and this week has a home dome matchup against a Seahawks secondary that was just shredded by inexperienced Rams receivers. Expect the Lions clear WR1 to take advantage in a game with one of the highest totals of the week (47).

Speaking of Rams WRs, Tutu Atwell played more slot snaps than any other LA receiver last week, and this week gets an easy matchup against the 49ers. The Niners gave up a lot of yards to Allen Robinson last week. Atwell is always a threat to win deep down the field as well.

Houston gave up a big week to rookie Zay Flowers in Week 1. Josh Downs will have an easy matchup as the Colts primary slot receiver in Week 2.

The Broncos secondary was effective against Davante Adams in Week 1, but let Raiders WR2 Jakobi Meyers torch them. Jahan Dotson gets an upgrade in Week 2 as the Commanders' WR2.

 

WR/CB Matchups to Downgrade

The data is a bit skewed by some bad weather, but the Cleveland CB group deserves a lot of credit for shutting down Cincinnati's WRs last week. It's a tough matchup for all three Steelers receivers, including George Pickens. Keep in mind that he may see more volume with Diontae Johnson out, which is usually more important than a bad matchup.

Garrett Wilson made a ridiculous touchdown catch in Week 1, but will now have Zach Wilson as his QB. His Week 2 matchup is also one of the toughest in the league against Dallas' ferocious defense. The Cowboys will be a headache for opposing WR groups all year.

Terry McLaurin couldn't get it going against the Cardinals in Week 1. Unfortunately he'll see a ton of Patrick Surtain II in Week 2. Surtain is one of the best cover men in the NFL.

Drake London put up a goose egg for the Falcons in Week 1, as Arthur Smith seems focused on establishing the run. While I do think Atlanta will prioritize getting London some touches, his matchup is a tough one against Jaire Alexander.

On the other side of that game, Romeo Doubs is coming off a two-touchdown performance against the Bears, but this week will have to deal with A.J. Terrell. The Falcons will likely be very comfortable emphasizing running the ball and playing solid defense all year.

Kendrick Bourne was a popular waiver wire add this week after a great Week 1 performance. Unfortunately he'll likely see Xavien Howard and the Dolphins who just limited the Chargers' outside receivers last week.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is super talented with a lot of late-season upside. This week, however, he'll see Brian Branch as the opposing nickel corner. Branch, also a rookie, had an unbelievable offseason and scored on a pick-six in Week 1. JSN's first big game will come at some point this year, but it may not be this week.

Thanks for reading all season and good luck this week.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jackson Jobe2 hours ago

Inefficient In First Career Start Monday
Tyler Glasnow2 hours ago

Fans Eight, Earns Win In Monday Debut
MLB2 hours ago

Kash Mayfield Assigned To Single-A
José Ramírez2 hours ago

Jose Ramirez Collects Three Hits, Homers In Monday Return To Lineup
Kyle Hart2 hours ago

Earns Win In Return To MLB
Ryan Johnson2 hours ago

Earns First Career Save Monday
Travis Kuhn3 hours ago

And Phillies In Agreement On Minor League Deal
Mike Trout3 hours ago

Turns In Another Hitless Performance Monday
Jordan Hicks3 hours ago

Earns Quality Start, Win In Season Debut Monday
Kyle Schwarber3 hours ago

Homers, Collects Two RBI On Monday
Jake Eder3 hours ago

Acquired By The Angels
Alexander Canario4 hours ago

Acquired By The Pirates
Sam Stevens5 hours ago

Enjoyed Nice Result In Houston
Cristopher Sánchez5 hours ago

Cristopher Sanchez Strikes Out Seven In Strong Outing On Monday
PGA5 hours ago

J.T. Poston Seeks To Contend At Valero Texas Open
Ochai Agbaji5 hours ago

Resting On Tuesday
Kris Bubic5 hours ago

Notches Eight Strikeouts In Strong Win On Monday
RJ Barrett5 hours ago

To Be Rested Tuesday Night
Martín Pérez5 hours ago

Martin Perez Dazzles Twins On Monday, Throws Six Hitless Innings
Immanuel Quickley5 hours ago

Returning To Action Against Bulls
Bryan De La Cruz5 hours ago

Draws First Start Of Season On Monday Night
Jakob Poeltl5 hours ago

Available On Tuesday
Reynaldo López5 hours ago

Reynaldo Lopez Lands On 15-day IL With Shoulder Inflammation
Jonathan Kuminga6 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday's Game
Max Scherzer6 hours ago

Visiting With Hand Specialist On Monday
Christian Braun6 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Meeting With Timberwolves
José Ramírez6 hours ago

Jose Ramirez Back In Lineup For Cleveland On Monday
Aaron Gordon6 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable For Tuesday
Freddie Freeman6 hours ago

Absent From Lineup For Monday Night
Jamal Murray6 hours ago

Iffy For Tuesday
LeBron James6 hours ago

Ready To Play Against Rockets
Nikola Jokić6 hours ago

Nikola Jokic Expected To Play Against Timberwolves
Trae Young6 hours ago

Likely To Face Portland
Bradley Beal6 hours ago

Could Return On Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo7 hours ago

Probable For Tuesday's Action
CJ McCollum7 hours ago

Shut Down For The Rest Of The Season
Denny McCarthy7 hours ago

Keeps Making Cuts But Needs To Make More Putts
Zion Williamson7 hours ago

Won't Play Again This Season
Brian Harman7 hours ago

Off To A Subpar 2025 So Far
Jaylin Williams7 hours ago

Back In Thunder Lineup Monday
Isaiah Hartenstein7 hours ago

Will Play On Monday
Chet Holmgren7 hours ago

Available Against Bulls
Dereck Lively II8 hours ago

Downgraded To Out Monday
Caleb Martin8 hours ago

Active On Monday
Daniel Gafford8 hours ago

Back In Action With Minutes Restriction
Ryan Weathers8 hours ago

Ramping Up His Throwing Progression
Ilya Samsonov9 hours ago

Nursing An Upper-Body Injury
Tomas Hertl9 hours ago

To Sit Out At Least One More Week
Garnet Hathaway9 hours ago

Rejoins Flyers Lineup
Erik Johnson9 hours ago

Available Monday
Rasmus Ristolainen10 hours ago

Not Expected To Return This Season
Ryan Preece10 hours ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
Colton Sissons10 hours ago

Likely Out For Rest Of The Season
NASCAR10 hours ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Jonathan Marchessault10 hours ago

Day-To-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Todd Gilliland10 hours ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Brandon Moreno10 hours ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg10 hours ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober10 hours ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres10 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall11 hours ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
Denver Broncos11 hours ago

Denver To Take A Running Back In The Draft
CJ Vergara11 hours ago

Gets Submitted
Ryan Fox11 hours ago

Showing Improvement Heading Into The Valero Texas Open
Édgar Cháirez11 hours ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Courtland Sutton11 hours ago

"No Timeline" On Courtland Sutton Extension
Vince Morales11 hours ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.11 hours ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
New York Jets11 hours ago

Jets To Wait On Contract Extensions For Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner
Saimon Oliveira11 hours ago

Still Winless In The UFC
David Martinez11 hours ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Jameson Williams11 hours ago

Detroit To Exercise Jameson Williams' Fifth-Year Option
Kevin Borjas12 hours ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Brandon Aiyuk12 hours ago

49ers Expected To Hold Brandon Aiyuk
Ronaldo Rodríguez12 hours ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Joel Dahmen12 hours ago

Scores Top-20 Finish At Texas Children's Houston Open
Jacob Bridgeman12 hours ago

Had Some Rest Heading Into The Valero
Sami Valimaki12 hours ago

Finishes Fourth At Texas Children's Houston Open
Maverick McNealy12 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 32nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Tom Kim12 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 36th At Valspar Championship
Rickie Fowler12 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 52nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Bud Cauley12 hours ago

Finishes Tied For Fourth At Valspar Championship
Sam Burns12 hours ago

Misses The Cut At Valspar Championship
Daniel Berger12 hours ago

Finishes Tied For 20th At The PLAYERS Championship
Ludvig Aberg12 hours ago

Misses The Cut At The PLAYERS Championship
Treylon Burks14 hours ago

Unlikely To Be Ready For Training Camp
Keenan Allen14 hours ago

Chargers Not Ruling Out Reuniting With Keenan Allen
Breece Hall14 hours ago

Could Be Part Of Committee In 2025
James Cook14 hours ago

Bills Not Close To Extension With James Cook
Tyreek Hill15 hours ago

Dolphins Planning On Tyreek Hill Being Part Of Their Future
Baltimore Ravens15 hours ago

Ravens Expected To Draft A Kicker
Mark Andrews15 hours ago

Ravens Expect Mark Andrews Back In 2025
Lamar Jackson15 hours ago

Ravens Have Had Early Extension Talks With Lamar Jackson
Christopher Bell15 hours ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott16 hours ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson16 hours ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron16 hours ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano16 hours ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick17 hours ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Joseph Woll20 hours ago

Stands Tall On Sunday
UTA20 hours ago

Alex Kerfoot Leads The Way In Sunday's Victory
Tristan Jarry20 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Ottawa On Sunday
Sebastian Aho20 hours ago

Busy In Sunday's Victory
Anze Kopitar20 hours ago

Tallies Three Helpers On Sunday
Troy Terry21 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Denny Hamlin22 hours ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs22 hours ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain22 hours ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe22 hours ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones22 hours ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Zach Wilson1 day ago

Still Views Himself As A Starter
New York Giants1 day ago

Victor Dimukeje Signs With Giants
Dallas Cowboys1 day ago

Brian Schottenheimer Optimistic About Deal With Micah Parsons
Lane Hutson1 day ago

Continues Special Campaign With Hat Trick Of Assists
Nick Suzuki1 day ago

Notches Three Points In Sunday's Win
Robby Fabbri1 day ago

Not Expected To Return This Season
Jacob Trouba1 day ago

Could Be An Option Sunday
Jordan Staal1 day ago

Will Not Play On Sunday
Evgeni Malkin1 day ago

Out Against Senators
Justin Fields1 day ago

Aaron Glenn Thinks Justin Fields Is Ready To Break Out
Dak Prescott1 day ago

"Doing Great" In Rehab From Hamstring Surgery
Jacksonville Jaguars1 day ago

Fred Johnson Signs With Jacksonville
Tennessee Titans1 day ago

Titans Still Entertaining Calls For No. 1 Overall Pick
Karel Vejmelka2 days ago

Makes 17th Consecutive Start Sunday
Arvid Soderblom2 days ago

Tries To End Four-Game Skid Sunday
Brandon Aiyuk2 days ago

Deadline Coming For Brandon Aiyuk
Josh Berry2 days ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano2 days ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece2 days ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott2 days ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell2 days ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney2 days ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
Steve Erceg4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres4 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Drew Dober4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Mexico City
Joe Pyfer4 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum4 days ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Vince Morales4 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Raul Rosas Jr.4 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Saimon Oliveira4 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
Jhonattan Vegas5 days ago

Not A Good Play At Houston Open
Gary Woodland5 days ago

A Dark-Horse Candidate At Houston Open
Nick Taylor5 days ago

Keep An Eye On Nick Taylor At Houston Open
Mackenzie Hughes5 days ago

Avoid Mackenzie Hughes At Houston Open
Nicolai Hojgaard5 days ago

Looking To Rebound At Houston Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Five Fantasy Football Superflex Quarterback Breakouts, Draft Targets (2025)

If you’ve ever played in a Superflex fantasy football league, then you know how important quarterbacks are in this format. The ability to start multiple stud quarterbacks can carry you to a Superflex title. Unfortunately, finding two such players isn’t so easy. All the top signal-callers come off draft boards first, and that makes it […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Ideal Landing Spots For The Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies - 2025 NFL Draft

Then, the NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer. This is a very interesting class, with a handful of players who could be stars in the NFL and reshape fantasy football leagues going forward. Here are the ideal landing spots for the top 12 fantasy football rookies. These picks exist in conversation with each […]


Jalen Coker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eight Best Ball Late Round Value Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is the most popular game in all of sports. It has gone from a paper-and-pen game to a multi-million dollar-a-year one. While redraft leagues are the most popular form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are quickly gaining steam. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft thousands of […]


Abdul Carter - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Fantasy Football Edge Rusher Prospects

Edge rusher is the most important, most coveted, and most highly-paid position on defense in the NFL. It stands to reason that the most important position in the entire game being quarterback, and by a wide margin, means the most important position on defense are the players that are tasked with disrupting opposing QBs as […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Brock Purdy Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook and Trade Value

Despite becoming the all-time leading passer for the Iowa State Cyclones, Brock Purdy wasn't a highly touted prospect due to his perceived lack of athleticism. The 49ers picked him with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant quickly proved everyone wrong. In his first two years, he started in back-to-back NFC […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Scouting NFL Draft Prospects!

Michael F Florio goes over some of the top prospects from this years NFL Draft. Florio talks about what he looks for when watching prospect tape and explains what traits translate best to the NFL level. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) on Sundays from 6-7 am. You can […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason

One year ago, we discussed the futures of Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones as those free agents found new homes. This year's headliners are Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Mason. Not quite the same. Still, with every transaction come implications for dynasty fantasy football rosters across the globe. Below, we […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued NFC Draft Targets

While the 2025 fantasy football redraft season is still several months away, there is no such thing as being too prepared for your fantasy draft. Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. The landscape of fantasy football will change between today and the start of redraft season, with the […]


Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries. Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms […]


Ashton Jeanty - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Ashton Jeanty's Top Potential Landing Spots For 2025: Fantasy Football NFL Draft Outlook

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the best prospects in the class. Jeanty just ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns across 14 games this past college season. Those 2,601 rush yards were the second-most of all-time in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders's 2,628 rush yards […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single QB

The 2025 NFL Combine has now been completed, so it's worth doing another mock draft to see where everyone stands after the league's pre-draft testing event. Overall, there were a few surprises, but the order of many players will remain the same. The mental domain of the original rankings, which have been fairly set in […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Later-Career Breakout Candidates

Typically, most NFL players break out in the early parts of their careers. Between the ages of 20 and 25 is when you expect to see the majority of players have their first big season. Some waste no time and put together excellent years while they're rookies, while some need more time to develop. These […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2025)

HuThe NFL offseason is starting to heat up, and the league's legal tampering period is set to begin on March 10 at noon Eastern. Free agents cannot officially sign until the new league year begins on March 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern, but deals will be agreed to, and news will be coming in quickly […]