Wide Receivers vs. Cornerbacks: Week 1 Matchups

This article will go game by game for the Week 1 slate looking at the top wide receivers from an offense and, based on the inside/outside and left/right splits of those receivers, identify the cornerbacks most likely to face them in man coverage. This post will have to be a little shorter and lean more on speculation/generalities than the entries to come, because teams haven't yet conclusively revealed their personnel tendencies.

Receivers rarely see the same corner every play, be it due to formation quirks or zone coverage calls by the defense, so a receiver's fortunes depend on much more than just the quality of the corner they're likely to see the most in a given game. Even against a bad corner, a good receiver can be denied the opportunity if the pass rush or something else outside his control complicates things. But it's part of the puzzle, and it's worth keeping track of.

Receivers are left with an Upgrade, Downgrade, or Even verdict based on their projected matchup. This shouldn't be read as 'good' or 'bad' but rather a measured tweak from the receiver's baseline projection.
 

Philadelphia Eagles (-2) vs. Green Bay (In Brazil)

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES WIDE RECEIVERS

The Packers have yet to use Jaire Alexander in a shadow corner role, and with the Eagles boasting both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith it might not be worth Green Bay's trouble, given the threat posed by the remaining receiver. The Packers nonetheless need to be thinking about their non-Alexander corner reps, because they're banking on a somewhat patchwork crew to do a lot of lifting. Former first-round pick Eric Stokes is the presumed starter opposite Alexander, and there's renewed hope that Stokes might get back on track after injuries and general struggles defined most of the time following his rookie year. Stokes would likely be at a significant disadvantage against either of Brown or Smith, so the Packers might just need to give him help. Slot man KeiSean Nixon is far from imposing, though the Eagles have never shown much inclination to feature a third wideout target.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith

GREEN BAY PACKERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Darius Slay was and might still be a very good boundary corner, but he turns 34 in January and second-year man Kelee Ringo is highly dubious, especially if he's forced to defend in-breaking routes. This Eagles defense just isn't as threatening as it used to be. The pass rush is still fierce, but the best Eagles defenses in the past had strong pass rushes and secondary personnel both. First-round pick Quinyon Mitchell might get stuck with the slot reps, if only to accommodate Ringo, but that probably isn't the best fit for the otherwise talented Mitchell, either. I think all the Eagles corners here will get beaten if the pass rush doesn't intervene first.

Upgrade: Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings (-1.5)

NEW YORK GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Malik Nabers should be in position to start well here against a Minnesota defense that is likely one of the worst in the league. The pass rush isn't there at all, serving up Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin like a tee-ball game. Byron Murphy is one competent corner but even he might suffer with how bad this Vikings pass rush is.

Upgrade: Malik Nabers, Wan'Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

MINNESOTA VIKINGS WIDE RECEIVERS

Jordan Addison (ankle) is apparently trending toward playing, and if so he and Justin Jefferson could both be a lot for the Giants corners. Deonte Banks is super toolsy but had some penalty issues as a rookie, so if he hasn't taken a step forward then guys like Jefferson and Addison could be a bit much. Adoree' Jackson figures to play the other boundary spot with Cor'Dale Flott in the slot. Even if the corners are somewhat overmatched, the good news for them is the Giants pass rush could be nasty in 2024.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor

New Orleans Saints (-4) vs. Carolina Panthers

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Chris Olave is far too much for any non-Jaycee Horn corner, so the Panthers might try to get Horn over on Olave specifically. That might or might not work – Horn is probably quite good, but Olave is more great than good. Rashid Shaheed is capable of dusting the remaining corners, and even Cedrick Wilson might be able to get open a bit.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed (arguable upgrade if Horn shadows Olave), Cedrick Wilson

CAROLINA PANTHERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen figure to be the primary wideouts in a lot of two-wide looks for Carolina, with rookie first-round pick Xavier Legette getting most of the routes downfield. The Saints might or might not assign Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo to specific wideouts – both corners are very good on the boundary, so the Saints might just assign them left and right. Neither corner is likely to give up a big play here, but there might be some ways for Thielen and especially Johnson to get some quick underneath looks to pile up the PPR points. Lattimore and Adebo are built for vertical defense and, while it's not exactly easy to beat them underneath, they might be content to let the Panthers take little five-yard shots all day.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Xavier Legette
Even: Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen

Atlanta Falcons (-3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

ATLANTA FALCONS WIDE RECEIVERS

Drake London and Darnell Mooney should see nearly all of the viable wide receiver reps for the Falcons, and both players are capable of beating quality NFL corners. Joey Porter saw some shadow assignments last year but the Steelers might not want to do that against London, whose exquisite route running and freakish coordination at 6-foot-4 will probably bring out the worst of Porter's proneness to penalty. With that said, between Porter and Donte Jackson this is the best cornerback duo the Steelers have had since probably Ike Taylor and William Gay. The pass rush for Pittsburgh could be ferocious, as well, so while London and Mooney can probably get open they might not have much time to do it.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Drake London, Darnell Mooney

PITTSBURGH STEELERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Russell Wilson (calf) is questionable, for what it's worth, but the Steelers have enough clarity at wide receiver at least: it's pretty much George Pickens or nothing. AJ Terrell might therefore shadow Pickens while Van Jefferson runs harmlessly wherever else, and the Falcons might give safety help to Terrell, too. With that said, Pickens should see a high share of Pittsburgh's targets and there's no evidence Terrell is a better corner than Pickens is a receiver.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: George Pickens, Van Jefferson

Cincinnati Bengals (-8) vs. New England Patriots

CINCINNATI BENGALS WIDE RECEIVERS

Regardless of whether Ja'Marr Chase (contract) plays, this is a tough matchup for the Cincinnati route runners. Christian Gonzalez should establish himself as a top-20 corner this year, and with his size/speed he's specifically a good foil to someone like Tee Higgins. Previous CB1 Jonathan Jones is now more like the CB2, with slot playmaker Marcus Jones and a strong safety duo rounding out a clearly adept secondary overall. Andrei Iosivas is much taller than the 5-foot-8 Marcus Jones, so Iosivas in the slot might be able to make some plays even if he's covered.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Tyquan Thornton is a likely starter but might get stuck with a lot of decoy routes to pull away the safeties. Ja'Lynn Polk and especially slot man DeMario Douglas are more likely to see targets. Mike Hilton is a distinguished slot corner but his impact isn't solely measured in coverage – Douglas probably has the advantage there. Polk and Thornton might struggle somewhat against the likes of Cam Taylor-Britt and Dax Hill, especially Taylor-Britt. Polk might be able to bully the skinny Hill somewhat.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DeMario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, Tyquan Thornton

Buffalo Bills (-6.5) vs. Arizona Cardinals

BUFFALO BILLS WIDE RECEIVERS

Curtis Samuel appears to be over his turf toe issue from mid-August, but it will be an ongoing concern for the injury-prone wideout. When Samuel is healthy he might be the WR1 on this team, though, so if he's ready to go here the Cardinals might have trouble with him. As much as Sean Murphy-Bunting and Max Melton are upgrades for Arizona's boundary personnel, and as much as a full season from slot corner Garrett Williams should really help the Cardinals defense this year, this is still one of the league's most unproven secondaries, at best. Samuel has beaten better corners before and likely has more big-play ability than people think, so it would be disappointing if Samuel flops here. Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman both loom as capable contributors, though their exact utilization this year remains unclear. In general you'd probably expect Shakir to see the slot guy Williams while Coleman sees more of Bunting-Murphy on the boundary.

Upgrade: Curtis Samuel
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman.

ARIZONA CARDINALS WIDE RECEIVERS

Marvin Harrison might be a rookie but he still probably has a safe advantage over the Bills' questionable boundary corners. Or at least, while Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford are good short-field corners, they'll need the Buffalo pass rush to get the ball out before Harrison gets downfield. Douglas and Benford are better situated to crashing downward than turning and running, so while they can look dominant when teams throw underneath, they are also vulnerable to downfield big-play ability. Michael Wilson should be in a fine spot here too, but his talent is not as loud as Harrison's and Douglas/Benford are good trait matches to Wilson. Slot specialist Greg Dortch is mostly a fantasy football myth, but better wideouts than him have been slowed up by slot defender Taron Johnson.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Marvin Harrison, Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch

Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans (-2.5)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Derek Stingley was not used as a shadow corner last year, but he's so much better than the rest of Houston's dubious cornerback depth chart that the Texans might need to start using Stingley as a shadow corner, at least any time when they run into a WR1 as clear as Michael Pittman. Stingley could very well be a limiting factor for Pittman in this one, but no matter the week it would be shocking if Pittman didn't approach or exceed 10 targets. The Texans seem to really love rookie Kamari Lassiter, but he's so small and slow I don't understand how he's supposed to be more than a Tampa 2 corner. We'll see, but the Texans need to worry about Lassiter and slot man Myles Bryant – the latter has already been beaten like a drum for years in New England. The Houston pass rush should be dominant, but if it isn't these non-Stingley corners could be in for a long year.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Michael Pittman, Adonai Mitchell (arguable upgrade if Stingley shadows Pittman), Alec Pierce (see Mitchell)

HOUSTON TEXANS WIDE RECEIVERS

We should presumably see, for the most part, a Houston loadout with Nico Collins at the 'x' boundary spot, with Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell rotating between the flanker and slot reps depending on the situation. It's probably the best three-wide loadout in the NFL, and one we might recall for some time beyond this year. JuJu Brents is the likely top boundary corner for the Colts and he matches Collins' size/speed fairly well, but Collins was a menace on in-breaking routes last year and Brents probably gets worse the farther from the sideline he gets. Slot man Kenny Moore is more of an all-purpose rover than a true cover man, so while he's a distinguished defender Moore is not a concern for Diggs or Dell, nor is boundary corner Dallis Flowers. It's no secret that the Colts defense needs to get by with its fierce-looking pass rush, and certainly in this game it seems like the only thing that can save these corners.

Upgrade: Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

Miami Dolphins (-3.5) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

MIAMI DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVERS

This is not an obviously concerning matchup for either of Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle. Tyson Campbell is a good starter on one side for Jacksonville and Ronald Darby might turn out a viable starter opposite Campbell, but neither is on a level that introduces concern to the Dolphins duo. Safety Darnell Savage might be the slot corner, to uncertain effect, though he certainly wasn't great in Green Bay previously. As long as the weather is fine and they're not playing the Jets, the Dolphins wideouts should be working from a position of strength most times.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS WIDE RECEIVERS

Jalen Ramsey (hamstring) might be out for this one, which would leave Kendall Fuller and Kader Kohou as the Dolphins' top two corners. Kohou normally plays the slot when applicable, so in nickel defenses the Dolphins might trot out either Ethan Bonner or Storm Duck for snaps on the boundary opposite Fuller. Both Bonner and Duck are undrafted rookies, albeit very athletic ones. It's probably a bad situation for Miami, who have to try to contain lead wideout Christian Kirk and free agent pickup Gabe Davis without cutting loose burner first-round pick Brian Thomas on the deep ball. Kohou might defend Kirk admirably in the slot and Fuller can probably hold serve against Davis, but they both might need to do it without safety help. If the Dolphins do give safety help against Kirk or Davis then they run a serious risk of Thomas getting open deep. While Thomas probably can't be counted on for target volume like Davis and especially Kirk can, this is a prime spot for him to catch the defense flat-footed, especially since the NFL hasn't seen his speed yet.

Upgrade: Brian Thomas
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis

Chicago Bears (-4) vs. Tennessee Titans

CHICAGO BEARS WIDE RECEIVERS

L'Jarius Sneed is definitely the headlining corner for Tennessee, but it's not clear whether the Titans will use him like Kansas City did. The Chiefs used Sneed in unorthodox fashion, deploying him all over the place and in a variety of play designs. Roger McCreary is the incumbent slot corner and hasn't seemingly done anything to put his role up for review, so it's possible that Sneed will man the boundary more than he did in Kansas City, where he would often but not always go in the slot. Chidobe Awuzie would likely line up opposite Sneed, and is probably the one more easily beaten of the two. DJ Moore isn't the type to fear any of these corners, not even Sneed, but if someone were to get Sneed in a shadow assignment it would probably be Moore. Rome Odunze and Keenan Allen respectively facing Awuzie and McCreary wouldn't have an obvious advantage.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze

TENNESSEE TITANS WIDE RECEIVERS

It seems like DeAndre Hopkins (knee) should be able to play, so he and Calvin Ridley should lead the way for Tennessee while Tyler Boyd lines up third, presumably mostly in the slot. The Bears figure to line up Kyler Gordon opposite Jaylon Johnson in base formations, with Gordon moving into the slot and Tyrique Stevenson replacing Gordon on the boundary in nickel looks. The Bears could choose to match up Johnson with whoever they deem the WR1 for Tennessee, but otherwise Hopkins and Ridley should both see Johnson a little less than half of the time. It's possible that all three Bears corners are good, but you'd rather go at Gordon or Stevenson than Johnson. Boyd versus Gordon seems like an advantage for Chicago.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Tyler Boyd
Even: DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley

Los Angeles Chargers (-3) vs. Las Vegas Raiders

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS WIDE RECEIVERS

If DJ Chark (hip) can't play then Quentin Johnston would need to play as the third wideout for the Chargers. Ladd McConkey and Joshua Palmer should split the slot and flanker reps on some basis or another – perhaps mostly McConkey in the slot and mostly Palmer at flanker. The flanker reps might be a little easier in this one, because the Raiders have mostly used top corner Nate Hobbs in the slot, while the more beatable duo of Jack Jones and Jakorian Bennett have focused on the boundary. Palmer, Chark and Johnston all have pronounced build advantages over Jones and Bennett, though only Chark is fast enough to run away from either.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Ladd McConkey, Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark, Quentin Johnston

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers should both be too much for these Chargers corners. Or at least, that would be the case barring a big jump in development for Asante Samuel. The starter on the other side – free agent pickup Kristian Fulton – probably is no better than average as a starter. With Ja'Sir Taylor the presumed slot corner, the Chargers' top three corners are probably among the worst in the league. As with most weeks, the bigger challenge for the Raiders passing game is not the defensive matchup but rather the quarterback play.

Upgrade: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

Seattle Seahawks (-6) vs. Denver Broncos

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS WIDE RECEIVERS

Patrick Surtain can be a problem for whoever he covers, and the Broncos might make it a priority to match him up against D.K. Metcalf given the size/speed theme of both players. Surtain is less of a trait match to someone smaller and shiftier like Tyler Lockett. Riley Moss is expected to start opposite Surtain, and Lockett would probably be an easier matchup for Moss than Metcalf would be. Jaxon Smith-Njigba might mostly see slot corner Ja'Quan McMillian, who seems like he might be pretty good.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: D.K. Metcalf (arguable downgrade if shadowed by Surtain), Tyler Lockett (arguable upgrade if Surtain shadows Metcalf), Jaxon Smith-Njigba

DENVER BRONCOS WIDE RECEIVERS

Courtland Sutton and Josh Reynolds are unlikely to get much going against Riq Woolen on the boundary, but at roughly 5-foot-10, 185 pounds Tre Brown is likely vulnerable to wideouts with height like Sutton and Reynolds. A guy like Devon Witherspoon is generally comfortable in the first 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, but if someone like Sutton or Marvin Mims can get downfield from the slot then Witherspoon might need help over the top.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims

Tampa Bay (-3) vs. Washington Commanders

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Emmanuel Forbes probably has some talent and very well could bounce back in a big way in 2024, but in the meantime he's still a question mark at best, and there's nothing especially inspiring about the veteran duo of Benjamin St-Juste and Michael Davis. The rookie second-round pick Mike Sainristil probably should be playing in the slot but St-Juste and Davis are so burnable on the boundary that Sainristil might be the CB1 for Washington this year. Sainristil and Forbes could turn out to be good starters, but in the meantime this is one of the worst-looking corner rotations in the NFL.

Mike Evans in particular could be challenging for Forbes and Sainristil, who Evans outweighs by roughly 60 pounds and is taller than by about eight inches, respectively. Chris Godwin also deserves the benefit of the doubt against corners such as these. It might not even be hasty to assume rookie third-round pick Jalen McMillan has an advantage over these guys.

Upgrade: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jalen McMillan

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Terry McLaurin is too much for either of Jamel Dean or Zyon McCollum, the two starting boundary corners for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers should primarily feature Christian Izien and to a lesser extent safety Antoine Winfield in slot coverage. Izien might see the most of Olamide Zaccheaus, or whoever else lines up in the slot for Washington. It's not clear how playing time might split up between the likes of Zaccheaus, Luke McCaffrey, Noah Brown and Dyami Brown.

Upgrade: Terry McLaurin
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Olamide Zaccheaus, Luke McCaffrey, Noah Brown, Dyami Brown

Cleveland Browns (-2.5) vs. Dallas Cowboys

CLEVELAND BROWNS WIDE RECEIVERS

Amari Cooper can beat these corners and most others easily enough, maybe even before the Dallas pass rush can save them, so the bigger question for this game (and Cooper's season) is whether Deshaun Watson can throw the ball vaguely like his old self. Watson's surgically-repaired shoulder might be throwing at a lower velocity than in the past, and Watson never threw with much velocity to start with. It seems like there has to be targets here for Cooper at the very least, so it's possible that the only question here is how efficient the Browns passing game might be here. Jerry Jeudy too can probably get open against guys like Trevon Diggs and especially the rookie Caelen Carson. Carson is likely forced to start with Da'Ron Bland (foot) unavailable to begin the year. It's a tall task for a fifth-round pick, and one with questionable recovery speed to boot. Slot corner Jourdan Lewis might be Dallas' best non-Diggs corner at the moment, yet Lewis is probably at a disadvantage against both Cooper and Jeudy.

Upgrade: Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Elijah Moore

DALLAS COWBOYS WIDE RECEIVERS

You wouldn't let it dissuade you from starting CeeDee Lamb if he's on your fantasy roster, but this still might be one of the toughest matchups he sees in years. Not only do the Browns arguably have the league's best corner trio in Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome and Martin Emerson, but they also have Myles Garrett playing at a game-wrecking level on his own in the front four. The Browns defense is thin in the front seven and they might wilt over the course of the year, but they should be teed up here as Dallas tries to break in rookie first-round pick Tyler Guyton at left tackle. Guyton will need a lot of help, and there might not be a such thing as enough if the Browns keep Garrett on him all game.

Still, Lamb should see his customary 10-plus targets, even if they need to be underneath and YAC-dependent to beat the pass rush. Secondary guys like Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert might get left in a tougher spot. There might be a way for Dallas to set someone up for a big play downfield off the playaction, and either of Cooks or Tolbert might be good unsuspecting candidates for Dallas to scheme loose on such a play, but the chance of them straight up beating the Browns corners probably requires some amount of luck.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert
Even: N/A

Detroit Lions (-3.5) vs. Los Angeles Rams

DETROIT LIONS WIDE RECEIVERS

Amon-Ra St. Brown has yet to see a defense than can slow him, so more than most standout receivers he's what you would call matchup-proof. There's nothing concerning in the Rams' defensive personnel, either – Cobie Durant is probably decent as a slot corner, but he's probably little more than a speedbump to St. Brown. Players like Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond are a little more delicate to project. Free agent pickup Tre'Davious White may well be a major upgrade for the Rams on the boundary, but he turns 30 in January and saw his last two seasons respectively end with a torn ACL and most recently a torn Achilles' tendon. White probably can't run with Williams or Raymond at this point. Perhaps the Rams know that and will keep White in off coverage to keep him from getting burned, but the Lions have a way of running on you until you take underneath defense more seriously. Then they go with the playaction. If I had to guess, I'd assume Ben Johnson can find some ways to hurt these corners in this game eventually. Darious Williams might be the toughest cover the Rams have at the moment, but he probably doesn't want to run downfield with Williams, either.

Upgrade: Amon-Ra St. Brown
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond

LOS ANGELES RAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Lions secondary is much improved from last year, especially at the cornerback reps, so this might be a more challenging matchup for the Rams offense than it was in 2023. Carlton Davis is at home in the press coverage Detroit uses so often under Aaron Glenn, and rookie first-round pick Terrion Arnold is the same way. Between those two, second-round rookie Ennis Rakestraw and 2023 standout second-round nickel defender Brian Branch, the Lions cornerback rotation has gone from potentially the league's worst to contending for best in the NFC North.

It's not enough basis to express any concern for high-usage players as locked in as Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, but the in-your-face style of the Lions' corners at least in theory might be a good counter to the Rams' underneath, physical style of the Rams route combos. Someone like Demarcus Robinson is probably owed less benefit of the doubt than Nacua and Kupp.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson

San Francisco 49ers (-4) vs. New York Jets

SAN FRANCISCO WIDE RECEIVERS

The Jets secondary works extremely well as a group, and determining matchup weak spots is difficult both because of how generally good they are and because the moments of opportunity against the Jets defense don't necessarily occur from a corner failing their assignment as much as the coverage design itself getting caught in a difficult spot by the offensive playcall. With that said, Sauce Gardner is definitely the most imposing member of the Jets corner rotation and whoever he matches up against probably doesn't get much fun out of it.

Just the same, Gardner can be beaten downfield, and Brandon Aiyuk is uniquely adept at getting cornerbacks turned out of position for the big play downfield. It's not an ideal matchup, but Aiyuk is more threatening to Gardner than all but a few NFL wideouts. That, and neither Aiyuk nor Deebo Samuel necessarily need to see much of Gardner if the Jets continue to line up Gardner on one side of the field. Good as they are as a group, corners like D.J. Reed and slot man Michael Carter don't really move the needle against Aiyuk and Samuel.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel

NEW YORK JETS WIDE RECEIVERS

Garrett Wilson fears no corner, or at least no one in the 49ers secondary. That's true even though Charvarius Ward is one of the league's better corners. Ward would probably be a very difficult matchup for Mike Williams, who might additionally be limited by his knee as he works his way back from last year's ACL tear. Deommodore Lenoir showed improvement at the CB2 spot for San Francisco last year and will evidently both start opposite Ward and move into the slot in nickel formations, leaving some combo of stopgap journeyman Isaac Yiadom and rookie second-round pick Renardo Green to battle for the boundary reps opposite Ward in nickel looks. Don't laugh, but Allen Lazard might be a physical mismatch for Lenoir (reach reasons) and Green (reach/bulk reasons).

Rather than any of these cornerbacks, the matchup is challenging for the Jets offense because of the San Francisco pass rush, especially as Aaron Rodgers tries to return from last year's Week 1 Achilles' tendon tear.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, Allen Lazard, Xavier Gipson