Wide Receivers vs. Cornerbacks: Week 5 Matchups

This article will go game by game for the Week 5 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.

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 b

GB vs NYG

GREEN BAY WIDE RECEIVERS

Allen Lazard seems to be picking up steam and he ought to be in a decent spot here too, as Darnay Holmes is not intimidating and specifically has poor reach, which might be an issue against a 6-foot-5 wideout with 40 pounds more weight. Romeo Doubs ought to draw shadow coverage from Adoree' Jackson – what's less clear is how the two stack up against each other. Jackson rarely gives up much separation and thus deters targets much of the time, but Jackson doesn't thrive against contact and Doubs has about 15 pounds on him. Doubs has been impressive the last two weeks, thriving against the coverage of distinguished players like Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean and Jonathan Jones, all of whom might be as good or better than Jackson. Christian Watson doesn't have the skill level that Lazard and Doubs do, but his reach and speed could be an additional problem for the Giants defense – Fabian Moreau can run but apparently not with a moving target.

Upgrade: Allen Lazard, Christian Watson
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Romeo Doubs (raise to Upgrade if not shadowed by Jackson)

GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS

If Richie James can play through his ankle injury then he should be the primary slot receiver, in which case he should see either Rasul Douglas or Keisean Nixon, neither of whom are intimidating. The bigger issue for James is the quarterback play, which fell off a cliff last week, even if only mostly due to injury. The problem might persist outside of James' control here. David Sills can only get open against a broken coverage – Eric Stokes and Jaire Alexander should have no trouble with him, and while Darius Slayton is better than Sills the Packers duo can still match Slayton's one trump card, which is his speed.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: David Sills, Darius Slayton
Even: Richie James

CLE vs LAC

CLEVELAND WIDE RECEIVERS

Amari Cooper was shut down by A.J. Terrell last week and faces a potential challenge against J.C. Jackson, though Jackson has never been a true lockdown corner and it's possible he's still not quite 100 percent free from his ankle troubles. You'd like to see Cleveland do more to scheme Cooper away from shadow coverage, but it would be disappointing if he truly struggled here. Donovan Peoples-Jones has shown the ability to reliably seize production that Cooper doesn't claim, but it so far seems DPJ needs Cooper to have a down week to have much runway himself. DPJ definitely has a build advantage over Asante Samuel and maybe a speed one too, so DPJ could have a downfield opportunity if the Chargers roll too much help toward Cooper. David Bell might need to get away with OPI to get open against Bryce Callahan.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Bell

CHARGERS WIDE RECEIVERS

This group is just depressing without Keenan Allen (hamstring) but as of press time things aren't looking much better there. Mike Williams won't get a step on Denzel Ward but it could still be tough for Ward to defend the rim against Williams, who's about five inches taller and 35 pounds heavier than Ward. Joshua Palmer struggled against Desmond King and is now dealing with an ankle issue. Greg Newsome is not letting Palmer get away, and even slot/safety hybrid Ronnie Harrison can run with Palmer on a short field. DeAndre Carter can lose Harrison but not Newsome. Carter and Palmer both can probably beat the rookie Martin Emerson. It would be helpful if Joe Lombardi called some new looks in the passing game, because the Chargers wideouts do have their predictability working against them.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Mike Williams, Joshua Palmer, DeAndre Carter

NE vs DET

NEW ENGLAND WIDE RECEIVERS

If Jakobi Meyers is back then he should mostly see Mike Hughes, which is probably close to a green light for Meyers. Nelson Agholor might see Okudah but it would make more sense if the Lions tried to match Okudah against DeVante Parker. Okudah can probably neutralize Parker's reach and should be able to run with him, but Parker can be tough for any corner when he's really on. Agholor against Amani Oruwariye would probably be a mismatch. The quarterback play is a concern but the defensive matchups are not.

Upgrade: Jakobi Meyers
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor (arguable Upgrade if Okudah shadows Parker)

DETROIT WIDE RECEIVERS

Amon-Ra St. Brown practiced Friday and might be able to play in this one. If St. Brown and Quintez Cephus are out then you have D.J. Chark and Josh Reynolds as your clear top two outside wideouts with Tom Kennedy the primary slot replacement. Myles Bryant is a sitting duck in the slot, so much so it wouldn't be surprising to see him benched and have the Patriots give Jack Jones a shot at slot corner, or even move Jonathan Jones to the slot and start Jack outside. It's a nice setup for Kennedy in the Bryant scenario, but tougher if it's either Jones, especially Jonathan. Reynolds wants to avoid Jalen Mills since Mills is the biggest Patriots corner and Reynolds is the rare receiver Mills can actually run with. Reynolds won't lose either Jones with separation, but he can probably box them out all day. Maybe I'm missing something but it seems like the Patriots corners are at a variety of small disadvantages in this one that feel like they should add up to something, assuming Goff doesn't go full Goof.

Upgrade: Amon-Ra St. Brown (injury risk disclaimer), Tom Kennedy (lower to Even if Bryant is benched)
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Josh Reynolds, D.J. Chark

TB vs ATL

TAMPA BAY WIDE RECEIVERS

A.J. Terrell got beat up in the first couple weeks but got the better of Amari Cooper in Week 4, so the matchup is of some concern for Mike Evans. It might not be enough to warrant a true downgrade, though, because Evans is a totally different matter than Cooper. Julio Jones has the revenge narrative of course, and he can probably lose Casey Hayward deep or beat him underneath if Hayward plays with too much cushion. Russell Gage also has the revenge narrative and can probably beat Darren Hall/Dee Alford in the slot, but Chris Godwin took most of those looks in Week 3. Whether Gage can beat Hayward is less clear. Godwin might see his playing time dwindle the more the Buccaneers score in this game, so a blowout might be the best way for Gage to capitalize.

Upgrade: Chris Godwin
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Mike Evans, Russell Gage (arguable upgrade if Godwin plays less), Julio Jones

ATLANTA WIDE RECEIVERS

Drake London is awfully good but with Kyle Pitts out he might see more defensive attention than he can beat at this stage, or at least while he's subjected to quarterback play like this. Both London and Pitts have had instances of significant target usage that produced nothing due to poor catch rate, and that will be an ongoing concern. Perhaps London gets so many targets in this, a game where Atlanta might fall behind early and big, that inefficiency doesn't matter, but that might the path he needs in this one. Olamide Zaccheaus seems like a candidate to get bullied by Antoine Winfield and none of these depth receivers in Atlanta can get open against the outside Tampa corners.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Drake London, Olamide Zaccheaus

NO vs SEA

NEW ORLEANS WIDE RECEIVERS

Chris Olave is the real deal and none of these corners can cover him over the course of a game. Tariq Woolen can run with anyone down the sideline but probably not if Olave beats him underneath once or twice to set up a double move. Jarvis Landry should be able to get the better of the rookie slot corner Coby Bryant, and even a guy like Marquez Callaway should be able to get open against these corners with Mike Thomas out.

Upgrade: Chris Olave, Jarvis Landry, Marquez Callaway
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

SEATTLE WIDE RECEIVERS

Marshon Lattimore figures to follow DK Metcalf and may well give him some trouble, if only because Lattimore seems to play at his best against bigger receivers. Mike Evans is the specific example, of course, but Metcalf is still a bit different of a matchup yet – probably less refined and less laterally threatening than Evans, but posing more raw speed and strength. Tyler Lockett is a tough cover for Paulson Adebo, who would probably match better against someone a little bigger and less agile than Lockett. The Seahawks mostly rotate tight ends otherwise.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett

JAC vs HOU

JACKSONVILLE WIDE RECEIVERS

Desmond King is a concerning matchup when Christian Kirk runs in the underneath, but beyond that depth King might not be able to keep up. A playaction deep shot to Kirk might be in order. You'd think the Texans would want Derek Stingley on Zay Jones rather than Marvin Jones, who should be handled fine by Steven Nelson. The Texans pass rush has shown some signs of life, so Trevor Lawrence needs to be composed, but the big play should be there for Kirk with proper play design.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Marvin Jones

HOUSTON WIDE RECEIVERS

Brandin Cooks is at an advantage against most corners and this game is no exception, but the Jaguars corners can run a little bit and Cooks will need his quarterback and play design to do their part for him to capitalize on his ability to win one-on-one. Nico Collins might have a bit tougher of a matchup since he should run almost exclusively against the solid outside duo of Tyson Campbell and Shaquill Griffin, where Cooks should get more slot looks.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins

BUF vs PIT

BUFFALO WIDE RECEIVERS

Gabe Davis would be in a good spot if he's over his ankle injury, though it's anyone's guess where that's at. Stefon Diggs can't even vaguely be covered by these corners, so the Bills will need to be able to identify and then exploit the zone looks they're presented. If they read it right, Diggs should get the ball. Slot targets Isaiah McKenzie and Khalil Shakir are likely the same deal – whether they get a chance depends on whether the Steelers prioritize other parts of the field, and whether the play design makes them the read at the right time.

Upgrade: Stefon Diggs
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Gabe Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, Khalil Shakir

PITTSBURGH WIDE RECEIVERS

Diontae Johnson should be able to twist up a tall corner like Kaiir Elam, who would match up better against fellow lanky rookie George Pickens. Dane Jackson might be a little better suited to covering Johnson, but it's still an advantage for Johnson. Chase Claypool doesn't seem to work well in the Matt Canada offense and he gets a tough matchup against Taron Johnson.

Upgrade: Diontae Johnson
Downgrade: Chase Claypool
Even: George Pickens

NYJ vs MIA

JETS WIDE RECEIVERS

If the Jets keep using Elijah Moore outside and Garrett Wilson in the slot then Moore is the most likely candidate to see the shadow coverage of Xavien Howard, though Howard doesn't match up as well with Moore trait-wise as he does Corey Davis. Moore can beat Howard, who's playing injured too, but it might still be easier to beat rookie slot corner Kader Kohou or Nik Needham. Wilson should see the most of Kohou and Needham gets whoever Howard is not on.

Upgrade: Garrett Wilson
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Elijah Moore, Corey Davis

MIAMI WIDE RECEIVERS

Sauce Gardner has done well for the Jets at one corner spot and free agent pickup D.J. Reed is getting good results on the other side, but neither sets up especially well here. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are both the kinds of receiver Gardner matches up worst against – they're so small and quick it's difficult to make Gardner's reach part of the outcome equation, and normally that's a part of what makes him effective. Gardner matches up best with traditional WR1 types, which Hill and Waddle are not. Reed has the more similar build to Hill and Waddle but is much less athletic than Gardner – Reed's 4.51 speed isn't enough to really grapple with Hill or Waddle throughout a route. The main thing to keep in mind with the Dolphins wideouts is that Teddy Bridgewater might be a downgrade.

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

WAS vs TEN

WASHINGTON WIDE RECEIVERS

Terry McLaurin is one of the exact type of receivers an otherwise solid corner like Kristian Fulton doesn't want to see – plus raw speed with a plus skill set makes it tough on a player like Fulton, who lacks reach and speed to recover when his attempts to mirror routes fail him. The Titans are breaking in Roger McCreary as their main slot receiver to get more playing time to Caleb Farley outside, but the results have been lacking to this point. The good news for McCreary/Farley is that Jahan Dotson (ankle) is out, leaving just McLaurin and Curtis Samuel to focus on at receiver. The bad news is that, like McLaurin, none of these corners can run with Samuel. The Titans might need to confuse Carson Wentz with disguised coverages and blitzes to buy their corners some leeway.

Upgrade: Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

TENNESSEE WIDE RECEIVERS

Robert Woods will have to be busy in this with Treylon Burks (toe) out. Woods, Kyle Philips and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine all project reasonably well in this, if only because it's difficult to remember the last time Washington played real defense. They have some good players, but for well more than a year the whole has equaled less than the sum of the parts.

Upgrade: Robert Woods, Kyle Philips, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

MIN vs CHI

MINNESOTA WIDE RECEIVERS

Jaylon Johnson is the only good Bears corner and he might be out. Upgrades.

Upgrade: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, K.J. Osborn
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

CHICAGO WIDE RECEIVERS

Twenty pass attempts, something something. Darnell Mooney is good, hopefully he gets opportunities to prove it.

Upgrade/Downgrade/Even: Who Cares

CAR vs SF

CAROLINA WIDE RECEIVERS

DJ Moore and Robbie Anderson are in a tough spot. Either the 49ers defense shows up sleepwalking from the flight, or the Carolina offense in its entirety is going through the woodchipper.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson
Even: N/A

SAN FRANCISCO WIDE RECEIVERS

Deebo Samuel just doesn't really care about matchups but Jaycee Horn is looking good at one corner spot for the Panthers, and Donte Jackson isn't so bad on the other side. Jackson isn't much of a tackler, though, and both Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are capable after the catch. Jauan Jennings isn't at an obvious advantage or disadvantage against Myles Hartsfield. The concern here is that the 49ers are down to their third-string left tackle, which isn't ideal with elite edge rusher Brian Burns on the other side.

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

LAR vs DAL

RAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

Cooper Kupp should be in a good spot as almost always, though Allen Robinson probably has a better chance of getting open against Dallas than he did against San Francisco. That might not matter for either player – Kupp because he's too good for it to matter and Robinson because he's too toast – but it should be an easier matchup for Robinson than last week all the same. Ben Skowronek is barely even a receiver in theory, so the box score reflects that without regard to matchup. More concerning than the Dallas secondary is the Dallas pass rush.

Upgrade: Cooper Kupp
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Allen Robinson, Ben Skowronek

DALLAS WIDE RECEIVERS

Jalen Ramsey might or might not follow around CeeDee Lamb, but it's probably safe to say the Rams use Ramsey in shadow coverage less than most would assume or think reasonable. They sometimes call zone coverages irrespective of matchup and they'll sometimes put Ramsey on a lesser receiver while rolling coverage toward the lesser corner against the WR1, so it's not always a simple matchup here. The Rams pass defense tends to be tough because Ramsey usually shuts down whoever he's against, and Aaron Donald anchors a pass rush that makes it difficult to exploit the mismatch against the non-Ramsey corner. For all anyone knows Lamb, Michael Gallup and Noah Brown might see Ramsey an even amount, though Gallup should mostly play outside while Lamb and Brown rotate the slot snaps.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Noah Brown

ARI vs PHI

ARIZONA WIDE RECEIVERS

Marquise Brown has been excellent the last two weeks, and his target volume has been high enough all year that even when he's less than excellent he's still productive in PPR scoring. This matchup might be tough – Darius Slay might shadow Brown – but it's not clear if a shadow system is necessarily the best approach to Brown, who's so unusually small and fast that it's just a different, more perilous game than playing single coverage against most traditional WR1 types. More concerning than Slay is the Philadelphia pass rush, which can make Kyler Murray throw the ball or otherwise fail to get the ball to Brown before Brown can execute his route. Rondale Moore might see tough coverage from slot corner Avonte Maddox, who projects better against small receivers like Moore than he does bigger slot targets. If A.J. Green plays he'll likely get locked up by James Bradberry.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: A.J. Green
Even: Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore

PHILADELPHIA WIDE RECEIVERS

Byron Murphy is a good corner and the best the Cardinals have but (A) that's not saying much and (B) they haven't yet found a way to make Murphy effective on the boundary, where he would need to set up to see A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith in coverage. Of course, Murphy can only cover one of the two on a given play anyway. The Cardinals just don't have the coverage personnel to run with these receivers and they don't have the pass rush to bail out the secondary.

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

BAL vs CIN

BALTIMORE WIDE RECEIVERS

Devin Duvernay and Demarcus Robinson are your top two receivers with Rashod Bateman out. It's not good, though Duvernay has some talent at least. Robinson can block and improvise a bit when a play breaks down but that's it. Whether it's Tylan Wallace or James Proche, the third receiver Sunday will likely project for better production than Robinson. Chidobe Awuzie ought to follow Duvernay when outside, though in the slot Duvernay might be able to match up against Mike Hilton a few times. Hilton plays aggressively and fearlessly, but Duvernay has a lot of mass on him and a lot more speed.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Devin Duvernay, Demarcus Robinson

CINCINNATI WIDE RECEIVERS

Marcus Peters is potentially out again, meaning the Ravens cornerback rotation has already fallen apart just when it seemed to be getting itself together. Marlon Humphrey can line up anywhere and might shadow Ja'Marr Chase in this one, but if not he often defends the slot. It would seem like a waste to ever let him line up against a non-Chase, non-Tee Higgins receiver, though, because these other Baltimore corners just can't cover either of those two. They might not be able to cover Tyler Boyd, either, if Humphrey shadows one of Chase or Higgins. The concern with Cincinnati is their playcalling and the ability of its offensive line to function with the current approach.

Upgrade: Ja'Marr Chase (arguable lower to Even if shadowed by Humphrey), Tee Higgins
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Tyler Boyd (arguable raise to Upgrade if Humphrey shadows Chase or/and Higgins)

KC vs LV

KANSAS CITY WIDE RECEIVERS

Nate Hobbs seems like the real deal and it will be interesting to see how the Raiders use him here. Hobbs was strong in the slot as a rookie last year, though this year the Raiders have used him more outside while clearing room for Amik Robertson in the slot. Hobbs ought to make things difficult for JuJu Smith-Schuster if matched up, but the Raiders could look to more so assign Hobbs to Travis Kelce since Kelce runs so many slot snaps. Somebody in the Chiefs receiver rotation should get open, it will just be tough to tell where or when, and knowing those answers at the very least requires knowledge of where Hobbs will line up. Meanwhile, it doesn't seem like anyone on the Raiders defense can match the speed of players like Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Mecole Hardman.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman

LAS VEGAS WIDE RECEIVERS

There's nothing concerning in the cornerback matchups here – even top corner slot man L'Jarius Sneed can be beaten, while the outside corners Jaylen Watson and Rashad Fenton are likely no better than average. The concern for Adams will be the Kansas City pass rush and the Arrowhead effect on Derek Carr. Carr has historically struggled against the Chiefs, and Arrowhead is just about the last place you want to play if you're a quarterback who struggles on the road. The Raiders might be better off leaning heavily on the run in this game, though still while dialing up Adams of course. Hunter Renfrow will hopefully be back for this one, and while he gets the generally intimidating Sneed it's important to remember that Sneed impacts the game more with big plays, including against the run and in the pass rush, than he does in coverage specifically.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Mack Hollins