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. 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.
 

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills (London)

JACKSONVILLE WIDE RECEIVERS

It sure seems that defenses pretty much know the plays the Jaguars are running, because the defense is beating the Jaguars to the attack point regularly. It's difficult to play offense in the NFL, and it's just about impossible when you call plays like the Jaguars have. With that said, none of the Bills corners can cover Calvin Ridley at all, so they'll probably do something other than traditional man coverage against him. Christian Kirk has the tougher 1-on-1 matchup because slot corner Taron Johnson might be the best among the Bills corners, especially with Tre'Davious White out. Christian Benford and Dane Jackson are likely your outside corners, and with competitive playcalling Zay Jones (knee) would project for a slight advantage if he's able to play.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Christian Kirk
Even: Calvin Ridley

BUFFALO WIDE RECEIVERS

Stefon Diggs should see a shadow assignment from Tyson Campbell. That's a tough matchup to call, though Diggs would have a general advantage projected even over a standout player like Campbell. The question is if the other Bills targets have such comparatively easier matchups that it makes getting them the ball easier than it is to get it to Diggs. I personally doubt the Bills will or even can move away from Diggs for long at a time, so I don't see any reason to call this a downgrade. With that said, Gabe Davis is a major build mismatch against Darious Williams and might be able to do something with that. Deonte Harty could dust Tre Herndon on a variety of routes if Ken Dorsey should try to use him that way.

Upgrade: Gabe Davis
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Stefon Diggs, Deonte Harty

Atlanta Falcons vs. Houston Texans

ATLANTA WIDE RECEIVERS

Shaquill Griffin at left corner is more easily beaten than Steven Nelson on the right, and Tavierre Thomas is likely one of the tougher slot corners at the moment. The Texans surely are aware of Griffin's limitations, so that he's vulnerable won't go unaccounted for. With that said, if Drake London gets a shot at Griffin he's probably beating him. Mack Hollins is likely dependent on jumpballs or broken coverage, and the latter is probably not a common event in any DeMeco Ryans defense.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Drake London, Mack Hollins

HOUSTON WIDE RECEIVERS

A.J. Terrell is the one formidable Falcons corner at the moment, and after shadowing Calvin Ridley last week he might be assigned Nico Collins in this game. It's an interesting matchup if the Texans should choose to attack it, though they might find it easier to just go to Tank Dell and Robert Woods against the remaining Falcons corners, Jeff Okudah and Dee Alford. Alford might be the primary matchup for Dell, to uncertain effect.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Nico Collins (arguable Upgrade if not shadowed by Terrell), Robert Woods, Tank Dell

Detroit Lions vs. Carolina Panthers

DETROIT WIDE RECEIVERS

Donte Jackson isn't anything special but if he's able to play through his shoulder issue then he's still the top Carolina corner and a candidate to shadow the Lions' primary speed threat on a given play. If Jameson Williams is on the field then he would qualify, or Kalif Raymond if lined up outside. In two-wide sets it might be Josh Reynolds who meets the definition. C.J. Henderson is more easily beaten the two. If Amon-Ra St. Brown (abdomen) can play he should see some rotation between Jeremy Chinn and Troy Hill, who are arguably tougher than the boundary corners but still not sufficient for concern.

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

CAROLINA WIDE RECEIVERS

Adam Thielen might get a break here with Brian Branch limited or out, making the slot easier to target. Standout corner Emmanuel Moseley appears ready to make his Lions debut after recovering from a torn ACL, and he should be their top boundary corner as soon as he's up to speed. Even if he's there already, Moseley needs to be careful against receivers like DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall and Jonathan Mingo, who all have much bigger frames than Moseley, whose liability is his light build. Still, Bryce Young has not played like an NFL quarterback to this point and all wideouts but Thielen might be difficult for him to access.

Upgrade: Adam Thielen
Downgrade: N/A
Even: DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall, Jonathan Mingo

Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans

INDIANAPOLIS WIDE RECEIVERS

After a letdown game in Week 4 this should be a good bounce-back spot for Michael Pittman. Even with Jonathan Taylor back the Colts are unlikely to run well against the Tennessee front seven, leaving slack that Pittman almost necessarily needs to pick up. Corners like Kristian Fulton and Roger McCreary are prepared to engage Pittman underneath, but (A) there's no guarantee he loses there and (B) Pittman definitely gains an advantage on those corners the farther downfield he goes, because Fulton and McCreary both badly lack reach and have just average athleticism otherwise. Alec Pierce can definitely dust them too, though Sean Murphy-Bunting has the wheels to keep pace with Pierce. Josh Downs doesn't have an obvious advantage over McCreary in the slot at the moment.

Upgrade: Michael Pittman
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Alec Pierce, Josh Downs

TENNESSEE WIDE RECEIVERS

The Colts corners were less than great to start with, and then they lost their best one (Dallis Flowers) to injury. Kenny Moore is a distinguished all-purpose defender in the slot, but he's not known as a coverage guy specifically and probably can't step up outside to offset the loss of Flowers. Rookie JuJu Brents will likely play left corner while Moore and Jaylon Jones play on the right. Both of the boundary corners are easy targets for someone like DeAndre Hopkins, though Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Chris Moore aren't really the types to separate from anyone in particular.

Upgrade: DeAndre Hopkins
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Chris Moore

Miami Dolphins vs. New York Giants

MIAMI WIDE RECEIVERS

Adoree' Jackson is a decent trait match to players like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle but Jackson's poor playmaking history implies the Dolphins won't get burned if they target him anyway. Meanwhile, rookie Deonte Banks is an incredible athlete but probably a little too big and heavy to be called a trait match, perhaps making him and fellow rookie corner Tre Hawkins particularly vulnerable.

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

GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt can easily burn players like Xavien Howard and Justin Bethel, so the Giants should try to dial up something downfield there. The pass blocking has been an issue with the Giants, however, so it might be easier said than done to aim far downfield. Isaiah Hodgins presents a medium option, specializing more in the intermediate, but the Giants decreased his playing time substantially last week in favor of Hyatt. Wan'Dale Robinson gets a tough matchup against Kader Kohou, but the Giants' pass-blocking issues might make Daniel Jones look Robinson's way regularly anyway.

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

New England Patriots vs. New Orleans Saints

NEW ENGLAND WIDE RECEIVERS

Marshon Lattimore has mostly played the right side this year, with Paulson Adebo (hamstring) on the left when healthy and replaced by Alontae Taylor when not. DeVante Parker has lined up on the left a little more than the right, meaning he should see more of Adebo/Taylor than Lattimore, but all three are challenges with the Patriots passing game in a rough state. Kendick Bourne figures to see a little more of Lattimore, while JuJu Smith-Schuster or/and Demario Douglas arguably get the easiest matchup against Taylor, though that's not saying much.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne
Even: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Demario Douglas

NEW ORLEANS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Patriots had the league's deepest cornerback group going into the year, yet their depth chart is already obliterated by injury anyway. Particularly if Jonathan Jones (ankle) is out again, this cover group just doesn't look that good. Guys like Shaun Wade and especially Myles Bryant can't cover very well. They definitely can't cover Chris Olave, but they can't cover Michael Thomas or Rashid Shaheed either. Then again, Derek Carr might not be able to hit the broad side of a barn more than five yards downfield at the moment.

Upgrade: Chris Olave (lowered to Even if shadowed by Jones), Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

PITTSBURGH WIDE RECEIVERS

Marlon Humphrey is not expected to return quite yet, giving George Pickens a green light to get open. Brandon Stephens and slot defender Kyle Hamilton are more easily beaten than Humphrey, but Hamilton can probably shut down Allen Robinson. Calvin Austin can probably beat Stephens but has less of an angle against Ronald Darby.

Upgrade: George Pickens
Downgrade: Allen Robinson
Even: Calvin Austin

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BALTIMORE WIDE RECEIVERS

Zay Flowers should have a favorable matchup here against Chandon Sullivan, who just hasn't shown much as a slot corner over the years. The other Baltimore receivers are tricky to evaluate, if only because it's impossible to tell how healthy Rashod Bateman or Odell Beckham might be, though both are expected to play here. Nelson Agholor is not normally much of a receiver, but against the struggling Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace there could be opportunity for Agholor if Bateman/Beckham remain hobbled.

Upgrade: Zay Flowers
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Rashod Bateman, Odell Beckham, Nelson Agholor
 

Arizona Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Bengals

ARIZONA WIDE RECEIVERS

Although Chidobe Awuzie and Cam Taylor-Britt are both excellent athletes, they're also both much bigger than Marquise Brown and probably don't want to get left on an island against him. Michael Wilson is more effectively trait-matched by Awuzie and CTB, though Wilson is rapidly earning a benefit of the doubt after a strong game against the tough 49ers secondary. Rondale Moore has been reduced to something only resembling a wide receiver, and he's basically dependent on busted pursuit at this point to do anything after the catch or carry, and Mike Hilton is usually pretty good in that regard.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Rondale Moore
Even: Marquise Brown, Michael Wilson

CINCINNATI WIDE RECEIVERS

This is getting annoying to write every week: Ja'Marr Chase will be wide open, but it's not clear whether Joe Burrow's calf will allow Chase to capitalize. Even Tyler Boyd should be pretty open in this one. Trenton Irwin is probably the line where we cut off the assumption.

Upgrade: Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Trenton Irwin

Los Angeles Rams vs. Philadelphia Eagles

RAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

James Bradberry has been the primary slot corner for the Eagles without Avonte Maddox, which arguably introduces an additional concern because it's not clear yet whether Bradberry is as good in the slot as he is outside, where the Eagles are trying to accommodate Josh Jobe instead if making Jobe play the slot as Maddox did. Darius Slay is at left corner while Jobe is on the right. Jobe is a liability, and Sean McVay presumably will target him. Puka Nacua would benefit the most from that particular matchup if so, though Cooper Kupp would also have an advantage over Bradberry in the slot. Tutu Atwell and Van Jefferson can both beat Jobe, and Atwell from the slot would be tough for a big corner like Bradberry.

Upgrade: Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson

PHILADELPHIA WIDE RECEIVERS

I have no idea how this is the case but the Rams corners have gotten good results this year despite clearly not being able to cover particularly well. Derion Kendrick is a major burn risk downfield while Ahkello Witherspoon has no real history of doing anything well consistently. Cobie Durant in the slot is the best prospect of the three, yet he probably won't have a lot to do against Olamide Zaccheaus or/and Quez Watkins. Kendrick and Witherspoon against AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith is unfair.

Upgrade: AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets

DENVER WIDE RECEIVERS

D.J. Reed is out for the Jets, leaving a vulnerability at right corner while Sauce Gardner remains on the left. The Jets could move slot corner Michael Carter into Reed's spot in two-wide situations, otherwise the next corner up appears to be Bryce Hall or Brandin Echols, both of them major downgrades. Even Gardner has struggled at times this year, but he should be entirely in his element against a receiver built like Courtland Sutton. Sutton would find more room on the right side, the defense's left. Jerry Jeudy would be a more challenging cover for Gardner.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton

JETS WIDE RECEIVERS

Like Tyreek Hill, Garrett Wilson is dissimilar to Patrick Surtain in terms of build and movement, and that probably leaves Surtain at a coverage disadvantage. Zach Wilson's play will determine whether Garrett can capitalize. Allen Lazard should be able to beat the other Denver corners, while Randall Cobb has yet to demonstrate any particular utility with the Jets.

Upgrade: Allen Lazard
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Garrett Wilson

Minnesota Vikings vs. Kansas City Chiefs

MINNESOTA WIDE RECEIVERS

The Chiefs have good, varied corner personnel and should be able to make Kirk Cousins press a little in this one. No defense is a cause for concern with Justin Jefferson, but a player like K.J. Osborn is not going to create a single bit of separation against corners like L'Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie. Jordan Addison can win against corners like that, but the Vikings prefer to challenge themselves by leaving yardage on the field and running Osborn ahead of Addison.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: K.J. Osborn
Even: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison

KANSAS CITY WIDE RECEIVERS

Kadarius Toney and Rashee Rice are the Chiefs receivers most likely to draw a target on a given snap, yet Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson play the most snaps for the Chiefs receivers. To me the Chiefs are asking for trouble by budgeting things that way, but perhaps the younger trio of Toney/Rice are getting prepped for bigger workloads going forward. Short of that, it's not easy to see how any of the Chiefs receivers break out going forward, though the Vikings secondary is bad enough that Moore and Valdes-Scantling in particular have a good setup here.

Upgrade: Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Rashee Rice, Kadarius Toney, Justin Watson
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys

SAN FRANCISCO WIDE RECEIVERS

Deebo Samuel was mostly reduced to a decoy in Week 4, though hopefully his knee/rib issues are more recovered in time for this game. Samuel is basically exempt from coverage matchup considerations because of his novel usage, so in that sense every matchup is good for him. Brandon Aiyuk is the more traditional receiver of the two, but his downfield abilities might have to go on the shelf for one week with the Dallas pass rush encouraging quick releases. Playing underneath isn't really how you make Stephon Gilmore or DaRon Bland uncomfortable, so it's a bit of a challenge for Shanahan to crack that code.

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

DALLAS WIDE RECEIVERS

The 49ers defense is strong, but that strength is expressed more in the front seven than the secondary. Charvarius Ward is tough at left corner, but Deommodore Lenoir is more easily beaten on the right. CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup are all likely too much for Lenoir, who will have help rolled his way. Slot man Isaiah Oliver should be tough on shorter fields, but after 10 yards or so he can't cover Lamb or Cooks without help.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: CeeDee Lamb (the less Ward the better), Brandin Cooks, Michael Gallup

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Green Bay Packers

LAS VEGAS WIDE RECEIVERS

Davante Adams versus Jaire Alexander could be on the card here, and it would certainly be an interesting matchup to observe if so. Then again, Alexander is returning from a back injury that cost him the last two games, so he might not be quite himself. Rasul Douglas has no prayer against Adams and probably not Jakobi Meyers either. The Packers corner depth beyond that is poor.

Upgrade: Davante Adams (arguably lower to Even if Alexander is 100 percent), Jakobi Meyers (arguably lower to Even if Eric Stokes is active)
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

GREEN BAY WIDE RECEIVERS

Nate Hobbs is the toughest Raiders corner, yet by leaving him in the slot the Raiders make it easy for opponents to pick on the other, lesser corners on the boundary. Rookie Jakorian Bennett is incredibly athletic but much smaller than either of Christian Watson or Romeo Doubs, while on the other side Marcus Peters has been a burn risk for years. It's the rookie Jayden Reed who gets the toughest matchup as the primary slot man.

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