Welcome to my NFL Week 14 WR/CB Matchups to Attack and Avoid! In this article, I will be analyzing three matchups that we should be looking to exploit and three matchups that we should be looking to shy away from this weekend.
Matchups to Attack
Jamison Crowder vs Jomal Wiltz
Jamison Crowder has looked outstanding with Sam Darnold at quarterback in 2019. Through 9 games together, Crowder is averaging 5.4 receptions for 57.0 yards and 0.3 touchdowns on 8.0 targets per game. He has also seen a team-high 9 red zone targets this season, turning them into 5 receptions for 46 yards and 1 touchdown. Overall, he’s averaging 13.2 fantasy points per game with Darnold as his quarterback.
Crowder has played 76% of his snaps as the New York Jets slot receiver in 2019. He gets a matchup against Jomal Wiltz, who has played 87% of his snaps as the Miami Dolphins slot corner. Wiltz has struggled, allowing a 61% catch rate, while being targeted on 17% of his routes covered. He has also allowed his opponents to record 0.42 fantasy points and 1.29 yards per route covered in 2019. Overall, Wiltz has graded out as Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) second worst cornerback in the NFL this season. Crowder has seen a price reduction, as he’s coming off of two bad games, but he comes with tremendous upside, specifically in this matchup.
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Tyler Boyd vs T.J. Carrie
Tyler Boyd has seen plenty of ups and downs throughout the 2019 season. Overall, he’s averaging 5.7 receptions for 63.2 yards and 0.3 touchdowns on 9.4 targets per game. He has also been heating up recently, posting 10 receptions for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19 targets over the last 2 weeks. Boyd has also turned 6 red zone targets into 4 receptions for 40 yards and 2 touchdowns this season.
He has played the majority of his snaps (69%) as the Cincinnati Bengals slot receiver this season. Boyd gets a matchup against T.J. Carrie, who has played 49% of his snaps as the Cleveland Browns slot corner, and that’s the position he’s expected to play this week. Carrie has been targeted on 17% of his routes covered, allowing a 74% catch rate. He has also struggled, giving up 0.35 fantasy points and 1.62 yards per route covered in 2019. Carrie has graded out as a bottom-six cornerback in the NFL, according to PFF. Boyd will continue to benefit from Andy Dalton in the starting lineup. The former quietly makes an elite option on the slate this weekend.
Mike Evans vs Pierre Desir
Mike Evans has been a bit of a boom or bust option this season. Still, he’s averaging 5.5 receptions for 91.3 yards and 0.6 touchdowns on 9.7 targets per game. Evans currently leads the NFL in air yards (1,767), while boasting a 15.2 aDOT. He has seen a team-high 16 red zone targets, posting 7 receptions for 50 yards and 4 touchdowns on those targets.
Evans has played 40% of his snaps as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers left outside receiver. He’ll face off against Pierre Desir, who has only played 26% of his snaps as the Indianapolis Colts right outside cornerback. That’s the position he’s expected to play this weekend, though. Desir has been targeted on 18% of his routes covered, giving up a 72% catch rate. He has also allowed his opponents to post 0.41 fantasy points and 1.98 yards per route covered in 2019. Desir has also graded out as a bottom-eight cornerback in the NFL, per PFF. He boasts name value, but this is an elite matchup for Evans, who comes with as much upside as any receiver on this slate.
Matchups to Avoid
Davante Adams vs Quinton Dunbar
Davante Adams has only played in eight games this season, but he has performed well. He’s averaging 6.5 receptions for 80.5 yards and 0.4 touchdowns on 9.9 targets per game. He has seen double-digit targets in each of his last 5 games, and he’s averaging 21.5 fantasy points per game in those contests. While Adams has played in limited games in 2019, he has turned a team-high 13 red zone targets into 10 receptions for 60 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Adams has played 34% of his snaps as the Green Bay Packers left outside receiver in 2019. He’ll matchup against Quinton Dunbar, who has seen 87% of his snaps as the Washington Redskins right outside cornerback this season. Dunbar has given up a 60% catch rate, while being targeted on 17% of his routes covered. He has held his opponents to only 0.24 fantasy points and 1.36 yards per route covered, as well. Overall, Dunbar has graded out as PFF’s best cornerback in the NFL this season. Adams certainly comes with upside, but this will be one of his most difficult matchups on the season, and he could struggle to produce at an elite level.
John Brown vs Marcus Peters
John Brown has been enjoying a healthy 2019 season. He’s averaging 5.1 receptions for 73.5 yards and 0.4 touchdowns on 7.8 targets per game through 12 contests. He currently ranks third in the NFL in air yards (1,351) to go along with a 14.4 aDOT. Brown has also seen six red zone targets this season. He has turned those targets into 4 receptions for 34 yards and 1 touchdown.
Brown has only played 33% of his snaps as the Buffalo Bills right outside receiver. He’s expected to see plenty of time at that position this week, though. He’ll face off against Marcus Peters, who has played 52% of his snaps as a left outside cornerback in 2019. Peters has been targeted on 18% of his routes covered, holding his opponents to a 63% catch rate. He has also allowed only 0.32 fantasy points and 1.48 yards per route covered in 2019. Peters currently ranks as the fourth best cornerback in the NFL, per PFF. Brown has been an extremely consistent option in 2019, but he could lack upside in this matchup.
Sammy Watkins vs Jonathan Jones
Sammy Watkins looked elite the first week of this season, but has struggled since. Through 10 games, he’s averaging 4.2 receptions for 53.8 yards and 0.3 touchdowns on 7.1 targets per game. Watkins has seen only 659 air yards with a 9.3 aDOT. He has also posted 3 receptions for 12 yards and 1 touchdown on 6 red zone targets this season.
Watkins has played 58% of his snaps as the Kansas City Chiefs slot receiver, but that may not matter this week. He’s expected to be shadowed by Jonathan Jones, who has played 84% of his snaps as the New England Patriots slot corner. Jones has held his opponents to a 47% catch rate, while being targeted on only 16% of his routes covered. He has also held his opponents to 0.23 fantasy points and 1.10 yards per route covered. Jones has graded out as a top-eight cornerback in the NFL, according to PFF. Watkins certainly boasts upside, but this is a matchup that he shouldn’t be considered in.
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