Every week, I’ll go over the WR/CB matchups you need to know in fantasy football, and hopefully it will help you win a game or two by starting the right guy! I’m not gonna bring up the clear-cut guys you should start every week, like Puka, Chase, etc.; instead, I’ll focus on guys who should be in your flex or maybe high up on your bench and have a favorable matchup.
*The following matchups are based on the most recent depth chart announcements and could change due to unforeseen injuries or gameplan adjustments*
WR DJ Moore | CB Derek Stingley Jr.
The hype around DJ Moore and Josh Allen has been real this offseason after the Buffalo Bills traded for the veteran WR, but let’s take a step back and talk about it. While gaining one of the best QBs in the league, Moore is still coming off the worst season of his career, and his first game with his new team will have him facing off against one of the best CBs in the NFL.
Derek Stingley Jr. allowed just 4.9 yards per target last season, leading all outside CBs in the NFL, while Moore averaged just 40.1 yards per game last season. It would be very surprising if Moore had over 60 yards, and even 50 may be a tall task against Stingley Jr and a Houston Texans defense that some project to be the NFL’s best.
Bench DJ Moore
WR Carnell Tate | CB Brandon Stephens
I know what you’re thinking: the Tennessee Titans finished 31st in passing yards last season, but hear me out. Tennessee brings in Brian Daboll as the new Offensive Coordinator, all while drafting Carnell Tate to be the franchise WR they haven’t had since A.J. Brown was traded to the Eagles in 2022.
Historically, Brian Daboll has schemed up a system that really targets just one wide receiver, and that receiver is Carnell Tate, just like it was Malik Nabers, then Wan’Dale Robinson after Nabers’ injury. Combine this with a matchup against Brandon Stephens, who Pro Football Focus ranked 55th of 114 qualified cornerbacks. Stephens is only a starter because he’s on the Jets; on most other teams, he’d be listed as the CB2 or CB3.
Start Carnell Tate
WR Michael Pittman Jr. | CB Mike Hughes
The Atlanta Falcons finished 13th in passing yards allowed last season, slightly above average, but that may not be enough as the Pittsburgh Steelers brought in former Indianapolis Colts WR1 Michael Pittman Jr. to be their WR2, giving the Steelers one of the best receiving duos in the league.
Pittman is coming off a season where he finished as the WR18 and thought his career, when healthy, he’s been finishing in the late teens, so moving to the WR2 role may not give him the targets he needs to elevate his game, but like Devonta Smith last season, it’s going to be matchup-dependent for the games he has 15+ points, and I think he starts the season off with that vs an average Falcons pass defense.
Start Michael Pittman Jr.
WR Jordan Addison | CB Brandon Cisse
Kyler Murray is starting over J.J. McCarthy; surely that means Jordan Addison will go back to what he was right, RIGHT? No. I’m buying into Justin Jefferson returning to form, but not Jordan Addison. The Minnesota Vikings also brought in Jauan Jennings, who’s no slouch.
The one thing Addison does have going for him is that his matchup will be a second-round rookie CB, Brandon Cisse, who the Packers organization appears to love throughout training camp and preseason, so it’s going to be a good sign for how one of these players will perform this year.
I’m avoiding Addison even though he has a rookie CB on him. He had a rough year last year, finishing as the WR45, but in the two matchups against the Green Bay Packers, he had 4 targets for 1 reception and 8 yards. He averaged 0.90 points against this team last year.
Bench Jordan Addison.
WR Courtland Sutton | CB Mansoor Delane
Let me start by saying this isn’t a dig at Mansoor Delane’s abilities but more so at the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense as a whole. The Denver Broncos added Jaylen Waddle, who will be a serious threat to them and will exploit the weak safety duo over the top.
The problem for the Broncos is that Andy Reid is one of the smartest Head Coaches in the league, so he’s going to game plan for Waddle’s explosiveness. That’s where Courtland Sutton comes in. Sutton will be able to exploit Delane’s first game in the NFL as the safeties worry about Waddle. Sutton can easily have a 100-yard game to start the season.
Start Courtland Sutton
Other Content
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