Wide Receivers vs. Cornerbacks: Week 3 Matchups

This article will go game by game for the Week 3 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.

Cleveland Browns vs. New York Giants

CLEVELAND BROWNS WIDE RECEIVERS

Amari Cooper can beat corners better than Deonte Banks and Cor'Dale Flott, and Jerry Jeudy can probably be a lot for both corners, too. To this point in 2024 target volume in the Cleveland offense has proven to be close to worthless, however, with Cooper's 17 targets yielding 27 yards. As much as Cooper's yards-per-target will obviously rise over the course of the year, it remains difficult to project how much actionable opportunity he might see after accounting for the struggles of Deshaun Watson. Rookie slot corner Andru Phillips should mostly see Elijah Moore, to unclear effect, but Moore hasn't really done much to earn the benefit of the doubt to this point.

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

NEW YORK GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Malik Nabers drew targets at a rapid rate in Week 2 (18 on 45 snaps), and it will be difficult to maintain that rate in general but especially against corners as good as the Browns have. If Myles Garrett (foot) is limited or out then it would be helpful for Nabers and the Giants wideouts, perhaps very much so, but no matter the other details it isn't easy to get around the boundary duo of Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson, nor is it easy to beat Greg Newsome in the slot. Even if Nabers' efficiency suffers for it, though, his target rate through two weeks probably dictates that he starts in pretty much any format. Daniel Jones has botched opportunities much better than this, though, and so the matchup is similarly concerning for slot man Wan'Dale Robinson and boundary field stretcher Darius Slayton.

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

Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Michael Pittman will have to get going eventually, including potentially in this game, but the matchup is undoubtedly a tough one. Pittman might see a special assignment from Jaylon Johnson, one of the top corners in the league, and even if he doesn't Tyrique Stevenson on the other side looks formidable in his own right. Kyler Gordon in the slot doesn't look any easier than Stevenson on the boundary. Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell have the speed to get past any of the three corners, but getting the Indianapolis passing game into a rhythm might still be a challenge. Good as Josh Downs is and as much as he can help the Colts offense, it's difficult to give him the advantage over Gordon in the first game back from a high-ankle sprain.

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

CHICAGO BEARS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Shane Waldron offense somehow looks even worse than the Luke Getsy one, with everything out of rhythm and the offensive line struggling badly. Even a player like right tackle Darnell Wright has struggled after a promising 2023 rookie year. The good news for the Bears is the Colts are without star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (ankle), and top pass rusher Laiatu Latu (hip) might be out, too. Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo are dangerous in their own right, but Buckner and Latu are the top two players on that defense. DJ Moore is way too much for corners like Jaylon Jones, Dallis Flowers and Samuel Womack on the boundary. Slot corner Kenny Moore is a good player but not a feared cover presence specifically, so if Keenan Allen (heel) can play he might be a factor. Rome Odunze (knee) playing hurt isn't ideal, especially given the other dysfunctional details of the Bears offense, but these corners can't run with him.

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

Minnesota Vikings vs. Houston Texans

MINNESOTA VIKINGS WIDE RECEIVERS

Justin Jefferson (quadriceps) expects to play, and as long as he does he should be able to hold his own here. With Jordan Addison (ankle) looking highly questionable at best, Jefferson should see big a high target share that negates any potential concerns about per-target efficiency. Derek Stingley might be the main assignment for Jefferson, and that's less than ideal, but there's generally more reason to believe Stingley is in trouble against Jefferson than the other way around. Still, Stingley is a much tougher cover than Kamari Lassiter, who has done well to this point but probably can't match the downfield speed of Jefferson or even Jalen Nailor. With that said, Lassiter at the very least appears comfortable up to the intermediate, so Nailor probably needs to get downfield or find a zone gap to get much going, which isn't easy against the Houston pass rush. Brandon Powell probably won't find much more than forfeit checkdown opportunities, and since the Texans have used safeties (mainly Jalen Pitre) at slot corner Powell probably won't be forcing too many missed tackles.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Jalen Nailor, Brandon Powell
Even: Justin Jefferson

HOUSTON TEXANS WIDE RECEIVERS

Nico Collins (hip/foot) seems like he'll be fine to play, and in most cases Collins isn't too concerned with the matchup either way. In this case the Vikings top two corners – Byron Murphy and Stephon Gilmore – have no prayer of covering Collins without the pass rush intervening. Perhaps it will, but the Vikings pass defense overall has more moxie than it does true firepower. Murphy often goes into the slot in nickel formations, at which point the particularly burnable Shaquill Griffin steps in at Murphy's former boundary spot, though in other cases they'll leave Murphy on the boundary and play safety Josh Metellus at the slot rep. The Texans go three-wide enough that it might be difficult for the Vikings to hide Gilmore and especially Griffin and Metellus, so I'd guess in this game Murphy will get more of the slot looks than Metellus, because the alternative is giving Diggs in single coverage against a safety. Given that Stefon Diggs appears to be the primary slot receiver for the Texans, he should see the most of Murphy in three-wide looks, and that's probably the toughest defensive matchup of the three. Tank Dell should bounce back here both in general and especially in the event that Murphy stalls Diggs at all. The Brian Flores defensive scheme may well be one of the best in recent memory, like some Deus Ex Machina to make any cornerback look good via the pass rush, but the pure personnel of the Vikings secondary is not very imposing.

Upgrade: Nico Collins, Tank Dell
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Stefon Diggs (arguable Upgrade if the Vikings play Metellus in the slot instead of Murphy)

New Orleans Saints vs. Philadelphia Eagles

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Who knows if/when NFL defenses will catch on to the tendencies of the Klint Kubiak offense, but both of New Orleans' first two opponents were immediately destroyed by the Saints' downfield passing game, with the electric Rashid Shaheed doing most of the damage. Shaheed is a very good player, but Chris Olave is still better and there will come some point where Olave is the one wielding the dagger. This game would make a lot of sense, both in the general regression sense and because the matchup suits it. Shaheed is also dangerous to any corner, but Olave projects as a clearly stronger wideout than Darius Slay or Quinyon Mitchell do at cornerback at this point. That the Eagles seemingly have no edge rush to speak of means both Olave and Shaheed should have plenty of time to get open, even though they might not really need it. Solid as Slay and Mitchell might be as a boundary tandem, this seems like a good spot for both Olave and Shaheed.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES WIDE RECEIVERS

Jahan Dotson ran a lot of routes in the place of A.J. Brown (hamstring) last week, but he saw very little usage (one target) while slot specialist Britain Covey for some reason saw six useless targets. The more the Eagles throw to Covey in this game, the nearer they come to defeat. Perhaps Dotson has some issue or another that explains his lack of production, but if so it leaves the Eagles in a dangerous spot here because as it stands only DeVonta Smith has any realistic shot of getting open against these corners. Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo on the boundary are probably a little tougher than Alontae Taylor in the slot, but any of the Saints corners projects for the easy advantage against any non-Smith Eagles wideout. It should be a high-volume game for Smith, because there's just no other way for the Eagles to present a credible threat here.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Jahan Dotson
Even: DeVonta Smith (strong chance of high target share, however)

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Chargers

PITTSBURGH STEELERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Van Jefferson just can't really do much, so even against a mediocre corner rotation of Asante Samuel, Kristian Fulton and Ja'Sir Taylor (slot) there's not much reason to expect anything. The activation of Roman Wilson might press Jefferson's margins even further. Wilson could be a breath of fresh air for a passing game that needs it, and he provides crucial downfield speed that Jefferson does not. If the Steelers don't set loose Wilson then the only receiver who projects for much reliable usage, as always, is George Pickens. Pickens should be too much for corners like these, though the low passing ambitions of the Steelers offense means volume is not truly guaranteed – just usage share.

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

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Josh Palmer (calf/elbow) is not trending the right way, so Quentin Johnston might again need to be the primary boundary receiver here for the Chargers. Ladd McConkey continues to mostly play the slot, though perhaps he might see more boundary snaps in a setting like this. The Chargers will probably want to stay in two-tight end formations as much as possible to manage the Steelers pass-rush threat, so while McConkey should get most slot reps up for grabs, the Chargers might need to force him outside a little more in this one. If the Chargers can call some slot looks then McConkey would mostly face Beanie Bishop, but it's not clear if McConkey will get cracks at him or more so the boundary corners Joey Porter and Donte Jackson. It doesn't look like an obviously good matchup for the Chargers, especially when you factor in Justin Herbert's ankle injury.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Quentin Johnston
Even: Ladd McConkey

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Denver Broncos

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Mike Evans is a strong candidate to see shadow treatment from Patrick Surtain, which is not what you want to hear as an Evans investor. Still, given Tampa's disappointing run game and the lack of compelling targets otherwise from Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, Evans might be able to offset any efficiency concerns re: Surtain by maintaining a high target volume here. Godwin still has the easier matchup, even though slot man Ja'Quan McMillian might be decent. McMillan also has an easier matchup than Evans, likely running against Riley Moss in the event that Surtain shadows Evans.

Upgrade: Chris Godwin
Downgrade: Mike Evans
Even: Jalen McMillan

DENVER BRONCOS WIDE RECEIVERS

This abomination of an offense in theory can't get any worse, but that's not the same as a guarantee that much will get better. This team is clearly the result of many bad ideas, so many so that they appear doomed for the near and somewhat distant future. Marvin Mims is the best Broncos receiver aside from Courtland Sutton, but as his mind frays Sean Payton drifts further away from whatever it was that made him successful in New Orleans (just Drew Brees?), so there's no reason to expect anything insightful from Payton. Devaughn Vele is big and can run a little, but to this point Bo Nix hasn't been able to complete much more than screen passes. Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum both counter the builds of Sutton and Vele, as well as Josh Reynolds, so it's not obvious where the Broncos can produce an edge here.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, Josh Reynolds

Tennessee Titans vs. Green Bay Packers

TENNESSEE TITANS WIDE RECEIVERS

Calvin Ridley was impressive against the Jets in Week 2, and he'll look to keep it going here against a Green Bay defense that is at once improved yet still somewhat vulnerable in its secondary. Jaire Alexander is the one corner you want to avoid, but the presence of DeAndre Hopkins might deter the Packers from assigning Alexander to Ridley specifically. If Ridley does get shadowed by Alexander it wouldn't be the end of Ridley's fantasy value, but there's no doubt that it's easier to get open against Eric Stokes and especially slot man Keisean Nixon. Getting Ridley into the slot would be one way to potentially keep him away from away from Alexander.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Calvin Ridley (arguable downgrade if shadowed by Alexander), DeAndre Hopkins

GREEN BAY PACKERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Malik Willis was better than expected in Week 2, and there's real reason to hope that he figures it out a little bit at the NFL level, but even in last week's good game he only threw 13 passes. If Willis can't throw the ball more than 20 times per game then it becomes extremely difficult to identify fantasy opportunities for Green Bay's receivers. To this point L'Jarius Sneed has mostly lined up on the boundary – he lined up everywhere in Kansas City – but if Sneed stays on the boundary that should allow Jayden Reed to avoid Sneed and instead face Roger McCreary. McCreary is tough in his own right, but if you can make McCreary turn and run it puts him in a tougher spot. Someone like Romeo Doubs is probably at the risk of seeing the most Sneed, which probably wouldn't be ideal for Doubs. But again, the bigger issue than the matchup here is the fact that Green Bay probably doesn't aspire to throw the ball more than 20 times.

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

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Carolina Panthers

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Jaycee Horn is normally good, but not so much so that it's a concern for Davante Adams, who had a huge game against Baltimore in Week 2. Although the Ravens secondary wasn't at full health, it was a dominant showing that makes Adams the favorite even when matched up against someone of Horn's caliber. Jakobi Meyers probably doesn't get as many looks as he should, due to Gardner Minshew's relatively lacking ability to see and anticipate the field, so as the third read between himself, Adams and Brock Bowers it's tough to guess whether Meyers might see substantial opportunity. If Horn is on Adams, though, it could give the Raiders reason to look more at Meyers, who would in that case be running against Michael Jackson. Jackson almost certainly can't cover Meyers for a whole game.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers (arguable Upgrade if Horn shadows Adams)

CAROLINA PANTHERS WIDE RECEIVERS

People are dancing in the streets – there is hope at last! – because the Panthers are turning to Andy Dalton at quarterback. It's probably still a bad situation, but the Panthers offensive line is much better than last year and a guy like Diontae Johnson in particular is clearly capable of producing much more than he has in the first two weeks. Adam Thielen is also capable of better, though in this game he might see a lot of top Raiders corner Nate Hobbs. Xavier Legette and Jonathan Mingo are splitting the remaining reps, for some reason, making it difficult for either to help the team. Even Johnson faces a potentially tough matchup here – Jack Jones is almost perfectly built to counter the traits Johnson presents – though Jakorian Bennett on the other side is presumably more beatable.

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

Seattle Seahawks vs. Miami Dolphins

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS WIDE RECEIVERS

D.K. Metcalf should see a lot of Jalen Ramsey in this one, to uncertain effect. Ramsey is almost 30 now, and while he remains a good counter to Metcalf's build, Ramsey might lack the wheels to safety hold up against Metcalf one-on-one. If the Dolphins don't put Ramsey on Metcalf that's even better, because the otherwise competent Kendall Fuller lacks the build or speed to match up with a tall/fast wideout like Metcalf. Slot man Kader Kohou might or might not be a competent counter to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who showed signs of turning a corner in Week 2. Tyler Lockett is always a threat to provide a quality box score, but players like Fuller and Kohou match his traits fairly well.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: D.K. Metcalf (arguable Upgrade if not shadowed by Ramsey), Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tyler Lockett

MIAMI DOLPHINS WIDE RECEIVERS

Riq Woolen is one of the most athletic players in NFL history, but running a 4.2 on a 6-foot-4 frame doesn't mean you're ready to mirror Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle. Indeed, Woolen would much rather face a wideout built more like himself – having to chase tiny wideouts when your legs are so much longer probably feels a lot like chasing a squirrel. The problem for Hill and Waddle isn't the matchup but rather their quarterback situation, because – not that this is his fault – Skylar Thompson should not be in the NFL. Thompson wasn't even a good quarterback by Kansas State standards, so the idea of him playing in the NFL was always crazy. There might not be enough YAC in the world to save Thompson against any defense, and the Seahawks have a pass rush, too.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Tyreek Hill (downgrade for QB reasons), Jaylen Waddle (see Hill)

Arizona Cardinals vs. Detroit Lions

ARIZONA CARDINALS WIDE RECEIVERS

We're still figuring out how good the Cardinals can be, and we're also waiting to see how much improved the Detroit defense is from 2023. Last year's Detroit defense was great against the run and bad against the pass, but it looks like this year's version might be good against both the run and the pass. With two two-gap nose tackles in their four-man front the Lions can shut down most run games without allocating too many additional resources, and if the pass rush continues to thrive with Aidan Hutchinson then the improved Detroit secondary could be in a good position all year. With that said, big improvements or not, Marvin Harrison is probably a better receiver than Carlton Davis, Terrion Arnold or Brian Branch are cornerbacks. The question is whether the Cardinals can deter the Lions from selling out successfully against Harrison, because Arizona's thin wideout group isn't necessarily prepared to hurt the Lions for doing so. Michael Wilson is a solid player but probably doesn't have any angles on corners like Arnold or especially Davis. If Greg Dortch is getting targets it probably means the Cardinals are losing, but if they lose this game then Dortch could be somewhat busy.

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

DETROIT LIONS WIDE RECEIVERS

Amon-Ra St. Brown should make it two big weeks in a row here, as his quadriceps injury from last week appears to be close to a non-issue. Cardinals slot corner Garrett Williams may well turn out to be a fine player, but 'decent' doesn't really do much to deter St. Brown. Jameson Williams continues to look explosive and is certainly a threat to produce here, but he might get the slightly tougher matchup than St. Brown if Williams has to see the most of Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas. The bigger point here might be that the Cardinals lack a pass rush, so between that fact and the fact that the game is indoors, Jared Goff should be able to play better here than he did in the first two weeks, which would be welcome news for any Detroit route runner.

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

Dallas Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens

DALLAS COWBOYS WIDE RECEIVERS

CeeDee Lamb has so much talent and such high usage that matchups just don't really matter, but this could be a tougher one than most. If the Ravens are without Nate Wiggins again they might be a bit shorthanded, though, and slot rover Kyle Hamilton is working through a back issue himself. Marlon Humphrey wouldn't be a true deterrent to Lamb as a shadow assignment, and the Ravens might not use Humphrey on Lamb, anyway. As much as it's difficult to identify a weakness for Dallas to attack, Lamb can win against strength, so it's more so an issue for secondary targets like Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert. If Wiggins is out and Hamilton is limited, though, then even those guys could get some good looks.

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

BALTIMORE RAVENS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Ravens have zero downfield passing attack – a necessary outcome of how GM Eric DeCosta chose to assemble their route-running personnel – and that's a problem when you play Dallas. The Saints torched Dallas in Week 2 because Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave are monstrous downfield threats, and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak teed them up to knock out the Dallas defense with big plays. Zay Flowers has the speed to access deep routes but lacks reach and hasn't shown the greatest tracking so far in Baltimore, which is compounded by Todd Monken's bizarre insistence on using Flowers underneath. Rashod Bateman is good underneath and bad downfield, so of course Baltimore mostly makes him run downfield. Corners like Trevon Diggs and Caelan Carson couldn't turn and run with the Saints wideouts, but you rarely have to turn and run against Baltimore's route combos. Diggs and Carson should be comfortable here.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Rashod Bateman
Even: Zay Flowers

Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers

LOS ANGELES RAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

That fell apart in a hurry. The Rams' early-season collapse is a reminder that there's only so much a team can do when Bad Luck singles you out, and for their suffering they now get to face the 49ers. Demarcus Robinson generally does poorly as a leading target – his best work happens when the defense sort of forgets about him – which unfortunately isn't an option here now that he's the Rams' temporary WR1. Tyler Johnson can't repeat the YAC numbers he had in Week 2, and he can't stretch the field otherwise. Jordan Whittington is more talented than both but who knows what that would amount to in this setting. The Rams are playing with no wideouts and a beat-up offensive line against one of the better front fours in the league. Not good.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Jordan Whittington
Even: N/A

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Brandon Aiyuk at once should and also must come through here for the 49ers since they'll be without Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. It's been a frustrating beginning to the year Aiyuk, but this is the absolute best get-right spot a receiver could possibly ask for (short of playing Washington, anyway). Jauan Jennings is plenty capable of providing production against this dubious and smallish Rams secondary, though Jennings can't line up outside often due to his 4.7 speed.

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

Atlanta Falcons vs. Kansas City Chiefs

ATLANTA FALCONS WIDE RECEIVERS

Darnell Mooney finally got going a bit in Week 2, albeit while catching only three of his seven targets. Mooney is a good player and if Kirk Cousins (Achilles) can get it going then Mooney should stand to benefit, but it's not obvious where that whole story is headed. Drake London follows a similar theme, though he's capable of much more. Even a distinguished corner like Trent McDuffie probably isn't a true deterrent against London – London has a major reach advantage over McDuffie even if there's no separation – but the Kansas City pass rush and disguised coverages might be a lot for Cousins to deal with at the moment. If Ray Ray McCloud has another busy day then the Falcons offense probably found itself in a difficult spot.

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

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS WIDE RECEIVERS

Rashee Rice is getting moved around a little more than last year, but his depth of target is still extremely low as the Chiefs once again find themselves limited to the underneath due to their inability to break two-high shells. Defenses will almost always choose to sell out against the pass against Kansas City, and now that they're without Marquise Brown and Isiah Pacheco they don't have nearly as much ability to make the defense pay for it. If Brown and Xavier Worthy had both been healthy then you'd at least be able to drive both safeties back every time, clearing the intermediate, but as things stand Rice and Travis Kelce are trapped in the underneath and Worthy sort of just runs himself out of the play otherwise. A real running game would be an easy antidote, but the Chiefs probably don't have one now. That the Falcons safeties are the best in the league adds an additional layer of concern. You have to like Rice every single week because of his talent and usage, and Worthy still has a case for his own hype, but the Chiefs might be in a somewhat challenging position here despite their general superiority over the Falcons.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson

Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

BUFFALO BILLS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Bills need to get Curtis Samuel going at some point – his preseason turf toe injury is almost certainly the explanation for why he has barely played so far – but it also remains unclear whether Samuel is fully healthy or will be anytime soon. In the meantime Khalil Shakir sure seems like the most reliable Buffalo wideout, as rookie Keon Coleman has mostly been a jumpball specialist on the boundary, as expected. If Samuel isn't around to get in Shakir's way then this should be an active game for the former Boise State standout, and in any case the Jaguars pass defense is in bad shape right now. Ronald Darby might be decent on the left, but Montaric Brown on the right needs help and slot rookie Jarrian Jones probably shouldn't be favored against a quality veteran like Shakir, either. Mack Hollins is mostly a blocker and largely tips off the play call to the defense, but if the Bills are going to stick with the bit anyway then Hollins will apparently play a lot of snaps going forward. Hollins can't get open against anyone but he is a lot bigger than all of the Jaguars defensive backs.

Upgrade: Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Curtis Samuel (would list as Upgrade if playing time were assured but it is not), Mack Hollins

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS WIDE RECEIVERS

Christian Kirk, Brian Thomas and Gabe Davis are a good wideout trio, but the Jaguars are so comically mismanaged that it just doesn't matter. Good defense or bad, the Jaguars offense has to play on a higher difficulty level than almost any other offense because Press Taylor and Doug Pederson simply have no qualifications for the jobs they lack the honor to resign from. The Bills defense, meanwhile, is one of the best-coached in the league. These corners can't truly cover these receivers, especially far downfield, but the Jaguars aren't a real football team, either.

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

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Washington Commanders

CINCINNATI BENGALS WIDE RECEIVERS

Ja'Marr Chase has struggled to this point but this absolutely must be a get-right spot for him. For Chase to fail in this setting is almost inconceivable, both because the Bengals know they need to fix his production immediately and because the Washington defense is very inviting. The cornerback personnel point blank is not good enough to run with Chase at all. Emmanuel Forbes is the only one with the wheels to do it, but he's still a work in progress at best. Benjamin St-Juste is a particularly easy target on the other side. Tee Higgins has his height matched by the 6-foot-3 St-Juste, but can probably still get St-Juste crossed up. In fact, if there's any threat to Chase's production in this game it would be the possibility of the Commanders defense letting everyone get open, but even if Higgins or/and Andrei Iosivas have good games here it should just be a reason for the Bengals to light it up and try to really get Joe Burrow moving.

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

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Terry McLaurin appears doomed to being the Corey Dillon of the modern day, though of course at receiver instead of running back. McLaurin is an excellent receiver, but the Washington offense to this point has barely even made the attempt to make a viable NFL passing game. Be it because of limitations with Jayden Daniels or the offensive line, Washington's passes to this point have mostly been screens. Daniels can make two throws regularly: screens, and the go route on the sideline. McLaurin is good at both plays, but the problem is defenses are sitting on those two and nothing else, leaving McLaurin to play with basically one hand tied behind his back. Cam Taylor-Britt and Dax Hill can both run very well at corner, though Hill is the one McLaurin would probably prefer to target.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Terry McLaurin