We are back with Week 5 WR vs CB matchup analysis to help you with your wide receiver decisions of the week. Again, here are the 3 categories for the highlighted matchups:
- Must starts: top players with an exploitable matchup.
- High Upside: average players with an exploitable matchup
- Bad matchups: players who have poor matchups
Must Starts
Stefon Diggs
Ladies and gentlemen…I present your NFL leader in receiving yards. Despite playing with Case keenum for the last 3 weeks, Diggs has been an absolute monster. Against a hapless Bears secondary, Diggs is a fine bet for top fantasy receiver this week.
Brandin Cooks
Despite being a top-11 selection in the 2016 draft, Vernon Hargreaves has dissapointed thus far in his NFL career. Cooks should have every opportunity to attack a struggling Bucs secondary in the Thursday tilt.
Dez Bryant
Let’s make this clear: I hate Dez Bryant. I don’t like him as an Eagles fan, I don’t like him as a person, and I don’t like how overrated he is based on his lackluster track record since 2014. With that being said, the Packers present a fantastic matchup to opposing receivers, and Dez is still a red-zone beast. If I owned him anywhere, I’d start him this week.
DeVante Parker
Despite an atrocious offense led by Jay “I should have stayed retired because I was never that good in the first place” Cutler (Yeah, I said it) Parker has averaged 9 targets, 6 catches, and 77 yards per game. Brice McCain (Parker’s primary assignment) just got torched by another overrated QB (Hot takes all around) and Nuk Hopkins for 10 catches and 107 yards.
Seriously though. Cutler has NEVER thrown for 30 scores and has ONE 4,000 yard season to his name. For reference, 13 QBs threw for 4k yards last year alone. Don’t be surprised to see Matt Moore take over and outperform Cutler at some point this year, and when that happens Parker might set the league on fire.
DeAndre Hopkins
Say what you want about efficiency numbers; when you get peppered with 10+ targets every week, you are going to be a fantasy stud. Hopkins has the talent to take advantage, and this week he gets to face the Chiefs Terrance Mitchel (currently rated as an abysmal 51.5 on PFF) on most plays. Start with confidence.
Mike Evans
It’s hard to sit Evans any week, but he gets the Patriots defense who have been surprisingly terrible against the pass this year. Don’t overthink it. Start Evans.
T.Y. Hilton
It’s hard to find the confidence to play Hilton without Andrew Luck, but his NFL-leading receiving yards in 2016 is a reason to start. Another is a great matchup against the 49ers and bottom-10 PFF corner Rashard Robinson this week. Hilton smashed against Cleveland the last time he had a nice matchup, so why not again this week? Week 5 WR vs CB matchup analysis says: Start.
High Upside
Adam Humphries
Quietly, Humphries has 12 catches on 17 targets over the past two weeks. DeSean Jackson hasn’t exactly clicked with Jameis Winston thus far, and Humphries has been a nice over-the-middle safety blanket. Against the leaky Pats, he’s a sneaky start.
Danny Amendola
In what could turn into a shootout, Amendola has a nice matchup against the Bucs secondary. Specifically, NFL worst cornerback (according to PFF grades) Robert McClain.
Golden Tate
Tate has been solid thus far and lands old, slow Captain Munnerlyn this week. Tate is a solid WR2 with upside as he is most weeks.
Kelvin Benjamin
While Devin Funchess will match up with Darius Slay most of the time, Benjamin could get some extra targets.
Tyreek Hill
High-upside is Tyreek Hill’s middle name, but a matchup with Jonathan Banks certainly increases that upside.
Bad Matchups
Odell Beckham Jr.
He is clearly not 100% healthy, and will likely see shadow coverage from Casey Heyward. He’s not a guy I’m expecting more than middling WR2 numbers from at best this week.
Antonio Brown/Martavis Bryant
The Jaguars combo of Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye has been as good as advertised. Brown is basically matchup-proof, but this won’t be a week he goes for 150 and 2 scores. Bryant has had a slow start, and I wouldn’t count on him getting off the snide this week.
Jeremy Maclin
Joe Flacco is still not healthy, and the Ravens have the 2nd fewest pass attempts in the NFL as a result. T.J. Carrie has been solid out of the slot thus far, so expect a rough stat line for JMac again.
Devin Funchess
Those riding the Funchess train may want to get off for a pit stop this week instead of riding him into the wall that is Darius Slay’s shadow coverage. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Will Fuller V
It was a nice comeback performance for Fuller who showed little ill-effect of a pre-season collarbone break. Two touchdowns can’t be expected every week though, and Marcus Peters will likely have a thing or two to say about a repeat performance. Week 5 WR vs CB matchup analysis says: sit.
