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Mike Clay, ESPN Senior Writer
Fantasy football is a weekly game, so knowing the matchups can help you make the best lineup decisions. By utilizing our play-by-play data, we’re able to identify defensive schemes and where each wide receiver and cornerback lines up on each play. By tracking these WR/CB matchups, including potential shadow situations, we can offer the best projections, rankings, sit/start advice and waiver wire suggestions each week.
Below are the receivers with the best and worst matchups this week, as well as the corresponding fantasy impact.
To view the primary defenders the top three wide receivers for each team will see this weekend, be sure to check out our weekly WR vs. CB Cheatsheet.
Note that, unless noted, references to where teams rank in statistical categories adjusts to a per-game basis in order to avoid distortion because of bye weeks.
Projected shadow matchups
Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase vs. Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. (shadow)
Porter has locked down the No. 1 corner job in Pittsburgh, having shadowed DeAndre Hopkins in Week 9 and Amari Cooper in Week 11. Porter covered Hopkins and Cooper on a combined 50 of their 77 routes in the two games, including 53 of 58 perimeter routes and seven of 19 in the slot.
Hopkins was held to a 4-60-0 receiving line on 11 targets in the game (1-17-0 on five targets when covered by Porter), whereas Cooper posted a 4-34-0 line on nine targets (4-34-0 on seven targets against Porter).
Takeaway: