NFL Week 1 WR/CB Matchup Report
It only took seven long months, but football is back! You’ve done your research (hopefully via The Fantasy Headliners 2019 Draft Guide), you’ve completed your drafts, and now it’s time to set your lineups for week one.
I’m going to give you five “good” and five “bad” matchups of wide receivers that I have ranked in the top-24 for this week. I’ll also give you five of my “upside” plays for WRs that I have ranked outside of my Top-24. Now, please keep in mind that if someone has a “bad” matchup, I’m not saying you should bench them but rather don’t set your expectations too high. Also, feel free to use this article when sorting out your DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) lineups. So, with that said, let’s get ready for the 2019 NFL season!
The Good:
Michael Thomas vs. Bradley Roby:
This is as tasty of a matchup as it gets for Thomas this season. Last season, the Texans gave up 77 yards per game to opposing WR1, and Bradley Roby will have the misfortune of covering him on Sunday. In 2018, Roby gave up six touchdowns and had just one interception. He also allowed a 67 percent catch rate against him. In a game where the over/under is 53.5, look for Thomas to be targeted early and often.
Julio Jones vs. Xavier Rhodes:
Mr. 3k receiving yards himself, Julio Jones! The Falcons are road underdogs in week one, which means that Matt Ryan will most likely have to keep throwing to try and keep his team in the game. Jones should be shadowed by the Vikings Xavier Rhodes throughout the game, and this is what Rhodes did last season against top WR1 in the first half of the season last year:
Week 2: Davante Adams - 8/64/1
Week 4: Cooper Kupp - 9/162/2
Week 7: Michael Thomas - 5/81/0
Now, he really put the clamps on receivers the back half of the year, but Jones is too talented to not take advantage of this matchup.
Tampa Bay Receivers vs. San Francisco Secondary:
Take your pick. Evans, Godwin, even Breshad Perriman! Last season the 49ers allowed an average of 39 fantasy points per game to opposing WRs. We know that Richard Sherman doesn’t leave the left side of the field, and he is still a solid defender, but there will be enough fantasy goodness to go around for all in this game. Neither Ahkello Witherspoon or K'Waun Williams had an interception last season, and they combined for seven touchdowns allowed. Perriman isn’t a season-long option for me, but he’s worth a flyer in a DFS GPP because his speed alone gives him an advantage over Sherman.
Kenny Golladay vs. Chris Jones:
I love this matchup for Golladay. I don’t love the Lions offense, but with Patrick Peterson out due to a suspension, it’s a great opportunity for Detroit to put up some points. Golladay will be matched up against Chris Jones, whose only NFL playing experience is in the pre-season. I expect the Lions to take advantage of this inexperienced Cardinals secondary, as their implied total is at 25.
LA Rams Receivers vs. Carolina Secondary:
Like with the Buccaneers earlier, you can’t go wrong with any of the Rams pass-catchers. The Panthers were ninth-worst in the NFL last season in pass defense DVOA. Their secondary consists of Donte Jackson, James Bradberry, and Ross Cockrell, all of whom surrendered an average of 1.5 yards per route run last season. The Rams are only favored by three, and in one of the highest projected scoring games of the week, Goff’s arm will be sore with all of the passing attempts he should have.
The Bad:
JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Bill Belichick (Stephon Gilmore):
I personally have JuJu Smith-Schuster on a few of my fantasy teams this year, and I’m absolutely starting him. With that said, I’m lowering my expectations of him against the Patriots. Why? Well, last season he had four catches for forty yards, and we all know that Belichick likes to take away the opposing team’s number one option. After Tyreek Hill burned New England in week six last season, the Patriots made adjustments to do what they needed to remove the other team’s top threat. Smith-Schuster will see a lot of Stephon Gilmore, and possibly another defender. Gilmore was an all-pro last season and allowed opposing WRs a catch rate of just 58 percent.
Tyreek Hill vs. Jalen Ramsey:
In last season’s matchup against the Jags, Patrick Mahomes didn’t throw a touchdown (only time all season) and Hill was shadowed by Ramsey all game. Hill finished the game with four receptions for 61 yards. Ramsey is one of the top corners in the league, giving up just two touchdowns last season and holding opposing QBs to a rating of just 73.8. Hill will be electric all season, but just not in week one.
Keenan Allen vs. Kenny Moore:
I’m excited about this matchup. Moore doesn’t have the size against Allen (5’9” vs 6’2”), but he played very well last year in his second NFL season. Moore had three interceptions, allowed just two touchdowns, and held opposing WRs to just one yard per route run. Allen is a very good receiver, and he could win some red-zone matchups, but I expect Moore to hold his own.
D.J. Moore vs. Marcus Peters:
I love D.J. Moore this season, but I don’t love his date with Marcus Peters this week. Peters didn’t have the best of seasons last year, but he’s as talented as they come. He likes to gamble a lot, and he can do that this season because he will have Aqib Talib back and healthy and also Eric Weddle over the top to eliminate the deep ball.
T.Y. Hilton vs. Casey Hayward:
This should be a shadow matchup between Hilton and Hayward. With Andrew Luck gone, I don’t like Jacoby Brissett’s chances of putting up a lot of points with this offense. In 2018, Hayward allowed a catch rate of just 58 percent, 1.1 yards per route run, and .25 fantasy points per route run to opposing WR last year.
The Upside:
Alshon Jeffery vs. Quinton Dunbar
Emmanuel Sanders vs. Lamarcus Joyner
Dante Pettis vs. Carlton Davis
Will Fuller vs. Eli Apple
Ted Ginn vs. Aaron Colvin
