NFL Week 13 WR/CB Matchup Report
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving; enjoying time with the family and of course, watching a full day of football. Because of the three games on Thursday, I had to eliminate some players from my article this week. Bye weeks are gone so that gives us more of a selection than what we have seen over the last few weeks. As I've done with every article this season, I'm going to focus on five wide receivers, ranked in my top 24, that I feel have good matchups. I'm also going to look at my top 24 WR rankings and select five players that I feel don't have very good matchups. Finally, I'm going to select five WRs outside of my top 24 rankings that I feel have some upside this week. You can use these picks in your season-long leagues (as a guide, not as a start/sit), or even when selecting your DFS lineups.
The Good:
Julian Edelman vs. Vernon Hargreaves:
Edelman seems to have recovered from his rib strain from earlier in the season but is now dealing with a shoulder sprain. Thankfully, he will be going up against newly acquired Vernon Hargreaves of the Texans. Hargreaves was released a few weeks back by the Buccaneers, and for good reason. This year he is allowing 10 yards per target, a total of over 600 receiving yards, and a 74 percent catch rate.
Cooper Kupp vs. Kevin Peterson:
Kupp hasn't topped 53 receiving yards since week 8, but I have a feeling he could get into the triple digits against Kevin Peterson this week. Peterson is allowing almost 12 yards per target this season, a catch rate of 74 percent, and a quarterback rating of 112.6.
Keenan Allen vs. Duke Dawson:
Allen has seen at least 10 targets in four of his last five games, with at least seven receptions in three of those games. This week he gets Duke Dawson in coverage. So far this season, Dawson has allowed almost nine yards per target and a catch rate of 76 percent.
Christian Kirk vs. Jalen Ramsey:
This is a matchup that I'm on the fence about. Ramsey hasn't been awful in coverage this year, but he hasn't been spectacular either. He is currently allowing about nine yards per target, a total of 445 receiving yards, and a catch rate of 67 percent. I'm giving the slight edge to Kirk here.
D.K. Metcalf vs. Xavier Rhodes:
This should be a matchup that Metcalf dominates. Metcalf has the size and speed to beat Rhodes in coverage, and there should be plenty of opportunities for Metcalf as the Seattle currently has an implied total of 26.25. Rhodes this season is allowing 10 yards per target, over 500 total receiving yards, and a whopping 85 percent catch rate.
The Bad:
Davante Adams vs. Jenoris Jenkins:
If this matchup happened earlier in the season, I would have given the advantage to Adams a Jenoris Jenkins had a rough start to begin the year. Since week three, he has been playing much better. He is allowing just seven yards per target, and a catch rate of only 52 percent. I do expect Adams to move around a bit and not be shadowed, but I'm being cautious of when he does see Jenkins.
Mike Evans vs. Tre Herndon:
Evans has been great this season, let's just get that straight. He has produced at least 180 receiving yards in three games this season. The Jaguars' defense has been pretty bad this year, but Tre Herndon has held his own in coverage. This season, he is allowing just six yards per target, a catch rate of 45 percent, and a quarterback rating of 63.7.
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Stephon Gilmore:
Hopkins is one of the top wide receivers in the game, and for the second week in a row, we get to see a great wide receiver go up against the top corner in the game in Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore was hit with whatever bug was going around the Patriots team, but he will be good to go against the Texans on Sunday night. Gilmore hasn't allowed a touchdown all season, just five yards per target, and a catch rate of only 45 percent.
Odell Beckham vs. Joe Haden:
When these two teams faced each other a few weeks back, Odell saw more of Steven Nelson in coverage. This week he gets Joe Haden, who has been quite stingy against receivers this season. Haden has given up just over five yards per target, and a catch rate of only 53 percent. The advantage goes to Haden in this one.
Tyler Boyd vs. Brian Poole:
The Red Rifle, Andy Dalton, is back under center for the Bengals and that isn't necessarily great news for Boyd. In the six games that Boyd had a different quarterback throwing the ball to him, he actually averaged more touchdowns, targets, and receiving yards per game. Now, that's a small sample size, but something to consider. This week, Boyd gets Brian Poole in coverage. Poole is allowing just five yards per target, only 212 total yards, one touchdown, and a quarterback rating of just 77.
The Upside:
Dede Westbrook vs. Sean Murphy-Bunting:
I really like the continuing chemistry between Foles and Westbrook, and this week Westbrook has a nice matchup against Murphy-Bunting. This season, he has allowed four touchdowns, a catch rate of 70 percent, and a quarterback rating of 111.9.
Brandin Cooks vs. Byron Murphy:
Cooks missed a couple of games with a concussion, and with this being his second game come back from the injury, I look for him to take advantage of his matchup against Byron Murphy. Murphy has allowed 44 receptions, seven touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 110 this season.
A.J. Brown vs. Pierre Desir:
I have said it before and I will say it again. A.J. is the most complete wide receiver from this year's draft class, in my opinion. Last week he had 135 yards and a touchdown, and I expect more of the same this week against the Colts. He will face Pierre Desir, who has given up 11 yards per target, and a quarterback rating of 119. He also has a PFF rating of just 43.9 this season.
Curtis Samuel vs. Fabian Moreau:
I really like this matchup for Samuel this week. Moreau has allowed 11 yards per target and a catch rate of 83 percent. He has only allowed one touchdown this season, but I think Samuel will find a way to make that two (on the season) on Sunday.
Sterling Shepard vs. Kevin King:
Golden Tate has been ruled out, so Shepard will be the WR1 this week for the Giants. Like the above-mentioned Cooks, Shepard has missed multiple games with a concussion and saw his first action in eight weeks last week. He faces the Packers Kevin King, who has allowed over 750 receiving yards this year.
