Best, worst wide receiver matchups for Week 10

ByMIKE CLAY

November 12, 2016, 11:21 AM

 -- By utilizing our play-by-play data, we're now able to identify where each wide receiver and cornerback lines up on each play. By tracking matchups between the two positions, including potential shadow situations, we can offer the best projections, rankings and fantasy advice each week.

What follows are the receivers with the best and worst Week 10 matchups, as well as some additional notes.

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 cheat sheet:

Downloadable cheat sheet PDF

Advantageous matchups

Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin vs. Chiefs CB Phillip Gaines

Standout corner Marcus Peters lines up at left corner 93 percent of the time and does not shadow. Benjamin, meanwhile, has lined up across from where Peters will be on only 30 percent of his routes this season. Instead, expect Benjamin to do most of his damage against Gaines, who is struggling, and to a lesser extent against Kansas City slot corner Steven Nelson. Gaines has been targeted on 26 percent of the routes he has defended this season, which is highest among all corners expected to play a significant role this weekend. Upgrade Benjamin and downgrade Ted Ginn Jr., who will see Peters on roughly half of his routes.

Bears WR Alshon Jeffery vs. Buccaneers CB Vernon Hargreaves III

It has been a brutal rookie season for Hargreaves, and he will certainly have his hands full against one of the game's top wide receivers this weekend. Hargreaves, a first-round pick, has been targeted on 24 percent of the routes he has faced and is surrendering 0.31 fantasy points per route defended. Both of those numbers rank among the worst at his position this season. Tampa Bay does not shadow, so expect Jeffery to see Hargreaves on roughly half of his routes this week. Cameron Meredith and Eddie Royal will also see a little bit of work against Hargreaves, but Meredith will primarily match up with Brent Grimes.

Packers WR Jordy Nelson vs. Titans CB Perrish Cox

Nelson has scored seven touchdowns and leads the NFL in end zone targets this season. He's a decent bet to add to those totals this week, with a delightful matchup against Cox, who has struggled this season. Cox has been targeted on one-quarter of the routes he has faced and is allowing 0.26 fantasy points per route defended this season. Nelson lines up wide to Aaron Rodgers' right on half of his routes, which is where he'll see Tennessee's primary left corner. Davante Adams will also draw Cox on roughly 30 percent of his routes.

Falcons WR Julio Jones vs. Eagles CBs Leodis McKelvin and Nolan Carroll II

One week after being torched for a trifecta of touchdowns against the Giants, McKelvin will lead Eagles cornerbacks into battle against Jones in Week 10. McKelvin and Carroll are the team's primary perimeter corners, and both have been brutal in coverage. This is good news for Jones, who has worked the perimeter on 74 percent of his routes this season. Jones might see a little bit of standout Malcolm Jenkins in the slot, but he just as well could run a few routes against rookie Jalen Mills, who, like McKelvin and Carroll, has struggled this season.

Tough matchups

Texans WRs DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller V vs. Jaguars CBs Prince Amukamara and Jalen Ramsey

Ramsey has not shadowed during his most recent two games (against Kansas City and Tennessee), but prior to that, he chased around T.Y. Hilton, Alshon Jeffery and Amari Cooper. Amukamara has shadowed Meredith and Michael Crabtree this season. That being the case, it's very possible Jacksonville decides to shadow in this game, but really it doesn't matter from a fantasy standpoint. Both Jacksonville corners have played well, and both Hopkins and Fuller will run a majority of their routes against the duo. Especially with Houston sitting dead last in the NFL in offensive touchdowns, Hopkins and Fuller are risky plays this week.

Saints WR Willie Snead vs. Broncos CB Chris Harris Jr.

With Aqib Talib out last week, Denver unsurprisingly moved Harris to the perimeter in order to keep him and Bradley Roby matched up with Crabtree and Cooper, respectively. I don't expect them to go that direction this week, because Willie Snead (79 percent) and Brandin Cooks (39 percent) spent quite a bit of time in the slot. Expect them to see Harris in coverage on those routes, which obviously is more devastating to Snead's fantasy prospects than it is to Cooks'. If Harris does stay inside, that would leave Cooks and red-hot Michael Thomas to do most of their damage against Roby and Lorenzo Doss. Those are matchups they can certainly exploit. Downgrade Snead, and keep an eye on the status of Talib.

49ers WR Torrey Smith vs. Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson

Peterson did not shadow Smith when these two teams met in Week 5, but he ended up on Smith on 25 of his 35 routes. Peterson also shadowed Smith during both meetings last season. Smith ran a total of 73 routes against Peterson in the three meetings, posting one catch for 10 yards on four targets. In fact, he totaled two receptions for 51 yards on six targets during the three games against Arizona. Brutal. Regardless of whether Peterson shadows, the two players will face off quite a bit again this week. If you've thought about adding Smith to your starting lineup this week, quickly destroy your mouse with a hammer before you do so.

Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin vs. Patriots CB Logan Ryan and Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett vs. Patriots CB Malcolm Butler

I spent a little extra time sorting this one out. First, I looked at how New England handled Baldwin in the Super Bowl two years ago. In that game, the Patriots' top corner at the time,? Darrelle Revis, shadowed Baldwin and limited him to one 3-yard touchdown catch on 22 routes. This season, Ryan has shadowed Larry Fitzgerald, DeAndre Hopkins, Robert Woods?and? Terrelle Pryor Sr. and spent some time on Jarvis Landry. Butler, meanwhile, has shadowed the likes of Michael Floyd, John Brown, Will Fuller, Marquise Goodwin, Brandon LaFell, Antonio Brown and Robert Woods. Ryan has also doubled up Butler in routes faced from the slot. Considering all of that, I've concluded that Ryan is a good bet to shadow Baldwin, a slot receiver, and that Butler is likely to shadow Lockett, a speed receiver, this week. Ryan has been targeted quite a bit this season and has been solid but unspectacular. Baldwin doesn't need to be downgraded much. Butler has been terrific and presents a major challenge for Lockett, who hasn't been much of a fantasy asset this season. He should not be in lineups this week.

Other projected shadow situations

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant vs. Steelers CB Ross Cockrell. Cockrell is one of the league's more underrated cover corners, and he has shadowed A.J. Green, Brandon Marshall and Chris Hogan this season. I expect him to follow Bryant this week, and although he's too good to downgrade significantly, this is definitely a sneaky matchup to consider fading.
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans vs. Bears CB Tracy Porter. As usual, Porter will be asked to shadow the opposing team's top wide receiver. As usual, Evans is matchup-proof and can be started everywhere.