Wide Receivers vs. Cornerbacks: Week 12 Matchups

This article will go game by game for the Week 12 slate looking at the top wide receivers from an offense and, based on the inside/outside and left/right splits of those receivers, identify the cornerbacks most likely to face them in man coverage. This post will have to be a little shorter and lean more on speculation/generalities than the entries to come, because teams haven't yet conclusively revealed their personnel tendencies.

Receivers rarely see the same corner every play, be it due to formation quirks or zone coverage calls by the defense, so a receiver's fortunes depend on much more than just the quality of the corner they're likely to see the most in a given game. Even against a bad corner, a good receiver can be denied the opportunity if the pass rush or something else outside his control complicates things. But it's part of the puzzle, and it's worth keeping track of.

Receivers are left with an Upgrade, Downgrade, or Even verdict based on their projected matchup. This shouldn't be read as 'good' or 'bad' but rather a measured tweak from the receiver's baseline projection.
 

Indianapolis Colts vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

INDIANAPOLIS WIDE RECEIVERS

It seems like Jamel Dean might be out for this one, and if so Zyon McCollum might be the replacement starter opposite Carlton Davis. Those two are both big corners, which might undermine the build advantage Michael Pittman normally plays with. Pittman's volume should be assured, on the other hand, and the McCollum/Davis duo isn't sterling on questions of skill. Alec Pierce maybe projects better against Davis than McCollum, only because Davis is slower and not built to run far downfield. Christian Izien in the slot is probably at the disadvantage against Josh Downs.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, Alec Pierce

TAMPA BAY WIDE RECEIVERS

Jaylon Jones and Darrell Baker weren't really supposed to see the field this year, at least not in starting roles, so that they're stuck starting makes them highly vulnerable to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Kenny Moore in the slot is much more convincing than Jones or Baker outside, so bizarrely it will probably be the rookie Trey Palmer who draws the toughest coverage from the Colts.

Upgrade: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Trey Palmer

New York Giants vs. New England Patriots

GIANTS WIDE RECEIVERS

Jonathan Jones (knee) can be very good, but he's been hurt all year and it's tough to tell what kind of state he's in by now. Myles Bryant has never been able to cover, on the other hand, and Shaun Wade might not be much better. As questionable as Tommy DeVito is, he might have targets wide open enough to land some shots downfield, though the absence or limitation of Darius Slayton (neck) is a major setback there. Jalin Hyatt might be the primary replacement for Slayton's deep routes, and if so he might be the one to draw Jones. If Hyatt or Slayton draws Jones then it would leave Bryant for Wan'Dale Robinson in the slot, which might be the easiest matchup.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt (arguable Downgrade if shadowed by Jones), Wan'Dale Robinson

NEW ENGLAND WIDE RECEIVERS

JuJu Smith-Schuster mostly lined up on the boundary last week, and it predictably did not go well even though Indianapolis' boundary personnel is uniquely vulnerable. Smith-Schuster doesn't have the burst anymore to push upfield from the boundary, so it's difficult to like his chances even against the rookie duo of Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins. Smith-Schuster could probably beat the slot coverage of Cordale Flott but that opportunity might instead mostly go to Demario Douglas. DeVante Parker probably can't make plays downfield against Banks or Hawkins but might be able to draw some DPIs.

Upgrade: Demario Douglas
Downgrade: N/A
Even: JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker

Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints

ATLANTA WIDE RECEIVERS

The Saints are dealing with the kind of dysfunction and coaching fatigue that could make the wheels fall off any moment, but in terms of on-paper talent their secondary remains one of the best. Marshon Lattimore can be a shutdown presence on the right side, and on the left Paulson Adebo is at least big and athletic. Alontae Taylor has been up-and-down in the slot, but he too is a big and very athletic corner. Drake London has no obviously easy matchup here, and if London can't get going it's difficult to see why anyone else would either.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Drake London, Van Jefferson
Even: N/A

NEW ORLEANS WIDE RECEIVERS

AJ Terrell might get a shadow assignment on Chris Olave, especially now that Michael Thomas is out. Then again, Rashid Shaheed is enough of a big-play threat that the Falcons might consider him a similarly dangerous threat to Olave, which would be a reason to just leave Terrell on one side. If Olave does see Terrell then it's still a matchup where Olave has the advantage, but Shaheed against Jeff Okudah is such a mismatch that it might funnel targets toward Okudah more than it's funneled away from Terrell specifically. The rookie A.T. Perry probably can't beat Terrell but might be a threat to Okudah.

Upgrade: Rashid Shaheed
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Chris Olave (arguable Upgrade if not shadowed by Terrell), A.T. Perry

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

CINCINNATI WIDE RECEIVERS

Ja'Marr Chase can line up anywhere and it therefore remains to be seen how much Joey Porter covers Chase, but Porter claimed he will be assigned to Chase specifically in this game. It's also not clear whether this matters – though Porter is certainly better than Patrick Peterson or Levi Wallace, it's not as if the Bengals have the option of forcing the ball away from Chase. Tyler Boyd can draw some targets, sure, and some checkdowns will certainly be thrown by Jake Browning, but in the end Cincinnati needs targets toward Chase regardless of who is on him.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd

PITTSBURGH WIDE RECEIVERS

Cam Taylor-Britt and Chidobe Awuzie are both big, fast corners, which is a category of cornerback who best matches up against George Pickens. Pickens can of course win even when he's covered, but these are the types of corners best built to cover him. If Taylor-Britt (quadriceps) is out then that's good news for Pickens. Diontae Johnson would benefit, too, but as a smaller start/stop sort of wideout he undercuts the build utility of CTB and Awuzie.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens

Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

HOUSTON WIDE RECEIVERS

Nico Collins and Tank Dell could dodge a bullet if Tyson Campbell is out again for Jacksonville, though Darious Williams remains a competent boundary corner on the other side. The problem for Williams against Collins is that under 5-foot-10 there isn't much Williams can do against Collins in a phone booth. Slot corner Tre Herndon isn't an obvious upgrade or downgrade for Robert Woods.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Robert Woods

JACKSONVILLE WIDE RECEIVERS

Calvin Ridley can have good games when opponents don't double-team him, but the Titans just showed the Texans good reason to consider doubling Ridley here. Derek Stingley and Steven Nelson are both good and don't specifically need accommodation, but removing Ridley is the quickest way to neutralize the Jacksonville passing game. Christian Kirk is very good of course, but the Jaguars make it easier to scheme against Ridley and so it's Ridley who tends to get pinched first by specialized game plans on defense. Zay Jones doesn't have any obvious angle on Nelson or Stingley, but he's punctual at least.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones

Tennessee Titans vs. Carolina Panthers

TENNESSEE WIDE RECEIVERS

Jaycee Horn still isn't back, so DeAndre Hopkins will get the shot to run against Donte Jackson and Dicaprio Bootle. Neither player would seem to have much of a prayer against Hopkins, though there's a decent shot quarterback Will Levis isn't capable of getting the ball there. Troy Hill in the slot might be the toughest Carolina corner in this game, and Hopkins should mostly avoid him.

Upgrade: DeAndre Hopkins
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Treylon Burks, Chris Moore

CAROLINA WIDE RECEIVERS

DJ Chark played fine with Andy Dalton, but with Bryce Young it probably doesn't matter how open Chark might be. Young has been completely unable to access the boundaries this year – an excuse that might apply to Jonathan Mingo, too – and so nearly all of the viable targets fall to Adam Thielen in the slot. The problem in this matchup is that the slot is probably one of the areas the Titans cover best, and Roger McCreary might be fairly well suited to countering the underneath game Thielen has shown in 2023. If Thielen can't do his usual lifting then the slack falls more to the boundary, where Young either capitalizes in response or fails a second time, with no remaining recourse. If Young can't get Chark the ball in this game then it could get really ugly.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Jonathan Mingo

Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns

DENVER WIDE RECEIVERS

Courtland Sutton is unlikely to separate from any of these corners – especially not Denzel Ward or Greg Newsome – but Sutton doesn't necessarily need to separate to catch a pass. Indeed, he is one of the league's better receivers at making contested catches on the sideline or in the end zone. As long as Denver gets short enough fields, Sutton should remain a touchdown threat. Jerry Jeudy is more in need of separation than Sutton, and is more capable of creating it for himself, but Ward and Newsome are two of the toughest out there for a receiver like Jeudy.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy

CLEVELAND WIDE RECEIVERS

Amari Cooper is good enough to occasionally get the better of even a corner as good as Patrick Surtain, but with the quarterback situation as it is, things couldn't be much more difficult. If it's going poorly for Cooper then it's unlikely to go much better for Elijah Moore.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore

Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams

ARIZONA WIDE RECEIVERS

Marquise Brown has been unable to capitalize on extended opportunity, even before you throw in the heel injury concern. With that said, these Rams corners can't cover him. Derion Kendrick and Ahkello Witherspoon are both ill-suited to covering Brown. If Michael Wilson is out then Zach Pascal might be the replacement, and Pascal is not obviously threatening to Kendrick or Witherspoon. Rondale Moore in the slot draws Cobie Durant, who might be the toughest of the Rams corners and is a specific trait match to Moore.

Upgrade: Marquise Brown
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Rondale Moore, Michael Wilson

RAMS WIDE RECEIVERS

The Cardinals punted at the cornerback position this year, knowing that it'd be a weakness until the next offseason. The results show this – the Cardinals haven't been able to cover anyone. Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua both have great setups, as does Tutu Atwell. This would be a straight up disaster for the Rams if they can't capitalize here.

Upgrade: Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell
Downgrade: N/A
Even: N/A

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs

LAS VEGAS WIDE RECEIVERS

Davante Adams will no doubt draw extra attention from the Chiefs defense, maybe drawing a shadow assignment from L'Jarius Sneed in addition to constant double teams, but even that might not be enough to slow Adams when he's really on. More dangerous than the corner matchups is the chance that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo confuses rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell with pre-snap disguises. Jakobi Meyers is capable of claiming any void left by Adams, though the coverage of Sneed or Trent McDuffie might be challenging for a player of Meyers' caliber, especially when dealing with the rookie quarterback detail.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers

KANSAS CITY WIDE RECEIVERS

By now Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson have proven their inadequacy as leading boundary targets, but against the Raiders corners even lackluster receivers like these two can probably pose legitimate big-play threats, even if just riding the coattails of Patrick Mahomes. Rashee Rice is a breakout player waiting to happen, but to this point Andy Reid has preferred losing with MVS and Watson while restricting Rice to the slot. The slot coverage of Nate Hobbs is the toughest part of the Raiders secondary, so in addition to the opportunity the Chiefs might have the need for MVS or Watson to step up. That, or they need a monster game from Travis Kelce, which might be the most likely outcome of any.

Upgrade: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Rashee Rice

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Buffalo Bills

PHILADELPHIA WIDE RECEIVERS

A.J. Brown will likely get rolling again here, especially with no rain to throw off the Philadelphia offense. There doesn't exist a coverage scheme that can provide the Buffalo corners with sufficient cover here. Brown and DeVonta Smith are both too much for Buffalo's corners, and they might be down another man if Dane Jackson (concussion) isn't cleared. Taron Johnson also needs clearance from a concussion, but the slot standout at least logged a limited practice Thursday (Jackson did not). Rasul Douglas can't defend more than 10 yards or so, and even in the underneath Smith has to be one of the most challenging matchups for Douglas, whose feet are heavier than ideal. Christian Benford is probably a little more athletic than Douglas but might not be as polished – an unlikely challenge to Brown or Smith, either way.

Upgrade: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Julio Jones

BUFFALO WIDE RECEIVERS

Stefon Diggs never stays down for long, and it would be surprising if he had three bad games in a row regardless of who the opponents are. That the Eagles pass defense has struggled in 2023 gives further reason to think Diggs roars back into form in this game. Darius Slay and James Bradberry are standout corners but neither can slow Diggs without extensive safety assistance. They might be able to slow guys like Gabe Davis and Khalil Shakir, but generally a defense risks cutting them loose if it takes the appropriate measures to contain Diggs.

Much more concerning than the coverage in this matchup is the Philadelphia pass rush. The right side of the Buffalo offensive line has had trouble managing pass rushes in the past, and there's a real risk that Josh Allen doesn't have enough time for his receivers to take advantage of what otherwise might be an opportune spot.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Khalil Shakir

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Baltimore Ravens

CHARGERS WIDE RECEIVERS

Keenan Allen is used to grinding through coverages that sell out to stop him, but this looks like a challenging matchup. It's not even about Marlon Humphrey – although Humphrey has a history of shadowing opposing wideouts even into the slot, they haven't used him that way recently. Even if Allen doesn't see Humphrey extensively, Kyle Hamilton in the slot might be a difficult matchup for Allen, too. Hamilton won't be bullied physically and has extreme reach/range for a slot defender. Allen's efficiency concerns here are offset by his usage volume – the Chargers simply cannot budget so many as 30 passes without upwards of 12 going to Allen. That's especially the case with Quentin Johnston disappointing, and at the moment there's no reason to think Johnston poses any threat to Humphrey or Brandon Stephens. Jalen Guyton might be the Chargers' better bet of moving the ball, but he still would project for a general disadvantage against Humphrey or Stephens.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: Quentin Johnston
Even: Keenan Allen, Jalen Guyton

BALTIMORE WIDE RECEIVERS

Zay Flowers is owed a long touchdown catch the Ref Cartel stole from last week, and there's a chance he gets it back against this defense. The Chargers lack talent at corner in general, and the scheme can only hide them so much. Odell Beckham has looked like a monster lately when his durability cooperates, so if he's ready to go here then he poses a big threat against either of Asante Samuel or Michael Davis. Flowers should see those guys a couple time – he might like Davis more of the two – but Flowers should mostly see Ja'Sir Taylor in the slot. It's difficult to see why Taylor would be a significant obstacle – Flowers should see opportunities here. I'm listing it as Even but it's more on the optimistic side of that line.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Zay Flowers, Odell Beckham

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears

MINNESOTA WIDE RECEIVERS

If Justin Jefferson is out again it would once again leave Jordan Addison as the lead wideout for Minnesota, though the returns have predictably dried up since Kirk Cousins' injury. Jaylon Johnson might be a challenging matchup for Addison as they're a pretty even trait match, but the other Bears corners – Tyrique Stevenson and slot man Kyler Gordon – are much more easily beaten. K.J. Osborn can probably beat corners like Stevenson and Gordon also, but it remains to be seen whether there are many targets to go around after Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson.

Upgrade: N/A
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Jordan Addison (the less Johnson the better), K.J. Osborn

CHICAGO WIDE RECEIVERS

It's not obvious what the effect of Minnesota's aggressive blitzing might be on Justin Fields and the Bears passing game. No quarterback appreciates pressure, and the Bears offensive line is among the worst at stalling any given pass rush, but the Vikings corners are still below average and are highly vulnerable anytime the pass rush doesn't intervene. Think back to that Washington game – Washington threw a suicide blitz at Fields and left Kendal Fuller, a far better corner than any on Minnesota, alone in coverage against DJ Moore. In that case at least Fields didn't flinch, putting a laser just wide of Fuller's reach, the result being an easy 56-yard touchdown.

If Fields can show the same resolve against the Minnesota blitzes as he did against Washington, then Moore and Darnell Mooney are both dangerous to these Minnesota corners. The pass rush is the one question.

Upgrade: DJ Moore
Downgrade: N/A
Even: Darnell Mooney