Eleven years ago, I introduced "The Dirty Dozen" and "The
Delicious Dozen" around Thanksgiving time. The idea then
- as it is today - was to identify negative and positive receiver
matchups, respectively, as a way to prepare owners for the upcoming
stretch of fantasy games that usually determine fantasy championships.
Receiver-cornerback matchups are among the most critical ones
in the real game, yet very few fantasy analysts spend any time
breaking them down - and few do it in much detail. Until this
becomes a more common practice, there will be thousands of fantasy
managers who will avoid matchups they shouldn't and vice versa.
Even in an era where teams play zone defense more than 70 percent
of the time, it does not mean we cannot isolate the matchups that
could help or hinder our fantasy receivers the most.
The point is the fantasy industry as a whole tends to rely on
name recognition when it comes to avoiding a potential matchup
rather than doing some research to find out which defenders are
playing well consistently. They also tend to stick with their
opinions about struggling corners for far too long when they finally
break through and begin playing well. The truth is defensive players
ebb and flow in much the same way offensive players do.
Note: The cutoff for this piece was 360
coverage snaps. At roughly 30 coverage snaps per game, we should
be able to eliminate any players who are not "full-timers."
Below each write-up is the remaining schedule and the projected
matchups each corner should see in coverage in that week. Please
keep in mind that receivers move across the formation a lot, while
most defensive coordinators seem to favor keeping their corners
on one side of the formation, so this is far from an exact science.
In cases in which a receiver there isn't a discernible difference
in how often a receiver plays on one side of the field or the
other (which is quite common), the most likely player to see primary
coverage from the cornerback below will be listed first. Receivers
expected to see less of him will be listed second or third.
Again this season, I have included the percentage of snaps
that each receiver lines up in the area that the cornerback usually
defends. In other words, if a cornerback plays primarily lines
up on the right side of the defense, the number to the side of
the receiver indicates how often he lines up on the left side
of the offense.
* Has logged 458 of his 580 cornerback snaps on the left side.
A lack of durability has typically been the only thing that has
kept Davis from being considered in higher regard than he already
is. The 27-year-old missed at least two games in every one of
his first six seasons as a pro in Tampa, including the last three
in which he sat out at least four times each year. He has only
missed one game (Week 13) so far in his new home and, to no one's
surprise, he is having one of his best seasons. Unlike most of
the other names on this list, there is not one metric of his that
pops more than the others, although two of his finer marks are
that he is allowing receivers to catch a modest 60.9 percent of
their targets and 11.9 yards per reception, which is not a bad
number for a perimeter corner. Davis is still paying a bad start
to the season in which he gave up 24 catches on 34 targets for
313 yards and two scores through four weeks. Since then, he has
posted a 15-30-150-0 line and not yielded more than 36 yards in
a game. Considering how poorly he started and how well he is playing
now, we can probably assume the slow start was his adjustment
to DC Aaron Glenn's defensive scheme after playing for so long
under Todd Bowles with the Bucs.
Week 15: Keon Coleman/Amari Cooper (49-35) Week 16: Rome Odunze/DJ Moore (48-27) Week 17: Ricky Pearsall/Jauan Jennings (40-30)
* Has played 324 snaps on the left side and 356 on the right.
Johnson was playing about as well as any corner in recent memory
last season (33.3 passer rating against), so just about anything
he did this year was going to be considered a mild disappointment.
With that said, the only reason he is not much lower on this list
is that the Vikings (Jalen Nailor) and Lions (Sam LaPorta) were
the first two teams to beat him for a touchdown this season. Virtually
every other meaningful area in which he could be dominant, he
has been. Receivers have managed to catch rate of 57.9 percent
in his coverage. He has yet to give up more than two catches in
any game. He has only allowed four plays longer than 20 yards
all season despite lining up opposite the other team's best receiver
more often than not. As a 25-year-old who has yet to surrender
a 60 percent catch rate in any of his five NFL seasons and a player
who has yielded four touchdowns in his coverage since the start
of the 2022 season, Johnson figures to remain among the most difficult
matchups for any alpha receiver for at least 2-3 more years. His
high level of play makes it easy to understand why the Bears rank
as the third-stingiest matchup for receivers this year.
Week 14: Jauan Jennings (27-30 left right)/Deebo
Samuel (40-29) Week 15: Justin Jefferson (65-10) Week 16: Jameson Williams (34-32)/Tim Patrick (40-40) Week 17: DK Metcalf (45-45)
* Has played 670 of his 680 cornerback snaps on the right side.
Mitchell was the first cornerback selected in the NFL Draft this
spring, so his early success was somewhat expected. However, even
the most ardent supporters of Mitchell (of which I am one) could
not have predicted how good he was going to be as a rookie. Since
giving up five catches on nine targets for 86 yards in his NFL
debut against the Packers and four catches on six targets for
67 yards versus the Bucs in Week 4, he has locked down the right
side of the Eagles' defense. Week 13 marked the first time in
eight outings he was targeted more than four times (five). Over
that stretch, he has yielded more than two catches only once and
no more than 26 yards in any of them. While he has yet to record
his first interception, he also has yet to give up a touchdown.
All told, he has only allowed 28 catches on 49 targets while also
posting nine PBUs. If it was not already obvious (and if the point
was not emphasized even more after blanking Terry McLaurin in
Week 11), fantasy managers would be wise to avoid any receiver
who spends the bulk of his time on the left side of the offensive
formation.
Week 14: Xavier Legette (31) Week 15: George Pickens/Van Jefferson (50-23) Week 16: Terry McLaurin (77) Week 17: Brandin Cooks/Jalen Tolbert (39-33)
* Has played 233 snaps on the left side, 232 on the right and
208 in the slot.
After showing gradual improvement throughout his four-year stay
in Arizona, Murphy disappointed in his first year under Minnesota
DC Brian Flores. Unsurprisingly, as Flores & Co. have made
the transition from an all-or-nothing defense (the Vikings led
the league with a 51.5 percent blitz rate in 2023) to one that
can rely more on a four-man rush, Murphy is on track to enjoy
the best season of his career. Were it not for a two-game stretch
early in the season when Houston and Green Bay roughed him up
(19 catches on 26 targets for 196 yards and a touchdown), Murphy
would likely appear much later on this list. Since that point
(Weeks 3-4), Murphy has recorded four of his five interceptions
on the season and allowed more than 26 yards (and no more than
46) only twice. His 71.3 percent catch rate and 593 yards allowed
are on the high side but understandable numbers given the aforementioned
struggles he had against two good offenses early in the season.
As the high catch rate and yardage total suggests, Murphy is not
an elite corner. With that said, he has been playing at a high
level for nearly two months and comes attached to one of the best
pass-rush units in the league.
Week 14: Drake London (24-32-44 left slot right)/Darnell
Mooney (39-36-25) Week 15: Keenan Allen (24-52-24)/DJ Moore (51-22-27) Week 16: DK Metcalf (45-10-45)/Jaxon Smith-Njigba
(12-76-12) Week 17: Christian Watson (45-18-37)/Jayden Reed
(18-66-16)
* Has played 313 snaps on the left side, 329 on the right and
127 in the slot.
It became clear early during his rookie campaign last season
that Gonzalez was a good one. Unfortunately, his season was cut
short after four games due to a torn labrum in his shoulder. While
many of his metrics have taken a slight step back in Year 2, it
is hardly surprising given the fact that New England has less
talent and Gonzalez has a worse supporting cast around him than
he did a year ago. One metric that has improved is how often receivers
are catching targets in his coverage (56.9 percent, down from
66.7). While he has given up at least 51 yards three times in
2024, he has not surrendered a touchdown over the last six contests.
Perhaps most impressively, he has permitted eight catches on 15
targets for a mere 74 yards over the last four games. That is
wildly impressive considering he has lined up against the likes
of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Tyreek Hill
and Jaylen Waddle over that time and done so on a defense that
ranks 29th in the league in generating pressure. While Patrick
Surtain is generally considered the best cornerback in the NFL
right now (certainly if the ability to play the slot regularly
is part of the consideration), Gonzalez is well on his way to
being a worthy challenger to that throne.
Week 14: bye Week 15: Marvin Harrison Jr. (42-37 left right)/Greg Dortch (58
slot) Week 16: Amari Cooper (44-35)/Khalil Shakir (78) Week 17: Quentin Johnston (60-31)/Ladd McConkey (69)
* Has played 344 snaps on the left side and 281 on the right
(only three slot snaps).
A sixth-round cornerback from a FCS program (Villanova) is typically
expected to serve as a special teams ace or career backup for
most of his pro career. Benford finished his second pro season
in 2023 with PFF's seventh-highest coverage grade among qualified
cornerbacks and has outdone himself so far this season by carrying
PFF's fifth-highest coverage grade heading into Week 14. (His
one gaffe was being charged with the crime of giving up a
52-yard touchdown catch on a Hail Mary to Allen Lazard at
the end of the first half in Week 6, which is the only TD he has
been charged with in 2024.) In other words, he has been even better
than his ranking in this piece suggests. He has been targeted
more than four times in a game only twice this season, which is
a startling number for a perimeter corner playing for a team that
has spent so much time in positive game script this season. His
8.2 yards allowed per catch is also a highly impressive mark for
a perimeter corner. Along with the relatively few times he has
been targeted this year (37), it becomes clear why Buffalo ranks
among the most difficult matchups for fantasy receivers. Benford
may not be on the same level as some of the league's top corners
who we will discuss below, but he is not far off.
Week 14: Puka Nacua (31-50 left right)/Demarcus Robinson (44-27) Week 15: Tim Patrick (40-40)/Jameson Williams (34-32) Week 16: Kendrick Bourne (38-41/Kayshon Boutte (44-41) Week 17: Garrett Wilson (44-37)/Davante Adams (31-32)
* Has logged 408 of his 563 cornerback snaps in the slot (147
of his 155 perimeter snaps have been on the right side).
Lenoir began to emerge as a key part of the defense over the
second half of last season, doing enough to justify the five-year
contract extension San Francisco gave him last month worth around
$90 million. A few opponents have not shied away from targeting
him and Lenoir has allowed his fair share of catches in those
games (7-for-10 against the Jets in Week 1, 7-for-10 against the
Seahawks in Week 6 and 7-for-12 against the Cowboys in Week 8),
but those are the only games he has permitted more than 50 yards.
(It is also not a crime to give up a few catches and yards to
CeeDee Lamb and Garrett Wilson either.) Some of that "success"
can and should be attributed to the fact that the 49ers have been
among the more injury-ravaged teams this season, so the pass rush
has not been what it was in previous years. With that in mind,
it makes the fact that Lenoir has yet to give up a touchdown in
his coverage all the more impressive. Much like the other primary
slot corners on this list, fantasy managers do not usually need
to be overly concerned when the offense puts an elite receiver
inside against Lenoir. However, he should be expected to win the
majority of the battles against most non-elite primary slot receivers.
Week 14: Keenan Allen/Rome Odunze (52-32) Week 15: Cooper Kupp (62) Week 16: Odell Beckham/Tyreek Hill (50-33) Week 17: Amon-Ra St. Brown/Jameson Williams (52-34)
* Has played 310 snaps on the left side, 322 on the right and
43 in the slot.
Allow Underdog's James Palmer - most recently of NFL Network
- to make the
opening argument for Surtain. The No. 9 overall pick of the
2021 NFL Draft is about everything a team can ask for from a corner
in today's NFL. He can play inside and outside and will bottle
up the opponent's top receiver an overwhelming majority of the
time. He has yet to give up a catch of longer than 23 yards this
season and Xavier Legette (Week 8) is the only player to beat
him for a touchdown, which means he has scored as many TDs as
he has allowed (100-yard pick-six in Week 5). While receivers
have caught passes more often in his coverage than they ever have
(72.2 percent catch rate), they are not doing much with those
opportunities (career-low 8.2 yards allowed per catch). It is
also extremely impressive that he has only been targeted 36 times
given how often he is lining up opposite an alpha receiver. Not
much more needs to be said: if a fantasy manager has an alpha
receiver on a team facing Denver, that receiver is very likely
going to have a long day at the office.
Week 14: bye Week 15: Michael Pittman Jr. (37-39 left right) Week 16: Quentin Johnston (60-31) Week 17: Ja'Marr Chase (11-55)
Arizona's pass defense improved as last season progressed, but
it was still a major weakness entering the offseason. Although
the Cardinals have not enjoyed much more success in limiting wide
receiver production, Williams is not the reason why. Playing all
but nine of his cornerback snaps in the season inside, the second-year
pro is grading out significantly better and has been much more
difficult to beat than he was in limited action in 2023. Perhaps
the most noticeable improvements are in catch rate (55.8 percent,
down from 72.4) and passer rating allowed (58.2, down from 85.7).
Romeo Doubs (Week 6) is the only receiver to score a touchdown
in Williams' coverage. Following a somewhat bump start to the
season, Williams has only allowed one catch in four of his last
five outings. It should come as no surprise in those four good
recent showings that he did not surrender more than 15 yards receiving.
A bit of a nitpick is that he is not getting his hand on many
throws (two interceptions and three pass breakups), but those
numbers are relatively common for corners who play a high number
of snaps inside because those throws are supposed to be easier
and safer throws for quarterbacks. The encouraging metric is the
low catch rate, which is outstanding for a slot corner. Williams
may not be a matchup to avoid in fantasy per se, but he is not
one that managers should target with any confidence either.
Week 14: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (76) Week 15: Demario Douglas (80) Week 16: Adam Thielen (63) Week 17: Cooper Kupp (62)
* Has logged 299 snaps in the slot and 274 of his 281 perimeter
snaps on the left side.
Humphrey is no stranger to The Dirty Dozen, last appearing in
this annual piece at No. 6 in 2022. He may be playing the best
football of his career at age 28, especially since getting beat
for two of the three touchdowns he has allowed the season in Week
5 against the Bengals. That contest ended a rough three-game stretch
in which he gave up 13 catches on 17 targets for 143 yards (although
it is understandable since it came against Buffalo, Cincinnati
and Washington). Over his last seven games, he has intercepted
three passes while not allowing a touchdown. During that same
stretch, quarterbacks have completed only 50 percent of their
passes in his coverage for 156 yards. While it is difficult for
any corner to prevent a high percentage of receptions when spending
as much time in the slot as Humphrey does, the former first-round
pick is allowing a career-low 9.9 yards per catch and a 57.6 percent
catch rate. Although the latter mark is higher than last year
(52.5), it is still a very good mark in a league where slot corners
are routinely allowing a catch rate of at least 65 percent. The
Ravens have been among the most favorable matchups for receivers
most of the season (that has changed in recent weeks with S Kyle
Hamilton playing further off the line of scrimmage), but most
of that production is going to receivers who run most of the routes
on the perimeter. Fantasy managers hoping for upside from primary
slot receivers against Baltimore will be disappointed more often
than not.
* Has logged 304 snaps on the left side and 265 on the right
side (25 in the slot).
It was about nine months ago when the Panthers fleeced the Steelers,
acquiring Diontae Johnson in exchange for Jackson. About that
… Jackson already has a career-high five interceptions,
which is the primary reason why he finds himself where he does
on this list. However, it is far from the only reason. While teammate
Joey Porter Jr. tends to draw the opponent's best receiver in
coverage (and his coverage numbers reflect that), Jackson has
mostly disincentivized quarterbacks to target him. Receivers have
posted a 53.8 percent catch rate in his coverage. Only once has
he allowed more than four catches or 48 yards in a game (both
came against the Giants in Week 8, mostly courtesy of Darius Slayton).
While he has slipped a bit lately (both of the touchdowns Jackson
has surrendered this season have come over the last three weeks),
the quality of competition had something to do with it (Zay Flowers
and Ja'Marr Chase among others). With that said, it is easy to
see now that being in Carolina was holding him back (receivers
caught at least 65.6 percent of their targets in his coverage
over each of the previous three seasons). Most fantasy managers
know Pittsburgh is not a great matchup for most alpha receivers
because of Porter, but Jackson is the primary reason why only
four sets of teammates have scored double-digit fantasy points
against the Steelers this season.
* Has logged 561 of his 741 cornerback snaps on the left side.
After his injury-plagued rookie season, there was no question
that Houston made a mistake passing on Sauce Gardner for a guy
who could not stay healthy in college. Two years later, the Texans
have arguably the finest (or at least the most effective) corner
in the league right now. Stingley can be beaten, as Brian Thomas
Jr. showed us last week on his
56-yard catch. (This clip is a great example of assigning
"blame" in coverage is very difficult since Stingley
essentially had to navigate his way through four players, but
I digress.) Even if we say he is fully responsible for all of
the yardage he allowed on that play, it was only the second time
all season (on 511 coverage snaps) that he has given up a catch
that gained at least 20 yards. (This
was the other play.) For the season, receivers are catching
a mere 44.3 percent of their targets in his coverage. Quarterbacks
have completed 40 percent or less of their passes in his coverage
seven times and receivers have gained less than 30 yards against
him nine times. Stingley has surrendered one touchdown and picked
off three passes while breaking up 10 others. Perhaps the best
part of his game is that his completion percentage allowed and
passer rating against have improved markedly each season. Despite
the lopsided left cornerback snap numbers above, Stingley will
shadow and has done more of it over the last month. If it was
not already obvious, he is a matchup to avoid for 95 percent of
the receivers in the league.
Doug Orth has written for FF
Today since 2006 and been featured in USA Today’s Fantasy
Football Preview magazine since 2010. He hosted USA Today’s
hour-long, pre-kickoff fantasy football internet chat every Sunday
in 2012-13 and appears as a guest analyst on a number of national
sports radio shows, including Sirius XM’s “Fantasy Drive”.
Doug is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.
