Fantasy Football: 5 Receiver-Cornerback Matchups to Exploit in Week 5

Matchups are everything in the NFL, especially at the receiver position.

For fantasy purposes, being able to identify which receivers have advantageous (or disadvantageous) matchups is a sharp way to get a leg up on your opponent.

Each Friday I'll be listing out the best wide receiver-cornerback matchups for the upcoming week. It doesn't take a genius to tell you to start Justin Jefferson, but there will be weeks when some WR1s have better matchups and other weeks when typical WR2 or WR3s have matchups that bump them up in our weekly rankings.

But how do we know what to look for?

First, the numberFire (nF) Player Matchups chart helps to identify advantageous matchups for specific positions.

Then, we dive deeper into the specific cornerbacks. Pro Football Focus (PFF) Player Grades and their WR/CB Matchup chart are great starting points for identifying which specific matchups we want to target.

For receivers, the three key statistics we'll be citing are Target Share, average depth of target (aDOT), and Net Expected Points (NEP). For cornerbacks, we're mainly looking at the percentage of targets caught (REC%), Forced Incompletions per Target (FI%), and the opposing quarterbacks' NFL Passer Rating against them.

Projections and rankings via numberFire. All statistics via PFF or NFL Next Gen Stats unless otherwise noted.

Week 5 Receiver-Cornerback Matchups

Jaylen Waddle (MIA)-New York Giants

numberFire Projection: 13.97 fantasy points (WR12)

• 70.0 yards
• 4.4 receptions (7.1 targets)

FanDuel Props:

• O/U 61.5 yards
• O/U 4.5 receptions

The first four weeks didn't go quite the way Jaylen Waddle stockholders were anticipating coming into the season.

Per FantasyPros, Waddle was drafted, on average, as the WR11 in fantasy.

Through four weeks, Waddle is the WR57 overall and the WR47 on a per-game basis.

Still, it's hard to be disappointed in his usage. Despite leaving Week 2 early with a concussion, Waddle leads all Miami Dolphins skill-position players in snap share (70.7%) and routes per game (29.0). He's only seen 15.0% of targets, but that's just how things go in one of the most explosive offenses in football.

Sometimes, you just don't get the ball.

Last year, Waddle averaged 6.9 targets per game but had 9 games with 5 or fewer looks. He still finished as the WR7 in fantasy.

This year, he's seen five, six, and five targets in his three games. It's only a matter of time before he has a spike game; why not this week, against a soft New York Giants pass defense?

Although the Giants have allowed the 14th-fewest fantasy points per game (26.5) to opposing wide receivers, I'm not sure that speaks to their defense. It's more so quickly the opposition gets a lead on them. They've allowed a mediocre 1.77 yards per route run to the position and have given up the fourth-highest EPA per dropback (0.12) in the league.

The Giants don't defend the pass very well, but that hasn't stopped them from manning up. Per Next Gen Stats, New York plays the second-most man coverage (44.0%) in the league.

That bodes well for Waddle as he enters Week 4 as PFF's 12th-highest-graded receiver (83.5) against man coverage. He's expected to see time against both Deonte Banks (54.8 PFF coverage grade) and Adoree' Jackson (45.9). The two have combined to allow 26 of 41 targets to be caught (63.4%) for 341 yards and 3 scores. Quarterbacks have a passer rating north of 110 against both of them, putting Waddle in an advantageous 1-on-1 matchup.

Where Waddle can really thrive is when he beats either Banks or Jackson off the line. The Giants have given up the 13th-most deep yards per target (11.2), -- argely because of how little help their defensive backs have. Per Next Gen Stats, New York plays the third-most Cover 0 (12.0%) and the least amount of Cover 2 (0.8%) in the league.

Little to no safety help could equate to a ton of deep targets and yards after the catch (YAC) for Waddle.

The uber-talented speedster is due for a big game and has the matchup to do so in Week 5.

Zay Flowers (BAL)-Pittsburgh Steelers

numberFire Projection: 13.24 fantasy points (WR15)

• 59.2 yards
• 4.8 receptions (7.5 targets)

Zay Flowers has cooled off from a fantasy perspective after his 13.2-point opening week, but he's still seeing encouraging usage.

Even if you take away his Mark Andrews-less debut, Flowers leads the Baltimore Ravens in snap share (88.8%), route participation (94.4%), target share (23.5%), and air yard share (24.8%).

He's the clear No. 1 receiver and is right up there with Andrews as the top target on the team.

Oh, and he's only played 16 quarters of professional football.

Flowers currently clocks in as PFF's 24th-highest-graded wide receiver (75.5) -- a ranking that should climb after he gets his hands on the Pittsburgh Steelers this week.

Make no mistake, this is not a Steelers defense we need to be afraid of.

Pittsburgh has let up the following performances to No. 1 receivers:

• 8 receptions, 129 yards, and 2 touchdowns to Brandon Aiyuk
• 7 receptions and 90 yards to Amari Cooper
• 13 receptions, 172 yards, and 2 touchdowns to Davante Adams
• 7 receptions, 168 yards, and 2 touchdowns to Nico Collins

Not great, Bob!

While Flowers (5'9", 183 lbs) is noticeably smaller than the wideouts who've torched Pittsburgh thus far, I'm confident that his usage will lead to a strong day with the Steelers lacking capable defenders.

Flowers is something of a Swiss Army knife for Baltimore, so he should see a multitude of defenders lining up all over the formation.

Still, there isn't really anyone in Pittsburgh's secondary who can hang with him.

Levi Wallace (58.7 PFF coverage grade) and Patrick Peterson (64.3) will match up with Flowers out wide, while Chandon Sullivan (55.4) checks him in the slot.

Both Wallace and Peterson have allowed at least 60% of targets to be caught and given up over 200 yards. On top of that, the two have already given up 7 combined touchdowns.

Peterson (38 slot snaps) will also spend time in the slot where he's allowed a 116.7 passer rating. That sounds pretty bad (because it is)... until you see that Sullivan (44 slot snaps) is giving up a 130.4 passer rating -- the third-highest mark among defensive backs with at least 40 slot snaps.

As if Zay didn't have enough going for him, Peterson called him a "little munchkin" during the week, only further fueling his fire.

Start him confidently as a WR2 or FLEX.

Robert Woods (HOU)-Dee Alford (ATL)

numberFire Projection: 10.54 fantasy points (WR30)

• 48.1 yards
• 4.2 receptions (6.7 targets)

FanDuel Props:

• O/U 40.5 yards
• O/U 3.5 receptions

Another week, another opportunity to target whatever slot receiver is up against the Atlanta Falcons.

Last week, we watched Christian Kirk torch the Falcons for 8 receptions (on 12 targets) and 84 yards in London.

The week prior, Amon-Ra St. Brown went off for 9 receptions (12 targets) and 102 yards.

Before that, Jayden Reed snagged a pair of touchdowns with both coming from the slot.

Sensing a trend?

The Falcons cannot defend slot receivers, namely because of Dee Alford. Alford has been targeted 18 times in the slot this season. He's allowed 14 receptions, 114 yards, and a touchdown in that alignment and has given up a 111.6 passer rating when targeted.

That bodes well for Robert Woods, who has seen 44.7% of his snaps from the slot this season, this week.

Woods has played better than his WR53 fantasy standing would suggest, but his main draw this week comes with his solid usage and soft matchup.

While he's been outshined by Nico Collins and Tank Dell, Woods leads all Houston pass catchers in both snap share (77.2%) and route participation (79.8%). On top of that, Woods' 21.7% target and 25.7% air yard shares are both close seconds to Collins' 22.5% target and 32.6% air yard shares.

Furthermore, Woods has proved to be the most reliable Texan receiver. While Collins and Dell's target shares have fluctuated at times, Woods has garnered at least a 20% target share in every game this season.

With a soft matchup on deck and consistent looks coming his way, Robert Woods could blow past projections this week.

Rashee Rice (KC)-Minnesota Vikings

numberFire Projection: 9.01 fantasy points (WR44)

• 40.7 yards
• 3.3 receptions (5.2 targets)

FanDuel Props:

• O/U32.5 yards

Taking a chance on the roulette wheel that is the Kansas City Chiefs receiving room is certainly risky, but recent usage rates suggest a growing role for Rashee Rice.

A second-round pick (No. 55 overall) out of SMU, Rice possesses decent size (6'1", 205 lbs) and speed (4.51-second 40-yard dash).

Though his playing time has been limited, Rice entered Week 5 as PFF's 14th-highest-graded receiver (79.0) among those with at least 10 targets. That grade is even more impressive when compared to the rest of Kansas City's receivers; the next-closest of whom, Justin Watson, has a 65.9 grade.

Rice leads Kansas City's non-Travis Kelce pass catchers in receptions (13) and is third on the team in yards (140). He turned a 24.0% red zone target share into a score in Week 1 and was notably tackled on the one-yard line twice in their win over the Chicago Bears.

The only thing holding Rice back has been playing time. He's only played 37.1% of total snaps this season but has hovered around a 50% snap share the last two weeks.

That hasn't stopped him from garnering targets, however. Despite ranking seventh among pass-catchers in snap share, he's commanded the second-highest target share (13.4%) overall. That snuck up to 18.9% and 17.2% in the last two weeks, correlating directly with his uptick in snaps.

Clearly, Rice has talent, and that should lead to production this week against a soft Minnesota Vikings pass defense.

Rice has lined up in the slot on 65.5% of snaps thus far, so he'll likely spend the majority of his time against Josh Metellus (72.0 PFF coverage grade), Camryn Bynum (80.3), and Byron Murphy Jr. (49.5). While Metellus and Bynum have solid grades, they've given up more than their fair share of production when defending the slot.

Metellus (68 slot snaps) has allowed 16 of 17 targets to be caught for 145 yards from the slot. Opposing quarterbacks have a 121.8 passer rating when targeting Metellus -- the fifth-highest mark among defensive backs with at least 40 snaps in the slot.

Bynum (47 slot snaps) has allowed 11 of 13 targets to be caughtwhile Murphy (42 slot snaps) has let up 7 receptions on 8 targets and a 115.1 passer rating.

The Vikings as a whole have given up the second-most fantasy points per game (40.1) to opposing wide receivers but just the 18th-most to tight ends (8.8). With their focus surrounding Travis Kelce, I'm expecting Mahomes to rely more heavily on his receivers.

Given his upward snap trends, Rashee Rice stands to benefit perhaps more than any other KC receiver.

If everything clicks, the rookie could be in for a breakout performance against one of the worst secondaries in the NFL.

Josh Downs (IND)-Roger McCreary (TEN)

numberFire Projection: 8.31 fantasy points (WR53)

• 39.3 yards
• 3.1 receptions (5.1 targets)

FanDuel Props:

• O/U 35.5 yards

Sometimes, fantasy football is easy.

Josh Downs is seeing the second-highest target share (19.9%) on the Indianapolis Colts.

Josh Downs is up against one of the worst slot defenders in the NFL.

Play Josh Downs in fantasy.

Easy, peasy.

Sure, Downs has only scored 24.3 fantasy points total this season, but his usage and matchup could collide for the perfect storm of fantasy goodness this week.

Downs has played at least 74% of snaps in all four games this season with 83.8% of those snaps coming from the slot.

This week, Downs and the Colts face off with the Tennessee Titans. The Titans boast a ferocious run defense but are incredibly friendly to the pass. So friendly, in fact, that they're allowing the ninth-most fantasy points per game (35.1) to the position. How nice!

On top of that, the Titans have allowed the fourth-highest catch rate over expectation (9.4%) and the fifth-highest target rate (22.5%) to the wide receiver position -- but that isn't even the best part of this matchup.

Downs, specifically, could feast thanks to his slot matchup. Titans defensive back Roger McCreary is one of the worst slot defenders in the NFL. In the slot, McCreary has been targeted the second-most times (20) of any defender. He's given up 15 receptions on those targets, allowing the fourth-most yards (155) and a subpar 96.9 passer rating.

His strong usage metrics have hinted at a breakout performance for weeks now. In one of the most advantageous slot matchups you'll find, don't be surprised if that breakout come this week.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.