Thankfully, the NFL has given us fantasy managers a break from having to manage bye weeks alongside our growing injury lists, by allowing all 32 teams to play this week.

However, with more teams playing and more players available to choose from, it means more start/sit decisions. And that means analyzing each WR/CB matchup to ensure fantasy managers select the right lineup.

Luckily, I have highlighted the six key WR/CB matchups to look out for this week and either exploit them or maybe fade them from your lineups, depending on the difficulty of the matchup.

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WR/CB Matchups: Week 8

Advantageous Wide Receiver Matchups

Jayden Reed (WR – GB) vs. Camryn Bynum (CB – MIN)

Jayden Reed makes this column for the second week in a row. Last week, I highlighted a plus matchup for Reed, which led him to be WR32. He was a couple of inches away from ending up as a top 24 wide receiver and had the pass he didn’t catch, was really close to him, and ended up in his hands. He would have gotten there.

However, this week, Reed has the best matchup out of all wide receivers this week. Despite only running routes 58.9% of the time this season, Reed is managing a respectable 0.45 fantasy points per route run. This week, Reed is up against Camryn Bynum, who is the worst-performing corner in the NFL in terms of fantasy points per routes run against him and also the percentage of routes he is targeted on.

According to the FantasyPoints Data Suite, Bynum is conceding 0.62 fantasy points per route run against him. That is 0.18 fantasy points per route run against him, more than the next cornerback. He is also being targeted on 31.1% of the routes run against him. Offensive coordinators have targeted Bynum as someone they can scheme against and deliver good one-on-one matchups against. Reed has the opportunity to put up a good week this week against him as a result.

Nico Collins (WR – HOU) vs. Donte Jackson (CB – CAR)

Nico Collins is coming off the bye currently ranked as the WR16. He has also posted two 27-point-plus weeks so far this season. With the other Houston Texan wide receivers, Tank Dell and Robert Woods, on the injury report, it could be a huge week for Collins.

Collins faces Donte Jackson this week. The cornerback of the winless Carolina Panthers is currently giving up 0.40 fantasy points per route run against him so far this season. That currently counts as the eighth most amongst all cornerbacks coming into Week 8.

Collins has a great opportunity to achieve more than the 0.62 fantasy points per route run he is currently amassing as of his bye week. With this matchup, Collins could be knocking on the door of WR1 territory this week.

Zay Flowers (WR – BAL) vs. Starling Thomas (CB – ARI)

Zay Flowers comes into Week 8 as the WR23. He is one of only two receiving weapons that the Baltimore Ravens fantasy managers can rely on for fantasy football.

Flowers is running routes on 90.1% of snaps. He is clearly getting more looks in the passing game and earning the trust of quarterback Lamar Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Monkin.

This week, Flowers is up against Starling Thomas. Thomas is giving up 0.35 fantasy points per route run, which is the 15th most of all cornerbacks coming into Week 8.

Arizona has been conceding 32.8 fantasy points to wide receivers per game, which is the sixth most in the NFL coming into this week. While fantasy managers would have likely put Flowers in their starting lineups this week, this matchup should lead to Flowers returning a top-24 week.

Challenging Wide Receiver Matchups

Michael Pittman (WR – IND) vs. Paulson Adebo (CB – NO)

Paulson Adebo was also in this column last week, as his Thursday Night Football matchup against Calvin Ridley meant Ridley was going to be a tough start in Week 7. And he was. Ridley had one catch for five yards on just four targets.

Adebo is ranked eighth for the least amount of fantasy points per route run against him, allowing just 0.16 fantasy points. He has been incredible in shutting down big plays and defending a lot of passes.

This week, Michael Pittman is the man lining up against Adebo. It is hard to bench Pittman. However, you will need Pittman to see a lot of volume in order for him to return a top-24 wide receiver performance this week. Pittman’s best outcome is a volume-based low-end WR2 this week. However, expect him to return a WR3 performance this week based on this matchup.

Marquise Brown (WR – ARI) vs. Brandon Stephens (CB – BAL)

Marquise Brown has been putting up a solid season. Brown is coming into this week as the WR21. However, this is one matchup where it will be a challenge to start Brown for fantasy managers.

Brown is up against Brandon Stephens. Stephens is only allowing 0.20 fantasy points per route run against him which is T-17th fewest amongst all cornerbacks in the NFL coming into Week 8. The Baltimore Ravens are only allowing 23.9 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, which is the seventh lowest in the NFL.

As the Arizona Cardinals are not a high-volume passing offense, it is going to be extremely difficult for Brown to end up as a top-24 wide receiver this week. Brown will be relying on a touchdown to get into the top 24 this week. So fantasy managers should be wary of starting him this week.

CeeDee Lamb (WR – DAL) vs. Cobie Durant (CB – LAR)

CeeDee Lamb is not someone fantasy managers will bench this week. However, they should be wary of expecting a high upside performance from Lamb this week.

Cobie Durant is only being targeted on 16.4% of routes run against him by opposing quarterbacks. There is a clear fear of targeting Durant too often in games. Durant is also only conceding 0.24 fantasy points per routes run against him. The Los Angeles Rams are also only conceding 21.9 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, which ranks as the fourth lowest in the NFL.

Therefore, while Lamb is still likely to land a top 24 wide receiver week this week, as the talent should prevail, don’t expect Lamb to be in the top 5/10 conversation this week unless he lands in the endzone multiple times. It is going to be a tough week for Lamb. However, better weeks lie ahead.

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Adam Murfet is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Murf, check out his archive and follow him @Murf_NFL.