With bye weeks starting next week, this is the last full slate of games we will see in close to two months. While the fantasy start sit decisions will in theory become easier starting next week, it also means less room for error. A crucial incorrect decision by starting the wrong wide receiver could be the difference between a win or loss. And that win or loss could be the difference between making the playoffs or not.
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Every piece of starting lineup analysis is key. This column is just one of the many tools on the FantasyPros website to utilize and exploit in order to get an edge in your matchups.
Therefore, it’s time to hone in on six fantasy football WR/CB matchups you need to know for Week 4.
WR/CB Matchups: Week 4
Advantageous Wide Receiver Matchups
Josh Downs (WR – IND) vs. Beanie Bishop (CB – PIT)
It is extremely risky to consider starting any Indianapolis Colts wide receiver at the moment. However, with the way the offense is going in Indy, they need to get Anthony Richardson some easy targets and quick-release throws to instill some confidence and rhythm into his play.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers defense has been lights out so far, there are still areas you can get at them. And in the slot is the best place to attack them and move the chains. Enter a matchup between the newly fit Josh Downs and Beanie Bishop.
Downs should see an increase on the 65.5% of snaps he has played since his return. He is another week removed from his injury and return. He is up against Bishop, who is statistically the worst corner in football right now when it comes to fantasy points allowed per route run. According to Fantasy Points, Bishop is allowing 0.45 fantasy points per route run against him so far this season. Which is the most of any corner in the NFL through three weeks. He is also being targeted on a whopping 24.6% of routes run against him. This again, also leads the NFL among all corners in 2024.
Offensive coordinators know they can get some joy in the slot. Shane Steichen will no doubt target Downs more heavily this week to exploit the matchup. Expect Downs to be in contention for a top-36 finish at the position this week.
Nico Collins (WR – HOU) vs. Montaric Brown (CB – JAX)
Nico Collins is a must-start play every week. However, this week, he could potentially be in the conversation to finish as a top-six receiver or better. There are several factors for this. His matchup against Montaric Brown is one of those factors.
Brown is conceding 0.44 fantasy points per route run against him so far this season. Only Bishop and Jalen Pitre are conceding more this season. He is also being targeted on 20.9% of all routes run against him, which is the eighth-most among all corners in the NFL in 2024.
Add in the fact Trevor Lawrence has lost in his last eight starts and that they have struggled to move the football except for garbage time. Tank Dell is also unlikely to play this week. Collins has 25.9% of his team’s target share. Add all those factors up and you have a perfect storm that puts Collins on course for a huge week. The leading wide receiver in yards coming into Week 4 is about to separate himself from the pack even further this week.
Noah Brown (WR – WAS) vs. Starling Thomas V (CB – ARI)
This selection will come as a surprise to many since Noah Brown is rostered in fewer than 10% on all fantasy platforms. However, if he is free on your waiver wire I suggest adding him before this game, if you have space. Fantasy managers should not expect Brown to repeat the exploits of last season when he was standing in for Tank Dell and Nico Collins in Houston. However, that explosive nature, alongside the growing confidence of rookie Jayden Daniels, means Brown could be in line for a significant fantasy game this week.
Brown goes up against Starling Thomas of the Arizona Cardinals. Thomas is allowing 0.34 fantasy points per route run against him so far this season. However, Brown is managing 0.45 fantasy points per route run on his routes so far this season, with most of that production coming last week.
Brown’s sample size is small. He suffered a horrific injury and is just making a comeback. Last week, according to Fantasy Points, he ran routes on 53.3% of dropbacks. While that doesn’t sound like a lot, it’s worth noting that Kliff Kingsbury might just find ways to exploit Brown’s matchup with Thomas.
Brown doesn’t need 10 targets to be productive. If he manages to see five targets (he saw three on Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals) and breaks one into a big gain or for a touchdown then Brown is a contender to finish in the top 36 at the position this week.
If you are sweating over the health of A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and others, having Brown on the bench as pure upside is a worthy play this week.
Other Notable Advantageous Matchups
- Tyler Lockett (WR – SEA) vs. Carlton Davis (CB – DET)
- Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN) vs. Jaire Alexander (CB – GB)
- DJ Moore (WR – CHI) vs. Tre’Davious White (CB – LAR)
- Tee Higgins (WR – CIN) vs. Mike Jackson (CB – CAR)
- Christian Kirk (WR – JAX) vs. Jalen Pitre (CB – HOU)
Challenging Wide Receiver Matchups
Demarcus Robinson (WR – LAR) vs. Jaylon Johnson (CB – CHI)
It is fair to say fantasy managers have been unhappy with the fantasy return so far from Demarcus Robinson. And they won’t be too pleased to see him line up against Jaylon Johnson this week.
Johnson is currently leading the NFL in the fewest amount of fantasy points allowed per route run. Johnson has stayed consistently at 0.09 fantasy points per route run against him. He is also only being targeted on just 7.9% of routes run against him, which is second among cornerbacks in the NFL in 2024.
With the lack of options on the Rams’ offense, it is possible Robinson could be a volume-based play for fantasy managers this week in PPR leagues. However, in other formats, he should probably remain on the bench this week.
Drake London (WR – ATL) vs. Marshon Lattimore (CB – NO)
Drake London is not having the season many fantasy managers had hoped for when he was drafted inside the top 40 overall this offseason. To make matters worse, he is up against one of the best corners in the NFL. Against a scheme he and the Falcons have struggled with this season.
London is only averaging 45.3 yards per game this season. However, his struggles seem to be more apparent against zone coverage than man coverage. According to Fantasy Points and their average separation score, London has a score of 0.222 against man coverage. Among receivers who have run 18+ routes against man coverage, he ranks a respectable 13th.
However, against man coverage, where London has run 55 routes so far this season, his average separation score is just 0.127. This ranks him 42nd among all receivers who have run 18+ routes against zone coverage.
On top of this, Marshon Lattimore has had fewer targets per route run against him than anyone in the NFL. He is being targeted against just 6.8% of the time. He is only allowing 0.12 fantasy points per route run against him. Only Jaylon Johnson is allowing fewer among cornerbacks.
It will be hard to sit London. However, it is likely his ceiling is a WR3 finish this week. Fantasy managers should use caution on him this week and decide if he is worth the risk. Especially considering the potential low ceiling.
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA) vs. L’Jarius Sneed (CB – TEN)
There are many factors as to why Jaylen Waddle is not a start option this week. Facing off against L’Jarius Sneed is just the final straw.
Sneed is allowing just 0.16 fantasy points per route run so far this season. Also, who will be playing quarterback for the Miami Dolphins? What will the passing volume be? They only threw the ball 32 times in Week 3 when trailing for almost the entire game. What will the average yards per attempt be? It was 5.8 yards in Week 3. How many plays are they likely to run? It was just 56 in Week 3.
All of this points to just one outcome. Avoid Jaylen Waddle in your fantasy lineups this week.
Other Notable Challenging Matchups
- Jonathan Mingo (WR – CAR) vs. Mike Hilton (CB – CIN)
- Michael Pittman (WR – IND) vs. Joey Porter (CB – PIT)
- Jameson Williams (WR – DET) vs. Riq Woolen (CB – SEA)
- Zay Flowers (WR – BAL) vs. Rasul Douglas (CB – BUF)
- Jahan Dotson (WR – PHI) vs. Zyon McCollum (CB – TB)
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Adam Murfet is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Murf, check out his archive and follow him @5yardrush.