With half the fantasy regular season in the books and wide receiver ceilings falling all over the fantasy landscape due to injury, fantasy managers need every edge they can get.
This is the part of the season where every point matters. And, therefore, paying attention to these wide receiver vs. cornerback matchups might notch you that all-important extra win to get you into the playoffs at the end of the season.
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Therefore, let’s dive right into six fantasy football WR/CB matchups you need to know for Week 8.
WR/CB Matchups: Week 8
Advantageous Wide Receiver Matchups
George Pickens (WR – PIT) vs. Deonte Banks (CB – NYG)
George Pickens put up his first WR1 week of the season last week, with a WR3 overall finish. It was his first start of the season with Russell Wilson. It appears the Steelers trust Wilson to utilize more of the passing game than Justin Fields. That will only mean good things for Pickens.
Pickens is averaging 0.43 fantasy points per route run this season, according to Fantasy Points. This runs almost parallel to Deonte Banks. No one is allowing more fantasy points per route run against him this season than Banks (0.42).
Expect Pickens to back up his performance last week with another top-24 outing this week.
Cooper Kupp (WR – LA) vs. Byron Murphy (CB – MIN)
It is hard to put any meaningful data from this season behind Cooper Kupp. However, without Puka Nacua, and with this matchup in front of him, Kupp’s return will delight fantasy managers all over the world.
Kupp has WR1 upside this week as he matches up against Byron Murphy in what is expected to be a reasonably high-scoring affair. According to Vegas Insider, the 48-point over/under toal is the second highest of Week 8. Therefore, we can expect Kupp to see a full workload in his first game back, seeing as he is fully off the injury report and is finally good to go.
Trying to stop Kupp will be Murphy. However, he has allowed 0.40 fantasy points per route run against him so far this season. Only Banks and the Ravens’ Ar’Darius Washington have allowed more.
Expect Kupp to bounce back with a high-volume performance on Thursday Night Football.
Courtland Sutton (WR – DEN) vs. Mike Jackson (CB – CAR)
There is concern putting Sutton in this column considering he didn’t even see a target in a blowout win versus the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football last week. However, the game plan will be very different this weekend. In last week’s column, I highlighted Sutton would be covered by Marshon Lattimore. This week, he will not have that problem.
Mike Jackson comes into the game tied for allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per route run against him. His 0.37 fantasy points allowed will give optimism to fantasy owners that Sutton is a worthy Flex option when making fantasy start sit decisions this week. Especially if their rosters are dealing with injuries.
Expect Sutton to be a top-30 volume play receiver this week because of this good matchup.
Other Notable Advantageous Matchups
- Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN) vs. Darious Williams (CB – LAR)
- Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS) vs. Tyrique Stevenson (CB – CHI)
- Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAX) vs. Jaire Alexander (CB – GB)
- Drake London (WR – ATL) vs. Zyon McCollum (CB – TB)
- Rashod Bateman (WR – BAL) vs. Martin Emerson (CB – CLE)
Challenging Wide Receiver Matchups
DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI) vs. Mike Hilton (CB – CIN)
DeVonta Smith was almost nonexistent in the box score in Week 7. He has the tough task of going up against Mike Hilton this week. Smith is currently the fantasy WR39 and should not be considered a must-start most weeks. He is one of the most matchup-dependent wide receivers in fantasy football.
Coming into this week, Hilton has only allowed a league-low 0.10 fantasy points per route run against him. Hilton has only been targeted on 9.1% of the routes run against him this season, which is the sixth-lowest. While Smith might not finish as the WR102 like he did last week, fantasy managers should explore better options on their bench if they have them.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI) vs. Jalen Ramsey (CB – MIA)
Marvin Harrison Jr. has only gone beyond 50 receiving yards twice this season. Only once has he exceeded 65 receiving yards. He has managed just 8.2 fantasy points in his last three starts. Now he has the challenge of facing Jalen Ramsey this week.
Ramsey is only being targeted on 7.3% of routes run against him. Also, he is only allowing 0.14 fantasy points per route run against him. This ranks him in a tie for eighth among cornerbacks this season.
Harrison, currently the fantasy WR28, will be a hard sit for fantasy managers considering the draft capital they poured into him. However, with this matchup on the horizon, it might be best to fade Harrison and explore different fantasy start sit options.
Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC) vs. Marshon Lattimore (CB – NO)
Quentin Johnston missed Monday night’s loss to the Cardinals and is currently on the injury report (ankle). Regardless of whether he is ready to go or not, fantasy managers should treat Johnston as a “persona non grata” when it comes to their fantasy lineups this week.
Johnston is banged up, has only managed 5.5 fantasy points in his last two starts combined and is currently sitting as the WR60 in fantasy football. He is worth stashing on rosters, as there are better days ahead. But they won’t be this week.
Marshon Lattimore has been shutting down most receivers in the NFL for years. With Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos not wanting to go anywhere near him last Thursday, it shows teams will try and attack the Saints in other ways. Lattimore is only being targeted on 7.1% of routes run against him. Only the New York Jets’ Isaiah Oliver is seeing fewer targets than Lattimore.
Only Hilton is allowing fewer fantasy points per route run against him than Lattimore. The best thing to do this week for fantasy managers is stash Johnston and forget he’s even on your roster. Just swipe along when you see his name.
Other Notable Challenging Matchups
- Tyler Lockett (WR – SEA) vs. Christian Benford (CB – BUF)
- Diontae Johnson (WR – CAR) vs. Levi Wallace (CB – DEN)
- Malik Nabers (WR – NYG) vs. Joey Porter (CB – PIT)
- Jordan Addison (WR – MIN) vs. Cobie Durant (CB – LAR)
- Ricky Pearsall (WR – SF) vs. Jourdan Lewis (CB – DAL)
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Adam Murfet is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Murf, check out his archive and follow him @5yardrush.