This article attempts to highlight some of the best and worst matchups for wide receivers and tight ends each week. Using player tracking data from various sources (NFL.com, Pro Football Focus, ESPN, etc.) as well as reviews of recent trends, I look for situations to exploit or avoid when setting your weekly lineups. Given that this article is intended to help across all sites (both DFS and season-long), variations in pricing and scoring systems are not taken into account so obviously, the values could shift depending on where you are playing. The main intent of this article is simply to call out some players who could be significantly helped or hurt by their situations each week.
Favorable Matchup:
Kenny Golladay WR: Lions vs Bears
There is a lot of history between these 2 teams and Golladay produced in a big way against them last season. In their first game he had a very respectable 57 yards and a touchdown, but then torched them on Thanksgiving to the tune of 4 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown. That Thanksgiving game came with David Blough at quarterback. This is a must start spot for Golladay and a Lions offense looking to make some noise this season.
DeSean Jackson WR: Eagles vs Washington Football Team
If the past 2 season openers have been any indication, Jackson is a must start this week. With 13 catches for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns combined across the past 2 season openers, Jackson also has the benefit of going against a former team. Chase Young will not make enough of a difference pressuring Carson Wentz to curb what Jackson can do. Look for another big season opener from Jackson and the Eagles.
Terry McLaurin WR: Washington Football Team vs Eagles
McLaurin celebrated a breakout rookie season and torched the Eagles in both of their meetings last season. With 10 catches for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns, McLaurin feasted against a depleted Eagle’s secondary. With another offseason working with Dwayne Haskins, McLaurin is poised to pick up where he left off.
D.J. Chark WR: Jaguars vs Colts
It was a mixed bag of results for Chark against the Colts last season. He totaled 118 targets last season and should see even more this year after the release of Leonard Fournette and an expected pass heavy offense. The Colts held him to 34 yards in week 17 but he had 8 catches for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns in their previous matchup. The Jaguars are going to have to sling the ball all over the field and there should be plenty of opportunity for Chark this week.
JuJu Smith-Schuster WR: Steelers vs Giants
This seems like a no brainer against the Giants secondary that gave up the second most points to wide receivers last season. Diontae Johnson is a great sleeper pick in this matchup as well, but JuJu is the real pick. He gets Ben Roethlisberger back and that will make all the difference in the world. The signing of James Bradberry will not improve the defense enough to make a difference this week.
Stefon Diggs WR: Bills vs Jets
The exit from Minnesota may have been rocky, but Diggs is in a great spot to kick off the season with his new team against the Jets. New York gave up 20 touchdowns to receivers last season and Diggs has an affinity for finding the end zone. Josh Allen is poised to take big steps forward this season and has the weapons at his disposal to do so. Diggs is coming off a 1,000-yard season and has something to prove after everything that was said leaving Minnesota. The only downside could be if the Bills get up early and stop throwing the ball, but Diggs should get plenty of opportunity early.
Hunter Henry TE: Chargers vs Bengals
There are a lot of unknowns with the Chargers coming into this season. A team that threw the ball 600 times last season will look to do a little more balanced this year. Tyrod Taylor targeted his tight ends 22% of the time while in Buffalo and Henry is a big target across the middle of the field. Cincinnati was top 10 in points allowed to tight ends last season and that puts Henry in a great spot to start the season.
Unfavorable Matchup:
Christian Kirk WR: Cardinals vs 49ers
It was easy to get excited about all the changes in Arizona and what this offense could look like with DeAndre Hopkins in town. With that said, this is not a great match up for Kirk against one of the best defenses from last season. Richard Sherman is still a very good corner and should draw most of the coverage against Hopkins. That leaves Emmanuel Moseley to cover Kirk and that will be a tough matchup for the speedy receiver. There are a lot of weapons on this team, but Kirk is going to be overshadowed this week.
DeVante Parker WR: Dolphins vs Patriots
It is hard to ignore the impressive 8 receptions for 137 yards that Parker had against the Patriots in week 17 last season. This game may very well have been the end of the Patriots dynasty and Parker was riding high. However, we cannot be quick to forget that Stephon Gilmore held Parker to 0 catches in week 2 last season as well. This is not the same Patriot’s defense and Miami’s offense should be vastly improved but expect Gilmore to lock up with Parker and have a game closer to week 2 of last season rather than week 17.
Amari Cooper WR: Cowboys vs Rams
This could be one of the highest scoring games of the week and that bodes well for the likes of Michael Gallup and others. Cooper fell off the map at the end of last season as he failed to record 100 yards in the team’s final 7 games and was held to a single reception for 19 yards in their matchup against the Rams. Jalen Ramsey will have the task of trying to shut down Cooper again and has had success in the past. There will be plenty of points scored in this game, but they will be coming from other players than Cooper.
A.J. Green WR: Bengals vs Chargers
There are a lot of unknowns for Green this week. It is his first game back since week 13 of 2018, he has a new quarterback and a new head coach. Couple that with a Chargers secondary that boasts Casey Hayward and Chris Harris and it could be a long day for Green. Tyler Boyd stepped up and filled the void last season and Joe Mixon rolled into form late in the season. Green is going to have to work himself back into the mix and that could prove difficult in week 1.
Odell Beckham JrWR: Browns vs Ravens
The Browns hype train seems to have cooled off coming into this season and expectations have been tempered. Beckham went up against the Ravens twice last year and managed a line of 6 catches for 64 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. There is always the chance that he has a monster game because the talent is there but taking on a Raven’s secondary with Super Bowl aspirations is a tough task in week 1. Both Beckham and Jarvis Landry have a tough matchup this week. Marlon Humphrey was a lock down corner last season and that is not expected to change coming into this year.
Julian Edelman WR: Patriots vs Dolphins
It was not long ago that Edelman would have been a must start against the Dolphins, but there are a lot of things working against him this year. Cam Newton is the new Sheriff in town and without a preseason there is no way to know what sort of chemistry they will have. The Dolphins have also invested heavily in their secondary with Byron Jones and incumbent Xavien Howard. Look for the Patriots to tun the ball a lot this week and for Edelman’s involvement to go down.
Austin Hooper TE: Browns vs Ravens
This signing did not make a whole lot of sense in the off season for the Browns. Baker Mayfield has not utilized tight ends early in his career, and Hooper’s value came from volume in Atlanta. Couple all of this with a Raven’s defense that did not allow a tight end to top 50 yards last season and was 3rd in points allowed to tight ends overall. This is a tough matchup for a tight end that will be fighting for targets behind Odell Beckham Jr Jarvis Landry, and Kareem Hunt.