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Fantasy Football Week 15: 5 WR/CB matchups to target and 5 to avoid

Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota (1) stiff arms Carolina Panthers cornerback Myles Hartsfield (38) as wide receiver Drake London (5) looks on in overtime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (79.2 PFF receiving grade): A matchup with New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (45.5 PFF coverage grade) provides blow-up potential for the rookie.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (82.3 PFF receiving grade): He will run laps around New York Giants backup cornerback Nick McCloud (53.9 PFF coverage grade). 

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson (63.1 PFF receiving grade): He cannot be trusted against Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (79.1 PFF coverage grade).

Estimated Reading Time: 13 mins

Welcome to Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season. The sections below highlight five targets and avoids with data gleaned from PFF’s WR/CB matchup chart.

5 WR/CB MATCHUPS TO TARGET

WR DRAKE LONDON, ATLANTA FALCONS VS. CB PAULSON ADEBO, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

  • Atlanta at New Orleans received a moderate 43.0-point over/under at BetMGM.
  • Atlanta starting quarterback Marcus Mariota (62.7 PFF passing grade, knee) landed on injured reserve Wednesday, teeing up second-round rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder (66.0 PFF preseason passing grade) to take on QB1 duties.
  • The table below ranks Ridder’s preseason passing data in parentheses among 31 NFL quarterbacks with at least 50 preseason dropbacks. Mariota’s regular season passing data has been included for comparison. “No. 1” denotes the position or player’s best performance.
PFF Passing Grade Big-Time Throw % – Turnover-Worthy Play % aDot – Yds/Att. Adj. Comp. % – NFL Passer % Air Yds % – Avg. Time to Throw
Ridder (preseason) 66.0 (No. 12) 3.4% (No. 12) – 5.9% (No. 28) 11.4 (No. 1) – 7.7 (No. 5) 69.8% (No. 23) – 87.7 (No. 11) 63.3% (No. 11) – 2.85 (No. 11)
Mariota 62.7  2.5% – 4.0% 10.5 – 7.4 67.3% – 88.2 59.7% – 2.99
  • Ridder’s aggressive, downfield style should pay dividends for wide receiver Drake London (79.2 PFF receiving grade).
  • London has a 53.0% wide-left route rate followed by a 30.0% wide-right rate and an 11.0% slot rate. 
  • PFF’s WR/CB matchup chart gives London a good 69.2 matchup advantage rating against New Orleans wide-left cornerback Paulson Adebo (45.5 PFF coverage grade, 88.0% wide-left coverage-snap rate). 
  • The table below ranks London’s receiving data in parentheses among 67 NFL wide receivers with at least 50 targets.
PFF Receiving Grade Per Routes Run %: Tgts – Yds Catch % – Contested Catch % aDot – YAC/Rec. 15-Plus-Yd Pass Plays – Missed Tackles Forced Rec.
79.2 (No. 18) 25.6% (No. 11) – 1.72 (No. 28) 59.5% (No. 56) – 52.6% (No. 22) 11.0 (No. 32) – 3.3 (T-No. 43) 11 (No. 50) – 8 (T-No. 14)
  • The table below ranks Adebo’s abominable coverage data among 64 NFL cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps.
PFF Coverage Grade Targeted % – Catch % Allowed Yds Allowed/Cov. Snap 15-Plus-Yd Pass Plays Allowed Open-Target %
45.5 (No. 69) 16.6% (T-No. 48) – 72.6% (No. 56) 1.52 (No. 62) 2.8% (No. 48) 45.8% (No. 31)
  • New Orleans No. 1 cornerback Marshon Lattimore (55.7 PFF coverage grade) is expected to return from a nine-week absence (lacerated kidney and broken ribs).
  • Lattimore shadowed No. 1 wide receivers in 2-of-5 active games but did not shadow London when Atlanta and New Orleans played in Week 1. Lattimore has a 77.0% wide-right coverage snap rate.

WR TERRY MCLAURIN, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS VS. CB NICK MCCLOUD, NEW YORK GIANTS

  • Washington has a 22.25-point implied team total versus New York.
  • Washington No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin (82.3 PFF receiving grade) runs 51.0% of routes lined up wide-left pre-snap. 
  • Both his 26.0% wide-right and 24.0% slot rates are noteworthy.
  • No. 2 cornerback Aaron Robinson (73.2 PFF coverage grade) has been on injured reserve since Week 5. 
  • New York No. 1 cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (71.5 PFF coverage grade, MCL sprain) is expected to miss his fourth consecutive game. The team has deployed a four-cornerback rotation since his departure. 
  • PFF’s WR/CB matchup chart gives McLaurin an excellent 100.0 matchup advantage rating over wide-left cornerback Nick McCloud (53.9 PFF coverage grade).
  • The table below ranks McLaurin’s receiving data in parentheses among 63 NFL wide receivers with at least 50 targets.
PFF Receiving Grade Per Routes Run %: Tgts – Yds Catch % – Contested Catch %  aDot- YAC/Rec. 15-Plus-Yard Pass Plays – Missed Tackles Forced Rec.
82.3 (No. 12) 19.9% (No. 36) – 2.02 (No. 18) 66.7% (T-No. 34) – 63.6% (T-No. 9) 13.3 (No. 10) – 5.3 (No. 10) 25 (No. 8) – 10 (No. 10)
  • The table below ranks New York’s league-worst coverage data in parentheses among NFL teams in Weeks 12-14.
PFF Coverage Grade Targeted % – Catch % Allowed  Yds Allowed/Cov. Snap 15-Plus-Yd Pass Plays Allowed  Open-Target %
47.8 (No. 31) 47.4% (No. 28) – 68.4% (No. 23) 4.60 (No. 32) 14.0% (No. 32) 33.3% (T-No. 2)

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