Week 1 WR/CB Matchups
Each week we will take a closer look at three of the most favorable WR/CB matchups according to their Matchup Rating powered by PlayerProfiler.com. You can take a closer look at the Week 1 Matchup Chart HERE.
Davante Adams vs Holton Hill
It’s not surprising to see a receiver as talented as Davante Adams atop the Matchup Rating column but the veteran wideout finds himself in a favorable spot against the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota changed out its entire three-cornerback set, with Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Mackensie Alexander. In come Mike Hughes, Jeff Gladney, and undrafted second-year player Holton Hill.
While Adams will see a bit of action against all three Minnesota defensive backs, Hill is who we project him to see the most time against. Hill’s 59.6 CB Rating isn’t terrible but it is on the lower end of the spectrum. Hill saw very limited playing time last season (151 total snaps) so we don’t’ have a huge sample to work off of, but he wasn’t very good when targeted, allowing six receptions on nine targets for 70 yards.
The main takeaway here is that one of the best receivers in the game will see a lot of action against a very inexperienced CB. Adams is an excellent play in all formats this week and his price tag especially stands out on DraftKings where he’s just $7,300.
D.K. Metcalf vs Isaiah Oliver
I had the Seattle passing attack listed as my favorite stack of the week so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw DK Metcalf with the second-best Matchup Rating of the main slate.
Metcalf should see a fair amount of action against second-year CB Isaiah Oliver. Oliver struggled big time in coverage last season allowing a 67% reception rate, 794 yards, and three touchdowns. The 6’3” 229 lb Metcalf will have a notable size advantage with his god like frame against the 6’0” 210 lb Oliver, which could be beneficial for his Red Zone usage.
Even outside of Seattle stacks, Metcalf’s accessible price tag ($6,400 FD; $5,800 DK) and matchup make him one of my favorite value receivers of the week.
DJ. Moore vs Damon Arnette
D.J. Moore has the fourth-best matchup rating on the main slate, just one spot lower than Michael Thomas vs Carlton Davis. I wanted to highlight Moore over Thomas, however, for a couple of different reasons: he’s cheaper, and he’s currently projected to be much lower owned, which makes him the more intriguing tournament target.
Moore is expected to see a healthy amount of snaps against first-round rookie CB Damon Arnette. Arnette has a chance to be a solid NFL player but he struggled at times during camp due to a cast on his broken thumb and is also listed on the Raiders’ Injury Report with a groin injury. It is worth noting that Arnette was a full participant in Friday’s practice after turning in a couple of limited practices to start the week so his status isn’t in any doubt. The biggest question mark surrounding Arnette (4.56) is if he’ll be able to keep pace with the speedy Moore (4.42) who could run circles around Arnette if he’s able to get off the line cleanly.
Individual matchups aside, Moore is an intriguing option due to high projected play volume on an offense that is expected to play up in pace. He also makes for an interesting leverage play off the chalky Christian McCaffrey.