Starting and sitting wide receivers in fantasy football always requires more analysis than most players believe. Sometimes reviewing the team match-up just isn’t enough. For example, Houston Texans returning wide receiver Will Fuller was a revelation last Sunday as he caught two touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans. The match-up was extremely favorable considering the Titans had already been gashed by wide receivers in 2017.
Fuller is likely to make an appearance in numerous week five lineups now, despite the fact he will see his fair share of coverage from Kansas City Chiefs top cornerback Marcus Peters. Peters is not a shadow corner; nearly 90 percent of his snaps are logged on the left side of the field, per Pro Football Focus. Fuller runs almost half of his routes on that side of the field, meaning this match-up genuinely is not favorable.
Above all else, it is important to analyze the individual match-ups with wide receivers; here are the top fantasy football wide receiver week five matchups.
Top Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Week Five Matchups
Randall Cobb – Green Bay Packers
Slot receivers have absolutely gashed the Dallas Cowboys secondary for 18 catches, 209 receiving yards, and two touchdowns over the last two weeks. Randall Cobb has run over 80 percent of his routes out of the slot this year. Cobb is a must-start this week in an extremely favorable one on one matchup against Dallas slot corner Orlando Scandrick (PFF grade of 69.7).
Cobb has been effective in his three games this year, averaging 6.3 receptions and 8.7 targets per contest. Cobb’s value receives an additional boost if Packers wideout Davante Adams is unable to go, or is limited in any way.
Dez Bryant – Dallas Cowboys
More than one wide receiver has a great match-up in this game, which has massive shootout potential. Dez Bryant has underwhelmed from a production aspect this year, but it’s not like the volume isn’t there. Bryant currently ranks fourth in targets, despite ranking outside the top 30 in receptions.
Bryant has done battle with some of the games top defensive backs in Janoris Jenkins, Patrick Peterson, and Chris Harris over the first month of 2017. Bryant recorded his highest yardage total of the season so far in his first favorable match-up against the Los Angeles Rams last week.
Week five brings another great individual matchup for Bryant, as the majority of his coverage will be from Packers rookie corner Kevin King; Pro Football Focus’ 89th graded corner.
DeVante Parker – Miami Dolphins
Questionable play-calling and dreadful quarterback play has capped DeVante Parker‘s seemingly infinite upside in the Miami Dolphins offense. The good news is, Parker is catching nearly 67 percent of the balls thrown his way.
Parker has recorded at least 12 PPR fantasy points in each of his first three contests, despite drawing a hefty amount of coverage from Morris Claiborne and Marshon Lattimore. Parker gets Tennessee Titans cornerback Brice McCain, who has been manhandled by both DeAndre Hopkins and Amari Cooper this year.
Kelvin Benjamin – Carolina Panthers
Devin Funchess finally broke out against the New England Patriots last week, which should finally put him on opposing defenses radars. Funchess will draw the attention of Detroit Lions standout corner Darius Slay, leaving Kelvin Benjamin with Nevin Lawson. Lawson has the twentieth-lowest coverage grade on Pro Football Focus out of 109 defensive backs.
Benjamin only needed four targets to surpass 100 yards against the Patriots in week four. With Funchess in a complete mismatch with Slay and tight end Greg Olsen on injured reserve, quarterback Cam Newton may have no choice but to force-feed the 2014 first round draft pick.
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