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3 Fantasy Football WR/CB Matchups to Know: Week 2 (2025)

3 Fantasy Football WR/CB Matchups to Know: Week 2 (2025)

Winning in fantasy football often comes down to exploiting the right WR/CB matchups. Some receivers get dream spots against shaky coverage, while others face lockdown corners that can tank their output. Here are my favorite Week 2 fantasy football WR/CB matchups to target when setting lineups and finding an edge.

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Fantasy Football WR/CB Matchups: Week 2

George Pickens (WR – DAL) vs. Paulson Adebo (CB – NYG)

George Pickens had an underwhelming Cowboys debut in Week 1, hauling in three of his four targets for a measly 30 yards. But there is good news. Looking back at the film, Pickens was charted as being open on 17 receiving snaps, the highest of any Cowboys pass-catcher. Yes, even more than teammate CeeDee Lamb.

Pickens lined up wide left nearly 52% of the time, which should leave him one-on-one with Giants cornerback Paulson Adebo, who lined up on the defensive right side nearly 70% of the time last week, giving Pickens the big advantage.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) awarded Adebo a 54.6 coverage grade in Week 1, which ranked 55 out of 76 qualified cornerbacks. Facing an easier defensive matchup, Pickens and the Cowboys should have a bounce-back game against the Giants’ below-average coverage team.

Kayshon Boutte (WR – NE) vs. Rasul Douglas (CB – MIA)

Due to injuries, Rasul Douglas became Miami’s No. 1 CB, and that’s not a good thing. Of the 96 graded cornerbacks by PFF, Douglas has an overall defensive grade of 52.3, which ranks 73rd. His coverage grade was 47.3.

Kayshon Boutte was one of the more surprising storylines of Week 1, and he has a great matchup against an aging Douglas. Boutte led the Patriots in targets, catches and yards in Week 1. He may have become Drake Maye‘s favorite target.

Over his last four games (dating back to last season), Boutte has averaged 8.5 targets, 5.5 receptions and 85 yards per game, while hauling in two touchdowns.

Zay Flowers (WR – BAL) vs. Greg Newsome (CB – CLE)

This may be more of a boom or bust outcome, but I like taking a shot on Zay Flowers this week against Cleveland. Flowers has seen both sides of the spectrum when facing Cleveland over his career. Last season against the Browns, Flowers had seven catches on 12 targets for 115 yards in Week 8, but only one catch for 12 yards in Week 18.

A lot of that may have to do with where he is lined up on the field. Last week, we saw Flowers split his snaps, lining up both on the left side and right side. This week, if he plans on lining up on the left side, he will have to deal with one of the best coverage players in Denzel Ward. On the flipside, he would face one of the worst in Greg Newsome on the right side.

Newsome is the cornerback we want to target. In 2024, Newsome graded out as one of the worst cornerbacks in the league, with a PFF coverage grade of 54, putting him 163rd of 222 cornerbacks. Cleveland prefers to use man courage, running it nearly 55% of the time last week, which is more good news for Flowers.

In his Week 1 matchup against Buffalo, Flowers saw a 50% uptick in yards and a 60% uptick in yards per reception when facing man coverage versus zone coverage.

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