Johny The Greek's Cornerback Corner: Week 16
Johny The Greek's Cornerback Corner: Week 16
Who are the best and worst CB streaming options for Week 16?
Welcome to Johny the Greek’s Cornerback Corner, the only place (that I know of) across the entirety of the planet where we track every single IDP cornerback option every week, all season long. If they’ve got a pulse and log snaps, we’ll have a start/sit call on them and what league size/format they make the most sense in—for all 96+ starting cornerbacks across the entire NFL every week this season.
Last week I made 77 different start calls for leagues of all different shapes and sizes. I was 75% accurate on those calls and have maintained my 80% plus accuracy for the season.
Of the 77 calls I made last week, 5 were declared inactive or injured during play. We don’t count acts of God here and I warn everyone to check inactives, so subtracting those players we’re left with 72 adjusted calls. Of those, 54 were correct (matched, beat, or were within a slim margin of their projection on Yahoo and MFL), and 18 were incorrect (didn’t match or beat projection and weren’t even close), giving us 75% accuracy for Week 15.
Of those 54 correct calls, 28 of them were “massive hits” (more than doubled or even tripled their projection), giving us a 51% massive hit rate on correct calls for Week 15. We sit at 80% accuracy overall for the season with 47% of all correct calls ending up as “massive hits.”
Week 1: 77% accuracy, 40% massive hit rate
Week 2: 86% accuracy, 50% massive hit rate
Week 3: 84% accuracy, 40% massive hit rate
Week 4: 78% accuracy, 52% massive hit rate
Week 5: 82% accuracy, 48% massive hit rate
Week 6: 75% accuracy, 53% massive hit rate
Week 7: 83% accuracy, 51% massive hit rate
Week 8: 81% accuracy, 48% massive hit rate
Week 9: 80% accuracy, 38% massive hit rate
Week 10: 74% accuracy, 42% massive hit rate
Week 11: 82% accuracy, 52% massive hit rate
Week 12: 84% accuracy, 43% massive hit rate
Week 13: 81% accuracy, 50% massive hit rate
Week 14: 80% accuracy, 53% massive hit rate
Week 15: 75% accuracy, 51% massive hit rate
Cornerback Corner: Week 16
NOTE: All team stats will be one week behind due to me writing this early in the week so it publishes before waivers run. Those statistics won’t be perfect but they’ll still give us a good idea about how good each team’s passing offense is and how often they target their wide receivers.
Saints at Rams
Outlook: This indoor affair in Los Angeles has an early 44.5 over/under, which is good. The Saints are just outside the top third of the league for overall passing offense and have been consistently missing weapons these past few weeks, if Olave and Rasheed can play this week it will give them a boost. They target their wide receivers among the middle of the pack but haven’t had much of a choice recently due to injuries. We’ve got some value for our Los Angeles cornerbacks for sure.
For the reverse, this Rams passing attack is ranked 12th in the league and they target their wide receivers the third most in the entire league. We’ll have tons of value for Paulson Adebo and company this week and a pretty nice stream overall to kick off Week 16.
New Orleans Saints
Paulson Adebo (CB): Adebo played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Alontae Taylor (CB): Taylor played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with good upside this week.
Isaac Yiadom/Marshon Lattimore (CB): With Lattimore on IR, it’s been Yiadom as the third cornerback in New Orleans for the past few weeks, he played 98% of snaps last week and will remain an option as long as Lattimore is inactive again this week. He would be a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with some upside. If Lattimore can return this week, which isn’t likely, he would be a sit as a reinjury risk that would likely see reduced snaps his first game back from a multi-week injury.
Los Angeles Rams
Akhello Witherspoon (CB): Witherspoon played 73% of snaps last week and then sat due to the blowout plus a minor injury he sustained, he appears to be on track to play this week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues.
Derion Kendrick (CB): Kendrick played 85% of snaps then rested due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Cobie Durant (CB): Durant only played 35% of snaps last week and remains a sit this week due to his reduced playing time in recent games.
Bengals at Steelers
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Pittsburgh has an early 39.5 over/under and could end up being a defensive struggle, especially when we consider these are divisional opponents. The Bengals passing attack is within the top third of the league and Jake Browning continues to be red-hot. They target their wide receivers the most (1st) in the entire league so we’ve got plenty of value for Joey Porter Jr and company.
For the reverse, this Steelers passing attack is ranked 28th overall in the league and they only target their wide receivers within the worst third of the league. It could be a slow day at the office for DJ Turner, Mike Hilton, and company against this struggling and horrendous Steelers passing offense (and offense in general). A splash play could always be in the cards but we never bet on it, we’ll demote any Bengals cornerback options to “deeper leagues only” for this particular matchup.
Cincinnati Bengals
Chidobe Awuzie (CB): Awuzie played 99% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week due to the matchup.
DJ Turner (CB): Turner played 99% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week due to the matchup.
Mike Hilton (CB): Hilton played 76% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some excellent upside due to his role and responsibilities, he’ll likely have some run-stopping tackles and could be asked to blitz the quarterback as we’ve seen before.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Joey Porter Jr (CB): Porter played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with some solid upside this week due to the matchup.
Patrick Peterson (CB): Peterson played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with some solid upside this week due to the matchup.
Chandon Sullivan/Levi Wallace (CB): Wallace was in for 61% of snaps last week, Sullivan for 46%, typically they both play under 50% of snaps per week and the game against Indianapolis was a blowout so it’s possible they had warm bodies out there to finish the game. Regardless, we go with what we’ve seen all season, which is neither of these options plays enough for us to trust, especially in the semifinal week of fantasy playoffs. Sit them both.
Bills at Chargers
Outlook: This indoor affair in the city of Angels has an early 42.5 over/under which isn’t too bad. The Bills are the 5th best passing offense in the league and target their wide receivers just outside the top third of the league, we’ll have plenty of value for Asante Samuel Jr and we won’t be touching anyone else for our Los Angeles options since we don’t want to eat a zero in the semifinals week of fantasy playoffs.
For the reverse, this Chargers passing attack will be starting a backup quarterback in his second-ever start against a much better defense than what he saw last week with Las Vegas. This Bills defense shut down the Cowboys offense last week, they could annihilate the Chargers easily with this in mind. Any Buffalo cornerback options will likely be splash-play dependent and therefore only an option in deeper leagues only.
Buffalo Bills
Taron Johnson (CB): Taron played 84% of snaps last week then sat due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Rasul Douglas (CB): Douglas played 88% of snaps last week then sat due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with tons of upside.
Christian Benford (CB): Benford played 100% of snaps last week and has been the third starting cornerback for Buffalo for two weeks now, is that enough to trust this week when it could easily be a rug pull situation and we get Dane Jackson instead? I think not, especially with this iffy matchup to begin with. He’s a sit from me.
Los Angeles Chargers
Asante Samuel Jr (CB): Samuel played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Michael Davis/Deane Leonard (CB): This second cornerback slot in Los Angeles has changed hands more times than I can count this season, neither option is trustworthy. If I had to guess I would say Davis gets the start this week but it’s anything but set in stone, sit them both, and don’t beat yourself.
Essang Bassey/Ja’Sir Taylor (CB): This third cornerback slot in Los Angeles has also changed hands many times this season, from JC Jackson to Ja’Sir Taylor to Essang Bassey. This is anything but trustworthy so I’m recommending we sit all of those names, if I had to guess I would say Bassey plays as the third corner this week but the playoffs aren’t the time to “guess.”
Colts at Falcons
Outlook: This indoor affair in Atlanta has an early 45-point over/under which is good for us. The Colts passing offense is among the middle of the pack but could be hobbled somewhat if Michael Pittman can’t clear concussion protocol in time for this game. They target their wide receivers the 4th most in the league so we’ve got a nice setup for Jeff Okudah and company regardless.
For the reverse, this Falcons passing attack is ranked within the worst third of the league and they target their wide receivers the least (worst, dead last) overall. This is anything but a perfect setup for Kenny Moore and company although it being indoors does help somewhat. It will be deeper leagues only for any Indianapolis options this week with these negative factors in mind.
Indianapolis Colts
Kenny Moore (CB): Moore played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes, he’ll bounce back for us, as he always has before. Demote to a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues if the matchup bothers you, that hasn’t traditionally mattered to Moore throughout his career though.
Jaylon Jones (CB): Jones played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in the deepest of leagues this week due to the matchup.
Juju Brents (CB): Brents played a massive 93% of snaps his first game back from a multi-month injury, this job was his before the injury and he was excelling at it so this doesn’t worry me much at all. The matchup is garbage though so we can sit him another week to make sure his playing time and role are for real before trusting him in a big spot. Better safe than sorry.
Darrell Baker Jr (CB): With Juju Brents back from IR and in the lineup it was Baker Jr who got the rug pulled, not Jaylon Jones as I suspected. He only played 3% of snaps last week and is a sit going forward.
Atlanta Falcons
Jeff Okudah/Clark Phillips (CB): Okudah played 24% of snaps last week before suffering a minor ankle injury, he’s already back at practice so he should be all set to play his full snaps this week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues. Phillips is his direct replacement if he can’t go for whatever reason and would also be a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues.
AJ Terrell (CB): Terrell played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some good upside.
All other options (CB): There are no other safe or reliable options beyond those mentioned above, nothing that’s worth discussing with fantasy playoffs on the line at least. Sit everyone else.
Packers at Panthers
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Carolina has a low 36-point early over/under which isn’t ideal at all. The Packers passing offense ranks among the middle of the pack and they target their wide receivers roughly the same, middle of the pack once more. We’ve got some value for Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, and company, but not a ton. They’ll be recommended in deeper leagues only this week it looks like.
For the reverse, this Panthers passing attack is ranked 31st overall, they are the second-worst passing offense in the entire league. They target their wide receivers just outside the top third of the league which helps but that initial ranking puts a ceiling that’s much lower than we’d like to see on any value from our Green Bay options this week.
Green Bay Packers
Jaire Alexander (CB): Alexander has been inactive for months now, it’s unlikely he’ll be back this week but if he is I would sit him. It’s a bad matchup to begin with and the odds of him playing his full snaps immediately in his first game back after not playing since Week 9 are not good at all. Sit him regardless of his status this week.
Carrington Valentine (CB): Valentine played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Keisean Nixon (CB): Nixon played 74% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week, adjust as needed if your league scores return yards.
Corey Ballentine/Eric Stokes (CB): With Alexander inactive again last week it was Eric Stokes as the replacement instead of our normal Corey Ballentine as the replacement, which means we can’t trust that particular slot at the moment. If it’s not Alexander then we have no idea who the replacement is currently so we sit them all. Now isn’t the time to screw around.
Carolina Panthers
Donte Jackson (CB): Jackson played 88% of snaps last week then left early with a back injury, if he can play this week he would be a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues with some reinjury risk. CJ Henderson appeared to be his direct replacement but that’s not set in stone at all. If Donte Jackson even looks remotely iffy heading into this weekend I would sit him and find another option, and I’m not even thinking about starting Henderson in his place if he’s inactive. The Panthers are swirling the toilet, God only knows what kind of shenanigans they’ll subject us to if he’s inactive. We don’t beat ourselves in fantasy playoffs, we make the other guy beat us instead.
Jaycee Horn (CB): Horn played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
No significant third CB option
Browns at Texans
Outlook: This indoor affair in Houston has an early 43-point over/under with the possibility for much more if CJ Stroud can return to action in Week 16. The Browns under Joe Flacco have been very solid both in terms of passing offense and completed passes to wide receivers so we’ll have some value for Desmond King, Derek Stingley, and company this week.
For the reverse, it depends on who starts at quarterback for the Texans. If it’s Stroud then we are all systems go and should have tons of value for our Cleveland cornerbacks. If it’s another backup quarterback we’ll have to demote our Cleveland options to deeper leagues only and look elsewhere for better streaming corner options in Week 16.
Cleveland Browns
Denzel Ward (CB): Ward played 59% of snaps last week in his first game back since Week 11, they eased him back into the lineup as we can see from that playing time. He should see closer to his normal 100% of snaps this week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues. He gets a slight bump if Stroud can play.
Greg Newsome (CB): Newsome played 88% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside if it’s CJ Stroud, and zero upside if it’s a backup quarterback.
Martin Emerson (CB): Emerson played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues against CJ Stroud and a CB4 in deeper leagues against a backup quarterback.
Houston Texans
Derek Stingley (CB): Stingley played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with excellent upside. He’s been on a tear the last month or so.
Steven Nelson (CB): Nelson played 98% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Desmond King (CB): King played a massive 97% of snaps last week, during his previous stint as a Houston cornerback he usually topped out around 80% of snaps so this is great news. He’s always been super productive, the playing time has been the only issue. He’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with some excellent upside.
Lions at Vikings
Outlook: This indoor affair in Minnesota is sitting at 47 points for the early over/under, which is excellent. The Lions passing attack is ranked 7th overall and they target their wide receivers just outside the top third of the league. We’ll have some nice value in store for Byron Murphy and company this week.
For the reverse, the Minnesota passing attack looked better last week with the move to replace Josh Dobbs but I’m still not completely sold. This team has plenty of weapons on offense but we can’t be sure we’ll see similar numbers from Nick Mullens again this week, our Detroit corners should have some value but I’m still only starting them in deeper leagues only, especially when we consider that if we’re wrong we’re out of playoffs completely.
Detroit Lions
Jerry Jacobs (CB): Jacobs appears to have only played on special teams last week, zero defensive snaps, beyond that he also picked up a hamstring injury. He’s a sit going forward, we can’t screw around with this right now, it’s a next-season problem. I have no idea who his direct replacement is, it looks like Khalil Dorsey but that’s not set in stone at all. Pour some out for Jacobs and his bloated, inaccurate, projections and we’ll see him again next season.
Cameron Sutton (CB): Sutton played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Brian Branch (CB/S): Branch played 72% of snaps last week, that’s an improvement from his 52% the week prior and there’s a chance those missing 28% of snaps were due to blowout rest but we can’t count on that. At best he’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with tons of risk that he’ll end up playing around half of the snaps again. I’m skipping it myself, corners especially are a dime a dozen, I’m going to make sure the ones I go with are all locked in, guaranteed to play (and play a ton), and that their job and role are secure. I’m also making sure that they’re in an ideal matchup and as well as Mullens did last week he’s still a backup quarterback, not Kurt Warner on the 1999 Rams.
Minnesota Vikings
Byron Murphy (CB): Murphy played 99% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Akayleb Evans (CB): Evans played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with some nice upside this week.
Mekhi Blackmon (CB): Blackmon only played 29% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to his lack of ideal playing time.
Josh Metellus/Camryn Bynum (CB/S): If your league site has either of these starting safeties incorrectly designated as a corner I would take advantage of that mistake and dedicate a cornerback slot or two to starting one or the other or both. Safety is traditionally much more productive and consistent when compared to cornerback in terms of week-to-week production.
Commanders at Jets
Outlook: This outdoor affair in New York has an early over/under of 39.5 points. The Commanders passing attack is ranked within the top third of the league and they target their wide receivers the 5th most in the league so we’ve got another nice setup and week in store for DJ Reed, Sauce Gardner, and company.
For the reverse, this Jets passing attack has been dead on arrival all season and unless Aaron Rodgers decides to come back to play a meaningless game it likely will be again this week. They are the 29th overall passing offense and only target their wide receivers the 26th most in the league, with these factors in mind it could be a slow day for Kendall Fuller and company.
Washington Commanders
Kendall Fuller (CB): Fuller played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in much deeper leagues.
Benjamin St Juste (CB): Juste played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
All other options (CB): We’ve seen the third cornerback slot in Washington be in flux all season and that didn’t change last week as Quan Martin played 100% of snaps seemingly out of left field. Sit this guy, sit Forbes, sit Danny Johnson, we just can’t trust this particular cornerback slot for the rest of the season.
New York Jets
Sauce Gardner (CB): Sauce played 92% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with some solid upside.
DJ Reed (CB): Reed played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Michael Carter (CB): Carter played 56% of snaps then sat due to the blowout, he typically plays around 80% of snaps in a closer game. He’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some good upside this week.
Seahawks at Titans
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Tennessee has an early over/under of 44 points which is pretty good. The Seahawks passing attack is ranked among the middle of the pack and they target their wide receivers within the top third of the league. We’ll have some value for Roger McCreary and company for sure.
For the reverse, this Titans passing attack is ranked within the worst third of the league and they only target their wide receivers the 27th most in the league. If it’s not a lucky splash play then it could be a very slow day for Devon Witherspoon and our Seattle options in Week 16.
Seattle Seahawks
Devon Witherspoon/Michael Jackson (CB): With Devon Witherspoon inactive last week we saw Michael Jackson get some playing time, which is something we’ve seen all season when either Witherspoon or Woolen is inactive. Jackson only played 72% of snaps though so it wasn’t perfect by any means. That information plus this matchup means if Witherspoon is out again this week we just skip it. If Witherspoon can play we plug him in as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with tons of upside.
Tariq Woolen (CB): Woolen only played 28% of snaps last week and then was benched, he is no longer a safe option for us for the remainder of this season, sit him moving forward. The matchup wasn’t great to begin with so it works out.
Tre Brown (CB): Brown missed the game against San Francisco two weeks ago but was able to return to action last week, he played 100% of snaps and was the beneficiary of extra playing time with this shakeup of the cornerback corps that benched Woolen. He’s likely to see plenty of playing time this week with Woolen on the outside looking in and Witherspoon beat up but the matchup is garbage and we’ve seen too much fluctuation here recently to trust this. He’s a sit for me this week.
Tennessee Titans
Roger McCreary (CB): McCreary played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with tons of upside.
Sean Murphy Bunting (CB): Bunting was in for 51% of snaps then left due to a hip injury, his status for this week is up in the air and he wasn’t a super productive option to begin with. I’m recommending we sit him regardless, the reinjury risk isn’t worth it if he does play. His direct replacement appeared to be Eric Garror but we’ve only seen that once as well so he is not an option for us if Bunting is inactive this week.
Tre Avery (CB): With Kristian Fulton now on IR it was Tre Avery as the apparent replacement last week, he was in for 88% of snaps and is a sit this week since we need to see it at least one more time before we can trust it, especially during fantasy playoffs.
Elijah Molden (CB): Despite getting a lucky pick-six last week, Molden was only in for 44% of snaps and we don’t plan on interception returns for touchdowns, we plan on tackles and passes defended so he’s a sit this week due to his playing time issues. Try hoping for a pick-six from your favorite player and see how long that takes to happen, there’s a reason we call those “outlier plays” or “splash plays”, they don’t happen often at all and when they do it makes a splash.
Jaguars at Bucs
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Tampa Bay has a 45-point over/under for the early line. The Jaguars are the 9th overall passing attack and they target their wide receivers among the middle of the pack. There should be enough passing offense to keep Carlton Davis and our Tampa Bay options in play for this week.
For the reverse, more of the same, this Bucs passing attack is ranked among the middle of the pack but they target their wide receivers the 9th most in the league. This should give Darious Williams and our Jacksonville cornerback options some value in Week 16.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tyson Campbell/Montaric Brown (CB): Campbell was back to inactive last week and, as is tradition, we saw Brown as his direct replacement. If Campbell can play he would be a risky (reinjury risk, he’s been banged up all season) CB3 in medium to deeper leagues and Brown would sit as the replacement. If Campbell is inactive then Brown becomes an option as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with some upside, he may be picked on as the “lesser of all evils.” Brown played 97% of snaps in place of Campbell last week.
Darious Williams (CB): Williams played 91% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with some solid upside.
Tre Herndon (CB): Herndon was only in for 10% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to his bad playing time.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carlton Davis/Zyon McCollum (CB): Davis, the starter, was inactive last week and we saw McCollum as his replacement once again. That’s been normal all season, if either Davis or Dean can’t go then we get McCollum, who was in for 100% of snaps last week. If Davis can play he would be a somewhat risky CB3 in medium to deeper leagues, he’s practically made of glass it feels like. And if he ends up inactive then McCollum is an option as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with some upside.
Jamel Dean (CB): Dean played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Dee Delaney (CB): Delaney was in for 78% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
Cardinals at Bears
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Chicago has a 43.5 point early over/under which is decent. The Cardinals are the 30th overall passing offense and only target their wide receivers the 25th most in the league, plus the game being outdoors in windy Chicago makes for a bad recipe for any Chicago corners this week, they’ll only be an option in much deeper leagues.
For the reverse, this Chicago passing attack is ranked 27th in the league and they only target their wide receivers the 30th most overall. This is a bad setup for any Arizona cornerback options as well it would appear. We’ve got an early entry for the “worst streaming corner matchup” for Week 16 with this one.
Arizona Cardinals
Antonio Hamilton (CB): Hamilton played 100% of snaps last week and is likely to do the same this week but it’s not set in stone, this entire cornerback corps has been in flux for weeks now, and we can’t trust anything other than Williams will be the cornerback three. Sit Hamilton, the matchup is garbage anyway.
Garrett Williams (CB): Williams played 79% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to the matchup and his lack of ideal playing time.
No other safe cornerback options available, fluctuation has been the only constant in Arizona this season.
Chicago Bears
Tyrique Stevenson (CB): Stevenson only played 65% of snaps last week and is not currently listed as injured, so no idea why his snaps were cut so drastically. This matchup isn’t great to begin with so he’s only a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Kyler Gordon (CB): Gordon played 83% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
Jaylon Johnson (CB): Johnson played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Cowboys at Dolphins
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Miami has a massive 52.5 point early over/under which is excellent. The Cowboys passing attack is ranked second (that will drop like a rock after last week, but it was second when I started writing this) overall and they target their wide receivers the 6th most in the league. We’ve got a great setup for Jalen Ramsey and company this week.
For the reverse, it looks just as good, the Miami passing attack is the best in the game (ranked 1st overall) and they target their wide receivers the 8th most in the league. It’s a beautiful setup for Gilmore, Bland, and company and an early entry for the “best streaming cornerback matchup of Week 16.”
Dallas Cowboys
Stephon Gilmore (CB): Gilmore played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with some upside.
DaRon Bland (CB): Bland played 93% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Jourdan Lewis (CB): Lewis played 56% of snaps last week then sat due to the blowout, he typically plays around 70% of snaps in a closer game and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Miami Dolphins
Kader Kohou (CB): Kohou played 81% of snaps last week then sat due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with excellent upside this week.
Jalen Ramsey (CB): Ramsey played 81% of snaps last week then sat due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Xavien Howard/Eli Apple (CB): With Howard inactive last week we got our normal “preferred replacement” with Eli Apple, who was in for 76% of snaps. If Howard can play he would be a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues, he’s real football good just not IDP production good. If he’s inactive again then Apple would be an option as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some upside.
Patriots at Broncos
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Denver has a 36-point early over/under which indicates a defensive struggle and not much offense, that tracks when we look at these two teams. The Patriots passing attack is ranked 25th overall and they only target their wide receivers within the worst third of the league, it’s a bad setup for Patrick Surtain and our Denver options.
For the reverse, this Denver passing attack is ranked 26th overall and they only target their wide receivers the 28th most in the league. This plus the news that JC Jackson was a healthy scratch last week means that not only is this a bad setup for our New England cornerback options but we’ve also got fluctuation in that unit. None of that is good, we’ll be skipping this one for many reasons.
New England Patriots
Jonathan Jones (CB): Jones played 75% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
Myles Bryant (CB): Bryant played 80% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
All other options are unsafe, JC Jackson was a healthy scratch last week and Alex Austin, last week’s starter, was a player I didn’t know existed until just now. The matchup is garbage to begin with so if it’s not Bryant or Jones we skip it, especially during fantasy playoffs.
Denver Broncos
Patrick Surtain (CB): Surtain played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week due to the matchup.
Fabian Moreau (CB): Moreau played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week due to the matchup.
JaQuan McMillian (CB): McMillian played 70% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some solid upside, he’s been hot recently.
Raiders at Chiefs
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Kansas City has an early over/under of 43.5 points which is pretty good. The Raiders passing attack under O’Connell has been middle of the pack for both overall passing offense and in terms of wide receiver targets, we’ll have some value for L’Jarius Sneed and company but it’s anything but a slam dunk.
For the reverse, this Chiefs passing attack is ranked 6th overall but they only target their wide receivers within the worst third of the league. Nate Hobbs should hopefully have enough passing offense to bounce back but otherwise, it will be deeper leagues only for most of our Las Vegas options in Week 16.
Las Vegas Raiders
Nate Hobbs (CB): Hobbs played 66% of snaps last week then sat due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes this week and should bounce back after an extremely rare two bad weeks in a row.
Amik Robertson (CB): Robertson played 69% of snaps last week then sat due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Jack Jones (CB): Since the departure of Marcus Peters it’s been Jack Jones as the third cornerback in Las Vegas and it feels pretty set in stone. He played 82% of snaps last week and then sat due to the blowout, he also returned an interception to the house so his job looks secure for this week at least. He’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Kansas City Chiefs
L’Jarius Sneed (CB): Sneed played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Trent McDuffie (CB): McDuffie played 98% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Jaylen Watson (CB): Watson was only in for 32% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to his lack of ideal playing time.
Giants at Eagles
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Philadelphia has an early over/under of 44 points, most of them expected on the Philly side of this matchup. The Giants passing attack is ranked dead last in the league, 32nd overall, and they only target their wide receivers the 29th most in the league. It should be a slow day for James Bradberry and company, they’ll only be a recommendation in deeper leagues this week.
For the reverse, the Eagles passing attack is ranked just outside the top third of the league and they target their wide receivers among the middle of the pack. This should be a blood bath as Philly looks to lock down the number one seed and bounce back from a couple of bad games, our Giants options may have some extra value simply from availability (they should be on the field a ton). Regardless, it’s a nice setup for Adoree Jackson and company.
New York Giants
Adoree Jackson (CB): Jackson played 81% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Deonte Banks (CB): Banks played 98% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with some nice upside.
Cor’Dale Flott (CB): Flott was in for 55% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week, he’d be a sit except for the matchup.
Philadelphia Eagles
Darius Slay (CB): Slay was inactive last week but is back on track to play this week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues due to the matchup plus some reinjury risk.
James Bradberry (CB): Bradberry played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
All other options (CB): Instead of the solid playing time we’ve been getting with Bradley Roby recently we instead got the following last week; Kelee Ringo 52% of snaps, Eli Ricks 48% of snaps, and Bradley Roby 48% of snaps. If it isn’t Slay or Bradberry we’ll pass on it this week, sit everyone else.
Ravens at 49ers
Outlook: This outdoor affair in San Francisco has an early over/under of 45.5 points, which is excellent. That’s the only good news though as the Ravens have a passing offense ranked within the worst third of the league and only target their wide receivers the 24th most overall, it could be a slow week for Chavarious Ward and company.
For the reverse, while this 49ers passing attack is ranked 3rd overall they only target their wide receivers 31st overall, or the second worst in the league. They don’t need many completions to score and run the ball very well, a slow day for Brandon Stephens and company could be in the books for this one as well. While it looks good on paper (over/under), under a microscope this isn’t the best matchup to target in Week 16.
Baltimore Ravens
Marlon Humphrey (CB): Humphrey played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Brandon Stephens (CB/S): Stephens played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Arthur Maulet/Ronald Darby (CB): With Maulet playing 42% of snaps last week while Darby was relegated to special teams snaps only it seems we have some more fluctuation in the third cornerback slot for Baltimore. Sit them both, the matchup isn’t great to begin with.
San Francisco 49ers
Chavarious Ward (CB): Ward played 84% of snaps last week then sat due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Deommodore Lenoir (CB): Lenoir played 76% of snaps last week and then sat due to the blowout with the rest of the starters. He’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Ambry Thomas (CB): Thomas played 64% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to the matchup and his lack of ideal playing time.
Playoff Message!
Thank you all for reading this article and listening to the audio edition all season long! We’ve arrived at the moment of truth. The decisions we make now decide if we win or lose our leagues. If you’ve been here all season you should feel really good about your situation, you know far more about who are the best options and why than anyone else in your leagues. Make good choices. Balance risk with a safe floor. Use your matchup to guide your decisions.
You’re supposed to blow away your opponent by 50? In that case, you want corners with a safer floor. Do you need a prayer to get you into a matchup you have no business winning? We have those too, and you know them when you see them if you’ve been reading this article all season. Set alarms for your inactives, don’t forget to do your waivers and tinker to find the best options all week until kickoff. Be prepared and smart and the rest is in the hands of the fantasy Gods.
I’ll say this though, if there’s one thing I know to be true after 20-plus years of IDP it’s that the fantasy Gods favor those who are prepared and make good decisions. Best of luck to you all, let’s go get those titles!
Have no idea what any of that was?
I’d recommend that you read the Week 1 edition of The Cornerback Corner. I intentionally made that one as detailed as humanly possible and explained nearly every aspect of cornerback streaming, what factors we look for, and why. There’s also a language key in that edition and every call (start or sit) is explained in detail using the factors we look to each week. Consider this the “primer” for the rest of the season if any of this reads like hieroglyphics.
Want a faster version?
Check out the audio version of this article in The IDP After Show feed for a quick rundown of every week’s best and worst games to stream from plus my favorite streams of each week. I’ll be highlighting all the most important information from this article in a quick and easily digestible audio podcast that should run around 20-30 minutes.
Additional Resources & Contact Information
Reminder! These are only suggestions, your responsibility for your lineup is yours and yours alone. However, with that being said, these are the same moves I’m making myself in my double-digit amount of redraft leagues and another 20 or so dynasty leagues so we sink or swim together. Remember to check inactives before kickoff to prevent any surprise zeroes.
We make the best decisions we can with the information we have available at the time and after that, it’s in the hands of the fantasy gods. I’ve averaged approximately 72% accuracy matching or beating projections since I started writing this article series four seasons ago. I want to win just as badly as you do so I promise you I’ll do everything in my power to make sure these suggestions are solid.
There will be a weekly transparency thread before each week’s cornerback streaming calls where I review the previous week’s results. If I’m in a slump you’ll know it. This is year 20 of IDP for me and a normal season should put me well past 40 titles and 60 plus 2nd/3rd place finishes across redraft and dynasty plus a ton more in best ball, DFS, eliminators, salary cap, etc. You’re in good hands here at the Cornerback Corner, as this is not my first rodeo.
For additional IDP resources, please see idpguys.org and footballguys.com. @TheIDPTipster on Twitter has great weekly start/sit charts and weekly IDP waivers as well.
For any questions/comments, to discuss specific cornerback streams, or to talk IDP in general, hit up my Twitter, @OrangeMan3142, or email Johnysmack3141@yahoo.com. Good luck this week and let’s go get those titles!
In the Hollywood area and looking for a great place to meet other fantasy football degenerates, watch some games, and have some drinks? Hit up the “Touchdown Hoedown” event every Sunday from 1 pm to 8 pm PST at the Desert 5 Spot in Hollywood, CA, on 6516 Selma Avenue. Contact @Lam0nt562 on Twitter for more information!
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