Johny The Greek's Cornerback Corner: Week 15
Johny The Greek's Cornerback Corner: Week 15
Who are the best and worst CB streaming options for Week 15?
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 calls for cornerbacks in all different league types/sizes and was able to maintain 80% accuracy across the board once again.
Of the 77 calls I made last week, 7 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 70 adjusted calls. Of those, 56 were correct (matched, beat, or were within a slim margin of their projection on Yahoo and MFL), and 14 were incorrect (didn’t match or beat projection and weren’t even close), giving us 80% accuracy for Week 14.
Of those 56 correct calls, 30 of them were “massive hits” (more than doubled or even tripled their projection), giving us a 53% massive hit rate on correct calls for Week 14. We sit at 81% 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
Cornerback Corner: Week 15
NOTE: All team stats will be one week behind due to me writing this early in the week so it publishes before waivers run.
Chargers at Raiders
Outlook: This indoor affair in Las Vegas at the Death Star has an early 42.5 point over/under which is pretty good. The Chargers passing attack with Justin Herbert under center is just outside the top ten in the league and they target their wide receivers the third most overall. We will not get Justin Herbert this week though, so adjust accordingly. This is a nice setup for Nate Hobbs and company with Herbert, and a serious demotion and downgrade without him.
For the reverse, this Raiders passing attack is within the middle of the pack for overall passing offense and just outside the top ten for wide receiver targets. This is an indoor game with a decent over/under which helps as well. I think we’ve got some value for Asante Samuel Jr and company in Week 15.
Los Angeles Chargers
Michael Davis/Deane Leonard (CB): Davis once again displaced Leonard last week and played 100% of snaps just as Leonard displaced him the week before, this back and forth continues yet again. Neither can be trusted, especially during the first week of fantasy playoffs, sit them both.
Asante Samuel Jr (CB): Samuel played 100% of snaps last week and is a start this week as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with plenty of upside.
Esang Bassey/Ja’Sir Taylor (CB): Bassey has now gotten the start as the third cornerback in Los Angeles two weeks in a row but only played 43% of snaps last week. He remains a sit due to the fluctuation in this slot and the lack of ideal playing time.
Las Vegas Raiders
Nate Hobbs (CB): Hobbs played 97% of snaps last week and is an automatic start as a CB1/2 every week no matter the matchup.
Amik Robertson (CB): Robertson played 94% of snaps last week and is a start this week as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues unless Justin Herbert can play, if that were the case then he’d get a slight bump in value. Update, he’s not playing, keep these Raiders calls where they are currently.
Jack Jones/Jakorian Bennett/All others (CB): While the departure of Marcus Peters has solidified Amik Robertson as a likely starter for the rest of the season, it has created some fluctuation for the third cornerback role here in Las Vegas. We’ve seen this most of the season though so nothing new here. Jones played 83% of snaps last week and appears to be the current cornerback three in Las Vegas but this is anything but set in stone and he is a sit this week due to this fluctuation.
Vikings at Bengals
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Cincy has an early over/under of 40.5 points but we could easily see more than that if Josh Dobbs can remember how to play quarterback this week. The Vikings have been a top-five passing attack most of this season but are coming off of two horrendous weeks in a row so we can’t trust them at the moment, especially for round one of fantasy playoffs. It should be deeper leagues only for any Cincy options in Week 15.
For the reverse, Jake Browning has come to life these past two weeks and has this Bengals offense looking like it did with Joe Burrow under center. We can’t trust the season-long rankings since there’s a new quarterback under center but he and this Bengals passing attack certainly pass the eye test. We should have some value for Byron Murphy and company this week.
Minnesota Vikings
Byron Murphy (CB): Murphy played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with tons of upside.
Akayleb Evans (CB): Evans played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Mekhi Blackmon (CB): With Evans back healthy and having regained his role as the second starting cornerback in Minnesota, we saw Blackmon down to just 35% of snaps last week. He’s a sit unless there is an injury to Evans any time this week during practice, that’s the only scenario where he’s seen value this season.
Josh Metellus/Camryn Bynum (CB/S): If either of these options is designated as a cornerback in your league of merit then I would dedicate one of your cornerback slots to starting either or both. They are a cheat code and you’d be taking advantage of an incorrect designation.
Cincinnati Bengals
Chidobe Awuzie (CB): Awuzie played 83% of snaps last week then got to rest due to the blowout, he’s only a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week up against the suddenly crappy Josh Dobbs.
DJ Turner (CB): Turner played 98% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Mike Hilton (CB): Hilton played 91% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week, he gets run-stopping tackles pretty consistently so we’ve got a floor plus he’s been on a hot streak for well over a month now.
Steelers at Colts
Outlook: This indoor affair in Indianapolis sits at 39.5 points for the early over/under and features a Steelers passing attack that is ranked 28th overall and only manages to target their wide receivers the 24th most in the league. Kenny Moore should be fine regardless but we should shy away from any other Colts options with this setup in store for them in Week 15.
For the reverse, this Indianapolis passing attack is ranked among the middle of the pack for overall passing offense and they target their wide receivers the 9th most in the league. That’s a recipe for some pretty good value for Joey Porter Jr and company this week.
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 this week.
Patrick Peterson (CB): Peterson played 95% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Chandon Sullivan/Levi Wallace (CB): These two cornerbacks combined played less than 50% of the snaps last week and remain an afterthought, continue to sit them.
Indianapolis Colts
Kenny Moore (CB): Kenny Moore played 100% of snaps last week and is an automatic start weekly as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes.
Jaylon Jones/Juju Brents (CB): Juju Brents continues to be inactive week after week while Jones played 100% of snaps last week, it’s technically Brent’s job but he’s been injured for so long that if he were healthy this week I would skip them both since we have no idea how it would play out. If Brents is inactive again then Jones is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues.
Darrell Baker Jr (CB): Baker played 90% of snaps last week and is a start only as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week against this Steelers passing attack that is horrendous.
Broncos at Lions
Outlook: This indoor affair in Detroit has a massive 47.5 point early over/under which is a thing of beauty. The Broncos passing attack is still bad, 26th overall and they only target their wide receivers the 30th most in the league but the other side of this matchup should provide us with most of the value in this matchup. It will be deeper leagues only for any Detroit cornerbacks this week.
The Lions, fresh off an embarrassing loss to the Bears, have the 4th overall passing offense in the league but only target their wide receivers among the middle of the pack. They should look better offensively this week at home against a mediocre at best Denver team, Las Vegas seems to think so with this over/under and the Lions favored by 4.5 this early in the week. Patrick Surtain and company should have plenty of value in this matchup.
Denver Broncos
Patrick Surtain (CB): Surtain played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside, opposing offenses tend to shy away from his direction.
Fabian Moreau (CB): Moreau played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week, he’s not super productive but he’ll get you a nice floor in those deeper leagues.
Jaquan McMillian (CB): McMillian played 87% of snaps last week and had another stellar box score, he’s been red-hot recently and is a start this week as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with tons of upside.
Detroit Lions
Jerry Jacobs (CB): Jacobs played 75% of snaps last week and is a start only as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
Cameron Sutton (CB): Sutton played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week due to the matchup.
Brian Branch (CB/S): Branch played 52% of snaps last week then sat, likely due to the blowout. He should see his typical 80-100% of snaps this week in a closer game and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with upside. PFF’s own Jon Macri, @PFF_Macri on Twitter, mentioned that the 52% of snaps last week appeared to be a specific game plan for the Bears so let’s hope he returns to his normal duties this week. With this in mind, it’s risky, he could and probably should return to normal playing time this week but it’s not set in stone, start him at your own risk.
Falcons at Panthers
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Carolina has a stinky 35-point early over/under and features two of the worst passing offenses in the league. The Falcons passing attack is ranked within the worst third of the league and they target their wide receivers the least (dead last) in the entire league. The Panthers are the 30th overall passing offense and only target their wide receivers among the middle of the pack. This is a terrible setup, and it’s outdoors and a division game, I’m skipping it completely in my own leagues. We’ll list the options for those of you who still need them though.
Atlanta Falcons
AJ Terrell (CB): Terrell played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Jeff Okudah/Clark Phillips (CB): Okudah was inactive last week and Phillips got the start in his place, we’ve now seen Phillips as the preferred replacement for both Terrell and Okudah when they’re inactive so we can trust it. If Okudah is healthy he’s the starter and would be a CB4 in deeper leagues, if he’s inactive then Phillips becomes an option with the same setup, CB4 in deeper leagues.
Dee Alford (CB): Alford played 75% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to the matchup and the bad playing time that we’ve seen all season.
Carolina Panthers
Donte Jackson (CB): Jackson played 98% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Jaycee Horn (CB): Horn played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
All Others (CB): We’ve seen a host of replacement corners for Carolina all season and none of them feel safe this week, especially with this horrible matchup on the docket. We can skip everyone not named Horn or Jackson and not lose any sleep over it.
Bears at Browns
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Cleveland has an early 37-point over/under which indicates a defensive struggle, that tracks based on what we’ve seen from these two teams all season. The Bears passing attack is ranked within the worst third of the league and their wide receiver targets ranking isn’t much better (29th overall). It will be deeper leagues only for any Cleveland options this week.
For the reverse, we can throw out the season-long rankings now that Joe Flacco is under center. And he appears to be staying there after that performance and win last week. He’s completed North of 23 passes in the last two games he’s played and appears to be building chemistry with several of the Cleveland receiving options, we’ve got some value for Tyrique Stevenson and company in this one.
Chicago Bears
Tyrique Stevenson (CB): Stevenson played 72% of snaps last week but it was a blowout and he’s been injured recently so this tracks, he should be at or around his normal 100% of snaps in a closer game and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Jaylon Johnson (CB): Johnson played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Kyler Gordon (CB): Gordon played 83% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Cleveland Browns
Denzel Ward/Cameron Mitchell (CB): Ward was inactive last week, Mitchell came in to replace him as the backup and played 75% of snaps. If Ward is healthy he would be a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues, if he’s inactive then (and only then) Mitchell would be an option, and a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues as well.
Greg Newsome (CB): Newsome played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
Martin Emerson (CB): Emerson played 97% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some good upside.
Bucs at Packers
Outlook: This outdoor affair in the land of cheese has a 43-point early over/under which is pretty good! The Bucs are ranked among the middle of the pack for overall passing offense but they target their wide receivers the 8th most overall so we’ve got a decent setup for Carrington Valentine and company.
For the reverse, while the season-long rankings have the Packers as a middle-of-the-pack passing offense that targets their wide receivers just outside the top third of the league, we’ve seen a much better Jordan Love in these past few weeks. Assuming he can keep the hot streak going we should have some pretty nice value for Carlton Davis and company this week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carlton Davis (CB): Davis played 81% of snaps last week then was injured, if he can play this week he would be a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues, if he’s inactive then Zyon McCollum becomes an option once more.
Jamel Dean (CB): Dean was inactive last week but typically plays 100% of snaps. If he’s healthy this week he would be a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some upside.
Zyon McCollum (CB): If either Carlton Davis OR Jamel Dean is inactive then McCollum becomes an option, if they’re both healthy then he’s a sit. If that first part is the case this week then he’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some upside. McCollum played 100% of snaps for the injured and inactive Jamel Dean last week.
Dee Delaney (CB): Delaney played 44% of snaps last week and that was a very pass-happy game script all around, he’s a sit with this in mind. If he wasn’t all that involved against a Falcons team that threw for 26 completions on 40 attempts for over 340 yards then we can’t trust that he’ll play enough against another mediocre passing attack with Green Bay. Delaney also didn’t see a bump in playing time at all with Jamel Dean inactive last week, this further shovels dirt on any value he may have had for this particular matchup.
Green Bay Packers
Jaire Alexander/Corey Ballentine (CB): Alexander hasn’t played in 5 weeks now so if he were to return this week he would probably be eased back into the lineup, he would be a sit due to that plus an elevated risk of reinjury as well. If he’s inactive again then Ballentine (the replacement/backup) would be an option as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some upside.
Carrington Valentine (CB): Valentine played 98% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Keisean Nixon (CB): Nixon played 79% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week, promote as needed if your league scores return yards.
Jets at Dolphins
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Miami is a game we literally just saw a couple of weeks ago. This has an early 40.5 over/under and should be a defensive struggle for about two and a half quarters until the Jets defense gets tired and Miami blows their doors off. We’ve got tons of value for DJ Reed and Sauce against the best passing attack in the game that targets their wide receivers the 5th most overall but this is a “sit or deeper leagues only” week for Jalen Ramsey and company against this 31st-ranked Jets passing attack that isn’t much better when it comes to their wide receiver targets ranking (26th overall).
New York Jets
Sauce Gardner (CB): Sauce played 96% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with tons of upside, opposing offenses tend to avoid him or he’d be ranked higher.
DJ Reed (CB): Reed played 96% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Michael Carter (CB): Carter played 70% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some nice upside.
Miami Dolphins
Jalen Ramsey (CB): Ramsey played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with tons of upside this week.
Kader Kohou (CB): Kohou played 87% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some upside this week.
Xavien Howard (CB): Howard played 99% of snaps last week and would only be a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
Giants at Saints
Outlook: This indoor affair in New Orleans has an early 36.5 point over/under which indicates a defensive struggle. The Giants passing attack has been better under Italian management but still isn’t great, dead last in the league and 27th overall for wide receiver targets. This isn’t a great setup for Paulson Adebo and company, it should be deeper leagues only for them this week. Forget about it! Who’s got the Gabagool?!
For the reverse, this Saints passing attack has been injury-plagued and beaten up but is still ranked 10th overall and targets their wide receivers within the top third of the league. It appears they are going to roll out the decaying corpse of Derek Carr no matter how hurt he is so we can expect similar production as we’ve seen all season. That makes for some decent value for Adoree Jackson and our New York corners this week.
New York Giants
Adoree Jackson (CB): Jackson played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Deonte Banks (CB): Banks played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Cor’Dale Flott/All others (CB): Flott played 60% of snaps last week and is a sit this week against a banged-up Saints passing offense, his playing time isn’t great either.
New Orleans Saints
Marshon Lattimore/Isaac Yiadom (CB): Lattimore, the starter, was inactive last week and Yiadom was the replacement who played 98% of snaps. If Lattimore is inactive this week then Yiadom is an option as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues, if Lattimore is healthy I would skip him this week as it would be his first game back from a multi-week injury and the matchup is really bad. And obviously, if Lattimore is healthy then Yiadom will not be an option at all.
Paulson Adebo (CB): Adebo played 100% of snaps last week and is a splash play-dependent CB4 in deeper leagues this week as a start.
Alontae Taylor (CB): Taylor played 100% of snaps last week and is a splash play-dependent CB4 in deeper leagues this week as a start.
Texans at Titans
Outlook: This outdoor game in Tennessee has a 43-point early over/under which is not bad at all, obviously this line depends somewhat on CJ Stroud clearing a likely concussion protocol after he got leveled last week, assuming that’s the case we’ve got a nice setup for Roger McCreary and our Tennessee options against the second best passing attack in the league that is also top ten for wide receiver targets.
For the reverse, it could be a slow week for Desmond King and our Houston options against this 27th-overall Tennessee passing offense. They only target their wide receivers the 28th most in the league. That’s not ideal at all for our Houston corners, so they’ll be deeper leagues only and “skip if you can” across the board.
Houston Texans
Derek Stingley (CB): Stingley played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Steven Nelson (CB): Nelson played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Desmond King (CB): King only played 47% of snaps last week due to the blowout (that’s a guess), he should be fine in a closer game but since he’s only been a Texan for two games now we can’t know for sure. I would sit him this week due to the matchup plus this recent trend of unsustainable playing time.
Tennessee Titans
Roger McCreary (CB): McCreary played 94% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week if Stroud can’t play, promote him to a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues if he can play.
Kristian Fulton/Elijah Molden (CB): Fulton was inactive last week, if he can play this week he would be a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week if Stroud can’t play, promote him to a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues if he can play. With Fulton out last week we saw Molden only play 25% of snaps while Tre Avery played 88% of snaps seemingly out of nowhere, there appears to be some shenanigans with this specific cornerback slot so if Fulton isn’t healthy then we should skip it/sit any replacement options just to be safe.
Sean Murphy Bunting (CB): Buntin played 96% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Chiefs at Patriots
Outlook: This outdoor affair in New England has an early 37-point over/under and is pretty straightforward. We can fire up our New England corners against this top-ten passing offense that Kansas City is bringing to town, they only target their wide receivers among the middle of the pack but I feel like a bounce-back game for that unit may be in store after last weeks embarrassing performance against the Bills.
For the reverse, this is a sit or deeper leagues-only week for Trent McDuffie and company against this 23rd-ranked New England passing attack. They target their wide receivers the 23rd most in the league as well and will likely have another backup quarterback under center in Week 15. That’s not a great setup but maybe McDuffie or Sneed can get lucky with a splash play, I’m not making that bet though.
Kansas City Chiefs
L’Jarius Sneed (CB): Sneed played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a splash play-dependent CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Trent McDuffie (CB): McDuffie played 99% of snaps last week and is a start as a splash play-dependent CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Jaylen Watson (CB): Watson only played 47% of snaps last week, not even remotely close to enough to overcome this horrendous matchup, he’s an obvious sit this week.
New England Patriots
Jonathan Jones (CB): Jones played 93% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
JC Jackson (CB): Jackson played 83% of snaps last week and is the least safe option in New England by a good amount. He’s a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues, anything more than that I’m unwilling to do for a guy who’s been already cut from one team and banned from traveling with another team this season.
Myles Bryant (CB): Bryant played 80% of snaps last week and is the safest option for New England by a good amount. He’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
49ers at Cardinals
Outlook: This indoor affair in Arizona has an opening over/under of 47 points. The 49ers passing attack is excellent, 7th overall, but only 31st (second to last) in the league for wide receiver targets. They don’t need a ton of completions to move the ball, we’ve seen that all season. This isn’t ideal for the Arizona options this week, they’ll be only recommended in deeper leagues only.
For the reverse, this Arizona passing attack is ranked 29th overall and they only target their wide receivers within the worst third of the league. The passes completed floor we look to for our floor from our San Francisco options likely won’t exist this week so they’ll be deeper leagues only as well.
San Francisco 49ers
Chavarious Ward/Isaiah Oliver (CB): Ward was injured after only 7% of snaps played last week, Oliver came in as a replacement. If Ward can play this week I would sit him, this matchup is garbage to begin with and the risk of reinjury or them easing him back into the lineup is too great to play these games in the first week of fantasy playoffs. If Ward is inactive then I would sit Oliver as well, it’s still a bad matchup and we’ve only seen Oliver as the replacement once, that’s nowhere near enough to trust it when this week’s matchups are for all the marbles.
Deommodore Lenoir (CB): Lenoir played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Ambry Thomas (CB): Thomas saw a bump up to 98% of snaps last week with Ward going down early, he typically plays around 80% of snaps. Regardless, he’s a sit this week due to the matchup and us guessing he’ll see his normal playing time (which isn’t enough to overcome this matchup).
Arizona Cardinals
Kei’Trel Clark (CB): Clark played 100% of snaps the last time we saw him and will probably be a starter this week, that’s anything but set in stone though. See below for more details but essentially we can’t trust anything from Arizona this week, he’s a sit from me.
Garrett Williams (CB): Williams played 64% of snaps the last time we saw him and is the safest option in Arizona currently. That playing time won’t help us though, especially with this 49ers team that barely targets their wide receivers to begin with. He’s a sit this week.
Marco Wilson/Divaad Wilson (CB): With the Cardinals on bye last week we weren’t able to gather any information that would help us figure out their new-look cornerback corps, the last two games they’ve played have had almost entirely different cornerbacks from top to bottom. It’s impossible to trust that we know ANY of the current Arizona starters right now, I would sit them all this week.
Commanders at Rams
Outlook: This indoor affair in Los Angeles has an early over/under of 46.5 points and features two of the best passing offenses this season regarding streaming cornerback value. The Commanders passing offense is within the top third of the league and they target their wide receivers the most in the entire league (number one ranking). We have value for our Los Angeles options.
For the reverse, this Rams passing attack is ranked just outside the top third of the league but that’s before last week’s statistics have been counted and Matt Stafford was dealing in Baltimore. They target their wide receivers the 4th most in the league and will give Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St Juste, and company plenty of value in Week 15.
Washington Commanders
Kendall Fuller (CB): Fuller played 100% of snaps the last time we saw him and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with some solid upside this week.
Benjamin St Juste (CB): St Juste played 100% of snaps the last time we saw him and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Danny Johnson/All others (CB): The third cornerback slot in Washington is still all over the place, Quan Martin was the most recent addition to this mess the last time Washington played a game. If they’re not named Fuller or St Juste then we can’t trust them, end of story.
Los Angeles Rams
Akhello Witherspoon (CB): Witherspoon played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Derion Kendrick (CB): Kendrick played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Cobie Durant (CB): Durant only played 40% of snaps last week and is a sit due to this bad playing time.
Cowboys at Bills
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Buffalo sports a massive 49-point early over/under and features the 3rd and 5th overall (respectively) passing offenses in the league. They target their wide receivers the 6th and 13th most in the league and both teams are angling for playoff positioning. This is easily one of the best games to stream cornerback from this week, everyone has value.
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 nice upside.
DaRon Bland (CB): Bland played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Jourdan Lewis (CB): Lewis played 85% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some nice upside this week.
Buffalo Bills
Taron Johnson (CB): Taron played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with tons of upside.
Rasul Douglas (CB): Rasul played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Christian Benford/Dane Jackson (CB): This third cornerback slot in Buffalo has changed hands several times in the past few weeks, it is unclear who it is at the moment, therefore, we can’t trust it. Sit them both and we’ll see if it settles down soon.
Ravens at Jaguars
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Jacksonville has an early over/under of 39.5 points which is on the border of a defensive struggle but still acceptable. The Ravens passing attack is ranked just outside the worst third of the league and they target their wide receivers within the worst third of the league. We won’t have a ton of value for Tyson Campbell and company with this kind of setup in Week 15.
For the reverse, assuming that Trevor Lawrence can play, this Jags passing attack is ranked 9th overall and they target their wide receivers among the middle of the pack. We’ll have some value for Brandon Stephens and company but it’s far from perfect. Between a beat-up Lawrence and Christian Kirk now headed to IR, this passing attack is a shell of what it once was so we’ll adjust accordingly.
Baltimore Ravens
Brandon Stephens (CB): Stephens played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Marlon Humphrey (CB): Humphrey played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some good upside this week.
Ronald Darby/Arthur Maulet/All others (CB): Darby saw his playing time vanish to only special teams snaps last week while Maulet saw 42% of snaps out of left field. This third cornerback slot in Baltimore has been in flux all season and that hasn’t changed recently, if it’s not Humphrey or Stephens then they are a sit this week.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tyson Campbell/Montaric Brown (CB): Campbell was inactive once again last week, and as we’ve seen all season it was Brown as his replacement. If Campbell can play he would be a risky CB4 in deeper leagues with a chance for reinjury or reduced snaps as he returns from this most recent injury. If he’s inactive then Brown, the replacement, would be an option as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some upside. Brown played 92% of snaps last week in relief for the inactive Campbell.
Darious Williams (CB): Williams played 83% last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with pretty good upside.
Tre Herndon/Gregory Junior/All others (CB): The third cornerback last week, Junior, who was replacing the inactive Herndon, only saw 42% of snaps. We can skip anyone not named Williams or Brown this week and feel good about it. Not beating yourself is just as important as taking your shots, especially in fantasy playoffs.
Eagles at Seahawks
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Seattle has an early 47.5 over/under, the Eagles passing attack is just outside the top third of the league and they target their wide receivers among the middle of the pack. We have some value for our Seattle options but with Witherspoon injured and the Eagles always a threat to “just run the ball instead” we may not want to put all our eggs in this particular basket.
For the reverse, the Seahawks passing attack is ranked just outside the top third of the league and they target their wide receivers the 10th most overall. They’ll likely end up in a negative game script and be forced to throw the ball more than they’d like to, this plus those rankings give us some nice value for Darius Slay and company to round out Week 15.
Philadelphia Eagles
Darius Slay (CB): Slay played 82% of snaps last week before resting due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
James Bradberry (CB): Bradberry played 88% of snaps last week before resting due to the blowout, he’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Bradley Roby (CB): Roby played 71% of snaps last week and is a start as a somewhat risky (this third cornerback slot in Philly has been in flux for the majority of the season and has only leveled out recently) CB4 plus in much deeper leagues with some decent upside.
Seattle Seahawks
Devon Witherspoon/Michael Jackson (CB): Witherspoon exited last week’s game after only 13% of snaps with a hip pointer, he should be OK for this week, and if that’s the case then he’s a start as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes in a terrific matchup. When he left the game last week it was Jackson who came in as the replacement, if Witherspoon is inactive this week then Jackson becomes an option as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues. We’ve seen him come in to replace both Woolen and Witherspoon now at different points in the season when they were injured so this appears pretty safe as a backup option. Jackson played the remaining 93% of snaps last week as the replacement for Witherspoon.
Tariq Woolen (CB): Woolen played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Tre Brown (CB): Brown was inactive last week but has typically played around 80% of snaps. There was no direct replacement for Brown last week, so if he’s inactive this week then it is what it is.
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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