Johny The Greek's Cornerback Corner: Week 18
Johny The Greek's Cornerback Corner: Week 18
Who are the best and worst CB streaming options for Week 18?
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 70 different start calls for leagues of all different shapes and sizes. Despite the “inactive gods” taking many of our best options from us, I was still able to be 79% accurate on those calls.
Of the 70 calls I made last week, 12 were declared inactive or injured during play. We don’t count acts of God here and I warn everyone to check the inactives, so subtracting those players we’re left with 58 adjusted calls. Of those, 46 were correct (matched, beat, or were within a slim margin of their projection on Yahoo and MFL), and 12 were incorrect (didn’t match or beat projection and weren’t even close), giving us 79% accuracy for Week 17.
Of those 46 correct calls, 20 of them were “massive hits” (more than doubled or even tripled their projection), giving us a 34% massive hit rate on correct calls for Week 17. 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
Week 16: 75% accuracy, 50% massive hit rate
Week 17: 79% accuracy, 34% massive hit rate
Cornerback Corner: Week 18
Team Stats 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.
Week 18 Note: Week 18 is WILDLY unpredictable. There will likely be entire teams that don’t play their starters. The early over/under lines from Vegas aren’t available yet for many of these matchups, in fact, the entire slate of games next week won’t even have the kickoff times set until after the Packers game tonight (I write the outlooks on Sunday). We’ll do the best we can with the limited information available this early in the week but, in general, if your league has a Week 18 title game you’re in for a wild ride.
It’s the most unpredictable week of the season but we’ll try to thread the needle here and at the minimum warn you of any traps and point you towards options that are on teams that need to play all their starters to try and win this week. That’s the trick with any title games in Week 18, make sure as many of your players as possible are on teams that still need to play all their starters, and as for the rest we’ll throw the dice and see how they land. If you’re in this position make sure you stay on top of the playoff picture and adjust accordingly, teams that are now out of it may rest questionable players, and teams that are locked into their playoff seed may rest their starters completely.
Any start calls that I make this week are dependent on that team starting their normal options, I can’t know ahead of time what those defensive coaching staffs are thinking. We’re out in the weeds this week, I’ll do the best I can for you all but it could be a struggle. Talk to your commissioner about changing the title game to Week 17 if you want to avoid repeating these shenanigans in the future.
Good luck! You’re going to need it.
Seahawks at Cardinals
Outlook: This indoor affair in Arizona doesn’t yet have an over/under. We can guess it will probably be in the low 40s based on what we’ve seen this season. If we can identify some safe cornerback options from Arizona then that’s our move here, to start them against this Seattle passing attack that is just outside the top third of the league and targets their wide receivers the 8th most in the league.
For the reverse, unless it’s Devon Witherspoon who is always a great option, we want to skip any other Seattle corners against this 30th overall Arizona passing attack that’s almost as bad when it comes to their wide receiver targets ranking, which is currently 26th overall. The Seahawks will likely need to win this game to have any shot at a wildcard berth and Arizona has been out of it for weeks so we’ll get the same lineups we’ve been getting from them.
Seattle Seahawks
Tariq Woolen (CB): Woolen played 99% of snaps last week and appears to have regained his starting role, I’m not trusting it though, he’s still fresh off an in-game benching a couple of weeks ago and this matchup is garbage, he’s a sit this week.
Devon Witherspoon (CB): Witherspoon returned to the lineup but only played 49% of snaps last week as he was eased back in. He should be closer to his normal 100% of snaps this week but the matchup limits his upside, he’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with excellent upside if he plays every snap and is back to his usual self.
Michael Jackson (CB): With Witherspoon getting eased back into the lineup it was Jackson who picked up the slack by playing 100% of the snaps, we’ve seen him as a preferred option for Seattle this season for injured corners but we can skip him this week due to uncertainty and a poor matchup against Arizona.
Arizona Cardinals
Antonio Hamilton (CB): Hamilton played 100% of snaps last week and is the safest cornerback option in Arizona right now. He’s a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Starling Thomas (CB): Thomas played 100% of snaps last week but we’ve seen this particular cornerback slot in flux for Arizona a ton recently, he’s a sit this week so we avoid eating a zero if they replace him as a starter, which has happened repeatedly in the past month for this Arizona cornerback corps.
Garrett Williams (CB): Williams was only in for 24% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to a lack of acceptable playing time.
Steelers at Ravens
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Baltimore also doesn’t yet have an early over/under, we can guess it will be lower, probably somewhere around 37 points, and an implied defensive struggle. Neither passing attack is great, 27th and 21st overall respectively. And neither team targets their wide receivers enough for us to be interested, 24th and 22nd respectively. This divisional matchup is typically low-scoring, a true black-and-blue defensive affair, and not the kind of matchup we look to for ideal cornerback streaming in any way. I’m skipping this one myself (I’ve got one all-IDP league that has a Week 18 title game).
The Steelers are still alive for playoffs so we should see their normal starters, however, Baltimore could be in a situation where it makes sense to rest everyone so keep an eye on that aspect if you do plan on streaming from this matchup.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Patrick Peterson (CB): Peterson played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Joey Porter Jr (CB): Porter played 96% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Chandon Sullivan/Levi Wallace (CB): Sullivan was only in for 55% of snaps so he’s a sit this week while Wallace played 90% of snaps, we’ve only seen Wallace have acceptable playing time in the past two games so it’s not something we should trust for our championship hopes and dreams. Sit them both.
Baltimore Ravens
Brandon Stephens (CB): Stephens was inactive last week, if he can play then he would be a super risky CB4 plus in much deeper leagues at best, I would just skip it personally. That’s my recommendation, sit him and look elsewhere.
Marlon Humphrey (CB): Humphrey was injured after 19% of snaps last week, I would sit him this week to avoid any reinjury risk plus this matchup is horrendous to begin with.
Ronald Darby (CB): With Stephens inactive and Humphrey exiting with an injury it was Darby who saw the bump up to 100% of snaps last week, if those two players are both inactive then Darby would be an option as a CB4 in deeper leagues, otherwise he’s a sit like he’s been all season long.
All others (CB): Rock Ya-Sin and Arthur Maulet saw decent playing time last week with Humphrey going down and Stephens inactive, we’re not likely to see that same scenario this week plus this matchup is garbage, sit them both.
Bucs at Panthers
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Carolina also doesn’t yet have an early over/under, I would guess it will be in the low 40s. We can fire up our Carolina options against this middle-of-the-pack Tampa Bay passing attack that targets their wide receivers the 5th most in the league. We want to steer clear of any Tampa Bay options against this 31st-ranked Carolina passing attack. Carolina is 12th overall for wide receiver targets so we do have some value but it’s not much. I would start my Panthers and sit my Bucs if it were my team.
The Bucs should be rolling out their normal starters since they haven’t wrapped up the division already and Carolina has been out of it since Week 1 so we’ll get the usual lineups we’ve been getting from them this week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carlton Davis/Zyon McCollum (CB): With Davis being inactive last week it was McCollum as the preferred replacement, which is what we’ve seen all season, if Davis can go I would sit him to avoid a reinjury risk. If Davis is inactive then McCollum would be a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues.
Jamel Dean (CB): Dean played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Dee Delaney (CB): Delaney only played 36% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to that unacceptable playing time plus a bad matchup to begin with.
Carolina Panthers
Donte Jackson (CB): Jackson was in for 84% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Jaycee Horn (CB): Horn was questionable all week leading up to last week’s game but was ultimately cleared to play, he did not play. Carolina made him a healthy scratch and played Shaq Griffin instead, which is something we haven’t seen enough this season to recommend if Horn is inactive this week. Sit them both, we don’t need another rug-pull situation.
All others (CB): There are no other corners in Carolina that play enough or play enough consistently, sit everyone else.
Browns at Bengals
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Cincy has an early over/under of 46 points, which is excellent. The Browns with Joe Flacco under center are averaging about 24 completed passes per game and it’s clear he’s developed some great chemistry with Cooper, Moore, and company. We can fire up our Bengals with confidence just like we can fire up our Cleveland options against this 11th overall Cincinnati passing attack that targets their wide receivers the second most in the entire league.
We know that Cincy is now out of it so we could see some backup options from them while Cleveland is locked into their playoff slot so they could be resting players. While this looks great on paper there’s a good chance we end up missing some of our normal options in this matchup, pay attention throughout the week to beat writers for updates on whether the starters are playing or not.
Cleveland Browns
Martin Emerson (CB): Emerson played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Greg Newsome (CB): Newsome played 99% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Denzel Ward (CB): Ward played 85% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Cincinnati Bengals
Chidobe Awuzie (CB): Awuzie played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week, add some upside if Flacco plays.
Cam Taylor Britt (CB): Britt returned from IR last week and immediately played 100% of snaps, he’s a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes if Flacco plays, demote him to a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues if the Browns roll out their backups.
Mike Hilton (CB): Hilton played 85% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with excellent upside.
DJ Turner (CB): With Britt being activated off of IR last week it was DJ Turner who saw his snaps vanish into thin air, just 13% of snaps played last week. He’s a sit this week and I truly hope you all caught my desperate attempt to warn everyone about this late last week on Twitter and through an update to the Week 17 article.
Vikings at Lions
Outlook: This indoor affair in Detroit has an early over/under of 50.5 points which is excellent. This matchup features the 3rd and 4th overall passing offenses respectively. The Vikings target their wide receivers within the worst third of the league but we know they have the talent at wide receiver to give us value, it’s all about the quarterback. The Lions are among the middle of the pack for wide receiver targets but we know they can sling it as well. We’ve got nice value on both sides here and Minnesota needs this game while Detroit could be locked into their playoff slot, check the playoff picture beforehand to make sure both teams will be playing their starters in this one.
Minnesota Vikings
Byron Murphy (CB): Murphy was inactive last week but if he can play this week he would be a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with excellent upside.
Akayleb Evans (CB): Evans played 100% of snaps last week with Byron Murphy being inactive, we need to remember that Evans was benched at the end of the game in Week 16 so he’s not safe at all. Last week felt like “we don’t have anyone else” more than “Evans has turned it all around!”. I’m sitting him this week to avoid any potential rug-pull scenarios.
Mekhi Blackmon (CB): Even with no Byron Murphy last week, Blackmon only played 50% of snaps and is a sit this week due to this fact.
Josh Metellus/Camryn Bynum (CB/S): If either of these players is (incorrectly) designated as a cornerback in your league of merit then you should always start either or both in a cornerback slot. It’s a cheat code.
Detroit Lions
Chauncey Gardner Johnson (CB/S): Johnson had a chance to return from IR last week and is almost assuredly going to this week. He would likely be eased back into the lineup since Week 2 was the last time he saw any snaps. I would sit him this week, although he’ll be a great option for any playoff leagues or eliminators.
Ifeati Melifonwu (CB/S): Melif-waifu was in for 100% of snaps last week but is the prime candidate to lose snaps when Gardner-Johnson returns to the lineup, if Chauncey is inactive again this week then we can fire up Melifonwu with confidence as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with excellent upside.
Brian Branch (CB/S): Branch only played 55% of snaps last week, beyond that we’re about to get Chauncey back into this “already crammed” lineup. I would sit Branch with all this in mind, besides, would you want to play a guy that barely sees half the snaps in your title game?
Cameron Sutton (CB): Sutton played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Jerry Jacobs (CB): Jacobs played 2% of snaps last week and recorded zero statistics of any kind. It’s a good thing there was some maniac out here to warn you off of his 19-point projection last week! He remains a sit this week.
Bears at Packers
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Green Bay doesn’t have an early over/under as of yet, we can guess it would be a defensive struggle with a lower total based on what we’ve seen all season. Neither passing attack is great, 28th and middle of the pack respectively. And neither team is spectacular for wide receiver targets, 29th and middle of the pack respectively. We’ll have some value for our Chicago options in deeper leagues but that’s about it. The Green Bay cornerback corps is a mess to begin with at the moment, so this bad matchup works out for us because we can skip them entirely. We can expect the Packers to roll out their normal starters since a win will get them a wildcard berth whereas Chicago has been out of it for weeks so we’ll get the normal lineups we’ve been getting.
Chicago Bears
Jaylon Johnson (CB): Johnson played 34% of snaps last week before exiting with an injury, he’s a sit this week due to the elevated risk of reinjury, we don’t play around with that stuff in a title game.
Kyler Gordon (CB): Gordon played 85% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Tyrique Stevenson/Terrell Smith (CB): With Johnson going down early with an injury it was Stevenson who saw a bump up to 88% of snaps last week, recently we’ve seen him and Smith split the third cornerback slot right down the middle. If Johnson is inactive then Stevenson is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues, otherwise, sit him and sit Smith regardless.
Green Bay Packers
Jaire Alexander (CB): Jaire was suspended for one game last week but should be back this week and typically plays 100% of snaps. He’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some solid upside.
Keisean Nixon (CB): Nixon played 85% 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.
Corey Ballentine/Carrington Valentine (CB): One of these two corners will see significant snaps this week, I just can’t be sure which one, and the matchup is garbage. Sit them both.
Texans at Colts
Outlook: This indoor affair in Indianapolis has an early over/under of 46.5 points which is terrific. Both of these teams should be starting everyone to try and claw their way into one of those wildcard slots or possibly win the division. The Houston passing attack is excellent with Stroud under center, top ten all season, and also top ten in wide receiver targets so our Indianapolis options are good to go. We can also fire up our Houston options against this middle-of-the-pack Colts passing attack that has a nice wide receiver target ranking (10th overall).
Houston Texans
Derek Stingley (CB): Stingley played 95% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Steven Nelson (CB): Nelson played 91% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Desmond King (CB): King was in for 80% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with excellent upside this week.
Indianapolis Colts
Kenny Moore/Chris Lammons (CB): With Kenny Moore inactive last week it was Lammons who was his replacement, we’ve seen this exactly once ever so we trust it zero percent. If Kenny can play then he’s an automatic CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes, if he’s inactive then we skip it so we don’t eat a zero in a likely rug-pull scenario.
Juju Brents (CB): Brents played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with solid upside.
Jaylon Jones (CB): Jones played 100% of snaps last week but typically only plays around 80%, he saw a bump with Kenny Moore being inactive. He’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Chiefs at Chargers
Outlook: This indoor affair in Los Angeles doesn’t yet have an early over/under but we can bet it will be solid, probably low to mid-40s. The Chargers passing attack is still horrendous with Easton Stick and is also missing several of its best wide receiver options, it will be deeper leagues only for Sneed and company this week. However, we can fire up our Los Angeles options against this 6th overall Kansas City passing attack, it will have to be in deeper leagues only though since the Chiefs are 21st overall for targeting their wide receivers, who stink!
The Chiefs could end up resting players since they’ve wrapped up the division, the number two seed could still be in play though so keep an eye on this throughout the week for updates. The Chargers have known their season is over for weeks now so we’ll get the same lineups we’ve been getting.
Kansas City Chiefs
L’Jarius Sneed (CB): Sneed played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some decent upside this week.
Trent McDuffie (CB): McDuffie played 96% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some decent upside this week.
No other significant CB options
Los Angeles Chargers
Asante Samuel Jr (CB): Samuel played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Michael Davis (CB): Davis played 100% of snaps last week but has been benched several times this season and seen his playing time slashed in other games as well. I wouldn’t trust him for all the marbles, he’s a sit from me.
Essang Bassey (CB): Bassey played 59% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to that unacceptable playing time plus the metric ton of fluctuation we’ve seen in Los Angeles this season.
Broncos at Raiders
Outlook: This indoor affair at the Death Star in Las Vegas also doesn’t have an early over/under as of yet, we can guess it would be low 40s or high 30s. There isn’t a ton of value here. The Denver passing attack is ranked 25th overall and is rolling out a backup quarterback, the Raiders are just middle of the pack and seem to prefer running the ball exponentially more in recent weeks. Neither team is great for wide receiver targets, 31st and middle of the pack respectively. We’ve got some value for our Denver options, and Nate Hobbs and company will have to be demoted to deeper leagues at the minimum.
The Broncos are now eliminated from playoff contention so we’ll need to keep an eye on this to see if they play their starters or not. The Raiders are eliminated as well but I don’t think it’s in Antonio Pierce’s DNA to mail it in, I’d bet they play their normal starters.
Denver Broncos
Patrick Surtain (CB): Surtain played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Fabian Moreau (CB): Moreau played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Jaquan McMillian (CB): McMillian was in for 85% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Las Vegas Raiders
Nate Hobbs (CB): Hobbs played 95% of snaps last week and surpassed his projection when we needed him the most, he remains an automatic start as a CB1/2 every single week as is tradition.
Amik Robertson (CB): Robertson only played 68% of snaps last week and is a sit this week, it appears that Jack Jones’s returning two interceptions to the house has bumped him up the pecking order to cornerback two in Las Vegas.
Jack Jones (CB): Jones played 91% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week with some upside.
Bills at Dolphins
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Miami has an early over/under of 49 points which is beautiful, beyond that both of these teams need to win this game for different reasons including the winner getting the AFC East division title, so we should get the starters. These teams are the 9th and 1st overall passing attacks respectively and target their wide receivers middle of the pack and 7th overall. This is easily one of the best games to stream from this week, fire up everyone with a pulse.
Buffalo Bills
Rasul Douglas (CB): Douglas played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Taron Johnson (CB): Johnson played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Christian Benford (CB): Benford played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Miami Dolphins
Jalen Ramsey (CB): Ramsey played 96% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week, he just hasn’t been targeted enough or productive enough for us to call it any higher.
Kader Kohou (CB): Kohou only played 49% of snaps last week and Twitter was ablaze with Miami fans calling him every name in the book, he appears to be in danger of losing his job completely. I would sit him this week to be safe.
Xavien Howard/Eli Apple (CB): Howard was injured and carted off the field after only 7% of snaps last week, Apple came in as the replacement and played 84% of snaps. That tracks, we’ve seen Apple as the preferred replacement this entire year. I would sit Howard if he can play to avoid any reinjury risk, if Howard is inactive then Apple would be a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues.
Jets at Patriots
Outlook: This outdoor affair in New England doesn’t yet have an early over/under but it will for sure be on the lower end, probably 34 points I would guess. Neither passing attack is any good at all, 29th and 24th respectively. It’s just as bad for targeting their wide receivers, 25th and 23rd respectively. Neither team has anything to play for so we’ll see the same starters we’ve been seeing recently. This is a truly horrendous matchup, I would skip it completely if it were my team, but we’ll list the relevant options as is tradition.
New York Jets
Sauce Gardner (CB): Sauce played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
DJ Reed (CB): Reed played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Michael Carter (CB): Carter was only in for 57% of snaps last week and is a sit this week due to the matchup plus this recent dip in his playing time.
New England Patriots
Myles Bryant (CB): Bryant was in for 87% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Jalen Mills (CB/S): With Peppers inactive last week it was Mills playing safety while designated a cornerback, if Peppers is inactive again this week then Mills is a (risky) option as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues. If Peppers can play then we sit Mills. Mills played 99% of the snaps last week.
All others (CB): We’ve seen a rotating cast of characters in this New England cornerback corps all season, that didn’t change last week, we don’t need to chase this down since the matchup is horrendous. Sit everyone else.
Falcons at Saints
Outlook: This indoor affair in Atlanta could have massive implications for the divisional crown or a wildcard berth, we should get the starters. The early over/under is at 43.5 points which is solid. The Falcons are the 22nd overall ranked passing attack and are the worst in the entire league for wide receiver targets, 32nd. It will be deeper leagues only for any New Orleans options with this in mind.
For the reverse, this New Orleans passing attack is ranked 12th overall and targets their wide receivers among the middle-of-the-pack. We’ve got some value for our Atlanta options but it’s not perfect.
Atlanta Falcons
AJ Terrell (CB): Terrell played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Clark Phillips (CB): Phillips played 100% of snaps last week and has been trending in this direction of displacing Okudah for a while now. We can start him this week as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues but it’s risky.
Jeff Okudah (CB): Okudah was a healthy scratch last week, the rumors of him losing his starting job appear to be true. He’s a sit this week.
All others (CB): Mike Hughes saw some snaps last week but nothing worth discussing, sit everyone else.
New Orleans Saints
Alontae Taylor (CB): Taylor played 100% of snaps last week but would likely see a dip in playing time if Lattimore were to return this week. Either way, he’s a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues.
Paulson Adebo (CB): Adebo played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week.
Marshon Lattimore/Isaac Yiadom (CB): Lattimore was close to coming off of the IR list last week but was ultimately deemed inactive, if he can play this week he would be a sit from me, it’s been weeks since he saw the field and this matchup is garbage. If Lattimore is inactive then Yiadom is an option and would be a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues.
Eagles at Giants
Outlook: This outdoor affair in New York has an early over/under of 48.5 points with the Eagles favored by just 3 points! Las Vegas is bent out of shape about that close Week 15 game where the Giants gave Philly a scare. We can fire up our New York options against this middle-of-the-pack (overall passing and wide receiver targets both) Eagles passing attack but it will be deeper leagues only for any Eagles cornerbacks against this Giants passing attack that is ranked dead last (32nd) for overall passing and 28th overall for targeting their wide receivers.
The Eagles need this game for any chance at the NFC East crown and the Giants have been out of it all season so we’ll see their normal lineup this week.
Philadelphia Eagles
James Bradberry (CB): Bradberry played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
Darius Slay (CB): Slay was inactive again last week, if he can play this week I would sit him since this would be his first game action since Week 14 and this matchup isn’t great, to begin with.
No other safe or consistent CB options
New York Giants
Adoree Jackson (CB): Jackson was in for 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Deonte Banks/Nick McCloud (CB): With Banks inactive it was McCloud as the direct replacement, we’ve seen this once all season so we can’t trust it. If Banks can play then he would be a risky CB3 in medium to deeper leagues, if he’s inactive then we skip it entirely.
Cor’Dale Flott (CB): With Banks inactive last week we saw Flott get a bump up to 92% of snaps played, he typically plays around 60% of snaps or so. He’s a start as a CB4 plus in much deeper leagues this week.
Rams at 49ers
Outlook: This outdoor affair in San Francisco has an early over/under of 44 points which is decent. Both of these teams are within the top ten for overall passing offense, 10th and 2nd respectively. The major difference is in the wide receiver targets ranking where the Rams are 1st overall while the Niners are 30th overall. We have some terrific value for Chavarious Ward and our San Francisco options but it will be “deeper leagues only” for any Los Angeles cornerback options this week.
Both of these teams have made the playoffs, the Rams can’t improve their position so we may end up getting backup players from them while the Niners may opt to rest their players as well with the number one seed all locked up. Keep an eye on this one, we could be in for some rug-pull shenanigans.
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.
Cobie Durant (CB): Durant played 72% of snaps last week but has only recently (in the last two games) been a better option than Kendrick. It’s still “too new” for us to trust, he’s a sit this week.
Derion Kendrick (CB): Kendrick only played 28% of snaps last week and is a sit this week.
San Francisco 49ers
Chavarious Ward (CB): Ward played 91% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB1/2 in leagues of all sizes this week (assuming it’s Stafford and company on the other side of the field and not backups).
Deommodore Lenoir (CB): Lenoir played 91% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with some solid upside.
Ambry Thomas (CB): Thomas played 67% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Jaguars at Titans
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Tennessee should see the Jags continue to fire up their starters as they fight for the division title or a wildcard berth while the Titans have been out of it for weeks so we’ll see their normal starters. This matchup doesn’t have an over/under as of yet but we can bet it will be on the lower end and a defensive struggle. If the Jags can get Trevor Lawrence back then we’ll have some solid value for our Tennessee options, otherwise, they’re only a recommendation in much deeper leagues, Beathard was as stinky as cat poop last week.
For the reverse, it will be much deeper leagues only for any Jacksonville corners against this 26th overall Tennessee passing attack that only targets their wide receivers the 27th most in the league.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Darious Williams (CB): Williams played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Tyson Campbell (CB): Campbell played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Tre Herndon (CB): Herndon only played 31% of snaps last week and is a sit this week.
Tennessee Titans
Tre Avery/Elijah Molden (CB): Avery was inactive last week and, as is tradition, we saw Molden as the preferred replacement option. Molden played 100% of snaps last week. If Avery, Bunting, or McCreary are inactive this week then Molden becomes a legit option and a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues with excellent upside. If Avery can play then Molden would lose about half of his snaps and would be a sit, Avery would be a CB4 in deeper leagues if he’s healthy.
Sean Murphy Bunting (CB): Bunting played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB4 in deeper leagues this week.
Roger McCreary (CB): McCreary was in for 89% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB3 in medium to deeper leagues this week with excellent upside.
Cowboys at Commanders
Outlook: This outdoor affair in Washington doesn’t yet have an over/under but it should be decent since we have two solid passing offenses in this matchup. The Cowboys should be starting everyone with the division title still in play and a shot at securing the number two seed. Washington has been out of it for months so we’ll get their normal starters.
This matchup has the overall 5th and 16th passing attacks respectively, they target their wide receivers 9th and 3rd overall respectively so we’re looking good in both of those departments. If this lines up for us where Dallas needs to play everyone then we have some excellent value in this one.
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.
DaRon Bland (CB): Bland played 100% of snaps last week and is a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes this week.
Jourdan Lewis (CB): Lewis was in for 84% of snaps last week and is a start this week as a CB4 in deeper leagues with some upside.
Washington Commanders
Kendall Fuller (CB): Fuller was inactive last week, I’m not going to even bother talking about the replacement considering how much fluctuation we’ve seen in Washington this season. If Fuller can play then he’s a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes.
Benjamin St Juste (CB): Juste was also inactive last week, if he can play then he is also a start as a CB2 in leagues of all sizes (assuming it’s Dak and company across from them, not Cooper Rush and a bunch of backups).
All others (CB): We’ve talked about the fluctuations here in Washington all season long, Fuller and St Juste were the only reliable and consistent options across the board. If they can’t play this week then I have no idea who will, check local Washington beat writers for more information as kickoff approaches. I don’t want to guess wrong and you eat a zero so I won’t be guessing at all.
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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