{"id":884594,"date":"2026-10-16T17:44:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T17:44:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/884594\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T17:44:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T17:44:11","slug":"week-6-best-and-worst-wr-te-matchups-jakobi-meyers-wandale-robinson-set-up-for-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/884594\/","title":{"rendered":"Week 6 Best and Worst WR\/TE Matchups: Jakobi Meyers, Wan’Dale Robinson set up for success"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s always a popular question \u2014 or string of questions \u2014 during my Friday live streams<\/a> on the NFL on NBC YouTube channel: Which slot receivers have the best matchups? And which outside (boundary) wideouts are in good spots?<\/p>\n

While it shouldn\u2019t be the deciding factor in how you make your weekly lineup decisions, knowing if a pass catcher has a particularly good or bad matchup is valuable information that can sometimes serve as a tiebreaker for your most vexing start-sit decisions.<\/p>\n

This season I\u2019ll use this space to break down the best (and worst) matchups for pass catchers operating from the slot and those lining up primarily on the boundary. Some pass catchers, as you know, split their time between the boundary and the slot, making this little exercise more complicated. I\u2019ll do my best to pinpoint the most appealing (and unappealing) weekly matchups, and what they might mean for your weekly start-sit decisions.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m switching from adjusted yards per attempt to target share as the primary metric for evaluating slot and boundary matchups. AY\/A can be very much skewed by a big play or two, leaving us chasing (unpredictable) big plays. I\u2019ll still use AY\/A \u2014 along with completion rate over expected \u2014 in my analysis here. But target share to the slot and boundary will get the graphic treatment going forward.<\/p>\n

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\"Los<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Ranking and evaluating all of Week 6\u2019s top plays at quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, kicker and defense.<\/p>\n

Slot Matchups<\/p>\n

\"Slot<\/p>\n

Cardinals vs. Rams<\/p>\n

One thing we\u2019re finding more and more here at Rotoworld Headquarters is that not every secondary giving up lots of slot targets is created equally. Take the Rams, for instance: Only three teams allow a lower adjusted yards per attempt on slot throws. Yet only the Eagles see a higher rate of slot targets. Curious!<\/p>\n

For our purposes that means Trey McBride\u2019s Week 6 matchup isn\u2019t quite as juicy as we might expect. That\u2019s fine. You\u2019re still facing a heavy fine or a short prison stint if you bench him. What this really means is that Kendrick Bourne should be avoided at (almost) any cost in 12-team leagues this week.<\/p>\n

Last week, with Marvin Harrison Jr. gone, the Cardinals did their best Rams impression and used three tight end sets at a high rate. All the cool kids are using three tight end sets, and Mike LaFleur desperately wants to be a cool kid. Just look at the guy\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n

Bourne, with all this three tight end stuff going on, saw his route rate dip to 59 percent in Week 5 against the Lions. Yeah, he saw seven targets and got away with it (five catches, 70 yards). But now he faces an LA defense that has been stingy to opposing slot bros. Only the Vikings allow a lower completion rate over expected on slot targets than the Rams this season.<\/p>\n

Browns vs. Ravens<\/p>\n

Baltimore\u2019s secondary is becoming quite the sieve for slot pass catchers. Through Week 5 they allow the league\u2019s sixth highest adjusted yards per attempt and eighth highest completion rate over expected on slot throws.<\/p>\n

That could be good and fine for KC Concepcion, who is somehow practicing this week after getting knocked out cold on the turf last Sunday against the Jets. Concepcion, the Browns\u2019 primary slot guy, leads the team in first-read targets. If he\u2019s sidelined, Isaiah Bond would likely sub in as the main slot receiver after running 94 percent of his routes from the slot last week against New York. That Bond had a team-leading seven targets in Week 5 makes him interesting in deeper formats this week if Concepcion is inactive.<\/p>\n

Titans vs. Colts<\/p>\n

Titans head coach Robert Saleh reportedly had a \u201ccool conversation\u201d this week with struggling second-year QB Cam Ward, so maybe we\u2019ll get somewhat cooler play from the guy who, on the spreadsheets, looks a lot like a mega-turbo-giga bust.<\/p>\n

Anyway, everyone\u2019s favorite PPR scammer, Wan\u2019Dale Robinson, has a nice little matchup this week against the Colts. Indy has been tormented via slot passes in almost every game this season, allowing the third highest adjusted yards per attempt on slot targets along with the second highest completion rate over expected. No defense has allowed more receiving yards from the slot through Week 5.<\/p>\n

Wan’Dale Robinson is open on the deep out.<\/p>\n

It takes pocket awareness to feel pressure on your right but still notice left side pressure isn’t there yet. #TitanUp<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0#Titans<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/zOSiPq9B7K<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Charles Barnes \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udd3a\ufe0f\ud83d\udc10\ud83d\udd3a\ufe0f\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe (@BU_Scouting) October 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Enter Robinson, who runs around 78 percent of his routes from the slot. Last week Robinson finally did stuff for fantasy purposes, catching six of seven targets for 53 yards. It\u2019s not great, but it\u2019s not nothing, which is exactly what you were getting out of Robinson before Week 5. Last week he led the Titans in first-read targets and sits just behind Carnell Tate in season-long first-read targets.<\/p>\n

Also in Robinson\u2019s favor: Colts opponents this season have passed at a 62 percent neutral rate, the third highest in the league. Juiced drop back volume for Ward and a Colts secondary that struggles bigly against slot guys could make \u201cDale\u201d something more than the most depressing PPR scam you\u2019ve ever seen.<\/p>\n

Boundary Matchups<\/p>\n

\"NFL<\/p>\n

Texans vs. Jaguars<\/p>\n

I wrote about this game the other day<\/a> as a potential source of never-ending air yards, and if we\u2019re going to buy in to the trends we\u2019ve tracked through the season\u2019s first month and change, we\u2019re going to be interested in Houston boundary wideouts. <\/p>\n

That of course includes air yards dominator Nico Collins. It could also include the newly-acquired Marvin Harrison, Jr. If he\u2019s active \u2014 and if we get word that MHJ will play a decent number of snaps \u2014 he\u2019s in a good spot to produce here. There\u2019s next to no chance Houston will be able to run the ball against the Jags front seven. CJ Stroud could have another pass-heavy outing, and he\u2019d do well to attack Jacksonville\u2019s boundary corners. <\/p>\n

The Texans, meanwhile, allow the NFL\u2019s highest EPA per drop back on boundary targets. With the right game script, something crazy like a big Brian Thomas, Jr. game could come to pass. Jakobi Meyers might cook too. <\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

Colts vs. Titans<\/p>\n

The Titans \u2014 not listed here because their 44 percent boundary target share ranks 14th \u2014 have been quite generous to outside wideouts this season. In fact, Tennessee opponents have been 14 percent over their expected completion rate when throwing to the boundary this season \u2014 the highest mark in the league. Only the Lions and Texans give up a higher EPA per drop back on boundary pass attempts. <\/p>\n

I take no pleasure in saying Laquon Treadwell would be a beneficiary of this little trend, since I mentioned Treadwell as a (negative) regression candidate in Week 6\u2019s Regression Files. It is what it is though, and Treadwell is the Colts\u2019 boundary air yards eater for now. You should know Keenan Allen, who had eight targets last week, runs 66 percent of his routes from the boundary. He should be fine as a WR3\/4 in 12-team formats. <\/p>\n

Chargers vs. Chiefs<\/p>\n

To call Kansas City\u2019s secondary stingy against boundary wideouts would be like calling me \u201ca little tired\u201d when trying to will myself through a west coast postseason baseball game. The Chiefs have allowed (by far) the league\u2019s lowest EPA on boundary throws, along with the third lowest completion rate over expected on such passes. <\/p>\n

This is your warning to avoid any and all Chargers receivers this week. That includes boundary wideout Quentin Johnston, who might play with a chest injury in Week 6. Just find another option if you\u2019re considering a Bolts wideout. <\/p>\n