Making tough lineup decisions each week can be the most challenging part of the fantasy football process.
My weekly Matchup Rankings provide a schedule-independent method to evaluate positional matchups, listing all 32 opposing defenses in order of most to least favorable for opposing players at all four skill positions (quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end). Instead of relying upon seasonal totals, we calibrate points-allowed data to show how each defense fared relative to the difficulty of the schedule it has faced. This provides a fairer approach to judging the quality of individual matchups.
"Adj. FPA," or adjusted fantasy points allowed, reflects how far above or below players' weekly PPR fantasy point averages that defense held opponents at that position. A positive number means the matchup is favorable; a negative number means it is unfavorable. Additionally, remember teams often use multiple running backs and wide receivers in a game, and these plus/minus averages cover all of a team's personnel at that position.
Finally, a caveat: Matchups are only one ingredient in my rankings formula. Not every favorable matchup should be exploited, nor every unfavorable matchup avoided. If you want my -- and the ESPN fantasy staff's -- most complete source for whom to start and sit each week, consult our weekly rankings.
All references to fantasy points are for PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.
Quarterbacks
Mike Clay breaks down Kirk Cousins' fantasy rankings ahead of his Week 6 matchup vs. the Panthers.
Matchups highlight: Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (at Carolina Panthers). Fresh off his 509-yard, four-touchdown "Thursday Night Football" passing masterpiece, and with 11 days' rest between outings, Cousins is aligned for another big score against a Panthers defense that has been reeling against the pass. Derek Carr (21.30 fantasy points, Week 1) and Caleb Williams (23.56, Week 5) had 20-point performances against this defense, which has afforded the position the second-most points per attempt (0.58). The Panthers have generated practically no pressure up front, with their 31.7% pass rush win rate the fourth lowest in the league.
Others to like: Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (vs. Arizona Cardinals); Daniel Jones, New York Giants (vs. Cincinnati Bengals).
Matchup to avoid: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (at New York Jets). Allen is off to his worst five-game start to a season since 2019, though much of the blame can be pointed at his lackluster set of receivers, of whom Khalil Shakir is the only one averaging more than 8.0 PPR fantasy points per game (13.3). Allen's rebound prospects look poor for this matchup, as one thing that has gone right for the slow-starting Jets has been their performance containing quarterbacks, most recently limiting Sam Darnold to 4.26 points in Week 5. For the season, the Jets have allowed the third-lowest completion percentage (57.9%) and fewest yards per dropback (4.6).
Running backs
Matchups highlight: Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans (vs. Indianapolis Colts). Though the workload gap between Pollard and Tyjae Spears narrowed slightly during Week 4, with Pollard playing 61% of the offensive snaps and logging 22 carries to Spears' 40% and 15, the former has been the clear primary back between the two this season, playing 64% of the offensive snaps and averaging 15.3 carries per game. Pollard also had the better performance between the two during Week 4, signaling another sizable role coming off the bye for this game, one of his most favorable matchups on the schedule. The Colts have seen six running backs exceed 10 PPR fantasy points -- and two exceed 25 -- through five weeks.
Others to like: D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars); Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Las Vegas Raiders).
Matchup to avoid: Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots (vs. Houston Texans). Fumbles in each of his first four games resulted in Stevenson beginning Week 5 on the bench, and although he responded with a 19.2 PPR fantasy-point flourish over the remainder of that game, a calf injury he suffered in the fourth quarter appears likely to have him on the injury list for this contest. All indications are that he'll play, but considering the matchup, he's one to avoid in fantasy leagues. The Texans began the week favored by 7 points, second most to the Philadelphia Eagles (-9), and they have one of the best-performing run defenses, even if this game remains competitive throughout. Stevenson scored 8.5 points combined in games his Patriots lost by multiple scores in Weeks 3 and 4, while the Texans have limited running backs to the eighth-fewest points per carry for the season.
Wide receivers
Check out the numbers behind DJ Moore's stellar fantasy outing against the Panthers ahead of Week 6.
Matchups highlight: DJ Moore, Bears (vs. Jaguars). As mentioned in this space last week, the Jaguars have been a cure-all type of matchup for opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers through five weeks. But regarding this particular pick, Moore and quarterback Caleb Williams have finally begun clicking over the past two weeks, combining for eight receptions on 14 targets for 127 yards and three touchdowns, making this one more of a ride-the-streak matchup. Moore, and to a lesser degree, rookie Rome Odunze, align brilliantly with a Jaguars defense that has already afforded seven wide receivers 15-plus fantasy points in a game.
Others to like: Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (at Baltimore Ravens); Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants (vs. Bengals).
Matchup to avoid: Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at New Orleans Saints). Evans and Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore meet once again, with this the 12th time the two will square off since the latter entered the league in 2017. The two have a storied history, including a pair of matchups in which on-field incidents cost Evans a pair of one-game suspensions, but the results have been rather one-sided in Lattimore's favor. In their previous 11 head-to-head meetings, Evans has averaged 5.2 targets and 9.6 PPR fantasy points, and in only one of those contests did he score more than 13 points (27.7, Week 1 of 2018).
Tight ends
Daniel Dopp explains why he still believes Dalton Kincaid can be a strong fantasy option moving forward.
Matchups highlight: Brock Bowers, Raiders (vs. Steelers). Davante Adams is expected to miss a third consecutive game with his hamstring injury, leaving Bowers to again play a huge role in the Raiders' passing game. Bowers was plenty up to the task last week, scoring 14.1 fantasy points on nine targets against the Denver Broncos. There are similarities between that matchup and this, as the Steelers, like the Broncos, sport strong perimeter cornerbacks but struggle against tight ends in coverage. Kyle Pitts (11.6 points, Week 1) and Jake Ferguson (13.0, Week 5) have capitalized upon this matchup already this season.
Matchup to avoid: Dalton Kincaid, Bills (at Jets). While Bowers has shown signs of emerging as his team's top target, Kincaid has shown little such evidence, scoring double-digit PPR fantasy points only once and catching only 63% of his targets thus far. One might think the Jets, with their cornerbacks considered among the game's best, would be a better matchup for tight ends. Not so: They limited George Kittle to 8.0 points in Week 1 and have afforded the position the seventh-fewest points per target.