Welcome to Going Deep! This weekly article will make use of charting data, advanced metrics, and other RotoViz tools — specifically the newly released Passing Game Matchup Rater — to help readers better understand the challenges facing wide receivers and tight ends in the coming week. As my process makes heavy use of the Matchup Rater, I’d highly recommend that you set aside half an hour to watch the tutorial/walkthrough and take a spin through the tool.

Please note that we only touch upon players with 6.0 or more PPG in this article.

MATCHUPS

Seahawks at Cowboys

Seattle has been a favorable matchup for opposing WRs. CeeDee Lamb draws a favorable matchup rating of 68 and will look to be the sixth wide receiver to record a WR1 week against the team.

This will be an average matchup for Brandin Cooks. Cooks has heated up in recent weeks and will look to capitalize on Seattle’s weakness against the slot. Cooks lines up in the slot on 49% of plays.

As tight ends have scored 130% of their points per game (PPG) averages, Jake Ferguson is well-positioned to be a fantasy contributor on Thursday night.

Dallas has been stout against all alignments and is holding WRs to 97% of PPG which is 0.2 fewer points per target (PPT) than the league average of 1.6. As a result, Seattle’s trio scores below average matchup ratings. (This week’s average for WRs was 58. The formula attempts to center around 50 but there can be fluctuations in certain weeks.) Keenan Allen is the only WR to score more than 20.0 PPR against the Cowboys this season.

Jaxon Smith-Njgiba has become the team’s go-to slot option, operating from the alignment on 80% of passing plays. As Dallas is surrendering more PPG to the slot than out wide, his matchup rating is more favorable than his veteran counterparts.