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.
As in last week’s Part 2, we’re going to try something new. For each matchup, I’ll be pasting in a graphic that summarizes much of the basic information that I look through during the beginning phases of my research into each matchup. This will allow me to focus less on just regurgitating rankings, points allowed, etc., and use the text portion of the article to highlight the most interesting or notable findings for each matchup. As a bonus, this might allow me to publish more matchups earlier in the week and might save readers some time, be it from reading less text or saving the step of sourcing pieces of information not noted in the article from the RotoViz tools.
Matchups
Titans at Steelers
Will Levis will start for Tennessee in a matchup that is favorable for his receivers. The Steelers have struggled mightily against the slot and are allowing 0.2 points per target (PPT) more than average against slot receivers, and the highest overall points per game (PPG).
As Nick Westbrook-Ikhine runs 66% of routes from the slot, he scores one of the most favorable matchup ratings of the week. DeAndre Hopkins’ status is up in the air, but if he does play, he’ll look to make the most of his slot routes as well. Hopkins is operating from this alignment on 40% of passing plays. If he and Levis are anywhere near as in sync as they were last week, Hopkins could be the sixth WR to score a WR1 week against the Steelers.
For Pittsburgh’s pass catchers, this is a favorable matchup. The Titans have been vulnerable to both slot and out wide alignments and forgiving in the percentage of PPG the team is surrendering to WRs.
Diontae Johnson and George Pickens are running the majority of their routes from out wide, where the Titans have been the 11th most forgiving team in recent games. The duo will draw most of their coverage from Kristian Fulton and Sean Murphy-Bunting. Neither player has been overly forgiving in direct coverage, with the two corners allowing just 12.0 combined PPG. WRs are managing 0.1 more PPT than the league average when facing Tennessee. Overall, this matchup is slightly better than average from an overall perspective for Pickens and Johnson.
