Welcome to Going Deep! This weekly article will make use of charting data, advanced metrics, and other RotoViz tools — specifically the 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. (Note that for 2024, the  “Target Explorer” tab has been removed from the tool.)

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

I haven’t finalized the format for presenting this article each week in 2024, but like last year, I plan to include graphics that summarize the core information I review during the initial stages of researching each matchup. This approach will allow me to focus less on repeating rankings, points allowed, and other basic stats, and instead use the text to highlight the most interesting or notable insights for each game. For Week 1, I’ve included some high-level notes, but we will get into more details in the coming weeks.

The graphics included this week largely utilize data from Week 9 to Week 18 of 2023

Week 1 Notes

• The Matchup Rater likes Detroit’s WRs this week. They oppose a Rams defense that was favorable to both the slot and WRs lined up out wide last season. Additionally, they were one of the most favorable defenses in terms of points allowed versus expectation. (The below table overviews the difference between the actual PPR points that a DEF allowed against WRs and TEs and the PPG of the players that it faced in the last six weeks. The “Expected” columns are calculated by totaling the PPG of WRs or TEs faced in the last six weeks. The “Actual” columns represent the points actually allowed to these players. The percentage columns display the percentage of “Expected” actually scored. As a result, a value above 1.0 indicates that a defense allowed more points than would be expected when using PPG as a baseline. Alternatively, a value below 1.0 would indicate that a team allowed fewer points than would be expected when using PPG as a baseline. As a result, red shading indicates defenses that have been tougher for opposing pass catchers than those shaded in green. Note that only players averaging more than 5.0 PPG are included in the calculations.)
• Similarly, the Rams’ WRs draw favorable matchups with the Lions. Both Cooper Kupp and Puca Nakua are in the top 10 of WR matchup ratings and should contribute to what could be a high scoring game in Detroit.
• Managers might not need a fill in just yet, but Tyler Boyd matches up well with the Bears. This assumes that he is used by the Titans similarly to how he was by the Bengals.
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba scores one of the highest matchup ratings of the week. He ran 60% of routes from the slot last season which bodes well as Denver struggled to slow down WRs from this alignment.
• Jayden Reed is another receiver who primarily operates from the slot. He benefits from facing an Eagles’ defense that struggled with this alignment in 2023 and was a favorable matchup for WRs at large.
• Chris Godwin and Mike Evans look like solid options against the Commanders.
• Chris Olave and New Orleans’ WRs don’t match up particularly well with the Panthers’ defense, a group that was stout last season and held Olave to 12.8 PPR in week 14 of 2023.
• George Pickens could struggle against the Falcons. Pickens operated largely from outside last season. Atlanta was one of the most limiting teams to this alignment in 2023.