Today’s Best Bets
Sam Choudhury
Training camps are in full swing around the NFL and football is on the horizon. With that in mind, I wanted to take a detailed look at all of the cornerback units around the NFL. Cornerback play is something we pay close attention to in fantasy football and DFS, as knowing the intricacies of these units can give us an edge on the opposition. So let’s dive in to my cornerback unit rankings heading into the 2021 season.
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1. Baltimore Ravens
With the duo of Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey anchoring this unit, the Ravens remain one of the league’s most formidable secondaries. Peters racked up 10 plays on ball last season with five interceptions and five pass breakups (PBUs). He also held opposing wideouts to a respectable 62% catch rate. As for Humphrey, he’ll likely see more time on the outside this season with Jimmy Smith now in the twilight of his career. Humphrey has been one of the league’s best cover men over the last three seasons. During that span, he’s notched an impressive 32 PBUs and allowed just 10.6 yards per catch. If there’s a potential weak link to this unit, it’s Tavon Young. The veteran corner has missed significant time due to injury in his pro career and is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 2 last season.
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2. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams did lose Troy Hill in free agency, but they still have plenty of firepower with Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams. Ramsey is in the conversation for the No. 1 corner in the league and is coming off a monster 2020 season where he allowed just 32 catches during the regular season. Historically, Ramsey has been asked to shadow opposing No. 1 receivers, but he only did so in three games last season, which likely – at least partially – is due to Williams’ emergence. The 2018 UDFA exploded on the scene opposite Ramsey last season, with a 50% catch rate allowed and 10 PBUs in the regular season. With Hill out of the mix, the Rams do have a bit of a question mark with David Long. The third-year man has been lightly used so far as a pro, but the Rams did select him in the third round of the 2018 draft.
3. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland has the luxury of depth at the position thanks to the free-agent signing of Troy Hill along with drafting Greg Newsome II in the first round of the draft. The Browns will also get Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit back from injury. For now, it looks like Hill will man the slot along with Newsome and Denzel Ward on the outside. It’s always tricky to project rookie corners, but Newsome has good size and the all-around ability to be productive opposite Ward right out of the gate. As for Ward, the former fourth-overall selection is coming off another strong season where he surrendered just a 54% catch rate and had just two games with more than 50 yards in his coverage. Hill comes over from the Rams and figures to man the slot where he spent 65% of his snaps for the Rams last season.
4. Denver Broncos
What a difference a year has made for this unit. The Broncos made big strides to address their weakness at corner, signing Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby in free agency along with drafting Patrick Surtain II in the first round of April’s draft. Heading into camp, Surtain figures to start along with Fuller on the outside with Bryce Callahan sliding inside to the slot. Darby could also be in the mix but would be quality depth if he doesn’t start. Callahan may not be a household name, but he did a good job of keeping everything in front of him last season with just 7.0 yards per catch in his coverage. Fuller comes over after spending the seven years with the Bears. Annually one of the most heavily targeted corners in the league, Fuller has still managed to hold his own with a solid 59% catch rate allowed. But the real marquee name here is Surtain. He has optimal length for today’s game and has the technical skills to make an instant impact.
5. New England Patriots
Annually one of the top units in the league, the Patriots head into 2021 with the trio of Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson and Jonathan Jones still in place. Gilmore is on the wrong side of 30 and isn’t coming off his best professional seasons, but he remains one of the league’s top corners. Despite his struggles, he saw just 3.8 targets per game and was consistently tasked with shadowing opposing No. 1 receivers in the Patriots’ man-coverage scheme. Jackson really took a step forward last season, posting nine picks, which ranked second in the league behind only Xavien Howard. As for Jones, he did allow a 72% catch rate but managed to keep things in front of him in the slot with opposing wideouts averaging just 9.5 yards per catch in his coverage.
6. Green Bay Packers
Any team that has the league’s best corner is going to be a tough opponent. Of course, I’m referring to Jaire Alexander, who held opposing wideouts to just 9.5 yards per catch despite being routinely tasked with covering opposing No. 1 receivers. Alexander pitched multiple shutouts in shadow coverage last season, holding Calvin Ridley to no catches on two targets in Week 4 and Mike Evans catchless on one target in Week 6. But there is a bit of uncertainty beyond Alexander in this unit. Rookie first-rounder Eric Stokes figures to replace Kevin King on the outside. Stokes is blazing fast, but like many rookie corners, he could have a bit of a steep learning curve in his transition to the NFL. Chandon Sullivan projects to man the slot. Sullivan had an up-and-down year in 2020 but ended up allowing a 65% catch rate, which is a bit higher than you want to see.
7. New York Giants
After landing a surprise slam dunk free agent in James Bradberry last year, the Giants added to their stable with the offseason signing Adoree’ Jackson, who was a surprise cut in Tennessee. Bradberry came into his own last season, notching 14 PBUs to go along with three picks and just 10.2 yards per catch. Those numbers are all the more impressive when you consider the fact that he was asked to travel with opposing No. 1 receivers nearly every week. Jackson missed much of last season, but he seems to be on the very of stardom after his first three years in the league. This duo on the outside is going to be problematic for opposing wideouts. As for the slot, we’re likely to see 2020 second-rounder Xavier McKinney in that role. The safety didn’t see the field until Week 12 last season, but he flashed potential down the stretch.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The youth movement was in full swing for the Bucs last year, as they relied on Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean, and Sean Murphy-Bunting. Davis was tasked with shadowing opposing No. 1 receivers for a good chunk of the season and excelled in that role with strong performances against Michael Thomas (2 catches on 4 targets for 9 yards in Week 1), Keenan Allen (1 on 3 for 9 in Week 2) and Davante Adams (3 on 5 for 33 in Week 6). Of course, he was also on Tyreek Hill in Week 12 when Hill exploded for a career game. Dean managed to hold his own opposite Davis, with just 8.0 yards per catch in his coverage. However, Murphy-Bunting has proven to be the weakest link in the group. Last season, opposing wideouts average to catch nearly 80% of targets thrown into his coverage with a hefty six scores allowed.
9. Miami Dolphins
Like the Packers, Miami is very top-heavy at corner with Xavien Howard on the roster. Howard was outstanding last season, with a league-high 10 interceptions to go along with 10 PBUs. Receivers consistently struggled in his coverage, averaging just a 52% catch rate and just 2.9 catches per game. Byron Jones will play opposing Howard and will look to rebound after a somewhat disappointing first season in Miami. Jones allowed over 17 yards per catch and a 66% catch rate for the year. Both are the highest of his career. Veteran Justin Coleman will man the slot. Coleman proved to be a bit of a liability in Detroit over the last two seasons, allowing a 70% catch rate and 12 touchdowns over that span.
10. Washington Football Team
Ron Rivera’s defense was one of the breakout surprises of 2020, and they look to take another step forward this year with an improved secondary. The Football Team swapped out Ronald Darby for William Jackson III, who has been one of the more underrated corners in the league over the last four years. Kendall Fuller remains on the outside after a solid 2020 campaign where he allowed just 39 catches on 76 targets. Jimmy Moreland will man the slot again this season. While Moreland only had one pick and zero PBUs last season, he did do a good job of keeping plays in front of him with just 9.0 yards per reception allowed.
11. Buffalo Bills
Here’s yet another top-heavy secondary, as the Bills possess one of the league’s premier talents in Tre’Davious White. He’s coming off yet another standout season where he notched three picks and nine PBUs. However, the Bills aren’t quite as strong beyond White, as Levi Wallace was in over his head at times last season, especially in Week 13 against the 49ers when he allowed nine catches for 146 yards and a score. Likewise, Taron Johnson was consistently targeted in the slot with 78 catches allowed on the season.
12. Indianapolis Colts
Many had written off Xavier Rhodes heading into last season, but the veteran bounced back in a big way, allowing the second-lowest catch rate (51%) of his career. Kenny Moore II wasn’t quite as stingy in terms of catch rate, but his 10.5 yards per catch allowed was respectable in the slot. However, the Colts could have a liability opposite Rhodes if Rock Ya-Sin isn’t able to turn a corner this season. Ya-Sin was consistently picked on last season, allowing nearly 15 yards per catch in his coverage.
13. San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan’s squad beads into 2021 with Jason Verrett, Emmanuel Moseley and K’Waun Williams projected to start. Verrett finally managed to stay healthy last season and held opposing wideouts to a miserly 9.0 yards per catch. Of course, he’s no spring chicken in his age-30 season. Moseley and Williams weren’t able to escape the injury bug that decimated the 49ers last season. That’s a concern for San Francisco as they have very little depth beyond this trio.
14. Los Angeles Chargers
Brandon Staley takes over a very interesting unit that features Chris Harris Jr. along with swapping out Casey Hayward Jr. for Asante Samuel Jr. Harris was banged up for a good chunk of last season and is now 32 years old, but he’s more than capable of bouncing back if fully healthy. It’s easy for some to comp Samuel to his father, but he’s a more physical player. At the same time, he has his father’s ball-hawking tendencies. The Chargers will also roll into battle with Michael Davis, who tallied 11 PBUs and three picks last season.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers
Steven Nelson and Mike Hilton are out of the mix, but the Steelers still have veteran standout Joe Haden along with Cameron Sutton. Haden has held opposing wideouts to under a 60% catch rate in each of the last four seasons with just 51% of his targets being caught last season. As for Sutton, he stepped up last season with six PBUs and a pick on the year. Of course, the Steelers are a bit thin beyond these two, so we could see a lot of 2019 third-rounder Justin Layne.
16. Minnesota Vikings
After being one of the worst units in the league last season, the Vikings overhauled their secondary in the offseason. Minnesota signed Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland. While Peterson is very much on the back nine of his career, he still gives the Vikings a more than capable starter who can still be called on to shadow opposing No. 1 receivers. Breeland performed well for the Chiefs last season with seven PBUs and two picks in 11 regular-season games. Minnesota still has a lot of young depth on the roster as well with 2020 draft picks Cameron Dantzler and Jeff Gladney in the mix.
17. Kansas City Chiefs
The emergence of L’Jarius Snead made Breeland expendable for the Chiefs, as Snead will start opposite Charvarius Ward. Snead was a bit of a revelation in his rookie year, holding opposing wideouts to just 7.5 yards per catch. Ward was a bit more generous at 12.5 yards per catch, but he did manage a solid 57% catch rate. However, the Chiefs will likely have to rely on veteran Will Parks in the slot, which could prove to be a bit of a liability.
18. Houston Texans
While this secondary isn’t one of the league’s better units, it’s certainly not the weakest spot on the Texans’ roster. Last season, we saw Houston lean heavily on Bradley Roby as a shadow corner, and the veteran responded well, allowing just 10 yards per catch in his coverage. Of course, Roby still has one game left on his suspension and won’t play in Week 1. Along with Roby, the Texans will have two solid veterans in Terrance Mitchell and Desmond King on the field.
19. Carolina Panthers
Secondary has been an obvious priority for Matt Rhule, as the Panthers drafted Jaycee Horn in the first round of April’s draft. The Panthers also spent a second-round pick on Jeremy Chinn and a fourth-rounder on Troy Pride last year. Horn figures to step right into a starting job opposite Donte Jackson on the outside with the hybrid Chinn manning the slot. Horn has the skill set and size to be a future shut-down option, but the learning curve can sometimes be steep for rookies.
20. Tennessee Titans
The Titans decided to part ways with Adoree’ Jackson and Malcolm Butler in the offseason, and brought in Janoris Jenkins along with taking a chance on Caleb Farley in April’s draft. Jenkins is now entering his 10th year in the league but hasn’t shown any major signs of decline over the last four seasons. He’s coming off a 2020 campaign where he allowed a reasonable 60% catch rate. As for Farley, he would have been one of the first corners selected in this year’s draft had he not suffered a back injury. He started camp on the NFI list, so there’s a chance he isn’t on the field when the season starts.
21. New Orleans Saints
With Janoris Jenkins now in Tennessee, the Saints will have to rely on Patrick Robinson or rookie third-rounder Paulson Adebo opposite Marshon Lattimore. While Lattimore has been widely regarded as one of the league’s better cover corners, his numbers took a hit last season with seven receiving scores allowed in the regular season. To be fair, he was often used as a shadow corner against opposing No. 1 receivers, but his declining numbers aren’t encouraging.
22. Philadelphia Eagles
Darius Slay isn’t the player he once was and that showed last year. Slay allowed a 78% catch, which was by far the highest of his career. To be fair, he was asked to shadow opposing No. 1 receivers most weeks. Slay held his own in shadow coverage for much of the year but struggled mightily in back-to-back weeks with DK Metcalf putting up eight catches for 158 yards against him in Week 12 and Davante Adams going for 100 yards and two scores on six catches in Slay’s shadow in Week 13. The Eagles did bring in veteran Steven Nelson, who played well for the Steelers last season, but corner looks like it will remain a weakness for Philly.
23. Chicago Bears
This will be a very interesting year for the Bears secondary. Jaylon Johnson flashed a lot of potential in his rookie season, but he’ll now be in position as the guy with Kyle Fuller now out of the mix. Chicago brought in veteran Desmond Trufant to man the other side. This is his age-30 season, and he’s coming off an ugly year with the Lions.
24. Cincinnati Bengals
William Jackson is out of the mix, and the Bengals with head into this season with the trio of Trae Waynes, Mike Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie. Hilton will give Cincinnati a veteran presence in the slot, while Waynes missed all of last season with a torn pec. Awuzie has had an up and down career but is coming off a disappointing 2020 with the Cowboys where he allowed 16.0 yards per catch.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags are going to look very different in their secondary this season, as free-agent signee Shaquill Griffin figures to start along with rookie second-rounder Tyson Campbell on the outside. Griffin allowed seven scores in his coverage last season, with five of them coming over Seattle’s first six games. As for Campbell, the long and physical corner out of Georgia could slide in ahead of 2020 first-rounder C.J. Henderson, which could render Henderson to a role in the slot. If not, we’ll likely see Tre Herndon still in the slot, where he allowed a hefty 12.5 yards per catch last season.
26. Seattle Seahawks
The Legion of Boom days seem like a distant memory for Pete Carroll’s squad, as the Seahawks have struggled in the secondary over the past few seasons. This year doesn’t look to be any different with Ahkello Witherspoon and Tre Flowers atop the depth chart. Witherspoon comes over from San Francisco, where he wasn’t able to carve out a full-time role in four years with the 49ers. Flowers had a rough go last season and was a big part of Seattle’s struggles in the secondary over the first half of the season.
27. Las Vegas Raiders
On paper, it looks like the secondary will continue to be an issue for the Raiders. Vegas did sign veteran Casey Hayward in the offseason. While Hayward did emerge as one of the league’s better shadow corners over the last half-decade, he’s coming off a down year where he allowed 17 yards per catch and is entering his age-32 season. Along with Hayward, the Raiders have very little experience with third-year man Trayvon Mullen and 2020 first-rounder Damon Arnette in the mix. Arnette missed time early in his rookie year and then struggled mightily over the second half of the season.
28. Dallas Cowboys
While Trevon Diggs flashed potential in his rookie season, the overall state of the Cowboys secondary was in desperate need of an overhaul. That’s exactly what Dallas did, spending two Day 2 picks on the position with Kelvin Joseph in the second round and Nahshon Wright in the third. You might know Wright’s brother Rejzhon from the fifth season of Last Chance U. At this point, Joseph or Wright could easily beat out Anthony Brown to start opposite Diggs. However, like many rookies, the learning curve could be steep.
29. Arizona Cardinals
Things are going to look different in the Cards’ secondary this season with Patrick Peterson out of the mix. Arizona will head into the year with the projected starting trio of Malcolm Butler, Byron Murphy, and Robert Alford. Butler’s best days are far in the rearview mirror, and he’s coming off an ugly 2020 season where he allowed the second-most receiving yards. Murphy improved in his second professional season, but he also allowed 10 scores in his coverage in 2019. As for Alford, he hasn’t played since 2018.
30. Atlanta Falcons
Arthur Smith does not inherit a particularly strong unit, as the Falcons head into 2021 with A.J. Terrell, Kendall Sheffield, and Isaiah Oliver in the mix along with former Washington corner Fabian Moreau. Terrell got off to a rough start to his pro career, leading the league in yards allowed. Sheffield wasn’t far behind him, ranking fourth in that category while Oliver allowed a massive seven scores in his coverage.
31. Detroit Lions
The Lions are extremely young at the position with a projected starting trio of second-year man Jeffrey Okudah, third-year player Amani Oruwariye, and rookie Ifeatu Melifonwu. Okudah struggled mightily after being selected third overall in the 2020 draft. Opposing wideouts had no problem racking up yards in Okudah’s coverage, as he allowed 15.3 yards per catch. Not to be outdone. Oruwariye surrendered a hearty 17.5 yards per catch, which was among the highest in the league. Melifonwu checks all the box from a height, weight, and athleticism standpoint, though he could struggle to transition to the much more physical game at the pro level.
32. New York Jets
Robert Saleh has his work cut out for him in this secondary. The Jets head into this season with Blessuan Austin and Bryce Hall projected to start on the outside with Corey Ballantine in the slot. Austin and Hall were among the league’s most generous corners in coverage with Austin allowing a 70% catch rate and Hall up at 75%. This trio also allowed a touchdown on a whopping 7.5% of catches in their coverage last season.
