Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 1 (2025) - Nico Collins, Brian Thomas Jr., Courtland Sutton, Tee Higgins, Josh Downs, more

September 7, 2025

Kyle's favorite WR vs. CB matchups to exploit for Week 1 of 2025 - DFS wide receivers to target on DraftKings and FanDuel. These WR/CB matchups are GPP and cash game opportunities.

Welcome to the first installment of our Wide Receiver Matchups to Target column for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Since we don’t have any 2025 data yet, we’ll lean on last year’s numbers - but remember to take those with a grain of salt. Early in the season, factors like implied totals, projected pace, and Vegas lines carry more weight until we have fresh matchup data to work with.

To identify the best plays, we’ll use Pro Football Focus (PFF) WR/CB matchup grades to highlight receivers in favorable spots, with an eye toward those most likely to hit the 3x DraftKings multiplier that’s crucial in DFS cash and tournament contests.

Below are my top five WR vs. CB matchups for this week’s DFS main slate. Use these insights to fine-tune season-long lineups, player props, and DFS builds. Let’s get to it already!

Nico Collins, Houston Texans

$7.4k on DraftKings, $7.9k on FanDuel; vs. Darious Williams & Ahkello Witherspoon

Say what you want about the Texans' shaky offensive line or C.J. Stroud's sophomore slump - Nico Collins is still a true alpha receiver. Despite missing time in 2024, he still managed to rack up 68 catches, over 1,000 yards, and seven touchdowns in just 12 games.

Week 1 sets up very well for Collins. The Texans are 6.5-point underdogs against the Rams (44.5 total), which means plenty of passing volume. Collins draws Darious Williams (78th of 116 CBs) and Ahkello Witherspoon (58th), a duo that "helped" the Rams rank just 23rd in PFF's coverage grade last year. Notably, the Rams also allowed the seventh-most receiving yards once those two became starters.

Texans WR Christian Kirk has a strained hamstring that is expected to sideline him for at least Sunday’s opener vs. the Rams and possibly longer, per sources. One source estimated it to be a two-week injury for Kirk, but the Texans will be “cautious” with him. pic.twitter.com/2nkyFGUhI8

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 4, 2025

Collins is in a smash spot, and rookie Jayden Higgins is worth a dart throw (with Christian Kirk ailing) against what projects to be a subpar secondary.

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

$6.8k on DraftKings, $7.7k on FanDuel; vs. Jaycee Horn & Mike Jackson

Thomas was one of the biggest surprises of 2024, finishing with 87/1,282/10 and exploding late with five touchdowns after Week 13. With offensive mastermind Liam Coen calling plays, he’s set up for an even bigger leap in 2025.

The Panthers are a gift matchup in Week 1. They ranked last in defense and 23rd in coverage grade, and will start with Jaycee Horn (ranked 81st of 116 CBs) and Mike Jackson (44th) at cornerback. With dynamic rookie Travis Hunter in the fold to draw coverage, Thomas should see favorable matchups all game.

The Jags and Panthers game has a solid 46.5-point implied total, and while these teams ranked at the bottom of the league in plays per game in 2024, we can feel confident banking on the matchup advantage and the high implied total to carry Thomas Jr. to a monster score this week.

Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers

$4.9k on DraftKings, $6k on FanDuel; vs. Tariq Woolen & Josh Jobe

Jennings battled a calf injury and a contract dispute in the ramp-up to the season, but he's (magically) feeling better and is tracking to start in Week 1. Jennings had a mini-breakout after Brandon Aiyuk was forced from the lineup, finishing with 77 catches for 975 yards and six touchdowns in his third year.

He'll draw favorable matchups against Tariq Woolen (49th of 116 CBs) and Josh Jobe (107th) in Week 1. The Seattle defense held WRs to the 17th-most fantasy points per game in 2024, but they notably allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to 'perimeter' wide receivers.

With the trio of Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Ricky Pearsall healthy, the 49ers shouldn't have any trouble creating big-play and scoring opportunities in this matchup.

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Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

$6.4k on DraftKings, $7.1k on FanDuel; vs. Cameron Mitchell & Greg Newsome

We know what Higgins is capable of. He's the best WR2 in the NFL, finishing 2024 with 10 touchdowns and the fifth-highest fantasy points per game among wide receivers. There's nothing that suggests he'll see a downturn in 2025, especially with the Bengals continuing to trot out one of the most exploitable defenses in the NFL.

These prices for a WR2 in an offense might seem steep, but Higgins is no ordinary WR2. Even with Chase finishing as the triple-crown winner last season, leading the league in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns, Higgins was still able to produce at a level of other WR1s around the league.

"It's special." @Bengals WR Tee Higgins on the trio of himself with QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja'Marr Chase in Cincinnati.

📻 https://t.co/qVgeUVujVv#Bengals | #WhoDey pic.twitter.com/LZpVd7D8M7

— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) August 25, 2025

Higgins will likely see a lot of Cameron Mitchell (95th of 116 CBs) and Greg Newsome (99th) in Week 1, as All-Pro cornerback Denzel Ward will spend most of his time covering Ja'Marr Chase. He is going to feast on those matchups, and I believe he'll be a sneaky DFS option with Cincinnati holding the highest implied team total on the slate at 26.5 points.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

$4.6k on DraftKings, $5.2k on FanDuel; vs. Jason Marshall Jr.

The fantasy football community is down on the Colts' passing attack heading into 2024, but Daniel Jones getting the nod over the inaccurate Anthony Richardson Sr. is a boost to the wide receiver corps. Downs' 2024 stats don't jump off the page by any means, but his 30% target per route run and 2.28 yards per route run are positives heading into this season.

We have reason to believe in Downs as a sleeper DFS pick against the Dolphins in Week 1. First, the game holds a somewhat high 46.5-point implied total, and it should stay competitive throughout as the Colts are just three-point favorites. Second, Downs will see a lot of Miami rookie Jason Marshall Jr, who allowed a 119.0 passer rating in his coverage during his final season at Florida. Third, the Dolphins' ranking seventh in plays per game in 2024 should result in a few extra snaps/possessions for both teams in this one.

Daniel Jones is going to take Tyler Warren and Josh Downs to the moon in fantasy football 🚀pic.twitter.com/RkkXLbKDUq

— Gridiron Media (@Gridiron_Media_) August 16, 2025

Fire up Downs as a contrarian bargain-bin option in Week 1 lineups, especially on DraftKings, where we get rewarded for more short receptions with their PPR format.

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your DFS contests!

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