Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 5 (2025) - Amon-Ra St. Brown, George Pickens, Tetairoa McMillan, Keenan Allen, Michael Pittman Jr.

Kyle's favorite WR vs. CB matchups to exploit for Week 5 of 2025 - DFS wide receivers to target on DraftKings and FanDuel. These WR/CB matchups are GPP and cash game opportunities.

Welcome to the Wide Receiver Matchups to Target column for Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season. With four games of data to work with, we can now lean on matchup grades, pace of play, and implied totals to pinpoint the best WRs to target in daily fantasy lineups. Last week, this piece nailed Puka Nacua and Rome Odunze, while Nico Collins, Ladd McConkey, and Jakobi Meyers left us wanting (a lot) more. 

This week, we'll break down the top five WR/CB matchups using Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades, along with key usage metrics that indicate which players can realistically hit 3x their DraftKings salary. This is meant to serve as a guide for both cash games and GPPs - these guys are in position to smash regardless of the contest type you're playing in.

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!

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

• $7.9k on DraftKings, $9.3k on FanDuel
• Vs. Dax Hill (Cincinnati Bengals)

The "Sun God" has already smashed 3x value on DraftKings in three of four games this year, averaging 24.4 DK PPG, the highest on the slate by a wide margin. He ranks second in the league in receptions (27), red zone targets (9), fantasy points per route run (0.77), fantasy points per target (2.95), and expected fantasy points per game (20). Simply put: his usage is elite.

Amon-Ra St. Brown has 5 receiving TD in 2025 (most in the NFL) 🫡

Watch live out-of-market games on #NFLPlus
Blackout restrictions may applypic.twitter.com/WQP2zcovJM

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) September 28, 2025

Now he draws a Bengals defense that ranks 27th in pass DVOA while allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to WRs, with St. Brown expected to see plenty of Dax Hill (81% catch rate allowed). Add in Detroit's lofty 30-point implied total, and ASB is as strong a spend-up option as you're going to find in Week 5. If you're going to pay up for anyone on this slate, it should be the Lions' star receiver.

George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys

• $6.6k on DraftKings, $7.1k on FanDuel
• Vs. Brandon Stephens (New York Jets)

The Cowboys' prized offseason acquisition has exceeded 3x value on his DraftKings salary in three of four weeks, and he has filled in admirably as the de facto WR1 with Cee'Dee Lamb sidelined. The former Steeler went nuclear in a Week 4 shootout against Green Bay, catching 8-of-11 targets for 134 yards and two touchdowns (36.4 DK points). His underlying metrics are very encouraging, highlighted by his 33 targets (13th among qualified WRs), 163 routes run (1st), 30 first-read targets (4th), and 17.3 expected fantasy points per game (6th).

THE GEORGE PICKENS GAME

⭐ 8 receptions
⭐ 134 yards
⭐ 2 touchdowns
⭐ 153.0 rating when targeted https://t.co/bXr5VI5C6U pic.twitter.com/GJhYtElN9w

— PFF Fantasy (@PFF_Fantasy) September 29, 2025

The Cowboys are averaging 44.3 pass plays per game, the highest number in the NFL. This feels like it will continue and translate to a big fantasy game for Pickens, especially considering that the Jets currently rank 30th in pass DVOA. He'll see a lot of Brandon Stephens, who has permitted 106 yards, 8.8 yards per reception, and three touchdowns so far this season. He'll also be matched up with Sauce Gardner, who finished with a 30.2 PFF coverage grade in Week 3 and a 47.9 PFF coverage grade in Week 4. No need to overthink this one - Pickens looks like an excellent play in Week 5.

Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers

• $5.7k on DraftKings, $6.2k on FanDuel
• Vs. Jack Jones (Miami Dolphins)

McMillan has been a mixed bag through four weeks in his rookie season. He's averaging 12.2 DK PPG, with a ceiling of 19 DK points (Week 2) and a floor of 7.8 DK points (Week 3). He has caught just 18-of-35 targets (51%) for 278 scoreless yards. Part of his so-so start can be attributed to the Panthers facing a couple of surprisingly stout defenses in Atlanta (4th in pass DVOA) and Jacksonville (5th in pass DVOA). However, the fantasy community is still expecting more from the highly-regarded rookie than what we've seen so far.

Week 5 is his time to shine against a Miami defense that ranks 31st in pass DVOA. He projects to be primarily matched up with Jack Jones, who ranks 75th of 103 CBs and holds a poor 53.8 PFF coverage grade this season. It's also notable that Miami has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per target to perimeter WRs, which includes a 6/82/1 line against Garrett Wilson last week. This is a pace-up spot for Miami, as Carolina ranks 5th in plays per game while Miami ranks 31st. Vegas has this game staying close as Carolina is currently a 1.5-point underdog on the road, so McMillan should have plenty of opportunities to put up his first career ceiling game in Week 5.

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Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

• $5.6k on DraftKings, $6.5k on FanDuel
• Vs. Mike Sainristil (Washington Commanders)

The ageless wonder that is Keenan Allen finally broke his hot streak last week, finishing with five catches and 37 scoreless yards (8.7 DK points). Before that, he had averaged 18.8 DK PPG with a floor of 17.1 DK points in Week 2. He still ranks WR10 for the year, which was not on anyone's bingo card for 2025. The 33-year-old is in a prime spot to bounce right back to crushing DFS value in Week 5, as the Chargers hold a high 25-point implied total against a leaky Washington defense.

HERBERT BREAKS THE SACK AND FINDS KEENAN ALLEN FOR THE TD ⚡️

DENvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/f95wNegDdP

— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025

The Commanders rank 25th in pass DVOA and have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to WRs this season, which is even more glaring considering the underwhelming group of receivers they've faced to this point (NYG, GB, LV, ATL). Allen will match up against Mike Sainristil, who ranks 92nd of 103 CBs while allowing a high 81% catch rate and 9.8 yards per reception in his coverage this season. Allen is still priced as a mid-range WR, and we should feel confident getting to him (along with Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey) in Week 5 DFS contests.

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts

• $5.1k on DraftKings, $5.9k on FanDuel
• Vs. Darnay Holmes (Las Vegas Raiders)

Someone in the Colts' receiving group is going to go off for a big game on Sunday. The smart money is on the perpetually underrated Pittman Jr. He currently ranks WR13 in fantasy points per game with healthy metrics in target rate (24.6%), deep targets (5), receptions (21), fantasy points per route run (0.53), and dominator rating (48.4%). His only true dud came in Week 2, where he scored just 8 DK points while being blanketed by Denver's Patrick Surtain II.

He has one of the best matchups on the board in Week 5 against the Raiders. Las Vegas ranks 21st in pass DVOA, 25th in PFF's defense grade, 27th in coverage grade, and 24th in pass rush grade while allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to WRs this season. Pittman Jr.'s individual matchup can't get much better, as he'll see a lot of Darnay Holmes (82nd of 103 CBs) and Kyu Blu Kelly (61st of 103 CBs).

Indianapolis (sixth) and Las Vegas (12th) rank highly in plays per game, and this game holds a high 47.5-point implied total, so there should be plenty of opportunities for Pittman Jr. to make noise against this vulnerable secondary. Fire him up as a confident mid-range WR option on the main slate in Week 5.

Update: Alec Pierce was on track to return to the lineup this week, but was just ruled out as he's still recovering from a concussion. That helps Pittman Jr.'s opportunity this week as well.

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

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