Week 1 Best and Worst WR, TE matchups: Garrett Wilson set to smash, Xavier Worthy faces tough test

It’s always a popular question — or string of questions — during my Friday live streams on the NFL on NBC YouTube channel: Which slot receivers have the best matchups? And which outside (boundary) wideouts are in good spots?

While it shouldn’t be the deciding factor in how you make your weekly lineup decisions, knowing if a pass catcher has a particularly good or bad matchup is valuable information that can sometimes serve as a tiebreaker for your most vexing start-sit decisions.

This season I’ll use this space to break down the best (and worst) matchups for pass catchers operating from the slot and those lining up primarily on the boundary. Some pass catchers, as you know, split their time between the boundary and the slot, making this little exercise more complicated. I’ll do my best to pinpoint the most appealing (and unappealing) weekly matchups, at first with data from the 2025 season, and then — after a week or two — with 2026 data.

Slot Matchups

Falcons vs. Steelers: Pittsburgh’s struggles against slot pass catchers should be something of a boon for Kyle Pitts, who last season ran 36 percent of his routes from the slot (and 44 percent from the in-line position). There’s reason to believe Pitts will see his slot usage increase — even moderately — in Kevin Stefanski’s offense. That popgun-armed Tua Tagovailoa targeted Pitts heavily in the preseason (and reportedly during 11-on-11s in training camp) is another plus for the tight end.

Eagles vs. Commanders: DeVonta Smith last season led the Eagles in slot rate. You don’t need another reason to start Smith though. This is more about Dallas Goedert, who ran half of his 2025 routes from the slot and was among the NFL’s most efficient tight ends while doing so. Goedert’s 21 percent first-read target rate from last season is bound to rise with A.J. Brown dispatched to New England. Goedert might be overlooked in a solid matchup, with the Eagles headed into the season opener with a 24.5-point implied total. The same goes for rookie Makai Lemon, who should run from the slot more often than not.

Jets vs. Titans: Tennessee’s secondary last year was tormented by enemy slot guys. It’s why enjoyers of my Friday live stream targeted the Titans with slot pass catchers for much of the season. While head coach Robert Saleh has made some adjustments that could make the Titans slightly better against slot receivers, I think we’ll need to see it before we believe it. Mason Taylor in 2025 ran 34 percent of his routes from the slot and could play a surprisingly big role in the New York passing offense while Kenyon Sadiq recovers from offseason hernia surgery. Isaiah Williams, listed as the Jets’ starting slot wideout, ran 68 percent of his routes from the slot in 2025, and could be a (very) deep league option for Week 1. This matchup is mostly about Taylor as a streaming tight end option though.

Raiders vs. Dolphins: Miami’s secondary was cooked last season from the slot, giving up the league’s fourth-highest completion rate over expected on slot throws. Michael Mayer, with Brock Bowers (knee) sidelined as usual, could be the main beneficiary of this juicy matchup. Mayer in 2025 saw a target on a decent 23 percent of his routes in the disaster we called the Vegas offense, and in games without Bowers he saw a target on a borderline-elite 26 percent of his routes. Mayer has a real chance to cook against Miami in Week 1. I wouldn’t blame you for playing Mayer over options like Jake Ferguson, Travis Kelce, or Mark Andrews.

Commanders vs. Eagles: It could be something of a rough start for Stefon Diggs if he runs primarily from the slot in the Washington offense. That Eagles coverage unit was a nightmare for slot guys in 2025 (and 2024, for that matter). Last year they allowed the sixth-lowest completion rate over expected on slot targets along with the fourth-lowest yards per game from the slot.

Rivers McCown comes up with a list of players he hopes will defy their low cost to be fantasy football heroes for Week 1.

Boundary Matchups

Giants vs. Cowboys: The Dallas defense, which was gouged last season for the league’s fourth-highest dropback EPA and the third-highest passing success rate, is going to be better this season. The addition of Caleb Downs, if nothing else, all but guarantees that. I wouldn’t read too much into the Cowboys being burned on the perimeter last season as they head into their Week 1 matchup against John Harbaugh’s Giants. Malik Nabers, in case you were wondering, ran routes from the boundary at a 76 percent clip last year before his season-ending injury. And don’t get cute with Malachi Fields in this spot.

Jets vs. Titans: Between the slot metrics and these boundary numbers it seems Garrett Wilson is in a pretty good spot for the Jets’ opening game. Only two teams allowed a higher completion rate over expected to boundary wideouts than the Titans in 2025, and only four secondaries gave up more yards per game (118) to outside receivers. Wilson sure looks like a Week 1 smash.

Vikings vs. Packers: Jordan Addison last year had a grand total of one catch for eight yards in two games against Green Bay. Maybe we can be generous and write that off as part of the failed JJ McCarthy Experiment. That Addison operates from the boundary on around 80 percent of his pass routes could translate into an interesting matchup in Week 1 against the Pack. Addison, who has reportedly worked extensively with Kyler Murray this offseason, should be in lineups this week. You probably knew that already.

Chiefs vs. Broncos: It’s a nightmare Week 1 for Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, and whoever else is going to run pass routes from the boundary. Denver’s elite coverage unit obliterated opposing outside receivers last season, allowing just 90 total yards per game to boundary pass catchers. That should mean more target funneling to slot pass catchers, namely Rashee Rice — who last year ran about half his routes from the slot — and Travis Kelce.