Directional passing update for Week 5

During the NFL season, we’re going to break down how different offenses are utilizing their weapons all over the field. As the year goes on, patterns begin to emerge that will allow us to anticipate and exploit mismatches between a defense and an offense that we’re targeting. 

Short Passing

It’s a bit surprising that both CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper show up on this list. Most wide receivers are versatile across the league, but on most offenses wide receivers have a side they’re primarily on. The fact that they’re both this high on the list shows how willing Dallas is to mix it up. 

We have the matchups rated based on the side a corner is likely to be playing. The edge goes to Cooper there. Both are excellent options, though, and shouldn’t face much resistance in this matchup. Travis Kelce and Najee Harris are the only non-wide receivers on the short-left list. 

In the short-right section of the field, we have one running back and plenty of wide receivers to discuss. Brandin Cooks is at the top of this list and is seeing nearly 35% of his targets in this direction. He also sports one of the best matchups of the week.

Of the wide receivers at the top of short-right section, Davante Adams has the best matchup. To be fair, whenever Adams lines up on a football field it’s the cornerback who has the tough matchup, not the other way around. 

Deep Passing

There are only 10 pass catchers who have seen at least 3 deep middle targets so far this season.

Per our advanced WR/CB matchup tool, Marquise Brown has the best matchup in the remaining games on the slate. 

If the Ravens decide to attack that area of the field, they’ll be using Brown. The Colts are giving up 22.8 yards per attempt to that section of the field through the first four weeks. Sentiment around Hollywood Brown is mixed but this is a spot where you just have to play him no matter what. He — and Lamar Jackson for that matter — could be in for a huge output this week. 

This is the entire list of pass catchers who have seen at least 5 targets to the deep right section of the field. 

Our top two from the deep-right leaderboard appear to be in for some tough sledding. With Marvin Jones, though, the volume will be there thanks to D.J. Chark’s unfortunate injury. They simply don’t have many playmakers in the passing game besides Jones and Laviska Shenault. 

They’ve been vulnerable throughout much of the field and Jones should be able to take advantage this weekend.