NFL Game Previews / Stat Matchups

This tool is designed to highlight matchups to exploit. This tool is not meant to be a replacement for our weekly player rankings, although matchups are taken into consideration for those as well. You shouldn't bench a stud player who has a difficult matchup or automatically start a fantasy backup who has an easy matchup.

This page uses 2012 stats only, while some of our other tools like Easiest Upcoming Matchups and Strength Of Schedule use the last 16 games of data.

Green signifies a good matchup, red a bad matchup and white an average matchup.

Week 1 Matchup: Pittsburgh at Denver

Denver
Player Injury Status YTD Average Fantasy Pts Quarterbacks Average 20.2ppg and PIT Allows 12.5ppg ( -38%) Peyton Manning   20.3 Running Backs Average 19.8ppg and PIT Allows 13.8ppg ( -30%) Willis McGahee IR 11.9 Knowshon Moreno Pro 11.7 Jacob Hester   6.9 Lance Ball   3.7 Ronnie Hillman   3.2 Jeremiah Johnson   0.0 Wide Receivers Average 31.2ppg and PIT Allows 19.0ppg ( -39%) Demaryius Thomas   12.8 Eric Decker   11.5 Wes Welker   10.9 Andre Caldwell   1.1 Trindon Holliday   0.9 Tight Ends Average 8.7ppg and PIT Allows 6.4ppg ( -27%) Jacob Tamme   4.5 Joel Dreessen   4.1 Virgil Green   2.1 Julius Thomas   0.0 Kickers Average 8.3ppg and PIT Allows 7.1ppg ( -14%) Matt Prater   8.3 Defensive Linemen Average 17.6ppg and PIT Allows 18.3ppg (+ 4%) Shaun Phillips   5.6 Derek Wolfe   4.1 Kevin Vickerson   3.3 Terrance Knighton   2.8 Robert Ayers   2.2 Mitch Unrein   1.9 Malik Jackson   0.8 Linebackers Average 24.1ppg and PIT Allows 23.1ppg ( -4%) Von Miller Pro 8.8 Wesley Woodyard   8.8 Joe Mays IR 3.6 Danny Trevathan   2.9 Stewart Bradley   2.3 Nate Irving   1.0 Defensive Backs Average 30.4ppg and PIT Allows 31.2ppg (+ 3%) Chris Harris   6.6 Mike Adams   6.3 Rahim Moore   5.1 Champ Bailey   5.0 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie   4.8 Tony Carter   4.8 David Bruton   2.3 Quinton Carter IR 0.0	FFToolbox Broncos News 5/20 Broncos RB Willis McGahee skips opening day of OTAs Latest Broncos Rumors and News Ronnie Hillman Stronger, Wiser in Year Two - denverbroncos.com Great Broncos center Tom Nalen paved way for 1,000-yard rushers - Denver Post Should the Denver Broncos Have Upped Their Offer for Charles Woodson? - Bleacher Report Ex-Broncos C Tom Nalen admits trying to hurt opponent as 'payback' - sportingnews.com Ronnie Hillman trying to make most of his time with Broncos starters - Denver Post Team Report - DENVER BRONCOS (The SportsXchange) - Yahoo.com Nalen says he tried to hurt Olshansky in '06 (The Associated Press) - Yahoo.com AFC West draft: Broncos Pro Bowl connection - SignOnSanDiego.com Ring of Famer Nalen Now Has Plenty to Say - denverbroncos.com Tom Nalen talks now, but ex-Bronco nervous about Ring of Fame speech - Denver Post Tom Nalen talks now, but former Bronco nervous about speech - Denver Post Pats' Brady not surprised by Welker's departure (The SportsXchange) - Yahoo.com Ravens Defense Starting New Chapter (Yahoo! Contributor Network) - Yahoo.com The Other 31: Welker joins Manning to try to get Broncos to Super Bowl - WashingtonPost Football Inside Breaking Down the Denver Broncos' Cornerback Competition - Bleacher Report Offensive coordinator Adam Gase grateful for Mike McCoy's assistance - Denver Post Broncos owner Pat Bowlen is honored with Mizel community service award - Denver Post Broncos' best gather to honor owner Pat Bowlen - rtsports.com NFL draft to be moved back to May starting in 2014 - Denver Post Broncos' best gather to honor owner Pat Bowlen (The Associated Press) - Yahoo.com 'Special Night' as Bowlen Honored for Community Enrichment - denverbroncos.com Raiders expect Woodson to make big impact (The SportsXchange) - Yahoo.com Broncos have nice problem on their hands - rtsports.com Woodson overwhelmed by Raiders fans (The Associated Press) - Yahoo.com Manning keys pace of Broncos' offense (The SportsXchange) - Yahoo.com Wes Welker: Expects Fewer Catches With Broncos (Rotowire.com) - Yahoo.com Broncos have nice problem on their hands (The Associated Press) - Yahoo.com Picking up the Tempo - denverbroncos.com Tom Nalen elected to Denver Broncos' Ring of Fame as its 24th member - Denver Post Broncos add Tom Nalen to Ring of Fame - Pro Football Talk More Broncos News & Rumors
Pittsburgh
Player Injury Status YTD Average Fantasy Pts Quarterbacks Average 16.8ppg and DEN Allows 15.0ppg ( -11%) Ben Roethlisberger   17.8 Charlie Batch   9.5 Byron Leftwich   9.5 Bruce Gradkowski   1.2 Running Backs Average 16.0ppg and DEN Allows 13.8ppg ( -13%) Jonathan Dwyer   6.5 Isaac Redman   5.5 LaRod Stephens-Howling   5.0 Baron Batch IR 2.0 Will Johnson   1.6 Wide Receivers Average 21.5ppg and DEN Allows 17.9ppg ( -17%) Antonio Brown   8.5 Emmanuel Sanders   4.3 Plaxico Burress   3.4 Jerricho Cotchery   1.7 David Gilreath   0.2 Tight Ends Average 9.2ppg and DEN Allows 10.2ppg (+ 11%) Heath Miller IR 8.6 Matt Spaeth   1.5 David Paulson   0.6 Kickers Average 7.4ppg and DEN Allows 5.9ppg ( -19%) Shaun Suisham   7.4 Defensive Linemen Average 10.0ppg and DEN Allows 15.0ppg (+ 50%) Brett Keisel   3.6 Steve Mclendon   2.3 Cameron Heyward   1.9 Al Woods   0.7 Linebackers Average 27.0ppg and DEN Allows 20.7ppg ( -23%) Lawrence Timmons   8.7 Larry Foote   7.2 LaMarr Woodley   5.0 Jason Worilds   4.1 Brian Rolle   2.0 Chris Carter IR 1.5 Stevenson Sylvester   0.0 Defensive Backs Average 27.3ppg and DEN Allows 33.2ppg (+ 22%) Ryan Clark   7.3 Troy Polamalu   5.9 William Gay   5.1 Cortez Allen   5.0 Ike Taylor IR 3.8 Josh Victorian   3.7 Curtis Brown IR 2.3 Robert Golden   1.7 Ross Ventrone   0.0	FFToolbox Steelers News 5/23 Steelers TE Heath Miller says 'there's a chance' he can play entire season  Latest Steelers Rumors and News Steelers mixing in ZBS concepts on offense - Le'Veon Bell | PIT - rotoworld.com Why Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Shamarko Thomas Won't Be the Next Bob Sanders - Bleacher Report Steelers hope new blocking scheme kick-starts running game - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Steelers notebook: Gilbert hopes to stay on left side of O-line - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Steelers Sign 6th-Rounder Justin Brown - Fantasy Football Mastermind Team Report - PITTSBURGH STEELERS (The SportsXchange) - Yahoo.com Steelers Sign Two Rookies - Fantasy Football Mastermind Arizona Cardinals 2013 Statistical Predictions: Which Running Back Will Emerge as No. 1? (Yahoo! Con - Yahoo.com Steelers TE Miller: I might be ready for opener - CBS SportsLine.com Steelers sign wide receiver Justin Brown - Pro Football Talk Steelers sign wide receiver Justin Brown (NBC Sports) - Yahoo.com Steelers sign sixth-rounder WR Brown - Rotoworld.com Bell ready to make impact in crowded backfield (The Associated Press) - Yahoo.com Steelers sign WR Wheaton, CB Hawthorne (The SportsXchange) - Yahoo.com Steelers sign third-round pick Wheaton - sportsnetwork.com Steelers sign Markus Wheaton, Terry Hawthorne - Pro Football Talk Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers talking contract - Rotoworld.com What Can We Expect from Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers Offense in 2013? - Bleacher Report Steelers veteran outside linebacker Woodley: ‘I'm good to go' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Steelers' Miller watches, waits while teammates practice - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review What Do the Pittsburgh Steelers Need to Do to Compete in the AFC North in 2013? - Bleacher Report TE Miller cautious on return to Steelers - ESPN NFL notebook: Urlacher announces retirement - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Steelers notebook: Slimmed-down Redman optimistic for 2013 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Steelers' Woodley unfazed by teammates' remarks (The SportsXchange) - Yahoo.com Steelers' Miller pleased with recovery from ACL - ESPN.com Injured Steelers TE Miller improving but cautious - rtsports.com Payton replaces Belichick as highest-paid U.S. coach (The SportsXchange) - Yahoo.com Injured Steelers TE Miller improving but cautious (The Associated Press) - Yahoo.com Polamalu fit at Steelers camp - CBS SportsLine.com More Steelers News & Rumors