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The Big Four (plus one) Cornerbacks

petersonWho is the best cornerback in the NFL? Which cornerbacks are hurting your fantasy receivers week after week? It seems that casual fans have a “big four” when talking about the best cornerbacks in the league. Those four are Richard Sherman, Darrelle Revis, Joe Haden and Patrick Peterson. Regardless of how they are actually performing on the field, they seem to always be considered the top four in the league. In this article I will break down how all of the big four are not only doing this year, but how they have done since 2012. I have also added a cornerback that people better start paying attention to. Not only has he been elite this year, he has been elite since 2012.

Patrick Peterson

2014 2012-2014
Targets: 72 Targets: 257
Catches allowed: 44 Catches allowed: 142
Yards allowed: 609 Yards allowed: 1968
Yards per target: 7.91 Yards per targets: 7.66
TDs allowed: 8 TDs allowed: 21
INT per target: 2.8% INT per target: 4.7%
QB rating against: 113.7 QB rating against: 89.9

 

I am always confused when I see his name brought up amongst elite cornerbacks in the NFL. Peterson has allowed 21 TDs since 2012 which is more than double of that of Richard Sherman and Darrelle Revis combined. His YPT average of 7.91 is also unacceptable for someone thought of as an elite cornerback. Not only is Peterson the worst cornerback on this list, he isn’t even a top 20-25 cornerback in the league. You should be excited if your fantasy receiver is facing Peterson, just ask Julio Jones owners.

 

Richard Sherman

2014 2012-2014
Targets: 51 Targets: 214
Catches allowed: 23 Catches allowed: 98
Yards allowed: 329 Yards allowed: 1384
Yards per target: 6.45 Yards per target: 6.47
TDs allowed: 1 TDs allowed: 5
INT per target: 5.9% INT per target: 8.9%
QB rating against: 48.6 QB rating against:  41.6

 

Probably the most hated player in the NFL that doesn’t play quarterback for the Cowboys. Sherman is loud, obnoxious, cocky, and the best cornerback in the league. People have a problem separating the first three statements from the fourth. The nonsense that he doesn’t face elite competitions is just that, nonsense. Teams try their best to keep their elite receivers away from Sherman; a treatment no other cornerback in the league gets.

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