- New Giants cornerback Paulson Adebo was tested regularly: The former Saints defensive back features heavily on this list after being targeted on nearly 22% of his coverage snaps this past season.
- Target Christian Gonzalez in the red zone at your own risk: While the budding star was one of the NFL’s most targeted cornerbacks in the red zone in 2024, he also led the league in forced incompletions on such throws.
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Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
How often a cornerback is targeted is a good indication of what opposing offenses think of that player. Generally, if a cornerback is targeted frequently, it means the quarterback believes they can beat them with regularity.
Snap shares and coverage schemes can be influencing factors in the counting stats, but with a meaningful sample size, a high target rate can be an indication of a weak link in the secondary. After all, if an opposing offense senses a mismatch or decides a particular corner needs to be tested, they will go after them relentlessly until they’re convinced that it’s not productive.
These are the NFL’s most targeted cornerbacks from the 2024 season in each major coverage facet.
Note: Minimum of 25% of coverage snaps required for each category
All Routes
| Player | Team | Cov. Grade | Cov. Snaps | Targets | Target Rate | Rec. Allowed | Comp. % |
| Dee Alford | Falcons | 55.0 | 466 | 102 | 21.89% | 76 | 74.51% |
| Paulson Adebo | Saints | 63.9 | 261 | 57 | 21.84% | 34 | 59.65% |
| Ugo Amadi | Saints | 48.9 | 308 | 67 | 21.75% | 49 | 73.13% |
| Tyrique Stevenson | Bears | 58.4 | 424 | 81 | 19.10% | 43 | 53.09% |
| Renardo Green | 49ers | 74.3 | 373 | 70 | 18.77% | 44 | 62.86% |
| Ja’Quan McMillian | Broncos | 62.1 | 593 | 111 | 18.72% | 82 | 73.87% |
| Darnay Holmes | Raiders | 49.5 | 188 | 35 | 18.62% | 27 | 77.14% |
| Deommodore Lenoir | 49ers | 71.7 | 493 | 89 | 18.05% | 58 | 65.17% |
| Alontae Taylor | Saints | 35.4 | 610 | 110 | 18.03% | 79 | 71.82% |
| Riley Moss | Broncos | 56.9 | 533 | 96 | 18.01% | 61 | 63.54% |
(min. 184 coverage snaps)
Three players posted a coverage target rate of 21.75% or higher, with two allowing a catch at least 73% of the time. Dee Alford and Ugo Amadi both struggled in 2024 with poor PFF coverage grades, while Paulson Adebo, who missed most of the season due to injury, had a lower completion rate because of his ability to break up passes.
Alford allowed the third-most touchdowns (eight) and the second-most first downs (42) in 2024 while surrendering 1.52 yards per cover snap. Alford went undrafted in 2022 and will have competition from two undrafted players this offseason in Atlanta.
Lined Up Outside
| Player | Team | Cov. Grade | Cov. Snaps | Targets | Target Rate | Rec. Allowed | Comp. % |
| Paulson Adebo | Saints | 70.9 | 236 | 53 | 22.46% | 31 | 58.49% |
| Tyrique Stevenson | Bears | 59.1 | 390 | 77 | 19.74% | 42 | 54.55% |
| Renardo Green | 49ers | 80.4 | 336 | 63 | 18.75% | 39 | 61.90% |
| Clark Phillips III | Falcons | 77.8 | 214 | 40 | 18.69% | 28 | 70.00% |
| Montaric Brown | Jaguars | 69.1 | 440 | 78 | 17.73% | 54 | 69.23% |
| Marlon Humphrey | Ravens | 74.0 | 181 | 32 | 17.68% | 18 | 56.25% |
| Martin Emerson Jr. | Browns | 56.6 | 444 | 78 | 17.57% | 48 | 61.54% |
| Deonte Banks | Giants | 58.9 | 388 | 68 | 17.53% | 47 | 69.12% |
| Riley Moss | Broncos | 65.9 | 486 | 85 | 17.49% | 55 | 64.71% |
| Benjamin St-Juste | Commanders | 59.2 | 412 | 72 | 17.48% | 45 | 62.50% |
(min. 171 coverage snaps)
Paulson Adebo appears again here, as more than 90% of his 2024 snaps were at outside cornerback. His PFF grade on the outside is better than when he lines up in the slot.
Adebo signed with the Giants this offseason on a three-year, $54 million contract due to being one of the NFL’s better cornerbacks at getting his hands on the ball. He has forced 32 incompletions across the past two seasons when lined up outside. Opposing teams likely see the boom-or-bust play style and recognize that he has allowed more than 1.35 yards per coverage snap in each of the past three seasons.
Lined Up in the Slot
| Player | Team | Cov. Grade | Cov. Snaps | Targets | Target Rate | Rec. Allowed | Comp. % |
| Ugo Amadi | Saints | 42.6 | 266 | 63 | 23.68% | 47 | 74.60% |
| Michael Carter II | Jets | 43.1 | 161 | 38 | 23.60% | 26 | 68.42% |
| Byron Murphy Jr. | Vikings | 60.0 | 267 | 60 | 22.47% | 43 | 71.67% |
| Dee Alford | Falcons | 54.6 | 416 | 92 | 22.12% | 69 | 75.00% |
| Amik Robertson | Lions | 58.6 | 287 | 62 | 21.60% | 38 | 61.29% |
| Marcus Jones | Patriots | 76.5 | 186 | 40 | 21.51% | 24 | 60.00% |
| Darnay Holmes | Raiders | 54.6 | 162 | 34 | 20.99% | 26 | 76.47% |
| Alontae Taylor | Saints | 43.5 | 221 | 46 | 20.81% | 35 | 76.09% |
| Ja’Quan McMillian | Broncos | 70.4 | 522 | 102 | 19.54% | 77 | 75.49% |
| Taron Johnson | Bills | 59.9 | 352 | 67 | 19.03% | 49 | 73.13% |
(min. 135 coverage snaps)
Two of the Saints‘ cornerbacks cracked the top 10 when lined up in the slot, highlighting some of the defense’s holes. A fourth-round selection in 2019, Ugo Amadi posted a 42.6 PFF coverage grade out of the slot — the second-worst mark in the NFL — while his 1.86 yards allowed per coverage snap was the highest average.
Michael Carter II was the second-most-targeted slot cornerback in the NFL, and his 43.1 PFF coverage grade is evidence of his struggles. It comes on the heels of a 2023 season in which his 86.6 PFF coverage grade was one of the best in the NFL.
Early Downs
| Player | Team | Cov. Grade | Cov. Snaps | Targets | Target Rate | Rec. Allowed | Comp. % |
| Paulson Adebo | Saints | 73.7 | 192 | 41 | 21.35% | 29 | 70.73% |
| Ugo Amadi | Saints | 43.4 | 198 | 41 | 20.71% | 32 | 78.05% |
| Deonte Banks | Giants | 55.2 | 301 | 61 | 20.27% | 44 | 72.13% |
| Ja’Quan McMillian | Broncos | 72.6 | 392 | 75 | 19.13% | 55 | 73.33% |
| Alontae Taylor | Saints | 41.2 | 424 | 81 | 19.10% | 59 | 72.84% |
| Roger McCreary | Titans | 59.4 | 248 | 47 | 18.95% | 40 | 85.11% |
| Renardo Green | 49ers | 82.1 | 239 | 45 | 18.83% | 30 | 66.67% |
| Jarvis Brownlee Jr. | Titans | 59.9 | 346 | 65 | 18.79% | 45 | 69.23% |
| Benjamin St-Juste | Commanders | 60.4 | 315 | 58 | 18.41% | 37 | 63.79% |
| DaRon Bland | Cowboys | 69.3 | 201 | 37 | 18.41% | 26 | 70.27% |
(min. 130 coverage snaps)
Again, the Saints’ secondary was heavily targeted on early downs (first and second) in 2024. The Giants’ Deonte Banks is highlighted for the second time on the most-targeted lists, as he struggled on all routes in 2024 with a 50.3 PFF coverage grade. A 2023 first-round pick, Banks has yet to live up to his draft status. His 46.4 PFF coverage grade across his first two seasons ranks in the bottom 10 among cornerbacks. His 1.49 yards per coverage snap allowed over that span ranks sixth worst in the NFL.
Late Downs
| Player | Team | Cov. Grade | Cov. Snaps | Targets | Target Rate | Rec. Allowed | Comp. % |
| Dee Alford | Falcons | 50.5 | 145 | 44 | 30.34% | 33 | 75.00% |
| Michael Carter II | Jets | 51.8 | 79 | 21 | 26.58% | 14 | 66.67% |
| Ugo Amadi | Saints | 60.6 | 110 | 26 | 23.64% | 17 | 65.38% |
| Paulson Adebo | Saints | 77.0 | 69 | 16 | 23.19% | 5 | 31.25% |
| Amik Robertson | Lions | 57.2 | 153 | 34 | 22.22% | 19 | 55.88% |
| Byron Murphy Jr. | Vikings | 62.6 | 207 | 44 | 21.26% | 27 | 61.36% |
| Tyrique Stevenson | Bears | 67.4 | 139 | 29 | 20.86% | 15 | 51.72% |
| Kenny Moore II | Colts | 49.7 | 160 | 33 | 20.63% | 20 | 60.61% |
| Cameron Mitchell | Browns | 62.1 | 83 | 17 | 20.48% | 10 | 58.82% |
| Mike Sainristil | Commanders | 59.0 | 200 | 40 | 20.00% | 24 | 60.00% |
(min. 56 coverage snaps)
Familiar names appear at the top of the list, as we’ve highlighted Deee Alford, Michael Carter II, Ugo Amadi and Paulson Adebo already.
Amik Robertson spent the first four seasons of his career in Las Vegas before signing with Detroit in 2024. Primarily an outside cornerback in 2023, Robertson made the move to the slot in 2024 for the Lions. While consistent with his play, his PFF grades have ranged around the mid-to-low 60.0s across the past three seasons. He doesn’t necessarily struggle on money downs, but he doesn’t excel, either, as shown by his 60.9 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons.
Red Zone
| Player | Team | Cov. Grade | Cov. Snaps | Targets | Target Rate | Rec. Allowed | Comp. % |
| DaRon Bland | Cowboys | 62.4 | 30 | 9 | 30.00% | 4 | 44.44% |
| Dee Alford | Falcons | 38.8 | 74 | 21 | 28.38% | 16 | 76.19% |
| Cam Hart | Chargers | 73.0 | 39 | 11 | 28.21% | 8 | 72.73% |
| Beanie Bishop Jr. | Steelers | 40.9 | 40 | 10 | 25.00% | 4 | 40.00% |
| Martin Emerson Jr. | Browns | 36.5 | 50 | 12 | 24.00% | 7 | 58.33% |
| Kristian Fulton | Chargers | 64.0 | 46 | 11 | 23.91% | 4 | 36.36% |
| Tyrique Stevenson | Bears | 78.2 | 59 | 13 | 22.03% | 5 | 38.46% |
| Christian Gonzalez | Patriots | 86.9 | 69 | 15 | 21.74% | 8 | 53.33% |
| Renardo Green | 49ers | 90.5 | 52 | 11 | 21.15% | 6 | 54.55% |
| Paulson Adebo | Saints | 88.2 | 34 | 7 | 20.59% | 1 | 14.29% |
(min. 29 coverage snaps)
After a stellar 2023 campaign during which he set the NFL record for pick-sixes in a season, DaRon Bland missed more than half of the 2024 season due to injury and saw a heavy target rate in the red zone. While the numbers look good, four of his allowed receptions were touchdowns, which is the name of the game when it comes to the red zone.
Another name of note here is Christian Gonzalez, who is considered a top cornerback in the NFL (ranked 13th ahead of the 2025 season). He was one of the most targeted players in the red zone in 2024, but his five forced incompletions on those throws were the most in the NFL.
