Which NFL receivers would you least want to cover one-on-one? We posed that question to Matt Bowen and Louis Riddick -- two former NFL defensive backs and current ESPN Insiders.
Here's their breakdown of the league's 10 biggest matchup nightmares.
1. Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Bowen: How do you limit this guy? Brown is electric. That's the best way I can describe him when looking at his change of direction ability, burst off the ball and speed to go get it. I see Brown at the top route runner in today's game, with the lateral quickness to separate at the break and the acceleration to straight-up pull away from coverage. Play press? Yeah, good luck. He will embarrass you on the release and then wave as he runs by. No argument here: Brown is the toughest matchup at the wide receiver position.
Riddick: Brown's compact stature and exceptional pound-for-pound for pound strength catches many DBs off guard when they first matchup against him. And then when you add the short-area quickness, play speed and competitiveness, he becomes a 60-minute nightmare. Like Matt said, Brown is a magician at the line against press coverage. He can stop, start and separate better than anyone on the short-to-intermediate routes and plays big on deep routes, which allows him to win jump ball situations. A true self-made All-Pro, Brown is second to none.
Add it up: In the two-plus seasons since Mike Wallace left Pittsburgh and Brown took over the No. 1 receiver role, he has 37 more catches and 265 more yards than the next-best receiver.
2. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Bowen: With the ideal blend of size, speed and athleticism, Jones has a freakish skill set to get down the field and produce after the catch. But what impresses me most is his footwork on the release and at the top of the route. Big men aren't supposed to have that kind quickness in their game -- but Jones does. What do you play against him? Cover 2? Yeah, that's no fun for a safety in the deep half. He is going to eat you up and win consistently at the point of attack. Jones is the new version of Calvin Johnson with even more overall ability.
Riddick: As far as physical skills go, Julio is the standard among pass-catchers when you talk about height, weight, speed, strength and body control. Jones is strong enough to throw you out of the way when you press him, and fast enough to speed release and simply outrun you within the pattern stem. Making matters worse for DBs, he's also dangerous on short WR screens, slants and hitches because of his run-after-catch ability. As far as deep threats go, he is the best in the business with his elite top-end speed and ball-tracking skills. Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has moved him around a ton this season, making Julio virtually unstoppable.
Add it up: Since 2013, Jones is averaging 110.5 receiving yards per game, the highest mark in the league among qualified receivers. Over that span, he's been held under 50 yards in a game just one time -- last Sunday against the Texans.