7 Fascinating WR Matchups for Jaguars' Travis Hunter in 2026

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The 2026 season is set to be a big one for Travis Hunter and the Jacksonville Jaguars -- on both sides of the ball.

The Jaguars have been adamant all offseason that Hunter will continue to be a two-way player entering his second season, but that his role at cornerback is set to increase from a year ago. Most signs point to Hunter being the Jaguars' No. 1 cornerback, which means he will be tasked with quite the wide receiver lineup this season.

So, who are the best receivers Hunter will have to matchup with this season? We break it down below.

Ja'Marr Chase

The Bengals game might not look like one of the toughest games on the Jaguars' schedule, but the Week 4 road game is capable of being taken over completely by Ja'Marr Chase. Hunter did not get many reps against Chase when he dominated the Jaguars' secondary in 2025, so it will be up to the former No. 2 pick to slow him down this time around. Chase has been uncoverable in each of his matchups against the Jaguars, and Hunter can prove his worth early in the season by slowing him down.

DeVonta Smith

It remains to be seen exactly what the Philadelphia Eagles' passing game will look like this year. They have a rookie play-caller at offensive coordinator who makes Grant Udinski look like a seasoned veteran, and there is a strong chance they trade A.J. Brown before they ever face the Jaguars in London. That would indicate that DeVonta Smith would step into the WR1 role, giving Travis Hunter a big-time matchup across the pond. Smith can make plays at all levels of the field, but Hunter matches up well with him traits-wise.

Carnell Tate

The only rookie on this list, Carnell Tate has yet to play an NFL down. Still, he is set to be the Tennessee Titans' top receiving option after they drafted him with the No. 4 pick. Tate will have to grow up quickly, but there will not be much compeition for targets other than Wan'Dale Robinson. Robinson operates from the slot a good amount, which means Hunter should see plenty of snaps against Tate.

Maybe A.J. Brown?

At this point, it remains to be seen when/if the Jaguars will play A.J. Brown. He is currently an Eagle and they are on the Jaguars' schedule, but I am not sure if there has ever been a player more clearly headed for a trade in recent memory than him. It appears his time with the Eagles has run its course, which means the Jaguars could avoid him. But if he gets traded to the New England Patriots like so many people expect, they will see him in one of his first Patriots games in Week 3. He is a bad matchup for Hunter due to his size, but these are the matchups Hunter was drafted for.

Nico Collins

We saw Nico Collins and Travis Hunter have a fun back-and-forth in coverage in Week 3 last season. Each side won a rep here or there, and it was a nice preview for what is to come twice a year. Collins is one of the best receivers in the entire NFL, and there is a good argument to make that he is the one who makes the Texans' offense go. If Hunter can matchup with him twice this year and still win his fair share of reps, the Jaguars could have their best chance to slow down the Texans in a key AFC South race.

Malik Nabers

Malik Nabers is facing plenty of injury questions as he attempts to come back from his gnarly 2025 injury, but the Jaguars do not play the Giants until the later part of the season. Nabers should be expected to be back and firmly in the swing of things by then. Nabers is one of those receivers whose explosiveness might be too much for Montaric Brown, which means the Jaguars would need Hunter on him quite a bit. Like we have said before, these are the kind of matchups the Jaguars ultimately drafted Hunter for.

George Pickens

The Cowboys are one of those rare teams that has two elite receiver. CeeDee Lamb has been one of the NFL's best wideouts for years, but he operates out of the slot more often times than most. That means George Pickens will see the bulk of the outside receiver reps, which would pit him and Hunter against each other on some critical downs throughout the contest.

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