NFL Fantasy Football Red Zone Report: Week 14

Paying attention to who is getting targeted and/or getting carries in the red zone and down near the goal line are both very important in all fantasy formats. Touchdowns are major point boosters in PPR leagues and even more so in standard. The weekly report will be a one-stop shop where you can find all the information you could possibly need when it comes to the red zone. Each week I will point out some notable performances for that week and then include season totals. Let’s dive in!

Red Zone Targets

JuJu Smith-Schuster – JuJu picked up four targets in the red zone this week and he hauled in three of them with two of them going for touchdowns. Despite leading the NFL in red zone targets with 27, the two touchdowns only give him four total for the year. He has hauled in 15 of those 27 targets though, so it’s not entirely his fault. He is the most talented player on the Steelers and is an elite fantasy play on a weekly basis. A solid matchup with the Patriots awaits him in Week 15.

Robby Anderson – “A Jets receiver? Really?” Yes! Anderson was targeted four times in the red zone this week, caught two, and one of them was a touchdown. Anderson now has five RZ targets for the season (Yes, he only had one prior to this game). Anderson has been somewhat of a fantasy bust this year, but he appears to be picking up steam with 14 targets over the last two weeks and 36 targets over the last five. He has eight receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown in the last two games. He is starting to look like an interesting DFS play, but can still be avoided in seasonal for the most part.

DeAndre Hopkins – Hopkins caught two balls on four red zone targets with one of them going for a touchdown. Hopkins is sixth in the NFL in RZ targets with 21 and fourth in touchdowns with seven. Watson trusts Hopkins in the red zone and rightfully so. Overall, Hopkins is having a very strong campaign with 84 receptions, 1151 yards, and 9 touchdowns. You drafted him in the first round this season and he hasn’t disappointed.

*The below tables are the top-10 in targets for the season in the red zone and inside the 10 yard line. Take note that targets inside the 10 are also included in inside the 20.

Red Zone Carries

Derrick Henry – In a game where Henry made Jaguars defenders look like children, it should be far from surprising to see him land here. He finished with six red zone carries and two touchdowns. In total, he finished the game with 17 carries for 238 yards and four touchdowns in the Titans big win. Henry vaulted into the top-10 of red zone carries with this game and he now has seven touchdowns in the red zone on the year (fourth in the NFL). The volume is sketchy here though and it’s tough to trust your playoffs on him.

Christian McCaffrey – CMC didn’t start the year as a major red zone threat for the Panthers, but he has really come on of late and it continued again in Week 14. He picked up seven carries in the RZ and managed to plunge two of them into the end zone. He is now fourth in the NFL in red zone carries (39), third in rushing yards (112), and fourth in touchdowns (7). We knew he would be an elite PPR back in fantasy this year, but it turns out he’s an elite player in any format.

Damien Williams – Williams carried the ball twice in the red zone and found pay dirt on one of them. He also picked up two RZ receptions and found the end zone on one of those as well. He only had 12 total touches on the day, but as you can see, four of them came in the red zone. With Ware out tonight against the Chargers, Williams will start for the Chiefs and will likely see around 15 touches. He is a solid play in this explosive offense.

*The below tables are the top-10 in carries for the season in the red zone and inside the five yard line. Take note that carries inside the five are also included in inside the 20.

Red Zone Passing

Matt Ryan – Ryan didn’t get a lot of volume in the red zone this week – five pass attempts – but he made the most of them with three touchdowns. He now ranks twelfth in the NFL in RZ pass attempts with 59, but ranks fifth in RZ yards (317) and sixth in RZ passing touchdowns with 19. Ryan is having a strong year with over 4000 passing yards and a 28:6 touchdown to interception ratio. This week he takes on Arizona and should have a decent game, albeit with a semi-low ceiling.

Eli Manning – Manning only needed seven red zone pass attempts to toss three touchdowns. Manning played great and was a big factor in the Giants 40-16 thumping of the Redskins. However, despite the strong game, Manning has struggled in the RZ this year as he has only completed 35-of-75 pass attempts (47%). He is fifth in RZ pass attempts, but only has 17 touchdowns (ranks 11^th in the NFL). Hopefully you are not in a situation that forces you to play Manning this week.

Patrick Mahomes – There haven’t been too many weeks where Mahomes hasn’t secured a spot in this section, but his red zone volume warrants it. He finished with 10 RZ pass attempts and two of them went for touchdowns. He leads the NFL in both red zone pass attempts (86), red zone passing yards (423), and red zone passing touchdowns (31). Despite having 11 total interceptions this season, he has just one interception in the red zone. He’s unstoppable.

*The below tables are the top-10 in pass attempts for the season in the red zone and inside the 10 yard line. Take note that pass attempts inside the 10 are also included in inside the 20.

Team Defense Red Zone Stats

Houston Texans – The Texans fell to the Colts 24-21 in Week 14 and their poor red zone defense was a major factor in the loss as they failed to stop the Colts from finding the end zone on any of their three red zone drives. The Texans defense has been very odd this year, as they have allowed opposing offenses to reach the red zone against them only 34 times (second fewest in the league), but have given up touchdowns at a 74% clip (third worst mark in the NFL). They have an easier test this week in a matchup with the Jets.

Chicago Bears – The Bears held the Rams out of the end zone on both of their red zone drives. Everyone knows this Chicago defense is top-notch, but they were actually below-average in red zone touchdown percentage against prior to this week. Opponents have only managed to make it to the red zone 32 times against the Bears (the lowest number in the NFL). This defense is great and it is no surprised to see their red zone numbers improving.

*The below table shows the red zone stats for all 32 teams. How many attempts have been made against each team, how many touchdowns were converted, and the percentage of how often those red zone drives result in touchdowns.