The NFL season is starting to get into full swing a couple of weeks into the grind and some surprising results have happened already. There have been plenty of injuries but aside from that, there are teams doing better than we thought they’d be and opposite of that holds true as well. There are also players that have started to break out and those that are struggling in the early part of year. That’s all well and good but we’re carrying most about what guys have done inside the 20 to this point and what defenses are looking strong in that part of the field.
Red Zone Passing Attempts
Joe Flacco , QB DEN – He was written off in Baltimore and then thought to be a place warmer for the Broncos new shiny QB drafted this year. However, he’s leading the NFL in Red Zone attempts. He’s tossed the ball 18 times inside the 20 while completing nine of them for two touchdowns and a pick. Flacco has been known for throwing deep balls or just going for the TEs in the previous system but he’s showing some new life in Denver and perhaps the thin air is helping him a bit as well.
Case Keenum , QB WAS – Keenum was a guy who, much like Flacco, was thought to just be a placeholder for Dwayne Haskins but right now he is looking pretty solid, at least in the Red Zone. He’s got 17 pass attempts inside the 20 with 11 completions, three scores, and no picks. Noticing that his top wide receiver target is listed down below, it follows suit that Keenum would be this high on the list. There is no telling if Haskins will play this year or if Keenum will hold the job all year, but when he gets near the endzone, his play certainly ticks up a notch.
Kyler Murray , QB ARI – The first-round pick and the Heisman winner has gotten off to an interesting start to his rookie campaign. He currently sits with 16 Red Zone passes having completed seven of them with a touchdown. There will continue to be ups and downs for Murray and the Cardinals this year but as a guy who has over 300 yards in both of his first two games, he seems to be setting himself up for shots in the Red Zone with regularity going forward.
Red Zone Rushing Attempts
Jeff Wilson , RB SF – You heard Howard Bender reference him on the Sunday morning live stream last week and wow did that mention pay off nicely. In just that one game he had five carries in the Red Zone two of which went for scores. That’s not surprising considering he was kind of in that role last year with the Niners as well when they had a committee in the backfield and that same type of backfield is developing again by the bay this year. He’s not really an add candidate in fantasy formats because he is so touchdown-dependent, but he is a guy that knows his role and fulfills it well.
Mark Ingram , RB BAL – Ingram’s teammate Gus Edwards was talked about here last week, but Ingram is the one that has been more productive in this area of the field. He’s had seven carries for 23 yards and two touchdowns. Six of those carries have been inside the 10-yard-line for both touchdowns. There were some questions about how the crowded backfield in Baltimore would pan out with Gus Edwards , Mark Ingram , Lamar Jackson , and Justice Hill all likely to get carries, but Ingram has been the most effective short-yardage and goal-line back and there is no sign of that slowing down at this point.
Austin Ekeler , RB LAC – The Chargers haven’t really skipped a beat in the ground game while Melvin Gordon continues to holdout or wait to be traded. Ekeler is the main reason for that and he already has five Red Zone carries and two scores, all of which came inside the 10-yard-line. Clearly, the Chargers love to use Ekeler in a variety of ways but he’s also proving to be the more effective goal-line back over Justin Jackson who has four carries in the Red Zone but no scores and fewer yards. Ekeler is a strong play pretty much every week at this point, especially in PPR formats.
Red Zone Receiving Targets
Zach Ertz , TE PHI – Ertz is up to six Red Zone targets this year, making him the second-most targeted pass catcher in the league to this point inside the Red Zone. It’s more impressive though, considering he didn’t have a target in the first game against the Redskins and then saw all the work against the Falcons. There were some concerns about how the added weapons in the Philadelphia passing game would effect Ertz this year for fantasy, but two weeks in and he’s still the top target near the goal line and in the passing game in general. Now there have been plenty of injuries that have helped Ertz’s case, but his connection with Wentz is strong and he should remain a key weapon for the Eagles.
Terry McLaurin , WR WAS – McLaurin is starting to get a bunch of attention for his play on the field thus far in his rookie campaign and part of that attention is the looks he’s drawing in the Red Zone. The former Nittany Lion wideout has already seen five targets in two games with three catches and a score despite the so-so looking offense being trotted out in Washington. Four of those targets and two catches and the score came inside the 10 which is a bit surprising since he’s not the biggest framed guy on the outside. He’s been the most effective playmaker for the Redskins and there’s no real sign of that slowing down.
Jason Witten , TE DAL – Witten has come back without missing a beat and still being the Cowboys top Red Zone threat in the early part of the season. He’s been targeted four times in two games with four catches and two scores for his efforts. Three of those four targets come inside the 10 along with the two touchdowns. The Cowboys passing game appears to be humming so far and with the injury to Michael Gallup , Witten may play an even bigger role in the next week or two, especially inside the 20.
Red Zone Defenses
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tampa Bay has been a team that has seen a lot of focus on the offensive woes this year, but did you know that they are the defense that has allowed the most Red Zone trips without allowing a touchdown this year? They have seen the opposing offenses venture inside the 20 six times against them but haven’t given up a touchdown. They have allowed field goals just not the big plays. While it might have been a product of who they’ve played in the first few weeks, keep in mind what the 49ers did to the Bengals in Week 2.
New England Patriots – Granted it was an easy match-up in Week 2 for the Patriots and will be again in Week 3 but the first week was supposed to be a tough challenge for them. In two games, the Patriots gave up just two trips the Red Zone total and haven’t given up a touchdown inside the 20 yet. The Patriots always seem to be an underrated defense but this year it doesn’t look like they’ll be sneaking up on many if any teams this year.