If it seems like the target landscape is changing dramatically from week to week, that is because it is. Most offenses spread the ball around quite a bit, and when you throw injuries and Covid into the mix, it feels like nothing is the same from one week to the next. While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, it is exceptionally important to keep up with the latest news and trends, so let’s look at the notable target shares from Week 8 and the season to this point.

PlayerTeamGamesPositionTargetsReceptionsYardsTDsDropsCatch %ADoTYards Per TargetYards Per ReceptionRed Zone TargetsRed Zone ReceptionsFantasy Points
Stefon DiggsBUF8WR77546953770.111.129.0312.871810141.5
Allen Robinson IICHI8WR76506313065.811.28.312.62145131
Amari CooperDAL8WR745458822738.937.9510.89116125.1
Keenan AllenLAC7WR71535483074.68.427.7210.341410125.8
DeAndre HopkinsARZ7WR70577043181.48.7610.0612.3597145.4
Cooper KuppLA8WR68485272570.66.977.7510.9884116
Robby AndersonCAR8WR6851689137510.3810.1313.51146126.2
Tyler BoydCIN8WR67545843180.68.918.7210.812113134.2
Terry McLaurinWAS7WR66435772165.210.58.7413.42137113
Alvin KamaraNO7RB64555563585.90.928.6910.1176195.7
Tyler LockettSEA7WR64495757676.610.818.9811.731510148.5
Travis KelceKC8TE644861060758.119.5312.711210145
Calvin RidleyATL8WR63436576368.315.8610.4315.282114146.1
A.J. GreenCIN8WR6231316025014.165.110.1915062.6
CeeDee LambDAL8WR59405242567.89.698.8813.1126107.7
Darren WallerLV7TE58453713177.65.46.48.24148100.1
D.J. MooreCAR8WR58336223756.912.8310.7218.85102113.2
Davante AdamsGB5WR55435027078.29.359.1311.671611135.2
D.K. MetcalfSEA7WR55366807565.514.8912.3618.891810146
Darius SlaytonNYG8WR54324853359.313.528.9815.1616698.2
Tyreek HillKC8WR54355377364.815.439.9415.341811142.1
Adam ThielenMIN7WR52354427267.314.048.512.631613122.7
Tee HigginsCIN8WR51334883164.714.29.5714.79115102.6
Evan EngramNYG8TE49312840463.35.295.89.1610767.5
George KittleSF6TE49374742575.57.699.6712.815298.1
Cole BeasleyBUF8WR49414942183.77.6310.0812.051310102.4
Julio JonesATL6WR49385842277.612.5511.9215.37137108.4
JuJu Smith-SchusterPIT7WR48393463081.36.067.218.8711891.6
Jarvis LandryCLV8WR48334190468.89.468.7312.713575.3
Will Fuller VHST7WR48314905164.614.4610.2115.81147110
Dalton SchultzDAL8TE473133522667.47.1310.819476.5
Brandin CooksHOU7WR47344272272.311.119.0912.5611688.7
Robert WoodsLA8WR47374354278.78.049.2611.76118127.3
Jimmy GrahamCHI8TE462924741637.175.378.5214977.7
Jerry JeudyDEN7WR4623359145015.097.815.619464.9
Mike EvansTB8WR46303737365.212.488.1112.431510109.3
Greg WardPHI8WR45322433371.165.47.598773.9
Russell GageATL8WR45333681373.37.968.1811.159675.6
Hayden HurstATL8TE44303493168.28.617.9311.637282.9
Michael GallupDAL8WR44264321459.113.939.8216.6213675.2
Zach ErtzPHI6TE43241781255.87.124.147.426447.8
Ezekiel ElliottDAL8RB43342201579.1-0.865.126.4721144.1
Odell Beckham Jr.CLV7WR43233193153.514.147.4213.8715786.1
Hunter HenryLAC7TE43293241267.47.937.5311.176167.4
Jamison CrowderNYJ4WR43293832167.48.128.9113.215379.3
Diontae JohnsonPIT6WR42252333359.59.55.559.328467.2
Mike DavisCAR8RB42382442190.5-1.075.816.4297121.4
Anthony MillerCHI8WR42272622364.310.66.249.711466.1
Noah FantDEN6TE422930422697.677.2410.488671.4
Darnell MooneyCHI8WR42263052061.915.97.2611.737368.2
Brandon AiyukSF7WR42283712166.711.18.8313.2515896
Marquise BrownBLT7WR42273792264.316.299.0214.0414677
Travis FulghamPHI5WR4229435426912.8110.361514996.5

Target Breakdown

  • Is Tyler Boyd the safest receiver we have for fantasy? He has at least six targets in seven consecutive games, with at least 12.9 fantasy points in six of those. I don’t know that he’s explosive enough to ever be a WR1, but in a league in which even some of the very best receivers can produce a dud in any given week, it sure feels like a luxury to pencil Boyd into your fantasy lineup each week.
  • I don’t know how much we can infer about the Steelers receivers after the win over Baltimore, but I feel moderately confident about a couple of things. The outside receivers are good enough to allow JuJu Smith-Schuster to find space underneath, even if Diontae Johnson is out. That was not the case last year. Chase Claypool is very good, though I don’t think he’s ready to produce consistently for fantasy. He led the Steelers with nine targets and saved his day with a touchdown, but he only caught five passes for 42 yards. I don’t know if Johnson is trustable either just because he always seems to pick up an injury, but I love his game and his fantasy upside too much to bench him when he is active.
  • I’ve seen Darnell Mooney getting some buzz after he caught five of six targets for 69 yards and a touchdown Sunday, but I would be lying if I said I understood it. His numbers for the season are nearly identical to Anthony Miller ’s, and Miller caught eight of 11 targets for 73 yards Sunday. There is no reason to believe Chicago’s passing game can support anyone outside of Allen Robinson , and while Mooney does have at least five targets in six consecutive games, it is not clear to me he is significantly better for fantasy than Anthony Miller .
  • Dallas Goedert was only targeted once in his first game back from an ankle injury, and while I’m not ready to give up on him, I think he is droppable. Zach Ertz has a chance to return after Philadelphia’s bye, and I understand if fantasy players don’t want to burn a bench spot on someone who may only be a fantasy starter for a week or two. That being said, I think the week off will be good for Goedert, and I’ll love him for fantasy if Ertz misses more time.
  • Robert Tonyan hasn’t scored a touchdown since Davante Adams returned, but he had a season-high seven targets Sunday, which he turned into five receptions for 79 yards. He’s still playable for fantasy because there are only two must-start tight ends in the entire league, but I don’t feel particularly good about relying on him.
  • My guess is that Jordan Reed will stay on the IR for at least one more week, disappointing fantasy owners just like Dallas Goedert did in Week 7 when he missed Philadelphia’s Thursday Night Football game following Zach Ertz ’s injury. Jordan Reed caught seven of eight targets for two touchdowns in the first game George Kittle missed this season, and he sprained his left knee in the second game. Such is the Jordan Reed experience, but I might start him ahead of guys like Robert Tonyan if Reed is active Thursday. If Reed cannot go, Ross Dwelley would be a play for deeper leagues.
  • Hunter Henry is stuck on one touchdown for the season, but he is tied with Hayden Hurst for seventh among tight ends in targets this season. I would still start Henry ahead of Hurst, Dalton Schultz and Evan Engram , who all have more targets, but I understand if you want to see another touchdown or two before you are ready to trust him again.
  • For as awesome as D.K. Metcalf has been, Week 8 was only the second time all season he had more than eight targets or more than four receptions. Metcalf caught 12 of 15 targets for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while Tyler Lockett was held to four receptions on five targets for 33 yards. Lockett has 8.4 PPR fantasy points or fewer in three of his last four games, but both Seattle receivers are must-starts right now.
  • Looking at the target leaderboard for the season, A.J. Green stands out, and not in a good way. He and Jerry Jeudy are the only players in the top 50 in targets who haven’t caught more than 50 percent of their targets. Green also has the fewest yards per target of anyone on the leaderboard not named Zach Ertz . Green had a couple of good games in a row prior to his dud against Tennessee, but he still hasn’t found the end zone this season. I see no reason to roster him during his bye week, though he probably belongs in WR3 consideration along with half of the league.
  • I don’t know that I will ever feel good about playing Sterling Shepard for fantasy this season, but we should take notice after he topped 15 fantasy points for the second straight game. Shepard has at least six receptions and eight targets in both games since returning from injury, and that could certainly continue. I think of Shepard roughly the same way I do JuJu Smith-Schuster , though Smith-Schuster is in a better offense with a better quarterback.
  • Jakobi Meyers may be a poor-man’s Sterling Shepard , at least until Isaiah Ford gets up to speed. I don’t think we want any part of New England’s passing attack, but you could do worse than the six receptions on 10 targets for 58 yards Meyers had against Buffalo in Week 8.