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.
Player | Team | Games | Position | Targets | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Drops | Catch % | ADoT | Yards Per Target | Yards Per Reception | Red Zone Targets | Red Zone Receptions | Fantasy Points |
Stefon Diggs | BUF | 8 | WR | 77 | 54 | 695 | 3 | 7 | 70.1 | 11.12 | 9.03 | 12.87 | 18 | 10 | 141.5 |
Allen Robinson II | CHI | 8 | WR | 76 | 50 | 631 | 3 | 0 | 65.8 | 11.2 | 8.3 | 12.62 | 14 | 5 | 131 |
Amari Cooper | DAL | 8 | WR | 74 | 54 | 588 | 2 | 2 | 73 | 8.93 | 7.95 | 10.89 | 11 | 6 | 125.1 |
Keenan Allen | LAC | 7 | WR | 71 | 53 | 548 | 3 | 0 | 74.6 | 8.42 | 7.72 | 10.34 | 14 | 10 | 125.8 |
DeAndre Hopkins | ARZ | 7 | WR | 70 | 57 | 704 | 3 | 1 | 81.4 | 8.76 | 10.06 | 12.35 | 9 | 7 | 145.4 |
Cooper Kupp | LA | 8 | WR | 68 | 48 | 527 | 2 | 5 | 70.6 | 6.97 | 7.75 | 10.98 | 8 | 4 | 116 |
Robby Anderson | CAR | 8 | WR | 68 | 51 | 689 | 1 | 3 | 75 | 10.38 | 10.13 | 13.51 | 14 | 6 | 126.2 |
Tyler Boyd | CIN | 8 | WR | 67 | 54 | 584 | 3 | 1 | 80.6 | 8.91 | 8.72 | 10.81 | 21 | 13 | 134.2 |
Terry McLaurin | WAS | 7 | WR | 66 | 43 | 577 | 2 | 1 | 65.2 | 10.5 | 8.74 | 13.42 | 13 | 7 | 113 |
Alvin Kamara | NO | 7 | RB | 64 | 55 | 556 | 3 | 5 | 85.9 | 0.92 | 8.69 | 10.11 | 7 | 6 | 195.7 |
Tyler Lockett | SEA | 7 | WR | 64 | 49 | 575 | 7 | 6 | 76.6 | 10.81 | 8.98 | 11.73 | 15 | 10 | 148.5 |
Travis Kelce | KC | 8 | TE | 64 | 48 | 610 | 6 | 0 | 75 | 8.11 | 9.53 | 12.71 | 12 | 10 | 145 |
Calvin Ridley | ATL | 8 | WR | 63 | 43 | 657 | 6 | 3 | 68.3 | 15.86 | 10.43 | 15.28 | 21 | 14 | 146.1 |
A.J. Green | CIN | 8 | WR | 62 | 31 | 316 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 14.16 | 5.1 | 10.19 | 15 | 0 | 62.6 |
CeeDee Lamb | DAL | 8 | WR | 59 | 40 | 524 | 2 | 5 | 67.8 | 9.69 | 8.88 | 13.1 | 12 | 6 | 107.7 |
Darren Waller | LV | 7 | TE | 58 | 45 | 371 | 3 | 1 | 77.6 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 8.24 | 14 | 8 | 100.1 |
D.J. Moore | CAR | 8 | WR | 58 | 33 | 622 | 3 | 7 | 56.9 | 12.83 | 10.72 | 18.85 | 10 | 2 | 113.2 |
Davante Adams | GB | 5 | WR | 55 | 43 | 502 | 7 | 0 | 78.2 | 9.35 | 9.13 | 11.67 | 16 | 11 | 135.2 |
D.K. Metcalf | SEA | 7 | WR | 55 | 36 | 680 | 7 | 5 | 65.5 | 14.89 | 12.36 | 18.89 | 18 | 10 | 146 |
Darius Slayton | NYG | 8 | WR | 54 | 32 | 485 | 3 | 3 | 59.3 | 13.52 | 8.98 | 15.16 | 16 | 6 | 98.2 |
Tyreek Hill | KC | 8 | WR | 54 | 35 | 537 | 7 | 3 | 64.8 | 15.43 | 9.94 | 15.34 | 18 | 11 | 142.1 |
Adam Thielen | MIN | 7 | WR | 52 | 35 | 442 | 7 | 2 | 67.3 | 14.04 | 8.5 | 12.63 | 16 | 13 | 122.7 |
Tee Higgins | CIN | 8 | WR | 51 | 33 | 488 | 3 | 1 | 64.7 | 14.2 | 9.57 | 14.79 | 11 | 5 | 102.6 |
Evan Engram | NYG | 8 | TE | 49 | 31 | 284 | 0 | 4 | 63.3 | 5.29 | 5.8 | 9.16 | 10 | 7 | 67.5 |
George Kittle | SF | 6 | TE | 49 | 37 | 474 | 2 | 5 | 75.5 | 7.69 | 9.67 | 12.81 | 5 | 2 | 98.1 |
Cole Beasley | BUF | 8 | WR | 49 | 41 | 494 | 2 | 1 | 83.7 | 7.63 | 10.08 | 12.05 | 13 | 10 | 102.4 |
Julio Jones | ATL | 6 | WR | 49 | 38 | 584 | 2 | 2 | 77.6 | 12.55 | 11.92 | 15.37 | 13 | 7 | 108.4 |
JuJu Smith-Schuster | PIT | 7 | WR | 48 | 39 | 346 | 3 | 0 | 81.3 | 6.06 | 7.21 | 8.87 | 11 | 8 | 91.6 |
Jarvis Landry | CLV | 8 | WR | 48 | 33 | 419 | 0 | 4 | 68.8 | 9.46 | 8.73 | 12.7 | 13 | 5 | 75.3 |
Will Fuller V | HST | 7 | WR | 48 | 31 | 490 | 5 | 1 | 64.6 | 14.46 | 10.21 | 15.81 | 14 | 7 | 110 |
Dalton Schultz | DAL | 8 | TE | 47 | 31 | 335 | 2 | 2 | 66 | 7.4 | 7.13 | 10.81 | 9 | 4 | 76.5 |
Brandin Cooks | HOU | 7 | WR | 47 | 34 | 427 | 2 | 2 | 72.3 | 11.11 | 9.09 | 12.56 | 11 | 6 | 88.7 |
Robert Woods | LA | 8 | WR | 47 | 37 | 435 | 4 | 2 | 78.7 | 8.04 | 9.26 | 11.76 | 11 | 8 | 127.3 |
Jimmy Graham | CHI | 8 | TE | 46 | 29 | 247 | 4 | 1 | 63 | 7.17 | 5.37 | 8.52 | 14 | 9 | 77.7 |
Jerry Jeudy | DEN | 7 | WR | 46 | 23 | 359 | 1 | 4 | 50 | 15.09 | 7.8 | 15.61 | 9 | 4 | 64.9 |
Mike Evans | TB | 8 | WR | 46 | 30 | 373 | 7 | 3 | 65.2 | 12.48 | 8.11 | 12.43 | 15 | 10 | 109.3 |
Greg Ward | PHI | 8 | WR | 45 | 32 | 243 | 3 | 3 | 71.1 | 6 | 5.4 | 7.59 | 8 | 7 | 73.9 |
Russell Gage | ATL | 8 | WR | 45 | 33 | 368 | 1 | 3 | 73.3 | 7.96 | 8.18 | 11.15 | 9 | 6 | 75.6 |
Hayden Hurst | ATL | 8 | TE | 44 | 30 | 349 | 3 | 1 | 68.2 | 8.61 | 7.93 | 11.63 | 7 | 2 | 82.9 |
Michael Gallup | DAL | 8 | WR | 44 | 26 | 432 | 1 | 4 | 59.1 | 13.93 | 9.82 | 16.62 | 13 | 6 | 75.2 |
Zach Ertz | PHI | 6 | TE | 43 | 24 | 178 | 1 | 2 | 55.8 | 7.12 | 4.14 | 7.42 | 6 | 4 | 47.8 |
Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | 8 | RB | 43 | 34 | 220 | 1 | 5 | 79.1 | -0.86 | 5.12 | 6.47 | 2 | 1 | 144.1 |
Odell Beckham Jr. | CLV | 7 | WR | 43 | 23 | 319 | 3 | 1 | 53.5 | 14.14 | 7.42 | 13.87 | 15 | 7 | 86.1 |
Hunter Henry | LAC | 7 | TE | 43 | 29 | 324 | 1 | 2 | 67.4 | 7.93 | 7.53 | 11.17 | 6 | 1 | 67.4 |
Jamison Crowder | NYJ | 4 | WR | 43 | 29 | 383 | 2 | 1 | 67.4 | 8.12 | 8.91 | 13.21 | 5 | 3 | 79.3 |
Diontae Johnson | PIT | 6 | WR | 42 | 25 | 233 | 3 | 3 | 59.5 | 9.5 | 5.55 | 9.32 | 8 | 4 | 67.2 |
Mike Davis | CAR | 8 | RB | 42 | 38 | 244 | 2 | 1 | 90.5 | -1.07 | 5.81 | 6.42 | 9 | 7 | 121.4 |
Anthony Miller | CHI | 8 | WR | 42 | 27 | 262 | 2 | 3 | 64.3 | 10.6 | 6.24 | 9.7 | 11 | 4 | 66.1 |
Noah Fant | DEN | 6 | TE | 42 | 29 | 304 | 2 | 2 | 69 | 7.67 | 7.24 | 10.48 | 8 | 6 | 71.4 |
Darnell Mooney | CHI | 8 | WR | 42 | 26 | 305 | 2 | 0 | 61.9 | 15.9 | 7.26 | 11.73 | 7 | 3 | 68.2 |
Brandon Aiyuk | SF | 7 | WR | 42 | 28 | 371 | 2 | 1 | 66.7 | 11.1 | 8.83 | 13.25 | 15 | 8 | 96 |
Marquise Brown | BLT | 7 | WR | 42 | 27 | 379 | 2 | 2 | 64.3 | 16.29 | 9.02 | 14.04 | 14 | 6 | 77 |
Travis Fulgham | PHI | 5 | WR | 42 | 29 | 435 | 4 | 2 | 69 | 12.81 | 10.36 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 96.5 |
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.