High-end fantasy football performances and weekly finishes are fueled by high numbers of routes run and high-value targets and touches. The majority of top scorers from Week 16 saw healthy doses of red-zone targets, air yards, deep targets and goal-line carries.
Targeting players who run a high percentage of routes is also a good approach for identifying breakout candidates, beatable player props, DFS targets and players to prioritize in the Week 17 fantasy football rankings, 2022 rest of season rankings and throughout the final week of the fantasy football playoffs.
This weekly report will look at recent rates of routes run per dropback along with players who commanded a high rate of high-value opportunities compared to larger samples to find sleeper running backs, wide receivers and tight ends who are garnering more or fewer opportunities in the passing game heading into Week 17 and for the remainder of the 2022 season.
- Week 17 Waiver Wire Advice
- Panic Meter
- Week 17 Waiver Wire Rankings
- Early Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings
Check out the rest of our weekly fantasy football advice 
WIDE RECEIVERS
| Player | Routes | % of routes run per dropback | Targets | Target Share | Target Rate Per Route Run |
| Corey Davis | 40 | 100% | 7 | 23% | 18% |
| Christian Kirk | 36 | 100% | 6 | 20% | 17% |
| D.J. Moore | 23 | 100% | 7 | 33% | 30% |
| Terrace Marshall | 23 | 100% | 3 | 14% | 13% |
| Ja’Marr Chase | 55 | 100% | 11 | 22% | 20% |
| Tee Higgins | 55 | 100% | 9 | 18% | 16% |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones | 33 | 100% | 5 | 19% | 15% |
| Van Jefferson | 29 | 100% | 5 | 18% | 17% |
| Justin Jefferson | 52 | 100% | 16 | 34% | 31% |
| Jakobi Meyers | 37 | 100% | 7 | 23% | 19% |
| Mike Evans | 48 | 100% | 8 | 17% | 17% |
| Darius Slayton | 48 | 98% | 6 | 15% | 13% |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 47 | 98% | 10 | 24% | 21% |
| Allen Lazard | 41 | 98% | 11 | 29% | 27% |
| DeVonta Smith | 41 | 98% | 12 | 35% | 29% |
| Garrett Wilson | 39 | 98% | 9 | 30% | 23% |
| Diontae Johnson | 39 | 98% | 7 | 19% | 18% |
| Jahan Dotson | 35 | 97% | 9 | 26% | 26% |
| Robert Woods | 27 | 96% | 4 | 20% | 15% |
| Tyreek Hill | 26 | 96% | 6 | 25% | 23% |
| Brandon Aiyuk | 25 | 96% | 7 | 33% | 28% |
| Isaiah Hodgins | 47 | 96% | 11 | 27% | 23% |
| Chris Godwin | 46 | 96% | 10 | 21% | 22% |
| DK Metcalf | 42 | 95% | 9 | 24% | 21% |
| Jerry Jeudy | 40 | 95% | 10 | 29% | 25% |
| A.J. Brown | 40 | 95% | 8 | 24% | 20% |
| George Pickens | 38 | 95% | 5 | 14% | 13% |
| Zay Jones | 34 | 94% | 4 | 13% | 12% |
| Terry McLaurin | 34 | 94% | 5 | 15% | 15% |
| Chris Moore | 33 | 94% | 4 | 14% | 12% |
| Davante Adams | 33 | 94% | 9 | 30% | 27% |
| Rashid Shaheed | 14 | 93% | 5 | 36% | 36% |
| Michael Gallup | 41 | 93% | 7 | 20% | 17% |
| Laquon Treadwell | 41 | 93% | 7 | 18% | 17% |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | 34 | 92% | 7 | 23% | 21% |
| Tyquan Thornton | 34 | 92% | 3 | 10% | 9% |
| Mack Hollins | 32 | 91% | 2 | 7% | 6% |
| Byron Pringle | 30 | 91% | 2 | 8% | 7% |
| CeeDee Lamb | 40 | 91% | 11 | 31% | 28% |
| Adam Thielen | 47 | 90% | 5 | 11% | 11% |
| Gabe Davis | 28 | 90% | 6 | 24% | 21% |
| Tutu Atwell | 26 | 90% | 2 | 7% | 8% |
| Treylon Burks | 25 | 89% | 2 | 10% | 8% |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | 41 | 89% | 13 | 32% | 32% |
| Jauan Jennings | 23 | 88% | 3 | 14% | 13% |
| Courtland Sutton | 37 | 88% | 7 | 21% | 19% |
| Amari Cooper | 29 | 88% | 10 | 37% | 34% |
| Elijah Moore | 35 | 88% | 3 | 10% | 9% |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | 27 | 87% | 4 | 15% | 15% |
| Drake London | 32 | 86% | 9 | 29% | 28% |
| Jaylen Waddle | 23 | 85% | 6 | 25% | 26% |
| Richie James | 41 | 84% | 12 | 29% | 29% |
| Curtis Samuel | 30 | 83% | 5 | 15% | 17% |
| D.J. Chark | 38 | 83% | 5 | 12% | 13% |
| Dante Pettis | 27 | 82% | 5 | 20% | 19% |
| David Bell | 27 | 82% | 2 | 7% | 7% |
| Stefon Diggs | 25 | 81% | 2 | 8% | 8% |
| Noah Brown | 35 | 80% | 2 | 6% | 6% |
| Greg Dortch | 38 | 79% | 11 | 26% | 29% |
| K.J. Osborn | 41 | 79% | 4 | 9% | 10% |
| Brandin Cooks | 27 | 77% | 9 | 31% | 33% |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | 21 | 75% | 3 | 15% | 14% |
| Freddie Swain | 31 | 74% | 2 | 6% | 6% |
| Quez Watkins | 31 | 74% | 5 | 15% | 16% |
| Marquise Brown | 35 | 73% | 6 | 14% | 17% |
| Justin Watson | 22 | 71% | 4 | 15% | 18% |
| Marvin Jones | 24 | 67% | 4 | 13% | 17% |
| Hunter Renfrow | 23 | 66% | 7 | 23% | 30% |
| Tyler Boyd | 35 | 64% | 4 | 8% | 11% |
| Marquise Goodwin | 28 | 64% | 4 | 11% | 14% |
| Russell Gage | 30 | 63% | 6 | 13% | 20% |
| Phillip Dorsett | 21 | 60% | 3 | 10% | 14% |
| Steven Sims | 24 | 60% | 1 | 3% | 4% |
| Romeo Doubs | 25 | 60% | 6 | 16% | 24% |
| Kendrick Bourne | 22 | 59% | 9 | 29% | 41% |
| Josh Reynolds | 27 | 59% | 4 | 10% | 15% |
| Brandon Powell | 17 | 59% | 3 | 11% | 18% |
| Velus Jones | 19 | 58% | 4 | 16% | 21% |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 17 | 55% | 2 | 7% | 12% |
| Keith Kirkwood | 8 | 53% | 2 | 14% | 25% |
| Trent Sherfield | 14 | 52% | 2 | 8% | 14% |
| Randall Cobb | 21 | 50% | 2 | 5% | 10% |
| Damiere Byrd | 18 | 49% | 2 | 6% | 11% |
| Christian Watson | 20 | 48% | 8 | 21% | 40% |
| Trenton Irwin | 25 | 45% | 4 | 8% | 16% |
| Demarcus Robinson | 8 | 44% | 1 | 6% | 13% |
| Sammy Watkins | 8 | 44% | 1 | 6% | 13% |
| DeSean Jackson | 8 | 44% | 2 | 13% | 25% |
| Laviska Shenault | 10 | 43% | 3 | 14% | 30% |
| Khalil Shakir | 12 | 39% | 1 | 4% | 8% |
| Ray-Ray McCloud | 10 | 38% | 1 | 5% | 10% |
| Isaiah McKenzie | 10 | 32% | 2 | 8% | 20% |
| Julio Jones | 15 | 31% | 2 | 4% | 13% |
| Shi Smith | 7 | 30% | 2 | 10% | 29% |
| Kadarius Toney | 9 | 29% | 2 | 7% | 22% |
| Kalif Raymond | 13 | 28% | 1 | 2% | 8% |
| Penny Hart | 12 | 27% | 2 | 5% | 17% |
| Zach Pascal | 10 | 24% | 1 | 3% | 10% |
| Amari Rodgers | 8 | 23% | 2 | 7% | 25% |
| Keelan Cole | 7 | 20% | 1 | 3% | 14% |
| Skyy Moore | 6 | 19% | 1 | 4% | 17% |
| Jameson Williams | 8 | 17% | 1 | 2% | 13% |
| Jalen Virgil | 7 | 17% | 1 | 3% | 14% |
| Jamal Agnew | 5 | 14% | 1 | 3% | 20% |
| Mike Woods | 4 | 12% | 1 | 4% | 25% |
| T.Y. Hilton | 5 | 11% | 1 | 3% | 20% |
| Cole Beasley | 3 | 10% | 1 | 4% | 33% |
| Scotty Miller | 3 | 6% | 1 | 2% | 33% |
D.J. Moore led the Panthers with a 33% target share catching 5 for 7 targets for 83 yards and 1 TD. He ran a route on 100% of the dropbacks per usual. Nobody else saw more than 3 targets. Since Sam Darnold took over starting QB duties in Week 12, Moore owns a 29% target share (9th), 57% air yards share (1st) and 3 receiving TDs.
HIGH-VALUE TARGETS:
RED-ZONE TARGETS, AIR YARDS AND DEEP TARGETS
| Player | Air Yards Share | Air Yards | Deep Targets | Deep Catches | Red-Zone Targets | Red-Zone TDs |
| D.J. Moore | 64% | 97 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Drake London | 52% | 108 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kendrick Bourne | 52% | 205 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Tyreek Hill | 51% | 135 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Velus Jones | 50% | 73 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Amari Cooper | 50% | 130 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 49% | 146 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | 47% | 151 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Keith Kirkwood | 47% | 41 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Allen Lazard | 43% | 143 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| DeVonta Smith | 42% | 152 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Diontae Johnson | 42% | 74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandin Cooks | 41% | 112 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | 41% | 68 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Corey Davis | 39% | 107 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 39% | 99 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Isaiah Hodgins | 38% | 101 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jerry Jeudy | 37% | 139 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Garrett Wilson | 37% | 101 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jahan Dotson | 36% | 114 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Van Jefferson | 36% | 34 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Mike Evans | 36% | 81 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Terry McLaurin | 34% | 109 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DK Metcalf | 33% | 87 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Gabe Davis | 33% | 95 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Courtland Sutton | 33% | 123 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Watson | 33% | 65 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja’Marr Chase | 32% | 108 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darius Slayton | 31% | 82 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrace Marshall | 31% | 47 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Richie James | 31% | 81 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Hunter Renfrow | 30% | 86 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tee Higgins | 29% | 97 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Davante Adams | 27% | 77 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jaylen Waddle | 27% | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Pickens | 27% | 48 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Marquise Brown | 27% | 80 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marvin Jones | 27% | 41 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Brown | 26% | 93 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Donovan Peoples-Jones | 25% | 65 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tyquan Thornton | 25% | 97 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zay Jones | 25% | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | 24% | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rashid Shaheed | 24% | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Woods | 23% | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jauan Jennings | 23% | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.J. Chark | 22% | 71 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Kirk | 22% | 34 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DeSean Jackson | 22% | 43 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damiere Byrd | 21% | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Watson | 21% | 70 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Trenton Irwin | 21% | 70 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | 21% | 67 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Marquise Goodwin | 21% | 55 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dante Pettis | 21% | 30 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| T.Y. Hilton | 21% | 52 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah McKenzie | 20% | 58 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scotty Miller | 20% | 45 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Romeo Doubs | 19% | 63 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jakobi Meyers | 19% | 75 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Dortch | 19% | 57 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | 19% | 39 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Byron Pringle | 19% | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michael Gallup | 18% | 46 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Laquon Treadwell | 18% | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quez Watkins | 17% | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Godwin | 16% | 37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kalif Raymond | 16% | 51 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Phillip Dorsett | 15% | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tutu Atwell | 14% | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sammy Watkins | 13% | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 13% | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amari Rodgers | 13% | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Moore | 12% | 33 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Russell Gage | 12% | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Julio Jones | 10% | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Reynolds | 10% | 31 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Trent Sherfield | 9% | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Curtis Samuel | 9% | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stefon Diggs | 9% | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adam Thielen | 8% | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| David Bell | 8% | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Penny Hart | 8% | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shi Smith | 8% | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Treylon Burks | 7% | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Moore | 5% | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | 4% | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K.J. Osborn | 4% | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Boyd | 4% | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Freddie Swain | 4% | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keelan Cole | 3% | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Demarcus Robinson | 3% | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Randall Cobb | 3% | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | 3% | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Woods | 2% | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Virgil | 2% | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Beasley | 2% | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir | 2% | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steven Sims | 2% | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Pascal | 1% | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mack Hollins | 1% | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Noah Brown | 1% | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kadarius Toney | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jamal Agnew | -1% | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Skyy Moore | -2% | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ray-Ray McCloud | -4% | -6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Powell | -4% | -4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Laviska Shenault | -7% | -11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- TEs/WRs that saw multiple deep targets that failed to haul them include…DeAndre Hopkins, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Garrett Wilson, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Tyquan Thornton, Amari Cooper, Josh Oliver, Brandin Cooks, Isaiah McKenzie and Keith Kirkwood.
- WRs/TEs/RBs that saw multiple red-zone targets that did not register a receiving red-zone score in Week 16 include….. Allen Lazard, Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, George Kittle, Amon-Ra St. Brown, D’Andre Swift, Christian Watson, David Njoku, Van Jefferson, Cade Otton, Leonard Fournette, Joe Mixon, Tony Pollard and Rex Burkhead.
Check out the rest of our weekly fantasy football advice
RUNNING BACKS
| Player | Routes | % of routes run per dropback | Targets | Target Share | Target Rate Per Route Run |
| Saquon Barkley | 40 | 82% | 10 | 24% | 25% |
| Christian McCaffrey | 21 | 81% | 2 | 10% | 10% |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 28 | 76% | 5 | 16% | 18% |
| James Conner | 36 | 75% | 8 | 19% | 22% |
| Alvin Kamara | 11 | 73% | 4 | 29% | 36% |
| Cam Akers | 20 | 69% | 2 | 7% | 10% |
| Kareem Hunt | 22 | 67% | 3 | 11% | 14% |
| DeeJay Dallas | 29 | 66% | 6 | 16% | 21% |
| Jeff Wilson | 17 | 63% | 2 | 8% | 12% |
| Najee Harris | 25 | 63% | 9 | 25% | 36% |
| Jerick McKinnon | 19 | 61% | 3 | 11% | 16% |
| David Montgomery | 19 | 58% | 4 | 16% | 21% |
| Tony Pollard | 25 | 57% | 8 | 23% | 32% |
| Travis Etienne | 20 | 56% | 3 | 10% | 15% |
| Kenneth Gainwell | 23 | 55% | 4 | 12% | 17% |
| Josh Jacobs | 19 | 54% | 1 | 3% | 5% |
| Tyler Allgeier | 20 | 54% | 5 | 16% | 25% |
| D’Andre Swift | 24 | 52% | 5 | 12% | 21% |
| Raheem Mostert | 13 | 48% | 3 | 13% | 23% |
| Leonard Fournette | 23 | 48% | 10 | 21% | 43% |
| Derrick Henry | 13 | 46% | 2 | 10% | 15% |
| Devin Singletary | 14 | 45% | 3 | 12% | 21% |
| Michael Carter | 18 | 45% | 5 | 17% | 28% |
| Dalvin Cook | 22 | 42% | 4 | 9% | 18% |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | 15 | 41% | 1 | 3% | 7% |
| A.J. Dillon | 17 | 40% | 3 | 8% | 18% |
| Latavius Murray | 17 | 40% | 3 | 9% | 18% |
| Joe Mixon | 22 | 40% | 9 | 18% | 41% |
| Hassan Haskins | 11 | 39% | 2 | 10% | 18% |
| Chuba Hubbard | 9 | 39% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| James Cook | 12 | 39% | 2 | 8% | 17% |
| Samaje Perine | 21 | 38% | 4 | 8% | 19% |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 16 | 36% | 1 | 3% | 6% |
| Antonio Gibson | 13 | 36% | 3 | 9% | 23% |
| Chase Edmonds | 15 | 36% | 2 | 6% | 13% |
| J.K. Dobbins | 6 | 33% | 1 | 6% | 17% |
| Khalil Herbert | 11 | 33% | 3 | 12% | 27% |
| Rachaad White | 15 | 31% | 4 | 8% | 27% |
| Jonathan Williams | 11 | 31% | 3 | 9% | 27% |
| JaMycal Hasty | 11 | 31% | 3 | 10% | 27% |
| Alec Ingold | 8 | 30% | 2 | 8% | 25% |
| Isiah Pacheco | 9 | 29% | 2 | 7% | 22% |
| Miles Sanders | 12 | 29% | 1 | 3% | 8% |
| Aaron Jones | 12 | 29% | 2 | 5% | 17% |
| Ameer Abdullah | 10 | 29% | 2 | 7% | 20% |
| Rex Burkhead | 10 | 29% | 2 | 7% | 20% |
| Justice Hill | 5 | 28% | 1 | 6% | 20% |
| Jaylen Warren | 11 | 28% | 2 | 6% | 18% |
| David Johnson | 4 | 27% | 1 | 7% | 25% |
| Kenneth Walker | 11 | 25% | 2 | 5% | 18% |
| Royce Freeman | 8 | 23% | 1 | 3% | 13% |
| Reggie Gilliam | 7 | 23% | 1 | 4% | 14% |
| D’Onta Foreman | 5 | 22% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Nick Chubb | 7 | 21% | 1 | 4% | 14% |
| Zonovan Knight | 8 | 20% | 1 | 3% | 13% |
| Justin Jackson | 9 | 20% | 1 | 2% | 11% |
| Alexander Mattison | 9 | 17% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Dare Ogunbowale | 6 | 17% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Gus Edwards | 3 | 17% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Brian Robinson | 6 | 17% | 1 | 3% | 17% |
| Tyrion Davis-Price | 4 | 15% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Ty Johnson | 6 | 15% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Marlon Mack | 6 | 14% | 1 | 3% | 17% |
| Avery Williams | 5 | 14% | 2 | 6% | 40% |
| Jamaal Williams | 6 | 13% | 2 | 5% | 33% |
| Raheem Blackshear | 3 | 13% | 1 | 5% | 33% |
| Malcolm Brown | 3 | 10% | 1 | 4% | 33% |
| Matt Breida | 5 | 10% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Kyren Williams | 2 | 7% | 1 | 4% | 50% |
| Nyheim Hines | 2 | 6% | 2 | 8% | 100% |
| Keaontay Ingram | 3 | 6% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| C.J. Ham | 3 | 6% | 1 | 2% | 33% |
| Troy Hairston | 2 | 6% | 1 | 3% | 50% |
| Pierre Strong | 2 | 5% | 2 | 6% | 100% |
| Brandon Bolden | 1 | 3% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Snoop Conner | 1 | 3% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Kevin Harris | 1 | 3% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Patrick Taylor | 1 | 2% | 1 | 3% | 100% |
| Ke’Shawn Vaughn | 1 | 2% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Derek Watt | 0 | 0% | 0 | NA | #DIV/0! |
| Ronald Jones | 0 | 0% | 0 | NA | #DIV/0! |
| Gary Brightwell | 0 | 0% | 0 | NA | #DIV/0! |
- RBs that saw multiple carries inside the 10-yard line that did not score in Week 16 include: Tyler Allgeier, Antonio Gibson, Isiah Pacheco, Rhamondre Stevenson, Kenneth Gainwell, Brian Robinson, Travis Etienne, Royce Freeman and Miles Sanders
RB Opportunity Share | Week 16
Goal-line carries (Any carry inside the 10-yard line)
| Player | Carries | Touches | Opportunities | Goal-Line Carries | Goal-line TDs | Snap Share | Overall Opportunity Share |
| James Conner | 15 | 22 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 97% | 96% |
| Derrick Henry | 23 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 74% | 93% |
| Saquon Barkley | 14 | 22 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 91% | 89% |
| Josh Jacobs | 15 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 81% | 84% |
| Dalvin Cook | 14 | 17 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 79% | 82% |
| Travis Etienne | 22 | 25 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 71% | 81% |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 13 | 15 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 91% | 78% |
| Kenneth Walker | 26 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 53% | 78% |
| Joe Mixon | 16 | 23 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 59% | 76% |
| Najee Harris | 16 | 22 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 72% | 76% |
| Leonard Fournette | 20 | 29 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 60% | 71% |
| Nick Chubb | 24 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 53% | 71% |
| Cam Akers | 23 | 25 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 75% | 71% |
| Miles Sanders | 21 | 22 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 54% | 71% |
| Alvin Kamara | 20 | 22 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 70% | 71% |
| David Montgomery | 16 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 67% | 69% |
| Christian McCaffrey | 15 | 17 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 75% | 65% |
| Isiah Pacheco | 14 | 15 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 49% | 64% |
| Tyler Allgeier | 18 | 22 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 59% | 64% |
| Royce Freeman | 16 | 17 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 55% | 63% |
| Brian Robinson | 22 | 22 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 44% | 62% |
| A.J. Dillon | 11 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 58% | 61% |
| D’Onta Foreman | 21 | 21 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 44% | 57% |
| J.K. Dobbins | 12 | 12 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 42% | 54% |
| Tony Pollard | 9 | 15 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 53% | 50% |
| Raheem Mostert | 8 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 52% | 50% |
| Jeff Wilson | 9 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 60% | 50% |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 16 | 17 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 47% | 50% |
| Devin Singletary | 12 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 58% | 48% |
| Latavius Murray | 8 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 46% | 46% |
| Gus Edwards | 11 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 40% | 46% |
| Jamaal Williams | 7 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0% | 24% | 45% |
| D’Andre Swift | 4 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 56% | 45% |
| Michael Carter | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 39% | 44% |
| Zonovan Knight | 6 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 41% | 44% |
| James Cook | 11 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 41% | 42% |
| Aaron Jones | 6 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 38% | 35% |
| Tyrion Davis-Price | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 25% | 35% |
| Chase Edmonds | 6 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 42% | 33% |
| Chuba Hubbard | 12 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 46% | 32% |
| Jerick McKinnon | 5 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 47% | 32% |
| Khalil Herbert | 6 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 41% | 31% |
| Dare Ogunbowale | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 28% | 30% |
| Kareem Hunt | 7 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 47% | 29% |
| Rachaad White | 7 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 36% | 26% |
| Kenneth Gainwell | 4 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 42% | 26% |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 37% | 25% |
| Samaje Perine | 4 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 41% | 24% |
| Jaylen Warren | 6 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 31% | 24% |
| David Johnson | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 28% | 24% |
| DeeJay Dallas | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 46% | 22% |
| Antonio Gibson | 5 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 29% | 22% |
| Marlon Mack | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15% | 21% |
| Kyren Williams | 6 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 12% | 20% |
| JaMycal Hasty | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 25% | 19% |
| Alexander Mattison | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21% | 18% |
| Jonathan Williams | 3 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 27% | 16% |
| Avery Williams | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 17% | 14% |
| Ty Johnson | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20% | 13% |
| Raheem Blackshear | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9% | 11% |
| Ameer Abdullah | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19% | 11% |
| Justin Jackson | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21% | 10% |
| Nyheim Hines | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5% | 10% |
| Alec Ingold | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 54% | 9% |
| Pierre Strong | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4% | 9% |
| Malcolm Brown | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11% | 9% |
| Rex Burkhead | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16% | 7% |
| Hassan Haskins | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25% | 7% |
| Matt Breida | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16% | 7% |
| Snoop Conner | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8% | 6% |
| Adam Prentice | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33% | 6% |
| Brandon Bolden | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4% | 5% |
| C.J. Ham | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18% | 5% |
| Patrick Taylor | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8% | 4% |
| Kevin Harris | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7% | 4% |
| Justice Hill | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13% | 4% |
| Keaontay Ingram | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9% | 4% |
| Ronald Jones | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2% | 4% |
| Gary Brightwell | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1% | 4% |
| Troy Hairston | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12% | 4% |
| Reggie Gilliam | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23% | 3% |
| Derek Watt | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3% | 3% |
| Ke’Shawn Vaughn | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2% | 2% |
More RB1 usage for Mr. Cam Akers in Week 16. The polarizing running back carried the rock 23 times for 118 rushing yards and 3 TDs (all from inside the 10-yard line) as the Rams put the beatdown on the Denver Broncos’ lost season. Akers earned a 71% opportunity share and ran a route on 69% of dropbacks as the team’s clear-cut RB1. With an impressive last month and elite usage the last 2 weeks, Akers has entered must-start territory against the Los Angeles Chargers.
TIGHT ENDS
| Player | Routes | % of routes run per dropback | Targets | Target Share | Target Rate Per Route Run |
| George Kittle | 26 | 100% | 8 | 38% | 31% |
| Mark Andrews | 18 | 100% | 5 | 31% | 28% |
| Daniel Bellinger | 46 | 94% | 2 | 5% | 4% |
| David Njoku | 30 | 91% | 5 | 19% | 17% |
| Logan Thomas | 32 | 89% | 8 | 24% | 25% |
| Dallas Goedert | 37 | 88% | 3 | 9% | 8% |
| Cole Kmet | 29 | 88% | 6 | 24% | 21% |
| Pat Freiermuth | 35 | 88% | 8 | 22% | 23% |
| Travis Kelce | 27 | 87% | 8 | 30% | 30% |
| T.J. Hockenson | 45 | 87% | 16 | 34% | 36% |
| Dalton Schultz | 38 | 86% | 4 | 11% | 11% |
| Trey McBride | 41 | 85% | 4 | 10% | 10% |
| Tyler Higbee | 24 | 83% | 11 | 39% | 46% |
| Cade Otton | 38 | 79% | 7 | 15% | 18% |
| Greg Dulcich | 33 | 79% | 8 | 24% | 24% |
| Evan Engram | 28 | 78% | 8 | 27% | 29% |
| Tyler Conklin | 29 | 73% | 4 | 13% | 14% |
| Dawson Knox | 21 | 68% | 5 | 20% | 24% |
| Juwan Johnson | 10 | 67% | 2 | 14% | 20% |
| Austin Hooper | 18 | 64% | 4 | 20% | 22% |
| Jordan Akins | 21 | 60% | 3 | 10% | 14% |
| Robert Tonyan | 25 | 60% | 2 | 5% | 8% |
| Jonnu Smith | 21 | 57% | 4 | 13% | 19% |
| Mitchell Wilcox | 31 | 56% | 6 | 12% | 19% |
| Josh Oliver | 10 | 56% | 3 | 19% | 30% |
| Noah Fant | 24 | 55% | 3 | 8% | 13% |
| Tommy Tremble | 12 | 52% | 2 | 10% | 17% |
| Darren Waller | 17 | 49% | 5 | 17% | 29% |
| Shane Zylstra | 22 | 48% | 6 | 15% | 27% |
| Isaiah Likely | 8 | 44% | 2 | 13% | 25% |
| Ian Thomas | 10 | 43% | 3 | 14% | 30% |
| Brycen Hopkins | 12 | 41% | 3 | 11% | 25% |
| Taysom Hill | 6 | 40% | 0 | NA | 0% |
| Foster Moreau | 14 | 40% | 3 | 10% | 21% |
| Brevin Jordan | 14 | 40% | 2 | 7% | 14% |
| Chigoziem Okonkwo | 11 | 39% | 2 | 10% | 18% |
| Noah Gray | 12 | 39% | 1 | 4% | 8% |
| Mike Gesicki | 10 | 37% | 2 | 8% | 20% |
| Colby Parkinson | 16 | 36% | 4 | 11% | 25% |
| Parker Hesse | 13 | 35% | 1 | 3% | 8% |
| MyCole Pruitt | 13 | 35% | 1 | 3% | 8% |
| C.J. Uzomah | 14 | 35% | 1 | 3% | 7% |
| Adam Trautman | 5 | 33% | 0 | 0% | 0% |
| Marcedes Lewis | 13 | 31% | 2 | 5% | 15% |
| Devin Asiasi | 15 | 27% | 2 | 4% | 13% |
| Anthony Firkser | 10 | 27% | 3 | 10% | 30% |
| Durham Smythe | 7 | 26% | 1 | 4% | 14% |
| Zach Gentry | 10 | 25% | 1 | 3% | 10% |
| Brock Wright | 11 | 24% | 1 | 2% | 9% |
| James Mitchell | 10 | 22% | 2 | 5% | 20% |
| Will Dissly | 9 | 20% | 1 | 3% | 11% |
| Teagan Quitoriano | 7 | 20% | 1 | 3% | 14% |
| Josiah Deguara | 8 | 19% | 1 | 3% | 13% |
| Jake Ferguson | 7 | 16% | 1 | 3% | 14% |
| Ryan Griffin | 5 | 15% | 1 | 4% | 20% |
| Connor Heyward | 6 | 15% | 3 | 8% | 50% |
| Dan Arnold | 5 | 14% | 1 | 3% | 20% |
| Johnny Mundt | 7 | 13% | 1 | 2% | 14% |
| Geoff Swaim | 3 | 11% | 1 | 5% | 33% |
| Stephen Anderson | 4 | 8% | 2 | 5% | 50% |
Logan Thomas finally put together a decent fantasy outing after 15 weeks of uninspiring play. The Washington Commanders tight end drew 8 targets (6 from Carson Wentz, 38% target share) while running a route on 89% of dropbacks. Best usage he has seen all year. If Wentz is named the starter in Week 17, LT is a viable streaming option.
HIGH-VALUE TARGETS:
RED-ZONE TARGETS, AIR YARDS AND DEEP TARGETS
| Player | Air Yards Share | Air Yards | Deep Catches | Deep Targets | Red-Zone Targets | Red-Zone TDs |
| Brycen Hopkins | 45% | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | 42% | 135 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Travis Kelce | 42% | 83 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| George Kittle | 39% | 65 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Josh Oliver | 36% | 70 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper | 28% | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darren Waller | 27% | 76 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Higbee | 24% | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Greg Dulcich | 24% | 89 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Juwan Johnson | 23% | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| David Njoku | 22% | 58 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Evan Engram | 21% | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 20% | 36 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mark Andrews | 20% | 39 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dawson Knox | 19% | 56 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Logan Thomas | 17% | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cade Otton | 14% | 32 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Colby Parkinson | 14% | 37 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dallas Goedert | 14% | 50 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | 13% | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| C.J. Uzomah | 11% | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dan Arnold | 10% | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Kmet | 10% | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chigoziem Okonkwo | 10% | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Akins | 10% | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marcedes Lewis | 9% | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Shane Zylstra | 8% | 27 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Foster Moreau | 8% | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Teagan Quitoriano | 8% | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dalton Schultz | 8% | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daniel Bellinger | 7% | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Noah Fant | 7% | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Anthony Firkser | 6% | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitchell Wilcox | 6% | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trey McBride | 5% | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Likely | 5% | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| James Mitchell | 5% | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ian Thomas | 5% | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephen Anderson | 4% | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonnu Smith | 4% | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parker Hesse | 3% | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Tonyan | 3% | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Will Dissly | 3% | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MyCole Pruitt | 3% | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tommy Tremble | 2% | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tyler Conklin | 2% | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brevin Jordan | 2% | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Asiasi | 2% | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Griffin | 1% | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Josiah Deguara | 1% | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brock Wright | 1% | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Gentry | 1% | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Noah Gray | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Johnny Mundt | 0% | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Durham Smythe | 0% | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Ferguson | 0% | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Connor Heyward | -1% | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Geoff Swaim | -5% | -4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Pat Freiermuth bounced back after coming off the injury report, earning a 22% target share in Week 16. The Steelers tight end caught 7 of his 8 targets for 66 yards while running a route on 88% of dropbacks. The MUTH is loose. AGAIN.
TOP TAKEAWAYS
New York Jets (Week 17 @ Seattle Seahawks)
- Zach Wilson played so poorly on Thursday night that he was benched in favor of preseason superstar Chris Streveler in the second half. But neither quarterback could quite provide the spark needed for the Jets to score more than 3 points – which came on their first drive that started at the Jacksonville 16-yard line due to a Trevor Lawrence fumble.
- Streveler actually led the Jets in carries (9) and rushing yards (54). Should he start in Week 17, it would likely cap the volume for all Jets RBs.
- Garrett Wilson led the team with a 30% target share (9 targets) but he was only able to haul in 4 catches for 30 yards. He also lost a fumble. Corey Davis made his return to the lineup and operated as the clear-cut WR2 earning a 23% target share and 100% route participation. He led the team in total air yards (107), but caught just 2-of-7 targets for 14 yards. Elijah Moore saw just 3 targets and ran a route on 81% of the dropbacks.
- Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight split backfield touches 7 apiece (44% opportunity share), but Carter provided more fantasy value with his role in the passing game. He caught all five of his targets for a team-leading 44 receiving yards while leading the backfield in routes run. Knight displayed major struggles off the ankle injury, rushing for -2 yards on 6 carries. He caught one pass for 15 yards. The silver lining with Knight is that he has 10 days to get healthy between now and the Jets’ next game in Week 17. Also, he still played more snaps than Carter (41% vs. 39%) and owns a plus-matchup in Week 17 versus the Seattle Seahawks.
- More of the same from the Jets tight end room. Tyler Conklin saw solid usage – 73% route participation, 71% snap share – catching all four of his targets for 34 yards. He will be a fringe fantasy TE1 next week versus Seattle, based on the matchup alone.
Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 17 @ Houston Texans)
- Evan Engram doesn’t care how bad the weather is. The Jaguars tight end emerged from the MetLife Stadium monsoon as Lawrence’s go-to playmaker catching 7-of-8 targets (27% target share) for 113 receiving yards, 95 of the yards coming after the catch. With his elite usage – 78% route participation – mirroring elite fantasy production over the last several weeks, Engram is locked into all fantasy lineups for Week 17 versus the Houston Texans. He caught 6 balls for 69 yards on 10 targets the last time he played them.
- Second behind Engram in targets was Christian Kirk (6, 20%), but he was not nearly as successful. The Jags No. 1 WR finished with just 3 catches for 22 yards with 1 carry for 4 yards. He ran a route on 100% of the dropbacks.
- Zay Jones predictably struggled in the poor weather conditions in a tough matchup finishing with just one catch for 14 yards (4 targets).
- Travis Etienne maintained his bellcow status on Thursday night, despite getting shaken up in the first half. The Jags fed the second-year running back to the tune of 22 carries for 83 rushing yards, along with 3 catches for 29 yards on 3 targets.
- 81% opportunity share, 25 touches, 71% snap share and 56% route participation.
- Although, I do want to cite the constant lack of willingness to feature ETN more as a receiver. When Etienne was spelled early in the game for JaMycal Hasty, Hasty immediately came in and commanded 2 targets. The No. 2 RB finished with just 4 touches.
- Etienne will be a top-5 fantasy RB in Week 17 vs. the Texans.
Atlanta Falcons (Week 17 versus Arizona Cardinals)
- Tyler Allgeier has fully taken over the Falcons backfield. The rookie carried the ball 18 times for 74 rushing yards and added 4 receptions on 5 targets for 43 yards and a season-high 64% opportunity share of the Atlanta backfield. His day would have been even better, but he failed to convert any of his 3 carries inside the 10-yard line into touchdowns. Cordarrelle Patterson had just one target and 8 carries for 17 yards (25% opportunity share)
- Drake London led the receivers with a 29% target share, hauling in 7 of 9 targets for 96 receiving yards. Over the last two weeks with Desmond Ridder at quarterback, the first-round rookie has earned a 36% target share (10 targets, 7 receptions and 83 receiving yards per game).
Baltimore Ravens (Week 17 versus Pittsburgh Steelers)
- J.K. Dobbins led the Ravens with a team-high 12 carries for 59 rushing yards, but Gus Edwards was equally as involved. The Gus Bus rushed for 99 yards on 11 carries, with the backfield operating at a near-even split with a slight edge toward Dobbins, who drew the start and played the most snaps (42%).
- Mark Andrews led the Ravens with a 31% target share but caught just 3 of his 5 targets for 45 scoreless yards. His struggles continue without Lamar Jackson. Baltimore went extremely run-heavy in this game, as no other player saw more than 3 targets.
- No. 2 tight end Josh Oliver saw 3 targets and led the team with 70 air yards. Sammy Watkins also made his 2022 debut for the Ravens and caught one pass for 40 yards. However, he was not a full-time player, running a route on just 44% of dropbacks. His presence reduced the role of Demarcus Robinson, who also ran a route on just 44% of dropbacks and played 54% of the snaps (the most of all Ravens WRs). However, D-Rob did score on his one catch from the 4-yard line.
New York Giants (Week 17 versus Indianapolis Colts)
- Isaiah Hodgins caught 8 of 11 targets for 89 yards and 1 TD as the Giants WR fantasy and air yards leader. He ran just one fewer route than Darius Slayton. Slayton saw the fewest number of targets (6) among the Giants top three wideouts. Since Week 13, Slayton (19%) is actually trailing both Hodgins (20%) and Richie James Jr. (21%) in target share. He also has the fewest fantasy points scored.
- In Week 16 James led the Giants in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in the loss to Minnesota. 29% target share (12 targets, 29% target rate) and 8 catches for 90 yards. Should have a super favorable matchup incoming as the primary slot WR versus the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17.
- Saquon Barkley went full workhorse on the Minnesota Vikings carrying the ball 14 times for 84 rushing yards and 1 TD while playing a whopping 91% snap share. Barkley also commanded 10 targets for 8 catches and 49 receiving yards. All in all, he totaled 22 touches in Week 16.
Minnesota Vikings (Week 17 @ Green Bay Packers)
- The Giants continue to be a matchup to target for fantasy TEs. T.J. Hockenson went OFF against Big Blue: 13 catches for 109 yards and 2 TDs on a whopping 16 targets (34%) – identical to WR1 Justin Jefferson. Jefferson hardly was left out, hauling in 12 balls for 133 yards and another TD.
- But Adam Thielen was irrelevant again, catching just one pass for 6 yards on 5 targets. Back-to-back dud weeks for Thielen (9% target share) despite Kirk Cousins averaging 50-plus pass attempts tells you everything you need to know about his fantasy prospects for the rest of the season. He cannot be trusted.
Washington Commanders (Week 17 versus Cleveland Browns)
- Logan Thomas finally put together a decent fantasy outing after 15 weeks of uninspiring play. The Washington Commanders tight end drew 8 targets (6 from Carson Wentz, 38% target share) while running a route on 89% of dropbacks. Best usage he has seen all year. If Wentz is named the starter in Week 17, LT is a viable streaming option.
- Brian Robinson dominated all the touches in the Washington backfield – 62% opportunity share, 22 total touches, 44% snap share – but he was only able to muster 58 rushing yards. Antonio Gibson had just 7 touches (3 targets) while running just 2 more routes than Jonathan Williams (3 targets from Wentz).
- B-Rob should be in for a major bounce back though versus Cleveland. He went 0-for-4 from inside the 10-yard line. The second week in a row he was shut out at the goal line. AG also saw two carries inside the 10-yard line but failed to score.
- Jahan Dotson led the Commanders with a 26% target share (9 targets) catching 6 balls for 76 yards and 1 TD. He also led the team with 114 air yards
- The rookie has averaged 14.3 fantasy points per game in games that Wentz has either started or played in this season.
- If Wentz does start in Week 17, I’d be concerned about Terry McLaurin, who saw just one target from Wentz in Week 16. He also was targeted less frequently by Wentz to start the year compared to when Taylor Heinicke was under center.
San Francisco 49ers (Week 17 @ Las Vegas Raiders)
- Christian McCaffrey saw a slightly lesser workload – 17 touches, 75% snap share, 65% opportunity share – but Jordan Mason not operating as the RB2 was more surprising. However, Mason was injured on the opening kickoff after appearing on the injury report with a hamstring this week. Hence why Tyrion Davis-Price – 9 carries for 30 yards – got some run alongside CMC.
- George Kittle rolled over his dominant Week 15 performance with another elite outing versus the Commanders: 6 catches for 120 yards and two receiving TDs on a team-high 8 targets (38% target share). He ran a route on 100% of dropbacks. Kittle now leads the 49ers in catches, yards and targets over the last 3 games (27% target share).
- Brandon Aiyuk maintained his top-tier usage – 96% route participation – and finally converted worthwhile fantasy production. 5 catches for 81 yards on 7 targets (33% target share). Must-start versus Las Vegas in Week 17.
- Jauan Jennings sustained his No. 2 WR role, running a route on 88% of dropbacks.
Detroit Lions (Week 17 versus Chicago Bears)
- D’Andre Swift started for the Lions and played a team-high 56% snap share among Detroit running backs. He rushed just 4 times for 12 yards and caught one of his 5 targets (2 RZ targets, 45% opportunity share). The snap increase also coincided with Jamaal Williams exiting in the 3rd quarter with a leg injury. Justin Jackson – 21% snap share – would likely see an increased role, but be wary that the team could also activate Craig Reynolds to the active roster if they desire a 3-man RB committee.
- Should you empty the clip for Shane Zylstra and his 3 TDs from Week 16? Not likely. He ran a route on just 44% of the dropbacks as he continued to split time with 2 other Lions tight ends. He should be the highest-ranked Detroit tight end moving forward, but this 3-TD effort screams flash in the pan.
- Instead, I look forward to playing D.J. Chark who continues to produce alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown, who failed to score on 6 of his red-zone targets. Zylstra went a perfect 3-for-3 on his 3 red-zone targets.
- ASB owned the volume – 32% target share, 7 for 76 on 13 targets – but Chark consistently delivers splash downfield plays.
- He led the Lions with 108 receiving yards on just 4 catches and 5 targets. He caught both of his 20-plus air-yard throws from Jared Goff. Also ran a route on 83% of dropbacks.
- Excluding the tough matchup versus the Jets, Chark is averaging 100 receiving yards per game over his last 3 contests. Expect his hot streak to continue against Chicago’s pass defense that ranks 29th in pass DVOA.
Carolina Panthers (Week 17 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Chuba Hubbard drew the start for the Panthers in Week 16, delivering a worthwhile fantasy outing against a surging Lions run defense. Hubbard rushed 12 times for 125 yards and played 46% of the snaps. He actually out-snapped D’Onta Foreman (44%) but the latter was leaned on heavily as the Panthers’ ground attack could not be stopped on Christmas Eve.
- Foreman totaled 21 carries for 165 yards and 1 TD, putting to rest the narrative that the Lions run defense should be feared for fantasy RBs. The bruising back earned a 57% opportunity share for his efforts and scored on 1 of his two carries inside the 10-yard line. Neither Hubbard nor Foreman was targeted.
- D.J. Moore led the Panthers with a 33% target share catching 5 for 7 targets for 83 yards and 1 TD. He ran a route on 100% of the dropbacks per usual. Nobody else saw more than 3 targets.
- Since Sam Darnold took over starting QB duties in Week 12, Moore owns a 29% target share (9th), 57% air yards share (1st) and 3 receiving TDs.
Houston Texans (Week 17 versus Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Brandin Cooks returned to the lineup after a long layoff and immediately reclaimed WR1 duties. The veteran commanded a 31% target share (9 targets) and 41% air yards share (112). Cooks turned the usage into 4 catches for 34 and 1 TD.
- Chris Moore led the Texans in routes run (94%) but finished with just 2 catches for 25 yards on 4 targets.
- Royce Freeman led the Texans backfield in snaps (55%), opportunities (17, 63%) and carries (16) in their Week 16 victory over the Titans. He started the game and has fully taken on the Dameon Pierce role in the offense. Totaled 2 carries inside the 10-yard line but couldn’t punch it in for a score. Houston faces the Jaguars in Week 17. You could do worse.
- TE Teagan Quitoriano left the game with a knee injury.
Tennessee Titans (Week 17 versus Dallas Cowboys)
- Would you expect anything else from Derrick Henry in a matchup versus the Houston Texans? 23 carries for 126 rushing yards and 1 TD – good for a 93% opportunity share and 25 total touches. No other RB had a carry.
- The Titans attempted just 23 passes with Malik Willis under center, so there weren’t many notable performances from the receivers.
- Robert Woods and Austin Hooper tied for the most targets (4, 20%) with the former running the most routes. Woods led the team with 4 catches for a crisp 30 yards. Treylon Burks ran a route on 82% of dropbacks but saw just 2 targets.
- Chigoziem Okonkwo‘s hot run also came to an end. The rookie tight end saw just 2 targets. But to make matters worse, he played fewer snaps than Hooper (49% vs. 46%) and ran a route on just 39% of dropbacks. Hooper’s route run rate ended at 64%.
New Orleans Saints (Week 17 @ Philadelphia Eagles)
- Rashid Shaheed posted a 36% target share in Week 16, catching four of his 5 targets for 41 yards amid horrible weather conditions in Cleveland. He operated as the clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver running a route on 93% of dropbacks (36% target rate). He could see steady volume for another consecutive week if Chris Olave cannot return from his hamstring injury.
- Tre’Quan Smith (61% snap share), Marquez Callaway (48% snap share) and Keith Kirkwood (30% snap share) rounded out the receiving corps without Olave in the lineup. Kirkwood was the only one to record any targets (2).
- Alvin Kamara finished with 20 carries for 76 yards and 1 rushing TD adding 2 catches on 4 targets (29% target share). AK41 earned a 71% opportunity share while splitting work with David Johnson – 7 carries for 16 yards, 1 target.
- Taysom Hill didn’t see a massive role increase – 9 carries for 56 yards and 1 TD – but his 9 touches were enough to be worthy of a tight end start in fantasy football. He out-carried Kamara 3-to-1 inside the 10-yard line.
Cleveland Browns (Week 17 @ Washington Commanders)
- Nick Chubb feasted in the bad weather – 24 carries for 92 yards, 1 catch for 10 yards – while Kareem Hunt‘s underwhelming season persisted. Hunt totaled 8 yards in 7 carries and caught 3 passes for 14 yards. 71% opportunity share for Chubb.
- Amari Cooper was the Browns target leader again (37%) and ended Week 16 with just 6 six catches for 72 yards (10 targets, 34% target rate per route run). Despite the weather conditions, Cooper compiled 130 air yards.
- David Njoku and Donovan Peoples-Jones each earned 5 targets (19%), but combined for just 3 catches and 16 receiving yards. Woof. Still the usage remained top-tier.
- DPJ ran a route on 100% of dropbacks, and Njoku ran on 91% of dropbacks.
- Njoku went 0-for-2 in the red zone while both Cooper and DPJ went 0-for-2 on their deep targets.
New England Patriots (Week 17 versus the Miami Dolphins)
- Kendrick Bourne had an explosive performance for the Patriots on Christmas Eve, catching 7-of-9 targets for 100 receiving yards and 1 TD. He was targeted on 41% of his routes run and was targeted 20-plus yards downfield on five different Mac Jones throws.
- The only issue with Bourne is there’s no telling how his role will change if and/when DeVante Parker returns. I’d imagine the Patriots would reduce Tyquan Thornton‘s role – 92% route participation – while keeping Bourne as a starter alongside Jakobi Meyers – 100% route participation.
- Hunter Henry left this game with an injury after playing just 5% of the snaps. As a result, Jonnu Smith ran a route on a season-high 57% of dropbacks and played 57% of the snaps. As unreliable and disappointing as Smith has been since becoming a Patriot, it’s hard to not view him as a solid streaming option should Henry miss Week 17. The Dolphins are a top-3 defense in most fantasy points allowed to tight ends this season. However, Smith’s availability is also in question with him leaving in the 4th quarter with a head injury.
- Say it ain’t so Rhamondre Stevenson. The Patriots most-talented player on offense got the ideal usage – 78% opportunity share, 91% snap share – but just could not turn out any fantasy production. He went 13 for 30 as a rusher and caught just 2 of his 5 targets for 3 yards. Stevenson also went 0-for-5 rushing inside the 10-yard line including a lost fumble that cost the Patriots a chance at a 4th quarter comeback. You truly hate to see it. If Damien Harris comes back from his thigh injury, I’d hardly be surprised to see Stevenson take a backseat in some form, especially from inside the 10-yard line.
- Stevenson and Harris both have scored 3 TDs from inside the 10-yard line this season. Stevenson has 18 carries (11th) versus Harris’ 5. Woof.
Cincinnati Bengals (Week 17 versus Buffalo Bills)
- Tyler Boyd only ran a route on 64% of Joe Burrow‘s dropbacks on Saturday, extremely low usage for a WR used in almost every 3WR set. No. 4 WR Trenton Irwin actually ate more into Boyd’s playing time (season-low 51% snap share) with the slot WR dealing with his lingering finger injury. Both guys commanded 4 targets, but Irwin scored twice (and almost scored thrice).
- The split usage between the two ancillary receivers combined with Hayden Hurst‘s eventual return makes both unplayable in the fantasy football championships.
- Joe Mixon carried the ball 16 times for 65 rushing yards and caught 7 balls on 9 targets for 43 yards in Week 16. Mixon out-touched Samaje Perine (23 vs. 7). The snaps aren’t as high as they once were for Mixon to start the year (59%) with Perine more involved, but Mixon’s involved seemingly every time he is on the field. He was targeted on 41% of routes.
- Ja’Marr Chase still led the Bengals with a 22% target share (11) and air yards (32%, 108) catching 8 balls for 79 yards. Tee Higgins was the most productive Bengals WR, going for 128 yards and 1 TD on 9 targets. Both players ran a route on 100% of Joe Burrow‘s dropbacks.
Chicago Bears (Week 17 @ Detroit Lions)
- Khalil Herbert made his return from the IR and played 41% of the Bears offensive snaps – his highest snap count since Week 7. David Montgomery still dominated the backfield share – 69% opportunity share – but it’s at least encouraging that Herbert saw 9 opportunities (including 3 targets, and 11 routes run) after time away. His 27% target rate was the highest on the team.
- Like clockwork, Cole Kmet led the Bears with 6 targets (24% target share), catching 56 for 27 yards. He remains a stone-cold floor play among TEs. Won’t give you a zero, but not much more after that.
- After Kmet, Dante Pettis owned a 20% target share (5 targets). The Bears slot WR caught 2 passes for 11 yards and scored. Although Byron Pringle played the most snaps and ran the most routes (91%). Rookie Velus Jones ran a route on 58% of dropbacks and led the team with 52 receiving yards and 73 air yards. He doubled Pringle’s targets (4 vs. 2).
Buffalo Bills (Week 17 @ Cincinnati Bengals)
- Finally something interesting. In Week 16 versus the Chicago Bears, Isaiah McKenzie played fewer snaps and ran fewer routes than 5th-round rookie Khalil Shakir. Neither did much of anything in the box score, but the usage is worth noting as Buffalo prepares for the postseason.
- Devin Singletary (48% opportunity share) and James Cook (41% opportunity share) split backfield duties with both guys delivering productive games. Singletary went 12-106-1, and Cook rushed 11-99-1. Singletary had the bigger edge on snaps (58% vs. 41%) and routes run but the dual usage overall from all facets suggests we have a classic 1A-1B backfield. Over the last four weeks, Cook has definitely solidified his role on offense, averaging a 40% snap rate. He has never hit that number prior to Week 13.
- Gabe Davis led the Bills with a strong 24% target share albeit on 6 targets. He only managed 3 catches in the windy conditions for a “team-high” 45 yards and one TD.
- Dawson Knox also scored – 3-38-1 – but he did see his route participation dip (68%).
Seattle Seahawks (Week 17 versus New York Jets)
- Kenneth Walker served as the Seahawks bellcow on Christmas Eve, seizing a 78% opportunity share. He carried the ball 26 times for 107 yards and added two catches for -2 yards (2 targets). Although it was less than ideal to see DeeJay Dallas return from injury and supplant Walker as the team’s primary RB pass-catcher with Travis Homer ruled out early with his own injury. Dallas ran a route on 64% of Geno Smith‘s dropbacks and earned 6 targets.
- DK Metcalf commanded a 24% target share and 33% air yards share without Tyler Lockett active. The big-bodied wideout caught 7-of-9 targets for 81 yards. No. 2 WR was journeyman WR Laquon Treadwell, who ran a route on 86% of dropbacks. He was required to play more with Marquise Goodwin hampered by his wrist injury. Goodwin caught zero of his 4 targets and ran a route on 64% of dropbacks.
- No. 3 tight end Colby Parkinson ran more routes and played more snaps than Will Dissly for the first time all season. He may have been held back based on a knee injury reported after the game.
Kansas City Chiefs (Week 17 versus Denver Broncos)
- After it looked like Jerick McKinnon had fully taken over the Chiefs backfield, Isiah Pacheco fired back. The Chiefs RB1 played 49% of the snaps to McKinnon’s 47% and dominated the backfield touches with a 64% opportunity share. McKinnon was still the more involved receiver (3 targets, 61% route participation), but Pacheco remained the early-down grinder. He rushed for 58 yards on 14 carries, but came up short on his two carries inside the 10-yard line.
- McKinnon still saw two red-zone touches as well and scored on a pass inside the 20-yard line.
- Both will be top-20 running back options against a Denver Broncos defense that cannot stop anyone and just fired their head coach.
- No one Chiefs pass-catcher stood out in Week 16 except for Travis Kelce (30% target share, 6 for 113).
- JuJu Smith-Schuster led the team in routes run (83%), followed by Justin Watson (74%), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (55%), Kadarius Toney (29%) and Skyy Moore (19%). Smith-Schuster and Watson each saw 4 targets with the latter demanding the most air yards (65, 33%).
Dallas Cowboys (Week 17 @ Tennessee Titans)
- Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard continued their split usage as both earned 50% of the backfield opportunities. Elliott (16 for 55 and 1 TD on the ground, with 3 carries inside the 10) and Pollard (6-61 receiving on 8 targets) reprised their rushing and receiving roles respectively. Pollard ran more routes (57%), played more snaps (53% vs. 47%) and also commanded 2 red-zone targets.
- Michael Gallup led the Cowboys in routes run (93%) commanding 7 targets for 4 catches, 36 yards and 1 TD.
- CeeDee Lamb was the true alpha though, earning a 31% target share and scoring twice on 10 catches for 120 receiving yards (11 targets).
- Dalton Schultz ran a route on 86% of dropbacks, but only saw 4 targets (3-43).
Philadelphia Eagles (Week 17 versus New Orleans Saints)
- Miles Sanders led the Eagles charge with 21 carries for 65 yards in Gardner Minshew‘s first start of the season. But Sanders’ lack of receiving usage reared its ugly head as he saw just one target for 6 yards.
- Sanders only played 54% of the snaps to Kenneth Gainwell‘s 42% snap share. Gainwell also ran more routes (55% vs 29%), saw more targets (4) and out-touched the start 3 vs. 2 on carries inside the 10-yard line. If the Eagles aren’t playing with a positive game script, Sanders’ super low fantasy floor is revealed.
- DeVonta Smith led the Eagles with a 35% target share and 42% air yards share catching 8-of-12 targets for 113 yards and two receiving TDs. But A.J. Brown was not left out, seizing a 24% target share while also surpassing the 100-yard mark on 6 catches (8 targets).
- First game back for Dallas Goedert was exactly what you wanted to see. 88% route participation and 94% snap share. Only 3 targets, but DG caught all 3 for 67 yards because he’s #good.
Pittsburgh Steelers (Week 17 @ Baltimore Ravens)
- Najee Harris took over Saturday night. 76% opportunity share carrying the ball on 16 attempts for 53 yards to go along with 9 targets (6 for 42). His 25% target share led the team. Jaylen Warren was just sprinkled in (6 for 23 rushing, 1 catch on 2 targets).
- Pat Freiermuth bounced back after coming off the injury report, earning a 22% target share. The Steelers tight end caught 7 of his 8 targets for 66 yards while running a route on 88% of dropbacks. The MUTH is loose. AGAIN.
- Diontae Johnson‘s numbers decreased (5-64 on 7 targets) as has been the case when Kenny Pickett has been the quarterback. Still, DJ out-targeted George Pickens (5 vs. 7) but the rookie was more efficient with his first-year quarterback.
- Pickens ran a route on 95% of dropbacks catching all 5 targets for 57 yards and 1 touchdown.
Las Vegas Raiders (Week 17 versus San Francisco 49ers)
- Still very unsure what the Raiders are doing with Darren Waller. A week after he came back it wasn’t shocking that he had a reduced role. But in Week 16, Las Vegas had him running a route on just 49% of dropbacks. That was worse than in Week 15 (66%). Woof. Hard to project more than middling production from Waller – 4 for 58 on 5 targets – if he is not being used like an elite fantasy tight end.
- Hunter Renfrow‘s role did change slightly, with him running a route on 66% of dropbacks (59% in Week 15). Renfrow also was more involved catching 4 of 7 targets (23% target share) for 42 yards and 1 TD. He was targeted on 30% of his routes run and could be a sneaky start in Week 17 versus a slot-funnel 49ers secondary.
Green Bay Packers (Week 17 vs. Minnesota Vikings)
- Christian Watson missed the entire second half of the Packers’ contest on Christmas Day with a hip injury. In relief we saw Romeo Doubs finish second on the team in route runs (60%) while commanding 6 targets, catching 3 for 36 yards (24% target rate per route run). Should Watson miss anytime, Doubs would be an easy plug-in WR option off the waiver wire ahead of a juicy matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings.
- Randall Cobb ran a route on just 50 % of dropbacks.
- Aaron Rodgers completed 24-38 passes for 238 yards and 1 TD and 1 INT versus the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day. Although you have to be somewhat concerned about his true upside if he is without his star rookie, considering he threw for just 124 yards and the interception without Watson in the second half. In the first half alone, Watson led the offense with 8 targets (3 red-zone targets) catching 6 for 49 yards.
- Rodgers also has not scored more than 20 fantasy points at home this season.
- Allen Lazard would go on to finish as the Packers most productive WR, catching 5 balls for 61 yards on a team-high 11 targets (29% target share, 43% air yards share). Also led with a whopping 143 air yards.
- A.J. Dillon took on the RB1 role for the Packers in Week 16, seizing a 61% opportunity share and 58% snap share. He totaled 11 carries for 36 yards and 1 TD and caught 2 of 3 targets for 12 yards. He also ran a route on 40% of dropbacks. Meanwhile, Aaron Jones played second fiddle on Christmas Day.
- Jones totaled 6 carries for 25 yards, played 38% of the snaps and ran a route on just 29% of dropbacks.
- After the game Jones said that he hurt his ankle which explains the limited workload. Even if he gets healthier for Week 17, it’s hard to imagine Green Bay going away from Dillon after he has posted a month of impressive stat lines including 5 rushing touchdowns.
Miami Dolphins (Week 17 @ New England Patriots)
- Raheem Mostert started for the Dolphins but the workload with Jeff Wilson Jr. was a dead split. Mostert (8 for 45) and Wilson (9 for 27 and 1 TD) each saw a 50% opportunity share. Only difference was that Wilson scored as he handled both carries inside the 10-yard line. Wilson also ran more routes, but Mostert had more targets (3 vs. 2).
- Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combined for 50% of the team’s targets and 76% of the team’s air yards. Same old story with Miami’s top-heavy passing game.
- Hill led in air yards (135, 51%) while Waddle led in receiving yards (143) with a TD on one of his 5 catches.
Denver Broncos (Week 17 @ Kansas City Chiefs)
- The Broncos got the doors blown off Christmas Day. So much so, that Russell Wilson only played 75% of the snaps.
- Chase Edmonds‘ snap count and touches are very much inflated from the blow-out loss. 6 of his 8 touches came with Brett Rypien in at quarterback. Ergo, it’s still only Latavius Murray and nobody else from this backfield. But even he is risky with Jerry Rosburg taking over as interim head coach after the team fired Nathaniel Hackett on Monday.
- Jerry Jeudy led with a 29% target share, going for 117 yards on 6 catches. Encouraging that his status as the No. 1 target did not falter with Courtland Sutton (5-64 on 7 targets) back in the starting lineup. Both guys saw 120-plus air yards, with Jeudy catching two of his 20-plus air yard throws.
- Tight end Greg Dulcich was a near every-down player – 79% route participation – and scored on his lone red-zone target (8 targets total, 24% target share). And that was despite him battling a hamstring injury late in the game.
Los Angeles Rams (Week 17 @ Los Angeles Chargers)
- More RB1 usage for Mr. Cam Akers. The polarizing running back carried the rock 23 times for 118 rushing yards and 3 TDs (all from inside the 10-yard line) as the Rams put the beatdown on the Denver Broncos’ lost season. Akers earned a 71% opportunity share and ran a route on 69% of dropbacks as the team’s clear-cut RB1. With an impressive last month and elite usage the last 2 weeks, Akers has entered must-start territory against the Los Angeles Chargers
- Tyler Higbee led all Rams pass-catchers with a 39% target share hauling in 9 of his 11 targets for 94 yards and 2 TDs (4 red-zone targets). But more importantly he ran a route on 83% of dropbacks – the usage you love to see for any tight end in fantasy. He’s back in the circle of trust with a team-high 24% target share with Baker Mayfield at quarterback.
- Van Jefferson ran a route on 100% of dropbacks, which he does every week. Still, not many targets (5) or much production (3 for 19). He failed to convert either of his 2 red-zone targets into a score.
Arizona Cardinals (Week 17 @ Atlanta Falcons)
- Greg Dortch ran more routes (79% vs. 73%) and played more snaps than Marquise Brown who entered Sunday night with a groin injury. The Cardinals slot WR delivered another big game with 10 grabs for 98 yards on 11 targets. He led Arizona with a 26% target share and 29% target rate per route run.
- In Dortch’s last 3 games as a full-time player he has commanded at least 10 targets. He’s got a plus-matchup in Week 17 vs. the Falcons.
- DeAndre Hopkins‘ statline is one for the ages. 10 targets, but one catch for 4 yards. He had 146 air yards. WOOF. Major downgrade for Hopkins if McSorely is back at QB in Week 17. Especially with a tough CB matchup projected with A.J. Terrell.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Week 17 versus the Carolina Panthers)
- Rachaad White started this game, but it was really the Leonard Fournette show. Fournette out-carried White 20 to 7, doubling his rushing yardage with the extra volume (72 vs. 36). Fournette totaled an elite 71% opportunity share as he played a massive role in the receiving game catching 9-of-10 targets (21%) for 90 yards. He also ran more routes than White (48%). The rookie did salvage his fantasy outing with 4 catches of his own for 17 yards, including a TD score.
- WR Chris Godwin tied with Fournette for the team-lead in targets. The Bucs slot WR caught 8 balls for 63 yards. Mike Evans finished with just 3 catches for 29 yards on 8 targets. Evans also led the team in air yards (81). Woof. Evans will look rebound versus a Jaycee Horn-less Carolina secondary in Week 17.
- Cade Otton took over starting TE1 duties for the first time this season when Cameron Brate was upright in the lineup. The rookie ran a route on 79% of dropbacks and he played 84% of the snaps. He earned 7 targets (two red-zone targets) but ended Week 16 with just 2 catches for 12 yards. Still, the usage makes him an enticing waiver wire option this week.
- Russell Gage remained in the WR3 chair even with Julio Jones back. Gage ran a route on 63% of dropbacks and commanded 6 targets (5-65).
Indianapolis Colts (Week 17 @ New York Giants)
- Zack Moss maintained his status as the Colts RB1 even with the team facing a negative game script. He started, carried the ball 12 times for 65 yards (5.4 ypc) and caught one pass for 5 yards. Moss totaled a 72% opportunity share while playing 69% of the snaps. The ex-Bill also ran a route on 50% of the dropbacks. Meanwhile, Deon Jackson saw just 3 targets and no carries (3 catches for 9 yards) while playing the same number of snaps as No. 3 RB Jordan Wilkins (15%). Moss is an RB3/FLEX play versus the Giants’ 30th-ranked rushing defense.
- Michael Pittman Jr. operated as the Colts WR1 catching 4 of 7 targets (25% target share) for 39 yards. More of the same low-efficient by high targets from Pittman.
- Without Kylen Granson, Jelani Woods led the Colts in receiving yards (43) on 5 targets. He played more snaps (63%) than Mo Alie-Cox and ran a route on 61% of dropbacks.
Los Angeles Chargers (Week 17 versus Los Angeles Rams)
- Keep targeting slot WRs against the Colts. Without starting slot cornerback Kenny Moore, Keenan Allen feasted. He totaled 14 targets for 11 catches and 104 receiving yards (47% target share). No other Chargers WR/TE had more than 4 targets (Mike Williams, 4 for 76).
- Williams led the team in routes run (93%), followed by Allen (89%) and Joshua Palmer (69%).
- Gerald Everett saw zero targets as he ran a route on just 53% of dropbacks. Donald Parham‘s healthy status makes Everett impossible to trust in Week 17.
- Austin Ekeler carried the ball 18 times for 67 yards and scored two rushing TDs. He also added 4 catches for 12 yards en route to a 69% opportunity share. No. 2 RB Joshua Kelley compiled ten touches rushing for 33 yards on 9 carries. He played 34% of the snaps to Ekeler’s 60% snap rate.
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