The passing numbers being put up in today’s NFL seem to keep getting more and more insane. Quarterbacks are now hitting the 400-yard passing mark so frequently that it hardly even makes headlines and it seems like every week the number of pass catchers who attract double-digit targets grows longer.
Numbers that recently looked like they came from a video game have become the norm in today’s pass-happy NFL and analyzing all of those passes, and their intended targets is a great way to recognize potential value and sleepers for fantasy football. Here are the NFL pass target results from all 15 games from the Week 4 NFL slate and their potential fantasy football impact moving forward.
Check out target data for the entire season
Arizona Cardinals
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Larry Fitzgerald | ARZ | 7 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 1 |
Christian Kirk | ARZ | 5 | 4 | 28 | 0 | 1 |
David Johnson | ARZ | 4 | 3 | 41 | 0 | 0 |
Ricky Seals-Jones | ARZ | 4 | 2 | 52 | 0 | 1 |
Chad Williams | ARZ | 3 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 0 |
Derrick Coleman | ARZ | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
J.J. Nelson | ARZ | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Chase Edmonds | ARZ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Christian Kirk is tied with Larry Fitzgerald for a team-high 22 targets on the season, but the second-round rookie leads Arizona in catches (16) and receiving yards (149). Arizona’s stagnant offense doesn’t offer a lot of fantasy appeal, but if Josh Rosen gains confidence with experience, Kirk could become a weekly WR3/flex factor.
Heading into Week 4, Chad Williams may have been the least efficient wideout in football. Williams had caught just one of 10 targets on the season before exploding to catch one-of-three from Josh Rosen against Seattle. The good news here was that Williams made his one catch count, nabbing Rosen’s first NFL TD toss. Despite the healthy target numbers, Williams is well off the fantasy radar.
Larry Fitzgerald doesn’t look right. He had an uncharacteristic drop early against Seattle that cost the Cardinals a touchdown and ended up with another poor fantasy outing. Things should eventually turn around, but until Rosen gets comfortable in the offense, Fitzgerald is barely relevant.
Atlanta Falcons
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Julio Jones | ATL | 12 | 9 | 173 | 0 | 0 |
Mohamed Sanu | ATL | 9 | 6 | 111 | 0 | 0 |
Calvin Ridley | ATL | 6 | 4 | 54 | 2 | 1 |
Tevin Coleman | ATL | 3 | 3 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
Ito Smith | ATL | 3 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Austin Hooper | ATL | 2 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
Justin Hardy | ATL | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Logan Paulsen | ATL | 1 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
Marvin Hall | ATL | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Atlanta’s offense is humming, and with four in the past two weeks, Calvin Ridley leads the NFL with six touchdown grabs on the season. Ridley is going to start attracting more defensive attention which will continue to open things up for Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu, who both surpassed 100 receiving yards against Cincinnati.
Tevin Coleman only got 17 touches in a game that evolved into a shootout. Ito Smith got 10 and scored a touchdown, but once Devonta Freeman returns, which is tentatively expected in Pittsburgh, Smith won’t be much of a factor.
Matt Ryan is averaging 355 passing yards, with 12 total touchdowns over the past three games. He should remain red hot in Week 5 as the Falcons travel to Pittsburgh to take on a Steelers secondary that has ceded 13 total touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks so far in 2018.
Baltimore Ravens
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Michael Crabtree | BAL | 8 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 2 |
Willie Snead | BAL | 7 | 6 | 56 | 0 | 1 |
John Brown | BAL | 7 | 3 | 116 | 1 | 0 |
Maxx Williams | BAL | 5 | 5 | 51 | 0 | 0 |
Nick Boyle | BAL | 4 | 3 | 36 | 0 | 1 |
Mark Andrews | BAL | 3 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Javorius Allen | BAL | 2 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Chris Moore | BAL | 1 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
Tim White | BAL | 1 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
De’Lance Turner | BAL | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Alex Collins | BAL | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
John Brown has only caught half of his 30 targets on the season but has produced three touchdowns — one from the red zone and two deep balls. Brown’s speed has been an excellent match with Joe Flacco’s big arm, and the two should continue to make a significant fantasy impact this week against a Cleveland secondary that just got worked by Derek Carr.
Alex Collins got the first goal-line carry for Baltimore but fumbled. The Ravens have seemed to prefer Javorius Allen in short-yardage so far, and that turnover may reinforce that strategy. Collins caught a touchdown pass and was back on the field for the rest of the game but being lifted inside the five-yard line would cap his fantasy potential.
Baltimore’s trio of tight ends was unusually busy against Pittsburgh, who defends the position quite well. Nick Boyle, Maxx Williams, and Mark Andrews combined to catch 10-of-12 Joe Flacco targets for 99 yards but are likely to continue to rotate, and the group won’t get any less confusing when Hayden Hurst (foot) returns.
Buffalo Bills
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Zay Jones | BUF | 6 | 4 | 38 | 0 | 0 |
Kelvin Benjamin | BUF | 5 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 1 |
Charles Clay | BUF | 5 | 4 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
LeSean McCoy | BUF | 4 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Andre Holmes | BUF | 3 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
Robert Foster | BUF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Khari Lee | BUF | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Jason Croom | BUF | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Taiwan Jones | BUF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chris Ivory | BUF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Zay Jones rebounded from a poor Week 3 outing to lead the Bills in looks and tie Charles Clay for a team-high four grabs. Jones only managed to generate 38 yards of offense for a Buffalo offense that produced zero points and looked like the unit we saw in Weeks 1 and 2 as opposed to last week’s upset in Minnesota.
Speaking of Clay, he had his best game of the season, snagging four-of-five passes for a team-leading 40 yards. Clay has been largely invisible so far in 2018 but is usually a solid weekly streaming option. If he can start to build a rapport with Josh Allen, Clay could reclaim weekly value in a season that has been awfully rough so far for the position.
Kelvin Benjamin is scuffling. He’s caught only seven of 21 targets so far this season for 92 yards. The Bills have mostly been unable to run the ball and as a result no other receiver appears capable of stepping up with Josh Allen adjusting to the NFL. Despite being a team’s No. 1 wide receiver, Benjamin is droppable in 12-team leagues.
Chicago Bears
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Tarik Cohen | CHI | 8 | 7 | 121 | 1 | 0 |
Taylor Gabriel | CHI | 7 | 7 | 104 | 2 | 0 |
Allen Robinson II | CHI | 4 | 2 | 23 | 1 | 0 |
Trey Burton | CHI | 2 | 2 | 86 | 1 | 0 |
Jordan Howard | CHI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Javon Wims | CHI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Joshua Bellamy | CHI | 1 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 0 |
Benny Cunningham | CHI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
This is what we were expecting from Matt Nagy and the Bears all summer. Mitchell Trubisky looked unstoppable during a record-setting first half as the Bears humiliated an overmatched Tampa Bay defense. Trubisky tossed five first-half touchdowns before setting a new team record with a sixth score in the second half. Trubisky looked comfortable on Sunday and averaged 13.6 yards per attempt after a sluggish first three contests.
Taylor Gabriel had five-plus targets in each game and benefitted from lesser coverage to breakout with 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Gabriel had been averaging under six yards per catch prior to Week 4 before busting out with a 33-yarder and even chipping in a 10-yard run. Gabriel enters the bye week as a top-35 fantasy wideout in PPR formats.
Allen Robinson had 28 targets in Chicago’s first three games but dipped down to four against the Bucs. He made up for the quiet day by scoring his first touchdown since the 2016 season and remains a solid weekly WR2/3.
Cincinnati Bengals
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Tyler Boyd | CIN | 13 | 11 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
A.J. Green | CIN | 8 | 4 | 78 | 1 | 0 |
Giovani Bernard | CIN | 4 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
Tyler Eifert | CIN | 4 | 4 | 38 | 1 | 0 |
Mark Walton | CIN | 4 | 2 | 28 | 0 | 1 |
Alex Erickson | CIN | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
John Ross | CIN | 2 | 2 | 52 | 1 | 0 |
Tyler Kroft | CIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
C.J. Uzomah | CIN | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Andy Dalton is tied for second in the NFL with 11 touchdown passes, but he’s also second in the league with six interceptions. Even with the turnovers, Dalton has been a top-10 fantasy option through four games and has tossed two-plus touchdowns in each game. He’s got a good chance of keeping the momentum going with consecutive home games against the Dolphins in Week 5 and Pittsburgh’s horrendous secondary the following week.
Tyler Kroft excelled in a full-time role last season and now that Tyler Eifert (broken ankle) is back on IR, Kroft should be a priority waiver wire add. Kroft scored seven touchdowns last season and should be in a good position to produce weekly TE1 numbers.
Another huge day for Tyler Boyd who caught 11-of-13 targets and topped triple-digit receiving yards for the second consecutive week. Boyd has run over 80% of his routes out of the slot but will face a quality slot cornerback in Week 5, matched up with Miami’s Bobby McCain, who is Pro Football Focus’ 29th-ranked corner so far in 2018.
Cleveland Browns
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Antonio Callaway | CLE | 9 | 3 | 54 | 0 | 2 |
Jarvis Landry | CLE | 8 | 4 | 34 | 1 | 1 |
Duke Johnson | CLE | 6 | 4 | 45 | 0 | 1 |
David Njoku | CLE | 6 | 4 | 41 | 0 | 1 |
Rashard Higgins | CLE | 5 | 4 | 61 | 0 | 1 |
Darren Fells | CLE | 2 | 1 | 49 | 1 | 0 |
Carlos Hyde | CLE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Nick Chubb | CLE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Baker Mayfield threw for 295 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in his first NFL start. Mayfield only completed 21-of-41 and turned the ball over four times in a start that was a mixed bag, but he indeed passed the test and mixed in big plays to nearly lead the Browns to consecutive wins for the first time in what seems like a decade.
Mayfield did well to spread the ball around. Four Cleveland pass catchers tied for the team lead with four receptions, which included two wideouts, a running back, and a tight end.
Antonio Callaway dropped a pair of passes included what should have been a touchdown grab. He’s not in danger of losing playing time, but Callaway has committed three drops in the past two games and will need to clean that up if he’s going to contend with Jarvis Landry to lead the Browns in targets again.
Dallas Cowboys
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Michael Gallup | DAL | 5 | 2 | 45 | 0 | 0 |
Allen Hurns | DAL | 5 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
Cole Beasley | DAL | 5 | 4 | 53 | 0 | 1 |
Geoff Swaim | DAL | 4 | 3 | 39 | 1 | 0 |
Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | 4 | 4 | 88 | 1 | 0 |
Rico Gathers | DAL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rod Smith | DAL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tavon Austin | DAL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The Cowboys have had four different wideouts lead the receiving corps in targets in the first four games. Cole Beasley, Deonte Thompson, Michael Gallup, and Allen Hurns have either led or tied for the lead in targets so far while making a limited fantasy impact.
Even in a week where Dak Prescott looked solid, throwing for a season-high 255 yards and a pair of scores, none of the Cowboys wide receivers surpassed 53 receiving yards. Tavon Austin, who saw only one target against Detroit, remains the only Dallas wideout to catch a touchdown so far in 2018.
Ezekiel Elliott is benefiting from the poor production of the receiving corps. Elliott has caught 15 out of his 22 targets this season and is on pace to set a career high with 88 targets, which would more than double the 40 he saw as a rookie.
Denver Broncos
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Jeff Heuerman | DEN | 7 | 4 | 57 | 0 | 1 |
Demaryius Thomas | DEN | 7 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 1 |
Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | 7 | 5 | 45 | 0 | 0 |
Courtland Sutton | DEN | 6 | 3 | 51 | 0 | 0 |
Devontae Booker | DEN | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Phillip Lindsay | DEN | 2 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Andy Janovich | DEN | 1 | 1 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
Matt LaCosse | DEN | 1 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Royce Freeman | DEN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
It was an overall rough day for the Denver passing game against a vulnerable Kansas City pass defense. Jeff Heuerman looked promising in his first game as the primary tight end. With Jake Butt done for the season, Heuerman is expected to play an expanded role in the passing game. He tied for the team lead in targets and led the team with 54 receiving yards. Heuerman doesn’t offer much fantasy upside, but he can be a cheap streaming option.
It was another quiet night for Demaryius Thomas, who averaged a mediocre six yards per catch and committed another drop. With five drops on the season, Thomas is tied with Michael Crabtree for most in the NFL.
Royce Freeman wasn’t targeted in the passing game. Despite flashing solid receiving chops at Oregon, Freeman only has one catch on two targets through four games. The Broncos feel more comfortable with Phillip Lindsay and Devontae Booker on passing downs. Speaking of Lindsay, he out-touched Freeman against Kansas City, 14-8. As good as Freeman has looked as a runner, this seems like a full-fledged committee for now.
Detroit Lions
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Golden Tate | DET | 8 | 8 | 132 | 2 | 0 |
Marvin Jones | DET | 6 | 3 | 56 | 0 | 1 |
Theo Riddick | DET | 5 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
Kenny Golladay | DET | 4 | 4 | 74 | 0 | 0 |
Luke Willson | DET | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Levine Toilolo | DET | 2 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Hakeem Valles | DET | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Kerryon Johnson | DET | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
LeGarrette Blount | DET | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jamal Agnew | DET | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Golden Tate has led the Detroit wideouts in targets in each of the Lions’ four games. Tate, surprisingly, now has the same amount of targets (44) as Michael Thomas, Stefon Diggs, and DeAndre Hopkins.
Kenny Golladay had a solid showing in Dallas, catching all four of his looks for 74 yards. Week 4 turned out to be his lowest-scoring game of the season, which goes to show how well the sophomore wideout has been playing so far in 2018. Golladay is a weekly WR2 and gets a decent matchup at home in Week 5 against a Green Bay secondary that has allowed six touchdowns to opposing wideouts so far in 2018.
Green Bay Packers
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Davante Adams | GB | 12 | 8 | 81 | 0 | 0 |
Geronimo Allison | GB | 10 | 6 | 80 | 0 | 3 |
Jimmy Graham | GB | 6 | 3 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
Ty Montgomery | GB | 3 | 2 | 56 | 0 | 0 |
Marquez Valdes-Scantling | GB | 3 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 0 |
Lance Kendricks | GB | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
Aaron Jones | GB | 1 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Jamaal Williams | GB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Marquez Valdes-Scantling only absorbed one of the three targets he received, but the fifth-rounder drew the start in place of Randall Cobb (hamstring) who could miss another game or two. With Geronimo Allison (concussion) week-to-week, Valdes-Scantling might have a clear path to significant snaps for the next week or two, at a minimum.
Weekly touch/yardage totals for Green Bay’s committee backfield: Aaron Jones – 12/82, Jamaal Williams – 11/27, Ty Montgomery – 7/74. Jones has clearly looked like the best player since debuting in Week 3, but Mike McCarthy has indicated that he’ll likely stick with the current formula.
Overall, it was a decent game for Aaron Rodgers, but he still doesn’t look fully healthy and it could be a while before he is. It’s commendable that Rodgers is playing through his knee injury with a brace, but that may ultimately cause him to drop out of sure-fire weekly QB1 status. Maybe a full week off during Green Bay’s Week 7 bye will help, but that’s still a ways away.
Houston Texans
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Keke Coutee | HOU | 15 | 11 | 109 | 0 | 2 |
DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | 12 | 10 | 169 | 1 | 1 |
Will Fuller | HOU | 5 | 4 | 49 | 1 | 0 |
Jordan Akins | HOU | 3 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
Ryan Griffin | HOU | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Sammie Coates | HOU | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Alfred Blue | HOU | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Lamar Miller | HOU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Welcome to the NFL, Keke Coutee. After sitting out his first three games with a hamstring injury that occurred in the preseason, the fourth-round rookie out of Texas Tech took over slot duties for Bruce Ellington and tied Corey Davis to lead the NFL in targets in his first game. Coutee caught 11 out of those 15 passes and churned out 109 yards.
Be prepared to have other options ready for Week 5. Will Fuller appears to have re-injured the hamstring ailment that kept him out of Week 1 and since the Texans are hosting Dallas on Sunday Night Football this week, options to replace Fuller in the lineup for a last-second inactive status will be limited. Be proactive with your fantasy lineups and approach this week as if Fuller will be out.
Lamar Miller isn’t playing much of a role in the passing game. Despite Deshaun Watson being a top-10 passer with 1,246 yards through the air so far, Miller has only caught eight-of-10 targets for 54 yards on the season. Without that receiving production, it will be very difficult for Miller to finish in the RB2 range in Houston’s pass-first attack.
Indianapolis Colts
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Chester Rogers | IND | 11 | 8 | 85 | 0 | 0 |
Nyheim Hines | IND | 10 | 9 | 63 | 2 | 1 |
Zach Pascal | IND | 10 | 6 | 56 | 1 | 0 |
Eric Ebron | IND | 10 | 5 | 40 | 1 | 0 |
Ryan Grant | IND | 7 | 5 | 64 | 0 | 1 |
T.Y. Hilton | IND | 6 | 4 | 115 | 0 | 1 |
Marcus Johnson | IND | 3 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 1 |
Mo Alie-Cox | IND | 2 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 1 |
Jordan Wilkins | IND | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jeremy McNichols | IND | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Nyheim Hines had his best pro day and has contributed five-plus catches in three of Indy’s first four games. Hines also caught a pair of scores against the Texans and could develop into a Theo Riddick-type of PPR flex option, especially if the Colts continue to have trouble running the ball.
T.Y. Hilton briefly left the game after suffering a rib injury. He eventually returned and put up another big performance against the Texans.
Jack Doyle (hip) missed another game and is considered very questionable already for Week 5. Doyle’s absence makes Eric Ebron a good bet to continue to lead Indianapolis in red-zone targets and a viable top-10 weekly option in fantasy lineups.
Jacksonville Jaguars
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Dede Westbrook | JAX | 11 | 9 | 130 | 0 | 0 |
Donte Moncrief | JAX | 5 | 5 | 109 | 1 | 0 |
T.J. Yeldon | JAX | 3 | 3 | 48 | 1 | 0 |
Keelan Cole | JAX | 3 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
Corey Grant | JAX | 3 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Austin Seferian-Jenkins | JAX | 3 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
James O’Shaughnessy | JAX | 2 | 2 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
Niles Paul | JAX | 2 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
D.J. Chark | JAX | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Leonard Fournette | JAX | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
This was the second week of the season in which Dede Westbrook led the Jaguars in targets. Westbrook is spending nearly an even amount of his time between both outside spots and the slot for the Jacksonville and his 130-yard showing against the Jets was his first 100-yard performance in the NFL.
Leonard Fournette is the Will Fuller of running backs. Fournette’s troublesome hamstring flared up again, limiting him to 12 touches against New York. The injury was considered minor, but soft-tissue injuries tend to be problematic, especially for running backs. If Fournette is held out again, T.J. Yeldon would be on the RB 1/2 radar against a soft Kansas City defense.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins has recorded multiple receptions in all four of Jacksonville’s games but has yet to surpass 25 receiving yards. Despite the consistent target share, ASJ’s fantasy upside is almost completely capped unless he gets into the end zone.
Kansas City Chiefs
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Tyreek Hill | KC | 13 | 9 | 54 | 0 | 1 |
Travis Kelce | KC | 12 | 7 | 78 | 1 | 1 |
Chris Conley | KC | 5 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Kareem Hunt | KC | 4 | 3 | 54 | 0 | 1 |
Demetrius Harris | KC | 3 | 2 | 59 | 0 | 0 |
Demarcus Robinson | KC | 3 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 1 |
De’Anthony Thomas | KC | 2 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
Sammy Watkins | KC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Spencer Ware | KC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Entering Week 4, no Kansas City pass catcher had eclipsed double-digit targets until Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce both surpassed that total for the first time. The Broncos did a solid job containing Hill, who was unable to get deep and instead forced to rely on shorter routes. Kelce caught seven more balls and scored his third touchdown in as many games.
Kareem Hunt finally busted out. The sophomore running back set a new season-best in carries (19), targets (four), catches (three), and total yards (175) and scored his fourth touchdown of the season. On a day where Patrick Mahomes had a rather quiet day, at least by his elite standards, Hunt more than picked up the slack. Up next, the Chiefs face a tough test against Jacksonville.
Chris Conley’s usage has been consistent. Conley has produced 15, 17, 13, and 13-yard performances as the team’s No. 3 receiver. He made some noise with touchdown grabs in Week 2 and Week 3, but without those scores, Conley’s lack of targets and yardage make him an unusable option in fantasy lineups.
Los Angeles Chargers
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Keenan Allen | LAC | 10 | 7 | 63 | 0 | 0 |
Melvin Gordon | LAC | 9 | 7 | 55 | 1 | 2 |
Tyrell Williams | LAC | 4 | 3 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
Antonio Gates | LAC | 4 | 2 | 27 | 1 | 0 |
Mike Williams | LAC | 3 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
Austin Ekeler | LAC | 3 | 2 | 31 | 1 | 0 |
Virgil Green | LAC | 2 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Travis Benjamin | LAC | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Melvin Gordon’s 34 targets and 24 receptions rank third among all NFL running backs. Gordon is also tied with James White to lead all NFL runners with three receiving touchdowns so far in 2018. Gordon is on pace for 1,900 total yards and 20 touchdowns.
Antonio Gates might be getting into better game shape. His target and reception numbers have been trending in the right direction after a slow first couple of games. Gates has nine targets in the last two games and scored his first touchdown of the season on a patented red-zone toss from Philip Rivers. He won’t command the volume he used to, but Gates can be a useful TE2 in a season where the tight end position has so few reliable producers.
Keenan Allen’s 10 targets were the second-most that he’s drawn this season, but he still had an otherwise innocuous 7/63/0 line. After going 8/108/1 in Week 1, Allen has been relatively quiet and finds himself barely inside fantasy WR2 territory through four games. Week 5 offers an excellent chance for Allen to end the slide as he’s surpassed eight-plus receptions if three of his past four outings against the Oakland Raiders.
Los Angeles Rams
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Cooper Kupp | LAR | 11 | 9 | 162 | 2 | 0 |
Brandin Cooks | LAR | 7 | 7 | 116 | 1 | 0 |
Robert Woods | LAR | 5 | 5 | 101 | 1 | 0 |
Todd Gurley | LAR | 4 | 4 | 73 | 1 | 0 |
Gerald Everett | LAR | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Josh Reynolds | LAR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Three NFL teams, Detroit, the Rams, and Tampa Bay, have three wide receivers ranked inside the top 40 of PPR scorers at the one-quarter mark of the season. Los Angeles, with Cooper Kupp (sixth), Brandin Cooks (ninth), and Robert Woods (14th) has three in the top 15.
Sean McVay is putting together a terrific offense with nearly no regard at all for tight ends. Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett have combined to see only eight targets so far all season from Jared Goff.
Each of L.A.’s three wide receivers has led the club in targets at least once so far in 2018. Cooks tied for the team lead with eight looks in Weeks 1 and 2, Woods drew 11 in Week 3 and Kupp led the way with 11 against the Vikings on Thursday.
Miami Dolphins
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Albert Wilson | MIA | 6 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
Kenny Stills | MIA | 6 | 3 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
Frank Gore | MIA | 3 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
Danny Amendola | MIA | 3 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
Jakeem Grant | MIA | 2 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Mike Gesicki | MIA | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Durham Smythe | MIA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kenyan Drake | MIA | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Kalen Ballage | MIA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The Dolphins, predictably, had no success whatsoever in New England as the Patriots completely shut down Miami’s offense. Ryan Tannehill averaged a frightful five yards per attempt and had just 100 yards and an interception before being pulled in the fourth quarter. Perhaps he’ll bounce back this week as the Dolphins travel to Cincinnati to take on a Bengals defense that ranks 28th against fantasy quarterbacks.
DeVante Parker played 75% of Miami’s snaps in Week 3 but was inactive against the Patriots due to a quad injury. Since the Dolphins had no success, it’s hard to see who benefitted from Parker’s absence. Only two Miami players exceeded 20 receiving yards.
Minnesota Vikings
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Stefon Diggs | MIN | 14 | 11 | 123 | 0 | 0 |
Adam Thielen | MIN | 11 | 8 | 135 | 1 | 1 |
Kyle Rudolph | MIN | 6 | 5 | 57 | 0 | 0 |
Laquon Treadwell | MIN | 5 | 4 | 47 | 0 | 0 |
C.J. Ham | MIN | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Latavius Murray | MIN | 2 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
Aldrick Robinson | MIN | 2 | 2 | 33 | 2 | 0 |
David Morgan | MIN | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Roc Thomas | MIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mike Boone | MIN | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Dalvin Cook | MIN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
With 11 more looks against a stout Rams’ pass D, Adam Thielen now leads the league with 56 targets. Thielen is averaging 14 targets per week and is on pace to catch 160 passes.
Aldrick Robinson only played nine snaps but made them count, catching both of his targets for 33 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Laquon Treadwell is still playing in 66% of Minnesota’s snaps and is in no danger of losing his WR3 role. Robinson’s two touchdowns stand out, but he’s averaged just 8.5 snaps in his time with the club.
The Vikings got blitzed on a short week by the Rams, and while the end results for the passing game looked great from a fantasy perspective, Dalvin Cook had little impact. Minnesota had to abandon the run and Cook wound up touching the ball only 10 times for 20 yards. Kirk Cousins ended up leading the Vikings in rushing.
New England Patriots
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
James White | NE | 8 | 8 | 68 | 1 | 0 |
Phillip Dorsett | NE | 7 | 4 | 55 | 1 | 0 |
Rob Gronkowski | NE | 7 | 4 | 44 | 0 | 0 |
Cordarrelle Patterson | NE | 5 | 3 | 54 | 1 | 1 |
Josh Gordon | NE | 2 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
Dwayne Allen | NE | 2 | 1 | -4 | 0 | 0 |
James Develin | NE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chris Hogan | NE | 1 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
Sony Michel | NE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kenjon Barner | NE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
New England snap counts for Week 4 against the Dolphins: Chris Hogan – 70, Phillip Dorsett – 57, Cordarrelle Patterson – 41, Josh Gordon – 18. Gordon is still working through a tender hamstring and will need time to fully learn the intricacies of New England’s offense. Gordon did catch both of his targets from Tom Brady.
The Patriots ran a lot of 12 sets on Sunday, which isn’t surprising when you consider the shape of the team’s receiving corps. Rob Gronkowski had a 67% snap share and was limited by an ankle injury. Dwayne Allen played 56% of snaps but managed to lose yards on his only catch.
Julian Edelman’s suspension is over, and his presence should have an immediate impact on the Patriots’ sagging receiving corps. Chris Hogan has played about half of his snaps out of the slot but should move outside full-time. Ideally, New England will have Hogan and Gordon starting outside, which will reduce available snaps for Phillip Dorsett and push Patterson to predominately special teams snaps.
New Orleans Saints
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Alvin Kamara | NO | 6 | 4 | 36 | 0 | 1 |
Michael Thomas | NO | 4 | 4 | 47 | 0 | 0 |
Cameron Meredith | NO | 4 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
Josh Hill | NO | 3 | 3 | 63 | 0 | 0 |
Benjamin Watson | NO | 3 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Ted Ginn | NO | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Zach Line | NO | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Tre’Quan Smith | NO | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mike Gillislee | NO | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Dwayne Washington | NO | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Like Edelman, Mark Ingram is also back from a four-week hiatus, and his presence could dramatically affect the New Orleans offense. Alvin Kamara has been fantastic as a feature back, and Sean Payton could keep Kamara’s touch rate high while also mixing in Ingram. If that happens, we’ll see a reduction in the Saints’ passing attack that could wind up being similar to last year’s somewhat muted stats from Drew Brees.
After opening the season with 17, 13, and 10 targets, Janoris Jenkins shadowed Michael Thomas and did a superb job neutralizing the star wideout. Jenkins held Thomas to a mere four catches on four targets and 47 yards. Thomas should rebound in Week 5 as the Saints return home to face Washington after a 2-0 road trip.
Josh Hill (43) out-snapped Benjamin Watson (37) for the first time. Meanwhile, rookie Tre’Quan Smith played his highest snap rate (37%), and Ted Ginn had a forgettable day.
New York Giants
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Sterling Shepard | NYG | 12 | 11 | 86 | 1 | 0 |
Odell Beckham Jr. | NYG | 10 | 7 | 60 | 0 | 0 |
Saquon Barkley | NYG | 8 | 6 | 56 | 0 | 0 |
Rhett Ellison | NYG | 5 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
Wayne Gallman | NYG | 3 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
Russell Shepard | NYG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scott Simonson | NYG | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Sterling Shepard led the Giants in targets for the first time this season, catching 11-0f-12 against a New Orleans secondary that has surrendered an NFL-worst 989 yards and 10 touchdowns already to opposing wide receivers. Shepard gets a much tougher test in Week 5 traveling to Carolina to take on a rested Panthers squad.
Odell Beckham had his best chance of the young season to have a breakout performance against the Saints’ league-worst secondary, but was limited to seven catches for 60 yards. Beckham was shadowed by Marshon Lattimore, who did a solid job in coverage and held Beckham to his season-low of just 10 targets.
No. 2 overall pick Saquon Barkley continues to be a significant factor in the run and passing game. Barkley is second among all NFL running backs in both targets (35) and receptions (27). Barkly is also top-10 in rushing yards and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry. New York’s other running backs have mustered just 49 yards on 16 totes — an average of just 3.0 yards per carry. Barkley has taken 79% of New York’s RB touches and produced 90% of the team’s total running back yardage.
New York Jets
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Quincy Enunwa | NYJ | 8 | 4 | 66 | 0 | 1 |
Bilal Powell | NYJ | 7 | 4 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
Jermaine Kearse | NYJ | 5 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Robby Anderson | NYJ | 5 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
Jordan Leggett | NYJ | 3 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
Isaiah Crowell | NYJ | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Chris Herndon | NYJ | 1 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
We knew it wasn’t going to be a pretty day for rookie signal-caller Sam Darnold against a ferocious Jacksonville defense. Darnold only completed half of his passes, but managed to avoid throwing an interception and did produce a garbage time touchdown. It was a respectable showing for a kid making his fourth pro start.
Not many positives came out of the Jets offense. Tight end Jordan Leggett caught a meaningless score that didn’t help anybody in fantasy, and Quincy Enunwa continued to lead the club in targets and catches. Things should be marginally better in Week 5 as the Jets host the Broncos and then the Colts the following week.
Oakland Raiders
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Jared Cook | OAK | 13 | 8 | 110 | 2 | 3 |
Amari Cooper | OAK | 11 | 8 | 128 | 1 | 0 |
Jordy Nelson | OAK | 8 | 5 | 48 | 1 | 0 |
Martavis Bryant | OAK | 6 | 3 | 51 | 0 | 2 |
Marshawn Lynch | OAK | 5 | 3 | 27 | 0 | 2 |
Jalen Richard | OAK | 4 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 0 |
Lee Smith | OAK | 4 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Seth Roberts | OAK | 3 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
Doug Martin | OAK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dwayne Harris | OAK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Amari Cooper continued his on/off tendency with another excellent outing versus the Browns. Cooper commanded a season-high 11 targets, hauling in eight of them for his second 100-yard game and first touchdown grab. Perhaps Cooper’s erratic up and down showings will stop in Week 5 against an L.A. Chargers defense that has struggled against the pass.
Jared Cook is the No. 1 fantasy tight end through four games. Cook is leading the position in receiving yards (370) and ranks second in receptions and touchdowns.
Jordy Nelson has looked entirely rejuvenated after a couple of slow weeks to open the season. In the past two games, Nelson has hauled in 11 out of 16 targets for 221 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, Nelson has now moved up to just one spot ahead of teammate Amari Cooper in total PPR points scored.
Philadelphia Eagles
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Zach Ertz | PHI | 13 | 10 | 112 | 0 | 1 |
Nelson Agholor | PHI | 10 | 5 | 22 | 0 | 3 |
Alshon Jeffery | PHI | 9 | 8 | 105 | 1 | 0 |
Wendell Smallwood | PHI | 4 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 1 |
Jay Ajayi | PHI | 4 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Jordan Matthews | PHI | 3 | 1 | 56 | 1 | 1 |
Dallas Goedert | PHI | 2 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Kamar Aiken | PHI | 1 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
It didn’t take long for Carson Wentz to look like he was back to his outstanding 2017 production. Wentz threw for 348 yards and a pair of touchdowns against a solid Tennessee defense. The schedule could challenge Wentz’s abilities as the Eagles’ next four games are against Minnesota, the Giants, Carolina, and a trip to London to take on the Jaguars.
Alshon Jeffery looked outstanding in his first game action of the 2018 season. Jeffery caught eight-of-nine targets for 105 yards and secured a red-zone touchdown strike from Wentz. In all, Jeffery played 65 out of the team’s 78 snaps, a solid 83% snap rate.
Nelson Agholor played 92% of Philly’s snaps, but felt the immediate impact of Jeffery’s return. Agholor’s Week 4 output was very similar to Week 1 when he caught eight out of 10 passes but averaged a measly 4.1 yards per grab. It remains to be seen how Doug Pedersen will implement an offense that features Agholor and Jordan Matthews, who both excel as inside options.
Pittsburgh Steelers
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Antonio Brown | PIT | 11 | 5 | 62 | 1 | 0 |
JuJu Smith-Schuster | PIT | 10 | 4 | 60 | 0 | 1 |
Ryan Switzer | PIT | 7 | 7 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
James Conner | PIT | 6 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
Vance McDonald | PIT | 5 | 5 | 62 | 0 | 0 |
James Washington | PIT | 3 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Jesse James | PIT | 1 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Even though he’s currently second in the NFL with 53 targets, Antonio Brown is off to a rather quiet first-quarter of the season. Bryant only managed to catch five of his 11 looks against Baltimore and has yet to hit the century mark in receiving yards. If Bryant’s pace were to continue for the next 13 weeks, he’d end up with just 1,088 receiving yards, his lowest total since 2012.
JuJu Smith-Schuster also felt the negative impact of a subpar Ben Roethlisberger performance. Smith-Schuster only caught 40% of his targets and saw his streak with 100-plus yards come to an end. He and Brown should be in a good spot to bounce back against an Atlanta secondary that has hemorrhaged points to wide receivers. Fourth WR Ryan Switzer caught all seven of his targets while playing just 21 snaps.
San Francisco 49ers
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
George Kittle | SF | 8 | 6 | 125 | 1 | 1 |
Pierre Garcon | SF | 7 | 4 | 52 | 0 | 0 |
Marquise Goodwin | SF | 4 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
Matt Breida | SF | 3 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
Kendrick Bourne | SF | 3 | 3 | 34 | 1 | 0 |
Trent Taylor | SF | 3 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Kyle Juszczyk | SF | 3 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
Alfred Morris | SF | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Garrett Celek | SF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
In five games with C.J. Beathard at the helm last season, George Kittle never surpassed four catches or 46 yards in any one game. That all changed in one play as Kittle broke inside and scored an 82-yard touchdown against the Chargers, which was the longest scoring play from the line of scrimmage so far in 2018.
The rest of San Francisco’s offensive production was rather quiet. Pierre Garçon led the Niners’ receiving corps in targets, yards, and catches one week after catching just one pass for 11 yards.
Marquise Goodwin caught an 83-yard touchdown bomb from Beathard last season, so there’s hope that Goodwin can come back from what has been a rough first four weeks of the 2018 campaign. Goodwin has battled injuries and has had very little time to build a rapport with Beathard, so there’s hope that the club’s No. 1 wideout will deliver on his preseason hype with some time.
Seattle Seahawks
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Doug Baldwin | SEA | 7 | 5 | 41 | 0 | 0 |
Tyler Lockett | SEA | 6 | 5 | 53 | 0 | 0 |
Mike Davis | SEA | 4 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Nick Vannett | SEA | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Brandon Marshall | SEA | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
David Moore | SEA | 2 | 2 | 39 | 0 | 0 |
Will Dissly | SEA | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Rashaad Penny | SEA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Pete Carroll might hate your fantasy team even more than Mike McCarthy does. A week after an excellent performance, Chris Carson was a surprising inactive against a vulnerable Arizona run defense. Rather than give first-rounder Rashaad Penny his first shot at a feature role, Mike Davis came off the bench to put up 101 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns while Penny logged just 16 snaps.
Will Dissly‘s torn patella will make Nick Vannett a full-time player. Vannett was playing behind Dissly but will now take over and could become a factor for a Seattle offense that likes to feature their tight ends in the red zone.
Even though he’s not 100% healthy, Doug Baldwin played 76% of Seattle’s snaps and led the club in targets and tied Tyler Lockett for a team-leading five grabs. Even a dinged up Baldwin playing in an underperforming Seattle offense is on the WR3/flex radar.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Mike Evans | TB | 9 | 6 | 59 | 0 | 1 |
DeSean Jackson | TB | 8 | 5 | 112 | 0 | 0 |
Adam Humphries | TB | 7 | 6 | 36 | 0 | 0 |
Cameron Brate | TB | 4 | 3 | 29 | 1 | 0 |
O.J. Howard | TB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Peyton Barber | TB | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Chris Godwin | TB | 2 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
Ronald Jones | TB | 2 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 1 |
Antony Auclair | TB | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
R.I.P. Fitzmagic, Week 1 – Week 3, 2018. The signs of Ryan’s Fitzpatrick’s inevitable collapse were on display last Monday night when Fitzpatrick’s errant throws and turnovers started to pile up along with the yards. Dirk Koetter has already announced that Jameis Winston will reclaim the team’s starting gig when the Bucs return from their Week 5 bye.
DeSean Jackson, who spoke up about his desire to see Ryan Fitzpatrick remain the team’s starter, will undoubtedly miss his role now that Winston is back under center. Jackson exceeded 100 yards receiving in three of his four starts this season after hitting that mark in one out of 11 games with Winston last season.
Tampa’s bye comes at the perfect time, as the offense will have an extra week to work on timing with Winston. It also gives O.J. Howard (sprained MCL) time to heal. Howard is expected to miss two-to-four weeks but with a Week 5 bye, he could miss as little as one game.
Tennessee Titans
PLAYER | TEAM | TARG | REC | YDS | TD | DROP |
Corey Davis | TEN | 15 | 9 | 161 | 1 | 1 |
Dion Lewis | TEN | 9 | 9 | 66 | 0 | 0 |
Taywan Taylor | TEN | 9 | 7 | 77 | 0 | 1 |
Tajae Sharpe | TEN | 3 | 2 | 27 | 1 | 0 |
Darius Jennings | TEN | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
Derrick Henry | TEN | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Jonnu Smith | TEN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Marcus Mariota doesn’t appear to be suffering from an injured throwing hand any longer. Mariota ripped apart a solid Philadelphia defense to the tune of 344 yards through the air and another 46 rushing. Mariota completed a hair under 70% of his passes and produced three total touchdowns in the Titans’ victory.
Corey Davis is rapidly developing into a potential fantasy WR1. Davis has led Tennessee in targets in three out of the first four games and his 15 looks this week tied for the most in the league. Prior to Week 4, Davis had never hit the 100-yard mark or scored a regular season touchdown. Not only did Davis blow by 100 to wind up with 161 on the day, but his first career regular-season score also came in overtime to give the Titans a hard-fought victory.
Derrick Henry continues to be severely out-played by Dion Lewis. If only someone had seen this coming…
Derrick Henry with the 25th pick? I don't even have him as a top-25 RB. https://t.co/o5WbhcCSXV
— Jody Smith (@JodySmithNFL) June 26, 2018
Check out target distribution by team to help with waiver wire pickups and trade targets
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Jody Smith is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jody, check out his archive and follow him @JodySmithNFL.