Air yards are the total yards the QB threw the ball in the air toward the wide receiver. Why is this important? It helps us differentiate targets, weighing targets deeper downfield heavier than shorter throws. Since yards are a fantasy football stat, having players who need only to catch the ball to accumulate the most yards is a tried and true strategy.
Everyone is trying to gain an edge on their league. Therefore, it is advantageous to know which players are garnering the opportunities to have monster weeks before they put it all together. Every week, we will give you the top receivers (not just WR, but RB & TE too) according to air yards for every NFL team. Additionally, we will provide an evaluation of those numbers and what fantasy football actions are warranted.
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**only players with >40 Air Yards for the week are listed below**
Arizona Cardinals
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Christian Kirk | 56 | 9.3 |
Antoine Wesley | 45 | 15.0 |
Evaluation: Without their star WR, DeAndre Hopkins, Kirk stepped up to carry the load. Not pictured, Rondale Moore was targeted behind the LOS often and gave some decent YAC.
Atlanta Falcons
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Kyle Pitts | 76 | 10.9 |
Russell Gage | 65 | 8.1 |
Cordarrelle Patterson | 60 | 10.0 |
Olamide Zaccheaus | 43 | 14.3 |
Evaluation: Pitts is living up to the hype. Good for you if you drafted him early this season despite all the expert pushback.
Baltimore Ravens
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Rashod Bateman | 111 | 13.9 |
Mark Andrews | 110 | 11.0 |
Marquise Brown | 91 | 7.6 |
Evaluation: Brown and Bateman could rotate Top 20 WR weeks the rest of the season.
Buffalo Bills
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Emmanuel Sanders | 107 | 13.4 |
Stefon Diggs | 72 | 9.0 |
Cole Beasley | 64 | 5.8 |
Evaluation: Buffalo just couldn’t find the end zone but still moved the ball nicely through the air. All Bills receivers are FLEX or above plays.
Carolina Panthers
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
D.J. Moore | 95 | 13.6 |
Robby Anderson | 11 | 3.7 |
Evaluation: Moore is an alpha. Monitor his practice time this week after a brutal hit.
Cincinnati Bengals
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Ja’Marr Chase | 172 | 13.2 |
Tee Higgins | 129 | 16.1 |
Evaluation: Chase is in a funk. Did we crown him too early? Or has the league discovered a way to throw off his game?
Chicago Bears
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Cole Kmet | 116 | 14.5 |
Marquise Goodwin | 102 | 25.5 |
Darnell Mooney | 93 | 15.5 |
Allen Robinson | 87 | 14.5 |
Evaluation: Kmet’s day could mean he’s in the mix at TE, but we all know that Justin Fields and Matt Nagy are avoided right now. Don’t we?
Cleveland Browns
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Donovan Peoples-Jones | 84 | 28.0 |
Jarvis Landry | 32 | 6.4 |
Evaluation: That’s how you take the top off a defense in 2021, OBJ. Peoples-Jones is a FLEX play with upside.
Dallas Cowboys
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
CeeDee Lamb | 212 | 23.6 |
Amari Cooper | 74 | 14.8 |
Malik Turner | 57 | 8.1 |
Dalton Schultz | 39 | 7.8 |
Evaluation: A missed opportunity for Lamb, turning 212 Air Yards into only 23 actual yards. However, better days will be ahead of this volume continues.
Denver Broncos
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Tim Patrick | 91 | 18.2 |
Jerry Jeudy | 45 | 5.6 |
Evaluation: Courtland Sutton ran the most routes, but it was Patrick who put up the fantasy numbers. This group is interchangeable in real life and fantasy.
Detroit Lions
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Evaluation:
Green Bay Packers
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Davante Adams | 162 | 11.6 |
Randall Cobb | 62 | 12.4 |
Evaluation: Jordan Love sputtered all day against KC. Still, Adams gets his every time he steps on the field. He’s a stud.
Houston Texans
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Brandin Cooks | 121 | 9.3 |
Danny Amendola | 89 | 12.7 |
Evaluation: Cooks or nothing at all.
Indianapolis Colts
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Zach Pascal | 142 | 23.0 |
Michael Pittman | 24 | 4.0 |
Evaluation: Air Yards couldn’t capture Pittman’s grit this week. His talent is unquestioned.
Jacksonville Jaguars
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Marvin Jones | 53 | 10.6 |
Dan Arnold | 51 | 7.3 |
Evaluation: Arnold has ascended Mount Duval as the best option for Trevor Lawrence at this stage in the season. Start him comfortably each week.
Kansas City Chiefs
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Tyreek Hill | 199 | 18.1 |
Travis Kelce | 70 | 8.8 |
Mecole Hardman | 47 | 7.8 |
Evaluation: You keep Kelce and Hill and drop any other Chiefs’ WR you are still rostering.
Las Vegas Raiders
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Darren Waller | 99 | 9.0 |
Zay Jones | 73 | 18.3 |
Bryan Edwards | 73 | 18.3 |
Evaluation: Waller exploited the Giants, creating space and securing seven of 11 targets. His play hasn’t been up to par, but still reliable at an unreliable position.
Los Angeles Chargers
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Keenan Allen | 83 | 6.4 |
Mike Williams | 64 | 12.8 |
Evaluation: Allen was a volume machine at work hauling in everything that came his way. He’s still a valuable PPR asset.
Los Angeles Rams
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Tyler Higbee | 74 | 7.4 |
Van Jefferson | 74 | 10.6 |
Robert Woods | 58 | 5.8 |
Cooper Kupp | 54 | 4.2 |
Evaluation: Weird game for Kupp catching only underneath stuff. He’s a prime BOOM candidate next time he lines up.
Miami Dolphins
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Jaylen Waddle | 103 | 10.3 |
Mike Gesicki | 98 | 12.3 |
Mack Hollins | 84 | 14.0 |
Kirk Merritt | 56 | 18.7 |
Evaluation: Waddle has elevated his game since October, running more advanced routes and drawing Air Yards. He’s headed for a big week soon.
Minnesota Vikings
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Justin Jefferson | 79 | 15.8 |
Adam Thielen | 73 | 10.4 |
Evaluation: Tough day at the office for Minnesota’s wideouts against Baltimore, but that is the familiar feeling after a game with the Ravens.
New England Patriots
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Jakobi Myers | 48 | 12.0 |
Hunter Henry | 34 | 11.3 |
Evaluation: Is anyone in NE worthy of your fantasy roster? Not in the passing game.
New Orleans Saints
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Kenny Stills | 103 | 20.6 |
Marquez Callaway | 73 | 12.2 |
Adam Trautman | 61 | 8.7 |
Tre’Quan Smith | 53 | 13.3 |
Evaluation: Smith looked good, Trautman was involved, but we cannot recommend guessing which Saints pass-catcher will bank the points each week.
New York Giants
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Evan Engram | 34 | 11.3 |
Kenny Golladay | 25 | 12.5 |
Evaluation: :poop emoji:
New York Jets
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Keelan Cole | 88 | 11.0 |
Elijah Moore | 87 | 10.9 |
Jeff Smith | 68 | 17.0 |
Denzel Mims | 61 | 12.2 |
Evaluation: Moore secured the TDs, helpful for fantasy, but moving forward, maybe Cole becomes a floor play.
Philadelphia Eagles
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
DeVonta Smith | 105 | 17.5 |
Dallas Goedert | 67 | 11.2 |
Quez Watkins | 36 | 12.0 |
Evaluation: No surprises. Smith and Jalen Hurts continue to connect at a high rate.
Pittsburgh Steelers
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
James Washington | 55 | 18.3 |
Diontae Johnson | 38 | 6.3 |
Chase Claypool | 36 | 7.2 |
Evaluation: Dinking and dunking his way to your NFL Playoffs, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Ben Roethlisberger.
Seattle Seahawks
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Evaluation:
San Francisco 49ers
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
George Kittle | 116 | 14.5 |
Brandon Aiyuk | 101 | 12.6 |
Deebo Samuel | 81 | 9.0 |
Evaluation: Oh, George! This is why we loved you so much. Please go on a tear. Signed, third-round Kittle drafters everywhere.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Evaluation:
Tennessee Titans
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
A.J. Brown | 84 | 7.6 |
Evaluation: Brown received the Jalen Ramsey treatment, and as you can see, TEN struggled to get anyone else the ball too. LA’s pass defense is stifling.
Washington Football Team
PLAYER | WEEK 9 AIR YARDS | WEEK 9 aDOT |
Evaluation:
Air Yards are a beast to tackle each week, and I couldn’t put this together without the work of Dave Wright of Dynasty League Football. His weekly spreadsheet is incredible, and you should subscribe to his Patreon for a wealth of fantasy football content!
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Aaron Pags is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Aaron, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyTriage.