What is Target Share? (Fantasy Football)

The most avid consumers of advanced football stats instantly recognize terms such as YPA, DVOA, aDOT and YAC. To other football fans, this hodgepodge of acronyms is unrecognizable. You don’t need to know all the advanced stats in order to enjoy football, but if you want a greater understanding of a complicated game in which 22 players are trying to perform their unique assignments on every play, advanced stats can help bring order to the chaos.

If you want to learn more about advanced football stats and further enhance your enjoyment of the world’s greatest sport, we’ve got you covered. This glossary explains some terms that might be second nature to the nerdiest of the football nerds but might not be familiar to other fans. Let’s take a closer look at Target Share.

How to Use Target Share in Fantasy Football

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What is Target Share?

Target share is a term used in NFL football to describe the number of targets that a player receives during a game or over the course of a season. Targets are passes thrown by a quarterback in the direction of a specific receiver or tight end. Each target represents an opportunity for the receiver to catch the ball and produce a positive play for the offense.

In football, a player’s target share is an important statistic that can provide insights into how involved they are in their team’s offensive game plan. It can also be a useful tool for fantasy football managers who are looking for high-value players to add to their roster.

How is Target Share Calculated?

To calculate target share, one must first understand what a “target” is in football. A target is a pass attempt by the quarterback directed toward a specific player on the offensive team who is eligible to catch the ball. It is important to note that a target only accounts for pass attempts, not completions or touchdowns.

To calculate target share for a game or season, the total number of targets a player received is divided by the total number of pass attempts made by the quarterback. The resulting percentage is the player’s target share.

For example, if a wide receiver had 10 targets in a game and the quarterback threw 40 total passes, the target share for that game would be 25% (10 ÷ 40 = 0.25 or 25%). If the same player had 50 targets over the course of the season and the quarterback threw 500 passes, then the target share for that season would be 10% (50 ÷ 500 = 0.1 or 10%).

Why Target Share is Important for Fantasy Football Strategy

Target share can be looked at on a game-by-game basis or over the course of a season. A high target share for a player indicates that they are a focal point of the offense and are likely to be a reliable option for fantasy owners. On the other hand, a low target share may suggest that a player is not heavily involved in the game plan and may not be as productive for fantasy owners.

Wide receivers and tight ends typically have the highest target shares on a football team. Running backs also receive targets in passing situations, but their target share is usually lower than that of wide receivers and tight ends.

Target share can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the player’s skill level, their role in the offense, and the game situation. For example, if a team is trailing in the fourth quarter, they may throw the ball more often, leading to increased targets for their receivers and tight ends.

Football analysts and fantasy football experts often use target share as a tool for predicting future player performance. Players with high target shares are more likely to produce consistent fantasy points over the course of a season than those with low target shares.