Fantasy Football: Week 5 Target Report
Week 5 is now long gone. It’s time to reflect on which targets stood out in Week 5 and what it could mean for these players moving forward.
Stats listed are based on 1/2 PPR scoring.
Emmanuel Sanders: 14 targets, 9 rec
Already the second game of the season with double-digit targets, Emmanuel Sanders now leads all Denver Broncos’ wide receivers in targets on the season. Case Keenum and the Broncos were playing catch up for most of Week 5 vs. the New York Jets. It’s safe to assume Sanders will have a similar fate in Week 6 as the Broncos take on the Los Angeles Rams. I’d be surprised if Sanders doesn’t get double-digit targets for the third time this year. Sanders is a solid WR2 with a safe floor.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling: 10 targets, 7 rec
Both Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison were not on the field in Week 5 which led to Marquez Valdes-Scantling to have himself a 7 reception night on 10 targets. That’s just 2 fewer receptions and targets than Aaron Rodgers go-to WR, Davante Adams. Valdes-Scantling made the most of his opportunity with 68 yards and a touchdown. Allison has yet to clear the concussion protocol and Cobb is still dealing with a hamstring injury which has led to him missing the last two games for the Packers. If both Allison and Cobb are out again, Marquez Valdez-Scantling is worth a start on your fantasy rosters.
Keelan Cole: 10 targets, 4 rec
For those who worried about his usage in Week 4, Keelan Cole was productive for fantasy in Week 5 with 10 targets and 70 receiving yards. It does feel risky to own any Blake Bortles target as he spreads the ball around and you just never know who of this receiving groups is going to have a day and who is going to flop. Donte Moncrief had 14 targets in this game which is great from a volume perspective but still can not be trusted as both WRs have 2 games in which they have 5 or fewer targets this season. The Dallas Cowboys will likely slow this offense down in Week 6, so it may be wise to bench any of your Jacksonville Jaguars receiving options.
Amari Cooper: 1 target, 1 rec
1 target. What else can be said? Amari Cooper is not an elite option in fantasy football. He has got to be the most frustrating player to own. This is the 3rd time Cooper has been targeted 5 or fewer times in a game this season. The other two games? He had 10 and 11 targets. If you are an Amari Cooper owner, you can not start this man. In fact, I suggest you wait until he has another big game and then sell him as fast as you can to the highest bidder. That highest bidder may not offer you as much as you’d like but that owner will be curing you of a constant headache. Rant over.
Doug Baldwin: 1 target, 1 rec
1 target. Different story here, however. Doug Baldwin was just in his second game back from his injury and clearly, the Seahawks are easing him back into action. The positive to take away from this is that Doug Baldwin led all Seahawks WRs in snap counts in Week 5 with 88% of offensive snaps as my fellow writer, Kent Weyrauch, points out in his latest “Snap Count Observations” article. Do not panic if you are a Baldwin owner. Hold onto him if you can and wait until he is fully back into the fold. His massive snap count in Week 5 bodes well for his usage moving forward.
Eric Ebron: 15 targets, 9 rec
Eric Ebron is on an incredible target pace as he is now the 3rd best tight end in fantasy on the season. Ebron benefitted from both T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle being inactive in Week 5. The good news for Ebron is that Hilton and Doyle are not expected to play in Week 6 either. Expect Ebron to have another game with solid target volume. He is becoming a trusted target for Andrew Luck as Eric Ebron has totaled 19 receptions on 36 targets for 178 receiving yards and 3 TDs in his last 3 games.
Kenyan Drake: 11 targets, 7 rec
The good news? Kenyan Drake was the most targeted player on the Dolphins in Week 5. The bad news? Frank Gore had more rushing attempts than Drake in the 3rd consecutive week. This must be frustrating for Kenyan Drake owners as he is the more talented, more explosive, running back on the roster but for some reason, Adam Gase and company feels it’s necessary to continue to give Frank Gore half, if not more of the workload. As encouraging as Week 5 was for Drake, you should temper your expectations until the Dolphins coaching staff does the right thing and gives Drake the touches he deserves. Just a bit of a warning, we haven’t seen coaches making the best decisions for their teams this season so Drake may never get the workload you expected he would when you drafted him in your fantasy drafts.
Ty Montgomery: 3 targets, 1 rec
In a game where both Geronimo Allison and Randall Cobb were out, many expected Ty Montgomery to get an increased workload in the passing game. Well, that was not the case. In fact, Montgomery had just as many targets as Aaron Jones and 1 fewer than Jamaal Williams. He was last in the receiving game among the other backs and had the fewest carries. Ty Montgomery is flat out droppable at this point.