Week 13 Target Report (Fantasy Football)
As we enter the fantasy football playoffs, let’s check in on the season target leaders through 13 weeks. Even after seeing just 8 targets on Thanksgiving, Michael Thomas still easily leads the league at 11.1 targets per game with Julian Edelman coming in second at 10.3. Christian McCaffrey continues to lead all running backs after a strong 13 target performance this week, which brings his season total up to 96. He should easily eclipse 100 targets in Week 14. Only two tight ends have surpassed triple-digit targets thus far, Zach Ertz (105) and Travis Kelce (100), while Darren Waller is the next closest at 87.
Here’s a closer look at some of the most notable target performances of Week 13.
Robert Woods: 19 targets, 13 rec
Woods topped his career-high and joined Tyreek Hill as the only players to see 19 targets in a game this season. It’s been a puzzling year for Woods. His 99 targets are by far the most by any player without a receiving touchdown. The next closest is actually running back Leonard Fornette, who’s seen 81 targets, while Mike Williams and his 69 targets are the most seen by another wideout who hasn’t yet caught a touchdown. If you believe in positive regression (hint: you should), then you have to believe Woods is due to find the endzone at some point in the fantasy playoffs.
Alshon Jeffery: 16 targets, 9 rec
Carson Wentz was obviously happy to see Jeffery back on the field. He targeted him more than he has any other player in a single game this season other than Zach Ertz, who also saw 16 in Week 2 with Jeffery sidelined. You can be sure that, as long as he’s on the field, the ball will be thrown his way.
Anthony Miller: 13 targets, 9 rec
Miller had a huge day on Thanksgiving, posting career-highs in targets, catches, and yards. He’s now averaged 11 targets per game over the past three weeks. If Mitch Trubisky can deliver competent quarterback play, Miller could have a major impact during the fantasy playoffs.
D.J. Moore: 12 targets, 6 rec
Moore has been featured in the target report more than any other player recently, and rightfully so. Since Week 9 he’s averaging 11.4 targets per game, more than any other player. It feels safe to say that the second-year receiver has officially broken out.
James White: 11 targets, 8 rec
It’d been a while since we’d seen White heavily involved in the passing game; since Week 8 he’d only averaged 4.5 targets per game. That changed in a big way when New England had to play catch up in Houston Sunday night. That could plausibly be the case again next week against the Chiefs but isn’t too likely against the Bengals or Bills to wrap up the fantasy season.
T.J. Hockenson: 11 targets, 6 rec
In David Blough’s first career start, he targeted the rookie tight end on a team-high 29% of his pass attempts. That amounted to the most passes thrown his way since the season-opener. Unfortunately, he suffered a likely season-ending ankle injury near the end of the game, so you’ll have to wait until next year to see if he can break into the top tier of fantasy tight ends.
Jack Doyle: 11 targets, 6 rec
This was one of the more predictable outcomes of Week 13. With T.Y. Hilton, Parris Campbell, and now Eric Ebron unavailable, it’s no surprise the “Baby Hands” Doyle was peppered with targets. The 11 passes thrown his way Sunday were the second-most he’s seen in his career and the most in over two years.
Robby Anderson: 10 targets, 7 rec
It’s been an up and down year for Anderson, but he was finally able to log double-digit targets for the first time this season. The big-play receiver is capable of winning a week in the fantasy playoffs but is tough to trust with how sporadic his target counts have been.
Tyler Boyd: 10 targets, 5 rec
Boyd was one of the most targeted players in the NFL through the first eight weeks of the season, averaging 10.4 targets per game over that span. Those targets dropped to 6.7 per game when Ryan Finley took over in Weeks 10-12. Needless to say, Boyd owners should be ecstatic to have Dalton reinserted as the starting quarterback in Cincinnati.
Kaden Smith: 8 targets, 6 rec
With Evan Engram and Rhett Ellison both unavailable due to injury, the Giants had to turn to a rookie from Stanford who was waived by San Francisco early in the season. Fellow rookie Daniel Jones targeted him more times than both Sterling Shepard and Saquon Barkley. The little-known tight end will be in play if Engram and Ellison continue to miss games.
Other notable target counts in Week 13:
Christian McCaffrey – 13
Allen Robinson – 12
Julian Edelman – 12
Jarvis Landry – 11
Mike Evans – 11
Leonard Fournette – 11
Davante Adams – 10
DeVante Parker – 10
Calvin Ridley – 10
Zach Pascal – 10
Christian Blake – 9
Russell Gage – 9
Jamison Crowder – 9
Stefon Diggs – 9
Darren Waller – 9
Travis Kelce – 9
Michael Thomas – 8
DeAndre Hopkins – 8
Tyler Higbee – 8
Mike Gesicki – 7
O.J. Howard – 6
George Kittle – 4
John Brown – 4
Terry McLaurin – 4
Hunter Henry – 3
Noah Fant – 3
Tyler Lockett – 3