Wide Receiver Breakouts for Fantasy Football: Targets, Air Yards, Snaps Trends for Amon-Ra St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Zay Flowers, Adam Thielen

You are already aware that wide receivers will play a critical role in the success of your teams. The undeniable volatility that exists with the running back position has also presented an increasing rationale for prioritizing wide receivers when you build your rosters – both at the onset of your drafts and as you manage your teams throughout the entire season.

The numbers that are generated by all wide receivers provide the foundation for this weekly statistical breakdown of the position, which I will be constructing for a sixth consecutive season. This will be the sixth installment that will examine game-specific data, including updated totals for targets, air yards, targets per route run, yards per route run, red-zone targets, and snap counts. The information that is contained in this weekly report will analyze how various receivers are being utilized, and how effectively they are capitalizing on their opportunities.

As the season progresses noteworthy changes in usage and production will be blended into the equation. Statistics from our player pages at RotoBaller were included during the compilation of data, while Pro Football Reference, PFF, Rotowire, Fantasy Points Data, NextGenStats, and Rotoviz were also used as resources in the creation of this report.

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• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Targets

Ja’Marr Chase has emerged as the league leader in targets for the first time this season (73) as we enter the matchups of Week 7. He secured his third double-digit total of the year in Week 6 and has now stockpiled 56 targets (14 per game) during his last four matchups. Puka Nacua had paced the league in targets from Weeks 1-5. He currently remains second overall with 70 and is still averaging 11.7 per game, despite tying his season low in Week 6 (seven).

5th 100-yard game of the season for @stefondiggs nbd pic.twitter.com/suDmUGGyeP

— NFL (@NFL) October 16, 2023

Stefon Diggs expanded his season-long total to 66 after accumulating a season-high 16 during Buffalo’s Week 6 matchup with the Giants. It was the third game in which Diggs has captured 12+ this season. A.J. Brown has been targeted 60 times from Weeks 1-6 while accruing 8+ in five of his six matchups. He has also garnered at least eight targets during nine of his last 10 regular season matchups.

Brown is tied with Michael Pittman Jr. who has now captured 11+ targets during four of his six contests. Pittman also secured a season-high 14 in Week 6.
Davante Adams has accrued 59 targets even though he has only averaged 4.5 per game since Week 5. The six-time Pro-Bowler had been averaging 12.5 per game from Weeks 1-4.

Adam Thielen has also been targeted 59 times after collecting 13 for a second consecutive week. Thielen is now second only to Ja’Marr Chase with 48 targets (12.0 per game) since Week 3. Tyreek Hill has also accumulated 59 targets, after attaining 10 in Week 6, Hill has now reached double digits in three of his matchups and has accrued 9+ in five of his six games.

Garrett Wilson is next with 55 targets after he attained 11 in Week 7. That was his second double-digit total since Week 5 after he had averaged 7.3 per game from Weeks 1-3.

Every Keenan Allen Target vs the Cowboys🤠

7/11 Rec
85 Yards
1 TD pic.twitter.com/UuaWYvNQCb

— Dynasty Nerds (@DynastyNerds) October 17, 2023

Keenan Allen has now collected 55 targets after he secured a double-digit target total for the third time this season (11). Allen has also accumulated 9+ targets in nine of his last 11 regular season matchups

Marquise Brown’s season total has now risen to 53 after he captured a season-high 11 in Week 6. He has been targeted 10+ times during four of his last five matchups. Chris Olave had averaged 5.5 targets per game in Weeks 4-5 but joined Brown by attaining his fourth double-digit total of the season in Week 6 (10). That also increased Olave’s overall total to 53.

Amon-Ra St. Brown returned from a one-week absence (abdomen) to collect a season-high 15 targets from Jared Goff in Week 6. That was his second double-digit total of the season, which propelled his season-long total to 49.

Doesn't get much better than this.@ckirk | #INDvsJAX on CBS/NFL+ pic.twitter.com/KyBsiMiMTD

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) October 15, 2023

Christian Kirk has also accumulated 49 targets even though he was limited to six during Jacksonville’s Week 6 matchup with Indianapolis. Kirk has now captured 12+ twice since Week 2 but has also failed to exceed six during three other matchups. Rookie Zay Flowers has been targeted 48 times by Lamar Jackson after he accumulated eight in Week 6. Flowers is easily the WR1 in Baltimore while operating with a 28.4% target share. The impressive numbers that Flowers has assembled will be examined further in the Five Things I Noticed section.

Michael Thomas has accrued 47 targets from Weeks 1-6 after collecting eight during New Orleans’ matchup with Houston. Thomas has now collected 8+ during four of his six games. Thomas is tied with DeAndre Hopkins even though Hopkins was limited to just five targets in Week 6. Hopkins has now secured 11+ targets in two different contests while failing to exceed six in three other games. DeVonta Smith’s overall total has improved to 45 after he captured a season-high (11) in Week 6. That was his first double-digit total since Philadelphia’s season opener as he had been averaging 6.0 per game from Weeks 2-5.

Calvin Ridley has not secured a double-digit target total since Jacksonville’s season opener. However, he has now collected eight targets in two consecutive matchups, after being relegated to just two targets in Week 4. That improved his overall total to 44. It also ties Ridley with Kendrick Bourne, who was targeted 11 times in Week 6. That tied Bourne’s season high which was originally established in Week 1.

Seven different wide receivers are averaging at least 10.0 targets per game from Weeks 1-6 - Ja’Marr Chase (12.2), Puka Nacua (11.7), Stefon Diggs (11.0), Keenan Allen (11.0), Justin Jefferson (10.6), A.J. Brown (10.0), and Michael Pittman (10.0). Cooper Kupp has also averaged 10.5 per game since his return in Week 5.

Target Risers And Fallers

18 different wide receivers were targeted at least 10 times during their Week 6 matchups. The 16 targets that were collected by Stefon Diggs propelled him to the highest total of the week. It was the fourth time that Diggs has eclipsed 16+ during his career and the third time that he has accomplished it during his 55 games as a Bill.

Amon-Ra St. Brown was averaging 8.5 targets per game from Weeks 1-5. That average has improved to 9.8 per game after he garnered 15 targets in Week 6. St. Brown’s numbers will be examined further in the Five Things I Noticed section. Michael Pittman Jr. captured a season-high 14 targets in Week 6 which was the fourth time that he has eclipsed 14+ targets in his career. It was also Pittman‘s highest weekly total since Week 15 of last season.

Ja’Marr Chase has been so crucial to this offense’s success. Here is the big play of the day from him flipping the field for the offense on a free play due to the snap count cadence. The after the catch is spectacular! This went for 31 yards! #Bengals #WhoDey #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/cpURiWps8y

— GameOn513 (@gameonjmoney) October 16, 2023

Ja’Marr Chase was targeted 13 times by Joe Burrow when Cincinnati hosted Seattle. He has now secured 13+ during three of his last four outings. Chase has also averaged a league-best 14.0 per game during that span. Adam Thielen was averaging 5.5 targets per game entering Week 3 before attaining his 12.0 per game average during Carolina‘s last four matchups. Thielen has also accumulated 13+ targets during three of his last four outings, after only securing a double-digit total once throughout the entire 2022 regular season.

Garrett Wilson is ABSURD 🤧 pic.twitter.com/BiVXRJLAEL

— PFF (@PFF) October 15, 2023

Garrett Wilson collected 12 targets in Week 6 and has now accumulated 8+ in four of his last five games. Wilson has also eclipsed 8+ during 11 of his last 15 regular season matchups. Drake London captured his first double-digit target total of the season when he was targeted 12 times by Desmond Ridder in Week 6. It was London’s highest weekly total since Week 13 of last season, and he has now attained 10+ during four of his 23 games with Atlanta.

Marquise Brown has now accumulated at least 10 targets during each of his last three outings after he secured a season-high 11 in Week 6. Brown is fifth among all receivers with 31 targets (10.3 per game) during that three-game sequence. DeVonta Smith had been limited to just five targets during three of his four matchups from Weeks 2-5. However, the 11 targets that he garnered in Week 6 represented his highest weekly total since Week 17 of 2022.

Commanders QB Sam Howell DIME to WR Terry Mclaurin on the run 🎯
pic.twitter.com/2TvaSy8Dih

— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) October 15, 2023

The 11 targets that were distributed to Terry McLaurin in Week 6 established a new season high. He had been averaging 6.2 per game from Weeks 1-5 while failing to exceed six targets during four of those matchups. Kendrick Bourne has collected 11 targets twice this season, after accomplishing it during New England‘s Week 6 matchup with Las Vegas. Bourne only reached double digits during two of his first 91 career games prior to 2023.

Michael Pittman Jr. had been relegated to his second-lowest target total of the season in Week 5 (seven) before he attained his season-high 14 in Week 6. That fueled his week-to-week increase of +7. DeVonta Smith, Terry McLaurin, and Kendrick Bourne all accumulated 11 targets in Week 6, just one week after they had been limited to five. That resulted in their weekly increases of +6.

Trenton Irwin operated with an expanded role in Week 5, while Tee Higgins was sidelined with a rib injury. That propelled Irwin to career highs in snaps (62), and targets (10). However, Irwin was limited to just 24 snaps and failed to register a target in Week 6. That created the largest week-to-week decline of -10.

The 19 targets that Ja'Marr Chase stockpiled in Week 5 would prove difficult to match in Week 6. His 13 targets did place him fourth among all wide receivers but still resulted in a drop of -6. DeAndre Hopkins collected 11 targets in Week 5, which was his second double-digit total of the season. However, he was only targeted five times in Week 6, which fueled his drop of -6.

Robert Woods secured nine targets in Week 5, which was the third time that he had attained 9+ this season. He was limited to a season-low three targets in Week 6 which created a weekly decline of -6.

Air Yards 

A.J. Brown leads all wide receivers with 821 air yards. Tyreek Hill is now second overall (751), followed by Chris Olave (748), Stefon Diggs (700), Marquise Brown (672), and two receivers who have accumulated 632 air yards - Puka Nacua, and Davante Adams. Amari Cooper is next (619), followed by DeAndre Hopkins (618), DeVonta Smith (584), and Garrett Wilson, who has accrued 579 entering Week 7.

Brandon Aiyuk leads all wide receivers with an air yards share of 53.7%. Tyreek Hill is second (49.9%), followed by A.J. Brown (46.3%), Garrett Wilson (45.4%), D.J. Moore (45.3%), and George Pickens (44.1%). Davante Adams is next (43.8%), followed by Stefon Diggs (43.3%), Amari Cooper (42.5%), and Marquise Brown, who has attained an air yards share of 42.4%.

Marquise Brown accumulated more air yards than any other wide receiver during his Week 6 matchup (183). DeVonta Smith was second (169), followed by D.K. Metcalf  (159), Stefon Diggs (156), Chris Olave (150), Brandon Aiyuk (149), Trey Palmer (148), A.J. Brown (146), and Tyreek Hill, who generated 144 air yards in Week 6.

Courtland Sutton attained the highest air yards share in Week 6 (80.0%), followed by Brandon Aiyuk (71.6%), Stefon Diggs (67.5%), Cooper Kupp (63.6%), D.J. Moore (60.4%), Terry McLaurin (58.8%), and Ja’Marr Chase, who secured an air yards share of 58.3%.

Routes Run

Michael Pittman Jr.. is the new league leader in routes run (254) entering Week 7. Van Jefferson is second overall (242), followed by Josh Downs (241), Ja’Marr Chase (236), Jahan Dotson (236), and Alec Pierce (232),. Terry McLaurin is next (229), followed by Zay Flowers (225),  K.J. Osborn (223), Christian Kirk (218), and D.J. Moore, who has accumulated 216 routes.

Michael Pittman also ran a league-high 62 routes in Week 6. Chris Olave was second (53), followed by Josh Downs (50), DeVonta Smith (48), and three receivers who accumulated 46 routes - A.J. Brown, Rashid Shaheed, and Michael Thomas. Drake London, accrued 45 routes, followed by Amon-Ra St. Brown (44), and three receivers that ran 43 routes - Tyler Lockett, Ja’Marr, Chase, and Michael Wilson.

Targets Per Route Run

Tyreek Hill and Puka Nacua have both been targeted on 38.6% of their routes entering Week 7. That ties them for the league lead. Mike Evans has been targeted on 35% of his routes, as has Cooper Kupp, who has run 60 routes in two matchups following his return. Davante Adams is next (34.7%), followed by Stefon Diggs (34%), Brandon Aiyuk (33.6%), Keenan Allen (33.5%), Kadarius Toney (32.1%), and Jakobi Meyers, who has been targeted on 31.4% of his routes.

Tyreek Hill was also targeted on 43.5% of his routes in Week 6, which was the highest percentage among all wide receivers. Kadarius Toney was next (42.9%), followed by Brandon Aiyuk (41.7%), Stefon Diggs (41%), Terry McLaurin (40.7%), Mack Hollins (40%), Cooper Kupp (39.1%), Amon-Ra St. Brown (34.1%), and three receivers who were targeted on 33.3% of the routes - Adam Thielen, Kendrick Bourne, and Jaylen Waddle.

Yards Per Route Run 

Tyreek Hill remains the league leader with an average of 5.32 yards per route run entering Week 7. Cooper Kupp has already run a sufficient number of routes to qualify for second overall (4.43), followed by Brandon Aiyuk (4.13), Marvin Mims Jr. (4.1), A.J. Brown (3.5), Nico Collins (3.32), Mike Evans (3.3), and Stefon Diggs (3.2). Keenan Allen is next (3.16), followed by Puka Nacua (3.13), Amari Cooper (2.89), and CeeDee Lamb, who is averaging 2.86 yards per route run.

Hill also averaged a league-high 7.09 yards per route run in Week 6. Cooper Kupp was second (6.43), followed by Nico Collins (3.48), Amari Cooper (3.18), Brandon Aiyuk (3.17,), Terry McLaurin (3.00), Adam Thielen (2.95), A.J. Brown (2.85), Amon-Ra St.Brown (2.82), and Drake London, who averaged 2.78 yards per route run.

Red Zone Targets  

Davante Adams leads all wide receivers with 14 red zone targets entering Week 7. Garrett Wilson has risen to second with 12, followed by Ja’Marr Chase (11), and five different receivers who have been targeted nine times - Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, Jakobi Meyers, Tyler Lockett, and Jayden Reed.

Teammates Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers have collected a league-high seven targets inside the 10-yard line. Keenan Allen and Jaylen Waddle have been targeted six times. Six different receivers have collected five targets inside the 10 – Tyreek Hill, Ja’Marr Chase, Garrett Wilson, Drake London, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed. Jaylen Waddle has accumulated a league-high five targets inside the 5-yard line, while his teammate Tyreek Hill has captured four.

Josh Downs collected a league-high four targets inside the 20 in Week 6. Four receivers were targeted three times - Garrett Wilson, D.K. Metcalf, Marquise Brown, and DeAndre Hopkins. 15 different receivers collected two targets including Cooper Kupp, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Downs also led all receivers with three targets inside the 10.

Snaps

DeVonta Smith leads all wide receivers with 419 offensive snaps entering Week 7. A.J. Brown is second overall (398), followed by Michael Pittman (397), Pittman’s teammate Alec Pierce (367), Adam Thielen (361), Puka Nacua (359), Zay Flowers (351), Ja’Marr Chase (350), and two receivers who are tied with 345 snaps - D.J. Moore, and Drake London.

Michael Pittman Jr. also leads the position in snap count percentage (98.5%), followed by DeVonta Smith (97.9%), Cooper Kupp (97.3%), Ja’Marr Chase (95.1%), A.J. Brown (93.0%), D.J. Moore (93.0%), and Davante Adams who has played on 91.6% of the Raiders’ offensive snaps. Alec Pierce is next (91.1%), followed by Puka Nacua (90.7%), and Jakobi Meyers with a snap share of 90.6%.

Michael Pittman Jr. also led all wide receivers with 75 snaps in Week 6. DeVonta Smith and Chris Olave were tied for second (68) followed by A.J. Brown (66), and five receivers who were tied with 65 snaps - Marquise Brown, Darius Slayton, Michael Thomas, Drake London, and Michael Wilson. Amon-Ra St. Brown was next (63) followed by three receivers who played on 62 snaps – D.J. Moore, Jonathan Mingo, and Zay Flowers.

Michael Pittman Jr. and Cooper Kupp both played on 100% of their team’s snaps in Week 6. DeVonta Smith was involved in 98.6% of Philadelphia snaps, followed by Brandon Aiyuk (98.2%), Joshua Palmer (96.7%), Puka Nacua (96.4%), A.J. Brown (95.7%), and D.J. Moore who played on 95.4% of the Bears’ offensive snaps in Week 6.

Five Things I Noticed 

1. Arguably, the most unexpected development surrounding wide receivers has been the ascension of 33-year-old Adam Thielen among the league leaders in multiple categories. Thielen averaged 7.4 targets, 5.2 receptions, and 67.9 yards per game from 2016 to 2020 before those averages dropped to 6.3 targets, 4.1 receptions, and 42.1 yards per game during his final season with Minnesota. He also averaged 10.6 points per game and generated six touchdowns, after accumulating 24 in 2020 and 2021 combined.

Thielen was released by the Vikings in March and signed a three-year contract with Carolina later that month. He was limited to just two targets, and 12 receiving yards during the Panthers’ season opener. However, an unforeseen statistical eruption has launched Thielen among this season’s WR1s.

Top 5 Fantasy WRs so far:
1. Tyreek Hill (160.8)
2. Stefon Diggs (139.1)
3. Adam Thielen (126.7)
4. Keenan Allen (124.5)
5. Ja'Marr Chase (123.8)

Adam Thielen is in ELITE company

— Alex Caruso (@AlexCaruso) October 17, 2023

Since Week 2, Thielen has collected 8+ targets and 7+ receptions in all five of his matchups, while exceeding 100 yards three times. He leads all wide receivers with 47 targets (9.4 per game) and is second in targets (57/11.4 per game), second in touchdowns (four), and sixth in receiving yards (497/99.4 per game). Thielen is also 11th in targets per route run (32.6%), and 14th in yards per route run (2.84) while leading all wide receivers with an average of 24.7 points per game during that span.

Adam Thielen has been cookin' this season 😤pic.twitter.com/wHXahPIffP

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) October 15, 2023

Thielen is operating in a passing attack that leads the league with 40.2 attempts per game and is fourth in pass play percentage (64.4%). No other receiving weapon within Carolina's arsenal of options is assembling numbers that are remotely close to Thielen’s. He has secured the team lead in each category that has been mentioned, while also pacing the team in routes run (212), air yards (457), air yards share (31.4%), and yards after catch (183).

Rookie Jonathan Mingo is second on the Panthers with a 15.3% target share which easily trails Thielen’s 26.7%. Mingo has also been targeted on 21.3% of his 136 routes while collecting 15 receptions. He has also assembled 133 receiving yards and has accrued 307 air yards. D.J. Chark and Terrace Marshall are both operating with similar target shares (Chark 14.2%), (Marshall 14.6%).

Chark is also second on the team in routes run (147) receiving yards (197), air yards, (368), and air yards share (29.6%). Marshall has run 121 routes, while accumulating 114 receiving yards, and 206 air yards, and has been targeted on 22.3% of his routes.

Thielen went all in. pic.twitter.com/CrFzK0Hsqh

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 8, 2023

Thielen will resume his role as the Panthers’ most critical receiving weapon when Carolina hosts Houston in Week 8. It may be difficult for him to sustain WR1 production for fantasy managers. However, there is no reason to anticipate a significant drop-off in his usage and output. That will result in numbers that incentivize managers to keep him cemented in all lineups throughout the season.

2. Detroit’s surging offense is now ranked third entering Week 7 while averaging 383.7 yards per game. The Lions’ fourth-ranked aerial attack is also averaging 259.7 yards per game.

Jared Goff has now soared to fifth an average of 269.7 yards per game. He has also secured a career-high 69.5 completion percentage, which also places him fifth among all signal callers. Those numbers were bolstered during Detroit’s matchup in Week 6  as Goff operated with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams in the lineup together for the first time this season.

THE FIRST TD OF THE 2023 SEASON GOES TO AMON-RA ST. BROWN
pic.twitter.com/qBYcgYysqx

— PFF (@PFF) September 8, 2023

Goff had distributed 57.9% of his targets to Detroit’s wide receivers prior to Week 6, which ranked 23rd overall. Amon-Ra St. Brown led the Lions with a 28.2% target share entering Week 6, followed by highly productive rookie Sam LaPorta (20.5%) whose numbers continue to circumvent the hurdles that have traditionally neutralized the proficiency of first-year tight ends. Wide receivers Josh Reynolds (15.9%), and Kalif Raymond (9.3%), were next, followed by Marvin Jones Jr. (6.0%).  St. Brown also led the Lions in routes run (128), followed by LaPorta (116), Reynolds (112), Raymond (71), and Jones (71).

Goff effectively spearheaded the Lions' aerial attack once again in Week 6, while establishing season highs in attempts (44), completions (30), and passing yards (353). He also averaged 8.0 yards per attempt and 8.9 air yards per attempt. Goff also distributed 15 targets to St. Brown, which established a new career high for the third-year receiver.

Amon-Ra St. Brown to the HOUSE 🏠

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/IP0sNTnHb1

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 15, 2023

It was the second time that St. Brown has attained a double-digit target total during his five matchups this season. He is now 13th overall with 49 targets entering Week 7 (9.8 per game) despite his one-game absence. St. Brown also attained a career-high in receiving yards (124), which was the third time this season that he had eclipsed 100+. That expanded his overall total to 455 (91 per game) which places him 13th overall. He is also 10th with 38 receptions (7.6 per game), after capturing a season-high 12 in Week 6.

St. Brown is also 18th in targets per route run (28.5%), 17th in yards per route run (2.65), has accumulated 355 air yards, and has attained an air yards share of 29.1%. He should continue to operate as a low-end WR1 for managers during upcoming matchups.

Williams played on just 16 snaps in Week 6, which trailed St. Brown (64), Reynolds (57), and Marvin Jones Jr. (20). Williams was also limited to nine routes. which was also fifth behind St.Brown (44), Reynolds (34), Jones (13), and Raymond (12). He was targeted three times by Goff, although one of his two receptions resulted in a 45-yard touchdown.

JAMESON WILLIAMS IS BACK 💣 pic.twitter.com/HpX9xa8Ek2

— PFF (@PFF) October 15, 2023

Williams’ home run capabilities can provide an additional element to Detroit’s potent attack, provided that he can earn a higher snap share and develop into an effective weapon. That will need to occur before managers can insert him into their lineups.

3. CeeDee Lamb was the fifth wide receiver to be selected during the draft season (ADP 11), and that level of optimism appeared justified. Only three wide receivers captured more targets than Lamb during the 2022 regular season (156), while he was one of just nine receivers to eclipse an average of 9+ per game.

He was also eighth with a 28.6% target share, fourth in receptions (107/6.3 per game), and sixth in receiving yards (1,359/79.9 per game) last season. He also rose to fourth in touchdowns (nine), and 10th in air yards (1,558). Lamb was also targeted on 28.6% of his routes and averaged  2.49 yards per route run.

Lamb’s numbers had universally declined in these categories during his first five games this season. He was just 25th in targets (35/7.0 per game/21.7% share), 13th in receptions (27/5.4 per game), 14th in receiving yards (358/71.6 per game), and had manufactured just one touchdown. He had also been targeted on 21.1% of his routes, was averaging 2.16 yards per route run, and had plummeted to just 51st in air yards (281).

CeeDee Lamb was very transparent today in responding to questions about his apparent frustrations. #Cowboys

Dak Prescott reached out to him on Monday and they discussed it all. pic.twitter.com/eJEVHBE743

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) October 13, 2023

It would appear that Lamb’s exceptional skills and his ongoing role as the Cowboys' primary receiving weapon would have compelled Mike McCarthy to utilize him with greater frequency. However, the Cowboys had also been spreading the ball to tight end Jake Ferguson who was second on the team with a 17.4% target share entering Week 6. Brandin Cooks was second among the Cowboys’ wide receivers with a 15.3% share, while Michael Gallup and Tony Pollard had both secured shares of 13.7%.

Lamb had also registered season highs in targets (13), receptions (11), and receiving yards (143) when Dallas hosted the Jets in Week 2. However, those numbers diminished significantly, in Weeks 3-5 when he averaged 6.0 targets, 4.0 receptions, and 46 yards per game.

CEEDEE LAMB BOOM WEEK 💣 pic.twitter.com/XTn6zY7fqJ

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) October 13, 2023

Lamb appeared positioned to deliver a highly productive outing in Week 6, during a matchup with the Chargers' 32nd-ranked pass defense - which had surrendered 299.8 yards per game through the air.

Dak Prescott launched 30 attempts against Los Angeles, which was below his average of 32 per game entering the contest. He completed 21 of those attempts (70%) while distributing targets to six different players. Lamb was targeted seven times, which matched his per-game average. However, he capitalized by collecting all seven of those passes, which was his second-highest reception total of the season.

Lamb also accumulated 117 receiving yards, which was the sixth-highest total among all wide receivers in Week 6. That has now propelled Lamb to 11th overall in receiving yards (475/79.2 per game) after he was 14th entering the contest. It appears increasingly unlikely that Lamb will match last year's 9.0 target per game average. However, that will not preclude him from operating as a WR1.

4. Fantasy managers who have invested in members of this year’s rookie class have experienced varying degrees of satisfaction and frustration as we enter Week 7. Several newcomers have established their ability to function as viable starters in all lineups while others have yet to emerge as trustworthy options.

This applies to wide receivers who were selected in Round 1 of last April’s NFL Draft.  Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Quentin Johnston were the first two members of their rookie class to be drafted, but both players have failed to reach offseason expectations. However, the numbers that have been delivered by Zay Flowers have been far more encouraging.

Flowers was selected immediately after Smith-Njigba and Johnston (22nd overall). He was also the third rookie to be selected by fantasy managers during the draft season (ADP 90/WR39) but has ascended to second among all newcomers in targets (48/40/8.0 per game/28.4% share), receptions (35/5.8 per game) receiving yards (367/61.2 per game). Those numbers have also placed him 16th among all wide receivers in targets, while he is 12th in receptions and 22nd in receiving yards.

Zay Flowers move on Cole Holcomb #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/XsOXVInJso

— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) October 8, 2023

Flowers has now collected 8+ targets during four of his six matchups, He has also accumulated 50+ yards in five of those six contests, while capturing at least six catches in three different outings.

Flowers is also second among first-year receivers in routes run (225), yards after catch (151), and air yards share (30.3%). He also leads the Ravens in all seven categories that have been mentioned. Flowers has also been targeted on a team-high 21.3% of his routes and is averaging 1.63 yards per route run.

FIRST NFL TOUCHDOWN FOR @ZayFlowers ❗️❗️❗️

Tune in on NFL Network! pic.twitter.com/Zvr50jOkdp

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 15, 2023

That includes Flowers’ numbers in Week 6 when he was targeted eight times by Lamar Jackson while securing six of those passes, and assembling 50 yards. Flowers also generated his first touchdown of the season.

Flowers also led Baltimore in routes run (39), and targets per route run (20.5%) in Week 6. He has cemented his integral role within the Ravens' passing attack despite offseason concerns that his path toward production might be impeded by veterans Rashod Bateman, and Odell Beckham Jr. This has not transpired, as Bateman and Beckham have combined for just 30 targets, 19 receptions, and 195 receiving yards entering Week 7.

Nelson Agholor is second among the Ravens’ wide receivers in targets 20 (3.3 per game), receptions (16/2.7 per game), receiving yards (210/35 per game), routes run (127), air yards (243), air yards share (18.7%), and yards after catch (57). Those numbers remain well below the results that have been delivered by Flowers, who is also 26th overall with an average of 13.2 points per game.  He should continue to thrive in his role as Baltimore's WR1 while providing managers with high-end WR3 output as the season advances.

5. Unfortunately, there are several wide receivers who have failed to match expectations that were established during the offseason. Now that their underwhelming performances have extended through six games, it is reasonable to doubt that they will resuscitate their seasons sufficiently to offset the disappointment that has ensued surrounding their numbers.

What has become an annual surge in anticipation that Jerry Jeudy would finally justify his first-round selection by Denver (2020) resurfaced on schedule during the offseason. Jeudy appeared primed to deliver the breakout season that has been projected by many following the arrival of Sean Payton during the offseason. This fueled his selection in Round 6 during the draft season (66/WR27).

Jerry Jeudy looks like he bout to pop off for 3 catches and 26 yards tonight 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/DAa3g32PIR

— Safid Deen 💯💯💯💯 (@Safid_Deen) October 13, 2023

What has actually occurred serves to sustain the frustration that anyone who has invested in Jeudy has endured through the Broncos’ first six games.
Jeudy has averaged 5.8 targets, 4.0 receptions, and a career-low 44.4 yards per game. He has also failed to exceed three receptions in three different contests and did not surpass 25 yards in two of those contests. That includes his underwhelming numbers in Week 6 when he collected three receptions and only manufactured 14 yards.

#Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy tonight:

3 receptions
14 receiving yards
0 receiving touchdowns
3.4 yards per reception pic.twitter.com/0WJvuhfsMB

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 13, 2023

Jeudy has also registered a career-worst 3.6 yards after catch per reception and is averaging a career-low 1.35 yards per route run. Jeudy is also just 58th among all wide receivers with an average of 8.4 points per game. He also trails Courtland Sutton in targets, receptions, receiving yards, routes, targets per route run, and yards per route run.

Jeudy's underwhelming numbers cannot be solely blamed on the fourth-year receiver, as there are other deficiencies that are rampant within Denver’s offense. Unfortunately, those are unlikely to change this season. This decreases the likelihood that Jeudy will deliver a statistical surge unless he resurfaces in a favorable environment before the NFL trade deadline.

The offseason departures of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman Jr. appeared to clear a runway for Skyy Moore to seize responsibilities as Kansas City’s WR1 during his second season. As did the torn meniscus that was sustained by Kadarius Toney during training camp.

This seemingly positioned Moore to operate directly behind Travis Kelce within Patrick Mahomes’ priorities for the distribution of targets. His prospective ascension into a significant role also ignited a rising ADP that surged from Round 12 (141/WR54 ) in June to Round 9 (92/WR42) in September.

Mahomes when Skyy Moore asks for more targets pic.twitter.com/lLjC2DaU7p

— Gage Bridgford (@GbridgfordNFL) October 13, 2023

The disparity between the optimistic projections and Moore’s discouraging numbers is massive. He is currently fourth on the Chiefs with 21 targets while averaging just 3.5 per game. This places him behind Kelce (46/9.2 per game), Rashee Rice (28/4.7 per game), and Toney (25/4.2 per game).

Moore is also just seventh on the Chiefs with 11 receptions (1.5 per game), and fifth in receiving yards (145/24.2 per game). That includes four games in which he has failed to exceed two receptions and 22 yards.

Receptions Per Game in Patrick Mahomes starts:

Skyy Moore 1.48
Justin Simmons 0.36

The gap is closing!pic.twitter.com/7ENtqJi8Di

— Scott Spratt (@Scott_Spratt) October 13, 2023

Moore has also been targeted on 13.8 of his routes and is averaging just 0.95 yards per route run. He has yet to establish chemistry with Mahomes and it is unlikely that he will emerge among the Kansas City signal callers’ most trusted weapons this season.

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