Wide Receiver Snap Counts and Target Trends - Risers and Fallers for Week 18

Your wide receivers remain essential components toward your primary goal of capturing fantasy championships. Congratulations to all of you who were able to win your leagues in Week 17. If you are involved in a Week 18 matchup that will determine your league champion, an expanding assortment of tools is available that can provide you with an extensive level of knowledge regarding this critical position.

Those results are contained in this weekly statistical breakdown of multiple categories, which is designed to help you fulfill your championship aspirations. This will be the 17th installment that will examine game-specific data, including updated totals for targets, first downs, red-zone targets, snap counts, and a compilation of advanced statistics. 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.

This massive collection of data also supplies the foundation from which the numbers that are generated in various categories can be evaluated. This week’s article will bolster your efforts to determine which wide receivers should be in your Week 18 lineups. Pro Football Reference, PFF, NextGenStats, Rotowire, Rotoviz, and Football Outsiders were all used as resources in compiling this data. Good luck to everyone in your matchups.

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Week 17 Target Leaders

Cooper Kupp failed to attain a double-digit target total for only the second time this season when he received seven during the Rams’ Week 17 matchup in Baltimore. He still leads the league with 184 overall which is over 20 targets more than any other wide receiver. Davante Adams is now second overall (162), after collecting 13+ in three of his last four games. Justin Jefferson has now eclipsed 10+ in five consecutive outings while expanding his overall total to 160. Diontae Johnson is fourth overall with 159 targets, after capturing a season-high 15 during Pittsburgh’s matchup with Cleveland.

Tyreek Hill is next (156) after reaching double digits for the 10th time this season. D.J. Moore has now accumulated 153 targets, even though his streak of four consecutive games with 10+ was snapped in Week 17. Stefon Diggs completes the list of seven receivers who have accrued 150+ targets after he captured nine from Josh Allen in Week 17. Keenan Allen is next (149) after he captured 9+ in 11 of his 15 games this season. Marquise Brown has assembled 138 targets while averaging 10.6 per game since Week 7. He will be discussed further in the 5 Things I Noticed section.

Jaylen Waddle is next (134) even though his seven targets in Week 17 represented his lowest weekly total since Week 10. Brandin Cooks has now accumulated at least 10 targets and each of his last three matchups while extending his season total to 130. Three receivers are tied with 124 targets including Ja'Marr Chase whose record-setting performance in Week 17 will be examined in the 5 Things I Noticed section. Chase is tied with Darnell Mooney who registered his second-highest target total of the season in Week 17 (13). Terry McLaurin has also accrued 124 targets, even though he has averaged just 6.1 per game since Week 8.

Hunter Renfrow has now collected 9+ targets during six of his last nine games which have increased his overall total to 123. That places him just above Michael Pittman (122), who was limited to six targets in Week 17. Three receivers are tied at 118, including CeeDee Lamb, who has averaged just 4.5 per game since Week 16. He is tied with Jakobi Meyers who has registered 8+ targets in three consecutive outings. D.K. Metcalf has also attained 118 after reaching 9+ during two of his last three matchups.

Deebo Samuel has collected 115 targets, even though he has failed to exceed six during six of his last seven contests. Mike Williams has accumulated 112 targets while only averaging 6.1 per game since Week 6. That ties him with Marvin Jones, who has averaged 6.5 per game since Week 8. Tee Higgins is next (110) which has been propelled by his two games with 13+ targets from Weeks 13-16. Amon-Ra St. Brown has now accrued 109 targets after stockpiling 57 since Week 13. Cole Beasley is next with 107 targets, after averaging 7.0 since Week 15.

That ties him with Mike Evans who attained seven after resurfacing in Tampa Bay’s lineup during the Buccaneers’ Week 17 matchup with the Jets. Tyler Lockett is next (102) even though he has only averaged 4.5 per game since Week 16. Robby Anderson was limited to just two targets in Week 17  but has still accrued 101 during the season. Christian Kirk has collected 100 targets after receiving nine in each of his last two games. That ties him with DeVonta Smith who has only averaged 5.2 per game since Week 12. Smith also completes the list of 32 wide receivers who have accumulated 100+ targets from Weeks 1- 17.

Adams led all wide receivers with 34 targets from Weeks 15-17 which were the critical weeks that comprised many leagues’ fantasy playoffs. Three receivers were tied with 33 targets during that sequence (Kupp/Jefferson/St. Brown). Moore and Marquise Brown collected 31 targets, while Kirk captured 30. Johnson, Diggs, and Mooney assembled 29 targets, while Meyers was next with 28. Zay Jones was targeted 27 times during that sequence while Metcalf and Chase were tied at 26.

Hill and Allen were next with 25 targets, followed by Marquez Callaway with 24. Three receivers were tied with 23 targets (Pittman/Jones/Amari Cooper), while Samuel and Russell Gage were tied at 22. Five receivers were tied with 21 targets: Cooks, Higgins, A.J. Brown, DeVante Parker, and Ray-Ray McCloud, while three additional receivers accumulated 20 targets during that three-week span (Anderson/Laquon Treadwell/Antonio Brown).

Four different receivers have maintained an average of 10+ targets per game from Weeks 1-17: Kupp (11.5), Adams (10.8), Johnson (10.6), and Jefferson (10.0).

Kupp has captured 10+ targets in 14 different matchups, while Johnson has now registered 10+ in 11 contests. Jefferson and Hill have reached double-digits in 10 games, while Moore and Allen have accomplished it in nine. Adams has eclipsed 10+ in eight different matchups, while Cooks, Waddle, and Marquise Brown have reached double-digits in seven games.

Week 17 Weekly Changes  

16 different wide receivers collected at least 10 targets during their matchups in Week 17. That includes Johnson, whose 15 targets were the most since Week 11 of 2020. However, he has captured 10+ in 18 of his last 24 games, including 11 different matchups this season. Adams was targeted 14 times by Aaron Rodgers when Green Bay hosted NFC North rival Minnesota. It was the fourth time that he has accrued at least 14 targets during the season, and it also resulted in this week's second-highest weekly total.

Darnell Mooney attained 13 targets which was his second-highest total of the season. It was also the first time that he had reached double-digits since Week 11. That tied Mooney with DeVante Parker, whose 13 targets also represented his highest weekly total since Week 17 of the 2020 regular season. Chase escorted a number of fantasy managers to league titles as the result of his performance in Week 17. He also attained his second-highest weekly total of the year when he received 12 targets. Braxton Berrios was also targeted 12 times while commandeering a 40% target share when the Jets hosted Tampa Bay.

Jefferson has now averaged 12.4 targets per game since Week 13 while accumulating at least 10 in all five of those matchups. That includes the 11 that he assembled in Week 17. That tied him with Cooks, who has averaged 10.7 per game since Week 14. St. Brown also accrued 11+ targets for the fifth consecutive week and has now averaged 11.4 per game since Week 13. Hill has collected at least 10 targets from Patrick Mahomes in 10 different matchups this season, after reaching that total in Week 17. That tied him with four other receivers including Marquez Callaway, whose 10 targets also tied his career-high. That was also the second time that Callaway has reached double digits in his career.

Rashod Bateman’s 10 targets also represented his career-high and were accrued after he had averaged just 3.5 per game and Weeks 15-16. The 10 targets that Zay Jones collected resulted in the second-highest weekly total of his career. KhaDarel Hodge entered Week 17 having accumulated 47 targets since his 2018 rookie season. However, he easily established a career-high with his 10 targets during Detroit’s cross-country visit to Seattle. Jarvis Landry has now been targeted 10 times in three of his last four outings, while Ray-Ray McCloud has attained double-digits in two games this season after collecting 10 in Week 17.

Parker’s season-high 13 targets were assembled one week after he had failed to register a target, despite being involved on 71% of Miami’s offensive snaps. That propelled him to the highest weekly increase of +13. Hodge had never exceeded five targets in a game prior to Week 17 and had only been targeted once in Week 16. However, his collection of 10 during the Lions’ matchup with the Seahawks elevated his weekly total by +9. Hill’s 10 targets were accrued just one week after he had been relegated to a season-low two targets in Week 16. That produced his weekly increase of +8.

Renfrow’s three targets in Week 16 also established a season-low, before he captured nine targets from Derek Carr when the Raiders traveled to Indianapolis. That fueled his weekly rise of +6. It also tied him with Berrios, who has now reached double-digits in two of his last four matchups. He has also been limited to a combined during the other two contests, and his 12 targets in Week 17 improved his weekly total by +6.

Tyler Johnson was not targeted in Week 16 while performing on 36 snaps, but he collected six while playing on 49 snaps in Week 17. That increased his week-to-week total by +6. It also tied him with Diontae Johnson, whose nine targets in Week 16 were still six fewer than his total in Week 17.

The statistical eruption that was delivered by A.J. Brown in Week 16 was propelled by his career-high 16 targets. However, Ryan Tannehill only attempted 18 passes in Week 17, and Brown’s team-high five targets did not remotely approach his Week 16 total. That resulted in the largest weekly drop of -11. McKenzie also established a career-high when he accumulated 12 during Buffalo’s Week 16 visit to New England. McKenzie only played on 24 snaps in Week 17 and was relegated to just two targets, which diminished his weekly total by -10.

That tied him with Antonio Brown, who had stockpiled a season-high 15 targets in Week 16. Brown had been targeted five times in Week 17 before he departed the field, which triggered his weekly decline of -10. Anderson had attained a double-digit target total in two of his previous three contests entering Week 17. However, he was relegated to his lowest weekly total since Week 8, which fueled a weekly drop of -8. That tied Anderson with Higgins who was limited to five targets during Cincinnati’s Week 17 matchup with Kansas City.

Week 17 Air Yards 

Justin Jefferson has now led all wide receivers in air yards for five consecutive weeks and is the only receiver who has eclipsed 2,000 entering Week 18 (2,006). Stefon Diggs in second overall with 1,709, followed by Terry McLaurin (1,634), D.J. Moore (1,624), Tyreek Hill (1,617), Ja’Marr Chase (1,597), Cooper Kupp (1,588), and two receivers who are tied at 1,560: Davante Adams and Marquise Brown. D.K. Metcalf is next (1,493), followed by his teammate Tyler Lockett (1,490) and Courtland Sutton - who is tied with Lockett at 1,490.

Mike Evans is next (1,428), followed by DeVonta Smith (1,410), Diontae Johnson (1.384), Darnell Mooney (1,374), Brandin Cooks (1,369), Marvin Jones (1,340), Tee Higgins (1,327), and Keenan Allen with 1,276. Allen’s teammate Mike Williams is next (1,225), followed by CeeDee Lamb (1,207), A, J, Brown (1,197), Michael Pittman (1,190), and Christian Kirk with 1,170 yards. Van Jefferson (1,169), Jakobi Meyers (1,160), Chase Claypool (1,154), Amari Cooper (1,078), and Emmanuel Sanders (1,077), complete of 30 wide receivers who have accumulated the most air yards entering Week 18.

Odell Beckham Jr. has also led the position in percentage share of air yards for five straight weeks while attaining a share of 67%. Jefferson a second 46.5%, followed by  Reynolds (45.2%), A.J. Brown (44.3%), Cooks (42.3%), McLaurin (42.0%), Moore (40.3%), Lockett (39.8%), Chase (38.2%), Smith (37.8%), and Adams (37.8%). Hill is next (36.6%), followed by Johnson (36.4%), Metcalf (36.3%), Diggs (35.0%), Higgins (35.0%), and Mooney (34.8%). Marquez Valdes-Scantling is next (33.4%), followed by Marquise Brown (33.3%), Parker (33.2%), Claypool (32.9%), Pittman (32.8%), Kupp (32.7%), Allen (30.8%), Callaway (30.5%), and Marvin Jones (30.3%), have also attained a share of 30+.

Valdes-Scantling continues to lead all wide receivers in targeted air yards (17.3), followed by Peoples-Jones (16). Sutton is next (15.7), followed by Sanders (15.0), Lockett (14.9), Smith (14.8), Bryan Edwards (14.5), Nelson Agholor (14.2), and two receivers that are tied at 14.1 ( Zay Jones/Keelan Cole). Reynolds and Van Jefferson are tied at 13.8, followed by Golladay (13.7), Gabriel Davis (13.5), Darius Slayton (13.5), Evans (13.4), McLaurin (13.3), Beckham (13.1), Corey Davis (13.1), and Chase at 13.0. Jones, Callaway, and Metcalf are tied at 12.8, followed by A.J. Green and Sammy Watkins at 12.7.

Week 17 First Downs

Cooper Kupp continues to lead all wide receivers with 84 first down receptions followed by Davante Adams with 80. Tyreek Hill is third overall (74), followed by Justin Jefferson (71), Keenan Allen (63), Stefon Diggs (60), Jaylen Waddle (57), D.J. Moore (57), Diontae Johnson (56), Ja’Marr Chase (55), Tee Higgins (53), CeeDee Lamb (52), Mike Evans (51), and Michael Pittman with 50 receptions. Hunter Renfrow and Deebo Samuel are tied at (49), followed by D.K. Metcalf (47), Mike Williams (45), Brandin Cooks (44), and two receivers tied at 43 (Terry McLaurin/Christian Kirk). Darnell Mooney and Amari Cooper have both accrued 42 receptions while rookies Amon-Ra St. Brown and DeVonta Smith have captured 41.

A.J. Brown has also assembled 41 receptions, followed by Marquise Brown (40) Jakobi Meyers (40), and two receivers who are tied at 37 (Tyler Boyd/Marvin Jones). Tyler Lockett and A.J. Green are tied at 36, while three receivers have all accumulated 34 receptions: Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and Chase Claypool. Cole Beasley is next (33), followed by Brandon Aiyuk (32), Marquez Callaway (32), Russell Gage (31), Emmanuel Sanders (31), and Van Jefferson (30).

Week 17 Red Zone Targets

Cooper Kupp has sustained his lead in red zone targets while expanding his season total to 36. Stefon Diggs is second with 30 targets, while Davante Adams is third with 28. Keenan Allen is next (25) followed by Tyreek Hill (24) and Hunter Renfrow (23),  Justin Jefferson (22), Mike Williams (21), and two receivers are tied with 19: Diontae  Johnson and D.K. Metcalf. Amari Cooper is next (18), followed by Mike Evans (17) and two receivers that have accumulated 16 targets inside the 20 (Michael Pittman/Van Jefferson). Five receivers have accrued 15 targets (Marquise Brown/A.J. Green/Gabriel Davis/Mecole Hardman/Adam Thielen) while five additional receivers have assembled 14 targets (Ja’Marr Chase/Jaylen Waddle/Marvin Jones/Cole Beasley/Randall Cobb.

Tee Higgins has captured 13 targets which ties him with Amon Ra-St. Brown, Jakobi Meyers, Courtland Sutton, and Allen Lazard. Three receivers captured 12 targets D.J. Moore, Jamison Crowder, and Zach Pascal while three receivers have been targeted 11 times: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Russell Gage. Seven different receivers have also been targeted 10 times in the red zone: Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, A.J. Brown, Brandon Aiyuk, Kenny Golladay, Tim Patrick, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.

Kupp also leads his position with 16 targets inside the 10-yard line. Adams is second with 14, followed by Diggs (13) and three receivers that are tied with12 (Renfrow/Allen/Williams). Randall Cobb is next (11) followed by Evans (10) and six different receivers who have been targeted nine times inside the 10: Jefferson, Johnson, Hill, Pittman, A.J. Green, and Zach Pascal. Van Jefferson and D.J. Moore have accrued eight targets, while six different receivers have accumulated seven targets inside the 10 (Waddle/Higgins/Aiyuk/Tim Patrick/Marvin Jones/Gabriel Davis).

Kupp also leads all receivers with 10 targets inside the 5-yard line, while Williams is second (8). Adams has accrued seven targets, while seven different receivers have been targeted six times (Jefferson/Johnson/Allen/Evans/Jones/Cobb). Four additional receivers have accumulated five targets inside the 5: Hill, Diggs, Marquise Brown, and A.J. Green.

Week 17 Snap Counts

Cooper Kupp leads all wide receivers with 928 offensive snaps. Justin Jefferson is second with 920, followed by Terry McLaurin (912), D.J. Moore (899), Ja’Marr Chase (888), Robby Anderson (886), Michael Pittman (874), and two receivers who are tied at  872: Darnell Mooney and Marvin Jones. Stefon Diggs has played on 865 snaps, followed by DeVonta Smith (863), Courtland Sutton (841), Keenan Allen (836), Mike Evans (836), Jakobi Meyers (834), and Marquise Brown (827).

Davante Adams is next (824), followed by Tyreek Hill (806), Brandon Aiyuk (896), Van Jefferson (803), Diontae Johnson (802), Jaylen Waddle (796), Christian Kirk (790), and Mike Williams (786). A.J. Green is next (782), followed by Zach Pascal (777), CeeDee Lamb (774), Tim Patrick (773), Brandin Cooks (767), Tyler Boyd (766), and Marquez Callaway (753). Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf and Amon-Ra St. Brown are among the 11 additional receivers who have performed on 700+ snaps.

Kupp also leads in snap count percentage (93.6%), followed by McLaurin (90.1%), Jones (90.0%), Chase (89.3%), Justin Jefferson (88.9%), Adams (88.2%), Mooney (87.6%), Pittman (87.5%), and Moore (86.9%). Lockett is next (86.8%), followed by Allen (86.3%), Cooks (86.2%), Smith (85.9%), Anderson (85.7%), Sutton (85.6%), Johnson (84.6%), Meyers (84.0%), Pascal (83.0%), and Aiyuk (82.3%).

Waddle is next (82.3%), followed by Evans (82.1%), Robinson (82.1%), Metcalf (82.0%), Diggs (81.1%), Parker (81.0%), and Van Jefferson (81.0%). Samuels is next (80.5%), followed by Williams (80.0%), Marquise Brown (79.7%), Green (79.4%), Josh Reynolds (77.9%), Callaway (77.2%), Boyd (77.1%), and Cooper (76.5%).

Five Things I Noticed

1. Some teams have been unable to operate a proficient aerial attack that supplies fantasy managers with even one consistent weekly option. However, the ability of Cincinnati’s top two receivers to deliver highly productive outings throughout the regular season has been sustained during the fantasy playoffs.

Ja'Marr Chase is filthy ⚡

Nasty juke move 😳

(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/E7WCVkv0sd

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 2, 2022

The Bengals’ tandem of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins has been assembling favorable numbers during the five-game sequence from Weeks 13-17, which was culminated by Chase’s record-setting performance during Cincinnati Week 17 showdown with Kansas City. The exceptional numbers that they have delivered have also propelled ecstatic fantasy managers to league titles.

Ja'Marr Chase FOR THE THIRD TIME.

6 CATCHES. 180 YARDS. 3 TDS.

📺: #KCvsCIN on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/5FLDyZuASN

— NFL (@NFL) January 2, 2022

Chase skyrocketed to WR1 in Week 17 scoring during his memorable performance against the Chiefs, as he accrued 55.6 points (PPR). He also established a new league record for receiving yards by a rookie (266) – which was 130 more than any other receiver in Week 17. That also expanded his season-long yardage total to 1,429, which is the most by a rookie during the Super Bowl era.

It was also the second game this season in which Chase has accumulated 200+ yards and the third time that he has eclipsed 150+. Chase’s output in Week 17 propelled him to the league lead in yards after catch (156). He also tied with D.K. Metcalf for the lead in touchdowns (3). and also with Davante Adams for the lead in receptions (11). Chase was also second in air yards (146) and fifth in targets (12).

Even with uncharacteristically low numbers in Week 15 (4 targets/1 reception/3 receiving yards), Chase’s astronomical results in Week 17 blended with his collection of stats from Weeks 13-16 to vault the record-setting rookie to WR4 (22.4 points per game) during that five-game sequence. He also tied with Cooper Kupp for the league lead in yards after catch during those contests (267) and was third in receiving yards (523/104.6 per game). Chase was also second in touchdowns (5), fifth in air yards (504), eighth in targets (42/8.4 per game), and 10th in receptions (29/5.8 per game).

Send three defenders at Tee Higgins next time 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/7mUopbrYdY

— PFF CIN Bengals (@PFF_Bengals) December 26, 2021

Higgins soared to WR1 in scoring during Week 16, while leading all wide receivers in receptions (12), receiving yards (194), and touchdowns (2). He established career-highs with his reception yardage totals during Cincinnati’s systematic evisceration of Baltimore’s pass defense (498 yards). Higgins also tied for third overall in targets (13/28.3% share), fourth in air yards (148) and seventh in yards after catch (48).

His usage and output completed an outstanding sequence from Weeks 13-16 when Higgins finished at WR2 while averaging 23.2 points per game. Higgins was also seventh among all wide receivers in targets (37/9.3 per game), fifth in receptions (28/7 per game, and second only to Cooper Kupp in receiving yards (469/117.3 per game). He also generated three touchdowns, which placed him fourth overall. His numbers during that span included two matchups in which he collected 13+ targets, and 9+ receptions, and three contests when he assembled at least 114 yards. Higgins' favorable numbers also enabled him to join Chase in rewarding fantasy managers for their  investment at the most opportune time of the season.

2. The wide receivers who led the league in targets from Weeks 15-17 were examined in the first section of this article as many leagues conducted their playoff matchups during that sequence. The target leaders from that three-week span were included in the first section of this article, as Davante Adams paced his position with 34. Adams also collected the most receptions during those contests (27).

11 catches for 136 yards. Just another day at the office for @tae15adams. pic.twitter.com/6fKTBYxoE0

— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2022

Cooper Kupp was tied for second overall in that category (25), along with surging rookie Amon Ra-St. Brown (25). Christian Kirk was fourth overall 22 followed by three receivers who were tied with 20 receptions: Tyreek Hill, Jakobi Meyers, and Zay Jones. Ja’Marr Chase accumulated 19 receptions, while Justin Jefferson and Marquise Brown both collected 18. Tee Higgins and Darnell Mooney captured 17 receptions, while four receivers were tied with 16: Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, Marquez Callaway, and Laquon Treadmill. Michael Pittman and Russell Gage assembled 15 receptions, followed by five receivers with 14 (D.K. Metcalf/D.J. Moore/Brandin Cooks/Keenan Allen/Braxton Berrios).

Chase led all wide receivers in receiving yardage from Weeks 15-17 (394), followed by Kupp (340), Adams (294), St. Brown (292), and Samuel (282). Higgins was next (279), followed by Callaway (255), Zay Jones (237), and two receivers who were tied at 221: Kirk and Jefferson. Tyler Boyd was the third Bengal to finish among the top 11 in yardage during that span (217), followed by Hill (207), Treadwell (198), Mooney (189), A.J. Brown (186), and Gage (180). Meyers accrued 176 yards, followed by DeVonta Smith (174), Diggs (172), A.J. Green (171), Brandon Aiyuk (170), and Cooks with 168. CeeDee Lamb accumulated 167 yards, followed by Tampa Bay’s Cyril Grayson (162), Allen (157), Metcalf (156), Kendrick Bourne (153), Terry McLaurin (152), and Hunter Renfrow with 148.

Jefferson stockpiled the most air yards during that three-week sequence (417), while Zay Jones was second overall with 340. Metcalf and Donovan Peoples-Jones were next (329), followed by Kirk (307), Chase (305), and two receivers who were tied at 303 (A.J. Brown/D.J. Moore). Diggs was next (299), followed by Mooney (289), Smith (285), Allen (279), Marvin Jones (279), Meyers (272), and two receivers that were tied at 263: Callaway, and Courtland Sutton. St. Brown assembled 254 yards, followed by DeVante Parker (248), Donovan Peoples-Jones (247), Adams (246), Kupp (244), Amari Cooper (242), Kenny Golladay, (242), Hill (234), and two receivers that were tied with 231: McLaurin and Treadwell. Higgins was next (230), followed by Marquise Brown (229), Gage (226), Green (217), Odell Beckham Jr. (210), Beckham’s teammate Van Jefferson (208), and Cooks with 201.

3. Lamar Jackson spearheaded Baltimore’s offense for 10 snaps before injuring his ankle in Week 14 and has yet to reappear since his departure. He was also sidelined during the team’s Week 11 visit to Chicago due to a non-COVID illness, as second-year signal-caller Tyler Huntley guided Baltimore’s attack on every snap during the Ravens’ matchups in Weeks 11/15/17. 

Here we come 😈 pic.twitter.com/f5j8sv4hZ6

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 5, 2021

Jackson also directed the offense on 86% of the unit’s snaps during the Ravens’ visit to Cleveland in Week 14, after Jackson exited that matchup. The well-traveled Josh Johnson also led the attack throughout Baltimore’s Week 16 showdown in Cincinnati, following Huntley’s placement on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

The target distribution to Marquise Brown has been relatively consistent amid the multiple transitions at quarterback, Brown has been on the field throughout the season (866 snaps/79.5% snap share), with the exception of Week 11 – when a troublesome thigh kept him sidelined. That also coincided with Jackson’s absence due to illness.

Brown’s per-game averages in targets and receptions have largely remained steady. However, his averages in yardage have dropped in recent weeks, and that decline has been matched by his decreases in yards per target and yards per reception. In each case, the degeneration in yardage began during Jackson’s final two games at quarterback as opposed to purely being the result of having Huntley and Johnson under center.

Brown accumulated 99 targets (9.1 per game), 65 receptions (5.9 per game), 825 yards (75 per game), and 1,235 air yards (112.3 per game) with Jackson in the lineup. That includes his usage and output in Weeks 1-10 when Brown collected 82 targets (9.1 per game), 52 receptions (5.8 per game), 719 yards (79.9 per game), and 1,100 air yards (122 per game). The third-year receiver also attained 8.0 yards per target and  13.0 yards per reception.

After Brown and Jackson returned from their combined absence in Week 11, Brown accrued 17 targets (8.5 per game), and 13 receptions (6.5 per game). There was a larger contrast with his receiving yards (106/53 per game) and air yards (135/67.5 per game), along with a distinct decline in yards per target (6.0) and yards per reception (8.0).

Brown later assembled 39 targets, 23 receptions, 156 receiving yards, and 327 air yards during his four games with Huntley and Johnson (Weeks 14-17). His per-game averages in targets (9.75), and receptions (5.8) were similar to the numbers that he registered with Jackson (Weeks 1-10). However, his per-game averages in receiving yards (39 per game)) and air yards (81.8) dropped sizably. His yards per target (4.0 per game) and yards per reception (6.0 per game) also decreased significantly with Huntley and Johnson.

Brown is still ninth among all wide receivers in targets (138/9.2 per game) ninth in air yards (1,562), and 11th in receptions (88/5.9 per game) from Weeks 1-17. He is also 20th in receiving yards (981/65.4 per game), even though he was 10th after Week 10. He can still be started as a WR3 if you are building a roster this week.

4. While the lists of league leaders in most receiving categories have primarily contained high-profile players, some unfamiliar names have emerged in recent weeks to operate in expanding roles for their teams. That includes Cyril Grayson, who has catapulted onto the fantasy landscape after entering Week 16 with just five targets, two receptions, and 53 yards during his career. The 28-year-old Grayson was an All-American track sprinter who did not play football while at LSU. He later spent time on the practice squads of six different teams before he was signed by Tampa Bay in 2019.

.@cyrilgraysonjr is THAT DUDE ‼️ pic.twitter.com/Y76bDgV6Sd

— xz - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 2, 2022

Grayson caught his only target from Weeks 1-15. That resulted in a 50-yard touchdown during Week 8, but he did not register another offensive snap until Week 16. However, he collected all three of his targets when the Buccaneers visited Carolina while generating 81 yards and commandeering a career-high 79% snap share. He accrued 81 yards once again in Week 17, while leading Tampa Bay’s wide receivers in targets (8/16.3% share), receptions (7), and receiving yards. He also captured the game-winning touchdown against the Jets.

📺: #TBvsNYJ on FOX pic.twitter.com/TkkI1N6YUs

— xz - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 2, 2022

The Buccaneers have been forced to adapt repeatedly to unforeseen developments in recent weeks, which includes injuries to key components in their attack. Chris Godwin had been leading the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards prior to suffering his torn ACL in Week 15. Leonard Fournette had been leading all running backs in targets and receptions before he encountered his hamstring injury during the same matchup. That removed another valuable option in Tom Brady’s receiving arsenal.

The well-chronicled departure of Antonio Brown during Tampa Bay’s Week 17 matchup with the Jets has intensified the Buccaneers’ challenge of functioning proficiently despite the depleted weaponry. Mike Evans resurfaced after a one-game absence (hamstring/reserve/ COVID-19 list), to operate as the team’s WR1, although it was unclear how targets might be distributed between the team’s wide receivers including Tyler Johnson. Breshad Perriman, and Scott Miller,

Despite conjecture that Johnson could capitalize on an expanded role that would develop in the reshaped attack, he has yet to match Grayson's contributions (6 targets/4 receptions/50 yards). Perriman has been limited to only three targets, two receptions, and just 41 yards, while Miller's total of just three snaps has rendered him irrelevant.

Grayson has taken advantage of his opportunity while demonstrating his ability to function as a reliable option. That increases the likelihood that Brady will continue to locate him during this week’s regular-season finale against Carolina.

5. If you selected D.K. Metcalf at his Round 2 ADP during last summer’s draft process, your decision might have been partially fueled by his finish at WR7 last season. He had also averaged 5.2 receptions and 81.4 yards per game while generating 10 touchdowns. Metcalf had not replicated last season's production entering Week 17, as he was WR21 while averaging 4.2 receptions, and 56.4 yards per game.  

However, Metcalf finished at WR3 in Week 17, following his three-touchdown performance against Detroit. That elevated him to WR13 for the season, while providing a well-timed scoring boost to fantasy managers.

Just keep feeding him. Third TD of the day for @dkm14!

📺 #DETvsSEA on FOX pic.twitter.com/4Mwy748cE3

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 3, 2022

Those touchdowns also expanded his season total to 12 which is a career-high. It also placed him in a tie for third overall among all wide receivers in that category. He had generated eight touchdowns from Weeks 1-8 but was scoreless during six consecutive outings from Weeks 10-15. Now, he has produced four touchdowns in his last two games, which includes his three scores versus the Lions.

Wasting no time. Two players after the turnover, it's @dkm14 in the end zone again!

📺 #DETvsSEA on FOX pic.twitter.com/KLdYDft8qZ

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 2, 2022

Metcalf also accrued nine targets which was his third-highest total of the season. That expanded his overall total to 118, which places him 18th overall. He has reached a double-digit target total twice this season, although he has only accomplished it once since Week 2. Metcalf’s 7.4 per game average also represents a decline from last season’s 8.1.

Metcalf did tie his season-high with six receptions in Week 17, and he is now 24th with 70 for the season. However, his 4.4 per game average has dropped from last year’s 5.2. He also assembled 63 yards in Week 17, which was his highest total since Week 7. He is 25th with 909 yards from Weeks 1-17, while his 56.8 per game average is a significant decline of nearly 25 yards from 2020 (81.4). He had averaged 72.5 yards per game from Weeks 1-8, which included three games in which he eclipsed 96+. That average has plunged to 38 per game from Weeks 10-16, while he failed to surpass 43 yards in five of those seven contests. He has also reached 100 yards just once throughout the entire season after accomplishing that five times in 2020.

Last year‘s 10.1 yards per target has also diminished to 7.7, while last year's 15.7 yards per reception is now 13.0. However, Metcalf’s enormous home-run capabilities remain intact. He can provide favorable numbers with greater consistency if Seattle’s offense is reconstructed toward making more effective use of his unique blend of attributes.

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