Wide Receiver Snap Counts and Target Trends - Risers and Fallers for Week 11

Your wide receivers remain essential components toward your primary goal of securing league championships. As the season unfolds, an expanding collection of tools are available that can provide you with an extensive level of knowledge regarding this critical position. Those results provide the foundation for this weekly statistical breakdown of wide receivers, which I will be constructing for a fourth consecutive season.

This is the 10th weekly installment that will examine game-specific data, including updated totals for targets, first downs, red-zone targets, snap counts, and a blend of advanced statistics. The information that is contained in this report will analyze how various receivers are being utilized, and how effectively they are capitalizing on their opportunities. It is also designed to help with your roster decisions throughout the year.

As the season progresses noteworthy changes in usage and production will be blended into the equation. That will bolster your efforts to determine which wide receivers should be in your lineups and which are worthy of remaining on your rosters. Statistics from our newly designed player pages at RotoBaller were included during the compilation of data, while Pro Football Reference, NextGenStats, Rotowire, Rotoviz, PFF, and Football Outsiders were also used as resources in the creation of this report.

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Week 10 Target Leaders

Get us going, COOOOP! pic.twitter.com/OfCesfuwTV

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 16, 2021

Cooper Kupp has now accumulated 117 targets after capturing 12+ for the fourth time in his last five matchups. He has also accrued 13 targets during four different contests during the season. Tyreek Hill has now attained a double-digit target total in six of his last seven matchups. That level of usage has propelled him to 111 targets, which places him second overall behind Kupp. Davante Adams is third overall at 98 and has now averaged 12.5 targets per game since returning from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

D.J. Moore is next (95) even though he has averaged 7.3 per game since Week 8. Keenan Allen has now accumulated 35 targets during his last three games which has lifted his season-long total to 93. Stefon Diggs has now collected 86 targets after matching his season-high (13) during Buffalo’s Week 10 matchup. That ties Diggs with Deebo Samuel, who has now captured 9+ targets in seven different contests. Jaylen Waddle continues to lead all rookies with 85 targets and is third among all receivers in targets since Week 6 (49/9.8 per game). Brandin Cooks should expand upon his overall total of 84 targets as he returns from Houston’s bye week.

Cooks is currently tied with Terry McLaurin, who is averaging 9.8 per game since Week 4. Marquise Brown has now accumulated 82 targets after accruing 12+ in three consecutive outings. His numbers will be discussed further in the 5 Things I Noticed section. Diontae Johnson has also assembled 82 targets, after collecting 13 for the third time in four games. That completes the list of 12 wide receivers who have accumulated 80+ targets entering Week 11.

Bro... 🤯@JJettas2

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/nxgksVJmMA

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 15, 2021

Justin Jefferson has accrued 79 targets after attaining 11+ for the third time this season. Chris Godwin is next (77), and is now averaging 10.3 per game since Week 7. Jakobi Meyers is next (76) even though he has been limited to just four targets during two consecutive matchups. He is tied with Michael Pittman (76), who has failed to exceed five targets during three of his last five games. Ja’Marr Chase will build upon his season-long total of 73 targets when he returns from Cincinnati’s bye week. He is currently tied with Adam Thielen, who has registered seven targets in two consecutive games. CeeDee Lamb has also accrued 73 targets after averaging 8.8 per game during his last four contests. Mike Williams has now collected 72 targets, even though he has only averaged 5.3 per game since Week 6.

Three receivers are tied with 69 targets – A.J. Brown, Hunter Renfrow, and Cole Beasley – followed by first-year receiver  DeVonta Smith with 68. Courtland Sutton has now accumulated 67 targets, although he has only averaged 3.0 per game since Week 8. Three receivers are tied with 66 targets (Mike Evans/Tyler Lockett/Marvin Jones), while Amari Cooper has assembled 65. D.K. Metcalf (64) completes the list of 31 wide receivers that have been targeted 60+ times from Weeks 1-10.

.@cheetah puttin' points on the board first 🤩

📺: #KCvsLV on @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/ViRcqK6J8F

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 15, 2021

Kupp and Hill lead all receivers with 48 targets since Week 7. Marquise Brown is third overall (39), followed by Waddle (36), and two receivers that are tied with 35 (Allen and A.J. Brown). Samuel has assembled 34 targets, while four receivers are tied with 32 during that four-game span – Adams, Moore, Johnson, and Chase. Godwin has accrued 31 targets, while Pittman is next with 30. Tee Higgins has assembled 29 targets, while three receivers are tied with 28 during that sequence (Diggs/Jamison Crowder/Jarvis Landry). Cooks, McLaurin, and Van Jefferson are tied at 27, while three receivers have all accumulated 26 targets since Week 7 (Renfrow/Beasley/Elijah Moore). Christian Kirk has collected 25.

Kupp has collected the most targets since Week 9 (26), followed by Adams and Marquise Brown with 25. Allen has assembled 24 targets, while Hill and Diggs are tied with 21. Johnson is next (19) followed by Renfrow (18) and Jerry Jeudy with 17 after returning from his ankle injury. Four receivers are tied with 16 targets (Jefferson/Lamb/Waddle/Rashod Bateman) while A.J.Brown is next with 15. Seven receivers have all accrued 14 targets – D.J. Moore, Elijah Moore, Samuel, Cooks, Thielen, Kirk, and Van Jefferson, while five are tied with 13 (Chase, Crowder, Beasley, Keelan Cole, and Ray-Ray McCloud).

Six different receivers are averaging at least 10 targets per game from Weeks 1-8: Kupp (11.6), Hill (11.1), Adams (10.9), Ridley (10.4), Allen (10.3), and Johnson (10.3). Kupp has reached a double-digit target total during nine different matchups this season, while Hill has eclipsed 10+ in seven contests. Johnson and Allen have accomplished it in six different games, while Adams, Diggs, Moore, and Marquise Brown have attained 10+ five times.

Week 10 Weekly Changes  

Go up and GET IT, @stefondiggs!

📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/iFkqLQUCeW

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 14, 2021

Nine different receivers attained double-digit target totals during their Week 10 matchups. That includes Stefon Diggs, who collected 10+ in nine different contests during 2020 on his way to accumulating a league-high 166 (10.4 per game). He has been unable to replicate last year’s pace, but did eclipse 10+ for the fifth time in nine games this season. That was sufficient to propel him to the highest weekly total among all wide receivers.

It also tied him with Johnson, whose fluctuating target totals have resulted in six games with 10+ targets, and a 4.0 per game average in his other two contests. Diggs and Johnson are joined by Marquise Brown, who attained 10 targets in just one game during each of his first two seasons but has now accomplished it in five of his first nine matchups during 2021. Kupp became the fourth receiver to reach that total when he was targeted 13 times by Matthew Stafford during the Rams' matchup in San Francisco.

Ray-Ray McCloud entered Week 10 with a career total of 38 targets since his 2018 rookie season. However, multiple injuries within Pittsburgh’s receiving arsenal vaulted McCloud into an elevated role when the Steelers hosted Detroit. McCloud collected 12 targets from Mason Rudolphwhich placed him just below the trio of league leaders for the week.

.@AaronRodgers12 ➡️ @tae15adams

34 yard gain! 💪 #SEAvsGB | #GoPackGo

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/mVf3gZ4tnb

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 14, 2021

Three different receivers accrued 11 targets during their matchups. That grouping includes Adams, who has now registered 11+ targets in five different contests. He was joined by Allen, who is now fourth overall with an 11.7 target per game average since Week 8. Jefferson also assembled 11 targets when Minnesota visited the Chargers after he had only averaged 4.5 per game on Weeks 8-9. Hill received 10 targets and now leads the position with a 12.1 target per game average since Week 4.

Hunter Renfrow collected a team-high nine targets when Las Vegas hosted Kansas City and has now captured 8+ in five of his last six contests. He was joined by Jerry Jeudy, whose weekly totals have steadily increased since his return (4/8/9). Renfrow and Jeudy were followed by a collection of seven different receivers who accrued eight targets in Week 10 – McLaurin, Godwin, Kirk, Rashod Bateman, Laviska Shenault Jr., and Seattle teammates Metcalf and Lockett, who will be discussed in the 5 Things I Noticed section.

McCloud's 12 targets easily surpassed his previous career-high (4), and also fueled the largest weekly rise among all receivers (+11).  Johnson’s league-high 13 targets were accrued just one week after he had been targeted six times, which resulted in the second-largest week-to-week increase (+7).

Jefferson attained his second-highest weekly total of the season by collecting 11 targets from Kirk Cousins in Week 10. That transpired just one week after he had been limited to five in Week 9, which fueled his weekly rise of +6. That tied Jefferson with Marcus Johnson, captured the second-highest target total of his career in Week 10 (6).

The 13 targets that were accumulated by Stefon Diggs occurred just one week after he had received eight in Week 9. That propelled him to an increase of +5. That tied Diggs with Byron Pringle who attained a 46% snap share in Week 9 but failed to register a target. Pringle’s snap share rose to 61% when the Chiefs traveled to Las Vegas in Week 10, as he captured five targets during that matchup.

Cole Beasley entered Week 10 after accumulating 24 targets in his previous two games. That included the 11 targets that he attained in Week 9. His rib issue contributed to a restricted snap count (nine) and target total (2), during Buffalo’s AFC North encounter with the Jets, which resulted in a week-to-week decline of -9. Snap share was not an issue for A.J. Brown as he performed on 82% of Tennessee’s snaps in Week 10. He was only targeted four times, just one week after he accrued 11 in Week 9, which diminished Brown’s week-to-week total by -7.

Emmanuel Sanders was targeted eight times in Week 9 which tied his season-high. Unfortunately, he established a season-low with two targets in Week 10. That ignited his drop of -6. Zach Pascal averaged 7.5 targets per game in Weeks 8-9, including the seven that he registered in Week 9. He was relegated to just two targets in Week 10 which reduce his weekly total by -5. Four additional receivers joined Pascal in experiencing a decline of -5: Russell Gage, Cedrick Wilson, Mack Hollins, and Kenny Stills.

Week 10 Air Yards

Tyreek Hill has maintained his overall lead in air yards entering Week 11 (1,223). Marquise Brown has emerged in second (1,100), followed by Davante Adams (1,075), and former league leader Courtland Sutton, who has now dropped to fourth overall (1,064). D.J. Moore is next (1,020), followed by Stefon Diggs (1,019), Cooper Kupp (1,010), Terry McLaurin (1,005), DeVonta Smith (969), and Mike Evans (967). Ja’Marr Chase is next (961), followed by Brandin Cooks (958), Justin Jefferson (952), and Emmanuel Sanders (910) completing the list of 14 receivers who have accumulated 900+ air yards.

Tyler Lockett is next (882), followed by CeeDee Lamb (840), Marvin Jones (809), A.J. Brown (808), Mike Williams (799), and Michael Pittman (789). Amari Cooper has accrued 773 yards, followed by Diontae Johnson (754), D.K. Metcalf (744), Nelson Agholor (715), and Agholor’s teammate Jakobi Meyers (713). Deebo Samuel (699), Darnell Mooney (697), Van Jefferson (685), and Christian Kirk (684) complete the list of 30 wide receivers who have accumulated the most air yards through Week 10.

THE ARCHER 🏹

📺 » FOX pic.twitter.com/8kenMoqFhE

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 31, 2021

Brandin Cooks now leads the position in percentage share of air yards (44.3%), while last week’s leader Adams is now second (43.4%). McLaurin is third (43.2%), followed by A.J. Brown (43.0%), Jefferson (41.9%), Lockett (41.2%), Chase (41.1%), Ridley (40.7%), and Moore (40.4%). Smith is next (40.1%), followed by Hill (38.8%), DeVante Parker (38.6%), Sutton (38.3%), Johnson (38.1%), and Marquise Brown (35.6%). He is followed by Metcalf (34.7%) Claypool (34.5%), Odell Beckham (34.3%), Diggs (33.9%), Mooney (33.9%), and Tee Higgins (33.5%). Kupp is next (33.4%), followed by Samuel (33.1%), Williams (32.1%), Pittman (32.0%), Corey Davis (31.1%), and Lamb (31.0%).

Emmanuel Sanders leads all wide receivers in targeted air yards (17.1), while Sutton and Agholor are tied for second at 16. Bryan Edwards is next (15.6), followed by Smith (14.9), Evans (14.6), Beckham (14.5), Marquez Callaway (14.2), Lockett (13.7), and two receivers that are tied at 13.6 – Chase and Kenny Golladay. Three receivers are tied at 13.5 (Marquise Brown/Sammy Watkins/Keelan Cole), while four receivers are tied at 13.4 (Davis, Darius Slayton, Quez Watkins, and Marvin Jones).

Van Jefferson is next (13.2), followed by Rashard  Higgins (12.7), Byron Pringle (12.6), and four different receivers that are tied at 12.4 (McLaurin/Parker/DeAndre Hopkins/Antonio Brown). Elijah Moore is next (12.2), followed by Lamb (12.1), and three receivers that are tied at 12 – Amari Cooper, Julio Jones, and A.J. Green.

Week 10 First Downs

This season, Cooper Kupp is 1st in…

• Targets (117)
• Receptions (85)
• Rec Yds (1,141)
• Rec YPG (114.1)
• Rec TDs (10)
• Rec. 1st Downs (52)
• 20+ yard receptions (17)#Rams #NFLStats pic.twitter.com/A28eNGdZ3n

— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) November 16, 2021

Cooper Kupp leads all wide receivers with 52 first down receptions entering Week 11. Tyreek Hill is directly behind him with 51, followed by Davante Adams (41), D.J. Moore (39), and three receivers that are tied with 37 catches (Keenan Allen, Chris Godwin, and Justin Jefferson). Michael Pittman and Deebo Samuel are tied at 36, followed by Jaylen Waddle (35), and two receivers that are tied at 34 – CeeDee Lamb and Stefon Diggs.

Amari Cooper is next (32) followed by Mike Evans (31) and three receivers that have accrued 30 receptions (Terry McLaurin/DeVonta Smith/Christian Kirk). Three additional receivers are tied at 29 – Jamar Chase, D.K. Metcalf and Brandin Cooks, while four receivers have collected 28 receptions – Courtland Sutton, Adam Thielen, Tim Patrick, and Mike Williams – who will be discussed in the 5 Things I Noticed section. Four receivers have captured 27 receptions (A.J. Brown/Marquise Brown/Diontae Johnson/DeAndre Hopkins), while Jakobi Meyers completes the list of 29 receivers who have accumulated at least 25 first down receptions.

Week 10 Red Zone Targets 

Cooper Kupp collected two additional red zone targets during the Rams’ Week 10 matchup in San Francisco. That has allowed him to sustain his overall lead with 24 targets entering Week 11. Chris Godwin is second (18), followed by two receivers that are tied at 16 – Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs. Keenan Allen is next (15), followed by his teammate Mike Williams (14) Davante Adams (13), and three receivers they have captured 12 targets (Mike Evans, Hunter Renfrow, and Van Jefferson). Five receivers have accrued 11 red zone targets (Justin Jefferson/Courtland Sutton/Adam Thielen/Calvin Ridley/Randall Cobb), while five additional receivers have accumulated 10 red zone targets entering Week 11 – Michael Pittman, Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, and Mecole Hardman.

Kupp also leads his position with 10 targets inside the 10-yard line. Cobb vaults to second overall (9), followed by Williams and Pittman who have both collected eight. Six different receivers have been targeted seven times inside the 10 – Hill, Evans, Renfrow, Green, and Zach Pascal – while six different receivers have accrued six targets – Godwin, Allen, Thielen, Hopkins, Van Jefferson, and Tim Patrick. Adams, Diggs, and Ja’Marr Chase are among the seven different receivers who have been targeted five times inside the 10.

Kupp also has collected the most targets inside the 5-yard line, while Cobb is second overall with six. Six different receivers have accumulated four targets (Williams/Evans/Thielen/ Marvin Jones/DeAndre Hopkins), while Godwin, Allen, and Van Jefferson are among the 12 receivers who have collected three targets inside the five.

Week 10 Snap Counts

Cooper Kupp also leads wide receivers in offensive snaps (575), followed by Adam Thielen (574), D.J. Moore (572), Michael Pittman (568), Jakobi Meyers (549), Zach Pascal (544), and Robby Anderson (5397. Tyreek Hill is next (536), followed by Terry McLaurin (535), Courtland Sutton (533), Jaylen Waddle (533), Chris Godwin (531), DeVonta Smith (520), and two receivers that are tied with 515 (Justin Jefferson and Keenan Allen).

Tim Patrick is next (510), followed by Mike Evans (507), Marvin Jones (504), Van Jefferson (496), Emmanuel Sanders (491), Stefon Diggs (483), and two Dallas Cowboys that are tied with 482 snaps – Amari Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb. Marquise Brown is next (477), followed by Davante Adams (475), A.J. Green (474), Ja’Marr Chase (473), Brandin Cooks (472), and Nelson Agholor (471). Christian Kirk is next (459), followed by three receivers that have accumulated 457 snaps – Diontae Johnson, Darnell Mooney, and Bryan Edwards.

Thielen leads all wide receivers in snap count percentage 95.2%, while McLaurin is second overall (93.4%). Kupp is third (92.3%), followed by Pittman (90.7%) Godwin (90.2%), Allen (89.7%), Cooks (89.4%), and Marvin Jones (89.1%). Johnson is next (88.6%), followed by Chase (87.8%) Lockett,( 87.6%), Ridley (87.1%), Pascal (86.9%), and Meyers (86.9%). Adams has performed on 86.8% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps and is followed by Sutton (86.1%), Smith (86.1%), Evans (86.1%), Justin Jefferson (85.4%), and Mooney (85.3%).

Moore is next (85.0%), followed by Allen Robinson (84.1%), Waddle (80.8%), and Hopkins (83.6%). Deebo Samuel has been involved in 83% of San Francisco snaps and is followed by A.J. Green (82.9%), DeVante Parker (82.4%), Patrick (82.4%), Corey Davis (81.4%), Sanders (80.9%), Metcalf (80.8%), Anderson (80.1%), Claypool (80.0%), and Edwards (79.6%).

Five Things I Noticed

1. Carolina’s offense has undergone an impactful transition in recent weeks due to a combination of Sam Darnold’s collapse as the Panthers’ signal-caller, the long-awaited return of Christian McCaffrey, and the Week 10 renaissance of Cam Newton. Darnold’s disintegration under center affected D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson, while the infusion of McCaffrey and Newton into Carolina’s attack will modify the distribution of touches.

Sam Darnold has 138 passing yards so far today.

Last four games: 129, 111, 207, 177

I feel for D.J. Moore.

— Context Matters (@dwainmcfarland) November 7, 2021

However, Moore and Anderson should benefit from the restructured offense, which had degenerated during Darnold’s statistical freefall. From Weeks 5-9, Darnold completed just 51.9% of his passes was only 35th in completion percentage above expectation (-5.5) according to NextGenStats, and had constructed a horrific 2-8 touchdown to interception ratio. He also averaged 159.4 yards per game, and 4.0 yards per attempt during that sequence, as Darnold’s series of unsightly performances, also fueled his precipitous plunge to just 33rd in the Football Outsiders' DYAR (Defense-Adjusted Yards Above Replacement).

Moore's usage and output eroded as Darnold's performances became increasingly catastrophic. However, Moore's season-long numbers in major categories have remained favorable. He is currently fourth among all wide receivers in targets (95/9.5 per game/28.2% share), sixth in receptions (57/5.7 per game), 12th in receiving yards (701/70.1 per game), fifth in air yards (1,020), and ninth in percentage share of air yards (40.4%). He had been averaging 10.8 targets, 7.5 receptions, and 99.5 yards per game from Weeks 1-4 when Darnold was proficient in guiding the Panthers’ aerial attack. Moore had also collected 8+ receptions in three of his first four games, eclipsed 80 yards in three of those contests, and had also surpassed 110 yards in both Weeks 2 and 4.

Since Week 5, Moore has not exceeded 73 yards, while failing to surpass 42 yards in three of those six contacts. Moore was also WR4 in scoring entering Week 5 but is just WR38 during his last six games. Moore has also been limited to a season-low seven targets in each of his last two outings while only averaging 3.5 receptions during those games. However, if Moore is targeted at a level that approaches the 10.4 per game that he averaged from Weeks 1-7, then his output should approach the level that he attained during those matchups.

DJ was *quick quick* on this one

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/B5jE5hTT8o

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 14, 2021

If you are among the fantasy managers who selected Anderson in Round 6 of your drafts (ADP72/WR29) and have not removed him from your roster, then you could still be rewarded for your unwavering patience. His four-reception, 37-yard performance in Week 10 would not normally qualify as a reason to gain optimism. However, Anderson’s reception and yardage totals were the highest since Week 4. Anderson had also entered the contest with a 33.5% catch rate, but his percentage rose to a season-high 66.7% in Week 10. Anderson also generated his first touchdown since Week 6.

Are you serious right now?!

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/FSLXiGdwQE

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 14, 2021

Newton’s arrival could rescue Anderson from what has been a lost season. while raising him from a drop candidate to a dependable WR3. Newton has already elevated the energy level of Carolina’s offense and should resurface as the starter when the Panthers host Washington’s vulnerable pass defense on Sunday. McCaffrey will siphon targets, but his presence will also draw the attention of opposing defenders. All of which should be advantageous for Moore, and Anderson.

2. If Marquise Brown is contained on your roster, you may be contending with disappointment after he was limited to 37 yards during Baltimore’s Week 10 matchup in Miami. However, there is a collection of numbers that Brown is assembling the season which should be embraced if he is in your starting lineups.

Brown did accumulate 13 targets during the contest (31.7% share) and has now collected 10+ during four of Baltimore’s last five matchups. Since Week 5, Brown is averaging 10.8 targets, 6.6 receptions, and 78.6 yards per game. His targets per game average expands to a league-high 13 since Week 7, while he is also averaging 6.7 receptions and 77.7 yards per game during his last three contests.

HUGE FIRST DOWN FROM @Primetime_jet ❗️ pic.twitter.com/HoyvKzMIrb

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 7, 2021

This favorable level of usage and output has propelled his season-long numbers to 82 targets (26.5% share/9.1 per game), 52 receptions (5.8 per game), and 719 receiving yards (79.9 per game). That places Brown 11th overall in targets, 14th in receptions and 10th in receiving yards. He is currently WR6 in scoring, will enter Week 11 just six receptions short of last year‘s career-high (58), and only needs 50 yards to match his career-high in that category (769).

Brown is also second overall in air yards (1,100) 15th in percentage share of air yards (35,6%), and 11th in yards after catch (274). He has also established career highs in yards per reception (13.8), yards per target (8.8), and aDOT (13.4), while Brown’s six touchdowns also place him eighth overall.

Rookie Rashod Bateman's core muscle surgery kept him sidelined until Week 6, but Baltimore’s first-round draft selection has captured an 18.7% target share and attained 6+ in each of his four outings. That includes the season-high eight that he captured in Week 10.

Move the chains @R_bateman2!! pic.twitter.com/UPtZvHLzxZ

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 12, 2021

He is also second among Baltimore’s wide receivers in targets (28/7 per game), receptions (18/4.5 per game), and receiving yards (241/60.3 yards per game) during his four matchups while accruing 279 air yards and attaining a 20.1% percentage share of air yards. His 62.6% snap share should rise as the season advances, while the involvement of perpetually unreliable Sammy Watkins should decline.

While the Ravens’ reliance on their aerial attack remains far below the league leaders, they have transitioned toward more frequent deployment of the pass when compared to last season. Baltimore had ranked dead last in pass play percentage (45.2%), and attempts per game (25.4 per game) during 2020. However, the Ravens are currently 25th in pass play percentage (55.2%), while Lamar Jackson is launching 35.6 attempts per game.

Brown and Bateman are Jackson’s most proficient weapons at wide receiver and will blend with Mark Andrews in functioning as the Ravens’ most critical components in the team’s aerial attack. However, Brown will continue to operate as Baltimore’s WR1 and will remain highly productive for anyone who has him secured on their rosters.

3. Miami selected Jaylen Waddle with the sixth overall pick in last April’s NFL Draft, and the rookie should be receiving more attention for his accomplishments during the Dolphins’ first 10 games. Waddle has now ascended into eighth among all wide receivers in targets (85/8.5 per game), which has been fueled by four games in which he has captured 10+.

Waddle has also reached the threshold of a 10 per game average since Week 6 (9.8), as only Cooper Kupp and Tyreek Hill have exceeded Waddle’s 49 during that five-game span (25.5% share). Waddle has also collected 60 receptions from Weeks 1-10 (6.0 per game), which has elevated him to fifth overall. Waddle is also 10th among all receivers in first down receptions (35) and leads all rookies in each category. He is also tied with Ja’Marr Chase for the lead in red zone targets (8), while his 557 receiving yards (55.7 per game) place him third behind Chase (835/92.8 per game), and DeVonta Smith (603/60.3) among members of the 2021 class.

JAYLEN. WADDLE. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/0B6n5nQUjK

— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) November 12, 2021

However, Waddle’s yards per game average since Week 6 (65.2), has increased by nearly 20 yards per game when contrasted with Weeks 1-5 (46.2). He also leads all newcomers in PPR scoring since Week 6, after vaulting to WR8 during his last five games. Waddle also leads the Dolphins in each category from Weeks 1-10, as DeVante Parker is a distant second among Miami’s wide receivers in targets (43/8.6 per game), receptions (25/5 per game), and receiving yards (327/65.4 per game). The 28-year old Parker has been limited to five games, due to a blend of hamstring and shoulder issues, and has only been active during one matchup since Week 4.

Parker’s limited participation still exceeds Will Fuller’s minimal involvement by an enormous margin, as Fuller has played on just 65 snaps throughout the season. Fuller has contended with an assortment of issues (personal/chest/elbow/finger), that forced him to miss Miami’s matchups in Weeks 1-2, and have also kept him sidelined since Week 4. Fuller’s lengthy absence has relegated him to eight targets and four receptions, while he has only manufactured 26 yards.

Waddle’s yards per target from Weeks 2-5 (5.9) have increased to 7.9 since Week 7, while he has exceeded 10.2 in two of those four outings. His aDOT from Weeks 2-5 was also just 3.7, but it has risen to 9.7 since Week 6 while climbing to 12.3 since Week 9. It is unlikely that Fuller will return for Sunday’s enticing matchup with the Jets, while the placement of Parker on injured reserve has extended his latest absence. However, Waddle is positioned to continue his recent surge regardless of their timetable for resurfacing in Miami’s aerial attack.

4. Russell Wilson reemerged under center for Seattle in Week 10 as he spearheaded the Seahawks offense for the first time since being sidelined by his finger injury in Week 5. This was not only a highly anticipated return for anyone with Wilson contained on their rosters, but it was also an encouraging development for anyone who relies on D.K. Metcalf or Tyler Lockett on a weekly basis.  

Unfortunately, the results from Seattle’s matchup in Green Bay did not approach expectations. Wilson did not appear to be fully recovered from his injury, which prevented him from performing proficiently. That in turn placing significant constraints on the output of Metcalf and Lockett.

DEFENSE COMES UP BIG!@King_kevvoo with the INT!#SEAvsGB | #GoPackGo

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/bUCjoY5kUh

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 14, 2021

Wilson only completed 20 of his 40 attempts for the Seahawks, which resulted in his lowest completion percentage since Week 7 of 2019. His 39.7 quarterback rating was the lowest since Week 14 of 2018, while he also managed just 4.0 yards per attempt, 1.78 air yards per attempt, and 1.7 completed air yards per attempt.

Targets were not an issue for Metcalf or Lockett, as Wilson distributed eight to both receivers. However, the tandem combined for just five receptions and failed to reach 50 yards (49). Metcalf was limited to season-lows in yardage (26) and yards per target (3.25). Lockett only manufactured 23 yards, while he registered season lows in catch rate (25%), and yards per target (2.88). The substandard numbers were discouraging for anyone who had believed that Wilson’s reunion with Metcalf and Lockett would reconstruct the statistical success that they had achieved prior to Wilson’s finger surgery.

Metcalf was WR10 from Weeks 1-5 while leading the Seahawks in target share (28.4%), and averaging 7.6 targets, 5.0 receptions, and 76.6 yards per game from Weeks 1-5. He was also 20th overall in targets (38), and 11th in percentage share of air yards (39.9%) prior to Wilson’s absence. Lockett was WR13 during that same sequence and had attained a 26.1% target share. He was also averaging 7.0 targets, 5.0 receptions, and 78 yards per game through Week 5, while his yardage total (390) placed him 13th overall.

In three games with Geno Smith guiding the Seahawks attack, Lockett led the team in target share 31.9, while averaging 7.7 targets, 5.3 receptions, and 63 yards per game. He had stockpiled 13 targets in Week 8 while commandeering a 59.1% target share, although he averaged 5.0 per game in Weeks 6-7. He was also WR24 during those contests. Metcalf averaged 6.0 targets per game targets, 4.7 receptions, and 65.7 yards per game during that three-game span. He did collect three touchdowns which propelled him to WR8 in scoring.

D.K. Metcalf with a grown man touchdown pic.twitter.com/t3RX80lAyw

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) October 31, 2021

Any lingering disappointment surrounding the results from Seattle's Week 10 matchup should be defused by optimism that both Wilson's health and effectiveness will steadily improve. That will be beneficial to Metcalf, Lockett, and anyone who will be infusing them into their lineups.

5. As the fantasy postseason steadily approaches fantasy managers must determine whether they can afford to remain patient with wide receivers that have recently performed below expectations.

That includes anyone who selected Tyler Boyd in the seventh round during draft season (ADP 77/WR31). Competition for targets was destined to intensify for Boyd as he entered his sixth season, following the arrival of electrifying rookie Ja’Marr Chase, and the dynamic Tee Higgins. However, it was reasonable to invest in Boyd, after he averaged 8.1 targets, 6.4 receptions, and 64.7 yards per game during his previous three seasons. That included his usage and output in 2018-2019 (256 targets/166 receptions/2,074 yards), which had propelled Boyd to finishes of WR17 and WR18 during that two-year span.

Unfortunately, Boyd’s uninspiring numbers from Weeks 1-9 do not remotely approach the results that he had attained in recent seasons. His opportunities have decreased considerably since Week 5, as Chase and Higgins have combined for nearly a 51% target share (Chase-27.1%/Higgins-23.7%), while Boyd’s share is a distant third (14.1%).

Boyd is averaging 5.0 targets, 3.0 receptions, and 30 yards per game during that sequence, as Chase (9.6 targets/5.4 receptions/107.6 yards per game), and Higgins (8.4 targets/5.0 receptions/62.6 yards per game) are collecting more opportunities and delivering higher production.

Boyd has been limited to just one reception in two of his last four games and has not exceeded 24 yards in three of his last five. He has also failed to surpass four receptions in six contests since Week 1 and has not exceeded 39 yards in six of his nine matchups. A surge in usage is unlikely, which makes it justifiable for fantasy managers with Boyd on their roster to search for an alternative as their WR3.

Anyone who has been depending upon Mike Williams has also been forced to endure discouraging results since Week 6 after he had assembled the most prolific sequence of his career. Williams had soared to fifth overall in targets following Week 5 (51/10.2 per game/25.5% share), after stockpiling a career-high 16 when the Chargers hosted Cleveland in Week 5.

That was Williams’ third double-digit target total in his first five contests after he had entered the year with just three games of 10+ since his 2017 rookie season. Williams was also seventh in receptions (31/6.2 per game), fifth in both receiving yards (471/94.2 per game) and air yards (589), 14th in percentage share of air yards (38.7%), and sixth in yards after catch (170). He had also vaulted to WR2 in scoring during that span.

However, Williams’ usage and production have diminished considerably since Week 6. He has plummeted to just 52nd overall in targets during that sequence (21/5.3 per game/14.7% share) while collecting just five in three of his last four contests. He is also 69th in receptions (10-2.5 per game), 61st in receiving yards (137/34.4 per game), and has averaged just 51.6 air yards per game. Williams’ percentage share of air yards has diminished to 21.8%. while he has also plunged to WR80 during those matchups.

Williams' descending numbers have likely transpired due to a combination of factors, but any concerted effort by Chargers' offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi to keep Williams highly involved would reignite his production.

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