RADIO
We are in the final stretch before the playoffs, meaning it is time to get your roster in shape for a playoff push and championship run. As fantasy owners, we know that not all touches are equal. A touch in the red zone has an increased chance of scoring a touchdown, so those touches are important to target.
To identify the players to target in trades, RotoBaller's Premium Red Zone Sleepers tool can give you a sense of who is being utilized more in the all-important area of the field to provide more scoring potential. A preview of the tool and the top players in red-zone touches is shown below.
Just like targets are the lifeblood of a receiver's value in PPR leagues, red-zone touches are the most relevant factor to consider for standard leagues. Each week, I will identify some risers and fallers based on their red-zone touches, and what that means for your team.
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Red Zone Risers
RUNNING BACKS
Nick Chubb (RB, CLE) - 42.6% Red-zone touch%
Including a player at the top end of involvement is a bit of an odd selection. However, the reason for including him is the (perceived) change of the landscape in Cleveland's backfield.
Kareem Hunt has now returned from his suspension, but that hasn't affected the way the team has distributed the carries in the red zone. Hunt has been efficient in converting his touches into touchdowns, but the majority of the touches have been given to Chubb.
If you are a Chubb owner, you should continue to feel confident about including him in your lineup.
Benny Snell Jr. (RB, PIT) - 9.6% Red-zone touch%
Let's not sugar-coat it. The Steelers are towards the end of a dead season and have succumbed to a number of injuries in recent weeks. However, regardless of the ineffectiveness of the offense, there is still value to be had.
James Conner has been sidelined due to injury for a number of weeks, which first allowed Jaylen Samuels and now Benny Snell to become more valuable. Snell seems to have established himself as the goal-line back for the team, with six touches out of the past 14 red-zone chances. If he is available in your league, grab him for the playoff stretch.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Russell Gage (WR, ATL) - 7.3% Red-zone touch%
Gage has sprung out of nowhere in the middle of the season as a waiver wire pickup. However, with injury to Austin Hooper and Mohamed Sanu being moved to New England, Gage has been used as a red-zone weapon in recent weeks.
In fact, his eight touches in the red zone are only one behind their elite receiver Julio Jones. Gage is likely already owned in your league, but if he isn't, pick him up. If you are the owner, you grabbed yourself more than a PPR player, use him in your playoff stretch.
Anthony Miller (WR, CHI) - 7.1% Red-zone touch%
Chicago's offense hasn't fired this season, with the team ranking 26th in the league in red-zone visits and Miller has struggled with consistency since he was drafted. But in recent weeks he has been able to carve out a larger role, especially in the red-zone.
Miller is obviously the second receiving option behind Allen Robinson (you could argue third, behind Tarik Cohen but we will come back to him later). However, of the last 19 red zone plays, Miller touched the ball more than any other player with five touches.
While he has yet to score a touchdown in the red zone this season, his usage should mean that he breaks that streak sooner rather than later.
TIGHT END
Jared Cook (TE, NO) - 7.4% Red-zone touch%
New Orleans is firing on offense with the return of a number of important players, including quarterback Drew Brees.
Cook has been involved in the red zone in recent weeks and he tops the team in red-zone touches over the last week. At a position that often boils down to touchdown or bust, Cook should be entrusted with a starting position moving forward.
Red Zone Fallers
RUNNING BACK
Tarik Cohen (RB, CHI) - 14.1% Red-zone touch%
After our spoiler earlier it shouldn't be a surprise that Cohen is included as a faller this week. Simply, Cohen's position as a red-zone weapon has been squeezed by a number of factors.
First, the offense in Chicago has taken a huge step backward this season, ranking 26th in the league. That means there aren't a lot of opportunities to go around.
Second, the role of Cohen has changed. The team has David Montgomery taking on the carries out of the backfield, and the receiving opportunity has been limited with Miller being more involved in the receiving game.
WIDE RECEIVER
Curtis Samuel (WR, CAR) - 12.2% Red-zone touch%
Carolina Panthers have one weapon on offense: Christian McCaffrey. Last season we had the 50% club, players that were heavily involved in the red-zone on offense.
McCaffrey is bordering on 55% of the team's touches this season in the red zone. As one of the most versatile players in the league, there aren't a lot of touches to share with all of the other receivers in the team.
TIGHT END
Mark Andrews (TE, BAL) - 7.4% Red-zone touch%
Andrews has been a candidate for a number of weeks as a red-zone faller. However, I'm been hesitant to include him as he has been a revelation at the position.
However, Baltimore runs the ball heavily in the red zone (running the ball on 62.2% of the plays inside the opponent's 20-yard line). Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards account for 54 of the 135 plays in the red-zone. That is without considering the touches of quarterback Lamar Jackson.
With the number of touches that the Ravens are giving to their running weapons, there are simply not enough opportunities to share with their receiving weapons.
Red Zone Sleepers
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