RADIO
Richard King looks at red zone risers and fallers to identify players with higher fantasy football scoring potential in Week 11, based on touches and opportunity in the red zone.
It's time to prepare for the playoff stretch and make a run. We all want to know who has the best path to score on Sunday to help give us valuable fantasy points. RotoBaller's Premium Red Zone 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. 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.
In this article each week, we'll identify red zone risers and fallers who could see their fantasy value impacted by usage in the most critical area of the field. RotoBaller's Red Zone Sleepers tool is a great way to get an edge on the competition by identifying players with greater scoring opportunities.
Let's take a look at which fantasy football players could be touchdown and scoring risers or fallers in fantasy football for Week 11 of the 2018 NFL season, based on red zone opportunities.
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Red Zone Risers
RUNNING BACK
Tevin Coleman (RB, ATL) - 27.3% Red-zone touch %
The Atlanta Falcons have started looking like they have had more direction in the past week. The team has run 16 plays in the past week, and Coleman touched the ball on six of those. Coleman is a dual-threat running back able to have an impact in catching the ball as well as run it in. While receiver Julio Jones has been more involved recently- Coleman will remain the team's primary red-zone weapon.
Kerryon Johnson (RB, DET) - 27.3% Red-zone touch %
The Detroit Lions have altered the way that they have had to play the game recently, with Golden Tate leaving town. Rookie running back Johnson has taken this opportunity, especially in the red zone. Johnson had previously been heavily involved in the red zone play of the team, along with red zone specialist LeGarrette Blount, but in recent time has been even more heavily involved. In the past week, Johnson has had five red zone touches from a possible nine plays in the red zone, scoring on two of those touches.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Zay Jones (WR, BUF) - 15.6% Red-zone touch%
The Buffalo Bills might not be the best team in the NFL, but the team seems to be improved under quarterback Matt Barkley. Jones is one of the team's favored weapons in the red-zone and, in fact, has only had three touches less than the team's primary offensive weapon LeSean McCoy. While the Bills may not be able to make the number of red zone visits as they did this week, once the team gets inside the 20, Jones is one of the team's favorite receivers in the area.
Dede Westbrook (WR, JAX) - 9.8% Red-zone touch%
The team was able to really start moving last week, with star running back Leonard Fournette returning to the team. While the team relies on the rushing production to get their team in control, the team has made a higher proportion of passing plays than rushing in the red zone, throwing the ball on 52.4% of the team's red zone action. Westbrook was the only receiver to have touched the ball in the red zone last week, and has out-touched every wide receiver on the team so far this season, with nearly double the touches of Donte Moncrief.
TIGHT END
Austin Hooper (TE, ATL) - 13.0% Red-zone touch%
Hooper has allowed Matt Ryan a safe target in the red zone, his big body allows him to be a red zone weapon. While the team might have an alpha receiver in Jones and a leading running back in the above mentioned Tevin Coleman, Hooper has shown his value to the team and currently is only out-touched by six tight ends, including the impressive Zach Ertz, Travis Kelce and the red zone specialist tight end Eric Ebron. Hooper shouldn't be ignored for what he offers a potent team, especially at a position that is governed mainly by touchdown scoring.
Red Zone Fallers
RUNNING BACK
Ito Smith (RB, ATL) - 22.1% Red-zone touch%
Smith was previously a red zone riser, as he broke onto the scene with the team needing a running back to replace the injured Devonta Freeman. Smith was heavily involved in those opening weeks, and while he has still been involved in over 20% of the team's red zone plays, he hasn't had a red zone touch on the last 16 plays the team has run in the red zone. It appears that the team has found a way to balance out their attack, with some of their receiving options performing at a high level, and Coleman taking on the rushing work for the team.
WIDE RECEIVER
Kenny Stills (WR, MIA) - 4.2% Red-zone touch%
Miami is suffering as they don't have an effective quarterback currently; the team is currently rushing around 54% of the league-low 48 plays they have run in the red zone. Kenny Stills has only touched the ball twice in the red zone all season. It looks as though that will be a trend going forward, with Miami looking to utilize one of their running back duo of Kenyan Drake or Frank Gore, or else spreading the ball to their varyious receivers. Given the lack of visits that the team makes to opposing team's end zones, that doesn't give any receiver a high upside of scoring in the red zone.
TIGHT END
Jared Cook (TE, OAK) - 14.7% Red-zone touch%
Cook is an effective tight end, and in a way that is his downfall. Playing on a very poor Oakland Raiders team, he is currently the team's primary red-zone option. Given the lack of offensive talent, he isn't able to enjoy getting open as he was earlier in the season with defenses having to account for the destructive running of Marshawn Lynch. Cook has not touched the ball on any of the red zone plays that the team has run since week 8, and the Raiders have only managed 16 visits in that timeframe. The team doesn't make enough visits to give Cook the opportunity to be an impact player inside the 20. Also, they have made a shift from passing in the red zone to trying to rush the ball with the duo of Doug Martin and Jalen Richard.
Red Zone Sleepers
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