Wide Receiver Breakouts for Fantasy Football: Targets, Air Yards, Snaps Trends for Michael Pittman, Parris Campbell, Diontae Johnson, Christian Watson

Phil analyzes fantasy football wide receiver risers and fallers, looking at last week's targets and receptions to find Week 11 (2022) buy-lows or sell-highs.

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 the fifth consecutive season.

This will be the 10th 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. 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 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.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Week 10 Target Leaders

Tyreek Hill continues to lead all wide receivers in targets as he has accumulated (106/10.6 per game). He also averaged 12.6 per game from Weeks 4-8 which has propelled him into the overall lead.

Just throw it to @JJettas2

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/iOzht9ddoU

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 13, 2022

Justin Jefferson is the only other receiver who has reached 100 after he captured 13+ for the fourth time this season. Davante Adams has now collected 99 targets after accruing 31 during his last two matchups. Stefon Diggs has also assembled 99 targets including 10+ during four of his last five matchups.

Cooper Kupp accumulated 98 targets before he sustained the high ankle sprain that resulted in his placement on injured reserve. CeeDee Lamb has accrued 88 targets after tying his career-high (15) when the Cowboys visited Green Bay in Week 10.

Michael Pittman is next with 85 targets and has now captured 9+ during four of his last five matchups. Christian Kirk is averaging 9.5 targets per game since Week 7 and is sixth overall with 38 during that four-game span. That has also increased his season-long total to 82.

Diontae Johnson has accumulated 81 targets. However, he has failed to reach double digits in two consecutive games and three of his last four matchups after accomplishing it during 16 of his previous 21 contests.

.@GenoSmith3 with the perfect placement to @dkm14 pic.twitter.com/kqueGbxVlC

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 9, 2022

Three wide receivers are tied with 77 targets entering Week 11. That includes D.K. Metcalf who has secured a 25.5% target share since Week 8. He is tied with D.J. Moore, who accumulated 21 targets in Weeks 7-8 but has now been limited to six targets in two consecutive games.

Chris Olave has also collected 77 targets even though he was relegated to just five when New Orleans traveled to Pittsburgh in Week 10. He still leads his rookie class in multiple categories which will be examined in the Five Things I Noticed section.

Mike Evans accumulated a league-high 37 targets from Weeks 7-9 while averaging 12.3 per game. However, he was only targeted six times by Tom Brady in Week 10 which increased his season-long total to 76.

Jaylen Waddle has now been limited to five targets in two of his last four matchups but has still collected 75 entering Week 11. Ja’Marr Chase‘s target total remains stationary at 74 even though his last target was registered in Week 7. Chris Godwin has now averaged 10.8 targets per game since Week 6 which has propelled his overall total to 73.

Godwin is tied with Courtland Sutton who had averaged just 5.3 targets per game from Weeks 6-8 before securing his first double-digit total since Week 5 (11). A.J. Brown has also collected 73 targets despite being limited to a season-low (4) in Week 10.

Tyler Lockett has accrued 71 targets despite failing to exceed five during three of his last five contests. Amon-Ra St. Brown has now averaged 10 targets per game since Week 8 as his overall total has risen to 70.

Curtis Samuel has also attained 70 targets even though he has been relegated to just four during three consecutive matchups. Amari Cooper has assembled 69 targets despite registering a season-low three targets in Week 10. Cooper has also failed to exceed four targets during two of his last three matchups.

This release from @GarrettWilson_V is nasty. 🤧@nyjets | #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/zSpgQeAMXt

— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2022

Garrett Wilson will return from the Jets’ bye week to expand upon his season-long total (68), while Zay Jones has now collected 65 after he eclipsed 10+ during two of his last four games.

JuJu Smith-Schuster has registered 73 targets which include the four that he registered in Week 10. He was limited to 24 snaps while being placed in concussion protocol during Kansas City’s matchup one week after he had secured a season-high 12 targets.

Adam Thielen has also collected 64 targets including seven during four of his last five outings. That ties Thielen with Marquise Brown who accumulated his 64 targets from Weeks 1-6.

Eight different wide receivers are now averaging 10+ targets per game entering Week 11. Hopkins (11.5), Jefferson (11.1), Adams (11.0), Diggs (11.0), Kupp (10.9), Marquise Brown (10.7), Hill (10.6), and Chase (10.6).

Week 10 Target Risers And Fallers 

13 different wide receivers collected 10+ targets during their matchups in Week 10. That includes two elite receivers who stockpiled 16 during their contests. Justin Jefferson's 16 targets established a new career high while he has also collected 29 during his last two games.

Jefferson and Diggs in the same game. Poetry. @JJettas2 @StefonDiggs pic.twitter.com/Kfx7ojnR5V

— NFL (@NFL) November 13, 2022

Stefon Diggs also captured 16 targets, which tied for the second-highest weekly total of his eight-year career. He has also eclipsed 10+ during six of his nine matchups this season. CeeDee Lamb was targeted 15 times by Dak Prescott, which was his highest weekly total since Week 1 of the 2021 regular season.

Davante Adams has now reached double digits in five different contests this season after accruing 14 in Week 10. He has now averaged 15.5 per game during his last two games after averaging 7.0 in Weeks 5-8.

DeAndre Hopkins also accrued 14 targets and has now collected 13+ in three of his four matchups since he re-emerged in Arizona’s lineup (Week 7). His teammate Rondale Moore reached a double-digit target total just once during his first 16 games at the NFL level. Now, he has accomplished it in three of his last five outings after attaining 13 in Week 10.

.@Trevorlawrencee and @ckirk link up for their second TD of the day.#JAXvsKC on CBS pic.twitter.com/t8Qdx51ldw

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) November 13, 2022

Christian Kirk tied his season-high while collecting 12 targets in Week 10. It is the third time that he has reached double digits this season, and the second time during his last four matchups.

HOW, @SuttonCourtland 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Y3IxXs9rWQ

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 13, 2022

Courtland Sutton averaged 9.2 targets per game from Weeks 1-5 before failing to exceed four targets in two of his three matchups for Weeks 6-8. However, his 11 targets in Week 10 tied his season high.

Amon-Ra St. Brown also accrued 11 targets in Week 10 and now leads all wide receivers with a 35.7% target share since Week 8. That ties him with Terry McLaurin who reached double-digits for the first time this season, after averaging 6.9 per game from Weeks 1-9.

K.J. Osborn was the fourth wide receiver who captured 11 targets which was the first time that he attained double digits in his career. He had also been averaging just 3.8 per game from Weeks 4-9.

Zay Jones reached double digits in three different games from 2017-2021, but has now accomplished it three times during his last seven games in 2022 after collecting 10 from Trevor Lawrence.

D MILLY 🎯 BIG NICO

📺 » @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/4MKfb5lUQA

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 13, 2022

Nico Collins had been averaging 5.0 targets per game from Weeks 1-9 before he was targeted 10 times in Week 10. That also tied his career high, which was established in Week 14 of 2021.

DeAndre Hopkins was one of four wide receivers who commandeered a target share of over 40% in Week 10.  He also stockpiled 14 targets just one week after being limited to a season-low five. That resulted in the highest weekly increase among all wide receivers (+9).

He was joined by K.J. Osborn whose first-ever double-digit target total in Week 10 was achieved just one week after he had been relegated to two targets for the second time this season.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine averaged 1.9 targets per game from Weeks 1-9 and only registered one target in Week 9. However, he tied his career-high (8) while collecting nine targets when Tennessee hosted Denver in Week 10. That launched his weekly surge of +7. Second-year receiver Michael Bandy captured a career-high eight targets when the Chargers traveled to Atlanta in Week 8, but he was only targeted once during L.A.'s matchup with San Francisco. That caused his weekly drop of -7.

Stefon Diggs has eclipsed 10+ targets in six different matchups this season including each of his last two games. His 16 targets in Week 10 were collected just one week after he was targeted 10 times in Week 9. That fueled his week-to-week increase of +6.

That also tied Diggs with Christian Watson, who had averaged 2.3 targets per game from Weeks 1-9 while failing to exceed four targets since Green Bay's season opener. However, he was targeted eight times by Aaron Rodgers in Week 10 and his season-high total resulted in an increase of +6.

DeVonta Smith also collected eight targets when Philadelphia hosted Washington just one week after he had been relegated to just two. That increased his weekly total by +6.

Allen Lazard had established a career-high when he captured 10 targets in Week 9. Lazard was also limited to four targets when Green Bay hosted Dallas in Week 10 which resulted in a decline of -6. Mike Evans averaged 12.3 targets per game from Week 7-9 while capturing 11+ during all three matchups. He was also targeted six times by Tom Brady in Week 10 which dropped his week-to-week total by -5.

Chase Claypool collected six targets in Week 9 which was his first matchup as a Chicago Bear. However, he was limited to two targets in Week 10 which diminished his week-to-week total by -4. That tied him with his teammate Darnell Mooney who had attained the second-highest target total of the season in Week 9 (8). Mooney was relegated to four targets when Chicago hosted Detroit in Week 10 which resulted in his drop of -4.

The impressive numbers that Chris Olave is assembling during his rookie season included the nine targets that he assembled in Week 9. However, he was limited to a season-low five targets while operating with Andy Dalton in Week 10 which resulted in his decline of -4.

Week 10 Air Yards

Another TD for the NFL's leading receiver @Cheetah

📺: #CLEvsMIA on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/69z8ixgEIW pic.twitter.com/eRB5AyQ1gJ

— NFL (@NFL) November 13, 2022

Tyreek Hill continues to lead all wide receivers in air yards (1,251), followed by Chris Olave (1,113), Stefon Diggs (1.090), Davante Adams (1,082), Terry McLaurin (968), Justin Jefferson (959), Mike Evans (948), CeeDee Lamb (910), D.J. Moore (877), Courtland Sutton (873), and D.K. Metcalf, who has accumulated 867 yards.

Diontae Johnson is next (845), followed by Jaylen Waddle (840), Amari Cooper (831), A.J. Brown (812), Tyler Lockett (793), Gabriel Davis (790), Cooper Kupp (729), Christian Kirk (727), Mack Hollins (707), Mike Williams (695), Marvin Jones (687), Allen Lazard (680), and Jerry Jeudy, who has accumulated 679.

Darnell Mooney is next (674), followed by Ja’Marr Chase (664), Donovan Peoples-Jones (660), Adam Thielen (656), George Pickens (628), Drake London (623), Tee Higgins (589), Brandon Aiyuk (570) and two players who are tied with 556 air yards - Brandin Cooks, and Josh Reynolds.

DeAndre Hopkins leads all wide receivers with a 45.8% air-yard share. D.J. Moore is second overall (44.8%), followed by A.J. Brown (43.1%), Robbie Anderson (42.7%), Justin Jefferson (41.6%), CeeDee Lamb (41.5%), Davante Adams (40.8%), and Tyreek Hill (40.8%) who completes the list of nine receivers that have retained a percentage of 40+.

Chris Olave is next (39.4%), followed by Darius Slayton (37.9%), Stefon Diggs (37.4%), Mike Williams (37.3%), D.K. Metcalf (37.2%), Darnell Mooney (36.7%), Terry McLaurin (36.6%), Amari Cooper (36.0%), and Ja’Marr Chase who had a attained a 35.4% air yard share prior to his hip injury.

Mike Evans is next (35.3%), followed by Cooper Kupp (35%), Tyler Lockett (34.0%), Diontae Johnson (33.9%),  Allen Lazard (32.0%), Jakobi Meyers (31.6%), Christian Kirk (31.2%), Courtland Sutton (31.1%), Marvin Jones (30.6%), and Gabriel Davis who has secured an air yard share of 30.3%.

Week 10 Targets Per Route Run

Cooper Kupp sustained his league lead in targets per route run (36.4%), even as fantasy managers must now adjust to his extended absence. Amon-Ra St. Brown is second overall (33.2%), followed by Tyreek Hill (32.9%), Davante Adams (32.8%), CeeDee Lamb (31.9%), Chris Olave (30.1%), DeAndre Hopkins (29.9%), Jakobi Meyers (29.95%), and A.J. Brown, who has been targeted on 29% of his routes.

Deebo Samuel has been targeted on 28% of his routes, followed by Stefon Diggs (27.3%), Chris Godwin (26.4%), D.J. Moore (26.2%), Justin Jefferson (25.8%), Amari Cooper (25.8%), Brandon Aiyuk (25.7%), and Drake London who has been targeted on 25.4% of his routes. Jauan Jennings is next (25.2%), followed by Tee Higgins (25%), D.K. Metcalf (24.8%), Scotty Miller (24.8%), Mike Williams (24.6%), and Garrett Wilson, who has been targeted on 24.5% of his routes.

Week 10 Yards Per Route Run

Tyreek Hill has maintained his league lead with an average of 3.57 yards per route run. Cooper Kupp in second overall (3.02), followed by A.J. Brown (2.88), Jaylen Waddle (2.78), Justin Jefferson (2.74), Stefon Diggs (2.72), Davante Adams (2.6), Jakobi Meyers (2.6), Chris Olave (2.57), DeAndre Hopkins (2.57), CeeDee Lamb (2.56), and Darius Slayton who is averaging 2.5 yards per route run.

Damiere Byrd is next (2.47), followed by Amon-Ra St. Brown (2.45), Tee Higgins (2.43), Brandon Aiyuk (2.35), Terry McLaurin (2.2), Amari Cooper (2.19), Tre’Quan Smith (2.18), Christian Watson (2.17), Juju Smith-Schuster (2.15), DeVante Parker (2.11), and Mike Evans, who is averaging 2.10 yards per route run.

Nelson Agholor is next (2.08), followed by Mike Williams (2.06), Donovan Peoples-Jones (2.04), Terrace Marshall (2.02), and Nico Collins, completing the list of 30 wide receivers who are averaging at least 2.0 yards per route run.

Week 10 Red Zone Targets

Justin Jefferson has now accumulated seven red zone targets during his last two matchups. That has expanded his season-long total to 19 which leads all wide receivers. Three receivers have been targeted 15 times inside the 20 – Davante Adams, Christian Kirk, and D.K.Metcalf, while two receivers have collected 14 targets: Stefon Diggs, and Ja’Marr Chase.

Allen Robinson has now captured 13 targets, while four receivers have been targeted 11 times (A.J. Brown/Cooper Kupp/Allen Lazard/Adam Thielen). Seven additional receivers have accumulated 10 red zone targets from Weeks 1-10 (Mike Evans, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Garrett Wilson, Diontae Johnson, Zay Jones, Drake London, and Mecole Hardman).

Jefferson also leads the position with 13 targets inside the 10-yard line. Robinson has captured 11 targets, while Adams and Kirk have been targeted eight times. Chase, Wilson, and Josh Reynolds have all accumulated seven targets inside the 10.

Robinson leads all wide receivers with seven targets inside the 5-yard line while Adams and Kirk have been targeted six times.

Week 10 Snap Counts

Justin Jefferson leads all wide receivers with a 97.8% snap share. D.J. Moore is second overall (96.6%), followed by Michael Pittman (95.9%), DeAndre Hopkins (95.7%), Ja’Marr Chase (95.3%), Cooper Kupp (95.2%), Marquise Brown (94.9%), and Adam Thielen, who has secured a snap share of 94.2%.

Davante Adams is next (93.6%), followed by Courtland Sutton (93.0%), Gabriel Davis (93.0%), Rondale Moore (92.9%), Terry McLaurin (92.7%), Brandon Aiyuk (92.6%), Mack Hollins (92.5%), and CeeDee Lamb, who has played on 91.9% of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps.

Allen Robinson is next (91.5%), followed by Diontae Johnson (91.1%), DeVonta Smith (89.5%), Christian Kirk (89.4%), and Allen Lazard, who has reached a snap share of 88.9%.

Terry McLaurin leads all wide receivers with 624 offensive snaps. Michael Pittman is second (581), followed by Justin Jefferson (576), Christian Kirk (573), Adam Thielen (555), Parris Campbell (552), Courtland Sutton (541), D.J. Moore (539), Diontae Johnson (532), Darnell Mooney (532), and DeVonta Smith, who has accumulated 528 offensive snaps.

Curtis Samuel is next (525), followed by Donovan Peoples-Jones (524), Zay Jones (519), Cooper Kupp (518), Brandon Aiyuk (509), and three receivers who have been involved in 508 of their teams' offensive snaps: Davante Adams, CeeDee Lamb, and Mike Evans.

Five Things I Noticed

The Steelers returned from their Week 9 bye to host New Orleans while operating with an arsenal of receiving weaponry that had been altered since their previous matchup. Pittsburgh had traded Chase Claypool to Chicago on November 1 in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick. This expanded the runway for Diontae Johnson and George Pickens to operate as the primary receiving options for Kenny Pickett.

Johnson had maintained his customary place among the league leaders in targets entering Pittsburgh’s bye week and had also remained embedded as the team leader in virtually all receiving categories from Weeks 1-8. He had secured the league’s third-highest target total (76/9.5 per game), while his 26.6% target share placed him 13th overall. He also led all wide receivers in routes run (358) and was seventh in air yards (764).

He was also eighth in receptions (43), although his 5.4 per game average had declined when contrasted with last season’s average of 6.7.  Johnson was also just 36th overall in receiving yardage (372) despite his favorable usage, and his 47.6 yards per game average represented a drop of 25 per game from his average during 2021 (72.6). His 4.9 yards per target and 8.7 yards per reception were also the lowest of his career.

Johnson's numbers were even more concerning from Weeks 4-8 when he led all wide receivers with 242 routes run but was only averaging 0.73 yards per route run. He was still seventh in targets (43/8.6 per game) but was 22nd in receptions (22/4.4 per game), and just 50th in receiving yardage (176/35.2 per game).

Of course George Pickens’ first career TD would come on an acrobatic catch like this 🤸‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/jg25R2OkFh

— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) October 24, 2022

Pickens was averaging 4.0 targets, 1.7 receptions, and 21.7 yards per game from Weeks 1-3, but those averages improved to 6.2 targets, 4.2 receptions, and 54.6 yards from Weeks 4-9. Pickens' rising usage and output roses coincided with the transition from Mitchell Trubisky to Kenny Pickett under center.

However, neither Pickens nor Johnson garnered extensive targeting in Week 10, which also constrained their numbers in other categories. Pickett had been averaging 33 attempts and 22.4 completions per game from Weeks 4-8 before he completed 18 of his 30 passes against the Saints. The Steelers also ran the ball 43 times which was well above their 23.8 per game average before their matchup with New Orleans.

Diontae Johnson slander will not be tolerated on my timeline. pic.twitter.com/bVrPPDf9iB

— STEELERS 3-6 (@DevinBushFan) November 13, 2022

Johnson led Pittsburgh’s wide receivers with five targets in Week 10 while he also attained a 19.2% target share. Johnson tied for the team lead with four receptions while assembling team-highs in receiving yards (63), 81 air yards (81), and air yards share (40.7%). Johnson's 12.6 yards per target and 15.8 yards per reception were also his highest of the season by a considerable margin.

Pickens was targeted four times while registering a 15.4% share. He also caught three of those targets, but only manufactured 32 yards. Pickens was also limited to 35 air yards and reached a 17.6% air yard share. Pickens had averaged 8.8 yards per target/13.0 yards per reception from Weeks 4-8 before he registered 8.0 yards per target/10.7 yards per reception in Week 10.

Johnson ran 37 routes, was targeted on 13.5% of those routes, and averaged 1.70 yards per route run in Week 10, while Pickens ran 34 routes, was targeted on 11.8% of his routes and averaged 0.94 yards per route run.

Johnson should be deployed as a low-end WR2/high-end WR3 when the Steelers host Cincinnati while Pickens can be utilized as a WR3.

2. The Colts have now experienced two transitions under center during their last three matchups following Matt Ryan's unexpected re-emergence as the starter when the team visited Las Vegas in Week 10. Michael Pittman's numbers have remained favorable throughout the multiple transformations while Parris Campbell has also sustained his presence as a viable roster resource amid each swing of the proverbial pendulum.    

Matt Ryan gets the start at QB. #INDvsLV pic.twitter.com/KT8leFUJAs

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 13, 2022

Pittman was one of just nine wide receivers who had eclipsed an average of 10+ targets per game from Weeks 1-7 when Ryan was originally guiding the Indianapolis aerial attack.  He was 10th overall with 61 targets (10.2 per game) and had secured a 24.0% target share. Pittman was also fourth with 292 routes run, sixth with 44 receptions (7.3 per game), and had accumulated 475 receiving yards (79.2 per game). Pittman had also been targeted on 20.9% of his routes and was averaging 1.63 yards per route run.

The changeover to Sam Ehlinger in Weeks 8-9 did not impede Pittman from rising to sixth in targets (76/9.5 per game) entering Week 10 while he also secured a 24.9% target share.  His per-game averages did sustain a drop (7.5 targets/5.0 receptions/37.5 per game) while his 67 routes (33.5 per game) also represented a decline from the 48.7 per game that he had averaged before Ehlinger was spearheading the offense. Pittman was also targeted on 22.4% of his routes while averaging 1.12 yards per route run.

Ehlinger averaged 32 attempts per game during that two-game sequence, along with 16 completions and just 152 yards per game. He also averaged just 5.8 yards per attempt, while completing 61.5% of his passes.

Ryan had averaged 42.4 attempts, 29.4 completions, and 286.4 yards per game from Week 1-7, while completing 68.4% of his passes and averaging 6.8 yards per attempt. He also completed 21 of his 28 passes (75%), while generating 222 yards, and averaging 7.9 yards per attempt in Week 10.

Nine of those passes were distributed to Pittman who has now attained 9+ in six different matchups. Pittman also collected seven receptions and assembled 53 receiving yards, while he also led Indianapolis in air yards (72) and air yard share (42.4%).

Parris Campbell also captured nine targets while joining Pittman in attaining a 33.3% target share. Campbell also tied Pittman with seven receptions, while accruing a team-high 76 receiving yards, and generating a touchdown. It was the third time that Campbell has collected 9+ targets since Week 6 after he only accomplished it once from 2019-2021.

Campbell has also secured a 22.3% target share during his last five games while averaging 7.8 targets, 5.6 receptions, and 52.2 yards per game. He has also produced a team-high three touchdowns during those contests.

Chef's kiss, Parris. 😘👌

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/7lzSHHxpQU

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 13, 2022

Campbell has now run 385 routes from Weeks 1-10, while being targeted on 14% of those routes, and averaging 0.97 yards per route run. Pittman has run one additional route (386), while also leading the Colts in targets per route run (22%), and yards per route run (1.56).

Pittman is currently WR17 in PPR scoring while averaging 9.4 targets/6.8 receptions/67 yards per game. Fantasy managers can deploy him as a low-end WR2WR3. Campbell is now WR10 since Week 6 and has emerged as a WR3.

 3.  Drake London was the first wide receiver to be chosen during last April’s draft (1.08). His selection by Atlanta automatically placed him in an environment that remains dedicated to a strategic approach that has negatively impacted his ability to deliver high-quality production for fantasy managers.

London’s season was launched with two encouraging outings as he rose to 15th overall In targets (19/9.5 per game) 10th in receptions (13/6.5 per game) and 12th in receiving yards (160/80 per game).

Highest receiving grades among rookie WRs in Week 2:

🔴 Drake London - 81.3
🗽 Garrett Wilson - 78.0
🪖 Jahan Dotson - 73.0 pic.twitter.com/W2pvZ0doxH

— PFF (@PFF) September 19, 2022

London also secured season highs in targets (12), receptions (eight), and receiving yards (86) during Atlanta’s Week 2 matchup with the Rams while he also vaulted to WR14 in scoring. London also led all wide receivers with a 48% target share as he collected targets on 41.4% of his routes and averaged 2.97 yards per route run.

Unfortunately, London’s potential to sustain those numbers has been neutralized by the Falcons' deployment of their offensive weaponry.

Drake’s target share has remained favorable since Week 3 (26.1%), but his averages have dropped to 5.4 targets, 3.1 receptions, and 30.9 yards per game. He has also failed to exceed three receptions in five of his last eight matchups, while he has not surpassed 40 receiving yards in seven consecutive games.

Atlanta currently ranks second overall in run play percentage (56.1%) as Arthur Smith has maintained a strategic approach that relies on the Falcons’ offensive line and a cluster of running backs as the primary source of generating yardage - just one year after Atlanta had ranked just 25th in run play percentage (39.1%). The Falcons are now utilizing their aerial attack on just 43.9% of their offensive plays. That ranks 31st overall as only the Bears eschew their passing game with greater frequency.

London’s numbers during the Falcons’ Week 10 matchup in Carolina were consistent with his usage and production during Atlanta’s seven previous games as he attained a 20.7% target share. He also collected five of his six targets, and once again fell short of accumulating 40 receiving yards (39). However, he did generate his first touchdown since Week 3.

Up and down, TD @DrakeLondon_

📺 @NFLonPrime || @FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/HiRaVjF26t

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 11, 2022

London easily leads Atlanta with 244 routes run from Weeks 1-10 and is also pacing the team with 10 red zone targets. He has also been targeted on 25.4% of his routes while averaging 1.67 yards per route run. London is also second on the Falcons behind Kyle Pitts with 623 air yards, and also with his 26.3% air yard share.

No other Atlanta wide receiver has exceeded a 13% target share through Week 10 as Olamide Zacchaeus (13.1%), Damiere Byrd (10.6%), and KhaDarel Hodge (9.1%), are not receiving the same level of opportunity as London - even though Atlanta’s run-first philosophy remains an ongoing obstacle that impedes London’s output. This will keep him cemented at the periphery of WR4 for fantasy managers

4. The production-inhibiting strategic approach that has affected London stands in contrast to another rookie who was also among the first three wide receivers to be selected in Round 1 of last April’s NFL Draft. Chris Olave has not been constrained by the Saints’ offensive philosophy during his first season with New Orleans as the Saints do not operate with a steadfast commitment to the run.

This has allowed Olave to flourish as is the primary receiving weapon within an aerial attack that is currently ranked ninth overall (237.7 yards per game), while ranking 16th in pass play percentage (58.8%).

Chris Olave: Rookie WR1? pic.twitter.com/Svb1DvkdoD

— PFF (@PFF) November 11, 2022

Olave has performed proficiently throughout his first season while lining up outside and in the slot. His 26.0% target share easily leads New Orleans during a year in which Michael Thomas has been limited to just three games/22 targets/17 receptions/171 yards, and no other wide receivers or tight ends have exceeded a 16% share.

Olave was limited to three targets during New Orleans’ season opener. However, that remains his season-low as he averaged 9.9 per game from Weeks 2-9. That has propelled him to a season-long total of 77 (8.6 per game) which includes three games with 13+. He is currently 12th among all wide receivers in this category, while easily leading all members of his rookie class.

He is also second overall in air yards (1,113), after leading the league in that category from Weeks 2-7. Olave is also 12th overall with 658 receiving yards (73.1 per game) and is fifth overall in yards before catch (551). He also leads all first-year receivers in each category discussed previously along with targets per route run (30.1%), receptions (46/5.4 per game), yards per route run (2.57), and air yard share (39.4%).

Chris Olave: Rookie WR1? pic.twitter.com/Svb1DvkdoD

— PFF (@PFF) November 11, 2022

Those exceptional numbers have been secured even though he registered his lowest weekly totals in targets (5), receptions (3), and receiving yards (40), since Week 1 when the Saints visited Pittsburgh in Week 10.

Olave had been averaging 9.0 targets, 5.4 receptions, and 77.3 yards per game prior to his matchup with the Steelers, and had risen to eighth overall in yardage during that sequence (618).

Last night Chris Olave had 7 receptions for 106 receiving yards pic.twitter.com/BcHxoiljgC

— Mr. Ohio (@MrOH1O) October 21, 2022

Olave has now been targeted on 30.1% of his routes since Week 1, which places him sixth overall. He is also ninth with an average of 2.57 yards per route run. He also enters Week 11 without any distinguishable threat to his status as the Saints’ primary receiving weapon. Thomas was placed on injured reserve due to his lingering toe issue, and it is unlikely that he will re-emerge this season. No other New Orleans wide receivers or tight ends have exceeded a 16% share.

With Thomas unavailable and Jarvis Landry relegated to a complementary role, Olave should continue to thrive in his current role with New Orleans, while also providing fantasy managers with a WR2.

5. Several other wide receivers generated impressive numbers in Week 10 and have now emerged as potential resources with the fantasy postseason rapidly approaching.

GOOD MORNING!#GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/b2quWglUos

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 14, 2022

That includes Christian Watson, who was the seventh wide receiver to be selected during last April’s NFL draft (34th overall) and became a popular choice of fantasy managers during their rookie drafts in dynasty leagues. 

He had only accumulated 14 targets (7.0% share) from Weeks 1-9 with four of those being collected during the Packers' season opener. That placed him fifth among Green Bay's wide receivers while he had also been relegated to just 10 receptions and 88 receiving yards entering Week 10.

However, Watson’s usage and output exploded far beyond his previous numbers when Green Bay hosted Dallas, which also launched firmly onto the fantasy landscape.

Have a day, Christian Watson‼️pic.twitter.com/LfwTa6Ed0y

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) November 14, 2022

Watson was targeted a season-high eight times by Aaron Rodgers while securing a 42% target share. That was the third-highest share among all wide receivers trailing only Amon-Ra St. Brown and Terry McLaurin in Week 10. Watson also assembled a season-best 107 receiving yards, after he had failed to exceed 34 during his matchups from Weeks 1-9.

Watson was also third overall in air yards (164 ) and easily led all wide receivers with an air yard share of 73.5%.  He also ran 24 routes, while being targeted on 33.3%  percent of those routes, and averaging 4.46 yards per route run. Watson also generated his first three touchdowns of the season.

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