Wide Receiver Snap Counts and Target Trends - Week 12 Analysis

Phil Clark looks back at Week 12 targets, snaps, receptions trends for fantasy football WRs to find risers and fallers who are possible buy-lows or sell-highs.

Wide receivers are essential components toward your ultimate goal of securing league championships. As many of you prepare for your Week 13 matchups, an expanding collection of tools are available that can provide you with an extensive level of knowledge. Those results provide the foundation for this weekly statistical breakdown of the wide receiver position, which is designed to help you fulfill your championship aspirations.

This will be the 12th installment that examines game-specific data, including updated totals for targets, 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 week’s article will be functioning with 12 weeks of data, which bolsters the foundation from which the numbers that are generated in various categories can be evaluated. As we now approach the threshold of the fantasy postseason all 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. Pro Football Reference, NextGenStats, and Football Outsiders were all used as resources in compiling this data.

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Week 12 Target Leaders  

Michael Thomas has maintained his league in overall targets with 124 for the season. DeAndre Hopkins and Julian Edelman are tied for second among all wide receivers with 112, while Keenan Allen (107), Mike Evans (105), Cooper Kupp (104), D.J. Moore (103), Tyler Boyd (103) and Julio Jones (101) are the only other players that have reached 100 targets. Chris Godwin is next (98), while Cleveland teammates Odell Beckham (97), Allen Robinson (96), and D.J. Chark complete the list of 14 wide receivers that have collected 90+targets for the season.

John Brown (89), Courtland Sutton (85), Devante Parker (83), Amari Cooper (81), Kenny Golladay (80), and Robert Woods (80) complete the top 20 in overall targets, while Curtis Samuel, Tyler Lockett, Marvin Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Jamison Crowder spearhead the group of 11 additional receivers that have captured 70+ targets as we enter Week 13.

Thomas also leads in total games with at least 10 targets (9). Edelman is second (8), followed by Allen (7), then Hopkins, Kupp, and Moore with six. Thomas has also captured at least 10 targets in seven consecutive games, while Edelman has reached a double-digit target total in six straight contests. It is worth noting that Parker is the only other wide receiver that has collected 10+ targets in three consecutive matchups.

Hopkins has captured accrued 10+ targets in five of his last six games, while Landry has achieved it during four of his last five, and  Moore has reached double-digits in three of his last four. Boyd had attained a double-digit target total during his first three games and also accomplished it during five of his first seven matchups. However, he has only averaged 7.25 per game since that sequence of games.

Moore leads all receivers in targets during the last four weeks (45), followed by Landry (43), Evans (38), Parker (37), Brown (36), Beckham (36), followed by Thomas, Godwin, and Gallup all tied with (35). Davante Adams and Edelman are next with 33, followed by Marvin Jones, Hopkins, and Cooper (31). Robinson, Chark, Randall Cobb, Tyreek Hill, and Deebo Samuel are next with 30, which completes the collection of receivers that have attained 30+ targets during the last four weeks.

Moore also leads the position in targets since Week 11 (24), followed by Calvin Ridley and Edelman with 22. Parker, Thomas, and Chark are next with 21, followed by Hopkins, Landry, and Anthony Miller with 20. Gallup is next with 19, followed by Brown and Beckham 18, Julio Jones, Sutton, Chris Conley and Taylor Gabriel with 17, while Evans, Robinson, Marvin Jones, and Terry McLaurin have all collected 16 during their last two games.

Largest Weekly Changes

Calvin Ridley captured the highest target total during Week 12 (14), which also established a new career-high. Landry was second for the week with 13 targets, followed by Adams, Edelman, and McLaurin with 12. Thomas, Parker, Marvin Jones, and Will Fuller were next with 11, while Robinson (10), Kupp (10), and Russell Gage (10) were the only other receivers that collected at least 10 during their Week 12 matchups.

Will Fuller reemerged in Houston’s lineup for the first time since Week 7, which leaves his 11 targets outside the usual qualifications for a week to week variance. However, his usage was noteworthy, and will be discussed further in the Five Things I Noticed section.

Terry McLaurin collected at least seven targets in each of his first five games, while also capturing 6+ targets in seven of his first eight contests. But he never reached a double-digit target total until Week 12,  when he established a new career-high against Detroit (12). That increase of +8 targets from his Week 11 total, represented the largest week-to-week surge among all receivers.

Rookie Jakobi Meyers entered Week 12 with 19 targets for the season, including two that were registered in Week 11. But he collected a career-high nine against Dallas which resulted in a weekly rise of +7. That tied him with Cooper Kupp, who registered a double-digit total for the sixth time this season. Ridley’s 14 targets resulted in a surge of +6, which tied him with teammate Russell Gage, along with Landry, Boyd and Marvin Jones. Cole Beasley’s nine targets increased his weekly total by +5, while Allen Robinson experienced a rise of +4.

Taylor Gabriel’s career-best 14 targets in Week 11 resulted in the second-largest weekly increase between Weeks 10-11. But he was targeted just three times in Week 12, which was the largest week to week reduction (-11). John Brown’s 14 targets in Week 11 expanded his two week total to 25. But Josh Allen only launched four passes in his direction during Buffalo’s Week 12 matchup with Denver, which resulted in a decrease of -10. D. J. Chark (-9) and Deebo Samuel (-8) also registered significant reductions in their weekly totals.

Dak Prescott launched 46 passes during the Cowboys’ matchups in Weeks 10 and 11, while he only distributed 33 targets in Week 12. That had a distinct impact on the weekly totals for Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, after the tandem combined for 21 targets in Week 11. Cooper experienced a decline of -6 (8/2), while Gallup’s weekly total decreased by -7 (13/6).

Chris Conley has now accumulated 38 targets during his last five matchups by collecting 7+ in each of those contests (7.6 per-game). Zack Pascal had averaged 6.3 targets per game from Weeks 9-11, and 5.0 per game from Weeks 3-11. But he was only targeted once in Week 12.

Week 12 Yards-Per-Target Leaders

Stefon Diggs leads all wide receivers with a 13.5 yard-per-target average. Mecole Hardman remains second overall (12.2), followed by A.J. Brown (11.6), Chris Godwin (10.9), Amari Cooper (10.9), Kenny Stills (10.8), Tyler Lockett (10.7), Mike Williams (10.7), and Michael Thomas (10.0). No other wide receivers are currently retaining an average of 10+. Mike Evans, Courtland Sutton, Kenny Golladay, and Tyreek Hill are all tied with an average of 9.9 and are followed by Michael Gallup, Tyrell Williams and Will Fuller at 9.8.

Randall Cobb and Tyreek Hill are next (9.7), followed by John Brown (9.6), while Julio Jones, Deebo Samuel, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are all tied at 9.5. Terry McLaurin 9.4 and James Washington (9.3) are among the collection of seven additional receivers that are averaging at least 9 yards-per-target, and Washington’s recent surge in usage and production will be examined further in the 5 Things I Noticed section.

DeAndre Hopkins’ average of 11.8 yards-per-target in Week 12 established a new season-high, as he had averaged 6.58 from Weeks 6-11, and 5.55 in Weeks 10-11. T.Y. Hilton averaged just 3.0 yards-per-target during his Week 12 return, which was his lowest average of the season by a significant margin. Hilton has averaged 8.0 per target from Weeks 1-8, and his previous low had occurred in Week 3 (6.5).

Allen Robinson’s season-long average rose from 7.4 to 8.0 after he averaged a season-high 13.1 in Week 12. Courtland Sutton had been averaging 10.5 yards-per-target but his average dropped to 9.8 after he registered a season-low 3.4 in Week 12. Terry McLaurin’s averaged decreased from 10.1 to 9.3 after he averaged 6.0 in Week 13. That was the lowest number since Week 7, and his second-lowest average of the season.

Week 12 Targeted Air Yards Leaders 

Mike Williams leads all wide receivers in targeted air yards (16.8), followed by Ted Ginn 16.4, Marquez Valdes-Scantling (16), Kenny Golladay (15.8), Robby Anderson (15.8), James Washington (15.5), Chris Conley (15.4), Mike Evans (15.1), and Stefon Diggs (14.9), and Brandin Cooks (14.9), complete the top 10. Curtis Samuel (14.8), and Tyreek Hill (14.8) are next, followed by Tyrell Williams (14.6), Terry McLaurin (14.5), Darius Slayton (14.4), Demarcus Robinson (14.2), Will Fuller (14.1), and John Brown (14.0). No other receivers have eclipsed 14 through Week 12's game action.

Mike Evans maintained his league lead in air yards (1,546), which is 273 yards more than second-place Julio Jones (1,273). John Brown is third (1,228), followed by Kenny Golladay (1,222), D.J. Chark (1,207), Keenan Allen (1,199), DeAndre Hopkins (1,191), Curtis Samuel (1,149), teammate D.J. Moore (1,118), and Amari Cooper (1,097), and Marvin Jones (1,097) completing the top 10.

They are followed by Odell Beckham (1,087), DeVante Parker (1,076), Calvin Ridley (1,062), Allen Robinson (1,059), Courtland Sutton (1,046), Chris Godwin (1,034), and Mike Williams (1,011). Only those 18 receivers have accumulated 1000+ yards. Stefon Diggs (975), Terry McLaurin (974), Julian Edelman (970), and Michael Thomas ( 963) lead a group of 17 receivers that have accrued 800+ air yards.

% Share Of  Team’s Air Yards Leaders

Courtland Sutton leads all wide receivers in percentage share of team’s air yards (43.88), followed by McLaurin (42.5), John Brown (41.1), Diggs (40.2), Beckham (38,02), Michael Thomas (37:7), Chark (37.3), Robinson (36.9), Evans (36.8), Robby Anderson (36.1), Hopkins (35.8), Curtis Samuel (35.3), Julio Jones (33.9), and Moore (33.8). Golladay (32.8), Tyrell Williams (32.7), Edelman (32.3), Allen (32.0), and Parker (32.0), and Landry (31.0) complete the top 20 in this category.

Kenny Golladay leads the Lions with a 31.4 share, while Marvin Jones remains second with 28.2. Deebo Samuel now paces the 49ers with a percentage share of 20.1, while Darius Slayton (22.2) leads the Giants by a full seven yards over second-place Golden Tate (15.2). Samuel and Slayton join McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown as the five first-year receivers that are garnering the largest percentage share of their teams' air yards.

Week 12 Red Zone Target Leaders

Michael Thomas and Julian Edelman are now tied for the lead among all wide receivers with 19 red zone targets. They are followed by Mike Evans, Jarvis Landry and Keenan Allen who are all tied with 16. Chris Godwin, Tyler Lockett, and Auden Tate are next with 14, Marvin Jones, Cooper Kupp and Marquise Brown are tied with 13, while D.J. Chark, Courtland Sutton, Kenny Golladay, and D.K. Metcalf have all collected 12 red zone targets for the season.

Allen Robinson and Deebo Samuel have captured 11 targets, while Julio Jones, D.J. Moore, Mike Williams, Terry McLaurin, Larry Fitzgerald, Jamison Crowder, and Davante Adams have all been targeted 10 times through Week 12. DeAndre Hopkins and Emmanuel Sanders have collected nine targets, while  John Brown and DeVante Parker lead a group of five wide receivers that have accrued eight red zone targets during the season.

Jarvis Landry now leads all wide receivers with 11 targets inside the 10 after collecting two during his Week 12 matchup with Miami. Landry has also accumulated a whopping nine targets since Week 9.

Marquise Brown collected a whopping six targets in Week 12, which led all receivers. Anthony Miller was second after Mitchell Trubisky targeted him four times. Miller had entered Week 12 with just one target throughout the entire season until his four targets versus the Giants. Moore and Cole Beasley both collected three targets in Week 12, while Godwin, Landry, Robinson, and Calvin Ridley led a group of seven wide receivers that were targeted twice.

Davante Adams has now been targeted four times during his last two games. D.J. Moore has accumulated eight red zone targets during his last four matchups, after only receiving two during his first seven games. D.J. Chark has now collected at least one target in five straight games while accruing a total of seven during that sequence.

Week 12 Snap Count Leaders

Chris Godwin leads all wide receivers in total snaps for the season (767), followed by DeAndre Hopkins (745), Odell Beckham (736), Mike Evans (729), Julian Edelman (719), Jarvis Landry (713), Tyler Lockett (713), D.J. Moore (708), Michael Thomas (694), Tyler Boyd (693), and Marvin Jones (693), completing the top 10.

John Brown is next (692), followed by Kenny Golladay (687), Allen Robinson (683), Curtis Samuel (671), Cooper Kupp (670), Courtland Sutton (662), Keenan Allen (656), Robert Woods (653), Nelson Agholor (643), D.K. Metcalf (642), Robby Anderson (632), D.J. Chark (631), DeVante Parker (628), and Larry Fitzgerald (623) completing the top 25.

Hopkins continues to lead his position in total snap count percentage (97.4), followed by Beckham (96.7), Godwin (95.2), Landry (93.7), Robinson (93.4), Sutton (92.2), Thomas (91.9), Moore (91.7), Boyd (91.6), Lockett (91.1), Evans (90.5), Anderson (90.0), Brown (89.6), Edelman (89.2), Marvin Jones (88.6), Allen (88.4), and Parker completing the top 20 at (88.2).

Chark led all receivers in total offensive snaps during Week 12 matchups (83), while Beckham (75), Brown (74), Westbrook (74), Ridley (74), and Landry (71) completed the select group of six receivers that performed on at least 70 snaps during their games. Hopkins, Parker, Boyd, and Sutton, all played on 100% of their teams' offensive snaps in Week 12, while Beckham (98.7), Gallup (98.4), McLaurin (98.3), Kupp (98.2), Edelman (97.1), and Chark (96.5), completed the top 10 in snap count percentage.

It is noteworthy that Sterling Shepard was 11th (95%) as he re-emerged for his first game action since Week 5. Woods performed on 67% of the Rams' offensive snaps, which was his lowest percentage of the season. He had entered the matchup with an average of 95%. Julio Jones was limited to 56% of Atlanta's snaps due to his shoulder issue. The 67% count that was obtained by Emmanuel Sanders was his highest since Week 9, while Amari Cooper returned to his customary 80%+ count range (81) after performing on just 55% of the Cowboys’ snaps in Week 11.

Five Things I Noticed

1. Will Fuller owners were understandably euphoric following his prolific return in Week 12. He had been 14th overall in targets prior to his Week 7 hamstring injury (48/8 per-game), and was 12th among all receivers in both receptions (33) and receiving yards (444).

But he had also been sidelined since playing on just three snaps in Week 7, before his productive return to game action against the Colts in Week 12. Fuller played on 53/90% of Houston’s offensive snaps, proceeded to capture seven of his team-high 11 targets, and accrued 140 yards.

It was the second game in which he has surpassed 100 yards this season, and also represented the eighth time in 39 career games that he has exceeded 100 yards. Fuller also averaged 12.7 yards-per-target, which was his third-highest of the season. Kenny Stills only averaged 4.0 targets-per-game during Fuller’s absence, while manufacturing just 3.6 receptions and 59.6 yards-per-game - even though he also averaging 65 snaps during that span. All of which failed to reach match the expectations of owners who pursued him on their waiver wires before Week 8.

Fuller’s history of missed games cannot be ignored, as a combination of issues have sidelined him for 20 games since 2016 (hamstring/knee/shoulder/ribs). His track record also suggests that he will intersperse games of high-quality production with other matchups in which his numbers are less favorable.

However, his potential to explode for significant output makes him a valuable asset for owners if he can achieve sustained health. If he is functioning as your WR3, his output could conceivably become the final ingredient that you need in order to secure a fantasy championship - providing that your top two receivers deliver numbers that reach projected levels. Fuller’s appealing Week 16 matchup with Tampa Bay can also be anticipated with great enthusiasm.

2. After Pittsburgh invested a second-round pick on James Washington during the 2018 NFL draft, he proceeded to finish 15^th in receptions and 16^th in yardage among members of his rookie class. He also finished seventh on the Steelers in targets (38) and receiving yards (217), and eighth with just 16 receptions.

His usage and production during the initial weeks of 2019 were equally unimpressive, as Washington attained a 60% snap count from Weeks 1-8, averaged 4.5 targets per game, collected 10 receptions, and manufactured 161 yards.

But during his last three matchups, the second-year receiver has accumulated 19 targets (6.3 per game), captured 12 receptions, and assembled 237 yards (79-per-game). He has also produced his first two touchdowns of the season, which includes the 79-catch and run against the Bengals in Week 12 that quickly emerged among the most popular highlights from Week 12.

Diontae Johnson is second to Washington during that three-game span with 16 targets (5.3 per game) receptions (9) and yardage (110), while JuJu Smith-Schuster owners are already aware that he has collected just five of nine targets for 65 yards during that span. He was unavailable during Pittsburgh’s Week 12 matchup with Cincinnati, due to a concussion that he suffered in Week 11. The target distribution will be impacted whenever Smith-Schuster reemerges in the lineup, while Washington’s 82.1% snap count percentage in Weeks 11-12 could be slightly altered.

However, Washington’s opportunity to remain relevant during the fantasy postseason should not be dismissed. He has performed proficiently during his recent surge in usage and should benefit from the transition to Devlin Hodges under center, Owners can also remain encouraged with the prospects of Washington performing as an upside WR3 option during a highly favorable matchup with Arizona in Week 14.

3. During Sam Darnold’s Week 7 matchup with New England, he threw four interceptions, manufactured just 86 yards and completed an anemic 34.4% of his passes. That forgettable performance launched a surge of overreaction concerning his viability as a fantasy option, which was enhanced when he tossed three more interceptions versus Jacksonville in Week 8. Darnold’s deficiencies negatively impacted Jamison Crowder, who was limited to just 50 yards during that two-game span.     

But Darnold has performed with far greater proficiency since Week 9, completing  66.2% of his throws, averaging 274.5 yards-per-game, and constructing an 8:2 touchdown to interception ratio. His improved performance has enabled Crowder, Demaryius Thomas, and Robby Anderson to generate favorable output during various points of that four-game sequence. This has also elevated the potential for each receiver to capitalize on the enticing matchups that await during the next two weeks.

Crowder captured 23 targets (7.7 per-game) from Weeks 9-11, which placed him 16^th among all wide receivers. He was also seventh with 18 receptions, 13^th in yardage (240), and tied for first with three touchdowns. Crowder’s 5.0 yard-per-target average from Weeks 1-8 also increased sizably to 10.4 during that three-game span. Anderson generated his second-highest yardage total for the season in Week 12 (86), while the fourth-year receiver also produced a touchdown for the second consecutive week. Thomas captured 10 of his 14 targets for 128 yards in Weeks 10-11 and scored a touchdown in Week 12 that was nullified by a penalty,

Crowder has also accumulated seven red zone targets since Week 9 and remains the Jets’ most productive Jet receiving weapon. However, Anderson can also be deployed as an upside WR3 during New York’s matchups against the Bengals (Week 13), and Dolphins Week 14), while Thomas can be used in a WR4 capacity.

4. We now have a five-game sample size from which to compare Ryan Tannehill’s target distribution and associated data with the numbers that had been accumulated while Marcus Mariota was distributing passes for the Tennessee offense.

Tannehill was summoned in Week 6 to replace Mariota and has generated respectable numbers since emerging under center. Tannehill is currently generating the highest completion percentage of his career (72.1), while also constructing a 10:4 touchdown to interception ratio. While his 202.9 yards-per-game average places him outiside the top 20, he still leads all quarterbacks with a 9.2 yards-per-attempt average.

A.J. Brown had averaged 3.8 targets per game with Mariota in Weeks 1-5 but has captured a team-high 27 targets (5,4 per-game) during Tannehill's five full games under center. Brown also leads Titan receivers in receptions (17) and receiving yards (308) during that span. Brown’s team-high 11,4 yards per-target average has been bolstered by the season-best 27 yards-per-target average that he attained in Week 12.

Corey Davis has accrued 21 targets 5.3 per game, along with 14 receptions and 166 yards. Adam Humphries is third in targets during that sequence (18/ 3.6-per-game) but has exceeded Davis in receptions (15) and yardage (172). Davis averaged 4.4 targets per game while operating with Mariota, while Humphries registered 4.2 per game.

Brown is the primary resource for potential fantasy owners during the remaining weeks, as he is the most dynamic receiving component within a Tennessee attack that is utilizing the passing game on 56.8% of its offensive plays. He presents a blend of size, speed, and inconsistent yardage totals, with the prospects of high-quality production during favorable matchups. He is currently available in over 80% of all leagues and is a legitimate WR3 option when he faces Oakland’s vulnerable secondary in Week 14.

5. Many of you are either preparing feverishly for a must-win matchup that will propel you into the postseason or are examining options for a team that has already secured a playoff position. Due to the critical nature of your decisions at this junction of the season, it will be beneficial to discuss two receivers whose recent surge in usage, production, or pending opportunity has elevated their viability as an option in Week 13 and beyond.  

Russell Gage played on 17.8% of Atlanta’s offensive snaps from Weeks 1-7. That limited him to only eight targets during that sequence (1.1 per game), along with a paltry four receptions, and just 44 yards. But after Mohamed Sanu was jettisoned to New England in late October, Gage procured an expanded role in the slot. The second-year receiver has been involved in 61% of the Falcons’ snaps since Sanu’s departure, which has propelled a sizable rise in production. Gage has accumulated 28 targets (7 per-game) since Week 8, while also collecting 21 receptions, and generating 189 yards. He has also captured a red zone target in each contest since his responsibilities increased. Gage should remain extremely involved in Atlanta’s aerial efforts moving forward Any lingering health isues for Julio Jones and Austin Hooper will raise his importance to the Falcons’ passing attack even further.

When N’Keal Henry’s professional debut finally transpired in Week 11, New England’s first-round pick performed on 43% of the Patriots’ offensive snaps. That percentage rose to 81% in Week 12, which arguably should garner as much attention from potential owners as Harry’s congested catch that resulted in an impressive touchdown reception against the Cowboys. Even though Julian Edelman operates as the team’s clear WR1, Harry operates with an enticing combination of strength, size, hands, and concentration that should help him retain an ongoing role within New England’s passing attack - even as Mohamed Sanu and Phillip Dorsett rejoin the existing weaponry within the Patriots' receiving arsenal. Harry also captured two red zone targets in Week 12, and his usage near the goal line should continue. This will keep him involved within an offense that desperately needs another playmaker at wide receiver. That should compel potential owners to strongly consider him as a roster stash for the fantasy postseason.

Also, Anthony Miller plays on Thanksgiving Day but still deserves a mention. From Weeks 1-10, Miller averaged just 3.3 targets-per-game, which suppressed his production to an infinitesimal level (1.8 receptions/24.2 yards-per-game). But during his last two matchups, the second-year receiver has collected 20 targets, while averaging 6 receptions/65.5 yards-per-game. He also accrued four red zone targets in Week 12 and provides potential owners with a WR3 prospect with upside. He will line up against the Cowboys, Packers, and Chiefs in Weeks 14-16.

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