The relative distribution of workload among players on a team is an important determinant in valuing players from week to week. Allen Hurns‘ 23 fantasy points this week were a thrill, but if Cecil Shorts returns for week two and Hurns’ snap count gets halved, that is something you’ll need to bear in mind when assessing his usefulness moving forward.
With that in mind, lets take a look from the touches and targets data from around the league.
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NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: NFC Edition
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Carolina Panthers
Kelvin Benjamin’s ability to catch the ball in traffic was on full display in Week 1, as Carolina’s most targeted WR (Photo: Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press).
Things played out more or less as we expected with the Carolina Panthers’ pass catchers this week, even with Derek Anderson behind Center. Greg Olsen led the team in targets (11) and receptions (8) and was the main focus in the middle of the field. Meanwhile, Kelvin Benjamin played 59 snaps in his first pro game and generally looked the part of a capable NFL receiver. Further, as expected, he used his size to his advantage making a number of catches in traffic including his first career touchdown. If you’re wondering about the #2 here, Jerricho Cotchery started and played much more frequently than Jason Avant, going 4/4 on his opportunities.
The backs were just about even, with Jonathan Stewart netting 12 touches on 25 snaps and DeAngelo Williams picking up 14 on 26 (all carries). Williams started, and was by far the most effective back in this contest.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Green Bay Packers
Perhaps it has to do with the opponent, the coverages they faced, and the matchups they were targeting but we should note that while Jarrett Boykin was on the field for 49 snaps he didn’t see a target against Seattle. No one had him pegged as a start-worthy WR3 in this contest but he’ll need the volume to justify usability in occasional contests.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Seattle Seahawks
Percy Harvin enjoyed a great game for Seattle, showing why the team put their eggs in his basket last year. He totalled 100 yards on 11 touches and every notably he caught every target from Russell Wilson.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: New Orleans Saints
I’m not sure what to make of Khiry Robinson’s outing against Atlanta. Pierre Thomas led the way with 35 snaps, Mark OIngram saw 20 (picking up 14 touches for a very high proportion of activity relative to snaps) and Robinson played on just 12. He did draw the first goal line opportunity for New Orleans, though, before Ingram added two scores of his own. With 14, 13 and six touches (Ingram. PT, Khiry) the backfield continues to be a rotation, but each player offers utility if the Saints are scoring.
There is room for Kenny Stills to be productive when he returns. Joe Morgan did nothing on three targets, but he played 54 snaps. Brandin Cooks with a carry and eight targets was the Saints’ most involved WR, legitimizing offseason hype. For Cooks’ investors, seeing this on the field is big news as you can’t be sure how involved a player will be until the games count.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Atlanta Falcons
Steven Jackson had an efficient game running the ball (12-52) though there weren’t a lot of opportunities in a shootout against the Saints. Devonta Freeman, who many viewed as a threat to Jackson’s opportunities this year, played just five snaps despite the vet missing all preseason action.
As mentioned, Atlanta threw a lot of passes in this one but it looks like there will be plenty of work for all three receivers with Julio Jones and Roddy White healthy. Harry Douglas received seven targets (between Jones’ eight and White’s six) and posted 69 yards. In deep leagues, you could do a lot worse than the third receiver on an offense that should put the ball in the air a fair bit from week to week.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Chicago Bears
Alshon Jeffery’s injury opened up some playing time for the rest of the Bears’ receiving corps and it was Josh Morgan (49 snaps) who was the biggest beneficiary, with Santonio Holmes drawing just 28. Holmes’ five targets and two receptions were more than Morgan’s, while neither played particularly well.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Washington
Washington’s offense was underwhelming against Houston as we know, but with 12 targets and 10 receptions, and 8 and 8 Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, both were efficient with Robert Griffin III. With 7.7/7.8 yards per reception, they won’t pay the bills but at least Griffin was connecting with his top two receivers.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Philadelphia Eagles
That Philadelphia trailed early probably forced them into more pass heavy sets than usual (though, they’ll still use three WRs often) and Jordan Matthews saw 54 snaps. On them, he was targeted just four times but it is important to note that he saw the field regularly. Jeremy Maclin led the team in targets though (10) with eight going to Riley Cooper. Neither wideout overwhelmed (Maclin caught just four balls and saved his fantasy line/the team’s day when left alone on a 68 yard score), but there was and will be plenty of work to go around and the efficiency should come up for the offense. If you’re tracking the TE’s here, Zach Ertz had a day, but with an identical four target three catch line we can’t say Brent Celek is ‘just a blocker’ just yet.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Minnesota Vikings
For some perspective on Cordarrelle Patterson’s 2014 fantasy value, he played 48 snaps and picked up six touches. He played more than that number just twice last season, and not until Week 13. For some perspective on his ceiling, watch this impressive touchdown run against the Rams. For some perspective on his floor, though, if he doesn’t score that TD four pass targets and three receptions aren’t doing it for owners. He’ll get a shot to carry the ball regularly, and his 102 yards on three totes were enough to make your fantasy day on their own, but don’t expect a 20 point week every time out. Greg Jennings paced the Vikings with six receptions on seven targets.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: St. Louis Rams
Patterson’s opponent on Sunday, the St. Louis Rams, offer some additional insight. With three rushes of his own, and three receptions on three pass targets Tavon Austin put up just 39 total yards as the Vikings defense bottled up his rushes. If he breaks one of those, suddenly he goes from disappointing week to waiver wire king. As for the rest of the receivers, Brian Quick’s 48 snaps, nine targets and seven receptions are impressive but I’m not ready to write off Kenny Britt following his 0fer just yet. He drew only two targets, but started and played just four fewer snaps than Quick. With the mid-game replacement of Shaun Hill, we’ll learn more about the two wideouts’ respective use in Week 2 with a full week of game planning.
Zac Stacy had 11 carries against Minnesota and ran well enough, but it should be noted that with the Rams trailing most of the game Benny Cunningham played two more snaps and finished just two touches shy of the starting back. His four receptions on four targets show him to be the clear preference on passing downs and whether it is Hill or Davis at QB for St. Louis you can expect them to trail plenty this year, leaving flex worthy value for Cunningham some weeks. Tre Mason did not play a snap of offense.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: San Francisco 49ers
Perhaps an issue of game flow, as the 49ers built an early lead on Dallas, but with all the offseason hype around Michael Crabtree he drew just two targets (catching both) against Dallas while Anquan Boldin went 8/8 and Vernon Davis got the redzone looks. Crabtree’s chemistry with Kaepernick has been evident though, and this should change moving forward.
Meanwhile, Frank Gore played nearly triple (42-15) the snaps of Carlos Hyde and picked up 16 carries but the 16:7 distribution is probably what you should expect from the two the rest of the way. Gore can survive on sub-20 carry games, but with talent behind him and plans for an 18/19 game season, the 49ers will look to keep the elder back fresh. Hyde acquitted himself very well when on the field in Week 1.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Dallas Cowboys
It was a rough week for Dallas (note: two of Tony Romo’s interceptions came when forcing the ball to Dez Bryant, Dez caught all four of the other passes thrown his way) but DeMarco Murray owners will be heartened by the fact that the team found 25 touches for the elusive back despite trailing the entire game. Murray ran well (22-118) while Lance Dunbar played just four snaps, rendering him to valuable handcuff status only.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bobby Rainey and Doug Martin played equal snaps this week against Carolina, but neither topped 20 total yards. Blech. Apparently Martin is dealing with a leg injury of some sort, enough that he has missed practice time since, but it really was a poor performance either way. In fact, the whole offense struggled so it is hard to take too much from the distribution but it should be noted that rookie WR Mike Evans saw a healthy dose of targets (8) with attention being paid to Vincent Jackson (nine targets of his own).
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: New York Giants
Victor Cruz spent a little too much time griping about targets this week for a guy who picked up six of them against the Lions but made good on just two. It is of note, though, that both he and fellow starter Rueben Randle fell behind Jerrel Jernigan (seven) on the pecking order. They all finished behind TE Larry Donnell who played 54 snaps (the only relevant number of any Giants’ TE) and picked up five catches on eight targets, including a score. He has the size to be a difference maker in the red zone.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Detroit Lions
Calvin Johnson’s 11 targets and seven receptions won’t shock you, but Golden Tate’s 6/6 debut with the Lions goes a long way to show his utility this year (in PPR leagues in particular) and to Matthew Stafford’s efficiency. Eric Ebron drew two targets, catching none, while Brandon Pettigrew had one.
Joique Bell and Reggie Bush, meanwhile, had 16 and 15 touches respectively with Bell doing the heavy lifting on the ground and Bush adding six receptions for 49 yards. The even split isn’t a huge surprise, and both have RB2 utility most weeks.
NFL Touches and Targets Week 1: Arizona Cardinals
You’ve heard the controversy over Larry Fitzgerald’s four target outing relative to the seven bestowed upon Michael Floyd by now, but there isn’t much to make of it. Fitz saw a target in the endzone, while Floyd made good on five of his seven looks. If defences are still doubling Larry, then the ball is going to get spread around and Floyd is more than ready to take advantage. Andre Ellington started the season with 18 touches and held up fairly well, despite injury concerns coming in, so maybe 20 chances a week is the plan in Arizona after all.
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