Target Report: Week 9

Weekly Refresh 

Taking inventory of target share (TS) and snap share (SS) data is a critical tool to help with start-sit decisions, and provide a framework for buy-low/sell-high trade candidates. Every Wednesday the Target Report will highlight key TS/SS data and takeaways from the weekend. Keep in mind this is one data point to reference when making weekly lineup decisions. Utilizing all of Razzball’s tools will help complete the decisions making process each week. 

Success in fantasy football is built around opportunity, especially consistent opportunity. Don’t get caught up only chasing fantasy points. Peyton Manning focused more on what happened between endzones versus what transpired on the scoreboard. It is important not to overreact to a poor fantasy outing when the usage is still there. Or overreact to a fantasy explosion for a player that barely found the field or was barely targeted in the game. Trust the data and trust the process…

Exhibit-A: Antonio Brown created a fantasy frenzy following his opening night fantasy outing (23.7 PPR points) in week 1. After looking under the hood, Mike Evans and AB were nearly equal in targets (AB-7  ME-6). But Evans dominated AB in week 1 snap share, 93.8% to 64.%. This does not mean AB had zero chance of repeating or outperforming Evans in week 2. The numbers suggested Evans had a better chance of rebounding from week 1 than Antonio Brown had to repeat his performance (all things equal).

If you are new to target share (TS) data, below is a breakdown of my TS tiers. 

• Set-it and forget-it : Target share > (greater than) 20%. Any pass catcher receiving over 20% TS should remain in lineups, even following an off-week in fantasy production. I consider any player over 25% TS an elite fantasy asset.
• I like you, but don’t love you range:  Target share 15-19%. We should feel confident leaving these players in a 2nd or 3rd WR/RB or flex spot. Depending on the offense, this might be the highest range we see a player in a run-heavy scheme (i.e. week 1 Jarvis Landry – Cleveland Browns). 15% TS is my “Mason-Dixon line” when it comes to fantasy assets that I am interested in rostering or not. 
• Risky Business: Target share 10-14%. You will see players in this range pop in fantasy production, but don’t be fooled into relying on consistent weekly production. These players are viable options when our rosters are thin with BYE weeks or have multiple players out with injuries. Low-end fantasy relevant TE’s usually fall in this range. 
• Fool’s Gold: Target share < (less than) 10%. Leave these players on the waivers. Let your ill-informed league-mates waste precious waivers claims and FAAB $$ OR use these players as trade bait. We will not waste word count on these players in the weekly target report. We can have a player in this range produce for one week, but I would not trust them in any lineup. Only for the deepest of leagues or desperate of plays. 

Another data point referenced weekly in the Target Report is snap share (SS). This represents the percentage of offensive snaps the player was on the field. Taking note of SS trends will assist us in identifying players that are worth putting in waiver claims for or to drop. 

Arizona Cardinals

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
DeAndre Hopkins	6% (wk7 32% – wk6 13.3% – wk5 29%)	25.4% (wk7 83.1% – wk6 89.3% – wk5 92%)
A.J. Green	24% (wk7 11% – wk6 20% – wk5 6%)	94.9% (wk7 84.5% – wk6 90.7% 0 wk5 80%)
Christian Kirk	18% (wk7 18% – wk6 26.7% – wk5 16%)	78% (wk7 71.8% – wk6 85.3% – wk5 54%)
Rondale Moore	15% (wk7 11% – wk6 13.3% – wk5 19%)	61% (wk7 52.1% – wk6 56% – wk5 48%)
Chase Edmonds	12% (wk7 11% – wk6 13.3% – wk5 13%)	59.3% (wk7 69% – wk6 37.3% – wk5 61%)
Zach Ertz	12% (wk7 18%)	72.9% (wk7 49.3%)

Quick Hit: Kyler Murray ranked t-18th in week 8 PATT (33) and is t-20th for the season. An uncharacteristic fantasy outing for the Cardinals receiving core against the Green Bay Packers. It was the Chase Edmonds and James Conner show, for fantasy purposes, on Thursday night. Edmonds continues to dominate the passing work for this backfield. Also, Edmonds out-carried Conner for the second week in a row. Chase is a weekly RB2, and Conner is a touchdown-dependent RB3/Flex. Deandre Hopkins struggled to stay on the field, missing the majority of the contest with a hamstring injury. He came back late in the game for a few snaps, but we’ll need to monitor his practice activity this week. AJ Green was the biggest beneficiary with Nuk sidelined. Despite losing the game for the Cardinals in the final seconds, Green needs to be rostered in every league with Hopkins status questionable for week 9. Kirk is next in line, followed by Moore. Arizona did try to get Rondale more involved in this game, but it was a lot of screens, behind the line of scrimmage passes or quick shallow routes. Moore was 4th in snaps, falling behind TE Zach Ertz. He is only worth a bench spot in larger fantasy formats. His inconsistent TS and low SS make him ‘un-roster-able’ in most 12-team and smaller leagues. Ertz’ snaps received a healthy increase in his second week on the team, but was t-4th on the team in targets. He is a borderline TE 1/2, but his upside is limited as the 4th-5th receiving option. 

Atlanta Falcons

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Kyle Pitts	22% (wk7 20% – wk6 BYE – wk5 22%)	83% (wk7 67% – wk6 BYE – wk5 69%)
Mike Davis	22.% (wk7 0% – wk6 BYE – wk5 11%)	64.2% (wk7 64% – wk6 BYE – wk5 64%)
Cordarrelle Patterson	18.5% (wk7 13% – wk6 BYE – wk20%)	60.4% (wk7 73% – wk6 BYE – wk5 59%)
Russell Gage	0% (wk7 15%)	67.9% (wk7 63%)
Tajae Sharp	22% (wk7 5% – wk6 0% – wk5 11%)	67.9% (wk7 22% – wk6 0% – wk5 81%)

Quick Hit: Matt Ryan ranked t-25th in week 8 PATT (27) and is 12th for the season. Cordarrelle Patterson continues to take advantage of the opportunities presented to him. Despite a -13% drop in his snap rate from week 7 and dipping below Mike Davis in snaps, Patterson recorded his sixth straight game over 14 PPR points. With Ridley out indefinitely for mental health reasons, Patterson will continue to be a focal point in this offense. Surprisingly, Mike Davis reached over 20% TS for the first time this season and first time over 15% TS since week 2. I would not automatically thrust Davis into every starting lineup, his usage in week 8 is closer to an anomaly than the norm for Mike. At least he bought himself another week on fantasy benches. I don’t trust the Falcons offense enough to think Davis will sustain his week 8 usage. His double-digit outing is worth dangling on the trade market. Davis is merely a spot start, BYE week or injury fill in, unless he can maintain his passing usage moving forward. Russell Gage and Tajae Sharp are both worth speculative roster adds with Ridley out indefinitely. Tajae Sharp had the biggest SS increase when Ridley was sidelined back in week 5. Sharp tied for the team lead in WR snaps last week, and tied for the team lead in targets – prioritize Sharp over Gage. Kyle Pitts also tied for the team lead in targets, as he continues his set-it and forget-it fantasy TE campaign. His 3.3 PPR outing in week 8 presents a potential buy-low trade window, if you can find a Pitts manager willing to part ways. Kyle will get his best shot to operate as the undisputed number one passing option for the Falcons with Ridley out. The question will be his ability to handle being the focal point for opposing defenses, buy the volume. 

Baltimore Ravens

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Marquise Brown	BYE (wk7 33% – wk6 18.5% – wk5 23%)	BYE (wk7 86% – wk6 73.9% – wk5 90%)
Sammy Watkins	BYE (wk7 OUT – wk6 OUT – wk5 7%)	BYE (wk7 OUT – wk6 OUT – wk5 27%)
Mark Andrews	BYE (wk7 17% – wk6 22.2% – wk5 30% )	BYE (wk7 OUT – wk6 53.6% – wk5 77%)
Rashod Bateman	BYE (wk7 14% – wk6 22.2%)	BYE (wk7 63% – wk6 65.2%)

Quick Hit Lamar Jackson and company resume play following their week 8 BYE. A few notes from week 7 to review as the Ravens return to action in week 9…. None of the BAL RBs are receiving enough passing work or separating themselves in this department to even register on the Target Report. Freeman continues to operate as the RB1, but only recorded a 40% SS. He’s a low-end BYE week/injury fill in. Marquise Brown continues to operate as the WR1 for LJax, recording over 18% TS – 4 out of his last 5 games. Bateman needs to be rostered in more leagues. Andrews continues to thrive as a set-it and forget-it fantasy TE.

Buffalo Bills

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Stefon Diggs	16.7% (wk7 BYE – wk6 23.4% – wk5 19%)	75.3% (wk7 BYE – wk6 80.5% – wk5 74%)
Cole Beasley	31% (wk7 BYE – wk6 19.1% – wk5 8%)	71.2% (wk7 BYE – wk6 87% – wk5 39%)
Emmanuel Sanders	9.5% (wk7 BYE – wk6 17% – wk5 19%)	76.7% (wk7 BYE – wk6 92.2% – wk5 79%)
Zack Moss	16.7% (wk7 BYE – wk6 9% – wk5 15%)	64.4% (wk7 BYE – wk6 55% – wk5 74%)
Gabriel Davis	11.9% (wk7 BYE – wk6 4% – wk5 4%)	43.8% (wk7 BYE – wk6 34% – wk5 25%)

Quick Hit: Josh Allen ranked 5th in week 8 PATT (42) and is 11th for the season. Devin Singletary can be relegated to waivers. Singletary played second fiddle to Moss in snaps for the 5th week in a row, and is an afterthought in the passing game. Moss is still a low upside option at running back with Singletary in the picture and Allen’s tendency to run at the goal line. Moss’ passing work will keep him relevant as a back end RB2/3 – flex play. A weird game for the Bills, they struggled on offense early in this game against division foes – Miami. Allen and the Bills turned to Beasley to get things going, Cole recorded a whopping 10 catches for 110 yards on a team leading 13 targets. Trying to predict who to start, other than Diggs, seems to be a weekly gamble between Sanders and Beasley. We did predict Beasley would get a boost in action with TE Dawson Knox sidelined, he’ll continue to be a weekly WR3/flex play. Expect Sanders to bounce back from the goose egg he laid in week 8. Emmanuel led all BUF pass catchers in snaps for the third week in a row. His 9.5% TS was his lowest this year and first time to dip below 14% TS. This is a great buy-low window for Sanders. Gabriel Davis has slowly increased his snap share for the third consecutive week, but has yet to eclipse 50% SS this season. We need to see his snaps and target increase for another week before we consider adding him in most fantasy formats. Do not chase the 12.9 PPR outing quite yet. It looks like TE Tommy Sweeney is the next man up with Dawson Know out. He isn’t worth a roster add in single-TE leagues. He is a low upside TE as the 4-5th receiving option for Allen, and Knox will be returning to action sooner rather than later.

Carolina Panthers

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Chuba Hubbard	8.3% (wk7 13% – wk6 7.3% – wk5 16%)	55.4% (wk7 52% – wk6 64.9% – wk5 65%)
DJ Moore	33.3% (wk7 26% – wk6 31.7% – wk5 19%)	82.4%  (wk7 97% – wk6 91.9% – wk5 87%)
Robby Anderson	4.2% (wk7 23% – wk6 26.8% – wk5 19%)	74.3% (wk7 95% – wk6 86.5% – wk5 87%)
Ameer Abdullah	20.8%	29.7%

Quick Hit: Sam Darnold ranked t-28th in week 8 PATT (24) and is t-8th for the season. Darnold’s status needs to be monitored heading into week 9, after suffering a concussion on Sunday. Hard to say if PJ Walker would be a drastic downgrade from the way Sam has been playing the last couple of weeks. Neither QB are fantasy relevant. Ameer Abdullah handled the majority of the passing work for this backfield, but was on the field for less than 30% of the Panthers offensive snaps. Abdullah is not worth a roster add. Hubbard continues to dominate the early down and goal line work, but his fantasy window is closing with CMC’s return looming. DJ Moore continues to be the only fantasy asset on this team worth starting, despite the down play from Darnold. Moore has recorded over 26% TS in 4 out of his last 5 games. Anderson’s usage took a huge nose dive, recording only a single target in week 8. He can’t be trusted in starting lineups, but his recent string of weeks over 19% TS warrants a bench spot…for now. TE Tommy Tremble registered a 16.7% TS, but he is not a fantasy relevant TE for regular season long/redraft leagues. He’s an interesting buy target for dynasty players. 

Chicago Bears

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Allen Robinson	14.8% (wk7 13% – wk6 25.9% – wk5 24%)	80% (wk7 94% – wk6 91.8% – wk5 83%)
Darnell Mooney	33.3% (wk7 16% – wk6 29.6% – wk5 24%)	77.1% (wk7 86% – wk6 93.4% – wk5 77%)
Cole Kmet	22.2% (wk7 19% – wk6 18.5% – wk5 19%)	90% (wk7 89% – wk6 78.7% – wk5 80%)
Damien Williams	0% (wk7 3% – wk6 OUT – wk5 14%)	5.7% (wk7 17% – wk6 OUT -wk5 48%)
Khalil Herbert	7.4% (wk7 16% – wk6 11.1%)	84.3% (wk7 77% – wk6 88.5%)

Quick Hit: Justin Fields ranked t-25th in week 8 PATT (27) and is 31st for the season. This is Khalil Herbert’s backfield for as long as David Montgomery is on IR. Damien Williams can be sent to waivers. The Bears offense finally showed life with Fields under center in a competitive battle against the 49ers. For the fourth week in a row, Mooney led the Bears receiving core in TS. He continues to be the only viable fantasy option at wideout for this team. TE Cole Kmet’s usage increased for the 4th week, but it was 3rd string TE Jesse James that was able to cash in with a tuddie. Jimmy Graham is expected to return to the lineup from the COVID list, making this TE room even more irrelevant for fantasy purposes. 

Cincinnati Bengals

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Ja’Marr Chase	26.5% (wk7 26% – wk6 20.7% – wk5 26%)	94.6% (wk7 84% – wk6 79.2% – wk5 92%)
Tee Higgins	17.6%  (wk7 39% – wk6 20.7% – wk5 18% )	76.8% (wk7 67% – wk6 56.9% – wk5 71%)
Joe Mixon	14.7% (wk7 0% – wk6 20.7% – wk5 3%)	76.8% (wk7 54% – wk6 62.5% – wk5 29%)
Tyler Boyd	23.5% (wk7 18% – wk6 10.3% – wk5 13% )	80.4% (wk7 71% – wk6 62.5% – wk5 83%)
C.J. Uzomah	11.8% (wk7 8% – wk6 10.3% – wk5 5%)	85.7% (wk7 83% – wk6 69.4% – wk5 85%)

Quick Hit: Joe Burrow ranked t-15th in week 8 PATT (34) and is 22nd for the season. Joe Mixon returned to his bell cow duties in week 8. His ankle injury, that kept him limited the last couple of weeks, seems to be fully behind him. Perine has little stand alone value, and should only be rostered by Mixon managers as a handcuff. If you have been following the Target Report for the last couple of weeks, we have been waiting for an opportunity to sell high on Tyler Boyd. His 19 point outing in week 8 presents a great window to do so. Boyd’s weekly production will be difficult to trust on a week to week basis, with Chase as the #1 option and Higgins fighting for the #2 spot. This was Boyd’s first double digit PPR fantasy outing since week 4, move him while you can. Uzomah continues to operate as the 4-5th receiving option in Cincinnati and is only relevant in two-TE fantasy leagues. 

Cleveland Browns

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Odell Beckham Jr.	3.2% (wk7 18.2% – wk6 28.6% – wk5 9%)	72.9% (wk7 60.6% – wk6 54.2% – wk5 82%)
Austin Hooper	19.4% (wk7 9.1% – wk6 10.7% – wk5 0%)	64.4% (wk7 64.8% – wk6 74.6% – wk5 73%)
David Njoku	9.7% (wk7 6.1% – wk6 7.1% – wk5 22%)	64.4% (wk7 59.2% – wk6 44.1% – wk5 65%)
Jarvis Landry	32.3% (wk7 24.2%)	89.8% (wk7 53.5%)
D’Ernest Johnson	9.7% (wk7 6.1%)	30.5% (wk7 69%)

Quick Hit: Baker Mayfield ranked 22nd in week 8 PATT (31) and is 26th for the season. Chubb struggled to get much going in his first game back since week 5 and against a tough Steelers run D. Look for his usage and production to increase as he gets back to full strength. Despite only a 30.5% snap rate, D’Ernest Johnson recorded more receiving and red zone work than Chubb. Unless his usage increases to a Kareem Hunt level, Johnson can’t be trusted in starting lineups. He is merely a bench stash for fantasy managers desperate for RB depth. Landry’s reputation as a sure handed receiver was tested last week, as he recorded multiple uncharacteristic drops. Since returning from IR, Landry has reached elite level fantasy TS in his first two games back. He is an ideal buy-low candidate. He will have better weeks ahead as him and Baker get on the same page. He is the only fantasy relevant pass catcher on this team. Hooper reached 19% TS, but recorded only 26 receiving yards and 6.6 PPR points. His TS is fools gold, and he can’t be trusted in single-TE leagues. 

Dallas Cowboys

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Amari Cooper	32.5% (wk7 BYE – wk6 15.7% – wk5 18%)	86.3% (wk7 BYE – wk6 87.6% – wk5 73%)
CeeDee Lamb	20% (wk7 BYE – wk6 21.6% – wk5 18%)	89% (wk7 BYE – wk6 86.5% – wk5 83%)
Dalton Schultz	17.5% (wk7 BYE – wk6 11.8% – wk5 24%)	82.2% (wk7 BYE – wk6 84.3% – wk5 73%)
Ezekiel Elliot	15% (wk7 BYE – wk6 18% – wk5 9%)	75.3% (wk7 BYE – wk6 72% – wk5 60%)
Tony Pollard	2.5% (wk7 BYE – wk6 5.9% – wk5 12%)	26% (wk7 BYE – wk6 30% – wk5 40%)

Quick Hit: Cooper Rush ranked 6th in week 8 PATT (40). Pollard has taken a back seat to Zeke the last two Cowboy games, and has one double digit PPR outing this season (wk5). Tony operates well as a real life complimentary back for Dallas, but that has failed to translate into reliable fantasy production. Zeke managers need to keep an eye on waivers to scoop up their handcuff, if Pollard managers bail trying to fill BYE or injury spots. Zeke continues to operate as the bell cow in this offense. His increased passing usage is promising to those that drafted him in the middle of the first round this summer. Dallas’ offense continues to support two fantasy relevant wideouts, even with backup Cooper Rush under center. Cooper and Lamb remain set-it and forget-it fantasy options, and will get a boost with Dak expected to return to action in week 9. Let your league-mates chase Cedrick Wilson’s 17.2 PPR outing, he only recorded 7.5% TS and less than 60% SS. This is the definition of ‘fools gold’ fantasy production. Dalton Schultz’ 4-week streak over 12 PPR points came to a crashing halt against the Vikings on Sunday night. Fantasy managers need to hold strong and not overreact to the 3 point outing. Schultz recorded above 15% TS and over 80% SS, better days are ahead with Dak returning to the lineup. Do not bench Schultz. 

Denver Broncos

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Noah Fant	15.4% (wk7 21.2% – wk6 22.4% – wk5 11% – wk4 27%)	77.4% (wk7 90% – wk6 88.9% – wk5 98% – wk4 93.4%)
Tim Patrick	11.5% (wk7 15.2% – wk6 12.2% – wk5 24% – wk4 16.2%)	94.3% (wk7 94% – wk6 88.9% – wk5 97% – wk4 91.8%)
Courtland Sutton	15.4% (wk7 15.2% – wk6 28.6% – wk5 29% – wk4 21.6%)	86.8% (wk7 94% – wk6 87.7% – wk5 92% – wk4 95.1%)
Jerry Jeudy	15.4%	71.7%
Javonte Williams	15.4% (wk7 21.2% – wk6 6% – wk5 8% – wk4 8%)	43.4% (wk7 42% – wk6 47% – wk5 42% – wk4 51%)
Melvin Gordon	11.5% (wk7 9.1% – wk6 6% – wk5 5% – wk4 11%)	56.6% (wk7 58% – wk6 53% – wk5 61% – wk4 49%)

Quick Hit: Bridgewater ranked 17th in week 8 PATT (26) and is 19th for the season. Gordon and Williams continue to split touches almost evenly, with Williams slightly edging Gordon in targets for the second week in a row. Gordon dominated the red zone usage, turning his lone red zone target into a 15-yard TD and his 2 RZ carries into a tuddie. If Gordon maintains his stranglehold on red zone usage, he’ll continue to be the back to own for as long as this backfield continues to operate as a true running back by committee. This offense has proven to be an overall low upside fantasy team with Bridgewater under center. Jeudy managers have to be encouraged with Jerry tying for the team lead in targets and recording a healthy SS in his first game back from the IR. The downside – Sutton nor Patrick seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Jeudy’s upside will be limited, unless he is able to pass Patrick or Sutton in snaps as he gets re-integrated into the offense. Sutton and Jeudy are back end WR3/Flex options. Noah Fant’s snaps took the biggest hit with Jeudy and backup TE Albert Okwuegbunam both activated from IR. Hopefully Fant’s uncharacteristic outing in week 8 was just an anomaly. He’ll look to get back on track next week against the Eagles. Philly got worked by Hockenson, surrendering 18.9 PPR points in week 8 and the 6th most fantasy points to TE’s this season. 

Detroit Lions

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
T.J. Hockenson	32.4% (wk7 24% – wk6 26.2% – wk5 9%)	75.8% (wk7 77% – wk6 82.5% – wk5 82% )
D’Andre Swift	14.7% (wk7 27% – wk6 16.7% – wk5 17%)	71% (wk7 73% – wk6 77.8% – wk5 75%)
Jamaal Williams	OUT (wk7 0% – wk6 4.8% – wk5 6%)	OUT (wk7 28% – wk6 30.2% – wk5 33%)
Amon-Ra St. Brown	14.7% (wk7 0% – wk6 16.7% – wk5 23%)	72.6% (wk7 61% – wk6 77.8% – wk5 70%)
Kalif Raymond	2.9% (wk7 22% – wk6 16.7% – wk5 6%)	79% (wk7 79% – wk6 88.9% – wk5 69%)

Quick Hit: (BYE) Goff ranked t-15th in week 8 PATT (34) and is 3rd for the season. Jermar Jefferson recorded an 11.8% TS, but was only on the field for 18% of the Lions offensive snaps. Don’t chase the 12.9 PPR outing by Jefferson, fools gold. Williams’ absence is not expected to be long-term, he’ll return to his normal role following the Lions week 9 BYE. Despite the down week, Swift handled his normal work load. Fantasy mangers might have to wait an additional week before we get a Swift bounce back game, the Lions take on a gritty Steelers defense in week 10. After what feels like a season long hype train, rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown finally operated as the number one passing option for this offense. The Lions were completely shutout in this game against the Eagles, and Goff’s tendencies to spread the ball around make this receiving core undesirable for fantasy purposes. Raymond did lead the team in snaps for the third week in a row. No DET WR is worth holding during their BYE week, Raymond and St. Brown should only be considered in super deep leagues following the BYE. Despite a poor performing Lions team, Hockenson remains as a set-it and forget-it fantasy TE. 

Green Bay Packers

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Devante Adams	OUT (wk7 20% – wk6 21.7% – wk5 41% – wk4 30.6%)	OUT (wk7 86% – wk6 84.7% – wk5 91% – wk4 87.5%)
Aaron Jones	29.7% (wk7 14% – wk6 17.4% – wk5 13% – wk4 11.1%)	65.8% (wk7 73% – wk6 59.3% – wk5 69% – wk4 62.5%)
Allan Lazard	OUT (wk7 17% – wk6 21.7% – wk5 5% – wk4 8.3%)	OUT (wk7 91% – wk6 84.7% – wk5 86% – wk4 79.2%)
Randall Cobb	13.5% (wk7 11% – wk6 0% – wk5 8% – wk4 16.7%)	68.5% (wk7 63% – wk6 39% – wk5 55% – wk4 45.8%)
Robert Tonyan	10.8% (wk7 14% – wk6 13% – wk5 5% – wk4 19.4%)	47.9% (wk7 68% – wk6 62.7% – wk5 59% – wk4 77.8%)

Quick Hits: Aaron Rodgers ranked 11th in week 8 PATT (37) and is 18th for the season. AJ Dillon seemed to operate as the lead back in the middle parts of the contest, finishing ahead of Jones in carries by 1, and more yards on the ground. It was Jones that received all of the passing work. Dillon failed to record a single target Thursday night. Despite leading in carries, it will be hard to rely on Dillon for consistent fantasy production if he continues to be a non-factor in the passing game. He’s merely a handcuff for Jones managers. It was a band of backups for Aaron Rodgers at wideout, with Devante Adams and Allan Lazard out with COVID. Barring a prolonged COVID absence, Adams and Lazard should return to the active roster in week 9. Juwann Winfree led all GB WRs in targets (6), but isn’t worth a roster add with Adams/Lazard set to return. Cobb saved his day with two redzone TDs, otherwise Cobb underwhelmed in snaps and targets. Cobb has some TD upside moving forward, if he is able to hang onto his red zone role with TE Robert Tonyan sent to season ending IR. TE Josiah Deguara is the next man up for the Packers at tight end, but it is unlikely he becomes fantasy relevant in 12-team and smaller leagues. 

Houston Texans

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Brandin Cooks	15% (wk7 22% – wk6 30.2% – wk5 17%)	90% (wk7 95% – wk6 90.7% – wk5 85%
David Johnson	3% (wk7 19% – wk6 4.7% – wk5 21%)	18% (wk7 54% – wk6 42.7% – wk5 53% )
Nico Collins	10% (wk7 16% – wk6 14%)	65% (wk7 63% – wk6 57.3%)
Danny Amendola	13% (wk7 16%)	65% (wk7 42%)
Rex Burkhead	10% (wk7 0% – wk6 2%)	50% (wk7  7% – wk6 7%)
Jordan Akins	13% (wk7 6% – wk6 14% – wk5 7%)	65% (wk7 52% – wk6 43% – wk5 46%)

Quick Hits: Davis Mills ranked 10th in week 8 PATT (38) and is 25th for the season. David Johnson’s usage is a head scratcher following Mark Ingram’s departure. DJ was trending in the right direction, even before Mark left, only to be out used by Rex Burkhead in week 8. The only thing we learned from Ingram leaving, Houston’s backfield is not worth our time for fantasy purposes. Burkhead is only a watch list candidate at this point. Brandin Cooks continues to produce WR2 numbers with Davis Mills at QB (PPR WR17 on the season), and will get a minor boost whenever Taylor is able to get back on the field. Cooks is the only fantasy asset worth starting out of Houston, and should continue to be viewed as a weekly WR2. Nico Collins continues to flash, but is only a dynasty buy or deep league stash. Akins reached over double-digit TS for the third time this season, his inconsistent usage and production keeps him at the very back end of the TE2 range. Don’t chase the 13.1 PPR outing from TE Brevin Jordan. He was on the field for only 25% of Houston’s offensive snaps. Brevin’s 10.5% TS is fools gold, let your league-mates chase the fantasy points. 

Indianapolis Colts

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Nyheim Hines	10% (wk7 12% – wk6 10%- wk5 3%)	31% (wk7 28% – wk6 22.9% – wk5 38%)
Jonathan Taylor	8% (wk7 12% – wk6 10% – wk5 11%)	74% (wk7 70% – wk6 64.6% – wk5 52%)
Zach Pascal	16% (wk7 23% – wk6 5% – wk5 14%)	94% (wk7 85% – wk6 85.4% – wk5 86%)
Michael Pittman Jr	29% (wk7 15% – wk6 15% – wk5 20%)	96% (wk7 93% – wk6 95.8% – wk5 88%)
Jack Doyle	4% (wk7 4% – wk6 5% – wk5 3%)	63% (wk7 75% – wk6 64.6% – wk5 72%)
T.Y. Hilton	10% (wk7 OUT – wk6 20%)	44% (wk7 OUT – wk6 50%)
Mo Alie-Cox	8% (wk7 12% – wk6 15% – wk5 11%)	49% (wk7 64% – wk6 50% – wk5 45%)

Quick Hit: Wentz ranked 2nd in week 8 PATT (51) and is t-13th for the season. Despite out-targeting Taylor 6 to 5, Nyheim Hines is not on the field enough to be fantasy relevant. Jonathan Taylor continues to operate as one of the few bell cow fantasy backs, set-it and forget-it. Michael Pittman has reached set-it and forget-it fantasy status, recording his third week out of his last five over 20% TS and fifth game in a row over 15% TS. Pittman is currently the PPR WR11 and shouldn’t leave your lineup anytime soon. Mentioned in last weeks Target Report, Zach Pascal is worth a roster stash for WR needy teams. Zach has recorded over 14% TS 4 out of his last 5 games, recording a healthy 8 targets last Sunday. T.Y. Hilton has already been ruled out of Thursday nights contest, making Pascal an interesting WR3/4 streaming option. Mo Alie-Cox continues to lead this TE room in targets and snaps, but neither Cox nor Doyle can be trusted near a fantasy lineup. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Marvin Jones Jr.	13% (wk7 BYE – wk6 24.4% – wk5 15%)	91% (wk7 BYE – wk6 86.4% – wk5 94%)
Laviska Shenault Jr.	7% (wk7 BYE – wk6 24.4% – wk5 9%)	68% (wk7 BYE – wk6 78.8% – wk5 74%)
James Robinson	4% (wk7 BYE – wk6 9.8% – wk5 3%)	11% (wk7 BYE – wk6 84.8% – wk5 69%)
Tavon Austin	6% (wk7 BYE – wk6 2.4% – wk5 15%)	37% (wk7 BYE – wk6 25.8% – wk5 34%)
Dan Arnold	19% (wk7 BYE – wk6 12.2% – wk5 24%)	72% (wk7 BYE – wk6 62.1% – wk5 74%)
Jamal Agnew	22% (wk7 BYE – wk6 14.6% – wk5 24%)	72% (wk7 BYE – wk6 59.1% – wk5 64%)
Carlos Hyde	15%	66%

Quick Hit: Trevor Lawrence ranked 1st in week 8 PATT (54) and is t-13th for the season. James Robinson carries a questionable designation heading into week 9, with a heel bruise. We need to monitor his practice activity the rest of the week, but Carlos Hyde should be rostered in more leagues for managers depleted at the running back position. He will have streaming value if Robinson is unable to suit up. Another uninspiring fantasy team, the Jaguars have little to offer for consistent fantasy production at the wideout position. Marvin Jones continues his streak of 7 games over 14% TS, but is nothing more than a weekly WR4. Jamal Agnew hit over 22% TS for the 2nd time in three weeks, but is in the same weekly WR4/5 range as Jones. Shenault was an afterthought in week 8 and should be an afterthought on our fantasy teams. The inconsistent football play should keep all three wideouts off rosters in 10-team leagues. Agnew and Jones are merely bench warmers in 12-team leagues. Dan Arnold continues to establish himself as a backend TE1 for fantasy managers, he should be rostered by managers with a hole at TE. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Tyreek Hill	38% (wk7 18% – wk6 25.5% – wk5 24%)	77% (wk7 72% – wk6 57.3% – wk5 85%)
Travis Kelce	15% (wk7 24% – wk6 23.4% – wk5 19%)	91% (wk7 74% – wk6 81.7% – wk5 87%)
Mecole Hardman	15% (wk7 10% – wk6 10.6% – wk5 22%)	49% (wk7 68% – wk6 59.8% – wk5 69%)
Demarcus Robinson	2% (wk7 8% – wk6 12.8% – wk5 4%)	41% (wk7 79% – wk6 69.5% – wk5 76%)
Byron Pringle	4% (wk7 12% – wk6 6% – wk5 4%)	53% (wk7 47% – wk6 39% – wk5 30%)
Darrel Williams	13% (wk7 8% -wk6 9% – wk5 9%)	64% (wk7 64% – wk6 64% – wk5 72%)

Quick Hit: Patrick Mahomes ranked 3rd in week 8 PATT (48) and is 2nd for the season. RB Derrick Gore will be one of the most added RBs off waivers this week, but it was Darrel Williams that owned the receiving work. Gore dominated the red zone work, while Williams recorded all 6 running back targets for the Chiefs. Do not fall victim to the ‘prime time’ effect, and over spend for Gore. He was on the field for only 20% of the team’s offensive snaps, while Williams was on the field for 64%. Sure – Gore will most likely see a boost in snaps moving forward, and is worth a bench stash for RB needy managers. His upside will be capped from no receiving work and Williams operating as the RB1. We’ll save word count on Tyreek Hill, set-it and forget-it. Hardman won’t go away, and continues to operates behind Hill as the WR2 in this offense. His low snap rate and Mahomes inconsistent production limit him to weekly WR4/5 projections. An extremely uncharacteristic outing from Kelce, he and Mahomes failed to get on the same page the entire game. Both can be blamed for various miscues between the two. We’ll bet on a bounce back in week 9. Rudy projects Kelce as his overall TE1 this week. 

Las Vegas Raiders

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Darren Waller	BYE (wk7 OUT – wk6 18.5% – wk5 22.9%)	BYE (wk7 OUT – wk6 82.1% – wk5 95.5%)
Hunter Renfrow	BYE (wk7 24% – wk6 18.5% – wk5 22.9%)	BYE (wk7 55% – wk6 57.1% – wk5 74.6%)
Bryan Edwards	BYE (wk7 12% – wk6 14.8% – wk5 14.3%)	BYE (wk7 89% – wk6 76.8% – wk5 76.1%)
Josh Jacobs	BYE (wk7 9% – wk6 3.7% – wk5 14.3%)	BYE (wk7 36% – wk6 64.3% – wk5 68.7%)
Kenyan Drake	BYE (wk7 9% – wk6 7.4% – wk5 2.9%)	BYE (wk7 39% – wk6 21.4% – wk5 17.9%)
Foster Moreau	BYE (wk7 18%)	BYE (wk7 100%)

Quick Hit: A few notes to review as the Raiders return from their week 8 BYE…..***Henry Ruggs was involved in a serious drinking and driving accident early Tuesday morning, and will miss the rest of the 2021 season*** Kenyan Drake’s week 6 production (21.3 PPR points) was not just a flash in the pan, after recording 16.9 PPR points in week 7. He was helped by Josh Jacob’s early exit against the Eagles. Jacobs avoided a major injury, but his practice availability needs to be monitored coming out of the BYE. Drake should be rostered in more leagues, just in case Jacobs is unable to return to action. Peyton Barber should garner some adds in larger fantasy formats, only if Jacobs’ status for Sunday is in serious doubt. Hunter Renfrow needs to be rostered in more leagues, recording over 19% TS in 5 out of his last 6 games. Rudy projects Renfrow as his PPR WR19 this week. Bryan Edwards finally yielded fantasy production, recording double-digit fantasy points in week 7 for the first time in 5 weeks. With the recent developments regarding Ruggs, Edwards usage should increase in overall usage. Do not be surprised if the Raiders make a free agent WR acquisition. Waller’s status needs to be monitored closely, he was a late scratch for the Raiders in week 7. Raiders head coach stated that Waller is day-to-day and he avoided serious injury, but TE Foster Moreau should be added and held for TE needy fantasy managers. His 100% SS and 18% TS in week 7 will keep him in the TE1 range, if Waller is unable to return to action in week 9.

Los Angeles Chargers

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Keenan Allen	31% (wk7 BYE – wk6 12.8% – wk5 20.9%)	98% (wk7 BYE – wk6 91.1% – wk5 90.7%)
Mike Williams	14% (wk7 BYE – wk6 12.8% – wk5 37.2%)	90% (wk7 BYE – wk6 35.7% – wk5 77.3%)
Jared Cook	14% (wk7 BYE – wk6 18% – wk5 7%)	55% (wk7 BYE – wk6 64.3% – wk5 66.7%)
Austin Ekeler	29% (wk7 BYE – wk6 18% – wk5 11.6%)	75% (wk7 BYE – wk6 60.7% – wk5 70.7%)

Quick Hit: Justin Herbert ranked t-12th in week 8 PATT (35) and is 5th for the season. Ekeler continues to operate as the only fantasy-relevant RB for the Chargers. Keenan Allen has posted double digit PPR points in every game this season, set-it and forget-it. Despite two down weeks from Williams, he should continue to be viewed as a borderline WR1/2 any given week. Williams’ recent dip in production presents an intriguing buy-low trade window. Williams has a get right game on deck against a bottom dwelling Eagles team in week 9. Rudy projects both Chargers wideouts in the top 12 of fantasy WRs this week. Expect a bounce-back from Herbert over the next two weeks too, with matchups against the Eagles and Vikings in weeks 9 and 10. Jared Cook recorded double-digit TS for the second week in a row, but his low snap rate will keep him out of the weekly set-it and forget-it TE1 range. He’s merely a spot start for fantasy teams looking for a streaming option at the position. 

Los Angeles Rams

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Cooper Kupp	26% (wk7 32% – wk6 42.9% – wk5 27%)	87% (wk7 98% – wk6 83.3% – wk5 88.1%)
Robert Woods	26% (wk7 15% – wk6 17.9% – wk5 37.8%)	87% (wk7 98% – wk6 87.9% – wk5 98.5%)
Van Jefferson	18% (wk7 17% – wk6 14.3% – wk5 11%)	84% (wk7 95% – wk6 63.6% – wk5 58.2%)
Tyler Higbee	9% (wk7 20% – wk6 17.9% – wk5 5.4%)	69% (wk7 100% – wk6 100% – wk5 83.6%)
Darrell HendersonJr.	6%  (wk7 15% – wk6 10.7% – wk5 2.7%)	61% (wk7 89% – wk6 81.8% – wk5 65.7%)

Quick Hit: Stafford ranked t-20th in week 8 PATT (32) and is t-8th for the season. The Rams ran away with this game early against the Texans. Darrel Henderson continues to operate as a set-it and forget-it fantasy RB1. Sony Michel got the majority of his work after the game was out of hand and the Rams rested their starters, he’s merely a handcuff for Henderson managers. Let’s save word count on Cooper Kupp, he’s a league winner. Despite the slow start to his season, Woods has found himself connecting with Stafford on a more consistent basis. He continues to operate in the WR2 range, with weekly WR1 upside. DeSean Jackson was released from the Rams this week, and was just a flash in a pan for this offense in weeks 1 and 3. This shouldn’t change much for the Rams offense, Jackson was a non-factor the last couple of weeks. Van Jefferson’s TS has consistently increased over the last 4 weeks, and he has maintained over 11% TS every game since week 3. He’s a back end WR3/flex play moving forward. TE Tyler Higbee should continue to be viewed as a weekly back-end TE1, despite his 5.5 PPR outing in week 8. 

Miami Dolphins

Player	Target Share	Snap share
DeVante Parker	28% (wk7 OUT – wk6 OUT – wk5 OUT – wk4 30%)	93% (wk7 OUT – wk6 OUT – wk5 OUT – wk4 90.4%)
Jaylen Waddle	31% (wk7 20% – wk6 27.7% – wk5 15% – wk4 13.3%)	96% (wk7 84% – wk6 92.9% – wk5 80% – wk4 78.8%)
Myles Gaskin	10% (wk7 10% – wk6 12.8% – wk5 26% – wk4 0%)	59% (wk7 63% – wk6 35.7% – wk5 69% – wk4 23.1%)
Mike Gesicki	10% (wk7 20% – wk6 19% – wk5 18% – wk4 20%)	99% (wk7 82% – wk6 70% – wk5 78% – wk4 69.2%)

Quick Hit: Tua ranked t-8th in week 8 PATT (39) and is 3rd overall since returning to action in week 6. Gaskin continues to operate as the lead back on the ground and through the air with Malcolm Brown on IR. He gets a juicy matchup against a Texans team that was torched on the ground by LAR. Gaskin should be viewed as a borderline RB1/2 heading into week 9. Jaylen Waddle operated as the WR1 even with DeVante Parker back in the starting lineup, but was highly ineffective against a tough Bills defense. Waddle led Parker in targets and snaps, but only manage to haul in 33.3% of his targets. Parker was able to haul in an impressive 72.7% of his targets, and avoided any set backs with his hamstring injury. Look for Parker to take back his #1 receiving job next week against the Texans, fire him up as a WR2/3 with WR1 upside. Waddle is still a viable WR3/flex play. Preston Williams was a healthy scratch and Mack Hollins was relegated to his bench role with Parker back in action, neither should be on any fantasy managers radar. Despite the tough matchup, Gesicki maintained double digit TS and led all pass catchers in snaps. Look for a bounce back from Mikey against HOU, Rudy project him as the TE5 this week. 

Minnesota Vikings

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Adam Thielen	25% (wk7 BYE – wk6 27.1% – wk5 9%)	98% (wk7 BYE – wk6 97.8% – wk5 93%)
Justin Jefferson	11% (wk7 BYE – wk6 29.2% – wk5 24%)	71% (wk7 BYE – wk6 94.4% – wk5 90%)
K.J. Osborn	8% (wk7 BYE – wk6 14.6% – wk5 12%)	58% (wk7 BYE – wk6 53.9% – wk5 60%)
Dalvin Cook	6%  (wk7 BYE – wk6 4.2% – wk5 OUT)	71%  (wk7 BYE – wk6 74.2% – wk5 OUT )
Tyler Conklin	19% (wk7 BYE – wk6 10.4% – wk5 9%)	82% (wk7 BYE – wk6 85.4% – wk5 75% )

Quick Hit: Kirk Cousins ranked t-12th in week 8 PATT (35) and is 6th for the season. Dalvin Cook has settled back into his bell cow role, but the Vikings offense as a whole struggled to take off against a red hot Dallas Cowboys defense. Dalvin is one of the few bell cow backs in the league and should be viewed as a weekly RB1 play, even following a down week. Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen are set-it and forget-it fantasy assets, in an offense that ranks top 6 in passing volume. Jefferson’s 4.1 PPR outing was his first single digit fantasy outing this season. Expect Jefferson to bounce back against a below average Ravens pass defense. Both Thielen and Jefferson are high end WR2’s this week. Conklin reached over 15% TS for the second time in 4 games, and his 3rd game out of his last 4 in double digit TS. He’s a weekly back end TE1.

New England Patriots

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Jakobi Meyers	26% (wk7 17% – wk6 28.6% – wk5 16.7%)	93% (wk7 78% – wk6 63% – wk5 90.6%)
Nelson Agholor	17% (wk7 12% – wk6 14.3% – wk5 13.3%)	80% (wk7 57% – wk6 59.3% – wk5 67.2%)
Jonnu Smith	6% (wk7 12% – wk6 9.5% – wk5 6.7%)	64% (wk7 22% – wk6 72.2% – wk5 62.5%)
Hunter Henry	9% (wk7 10% – wk6 9.5% – wk5 26.7%)	66% (wk7 79% – wk6 68.5% – wk5 62.5%)
Kendrick Bourne	20% (wk7 10% – wk6 9.5% – wk5 10%)	30% (wk7 54% – wk6 46.3% – wk5 50%)
Brandon Bolden	0% (wk7 17% – wk6 5% – wk5 13%)	33% (wk7 28% – wk6 21 – wk5 38%)

Quick Hit: Mac Jones ranked t-12th in week 8 PATT (35) and is 4th for the season. Despite a few weeks of double digit TS, Brandon Bolden can’t be trusted in fantasy lineups. He failed to record a single target Sunday, and has yet to reach over a 40% snap rate in his last 5 games. He is a desperation spot start in the deepest of PPR formats…yuck. Damien Harris is the only fantasy relevant back in this offense. Jakobi Meyers continues to be the only NE fantasy wideout worth considering in our starting lineups. He continues to dominate snaps and has maintained a consistent TS every game this season. He should be viewed as a WR3/flex play this week against Carolina. Bourne is playing with fire, despite a healthy 20% TS share, he recorded his lowest snap rate of the season. Keep him on waivers. Agholor’s TS has trended up over the last few weeks, and he recorded the biggest jump in snaps in week 8. He is only a watch list candidate in most formats, but could be a bench stash in larger leagues. Henry and Smith continue to eat into each others upside, both are undesirable in single-TE formats. 

New Orleans Saints

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Adam Trautman	15% (wk7 9% – wk6 BYE – wk5 6.7%)	88% (wk7 88% – wk6 BYE – wk5 85.7%)
Alvin Kamara	10% (wk7 31% – wk6 BYE – wk5 26.7%)	68% (wk7 84% – wk6 BYE – wk5 87.5%)
Marquez Callaway	13% (wk7 20% – wk6 BYE – wk5 26.7%)	79% (wk7 93% – wk6 BYE – wk5 82.1%)
Tre-Quan Smith	8% (wk7 9%)	64% (wk7 56%)
Deonte Harris	18%	32%

Quick Hit: Jameis Winston left Sunday’s contest against the Bucs with a season ending ACL tear. It’s unclear if Trevor Siemian will operate as the QB1, with Taysom Hill inching closer to return from his week 5 concussion. Either way, the Saints pass catching options are unstable for fantasy purposes. Hill returning to action would be a small hit to Kamara’s TDs upside. Sean Payton loves to run Hill at the goal line, but this does not take Kamara out of weekly RB1 projections. Despite leading the team in snaps and recording 15% TS, Adam Trautman turned his 6 targets into 2 catches for an uninspiring 4 yards. At best, Callaway is a fantasy WR4/5. Deonte Harris is worth a watch list add after leading the team in targets in his first game back in action after his two game absence, but his 32% SS would need to increase to consider adding him to fantasy benches. My recommendation is not waste your time with any New Orleans pass catcher. 

New York Giants

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Sterling Shepard	21% (wk7 OUT – wk6 27.5% – wk5 OUT)	39% (wk7 OUT – wk6 90.7% – wk5 OUT)
Darius Slayton	6% (wk7 26%)	88% (wk7 61%)
Evan Engram	12% (wk7 24% – wk6 9.8% – wk5 10.5%)	80% (wk7 61% – wk6 73.3% – wk5 73.5%)
Kadarius Toney	15% (wk7 OUT – wk6 5.9% – wk5 34.2%)	58% (wk7 OUT – wk6 8% – wk5 54.4%)
John Ross	9% (wk7 6% – wk6 4% – wk5 13%)	27% (wk7 51% – wk6 43% – wk5 43%)
Devontae Booker	18% (wk7 9% – wk6 7.8% – wk5 10.5%)	95% (wk7 82% – wk6 72% – wk5 88.2%)

Quick Hit: Daniel Jones ranked t-20th in week 8 PATT (32) and is t-8th for the season. In a plus matchup, Danny Dimes failed to take advantage of the reeling Chiefs defense in prime time. Devontae Booker was the only Giants running back to record a carry and received all RB targets, except 1 for Elijah Penny. Booker will continue to be a weekly fantasy RB2, for as long as Barkley is sidelined. Saquon was unable to record a single practice last week, but is rumored to be returning to the lineup soon. Keep an eye on his practice activity this week. When Barkley returns, Booker should be relegated to waivers and would strictly be a handcuff for Barkley managers. Shepard was settling back into his WR1 role before leaving the game in the 2nd quarter with a quad injury. Despite never returning to the contest, Shepard finished the game with a team high 7 targets. Kadarius Toney was the next man up, but ended up with his own injury that kept him in and out of the contest. After Toney, it was a hodgepodge for the Giants receiving core. Toney is the only Giants WR I’m willing to hold on to. Evan Engram is an interesting bench stash or streaming option for TE needy fantasy managers.

New York Jets

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Jamison Crowder	18% (wk7 14% – wk6 BYE – wk5 18.8%)	62% (wk7 81% – wk6 BYE – wk5 60.7%)
Corey Davis	OUT (wk7 14% – wk6 BYE – wk5 21.9%)	OUT (wk7 73% – wk6 BYE – wk5 80.4%)
Keelan Cole	10% (wk7 5% – wk6 BYE – wk5 9.4%)	67% (wk7 41% – wk6 BYE – wk5 55.4%)
Elijah Moore	12%  (wk7 14% – wk6 BYE – wk5 6.3%)	37% (wk7 58% – wk6 BYE – wk5 41.1%)
Michael Carter	29% (wk7 21% – wk6 OUT – wk5 9% – wk4 9%)	72% (wk7 73% – wk6 OUT – wk5 53%)
Ty Johnson	12% (wk7 17% – wk6 0% – wk5 9%)	29% (wk7 33% – wk6 0% – wk5 40%)

Quick Hits: Mike White ranked 4th in week 8 PATT (45) and was the only quarterback to reach over 400 passing yards. Let’s see if White can keep the magic going against a below average Colts secondary on Thursday Night Football. Carter’s recent emergence as the lead RB for the Jets, is a win for late round (“zero-RB”) fantasy running back drafters. The Colts defense is allowing the 3rd fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs, but Carters passing volume should keep him in the RB2 conversation in PPR leagues for week 9. Despite Ty Johnson’s 12% TS and double digit fantasy outing in week 8, his 29% snap rate is risky business and will keep him as a low end RB3/4. Crowder led the Jets receivers in targets (9), and is the only Jets pass catcher we can feel comfortable firing up this week. He should be viewed as a WR3/flex play against the Colts. Elijah Moore was second in team targets, but his 37% SS is playing with fire. He’s worth a bench stash for managers desperate for WR depth or with the bench space. His snaps would need to nearly double before I would consider firing him up in a starting lineup. Corey Davis will only dilute the pass catching opportunities when he returns to action, but his availability is highly questionable heading into Thursday night. Don’t chase Tyler Kroft’s 10 point PPR outing. He only recorded 2 targets for 20 yards. It was his lone TD that saved him from a 4 point PPR outing, look elsewhere for a TE streamer. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
DeVonta Smith	19% (wk7 26% – wk6 15.4% – wk5 22%)	70% (wk7 88% – wk6 98.1% – wk5 94%)
Jalen Reagor	13% (wk7 6% – wk6 11.5% – wk5 14%)	19% (wk7 82% – wk6 82.7% – wk5 71%)
Dallas Goedert	44% (wk7 15% – wk6 OUT – wk5 8%)	70% (wk7 94% – wk6 OUT – wk5 68%)
Quez Watkins	13% (wk7 12% – wk6 19.2%)	92% (wk7 74% – wk6 76.9%)
Kenneth Gainwell	0% (wk7 24% – wk6 7.7% – wk5 8%)	32% (wk7 51% – wk6 23.2% – wk5 24%)
Boston Scott	6% (wk7 6%)	46% (wk7 34%)
Jordan Howard	0%	25%

Quick Hit: Jalen Hurts ranked 30th in week 8 PATT (14) and is t-20th for the season. In what world are we living in? Where Jalen Hurts records 14 PATT and 11 fantasy points, despite roasting the Lions 44-6. Boston Scott and Jordan Howard benefited from two red zone touchdowns each. Neither back did anything through the air, Scott recorded the only running back target. I would prioritize Scott slightly over Howard in PPR formats, given the SS. After the running back show, it was Dallas Goedert as the focal point of the Philly passing offense. Goedert recorded an elite level 44% TS, and is a set-it and forget-it fantasy TE. Devonta Smith’s steady decline in snaps in concerning despite continuing to hover around 20% TS over the last 5 weeks. Watkins lead the Eagles in snaps on Sunday and recorded his third straight week over 12% TS. Reagor exited with an ankle injury early in the contest, and his status is questionable heading into week 9 matchup against the Chargers. Rudy projects all Philly pass catchers outside of the top 48 this week, with Watkins the highest at WR49. Boston Scott and Dallas Goedert are the only Eagles to consider in lineups this weekend. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Diontae Johnson	37% (wk7 BYE – wk6 32.5% – wk5 8%)	94% (wk7 BYE – wk6 92% – wk5 92%)
Chase Claypool	14% (wk7 BYE – wk6 17.5% – wk5 24%)	100%  (wk7 BYE – wk6 84% – wk5 55%)
Najee Harris	9% (wk7 BYE – wk6 29.2% – wk5 20%)	86% (wk7 BYE – wk6 84% – wk5 80%)
Pat Freiermuth	20% (wk7 BYE – wk6 17.5%)	81% (wk7 BYE – wk6 60%)

Quick Hit: Ben Roethlisberger ranked t-15h in week 8 PATT (34) and is 15th for the season. We will continue to save word count on Najee Harris, set-it and forget-it. DJ and Claypool are the only viable fantasy options at wideout for the Steelers. DJ is a bonafide weekly WR1 and Claypool a weekly WR2 with WR1 upside. I’ve been chirping about stashing Pat Freiermuth prior to the Steelers week 7 BYE, hopefully, you’ve listened and held onto him. He continues to thrive with JuJu Smith-Schuster out of the picture, and received an added boost with Eric Ebron ruled out in week 9. He is now a weekly TE1, Rudy projects him as his TE10 against the Bears in week 9. 

San Francisco 49ers

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Deebo Samuel	32% (wk7 41% – wk6 BYE – wk5 31%)	84% (wk7 87% – wk6 BYE – wk5 86%)
Brandon Aiyuk	25% (wk7 4% – wk6 BYE – wk5 14%)	89% (wk7 73% – wk6 BYE – wk5 71%)
Mohamed Sanu	14% (wk7 4% – wk6 BYE – wk5 10%)	45% (wk7 51% – wk6 BYE – wk5 46%)
Elijah Mitchell	0% (wk7 0%)	65% (wk7 67% – wk6 BYE – wk5 68%)
JaMycal Hasty	7% (wk7 22%)	35% (wk7 35%)

Quick Hit:  Jimmy G ranked 24th in week 8 PATT (28). Despite failing to record a single target his last two games, Elijah Mitchell has been on a tear – posting over 16 PPR points in weeks 7 and 8. He should be viewed as a weekly RB2 with weekly RB1 upside in Shanahan’s run first offense. Rudy project Elijah as his RB16 this week. Deebo Samuel continues his league-winning campaign, set-it and forget-it. Finally a little fantasy life from Aiyuk, posting his first double digit fantasy out since week 3. Aiyuk needs to maintain some consistency with his usage before trusting him lineups, but is worth a bench stash for those looking to bolster their WR depth. His snaps have steadily increased over his last 4 games. Aiyuk buyers need to weary of George Kittle’s return. Keep an eye on Kittle’s practice activity this week, he has a chance to return to action. Unless he can record a full practice this week, I’d be hesitant to automatically fire Kittle up in starting lineups. 

Seattle Seahawks

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
DK Metcalf	25% (wk7 23% – wk6 21.8% – wk5 15%)	73% (wk7 82% – wk6 75.4% – wk5 74%)
Tyler Lockett	54% (wk7 14% – wk6 21.8% – wk5 30%)	79% (wk7 86% – wk6 89.2% – wk5 86%)
Alex Collins	0% (wk7 5% – wk6 3.1%)	48% (wk7 39% – wk6 60%)
Rashaad Penny	0% (wk7 0%)	20% (wk7 36%)
Freddie Swain	0% (wk7 27% – wk6 9% – wk5 9%)	66% (wk7 77% – wk6 78% – wk5 62%)

Quick Hit: BYE The Seahawks head into their week 9 in hopes of getting Russel Wilson back for week 10. This would be a huge boost for Metcalf and Lockett, even though both were serviceable with Geno Smith under center. Alex Collins continues to lead this backfield in snaps, but no SEA RB is receiving enough receiving work to register on the Target Report. Collins is a low upside fantasy running back. Metcalf and Lockett should continue to be viewed has high WR2 with weekly WR1 upside. We won’t waste word count on this TE group, keep both on waivers. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Chris Godwin	29% (wk7 28% – wk6 11.9% – wk5 24%)	98% (wk7 84% – wk6 90.7% – wk5 69%)
Antonio Brown	OUT  (wk7 OUT – wk6 31% – wk5 18%)	OUT (wk7 OUT – wk6 49.3% – wk5 57%)
Leonard Fournette	12%  (wk7 10% – wk6 14.3% – wk5 11%)	62% (wk7 53% – wk6 62.7% – wk5 62%)
Mike Evans	10%  (wk7 26% – wk6 9.5% – wk5 18%)	97% (wk7 77% – wk6 93.3% – wk5 78%)
Giovani Bernard	2% (wk7 8% – wk6 4.8% – wk5 4%)	22% (wk7 15% – wk6 16% – wk5 23%)

Quick Hit: BYE Brady ranked t-6th in week 8 PATT (40) and remains 1st overall for the season. Leonard Fournette continues to operate as the undisputed RB1 in this offense, dominating both the ground and receiving work. Don’t chase Bernard’s lone red zone catch the resulted in a tuddie. This was a tough matchup for the Bucs on the ground, expect a bounce back from regular season Lenny following the Bucs week 8 BYE. RoJo and Bernard are waiver material. Hopefully the BYE provides enough rest for Antonio Brown to return to action in week 10. Ty Johnson stepped into the WR3 role for Brady with AB sidelined, but doesn’t need to be rostered in fantasy with AB set to return in week 10. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin continue to operate as set-it and forget-it fantasy assets. Neither OJ Howard nor Cameron Brate can be trusted in season-long fantasy lineups. Gronk’s status needs to be monitored on the other side of Tampa’s week 9 BYE. 

Tennesse Titans

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
A.J. Brown	32% (wk7 32% – wk6 31% – wk5 27%)	92% (wk7 62% – wk6 79.2% – wk5 64%)
Julio Jones	OUT (wk7 14% – wk6 17.2% – wk5 OUT)	OUT (wk7 43% – wk6 66% – wk5 OUT)
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine	9% (wk7 0% – wk6 10.3% – wk5 OUT)	32% (wk7 43% – wk6 54.7% – wk5 OUT )
Marcus Johnson	15% (wk7 4% – wk6 3% – wk5 23%)	66% (wk7 43% – wk6 38% – wk5 75%)
Geoff Swaim	15% (wk7 4% – wk6 3% – wk5 5%)	78% (wk7 56% – wk6 72% – wk5 56%)

Quick Hit: Ryan Tannehill ranked t-18th in week 8 PATT (33) and is 17th for the season. Unfortunately, Derrick Henry’s overall RB1 campaign comes to a screeching halt after suffering a season ending foot injury. We hope for a full recovery by next season. Jeremy McNichols should get the first shot to lead this backfield, but will most likely maintain his role as the change of pace/passing down back. Adrian Peterson was brought in to help replace the early down work, but I don’t think we can trust the old man to produce fantasy relevant numbers. Sure, he’s worth a speculative add for managers that have the bench space…but it’s not a high upside outlook. Henry’s absence will be a huge boost for Tannehill and the Titans passing game. AJ Brown has emerged as a late season league-winner and should be viewed as a top 10 WR the rest of the way. Hopefully Jones can find his way back to the lineup sooner rather than later, the Titans sure could use him. We’ve seen this receiving core in action with both Brown and Jones out of the lineup. It’s a crap shoot trying to guess who we can rely on after AJ Brown, with Jones sidelined. Marcus Johnson and Westbrook-Ikhine are watch list candidates, neither are worth roster adds at this point. TE Geoff Swaim will be an interesting name to watch as well, Swaim was 2nd in offensive snaps and tied for 2nd in targets. He is not worth a roster add, yet.

Washington Football Team 

Player	Target Share	Snap Share
Terry McLaurin	18% (wk7 32% – wk6 20.5% – wk5 27%)	87% (wk7 92% – wk6 94.9% – wk5 85%)
Dyami Brown	OUT (wk7 0% – wk6 15.4% – wk5 OUT)	OUT  (wk7 14% – wk6 79.7% – wk5 OUT)
Adam Humphries	8% (wk7 11% – wk6 5.1% – wk5 12%)	63% (wk7 69% – wk6 52.5% – wk5 62%)
JD McKissic	21% (wk7 16% – wk6 25.6% – wk5 10%)	46% (wk7 64% – wk6 61% – wk5 41%)
DeAndre Carter	15% (wk7 3% – wk6 2.6% – wk5 20%)	70% (wk7 54% – wk6 20.3% – wk5 71%)
Ricky Seals-Jones	10% (wk7 19% – wk6 15.4% – wk5 20%)	100% (wk7 100% – wk6 100% – wk5 100%)

Quick Hit: BYE Taylor Heinicke ranked t-8th in week 8 PATT (39) and is t-6th for the season. McKissic dominated the RB pass catching work for the 7th straight week. He continues to serve as a weekly WR2/3 with upside in PPR formats. Gibson clearly is still dealing with his shin injury that has plagued him throughout the middle of this season. Rookie Jaret Patterson out-carried Gibson 11 to 9, but isn’t worth an add as the Football Team head into their week 9 BYE. Keep an eye on Gibson’s practice level when WAS returns to practice in week 10. If Gibson is still in question heading out of the BYE then Patterson is an interesting bench stash for managers desperate for RB depth. McLaurin continues his set-it and forget-it WR2 campaign. Deandre Carter’s usage and production is too inconsistent to add in 12-team or smaller leagues, let your league mates chase the 14 PPR points. I’m comfortable dropping TE Ricky Seals-Jones, with reports of Logan Thomas possibly returning following the team’s week 9 BYE.