The name of the game in fantasy football is volume. That's why it's so important to take note of which wide receivers are seeing a significant target market share and how each team splits up its backfield opportunities. Each week, Matt Harmon and Matt Franciscovich will break down the week's wide receiver targets and backfield touches leaders with takeaways you can use for your fantasy football teams going forward. We won't bore you with any more introductory comments here, let's dig into the good stuff from Week 8.
*NOTE: This article will be updated with data from the Sunday Night and Monday Night games the following day, so check back for more information as games wrap.
Atlanta Falcons
Touches: 15 | Carries: 14 | Receptions: 1
For the first time all season, Tevin Coleman led the Falcons backfield in touches. He rushed for 82 yards on 14 attempts and had one catch for 22 yards. Coleman hadn't logged more than nine carries in a game all season. At one point in the second half, he ripped off an impressive 52-yard run which helped pad his final line. Still, it's baffling how Atlanta has chosen to limit Devonta Freeman's workload since coming out of their Week 5 bye. It's almost like they don't want their best player touching the ball.
Honorable mention(s):Devonta Freeman out-snapped Coleman by a count of 37 to 28 and logged 13 touches for 60 yards from scrimmage. Freeman's usage and production in recent weeks have been frustrating as he hasn't found the end zone now in three straight games and for the first time all season, was out-touched by Coleman. The matchup next week is not a friendly one, as the Falcons head to Carolina.
Target share: 25.9% |Targets: 7 | Receptions: 6 | Yards: 74, TD
Mohamed Sanu continues to be a sneaky solid fantasy option, keeping up his streak of six-plus targets in every game he's finished this year. He also secured the game-winning touchdown for Atlanta. Sanu should be on the flex radar every week with the workload he owns. The Falcons take on a Panthers team in Week 9 that is playing excellent defense right now.
Honorable mention(s): Week 8 gave us the fourth game in which Julio Jones finished with seven or fewer targets. The Falcons are not funneling volume his way and they've given us no reason to expect that to change here at the mid-way point of the NFL season.
Baltimore Ravens
Touches: 20 | Carries: 18 | Receptions: 2
Alex Collins had a breakout game against the Dolphins on Thursday night with 113 rush yards on 18 carries, and added 30 receiving yards on two receptions. It was a bit of a shock that Collins had such a big game because he hadn't been getting a ton of volume in the weeks leading up, but the Ravens rode his hot hand. He came into the game averaging over five yards per carry and ripped off big runs of 10, 12, 13 and two runs of 19 yards in the game to keep his efficiency at a high level. Baltimore would be wise to continue to give the rock to Collins over Javorius Allen as the former is clearly the better runner.
Honorable mention(s):Javorius Allen totaled 56 yards on his 18 touches in the game and played 49 percent of the snaps behind Collins. Allen remains the team's better pass-catching back but in games where Baltimore is leading as they were on Thursday, expect Collins to shoulder the load. The Ravens play the Titans in Week 9.
Target share: 26.3% |Targets: 5 | Receptions: 3 | Yards: 53, TD
On the surface, this looks like just a solid game for Jeremy Maclin. However, his usage was encouraging. He saw four of his five targets from Joe Flacco in the first half and was on his way to a big game. Unfortunately for Maclin, Flacco left at the end of the second quarter due to a nasty hit and the Ravens blew out the Dolphins, negating the need for much more passing. Maclin might well make for a sneaky buy-low or even an add off the waiver wire if he was cut.
Honorable mention(s): With the Ravens running most of the game, Nick Boyle well out-worked Benjamin Watson. He went out for 54 plays to 31 for Watson.
Buffalo Bills
Touches: 33 | Carries: 27 | Receptions: 6
LeSean McCoy logged 173 yards from scrimmage and scored on a 48-yard touchdown run in the second half. He was the centerpiece of the Bills offense, and has now scored in two straight games. LeSean McCoy is elite in both real and fantasy football and there's not much more to say.
Honorable mention(s):Mike Tolbert had four carries for 14 yards.
Target share: 25.9% |Targets: 7 | Receptions: 6 | Yards: 22
With the Bills wide receiver corps still holding no clarity or volume hog, LeSean McCoy once again led the team in targets. McCoy has just one game on his resume this year with fewer than six targets. The veteran back is on pace to clear 500 receiving yards this season. It would be the third time in his career he accomplished that feat but it would be the first as a Bill.
Honorable mention(s):Andre Holmes made some big plays today, including a 36-yard deep catch and breaking free from coverage for a touchdown on a Tyrod Taylor improvisational play under pressure. However, he was on the field for just 33 percent of the team's plays. That's just not enough playing time to consider him a fantasy option.
Carolina Panthers
Touches: 11 | Carries: 11 | Receptions: 0
The week that we all finally gave up on Jonathan Stewart, of course, he falls into the end zone. It was his first rushing touchdown of the season (he scored a receiving TD in Week 1) but Stewart still failed to post double-digit fantasy points in standard formats because he had just 34 rushing yards. It was an ideal matchup against a leaky Buccaneers defense, too. He can't be trusted going forward and will likely be a weekly add/drop on the waiver wire for a running back desperate owner in your league. Stewart matches up against Atlanta in Week 9.
Honorable mention(s):Christian McCaffrey logged nine total touches for 53 yards from scrimmage. The rookie led the Panthers with 49 receiving yards on five receptions, but, as reports over the weekend promised, his snap count diminished as the team attempted to get Cameron Artis-Payne more involved. CAP logged five touches. The Panthers backfield is extremely ineffective and can't be relied upon for fantasy production, even in good matchups like this one against Tampa Bay.
Target share: 23.3% |Targets: 7 | Receptions: 3 | Yards: 39, TD
Target share: 23.3% |Targets: 7 | Receptions: 5 | Yards: 49
Kelvin Benjamin snagged a late touchdown to escape with a solid fantasy day amid another moribund passing game for Carolina. His targets have mostly held steady outside of a massive outlier against the Eagles with six, 13, six and seven the last four games. He's averaged 65.3 yards per game and scored twice in that span. Christian McCaffrey continues to catch a lot of passes.
Honorable mention(s):Devin Funchess continues to see solid volume with target totals of nine, eight, nine, eight and six over the last five games. However, he hasn't cleared 60 yards receiving since Week 4 and has scored just once. He looked like a potential every-week fantasy option early in the season but those days are long gone.
Chicago Bears
Touches: 26 | Carries: 23 | Receptions: 3
Jordan Howard's volume dominance continued on Sunday against the Saints as he logged 26 touches and totaled 121 yards from scrimmage. Unfortunately for Howard owners, the Bears had a goal-line stand in which they gave the one-yard touchdown to Tarik Cohen for some reason. Still, Howard's weekly volume makes him a locked-in RB1. This offense runs through him, and it's not hard to see that. Howard and the Bears will rest on Week 9 with a bye.
Honorable mention(s): As mentioned, Tarik Cohen scored on a one-yard touchdown run. But he had just five touches in the game for three yards from scrimmage. The volume simply isn't there to make Cohen a reliable weekly play in fantasy.
Target share: 25% |Targets: 8 | Receptions: 2 | Yards: 23
Kendall Wright popped up for eight targets today, his highest-single game total since Week 2 and the same amount as he had in the last three games combined. He was on the field for 56 percent of the team's plays on Sunday, after going out for just eight plays in Week 7. Of course, much of this is due to them chasing the Saints in the Superdome. There's nothing predictable to glean from this one.
Honorable mention(s):Tre McBride posted a career-high 92 receiving yards. He and Tanner Gentry are locked-in as the top two receivers.
Cincinnati Bengals
Touches: 14 | Carries: 11 | Receptions: 3
The Bengals rushing struggles continued against the Colts as the team's three running backs combined for just 34 yards on the ground. Joe Mixon "led" the way with just 18 yards on 11 carries, but fortunately, he did some work as a receiver. Mixon totaled 91 receiving yards on three catches including one 67-yard scamper on a screen pass in the second quarter. He remains the best running back on the team, but the Bengals offensive line simply cannot generate room to run behind. It will be tough to trust Mixon next week on the road against the Jaguars.
Honorable mention(s): By now, Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard are likely on your waiver wire and neither is worth picking up. The former dynamic duo combined for 16 yards from scrimmage on six total touches. No, thank you.
Cincinnati Bengals
Target share: 28.6% |Targets: 8 | Receptions: 3 | Yards: 27, TD
The Bengals offense didn't move the ball at will, as some expected, against this Colts defense. A.J. Green looked notably frustrated after at least one Andy Dalton miss. He managed to secure a touchdown to keep his fantasy scoring above water. With just two games under eight targets, Green's outlook is still quite secure.
Honorable mention(s):Tyler Kroft once again went out for over 90 percent of the Bengals' plays. While he didn't score a touchdown, he hauled in five of his six targets. He only trailed Green in passing game volume. Kroft will remain on the steaming radar.
Cleveland Browns
Touches: 15 | Carries: 11 | Receptions: 4
Isaiah Crowell led the Browns in both rushing (64 yards) and receiving (54 yards) and scored his first touchdown of the season against the Vikings in London. It was not a favorable matchup for the Browns run game coming in, but they had some success on offense early in the game, including Crowell's first-quarter touchdown run. Most of the Crow's production was in the first half as the game remained close until later. It was nice to see him finally produce, but unless you play in a deeper league, he was probably either on your bench or on the waiver wire. Don't chase the points either: The Browns have a Week 9 bye.
Honorable mention(s):Duke Johnson took a backseat to Crowell in this one totaling just 43 yards from scrimmage on 10 touches. He also left the game in the fourth quarter with a possible concussion, but with the Browns on a bye in Week 9, he'll have plenty of time to recover.
Target share: 20.6% |Targets: 7 | Receptions: 2 | Yards: 19
Despite leading the team in targets, David Njoku was on the field for fewer than 50 percent of the team's plays. This has become a routine. Seth DeValve went out for 54 percent of the plays and Randall Telfer chipped in with 31 percent.
Honorable mention(s):Bryce Treggs appears to have officially overtaken Rashard Higgins. He was on the field for 88 percent of the team's plays, trailing only Ricardo Louis.
Dallas Cowboys
Touches: 34 | Carries: 33 | Receptions: 1
Ezekiel Elliott was an absolute workhorse yet again for Dallas as he racked up 150 rush yards and two rushing touchdowns in a big win against the Redskins. He had what would have been a third touchdown called back on a penalty in the second half, but you'd have to be greedy to be upset about that one. With the huge Week 8 outing, Zeke is averaging 137.6 rush yards per game over his last three contests with five touchdowns in that span. His 25.4 standard fantasy points Sunday rank him as the RB1 for the week heading into the Sunday night game. We'll be keeping a close eye on his legal status this week. Dallas takes on Kansas City at home in Week 9.
Honorable mention(s): Nothing to see here.
Target share: 27.2% |Targets: 6 | Receptions: 4 | Yards: 39
Dez Bryant's market share of the targets stayed at a strong 27.2 percent but he saw just six targets overall. The low total was merely a product of game script, as the Cowboys didn't need much contribution from the passing game to put Washington away. Prescott threw just 22 passes, while Zeke inhaled 33 carries.
Honorable mention(s): None.
Detroit Lions
Touches: 14 | Carries: 11 | Receptions: 3
Ameer Abdullah totaled a measly 38 yards from scrimmage on his 14 touches against the Steelers on Sunday night. Abdullah didn't see a single red zone touch during the game, and averaged just 2.4 yards per carry on his 11 rush attempts for 27 yards. The Lions don't have a run game, and it showed in Week 8. Abdullah needs his offense to be in the lead in the second half to see consistent volume, and that is hard to imagine being the case often. He'll have a better matchup against Green Bay in Week 9, but will be nothing more than a low-end flex at best.
Honorable mention(s):Theo Riddick logged six touches for 45 yards from scrimmage. All but one of his touches in the game came in the second half. He's not even worth owning in 10-team league. Dwayne Washington, who left the game with a concussion, recorded seven touches, with four of his six rush attempts coming in red zone situations. He was completely ineffective, though. The Lions run game is one to avoid for fantasy purposes.
Houston Texans
Touches: 24 | Carries: 21 | Receptions: 3
Lamar Miller served as the Texans' workhorse against Seattle, logging 21 carries for 54 yards and a rushing touchdown. He added 19 receiving yards and a second touchdown through the air. While he wasn't too efficient as a runner, his fantasy owners won't notice thanks to the two scores. Miller logged 87 percent of the snaps. With the Houston offense putting up 38 points on Seattle, Miller should continue to roll next week in a dream matchup against the Colts.
Honorable mention(s):D'Onta Foreman was mysteriously underutilized, as he played a single snap the entire game. Alfred Blue played the backup role, logging 11 snaps behind Miller. Foreman should see more work next week, but his lack of usage is worth finding out about in post-game reports. He's definitely not a drop candidate.
Target share: 36.7% |Targets: 11 | Receptions: 8 | Yards: 224, TD
The Texans passing offense blew this game wide open in a high-scoring affair with the Seahawks. DeAndre Hopkins led the team in targets and essentially did it all. He got deep, made his patented tough contested catches and even ripped off a 72-yard catch and run for his lone touchdown. It was an all-around dominant came for him and he continues to hold WR1 value with quarterback Deshaun Watson white-hot right now.
Honorable mention(s):Will Fuller doesn't care about "unsustainable" or "regression" as he once again plopped two touchdowns on the table. He now has seven touchdowns on 13 catches this season. Obviously, he will not keep up that scoring pace but you can never sit this player again. He offers legitimate week-winning potential in any spot. The Texans get the Colts in Houston next week.
Indianapolis Colts
Touches: 20 | Carries: 16 | Receptions: 4
Frank Gore was the volume back once again for the Colts, as he has been all season. He totaled a respectable 101 scrimmage yards but he failed to find the end zone. Still, if you were forced to start Gore in a flex spot due to bye weeks, you have to be satisfied with his yardage total. But he'll be tough to trust next week against the Texans.
Honorable mention(s):Marlon Mack logged 14 touches and actually out-snapped Gore by a count of 36 to 35 per Next Gen Stats. Mack scored a touchdown on one of his three receptions and totaled 67 yards from scrimmage in the game. Mack is becoming a weekly low-end flex given his increased snaps and big-play ability so if he's still on your waiver wire, now is the time to add.
Target share: 36.8% |Targets: 14 | Receptions: 12 | Yards: 121, TD
Jack Doyle erupted to post season-highs in targets, catches and yards. It was the first time since Week 1 where Coyle cleared 10 yards per reception. We've seen Jacoby Brissett dial in on Doyle before and that returned this week. With the Colts offensive line seeming to further crumble every week, Doyle should continue to draw a heft workload as a short-area dump off option.
Honorable mention(s): Since going for 177 yards against the 49ers, T.Y. Hilton has 61 yards total over the last three weeks. He has target totals of four, eight and seven in those games. The Colts offense is trending down with just how much pressure they're allowing.
Los Angeles Chargers
Touches: 15 | Carries: 14 | Receptions: 1
Melvin Gordon entered his Week 8 game against the Patriots with a turf toe and knee injury, but none of that mattered. He logged a season-high 132 rush yards on the heels of an 87-yard touchdown run in the first half. It was a career-long run for Gordon. The Chargers offense runs through their workhorse back, so as long as he remains healthy enough to get an active tag, he needs to be in fantasy lineups every single week. Except next week, because the Chargers have a bye. It comes at a perfect time as Gordon could use the rest.
Honorable mention(s):Austin Ekeler and Branden Oliver split five rush attempts for 11 yards. Neither is worth owning at this point, especially with Los Angeles heading into a Week 9 bye.
Target share: 31% |Targets: 9 | Receptions: 5 | Yards: 64, TD
Travis Benjamin was the apple of Philip Rivers' eye on the final drive of the game, for whatever reason. He had a mixed bag of a day overall, costing the Chargers dearly on a punt return that resulted in a safety and lost time on the last drive by failing to get out of bounds. However, he did score a touchdown and moved the ball when called upon. Benjamin's nine targets are a clear outlier, as he had 10 targets in the previous four games combined.
Honorable mention(s):Keenan Allen hasn't found the end zone since Week 1 and has not crossed 70 yards receiving since Week 4. His targets have gone down in every game since that game against the Eagles with 12, nine, seven, and five over the last four weeks.
Miami Dolphins
Touches: 17 | Carries: 13 | Receptions: 4
Jay Ajayi couldn't get anything going against the Ravens on Thursday night. He struggled from the start and finished with just 23 rush yards on 13 carries, adding 18 receiving yards on four catches. Baltimore had allowed some big fantasy games to running backs leading up to this game but completely shut down Ajayi. A fringe first-round pick in fantasy redrafts back in August, Ajayi has been a bust from all aspects. He has yet to score a touchdown and we're now entering Week 9. Coach Adam Gase called the running back out after the game, which is never a good sign. It's worth wondering if Miami starts rotating in Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams more often if Ajayi's inefficiencies continue. He'll be a risky play against Oakland next week, but with another six teams on bye, there won't be a ton of other high-volume options.
Honorable mention(s):Kenyan Drake had six carries for 22 yards, all of which came in the fourth quarter when the Dolphins were way out of contention. Ajayi is still the volume play, but Drake seems like the go-to handcuff over Damien Williams for now and could be worth a deep league stash if Miami decides to change it up due to Ajayi's struggles.
Target share: 28.6% |Targets: 12 | Receptions: 5 | Yards: 33
Jarvis Landry now has target totals of 10, 14, 11 and 12 in the four games DeVante Parker has missed or left early with injury. With the overall dysfunction in the Miami passing game, those targets didn't amount to efficient production as they did in the previous three games (average: six catches - 66.3 yards - one touchdown). If Parker returns in Week 9, he'll draw a golden matchup with the Raiders for his first game back. Should Parker sit out for another week, Landry should inherit the volume needed to rebound from a slow Week 8.
Honorable mention(s): If we see Matt Moore again this season, it's a signal to give Kenny Stills a bump. He threw to Still 10 times this week after looking for him during relief action against the Jets in Week 7. The duo connected frequently in 2016, as well.
Minnesota Vikings
Touches: 20 | Carries: 14 | Receptions: 6
Jerick McKinnon did it all against the Browns in London. He rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown on his 14 carries and added 72 receiving yards on six receptions from 10 targets. After last week, where Latavius Murray was the better Vikings running back from a fantasy standpoint, McKinnon stepped up. His dual-threat ability makes him more versatile than Murray and the Vikings offense is simply more efficient when McKinnon is on the field. McKinnon owners will have to find a bye-week replacement for Week 9 though.
Honorable mention(s):Latavius Murray saw 19 carries that he converted into just 39 rushing yards. Despite his inefficiencies, the Vikings continue to give Murray volume. Clearly, even when he gets volume, McKinnon can still thrive, but Murray's always capable of a big game as we saw in Week 7. He only played 38 percent of the snaps compared to McKinnon's 62 percent share.
Target share: 23.3% |Targets: 10 | Receptions: 5 | Yards: 98, TD
Target share: 23.3% |Targets: 10 | Receptions: 6 | Yards: 72
Jerick McKinnon continues to hold elite passing game usage for the running back position. Adam Thielen went scoreless for the first seven weeks of the season but made it into the box today. He's seen double-digit targets in each of the last three weeks with Diggs either out or coming in off the injury report. The Vikings have a bye in Week 9 for Diggs to get healthy but Thielen is still locked-in as an every-week fantasy start.
Honorable mention(s):Stefon Diggs was on the field for 76 percent of the team's plays in his first game back and drew six targets. He averaged just 9.8 air yards per target, despite averaging 13.9 for the season. Diggs gets a week off to get right and should be back cooking in Week 10.
New England Patriots
Touches: 17 | Carries: 15 | Receptions: 2
Dion Lewis remained the Patriots lead running back Sunday, both in terms of touches and snap count. Lewis totaled 52 yards from scrimmage and led the backfield in snap share with 34 percent. A close second was Rex Burkhead logging 32 percent of the snaps. Burkhead is creeping up as a low-end flex play on the heels of an 11-touch game, seven of which were receptions (on seven targets) that he used to rack up 68 yards. Burkhead is worth a speculative add for a late-season run, but the Patriots are heading into a bye.
Honorable mention(s):James White led the Patriots in receiving yards with 85 on his five receptions. He remains a weekly PPR option and no matter who the "lead" back is, White's role is cemented. Mike Gillislee has become an afterthought.
Target share: 19.1% |Targets: 9 | Receptions: 5 | Yards: 57, TD
Rob Gronkowski keeps on rolling through another fantastic season. With nine targets today, he pulls his season average to 8.1 per game. That's elite usage for the tight end position, which is fitting considering the player we're discussing.
Honorable mention(s):Brandin Cooks turned in a down game today despite seeing eight targets. He snapped a streak of three games where he cleared 80 yards or scored a touchdown.
New Orleans Saints
Touches: 24 | Carries: 18 | Receptions: 6
Despite losing two fumbles, Mark Ingram posted another fringe-RB1 performance for his fantasy owners with 99 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown against the Bears. Ingram is locked in as a volume back, and he continues to provide a safe weekly floor with his work as a pass-catcher. He hauled in all six of his targets for 24 yards on Sunday and added 75 yards on the ground. He nearly cost his team the game, but the Saints narrowly pulled off a win in a game where Drew Brees didn't throw a touchdown pass. Ingram has a nice matchup against the Bucs next week.
Honorable mention(s):Alvin Kamara logged 11 touches for 76 yards and a rushing touchdown of his own against Chicago. Kamara split snaps with Ingram, as the duo has been doing since the departure of Adrian Peterson, but both remain every-week starters in all fantasy formats. They'll both be usable next week against Tampa Bay.
Target share: 29.6% |Targets: 8 | Receptions: 7 | Yards: 77
Michael Thomas has yet to pop up for a spike-week but continues to get encouraging volume. He has just one game with fewer than eight targets. With that workload, we'll eventually see him post a big state line. It could easily be next week with a poor Bucs defense coming to New Orleans.
Honorable mention(s):Willie Snead is healthy but still went out for just four offensive plays against the Bears. He's been phased out of this offense. Snead is no longer a fantasy option.
New York Jets
Touches: 17 | Carries: 14 | Receptions: 3
Bilal Powell led the Jets backfield in touches, but he wasn't very productive with his opportunities. He logged just 33 rush yards on his 14 attempts and added 28 receiving yards on three receptions. It's nothing new for the Jets backfield, as they haven't been able to garner production on the ground all season.
Honorable mention(s):Matt Forte added just seven rush yards on four carries. But Forte did work as a receiver, for the third straight week, tying for the team lead with six catches that he managed 45 yards on. Forte saw one more snap than Powell as the count was 28-27, so it's basically an unpredictable 50/50 split. The Jets get the Bills on a short week on Thursday Night Football, but at least it's at home for New York. Both Powell and Forte will be nothing more than low-end flex plays.
Target share: 21.9% |Targets: 7 | Receptions: 6 | Yards: 45
While he may not have led the team in targets, Robby Anderson is the story of this game. He caught all six of his targets, went over 100 yards for the first time this season and scored his third touchdown. Anderson has quietly owned a nice piece of the Jets passing volume pie for most of the season. He had five games with six or more targets. With his big-play ability, Anderson should be on the flex radar every week as a high-ceiling option.
Honorable mention(s):Austin Seferian-Jenkins also hauled in all his targets (five) but only recorded 28 yards. He snapped his three-game touchdown streak. Without a touchdown, Seferian-Jenkins does have a worrisome floor, as he's yet to cross 50 yards receiving in any game this season. That can be explained by his 6.2 average intended air yards on his targets, making it hard for him to rip off big plays. Of course, a frightening floor just comes with the territory of the tight end position, outside of the elite players.
Oakland Raiders
Touches: 14 | Carries: 6 | Receptions: 8
With Marshawn Lynch (suspension) out, DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard split the workload right down the middle against the Bills. But with Oakland falling behind early, there wasn't much volume for either back. They combined for 11 carries in the game with Washington logging six for 26 rush yards. He added 62 receiving yards and a touchdown on his eight receptions, so he was the better fantasy play. Richard had 21 rush yards on five carries and added 35 receiving yards on his five receptions. The duo had a near identical snap count, with Richard logging 26 snaps to Washington's 25. We knew it'd basically be a 50/50 split but Washington was the one who found the end zone.
Honorable mention(s): Of course, the Raiders goal-line offense wouldn't be complete without Jamize Olawale playing the role of a vulture, and yes, that did happen in the first quarter. Olawale left the game with a hamstring injury, so his damage as vulture was mitigated, but it would have been nice if one of the other backs received that opportunity. The Raiders take on the Dolphins next Sunday night, and Marshawn Lynch should be back for that game.
Target share: 20.4% |Targets: 10 | Receptions: 5 | Yards: 83
Target share: 20.4% |Targets: 10 | Receptions: 8 | Yards: 62, TD
Target share: 20.4% |Targets: 10 | Receptions: 5 | Yards: 48
The entire Raiders offense offered up a letdown output following a season-best performance in Week 7 in a win over the division-rival Chiefs. A cross-country road trip to face the underrated Bills was a tall order. However, it was still encouraging to see Amari Cooper inherit 10 targets in this game. The production wasn't there with just five catches for 48 yards but his overall involvement in the offense is nevertheless encouraging. The Raiders get a matchup with an incredibly beatable Miami Dolphins secondary in Week 10.
Honorable mention(s):Michael Crabtree keeps his consistent streak alive. He has 80 yards and/or a touchdown in all but one game this year. Crabtree has target totals of eight, 10, seven and 10 in his last four games. It's hard to find a better floor than that at the wide receiver position.
Philadelphia Eagles
Touches: 17 | Carries: 16 | Receptions: 1
The Eagles offense felt the effects of the absence of offensive lineman Jason Peters, but still managed to take advantage of a dream matchup against the 49ers. LeGarrette Blount led the way with 48 yards on 16 carries and rushed for a touchdown. Even Corey Clement got in on the action, logging 54 rush yards on 10 attempts. The Eagles running backs have a tough matchup next week in Denver where they'll be tough to trust in fantasy.
Honorable mention(s):Wendell Smallwood was an afterthought with just one carry for five yards and one catch for nine yards. He was out-snapped by Clement by a count of 19-12.
Target share: 25% |Targets: 8 | Receptions: 2 | Yards: 62, TD
Alshon Jeffery made good on a cakewalk matchup with a strong fantasy bottom-line but he'll still be the same unpredictable asset he's been on the season going forward. Just 25 percent of the team targets hardly speaks to a funnel receiver and he caught just two of his team-high eight targets. Jeffery is a volatile weekly asset who does come with an appealing theoretical ceiling because he sees so much work in the vertical game.
Honorable mention(s):Nelson Agholor saw three targets in the first quarter and caught them all, but didn't see another ball go his way the rest of the day. The Eagles hardly needed to open up the offense to win this game and there was some poor weather. Don't get too discouraged on Agholor's stock going forward, but do remember these games are possible with how little volume he's seeing, along with most of the non-Zach Ertz pass-catchers in the Eagles' offense.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Touches: 27 | Carries: 25 | Receptions: 2
Le'Veon Bell rushed for 76 yards on 25 attempts with a rushing touchdown and added five receiving yards on two receptions. It was his lowest touch total since Week 5, yet he still produced as a top-12 fantasy running back. There are no concerns about Bell going forward, lock him into your RB1 slot and forget about it. Oh, except for next week, as the Steelers will rest on a bye.
Honorable mention(s):James Conner had one carry for one yard. That is all.
San Francisco 49ers
Touches: 16 | Carries: 12 | Receptions: 4
Carlos Hyde logged 16 touches but managed just 47 yards from scrimmage in a tough matchup against Philadelphia. Hyde remains the primary back for the 49ers as he logged a 69 percent share of snaps, but it just wasn't his day. Even the quarterback, C.J. Beathard, out-rushed Hyde in the game. Hyde has a home matchup against the Cardinals in Week 9, where he'll be a low-end RB2.
Honorable mention(s): The 49ers only touchdown of the day was scored by Matt Breida. He scored on a 21-yard reception in the third quarter and logged nine total touches for 56 yards from scrimmage. Hyde and Breida were the 49ers' lead receivers on the day. Breida should be rostered as a bench stash for Hyde owners wishing to handcuff but his production will be inconsistent as long as Hyde is healthy.
Target share: 25% |Targets: 9 | Receptions: 2 | Yards: 22
After the Iowa teammate connection didn't result in much volume last week, George Kittle drew a healthy nine targets from his former college quarterback in Week 8. Unfortunately, the production still didn't follow, as he snared just two of them for a whopping 22 yards. Kittle was on the field for 61 percent of the 49ers' plays. This C.J. Beathard-led offense just doesn't offer us anything to talk about.
Honorable mention(s):Pierre Garcon left this game with a neck injury after 31 plays. He drew four targets during his time on the field.
Seattle Seahawks
Touches: 6 each | Carries: 6 each | Receptions: 0
This is difficult to type, but the Seahawks running backs combined for five, yes FIVE, rushing yards total in a game where the offense put up over 400 yards. Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy each logged six rush attempts. Rawls totaled negative one rush yard, Lacy had zero. Neither had a chance behind a terrible offensive line and they were frequently met by defenders immediately after receiving handoffs. Neither Rawls nor Lacy is worth adding in fantasy football.
Honorable mention(s):J.D. McKissic had six rush yards on four attempts. Russell Wilson did pretty much everything himself in this game, including out-rushing his entire backfield with 30 yards on the ground. Do. Not. Want.
Target share: 27% |Targets: 10 | Receptions: 6 | Yards: 54
Doug Baldwin has 30 targets over the last three games, enticing volume for a fantasy receiver. However, he's still been a volatile asset. Baldwin has one game with 92 yards and a touchdown sandwiched between two contests with 91 yards combined. He was on the field for just 69 percent of the team's plays against the Texans.
Honorable mention(s): Week 8 was about the talented young receivers for Seattle. Paul Richardson and Tyler Lockett racked up 226 yards and two scores on 12 catches between them. Tyler Lockett did most of his damage from the slot, accumulating 104 of his yards on four targets from that position. He's lined up inside on 55 percent of his plays this season. We should consider giving him a boost when the Seahawks face a favorable matchup against a weak slot corner in addition to Baldwin. Richardson has five touchdowns on the season and tied a season-high with seven targets today.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Touches: 19 | Carries: 18 | Receptions: 1
Doug Martin had a tough matchup against the Panthers, but still managed 75 yards from scrimmage on his 18 touches. He had a few double-digit yardage runs in the second half, but the Bucs offense struggled overall and only put up three points total. Martin has been somewhat underwhelming as a fantasy running back since returning from suspension, but he does have two touchdowns in his four games this season. And to his credit, he's faced tough run defenses in Arizona, Buffalo and Carolina. But the Bucs schedule opens up now with games against the Saints, Jets, Dolphins and Falcons in the next month, so hopefully, Martin can get back on track as more of an RB1. The volume will be there, that's for sure.
Honorable mention(s):Jacquizz Rodgers had one carry for one yard. This is Martin's backfield as long as he's healthy and no other Tampa Bay back is worth owning in fantasy leagues.
Target share: 27.8% |Targets: 10 | Receptions: 5 | Yards: 60
Mike Evans has 28 targets over his last three games and has at least eight in every single game this year. However, he has yet to cross the 100-yard mark in any game. Evans and the rest of the Buccaneers' offense is suffering from the reality that their quarterback just has not taken the next step. Jameis Winston came away with a ghastly 49.2 passer rating today and averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt.
Honorable mention(s):Cameron Brate is the model of consistency at the tight end position. He has at least 60 yards in every game since Week 3. His five targets in Sunday's game were the lowest he's seen in any game in that span, as well.
Washington Redskins
Touches: 12 | Carries: 4 | Receptions: 8
Chris Thompson continued his PPR dominance on Sunday against the Cowboys. He recorded eight receptions for 76 yards and added 18 yards on the ground on his four carries. Even with Rob Kelley healthy, Thompson logged a 79 percent share of the snaps. He was second on the team in receiving yards, and is clearly the best running back on the roster, and for fantasy football purposes going forward, especially with the Redskins offensive line injury woes. Thompson faces the Seahawks next week.
Honorable mention(s):Rob Kelley fell into the end zone in the first quarter, but other than that he didn't do much. He posted 19 rush yards on eight attempts and played just 12 snaps compared to Thompson's 46. As mentioned, Kelley will be tough to rely on in fantasy with all of the injuries to Washington's offensive line. He might even be available on your waiver wire, but don't go rushing after him. Get it? Rushing? K, bye.
Target share: 33.3% |Targets: 13 | Receptions: 9 | Yards: 123
Welcome to the 2017 season, Jamison Crowder. The slot receiver busted out for 123 yards on nine catches against Dallas. He hadn't seen more than six targets since Week 1 and had 149 yards combined heading into Sunday. Washington's passing game distribution is a week-to-week proposition, so we shouldn't assume that this suddenly means Crowder is set to give us weekly production like we expected prior to the 2017 season.
Honorable mention(s):Josh Doctson once again ran as the top X-receiver, going out for 79 percent of the plays to just 33 for Terrelle Pryor. However, that netted him just three targets, all of which came with less than 25 minutes remaining in the game. He did snare a one-yard touchdown catch to close the contest.
You can rely on NFL.com's Touches and Targets column for great fantasy advice. Just like you can rely on FedEx Ground for fast and affordable shipping.
-- Follow Matt Harmon on Twitter _@MattHarmonBYB_ and Matt Franciscovich @MattFranchise.
