NFL Fantasy Football Red Zone Report: Week 12

Paying attention to who is getting targeted and/or getting carries in the red zone and down near the goal line are both very important in all fantasy formats. Touchdowns are major point boosters in PPR leagues and even more so in standard. The weekly report will be a one-stop shop where you can find all the information you could possibly need when it comes to the red zone. Each week I will point out some notable performances for that week and then include season totals. Let’s dive in!

Red Zone Targets

Emmanuel Sanders – Sanders had a high volume week in the red zone this week as he was targeted five times. He hauled in four of them, but only managed one touchdown. Overall it was a strong game for the Broncos top wide out as he finished with seven receptions for 86 yards and the one score. He has a dream matchup this week with the Bengals and should be in line for another strong game. Play him with confidence.

Mike Williams – Williams only picked up two targets in the red zone this week, but he hauled in both for a pair of touchdowns. He now has four red zone touchdowns on five receptions and eight targets. Williams has shown to be a strong red zone threat this season, but unfortunately his target share is far too low for him to make a real impact. He should continue to catch a touchdown here or there, but outside of touchdown-dependent leagues it is hard to trust him.

Trey Quinn – Quinn hauled in both of his red zone targets this week and one of them went for a touchdown on a tough contested grab. Quinn already has nine receptions on ten targets since returning to action in Week 11 and is building trust with quarterback Colt McCoy, who spoke highly of him in a recent interview saying “He understands how to play in the slot, I think he’s just only going to get better and better. He definitely made some plays for us today and we’ll count on him more – I know I will.”

*The below tables are the top-10 in targets for the season in the red zone and inside the 10 yard line. Take note that targets inside the 10 are also included in inside the 20.

Red Zone Carries

Christian McCaffrey – CMC was a monster in the red zone this week. He carried the ball nine times and hauled in four passes for a total of 13(!) red zone touches. He found pay dirt once on the ground and once on a reception. He has been seeing more and more red zone work lately and he is now fourth in the NFL with 32 red zone carries. Known more as a small pass catching back, McCaffrey has even done strong work inside the opponent’s five yard line as he has pounded it into the end zone on four-out-of-nine such carries. Needless to say, he has been a fantasy beast.

Nick Chubb – Chubb carried the football four times in the red zone this week and plunged one of them into the end zone. He also caught two balls in the red zone and took one of them to the house for a two touchdown game. The best part about this game for Chubb owners is the fact that he caught a touchdown and overall hauled in three passes. It was his second straight three-reception game and he now has nine receptions over the last four games after starting the season with zero receptions in his first seven games.

Leonard Fournette – Fournette makes his third straight appearance in the red zone report after carrying the ball four times and punching it into the end zone twice. Fournette is a beast down around the goal line and simply just knows how to deliver touchdowns. He has five touchdowns in three games since returning to action in Week 10. Unfortunately for Fournette owners they will have to try and get by without him in Week 13 after he was suspended one game for stupidly throwing punches during a brawl in the team’s Week 12 loss to the Bills.

*The below tables are the top-10 in carries for the season in the red zone and inside the five yard line. Take note that carries inside the five are also included in inside the 20.

Red Zone Passing

Baker Mayfield – Mayfield used seven red zone pass attempts to compile four touchdowns in the Browns 35-20 win over the Bengals. Mayfield is having a very strong rookie campaign and his work in the red zone has been extraordinary; he now has 14 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. It was his fifth straight multi-touchdown game and he has seven over the last two weeks. He will be a solid play for the remainder of the season and has a very bright future.

Lamar Jackson – Jackson had a solid game in the red zone both through the air and on the ground. He finished with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown on four pass attempts and two carries. Jackson is electric with his legs, which makes him hard to stop in the red zone. That being said, he will need to improve as a passer to keep teams from really keying in on him as a runner. He is 2-0 thus far as a starting quarterback, but he will have his toughest test to date this Sunday when the Ravens head to Atlanta.

Philip Rivers – Rivers tossed three red zone touchdowns on six pass attempts in the Chargers 45-10 win over Arizona. Rivers is now sixth in the NFL in red zone touchdowns with 17 and he is third in the NFL in red zone completion percentage (among quarterbacks with 40+ attempts) with a 65% mark. The veteran continues to get the job done and for the season he now has 26 touchdowns to just six interceptions. His current completion percentage of 69.5%, passer rating of 115.7, and yards per pass attempt mark of 9.07 would all be new career highs.

*The below tables are the top-10 in pass attempts for the season in the red zone and inside the 10 yard line. Take note that pass attempts inside the 10 are also included in inside the 20.

Team Defense Red Zone Stats

Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals surrendered touchdowns on all five of the Browns red zone drives. As noted above, Mayfield and Chubb had no trouble tearing apart this defense and it has been a common theme for the Bengals defense as they have now allowed an average of 37.8 points per game over their last five. The rough week moved them down the red zone touchdown percentage against board and they now have the fourth worst mark in the NFL at 70%. They do, however, have a more favorable matchup this week with Denver who is 20^th in the NFL at red zone touchdown scoring percentage.

Houston Texans – The Texans held the Titans out of the end zone on both of their red zone drives. Their defense has been playing outstanding and they have now allowed fewer than 25 points in seven straight games. Over that span they are allowing an average points against total of just 16.3. They have a tougher matchup with the Browns this week on tap as Cleveland has scored 28 and 35 points in their last two games respectively. It looks like a good game on paper.  

*The below table shows the red zone stats for all 32 teams. How many attempts have been made against each team, how many touchdowns were converted, and the percentage of how often those red zone drives result in touchdowns.