NFL Fantasy Football Red Zone Report: Week 16

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

Chris Herndon – Herndon, a fourth round rookie out of Miami, is someone I have been extremely impressed with this year and he had his biggest game of the season in the Jets 44-38 OT loss to the Packers this week. He finished the game with six receptions for 82 yards and a score on seven targets. He needs just six yards in Week 17 to break the 500 yard mark and is only four yards behind Mark Andrews for the yardage lead among rookie tight ends. As for his red zone stats this week, he finished with two receptions on three targets with the touchdown. Oh and he did this (click the word this and be dazzled). He is someone I will be very interested in for 2019.

Zach Ertz – Ertz was his usual self, beasting both outside the red zone and in the red zone. He finished with three receptions and a touchdown on three RZ targets. For the season he has 15 red zone receptions on 26 targets and seven touchdowns. Ertz is having an incredible season this year as he now has 113 receptions (15 more than the next closest TE), 1148 yards, and eight touchdowns. He had a premium price in drafts this year, but has been more than worth it.

Antonio Brown – Brown had another strong game in the red zone this week as he finished with two receptions - both were touchdowns - on four targets. While Brown is unlikely to hit the 1533 receiving yard mark that he hit last year (currently at 1297), he has already set a new career high in receiving touchdowns with 15. Remarkably, of the 15 touchdowns that Brown has this year only six of them have come in the RZ. You can expect Brown to be selected in the first round of fantasy drafts once again next year.

*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

Chris Carson – Carson rushed for over 115 yards for the second straight game and had a touchdown for the third straight game in the Seahawks 38-31 win over the Chiefs. He was a beast in this one and even more so in the red zone. He finished with seven RZ carries, 27 yards, and two touchdowns. He now has eight RZ touchdowns on the season and 100 of his 1029 rushing yards have come in the RZ. Needless to say, Carson has had a fantastic season and has been a key cog in Seattle’s success.

Alvin Kamara – Kamara has been a red zone volume monster this season, but that was not the case this week as he finished with only three total touches in the RZ. However, on those three touches he managed nine rushing yards, two touchdowns, and one reception for four yards. This guy is just so electric and such a hard player for opposing defenses to stop. I questioned if a 5’10, 215 pound back could repeat the eight rushing touchdown total he had as a rookie and boy was that the wrong thing to question as he now has 14(!) rushing touchdowns on the year. He has four more as a receiver too. A very impressive season from the second year back.

Jamaal Williams – Williams rumbled his way into the red zone report in his return as the Packers starting tailback. He finished with five RZ carries and plunged one of them into the end zone. As I stated in last week’s Snap Count Breakdown piece “He has a good matchup on tap too as the Packers head to New Jersey to take on the Jets. He is not the most talented back in the world, but the volume will be there.” That statement held true as the Jets were unable to stop him and he finished the game with 21 total touches and 156 total yards.

*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

Deshaun Watson – Watson, like many mobile quarterbacks, is a very difficult player to keep out of the end zone with his duel threat abilities. He completed three-of-four red zone pass attempts and had one touchdown. He also ran the ball three times and found pay dirt on two of them. In the red zone this year he has completed 40-of-73 passes for 308 yards and 20 touchdowns without throwing an interception. He has also carried the ball 16 times for 92 yards and four scores.

Baker Mayfield – Mayfield has easily been the best looking rookie quarterback in the league this year and he had another fantastic game this week. He completed six passes on seven attempts in the red zone and had three touchdowns. He has been incredible in the RZ all year long and now has 19 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Not enough? He is SECOND in the NFL in red zone completion percentage with his 69% mark. The Browns have finally found their franchise quarterback.

Ben Roethlisberger – Roethlisberger only completed four-of-ten red zone pass attempts this week, but he still managed to toss three touchdowns. Big Ben ranks top-10 among quarterbacks in RZ volume categories, as he is fifth in completions (51), fifth in attempts (90), sixth in yards (341), and eighth in touchdowns (20). However, the one category that he is the leader of is not a category you want to be the leader of as he has four red zone interceptions (sole possession of having the most). He will have a big game at home this week and they will defeat the Bengals.

*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

New York Jets – If you couldn’t tell by the final score (44-38 loss), the Jets had a tough time trying to stop the Packers this week. That rang true in the red zone too, as the only held Green Bay out of the end zone on one of their five RZ drives. The Jets defense has been very solid in the red zone this year, giving up touchdowns on only 50% of RZ drives, but they will have a tough task at a rebound in Week 17 as they take on the Patriots.

Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers fell to the Saints 31-28 and it was in large part due to their failure in the red zone on defense. The Saints scored touchdowns on all four of their RZ drives. Yes, the Saints are a very good offense, but failing to hold them to a field goal on a single RZ drive was an abysmal showing by Pittsburgh. They are now on the outside of the playoffs and will need to win in Week 17 while also needing the Ravens to lose.

*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.