Targets are paramount when it comes to evaluating pass-catchers for fantasy football. There are no receiving yards, touchdowns, or receptions without a target. We want the players on our rosters in fantasy football who will earn these targets because targets are the most important thing to look at when trying to separate one pass-catcher from another on a base level. Sure, the player that earned 160 targets may be a better fantasy option than the player who earned 110, but that doesn’t take into account the offenses these players are in, the target share percentages on their particular team, how deep down the field these targets were earned, and so on. Each week, we’ll take a weekly team-by-team look into these target earners and separate the wheat from the chaff. 

We're through 12 weeks of the NFL season, and we got a break this week with each team playing this week with the Thanksgiving holiday. We'll go through some team and player usage tendencies. Before we get into the Target Report for Week 12, let's dive into a legend of terms we'll be referencing:
 

Bye Weeks:

Week 8: Chiefs, Chargers

Week 9: Browns, Cowboys, Broncos, Giants, Steelers, 49ers

Week 10: Ravens, Bengals, Patriots, Jets

Week 11: Jaguars, Dolphins, Seahawks, Buccaneers

Week 12: No byes!

Week 13: Cardinals, Panthers

Week 14: Falcons, Bears, Packers, Colts, Saints, Commanders

NOTE:

Start Your Studs: Players you should be starting in all formats, regardless of matchup. Use your judgment in shallower leagues where players who are typically startable are plentiful.

Keep Them Rostered: Players that should be rostered in all formats assuming 12-team leagues with six-player benches. League size designations or other designations (bench stash, etc.) will be in parenthesis next to players for deeper leagues. As always, this is a general recommendation; depending on your league, use your best judgment.

Example: Terrace Marshall (14), Alexander Mattison (bench stash).

Dump ‘Em: Players that you should be dropping from your rosters. Use your judgment in deeper leagues where players with usefulness on waivers aren’t as plentiful.

NFL Week 13 Target Report

Arizona Cardinals

With Marquise Brown back in the fold for the Cardinals, a lot of fantasy managers were a bit apprehensive about starting him in his first game, and rightly so. Those concerns were largely lifted away when Brown (6-46, team-leading eight targets) ran 97% of routes per dropback, which also led the Cardinals.

Another great thing to see is that James Conner is back into a huge workload as he played 97% of snaps and ran routes at an 85% clip.

The Cardinals were very run-heavy (50.8%) in Week 12 compared to their season-long average (65.8% — seventh in the NFL in pass play %).

Week 12 Arizona Cardinals Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: DeAndre Hopkins, James Conner, Marquise Brown, Kyler Murray (when healthy)

Keep Them Rostered: Rondale Moore (when healthy), Greg Dortch (when healthy and if Rondale Moore remains out), Trey McBride (deep 12 & 14 team), Keaontay Ingram (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Atlanta Falcons

It’s the Atlanta Falcons. We’re gluttons for punishment every week, but we press onwards.

The only Falcons pass-catchers we’re even considering for fantasy purposes are Cordarrelle Patterson and Drake London. Patterson (3-19, five targets, 11 carries, 52 yds.) has the running back utility of course, which makes him a weekly starter.

It’s still the same song and dance for every wide receiver or tight end for the Falcons, though. There’s just not enough passing volume to comfortably put them in your lineup. You’re hoping for a touchdown. Despite great per route metrics from London (2-29, four targets) — and previously, Kyle Pitts — that’s why we can’t start them. Volume drives fantasy football. We think we’re great at prognosticating who is going to get volume but then Arthur Smith and the Falcons prove that the NFL is chaotic.

This week, it was Olamide Zaccheaus (5-91, eight targets) leading the way with targets and all other receiving production. His eight targets were as many as he had in his previous three games combined. We’re not adding him unless you’re the aforementioned “glutton for punishment”.

I just might be too. I mean, I wrote three paragraphs on the Atlanta Falcons.

Week 12 Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Cordarrelle Patterson

Keep Them Rostered: Drake London, Tyler Allgeier, Marcus Mariota (deep 12 & 14)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Baltimore Ravens

This also applies to the 2022 Baltimore Ravens.

In a game where the Jaguars came back to win, there really wasn’t much to glean from this game outside of a dropped touchdown from the hands of Mark Andrews (4-50, seven targets).

Josh Oliver (4-76-1, six targets, just 57% of routes) was the one-for-one substitute for Isaiah Likely being out, and he reaped the benefits as the one target that did something meaningful in the passing game. Still, nobody started him, and nobody should start him. The Ravens can’t even find a reliable wide receiver in the post-Rashod Bateman era. They were so hard up for able bodies that they brought DeSean Jackson back from the dead to earn three targets (2-74) on just 19% of routes.

Week 12 Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Mark Andrews, Lamar Jackson

Keep Them Rostered: Gus Edwards, Kenyan Drake (deep 12 & 14 team), Justice Hill (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: I’m not continuing to roster Devin Duvernay or Demarcus Robinson. Neither have enough week-to-week viability, and it’s totally random when one pops off for a usable stat line in fantasy. This offense has underperformed for weeks now, especially in the passing game. With rostering these secondary pieces, it feels like a recipe for disappointment trotting out one of Duvernay or Robinson in lineups.

Buffalo Bills

The key takeaway from the Bills’ Thanksgiving game (that was much closer than it had any right to be) was Isaiah McKenzie’s monster game (6-98-1, 10 targets, 75% routes) that saw him downfield as well (13.1-yard aDOT). Outside of Week 11, three of McKenzie’s highest routes shares of the season have come in the last four weeks, so I’m totally fine throwing him in my flex spot with the strength of this offense in mind.

Gabe Davis (4-38, five targets, 89% routes) was very “Mack Hollins-adjacent” on Thanksgiving and frankly, has been all season. He has been running routes consistently in the 85-95% range all season, but he’s been pretty boom or bust. I’m still fine starting Davis in my flex, but we took this season and the increased opportunity he was getting to get a much closer look

Stefon Diggs? #good. Goes without saying.

Week 12 Buffalo Bills Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Devin Singletary

Keep Them Rostered: Gabe Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, Dawson Knox

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Carolina Panthers

Just like Hailey’s Comet, which is visible from Earth every 75-79 years, it seems like DJ Moore (4-103-1, six targets, 100% route participation) catching a touchdown is a similarly rare occurrence, but that is exactly what happened in Week 12. Moore was far and away the best pass-catcher for the Panthers as no other Panther notched anything above three targets, two receptions, or 21 receiving yards.

That’s a big yikes. This offense is a big yikes.

Week 12 Carolina Panthers Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: *shudders*

Keep Them Rostered: DJ Moore, D’Onta Foreman, Terrace Marshall (deep 12 & 14 team), Chuba Hubbard (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Chicago Bears

Just like the Panthers previously, you can’t even trust any of these pass-catchers; even the top ones. Chase Claypool (2-51, five targets) did notch 75% routes, which was his highest routes per dropback in a Bears uniform.

With Darnell Mooney being lost early on and being done for the season with his ankle injury, the passing game will condense to Claypool and Cole Kmet (3-27, six targets, 93% routes) at the top with a ton of secondary guys mixing and matching in to flatten out the target distribution. That’s just another layer on why it’s so hard to trust any of these Bears’ pass-catchers in fantasy — low volume on top of flat distribution with so many guys involved in the offense.

Plus, you know, the fact that Trevor Siemien starting for an injured Justin Fields. There’s the cherry on top of that disgusting fantasy sundae/Sunday. Both work. Unlike the Bears.

Week 12 Chicago Bears Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Justin Fields (when healthy)

Keep Them Rostered: David Montgomery, Cole Kmet, Chase Claypool, Khalil Herbert (when healthy)

Dump ‘Em: Darnell Mooney suffered an ankle injury, and he’ll be out for the season. In seasonal redraft leagues, he can be safely dropped.

Cincinnati Bengals

Tee Higgins? #good. So so good. His 7-114-1 line on nine targets and 98% routes shows he is just as capable as Ja’Marr Chase when Chase is out, and even WITH Chase back in the lineup. That could happen in Week 13 which boosts this passing game even more.

With Joe Mixon sidelined for Week 12, the Bengals were just as pass-focused as ever with a 10.8% pass rate over expected (PROE). Most of the production went to Higgins’ side, but besides a solid outing from Hayden Hurst (6-57, nine targets, 79% routes), only Mixon’s fill-in Samaje Perine (4-35, seven targets, 80% snaps, 69% routes) notched more than four targets among Bengals in Week 12.

This is still a highly productive passing game, but a Chase return knocks everybody but Higgins down a peg in the offense in terms of fantasy viability.

Week 12 Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Ja’Marr Chase (when healthy), Tee Higgins, Joe Burrow, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon (when healthy)

Keep Them Rostered:  Hayden Hurst, Samaje Perine (quality start in fantasy if Mixon remains out, 14 team hold if Mixon is active)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Cleveland Browns

I don’t want to say throw everything out the window from what we’ve seen from the Browns thus far in 2022, but this is one of the rare instances where a lot could change on a dime with the Browns in terms of fantasy and their passing game options. Deshaun Watson makes his return to the Browns lineup after a lengthy suspension and looking at this from purely a fantasy lens, should improve the environment considerably. No knock on Jacoby Brissett because he’s exceeded everybody’s expectations this season, but this offense takes a step up with Watson.

Amari Cooper (7-94, 12 targets) has been really, really good all season and Week 12 was no exception. Add in a returning David Njoku (5-29-1, seven targets), who made one of the sickest catches you’ll see, and this offense is set up for success that should prop these options up even further. 

We could even see another relevant wide receiver here, like a Donovan Peoples-Jones or David Bell step up. Peoples-Jones has already been fantasy relevant at times this season, so it wouldn’t exactly be a stretch to see him fully fleshed out.

The Browns have been one of the most run-heavy teams in the league, but could they increase their passing volume with Watson at quarterback? Potentially, as the Browns’ season-long -6.6% PROE (fifth-lowest in the NFL) has room to come up, but it’s likely staying run heavy, and Watson just boosts the efficiency. That’s the likely outcome. 

Week 12 Cleveland Browns Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Amari Cooper, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Deshaun Watson

Keep Them Rostered: Donovan Peoples-Jones, Kareem Hunt, David Bell (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: If you were rostering Jacoby Brissett, you can drop him with Watson assuming the starting quarterback role.

Dallas Cowboys

With Ezekiel Elliott healthy and back in the lineup, I was a bit skeptical about how much run Tony Pollard would get in the offense on Thanksgiving. I was worried the other show would drop but thankfully, Pollard still outsnapped Elliott 59% to 51% and both were on the field together at times. Pollard also outcarried Elliott (18-16), but Elliott got the touchdown on the ground. Both can coexist, and they will be relied on for Dallas. Continue to start Pollard as you were before Elliott's injury. If you weren't starting him previous to the injury, now's a good time to start!

The offense was hyper-condensed to both CeeDee Lamb (6-106, 11 targets) and Michael Gallup (5-63, eight targets) with identical 94% routes per dropback. Gallup had a lot of his production in the first couple of series which certainly isn’t great, but it’s still flex-worthy for fantasy.

Dalton Schultz (4-31-2, four targets) caught both touchdowns on just 58% of routes — down from Week 10’s 73% and Week 11’s 68%. A worrying trend and it shows the kind of floor Schultz has if he’s not catching touchdowns — an unstable one.

Week 12 Dallas Cowboys Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard

Keep Them Rostered: Dalton Schultz, Michael Gallup

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Denver Broncos

The Broncos are terrible.

Courtland Sutton (6-75, eight targets, 93% routes) and Kendall Hinton (5-35, nine targets, 95% routes) carried 53% of the team’s targets. Greg Dulcich (2-11, three targets, 80% routes) hasn’t been that good lately either. My personal brand (and 18th-round Dulcich best ball shares) shattered by Russell Wilson; you hate to see it.

This is not a fruitful offensive ecosystem. 

Week 12 Denver Broncos Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: I can’t recommend any must-start options here.

Keep Them Rostered: Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy (when healthy), Latavius Murray, Greg Dulcich, Russell Wilson, Chase Edmonds, Kendall Hinton

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Detroit Lions

The Lions played the Bills tough, but there are a few things to like here.

First off, Amon-Ra St. Brown? VERY #good. A 9-122-1 line on targets will do that.

Only two other wide receivers even earned a target here, with DJ Chark (2-16-1) returning to an 80% route participation and Kalif Raymond (4-35) earning six targets. St. Brown, Chark, and Raymond earned roughly 60% of the team’s targets, and D’Andre Swift (4-24, eight targets) was back to his target-earning ways with a heavy 57% TPRR on limited routes (36%). That’s one target for more than every other route he ran. He’s still splitting that Detroit backfield with Jamaal Williams (42% snaps), but both are plenty viable going forward.

Week 12 Detroit Lions Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jamaal Williams

Keep Them Rostered:  D’Andre Swift, DJ Chark, Jared Goff, Kalif Raymond, Jameson Williams (priority hold)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Green Bay Packers

The Packers only ran 49 plays, and it mystifies me why other fans of the team (I’m a Packers fan, full disclosure) cannot understand the issue with running the offense at such a slow pace. It’s great when you can be efficient and score when you want to, but when you’re clearly talent deficient and have a defense that is letting up over 350 rushing yards, you need to at least pick up the pace and not let them run the ball on you into submission.

Very flat target distribution for the Packers with one player over four targets, that being Christian Watson (4-110-1, six targets, 89% routes) — who scored a nice touchdown on a crossing route thrown by Jordan Love. Aaron Jones (3-56-1, four targets) and Randall Cobb (2-19-1, four targets, 61% routes) scored the other two touchdowns for the Packers, but they’re clearly deficient on defense and don’t have the horses outside of Watson to play any sort of catchup.

Allen Lazard’s (2-24, three targets) production has waned since Watson has taken over the bulk of the production for the Packers, putting up just an 11% TPRR. He continues to run a ton of routes, but he’s not somebody that will command targets on a consistent basis.

If the Packers do end up playing some games with Love in at quarterback, I’m honestly not sure there would be much of a dropoff from Rodgers, as Love seemed much more decisive with his throws than he was in his lone start last season. That might be a hot take, but oh well.

Week 12 Green Bay Packers Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Aaron Jones, Christian Watson,

Keep Them Rostered: Aaron Rodgers (if healthy), Allen Lazard, AJ Dillon, Romeo Doubs (when healthy)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Houston Texans

Well, it was Kyle Allen in for Davis Mills at quarterback, but if you ask me, there really wasn’t any difference at all. Just the same bad Texans.

Nico Collins (6-44, 80% routes) led the way with nine targets, Jordan Akins (5-61-1, five targets, 58% routes) scored the lone passing touchdown, and Brandin Cooks (5-59, five targets, 71% routes) was around.

A completely #ungood offense for fantasy.

Week 12 Houston Texans Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: …

Keep Them Rostered: Dameon Pierce, Brandin Cooks,  Nico Collins (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Indianapolis Colts

Matt Ryan at the very least improves the offensive potency of this offense. That doesn’t mean he’s good, but it at least props up some of the options here. Like Michael Pittman (7-61-1, 11 targets, 100% route and snaps) and Jelani Woods (8-98, nine targets, 33.3% TPRR), who had a coming out party but on 69% routes. Still, with no Kylen Granson on Monday night, Woods was able to feast as a grown man among boys in the middle of the field and a healthy 8.0-yard aDOT. Woods at least put himself into the mix as a possible tight end streamer if his routes can hold at the upper-60% range or even better, improve.

Both Pittman and Woods combined for 62.5% of the targets available for the Colts, and only three other players even caught a pass for the Colts.

Week 12 Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman,

Keep Them Rostered: Parris Campbell (deeper 12 team leagues), Alec Pierce (deep 12 & 14 team), Matt Ryan, Deon Jackson (deep 12 & 14 team), Jelani Woods (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Jacksonville Jaguars

Only six Jaguars earned targets, but the fantasy goodness was spread out to everybody but Evan Engram (1-4, one target), sorry, Andrew Cooper!

Up top for the Jaguars was Zay Jones (11-145, 14 targets, 36% TPRR), whose 132 air yards were seventh amongst all pass-catchers in Week 12. He made huge catch after huge catch, including the game-winning two-point conversion. Christian Kirk (4-46, nine targets, 95% routes), the usual top dog, had a quieter game by his standards.

Trevor Lawrence has been a top-eight quarterback in four of his last six games, including the last two. That should continue this week on the road against the Detroit Lions, the NFL’s answer to playing in MLB’s Coors Field.

Week 12 Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Travis Etienne, Christian Kirk, Trevor Lawrence

Keep Them Rostered: Zay Jones, Marvin Jones (14 team), JaMycal Hasty (a clear start if Etienne isn’t active), Evan Engram (deep 12 & 14 team), 

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs were nonplussed about the Rams in Week 12, as the Rams have been one hell of a bender after winning the Super Bowl last season. Lots of decreased routes share as the Chiefs pulled their best players off the field. JuJu Smith-Schuster (3-38, three targets) returned to the lineup to run only 46% of routes. If it were a more competitive game, I would be concerned, but I’m not.

Travis Kelce (4-57-1, eight targets) in a wholly non-competitive game is still #good.

Week 12 Kansas City Chiefs Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, JuJu Smith-Schuster (when healthy)

Keep Them Rostered: Isiah Pacheco, Marquez Valdes-Scantling (deep 12 & 14 team), Jerick McKinnon, Justin Watson (deep 12 & 14 team), Skyy Moore (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Las Vegas Raiders

Josh Jacobs is a STUD. 300 total yards, including an 86-yard touchdown in overtime to win it for the Raiders. Tack on six receptions for 74 yards too. Lord was I wrong on Jacobs, but to be fair, their offseason actions did foreshadow head coach Josh McDaniels using the modified Erhardt-Perkins system which would split up the rushing pie between several running backs, and “pass-catching” backs ala LeGarrette Blount and James White in New England as an example.

Davante Adams (7-74, 11 targets) is #good, although it was a floor game for him in Week 12. Foster Moreau (3-33-1, seven targets), Mack Hollins (4-63-1, five targets), and Ameer Abdullah (3-39-1, three targets) all caught touchdowns. Solid day at the office for the main options in Vegas.

Week 12 Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller (when healthy)

Keep Them Rostered: Hunter Renfrow (when healthy), Derek Carr, Mack Hollins (deep 12 team), Foster Moreau (should be rostered with Waller out, dropped when Waller returns), Zamir White (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert had 47 pass attempts in this one, with a pretty solid game in their comeback win over the Cardinals. Many Chargers ate in this one where they passed on 80% of their snaps.

Austin Ekeler (11-60-1, 15 targets) and DeAndre Carter (7-73-1, 10 targets) both had double-digit targets and scored touchdowns through the air here. Keenan Allen (5-49-1, 93% routes) also got in on the touchdown action with seven targets. Safe to say we’re getting prime Allen at the right time for the fantasy playoffs right around the corner. Gerald Everett (4-18, four targets) came back to only run routes on 60% of dropbacks, but he did catch the game-winning two-point conversion.

Week 12 Los Angeles Chargers Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Austin Ekeler, Justin Herbert, Mike Williams (when healthy), Keenan Allen

Keep Them Rostered: Josh Palmer, Gerald Everett, DeAndre Carter, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller (deeper 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Los Angeles Rams

Van Jefferson led the Rams in all receiving categories and scored the only touchdown for the Rams. That was on three receptions, 29 yards, and six targets.

You can’t start any pass-catcher from this offense. I will contact the authorities if you dare try.

Week 12 Los Angeles Rams Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: **does not compute**

Keep Them Rostered: Tyler Higbee (deep 12 and 14 team), Matthew Stafford (when healthy) Cam Akers (deep 12 and 14 team), Kyren Williams (deep 12 and 14 team), Van Jefferson (deep 12 and 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: Allen Robinson was placed on IR with his foot injury. He can safely dropped from fantasy rosters if you haven’t already.

Miami Dolphins

Miami was the clearly superior and dominant team in Week 12 over the Houston Texans and let’s be honest here: that’s not exactly a high bar to clear. The Dolphins got out to a 30-0 lead at halftime and took their foot off the gas, which explains why a lot of their key players like Tyreek Hill (6-85, nine targets, 73% routes) and Jaylen Waddle (5-85, 10 targets, 81% routes) had depressed routes and snap shares. Tua Tagovailoa was pulled as well for Skylar Thompson.

This game is one of the benefits of having a stat like pass rate over expected, where the Dolphins had the second-highest mark (11.4%) of Week 12. It’s totally context-driven through similar situations, game scripts, etc. The Dolphins remained skewed toward the pass when they needed to get out to their huge lead. THAT is what we want in fantasy for our pass-catchers.

Week 12 Miami Dolphins Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Tua Tagovailoa

Keep Them Rostered: Jeff Wilson, Mike Gesicki, Raheem Mostert, Trent Sherfield (deep 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

Minnesota Vikings

Typical story here for the Vikings on Thanksgiving with the big three taking most of the targets and leaving crumbs for the rest. Justin Jefferson (9-139-1, 11 targets; 1/1 passing, 11 yards), Adam Thielen (9-61-1, 10 targets), and T.J. Hockenson (5-43-1, six targets) also consolidated the touchdowns as well, with each having one en route to taking 73% of the team’s targets.

Dalvin Cook (22 carries, 42 yards; 4-14 receiving) snuck in five targets as well on what was a woefully inefficient game overall.

Week 12 Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen

Keep Them Rostered: Kirk Cousins, Alexander Mattison, K.J. Osborn (deeper 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A 

New England Patriots

Only six Patriots earned targets in Week 12 in what was a sort of wild turnaround with their pass rate. Their 68% pass rate was the highest they’ve had all season and with so many long pass plays, their 16.7% explosive pass rate (percentage of pass plays 15 yards or more) was the top mark in Week 12.

Jakobi Meyers (3-62, four targets) left early after just 38% of routes per dropback, so Rhamondre Stevenson (9-76, 10 targets) was the target leader for the Patriots and led in most receiving categories but receiving yards. Nelson Agholor (6-65-1, eight targets), DeVante Parker (4-80, four targets), and Hunter Henry (3-63-1, five targets) also chipped in as they all ran routes on 74% or higher.

I mean if the Patriots are going to let Mac Jones throw a little bit more, I’m all for it, and it’s going to ultimately be great for the Patriots’ pass-catchers, but knowing the Patriots, I can’t see this being more than a one-week blip. Prove me wrong, Belichick!

Week 12 New England Patriots Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Jakobi Meyers (when healthy), Rhamondre Stevenson

Keep Them Rostered: DeVante Parker, Hunter Henry (deeper 12 & 14 team), Damien Harris (deeper 12 & 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

New Orleans Saints

The Saints scored a total of zero points against one of the best defenses in the league.

Chris Olave (5-62, nine targets, 83% routes) still is the top dog in a fairly shallow pond (who will get this reference?), and Alvin Kamara was a disappointment with a 6-37 receiving line on seven targets receiving line plus just 13 yards rushing and two fumbles).

This offense with Andy Dalton at the helm is just #notgood.

Week 12 New Orleans Saints Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave

Keep Them Rostered: Jarvis Landry (deeper 12 and 14 team), Andy Dalton (deeper 12 and 14 team), Mark Ingram (deeper 12 and 14 team), Juwan Johnson (deeper 12 and 14 team), Taysom Hill (deeper 12 and 14 team)

Dump ‘Em: N/A

New York Giants

Honestly, not much to speak on regarding the Giants' offense as they did throw the ball 35 times but didn’t have that much production to go with it and targets were flat for the most part. Darius Slayton (3-63, 85% routes), Richie James (5-41-1, 87% routes), and Saquon Barkley (4-13, 56% routes) all had six targets, and that was about 62% of the team’s targets. 

James, in particular, took the vacated Wan’Dale Robinson role now that he’s on IR, which explains the huge jump in routes from Week 11’s 27%.

If I’m going to start anybody in this passing game that’s not named Barkley, it would be Slayton, as he’s running a starter’s share of routes consistently and with his heightened aDOT (18.0 yards in Week 12), he’s getting the kinds of targets we want too.

Week 12 New York Giants Fantasy Takeaways:

Start Your Studs: Saquon Barkley

Keep Them Rostered: Darius Slayton, Daniel Jones, Richie James (deep 12 and 14 team) 

Dump ‘Em: N/A

New York Jets