Target Breakdown: WR & TE Usage Report + Week 17 Waivers Preview

Box Score Breakdown

Backfield Breakdown

Target Breakdown ⬇️   

Weekly Injury Report 🚑

New Injuries

• WR Drake London (hamstring / day-to-day)
• WR Zay Flowers (shoulder / day-to-day)
• WR Tank Dell (ACL tear / out for season)
• WR CeeDee Lamb (shoulder / day-to-day)
• WR Christian Watson (knee / day-to-day)
• WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring / week-to-week)
• WR Dyami Brown (hamstring / week-to-week)
• WR Jalen Tolbert (finger / day-to-day)
• TE David Njoku (knee / day-to-day)

Falcons WR Drake London left Sunday's blowout win over the Giants early in the fourth quarter, with coach Raheem Morris saying afterward that the wideout probably could've returned if he'd been needed. That's a good sign, but it doesn't necessarily mean London is fine for Week 17 at Washington.

Ravens WR Zay Flower played a full game without any sign of a problem, only to be listed as a non-participant on practice reports Sunday and Monday due to a shoulder injury. He's probably fine to handle his usual role Wednesday at Houston, but it's at least worth keeping an eye on.

Texans WR Tank Dell suffered a season-ending injury for the second time in as many pro seasons, this time going down with an ACL tear and dislocated kneecap. Coach DeMeco Ryans said there are "other things" that will need to be addressed when Dell has surgery, which probably means additional ligament damage beyond the ACL. He's unlikely to be ready for Week 1 next season, and it's fair to wonder if he'll ever be an effective player again. For the short term, fellow Texans WR John Metchie is the best bet to have fantasy value; he missed Saturday's loss at Kansas City but was listed as a full practice participant Monday (the Texans host Baltimore on Wednesday). Robert Woods and Xavier Hutchinson are the other candidates to take on more playing time.

Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb aggravated the AC joint sprain he's been playing through for over a month. He found his way to 100 yards despite playing only 29% of snaps after halftime — the third time this year that the injury has impacted his playing time in the second half of a game. He's yet to miss a game, however, and there hasn't been any suggestion that he's expected to sit out Week 17.

Browns TE David Njoku led his team in targets (10), catches (seven) and receiving yards (66) while playing through a hamstring injury Sunday, but he hurt his knee along the way and went for an MRI on Monday. There's not much reason to rush him back into action amid a lost season in Cleveland, so there's a decent chance he misses the final two weeks even if the MRI doesn't reveal anything too bad.

Missed Week 16

• WR George Pickens (hamstring / day-to-day) 
• WR Jaylen Waddle (knee / week-to-week)
• WR John Metchie (shoulder / day-to-day)
• WR Alec Pierce (concussion / day-to-day)
• WR Curtis Samuel (shoulder / day-to-day) 
• WR Nelson Agholor (concussion / day-to-day)
• WR Xavier Legette (hip / week-to-week
• WR Jalen Brooks (knee / day-to-day)
• WR Chris Olave (IR - concussion / eligible since Week 15)

The Steelers listed WR George Pickens as a full practice participant Monday, after coach Mike Tomlin said Sunday that the wideout had a shot to play in Wednesday's game against the Chiefs. Pickens said Monday that he's feeling good but still hasn't been cleared to play, suggesting it's not quite a lock despite the 'FP' listing on Pittsburgh's practice report.

• TE Cade Otton (knee / day-to-day) 
• TE Will Dissly (shoulder / week-to-week)
• TE Tanner Hudson (knee / week-to-week)
• TE Cade Stover (appendix / week-to-week)
• TE Dallas Goedert (knee / IR - eligible to return Week 18)
• TE Evan Engram (shoulder / IR - out for season)

Stock Report 📊

I'm focusing on role/usage more so than results/performance here, although there are certainly cases where the two are related or poor per-target efficiency can't just be written off as a small-sample or matchup problem. Unless otherwise specified, statistics shown below are from Week 16.  'SZN' is used to denote full-year stats.

• TPRR = Targets per Route Run
• YPRR = Yards per Route Run
• AY = Air Yards

Trending Up 📈

Wide Receivers 📈

A.J. Brown - 15 tgts on 32 routes (8-97-1)  /  SZN: 30% TPRR, 3.4 YPRR

Davante Adams - 20 more tgts than GW since trade (94-74, w/ 56-719-6 vs. 49-588-3)

Brian Thomas - four straight games with 10+ tgts, 16+ PPR points (league-high 539 AY)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba - 12 tgts, 145 AY (8-95-1)  /  8 straight games with 69+ yards

DJ Moore - 33% target share past 4 weeks

Keenan Allen - 31% target share past 4 weeks

Deebo Samuel - 7-96-1 receiving (team-high-tying 9 tgts, but only 23 AY), 5-25-0 rushing

Jalen McMillan - three straight games with 6+ tgts, 4+ catches, 57+ yards, 1+ TD

Hollywood Brown - 8 tgts on 14 routes, 54 AY (5-45-0)

Brandin Cooks - 89% routes, 3 tgts, 28 AY (3-49-)  /  Lamb shoulder aggravation

Olamide Zaccheaus - 72% snaps, 68% routes, 8 tgts (5-70-2)  /  SZN: 24% TPRR, 1.8 YPRR

Kayshon Boutte - 90% snaps, 89% routes, 7 tgts, 98 AY (5-95-1)

Calvin Austin - 80% snaps, 75% routes, 5 tgts, 95 AY (4-65-0)

Marvin Mims - 48% snaps, 50% routes (both season highs), 5 tgts, 62 AY (3-62-0)

John Metchie - Dell injury

Kendrick Bourne - 70% snaps, 79% routes (but only 2 tgts on 30 routes)

Jamison Crowder - 45% snaps, 45% routes, 4 tgts (2-15-2)  /  Dyami Brown injury

Tight Ends 📈

Mark Andrews - four straight games with 60+ percent route share and a TD

Sam LaPorta - six straight games with 6+ tgts, four straight with 10+ PPR points

Chigoziem Okonkwo - 84% snaps, 86% routes  /  21 tgts, 140 yards past 2 weeks

Jordan Akins - Njoku injury

Payne Durham - 93% snaps, 85% routes, 7 tgts, 43 AY (5-29-0)

Trending Down 📉

Wide Receivers 📉

Jerry Jeudy - 3 tgts on 37 routes  /  possible DTR or Zappe start Week 17

Michael Pittman - 11 routes, 3 tgts  /  Anthony Richardson factor

Amari Cooper - 55% snaps, 53% routes (both fourth among BUF WRs)

Ja'Lynn Polk - 3 snaps on offense, 0 tgts

Elijah Moore - 5 tgts on 30 routes  /  possible DTR or Zappe start Week 17

JuJu Smith-Schuster - 39% snaps, 29% routes, 1 tgt

Tight Ends 📉

Cole Kmet - 6 tgts over past 4 games  /  SZN: 13% TPRR, 1.1 YPRR

Kyle Pitts - 43% snaps, 56% routes, 2 tgts  /  <50% snaps in 3 of past 4 games

Dalton Kincaid - fewer snaps and routes than Dawson Knox in back-to-back games

Ja'Tavion Sanders - 0 tgts on 17 routes (59%)  /  2 tgts on 55 routes past 3 games

Waivers Look-Ahead ±

*Only includes players rostered in 60 percent or less of Yahoo Leagues

Wide Receivers

Potential Starters

1. Jalen McMillan - 45%
2. Hollywood Brown - 32% 
3. Dontayvion Wicks -  14%
4. Romeo Doubs - 45%
5. Jalen Coker - 5%
6. Quentin Johnston - 39%
7. Wan'Dale Robinson - 31%
8. Rashod Bateman - 27%
9. Keon Coleman - 41%
10. Brandin Cooks - 15%
11. Ray-Ray McCloud - 20%
12. DeMario Douglas - 21%
13. Kayshon Boutte - 3%
14. Parker Washington - 2%
15. Calvin Austin - 8%
16. Malik Washington - 3%

Tight Ends

Recommended Adds

1. Hunter Henry - 49%
2. Dalton Schultz - 56%
3. Zach Ertz - 49%
4. Chigoziem Okonkwo - 6%
5. Noah Fant - 18%
6. Brenton Strange - 33% (shoulder)
7. Isaiah Likely - 22% 
8. Payne Durham - 0%
9. Tyler Conklin - 11%
10. Cole Kmet - 47%
11. Austin Hooper - 1%
12. Juwan Johnson - 11%