RADIO
Your wide receivers remain essential components toward your primary goal of securing league championships. As the season unfolds, an expanding collection of tools are available that can provide you with an extensive level of knowledge regarding this critical position. Those results provide the foundation for this weekly statistical breakdown of the wide receiver position, which I will be constructing for a fourth consecutive season.
This will be the third installment that will examine game-specific data, including updated totals for targets, first downs, red-zone targets, snap counts, and a blend of advanced statistics. The information that is contained in this weekly report will analyze how various receivers are being utilized, and how effectively they are capitalizing on their opportunities. It is also designed to help with your roster decisions throughout the season.
As the season progresses noteworthy changes in usage and production will be blended into the equation. That will bolster your efforts to determine which wide receivers should be in your lineups, and which are worthy of remaining on your rosters. Statistics from our newly designed player pages at RotoBaller were included during the compilation of data, while Pro Football Reference, NextGenStats, Rotowire, Rotoviz, PFF, and Football Outsiders were also used as resources in the creation of this report.
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Week 3 Target Leaders
- 12 receptions
- 132 yards
- 1 TD@AaronRodgers12 & @tae15adams make it look easy.#GBvsSF | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/SoK0mvJBlq— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 27, 2021
Davante Adams had been targeted 16 times during his first two games. But he has now vaulted into the overall lead (34) after stockpiling 18 targets during Green Bay's matchup with San Francisco. It is the first game in which Adams has attained a double-digit target total this season after he had finished 2020 as one of only three receivers to capture 10+ targets in 10 different matchups. His 18 targets also matched the second-highest weekly target total of his career.
Cooper Kupp is currently the only wide receiver who has reached a double-digit target total in each of his first three matchups this season (10/11/12), which has elevated him into second overall behind Adams (33). Kupp has already matched the total number of times that he captured 10+ targets throughout all of the 2020 regular season. Keenan Allen is tied with Kupp, and has now collected 10+ targets in 12 of his last 16 contests. Brandin Cooks is fourth overall (32), and has now accumulated 25 targets since Week 2. He is assembling an impressive compilation of numbers that will be discussed further in the 5 Things I Noticed section.
Mike Williams is one of three receivers who have collected 31 targets, and he just missed accruing 10+ for a third consecutive week (9). William’s overall total ties him with D.J. Moore who collected a season-high 12 targets in Week 3. Moore’s 30.7% target share also places him seventh overall entering Week 4. Stefon Diggs has also accumulated 31 targets, after reaching 10+ for the second time in three weeks. Three additional wide receivers have been targeted 30+ times. This includes Justin Jefferson, who collected a season-high 11 when Minnesota hosted Seattle in Week 3. He is joined by Cole Beasley who has been targeted 13 times in two of his first three games – including Buffalo’s Week 3 matchup with Washington. Deebo Samuel has also attained 30 targets after capturing 10+ for the second time this season. Samuel also completes the list of 10 receivers who have been targeted 30+ times during their first three matchups.
Three different receivers have attained 29 targets. This included Chase Claypool, who captured 15 in Week 3 after averaging seven per game in Weeks 1-2. Jakobi Meyers has also accumulated 29 targets after 14 were distributed by the struggling Mac Jones. in Week 3. Meyers had entered New England's matchup with New Orleans averaging 7.5 per game. Calvin Ridley has also accrued 29 targets after he collected a season-high 11 in Week 3. Ridley is now 21st among wide receivers in target share (25%) and is currently tied for 11th in targets, after entering Week 1 as a logical candidate to lead the league in each category.
Michael Pittman Jr. has accrued 12 targets during each of his last two games after failing to reach 10 targets during any of his 13 matchups last season. Pittman’s season total (28) ties him with Marvin Jones, whose eight targets in Week 3 represented his lowest weekly total of the season. Anyone who invested a first-round draft selection in Tyreek Hill does not want to be reminded that he has now collected just 11 targets during his last two games combined. It is the first time that Hill has performed in two consecutive games without reaching 10 targets since Weeks 5-6 of 2020.
Hill’s season-long total (26) ties him with Jaylen Waddle. who leads all rookie receivers in that category. Both Hill and Waddle are currently tied with Adam Thielen who has now been targeted 9+ times in two of his first three outings. Amari Cooper has also collected 26 targets. However, he has only averaged 4.5 per game since Week 1. Chris Godwin, Terry McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf, and Mike Evans, complete the list of 24 receivers who have accumulated 25+ targets entering Week 4.
Week 3 Weekly Changes
| Wide Receiver | Week 2 | Week 3 | Changes |
| Davante Adams | 9 | 18 | +9 |
| Cole Beasley | 4 | 13 | +9 |
| Jakobi Meyers | 6 | 14 | +8 |
| Kalif Raymond | 2 | 10 | +8 |
| Chase Claypool | 9 | 15 | +6 |
| Jaylen Waddle | 8 | 13 | +5 |
| Corey Davis | 5 | 10 | +5 |
| Nelson Agholor | 3 | 8 | +5 |
| Kendrick Bourne | 3 | 8 | +5 |
| Mohamed Sanu | 1 | 6 | +5 |
| Kendrick Bourne | 3 | 8 | +5 |
| Keenan Allen | 8 | 12 | +4 |
| Christian Kirk | 4 | 8 | +4 |
| Byron Pringle | 2 | 6 | +4 |
| Tyler Johnson | 2 | 6 | +4 |
| James Washington | 1 | 5 | +4 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | 2 | 6 | +4 |
| Darnell Mooney | 8 | 4 | -4 |
| Julio Jones | 8 | 4 | -4 |
| K.J. Osborn | 6 | 2 | -4 |
| Mecole Hardman | 8 | 4 | -4 |
| Adam Humphries | 8 | 4 | -4 |
| Dyami Brown | 6 | 2 | -4 |
| Robby Anderson | 6 | 2 | -4 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | 5 | 1 | -4 |
| Darius Slayton | 6 | 1 | -5 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 9 | 3 | -6 |
| Rondale Moore | 8 | 2 | -6 |
| Quintez Cephus | 7 | 1 | -6 |
| Terry McLaurin | 14 | 7 | -7 |
| Sterling Shepard | 10 | 3 | -7 |
| Tyler Lockett | 11 | 4 | -7 |
| Courtland Sutton | 12 | 5 | -7 |
| A.J. Brown | 9 | 2 | -7 |
| Braxton Berrios | 11 | 3 | -8 |
For the second consecutive week, exactly 17 wide receivers were targeted at least 10 times during their matchups. Adams' 18 targets led all receivers, as he soared to a 60% target share after entering the matchup with a 26.7% share.
Chase Claypool accrued the week’s second-highest target total (15), as he operated without the usual level of competition for targets. Claypool registered a 25.9% target share, as Diontae Johnson was sidelined (knee), and JuJu Smith-Schuster was limited to 33 snaps (ribs).
Mac Jones finds Jakobi Meyers for a 27-yard gain. #Patriots | #ForeverNE| #NOvsNE pic.twitter.com/TmbAgpXzas
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) September 26, 2021
Jakobi Meyers registered the fourth double-digit target total of his career in Week 3 (14), while Cole Beasley’s 13 targets in Week 3 were collected just one week after he had been relegated to just four. That tied Beasley with Jaylen Waddle, who had entered the week averaging 6.5 per game.
Keenan Allen been targeted at least 12 times by Justin Herbert in two of the Chargers' first three contests, which includes his Week 3 target total (12). Cooper Kupp also registered 12 targets, after he captured a 31.6% share in Week 3.
D.J. Moore also captured 12 targets in Week 3 and will easily surpass the career-high season 135 that he attained in 2019 if he sustains his current 10.3 per game average. Michael Pittman also collected 12 targets and has now registered the highest two-game total of his career in Weeks 2/3 (24).
Among the remaining wide receivers who collected 10+ targets in Week 3, Kalif Raymond’s name is easily the most unexpected. Raymond had never exceeded four targets in a game since entering the NFL (2016). But he accrued 10 in Week 3, exactly one week after he had only been targeted twice.
Adams also registered the largest week-to-week increase in his target totals (+9) as a byproduct of his surge to 18 in Week 3. That tied him with Beasley, who has now attained 10+ targets in five of his last seven contests. Meyers’ career-best weekly total (14) occurred one week after he was limited to six targets, which triggered a weekly rise of +8. That was also matched by Raymond’s surge of +8 after his career-best total in Week 3.
Claypool’s 15 targets also established a new career-high, while resulting in a weekly increase of +6. Waddle’s 13 targets continued a promising trend of steady improvement in his usage (5/8/13), while also resulting in a weekly rise of +5. That tied the newcomer with Corey Davis, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, and Mohamed Sanu.
Braxton Berrios has tied his career-high while collected 11 targets in Week 2. But Zach Wilson only distributed three targets to Berrios in Week 3, which produced the largest weekly decline (-8). Terry McLaurin's fluctuating weekly totals have now included a rise of +10 (4/14) and a decline of -7 after he was targeted seven times by Taylor Heinicke in Week 3. That tied him with Courtland Sutton, who was limited to five targets just one week after he had accumulated a career-high 12 during Denver’s first full game without Jerry Jeudy.
Tyler Lockett’s total of four targets also resulted in a weekly drop of -7, during a Week 3 matchup that included his fourth-quarter knee injury. Sterling Shepard's hamstring issue limited him to three targets during the Giants’ matchup with Atlanta, which fueled his weekly decline of -7. CeeDee Lamb's has registered a decrease of -6 for two consecutive weeks as his targets have steadily plunged since the Cowboys' season opener (15/9/3). That tied Lamb with Quintez Cephus and Rondale Moore, who was only targeted twice in Week 2.
Week 3 Air Yards
| Wide Receiver | Air Yards | Air Yards % | aDOT |
| Brandin Cooks | 428 | 57.99 | 13.4 |
| Davante Adams | 410 | 43.11 | 12.1 |
| Stefon Diggs | 409 | 36.07 | 12.8 |
| Chase Claypool | 363 | 40.56 | 12.5 |
| D.J. Chark | 359 | 32.37 | 16.3 |
| Marquise Brown | 349 | 35.29 | 15.2 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 349 | 36.7 | 21.8 |
| Mike Evans | 342 | 30.92 | 13.7 |
| Marvin Jones | 339 | 30.57 | 12.1 |
| Emmanuel Sanders | 338 | 29.81 | 16.9 |
| Courtland Sutton | 335 | 38.11 | 16.8 |
| Tyreek Hill | 334 | 36.74 | 12.8 |
| Justin Jefferson | 333 | 47.17 | 11.1 |
| D.J. Moore | 330 | 40.79 | 10.6 |
| D.K. Metcalf | 318 | 42.23 | 12.7 |
| Henry Ruggs III | 309 | 24.7 | 16.3 |
| Michael Pittman | 302 | 47.19 | 10.8 |
| Sammy Watkins | 301 | 30.43 | 13.7 |
| DeVonta Smith | 301 | 43.1 | 14.3 |
| DeVante Parker | 299 | 36.33 | 13 |
| A.J. Brown | 289 | 34.28 | 15.2 |
| Mike Williams | 287 | 33.8 | 9.3 |
| Jakobi Meyers | 287 | 29.38 | 9.9 |
| Tyler Lockett | 283 | 37.58 | 14.2 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 275 | 37.3 | 10.2 |
| Keenan Allen | 274 | 32.27 | 8.3 |
| Cooper Kupp | 269 | 33.33 | 8.2 |
| Kenny Golladay | 265 | 29.35 | 13.9 |
| Christian Kirk | 265 | 33.33 | 15.6 |
| Nelson Agholor | 264 | 27.02 | 14.7 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | 264 | 43.85 | 16.5 |
| Corey Davis | 258 | 27.98 | 11.7 |
| Calvin Ridley | 255 | 47.31 | 8.8. |
| Julio Jones | 239 | 28.35 | 13.3 |
| Elijah Moore | 235 | 25.49 | 13.1 |
| A.J. Green | 211 | 26.54 | 11.7 |
| Amari Cooper | 211 | 28.6 | 8.4 |
| Deebo Samuel | 209 | 38.49 | 7 |
| Terry McLaurin | 208 | 33.17 | 8.3 |
| Antonio Brown | 207 | 28.4 | 20.7 |
| Bryan Edwards | 205 | 16.39 | 15.8 |
Brandin Cooks leads all wide receivers with 428 air yards entering Week 4. Davante Adams is now second (410), followed by Stefon Diggs (409), Chase Claypool (363), D.J. Chark (359), and two receivers that are tied with 349 - Marquise Brown, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Mike Evans is seventh overall (342), followed by Marvin Jones (339), Emmanuel Sanders (338), Courtland Sutton (335), Tyreek Hill (334), Justin Jefferson (333), and D.J. Moore (330). D.K. Metcalf (318), Henry Ruggs (309), Michael Pittman (302), Sammy Watkins (301), and DeVonta Smith (301) are also among the 19 wide receivers who have accrued 300+ air yards.
Cooks also leads his position in percentage share of air yards (58.0), followed by Calvin Ridley (47.3), Michael Pittman (47.2), Justin Jefferson (47.2), Ja’Marr Chase (43.9), DeVonta Smith (43.1). Davante Adams (43.1)., and D.K. Metcalf (42.3). D.J. Moore is next (40.8), followed by Chase Claypool (40.6), Deebo Samuel (38.5), Courtland Sutton (38.2), Tyler Lockett (37.6), CeeDee Lamb (37.3), Tyreek Hill (36.7), and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (36.7). DeVante Parker is next (36.3), followed by Stefon Diggs (36.1), Marquise Brown (35.3), Darnell Mooney (35.2), A.J. Brown (34.3), Mike Williams (33.8), and Colin Johnson (33.6).
Valdes-Scantling also leads in targeted air yards 20.4. He is followed by Robby Anderson (18.4), Antonio Brown (17.9), Emmanuel Sanders (17.1), Ja’Marr Chase (16.4), Courtland Sutton (16.3), and D.J. Chark (16.2). Nelson Agholor is next (15.8), followed by Christian Kirk (15.4), Marquise Brown (15.3), A.J. Brown (15.3), DeVonta Smith (14.9), and Las Vegas teammates Bryan Edwards 14.8, and Henry Ruggs 14.8. The encouraging numbers that are being generated by that tandem of second-year receivers will be discussed in the 5 Things I Noticed section.
Week 3 First Downs
| Wide Receivers | First Downs |
| Cooper Kupp | 16 |
| D.J. Moore | 16 |
| Mike Williams | 16 |
| Keenan Allen | 16 |
| Davante Adams | 15 |
| Chris Godwin | 15 |
| Mike Evans | 14 |
| Brandin Cooks | 13 |
| Justin Jefferson | 13 |
| Deebo Samuel | 13 |
| Adam Thielen | 12 |
| Amari Cooper | 12 |
| Tyreek Hill | 12 |
| Terry McLaurin | 12 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 12 |
| Stefon Diggs | 11 |
| Sterling Shepard | 11 |
| Michael Pittman Jr. | 11 |
| D.K. Metcalf | 11 |
| Marquise Brown | 11 |
| Christian Kirk | 11 |
| Hunter Renfrow | 10 |
| Tim Patrick | 10 |
| Emmanuel Sanders | 10 |
| Calvin Ridley | 9 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 9 |
| Marvin Jones | 9 |
| Chase Claypool | 9 |
| DeVante Parker | 9 |
| Kenny Golladay | 9 |
| Henry Ruggs III | 9 |
| Robert Woods | 9 |
| Bryan Edwards | 9 |
| Cole Beasley | 8 |
| Tyler Lockett | 8 |
| Courtland Sutton | 8 |
| Tyler Boyd | 8 |
| Julio Jones | 8 |
| Sammy Watkins | 8 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | 8 |
| Mecole Hardman | 8 |
Four receivers are tied for the league in first down receptions, as Cooper Kupp, D.J. Moore, and Charger teammates Mike Williams and Keenan Allen have all collected 16. Davante Adams and Chris Godwin have captured 15 receptions, while Mike Evans is next with 14. Justin Jefferson, Brandin Cooks, and Deebo Samuel have all accumulated 13 receptions, while five receivers are tied with 12 - Adam Thielen, Terry McLaurin, Tyreek Hill, Amari Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb. Six receivers have accrued 11 receptions - Stefon Diggs, Michael Pittman, Sterling Shepard, D.K. Metcalf, Christian Kirk, and Marquise Brown- while Hunter Renfrow, Tim Patrick, and Emmanuel Sanders complete the list of 24 receivers who have collected 10+1st down receptions entering Week 4.
Week 3 Red Zone Targets
| Wide Receiver | Inside 20 | Inside 10 | Inside 5 |
| Keenan Allen | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| Mike Williams | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| Cooper Kupp | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| Calvin Ridley | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| Zach Pascal | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Cole Beasley | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Amari Cooper | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Davante Adams | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Chris Godwin | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Mike Evans | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Justin Jefferson | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Sterling Shepard | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Marvin Jones | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Stefon Diggs | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Rondale Moore | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Adam Thielen | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| A.J. Green | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Robert Woods | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Allen Robinson | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Brandin Cooks | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Marquise Brown | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Courtland Sutton | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Hunter Renfrow | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Tim Patrick | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Tee Higgins | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Terrace Marshall | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Mike Williams scores a touchdown for the 3rd straight week! @darealmike_dub #BoltUp
?: #LACvsKC on CBS
?: NFL app pic.twitter.com/VyJZHyuz63— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021
Keenan Allen leads all wide receivers in red zone targets (9), followed by his teammate Mike Williams (8). Three receivers are tied with seven targets inside the 20 (Calvin Ridley, Cooper Kupp, Zach Pascal), while Amari Cooper and Cole Beasley have accrued six. Three receivers have been targeted five times (Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans), while Justin Jefferson, Michael Pittman, and Rondale Moore are among the collection of 10 receivers that have collected four targets inside the 20.
Pascal has accrued a league-high six targets inside the 10, while Allen, Williams, Kupp, Ridley, and A.J. Green have all captured four. Adam Thielen, Michael Pittman, Adams, and Brandon Aiyuk have collected three, while nine different receivers have been targeted twice inside the 10.
A total of eight wide receivers are tied for the league lead with two targets inside the 5 - Kupp, Williams, Ridley, Thielen, Evans, Marvin Jones, Robert Woods, and Quintez Cephus.
Week 3 Snap Counts
| Wide Receiver | Week 3 | Total Snaps | Total Snap % |
| Adam Thielen | 70/95.9 | 208 | 96.3 |
| Jakobi Meyers | 68/97.1 | 193 | 95.54 |
| Amari Cooper | 60/84.5 | 192 | 89.3 |
| Emmanuel Sanders | 61/79.2 | 189 | 83.63 |
| Justin Jefferson | 60/82.2 | 188 | 87.04 |
| Michael Pittman | 53/92.9 | 186 | 93.94 |
| Stefon Diggs | 57/74 | 186 | 82.3 |
| Chris Godwin | 68/95.8 | 185 | 94.39 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 60/84.5 | 179 | 83.26 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 59/92.2 | 178 | 92.23 |
| Zach Pascal | 50/87.7 | 178 | 89.9 |
| Keenan Allen | 51/83.6 | 176 | 86.27 |
| Marvin Jones | 64/97 | 175 | 89.29 |
| Calvin Ridley | 57/96.6 | 175 | 87.5 |
| Terry McLaurin | 48/96 | 172 | 98.85 |
| Nelson Agholor | 57/81.4 | 171 | 84.65 |
| D.J. Moore | 51/72.9 | 167 | 80.68 |
| Bryan Edwards | 62/76.5 | 166 | 71.86 |
| Cole Beasley | 50/64.9 | 165 | 73.01 |
| Darnell Mooney | 41/97.6 | 164 | 95.35 |
| Sammy Watkins | 45/79 | 163 | 84.46 |
| Mike Evans | 59/84 | 163 | 83.16 |
| DeVonta Smith | 52/98.1 | 160 | 89.39 |
| Brandin Cooks | 46/94 | 160 | 86.49 |
| Tyreek Hill | 55/72.4 | 160 | 84.21 |
| Cooper Kupp | 51/81 | 159 | 91.38 |
| D.J. Chark | 57/86.4 | 159 | 81.12 |
| Corey Davis | 50/94.3 | 157 | 84.41 |
| DeVante Parker | 59/75.6 | 157 | 77.72 |
| Jaylen Waddle | 68/87.2 | 156 | 77.23 |
| A.J. Green | 50/78.1 | 155 | 80.31 |
| Courtland Sutton | 49/76.6 | 154 | 78.17 |
| Robert Woods | 55/87.3 | 153 | 87.93 |
| Mike Williams | 44/72.1 | 153 | 75 |
| Chase Claypool | 70/90.9 | 152 | 79.58 |
| Deebo Samuel | 58/89.2 | 151 | 80.32 |
Adam Thielen has a TD in every game this season! #SKOL
?: #SEAvsMIN on FOX
?: NFL app pic.twitter.com/7gRIQdI5Vp— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021
Adam Thielen leads all wide receivers with 208 offensive snaps entering Week 4. Jakobi Meyers is second (193), followed by Amari Cooper (192), Emmanuel Sanders (189), Justin Jefferson (188), Stefon Diggs (186), Michael Pittman (186), and Chris Godwin (185). CeeDee Lamb is next (179), followed by Zach Pascal (178), DeAndre Hopkins (178), Keenan Allen (176), Marvin Jones (175), Calvin Ridley (175), Terry McLaurin (172), and Nelson Agholor (171). D.J. Moore is next (167), followed by Bryan Edwards (166), Cole Beasley (165), and Darnell Mooney (164). Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans are tied with 163, While Brandon Cooks, Tyreek Hill, and DeVonta Smith, complete the list of 25 receivers who have played on 160+ offensive snaps for their teams.
Terry McLaurin leads his position in snap count percentage (98.9), followed by Thielen (96.3), Meyers (95.6), Mooney (95.4), Godwin (94.4), and Michael Pittman (93.9). Hopkins is next (92.2) followed by D.K. Metcalf (91.8), Cooper Kupp (91.4), Zach Pascal (89.9), and Tyler Lockett (89.9). DeVonta Smith is next (89.4), followed by Amari Cooper (89.3), Marvin Jones (89.3), Ja’Marr Chase (89.1), and Robert Woods (87.9). Calvin Ridley is next (87.5), followed by Allen Robinson (87.2), Justin Jefferson (87.1), Brandin Cooks (86.5), Keenan Allen (86.3), and Nelson Agholor (84.7).
Five Things I Noticed
Brandin Cooks vs Panthers
? 11 targets
? 9 catches
? 112 yards? WR1 pic.twitter.com/seW6MwVVh0
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) September 24, 2021
1. Brandin Cooks vaulted to fourth overall among all wide receivers with 32 targets entering Week 4, after collecting 11 during Houston‘s Week 3 matchup with Carolina. He has now captured 25 targets during his last two games and has registered 10+ targets in four of his last five regular-season matchups. Cooks is also third overall in both receptions (23) and receiving yards (320), while his current per-game averages after three games - 10.7 targets, 7.7 receptions, 107.3 yards - easily exceed his previous career highs.
Cooks also lead all receivers in air yards (428), and percentage of air yards (58.0), and is also second only to Davante Adams in target share (37.7%). Cooks also commandeered a 44% target share in Week 3, which was his first full game with Davis Mills under center. Cooks also led the Texans in targets (11), receptions (9), receiving yards (112), air yards (125), and percentage share of air yards (65.8%).
Cooks’ ability to operate proficiently despite the assortment of shortcomings within Houston’s aerial attack should not be surprising. He had already eclipsed 1,000 yards during his previous career stops with the Saints, Patriots, and Rams before he accumulated 1,150 yards with the Texans last season. He also accumulated 119 targets (7.9 per game), 81 receptions (5.4 per game), and 1,150 receiving yards (76.7 per game) during 2020. However, he would surpass those numbers if he were to sustain his torrid pace through Week 17 (171 targets/123 receptions/1,716 yards).
Cooks is also WR6 in scoring and is capable of sustaining his numbers - even as Houston’s deficiencies will prevent the team’s other skill players from functioning as reliable options for their managers. None of Cooks’ teammates have reached 10 targets for the season, while no other wide receiver has exceeded six targets or accumulated 50 receiving yards during the Texans' first three matchups combined. Danny Amendola and Anthony Miller have both been targeted six times, and Chris Conley is next with five. All six of Miller’s targets were collected in Week 3 when the former Bear performed on 63.6% of Houston’s offensive snaps. While it is conceivable that Miller could resurrect his career within a receiving unit that is operating with a dearth of dynamic talent there is no receiver that even remotely poses a threat to Cooks’ status as the primary weapon within the team’s aerial attack.
2. Henry Ruggs III was selected in Round 12 during the majority of drafts, while his teammate Bryan Edwards remained available until Round 14. But both continue to assemble promising results as the undefeated Las Vegas Raiders enter Week 4. The second-year receivers have now combined for a 24.8% target share, along with 32 targets, 21 receptions, and 447 receiving yards during their first three matchups of the season.
Henry Ruggs ? @__RUGGS #RaiderNation
?: #MIAvsLV on CBS
?: NFL app pic.twitter.com/Va4pVDvgyn— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021
That includes their usage and production in Week 3 when Ruggs tied with Darren Waller for a team-high seven targets (17.5% target share). It was the second consecutive game in which Ruggs has attained seven targets, which is his career-high. He had failed to exceed five targets throughout his entire 16-game schedule as a rookie while averaging just 3.9 per game during the year. Ruggs also collected four receptions, and assembled 78 yards in Week 3, while also attaining an aDOT of 18.7.
Waller remains entrenched as the Raiders’ primary receiving weapon and currently leads the team in targets (33/11 per game), receptions (20/6.7 per game), air yards (350), percentage share of air yards (28.0), and red zone targets (5). However, Ruggs does lead Las Vegas in receiving yards (237/79 per game) and is averaging a team-high 21.5 yards per reception. That average also places him fourth among all wide receivers. His averages from Weeks 1-3 in yards per target (12.5 ) and yards per reception (21.5) have also increased when contrasted with 2020 (10.5/17.4).
Ladies and gentlemen, Bryan Edwards.@B__ED89 showing out again.#MIAvsLV | Live on CBS pic.twitter.com/PdjsvZ5JqM
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 26, 2021
Edwards accumulated a team-high 89 yards in Week 3, which was the second time that he has eclipsed 80 yards this season (Week 1-81). Those also represent the two highest yardage totals of his career, after Edwards averaged just 16.1 per game in 2020 while failing to exceed 51 in any of his matchups. His first season had been impacted by lingering injuries (ankle/foot) which also limited him to 12 games.
He is currently 22nd among receivers in yardage (210/70 per game) and is also 14th in aDOT (15.8). His current average in yards per target (16.2). surpasses the number that he attained during his rookie year (12.9). This is also the case with his average in yards per reception (21.0/17.5). Edwards is also fifth overall in yards before catch per reception ((15.2) while Ruggs is currently eighth (14.9).
Third-year receiver Hunter Renfrow has joined Ruggs and Edwards in providing Derek Carr with a trio of additional weapons to blend into the aerial attack while Waller operates as the Raiders' most targeted option. Renfrow is averaging 7.3 targets, 5.3 receptions, and 68.0 yards per game, after entering Week 1 with career averages of 5.1 targets, 3.7 receptions, and 43.8 yards per game. His yards per target (9.3) and yards per reception (12.8) averages are also the highest of his career.
Ruggs’ advancement in versatility and reliability should be encouraging for anyone who selected him during their draft process, while Edwards’ ability to elude additional health issues has also presented managers with a viable WR3 option for their lineups. Renfrow does not present the same upside as Ruggs and Edwards. But he is a reliable option who can deliver respectable numbers as a flex.
3. Jaylen Waddle was the second wide receiver to be chosen during last April’s NFL draft when Miami selected him with the sixth overall pick. That enabled him to join Ja’Marr Chase and collegiate teammate DeVonta Smith as top 10 overall selections. Waddle has also emerged as the leader in targets among all members of his rookie class and is tied for 17th among all receivers in that category (26/8.7 per game). This was fueled largely when Waddle accumulated 50% of his season total during the Dolphins’ Week 3 matchup with the Raiders. Waddle also collected 12 of his 13 targets from Jacoby Brissett in Las Vegas and has now vaulted to fifth overall in receptions (22/7.3 per game) entering Week 4.
Jaylen Waddle with great concentration on this catch pic.twitter.com/unydhpbTTD
— FinCuts (@FinCuts) September 26, 2021
Waddle only averaged 4.8 yards per reception during that contest which limited him to 58 yards. That is consistent with his yards per game average from Weeks 1-3 (55.7), which has kept Waddle outside the top 40 in receiving yards (167), despite the favorable target and reception totals. He is also outside the top 100 in both yards per reception (7.6) and yards per target (6.4). However, managers should be encouraged by his team-high 23.3% target share, and Waddle’s consistent involvement in the Dolphins’ passing attack should be sustained during Tua Tagovailoa’s absence.
Smith is second among newcomers in targets (21/7.0 per game), as his overall total has been assembled with consistent weekly totals (8/7/6). His 22.6% target share leads the Eagles, while he is also first on the team in snap share (89.8%), air yards (301), and percentage share of air yards (43.1) - which also places him seventh among all receivers in that category. He is tied for third among all rookies in receptions (11/5.5 per game).
Ja'Marr Chase has 4 TDs in 3 NFL games. Half of those scores came on Sunday. @Real10jayy__ pic.twitter.com/T86jaFRieq
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2021
Chase is tied for second among all receivers in touchdowns (4), fifth overall in yards per reception 20.0, and is sixth with a 13.8 yards per target average. Chase is also sixth among all receivers in percentage of air yards (43.9) and is seventh overall in yards before catch per reception (15.1). Chase also leads all rookies with 220 receiving yards (73.3 per game) and is also tied with Smith with 11 receptions (5.5 per game).
Rondale Moore leads all rookies in red zone targets (4), is second in receptions (13/6.5 per game), and is also second in receiving yards (182/61 per game). He has also risen to fourth among all wide receivers in yards after catch (162), is third in yards after catch per reception (12.5), and is also 12th in yards per target (12.2).
Elijah Moore is third among rookies in targets (18/6 per game), although that has yet to translate into favorable totals in receptions (8/2.7 per game) and receiving yards (66/2.7 per game. Moore’s current catch rate is also just 44.4%, which is a byproduct of Zach Wilson’s uneven learning curve. Wilson is currently 33rd among all signal-callers in completion percentage 55.2%. Moore is third on the Jets in targets, receptions, and receiving yards, and is second in both air yards (235) and percentage share of air yards (25.5).
4. If you invested in Allen Robinson or Darnell Mooney during your draft process then you have been forced to contend with ongoing disappointment during the first three weeks of the regular season. Robinson’s Round 3 ADP placed him at WR13, which was justifiable based on his clear path toward sustaining the exceptional usage and production that he delivered during 2020. Mooney was an intriguing sleeper whose enticing speed and prowess at creating separation presented the potential for him to outperform the expectations of his Round 10 ADP. But their numbers entering Week 4 have created a legitimate reason for concern.
Robinson had averaged 8.9 targets, 5.7 receptions, and 70 yards per game during his first three seasons in Chicago (2018-2020). That included his averages from last season (9.4 targets, 6.4 receptions, 78.1 yards per game) when he finished third overall in targets (151) fourth in receptions (102), and was eighth in yardage (1,250). Robinson had also finished at WR9 in scoring and appeared primed to continue his status as a borderline WR1 for managers.
But Robinson has plunged to WR66 in scoring and is currently 35th in targets (21/7 per game), 61st in receptions (10/3.3 per game), and 71st in yardage (86/28.7 per game). He had also entered the regular season with per-game averages of 13.7 yards per reception and 8.9 yards per target. But he is averaging career lows in each category (8.6 yards per reception/4.1 yards per target). His 63.2% catch rate from 2018-2020 with Chicago has also plunged to 47.6%.
Mooney is 42nd in targets (19/6.3 per game). But he has collected more receptions (12/4 per game) and generated more yardage (101/33.7 per game) than Robinson. However, his overall numbers are also underwhelming while placing him 41st in receptions and 67th in yardage. Mooney does lead Chicago in air yards (158), and percentage share of air yards (35.2%). But his averages in yards per target (6.4/5.3), yards per reception (10.3/8.4), and aDOT (11.5/8,3) have all declined when contrasted with his rookie season.
Both receivers have been negatively impacted by the deficiencies that are permeating Chicago’s offense. This includes substandard usage of personnel by Matt Nagy, inadequate performances from the offensive line, and forgettable results from Justin Fields in Week 3. These were largely the byproduct of Fields' inexperience, Nagy’s massive failure to place the rookie in a position to succeed, and the line’s inability to safeguard Fields from Cleveland’s pass rush.
Justin Fields has been sacked 8 times today
He only has 5 completions… ?
pic.twitter.com/KVJLBcclPA— PFF (@PFF) September 26, 2021
This resulted in Fields connected on just six of his 20 passes, which limited Robinson and Mooney to a combined 48 yards on four receptions. Managers should remain patent despite their frustration. Robinson and Mooney are Chicago's primary receiving weapon, and talent is not an issue with either player. They have a combined 48.2% target share, and their output will rise if Chicago's current issues are addressed by Nagy.
5. Robinson and Mooney are not the only wide receivers who have failed to operate as the productive resources that fantasy managers had anticipated. Anyone who was compelled to select Robby Anderson at his Round 6 ADP has not benefitted from his reunion with Sam Darnold in Carolina, as the sixth-year receiver had been alarmingly ineffective.
Anderson's excruciatingly low usage and production continued in Week 3 when he caught just one of his two targets and was limited to only eight receiving yards. He has accumulated only 11 targets (3.7 per game), five receptions (1.7 per game), and 103 yards (34.3 per game). Managers are already acutely aware that those averages do not resemble his numbers during 2020 when he finished eighth overall in targets (136/8.5 per game), and receptions (95/5.9 per game), and generated nearly 1,100 yards (1,096/68.5 per game).
Anderson is averaging 20.6 yards per reception, and 9.4 yards per target, just one year after he averaged 11.5/ 8.1 in those categories. But D.J. Moore has commandeered a 30.7% target share, while Anderson's 10.9% share is a distant fourth on the Panthers behind Moore, Christian McCaffrey (16.8%), and Terrace Marshall Jr. (13.9%). It is premature to drop Anderson from your roster, as Matt Rhule and Joe Brady can be expected to prioritize his increased involvement. But he should be affixed to your bench until that occurs.
Anderson’s concerning situation is not related to a health issue. However, other receivers have encountered injuries that have affected their numbers. That includes DeAndre Hopkins, who was second overall in targets (160/10 per game) during 2020, has finished inside the top five during five of his last six seasons and has averaged at least 10 per game throughout that entire sequence (2015-2020). But he is currently 52nd overall with 18 targets (6.0 per game) entering Week 4. Hopkins is now contending with a rib issue, although he has yet to exceed eight targets in any matchup since Week 1.
He also entered the year averaging 5.9 receptions and 79.4 yards during his career. But he is also 36th in receptions (13/4.3 per game), and 44th in receiving yardage (158/52.7 per game). He is tied with A.J. Green for the team lead in target share (18.0%). Christian Kirk (17.0%), and Rondale Moore (15.0%) have joined Green in siphoning opportunities from Hopkins during Arizona’s first three games. Hopkins’ exceptional track record of usage and production would indicate that his numbers will rise when he has regained his health. But competition for targets within the Cardinals passing attack is unlikely to dissipate when he does.
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