Redzone Report
The Red Zone Report takes a weekly look at red-zone usage and matchups to identify top options and sleepers for touchdowns in the given week of NFL action. This is a touchdown-centric piece, and the yardage outlook for the highlighted players isn’t a consideration.
Contents
Running Backs
Week 13 Touches Leaders
As you can see, the format of this piece has changed slightly. Scroll a little farther down, though, and you’ll see the new addition doesn’t result in cutting back on the top pick or value/sleeper pick at each position. Bilal Powell and Carlos Hyde were the co-leaders for redzone touches at running back last week, but their collective 18 touches resulted in just one touchdown between the two. They were largely ineffective. Powell was so ineffective that Josh McCown vultured a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs. Hyde has just four touchdowns on 37 redzone touches this season, and last week represented the peak of touchdown-scoring ineptitude for San Francisco’s lead back. Latavius Murray also cracked last week’s leaderboard, and he’s tallied at least four redzone touches in four straight games. Alfred Blue’s four redzone touches in Week 13 come on the heels of a single redzone touch in Week 12, and his usage could pose a problem for Lamar Miller’s touchdown-scoring upside going forward.
Top Option
Alvin Kamara (NO) @ Falcons
YTD Redzone Touches – 29 Week 13 Redzone Touches – 4
Kamara had four redzone touches last week, trailing backfield mate Mark Ingram by two. The rookie runner has more consistently been utilized in the redzone of late, though. Ingram had a bagel for redzone touches in Week 9 and Week 11, but Kamara has at least one redzone touch in nine straight games. Kamara is also the better receiving back, and that could be especially helpful in scoring territory against the Falcons this week. Atlanta’s five touchdown rushes allowed to running backs this year, per Pro-Football-Reference, are tied for the seventh fewest this year. However, the Falcons have coughed up four receiving scores to running backs, and that total is tied for the third most. Ingram remains questionable for the Thursday Night Football game, and if he sits out, Kamara’s odds of scoring increase a great deal. Having said that, Kamara still tops the list if Ingram suits up in a game that projects to be a shootout with an over/under total of 51.5 points, according to Pinnacle.
Value/Sleeper
Peyton Barber (TB) vs. Lions
YTD Redzone Touches – 8 Week 13 Redzone Touches – 3
Barber just missed last week’s leaderboard with three redzone touches. It was his second week in a row of touching the ball exactly three times in the redzone. In Week 12, Barber parlayed the touches into a pair of touchdown runs. He failed to reach the end zone last week, but by rushing for 102 yards on 23 carries and adding 41 yards receiving on four receptions, he’s likely taken control of the lead-back duties even with Doug Martin returning this week. At the least, it should be split duties with Barber commanding the goal-line work. The goal-line work will play well this week. Detroit has allowed the second most rushing touchdowns (13) to running backs this season.
Check out all the RB redzone touches here, RB redzone touches
Wide Receivers
Week 13 Targets Leaders
Even though the Browns have been torched by tight ends in the redzone this year, Philip Rivers made white-hot Keenan Allen the most targeted receiver in the redzone last week with seven. Most of the leaders are familiar faces who sit near the top of the standings in year-to-date redzone targets, but Jermaine Kearse and Josh Reynolds are semi-interesting names with back-to-back weeks of two redzone touches. Both wideouts scored a touchdown in Week 12, but neither scored one last week. Reynolds’ usefulness could come to a close after this week with Robert Woods expected to return in Week 15, but he’s a deep-league dart throw if needed this week. Kearse’s matchup with the Broncos isn’t shabby, either. Denver is tied for the eighth most touchdown receptions allowed (12) to receivers this year.
Top Option
Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) vs. Titans
YTD Redzone Targets – 15 Week 13 Redzone Targets – 2
Fitz was targeted a pair of times in the redzone last week, and he has redzone looks in two of three games with Blaine Gabbert starting at quarterback for the Cardinals. The lone contest he wasn’t targeted in the redzone was a showdown with the lock-down secondary of the Jaguars, a very forgivable goose egg if ever there was one. The surefire future first-ballot HOFer is a huge redzone target for Gabbert standing 6-foot-3, and he has a dreamy draw against the Titans this week. Tennessee has allowed the third most touchdown receptions (15) to wideouts in 2017.
Value/Sleeper
Josh Gordon (CLE) vs. Packers
YTD Redzone Targets – 1 Week 13 Redzone Targets – 1
I nearly opted for teammate Corey Coleman. Coleman was only targeted four times overall last week, and half of them were redzone targets. His two redzone targets were double Gordon’s one, but Gordon’s standing as DeShone Kizer’s new favorite weapon in the passing attack coupled with his superior size advantage over the second-year receiver got him the nod. Like FItz, Gordon is a big receiver standing 6-foot-4. The NFL’s leader in receiving yards in 2013 has a huge size edge on Green Bay’s secondary. The tallest member(s) of Green Bay’s secondary are 6-foot-1, giving Gordon at least a 3-inch edge in height on all of them. The Packers are tied for the fifth most touchdown receptions allowed (13) to receivers.
Check out all the WR redzone targets here, WR redzone targets
Tight Ends
Week 13 Targets Leaders
I’m going to ignore the two most targeted tight ends last week in this section because both are featured below. The name from last week’s leaderboard who stands out as the most interesting to me is George Kittle. Last week marked Jimmy Garoppolo’s first start for the 49ers. Jimmy G led the offense to nearly 400 total yards. The yardage total belies their unexciting 15 points, and his ability to move the offense could lead to more redzone trips. With that in mind, it’s interesting to see Kittle received a pair of redzone looks. The 49ers visit the Texans this week. Houston’s seven touchdown receptions allowed to tight ends this year are tied for the sixth most. Kittle’s a viable value play in daily games or a touchdown streamer for TE-needy gamers in season-long leagues.
Top Option
Cameron Brate (TB) vs. Lions
YTD Redzone Targets – 13 Week 13 Redzone Targets – 3
Brate graduates from the value/sleeper section last week to the top option this week after hauling in two touchdowns on three redzone targets. Jameis Winston returned last week, and as I predicted, Brate became his go-to option in the redzone. Brate is tied for fourth in redzone targets (13) this year, and his five redzone touchdowns are tied for the fourth most at the position, too. He has a favorable matchup this week against the Lions. Detroit is tied for eighth in touchdown receptions allowed (six) to tight ends this season.
Value/Sleeper
Stephen Anderson (HOU) vs. 49ers
YTD Redzone Targets – 8 Week 13 Redzone Targets – 4
Anderson was the surprise leader at tight end in redzone targets last week with four. His Week 13 total made up half of his season total of eight. It would be easy to chalk up the outburst as a fluke. Furthermore, it’s not entirely out of the question that it is a fluke. Having said that, Houston’s pass catchers are banged up. Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz and receiver Bruce Ellington both hit IR. It’s possible Will Fuller returns this week, but there’s still room for Anderson to have a role in the offense even if that’s the case. The 49ers are tied for the eighth most touchdown receptions allowed (six) to tight ends this season.
Check out all the TE redzone targets here, TE redzone targets