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.

Running Backs

Week 14 Touches Leaders

An interesting face topped the redzone touches list last week, and he did so at an opportune time. Jamaal Williams led the way with nine redzone touches, a margin of three separated him and second ranked Devonta Freeman. The rookie runner turned one of those touches into a touchdown rush (his receiving touchdown was 30 yards, and, thus, not on a redzone touch). Now, he’s tied to an offense that’s expected to get all-world quarterback Aaron Rodgers back. Williams value is on the rise, and the scoring chances should increase for the bruising runner moving from one below-average backup Brett Hundley to one of the top quarterbacks in the game.

One member of the two-headed backfield opposing the Packers, Jonathan Stewart, was tied for third with five redzone touches. The Packers have allowed seven rushing touchdowns to running backs this year, according to Pro-Football-Reference, and that’s a middle-of-the-pack total, making J-Stew a viable mostly touchdown-dependent Flex option. One word of caution, the Packers have been one of the more giving teams to backs through the air, so there’s potential for Christian McCaffrey poaching redzone work if the Panthers view that as the easiest path to scoring.

Alfred Morris is a repeat visitor to the top portion of the leaderboard with another four redzone touches. He has an average to below-average matchup for scoring, but his heavy redzone usage with 12 touches over the last two weeks combined enhance his odds of scoring a touchdown.

Top Option
Kenyan Drake (MIA) @ Bills
YTD Redzone Touches – 9 Week 14 Redzone Touches – 3
Drake was in a multi-player tie for 14th in redzone touches last week with three. The sophomore back has at least one redzone touch in five straight games. He’s book ended the five-game redzone touch streak with a trio of redzone touches, and the Dolphins would be wise to use him in scoring territory this week against the Bills. Buffalo has allowed the most rushing touchdowns (15) to running backs this season.

Value/Sleeper
C.J. Anderson (DEN) @ Colts
YTD Redzone Touches – 28 Week 14 Redzone Touches – 4
Anderson snapped a three-game streak of zero redzone touches with four last week. He failed to turn any into a touchdown. Anderson hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 11, and he has just three all year. Don’t sleep on him this week, though. The Broncos are 2.5-point favorites, according to Pinnacle, so that plays into his hands from a game-script perspective. Furthermore, he has a much easier matchup this week. Last week’s opponent, the Jets, have allowed only six rushing touchdowns to running backs this year. His opponent this week, the Colts, are tied for the fourth most rushing touchdowns allowed (11) to backs. If Anderson hit his weekly average for redzone touches (2.2) on the season this week, I like his odds of reaching pay dirt.

Check out all the RB redzone touches here, RB redzone touches

Wide Receivers

Week 14 Targets Leaders

The top of last week’s leaderboard is littered with familiar faces for redzone touches this season such as Adam Thielen, Jarvis Landry, Nelson Agholor, Demaryius Thomas, and Julio Jones. There was a fresh face among the leaders last week, though. Marquise Goodwin was targeted three times in the redzone last week. He was targeted just one time prior to last week. The world-class speedster is more than a long-reception or bust option with Jimmy Garoppolo leading San Francisco’s offense now, and he has a plus matchup for scoring this week. The visiting Titans are tied for the third most touchdown receptions allowed (15) to receivers this season.

Top Option
Julio Jones (ATL) @ Buccaneers
YTD Redzone Targets – 16 Week 14 Redzone Targets -3
It’s somewhat mind boggling that Jones has turned just one of his 16 redzone targets into a touchdown and hauled in just three of his 16 redzone targets overall. The volume should eventually lead to more scores, and this week makes for an obvious spot for him to turn things around. Jones’ ranks tie for eighth among wideouts in redzone targets on the year, and the Buccaneers — who he smoked for 12-253-2 less than a month ago — are tied for the third most touchdown receptions allowed (15) to receivers. This is by no means a bold prediction, but that’s not the intent for making him the top option.

Value/Sleeper
Dede Westbrook (JAC) vs. Texans
YTD Redzone Targets – 3 Week 14 Redzone Targets – 2
Westbrook was first active for a game in Week 11, and he didn’t receive a redzone target in either of his first two games. He’s been targeted in back-to-back games since, and he turned one of his two targets in the redzone last week into his first career NFL touchdown. The Texans are tied for the third fewest touchdown runs allowed to running backs with five, and Blake Bortles has thrown a pair of touchdown passes in back-to-back games. With Bortles playing well, the Texans stout against the run near the goal-line, and the Texans tied for the seventh most receiving touchdowns allowed (13) to receivers this year, I’m expecting the Jaguars to take the path of least resistance in scoring territory and take some shots to their receivers. If my logic plays out as expected, that bodes well for Westbrook’s chances to score.

Check out all the WR redzone targets here, WR redzone targets

Tight Ends

Week 14 Targets Leaders

Not a lot to report on here. Travis Kelce is an unsurprising name atop last week’s tight end redzone target leaderboard. Kyle Rudolph was one of just five tight ends with two or more redzone targets last week. He missed practice on Wednesday, though, so if he’s absent this week, his looks would go elsewhere. Trey Burton filled in for Zach Ertz last week, but both of his redzone targets — each of which resulted in a touchdown — were from the arm of Carson Wentz. More importantly, Ertz cleared the concussion protocol and will be back this week barring an unforeseen setback, so Burton’s a non-option with a healthy Ertz anyway. Hunter Henry has at least one redzone target in four straight weeks, and he turned one of his two Week 14 redzone targets into a touchdown. He’s scored a touchdown in the redzone in two of the last three weeks.

Top Option
Ben Watson (BAL) @ Browns
YTD Redzone Targets – 11 Week 14 Redzone Targets – 0
As opposed to pumping up the likes of Jimmy Graham, Travis Kelce, and/or Rob Gronkowski, I’m using the top option spot on my preferred value/sleeper. Watson wasn’t targeted in the redzone in last week’s shootout loss to the Steelers. The veteran tight end is just one week removed from a redzone touchdown grab, though, and he was heavily utilized against the Browns back in Week 2 with an 8-91-0 line on eight targets overall. Oddly, none of his eight targets that week were in the redzone, but the Ravens would be wise to look his way there this week. The Browns have allowed the second most touchdown receptions (nine) to tight ends this year.

Value/Sleeper
George Kittle (SF) vs. Titans
YTD Redzone Targets – 13 Week 14 Redzone Targets – 1
Kittle’s lagged behind fellow tight end Garrett Celek in offensive snaps in all three games since San Francisco’s Week 11 bye. Having said that, both have been active in the redzone with Jimmy G running the show. Garoppolo has targeted each tight end in back-to-back games, but Kittle has a one redzone target edge (three compared to two) over Celek in Jimmy G’s two starts. However, Celek reached pay dirt last week. The 49ers are successfully moving the ball with their potential franchise QB starting, and their implied team over/under total of 23 points is promising for the 49ers making some redzone trips this week. Kittle’s risky, but if you’re streaming for a TD in season-long leagues or looking for a punt with TD upside in daily games, Kittle makes for an enticing selection.

Check out all the TE redzone targets here, TE redzone targets

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Josh is a life-long fan of sports and a nearly 20-year veteran of season-long fantasy leagues. He's fallen head over heels for daily fantasy as well. Josh loves statistics and better understanding the sports he follows, and these passions drive his insatiable desire to immerse himself in reading about, watching and writing about the sports he loves.

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