THE FANTASY FIXX
Target Practice: Week Eight in the NFL
It’s always tough to find the right receivers each week for your fantasy matchup. One of the keys is not just what a player has done, but in a lot of cases you have to consider the potential of a player when you look their matchup. Another factor that needs to be included into this equation is which players are getting their number called most.
Look Who’s Hot….
Over the past two weeks there’s been no receiver as hot as the Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin, but when you dig a little deeper this really shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Sure no one expected Austin to break out with 19 catches for 421 yards in his last two games, especially after he was targeted only four times in his first three. Over his last three games Austin has seen 31 balls thrown in his direction and with his apparent big-play ability, don’t expect this trend to change much. Austin is now a fantasy favorite in Dallas and looks like a solid WR2 going forward.
In case some of you have missed the bus, Chad Ochocinco is back as one of the elite receivers in the game. With a healthy quarterback Ochocinco is now amongst the leaders in receptions (39) and yards (573), but more importantly he’s being targeted at a heavy pace (64 targets this season) so don’t expect a drop in his numbers anytime soon.
Who’s worried….
For those owners that might be worried about their stud receiver Roddy White, there is no cause for concern. Although his numbers may seem a little down from a year ago, it’s only a matter of time before he starts putting together those top five numbers we’ve seen the last two seasons. The signs are there if you look closely; White has managed to score in three straight games. And while he’s only had a total of 106 yards in his last two starts, his four games this season with at least 10 targets is a good indication that we can expect more soon from “Big Roddy.”
Another receiver from down south that could be a cause for concern for some owner should be no concern at all. Last season the Saints receiver Marques Colston was a major disappointment missing five games and starting just six. Colston was expected to follow up his huge 2007 season with another, but it did not pan out. This season Colston is healthy and a lot is expected of the Saints big receiver. So far his explosiveness has been sporadic simply because the Saints have so many weapons, but don’t be fooled. Colston is still the number one receiving option in the Bayou and his 21 targets the last two weeks should indicate such. With a touchdown in back to back starts, this coming Monday night matchup with Atlanta is looking very tasty, so owners should be licking their chops.
Keep your Eye on these gems…
Making his NFL debut this past Sunday, rookie receiver Michael Crabtree wasted little time making an impact. Crabtree was targeted six times and caught five balls for 56 yards. The important key factor, Crabtree was targeted three times in the second half and caught all three passes from Alex Smith (the Niner’s new starting quarterback). With the switch at quarterback taking place Crabtree looks like a much better option with Smith throwing to him; keep your eye on the rookie.
Now that Kevin Curtis is out for a while, rookie receiver Jeremy Maclin will have a chance to earn his stripes. On Monday night Maclin was not spectacular, but his numbers were interesting. The rookie caught just five balls for 53 yards, but he was targeted by McNabb seven times. Over his past four games Maclin has seen a steady diet of passes in his direction averaging just over seven per game. We have yet to see the consistency, but he’s already shown the big game potential. Now that Curtis is down, Maclin can settle in and we could see more from this kid in the coming weeks.
Here is the breakdown for fantasy pass catchers (targets) this season;
Through Seven weeks:
Top-10 Targeted Pass-catchers
Player Targt Recpt FPTS
- Johnson, Andre WR HOU 70 38 84 ,
- Randy WR NE 66 43 77
- Smith, Steve WR NYG 65 45 81
- Ochocinco, Chad WR CIN 64 39 82
- Fitzgerald, Larry WR ARI 63 41 72
- Welker, Wes WR NE 62 46 70
- Smith, Steve WR CAR 58 27 35
- Wayne, Reggie WR IND 57 39 82
- Daniels, Owen TE HOU 56 39 76
- Holmes, Santonio WR PIT 56 30 53
[points based on traditional scoring]
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