
By: Matt Bradley @mattjbrad910
Top 12 Targets Leaders
Player | Team | Week 15 Targets |
1. Julio Jones | Falcons | 20 |
2. George Kittle | 49ers | 17 |
3. Anthony Miller | Bears | 15 |
T4. Tyler Higbee | Rams | 14 |
T4. Allen Robinson | Bears | 14 |
T6. Davante Adams | Packers | 13 |
T6. Danny Amendola | Lions | 13 |
T6. Odell Beckham Jr. | Browns | 13 |
T6. A.J. Brown | Titans | 13 |
T6. Travis Kelce | Chiefs | 13 |
T11. D.J. Moore | Panthers | 12 |
T11. Michael Thomas | Saints | 12 |
Julio Jones delivered for his fantasy owners in week 15. Getting more than half the Falcons’ targets, Julio finished with 13 receptions for 134 yards and two scores. With Ridley out, this might be more of the norm for the Falcons offense to feature Julio more in the final two weeks. Speaking of 13 for 134, George Kittle finished with the exact same stat line as Julio but failed to reach the end zone. Kittle is a set and forget it player for fantasy owners as he has a very high floor which is very valuable for the tight end position.
No matter how lost the Bears offense may seem, at the end of the day, Allen Robinson will have a good game for fantasy owners. His seven catches for 125 yards marks the fourth straight game of either 100+ yards or at least a touchdown. Robinson is a stud and owners should never sit their studs. On the other side of the ball from Robinson was a man who also had a good day and that would be Davante Adams. Adams was the only Packers’ receiver to have more than 4 looks in Sunday’s contest which goes to show that he’s the go to guy for one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers.
Normally getting 13 targets means a player will have a good fantasy day, but that’s not the case with Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham finished with only 66 yards on 8 receptions. A.J. Brown took full advantage of his 13 targets getting his fourth 100+ yard receiving game, and his third in the last four contests. Brown gets a tougher match up in week 16 against the Saints, but volume should still be there for him to be a flex/WR2 option.
Top 12 Touches Leaders
Player | Team | Week 15 Touches |
T1. Saquon Barkley | Giants | 28 |
T1. Joe Mixon | Bengals | 28 |
T3. Ezekiel Elliott | Cowboys | 27 |
T3. Christian McCaffrey | Panthers | 27 |
T5. Carlos Hyde | Texans | 26 |
T5. Josh Jacobs | Raiders | 26 |
T7. Chris Carson | Seahawks | 25 |
T7. Miles Sanders | Eagles | 25 |
T9. Le’Veon Bell | Jets | 23 |
T9. Kenyan Drake | Cardinals | 23 |
T9. Devin Singletary | Bills | 23 |
T12. Derrick Henry | Titans | 21 |
Saquon Barkley returned to form on Sunday as he had his first 100 yards on the ground since week 2 and had two scores on top of it. Barkley benefited from facing the Dolphins, but good news is that the Redskins are on deck. Sunday made it three straight games that Joe Mixon had 150+ scrimmage yards in a contest. Even better news for owners who held onto Mixon is that the Dolphins will be his opponent in week 16. Ezekiel Elliott had another monster game as he found the end zone twice for the second straight game and had 160 total yards. Elliott should be started in all leagues with his touchdown upside.
After having his second and fourth worst performances of the year in week 14 and 15, McCaffrey bounced back with 175 yards and two scores. McCaffrey is the hands down number one pick in next year’s draft. On Sunday, Carlos Hyde had 104 yards rushing and a score. His performance pushed him over 1000 yards on the ground for the first time in his career. Hyde is much better in standard leagues as he gets very little work in the passing game.
Top 12 Targets Leaders that may still be available in your leagues
Player | Team | Week 15 Targets |
1. Anthony Miller | Bears | 15 |
2. Tyler Higbee | Rams | 14 |
3. Danny Amendola | Lions | 13 |
T4. Steven Sims | Redskins | 11 |
T4. James Washington | Steelers | 11 |
T6. DaeSean Hamilton | Broncos | 9 |
T6. Greg Ward | Eagles | 9 |
T8. Chris Conley | Jaguars | 8 |
T8. Mike Gesicki | Dolphins | 8 |
T8. Albert Wilson | Dolphins | 8 |
T11. Diontae Johnson | Steelers | 7 |
T11. Tim Patrick | Broncos | 7 |
Anthony Miller has had a quiet streak of games the past few weeks. He’s gone for 100 yards or a score in the last three games and caught at least 6 balls in four of the past five games. If Taylor Gabriel is still in the concussion protocol, Miller is a great flex play. Another player who’s had an awesome past few weeks is Tyler Higbee. Higbee continues to step up as the starting tight end since Gerald Everett was injured. Sunday marked the third straight time he eclipsed 100 yards.
Danny Amendola also stepped up when his team faced injuries. Amendola went 8 for 102 as the team’s number two wide receiver. Marvin Jones is still out which means Amendola is still an option in desperate situations. Steven Sims set season highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns with his 5/45/1 line. The eleven targets are nice to see, but Sims needs to be more productive with his targets before ending up on folks rosters. James Washington flashed as a reliable receiver for the Steelers on Sunday night. His team leading ten targets resulted in five catches for 83 yards. Washington is going to be relied on more in the coming years for the Steelers. Don’t forget his name.
Top 12 Touches Leaders that may still be available in your leagues
Player | Team | Week 15 Touches |
T1. Patrick Laird | Dolphins | 14 |
T1. Tony Pollard | Cowboys | 14 |
T3. Mike Boone | Vikings | 13 |
T3. Boston Scott | Eagles | 13 |
T5. Peyton Barber | Bucs | 12 |
T5. Tyler Higbee | Rams | 12 |
T5. Wes Hills | Lions | 12 |
8. Myles Gaskin | Dolphins | 11 |
9. Frank Gore | Bills | 10 |
T10. Anthony Miller | Bears | 9 |
T10. Darwin Thompson | Chiefs | 9 |
T10. Spencer Ware | Chiefs | 9 |
The Dolphins like to split the work of their running backs, even when it’s down to Patrick Laird and Myles Gaskin. Like most of the season, the Dolphins had no luck in the running game and it reflected with Laird and Gaskin’s performances. Tony Pollard showed that he is one of the most valuable handcuffs in fantasy football. Unfortunately, no one started him in week 15 and Zeke owners were mad that he got an extra 14 carries finishing his big day with 143 scrimmage yards and a score. If week 16 is your last week of fantasy football, feel free to drop Pollard, but remember his name next season.
When Dalvin Cook went down with another shoulder injury, it was Mike Boone who stepped up into the lead back role. He didn’t have to split time with Ameer Abdullah and flashed with 56 yards and two scores on Sunday. Cook might not be back with the team the rest of the regular season and Alexander Mattison is still sidelined for now, Boone is a must pick up and if he’s the starter, he’s in the RB1 territory against the Packers. Boston Scott got work in the Eagles’ backfield despite Miles Sanders stealing the show. Scott plays the thunder to Sanders’ lightning until Jordan Howard returns to the field. Although Peyton Barber got 12 touches on Sunday, he only had 40 yards to show for it. It’s been a rough season for Barber and he should stay on waivers for the rest of the season.
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