Week 14 Wide Receiver & Tight End Targets: Harvin Unleashed

RB Carries/Targets | WR/TE Targets

 

One of the most head scratching personnel decisions since the Todd Haley/Jamaal Charles debacle has to be the Vikings early season refusal to get Percy Harvin more involved in the game plan.  The Vikings have finally come to their senses.  Over the last 4 weeks Harvin is seeing nearly 10 targets a game (39 total) and another 5 carries per game on the ground.  He’s also scored in each of the last four and is averaging 121 total yards over that same span.  If the Vikings can figure out how to get Harvin and AP going (once he returns), they might actually win a game.

Here's a look at the rest of the notable target numbers from week 14.

 

Ball Hogs

• Demaryius Thomas beasted for the second straight week and racked up 13 targets.  I’d be weary about his production going forward, especially considering he dropped 3 balls last week.  Deep leaguers look to him if you’ve managed to make it this far and are in need of a wide receiver.
• Michael Crabtree has quietly averaged just over 15 PPR points the last 4 weeks, qualifying him as a pretty solid WR3 option.  I wouldn't be all giddy over it this year, but it speaks loudly about his potential as we look to 2012.
• Roddy White continues to make up for his early season struggles and has now scored in 3 straight.  His target numbers over the last 4 weeks: 15, 14, 13, 11.  Matt Ryan tried to quit the pacifier early in the year, but he’s quickly gone back to his binky.
• Old age has certainly gotten to Tony Gonzalez, but he still has some of the most reliable hands in the league.  A mile behind Gronkowski and Graham, Gonzalez still has a comfortable 25 point cushion for the 3^rd highest scoring tight end..
• With 3 games left to play, Welker has already eclipsed his previous career high in touchdowns with 9, and is only 9 yards shy of besting his career high in receiving yards.  Second only to Roddy White in targets, Welker also has the 3^rd most points among receivers and running backs.  He shouldn’t have too much trouble keeping it going in the fantasy playoffs against Denver and Miami.
• Rob Gronkowski: “Me spike ball hard.  Me have 38 more points than Jimmy Graham.  Me love porn stars.” At 6’6”, 265 lbs, the physical freak can’t be covered by linebackers and can’t be tackled by defensive backs.  He keeps beefing up his stats each week because he’s a matchup nightmare.  If I’m a defensive coordinator, I’m throwing a blonde bombshell out there to cover him.  It’s worth a try.

 

Lost Causes

• Jermichael Finley’s catchless day (seeing only a single target), was perhaps the death to many a fantasy team.  He could end up being a nice bargain in 2012, however.
• For all the hype that Jared Cook carried with him in the preseason, he’s 25^th in total points among tight ends.  Garnering only a single target in week 14, it’s going to take a hell of a turnaround to make him relevant in any league in the years to come.
• Earl Bennett’s kryptonite is apparently Caleb Hanie.  Flashing some fantasy relevance in weeks 9-11, he’s quickly become a lost cause with 2 catches for 10 yards during the 3-week Hanie era.  Outside of a single target in week 14, he was completely absent from the box score.
• For the first time all season, Deion Branch coughed up a goose egg and saw only 2 targets.  Aside of a few statistical anomalies here and there, Branch has been relatively quiet as a fantasy option on a crowded New England team.
• On a day where Mark Sanchez accounted for 4 total touchdowns, Plaxico Burress was blanked on 2 targets.  The Jets beat the Chiefs up all day with underneath screens, and save for a Santonio Holmes touchdown, it was a quiet day for the Jets wideouts.

 

Rank	Player	REC	TGTS	CT%
1	Percy Harvin , MIN	10	15	66.7%
2	Demaryius Thomas , DEN	7	13	53.8%
3	Michael Crabtree , SF	7	12	58.3%
3	Brandon Lloyd , STL	5	12	41.7%
3	Pierre Garcon , IND	5	12	41.7%
6	Roddy White , ATL	7	11	63.6%
6	Tony Gonzalez, ATL	7	11	63.6%
6	Darius Heyward-Bey, OAK	5	11	45.5%
9	Hakeem Nicks , NYG	7	10	70.0%
9	Wes Welker , NE	7	10	70.0%
9	Owen Daniels, HOU	7	10	70.0%
9	Dwayne Bowe , KC	6	10	60.0%
9	Kevin Walter , HOU	6	10	60.0%
9	Rob Gronkowski, NE	6	10	60.0%
9	Devin Aromashodu , MIN	4	10	40.0%
9	Stevie Johnson , BUF	4	10	40.0%
9	Damian Williams , TEN	2	10	20.0%
18	Larry Fitzgerald , ARI	7	9	77.8%
18	Victor Cruz, NYG	7	9	77.8%
18	Antonio Gates, SD	7	9	77.8%
18	Nate Washington , TEN	6	9	66.7%
18	Torrey Smith, BAL	5	9	55.6%
18	Vincent Jackson , SD	5	9	55.6%
18	Jimmy Graham, NO	5	9	55.6%
18	Louis Murphy , OAK	4	9	44.4%
18	Santana Moss , WAS	3	9	33.3%
27	Doug Baldwin, SEA	7	8	87.5%
27	Jabar Gaffney , WAS	6	8	75.0%
27	Steve Smith , CAR	6	8	75.0%
27	Antonio Brown , PIT	5	8	62.5%
27	Brandon Marshall , MIA	4	8	50.0%
27	Matt Willis , DEN	4	8	50.0%
27	Reggie Wayne , IND	4	8	50.0%
27	Julio Jones, ATL	3	8	37.5%
27	Anthony Fasano, MIA	3	8	37.5%
27	Mario Manningham , NYG	2	8	25.0%
37	Marques Colston , NO	7	7	100.0%
37	Brandon Pettigrew, DET	6	7	85.7%
37	AJ Green, CIN	5	7	71.4%
37	Aaron Hernandez, NE	5	7	71.4%
37	Kevin Boss, OAK	5	7	71.4%
37	Miles Austin , DAL	4	7	57.1%
37	Titus Young, DET	4	7	57.1%
37	Dezmon Briscoe , TB	3	7	42.9%
37	Eric Decker , DEN	3	7	42.9%
37	Golden Tate , SEA	3	7	42.9%
37	Jordy Nelson , GB	3	7	42.9%
37	Mike Williams , TB	3	7	42.9%
37	Mohamed Massaquoi , CLE	3	7	42.9%
37	Jermaine Gresham, CIN	3	7	42.9%
37	Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN	3	7	42.9%
37	Marcedes Lewis, JAX	2	7	28.6%
53	Anquan Boldin , BAL	5	6	83.3%
53	Jarett Dillard, JAX	5	6	83.3%
53	DeSean Jackson , PHI	4	6	66.7%
53	Donald Driver , GB	4	6	66.7%
53	Donte' Stallworth , WAS	4	6	66.7%
53	Kyle Williams , SF	4	6	66.7%
53	Lance Moore , NO	4	6	66.7%
53	Steve Breaston , KC	4	6	66.7%
53	Jake Ballard, NYG	4	6	66.7%
53	Jacoby Jones, HOU	3	6	50.0%
53	Kassim Osgood , JAX	3	6	50.0%
53	Nate Burleson , DET	3	6	50.0%
53	David Nelson , BUF	2	6	33.3%
53	Greg Little, CLE	2	6	33.3%
53	Jerheme Urban, KC	2	6	33.3%
53	Jerome Simpson , CIN	2	6	33.3%
53	Jon Baldwin, KC	2	6	33.3%
53	Ted Ginn , SF	2	6	33.3%
53	Greg Olsen, CAR	2	6	33.3%
53	Dallas Clark, IND	1	6	16.7%
73	Austin Collie , IND	4	5	80.0%
73	Laurent Robinson, DAL	4	5	80.0%
73	Mike Wallace , PIT	4	5	80.0%
73	Brent Celek, PHI	4	5	80.0%
73	Dustin Keller, NYJ	4	5	80.0%
73	Evan Moore, CLE	4	5	80.0%
73	Johnny Knox , CHI	3	5	60.0%
73	Jason Witten, DAL	3	5	60.0%
73	Andre Roberts , ARI	2	5	40.0%
73	Brandon LaFell , CAR	2	5	40.0%
73	Greg Camarillo , MIN	2	5	40.0%
73	Greg Jennings , GB	2	5	40.0%
73	Legedu Naanee , CAR	2	5	40.0%
73	Kellen Winslow, TB	2	5	40.0%
73	Brad Smith , BUF	0	5	0.0%
88	Calvin Johnson , DET	3	4	75.0%
88	Devery Henderson , NO	3	4	75.0%
88	Early Doucet , ARI	3	4	75.0%
88	Lavelle Hawkins , TEN	3	4	75.0%
88	Dennis Pitta, BAL	3	4	75.0%
88	Jeff King, ARI	3	4	75.0%
88	Chastin West, JAX	2	4	50.0%
88	Davone Bess , MIA	2	4	50.0%
88	Derek Hagan , OAK	2	4	50.0%
88	Jason Avant , PHI	2	4	50.0%
88	Jordan Norwood, CLE	2	4	50.0%
88	Santonio Holmes , NYJ	2	4	50.0%
88	Heath Miller, PIT	2	4	50.0%
88	Jeremy Shockey, CAR	2	4	50.0%
88	Austin Pettis, STL	1	4	25.0%
88	Danario Alexander , STL	1	4	25.0%
88	Jeremy Maclin , PHI	1	4	25.0%
88	Kyle Rudolph, MIN	1	4	25.0%
106	Patrick Crayton, SD	3	3	100.0%
106	Preston Parker , TB	3	3	100.0%
106	Joel Dreessen, HOU	3	3	100.0%
106	Andre Caldwell , CIN	2	3	66.7%
106	David Anderson , HOU	2	3	66.7%
106	Harry Douglas , ATL	2	3	66.7%
106	James Jones , GB	2	3	66.7%
106	Jerricho Cotchery , PIT	2	3	66.7%
106	Alex Smith, CLE	2	3	66.7%
106	Benjamin Watson, CLE	2	3	66.7%
106	Zach Miller, SEA	2	3	66.7%
106	Mike Cuassin, BUF	2	3	66.7%
106	Lee Evans , BAL	1	3	33.3%
106	Riley Cooper , PHI	1	3	33.3%
106	Craig Stevens, TEN	1	3	33.3%
106	Vernon Davis, SF	1	3	33.3%
106	Derrick Mason , HOU	0	3	0.0%
106	T.J. Houshmandzadeh, OAK	0	3	0.0%
124	Josh Cribbs , CLE	2	2	100.0%
124	Malcom Floyd , SD	2	2	100.0%
124	Mike Williams , SEA	2	2	100.0%
124	Randall Cobb, GB	2	2	100.0%
124	Roy Williams , CHI	2	2	100.0%
124	David Johnson, PIT	2	2	100.0%
124	Ed Dickson, BAL	2	2	100.0%
124	Chaz Schilens , OAK	1	2	50.0%
124	Dez Bryant , DAL	1	2	50.0%
124	Robert Meachem , NO	1	2	50.0%
124	Tiquan Underwood , NE	1	2	50.0%
124	Deon Butler, SEA	1	2	50.0%
124	Lance Kendricks, STL	1	2	50.0%
124	Travis Beckum, NYG	1	2	50.0%
124	Braylon Edwards , SF	0	2	0.0%
124	Deion Branch , NE	0	2	0.0%
124	Dexter McCluster , KC	0	2	0.0%
124	Plaxico Burress, NYJ	0	2	0.0%
124	Delanie Walker, SF	0	2	0.0%
143	Andrew Hawkins, CIN	1	1	100.0%
143	Arrelious Benn , TB	1	1	100.0%
143	Ben Obomanu, SEA	1	1	100.0%
143	Brandon Gibson , STL	1	1	100.0%
143	Brian Hartline , MIA	1	1	100.0%
143	Chad Ochocinco , NE	1	1	100.0%
143	Hines Ward , PIT	1	1	100.0%
143	Mike Thomas , JAX	1	1	100.0%
143	Patrick Turner , NYJ	1	1	100.0%
143	Anthony McCoy, SEA	1	1	100.0%
143	Jacob Tamme, IND	1	1	100.0%
143	John Gilmore, TB	1	1	100.0%
143	John Phillips, DAL	1	1	100.0%
143	Josh Baker, NYJ	1	1	100.0%
143	Randy McMichael, SD	1	1	100.0%
143	Anthony Hill, IND	1	1	100.0%
143	Ryan Taylor, GB	1	1	100.0%
143	Lee Smith, BUF	1	1	100.0%
143	Bryant Johnson , DET	0	1	0.0%
143	Cecil Shorts III, JAX	0	1	0.0%
143	Chad Hall , PHI	0	1	0.0%
143	DeMarco Sampson, ARI	0	1	0.0%
143	Devin Hester , CHI	0	1	0.0%
143	Earl Bennett , CHI	0	1	0.0%
143	Jeremy Kerley, NYJ	0	1	0.0%
143	Marc Mariani , TEN	0	1	0.0%
143	Bear Pascoe, NYG	0	1	0.0%
143	Cameron Morrah, SEA	0	1	0.0%
143	Clay Harbor, PHI	0	1	0.0%
143	D.J. Williams, GB	0	1	0.0%
143	Daniel Fells, DEN	0	1	0.0%
143	Jared Cook, TEN	0	1	0.0%
143	Jermichael Finley, GB	0	1	0.0%
143	Kellen Davis, CHI	0	1	0.0%
143	Kory Sperry, SD	0	1	0.0%
143	Luke Stocker, TB	0	1	0.0%
143	Michael Palmer, ATL	0	1	0.0%
143	Robert Housler, ARI	0	1	0.0%
143	Tony Scheffler, DET	0	1	0.0%