We’re likely past the halfway point in most fantasy leagues, and just now reaching halfway through the NFL regular season. If you’re looking to revamp your roster or trade out some duds for studs, target leader rankings can be particularly helpful especially when it comes to red-zone usage. It can be especially helpful in PPR leagues as you’ll be able to see who’s being utilized the most in the air when making that final push to get into the end zone.
Here are the red-zone target leaders from Week 8, broken down by wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs.
Wide receiver red-zone targets leaders
1. DK Metcalf, Seahawks, 5
2. Michael Pittman Jr., Colts, 4
3. Tyreek Hill, Dolphins, 4
4. Jordan Addison, Vikings, 3
5. Gabe Davis, Bills, 3
While DK Metcalf tops the list of red-zone targets, he finished nearly dead last in the red-zone performance rankings as he failed to catch a single one of those five. Pittman, however, caught all four of his targets for a touchdown, scoring 12.7 of his 18 PPR fantasy points inside the red zone. Jordan Addison and Gabe Davis also each found the end zone, bringing a big boost to their final scores, especially in PPR leagues.
Pittman also led receivers in red-zone fantasy points, while Addison came in just behind him with 10.7 in PPR leagues. Ja’Marr Chase, who only saw two targets, brought in 10.6 PPR points in the red zone after scoring a touchdown in the Bengals’ win over the 49ers.
Tight end red-zone target leaders
1. David Njoku, Browns, 4
2. Sam LaPorta, Lions, 3
3. Trey McBride, Cardinals, 3
4. George Kittle, 49ers, 3
5. Mark Andrews, Ravens, 2
Njoku saw the most red-zone targets out of all TEs in the league, but he only caught one of those passes. Fortunately for him and the Browns, he found the end zone on that single catch and ended up with 8.8 PPR points in the red zone alone. LaPorta led TEs in red-zone fantasy points, bringing in 10.7 after catching 2-of-3 for 27 yards and a touchdown.
Running back red zone target leaders
1. Joe Mixon, Bengals, 2
2. Aaron Jones, Packers, 2
3. Salvon Ahmed, Dolphins, 2
4. Alvin Kamara, Saints, 1
5. Christian McCaffrey, 49ers, 1
There wasn’t a whole ton of action for running backs in the air when it comes to red-zone targets, but Joe Mixon joined Aaron Jones and Salvon Ahmed as they all caught 2-of-2 for their respective teams. Kamara and McCaffrey made the most of their single red-zone target, as both players found the end zone in their games.
Kamara racked up a total of 17.1 red-zone fantasy points between his reception and rush attempts while bringing in the most red-zone yards with a total of 18.
Running back red zone attempt leaders
1. Javonte Williams, Broncos, 10
2. Saquon Barkley, Giants, 7
3. Gus Edwards, Ravens, 6
4. Alvin Kamara, Saints, 5
5. Chuba Hubbard, Panthers, 5
Javonte Williams led the pack with 10 attempts in the red zone, though he didn’t find the end zone and only logged 20 yards. Gus Edwards, though he saw fewer attempts, dominated as he brought in three touchdowns, scoring 20.3 fantasy points in the red zone alone. While a whole slew of rush attempts don’t always translate to the best scores, it’s never a bad idea to load up on players who at least see the volume near the goal line as they’ll obviously have plenty of opportunities to score on a given drive.