I like guys who get targeted around the end zone. Most touchdowns occur inside the 10, so you figure if a guy’s involved in the offense in that part of the field, he’s more likely to score some touchdowns. With that in mind, some observations about players who’ve been targeted in that part of the field thus far.
• With 15 attempts, Alshon Jeffery has seen as many passes as anyone in that part of the field. He should be even busier in the final three weeks, with Brandon Marshall out for the year.
• The most surprising guy with over 10 attempts, I think, is Charles Clay of Miami. He’s caught only 3 of his 11 balls, however, and only one has gone for a touchdown.
• Among players with at least 3 pass attempts, only three have scored on all of their pass plays. Tim Wright (5 for 5), Jarvis Landry (3 for 3) and J.J. Watt (3 for 3). Who saw that trifecta coming?
• Joseph Fauria is Detroit’s team leader, with 7 attempts, even though he missed a good chunk of the season after spraining his ankle in mishap with his dog. Fauria is now out for the year.
• Other surprising team leaders include John Carlson, Robert Woods and Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw is now out for the year, of course.
• The least effective players in this part of the field have been Jermaine Kearse and Marqise Lee. Kearse hasn’t caught any of the 6 passes thrown his way. Lee is 0 for 4.
Including 2-point conversions, there have been 868 pass attempts inside the 10. Here’s the breakdown, with the most-targeted player for each team in bold. Included here are targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns (which includes both touchdowns and 2-point conversions).
| RECEIVING INSIDE THE 10 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD |
| ARZ | J.Carlson | 6 | 3 | 12 | 2 |
| ARZ | S.Taylor | 4 | 4 | 15 | 3 |
| ARZ | L.Fitzgerald | 4 | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| ARZ | Ja.Brown | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| ARZ | Jo.Brown | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARZ | A.Ellington | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| ATL | R.White | 8 | 6 | 18 | 5 |
| ATL | H.Douglas | 6 | 4 | 14 | 3 |
| ATL | J.Jones | 5 | 2 | 16 | 1 |
| ATL | L.Toilolo | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| ATL | J.Rodgers | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| ATL | D.Hester | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ATL | B.Pascoe | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| ATL | D.Freeman | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| ATL | E.Weems | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| ATL | P.DiMarco | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| ATL | A.Smith | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| BLT | O.Daniels | 5 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| BLT | S.Smith | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| BLT | K.Juszczyk | 3 | 3 | 21 | 1 |
| BLT | T.Smith | 3 | 2 | 19 | 2 |
| BLT | J.Forsett | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BLT | K.Aiken | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| BLT | C.Gillmore | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| BLT | D.Pitta | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BUF | R.Woods | 5 | 3 | 16 | 3 |
| BUF | S.Chandler | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| BUF | S.Watkins | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| BUF | C.Hogan | 3 | 3 | 17 | 2 |
| BUF | Mi.Williams | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BUF | C.Gragg | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| BUF | F.Jackson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BUF | L.Smith | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| BUF | M.Goodwin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BUF | C.Spiller | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| CAR | K.Benjamin | 8 | 2 | 12 | 2 |
| CAR | G.Olsen | 5 | 4 | 27 | 3 |
| CAR | D.Reaves | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAR | J.Cotchery | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| CAR | B.Bersin | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| CHI | A.Jeffery | 15 | 6 | 41 | 5 |
| CHI | B.Marshall | 9 | 4 | 18 | 4 |
| CHI | M.Bennett | 8 | 4 | 20 | 3 |
| CHI | M.Forte | 6 | 4 | 28 | 3 |
| CHI | J.Morgan | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| CHI | M.Wilson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CHI | D.Rosario | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| CIN | J.Gresham | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| CIN | M.Sanu | 4 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| CIN | A.Green | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| CIN | B.Tate | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| CLV | M.Austin | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| CLV | J.Cameron | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CLV | A.Hawkins | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| CLV | T.Benjamin | 2 | 2 | 15 | 2 |
| CLV | T.Gabriel | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| CLV | T.West | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| CLV | J.Dray | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| CLV | J.Gordon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CLV | K.Small | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| CLV | G.Barnidge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DAL | D.Bryant | 9 | 4 | 13 | 4 |
| DAL | J.Witten | 4 | 3 | 9 | 3 |
| DAL | G.Escobar | 4 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| DAL | T.Williams | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| DAL | C.Beasley | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| DEN | D.Thomas | 14 | 7 | 35 | 5 |
| DEN | E.Sanders | 11 | 9 | 24 | 4 |
| DEN | J.Thomas | 10 | 8 | 36 | 7 |
| DEN | J.Tamme | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| DEN | W.Welker | 3 | 3 | 15 | 1 |
| DEN | R.Hillman | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| DEN | M.Ball | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| DET | J.Fauria | 7 | 3 | 20 | 2 |
| DET | C.Johnson | 5 | 2 | 12 | 2 |
| DET | R.Bush | 4 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| DET | T.Riddick | 4 | 2 | 14 | 2 |
| DET | G.Tate | 4 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| DET | J.Bell | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| DET | E.Ebron | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DET | C.Fuller | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| DET | B.Pettigrew | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DET | J.Ross | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DET | J.Collins | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| GB | J.Nelson | 15 | 6 | 32 | 3 |
| GB | R.Cobb | 13 | 10 | 35 | 8 |
| GB | A.Quarless | 7 | 3 | 18 | 3 |
| GB | E.Lacy | 6 | 3 | 14 | 2 |
| GB | D.Adams | 6 | 3 | 18 | 1 |
| GB | R.Rodgers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| GB | J.Boykin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GB | J.Peppers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GB | B.Bostick | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| HST | A.Johnson | 6 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| HST | A.Foster | 4 | 3 | 13 | 3 |
| HST | G.Graham | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HST | J.Watt | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| HST | D.Hopkins | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| HST | R.Griffin | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| HST | D.Johnson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| IND | A.Bradshaw | 9 | 8 | 36 | 5 |
| IND | H.Nicks | 6 | 4 | 22 | 3 |
| IND | D.Allen | 6 | 5 | 17 | 4 |
| IND | T.Hilton | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| IND | C.Fleener | 5 | 3 | 13 | 3 |
| IND | J.Doyle | 4 | 3 | 11 | 1 |
| IND | R.Wayne | 4 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| IND | D.Herron | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| IND | D.Moncrief | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| IND | T.Richardson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| IND | A.Castonzo | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| JAC | C.Shorts | 5 | 2 | 14 | 1 |
| JAC | M.Lee | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| JAC | A.Robinson | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| JAC | M.Lewis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| JAC | N.Jacobs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| JAC | A.Hurns | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| KC | J.Charles | 6 | 3 | 16 | 2 |
| KC | T.Kelce | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| KC | D.Bowe | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| KC | A.Fasano | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| KC | K.Davis | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| KC | D.Avery | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| KC | J.McKnight | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| KC | D.Thomas | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MIA | C.Clay | 11 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| MIA | M.Wallace | 7 | 5 | 35 | 5 |
| MIA | L.Miller | 5 | 4 | 22 | 1 |
| MIA | B.Hartline | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| MIA | J.Landry | 3 | 3 | 14 | 3 |
| MIA | B.Gibson | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| MIA | R.Matthews | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| MIA | D.Williams | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| MIA | Dn.Thomas | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| MIA | D.Sims | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| MIN | G.Jennings | 5 | 3 | 19 | 2 |
| MIN | C.Ford | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MIN | R.Ellison | 2 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
| MIN | K.Rudolph | 2 | 2 | 11 | 2 |
| MIN | Ch.Johnson | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| MIN | J.Banyard | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| MIN | J.Wright | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MIN | C.Patterson | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| NE | J.Edelman | 9 | 4 | 19 | 2 |
| NE | S.Vereen | 7 | 4 | 12 | 2 |
| NE | R.Gronkowski | 6 | 5 | 21 | 5 |
| NE | B.LaFell | 6 | 3 | 21 | 3 |
| NE | T.Wright | 5 | 5 | 16 | 5 |
| NE | J.Develin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NE | K.Thompkins | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| NE | D.Amendola | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NO | J.Graham | 9 | 6 | 25 | 6 |
| NO | J.Hill | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| NO | K.Stills | 3 | 3 | 13 | 1 |
| NO | M.Colston | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| NO | E.Lorig | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| NO | B.Watson | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
| NO | B.Cooks | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| NO | M.Ingram | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| NO | T.Cadet | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| NO | A.Johnson | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| NYG | L.Donnell | 12 | 7 | 31 | 5 |
| NYG | R.Randle | 9 | 3 | 13 | 2 |
| NYG | O.Beckham | 5 | 3 | 17 | 3 |
| NYG | D.Fells | 5 | 3 | 12 | 3 |
| NYG | P.Parker | 3 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
| NYG | R.Jennings | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| NYG | V.Cruz | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| NYG | C.Washington | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| NYG | A.Williams | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NYG | P.Hillis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NYG | A.Robinson | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| NYJ | E.Decker | 8 | 4 | 14 | 2 |
| NYJ | J.Amaro | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| NYJ | J.Cumberland | 3 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| NYJ | J.Kerley | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NYJ | C.Ivory | 3 | 2 | 15 | 0 |
| NYJ | D.Nelson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NYJ | P.Harvin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NYJ | C.Johnson | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| OAK | J.Jones | 5 | 4 | 28 | 3 |
| OAK | M.Rivera | 4 | 4 | 13 | 3 |
| OAK | B.Butler | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| OAK | A.Holmes | 3 | 2 | 16 | 2 |
| OAK | M.Reece | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| OAK | D.Moore | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OAK | D.Penn | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| OAK | B.Leonhardt | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| PHI | J.Maclin | 6 | 3 | 15 | 3 |
| PHI | R.Cooper | 5 | 2 | 17 | 1 |
| PHI | B.Celek | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| PHI | Z.Ertz | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PHI | J.Matthews | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| PHI | L.McCoy | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| PHI | B.Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PIT | A.Brown | 14 | 9 | 44 | 6 |
| PIT | L.Bell | 7 | 5 | 21 | 3 |
| PIT | L.Moore | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| PIT | H.Miller | 5 | 5 | 15 | 3 |
| PIT | M.Bryant | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| PIT | J.Brown | 4 | 2 | 11 | 0 |
| PIT | M.Wheaton | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PIT | M.Palmer | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| PIT | M.Spaeth | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| PIT | D.Archer | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| SD | A.Gates | 11 | 6 | 39 | 6 |
| SD | B.Oliver | 5 | 4 | 11 | 1 |
| SD | K.Allen | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| SD | E.Royal | 4 | 3 | 9 | 3 |
| SD | M.Floyd | 3 | 2 | 11 | 2 |
| SD | L.Green | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| SD | D.Woodhead | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| SD | J.Phillips | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| SD | D.Brown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEA | D.Baldwin | 7 | 5 | 20 | 2 |
| SEA | J.Kearse | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEA | M.Lynch | 5 | 3 | 16 | 2 |
| SEA | L.Willson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEA | P.Harvin | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| SEA | P.Richardson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEA | R.Turbin | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| SEA | T.Moeaki | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| SEA | C.Helfet | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| SF | A.Boldin | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| SF | M.Crabtree | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| SF | S.Johnson | 2 | 2 | 13 | 2 |
| SF | C.Hyde | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| SF | F.Gore | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SF | J.Staley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SF | V.Davis | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| SF | V.McDonald | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SF | B.Miller | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| STL | L.Kendricks | 5 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| STL | J.Cook | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| STL | K.Britt | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STL | B.Cunningham | 3 | 2 | 13 | 1 |
| STL | B.Quick | 2 | 2 | 13 | 2 |
| STL | C.Harkey | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| STL | S.Bailey | 2 | 2 | 13 | 1 |
| STL | A.Pettis | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| STL | T.Watts | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| TB | V.Jackson | 7 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| TB | L.Murphy | 4 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| TB | M.Evans | 3 | 2 | 12 | 2 |
| TB | A.Seferian-Jenkins | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| TB | J.Lane | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| TB | R.Herron | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| TB | B.Rainey | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| TEN | D.Walker | 7 | 3 | 18 | 3 |
| TEN | D.McCluster | 4 | 3 | 15 | 1 |
| TEN | J.Hunter | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| TEN | N.Washington | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| TEN | C.Coffman | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| TEN | K.Wright | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| TEN | L.Washington | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| WAS | J.Reed | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| WAS | N.Paul | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| WAS | P.Garcon | 2 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
| WAS | D.Young | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| WAS | D.Jackson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WAS | A.Roberts | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
—Ian Allan