Matthew Stafford is out again for the Lions, and that’s huge for those holding Kenny Golladay. With Stafford, Golladay has been a franchise-type receiver. Without him, he hasn’t been much of a factor.
Especially around the goal line. Inside the 10, Golladay has seen a league-high 11 targets this year. But that gets blown up with Jeff Driskel at quarterback.
After 11 weeks, 72 players around the league have seen at least 4 targets when their teams have been inside the 10. These are home-cooked totals, and include not only regular plays but also 2-point conversions (which aren’t officially considered plays). In the chart, a successful 2-point conversion is counted as a touchdown. (The point here isn’t to tell you who’s scored the most touchdowns, but where teams are trying to go with the ball).
Of these 72, only 16 have successfully scored on over half of their targets. Half of those players are tight ends; that tends to be a successful way to around around the goal line. On the chart below, players who’ve been successful on over half of their targets are tagged with black dots.
One notable exception, has been Travis Kelce. He’s caught only 2 of the 10 passes thrown his way when Kansas City has been inside the 10-yard line, and only one of those catches resulted in a score.
Four other notably futile players around the end zone: Alvin Kamara, Mike Williams, Odell Beckham and Noah Fant. Collectively, those players haven’t scored on any of the 20 passes thrown their way inside the 10.
Four players have scored on every pass thrown their way inside the 10 (all have seen 4 targets): Jamaal Williams, Kyle Rudolph, Darren Fells and Kendrick Bourne.
| PLAYERS WITH 4 TARGETS INSIDE THE 10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | No | TD | Pct |
| K.Golladay, Det. | 11 | 5 | 4 | .364 |
| M.Evans, T.B. | 10 | 5 | 5 | .500 |
| T.Kelce, K.C. | 10 | 2 | 1 | .100 |
| • A.Hooper, Atl. | 9 | 6 | 6 | .667 |
| J.Landry, Clev. | 9 | 4 | 2 | .222 |
| E.Sanders, Den.-S.F. | 8 | 6 | 4 | .500 |
| C.Godwin, T.B. | 8 | 5 | 4 | .500 |
| L.Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 8 | 4 | 3 | .375 |
| J.Edelman, N.E. | 8 | 5 | 3 | .375 |
| K.Allen, LAC | 7 | 5 | 2 | .286 |
| M.Thomas, N.O. | 7 | 2 | 2 | .286 |
| A.Tate, Cin. | 7 | 1 | 1 | .143 |
| T.McLaurin, Was. | 7 | 3 | 1 | .143 |
| • M.Jones, Det. | 6 | 5 | 4 | .667 |
| • T.Hilton, Ind. | 6 | 5 | 4 | .667 |
| J.Jones, Atl. | 6 | 5 | 3 | .500 |
| H.Henry, LAC | 6 | 5 | 3 | .500 |
| D.Metcalf, Sea. | 6 | 3 | 3 | .500 |
| T.Eifert, Cin. | 6 | 2 | 2 | .333 |
| J.Witten, Dall. | 6 | 3 | 2 | .333 |
| J.Graham, G.B. | 6 | 3 | 2 | .333 |
| A.Ekeler, LAC | 6 | 4 | 2 | .333 |
| A.Kamara, N.O. | 6 | 4 | 0 | .000 |
| • D.Hopkins, Hou. | 5 | 5 | 4 | .800 |
| • M.Andrews, Balt. | 5 | 3 | 3 | .600 |
| • R.Griffin, NYJ | 5 | 3 | 3 | .600 |
| • V.McDonald, Pitt. | 5 | 3 | 3 | .600 |
| • T.Lockett, Sea. | 5 | 5 | 3 | .600 |
| A.Robinson, Chi. | 5 | 2 | 2 | .400 |
| C.Sutton, Den. | 5 | 3 | 2 | .400 |
| C.Kupp, LAR | 5 | 3 | 2 | .400 |
| B.Johnson, Min. | 5 | 3 | 2 | .400 |
| E.Engram, NYG | 5 | 2 | 2 | .400 |
| D.Samuel, S.F. | 5 | 3 | 2 | .400 |
| J.White, N.E. | 5 | 4 | 1 | .200 |
| Z.Jones, Buf.-Oak. | 5 | 2 | 0 | .000 |
| N.Fant, Den. | 5 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| M.Williams, LAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| • J.Williams, G.B. | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 |
| • D.Fells, Hou. | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 |
| • K.Rudolph, Min. | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 |
| • K.Bourne, S.F. | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 |
| • J.Mixon, Cin. | 4 | 4 | 3 | .750 |
| • J.Cook, N.O. | 4 | 3 | 3 | .750 |
| • T.Hill, N.O. | 4 | 4 | 3 | .750 |
| • D.Goedert, Phil. | 4 | 3 | 3 | .750 |
| K.Johnson, Ariz. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| C.Samuel, Car. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| G.Olsen, Car. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| D.Harris, Clev. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| J.Doyle, Ind. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| D.Chark, Jac. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| G.Everett, LAR | 4 | 3 | 2 | .500 |
| S.Shepard, NYG | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| D.Waller, Oak. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| T.Williams, Oak. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| A.Jeffery, Phil. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| N.Agholor, Phil. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| T.Quinn, Was. | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| C.Kirk, Ariz. | 4 | 4 | 1 | .250 |
| M.Sanu, Atl.-N.E. | 4 | 2 | 1 | .250 |
| T.Hockenson, Det. | 4 | 2 | 1 | .250 |
| S.Watkins, K.C. | 4 | 2 | 1 | .250 |
| T.Higbee, LAR | 4 | 3 | 1 | .250 |
| D.Slayton, NYG | 4 | 2 | 1 | .250 |
| S.Barkley, NYG | 4 | 2 | 1 | .250 |
| Jaron Brown, Sea. | 4 | 1 | 1 | .250 |
| T.Coleman, S.F. | 4 | 2 | 1 | .250 |
| O.Beckham, Clev. | 4 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| G.Allison, G.B. | 4 | 2 | 0 | .000 |
| N.Hines, Ind. | 4 | 2 | 0 | .000 |
| D.Ogunbowale, T.B. | 4 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
—Ian Allan