Week 3 Target Watch: Kamara Leads The Way

Photo Credit: Wally Gobetz

Welcome Fantasy friends and rivals. Welcome back to the SCFE Target Watch.

How are your Fantasy teams looking so far after three weeks? 0-3?  No problem! Don’t give up! Review your roster and discover your weaknesses and conquer them. Make trades, find out whose stock is rising in Week 3 Stock Report: A Star Is Born And Other Fantasy Football Happenings and be aggressive with the waiver wire.

Looking at who to target to improve your roster? See who Jack Delaney thinks you should pick up in his Week 3 Waiver Wire: Top Picks Include Corey Clement and Corey Grant.

Keep your eye on the target! Let’s take a look at who had the most targets in Week 3 of the 2018 season. Above all, let’s see what it means for Fantasy owners.

 

Week 3 Target Watch

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Top Overall Targets in Week 3

Player	Team	Position	Targets
Alvin Kamara	New Orleans Saints	RB	20
Adam Thielen	Minnesota Vikings	WR	19
Jarvis Landry	Cleveland Browns	WR	15
JuJu Smith-Schuster	Pittsburgh Steelers	WR	11
Mike Evans	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	WR	11
Eric Ebron	Indianapolis Colts	TE	11
Randall Cobb	Green Bay Packers	WR	11
Robert Woods	Los Angeles Rams	WR	11
Will Fuller	Houston Texans	WR	11
Zach Ertz	Philadelphia Eagles	TE	10
Michael Crabtree	Baltimore Ravens	WR	10
Odell Beckham Jr.	New York Giants	WR	10
Antonio Callaway	Cleveland Browns	WR	10
Michael Thomas	New Orleans Saints	WR	10
Chris Godwin	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	WR	10
DeAndre Hopkins	Houston Texans	WR	10
Stefon Diggs	Minnesota Vikings	WR	10
T.Y. Hilton	Indianapolis Colts	WR	10
Travis Kelce	Kansas City Chiefs	TE	10
Taylor Gabriel	Chicago Bears	WR	10

We saw 20 players reach double-digit targets in Week 3 with three of those players being tight ends surprisingly.  There was only one running back, but what a running back in Alvin Kamara. He is the perfect fit in that Saints offense and great fantasy tool out of the backfield.

Wide Receivers

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Top Wide Receiver Targets in Week 3

Player	Team	Targets
Adam Thielen	Minnesota Vikings	19
Jarvis Landry	Cleveland Browns	15
JuJu Smith-Schuster	Pittsburgh Steelers	11
Mike Evans	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	11
Randall Cobb	Green Bay Packers	11
Robert Woods	Los Angeles Rams	11
Will Fuller	Houston Texans	11
Michael Crabtree	Baltimore Ravens	10
Odell Beckham, Jr.	New York Giants	10
Antonio Callaway	Cleveland Browns	10
Michael Thomas	New Orleans Saints	10
Chris Godwin	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	10
DeAndre Hopkins	Houston Texans	10
Stefon Diggs	Minnesota Vikings	10
T.Y. Hilton	Indianapolis Colts	10
Taylor Gabriel	Chicago Bears	10

In one of the most upsetting games in Week 3, Adam Theilen was targeted 19 times as the Vikings somehow got wiped by the Bills, 27-6. The targets were mostly the result of Cousins trying to somehow salvage a game by throwing practically every play in the second half.

Jarvis Landry continues to be a target and PPR monster. There is no question that there is now an upgrade for Landry as the Browns turned to the No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield. The quantity might take a hit as Mayfield spreads the ball across multiple weapons, but the quality of those targets will increase as will Jarvis Landry’s Fantasy value along with rookie Antonio Callaway.

Of the 16 receivers that achieved double-digit targets, we had the usual suspects except for Taylor Gabriel. He is averaging just six yards a pass and shouldn’t be on anyone’s fantasy roster especially since he plays in that anemic Bears passing offense.

Tight Ends

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Top Tight End Targets Week 3

Player	Team	Targets
Eric Ebron	Indianapolis Colts	11
Zach Ertz	Philadelphia Eagles	10
Travis Kelce	Kansas City Chiefs	10
O.J. Howard	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	8
Tyler Eifert	Cincinnati Bengals	8
Dallas Goerdert	Philadelphia Eagles	7
George Kittle	San Francisco 49ers	7
Geoff Swain	Dallas Cowboys	7
Jordan Reed	Washington Redksins	7
Jimmy Graham	Green Bay Packers	7

With Jack Doyle (hip) out for Week 3,  Andrew Luck had eyes on his other tight end Eric Ebron. He led his team and all tight ends with 11 targets. Unfortunately, in typical Eric Ebron fashion, he only caught five of those passes for 35 yards. As long as Doyle is out, Ebron will be a target monster weekly.

Two tight ends, who were ranked second and third in the majority of preseason tight end rankings in Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz, each reached 10 targets and displayed why they should continue to be the center of their opponent’s defensive game plans.

Surprise! Surprise! Tyler Eifert (8) and Jordan Reed(7) each are still playing and not hurt while exhibiting their importance in their respective offenses. However, you won’t be able to count on Jordan Reed in Week 4, no he is NOT hurt. The Redskins are on a bye this week, as the NFL starts with bye weeks in Week 4.

Running Backs

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Top Running Back Targets in Week 3

Player	Team	Targets
Alvin Kamara	New Orleans Saints	20
Giovani Bernard	Cincinnati Bengals	9
Ezekiel Elliot	Dallas Cowboys	8
T.J. Yeldon	Jacksonville Jaguars	7
Latavius Murray	Minnesota Vikings	7
Devontae Booker	Denver Broncos	7
Ty Montgomery	Green Bay Packers	7
Jalen Richard	Oakland Raiders	7

Alvin Kamara continues to be a workhorse in the stellar Saints offense. The threesome of Brees, Michael Thomas, and Kamara have kept their team in the NFL upper echelon even though their defense has proven that last year’s opportunistic defense was a fluke. The only question in that offense is what happens when Mark Ingram comes back after Week 4? You would have to think that they will ease up on the touches for Kamara to save him for later in the season and hopefully a bid in the playoffs.

No other running back amassed double-digit targets. Three running backs that topped in targets were filling in for starters in Giovani Bernard (Joe Mixon), T.J. Yeldon (Leonard Fournette), and Latavius Murray (Dalvin Cook). There is a good chance that Dalvin Cook might play this week, while the other two starters look to be out for at least Week 4. With the replacements, the only viable candidate for touches, look for their targets and touches to continue and prosper.