Week 12 in the NFL saw some high scoring games and some unlikely outcomes. Among receivers, Cleveland Browns WR Josh Gordon is proving that he can be a consistent WR1 week-in and week-out. Gordon caught 14 of his 17 targets for 237 yards and one touchdown in Sunday's 27-11 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The huge performance was the best game of his career, and he now owns five 100+ receiving yard games in the nine games he has played this season. He now has caught 54 balls for 988 yards and five touchdowns on the season.
Detroit Lions WR Nate Burleson returned from being out with a broken arm, and he looked like he hadn't missed any time at all as he caught seven of his ten targets for 77 yards and a touchdown in the Lions 24-21 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. He should be the Lions #2 wide receiver going forward, but will have competition from Kris Durham for targets.
Green Bay Packers WR Jarrett Boykin continues to produce and should be considered a WR2, even with Aaron Rodgers out with an injury. Boykin caught five of his 10 targets for 60 yards and a touchdown in the Packers 26-26 tie with the Minnesota Vikings. Boykin now has caught at least five passes for 60+ yards in five of his last six games, with two touchdowns.
Chicago Bears WR Brandon Marshall is a top 5 wide receiver most weeks and he proved it again on Sunday, catching 10 of his 12 targets for 117 yards and a touchdown in the Bears 42-21 loss to the St. Louis Rams. The Bears defense hasn't been stopping too many offenses of late, so the Bears will continue to throw the ball to stay in games. Marshall now has 74 receptions for 945 yards and nine touchdowns on the season.
Waiver Wire pickups for Week 13
• Montee Ball and four other RBs to pick up • Carson Palmer and four other QBs to pick up • Nate Burleson and seven other WRs to pick up • Heath Miller and four other TEs to pick up • The Dolphins and two other defenses to pick up
Miami Dolphins WR Mike Wallace has been one of the more disappointing receivers this season, but he had his best performance of the season in Week 12. Wallace caught five of his 10 targets for 127 yards and a touchdown in the Dolphins 20-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He has caught 49 balls for 661 yards and just two touchdowns on the season. I have a feeling that once Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill gains a bit more experience, Wallace's fantasy value will improve.
Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald had a solid, yet unspectacular, performance in week 12, catching five of his 11 targets for 52 yards and two touchdowns in the Cardinals 40-11 thrashing of the Indianapolis Colts. He may not be the stud receiver he was a few seasons ago, but he is making the most of his 50 receptions thus far, as he now has scored eight touchdowns on the season.
Target Practice
Below is the list of wide receivers who have seen the most targets over the last three weeks, and many of the guys at the top of this leader board will also grace the top of my rankings. No surprise that Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, Brandon Marshall and Antonio Brown are in the top five in targets over the last three weeks.
But there is one surprise, and that is Marshall's teammate in Chicago Alshon Jeffery. Jeffery is second in the NFL in targets over the three week span, with his 20 target performance in Week 10 helping to push him just behind Calvin Johnson. Jeffery is having a bit of a breakout season in 2013, with 58 receptions for 860 yards and three scores.
A guy I have been asked a lot about on Twitter lately is Packers WR Jarrett Boykin. Boykin has been terrific since Randall Cobb went down with an injury, and he is becoming a bigger part of the Packers passing attack, as he has garnered 31 targets over the last three weeks.
|
Rank |
Player |
Tm |
Wk 10 |
Wk 11 |
Wk 12 |
Avg |
Total |
|
1 |
DET |
17 |
13 |
14 |
14.7 |
44 |
|
|
2 |
CHI |
20 |
14 |
9 |
14.3 |
43 |
|
|
3 |
HOU |
12 |
17 |
6 |
11.7 |
35 |
|
|
4 |
CHI |
12 |
10 |
12 |
11.3 |
34 |
|
|
5 |
PIT |
11 |
11 |
11 |
11.0 |
33 |
|
|
6 |
CLE |
0 |
15 |
17 |
16.0 |
32 |
|
|
7 |
WAS |
10 |
11 |
11 |
10.7 |
32 |
|
|
8 |
DEN |
10 |
13 |
9 |
10.7 |
32 |
|
|
9 |
GBP |
13 |
8 |
10 |
10.3 |
31 |
|
|
10 |
ATL |
8 |
9 |
11 |
9.3 |
28 |
|
|
11 |
TEN |
9 |
12 |
7 |
9.3 |
28 |
|
|
12 |
ARI |
6 |
9 |
12 |
9.0 |
27 |
|
|
13 |
MIA |
14 |
6 |
7 |
9.0 |
27 |
|
|
14 |
IND |
8 |
9 |
9 |
8.7 |
26 |
|
|
15 |
BAL |
14 |
8 |
4 |
8.7 |
26 |
|
|
16 |
GBP |
10 |
9 |
7 |
8.7 |
26 |
|
|
17 |
MIA |
8 |
13 |
5 |
8.7 |
26 |
|
|
18 |
GBP |
7 |
6 |
12 |
8.3 |
25 |
|
|
19 |
CAR |
11 |
6 |
8 |
8.3 |
25 |
|
|
20 |
NYG |
10 |
11 |
4 |
8.3 |
25 |
Week 13 Rankings
Below is a table listing the team defenses that have given up the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
Wide Receivers with good match ups in Week 13:
1. Jordy Nelson/James Jones/Jarrett Boykin vs Lions
2. Denarius Moore/Rod Streator vs Cowboys
3. Brandon Marshall/ Alshon Jeffery vs Vikings
4. Larry Fitzgerald/Michael Floyd vs Eagles
5. Josh Gordon vs Jaguars
6. A.J. Green vs the Chargers
|
Rank |
||
|
20 |
Packers |
276.29 |
|
21 |
Buccaneers |
276.69 |
|
22 |
277 |
|
|
23 |
283.5 |
|
|
24 |
Cowboys |
285.29 |
|
25 |
Vikings |
294.49 |
|
26 |
301.09 |
|
|
27 |
Colts |
306.49 |
|
28 |
312.5 |
|
|
29 |
Chargers |
317.7 |
|
30 |
Eagles |
323.1 |
|
31 |
329.59 |
|
|
32 |
Lions |
349.99 |
Now let's take a look at our week 13 rankings:
|
Standard Leagues |
PPR Leagues |
|
|
Rank |
Player |
Player |
|
1 |
Calvin Johnson, DET |
Calvin Johnson, DET |
|
2 |
A.J. Green, CIN |
A.J. Green, CIN |
|
3 |
Dez Bryant, DAL |
Josh Gordon, CLE |
|
4 |
Josh Gordon, CLE |
Brandon Marshall, CHI |
|
5 |
Brandon Marshall, CHI |
Dez Bryant, DAL |
|
6 |
Vincent Jackson, TB |
Vincent Jackson, TB |
|
7 |
Andre Johnson, HOU |
Andre Johnson, HOU |
|
8 |
Demaryius Thomas, DEN |
Demaryius Thomas, DEN |
|
9 |
Jordy Nelson, GB |
Antonio Brown, PIT |
|
10 |
Antonio Brown, PIT |
Alshon Jeffery, CHI |
|
11 |
Harry Douglas, ATL |
Jordy Nelson, GB |
|
12 |
Jarrett Boykin, GB |
DeSean Jackson, PHI |
|
13 |
DeSean Jackson, PHI |
Jarrett Boykin, GB |
|
14 |
Alshon Jeffery, CHI |
Harry Douglas, ATL |
|
15 |
Victor Cruz, NYG |
Victor Cruz, NYG |
|
16 |
Eric Decker, DEN |
Torrey Smith, BAL |
|
17 |
Larry Fitzgerald, ARI |
Eric Decker, DEN |
|
18 |
Pierre Garcon, WAS |
Larry Fitzgerald, ARI |
|
19 |
Torrey Smith, BAL |
Cecil Shorts, JAC |
|
20 |
Cecil Shorts, JAC |
Pierre Garcon, WAS |
|
21 |
Terrance Williams, DAL |
Terrance Williams, DAL |
|
22 |
Steve Johnson, BUF |
Julian Edelman, NE |
|
23 |
T.Y. Hilton, IND |
T.Y. Hilton, IND |
|
24 |
Emmanuel Sanders, PIT |
Wes Welker, DEN |
|
25 |
Julian Edelman, NE |
Steve Johnson, BUF |
|
26 |
Michael Floyd, ARI |
Emmanuel Sanders, PIT |
|
27 |
Dwayne Bowe, KC |
Brian Hartline, MIA |
|
28 |
Steve Smith, CAR |
Marques Colston, NO |
|
29 |
Marques Colston, NO |
Dwayne Bowe, KC |
|
30 |
Rod Streater, OAK |
Denarius Moore, OAK |
|
31 |
James Jones, GB |
Steve Smith, CAR |
|
32 |
Kendall Wright, TENN |
Anquan Boldin, SF |
|
33 |
Anquan Boldin, SF |
Danny Amendola, NE |
|
34 |
Wes Welker, DEN |
Keenan Allen, SD |
|
35 |
Nate Burleson, DET |
Rod Streater, OAK |
|
36 |
Reuben Randle, NYG |
Marquise Goodwin, BUF |
|
37 |
Denarius Moore, OAK |
James Jones, GB |
|
38 |
Keenan Allen, SD |
Rueben Randle, NYG |
|
39 |
Brandon LaFell, CAR |
Michael Floyd, ARI |
|
40 |
Danny Amendola, NE |
Kendall Wright, TENN |
|
41 |
Brian Hartline, MIA |
Kenbrell Thompkins, NE |
|
42 |
Roddy White, ATL |
Rishard Matthews, MIA |
|
43 |
Greg Jennings, MIN |
Percy Harvin, SEA |
|
44 |
Marquise Goodwin, BUF |
Roddy White, ATL |
|
45 |
Mike Wallace, MIA |
Nate Burleson, DET |
|
46 |
Percy Harvin, SEA |
Greg Jennings, MIN |
|
47 |
Miles Austin, DAL |
Mike Wallace, MIA |
|
48 |
Rishard Matthews, MIA |
Miles Austin, DAL |
|
49 |
Kenbrell Thompkins, NE |
Brandon LaFell, CAR |
|
50 |
Michael Crabtree, SF |
Michael Crabtree, SF |
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