Week 3 Targets and Touches Report

The notes below should give you the important takes from all the backfields and receiving groups. Below the notes, you can view the actual touch numbers and targets data for the full breakdown.

Yeah, we know football is in full swing. That doesn’t mean you can’t jump into fantasy hoops? From joining a public league with our Fantasy Basketball Commissioner to trying one of our Classic Draft Contests, there are plenty of ways to play Fantasy Basketball on Fantrax!

Team Notes

Want to just get right to the Targets and Touches data? Click here.

Carolina Panthers:

Backfield Notes:

• With CMC on the mend with a hamstring injury, Chuba Hubbards will likely play last year’s Mike Davis role in CMC’s absence. This makes him a priority add.

Receiving Notes:

• D.J. Moore looks to be Sam Darnold’s favorite target early on, but I am growing increasingly worried about Robby Anderson. Though, Anderson is due for one of his signature big performances.

Houston Texans:

Backfield Notes:

• Steer clear of this backfield, it is a mess and no one is going to want to rely on Mark Ingram II or David Johnson week to week unless they are in the deepest of leagues.

Receiving Notes:

• Brandin Cooks is simply matchup-proof at this point. He is far and away the WR1 in this offense, and seemingly even when he is the only guy that defenses have to prep for, he still finds a way to yield production.

Washington Football Team:

Backfield Notes:

• Antonio Gibson is so bloody talented. If he were to see a CMC type workload, like reported early on, the sky is the limit for this guy.

Receiving Notes:

• This passing game is all Terry McLaurin and Logan Thomas. Everyone else is impossible to trust short of Curtis Samuel upon his return. However, should Washington use Curtis Samuel in the run game, and supplement him as a receiving back, it is going to hurt Gibson’s value.

Buffalo Bills:

Backfield Notes:

• The back to own on this team is still Devin Singletary, but I would steer clear of both him and Moss given the fact that this is a pass first offense through and through.

Receiving Notes:

• If Josh Allen is going to pass the ball 40+ times a game, fantasy managers can get away with starting Diggs, Beasley, and Sanders comfortably every week.

Chicago Bears:

Backfield Notes:

• David Montgomery had ten carries even though the game script went away from him early on, he is proving to be an every-week start.

Receiving Notes:

• Allen Robinson II is too talented to keep having poor performances like this. Now is a very good buy-low window on him.

Cleveland Browns:

Backfield Notes:

• Chubb is the better ball carrier, Hunt is the better pass catcher. Both are safe starts week to week. But believe it or not, Hunt might be a better option in PPR leagues.

Receiving Notes:

• OBJ is the guy to own in this receiving group, but make no mistake this is a run-first offense, and Kareem Hunt commands a lot of passing work, so the ceiling is all but surely capped.

Baltimore Ravens:

Backfield Notes:

• This is going to be a timeshare. My apologies to Ty’Son Williams truthers, but none of these guys are capable of being a true bell-cow at this point in their career.

Receiving Notes:

• Mark Andrews finally had the week we have been waiting for. But Rashod Bateman returns this week, and will almost surely stir things up in this offense. But I still think both Andrews and Hollywood Brown are safe starts.

Detroit Lions:

Backfield Notes:

• D’Andre Swift really needs to see more work, as he is so talented. But it is clear that this Lions offense plans to supplement him with Jamaal Williams. They are both safe low-end starts on a weekly basis, but if Swift got a full workload he could be a league winner.

Receiving Notes:

• Swift led the team in catches in Week 3. But beyond that, there is no one in this group I would want to start besides Hockenson.

Indianapolis Colts:

Backfield Notes:

• Jonathan Taylor only saw 10 carries which is frustrating. But on the flip side, the team is working to move Marlon Mack which means this backfield is all Taylor and Hines. Taylor is too talented to see this little of a workload going forward, I expect that to change next week.

Receiving Notes:

• Michael Pittman Jr. is looking like the real deal. While he may not be a league winner, 12 targets is not too shabby, and he offers a relatively solid floor going forward.

Tennessee Titans:

Backfield Notes:

• Derrick Henry. That’s all.

Receiving Notes:

• This very well could be the most frustrating receiving room to roster in all of fantasy. A.J. Brown and Julio Jones have both flopped to start this season. Brown got hurt early on, and it was all but surely a Julio game, but Jones also got banged up later in the game and only saw four targets. I feel like this is so out of sort, that the only thing to do is either buy-low or hold these guys.

Los Angeles Chargers:

Backfield Notes:

• Austin Ekeler is far and away the guy, and given his usage in the passing game, he is matchup proof at this point.

Receiving Notes:

• Mike Williams is a stud. But the question of whether to hold him or cash out as a sell-high candidate is a very difficult one. On the one hand, his trade value will likely never be higher, but he seems to have some real red-zone chemistry with Justin Herbert. Both him and Keenan Allen are every week starts.

Kansas City Chiefs:

Backfield Notes:

• CEH finally had a performance worthy of his ADP. I am still very much concerned with the production, but opportunity is everything and he is still getting enough carries to where he can be valuable in fantasy.

Receiving Notes:

• It was a weird week for the Chiefs, but this is still the Hill and Kelce show, the signing of Josh Gordon does nothing to effect that. Also, please do not blow a bunch of FAAB on Josh Gordon.

Atlanta Falcons:

Backfield Notes:

• Mike Davis is not going to get bell-cow work with Corrdarelle Patterson on his tail. But both can still warrant a flex play in most weeks as their floor is relatively safe.

Receiving Notes:

• It is only a matter of time before Calvin Ridley has a monster week. But on the flip side, this Kyle Pitts situation is beginning to get a bit frustrating. Nevertheless, hold the line, he is going to break out before we know it.

New York Giants:

Backfield Notes:

• Saquon Barkley is likely going to see an uptick in work every week going forward. This is likely the last chance fantasy managers will have to buy relatively low on him.

Receiving Notes:

• This team is a mess. Just as when it looked like Sterling Shepard was the guy, he put up a clunker of a week. This is going to a sporadic offense where the ball is spread around, and none of the Giants receivers possess to big of a ceiling because of it.

Cincinnati Bengals:

Backfield Notes:

• Joe Mixon continues to get elite carry totals. We would like to see him more involved in the passing game, but the upside here is something special.

Receiving Notes:

• So it is clear that the lack of white lines on the football isn’t affecting Ja’Marr Chase all that much. The crazy thing is, given the production he has put up thus far, his target share isn’t even that incredible. Should he see an uptick in targets, watch out NFL defensive backs.

Pittsburgh Steelers:

Backfield Notes:

• Najee Harris saw 19 targets this week guys, and yes you read that correctly. Big Ben seems to be at the very end here, and this will likely lead to a let of check-down passes to the RB.

Receiving Notes:

• Juju is an afterthought in this offense, I really believe that. Both Diontae and Claypool have surpassed him, those are the two Steelers WRs that you want.

Arizona Cardinals:

Backfield Notes:

• Well, things are not looking too perfect for Chase Edmonds, as he had two touchdowns poached by James Conner in Week 3. Edmonds is still a great play, as he has a lot of PPR upside, but the goal line switch and split carries with Conner surely cap his ceiling.

Receiving Notes:

• D-Hop and Rondale Moore are the two best guys to roster on this Cardinals team, but in Week 3 it was the A.J. Green and Christian Kirk show, it do not expect things to stay this way going forward.

Jacksonville Jaguars:

Backfield Notes:

• The usage here for James Robinson was good, but Carlos Hyde is still going to factor into this backfield. Though, I do not think it will be long before Robinson runs away with this one.

Receiving Notes:

• I have said this before, and I will say it again. Marvin Jones Jr. has the safest floor of anyone in this offense. Chark Jr. and Schnault Jr. have more upside, but it will be a dart throw each week.

New Orleans Saints:

Backfield Notes:

• After a clunker of a Week 2, Alvin Kamara got right back to it with a monster Week 3 and 24 carries. Tony Jones Jr. is one of the best handcuffs in all of football.

Receiving Notes:

• Marquez Callaway finally had his week. But I think the fact that no one has really broken out in this receiver group means that Michael Thomas is going to be a monster when if and when he returns healthy.

New England Patriots:

Backfield Notes:

• So the Patriots leading rusher in Week 3 was Mac Jones with 6 carries. Games like this where the Pats are playing from behind just goes to show how matchup-dependent Damien Harris is this season, as he is virtually a non-factor in the passing game.

Receiver Notes:

• Jakobi Meyers saw 14 targets and Kendrick Bourne saw 8. Albeit, the Pats were playing from behind most of the game, and Mac Jones threw the ball 51 times. It seems as if the tight ends are not going to factor in like we thought. But this is where I take a step back, realize it is only Week 3 and try to think objectively. We need a few more weeks before we can accurately saw what this team is in terms of fantasy value.

New York Jets:

Backfield Notes:

• The good news is that Michael Carter seems to be running away with this job, the bad news is that the Jets are horrible, and will be playing from behind most of the time which will make the run game obsolete.

Receiving Notes:

• Corey Davis got 10 targets this week. His target share is excellent thus far and he is the only guy you want in this offense to date.

Denver Broncos:

Backfield Notes:

• This is still very much a backfield by committee. Both RBs are flex-worthy and will likely get a ton of work.

Receiving Notes:

• With the KJ Hamler injury, this group keeps on getting thinner. Tim Patrick and Courtland Sutton are going to be the guys, and their target shares will increase in Week 4.

Miami Dolphins:

Backfield Notes:

• Myles Gaskin has a slight lead in this backfield battle, but it is clear Brian Flores is going to use both Gaskin and Brown. Not to mention, Malcolm Brown looks to be the favored red-zone back as well.

Receiving Notes:

• Jaylen Waddle has been a targets machine early on. He has a clear chemistry with both Tagovailoa and Brissett. Will Fuller V looks to be a bit banged up after Week 3, and Waddle is likely due for another big game.

Las Vegas Raiders:

Backfield Notes:

• Peyton Barber with another big week out of nowhere. This backfield could be a complete three man committee between Jacobs, Barber, and Drake. I would cash out on Jacobs while I still can.

Receiver Notes:

• With Carr playing at this level it is quite possible that Edwards, Ruggs III, and Renfrow are all flex worthy. albeit, Renfrow has the safest floor of the three.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Backfield Notes:

• Man, this backfield is a fantasy mess. I would rather own Fournette, but for the most part I want no part of this backfield.

Receiver Notes:

• Everyone in this receiving group warrants a weekly start. While it sometimes may be frustrating due to the ball going specific ways on certain weeks, fantasy managers do not want to miss out of the big weeks that these guys are going to command.

Los Angeles Rams:

Backfield Notes:

• With Darell Henderson Jr. out this week, Sony Michel saw 20 carries. That should normalize once this backfield is healthy, Henderson Jr. is still the guy.

Receiver Notes:

• Cooper Kupp is looking like a top-1o WR this season, the connection between him and Stafford is clear. While I am a bit worried about Robert Woods, I think it is only a matter of time before the targets start to find him, and this makes him a good buy-low candidate.

Seattle Seahawks:

Backfield Notes:

• This is Chris Carson’s backfield, and he looked good in this one. The game script went away from him, but he looks like an excellent value at his ADP thus far.

Receiving Notes:

• D.K. Metcalf traded places with Tyler Lockett this week and had his big game. Both are must starts on any given week though.

Minnesota Vikings:

Backfield Notes:

• Alexander Mattison showed us why he is one of the single most elite handcuffs in all of football. Once Cook comes back, Mattison will not factor in too much. But there is always the chance that given his success in Week 3, the Vikings start to utilize both backs as a means of attempting to keep Cook healthy.

Receiving Notes:

• Justin Jefferson will command most of the targets, while Adam Thielen remains a touchdown machine. Both should be started every week.

Green Bay Packers:

Backfield Notes:

• Aaron Jones is unbelievably talented. This is his backfield, but should he miss any time AJ Dillon is an elite handcuff.

Receiving Notes:

• Davante Adams or bust in this passing game. Everyone else on this roster will be too inconsistent to warrant a weekly start. I do expect more production from Robert Tonyan going forward though.

San Francisco 49ers:

Backfield Notes:

• Trey Sermon looked awful in the first half, only to turn things around for a productive second half with a touchdown. Elijah Mitchell is expected back this week, and your guess is as good as mine as to what Kyle Shanahan will do with this backfield in Week 4.

Receiving Notes:

• George Kittle finally looked like himself and had a monster week. But as far as WRs go, Deebo Samuel is clearly the preferred option over Brandon Aiyuk.

Philadelphia Eagles:

Backfield Notes:

• Miles Sanders averaged 13.5 yards per carry, that’s incredible, although he only saw two carries the whole game! The Eagles need to use him more effectively if they want to win games, simple as that.

Receiving Notes:

• The Eagles looked downright awful in this contest. Jalen Reagor lead the team in targets, but if you look at the film, Jalen Hurts first look was almost always Devonta Smith. This is a good sign because it means he is the preferred target, but also bad news because it means Smith didn’t create ample separation. Do with this what you will.

Dallas Cowboys:

Backfield Notes:

• Zeke and Pollard are both worthy of a start each week. Tony Pollard is so explosive that he keeps forcing himself onto the field. Zeke is the red-zone guy, but Pollard is the better pass catcher. This makes them both useful for fantasy purposes.

Receiving Notes:

• This week was the Dalton Schultz show, but they also ran the ball 28 times. I expect Lamb and Cooper to pick things up next week, especially if it is more of a competitive game.

Week 4 Targets and Touches Data

• Touches

• Targets

Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2020, and we’re not stopping now. With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.