Draft Strategy

2011 Fantasy RB Targets Stats

By Gridiron Experts

Posted on June 4, 2012

The target statistic is far more significant for the wide receiver position. When it comes to deciding where to draft a running back, targets takes a back seat to carries. Yet, when you have two or three guys ranked evenly those extra points from receptions or receiving yards is without a doubt the difference in a close comparison.

2011 RB’s Ranked by Targets

Running Back	TM	Gm	Tar	Rec	Yrds	TD
Darren Sproles	NO	16	111	86	710	7
Ray Rice	BAL	16	104	76	704	3
Chris Johnson	TEN	16	79	57	418	0
Mike Tolbert	SD	15	79	54	433	2
Matt Forte	CHI	12	76	52	490	1
Arian Foster	HOU	13	72	53	617	2
LeSean McCoy	PHI	15	69	48	315	3
M.Jones-Drew	JAC	16	64	43	374	3
Jonathan Stewart	CAR	16	61	47	413	1
Roy Helu	WAS	15	60	49	379	1
L.Tomlinson	NYJ	14	60	42	449	2
Ryan Mathews	SD	14	59	50	455	0
Pierre Thomas	NO	16	59	50	425	1
Steven Jackson	STL	15	58	42	333	1
Kregg Lumpkin	TB	16	53	41	291	0
C.J. Spiller	BUF	16	53	39	269	2
Reggie Bush	MIA	15	52	43	296	1
Fred Jackson	BUF	10	50	39	442	0
Michael Bush	OAK	16	47	37	418	1
Ahmad Bradshaw	NYG	12	44	34	267	2
Felix Jones	DAL	12	44	33	221	0
Shonn Greene	NYJ	16	41	30	211	0
Marshawn Lynch	SEA	15	41	28	212	1
Jahvid Best	DET	6	40	27	287	1
James Starks	GB	13	37	29	216	0
D.J. Ware	NYG	16	37	27	170	0
Marcel Reece	OAK	12	36	27	301	2
Javon Ringer	TEN	12	36	28	187	0
Maurice Morris	DET	16	35	26	230	1
DeMarco Murray	DAL	13	35	26	183	0
Justin Forsett	SEA	16	34	23	128	0
Peyton Hillis	CLE	10	34	22	130	0
Jason Snelling	ATL	15	33	26	179	1
Lance Ball	DEN	16	32	16	148	1
Frank Gore	SF	16	31	17	114	0
Earnest Graham	TB	7	31	26	163	0
Brian Leonard	CIN	13	31	22	210	0
Chris Ogbonnaya	HOU	13	31	23	165	0
Danny Woodhead	NE	15	31	18	157	0
Tashard Choice	DAL	13	30	19	124	0
Toby Gerhart	MIN	16	28	23	190	3
Rashard Mendenhall	PIT	15	28	18	154	0
Kevin Smith	DET	7	28	22	179	3
Vonta Leach	BAL	16	27	15	69	0
Jacquizz Rodgers	ATL	16	27	21	188	1
Kendall Hunter	SF	16	26	16	195	0
Michael Turner	ATL	16	26	17	168	0
LeGarrette Blount	TB	14	25	15	148	0
Charles Clay	MIA	14	25	16	233	3
DeAngelo Williams	CAR	16	25	16	135	0

2011 Fantasy RB Targets Stats

2011 Fantasy Football RB Targets Stats

The target statistic is far more significant for the wide receiver position. When it comes to deciding where to draft a running back, targets take a back seat to carries. Yet, when you have two or three guys ranked evenly, those extra points from receptions or receiving yards is without a doubt the difference in a close comparison.

Often a young quarterback’s best friend is a sure-handed Tight End to dump passes off to, but a good running back out of the backfield can sometimes be just as good. With the passing game getting more and more attention throughout the NFL, a combination back might be more important in today’s game than the quickly disappearing workhorse back.

Last season there were two guys who dominated the top of the list. Darren Sproles and Ray Rice were targeted twenty more times than Chris Johnson – who was third on the list. With that many targets, the top two were able to add a combined ten touchdowns and 1400 yards to their stats. Rice was obviously a top five pick last year, but Sproles helped himself immensely with his all-around game. Even with the mess that is New Orleans right now, Sproles should get some notice when you are looking for that second runner.

Targets are also a good gauge when trying to decide who to go with in a committee situation. For me, Carolina immediately came to mind. DeAngelo Williams had a few more rushing yards and a couple more touchdowns than running mate Jonathan Stewart, but Stewart was targeted a whopping 36 more times in the passing game. That difference actually gave Stewart more yards from scrimmage for the year, making them much more comparable when it comes to fantasy production.

Many of the usual fantasy suspects were in the top twenty in targets, although Adrian Peterson’s name was nowhere to be found. Obviously he missed the last four games of the season, but “All Day” was targeted just 23 times in twelve games. That was less than backup Toby Gerhart. Historically AP has been a little more involved in the passing game. Peterson has been a consensus top five pick the last few years, but coming off a knee injury along with his lack of involvement in the passing game will move him way down the board in PPR leagues and make him a huge risk player for 2012. Currently Adrian Peterson’s ADP is 11th overall in Mock Drafts.

Targets are by no means a huge ranking factor in standard fantasy leagues, but in PPR leagues the pass-catching RB is very valuable. Darren Sproles is without a doubt a lethal target. He may not get as many carries as most top running backs in the NFL, but as a constant threat in all areas of of the game, Sproles is looking like 2012’s most acceptable “fantasy reach” player. His current ADP is near the top of the 3rd round in a 12 man league, yet with 86 receptions a year ago, nobody would blame you to draft him in the second round.

Written by: Brian Jerzak & Mike Rodriguez