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Fantasy: Target Leaders

by Dan Clasgens 12/23/2008 10:00:00 AM

Here is a look at the targets from Week 16's action:

Player

Pos

Next Opp

Bye

Week

Targets

Rec

Catch%

ReYds

ReTds

TotPass

Thrown%

Brandon Marshall

Probable (12/21/2008 7:27:00 PM)

Brandon Marshall caught 10 balls for 129 yards in Denver's Week 16 loss.Marshall made catches all over the field, but his third-quarter fumble after a 27-yard reception was costly. It likely caused at least a six-point swing and Buffalo gained a lot of momentum by jumping ahead on the ensuing possession. Marshall's ball-security issues are new. He's lost three fumbles in 2008 after losing just one in his first two seasons. On a positive note, Marshall now has 98 catches for 1,210 yards (12.3 YPC) on the year.

DEN

BUF

0.63

129

0.36

Donald Driver

Recent News (12/23/2008 12:27:00 AM)
Donald Driver caught six passes for 63 yards against the Bears on Monday night.A nice effort from Driver, considering that he missed almost all of the second quarter with a bum leg. He has topped 60 yards four weeks in a row and needs 99 yards against the Lions next week to pull off his sixth straight 1,000-yard season.

@ CHI

0.43

0.36

Dennis Northcutt

Recent News (12/19/2008 12:28:00 AM)

Dennis Northcutt caugth eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Colts in Week 16.Where has this guy been all season? David Garrard found Northcutt streaking past Colts defenders for an over-the-shoulder 28-yard opening drive touchdown, and the duo kept it up throughout the game. Northcutt's 13 receptions for 228 yards the past two weeks almost match his combined totals for Weeks 1-14. Though obviously rolling, he has a tough matchup in Week 17 against a Ravens team that may have a lot to play for.

JAC

IND

0.62

101

0.32

Tony Gonzalez

Recent News (12/21/2008 5:36:00 PM)
Tony Gonzalez caught seven passes for 64 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins in Week 16.No wonder Gonzalez loves Tyler Thigpen. The future Hall of Famer was targeted 12 times, regardless of whether he was blanketed in coverage or not. He powered his way into the end zone on an 8-yard pass and is now up to 1,005 yards and nine touchdowns on 91 receptions.

MIA

0.58

0.29

Terrell Owens

Recent News (12/21/2008 12:41:00 AM)

Terrell Owens pulled in five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys' Week 16 loss to the Ravens.Owens let a ball slip through his hands in the end zone on the Cowboys' second possession and lost a deep ball in the lights just before halftime. He was left with just one reception at the conclusion of the second quarter. T.O., however, made up for his lack of first-half production with four catches in the final two quarters, including a seven-yard TD grab. On top of everything, he was surprisingly mild-mannered in his post-game press conference.

DAL

BAL

0.42

0.27

Marques Colston

Recent News (12/21/2008 4:31:00 PM)

Marques Colston caught nine balls for 99 yards and two touchdowns as the Saints trounced the Lions in Week 16.Colston now has three scores in his last two games and has found his rhythm with Drew Brees just in time for New Orleans' season to be ending. Still, it is a promising development for his future. This duo should resume being one of the league's most productive and consistent WR-to-QB hookups next year.

@ DET

0.75

0.30

Isaac Bruce

Recent News (12/21/2008 4:57:00 PM)

Isaac Bruce caught seven balls for 61 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers' Week 16 win over St. Louis.Bruce's touchdown was perfectly timed, as it gave him his 1,000th career catch. The 49ers called pass play after pass play for Bruce in the fourth quarter and it paid off, opening up the rest of the offense that had sputtered through three frames. The Edward Jones Dome crowd was rooting for Rev. Ike over their own team. Bruce now has seven TDs and 59 catches in the season.

@ STL

0.58

0.35

Mark Bradley

Recent News (12/21/2008 5:47:00 PM)

Mark Bradley caught four passes for 57 yards against the Dolphins in Week 16.Bradley appeared to be fully healthy for the first time since suffering a calf injury in Week 12. He was targeted deep consistently and had a couple of bombs knocked out of his hands at the last second. His emergence helped key the Chiefs passing game renaissance earlier in the season, and he could have a similar impact next week.

MIA

0.36

0.27

Hines Ward

Recent News (12/23/2008 12:52:00 AM)

Hines Ward told the Pittsburgh media Monday that he wants to play in Week 17, even if coach Mike Tomlin chooses to rest some starters."You want to rest guys but you don't want to get out of sync," Ward said. "Me, personally, I want to play. I don't want to get two, three weeks off before you actually get hit again." The man thrives on contact, but he might really have his eyes on the 1,000-receiving yard barrier. He'll take 973 into Sunday's tilt with the Browns.

PIT

@ TEN

0.64

109

0.28

Laveranues Coles

Questionable (12/21/2008 7:29:00 PM)
Laveranues Coles caught five passes for 60 yards in Week 16.Coles owners and Jets fans alike may never forgive Coles for dropping a long bomb late in the game that may have gone for a score. He might be given a chance to redeem himself to Jets fans next week if he has a big game against Miami, but it will be impossible for him to redeem himself to fantasy owners in leagues that end in Week 16.

NYJ

@ SEA

0.45

0.35

Donnie Avery

Recent News (12/21/2008 5:22:00 PM)

Donnie Avery caught five balls for 56 yards in Week 16.Avery made a terrific catch along the sidelines in the fourth quarter, keeping both feet in on a well-placed ball from Marc Bulger to get a first down. Of course, Bulger threw a pick plays later and the Rams dropped to 2-13 on the season. Avery has showed the ability to make tough catches and go deep all year. When he gets used to the rigors of a full 16-game season, he'll have a chance to be a star.

STL

0.50

0.27

Tashard Choice

Recent News (12/23/2008 7:33:00 PM)

Cowboys RB Tashard Choice has the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 rushing totals against the Steelers, Ravens and Giants, all of whom are among the 10 toughest run defenses in the league.As Rotoworld's Gregg Rosenthal pointed out last week, much of Choice's production is coming off screens and shotgun draws. Still, the well-rounded rookie has yet to show a weakness while succeeding where more established backs have failed. Choice has greatly improved his Dynasty stock as a young backup with a Chester Taylor type of future.

DAL

BAL

0.70

0.22

Vincent Jackson

Probable (12/21/2008 4:13:00 PM)
Vincent Jackson caught seven passes for 111 yards against the Bucs in Week 16.Jackson was on his way to a monster game early, having his way with Bucs corners while racking up 80 yards in the first half. He reeled in seven of his eight targets and continues to be Philip Rivers' top weapon. V-Jax is averaging six catches for 116 yards since putting up a goose egg in Week 13.

@ TB

0.70

111

0.32

Josh Reed

Recent News (12/21/2008 7:42:00 PM)
Josh Reed caught nine balls for 79 yards in a Week 16 win.Reed can get open underneath, but rarely breaks tackles after the catch and doesn't make plays over his shoulder. The Bills need badly to upgrade this position in the offseason, and not with another raw rookie. T.J. Houshmandzadeh would be an ideal pickup. Even Ronald Curry could work if Oakland cuts him.

BUF

@ DEN

0.90

0.40

Antonio Bryant

Recent News (12/22/2008 12:53:00 PM)

Coach Jon Gruden indicated Monday that keeping contract-year receiver Antonio Bryant is a "top priority" for the Bucs in the offseason.Tampa is usually in good cap shape and has several players (Joey Galloway, Brian Griese) it can release to save room, so retaining Bryant shouldn't be a problem. Bryant has 80 catches for 1,171 yards (14.6 YPC) and seven TDs through 15 games. He's been a true difference maker in the fantasy playoffs.

0.60

127

0.29

Dallas Clark

Questionable (12/18/2008 11:45:00 PM)

Dallas Clark caught eight passes for 105 yards and a touchdown against a mismatched Jaguars defense in Week 16.Peyton Manning hit Clark in stride over and over again with the tight end mismatched against Jaguars linebackers. The highlight was a perfectly timed 33-yard pass that a lunging Clark hauled in down the sidelines. After back-to-back monster games, Clark is at a career-high 789 yards on 71 receptions.

IND

@ JAC

0.80

105

0.29

L.J. Smith

Recent News (12/21/2008 7:53:00 PM)
L.J. Smith hauled in seven passes for 49 yards against the Redskins in Week 16.Though he was targeted a whopping 10 times, Smith's yardage was limited by constantly having to adjust to Donovan McNabb's errant throws. Smith has 15 receptions the past three weeks and is becoming a bigger part of the late-season offense.

PHI

@ WAS

0.70

0.22

Larry Fitzgerald

Recent News (12/21/2008 5:29:00 PM)
Larry Fitzgerald caught three passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in Week 16.Fitzgerald was suppressed for most of the day as the Pats were able to smother him with Anquan Boldin not playing, but he did haul in a 78-yard score from Matt Leinart during garbage time in the fourth quarter. The play was relatively meaningless in the actual game, but obviously looms large for Fitz's fantasy owners.

ARZ

@ NE

0.30

101

0.31

Wes Welker

Recent News (12/21/2008 5:30:00 PM)
Wes Welker caught seven passes for 68 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals in Week 16.The snow hardly slowed down the spry Welker, he displayed some of his usual after-the-catch skills and also had a couple nice punt returns. Welker led all Pats receivers with 10 targets in the game.

ARZ

0.70

0.26

Jerricho Cotchery

Probable (12/21/2008 7:20:00 PM)
Jerricho Cotchery caught six passes for 81 yards in his Week 16 game.Cotchery was very involved in the offense, as he caught passes throughout the game. That he didn't score can be pinned more on Brett Favre's off day than than anything Cotchery was or wasn't doing.

NYJ

@ SEA

0.67

0.29

Bryant Johnson

Recent News (12/21/2008 5:00:00 PM)
Bryant Johnson caught four balls for 60 yards in the 49ers' Week 16 comeback win over the Rams.Johnson and Josh Morgan appeared to rotate playing time, with Johnson getting the yardage and Morgan the touchdown. The 49ers play Washington on Monday Night Football for both teams' regular season finales.

@ STL

0.44

0.26

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