Welcome to the Week 12 edition of Jason Bales’s “Red Zone Targets” article. Each week, he analyzes one leader in red zone rushes or targets that has a certain amount of untapped potential. In identifying these players, fantasy owners can delve further into their own research, bookmarking them for possible trade candidates in season-long fantasy football leagues, or tournament plays in daily fantasy football leagues.
Running Back Red Zone Targets Value:
Austin Ekeler (LAC)
Austin Ekeler is one of the league’s best inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, earning both carries and targets for the Los Angeles Chargers’ offense. Most analysts discussing the Chargers are currently critiquing Philip Rivers’s past few poor performances. He seems to be on a downward career trajectory, but the Chargers still find ways to score. Ekeler is a big part of their ability to put points on the scoreboard.
On the season, Ekeler earned 16 carries for 21 yards and 3 touchdowns. His current touchdown percentage is 6.3%, which is rather ineffective. However, consistent touches out of the backfield show the Chargers’ confidence in Ekeler to eventually find the end zone. In addition to carrying the ball 16 times in the red zone, he earned 14 red zone targets, catching 9 passes for 60 yards and 4 touchdowns. Last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rivers targeted Ekeler twice inside the red zone, but failed to convert both times. Moving forward, he will continue to hog touches inside the 20-yard line.
This week, the Chargers are on bye. That should give Rivers some time to adjust and work on his recent failures. The following week, they get an in-division game against the Denver Broncos. Ekeler is a great option in daily fantasy leagues and a solid flex in deeper season-long leagues.
Wide Receiver Red Zone Targets Value:
Deebo Samuel (SF)
Deebo Samuel is starting to take on a larger role for the San Francisco 49ers. The acquisition of Emmanuel Sanders seems to be helping Samuel find space in the secondary. After failing to eclipse 60% of the 49ers’ total offensive snaps in Week 6, Samuel hasn’t fallen under that mark since Week 8. In Week 10, he earned 86.3% of total offensive snaps and 81.2% in Week 11.
On the season, Jimmy Garoppolo targeted Samuel 11 times inside the 20-yard line. Of those 11 red zone targets, he caught 6 passes for 27 yards and 1 touchdown. Last week, Samuel earned one red zone target, which failed to connect. As far as air yards and upside are concerned, Samuel is target and touchdown dependent. His average depth of target is under 8, and he has 56 more receiving yards than air yards. Samuel’s increased role should result in more frequent touchdown opportunities though, making him a good buy-low candidate.
This week, the 49ers take on the Green Bay Packers in San Francisco on Sunday night. The Packers are 10th-worst in the league against the pass, allowing 257.8 passing yards per game. With double-digit targets in two straight games, Samuel is worth consideration in daily fantasy leagues and (as a flex option) in season-long leagues.
Tight End Red Zone Targets Value:
Tyler Eifert (CIN)
Last week, Tyler Eifert saw 32.1% of the Cincinnati Bengals’ total offensive snaps, earning 4 targets. Of those 4 targets, he caught 3 passes for 21 receiving yards. He only ran 13 routes. Three games ago, against the Los Angeles Rams, Eifert played 75.7% of offensive snaps, ran 38 routes, and caught 6-of-9 targets for 74 yards. Two games ago, he scored a touchdown on his one red zone target. Eifert has plenty of upside, but he is wildly inconsistent.
This week, the Bengals get a tough in-division matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are allowing over 50 yards per game to opposing tight ends, as well as over half-a-touchdown. Teams target tight ends over seven times per game against Pittsburgh, and the Bengals could attempt to get Eifert the ball more frequently. He is a complete fade in season-long leagues, but in daily fantasy leagues, he is cheap enough to roster in deeper tournaments.
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