The quarterback place is an important on the planet {of professional} soccer. He has the ball in his hand on nearly all of offensive snaps and his information, ability set and decision-making in the end decide how nicely or poorly an offense will carry out. That additionally means he’s integral within the manufacturing of factors for our fantasy groups.
As a consequence, it is smart for us to know his tendencies. What place does he goal probably the most within the move assault? Does he prefer to take probabilities downfield? The solutions to those questions are necessary to his draft worth and the worth of gamers round him. So, let’s have a look at the positions our discipline generals focused probably the most (and least) in 2021.
Note: Quarterbacks on this analysis began a minimal of 12 video games final season.
Running Backs – Most Targets
1. Matt Ryan, Falcons (26.1%): Ryan focused Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis a mixed 127 instances final season. His new backs, Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines, had been focused a mixed 108 instances by Carson Wentz with the Colts final season. That whole ought to be higher in 2022 and will barely elevate Hines late in drafts.
2. Sam Darnold, Panthers (23.9%): It’s no shock that Darnold focused his backs extremely since Christian McCaffrey is on the roster. He averaged almost six targets in his seven video games. If you’re questioning, Baker Mayfield (who I feel will begin for Carolina in Week 1), ranked ninth in his proportion of move makes an attempt to operating backs (19.6%).
3. Jared Goff, Lions (23.5%): Goff has the most effective pass-catching backs in D’Andre Swift, who had 78 targets alone final season. Swift and Jamaal Williams had a mixed 106 targets. This was a brand new pattern for Goff, who really focused the place simply 12% of the time (third-lowest whole) throughout what was his remaining marketing campaign in Los Angeles.
4. Taylor Heinicke, Football Team (23.3%): Heinicke gained’t be the Commanders’ No. 1 possibility this season, however it’s notable that OC Scott Turner’s offense likes to focus on backs. In truth, Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic had been focused a mixed 105 instances. Wentz, Washington’s new high discipline normal, ranked sixth in focusing on backs (21.9%).
5. Derek Carr, Raiders (23.2%): Carr needed to throw to his operating backs extra usually final season, as he didn’t have a real No. 1 wideout and Darren Waller missed time attributable to accidents. That gained’t be the case in 2022, nevertheless, because the Raiders traded for Davante Adams and can have Waller again. Expect his proportion of targets to backs to say no.
6. Carson Wentz, Colts
7. Mac Jones, Patriots
8. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
9. Baker Mayfield, Browns
10. Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers
Running Backs – Fewest Targets
1. Matthew Stafford, Rams (12.6%): The Rams ran 11 personnel greater than some other workforce within the league final season, so broad receivers had been focused extremely within the offense. Stafford was additionally with out starter Cam Akers for a lot of the yr, and the backfield duo of Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel had simply 73 mixed targets all season.
2. Russell Wilson, Seahawks (13.8%): Wilson’s proportion of targets to backs was down almost 4% in comparison with 2020, which was due partially to accidents. Chris Carson noticed simply 4 video games, and Rashaad Penny isn’t a lot of a move catcher. Now in Denver, he’ll goal runners within the 15%-18% vary primarily based on previous tendencies of Nathanial Hackett.
3. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (14.2%): Tagovailoa wasn’t huge into throwing to his backs final season, as Myles Gaskin was the lone runner with greater than 12 targets. Chase Edmonds ought to command a much bigger share, however how a lot will Tua goal him or different backs with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki on the workforce’s roster?
4. Josh Allen, Bills (14.2%): Allen hasn’t focused runners very a lot within the final two seasons, posting a 12.6% charge in 2020 and a 14.2% charge in 2021. The Bills trying to signal J.D. McKissic and drafting James Cook might sign a rise in alternatives this season, however I nonetheless wouldn’t count on a ton of catches from Cook or Devin Singletary.
5. Lamar Jackson, Ravens (14.7%): Like Allen, Jackson hasn’t focused his high runners a lot within the final two years. In truth, Devonta Freeman led the workforce’s backfield in that division final season with a modest 42. J.Ok. Dobbins might see barely greater than that contemplating the Ravens’ questions at receiver, however he gained’t have huge totals.
6. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
7. Justin Fields, Bears
8. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
9. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
10. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
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Kim Klement/USA Today Sports
Wide Receivers – Most Targets
1. Matthew Stafford, Rams (71%): Again, the Rams ran 11 personnel greater than some other workforce within the league final season. As a consequence, it’s no shock that Stafford focused his wideouts greater than any quarterback. Cooper Kupp averaged 11.2 targets per recreation, and Allen Robinson will take in a lot of the 7.7 targets a recreation Robert Woods averaged.
2. Josh Allen, Bills (68.1%): The Bills ranked third by way of offensive performs out of 11 personnel, which equated to 443 targets for broad receivers. Emmanuel Sanders and Cole Beasley left behind a mixed 184 targets, which is sweet information for the duo of Gabriel Davis and Jamison Crowder. The latter might find yourself being a late-round worth.
3. Joe Burrow, Bengals (65.4%): When you think about the expertise the Bengals have at broad receiver, this ought to be a shock to nobody. Their offense ran 11 personnel 802 instances final season, which tied Washington for the fifth-most. With Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd all again, search for Burrow’s goal occasion to wideouts to proceed.
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (63.8%): Big Ben threw the ball over 600 instances final season, and most of these makes an attempt went to wideouts. Will that stay the identical with Mitchell Trubisky? The final time Trubisky was a starter (2020), he threw to his receivers 61.3% of the time. Still, I’m downgrading Dionate Johnson and Chase Claypool barely.
5. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars (63.3%): Lawrence had two receivers, Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault, with greater than 100 targets final season. No different wideout had greater than 51. High-priced wideout Christian Kirk is a lock to see nicely over 100 targets in 2022, however don’t be stunned if this proportion drops a bit with Travis Etienne again.
6. Zach Wilson, Jets
7. Russell Wilson, Seahawks
8. Kirk Cousins, Vikings
9. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
10. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Wide Receivers – Fewest Targets
1. Matt Ryan, Falcons (43.2%): This shouldn’t come as a shock, as Atlanta had one of many league’s worst receiving corps final season. Ryan is now in Indianapolis, the place Wentz threw to his wideouts 54.5% of the time (ninth fewest). That whole ought to rise with Ryan beneath middle, particularly with a rising celebrity like Michael Pittman Jr.
2. Baker Mayfield, Browns (47.4%): The Browns ran 12 and 13 personnel a mixed 405 instances final season, so Mayfield not throwing to his broad receivers isn’t a shock. By comparability, Sam Darnold threw to his wideouts 56.9% of the time. I’d count on Mayfield’s proportion to rise to that stage in 2022, assuming he’s Carolina’s starter.
3. Jalen Hurts, Eagles (48.8%): A.J. Brown truthers gained’t like this stat, as Hurts had only one wideout (DeVonta Smith) see greater than 62 targets within the offense final season. The Eagles led the league in run proportion over the ultimate 11 weeks, however that ought to change with Brown now within the combine. Still, I’m involved about him as a No. 1 wideout.
4. Jared Goff, Lions (50.4%): Goff threw to his operating backs a ton final season, and he additionally had a powerful tight finish in T.J. Hockenson for a part of the yr. As a consequence, it’s not a shock that he had a low proportion of move makes an attempt that went to wideouts. That ought to change with the additions of veteran D.J. Chark and rookie Jameson Williams, nevertheless.
5. Derek Carr, Raiders (50.5%): Carr will probably see a serious leap in his proportion of passes thrown to wideouts this season, because the Raiders added Adams through commerce. He had thrown to his tight ends very often previously, however he didn’t have a wideout like Adams within the offensive assault. Look for Waller’s goal share to say no this season.
6. Teddy Bridgewater, Broncos
7. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
8. Mac Jones, Patriots
9. Carson Wentz, Colts
10. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports
Tight Ends – Most Targets
1. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (28.9%): Tagovailoa will see a serious decline in his proportion of passes thrown to tight finish this season, because the Dolphins added Hill and Cedric Wilson to an offense that already boasts Waddle. That’s unhealthy information for Mike Gesicki, who figures to be extra of a borderline No. 1 or 2 fantasy tight finish this season.
2. Baker Mayfield, Browns (28.7%): As I discussed earlier, the Browns used two or three tight ends on the similar time 405 instances final season. That’s why Mayfield has such a excessive variety of move makes an attempt to the place. Now in Carolina, that whole is destined to fall significantly as he’ll focus extra on getting the ball to McCaffrey and his wideouts.
3. Matt Ryan, Falcons (27.7%): Ryan’s favourite goal final season was Kyle Pitts, so his place within the high 5 isn’t a shock. In 2020, earlier than he had Pitts, Ryan was sixth in move makes an attempt to wideouts and seventh in focusing on tight ends. Look for him to be extra in tune with Pittman Jr. and his wideouts throughout his first season in Indianapolis.
4. Lamar Jackson, Ravens (26.2%): When your tight finish can be your most efficient receiver, you’re going to verify he sees targets. That’s the plain case with the Ravens, who noticed Mark Andrews file a profession season in 2021. Jackson was additionally fifth in move makes an attempt to tight ends in 2020, and that pattern will little doubt proceed as soon as once more.
5. Justin Fields, Bears (25.9%): A good finish can oftentimes be a rookie quarterback’s finest pal, and that was the case with Fields final season. He threw to the place 83 instances, together with 60 to Cole Kmet. With many questions at broad receiver behind Darnell Mooney, Fields could possibly be focusing on Kmet much more in 2022. He’s a possible sleeper.
6. Teddy Bridgewater, Broncos
7. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
8. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
9. Tom Brady, Buccaneers
10. Mac Jones, Patriots
Tight Ends – Least Targets
1. Josh Allen, Bills (12.5%): The Bills ranked useless final in operating 12 personnel (81 offensive performs), however that would change with the addition of O.J. Howard. Still, it additionally implies that Dawson Knox might and certain shall be very landing dependent for fantasy managers. He’ll be a borderline No. 1 possibility, however TD regression is imminent.
2. Sam Darnold, Panthers (14%): This is all about personnel, because the Panthers had a pleasant group of wideouts however didn’t have a lot at tight finish final season. Mayfield was in a system that used the place much more usually in Cleveland, however I nonetheless don’t see Tommy Tremble as greater than a late-round flier in redrafts. He gained’t be picked in most leagues.
3. Zach Wilson, Jets (14.1%): The Jets had a weak group of tight ends final season, so Wilson didn’t goal the place a lot. That ought to change in 2022 although, because the Jets added each C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin as free brokers. Wilson’s move makes an attempt to the place will rise barely because of this, however neither will make a lot of a fantasy influence.
4. Joe Burrow, Bengals (14.6%): Fantasy managers who is likely to be excited in regards to the addition of Hayden Hurst may need to cool their jets. Burrow threw the ball to tight ends simply 83 instances final season, most of them to Uzomah. So whereas Hurst will pop just a few instances this yr, likelihood is he gained’t re-emerge right into a constant fantasy starter.
5. Matthew Stafford, Rams (15.5%): The Rams had been fourth-to-last in operating 12 personnel, and their high tight finish (Tyler Higbee) was focused simply 85 instances final season. With Akers again at 100% and the addition of Robinson at broad receiver, I’d be shocked if Higbee noticed a lot of a rise in alternatives within the Rams offense in 2022.
6. Kirk Cousins, Vikings
7. Taysom Hill, Saints
8. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
9. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
10. Davis Mills, Texans
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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy soccer analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click right here to learn all his articles right here on SI Fantasy. You can observe Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram in your late-breaking fantasy information and the very best evaluation within the enterprise!
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