New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley averaged 131 rushing yards on 6.24 yards per carry in the final three games of the 2019 season, and he scored five of his eight total touchdowns in that span.
Monthly Archives: May 2020
Bills | Josh Allen in rare company
Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has 17 rushing touchdowns in 27 career starts. Only free-agent QB Cam Newton (Panthers) has had more rushing touchdowns in his first 27 starts.
Bengals | John Ross dangerous after the catch
Cincinnati Bengals WR John Ross averaged 7.3 yards after the catch in 2019 – tied for the fourth-highest average in the league among players who amassed 50 targets last season.
Rams | Robert Woods a YAC monster
Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods registered 613 yards after the catch in 2019 – the third-highest total in the league.
49ers | George Kittle a nightmare in the open field
San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle has compiled two of the three best seasons for a tight end in terms of producing yards after the catch since at least 2015 over the last two years. His 871 receiving yards after the catch in 2018 are the most by any player over the last five seasons (and 208 more yards than second-place Travis Kelce compiled in 2016), while his 623 receiving yards after the catch in 2019 led all tight ends and trailed only Chris Godwin (629) among all players last season.
Jets | No shortage of receiving work for Le’Veon Bell
New York Jets RB Le’Veon Bell has enjoyed a target share of between 17 and 18 percent in four of his last five seasons, with the only exception coming in 2015 (15 percent). His 17.3 percent share in 2019 was the second-highest mark of his career.
Browns | Kareem Hunt heavily used in passing game
Cleveland Browns RB Kareem Hunt ranked sixth among running backs with 44 targets from Week 10 until the end of the 2019 regular season. Additionally, Hunt’s 49 slot snaps also ranked sixth among running backs in the league for the year despite playing only eight games.
Footballguys View: Expect this type of usage to continue all season long. Hunt will work behind starter Nick Chubb, but he’s going to get plenty of touches in this offense. That role gives him plenty of flex appeal for Fantasy GMs in 2020.
Dolphins | Preston Williams busy prior to injury
Miami Dolphins WR Preston Williams (knee) attracted at least seven targets in six of his eight games last season, including nine in the Week 9 win over the New York Jets in which he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament. In the four games in which he logged at least 50 offensive snaps, Williams also compiled at least eight targets, four catches and 68 yards receiving three times.
Footballguys View: Williams looked good before he went down with a knee injury. He’s had plenty of time to fully recover but we’re expecting the team to ease him into action when training camp rolls around. We’ll see if he can look like his old self in the preseason.
Falcons | Calvin Ridley erupted after Mohamed Sanu trade
Atlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley was on track for 66 catches for 853 yards and nine touchdowns on 101 targets prior to the Falcons trading Mohamed Sanu to the New England Patriots following a Week 7 loss. Over his final six games and before succumbing to an abdomen injury that ended his season prior to Week 15, Ridley’s 16-game pace over the final six contests was 91 receptions for 1,315 yards and eight touchdowns on 131 targets.
Footballguys View: Ridley’s touchdown rate is among the highest in the NFL over the past two seasons. We’ll see how TE Hayden Hurst works into the passing game this year as the Falcons picked him up to replace Austin Hooper. Ridley could be in for career-best numbers in 2020 and might surpass 1,000 yards receiving for the first time in his pro career.
Vikings | Irv Smith picked it up sans Adam Thielen
Minnesota Vikings TE Irv Smith amassed a mere seven scoreless catches on eight targets over his first six NFL games in 2019. Beginning in Week 7 when WR Adam Thielen suffered a hamstring injury – an ailment that limited him to three receptions and three games the rest of the regular season – on his only catch of the game, Smith totaled 29 catches on 39 targets and scored two touchdowns.