Okay, so Jaxon Smith-Njigba? He’s out here doing things that should have every wideout coach in the league taking notes, because the man is absolutely owning his targets per route right now. You heard that right, our guy is straight up balling out, and the numbers are backing it up big time.
Our Guy JSN and Other Target Hogs Making Noise
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is currently rocking the league with a 31.8% targets per route rate. That’s second *only* to Mike Evans among wide receivers across the entire NFL. Think about that for a second. Mike Evans is a seasoned vet, and JSN is right there with him, making a massive impact when he’s on the field. Down in San Francisco, Evans has been huge for the 49ers, especially with six wideouts currently sidelined with injuries. He’s got five red-zone receptions, which is third among all WRs, and he’s stacked up seven explosive plays, fourth in the league. He might be a bit limited in his overall routes, but when he’s out there, he is undeniably the top receiver in a seriously good offense, and Brock Purdy playing lights out is just the icing on the cake.
Speaking of crazy target numbers, Malik Nabers just saw a wild 20 targets against Washington. Yeah, twenty! Jameis Winston has a history of making fantasy receivers look great, and he’s done it again for Nabers the last two weeks. Sure, it was against the Commanders’ secondary and on a week-high 84 offensive plays, but 20 targets is 20 targets. Nabers has become the clear focal point for Winston and that offense, grabbing a 39% first-read target share over the last two weeks. Winston himself is throwing to his first read 75% of the time this season, which is the third-highest rate in the NFL, making that target volume super consistent and trustworthy going forward. Don’t sleep on tight end Isaiah Likely either, who has a 31% first-read target share since Week 2. The Giants are up next for the Saints, before things get a bit tougher on their schedule.
The Running Back Grind: Workloads and What’s Next
Meanwhile, in the trenches, Rhamondre Stevenson is back to being the bell-cow after TreVeyon Henderson went down with an ankle injury, playing 83% of snaps. Stevenson came through when his team needed him, hitting his second straight day with 15+ fantasy points. More importantly, it looks like the Patriots’ offense is finally clicking. Stevenson’s true value as a red-zone back shines when Drake Maye is playing like himself. Henderson’s injury could mean not only an absence but a slow return, giving Stevenson a huge chance to prove he should be the 1A back. Their schedule looks pretty sweet too, with the Jets, Bears, Dolphins, Packers, and Lions coming up before their bye week.
Then there’s Bhayshul Tuten, who somehow ended up with -1 yards *before* contact last Sunday morning. Seriously, minus one. That matchup in the trenches was just brutal. Jacksonville had three plays from the one-yard line and couldn’t convert anything, just getting absolutely destroyed up front, especially by Jalen Carter. Tuten had to grind out a crazy 73 rushing yards *after* contact just to hit double-digit fantasy points. His role keeps growing, though, with 22 of the Jaguars’ 24 running back carries, including the early-down passing work. If he keeps controlling that backfield in a top-10 scoring offense, he’s going to blow up in easier matchups. Next week is against the Texans before a Week 7 bye, which is some frustrating luck for a guy playing so well.
And finally, Christian McCaffrey. He’s had fewer than 20 touches in all five games this season. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a huge “managing expectations” alert. Last season, CMC had 20+ touches in 13 of his 16 games, dominating the league in fantasy running back volume. This year, it’s more “LeBron James load management” vibes. Kaelon Black is getting some of that red-zone work, and McCaffrey’s receiving has been a bit below his past seasons. The good news is, well… that’s where the source material cuts off, so we’ll have to keep an eye on that situation!
The fantasy landscape is always shifting, so keep these numbers in your back pocket for Week 6 and beyond. Good luck out there!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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