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With this being Week 17, we decided it'd be more beneficial to provide a season-long look back instead of recapping the targets/touches from a week in which most of the league's top stars weren't even playing. So with that in mind, here is your 2017 targets and touches retrospective. Use this as a research tool and launching pad for 2018 preparation. Or not. You do you. Thanks for reading this all season.
NOTE: The break down goes team-by-team through each division, not in alphabetical order.
New England Patriots
*Dion Lewis *
Touches: 180 |Carries: 154 | Targets: 28
Dion Lewis usurped the early-down role from an ineffective Mike Gillislee around Week 6 and never looked back. He cleared 20 carries just once and never held a consistent passing game workload but he was truly dynamic when he got the ball. Lewis was the forgotten man in the preseason but he showed why we try our best to solve this backfield every year, despite its challenges.
Rex Burkhead was hurt early and late in the season but he enjoyed a five-game stretch after the Patriots bye week where he averaged 12.4 touches per game. His contract expires this offseason but he showed the type of versatility this team covets. Burkhead scored eight times in 10 games.
*Rob Gronkowski *
Target share: 19.3% |Targets: 105 | Receptions: 69 | Yards: 1,084 and 8 TDs
Heading into Week 17, Rob Gronkowski averages 83.4 yards per game, which would be his highest total since 2013. The All-Pro tight end continues to dominate on a year-in, year-out basis. We know that the only thing that can slow down his production is injury. Gronk missed just two games this year.
Chris Hogan heads into Week 17 with just 59 targets on the season thanks to an extended shoulder injury absence. He averaged a solid 6.6 targets per game. Hogan was solidly consistent when he played this year, posting 60 yards and/or a touchdown in all but three games this season.
Buffalo Bills
*LeSean McCoy *
Touches: 333 |Carries: 276 | Targets: 74
Target share: 16.8% |Targets: 74 | Receptions: 57 | Yards: 426 yards and 2 TDs
LeSean McCoy averages 18.4 carries per game heading into Week 17, his highest since moving to Buffalo. He already has more catches this year than in any season since 2010. McCoy is aging and occasionally showed some signs of slowing down but enjoyed another outstanding season as a top-level back. Buffalo may look to bring in some more competition for the veteran, as their depth chart is bereft of talent behind him, but McCoy looks to have locked-in volume heading into 2018.
With chaos throughout the Buffalo pass-catching corps, McCoy also led the team in targets. Charles Clay was in and out with injuries, Jordan Matthews flopped, Zay Jones wasn't ready and Kelvin Benjamin didn't arrive until mid-season and promptly got hurt following the trade. The Bills will have decisions to make with the wide receivers on the roster, including rookie Jones, who turned in just 25 catches on 71 targets.
Miami Dolphins
*Kenyan Drake *
Touches: 148 |Carries: 119 | Targets: 45
Following a mid-season trade of former starter Jay Ajayi, the Dolphins backfield appeared to lack clarity. That didn't last long. Kenyan Drake took over as the clear-cut feature back after Damien Williams suffered an injury and ran with the opportunity. Drake averaged 19.3 carries and 92.3 rushing yards from Weeks 13 to 16 and chipped in with 14 catches. He looked like the next truly dynamic NFL back in that stretch. It will be tough to imagine him not leading this backfield in 2018, especially since he's a former Day 2 NFL draft pick.
*Jarvis Landry *
Target share: 27.8% |Targets: 151 | Receptions: 103 | Yards: 895 yards and 8 TDs
Jarvis Landry's 2017 looked just like any other season of his career, with a few notable exceptions. His volume was right in line with expectations, clearing 130 targets and 90 catches for the third-straight season. He was used closer to the line of scrimmage with just 8.7 yards per reception (a career-low) and was more of a presence in scoring position. Landry scored all eight of his touchdowns inside the 10-yard line this season, after going for six in his first three NFL years. Landry's contract runs out in March and the team hasn't rushed to extend him.
Injuries and not much meeting the hype; DeVante Parker's third-year essentially looked just like the first two. Parker didn't become the funnel receiver for this offense, averaging just 7.4 targets per game. He played over 80 percent of the snaps in all but one game (Week 5 vs. Tennessee) and still failed to hit 90 yards in any heading into Week 17.
New York Jets
*Bilal Powell *
Touches: 187 |Carries: 165 | Targets: 31
Bilal Powell will finish with a near identical rushing line to what he posted last year, with 726 rushing yards headed into Week 17 compared to 722 in 2016. Powell led the team in carries but mostly operated in a three-way committee with Matt Forte and Elijah McGuire both clearing 80 carries and finishing with 37 and 14 catches, respectively. We should expect the Jets backfield to look quite different in 2018, with McGuire potentially snagging a role after flashing in limited looks as a rookie.
*Robby Anderson *
Target share: 24.2% |Targets: 111 | Receptions: 62 | Yards: 939 yards and 7 TDs
Robby Anderson enjoyed a legitimate breakout season in his second NFL campaign, showing he could be more than just a vertical threat. Anderson owns a 40 percent share of the Jets' intended air yards on the season, which trails only DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Antonio Brown. That's elite company to keep and in the context of his offense, he earned that type of usage. Anderson will be a popular mid-round pick next year if Josh McCown returns and/or the move to acquire a quarterback of the future in the draft.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins looked like he would be a top-flight fantasy tight end in his first few weeks back from suspension but trailed off as the year went on. The talented pass-catcher was on the field for at least 70 percent of the team's snaps in all but three games he played in this year and drew 74 targets. Yet, he still whimpered to a 357-yard, three-score finish.
Pittsburgh Steelers
*Le'Veon Bell *
Touches: 406 |Carries: 321 | Targets: 106
As we head into Week 17, Le'Veon Bell is the only player with over 300 carries. The Steelers loaded Bell up with a ton of work while he played on the franchise tag this season. James Conner finished second on the team with 32 carries. It remains to be seen whether this was a "use him up" year for Bell in Pittsburgh or if they'll sink a big money deal into their Pro Bowl rusher.
*Antonio Brown *
Target share: 29.3% |Targets: 163 | Receptions: 101 | Yards: 1,533 yards and 9 TDs
Antonio Brown's season was cut short due to injury but he still pushed for the NFL-lead in targets. The 2017 season was his fifth with over 100 catches. JuJu Smith-Schuster (5.3) and Martavis Bryant (5.5) were behind him in targets per game. The former played better this season and will be the favorite for No. 2 duties headed into next season.
Baltimore Ravens
*Alex Collins *
Touches: 213 |Carries: 192 | Targets: 30
Alex Collins was cut by the Seahawks and landed on the Ravens practice squad before going on to lead Baltimore in touches following an early-season Terrance West injury. Collins consistently hit double-digit carries as the season wore on and clear 17 in four games. He did cede passing game work to Javorius Allen and Danny Woodhead, who combined for 75 receptions. The Ravens lack of investment in Collins will make him a risky proposition going into next season but he did give this team an identity when it was in the wilderness offensively.
Mike Wallace
Target share: 15.4% |Targets: 79 | Receptions: 47 | Yards: 708 yards and 3 TDs
Jeremy Maclin was constantly banged up and Mike Wallace didn't come on until the end of the year. Benjamin Watson led the way in the tight end room with 69 targets. Expect Baltimore to once again make over their pass-catching corps.
Cincinnati Bengals
*Joe Mixon *
Touches: 189 |Carries: 160 | Targets: 33
For all the hype surrounding his talent, Joe Mixon was wildly disappointing in his rookie season. He had just one game with over 65 rushing yards while operating behind one of the NFL's worst run-blocking lines. His situation was a big factor in his 3.3 yards per carry average, but Mixon did little to stand out in his first season. Giovani Bernard, without question, outplayed him at the end of the season. The Bengals will likely try to make it work with the young back once again in 2018. As long as he's in line for a workload similar to what he held in the middle of the season, he'll be a bounce-back candidate next season.
*A.J. Green *
Target share: 29.8% |Targets: 133 | Receptions: 73 | Yards: 1,061 yards and 8 TDs
A.J. Green held his traditional volume and cleared 1,000 yards once again. The Bengals' late-season offensive collapse took something away from his ceiling but from a year-long perspective, this is what we expect from Green. He will be a top receiver once again next year. The Bengals bigger questions lie with young players like Tyler Boyd and more importantly John Ross. The 2017 season saw them combine for 17 receptions, all from Boyd.
Cleveland Browns
*Isaiah Crowell *
Touches: 219 |Carries: 191 | Targets: 42
*Duke Johnson *
Target share: 16.2% |Targets: 87 | Receptions: 68 | Yards: 618 yards and 3 TDs
Duke Johnson contributed heavily as a receiver, leading the team in targets (87) and catches (68). He's cleared 50 catches in each of his first three pro season. Josh Gordon returned late in the season and immediately took over the top wide receiver job. The talented wideout earned 35 targets in just four games.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Touches: 281 |Carries: 249 | Targets: 43
Leonard Fournette was indeed a workhorse back for the Jaguars as a rookie, averaging 23.4 touches per game and popping into the end zone 10 times. He struggled to stay healthy, missing one game and routinely popping up on the injury report. The team suspended him for one game, as well. Bumps and bruises were a theme in his college career and that continued in his first NFL season. Fournette averaged a healthy 2.7 catches per game but taking more passing game work would help boost his fantasy floor going forward.
*Marqise Lee *
Target share: 19.9% |Targets: 96 | Receptions: 56 | Yards: 702 yards and 3 TDs
Top receiver Allen Robinson landed on IR in Week 1 but the team saw several other wideouts emerge in his absence. Marqise Lee stepped up and was a steady producer in his fourth season despite missing the final few games with an injury, while rookies Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole finished the year on hot streaks. Robinson and Lee head to free agency this offseason and fellow veteran Allen Hurns might need his salary slashed. The Jaguars receiver corps is interesting and the offseason will dictate how we view each of these players come September.
Tennessee Titans
*DeMarco Murray *
Touches: 223 |Carries: 184 | Targets: 47
The Titans use of their running backs was perplexing all season. DeMarco Murray was constantly hurt and looked out of gas for most of the year. At worst, it appeared Derrick Henry offered them a more explosive option, but he saw more than 15 carries in just one game. He out-rushed Murray despite seeing 36 fewer carries on the year. Henry needs to work on his passing game chops (10 catches) if he is to be a feature back next season. Murray could be a cap casualty.
*Delanie Walker *
Target share: 22.9% |Targets: 106 | Receptions: 71 | Yards: 788 yards and 3 TDs
Delanie Walker gutted through injuries all season to churn out another campaign where he led the Titans in targets. The wide receiver corps around him sputtered in a year where the passing game was meant to take a step forward. Rishard Matthews played 13 games and was solid throughout, but fellow veteran Eric Decker never secured much of a role while averaging 5.1 targets per game. Top-five pick Corey Davis lost time in the pre and regular season due to a hamstring injury and therefore didn't make an impact. Davis can establish himself as a strong top receiver option if he enjoys a healthy 2018 offseason and Marcus Mariota rebounds from a regression 2017 campaign.
Houston Texans
*Lamar Miller *
Touches: 223 |Carries: 184 | Targets: 47
Lamar Miller actually handled fewer touches than his 299-level workload from 2016 despite playing one more game this year. The veteran ceded work to rookie D'Onta Foreman before his season-ending injury. Miller didn't have 80 yards rushing in any game this season. The Texans backfield rotation should look much different next season.
*DeAndre Hopkins *
Target share: 35.3% |Targets: 174 | Receptions: 96 | Yards: 1,378 yards and 13 TDs
It didn't matter (again) who was under center for the Houston Texans, DeAndre Hopkins balled out all year. The Pro Bowl wideout averaged 91.9 yards per game and leads the NFL in touchdowns coming into Week 17. His best games certainly game with Deshaun Watson under center, which will certainly lead to over the moon optimism regarding his stock with the quarterback hopefully healthy heading into 2018. The Texans also enjoyed a pseudo breakthrough season from Will Fuller, who scored seven times in just nine games. He averaged just 5.6 targets per game, however.
Indianapolis Colts
*Frank Gore *
Touches: 263 |Carries: 237 | Targets: 35
At 34 years old, Frank Gore cleared 250 touches for the seventh-straight year. For another season, no one came for his job. Marlon Mack finished second on the team with a measly 86 carries. Despite his workhorse nature, he averaged just 57.4 rushing yards per game, his lowest since coming to Indy. Gore's contract runs out at the end of the league year. He could return to Indianapolis, but the team would be wise to look at younger alternatives as they rebuild their offense and Gore might want to finish his career with a team close to contending.
*T.Y Hilton and Jack Doyle *
Target share: 22.9% |Targets: 103 | Receptions: 54 | Yards: 952 yards and 4 TDs
Target share: 22.9% |Targets: 103 | Receptions: 76 | Yards: 652 yards and 3 TDs
No player was more volatile than T.Y. Hilton this season. The Colts wideout cleared 150 yards in three games and finished with fewer than 40 in seven. In the context of the Colts offense, Jack Doyle's usage and production was encouraging. He tied for the team-lead in targets and still maintained an impressive catch rate north of 70 percent. The future of these players will entirely depend on Andrew Luck's return to the field, which we know as much about here in December as we did back in September.
Kansas City Chiefs
*Kareem Hunt *
Touches: 324 |Carries: 271 | Targets: 63
Kareem Hunt went on a nine-game scoreless streak but overall enjoyed a standout rookie season. Spencer Ware may return next season after tearing his PCL and LCL in the preseason but Hunt should remain the feature back for this team in 2018. Hunt caught 53 passes as a rookie but was routinely removed for Charcandrick West (27 catches) on obvious throwing downs due to troubles in pass protection. If that changes next season, it would only help boost Hunt's weekly floor and ceiling.
*Travis Kelce *
Target share: 24.7% |Targets: 122 | Receptions: 83 | Yards: 1,038 yards and 8 TDs
Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill both cleared 100 targets on the year, while Hunt finished with 63. Albert Wilson finished fourth with 51. The Chiefs operate one of the NFL's most highly-concentrated offenses with targets almost exclusively funneling to Kelce, their top wide receiver and the running back. Hill filled the role of top receiver admirably, showing tremendous growth in what amounted to his first year playing traditional wide receiver.
Los Angeles Chargers
*Melvin Gordon *
Touches: 319 |Carries: 267 | Targets: 76
Melvin Gordon cleared 290 touches for the second-straight season and played a full season for the first time as a pro. He's far from the flashiest player, as he once again averaged fewer than four yards per carry but he's established himself as an NFL workhorse. Gordon has scored 24 times over the last two years with the Chargers humming along offensively. Little should change with his outlook in 2018.
*Keenan Allen *
Target share: 27.5% |Targets: 147 | Receptions: 93 | Yards: 1,260 yards and 5 TDs
Keenan Allen should have Comeback Player of the Year honors all wrapped up. The star wide receiver played a full season for the first time in his career and predictably posted career-highs in targets, catches and yards. It was all too obvious he had superstar potential, he just needed to stay on the field. Allen was the clear funnel receiver of this offense, collecting double-digit targets in eight games heading into Week 17. No other Chargers wide receiver or tight end has yet to clear 70 targets on the season.
Oakland Raiders
*Marshawn Lynch *
Touches: 206 |Carries: 188 | Targets: 28
Marshawn Lynch's return to the NFL amounted to nothing more than a middling campaign. He was mostly a two-down back on bad offense. He finished with fewer than 15 carries in nine games and played on fewer than 50 percent of the team's snaps in nine contests, as well. Both DeAndre Washington (32) and Jalen Richard (26) finished with more catches. One would assume Lynch is back for another ride with the Raiders in one of their final seasons in Oakland, but the offense will need to be much better if he's to meet fantasy expectations.
*Michael Crabtree *
Target share: 18.9% |Targets: 99 | Receptions: 56 | Yards: 601 yards and 8 TDs
The once vaunted Raiders receiving corps fell apart, as both Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper did not play full seasons and averaged under 50 yards per game. Cooper accumulated 37.2 percent of his yardage in one game during a nightmare season. Both players suffered as Derek Carr underperformed too lofty expectations after an early-season back injury.
Denver Broncos
*C.J. Anderson *
Touches: 255 |Carries: 227 | Targets: 39
C.J. Anderson had the best season of his pro career. He started all 15 games (heading into Week 17) and sits just 54 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard campaign in college or the NFL. All this despite the Denver offense cycling through quarterbacks and stuck in the mud for most of the year. The Broncos went through a strange stretch where they gave Anderson fewer than 15 carries in six of seven games in the middle of the season but were dead-set committed to him in the early and late portions of the season. He should enter 2018 as their clear-cut starter.
*Demaryius Thomas *
Target share: 25.2% |Targets: 132 | Receptions: 77 | Yards: 892 yards and 4 TDs
Little changed with the Broncos passing game. For the third-straight year, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders combined for the bulk of the team targets. Bennie Fowler sits third on the team with just 50.
Philadelphia Eagles
Touches: 171 |Carries: 167 | Targets: 7
The Eagles stuck with a committee backfield, even after trading for Jay Ajayi midseason. No player in their backfield approached 200 touches on the season. Blount signed a one-year deal heading into the 2017 and one would assume he doesn't return next season. The Eagles running back job is a juicy gig if one player can control it, and one would assume Ajayi is the player with the best odds of doing that, but we shouldn't carve anything in stone with this group.
*Alshon Jeffery *
Target share: 22.6% |Targets: 118 | Receptions: 56 | Yards: 781 yards and 9 TDs
Zach Ertz actually led the team in targets per game with 8.3, but there was no funnel receiver for this squad in 2017. Carson Wentz lifted all tides as all three of Ertz, Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor found the end zone eight times. The Eagles feature a diverse group of pass-catchers.
Dallas Cowboys
*Ezekiel Elliott *
Touches: 238 |Carries: 215 | Targets: 33
Ezekiel Elliott averages 26.4 touches per game this season, confirming his status as a clear-cut workhorse. Of course, he lost six games due to a suspension. Alfred Morris (113 carries) stepped in as the primary ball-carrier, while Rod Smith (19 catches) filled in as a change of pace and pass-catcher. Elliott will be a candidate to lead the NFL in rushing once again next season in perhaps the best environment conducive to ground game success, as long as he stays off the disciplinary radar.
*Dez Bryant *
Target share: 27.5% |Targets: 124 | Receptions: 66 | Yards: 814 yards and 6 TDs
Dez Bryant cleared 100 targets for the first time since 2014 but the results did not resemble those dominant seasons. It's clear Bryant has lost a step, whether he wants to admit it or not. The Cowboys desperately need to overhaul their receiver corps this offseason, and the presence of a top outside threat and a shift to a more slot-centric, possession role for Dez Bryant could be good for the veteran receiver. He needs to be on the Anquan Boldin plan. Let's just hope the player and team recognize that.
Washington Redskins
*Samaje Perine *
Touches: 195 |Carries: 173 | Targets: 24
Washington's backfield never found a clear early-down runner. Rob Kelley went down after seven games, Chris Thompson went down after 10 games following a dynamic run with 510 receiving and 294 rushing yards. Rookie Samaje Perine lost the trust of the coaching staff in the early goings amid mistakes and fumbles. Perine had two strong games with 23 and 24 carries against the Saints and Giants in the middle of the season, but failed to sustain that momentum. Washington will likely add more bodies to their backfield in the offseason.
*Jamison Crowder *
Target share: 19.3% |Targets: 96 | Receptions: 63 | Yards: 764 yards and 3 TDs
Much like their backfield, Washington's pass-catching corps was mostly a revolving mess in 2017. Jordan Reed played just six games and free agent addition Terrelle Pryor (20 catches) was massively underwhelming before landing on IR after nine contests. Jamison Crowder led the team in targets but checked in with fewer catches and yards than in 2016. He didn't have the breakout season many expected. Josh Doctson (68 targets) flashed his big play potential with six touchdown grabs after taking over for Pryor at the X-receiver spot. He will be a popular 2018 breakout pick but Washington's offense showed us yet again this year that they do not funnel targets to one player.
New York Giants
*Orleans Darkwa *
Touches: 170 |Carries: 151 | Targets: 27
Paul Perkins' run as the starter for this team lasted about four games before he and his 2.2 yards per carry got the hook. Orleans Darkwa led the team in touches and actually offered some solid games. Rookie Wayne Gallman is finishing the season on something of a strong note with seven, six and six catches in Weeks 14 to 16. The Giants will likely add a back under their new coaching staff in the offseason.
*Evan Engram *
Target share: 20% |Targets: 115 | Receptions: 64 | Yards: 722 yards and 6 TDs
For all the Giants issues, they can feel good about returning a strong group of pass-catchers in 2018. Injuries robbed Odell Beckham (four games) of the majority of his season, while Sterling Shepard suffered multiple maladies to play in just 11 games. Shepard was excellent when he played and trailed only breakout rookie tight end Evan Engram in targets. The trio will provide New York with a strong base to rebuild their passing offense.
Minnesota Vikings
*Latavius Murray *
Touches: 210 |Carries: 196 | Targets: 16
Following the loss of rookie Dalvin Cook after just four games, the Vikings turned over their backfield to a pair of veterans. Latavius Murray handled the bulk of the rushing volume, while Jerick McKinnon played a big pass-game role with 51 catches. Cook looked like a star when he was on the field during the first month of the season, and neither Murray nor McKinnon was relevant. As long as Cook gets healthy, he should be this team's featured back.
*Adam Thielen *
Target share: 27.4% |Targets: 135 | Receptions: 85 | Yards: 1,215 yards and 4 TDs
Adam Thielen had a massive breakout season in 2017. The former undrafted wide receiver led the Vikings in targets, catches and yards. Thielen saw 49 percent of his targets from the slot and is the ideal mix of vertical playmaker and reliable possession receiver. Stefon Diggs, once again, did not play a full season but showed superstar talent when healthy. He led all Vikings wideouts with seven scores.
Detroit Lions
*Ameer Abdullah *
Touches: 181 |Carries: 157 | Targets: 33
Ameer Abdullah had 181 touches on the season, but do you actually remember any of them happening? He lost passing game work to Theo Riddick (51 catches), lost games due to injury and lost goal line work to literally everyone else. Business as usual.
*Golden Tate *
Target share: 21.1% |Targets: 113 | Receptions: 85 | Yards: 899 yards and 4 TDs
If Golden Tate doesn't catch five passes in Week 17, it will mark the first year in Detroit he doesn't hit 90 receptions. His deployment was largely the same as it ever was, but his 7.5 targets per game were the lowest he's posted since signing with the Lions. Marvin Jones had his first 1,000-yard season in the NFL and led the Lions with eight touchdowns. He converted on more of those low-percentage, contested catch targets than he did in his first season with the team.
Green Bay Packers
*Jamaal Williams *
Touches: 153 |Carries: 131 | Targets: 29
Jamaal Williams finishes the season as the lead ball-carrier in the Green Bay backfield. He had a five-game stretch from Weeks 10 to 14 where he cleared 20-plus touches in every contest. Williams will be the odds-on favorite to open the 2018 training camp as the Packers' feature back, as he stayed hot the longest and showed the ability to run, block and catch. He will face a challenge from Aaron Jones, who emerged ahead of Williams earlier in the season before suffering an injury and averaged 5.5 yards per carry to 3.6 for Williams. The Packers found two good backs in the mid-rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft.
*Davante Adams *
Target share: 22.4% |Targets: 117 | Receptions: 74 | Yards: 885 yards and 10 TDs
Davante Adams has established himself as a No. 1 receiver, and was rewarded as such with a big contract before Week 17 commenced. With 22 touchdowns over the last two seasons and as the only Packers pass-catcher to remain consistently productive with Brett Hundley under center, Adams is locked-in as the top wideout in Green Bay. The questions will shift to Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb and whether their lackluster production is enough to keep them around on bloated salaries.
Chicago Bears
*Jordan Howard *
Touches: 289 |Carries: 267 | Targets: 31
Jordan Howard showed once again that he is a workhorse NFL back. He was volatile in fantasy because the Bears were so often in negative game script and he is a dud in the passing game, but Howard is one of the best true grinder backs in the game. Chicago found a pass-catching threat in electric rookie Tarik Cohen, who chipped in 47 catches. Cohen finished second on the team in receptions.
*Kendall Wright *
Target share: 19.7% |Targets: 85 | Receptions: 54 | Yards: 585 yards and 1 TD
The Bears never found a consistent threat for rookie passer Mitchell Trubisky. Kendall Wright had a two-game stretch with 24 targets but was otherwise only sporadically involved in the game plan. Expect this team to complete overhaul their wide receiver room under a new coaching staff.
Carolina Panthers
*Jonathan Stewart *
Touches: 206 |Carries: 198 | Targets: 15
Jonatan Stewart owned the bulk of the rushing work but Christian McCaffrey chipped in with 111 carries and a whopping 75 receptions. Neither back could find a consistent rhythm in the ground game, averaging under four yards per carry on the year. Stewart had his moments, but looks near the cliff. McCaffrey played his best football to close the year. The game plan should be even more focused on the 2017 eighth-overall pick next season.
*Devin Funchess *
Target share: 22.8% |Targets: 105 | Receptions: 61 | Yards: 792 yards and 7 TDs
Devin Funchess had his best season as a pro and started to establish himself as breakout player even before Kelvin Benjamin was traded. After Benjamin left, the former second-round pick went on a five-game run where he posted over 80 yards and/or scored a touchdown. A shoulder injury slowed him toward the end of the season, but this was a breakout year for Funchess. He will enter 2018 ready to take yet another step.
New Orleans Saints
*Mark Ingram *
Touches: 271 |Carries: 217 | Targets: 67
The backfield duo of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara proved to be the best unit in the NFL this season. Both players cleared 1,400 yards from scrimmage and carried the ball over 100 times with 50-plus catches. Ingram and Kamara will both be top-flight fantasy picks next season and will once again be paired with an elite run-blocking line and strong veteran quarterback. The two were so prolific it almost makes you forget Adrian Peterson once took 27 meaningless carries in the year 2017 while wearing a Saints uniform.
*Michael Thomas *
Target share: 21.1% |Targets: 113 | Receptions: 85 | Yards: 899 yards and 4 TDs
Michael Thomas joined Odell Beckham as the only wide receivers to have 90-plus catches in each of their first two seasons. While he led the way with 141 targets, no other Saints pass-catcher (excluding the running backs) had more than 70 targets on the season. Thomas will remain a fantasy WR1 pick in 2018.
Atlanta Falcons
*Devonta Freeman *
Touches: 212 |Carries: 185 | Targets: 36
Devonta Freeman (16.3 per game) and Tevin Coleman (12.3 per game) both averaged double-digit touches per game. Each got a chance to operate as the feature back for at least one week, as both players missed time with injuries this season. The Falcons will most likely return both as a committee next season, with Freeman remaining the lead back.
*Julio Jones *
Target share: 28.8% |Targets: 137 | Receptions: 83 | Yards: 1,364 yards and 3 TDs
For all the weeping and gnashing of teeth surrounding his usage, Julio Jones was the clear funnel receiver in this offense. He cleared 130 targets and played all 16 games. No other Falcons player has 90 targets as we head into Week 17. Atlanta did not make good on their promise to figure out his issues in the red zone, however. Jones had 10 targets inside the 10-yard line and caught just four of them for a single touchdown. It's been that way for most of his career, however, and it might just be time to accept that sad reality.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
*Doug Martin *
Touches: 144 |Carries: 135 | Targets: 18
Doug Martin returned from an early-season suspension to play poorly, get benched and eventually get suspended again. Former undrafted rookie Peyton Barber outplayed him this season. Martin is a near lock to get cut and the Buccaneers need to desperately seek out alternatives in their backfield. Charles Sims (20 carries) was the only rusher to average over four yards per carry this season.
*Mike Evans *
Target share: 22.5% |Targets: 123 | Receptions: 66 | Yards: 946 yards and 5 TDs
After leading the NFL with over 170 targets last season, Evans' volume took a major hit with the addition of new weapons in the Buccaneers offense. That cut his margin for error, which proved disastrous with poor quarterback play from Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick for most of the season. Evans is still the lead receiver on this team and will be a top bounce-back candidate in 2018.
Los Angeles Rams
*Todd Gurley *
Touches: 343 |Carries: 279 | Targets: 67
Volume over everything. Todd Gurley was projected as a clear feature back coming into 2017, but most fantasy owners avoided him like a week-old slice of pumpkin pie because of his letdown 2016 run. Gurley rebounded in a high-flying Sean McVay attack, as opposed to the "middle school" offense employed by the previous Rams regime (his words). Most encouraging, Gurley handled a career-high 87 targets, boosting both his floor and ceiling.
*Cooper Kupp *
Target share: 19.7% |Targets: 94 | Receptions: 62 | Yards: 869 yards and 5 TDs
Much like his old Washington attacks, McVay's Rams did not feature a funnel receiver. Cooper Kupp led the team in targets with 94, and looks in position to be one of the NFL's most productive slot receivers for the next decade. Robert Woods (85) finished behind Kupp in targets but would have been the odds-on favorite to lead the team had he not lost multiple games to a shoulder injury. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2017. Sammy Watkins led the team with eight touchdowns, but was a streaky big-play wideout in his first season with the Rams.
Seattle Seahawks
*Eddie Lacy *
Touches: 75 |Carries: 69 | Targets: 6
What a mess.
*Doug Baldwin *
Target share: 22.3% |Targets: 111 | Receptions: 71 | Yards: 901 yards and 6 TDs
Doug Baldwin saw some of the shine come off his fantasy stock with Paul Richardson (78 targets) and Tyler Lockett (67 targets) emerging. He still led the team in targets and was the only player to clear 100 targets. Jimmy Graham led the team with 10 touchdowns but averaged just 8.8 yards per reception.
Arizona Cardinals
*Adrian Peterson *
Touches: 138 |Carries: 129 | Targets: 9
Following his exodus from New Orleans, Adrian Peterson had two massive games with over 130 rushing yards for the Cardinals, but three more with under 30. He was a game script-dependent, two-down back, as he's been for most of the twilight of his career. Peterson ended the year on IR with a neck injury. David Johnson went on IR after just one game with a wrist injury, but he should return next season and render all other Cardinals backs irrelevant.
*Larry Fitzgerald *
Target share: 26.5% |Targets: 148 | Receptions: 101 | Yards: 1,101 yards and 6 TDs
Larry Fitzgerald just posted his third-straight season with over 100 catches and remains the one consistent asset in the Cardinals passing game. It didn't matter who was behind center; Fitzgerald got it done. No other player on the team cracked 70 targets. If Fitzgerald returns for 2018, we should not expect anything to change regarding his production.
San Francisco 49ers
*Carlos Hyde *
Touches: 282 |Carries: 225 | Targets: 84
Carlos Hyde offered up a solid season on a team that was mostly poor all season. He positioned himself well in a contract year. The most interesting note in Hyde's usage was his 84 targets, which more than doubled his previous career-high of 33. Most of his receiving work game in games C.J. Beathard started, but this new wrinkle in his usage was encouraging.
*Marquise Goodwin *
Target share: 17.8% |Targets: 101 | Receptions: 54 | Yards: 934 yards and 1 TD
Marquise Goodwin took a step forward when Pierre Garcon went out for the season with a neck injury and another leap when Jimmy Garopplo took over as the starting quarterback. He had target totals of eight, 12, 13 and six in the four games Garoppolo started heading into Week 17. Goodwin will likely fall down the pecking order as new players are added, others emerge and Garcon returns in 2018, but he will still be a high-ceiling weekly play in fantasy next season.
-- Follow Matt Harmon on Twitter _@MattHarmonBYB_
