A Close Look at 2015 Yards Per Target

One of the best ways to determine the efficiency of a wide receiver is by looking at their yards per target average. Using this data, we can see where targets are possibly being wasted, and who quarterbacks should be targeting more frequently. In conjunction with total targets, this is a great way to distinguish players from each other when all else seems equal.

Here’s a look at the yards per target of each wide receiver and tight end who saw at least 25 targets and 200 receiving yards in 2015:

Rk	Player	Tm	G	Tgt	Rec	Yds	TD	Y/Tgt	+/-
1	Brent Celek	PHI	16	35	27	398	3	11.37	3.59
2	Darren Fells	ARI	14	28	21	311	3	11.11	3.33
3	JJ Nelson	ARI	11	27	11	299	2	11.07	3.29
4	Sammy Watkins	BUF	13	96	60	1047	9	10.91	3.13
5	Rishard Matthews	MIA	11	61	43	662	4	10.85	3.07
6	DeSean Jackson	WAS	10	49	30	528	4	10.78	3.00
7	Torrey Smith	SFO	16	62	33	663	4	10.69	2.91
8	Doug Baldwin	SEA	16	103	78	1069	14	10.38	2.60
9	Jermaine Kearse	SEA	16	68	49	685	5	10.07	2.29
10	John Brown	ARI	15	101	65	1003	7	9.93	2.15
11	Brice Butler	DAL	7	26	12	258	0	9.92	2.14
12	DeVante Parker	MIA	15	50	26	494	3	9.88	2.10
13	A.J. Green	CIN	16	132	86	1297	10	9.83	2.05
14	Allen Hurns	JAX	15	105	64	1031	10	9.82	2.04
15	Rob Gronkowski	NWE	15	120	72	1176	11	9.8	2.02
16	Willie Snead	NOR	15	101	69	984	3	9.74	1.96
17	Tyler Lockett	SEA	16	69	51	664	6	9.62	1.84
18	Cameron Brate	TAM	14	30	23	288	3	9.6	1.82
19	Michael Floyd	ARI	15	89	52	849	6	9.54	1.76
20	Zach Miller	CHI	15	46	34	439	5	9.54	1.76
21	Antonio Brown	PIT	16	193	136	1834	10	9.5	1.72
22	Markus Wheaton	PIT	16	79	44	749	5	9.48	1.70
23	Kenny Britt	STL	16	72	36	681	3	9.46	1.68
24	Allen Robinson	JAX	16	151	80	1400	14	9.27	1.49
25	Brandon Coleman	NOR	16	49	30	454	2	9.27	1.49
26	Julio Jones	ATL	16	203	136	1871	8	9.22	1.44
27	Odell Beckham	NYG	15	158	96	1450	13	9.18	1.40
28	Steve Smith	BAL	7	73	46	670	3	9.18	1.40
29	Marquess Wilson	CHI	11	51	28	464	1	9.1	1.32
30	Marc Mariani	CHI	16	33	22	300	0	9.09	1.31
31	Terrance Williams	DAL	16	93	52	840	3	9.03	1.25
32	James Jones	GNB	16	99	50	890	8	8.99	1.21
33	Jerricho Cotchery	CAR	14	54	39	485	3	8.98	1.20
34	Greg Olsen	CAR	16	124	77	1104	7	8.9	1.12
35	Rueben Randle	NYG	16	90	57	797	8	8.86	1.08
36	Jarius Wright	MIN	16	50	34	442	0	8.84	1.06
37	Brandin Cooks	NOR	16	129	84	1138	9	8.82	1.04
38	Jeremy Maclin	KAN	15	124	87	1088	8	8.77	0.99
39	Crockett Gillmore	BAL	10	47	33	412	4	8.77	0.99
40	Vincent Jackson	TAM	10	62	33	543	3	8.76	0.98
41	Seth Roberts	OAK	16	55	32	480	5	8.73	0.95
42	Brandon Marshall	NYJ	16	173	109	1502	14	8.68	0.90
43	Austin Seferian-Jenkins	TAM	7	39	21	338	4	8.67	0.89
44	Alshon Jeffery	CHI	9	94	54	807	4	8.59	0.81
45	Stefon Diggs	MIN	13	84	52	720	4	8.57	0.79
46	Justin Hunter	TEN	9	31	22	264	1	8.52	0.74
47	Travis Kelce	KAN	16	103	72	875	5	8.5	0.72
48	T.Y. Hilton	IND	16	134	69	1124	5	8.39	0.61
49	Larry Fitzgerald	ARI	16	145	109	1215	9	8.38	0.60
50	Emmanuel Sanders	DEN	15	136	76	1135	6	8.35	0.57
51	Jordan Reed	WAS	14	114	87	952	11	8.35	0.57
52	Gary Barnidge	CLE	16	125	79	1043	9	8.34	0.56
53	Martavis Bryant	PIT	11	92	50	765	6	8.32	0.54
54	Tyler Eifert	CIN	13	74	52	615	13	8.31	0.53
55	Corey Brown	CAR	14	54	31	447	4	8.28	0.50
56	Malcom Floyd	SDG	15	68	30	561	3	8.25	0.47
57	Jeremy Butler	BAL	8	44	31	363	0	8.25	0.47
58	Amari Cooper	OAK	16	130	72	1070	6	8.23	0.45
59	Dorial Green-Beckham	TEN	16	67	32	549	4	8.19	0.41
60	Luke Willson	SEA	14	26	17	213	1	8.19	0.41
61	Delanie Walker	TEN	15	133	94	1088	6	8.18	0.40
62	Jimmy Graham	SEA	11	74	48	605	2	8.18	0.40
63	Bryan Walters	JAX	11	45	32	368	1	8.18	0.40
64	Calvin Johnson	DET	16	149	88	1214	9	8.15	0.37
65	Mike Evans	TAM	15	148	74	1206	3	8.15	0.37
66	Keenan Allen	SDG	8	89	67	725	4	8.15	0.37
67	Bennie Fowler	DEN	16	25	16	203	0	8.12	0.34
68	Jacob Tamme	ATL	15	81	59	657	1	8.11	0.33
69	Darrius Heyward-Bey	PIT	16	39	21	314	2	8.05	0.27
70	Mohamed Sanu	CIN	16	49	33	394	0	8.04	0.26
71	Riley Cooper	PHI	16	41	21	327	2	7.98	0.20
72	DeAndre Hopkins	HOU	16	192	111	1521	11	7.92	0.14
73	Marvin Jones	CIN	16	103	65	816	4	7.92	0.14
74	Jordan Matthews	PHI	16	126	85	997	8	7.91	0.13
75	Albert Wilson	KAN	14	57	35	451	2	7.91	0.13
76	Griff Whalen	IND	14	26	19	205	1	7.88	0.10
77	Julian Edelman	NWE	9	88	61	692	7	7.86	0.08
78	Lance Moore	DET	14	43	29	337	4	7.84	0.06
79	Eric Decker	NYJ	15	132	80	1027	12	7.78	0.00
80	Marques Colston	NOR	13	67	45	520	4	7.76	-0.02
81	Jamison Crowder	WAS	16	78	59	604	2	7.74	-0.04
82	Travis Benjamin	CLE	16	125	68	966	5	7.73	-0.05
83	Dontrelle Inman	SDG	14	63	35	486	3	7.71	-0.07
84	Eric Ebron	DET	14	70	47	537	5	7.67	-0.11
85	Steve Johnson	SDG	10	65	45	497	3	7.65	-0.13
86	Chris Hogan	BUF	16	59	36	450	2	7.63	-0.15
87	Zach Ertz	PHI	15	112	75	853	2	7.62	-0.16
88	Ted Ginn	CAR	15	97	44	739	10	7.62	-0.16
89	Devin Funchess	CAR	16	63	31	473	5	7.51	-0.27
90	Ben Watson	NOR	16	110	74	825	6	7.5	-0.28
91	Will Tye	NYG	13	62	42	464	3	7.48	-0.30
92	Danny Amendola	NWE	14	87	65	648	3	7.45	-0.33
93	Kamar Aiken	BAL	16	127	75	944	5	7.43	-0.35
94	Josh Huff	PHI	15	42	27	312	3	7.43	-0.35
95	Antonio Gates	SDG	11	85	56	630	5	7.41	-0.37
96	Ryan Griffin	HOU	9	34	20	251	2	7.38	-0.40
97	Demaryius Thomas	DEN	16	177	105	1304	6	7.37	-0.41
98	Keshawn Martin	NWE	9	37	24	269	2	7.27	-0.51
99	Marcel Reece	OAK	15	37	30	269	3	7.27	-0.51
100	Percy Harvin	BUF	5	30	19	218	1	7.27	-0.51
101	Roddy White	ATL	16	70	43	506	1	7.23	-0.55
102	Miles Austin	PHI	11	31	13	224	1	7.23	-0.55
103	Cole Beasley	DAL	16	75	52	536	5	7.15	-0.63
104	Anquan Boldin	SFO	14	111	69	789	4	7.11	-0.67
105	Leonard Hankerson	3TM	10	46	26	327	3	7.11	-0.67
106	Vance McDonald	SFO	14	46	30	326	3	7.09	-0.69
107	Pierre Garcon	WAS	16	111	72	777	6	7	-0.78
108	Nate Washington	HOU	14	94	47	658	4	7	-0.78
109	Donte Moncrief	IND	16	105	64	733	6	6.98	-0.80
110	Kenny Stills	MIA	16	63	27	440	3	6.98	-0.80
111	Jarvis Landry	MIA	16	166	110	1157	4	6.97	-0.81
112	Jermaine Gresham	ARI	15	32	18	223	1	6.97	-0.81
113	Brandon LaFell	NWE	11	74	37	515	0	6.96	-0.82
114	Dwayne Harris	NYG	15	57	36	396	4	6.95	-0.83
115	Quinton Patton	SFO	16	57	30	394	1	6.91	-0.87
116	Robert Woods	BUF	14	80	47	552	3	6.9	-0.88
117	Anthony Fasano	TEN	16	42	26	289	2	6.88	-0.90
118	Jason Witten	DAL	16	104	77	713	3	6.86	-0.92
119	Charles Clay	BUF	13	77	51	528	3	6.86	-0.92
120	Quincy Enunwa	NYJ	12	46	22	315	0	6.85	-0.93
121	Ladarius Green	SDG	13	63	37	429	4	6.81	-0.97
122	Vernon Davis	2TM	15	58	38	395	0	6.81	-0.97
123	Lance Kendricks	STL	15	36	25	245	2	6.81	-0.97
124	Kendall Wright	TEN	10	60	36	408	3	6.8	-0.98
125	Brian Hartline	CLE	12	77	46	523	2	6.79	-0.99
126	Kyle Rudolph	MIN	16	73	49	495	5	6.78	-1.00
127	Owen Daniels	DEN	16	77	46	517	3	6.71	-1.07
128	Heath Miller	PIT	15	81	60	535	2	6.6	-1.18
129	Josh Bellamy	CHI	16	34	19	224	2	6.59	-1.19
130	Clive Walford	OAK	16	50	28	329	3	6.58	-1.20
131	Mike Wallace	MIN	16	72	39	473	2	6.57	-1.21
132	Chris Givens	2TM	15	54	20	353	1	6.54	-1.24
133	Andre Johnson	IND	16	77	41	503	4	6.53	-1.25
134	Adam Humphries	TAM	13	40	27	260	1	6.5	-1.28
135	Jordan Norwood	DEN	11	32	22	207	0	6.47	-1.31
136	Cecil Shorts	HOU	11	75	42	484	2	6.45	-1.33
137	Randall Cobb	GNB	16	129	79	829	6	6.43	-1.35
138	Nelson Agholor	PHI	13	44	23	283	1	6.43	-1.35
139	Andrew Hawkins	CLE	8	43	27	276	0	6.42	-1.36
140	Jared Cook	STL	16	75	39	481	0	6.41	-1.37
141	Ryan Grant	WAS	16	42	23	268	2	6.38	-1.40
142	Golden Tate	DET	16	128	90	813	6	6.35	-1.43
143	Dexter McCluster	TEN	11	41	31	260	1	6.34	-1.44
144	Michael Crabtree	OAK	16	146	85	922	9	6.32	-1.46
145	Scott Chandler	NWE	15	42	23	259	4	6.17	-1.61
146	Marcedes Lewis	JAX	16	37	16	226	0	6.11	-1.67
147	Mychal Rivera	OAK	16	46	32	280	1	6.09	-1.69
148	Andre Holmes	OAK	16	33	14	201	4	6.09	-1.69
149	Richard Rodgers	GNB	16	85	58	510	8	6	-1.78
150	Coby Fleener	IND	16	84	54	491	3	5.85	-1.93
151	Greg Jennings	MIA	16	36	19	208	1	5.78	-2.00
152	Phillip Dorsett	IND	11	39	18	225	1	5.77	-2.01
153	Harry Douglas	TEN	14	72	36	411	2	5.71	-2.07
154	Julius Thomas	JAX	12	80	46	455	5	5.69	-2.09
155	Maxx Williams	BAL	14	48	32	268	1	5.58	-2.20
156	Dez Bryant	DAL	9	72	31	401	3	5.57	-2.21
157	Jordan Cameron	MIA	16	70	35	386	3	5.51	-2.27
158	Martellus Bennett	CHI	11	80	53	439	3	5.49	-2.29
159	Tavon Austin	STL	16	87	52	473	5	5.44	-2.34
160	Larry Donnell	NYG	8	41	29	223	2	5.44	-2.34
161	Davante Adams	GNB	13	94	50	483	1	5.14	-2.64
162	Taylor Gabriel	CLE	13	48	28	241	0	5.02	-2.76
163	Eddie Royal	CHI	9	50	37	238	1	4.76	-3.02

The “+/-“ column refers to how many yards each players is above or below the average yards per target among all qualifying players with at least 25 targets and 200 receiving yards. The average for all qualifying pass catchers is 7.78 yards per target.

The most efficient wide receiver in the NFL last season was Sammy Watkins. Averaging 10.91 yards per target, Watkins had 1,047 receiving yards on just 96 targets. For comparison, Eric Decker had 20 fewer receiving yards than Sammy Watkins while being targeted 36 more times.

Big play threat DeSean Jackson is frequently on this list, but the small amount of targets he receives is a consistent concern. With Garcon still on the roster and Washington spending its top pick on Josh Doctson, that concern is still there heading into 2016.

Doug Baldwin was a pleasant surprise for the Seahawks – tying for the NFL-lead in touchdowns and averaging a stunning 10.38 yards per target.

Averaging 9.93 yards per target, John Brown finished as the Cardinals’ most efficient option. Michael Floyd averaged a promising 9.54 yards per target, 1.76 yards above the league average. The most heavily targeted option, Larry Fitzgerald, finished at 8.38 yards per target.

DeVante Parker tops all rookies with 9.88 yards per target. It’s a relatively small sample size of 50 targets but it’s promising to be hyper-efficient as a rookie. Parker looks ready for an increased workload.

A.J. Green finished with an elite 9.83 yards per target, the best of his career. This is extremely promising for 2016; considering the 152 targets that freed up with the departures of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu.

Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson both had solid sophomore campaigns, averaging a combined 9.5 yards per target. They both joined an elite list of wide receivers to record at least 1,700 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns during their first two seasons. The duo will continue to help each other receive favorable coverage.

It’s another day at the office for Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, and Odell Beckham. All four finished above 9 yards per target and continue to show why they are elite options.

Brandin Cooks finished 1.04 yards above the league average per target despite increased defensive attention. After a solid sophomore campaign, he’ll be just 23 heading into his third season.

Despite not playing the first three games of the season, Stefon Diggs finished with 720 receiving yards and 8.57 yards per target. He joins a solid list of players to accomplish that feat as a rookie.

T.Y. Hilton fell to just above average after finishing second last year. Dealing with Matt Hasselbeck for most of the season, Hilton gained 221 fewer yards on three more targets.

Star rookie Amari Cooper joins an elite list of rookie wide receivers to be targeted at least 100 and finish with at least 8.2 yards per target.

After averaging an elite 9.53 yards per target last season, DeAndre Hopkins saw 65 more targets this year. Nuk still finished above average but saw his efficiency fall with increased volume.

Andre Johnson finished with just 503 receiving yards on 77 targets. For a second straight year, he’s been one of the least-efficient receivers in football. Remember, father time always wins.

Similar players Randall Cobb and Golden Tate both finished well below the league average. Cobb averaged 6.43 yards per target, while Tate averaged just 6.35. Cobb’s figures to go up as he slides back to his more natural “second fiddle” position, but it remains to be seen what Golden Tate as the number one. He put up huge stats without Calvin Johnson two years ago, but was it sustainable? Only time will tell.

With just 483 receiving yards on 94 targets, Davante Adams was one of the most over-targeted players in the league. The same can be said for Michael Crabtree, who had just 922 receiving yards on 146 targets.

Dez Bryant also deserves a mention for averaging 2.21 yards fewer than the league average – however, we’ll attribute his poor play to injury and poor quarterback play.

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