Targets and Touches: Dwayne Bowe Is Way Too Solid

Fantasy football is all about opportunities. When your players are getting looks, they're usually producing. Targets & Touches is a weekly column that analyzes backfield touches data as well as trends for runners, receivers and tight ends being targeted by their quarterbacks. Let's break it down ...

Running Backs

Strangely enough, the top scoring running back from Week 10 didn't have over 20 touches -- he had exactly 20. Redskins RB Keiland Williams had 16 carries for 89 yards and two scores and 4-50-1 receiving on seven targets. With Ryan Torain questionable with a re-aggravated hamstring injury and Clinton Portis declaring himself about 50-50 for Week 11, Williams could be worth an RB2 start against the Titans.

After just eight carries the previous week, Fred Jackson blew up in Week 10 for 133 rushing yards and a score on 25 carries and 6-37-1 on seven receiving targets. I'm a big F-Jax fan, and I'll be plugging him in again this week against the Bengals.

Maurice Jones-Drew had one of the better performances by an RB last week (123 yards from scrimmage, two TDs) aided in part by the second-highest carry total (24). Even with David Garrard throwing the ball a lot more to bunch of different receivers, the offense still revolves around MJD.

Mike Goodson stepped up and cracked the century mark (100 rushing yards on 23 carries) and could remain the starter past Week 10. DeAngelo Williams is now on IR, and while Jonathan Stewart (concussion) could return in Week 11, the season hopes already are dashed and Goodson is running well. He'll probably get the bulk of carries against the Ravens.

Shonn Greene (20 carries, rushing 72 yards; 3-22-0 receiving) may have out-carried LaDainian Tomlinson (18 for 57 yards), but he didn't out-touch the veteran back, as LT saw 10 targets and finished with 6-53-0, salvaging his week in PPR leagues. Neither back found the end zone, but that should change this week facing Houston.

Other backs with over 20 carries on Sunday include:

• Frank Gore -- 22 carries, 87 yards, one rushing TD; 4 targets, 3-67-0 receiving

• Knowshon Moreno -- 22 carries, 106 yards; 3 targets, 3-50-1 receiving

• Matt Forte -- 21 carries, 69 yards; 2 targets, 1-9-0 receiving

• Ahmad Bradshaw -- 20 carries, 73 yards; 7 targets, 6-62-0 receiving

• Steven Jackson -- 20 carries, 81 yards, one rushing TD; 9 targets, 8-67-0 receiving

Peyton Hillis had 19 carries for 82 yards and a rushing TD, as well as five targets for 4-27-0 receiving against one of the league's best defenses. It's safe to say he's matchup-proof.

Michael Turner, on the other hand, is not. "The Burner" was held to just 39 yards on 17 carries and didn't have a ball thrown his way. Jason Snelling caught a TD pass (7 targets, 6-56-1 receiving) and is playing better all-around football. Look for the Falcons to find ways to get Snelling (just three carries for 11 yards on Thursday night) more touches in the coming weeks.

LeGarrette Blount had another good day with 19 carries for 91 yards and a TD, but Cadillac Williams surprised with 62 rushing yards and a big TD on just five carries and 2-23-0 receiving on his only two targets.

Rashard Mendenhall had his lowest carry total of 2010 with just 11, rushing for 50 yards and failing to reach the end zone. Most of that yardage came on one big run, and Mewelde Moore is the guy getting most of the work on passing downs.

With Thomas Jones playing so terribly, we might see Jamaal Charles get over 20 carries this week against the Cards. Charles had 14 carries last week for 41 yards but had five catches for 80 yards and a TD on nine targets.

Both LeSean McCoy and Jerome Harrison had 11 carries on Monday night, but there's not a lot about the distribution we'll be able to infer from that game. McCoy is still the clear No. 1 back, but Harrison is playing well and should be owned in all 12-team leagues for his latent value.

Wide Receivers

Dwayne Bowe had a huge game as the Chiefs played catch-up, posting 13-186-2 on 18 targets, which led Week 10. He's been scoring a lot in recent weeks and should be considered a solid WR1.

Roddy White (17 targets in Week 10) now has 70 catches for 934 receiving yards, and is only three targets behind Terrell Owens (108) for the league lead. Owens has 59 catches for 834 yards. Both receivers have scored seven TDs.

Seattle's Mike Williams also had 17 targets last week as he exploded for 11 catches for 145 yards, both career highs. But while the comeback player of the year candidate is getting lots of looks, he's scored just once this season.

With Steve Smith out, Mario Manningham (16 targets), not Hakeem Nicks, led the Giants receivers in targets this week in the loss to Dallas. Nicks dropped a couple passes and inexplicably stopped an end zone route (allowing Cowboys DB Bryan McCann to step in front of it and take the ball 101 yards to the house). Nicks also had a long TD taken away by a holding penalty and ended up with 5-82-0 on eight targets. Manningham finished with 10-91-1.

Larry Fitzgerald is now third in the NFL in receiving targets, with 101. He had 15 last week and finished with seven catches for 91 yards.

Calvin Johnson led the Lions with 14 targets, converting those opportunities into 10-129-1. Nate Burleson is the clear No. 2 WR option on Detroit, finishing with 4-47-0 on eight targets in the loss to Buffalo.

Rams WR Brandon Gibson was nearly perfect on Sunday, catching eight of the nine balls thrown his way for 72 yards. Danny Amendola caught one fewer ball (7-51-0) on one fewer target (8), but found pay dirt and has emerged as Sam Bradford's favorite receiving option in the red zone – the second-year WR has TDs in three straight.

Santonio Holmes is getting more involved in the Jets offense, posting 5-76-1 on eight targets and catching the game-winning TD in overtime. Sanchez is developing better rapport with his receivers, and Holmes has the biggest upside of the bunch.

Andre Johnson played through the ankle injury again and had 9-146-1 on 11 targets. It's tough to consider either of the Texans other relevant receivers (Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones) because they've been inconsistent and unproductive, respectively.

Mike Wallace benefited from a high-scoring fourth quarter, catching two late TD passes to finish with 8-136-2 on 11 targets from Ben Roethlisberger. Filling in for Hines Ward (who's been cleared to play this week), Emmanuel Sanders had 5-41-1 on nine targets but won't have much value unless there's another injury to Big Ben's main guys.

He's dealt with crippling migraines and large helpings of turmoil in Minnesota, but Percy Harvin (4-64-1 on just six targets against Chicago) has been one of the league's most consistent receivers. Sidney Rice was out again and has the option of sitting out the remainder of the season if he doesn't play this week (although his agent is "hopeful" he'll play).

Tight Ends

Jacob Tamme already has 36 targets, even though he just took over the starting TE job in Indy a few weeks ago. Last week, he tied for the most targets (10) with Jermaine Gresham (9-85-1) and Benjamin Watson (5-74-0). Tamme has seven catches for 73 yards but didn't score. He's a top-five TE moving forward.

Pats TE Rob Gronkowski only saw five targets, but caught all of them for 72 yards and three TDs. Aaron Hernandez was targeted twice and didn't catch a pass.

Other top TE performances from Week 10 include:

• Anthony Fasano -- The Notre Dame alum had seven targets for 5-107-1 in Miami's win over Tennessee.

• Zach Miller -- No, not the Zach Miller who was on a bye with Oakland, but the Jacksonville backup. Miller had 4-79-1 on five targets (including a 52-yard catch-and-run TD) but is still behind Marcedes Lewis (six targets, 5-53-0 against the Texans) on the depth chart.

• Kevin Boss -- The little-used Giants TE had his best game of 2010 with 5-81-1 and was targeted seven times in the loss to Dallas. He's still just a TE2 with marginal upside.