Week 15 Fantasy Football Market Share Report: Marvin Jones Is Seeing Big-Time Usage
Every fantasy owner goes into a championship week a little differently. Some like to play the players who got you there. Others shoot for upside, rolling with boom-or-bust type players.
However you like to do things, here are some usage trends that could be of help to you in Week 16.
Rushing Market Shares
Melvin Gordon, Broncos
The emergence of Melvin Gordon down the stretch has come just in time for those who have him rostered.
Gordon was far more productive than Phillip Lindsay in Week 15 despite the two getting an equal share (11 attempts apiece) of the rushing offense. Gordon turned his attempts into 60 yards and 2 touchdowns, adding 4 receptions for 20 yards. Lindsay, meanwhile, netted just 38 rushing yards and tossed in 3 catches for 7 yards.
Gordon's 47.8 percent rushing market share in Week 15 isn't going to raise many eyebrows, but when you pair it with his red zone work -- 58.3% of the carries inside the five, compared to just 25.0% for Lindsay -- Gordon is tough to bench in Week 16.
Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers
With Ronald Jones out last week, it was the Leonard Fournette show in the backfield for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fournette dominated the backfield with 14 rushes for 49 yards and 2 touchdowns. He added 3 catches for 16 yards on 5 targets.
Fournette’s 87.5 percent rushing market share makes him a slam-dunk start in the finals if Jones remains out. If Jones comes back, Fournette would be very difficult to trust as he was a healthy scratch just two weeks ago.
Receiving Market Shares
Marvin Jones, Lions
Marvin Jones was a stud on Sunday as he continued to crush without Kenny Golladay. Jones tore up the Tennessee Titans with 10 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets.
His 32 percent target share in Week 15 was simply unmatched in the Detroit Lions’ passing attack as no other Lions player had better than a 14 percent target share. Over the last three games, Jones has accounted for a 28 percent target share and 43 percent air yards share, per AirYards.com.
Jones is a solid WR2 this week despite a less-than-ideal matchup with the Bucs.
Corey Davis, Titans
It’s been feast or famine for Corey Davis this year. But when he hits, he hits. On Sunday Davis tied A.J. Brown for the team lead in targets with six. Davis converted his targets into 4 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown, including a 75-yard score.
Brown leads the Tennessee Titans in target share (24 percent) and air yards share (35 percent) over the past three weeks, but Davis' numbers -- 23 percent and 31 percent, respectively -- are still really good. With the Titans rolling offensively, Davis is a quality flex/WR3-type for a Week 16 date with the Green Bay Packers that should be a shootout.
Red Zone Market Shares
Jeff Wilson, 49ers
Jeff Wilson has carved out a goal-line role for the San Francisco 49ers, seeing 33.3 percent of the team's red zone carries despite playing in only 10 games. And now Raheem Mostert might be hurt again, opening the door for Wilson to operate as the lead back.
Wilson got 16 carries and 4 targets last week when Mostert left the game early, and he notched a rushing score for the second straight game.
If Mostert is out Week 16, Wilson is a lock-and-load starter for title week. And even if Mostert suits up, Wilson's red zone role gives him some flex appeal in a matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.
Russell Gage, Falcons
With Julio Jones sidelined, Russell Gage has made the most of his opportunities in the red zone. Gage currently is seeing 20 percent of the Atlanta Falcons' red zone targets. Gage has 13 red zone targets this season and is averaging just under one per game. He's got two scores across the past three weeks and has three touchdowns for the year -- the same number as Julio.
Jones returning would be an obvious blow to Gage's value, but if Julio is out again in Week 16, Gage is a solid WR3/flex play in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Atlanta should be passing a lot in that one.
