Target Watch: The Gates of Help

When the Chargers took the field Monday night to face the Steelers, there was a ton of chatter regarding the return of Antonio Gates. For those in need of a refresher course, Gates was suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violation of the substance abuse policy regarding performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Amongst all of that chatter, a remark referring to Gates as a “first-ballot Hall of Famer” has now spurred a massive debate.

The world of baseball has now been battling the use of PEDs for quite some time and when it comes to the Hall of Fame, the purists are staunchly against the inclusion of players such as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and a number of others who were connected to PEDs, even if they weren’t actually found guilty. They won’t even hear the arguments of including such players as representatives of a particular era, such as we see with the Dead-Ball Era or the Live-Ball Era. Even discussing the carving out a wing for the “Steroid Era” will get you a rap on the top of your head from some stodgy old man’s cane.

Football, at least according to some, has different criteria when it comes to being enshrined in Canton and apparently a punishment for PED use does not carry the same derision that it does in baseball. At least not yet. It is an argument that has yet to mar the induction process, but given the outcry from some regarding the tight end’s apparent status which is currently listed as “pending but probable,” it’s a can of worms that has now been opened and likely to be spilled out all over the interwebz.

But this is not an article meant to discuss PED use with respect to potential inclusion into the Hall of Fame. Frankly, as a fantasy owner….who gives a crap? What I care about right now is figuring out how to get Antonio Gates on my roster. If his first game of the 2015 season is a sign of things to come, he’s about to regain his place among the tight end ranks and sit comfortably as the No. 2 overall behind Gronk. Sure, we’ve got guys like Martellus Bennett, Travis Kelce and even Gary Barnidge stepping forward, but Gates has the rapport with Philip Rivers and was obviously missed. That sucks for those who own Stevie Johnson and Malcom Floyd, but since I’m not invested in either, that’s not my problem. If it’s yours, however, well, let’s start looking at Week 5 targets and see if we can’t find you a replacement or two.

Week 5 Target Leaders

Golden Tate, WR DET – While the Detroit offense looks like something you’d see in a Port-O-Potty after a three-day Phish festival, we can at least be thankful to see that Tate is alive and well and finally commanding some of Matthew Stafford’s attention. Will it last? Only time will tell, but until their offensive line tightens up and Stafford gets his head straight, Tate should not be considered a reliable option. Maybe you can use him as a bye-week filler or, in deeper, more competitive leagues, a WR3, but it’s difficult to see much consistency coming forth just yet. No, you don’t drop him. You stash him for the time being and see what the Lions do to right the ship.

Theo Riddick, RB DET – While I might be down on Tate and any of the other Lions receivers, Riddick offers up a little something more. With a troubled offensive line, Stafford is going to have to hit those check-downs a little more often and that should boost Riddick’s value for the time being. Joique Bell won’t be hurt forever and it would seem silly for the team to totally give up on Ameer Abdullah because of his acute case of fumble-itis. Riddick will hold value for now and could be a decent PPR flex play depending on the matchup, but in looking down the road, that value may not be sustained. Be careful who you drop for him as he is likely just a band-aid.

Anquan Boldin, WR SF – Well, well, well….look who finally joined the party. Maybe it was just a soft Giants pass defense or maybe 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick simply went back to what he knows best and that’s “get the ball to Boldin.” Either way, his game was impressive and deserves to land back on your radar. The Niners are still a mess, but if Kaepernick reverts back to his old ways, at least Boldin will have value again in PPR formats.

Willie Snead, WR NO – Track the growth, track the targets, track the performances. Drew Brees is looking for some reliable weapons and with no Jimmy Graham (traded) or Marques Colston (injured), Snead and teammate Brandin Cooks are about to step out as some highly-targeted wide receivers. If for some reason he’s available, grab him!

Gary Barnidge, TE CLE – I think he’s proven that it wasn’t just about a one-week matchup against the Raiders. With no other viable receivers on that team, Barnidge is easily the No. 2 target behind Travis Benjamin.

Jacob Tamme, TE ATL – The Falcons haven’t utilized the tight end in the passing game like they used to since the days of Tony Gonzalez, and it seems unlikely that they’re starting now with Tamme. Leonard Hankerson got banged up and left the game for a while and there is still some strange rift between Matt Ryan and Roddy White which keeps the quarterback from looking in the receiver’s direction. With Hankerson on the mend, Tamme’s targets are likely to head back to where they were through the first four games. You should probably just stick with who you’ve got.

Darren McFadden, RB DAL – If you didn’t see this coming then either you’re blind or you’re still holding out hope that, one day, Christine Michael will become a real running back. No Lance Dunbar means the Cowboys need a new pass-catching back and that back is McFadden. Sure, he’ll suffer a debilitating injury within a couple of games, but you may as well give him a shot if you’re in a PPR format and weak at the position.

Overall Targets Leaderboard

Target Percentage Leaders

While there’s nothing too surprising in the way of receiver target percentages, it is certainly worth noting that through five weeks, we’ve got six teams in which the tight end is the most-targeted receiver. Greg Olsen, Martellus Bennett, Charles Clay, Jason Witten, Jared Cook, Jimmy Graham all lead their respective teams in target percentage. Granted, we’ve got receivers like Kelvin Benjamin, Alshon Jeffery, Sammy Watkins and Dez Bryant injured, but with little help in sight, these tight ends could continue to provide wide receiver-like production. Do not underestimate their value when people start talking trade. These numbers mean something.

Red Zone Target Percentage Leaders

Jordan Matthews, WR PHI – While there’s been a bit of a disappearing act over the last three games, Matthews continues to be the most-targeted receiver on the Eagles with a mark of 30.4 percent. Fantasy owners have been frustrated (as have I in the DFS department) with Matthews' lack of productivity, but you need to stick with him as the cream eventually rises to the top. If Sam Bradford wants to keep guys like Miles Austin and Riley Cooper involved, then fine, but eventually all roads should lead back to this guy. Stay patient.

Tyler Eifert, TE CIN – He may not be the target percentage leader on the Bengals, but he sure has Andy Dalton’s attention once the team gets into the red zone. He and A.J. Green share the lead on the team and considering how much of a high-octane offense we’re looking at here, Eifert’s value should continue to rise so long as this percentage maintains.

Potential Risers

Potential Fallers

Week 6 Matchup to Watch

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions – I know, right? WTF? While most are looking toward Atlanta/New Orleans, Green Bay/San Diego and New England/Indianapolis, this game offers a bit of intrigue, particularly in the ways of cheap DFS options. On one hand, this game has all the makings of the worst football game ever played, yet considering what we know about Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford, it could also be a crazy shootout. We’re talking about two veteran quarterbacks with decent weapons against two of the worst pass defenses in the league. Both Cutler and Stafford could have solid days while Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Marquess Wilson and Martellus Bennett should see enough targets to produce strong totals for the day. Eddie Royal and Alshon Jeffery could warrant a look if they play, but for that, you’ll have to wait and see.