Below is WR target data for the 2006 fantasy season. The first list is the top 25 receivers ranked in order of most targets in 2006. Below that are the same 25 WRs, but ranked by target percentage (receptions / target passes). Target % is a crucial stat to analyze, as it can often paint an entirely different picture than one may remember. So after glancing at both sets of players, probably the most interesting find was Mike Furrey finishing 11th in Total Targets and 2nd in Target %. What does this suggest? Well, I’d say that this is a strong indication that Calvin Johnson is in for a big rookie season. Even with Roy Williams finishing 8th in Total Targets in 2006, Furrey still saw a ton of passes last year. With Calvin Johnson stepping into Furrey’s old role, you can expect the rookie to catch a lot more passes than most would think. This also screams good things for Jon Kitna entering 2007. Kitna is getting drafted almost too high in some early fantasy drafts, but he may just end up earning those early selections come week 16’s end. Steve Smith was another interesting receiver to breakdown. He ranked 12th in 2006 in Total Targets (with 132) and 12th in Target %, catching 57.5 % of the passes thrown his way. If Smith had not missed weeks one and two due to injury, the receiver would have ranked 4th in Total Targets with 150 (based off his almost 10 targets per game average). But, that wasn’t the most interesting part relating to Steve Smith. Keyshawn Johnson, despite not finishing in most scoring format’s top 30 for fantasy WRs, finished 16th in Total Targets and 19th in Target %. Now that Johnson is no longer in Carolina, I expect a lot of those targets to head back in Steve Smith’s direction in 2007 (much like in 2005). As it stands right now, Drew Carter and rookie Dwayne Jarrett are the Panthers’ #2 and #3 WRs, so I predict that Delhomme will look to connect with number 89 more than ever, possibly allowing Smith the opportunity to catch 100 passes once again. Another interesting observation was Colston finishing way down at #22 for Total Targets in 2006. I was shocked that he was this low, because he had six games with five receptions or more, two of which were for 10 and 11. If you think this is a bad thing, it’s not. For Colston to catch 70 balls, rank 22nd in targets but still finish #7 overall in Target %… well, that just means he has hands of gold and he is truly the real deal. I am extremely high on Colston for the 2007 season and beyond. I think he is going to be a top 5-6WR for years and years to come. And then there was Chambers. Chambers finished 6th in Total Targets and 25th in Target % in 2006. This means one thing to me… Chambers is still a top 10-15WR, and his quarterback situation from last year is to blame for his lack of production. A lot of passes went his way, but obviously more than half of the passes thrown Chambers’ way were not quality throws. Believe me, it wasn’t his hands… Chambers has some of the best hands in the business. Trent Green may just make Chambers one of the better steals in 2007 fantasy drafts. He could finish as a solid WR2 and only cost you a 6-7th round pick. Before I leave you to read and study the below data, note how “money” T.J. Houshmandzadeh was last year. His Target % was an unreal 71% (first in the entire NFL). He also finished 17th in Total Targets, a figure that should almost certainly go up with the initial absence of receiver Chris Henry (suspended for half the 2007 season). Note: All data is through week 16

Total Targets
Player	Team	Targets	Rec	Target %	Re Yrds	Re TDs
1. Torry Holt	STL	165	84	0.509090909	1098	10
2. Donald Driver	GB	161	88	0.546583851	1265	7
3. Andre Johnson	HOU	158	101	0.639240506	1135	5
4. Chad Johnson	CIN	148	83	0.560810811	1317	7
5. Anquan Boldin	ARI	147	79	0.537414966	1091	4
6. Chris Chambers	MIA	147	56	0.380952381	638	4
7. Laveranues Coles	NYJ	146	89	0.609589041	1074	6
8. Roy Williams	DET	144	76	0.527777778	1206	5
9. Terrell Owens	DAL	143	79	0.552447552	1063	12
10. Marvin Harrison	IND	138	90	0.652173913	1292	11
11. Mike Furrey	DET	133	87	0.654135338	984	5
12. Steve Smith	CAR	132	76	0.575757576	1081	6
13. Joey Galloway	TB	131	54	0.41221374	939	6
14. Reggie Wayne	IND	128	80	0.625	1240	9
15. Lee Evans	BUF	127	75	0.590551181	1146	7
16. Keyshawn Johnson	CAR	125	67	0.536	791	4
17. T.J. Houshmandzadeh	CIN	121	86	0.710743802	1037	9
18. Hines Ward	PIT	119	69	0.579831933	924	6
19. Javon Walker	DEN	118	65	0.550847458	1059	8
20. Isaac Bruce	STL	117	70	0.598290598	1032	3
21. Jerricho Cotchery	NYJ	116	75	0.646551724	908	6
22. Marques Colston	NO	114	70	0.614035088	1038	8
23. Plaxico Burress	NYG	114	61	0.535087719	962	10
24. Braylon Edwards	CLE	113	56	0.495575221	833	6
25. Darrell Jackson	SEA	112	63	0.5625	956	10

Target %
Player	Team	Targets	Rec	Target %	Re Yrds	Re TDs
1. T.J. Houshmandzadeh	CIN	121	86	0.710743802	1037	9
2. Mike Furrey	DET	133	87	0.654135338	984	5
3. Marvin Harrison	IND	138	90	0.652173913	1292	11
4. Jerricho Cotchery	NYJ	116	75	0.646551724	908	6
5. Andre Johnson	HOU	158	101	0.639240506	1135	5
6. Reggie Wayne	IND	128	80	0.625	1240	9
7. Marques Colston	NO	114	70	0.614035088	1038	8
8. Laveranues Coles	NYJ	146	89	0.609589041	1074	6
9. Isaac Bruce	STL	117	70	0.598290598	1032	3
10. Lee Evans	BUF	127	75	0.590551181	1146	7
11. Hines Ward	PIT	119	69	0.579831933	924	6
12. Steve Smith	CAR	132	76	0.575757576	1081	6
13. Darrell Jackson	SEA	112	63	0.5625	956	10
14. Chad Johnson	CIN	148	83	0.560810811	1317	7
15. Terrell Owens	DAL	143	79	0.552447552	1063	12
16. Javon Walker	DEN	118	65	0.550847458	1059	8
17. Donald Driver	GB	161	88	0.546583851	1265	7
18. Anquan Boldin	ARI	147	79	0.537414966	1091	4
19. Keyshawn Johnson	CAR	125	67	0.536	791	4
20. Plaxico Burress	NYG	114	61	0.535087719	962	10
21. Roy Williams	DET	144	76	0.527777778	1206	5
22. Torry Holt	STL	165	84	0.509090909	1098	10
23. Braylon Edwards	CLE	113	56	0.495575221	833	6
24. Joey Galloway	TB	131	54	0.41221374	939	6
25. Chris Chambers	MIA	147	56	0.380952381	638	4