NFL Air Yards Tool, Week 14: Leaders of Week 13

Each week in this space, I’m going to take a trip through the FTN air yards tool to find some of the most interesting and actionable takeaways for fantasy football.

Air yards represent the distance the ball travels from the line of scrimmage to the intended target. Regardless of whether a pass was complete or incomplete, air yards measure the amount of ground covered from passer to pass catcher. It does not account for the yards after catch on a completed pass. When calculating air yards, it’s important to keep in mind that not all air yards are created equal. An on-target throw is much more valuable than an uncatchable ball, even if the air yards are greater. Although air yards are not inductive of fantasy success, it’s a great way to calculate opportunity. The Weighted Opportunity Rating incorporates players’ share of team targets and the percentage of team air yards. Fantasy scoring is difficult to predict; however, opportunities are usually a stick stat and can translate to current and future output. Every week I will go position by position, highlighting the leaders in air yards. You can access the free air yards tool at FTN Fantasy.

Week 14 Air Yards Leaders

Quarterback

Mike White, New York Jets

(455 air yards, fantasy QB7)

In his second start this season, Mike White attempted a league-high 57 pass attempts for 369 yards. Despite leading all quarterbacks in passing yards, White couldn’t find the end zone and threw two costly interceptions. Still, White was able to keep the Jets competitive and may have defeated the Vikings had it not been for dropped touchdown pass by Braxton Berrios in the end zone. Since becoming the starter in Week 13, White is averaging 22.13 fantasy points per game, ranked top five among all quarterbacks. The transition from Zach Wilson to White has opened up the Jets’ passing game and become a much more fantasy-friendly offense.

Runner-up: Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons (378 air yards, fantasy QB26)
Season leader: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (3,856 air yards, fantasy QB3)

Wide Receiver

Garrett Wilson, New York Jets

(231 air yards, fantasy WR9)

Garrett Wilson finished as a top-10 wide receiver in his second game with Mike White under center. In Week 13, Wilson saw a season-high 15 targets, catching eight of them for a personal-best 162 yards and two touchdowns. With back-to-back strong performances, the first-round pick out of Ohio State is making a strong case for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

As long as Zach Wilson doesn’t return to the lineup, Garrett Wilson should continue to excel for the rest of the season.

Runner-up: Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders (187 air yards, fantasy WR1)
Season leader: Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (1,529 air yards, fantasy WR3)

Tight End

Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos

(91 air yards, fantasy TE5)

Broncos’ rookie tight end Greg Dulcich had his best fantasy outing of the season finishing top five at his position for the first time this year. He saw a team-high eight targets, catching six of them for 85 yards. Dulcich benefited from a banged-up wide receiver core with Jerry Jeudy playing a limited allotment of snaps and Courtland Sutton exiting early with a hamstring injury. Sutton is trending towards doubtful in Week 14, which means Dulcich should continue to see volume in a likely negative gamescript against the Chiefs.

Runner-up: Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens (73 air yards, fantasy TE11)
Season leader: Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens (906 air yards, fantasy TE2)

Running Back

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

(35 air yards, fantasy RB1)

After playing 63% of snaps in Week 12, Christian McCaffrey had an 82% snap share without Elijah Mitchell, his highest since being traded to the 49ers in Week 7. McCaffrey handled 27 touches for 146 yards and a touchdown, finishing as the RB1 overall for the first time this season. Once Jimmy Garoppolo exited the game, McCaffrey saw double-digit targets from Brock Purdy (10), catching eight of them for a team-high 80 yards and a score. With Garoppolo unlikely to return in the regular season, McCaffrey should continue to see the bulk of the team’s rushing attempts while playing a significant role as a pass catcher.

Runner-up: Kenyan Drake, Baltimore Ravens (29 air yards, fantasy RB40)
Season leader: Breece Hall, New York Jets (147 air yards, fantasy RB30)