This article is part of our Red Zone Watch series.
Cleveland Browns
Whenever there are two capable running backs on a team, it's always important to consider who is getting the carries near the goal line. Unfortunately for the Browns, neither Isaiah Crowell nor Duke Johnson were effective Sunday against the Titans, as they combined to rush three times for minus-1 yard in the red zone. Instead, quarterback Cody Kessler, who also had a red-zone carry, used his arm for his two close touchdowns, as Terrelle Pryor caught both of his targets inside the 10-yard line for scores. Given Crowell and Johnson's struggles overall, including from in close, Pryor continues to be the best option near the end zone.
Dallas Cowboys
Fantasy owners who were worried about Ezekiel Elliott's touchdown upside earlier this season were certainly put at ease in Week 5 when he scored two touchdowns while rushing for 130 yards for the third consecutive game. He made it four in a row Sunday against the Packers by rushing 28 times for a career-high 157 yards, but notably absent from the box score was a check mark in the TD column. Elliott was given three red-zone carries, including two inside the 10, but he wasn't able to capitalize. Instead, wideout Cole Beasley scored two touchdowns, one from one-yard out and another from four-yards out. The Cowboys have plenty of options near the goal line, including having quarterback Dak Prescott run, and Elliott's fantasy upside is slightly capped because of it. Adding another layer, wide receiver Dez Bryant
Cleveland Browns
Whenever there are two capable running backs on a team, it's always important to consider who is getting the carries near the goal line. Unfortunately for the Browns, neither Isaiah Crowell nor Duke Johnson were effective Sunday against the Titans, as they combined to rush three times for minus-1 yard in the red zone. Instead, quarterback Cody Kessler, who also had a red-zone carry, used his arm for his two close touchdowns, as Terrelle Pryor caught both of his targets inside the 10-yard line for scores. Given Crowell and Johnson's struggles overall, including from in close, Pryor continues to be the best option near the end zone.
Dallas Cowboys
Fantasy owners who were worried about Ezekiel Elliott's touchdown upside earlier this season were certainly put at ease in Week 5 when he scored two touchdowns while rushing for 130 yards for the third consecutive game. He made it four in a row Sunday against the Packers by rushing 28 times for a career-high 157 yards, but notably absent from the box score was a check mark in the TD column. Elliott was given three red-zone carries, including two inside the 10, but he wasn't able to capitalize. Instead, wideout Cole Beasley scored two touchdowns, one from one-yard out and another from four-yards out. The Cowboys have plenty of options near the goal line, including having quarterback Dak Prescott run, and Elliott's fantasy upside is slightly capped because of it. Adding another layer, wide receiver Dez Bryant is expected to return after their Week 7 bye, giving them another solid target in the end zone.
Detroit Lions
There were plenty of question marks heading into last weekend with all the backfield injuries in Detroit, and while Zach Zenner took control ahead of newly signed Justin Forsett, he did little with his red-zone opportunity. Yes, the Lions rushed only once in the red zone Sunday against the Rams, with Zenner losing three yards. Otherwise, quarterback Matthew Stafford threw three red-zone touchdowns, all coming inside the 10-yard line and each going to a different receiver: Anquan Boldin, Marvin Jones and Andre Roberts. Notably absent was Golden Tate, though fantasy owners were surely not going to complain after he led the team with 10 targets, catching eight of them for 165 yards and a touchdown. Overall, it's clear the Lions are going to rely on Stafford's arms more than any running backs' legs when they are in close.
Houston Texans
Only three players had more red-zone targets than DeAndre Hopkins last season, but the Texans' wideout has been targeted only four times in the red zone this year, including one Sunday against the Colts. Running back Lamar Miller continues to dominate the touches out of the backfield, including in the red zone, but Hopkins isn't getting nearly as big a share of the targets as last season, as Will Fuller, Braxton Miller, C.J. Fiedorowicz and Miller (who scored on a 10-yard reception) are eating into his opportunities. Fewer targets near the goal line obviously leads to fewer touchdown opportunities, which caps his fantasy upside.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints have rushed for five red-zone touchdowns this season, all coming from inside the five-yard line. However, starting running back Mark Ingram has just one, a remarkably disappointing total after being fairly effective from in close over the last two seasons. Ingram scored in Weeks 3 and 4, but the crushing blow came in the latter week when fantasy owners had to watch fullback John Kuhn score three times. Following their Week 5 bye, Kuhn wasn't given any carries near the goal line Sunday against the Panthers, but that didn't mean Ingram was given any more opportunities. In fact, rubbing salt into the wound, tight end Coby Fleener scored on a two-yard run, while Travaris Cadet was also given a carry from in close. Ingram may have led the team with three red-zone carries, but only one came close to the goal line.
Additionally, quarterback Drew Brees has been fantastic in the red zone, completing nearly 89 percent of his passes from inside 10 yards and throwing nine touchdowns, including two this past weekend. The Saints have never been known as a run-heavy team, but Brees' elite numbers near the goal line, coupled with the use of Fleener and Kuhn on running plays, certainly puts a huge dent in Ingram's upside.
Washington Redskins
For as good as Brees has been in the red zone, Kirk Cousins has really struggled connecting with his receivers in that area. While he did throw red-zone touchdowns to Jamison Crowder and Vernon Davis on Sunday against the Eagles, Cousins has completed fewer than 39 percent of his passes in the red zone, including an abysmal 20 percent from inside the 10-yard line, this season. Sunday's scores can certainly help hide his inaccuracies for a bit, but Cousins could really improve his fantasy stock if he can get closer to the 64 percent accuracy inside the 10-yard line that he posted last season.
