What Targets is

Targets: passes thrown toward the team's receivers, caught or not. It shows where an offense is trying to go with the ball, before the result.

Higher is better. It is shown per game, so a team's number does not depend on games played. Source: P + N.

In 2021 the Buccaneers led at 42.12; the league average was 33.19.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

TB · 42.12

League average

33.19

Best to worst

14.59

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	TB	42.12	17
2	LAC	38.76	17
3	PIT	38.41	17
4	DAL	37.47	17
5	KC	37.47	17
6	BUF	36.65	17
7	LV	35.47	17
8	LAR	35.41	17
9	MIA	35.24	17
10	BAL	34.76	17
11	JAX	34.29	17
12	NYJ	34.18	17
13	MIN	34	17
14	CAR	33.82	17
15	ARI	33.53	17
16	GB	33.53	17
17	DET	33.24	17
18	NYG	33.18	17
19	ATL	32.59	17
20	CIN	31.76	17
21	WAS	31.41	17
22	CHI	30.82	17
23	NE	30.82	17
24	HOU	30.76	17
25	TEN	30.71	17
26	DEN	30.41	17
27	IND	29.53	17
28	CLE	29.35	17
29	SF	29.24	17
30	NO	27.88	17
31	SEA	27.88	17
32	PHI	27.53	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

TB · 42.12

League laggard

PHI · 27.53

League average

33.19

Spread (max − min)

14.59

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	TB	42.12	8.92	100%
2	LAC	38.76	5.57	96.8%
3	PIT	38.41	5.22	93.5%
4	DAL	37.47	4.28	90.3%
5	KC	37.47	4.28	87.1%
6	BUF	36.65	3.45	83.9%
7	LV	35.47	2.28	80.6%
8	LAR	35.41	2.22	77.4%
9	MIA	35.24	2.04	74.2%
10	BAL	34.76	1.57	71%
11	JAX	34.29	1.10	67.7%
12	NYJ	34.18	0.98	64.5%
13	MIN	34	0.81	61.3%
14	CAR	33.82	0.63	58.1%
15	ARI	33.53	0.33	54.8%
16	GB	33.53	0.33	51.6%
17	DET	33.24	0.04	48.4%
18	NYG	33.18	-0.02	45.2%
19	ATL	32.59	-0.61	41.9%
20	CIN	31.76	-1.43	38.7%
21	WAS	31.41	-1.78	35.5%
22	CHI	30.82	-2.37	32.3%
23	NE	30.82	-2.37	29%
24	HOU	30.76	-2.43	25.8%
25	TEN	30.71	-2.49	22.6%
26	DEN	30.41	-2.78	19.4%
27	IND	29.53	-3.67	16.1%
28	CLE	29.35	-3.84	12.9%
29	SF	29.24	-3.96	9.7%
30	NO	27.88	-5.31	6.5%
31	SEA	27.88	-5.31	3.2%
32	PHI	27.53	-5.67	0%

Does Targets matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 771–807–37 ATS (48.9%) across 2020–2025, #272 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2022 (144–120, 54.5%); its worst 2024 (112–151, 42.6%).

For picks, this is noise. One stat is not a recipe — the algorithms combine many.

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	134–120–2	52.8%
2021	272	129–141–2	47.8%
2022	271	144–120–7	54.5%
2023	272	122–136–14	47.3%
2024	272	112–151–9	42.6%
2025	272	130–139–3	48.3%

Targets in 2021 vs 2020

Buccaneers lead at 42.12 — they ranked #5 last year. Eagles are last at 27.53 — #14 last year.

The league average is 33.19, down 0.61 from 33.81 last year.

Biggest riser: Ravens, #32 → #10. Biggest faller: Eagles, #14 → #32.

Spread between first and last: 14.59; 20 teams are within 3.43 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

BAL · +10.26

Biggest faller

PHI · −7.53

Most consistent

CLE · +0.17

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -0.61

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	BAL	34.76	24.50	+10.26
2	NYJ	34.18	28.94	+5.24
3	NE	30.82	26.25	+4.57
4	TB	42.12	37.88	+4.24
5	MIN	34	30.31	+3.69
6	LV	35.47	32.69	+2.78
7	GB	33.53	31.31	+2.22
8	NYG	33.18	31.25	+1.93
9	TEN	30.71	29.25	+1.46
10	MIA	35.24	34.19	+1.05
11	BUF	36.65	35.75	+0.90
12	CAR	33.82	32.94	+0.89
13	LAC	38.76	38.19	+0.58
14	LAR	35.41	35.13	+0.29
15	CLE	29.35	29.19	+0.17
16	ARI	33.53	34.06	−0.53
17	KC	37.47	38.19	−0.72
18	DAL	37.47	38.56	−1.09
19	DET	33.24	35.13	−1.89
20	HOU	30.76	32.81	−2.05
21	JAX	34.29	36.56	−2.27
22	PIT	38.41	40.75	−2.34
23	DEN	30.41	33.31	−2.90
24	CIN	31.76	35.38	−3.61
25	NO	27.88	31.75	−3.87
26	IND	29.53	33.44	−3.91
27	WAS	31.41	35.81	−4.40
28	ATL	32.59	37.81	−5.22
29	SF	29.24	34.63	−5.39
30	SEA	27.88	33.56	−5.68
31	CHI	30.82	37.25	−6.43
32	PHI	27.53	35.06	−7.53

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

DAL · 36.17

Multi-year laggard

BAL · 27.43

Biggest improver

NO · +1.21/yr

Biggest decliner

LAC · −2.03/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	DAL	36.17	−0.11	38.56	37.47	32.06	35.59	36.59	35.71	37.20
2	TB	35.58	−2.00	37.88	42.12	42.59	32.35	33.12	31.82	29.20
3	CIN	35.57	+0.47	35.38	31.76	37.13	34.82	36.94	35.76	37.20
4	ARI	34.65	+0.47	34.06	33.53	37.35	31.76	30.76	36.29	38.80
5	KC	34.64	−1.39	38.19	37.47	36.12	35.24	33.65	32.29	29.50
6	LAC	34.57	−2.03	38.19	38.76	40.41	36.12	28.88	32	27.60
7	LAR	34.51	+0.70	35.13	35.41	30.41	32.65	31.82	34.18	42
8	DET	33.70	+0.12	35.13	33.24	33.12	33.76	30.71	32.35	37.60
9	PIT	33.20	−1.37	40.75	38.41	32.24	28.47	27.06	30.71	34.80
10	JAX	32.94	−1.24	36.56	34.29	33.76	35.71	30.71	32.18	27.40
11	LV	32.93	−0.20	32.69	35.47	32.82	31.24	34.82	29.06	34.40
12	HOU	32.66	+0.25	32.81	30.76	32.82	33.29	32.18	32.53	34.20
13	NO	32.19	+1.21	31.75	27.88	29	34.06	30.41	33.24	39
14	IND	31.78	−0.09	33.44	29.53	34.06	32.12	28.94	31.18	33.20
15	BUF	31.74	−1.84	35.75	36.65	34.44	32.06	29.12	28.18	26
16	MIN	31.63	−1.21	30.31	34	37.71	35.65	30.41	27.53	25.80
17	NYJ	31.58	−0.58	28.94	34.18	34.59	33.12	34.65	27.76	27.80
18	MIA	31.57	−1.48	34.19	35.24	33.06	32.29	33.41	27.18	25.60
19	CLE	31.55	+0.39	29.19	29.35	29.82	35.12	37.29	30.71	29.40
20	GB	31.45	−0.10	31.31	33.53	31.76	33	27.29	27.06	36.20
21	DEN	31.38	−0.12	33.31	30.41	31.82	28.06	32.29	34.35	29.40
22	WAS	31.32	−1.07	35.81	31.41	31.24	35.35	29.65	25.41	30.40
23	CAR	31.25	+0.20	32.94	33.82	25.12	31.41	30.47	28.24	36.75
24	NYG	30.93	+0.02	31.25	33.18	28.76	28.53	32.59	29.59	32.60
25	SEA	30.68	−0.60	33.56	27.88	32.53	32.18	33.47	26.76	28.40
26	CHI	30.24	−0.16	37.25	30.82	21.12	28.06	30.94	31.29	32.20
27	ATL	30.21	−1.18	37.81	32.59	23.53	29.88	31.71	30.53	25.40
28	SF	30.16	−0.53	34.63	29.24	29.65	27.71	30.18	32.35	27.40
29	NE	29.56	+0.17	26.25	30.82	30.47	31.82	29.41	28.35	29.80
30	PHI	29.09	−0.89	35.06	27.53	29.71	30.88	24.59	27.29	28.60
31	TEN	29.05	+0.11	29.25	30.71	25.65	28.12	29.82	31.18	28.60
32	BAL	27.43	−0.56	24.50	34.76	27.35	28	26.88	23.94	26.60

Multi-year heatmap

32 teams across 7 seasons. Cells colored by quintile within each season; click a column header to jump to that year.

Team	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
TB	37.88	42.12	42.59	32.35	33.12	31.82	29.20
LAC	38.19	38.76	40.41	36.12	28.88	32	27.60
PIT	40.75	38.41	32.24	28.47	27.06	30.71	34.80
DAL	38.56	37.47	32.06	35.59	36.59	35.71	37.20
KC	38.19	37.47	36.12	35.24	33.65	32.29	29.50
BUF	35.75	36.65	34.44	32.06	29.12	28.18	26
LV	32.69	35.47	32.82	31.24	34.82	29.06	34.40
LAR	35.13	35.41	30.41	32.65	31.82	34.18	42
MIA	34.19	35.24	33.06	32.29	33.41	27.18	25.60
BAL	24.50	34.76	27.35	28	26.88	23.94	26.60
JAX	36.56	34.29	33.76	35.71	30.71	32.18	27.40
NYJ	28.94	34.18	34.59	33.12	34.65	27.76	27.80
MIN	30.31	34	37.71	35.65	30.41	27.53	25.80
CAR	32.94	33.82	25.12	31.41	30.47	28.24	36.75
ARI	34.06	33.53	37.35	31.76	30.76	36.29	38.80
GB	31.31	33.53	31.76	33	27.29	27.06	36.20
DET	35.13	33.24	33.12	33.76	30.71	32.35	37.60
NYG	31.25	33.18	28.76	28.53	32.59	29.59	32.60
ATL	37.81	32.59	23.53	29.88	31.71	30.53	25.40
CIN	35.38	31.76	37.13	34.82	36.94	35.76	37.20
WAS	35.81	31.41	31.24	35.35	29.65	25.41	30.40
CHI	37.25	30.82	21.12	28.06	30.94	31.29	32.20
NE	26.25	30.82	30.47	31.82	29.41	28.35	29.80
HOU	32.81	30.76	32.82	33.29	32.18	32.53	34.20
TEN	29.25	30.71	25.65	28.12	29.82	31.18	28.60
DEN	33.31	30.41	31.82	28.06	32.29	34.35	29.40
IND	33.44	29.53	34.06	32.12	28.94	31.18	33.20
CLE	29.19	29.35	29.82	35.12	37.29	30.71	29.40
SF	34.63	29.24	29.65	27.71	30.18	32.35	27.40
NO	31.75	27.88	29	34.06	30.41	33.24	39
SEA	33.56	27.88	32.53	32.18	33.47	26.76	28.40
PHI	35.06	27.53	29.71	30.88	24.59	27.29	28.60

Targets since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Steelers (42.25), 2019 Falcons (40.94), 2020 Steelers (40.75), 2021 Buccaneers (42.12).

Steelers have led this stat 2 of 4 seasons.

The best season on record is Steelers 2018 at 42.25; the worst Ravens 2020 at 24.50.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat

Stat ID: off_receiving_targets
Side: offensive
Family: Receiving
Data source: P + N
Polarity: higher is better (or neutral)
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.