NFL

Week 3 Fantasy Football Market Share Report: Darren Waller Is Eating

We're three weeks in, and data starts becoming more and more reliable.

What market share numbers should you take note of as we get into Week 4?

Rushing Market Shares

Mark Ingram

Any concerns about Mark Ingram's workload with the Baltimore Ravens have all but been washed away as the former New Orleans Saints' running back has dominated the backfield share for the Ravens.

Against the soft defense of the Kansas City Chiefs, Ingram rushed 16 times for 103 yards and crushed with three touchdowns. He even added four receptions for 32 yards.

Already a monster rushing attack for the Ravens, quarterback Lamar Jackson's willingness this season to go down the field is helping to open up more holes for Ingram.

In Week 3, Ingram had 50 percent share of the Ravens' carries, but the remainder was split between eight for Jackson, seven for Gus Edwards and only one for Justice Hill.

Ingram is the lead back for one of the league's top offenses, and he's a must-start option each week.

Devonta Freeman

The ride with Devonta Freeman has been anything but steady. Many fantasy owners were enticed by the offseason, preseason and early-season promise of a healthy Freeman and a heavy workhorse workload. But maybe we aren’t far off.

In Week 3, Freeman posted his best line of the year and is competing despite a poor offensive line in front of him. Freeman rushed 16 times for 88 yards and caught three passes for a paltry three yards. But at least he got the receptions.

Despite the Atlanta Falcons' struggles in Week 3, Freeman had an 80 percent market share of the backfield rushes and figures to continue, especially if Ito Smith's injury proves serious.

Receiving Market Shares

Darren Waller

Darren Waller's weekly target share is a thing of beauty for fantasy owners. And in Week 3, it was no different. In fact, it was spectacular.

Per Pro-Football Reference, in Week 1, Waller handled 30.77 percent of the Raiders receiving market share. Since it was one week, managing expectations moving forward seemed prudent. In Week 2, an 18.92 percent share helped to tame expectations a little.

But Week 3 might have just sunk any chances of catching a good deal on Waller. He took in a staggering 42.42 percent market share and posted a 13 receptions for 134 yards, on 14 targets.

His 30 percent target share for the year, per airyards.com, paces the Oakland Raiders by a wide margin, with Tyrell Williams' 17% clip sitting second on the team. Not only that but the 30 percent target share is tops among all tight ends. He also holds a solid 26 percent air yards share, second at the position to only Travis Kelce (27 percent).

Waller is going to be a target monster on an Oakland offense without many play-makers.

Auden Tate

With 10 targets and six grabs for 88 yards this past Sunday, Auden Tate steps into our hearts the way we hoped John Ross might in Week 3.

Tate isn’t a sizzling add, but still A.J. Green-less, the Cincinnati Bengals and Andy Dalton are hoisting things up often, and Tate is teaming with Tyler Boyd to make an interesting tandem.

In Week 3, Tate actually bested Boyd, who hauled in six balls for 67 yards. Tate will be a moderately-warm waiver add this week as receiving talent is deep but unpredictable overall.

According to airyards.com, Tate handled a 28 percent market share for the Bengals in Week 3, including 35 yards after catch. His average depth of target is 8.5, so he's proving to be a nice possession receiver and an interesting add for your bench.

Red Zone Market Shares

Jeffrey Wilson

Jeff Wilson's eight red zone touches in Week 3 could be fleeting as things ebb and flow with the San Francisco 49ers, but as of this moment, he’s hot as can be.

Wilson, with a league-leading 13 running back red zone touches, ahead of Ezekiel Elliott (12), has scored four touchdowns thus far. It’s time to act now.

At a 59.1 percent of red zone market share of the 49ers’ touches and 83.3 percent clip inside the five-yard line, Wilson is elite in his red zone production.

Wilson, of course, is in a backfield flush with Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert. But none of them are the picture of health -- Coleman may be back this week -- and Wilson is producing.

Larry Fitzgerald

Want to steal some elite red zone receiver work, without having to pay the heavy price? See Larry Fitzgerald.

I know things haven’t been great for the Arizona Cardinals so far and Kyler Murray hasn’t completely blown us away, but what’s old is new and Fitzgerald is tied with Keenan Allen and Zach Ertz for red zone targets with six, just behind Emmanuel Sanders (8) and T.Y. Hilton (7).

Fitz is handling 31.6 percent share of the Cardinals' red zone receiving targets and thus far has two touchdowns in three games. He also is netting 60 percent of the targets inside the five.

If a receiver is going to score from the Cardinals, it’s likely to be Larry Fitz, and he’s not going to cost you an extravagant price.