Target depth vs. red-zone value: which WRs got the best opportunities in 2025?
A target 30 yards downfield and a target from the five-yard line can both be extremely valuable — but for completely different reasons. We analyzed 83 NFL wide receivers to separate those two types of opportunity.
Target Depth Score and Red Zone Score identify two different types of high-value receiving opportunity. TDS + RZS is shown only as a sorting aid.
A target isn't just a target.
Fantasy analysis often starts with volume: targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns. Those numbers matter, but they don't tell us what kind of targets a receiver was getting.
A receiver repeatedly targeted 20 or 30 yards downfield has access to explosive-play upside. Another receiver may operate closer to the line of scrimmage but become a featured option near the goal line. A smaller group receives meaningful opportunities in both areas.
To separate those roles, NFL EdgeLine created two percentile-based measures using 2025 play-by-play data: Target Depth Score (TDS) and Red Zone Score (RZS).
The sample includes 83 wide receivers with at least 50 targets. Both scores run from 0 to 100 relative to that qualifying WR population. They are not talent grades and they are not fantasy point projections.
Target Depth Score (TDS)
TDS measures how strongly a receiver's usage leaned toward downfield opportunities. We use both average depth of target and the percentage of targets that traveled at least 20 air yards so that raw target volume does not automatically dominate the ranking.
2025 Target Depth Leaders
| WR | TDS | aDOT | 20+ Tgt | Deep Tgt Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Watson | 99.3 | 17.21 | 20 | 32.3% |
| Alec Pierce | 98.5 | 18.96 | 25 | 29.8% |
| Kayshon Boutte | 98.0 | 16.88 | 21 | 31.8% |
| Rome Odunze | 95.1 | 14.40 | 29 | 28.2% |
| Adonai Mitchell | 94.4 | 14.89 | 19 | 25.7% |
Christian Watson finished with the highest TDS in the sample at 99.3. His average target traveled 17.21 yards through the air, and 20 of his 62 targets traveled at least 20 air yards.
Alec Pierce was even more extreme by raw aDOT at 18.96 yards, while Rome Odunze led this top-five group with 29 total deep targets.
A high TDS does not mean “better receiver.” It means the receiver's target portfolio was unusually vertical and carried more explosive-play potential.
Red Zone Score (RZS)
RZS measures a receiver's combination of scoring-area opportunity and what he did with those chances. Opportunity receives most of the weight because touchdowns can be volatile, but efficiency still matters.
That makes RZS 65% opportunity and 35% efficiency. The distinction is intentional: we want to reward players whose offenses repeatedly looked their way near the goal line without simply sorting the league by touchdown totals.
2025 Red-Zone Leaders
| WR | RZS | RZ Tgt | Inside 10 | RZ TD | RZ TD% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davante Adams | 85.3 | 34 | 24 | 13 | 38.2% |
| Jalen Nailor | 83.1 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 30.8% |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | 82.3 | 35 | 21 | 10 | 28.6% |
| Jauan Jennings | 81.8 | 23 | 12 | 7 | 30.4% |
| Keon Coleman | 81.5 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 28.6% |
Davante Adams finished first with an 85.3 RZS after receiving 34 red-zone targets, including 24 from inside the 10, and converting 13 red-zone touchdowns.
Amon-Ra St. Brown actually saw one more total red-zone target than Adams, while Jalen Nailor and Keon Coleman demonstrate why rates matter: their overall target volume was much lower, but a large share of their opportunities arrived in scoring territory.
Best of both worlds.
The most interesting profiles are the receivers who had meaningful access to both forms of high-value opportunity: downfield targets capable of generating explosive plays and red-zone targets capable of generating touchdowns.
For this view, we first require a receiver to score at least 60 in both TDS and RZS, then sort that group by TDS + RZS. The combined number is not a third EdgeLine metric; it simply gives us a consistent way to order players who cleared both thresholds.
| WR | TDS | RZS | TDS + RZS | Deep Tgt | RZ Tgt | Inside 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davante Adams | 77.6 | 85.3 | 162.9 | 28 | 34 | 24 |
| Christian Watson | 99.3 | 63.3 | 162.6 | 20 | 7 | 5 |
| Tee Higgins | 88.0 | 70.6 | 158.6 | 25 | 16 | 8 |
| Troy Franklin | 76.6 | 75.7 | 152.3 | 24 | 21 | 11 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr. | 78.5 | 72.5 | 151.0 | 16 | 11 | 6 |
Davante Adams has the most complete profile in the group: a 77.6 TDS paired with the sample's top 85.3 RZS. He received 28 deep targets and 34 red-zone targets, including 24 inside the 10.
Christian Watson gets to nearly the same combined total in a very different way. His 99.3 TDS is the most extreme downfield profile in the sample, while his 63.3 RZS is solid rather than elite.
Tee Higgins may be the most balanced fantasy profile of the group at 88.0 TDS and 70.6 RZS. Troy Franklin is the surprise, while Marvin Harrison Jr. also lands comfortably above 70 in both metrics.
What the visual is — and isn't — telling us.
The left side of the graphic ranks the league's most vertical target profiles. The right side ranks the strongest combinations of red-zone opportunity and efficiency. The final section surfaces players who scored strongly in both.
That does not mean every great fantasy receiver must appear near the top of both metrics. A player can create enormous fantasy value through volume, yards after the catch, intermediate targets or other roles that TDS and RZS are not designed to measure.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is a good example. His TDS was only 7.8, but his 82.3 RZS was among the league's best. The point is not that his opportunity was poor — it is that his most valuable opportunities came from a very different part of the field than Christian Watson's.
TDS and RZS are best used as role descriptors. They help explain where a receiver's upside came from and which players had access to multiple kinds of high-value opportunity.
Complete 2025 WR results
All 83 qualifying wide receivers are shown below. The default ranking is sorted by TDS + RZS from highest to lowest.
TDS + RZS is not a separate NFL EdgeLine score. A highly unbalanced player can still rank well in that simple sum, so the individual TDS and RZS columns should be evaluated separately.
- Rank — Overall position when the table is initially sorted by TDS + RZS.
- WR — Wide receiver.
- TDS — Target Depth Score (0–100), measuring downfield usage based on aDOT and the rate of 20+ air-yard targets.
- RZS — Red Zone Score (0–100), combining red-zone opportunity, inside-the-10 usage, and red-zone efficiency.
- TDS + RZS — Simple sum of the two scores for sorting and comparison; not a separate EdgeLine metric.
- Tgt — Total targets.
- aDOT — Average depth of target, in air yards.
- Deep — Targets traveling 20+ air yards.
- RZ — Targets inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
- I10 — Targets inside the opponent's 10-yard line.
- RZ TD — Touchdowns scored on red-zone targets.
↕ Click any column heading to sort the table. Click it again to reverse the order.
↕ Click any column heading to sort the table. Click it again to reverse the order.
| Rank | WR | TDS | RZS | TDS + RZS | Tgt | aDOT | Deep | RZ | I10 | RZ TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davante Adams | 77.6 | 85.3 | 162.9 | 139 | 13.18 | 28 | 34 | 24 | 13 |
| 2 | Christian Watson | 99.3 | 63.3 | 162.6 | 62 | 17.21 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| 3 | Tee Higgins | 88.0 | 70.6 | 158.6 | 99 | 13.41 | 25 | 16 | 8 | 4 |
| 4 | Troy Franklin | 76.6 | 75.7 | 152.3 | 107 | 12.70 | 24 | 21 | 11 | 4 |
| 5 | Marvin Harrison Jr. | 78.5 | 72.5 | 151.0 | 74 | 12.96 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 4 |
| 6 | R.Doubs | 67.8 | 81.0 | 148.8 | 97 | 12.48 | 18 | 20 | 11 | 6 |
| 7 | J.Addison | 90.2 | 57.8 | 148.0 | 79 | 13.71 | 22 | 13 | 5 | 3 |
| 8 | Jalen Nailor | 64.8 | 83.1 | 147.9 | 54 | 12.38 | 10 | 13 | 7 | 4 |
| 9 | M.Evans | 82.2 | 65.7 | 147.9 | 62 | 13.29 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 3 |
| 10 | P.Washington | 74.0 | 69.8 | 143.8 | 109 | 12.46 | 25 | 19 | 7 | 5 |
| 11 | Alec Pierce | 98.5 | 42.4 | 140.9 | 84 | 18.96 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| 12 | Rome Odunze | 95.1 | 43.7 | 138.8 | 103 | 14.40 | 29 | 14 | 6 | 3 |
| 13 | Keon Coleman | 55.6 | 81.5 | 137.1 | 66 | 11.56 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 4 |
| 14 | Q.Johnston | 63.7 | 72.1 | 135.8 | 90 | 11.60 | 20 | 15 | 7 | 4 |
| 15 | T.McLaurin | 87.8 | 44.8 | 132.6 | 60 | 13.98 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| 16 | Kayshon Boutte | 98.0 | 34.4 | 132.4 | 66 | 16.88 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 17 | M.Hollins | 87.8 | 43.0 | 130.8 | 75 | 14.20 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 18 | M.Brown | 47.8 | 80.3 | 128.1 | 74 | 11.30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| 19 | E.Ayomanor | 72.9 | 54.5 | 127.4 | 89 | 12.65 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| 20 | D.Slayton | 81.0 | 43.8 | 124.8 | 65 | 13.38 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 0 |
| 21 | B.Thomas | 91.5 | 33.0 | 124.5 | 93 | 14.35 | 23 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 22 | D.Moore | 63.9 | 59.4 | 123.3 | 100 | 11.24 | 24 | 13 | 7 | 4 |
| 23 | J.Waddle | 71.5 | 48.4 | 119.9 | 100 | 13.06 | 18 | 11 | 5 | 3 |
| 24 | N.Collins | 62.2 | 54.3 | 116.5 | 128 | 12.50 | 22 | 19 | 10 | 3 |
| 25 | Jauan Jennings | 34.1 | 81.8 | 115.9 | 101 | 10.27 | 13 | 23 | 12 | 7 |
| 26 | Adonai Mitchell | 94.4 | 19.9 | 114.3 | 74 | 14.89 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| 27 | D.Mooney | 90.5 | 22.5 | 113.0 | 72 | 14.15 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 28 | C.Sutton | 58.8 | 53.5 | 112.3 | 139 | 12.28 | 24 | 21 | 9 | 5 |
| 29 | D.London | 41.7 | 70.1 | 111.8 | 113 | 10.90 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 7 |
| 30 | J.Higgins | 64.3 | 47.5 | 111.8 | 83 | 12.46 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| 31 | G.Pickens | 46.3 | 62.4 | 108.7 | 138 | 11.29 | 22 | 24 | 11 | 4 |
| 32 | X.Worthy | 80.7 | 24.6 | 105.3 | 73 | 12.93 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 33 | C.Lamb | 58.5 | 46.3 | 104.8 | 117 | 11.99 | 21 | 17 | 7 | 2 |
| 34 | M.Wilson | 63.9 | 40.8 | 104.7 | 67 | 12.92 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 3 |
| 35 | D.Metcalf | 49.5 | 53.6 | 103.1 | 104 | 10.59 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 3 |
| 36 | R.Shaheed | 80.2 | 21.5 | 101.7 | 102 | 12.90 | 24 | 10 | 2 | 1 |
| 37 | T.McMillan | 55.9 | 45.2 | 101.1 | 129 | 11.69 | 23 | 15 | 6 | 4 |
| 38 | R.Pearsall | 92.4 | 8.5 | 100.9 | 55 | 13.84 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 39 | J.Coker | 37.1 | 63.2 | 100.3 | 57 | 10.51 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| 40 | A.Brown | 63.9 | 36.1 | 100.0 | 128 | 12.17 | 25 | 13 | 5 | 3 |
| 41 | C.Austin | 60.5 | 37.0 | 97.5 | 61 | 11.67 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 42 | T.Tucker | 47.6 | 48.5 | 96.1 | 92 | 10.16 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 |
| 43 | E.Egbuka | 69.1 | 25.2 | 94.3 | 128 | 12.38 | 27 | 15 | 5 | 2 |
| 44 | Mi.Wilson | 50.7 | 43.1 | 93.8 | 60 | 10.82 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 45 | C.Dike | 21.7 | 70.8 | 92.5 | 74 | 8.09 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 3 |
| 46 | C.Olave | 62.4 | 30.1 | 92.5 | 156 | 11.80 | 31 | 15 | 4 | 5 |
| 47 | J.Smith-Njigba | 41.0 | 50.9 | 91.9 | 189 | 11.08 | 28 | 23 | 8 | 8 |
| 48 | D.Douglas | 35.6 | 55.7 | 91.3 | 58 | 9.16 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| 49 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | 7.8 | 82.3 | 90.1 | 172 | 8.08 | 8 | 35 | 21 | 10 |
| 50 | J.Williams | 72.7 | 15.8 | 88.5 | 102 | 12.64 | 21 | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| 51 | V.Jefferson | 56.3 | 31.5 | 87.8 | 52 | 11.98 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 52 | R.Flournoy | 17.6 | 69.0 | 86.6 | 56 | 8.32 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| 53 | M.Washington | 5.1 | 81.0 | 86.1 | 65 | 5.18 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 3 |
| 54 | P.Nacua | 38.5 | 45.4 | 83.9 | 208 | 10.10 | 35 | 21 | 10 | 6 |
| 55 | R.Rice | 3.7 | 80.1 | 83.8 | 79 | 4.33 | 6 | 19 | 15 | 4 |
| 56 | C.Kirk | 12.4 | 70.8 | 83.2 | 68 | 7.55 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 3 |
| 57 | M.Pittman | 14.6 | 67.0 | 81.6 | 114 | 8.17 | 9 | 18 | 10 | 5 |
| 58 | L.McConkey | 30.0 | 50.0 | 80.0 | 110 | 9.95 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 4 |
| 59 | S.Diggs | 20.7 | 59.2 | 79.9 | 122 | 8.20 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 5 |
| 60 | J.Jefferson | 35.0 | 44.0 | 79.0 | 142 | 10.20 | 21 | 19 | 11 | 2 |
| 61 | A.Iosivas | 39.3 | 39.6 | 78.9 | 58 | 10.45 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 62 | J.Downs | 10.7 | 66.5 | 77.2 | 88 | 7.49 | 8 | 15 | 5 | 4 |
| 63 | O.Zaccheaus | 9.0 | 67.9 | 76.9 | 70 | 7.38 | 6 | 14 | 5 | 3 |
| 64 | X.Legette | 28.3 | 46.9 | 75.2 | 68 | 9.96 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 2 |
| 65 | D.Smith | 46.1 | 28.9 | 75.0 | 125 | 11.23 | 21 | 13 | 4 | 2 |
| 66 | Z.Flowers | 43.3 | 30.2 | 73.5 | 119 | 10.20 | 21 | 12 | 6 | 1 |
| 67 | D.Samuel | 3.2 | 69.1 | 72.3 | 100 | 5.32 | 6 | 13 | 8 | 4 |
| 68 | X.Hutchinson | 28.3 | 43.7 | 72.0 | 74 | 10.00 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| 69 | C.Godwin | 6.6 | 64.8 | 71.4 | 52 | 7.08 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 70 | J.Chase | 22.4 | 47.1 | 69.5 | 185 | 8.49 | 20 | 22 | 8 | 7 |
| 71 | M.Mims | 54.6 | 14.3 | 68.9 | 65 | 9.25 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 72 | S.Shepard | 21.5 | 46.8 | 68.3 | 54 | 8.55 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| 73 | P.Bryant | 11.2 | 57.0 | 68.2 | 53 | 8.13 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| 74 | K.Allen | 20.2 | 46.1 | 66.3 | 130 | 8.34 | 14 | 17 | 8 | 4 |
| 75 | C.Kupp | 11.5 | 54.2 | 65.7 | 94 | 7.78 | 8 | 16 | 5 | 3 |
| 76 | J.Jeudy | 55.9 | 8.8 | 64.7 | 106 | 12.15 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| 77 | J.Meyers | 18.3 | 42.4 | 60.7 | 114 | 9.24 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 3 |
| 78 | K.Shakir | 0.0 | 59.6 | 59.6 | 118 | 3.40 | 5 | 20 | 7 | 2 |
| 79 | G.Wilson | 26.6 | 29.6 | 56.2 | 60 | 9.07 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 80 | K.Bourne | 40.2 | 8.4 | 48.6 | 55 | 11.25 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 81 | W.Robinson | 27.3 | 17.3 | 44.6 | 141 | 8.48 | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 |
| 82 | L.Burden | 25.8 | 15.2 | 41.0 | 74 | 8.15 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 83 | T.Lockett | 7.8 | 30.3 | 38.1 | 56 | 7.75 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
TDS: 60% aDOT percentile + 40% 20+ air-yard target-rate percentile.
RZS: 35% red-zone target-rate percentile + 30% inside-the-10 target-rate percentile + 20% red-zone target-to-TD conversion percentile + 15% red-zone catch-rate percentile.
These metrics describe 2025 usage and efficiency; they are not 2026 fantasy-point projections.