When you're scanning box scores or checking player stats, you'll often see the abbreviation tgts. It's short for targets. In American football, a target is simply a pass attempt thrown by the quarterback in the direction of a specific eligible receiver—usually a wide receiver, tight end, or running back. It doesn't matter if the player catches the ball, drops it, or if the pass flies out of bounds; the moment the quarterback throws it toward that player's area, it goes down as a target.
Understanding tgts changes how you view offensive performance. Receptions only tell you who caught the ball, but targets tell you who the quarterback trusts. A receiver might finish a game with zero catches on five targets, which tells coaches something very different than a player who wasn't thrown to at all. Let's break down why this metric matters, how it's used, and what it reveals about the game.
What Counts As a Target?
The definition of a target is straightforward, but certain game situations raise common questions.
A target is officially logged whenever:
- The quarterback throws a forward pass intended for a specific receiver running a route downfield.
- A quarterback throws a short screen pass or a quick slant where the receiver is right near the line of scrimmage.
- A pass falls incomplete, gets intercepted, or results in pass interference called against the defender, provided the ball was clearly headed toward that intended receiver.
Throwaways don't count. If a quarterback feels pressure and spikes the ball into the turf or throws it away out of bounds where no receiver is anywhere nearby, no target is recorded. Similarly, backward passes or lateral handoffs are treated as rushing plays, so they never show up as targets.
Why Tgts Matter More Than Receptions
If you want to evaluate a pass-catcher's true value, raw catches can be misleading. Drops happen, and defensive coverages sometimes clamp down on a player.
Targets measure opportunity. A wide receiver who consistently draws ten targets a game is a focal point of the offensive game plan. Even if they only haul in four of those passes due to tight coverage or a bad throwing day from the quarterback, those ten targets prove that the coaching staff draws up plays for them.
Coaches and analysts look at targets to spot emerging talent. A rookie wide receiver stuck on a struggling team might not rack up massive yardage totals, but if he's earning a high volume of targets, breakout games are usually right around the corner. Volume drives production in modern offenses.
Advanced Metrics Built On Targets
Staticians don't just stop at counting total targets. They use the raw data to build deeper analytical tools that evaluate player efficiency and team tendencies.
Target Share
Target share measures the percentage of a team's total pass attempts that went to a specific player. If a quarterback throws 40 passes in a game and a tight end is the intended receiver on 10 of them, that tight end's target share for the day is 25 percent. This metric helps compare players across different teams, leveling the playing field between an offense that throws 50 times a game and a run-heavy offense that only throws 20 times.
Air Yards and aDOT
Not all targets are created equal. A two-yard pass behind the line of scrimmage counts the same in the raw target column as a 50-yard bomb down the sideline.
To fix this, analysts track air yards and aDOT (average depth of target).
- Air yards measure how far down the field the ball traveled in the air when thrown to a receiver.
- aDOT tells you the average distance of every target a player receives.
A slot receiver might have a high target count but a low aDOT of 5 yards because he mostly runs quick slants. Meanwhile, a deep threat might only get four targets a game, but his aDOT sits at 18 yards, meaning every look carries massive yardage potential.
Common Mistakes When Reading Target Stats
Fans often misinterpret what target numbers mean in isolation. Here are a few traps to avoid when looking at box scores:
- Ignoring catch rate: A player with 15 targets and 3 catches had a rough day. High targets without receptions point to drops, miscommunication with the quarterback, or suffocating coverage.
- Treating all positions equally: Wide receivers naturally dominate target charts. When a running back starts pulling in five or six targets a game, it signals a specific passing-down scheme.
- Looking at single-game samples too closely: Football is high-variance. A player might see zero targets in the first half because the defense took them away, only to get five quick looks in the fourth quarter when the team plays catch-up. Always look at multi-game trends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do screen passes count as targets?
Yes. Any forward pass thrown past or behind the line of scrimmage that is intended for a specific receiver counts as a target, regardless of how short the distance is.
Who tracks official NFL target statistics?
While standard box scores list basic receptions and yards, official and advanced target tracking is handled by major sports data providers like NFL Operations and independent analytics groups that review every game film.
Why did a player get targeted if the defender was called for pass interference?
Pass interference penalties are awarded when a defensive player illegally hinders a receiver from catching a pass that was already thrown in their direction. Because the quarterback executed a pass intended for that player, the target stands in the official stats.
Can a running back lead a team in targets?
It's rare, but it happens. In offenses heavy on checkdowns, screen passes, and designed quick throws to running backs—such as systems run by teams in the National Football League—a dynamic pass-catching back can easily lead the roster in target share.
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