In this weekly article, Ryan Ramsarran uses the Advanced Stat Explorer and other RotoViz tools to dive deep into wide receiver usage trends. Usage is key for making waiver wire adds, start/sit decisions, and finding the next blowup WR in DFS. We’ll use the advanced WR metrics to highlight a few buy-low options at the position each week.

Week 5 is in the books, and it brought some great and some bad news for wide receivers. Cooper Kupp got onto the field for the first time this year. Unfortunately, with the return of an elite receiver, we also lost one. Justin Jefferson has been sent to IR with a hamstring injury, with no specific timetable. Losing Jefferson is a massive loss for the fantasy community and football fans everywhere. Ja’Marr Chase finally had his big break, finishing with 15 receptions for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

As always, we’re going to start with one of the best plays from a wide receiver last week:

JA'MARR GOT ANOTHER

📺: #CINvsAZ on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/LxW25sxPWA pic.twitter.com/0G3jJUcLtJ

— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2023

Routes Run and Routes per Target

Routes run is the first key statistic I’ll focus on because WRs need to be on the field to produce. The second statistic is routes per target. Unlike RB usage, targets are earned as a WR and routes per target is a helpful measure in figuring out which players are good (or which players coaches want to get the ball to).

*Routes for Monday’s games are not included