Looks and Touches: Week 6

The following is a list of the Week 6 leaders in looks and touches. It defines those running backs and receivers who received the most attention this past weekend.
Touches is defined as the number of times a running back carried or caught the football.
Looks is defined as the number of times a player was the intended target of a pass.

TOUCHES
• Ryan Grant's on-again, off-again relationship with a solid yards-per-carry average continued in Week 6. He led the league with 33 touches (all carries) but managed just 90 yards and once again failed to score his first TD of the season. Grant's yards-per-carry averages on the season: 7.7, 1.3, 4.2, 1.3, 4.6, and 2.7.

• Injuries to Tony Romo and Felix Jones should mean that Marion Barber will be exceptionally active for the Cowboys, particularly with a spike in catching the ball out of the backfield. Barber's season high of 173 total yards came largely in the passing game (45 rushing, 128 receiving), as he nearly doubled his reception total on the season (17 carries, 11 catches). While the arrival of Roy Williams gives Brad Johnson another talented WR to work with, it's unlikely that Barber won't be the focal point of a reigned-in offensive game plan.

• Warrick Dunn makes something of an unusual appearance near the top of the touches leaderboard – with Earnest Graham pushed into fullback duties, Dunn saw a season-high 25 touches (22 carries, 3 catches) to Graham's seven (5 carries, 2 catches). According to Jon Gruden, Graham will be back at halfback in Week 7, so expect a more even split of the touches.

• I'll use the stock Comment, "Correll Buckhalter gave his best Brian Westbrook impersonation," to describe Buckhalter's Week 6 performance, turning 25 touches (18 carries, 7 catches) into a league-high 178 yards (93 rushing, 85 receiving) and a TD. Even if Westbrook is healthy after the team's Week 7 bye, the Eagles plan to keep Buckhalter involved in the offense moving forward.

• Michael Pittman became the first Denver RB to see more than 11 carries in a single game this season, garnering 20 carries (109 yards) and an additional three catches (16 yards). Whether that will happen again is anyone's guess – Pittman benefitted from Selvin Young's absence (groin strain), and Ryan Torain may be activated after the team's Week 8 bye.

• The platoon watch notes when a team's RB2 is given at least half as many touches as the RB1, regardless of the reason. Platoon watch for Week 6 included: Arizona (Tim Hightower 11, Edgerrin James 9), Baltimore (Ray Rice 13, Willis McGahee 12), Carolina (DeAngelo Williams 13, Jonathan Stewart 7), Houston (Steve Slaton 16, Ahman Green 9), Miami (Ronnie Brown 16, Ricky Williams 13), New England (Sammy Morris 14, Kevin Faulk 11), New Orleans (Reggie Bush 17, Deuce McAllister 15), NY Giants (Brandon Jacobs 14, Derrick Ward 12), Oakland (Justin Fargas 10, Darren McFadden 8), and Seattle (Julius Jones 12, Leonard Weaver 6, Maurice Morris 6).

• Yards-per-touch leaders for Week 6 (minimum 10 touches) included: Derrick Ward (8.5, 12 for 102), Correll Buckhalter (7.12, 25 for 178), and Kevin Faulk (7.0, 11 for 77). The bottom three: Chris Perry (1.23, 13 for 16), Michael Turner (2.16, 25 for 54), and Rudi Johnson (2.33, 18 for 42).

LOOKS
• Andre Johnson had his second straight massive week, turning a league-high 19 looks into 10 catches for 178 yards and a score. Despite already having had his bye and totaling just five catches for 68 yards in Weeks 3 and 4 (17 combined targets), Johnson currently ranks second in the league in looks (59), eighth in receptions (34), and sixth in receiving yards (488).

• Remember when you knocked Brandon Marshall down a peg or two when you found out he was looking at a suspension? I'm regretting it, too. Marshall has been targeted fewer than 12 times in just one of his five games, and his 18 in Week 6 gave him a fairly comfortable lead over Johnson for the league lead (70). Marshall is tops in the league in receptions (43) and fourth in receiving yards (521).

• Roddy White is also establishing himself as one of the most heavily-utilized WR in the game. After averaging five looks, three catches, and 57 yards in the season's first two weeks, he's come on to average 12 looks, 7 catches, and 113 yards in the past four games, with three TD.

• Notable names not among the Week 6 looks leaders: Devery Henderson (2), Ike Hilliard (2), LaDainian Tomlinson (3), Amani Toomer (2), and Roy Williams (3).

• Top 10 players in catch percentage (minimum 4 looks per game): Bo Scaife (91%, 20/22), Matt Forte (87%, 27/31), Marion Barber (86%, 25/29), Brian Westbrook (82%, 14/17), Ike Hilliard (82%, 23/28), Frank Gore (81%, 22/27), Steve Smith NYG (81%, 22/27), Josh Reed (81%, 21/26), Chris Cooley (79%, 30/38), and Anquan Boldin (77%, 27/35).

• Bottom 10 players in catch percentage (minimum 4 looks per game): Ashley Lelie (23%, 6/26), Justin McCareins (29%, 9/31), Billy McMullen (39%, 7/18), Roy Williams (44%, 17/39), Jerramy Stevens (44%, 7/16), Braylon Edwards (44%, 16/36), D.J. Hackett (45%, 10/22), L.J. Smith (45%, 10/22), Chris Chambers (46%, 11/24), and Michael Jenkins (46%, 13/28).

Note: Looks data provided by FFToday.com

Note: Looks data provided by FFToday.com