In fantasy football, it's all about the guys who get the ball the most. NFL Nation reporters identify the players likely to get the most opportunities inside the 20-yard line.
The easy answer is Dez Bryant. He led the NFL in touchdown catches last year with 16 and he is a nightmare for defensive backs near the goal line. He and Tony Romo have a great feel for the fades as well as the bullet back-shoulder throws. And Bryant has learned the subtle push off that won't get called very often to create even more space. If teams want to double cover Bryant, then tight ends Jason Witten and Gavin Escobar will be able to chew up defenses, too. -- Todd Archer
Keep an eye on tight end Larry Donnell. He was second on the team last year in red zone targets with 20, trailing only Odell Beckham Jr.'s 25. But offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo has spoken often about how he learned during his first year that “sometimes you have to look for players instead of plays.” Beckham was blue-hot in the second half of last season and was the Giants' primary option anywhere on the field, including the red zone. Assuming a more normal, balanced situation this year, Donnell would make sense as the featured target in the red zone. If you shrink the zone down to the 10-yard line or closer, Donnell led the Giants last year with 13 targets to Beckham's 10. And eight of those 13 were inside the 5-yard line. So the closer they get to the goal line, the more they look for Big Larry. It's also worth noting that the Giants are fairly likely to run the ball in the red zone and at the goal line. They had 96 pass attempts and 75 rush attempts inside the opponent's 20 last year. -- Dan Graziano
While Chip Kelly's offense is all about moving people around and creating mismatches, wide receiver Jordan Matthews is a safe bet to be a major player in the red zone this season. Matthews is 6-foot-2 and usually plays in the slot. That puts him in the middle of the field, providing a big target that quarterback Sam Bradford immediately began to lean on in practice. Matthews caught eight touchdown passes as a rookie last year – six of them from inside the red zone. Also notable: Darren Sproles will line up in the slot at times and could be productive. Tight end Zach Ertz, who may miss the beginning of the season after core muscle surgery, should be a safe bet upon his return. -- Phil Sheridan
Tight end Jordan Reed, if healthy, would be a solid target. The problem is, there are some routes he does not do well (back-shoulder fade) and you can't count on him staying healthy (12 combined missed games the past two seasons). Last season all the receivers had about the same number of targets in the red zone. Pierre Garcon had only three targets in 2014 but could play a bigger role in that area this season. Keep in mind that QB Robert Griffin III had a 46.8 passer rating in the red zone last season (84.4 for his career). -- John Keim
Now that Brandon Marshall is a Jet, the Bears have two legitimate red zone options: Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett. I tend to take Jeffery over Bennett because Jeffery had 10 receiving touchdowns last year. The Bears do not believe Jeffery's calf injury is going to keep him out of Week 1, so I wouldn't be scared off by his preseason health issues. -- Jeff Dickerson
Calvin Johnson. His size, speed and leaping ability have led to 58 career receptions and 41 career touchdowns in the red zone. If you're looking for a sleeper, it would be the two tight ends – Eric Ebron and Joseph Fauria. Fauria's size and good hands made him a favorite red zone target for Matthew Stafford in 2013 and seven of his eight career touchdowns have been on red zone passes. Ebron could develop as a favorite in this area as well because of his size and athleticism. -- Michael Rothstein
Last season, no one in the NFL caught more red zone touchdown passes thanks Randall Cobb with 10. However, don't be surprised if tight end Richard Rodgers starts to get more targets in that area than he did last year as a rookie. The Packers were only 10th in red zone touchdown percentage last year, and coach Mike McCarthy has said a big target like the 6-foot-4 Rodgers should excel in that area of the field. -- Rob Demovsky
It should be Kyle Rudolph; the tight end has scored 13 of his 17 career touchdowns in the red zone, and is expected to get plenty of opportunities now that he's fully recovered from the sports hernia that kept him out for half of last season. He's a big, sure-handed target that quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has said he's excited to have back this season. Rudolph should have a bigger role in the offense in general, but the red zone should be a place where he can thrive. -- Ben Goessling
It should be Julio Jones, every single time. However, Jones scored a pedestrian-like six touchdowns last season, and he's sure to draw added intention in scoring situations. Watch out for tight end Jacob Tamme emerging as a legitimate red zone target if quarterback Matt Ryan doesn't want to force the ball to Jones. Nine of Tamme's 10 career touchdowns have come in the red zone. Ryan could spread it around to numerous targets, but Jones is the first option. -- Vaughn McClure
It would have been wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin before his season-ending ACL injury. Now you have to look for tight end Greg Olsen. He has seven consecutive seasons of catching at least five touchdowns, including six in each of the past two seasons. He already was Cam Newton's favorite target outside of Benjamin. -- David Newton
Now that Jimmy Graham is gone, the Saints won't have any one clear go-to guy. But don't forget about veteran receiver Marques Colston, who used to own the red zone. Colston ranked second on the Saints in red zone targets and catches in each of the past two years, and he actually had more than Graham as recently as 2012, when he caught 10 red zone TDs. If Colston stays healthy, he should score more than the five total TDs in both 2013 and 2014. A sleeper candidate for red zone looks is second-year receiver Brandon Coleman, who may emerge as the team's No. 3 receiver. Otherwise, the red zone looks should be spread out among Colston, Brandin Cooks, tight ends Benjamin Watson and Josh Hill and the running backs. -- Mike Triplett
The Bucs have three huge targets in the red zone: Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins all can be effective. But Evans should put up the best numbers. He had 12 touchdowns last year and he showed good chemistry with rookie quarterback Jameis Winston in training camp. -- Pat Yasinskas
Larry Fitzgerald has led the Cardinals with red zone targets the past two seasons with 12 in 2014 and 24 in 2013. While John Brown had only six last season, he figures to be a larger part of the offense this season and already has scored a red zone touchdown in the preseason. It should be noted, however, that Michael Floyd led the Cardinals with three red zone touchdowns last season but there isn't a set return from his injured hand. -- Josh Weinfuss
Anquan Boldin was Colin Kaepernick's Mr. Dependable last season, essentially chasing Michael Crabtree up I-880 to the Oakland Raiders as a free agent. Boldin does his best work underneath – he's not a burner – and as a possession guy, he gets better in tighter quarters. His 12.8 yards per catch average last season was his lowest since 2009, yet his five TD catches were his second highest since 2008. -- Paul Gutierrez
There may not be a better red zone threat in the NFL than Jimmy Graham with the way he uses his 6-foot-7 frame and basketball background to box out and overmatch defenders. His 46 receiving touchdowns over the past four years tells you everything you need to know about how effective of a weapon Graham is near the goal line. "I see the red zone as my zone," Graham said recently. -- Brady Henderson
Tight end Jared Cook was the Rams' most targeted pass-catcher in the red zone in 2014 with 10 passes thrown his way. He converted that into five catches for 44 yards but just one touchdown. He also had two drops. Tight end Lance Kendricks, receiver Kenny Britt and running back Benny Cunningham were next with six apiece and Kendricks was the most successful with three touchdowns. In this training camp, with new quarterback Nick Foles at the helm, it appears that Cook and Kendricks will again be primary targets inside the 20. -- Nick Wagoner
Bills offensive coordinator Greg Roman spent last season with the San Francisco 49ers, who targeted their wide receivers -- Anquan Boldin (13 targets) and Michael Crabtree (nine targets) -- significantly more than any of their tight ends. The Bills didn't have any specific trends in training camp that would suggest which receiver will get the most red zone targets, but given Roman's background, Charles Clay could be used as a blocker in that area, opening opportunities for Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Percy Harvin. -- Mike Rodak
I expect second-year receiver Jarvis Landry to do a lot of damage in the red zone. He had only five touchdowns in 2014, but I wouldn't be surprised if that number doubles this season. Landry runs precise routes, has the best hands on the team and the trust of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. With so many new receivers, I expect Tannehill to stick to what's most familiar (Landry) on “money” plays such as third down and in the red zone, especially early in the season. -- James Walker
No major changes here for the Patriots, as it's tight end Rob Gronkowski, who does some of his best work when the space gets tight on the field. He's looked like his usual dominant self in training camp, taking over at times in practice. -- Mike Reiss
Brandon Marshall will be the No. 1 option in the red zone. He already has developed on-field chemistry with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who recognizes that Marshall – at 6-foot-4 – has a large catching radius. Quarterbacks like that. Statistically, the Jets were the most inefficient red zone team last season, which is one of the reasons they traded for Marshall. Beware of tight end Jace Amaro. At 6-5, you'd think he'd be great in the red zone, but he will have missed most of the preseason with a shoulder injury and his exact role remains up in the air. -- Rich Cimini
Wide receiver Steve Smith was targeted 18 times in the red zone last season, six more targets than anyone else on the Ravens in 2014. That was Smith's first season with Joe Flacco. It's not a stretch to think that could increase with another year together. Plus, the second-most targeted Ravens (Torrey Smith and Owen Daniels) left in free agency. -- Jamison Hensley
Receiver Marvin Jones may be the early clubhouse leader for red zone touchdown chances this year. Much of that logic is based upon what he did in 2013 – the last year he was healthy – when all 10 of his scoring receptions came from inside the 20. Tight end Tyler Eifert, who also missed virtually all of the 2014 season, will be a key red zone threat for offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, as will speedy backup running back Giovani Bernard, whom the Bengals will try to match up with a linebacker on short fields as often as they can.
-- Coley Harvey
Trying to determine who will score touchdowns for the Browns is like figuring a Rubik's Cube. The team has nobody who jumps out. Dwayne Bowe didn't have a touchdown last season and has averaged two the past three seasons. Brian Hartline had two TDs last season. The tight end combination remains a mystery. Bottom line: No Browns receiver or red zone target should rank high on any fantasy list, but if anyone has to be picked from the Browns it probably should be Hartline, who developed good rapport with Josh McCown in training camp and the preseason. -- Pat McManamon
Antonio Brown is still the guy Ben Roethlisberger trusts the most – red zone, open field, wherever. And this offense is ALL about trust. When the team runs red zone drills from the 5-yard line in training camp, Brown gets the most touches and he almost never disappoints. The Steelers run a particular play – a quick, quick slant – that Roethlisberger and Brown have mastered and will use often inside the 5-yard line. Also, emerging receiver Martavis Bryant is too big and too skilled to ignore on the corner lob pass. -- Jeremy Fowler
This will probably be receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who has very sure hands and is great at making contested catches. Last year the Texans went to Andre Johnson twice as much as they did to Hopkins, but Johnson had only one more touchdown catch in the red zone than Hopkins. I will caution that this isn't an offense that will dedicate most of its red zone opportunities to one or two people. It's important to also keep an eye on Cecil Shorts. He's had a very good camp and works well in traffic. -- Tania Ganguli
Five of tight end Dwayne Allen's eight touchdowns last season occurred in the red zone. Allen gets the edge over fellow tight end Coby Fleener because he's more likely to be on the field for the majority of the downs – run and pass - when the Colts are in the red zone. Allen is the Colts' best all-around tight end. Running back Frank Gore also is an option. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw had a team-high eight red zone touchdowns – six receiving and two rushing – before a broken leg in Week 11 ended his 2014 season. Expect the Colts to use Gore in a similar fashion this season. -- Mike Wells
According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Jaguars scored an NFL-low 13 touchdowns and completed an NFL-worst 39.1 percent of passes on an NFL-low 85 snaps in 32 red zone possessions in 2014. Things could be significantly better in 2015, though, thanks to the addition of tight end Julius Thomas. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder is one of the NFL's most effective players in the red zone the past two seasons. Thomas had 13 catches in the red zone in 2014, including nine for touchdowns. Over the past two seasons Thomas has 27 catches and 17 touchdowns in the red zone. Only Jimmy Graham (20) and Dez Bryant (18) have more TD catches in the red zone. -- Michael DiRocco
I don't think they are going to have one guy close to a designated red zone target. Obviously, rookie Dorial Green-Beckham is well-equipped to go get jump balls, but he's not necessarily shown yet that he's ready to do it. Justin Hunter has similar qualities, though not as big of a height advantage. He's looked good in camp, but that's been the case before. Delanie Walker is a safety blanket-type in the red zone and elsewhere, but Anthony Fasano could take away some chances. -- Paul Kuharsky
When it comes to whom Peyton Manning will target when it's time to finish, it's going to be Demaryius Thomas. Emmanuel Sanders will get some red zone targets, as will Cody Latimer. When it's time to close the deal, however, Thomas is the unquestioned alpha receiver and in training camp has looked to be every bit a dominant matchup in the red zone. -- Jeff Legwold
It isn't wise to count on a lot of touchdown passes from Alex Smith, who has just 41 in his two seasons with the Chiefs. The TDs he does throw will be spread around. Running back Jamaal Charles should continue to be a threat. He had 12 of those touchdowns. Tight end Travis Kelce, at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, should be featured more by the Chiefs this season in the red zone. Kelce is a difficult matchup for opponents because of his size and athletic ability. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin also showed a knack for getting open from the red zone in training camp and the early part of the preseason. -- Adam Teicher
It's going to be rookie receiver Amari Cooper. The No. 4 overall pick is a polished route runner who knows how to work the corners of the end zone. He had 17 touchdowns at Alabama last season. He will be Derek Carr's first red zone option. -- Bill Williamson
Antonio Gates and Eddie Royal combined for 19 receiving touchdowns in 2014 for the Chargers, but neither will be available for Philip Rivers to start the regular season. Gates will serve a four-game suspension to start the year and Royal signed with the Bears in free agency. Expect Keenan Allen and Danny Woodhead to fill the void. Allen finished with just four touchdowns a year ago, but likely will take over as San Diego's main red zone threat. Woodhead missed most of 2014 with a broken ankle, but finished with more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns in 2013 for San Diego. -- Eric D. Williams