Opportunity Share

Opportunity share measures how big a piece of the offense a player owns. For a running back, it usually means the share of the team's carries plus targets. For a wide receiver or tight end, it means the share of the team's total targets. A back with a 70% opportunity share is getting the ball on most of his team's rushing and passing work designed for running backs, while a receiver with a 30% target share is involved in nearly a third of all passes his team throws.

Fantasy managers care about opportunity share because touches and targets are what turn into fantasy points. A talented player stuck in a small role can only produce so much, while an average player with a huge role can be very useful. Tracking opportunity share also helps you spot changes before the box scores make them obvious. If a rookie's share of the rushing work grows over a few weeks, that is a signal to pick him up before other managers notice.

Red zone opportunity share is a related stat that looks only at plays inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Players who dominate those chances score more touchdowns, and touchdowns are worth the most points in standard and half-PPR leagues. When you compare two similar players, the one with the larger and steadier opportunity share is usually the safer pick.

Common questions

Related terms

• Target Share