Wes Welker

Targets have been compiled by the NFL since the start of the 2009 season, and while it remains an imperfect stat — a badly thrown ball from a quarterback can often go against the record of the receiver as opposed to the quarterback — it remains a good indication of the confidence level a passer might have in his pass catcher. Here’s a look at the target breakdown for the New England passing game through the first 12 games of the 2012 regular season:

WR Wes Welker: 92 catches on 133 targets
TE Rob Gronkowski: 53 catches on 75 targets
WR Brandon Lloyd: 50 catches on 89 targets
TE Aaron Hernandez: 27 catches on 40 targets
RB Danny Woodhead: 26 catches on 32 targets
WR Julian Edelman: 21 catches on 32 targets
WR Deion Branch: Nine catches on 20 targets
RB Shane Vereen: Seven catches on 11 targets
RB Stevan Ridley: Six catches on 11 targets
TE Daniel Fells: Three catches on nine targets
RB Brandon Bolden: Two catches on two targets
TE Michael Hoomanawanui: Two catches on three targets
TE Kellen Winslow: One catch on two targets
TOTALS: 299 catches on 459 targets

By position
Wide receiver: 172 catches on 274 targets
Tight end: 86 catches on 129 targets
Running back: 41 catches on 56 targets

By way of comparison, here’s a look at the targets through 12 games last season.