Photo by Jeffrey Beall, Wikimedia Commons

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday.

Graham had seven catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints 31-27 win over the previously undefeated Atlanta Falcons in Week 10. This is the first week this season that Graham had more than 100 yards receiving.

If the game had gone the other way, Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez would have been a strong candidate for the player of the week. Gonzalez had 11 receptions for 122 yards and two touchdowns.

On a more somber note, Graham also leads the NFL in dropped passes. ESPN  Stats & Information reveals that Graham has eight drops. The obvious consideration is where Graham ranks among NFL targets.

Graham ranks 24th among NFL players in the number of times he has been targeted during the regular season. Graham has been targeted 71 times.

Graham is a favorite target of quarterback Drew Brees, but he’s not the favorite. That would be WR Marques Colston, who is the topped ranked Saint in the number of times he has been targeted. Colston ranks 11th overall. He’s been targeted 80 times.

Dropped passes have been a problem with the Saints offense this year. Overall the Saints are third in the league for dropped passes, led by Graham, Colston, and Darren Sproles.