• Tank Bigsby leads the Jacksonville Jaguars to victory: Bigsby reached 90-plus rushing yards for the third time in the last four weeks, further proving he should be the Jaguars' lead rusher going forward.
• New England Patriots backups vulture touchdowns: JaMycal Hasty scored the Patriots' first touchdown as Antonio Gibson was dealing with a knee injury. K.J. Osborn scored in the fourth quarter while DeMario Douglas was dealing with an illness.
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Estimated reading time: 30 minutes
PFF's fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2024.
New England Patriots @ Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tank Bigsby: 26 carries, 118 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Brian Thomas Jr.: 5 receptions, 89 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 carries, 2 rushing yards
Rhamondre Stevenson returns to the starting lineup: Stevenson missed last week due to a foot injury and was benched the previous week.
Stevenson played each of the first six offensive snaps. Antonio Gibson entered in the middle of the long first drive but suffered a knee injury on his second play. This left JaMycal Hasty playing a snap to end the first drive and scoring a touchdown.
Gibson returned on the second drive, but he played less than usual, likely due to the injury. He only played three plays over the final three quarters. Hasty continued to rotate in, particularly in passing situations just to give Stevenson a rest. Despite Stevenson playing more than usual, he was still held to seven carries for 18 yards and two receptions for seven yards.
It will be worth monitoring Gibson’s practices throughout the week, as it will be safer to start Stevenson going forward if Gibson is missing time.
Monitor DeMario Douglas and Ja’Lynn Polk’s health: Early in the third quarter, it was revealed that Douglas was dealing with an illness.
Over the first three drives, Douglas had the fourth-most snaps among the Patriots wide receivers. This didn’t seem alarming because he was always in during 11 personnel, and he typically only plays in three-receiver sets. Unlike last week when Kayshon Boutte was playing over 80% of New England's offensive snaps, Boutte was in a pretty consistent rotation with Kendrick Bourne and Ja’Lynn Polk, giving all three a near-even amount of snaps.
Late in the first half, K.J. Osborn started taking some snaps in the slot for Douglas. Osborn was active last week but didn’t play an offensive snap, and it seems clear now his role is simply the backup slot receiver for Douglas. It was announced that Douglas was dealing with an illness. Douglas only played one snap in the second half. Because it’s an illness and not an injury, it’s more likely that Douglas will be fine next week.
Despite the illness, early in the game was a good reminder that if the Patriots start having a lead more often, Douglas won’t be on the field as much due to the Patriots' use of 12 personnel.
Late in the fourth quarter, Polk was deemed questionable due to a head injury. It was late enough in the game that it wouldn’t make sense for him to return to the game even if he was ready to return. If Polk misses time, we would expect Boutte and Bourne to be the clear top outside wide receivers, with either Osborn, Tyquan Thornton or Javon Baker mixing in.
Tank Bigsby leads the Jaguars without Travis Etienne: Etienne was questionable due to a hamstring injury but was ultimately inactive.
D’Ernest Johnson got the ceremonial start as the more veteran player, but after that first play, it was primarily Bigsby in for rushing situations and Johnson for passing situations, as we expected. It took a little bit of time before the Jaguars' running backs had many opportunities with the Patriots dominating the time of possession early, but once the Jaguars were up 22-10 at halftime, they completely abandoned the passing game late in the third quarter and just put the ball in Bigsby’s hands. Bigsby continued his strong play on the ground this season, posting his third game with 90-plus rushing yards in the last four weeks.
Etienne has only reached 90 rushing yards once in his last 18 games despite multiple games with 20-plus carries in that stretch. Even when Etienne is playing again, we should continue to expect Bigsby to be the primary runner on the team. Etienne could potentially win the job back if he plays well enough, but Bigsby has been playing better this season than Etienne has played at any point in his career.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Patriots wide receivers Javon Baker and Tyquan Thornton were inactive for a second straight week since Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osborn were both healthy.
- Hunter Henry is one of the most frustrating tight ends for fantasy football. This was his second game of the season with eight receptions for 90-plus yards, but in his five other games, he’s only caught two or three passes each game for an average of 22 yards. Last season, he similarly had four weeks with 16-plus PPR points, but in over half of his games, he was held under six PPR points.
- Evan Engram played less than usual. This was partially due to the game script, but Engram was also playing less than usual at the start of the season before he started playing due to injury. His target share remains high when he is on the field, so his playing time will only be a concern if the wide receivers start cutting into his target share.
Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons
- Kenneth Walker III: 14 carries, 69 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 receptions, 24 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
- Bijan Robinson: 21 carries, 103 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 receptions, 40 receiving yards
Kenneth Walker III slightly limited: Walker put up great numbers but was questionable heading into the game due to illness.
Zach Charbonnet ended up playing more snaps than Walker, which is a stark difference from last week when Walker had 54 plays to Charbonnet's 24. A big part of this was the situations the Seahawks were in, while the illness may have slightly factored in.
Charbonnet has been the third-down back, and the Seahawks happened to be in a lot of third downs. The two played significantly in two-minute drills, and in this game, Charbonnet played most of those snaps. The split on early downs wasn’t all that different compared to previous weeks, where both running backs were healthy.
Fantasy managers likely didn’t mind the split role considering how well Walker played. We can expect his playing time to return to normal next week assuming he is closer to full health.
Monitor D.K. Metcalf’s health: Metcalf suffered a knee injury late in the Seahawks game and didn’t return.
Metcalf was off to a strong start, catching four passes for 99 yards and a touchdown, but left in the third quarter. He was carted to the locker room and didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
The Seahawks only ran nine plays in the fourth quarter. Jake Bobo replaced Metcalf in the three snaps out of 11 personnel. In 12 personnel, it was Bobo and Smith-Njigba, while Bobo also took the 13 personnel snaps. All of the plays with multiple tight ends were run plays in a blowout win, so it’s not surprising that Tyler Lockett wasn’t playing those snaps.
If Metcalf has to miss a game, we can expect Bobo to take the 11 personnel snaps, while Lockett and Smith-Njigba take most of the 12 personnel snaps. Bobo would be a rotational player, so there is no one worth picking up off the waiver wire because Lockett and Smith-Njigba would also be taking some of Metcalf’s work.
Noah Fant continues to step up: Fant reached over 60 receiving yards in his second-straight game.
Fant caught four passes for 65 yards after catching six passes for 63 yards last week. Fant's role still isn’t ideal because rookie A.J. Barner has cut into his playing time significantly in both 11 and 12 personnel. Fant played only 25 of 46 snaps in 11 personnel and four of eight in 12 personnel. Throughout the season, Fant tends to be on the field more on passing plays while Barner is on the field more on run plays.
This hasn’t mattered as much for Fant as it has other tight ends in a rotation because of how many plays the Seahawks run and how much they pass. Over the first six weeks, the Seahawks have run 307 pass plays, which is 25 more than any other team. They’ve gone from the team that runs the fewest plays per game to the team that runs the most thanks to the coaching change.
This means that despite getting rotated out more than other elite tight ends, his 210 routes over the first six weeks are the third-most for tight ends. This game will likely push him down a few spots in the rankings, but the game script also contributed to that. He’s paired that with a higher target share, cutting into some of Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s targets.
Fant is one of the best waiver wire options at tight end even with this rotation, but if he can maintain a high target share or earn more routes thanks to his good play, he could be a borderline fantasy starter going forward.
Kyle Pitts dominates snaps and targets early: Pitts' best three games of the season in terms of receiving yards have come in the last three weeks.
Pitts started the season playing 96% of Atlanta's offensive snaps, but that dropped off considerably in Week 2. The Falcons almost always stay in 11 personnel, so personnel usage doesn’t impact Pitts like other tight ends. This meant the decrease in playing time was simply the Falcons choosing to rotate him out more.
He set a low in snaps in Week 4 while not catching a single pass but rebounded in a big way in Week 5 with seven receptions for 88 yards. He followed that up with three receptions for 70 yards last week. This led him to play in 55 of the first 66 snaps in this game. It would have been his fourth time playing at least 80% of Altanta's offensive snaps in the last two seasons but because the Falcons used backups on their final drive, his snap percentage lowered. It was still one of his better games of the season from a snap rate perspective.
He can safely remain in fantasy starting lineups going forward.
Miscellaneous Notes
- The Falcons put in backups for their final drive. That was the only time quarterback Michael Penix Jr., running back Jase McClellan and wide receiver Casey Washington played on offense.
- Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge only played seven snaps in the first four weeks but then scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime of Week 5. This led to a little more playing time in Week 6 (eight snaps) and even more playing time today. He played 11 snaps in the first 10 drives, mostly rotating in for Ray-Ray McCloud III. The only reason McCloud’s snaps ended up similar to Drake London and Darnell Mooney's is because McCloud played the final drive while the other two didn’t.
Tennessee Titans @ Buffalo Bills
- Keon Coleman: 4 receptions, 125 yards
- Amari Cooper: 4 receptions, 66 yards, 1 touchdown
Tony Pollard dominates snaps without Tyjae Spears: Pollard rarely left the field as the Titans’ feature running back.
Spears missed this game due to a hamstring injury, which allowed Pollard to run 16 times for 61 yards and catch two passes for four yards. The game script restricted the Titans from giving the ball to Pollard even more, as Mason Rudolph threw the ball 40 times.
Unfortunately, the Titans play the Detroit Lions next week, which could lead to a game script similar to this game. Pollard should remain in fantasy lineups regardless of Spears’ health, but he will have top-10 upside for as long as Spears is out and the Titans aren’t playing the league's elite teams.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine replaces Treylon Burks: The Titans' former first-round pick landed on injured reserve due to a knee injury.
Burks was one of the Titans’ primary wide receivers to start the season, mostly rotating with DeAndre Hopkins as Hopkins was eased back due to injury. Hopkins’ snap rate skyrocketed to 71% of Tennessee's offensive snaps last week after playing less than 50% in the first four weeks of the season.
Unfortunately, with more preparation time, the Titans opted to keep Hopkins in a rotation. The only difference is the rotation was with Westbrook-Ikhine. Hopkins caught his only target for negative two yards, while Westbrook-Ikhine caught the Titans' only touchdown.
It will be hard to trust any of the Titans' wide receivers given the state of the offense and the rotation.
Amari Cooper eased into action: The Bills traded for the five-time Pro Bowl receiver, and he played on a limited basis Sunday.
The Bills released Marquez Valdes-Scantling to make room on the roster, and Cooper basically played the snaps that Valdes-Scantling usually would play. He took some snaps from Keon Coleman in 12 personnel in addition to snaps from Coleman and Mack Hollins in 11 personnel. Cooper will certainly earn more playing time in the next week or two, and Coleman and Hollins should be the ones who lose snaps. Coleman posted the best game of his young career, so ideally, the snaps will mostly come from Hollins. It will be interesting to see if Cooper reaches the point where he’s an every-down receiver or if the Bills continue to rotate him like they rotate everyone else.
Khalil Shakir has primarily just been a slot receiver in 11 personnel with limited 12 personnel snaps. That should remain the case going forward. Cooper’s presence should have minimal impact on Shakir’s playing time. Curtis Samuel suffered a shoulder injury early in this game and didn’t return. If Samuel misses time, this should mean more playing time for Shakir going forward.
Ray Davis sees slightly more playing time: Davis ran 20 times for 97 yards and caught three passes for 55 yards on Monday Night Football, but that only led to a few more snaps.
James Cook was back after missing last week due to a toe injury, and he returned to his usual starting job. He played the majority of Buffalo's early-down snaps like has every week he’s been healthy.
The Bills' first half looked very similar to any other first half, as Cook played 11 snaps to Davis' four. Almost all of Davis’ work came in the third quarterback. Cook ran 12 times for 32 yards and a touchdown. Davis ended up with more rushing yards, gaining 41 on five carries.
We can expect Cook to remain the starter for the foreseeable future, but it’s possible Davis can bring the snaps and touches closer to a 50/50 split. Davis is worth a waiver-wire add because the Bills could run a lot in most games.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Bills tight end Dawson Knox went into the medical tent briefly at the end of the game. There is no indication that he’s dealing with a serious injury, but if Knox were to miss playing time, that would be a big boost to Dalton Kincaid’s fantasy value.
- Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo had his best game of the season with four receptions for a team-leading 50 receiving yards. His season high in receiving yards prior to this game was 16. He will need at least one or two more strong games before he’s considered a waiver-wire target considering the two backup tight ends were targeted just as much as Okonkwo.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns
- David Njoku: 10 receptions, 76 yards, 1 touchdown
- Tee Higgins: 4 receptions, 82 yards, 1 touchdown
Nick Chubb returns to the Browns: Chubb was the Browns' primary ball carrier in his first game back after missing over a year of football.
Chubb was officially removed from the reserve PUP list yesterday, allowing him to be the Browns' lead rusher. Jerome Ford has been the lead rusher, but he was inactive due to a hamstring injury. Chubb ran 11 times for 22 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for 10 yards.
He largely split time with Pierre Strong, as Strong also took most of the passing-down work. In past years, Chubb would take most of the early-down, short-yardage and goal-line work, while playing a few snaps in clear passing situations.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Chubb plays a slightly higher percentage of Cleveland's offensive snaps over time, but it might not be significant. Considering the Browns are 1-6 and potentially lost their starting quarterback for the season, they might not want to overwork him in hopes he can return to his elite form in 2025. Once Ford is back, he will mostly take playing time away from Strong. Ford is worth holding on to in case he can maintain a significant role, but it’s also possible this remains a three- or four-man backfield with only Chubb having value.
Browns adjust without Amari Cooper: Cooper was traded to the Buffalo Bills this past week, allowing other wide receivers to move up the depth chart.
Over the first six weeks, Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore were the primary receivers in 11 personnel while Cedric Tillman was their primary backup. All four would rotate in 12 personnel, while Tillman played the most snaps of the group for his run blocking.
In this game, Tillman simply became a clear starter in 11 personnel, while both Jaelon Darden and Jamari Thrash played more snaps than usual as the backups. In 12 personnel, the team stuck with Jeudy and Tillman throughout the game. Tillman was also the top target earner.
In most leagues, these wide receivers can be left on the waiver wire considering the state of the offense. David Njoku is the top receiver on the team, in general, so everyone else is fighting for the second-most targets.
The Chase Brown takeover continues: Brown tied his career-high in rushing attempts at 15.
While Zack Moss remains the passing-down back, Brown has slowly but surely gained a higher percentage of the Bengals' early down snaps. He played nearly twice as many early-down snaps as Moss in this game.
Brown ran 15 times for 44 yards, while Moss ran six times for seven yards. While neither running back was effective, if anything, Brown played better as a runner and should play an even higher percentage of those early-down snaps going forward. He is a buy-low option after this game. Moss can remain on fantasy rosters, but he should primarily be viewed as a handcuff at this point.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Deshaun Watson suffered a non-contract Achilles injury that looked very serious. The Browns decided to make Dorian Thompson-Robinson their backup rather than Jameis Winston for this game. Thompson-Robinson proceeded to suffer a finger injury on his throwing hand. Winston is worth a waiver-wire target in some leagues given his fantasy value in the past when he’s been a starter and the fact that he will need to throw a lot in most games.
- David Njoku returned in Week 5 after missing four games and was eased back into action. He played 82% of Cleveland's offensive snaps Sunday, which was fairly typical for him in 2023. He should be one of the best fantasy tight ends going forward.
- For the second straight week, Erick All ran more routes than Mike Gesicki. All four Bengals tight ends had one target.
- Tee Higgins led the Bengals in targets with eight. Since he was healthy in Week 3, he’s led the team in targets with 43 compared to Ja’Marr Chase‘s 36.
Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers
- Joe Mixon: 25 carries, 115 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 receptions, 9 receiving yards
- Josh Jacobs: 12 carries, 76 yards, 5 receptions, 16 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Joe Mixon returns to a dominant role: Mixon was the focal point of the Texans offense in his second game back from injury.
In Week 1, Mixon ran the ball 30 times as the Texans' clear early-down back. He then suffered an injury in Week 2, causing him to miss the following three games.
Last week, he returned but only played 28 offensive snaps because he split the early down role with Dameon Pierce. This appeared to be a precaution, as this game ended up very similar to Week 1. Dare Ogunbowale remained the third-down back, as he’s been all season. Mixon dominated the early-down snaps and ran the ball more than C.J. Stroud passed the ball.
The Texans' schedule is particularly difficult around the fantasy playoffs, but until then, there should be several games where Mixon is a top-10 fantasy running back in this role.
The Packers wide receiver room is largely back to normal: For the first time in a month, all of the Packers wide receivers were available from the start of the game until the end.
Both Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks have missed significant time over the last three weeks due to injury, while Romeo Doubs also missed a game due to suspension. Jayden Reed hasn’t missed time, but he was on the injury report due to an ankle injury.
The wide receiver rotation was largely the same as it was during the first three weeks of the season. Doubs took one outside spot, Watson and Wicks split time at the other outside spot, and Reed took slot snaps out of 11 personnel.
The wrinkle this week is how snaps were split between Watson and Wicks. Over the first three weeks, Watson played more in 11 personnel while Wicks played more in 12 personnel. This left Watson running more routes, while the team was likelier to run with Wicks on the field. Those roles were flipped in this game. This left Wicks running nearly as many routes despite playing notably fewer snaps. A one-game sample isn’t enough to know if the Packers will continue using this rotation, but it will be worth monitoring. It will be hard for either wide receiver to be consistent in this role.
Miscellaneous Notes
- While Emanuel Wilson had been the clear No. 2 running back with MarShawn Lloyd out, Chris Brooks has slowly but surely cut into Wilson’s playing time. Brooks was both the first backup running back to play a snap, and he was in for the Packers' final drive. If Jacobs were to get injured before Lloyd returns, we would likely see a two-man rotation between the backups.
- While Dalton Schultz led the team in receiving yards thanks to a 28-yard reception, his playing time has declined since Teagan Quitoriano‘s return.
- Robert Woods missed his second straight game due to a foot injury. John Metchie III replaced him again as the primary fourth wide receiver.
Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts
- Jonnu Smith: 7 receptions, 96 yards, 1 touchdown
- Tyler Goodson: 14 carries, 51 yards, 1 touchdown
Dolphins settle into a three-man running back rotation: For the first time since Week 1, all of the Dolphins' running backs were available and lasted the entire game.
Mostert suffered a chest injury in Week 1, which caused him to miss the following three games. Once he returned, De’Von Achane suffered a concussion, causing him to miss most of Week 5. The Dolphins had their bye last week.
Achane started the game, which was noteworthy considering Raheem Mostert had been starting every game he played outside of Week 5. Still, it was understandable if Mostert was going to have a smaller role in that game considering he was coming back from injury. Achane was the primary running back in all situations, while Mostert also played significant snaps, regardless of the situation.
Jaylen Wright was a clear third on the depth chart, but whenever he was on the field, he was likely to get the ball. All three running backs were efficient with the ball in their hands, but Wright had the best yards per carry. Achane can safely be put in fantasy starting lineups in this role, but there is at least a chance Wright earns more playing time going forward given his good play. If anything, Achane is a buy-low option, as this offense will ideally start playing better with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback.
Jonnu Smith shines as the Dolphins’ only receiving option: Smith had his best game as a Dolphin, while Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combined for less than 20 yards.
Smith now has three games with five or more catches for over 50 yards and three games with a combined three receptions for 25 yards.
He is one of a few veteran tight ends available on the waiver wire who had a strong week, but there is more reason to be concerned going forward. Smith has been playing a lot of snaps because the Dolphins have been losing the games and need to throw a lot.
He’s played in 68% of Miami's 11 personnel snaps this season, which is lower than ideal. He’s also played 54% of 12 personnel, 13% of 21 personnel and 20% of 22 personnel snaps this season. If the Dolphins are back to a point where they win games, that will mean more snaps out of 21 personnel and back to Hill not being on the field as much as most of the receiving tight ends. He’s run under 20 routes in four of six games this season. Once Tua Tagovailoa is back, the wide receivers should be more involved, which will also mean fewer targets for Smith.
It’s fine to consider him off the waiver wire if other options are taken, but he will be more likely to have some bad games going forward compared to these big games.
Tyler Goodson leads the Colts backfield: Jonathan Taylor missed his third straight game due to an ankle injury, leading to Goodson and Trey Sermon splitting time again.
Over the last two weeks, Sermon was the primary ball carrier, but Goodson averaged 5.9 yards per carry compared to Sermon's 2.4. Sermon has also been dealing with a knee injury that forced him to not practice on Wednesday, be a limited participant in practice on Thursday and a full participant on Friday.
The combination of Goodson’s strong play and Sermon’s injury left Goodson touching the ball a lot more often. The two split snaps in all situations despite Sermon starting the game. Whenever Goodson was on the field, they were more likely to run the ball, while they were more likely to pass with Sermon. Goodson ran 14 times for 51 yards and a touchdown while Sermon ran eight times for 36 yards.
With Sermon averaging more yards per carry this week and potentially being healthier next week, it’s possible the two could be even closer to 50/50 if Taylor misses another game, making it hard to trust either for fantasy football purposes.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to practice this upcoming week and is aiming to start next week.
- Josh Downs (toe), Alec Pierce (shoulder) and Michael Pittman (back) were all questionable this week. All three were active and played their normal role. Downs played fewer snaps than usual because the Colts had a lead and used more two tight end sets, where Downs doesn’t typically play.
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings
- Jahmyr Gibbs: 15 carries, 116 yards, 2 touchdowns, 4 receptions, 44 yards
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: 8 receptions, 112 yards, 1 touchdown
Sam LaPorta’s playing time bounces back: LaPorta rarely left the field, but his target share isn’t ideal.
LaPorta was consistently playing at least 85% of Detroit's offensive snaps over the second half of last season. That had continued this season, outside of Week 3 when he suffered an ankle injury. Last week, a blowout win meant he barely needed to play in the fourth quarter, but he also didn’t play as much in two tight end sets as usual. In the first three quarters, he played 14 snaps out of 12 personnel, while Brock Wright played 18 and Parker Hesse played 16.
Hesse was a healthy inactive this week, which meant LaPorta was able to play in all of the 12 personnel snaps this week. That was good news for his route total, but he only caught one pass for 25 yards. This is after catching only one pass last week. At this point, it’s not out of the question to bench LaPorta out of your fantasy lineup, but it’s too early to cut him.
Jalen Nailor shines as the Vikings' third wide receiver: Nailor played more than he ever has in a game where both Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison were healthy.
While Nailor was a starter in Weeks 2 and 3 when Addison was out, he was only a rotational player in three-receiver sets when everyone was healthy, rotating with Brandon Powell. In Week 5, that changed with Nailor playing 38 of a possible 43 snaps in 11 personnel. Trent Sherfield was the primary backup in 12 personnel, making it hard for Nailor to see as significant of a role as other third wide receivers.
This week, he played even more in 11 personnel, taking 39 of a possible 40 snaps. He was also the primary backup in 12 personnel, playing one more snap than Sherfield in that personnel grouping.
This allowed Nailor to play nearly 75% of Minnesota's offensive snaps, where he caught four passes for 76 yards. It will be hard for him to have consistent fantasy value once T.J. Hockenson is back to take a higher target share, but he may have a few other big games this season.
Miscellaneous Notes
- David Montgomery left the game early due to a knee injury, but he was able to quickly return. This didn’t have a major impact on his role in the game.
- Aaron Jones was questionable for this game due to a hamstring injury, but the injury didn’t have any impact on his playing time or touches.
- There were hopes Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson would return this week from his knee injury, but he was ruled out. Ideally, he can return next week.
Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants
- Saquon Barkley: 17 carries, 176 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 receptions, 11 receiving yards
- A.J. Brown: 5 receptions, 89 yards, 1 touchdown
Tyrone Tracy leads the Giants backfield: Tracy was the Giants' primary running back regardless of the situation despite Devin Singletary returning.
Singletary missed the last two weeks due to a groin injury, which allowed Tracy a chance to start and shine. Coach Brian Daboll said earlier in the week that Tracy had earned more playing time going forward. It’s unclear how much of Tracy’s playing time was based on his last two games compared to how much Singletary was limited. Still, it’s worth noting Singletary wasn’t given an injury designation.
Despite the playing time, Tracy only ran six times for 23 yards and caught three passes for nine yards. Singletary ran five times for 18 yards. It’s safe to assume Tracy will remain the starter, but there is at least a chance the playing time is a little closer to even next week. Singletary should remain on fantasy rosters, but another week or two like this, and he can be dropped in some leagues.
Grant Calcaterra mostly leads the tight end room: Calcaterra was the Eagles' leading receiving tight end with Dallas Goedert out.
Goedert suffered a hamstring injury early last week and didn’t return, keeping him out of this game. Calcaterra completely took Goedert’s role last week, consistently playing in 12 personnel and 80% of the 11 personnel snaps.
Over the first 10 drives, Calcaterra only played in 22 of 31 snaps out of 11 personnel, while Jack Stoll played the other nine. Luckily, most of Stoll’s plays were runs, so there weren’t many passing plays where Calcaterra wasn’t on the field. Given the game script, the Eagles only had 14 pass attempts with the starters, leading to just one reception for five yards out of Calcaterra.
If Goedert misses another game, Calcaterra will likely see more targets next week, but he will probably only be a desperation play in most fantasy leagues.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Malik Nabers returned to the lineup after missing the last two games due to a concussion. He went right back to being a clear starter, while Jalin Hyatt returned to the bench and Darius Slayton went back to earning a low target share.
- Giants rookie tight end Theo Johnson is among the league leaders in routes run by a tight end this season, but he’s been held to one catch or fewer in five of seven games this season.
- The Eagles used backups on their last three offensive drives, as Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith didn’t play, while Kenneth Gainwell, Jahan Dotson and Grant Calcaterra rotated in.
- Saquon Barkley also took a drive off in the second quarter, so he didn’t play as much as usual. He ran nine times for 75 yards on the first four drives, so this shouldn’t be a big concern going forward.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Rams
- Kyren Williams: 21 carries, 76 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Brock Bowers: 10 receptions, 93 yards
Zamir White barely plays in his return: White missed the last two games due to a groin injury.
Even before White’s injury was known, there were reports that Alexander Mattison would play more going forward. Mattison dominated snaps in the first half, playing 30 of a possible 41. He ran 13 times, while White only saw the field twice for two pass plays.
White worked in more in the second half, but that was possibly only because Mattison had touched the ball so many times. If anything, Mattison was getting rotated out more in passing situations for Ameer Abdullah.
White may see a play a little more if he’s closer to 100%, but for now, it’s clear that this is Mattison’s backfield. White can be dropped from most leagues.
Raiders adjust at wide receiver without Davante Adams: Adams was traded this past week, while Jakobi Meyers missed another game due to injury.
Similar to recent weeks, Tre Tucker and D.J. Turner were the top two wide receivers on the depth chart. Last week, Alex Bachman and Kristian Wilkerson split snaps as the third receiver, while this week, Bachman was the primary player in three-receiver sets on passing plays.
The other difference this week is the wide receivers were targeted more often. Both Turner and Tucker received seven targets. Tucker was held to four targets or fewer in four of his games this season, while Turner had only nine targets in the first six games combined. Both Turner and Tucker will continue to see playing time once Meyers is back, but their target share will likely take a hit. The Raiders offense will need to start playing a lot better for either to be fantasy-relevant this season.
Rams adjust without injured receivers: Jordan Whittington was active but was very limited in the game due to a shoulder injury.
The Rams hoped Cooper Kupp would be back for this game after his ankle injury. He was limited in practice all week and listed as questionable, but he was ultimately inactive. Whittington was similarly limited in practice all week but was on the active roster.
However, he didn’t play an offensive snap until the third quarter and was only used for a few run plays. Tyler Johnson took his place in the starting lineup. Johnson ended up being the Rams’ lead receiver with four receptions for 57 yards. Tutu Atwell also played well, finishing with six receptions for 51 yards.
Johnson is playing well, which further complicates the wide receiver room next week. Once Kupp is ready to play, he will take one of the starting spots. This leaves Demarcus Robinson, Atwell, Whittington and Johnson fighting for time in two spots. Puka Nacua could also be returning sooner rather than later, leaving four players fighting for one post. At this point, all of those wide receivers should be left on the waiver wire.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell is believed to have a broken thumb, which would mean Gardner Minshew II will be the team’s quarterback for the foreseeable future.
- Rams tight end Colby Parkinson didn’t play as much as usual in this game, but that was largely from eight plays out of 12 personnel to close out the game. Hunter Long and Davis Allen were the two blocking tight ends.
- Raiders backup tight end Harrison Bryant suffered an elbow injury that kept him out the entire fourth quarter. Brock Bowers played 16 of 18 snaps in the fourth quarter. If Bryant misses time, this could mean even more playing time for Bowers
Carolina Panthers @ Washington Commanders
- Terry McLaurin: 6 receptions, 98 yards
- Zach Ertz: 4 receptions, 40 yards, 1 touchdown
Commanders’ backfield returns to normal: Brian Robinson had missed the last six quarters of football due to a knee injury.
Robinson was questionable for the week. He was also questionable heading into Week 5 and only lasted the first half, so there was some concern he would be limited in this game.
Instead, he played 26 of 54 snaps over the first three quarters, playing most of the running situations while Austin Ekeler played most of the passing situations. This was very similar to the first two weeks of the season, which was the last time both running backs were fully available. Robinson ran 12 times for 71 yards and a touchdown despite not running for more than 11 yards. Jeremy McNichols only played four of 54 snaps in the first three quarters.
The Commanders were up 37-0 heading into the fourth quarter, so McNichols was the running back with the backups. Going forward, we can trust Robinson in fantasy starting lineups again.
Diontae Johnson is limited with multiple injuries: Johnson was listed on the injury report due to a rib, hamstring and an ankle injury.
Johnson didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday and was limited on Friday. He was listed as questionable. He was rotated out a little bit throughout the game while David Moore was his primary backup. He played in 16 of a possible 28 snaps in the first half.
Considering the Panthers were down 27-0, it would have been understandable if Johnson played less in the first half or not at all. Instead, his snap rate increased to playing 14 of a possible 15 snaps. Considering the Commanders' dominated time of possession, it’s possible Johnson would have been rotated out more had they run more plays.
Ideally, a week will give Johnson some time to recover because the Panthers clearly need him. Despite the three injuries, he still led the wide receiver room in receiving yards with his one reception for 17 yards.
Ja’Tavion Sanders has the best game of his young career: Sanders caught six passes for 61 yards while the rest of the Panthers receivers combined for 28 yards.
Sanders was the Panthers’ primary receiving tight end and was targeted on six of his 17 routes. He only gained 41 receiving yards in his first five games and then caught five passes for 49 yards last week.
While this was generally good to see, it’s worth noting Tommy Tremble missed his second-straight game due to a back injury. He was also dealing with a concussion, but he recently cleared concussion protocol. In Weeks 3 and 4 when he was healthy, he was playing over 85% of Carolina's offensive snaps.
Ideally, Sanders has earned more playing time after the last two weeks, but we may see a rotation at tight end. We have yet to see Sanders, Tremble and Ian Thomas all healthy at the same time. It’s possible all three are in some kind of rotation.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks returned to practice this week but was limited throughout the week, and the Panthers haven’t activated him yet. There is a chance he returns next week.
- Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a rib injury early in the game and was ruled out. He was able to return to the sideline to watch the rest of the game. For what it’s worth, his mother tweeted out that “he’s fine”.
- The Commanders have rotated wide receivers a lot in recent weeks. This has meant less playing time for Luke McCaffrey. He played at least 20 snaps in the first three quarters of four of the first five games but played 14 snaps last week and 16 snaps this week. His playing time in the fourth quarters of games has been dependent on the game script.
Kansas City Chiefs @ San Francisco 49ers
- Kareem Hunt: 22 carries, 78 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 receptions, 5 receiving yards
- George Kittle: 6 receptions, 92 yards
49ers play without their top three wide receivers: The 49ers had to dig down the depth chart and adjust on the fly to account for the injuries.
Jauan Jennings has been dealing with a hip injury. He didn’t practice all week and was ruled out. On the bright side, rookie Ricky Pearsall was a full participant in practice all week and made his NFL debut. Pearsall took Jennings' place as the primary slot receiver.
Deebo Samuel Sr. showed up on the injury report due to a wrist injury, but he was dealing with an unannounced illness. He only played four snaps all in the first quarter and didn’t return. Chris Conley became Samuel’s replacement throughout the game. Conley joined Brandon Aiyuk in 12 personnel, while Samuel, Conley and Pearsall all played three snaps each in 21 personnel, all across from Aiyuk.
Then Aiyuk suffered a knee injury that required him to be carted off. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game that it’s feared to be a torn ACL. Ronnie Bell became Aiyuk's primary replacement in 11 personnel. In both 12 and 21 personnel, Pearsall and Conley were the two primary players. Jacob Cowing played some snaps throughout the game, primarily in Conley’s place in 11 personnel.
If Aiyuk’s injury is indeed serious, Jennings should be the top waiver-wire option. He is available in over 50% of ESPN leagues, and he would likely be an every-down starter. Pearsall should also be seriously considered off the waiver wire, as there is a chance he would have a significant role going forward. If he outplays Jennings, he could become the offense’s No. 2 wide receiver sooner rather than later.
Monitor JuJu Smith-Schuster’s health: Smith-Schuster only played seven snaps in this game due to a hamstring injury.
Smith-Schuster showed up on the injury report on Thursday with a hamstring injury, which left him limited on Thursday and Friday. He was questionable heading into the game. He started this game with his usual role, playing seven of the first 11 snaps, while Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson were the other primary wide receivers.
He aggravated the injury on the second drive and he didn’t return. This left Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman Jr. both playing more snaps over the rest of the game. Worthy was the only wide receiver with notably more targets than usual, but he only caught three passes for 19 yards.
The Chiefs also focused more on 12 personnel. From the third drive on, they used 12 personnel on 40% of their snaps compared to 27% over the first six weeks of the season. This meant more playing time for Noah Gray, who led the team in receptions at four and receiving yards at 66. If the Smith-Schuster injury ends up being serious, then Gray would be the player to target off the waiver wire. If Smith-Schuster happens to be fine, then Gray probably won’t run enough routes per game going forward to be worth rostering.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Jordan Mason was limited in practice early in the week with a shoulder injury, but that had no impact on his playing time. If anything, he played more than usual due to the game script.
- While Clyde Edwards-Helaire was activated to the 53-man roster this past week, he was ultimately ruled inactive. Per Nate Taylor of the Athletic, he is projected to be available next week.
New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers
- Breece Hall: 12 carries, 38 yards, 1 touchdown; 6 receptions, 103 receiving yards
- George Pickens: 5 receptions, 111 yards, 1 touchdown
Davante Adams shakes up the Jets' receiver room: Adams was not at all limited in his first game with the Jets.
Adams was traded from the Raiders to New York at the start of the week — a trade that had been rumored for over a year. And given his familiarity with Aaron Rodgers, it was relatively easy for him to get up to speed in the offense.
He instantly became a starter and played every snap in three-receiver sets. The only plays he missed were during a few instances in 12 personnel. This had no impact on Garrett Wilson’s playing time.
Allen Lazard saw the most significant decrease in playing time among the group, losing most of his 12-personnel snaps and some of his 11-personnel snaps. Following last week, Mike Williams appeared to be the clear odd man out; however, he still received considerable playing time in 11 personnel, taking roughly one-third of the snaps.
Lazard had been the Jets' primary slot receiver this season, recording 149 snaps from the slot over the first six weeks compared to Wilson's 98. In this game, Adams and Wilson emerged as the clear leaders in slot snaps.
Over the last two seasons, Wilson has averaged more fantasy points per route from the slot than when lined up out wide. Adams has generated more fantasy points when positioned out wide over the same period, although the Raiders rarely utilized him in the slot.
During his last two seasons with the Packers, he lined up in the slot more frequently, achieving 0.9 fantasy points per route from that position compared to 0.6 when playing out wide.
Braelon Allen phased out of the offense: Allen barely saw the field for the Jets despite his recent strong play.
Allen earned an 88.1 PFF rushing grade over the first six weeks, the fourth-highest for running backs with at least 25 carries. Breece Hall was 48th-best at 63.6.
From Week 2 to Week 5, Allen consistently played between 30% and 40% of the offensive snaps during the first three quarters, allowing Hall some necessary breaks. In the fourth quarter, playing time often depended on the game script, as the Jets frequently ran plays with both running backs on the field simultaneously.
In Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings, Allen averaged only 2.6 yards per carry, while Hall didn’t perform much better against a very strong Vikings run defense.
The Jets chose to increase Hall's usage and reduce Allen's last week, with Allen taking the field for just 23% of the snaps. This week, his participation dropped further to just 11% of snaps during the first three quarters.
While Allen remains one of the better handcuff options in the NFL, his standalone value has quickly diminished.
Jaylen Warren’s volume remains relatively low: Warren touched the ball a little more this week than last week, but he still isn’t reaching the heights of last season.
From November until the end of last season, Warren averaged 14 touches per game in a clear split with Najee Harris. Warren was limited early in the season due to injury and missed two games. He returned last week and had a larger role this week, but he still touched the ball only 13 times.
This is particularly concerning given that four of those touches came in the last five minutes due to the game script, and Cordarrelle Patterson missed his third consecutive game with a knee injury. Once Patterson returns to health, he may cut into Warren’s playing time.
Warren remains the clear handcuff to Harris, and it's possible that his role will expand as he becomes further removed from his injury. However, it looks increasingly unlikely that Warren will see standalone fantasy value this season without an injury to Harris.
MyCole Pruitt’s return somewhat limits Pat Freiermuth: The Steelers' run-blocking tight took snaps away from Freiermuth in 12 personnel.
In the first two weeks of the season, Freiermuth played only six of a possible 36 snaps in 12 personnel, with Darnell Washington and Pruitt serving as the primary players in that grouping. Pruitt missed the last four weeks, which allowed Freiermuth to participate in 63 of 80 snaps in 12 personnel. However, with Pruitt's return this week, Freiermuth was limited to just four of nine snaps. Many of these snaps were run plays, meaning that Pruitt's presence continues to result in fewer routes for Freiermuth each week.
In this game, Freiermuth caught two passes for 30 and 21 yards. He remains a talented tight end with a relatively high floor, but in this offense, he has finished as a top-12 fantasy tight end only once this season.
Miscellaneous Notes
- George Pickens’ playing time was a concern after Week 5, when he played only 1 of 19 snaps in 12 personnel. He somewhat rebounded last week and fully rebounded this week. The only time Pickens was off the field was some plays in 13 and 14 personnel, which were primarily run plays. His playing time is no longer a concern.
- The Jets used 00 personnel for the first time this season. The Browns are the only other team to use this personnel grouping this season. Throughout the PFF era, the only teams to use 00 personnel with any kind of consistency were the Steelers and the Packers with Aaron Rodgers.
- The Jets made a change at their third tight end spot by cutting Brenden Bates and signing Anthony Firkser. Firkser was a practice squad elevation last week when there was concern about Tyler Conklin’s injury.
- Conklin had notably stopped playing as much in 12 personnel the last two weeks with a 60% snap rate, but he was back to see 100% of snaps in 12 personnel in this game.
- Steelers rookie wide receiver Roman Wilson made his debut last week but showed up on the injury report Thursday with a hamstring injury, ultimately rendering him inactive for this one.
Table Notes
- Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, including offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats have these plays removed.
- Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would be from a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.
- Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.
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