• The Minnesota Vikings wide receivers couldn’t be stopped: Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison both finished with over 130 receiving yards and combined for five touchdown receptions.
• Sincere McCormick leads the Las Vegas Raiders backfield: McCormick’s role has increased in recent weeks, and he is now the team's clear lead running back.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all of our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
Estimated reading time: 5 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 York Jets @ Miami Dolphins
- Tyreek Hill: 10 receptions, 115 yards, 1 touchdown
- Davante Adams: 9 receptions, 109 yards, 1 touchdown
Jets rookies split the backfield: Breece Hall was inactive this week due to a knee injury.
For most of the season, Braelon Allen was the Jets' clear backup. He played 174 snaps over the first 12 weeks compared to Isaiah Davis‘ six. Hall was limited last week, and instead of Allen playing more snaps, Davis started playing more in passing situations, tripling his career total in offensive snaps.
This gave us a pretty clear indication that the backfield would be split this week when news broke that Hall would be inactive. Allen generally tended to play in typical rushing situations while Davis tended to play in passing, as expected. It was surprising how balanced the box score was despite these roles. Allen ran 11 times to Davis’ 10, while Allen caught four passes to Davis’ three. Davis had the best fantasy performance of the two, thanks to a 17-yard run resulting in a touchdown.
If Hall misses more time, we should expect Allen to score more fantasy points and potentially a slightly wider gap in carries. The Jets have, by far, the best schedule for running backs in the fantasy playoffs, starting with the Jacksonville Jaguars next week. If Hall misses another game, expect Allen to be a clear fantasy starter despite the split role.
Allen Lazard returns to the Jets: Lazard missed the last five games due to a chest injury.
He participated fully in practice all week. We last saw Lazard in Week 7, which was Davante Adams’ first game with the Jets. While Lazard was a full-time player over the first six weeks of the season, Adams instantly played 96% of New York's offensive snaps, reducing Lazard to only playing in some three-receiver sets. Mike Williams was still on the roster then, so Williams also played significant snaps out of 11 personnel.
This week, Lazard was consistently on the field in 11 personnel. He also played a little under half of the Jets' snaps in two-receiver sets, taking time away from Adams. Lazard was the Jets' primary slot receiver for the first six weeks of the season, which is part of the season he was so successful. In Week 7 and beyond, Adams was the primary slot receiver. In this game, Adams remained in the slot with Lazard out wide.
Lazard was targeted once for an 18-yard play, while Wilson and Adams both had good games despite the Dolphins' strong secondary. Lazard can likely be left on the waiver wire despite his early season success because he’s mostly playing in a different position.
Third-round rookie Malachi Corley reached a career-high in offensive snaps last week at 41. He didn’t make much of an impact, and he rarely plays on special teams, so he was a healthy inactive in this game, similar to the last time Lazard was healthy.
De’Von Achane dominates snaps without Raheem Mostert: The veteran running back was inactive due to a hip injury.
In recent weeks, Achane has been the lead back while Jaylen Wright was the primary backup on early downs and Mostert was the third down back. Jeff Wilson Jr. has been a healthy inactive whenever all four running backs have been healthy.
This week, Wilson was active and took most of the snaps that Mostert usually plays. Achane played 20 of the 32 two-minute drill snaps from Weeks 10-13, so it wasn’t unusual that Achane played in the two-minute drills in this game. Achane ended up dominating the offensive snaps more than usual, but that was largely because the Dolphins offense was playing well and keeping the team out of normal third-down situations. Had Mostert been healthy, Achane’s playing time wouldn’t have been all that different.
Achane caught six passes for 45 yards, but those were all on plays where he would usually be on the field. Achane's main concern is the Dolphins changing the running back rotation going forward. He’s averaged 3.2 yards per carry or worse in four of his last five games, finishing with 40 or fewer rushing yards in those performances. Luckily, the schedule lightens up in terms of run defenses he’s facing, so if the Dolphins stick with Achane being the workhorse back, bigger days should be ahead.
Miscellaneous Notes
- This was the first time Davante Adams reached over 100 receiving yards as a member of the Jets.
- This was the first time since Week 1 that both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle recorded at least 60 receiving yards each, let alone 99 receiving yards each.
Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings
- Jordan Addison: 8 receptions, 133 yards, 3 touchdowns
- Justin Jefferson: 7 receptions, 132 yards, 2 touchdowns
Josh Oliver returns to the Vikings: The Vikings' run-blocking tight end missed the last two weeks due to a wrist injury.
Oliver spent most of the season in a two-man rotation with Johnny Mundt before T.J. Hockenson returned in Week 9. In the three games where Oliver and Hockenson played together before this week, Oliver took significant playing time from Hockenson in 11 personnel, while Mundt took time from Hockenson in 12 personnel.
In 2023, Hockenson played 90% of Minnesota's 11 personnel snaps and 87% of the 12 personnel snaps. In those first three weeks, Hokcenson played 56% of the 11 personnel and 60% of the 12 personnel snaps. With Oliver out, Hockenson was back to normal in 11 personnel, posting a 92% snap rate. However, Nick Muse was involved in 12 personnel, leaving Hockenson at a 57% snap rate.
The good news for Hockenson fantasy managers is Oliver’s return had no impact on his playing time. Hockenson played 88% of the 11 personnel snaps and was up to 60% of the snaps in 12 personnel. The Vikings ran a lot of 21 personnel late in the game with their big lead, and Hockenson has never played significant snaps in 21 personnel as a Viking.
Hockenson managed four receptions for 45 yards despite the wide receivers both performing well. While Hockenson has only a few great games this season, his floor is high enough that he should remain in fantasy starting lineups.
Falcons mix up their personnel usage: The Falcons used much more 12 personnel this week than the last several weeks.
The Falcons had used 11 personnel on 90.8% of plays over the first 13 weeks, which was the most in the league. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson coached with the Los Angeles Rams prior to this year, and the Rams have used 11 personnel the second-most this season at 83.4%.
This has been a major problem for their tight ends, as it’s meant either Kyle Pitts or Charlie Woerner are on the field at once but never both. Woerner has been among the top run-blocking tight ends this season, which has greatly impacted Pitts’ playing time.
This week, they ran 26 plays out of 12 personnel, just as many plays as the last 10 weeks combined. This meant a lot more plays with Pitts and Woerner on the field than usual, and Ray-Ray McCloud III played significantly fewer snaps. Despite this, McCloud led the team in receptions with eight, leading to 98 yards. Pitts received plenty of targets but only caught one pass for 14 yards.
The Falcons have a relatively strong matchup for tight ends next week against the Las Vegas Raiders, but that is also a game where the Falcons could be winning and sticking more with their run-blocking tight ends. If Pitts is on your roster but not in your starting lineup next week, it’s fine to drop him.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Aaron Jones played less than usual last week after multiple recent fumbles. This week, he played 63% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps, which is around his average over the entire season.
- Falcons backup running back Jase McClellan was inactive for a second straight week due to a knee injury. He’s only been active for two games this season.
- The Vikings activated kicker Will Reichard off injured reserve and released Parker Romo on Saturday.
New Orleans Saints @ New York Giants
- Tyrone Tracy Jr: 16 carries, 45 yards, 1 touchdown, 5 receptions, 38 receiving yards
- Juwan Johnson: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 1 touchdown
Saints committee replaces Taysom Hill: The all-purpose player tore his ACL, which landed him on injured reserve.
From Weeks 9-13, Hill had the second-most carries on the Saints with 21, and was tied with the most receptions at 19. Alvin Kamara was tied with him in receptions and had the most carries. Both players were far ahead of the third place in both categories.
The good news is that second-year running back Kendre Miller was able to return from the injured reserve. Miller’s been ahead of both Jamaal Williams and Jordan Mims on the depth chart. The Saints trusted Miller with high volume in the run game more than they’ve trusted any other backup runner. He ran 10 times for 32 yards with a better rushing average than the other Saints runners.
Both Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau played more snaps this week than in other recent games. Johnson recorded a season-high 50 receiving yards, while Moreau’s 40 yards was more than double his per-game average this season.
While the Saints are spreading the ball around too much to trust anyone outside of Kamara, the Saints play the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 17. The Raiders have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, and it will be a revenge game for both Derek Carr, if he's able to play, and Moreau. There is at least a chance the tight ends could have a big game that week.
Malik Nabers plays through injuries: Before the game, there were reports that Nabers' role would be limited.
Nabers showed up on the injury report on Thursday with a groin injury. He was not able to practice on Friday and was ruled questionable. The good news is his playing time was not limited. He and Wan’Dale Robinson were consistently on the field, while Darius Slayton took most of the other snaps with Jalin Hyatt rotating in. This is the same thing we’ve seen anytime all of the Giants wide receivers have been healthy all season.
The bad news is the Giants' passing game did not look good. Drew Lock did not reach the 100-yard mark until the middle of the fourth quarter. Luckily, a late comeback attempt helped Nabers to a respectable five receptions for 79 yards. While the offense only scoring 11 points isn’t a great sign for Nabers' potential in the fantasy playoffs, the Giants play the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons in the next two weeks, which should be better matchups than this week.
Daniel Bellinger steps up at tight end: Theo Johnson landed on injured reserve earlier in the week, leading Bellinger to be the starter.
Bellinger was a fourth-round pick in 2022 and won the starting job for New York immediately. He played up to 99% of the offensive snaps in games that season but never had more than 43 yards in a game. The Giants traded for Darren Waller in 2023, but Waller still ended the season as the starter. He again, never had more than 43 yards in a game.
This season, Bellinger had been the third tight end on the depth chart, while Chris Manhertz often played in two tight end sets with Johnson. Bellinger only had three receptions this season prior to the week.
With Johnson out, Bellinger immediately jumped into the top tight end spot. He caught a career-high 45 yards. This was partially a product of the Giants having 56 pass plays, but the Giants will need to pass the ball a lot in every game.
The Giants have one of the best remaining schedules for tight ends, making Bellinger a viable option in leagues where you start more than one tight end, or very deep leagues.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Saints quarterback Derek Carr suffered an apparent left-hand fracture late in the game, leading to Jake Haener playing the last few snaps. At this point, Alvin Kamara is the only player fantasy managers can trust on the Saints, and that would still be the case if the Saints have to make a change at quarterback.
- Giants running back Tyrone Tracy fumbled three times over two games, leading him to play 41% of New York's snaps in Week 12 and not start in Week 13. By the end of last week, it seemed like Tracy’s role was back to normal. This week was confirmation his role was back to normal, as it was his third game of the season playing over 80% of the Giants' offensive snaps.
- Saints wide receiver Bub Means has been on injured reserve due to an ankle injury. He returned to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday but couldn’t practice on Thursday or Friday. There is a chance he will return at some point this season.
- Kevin Austin Jr. has been one of the Saints' top two wide receivers in recent weeks, while Dante Pettis has been one of the top two backups. This week, both were signed to the 53-man roster rather than being practice squad elevations.
Carolina Panthers @ Philadelphia Eagles
- Adam Thielen: 9 receptions, 102 yards
- Chuba Hubbard: 26 carries, 92 yards, 1 touchdown, 4 receptions, 15 receiving yards
Monitor Jonathon Brooks’ health: The Panthers’ second-round rookie suffered a knee injury and didn’t return.
The Panthers started this game very similar to the last two weeks. Chuba Hubbard played 100% of Carolina's offensive snaps on the first two drives. Brooks was on the field for a pass play, where he ended up in the slot while Hubbard was in the backfield.
Brooks suffered his injury on the third drive. It was a non-contact injury to the same knee where he suffered his ACL injury. He tried to job off the field but ended up going to the ground and needing help to get to the blue medical tent. He took the cart from the tent to the locker room.
The Panthers' third-string running back Raheem Blackshear was ruled questionable due to a chest injury early on, presumably from a special teams play because he didn’t play on offense. He was ruled out before halftime.
This meant Hubbard was the last man standing. He played every snap over the rest of the game with 26 carries and 32 routes run. Hubbard should continue to be the clear starter over these next three weeks regardless of who is and isn’t healthy. If both Brooks and Blackshear can’t play next week, expect Mike Boone, who is currently on the practice squad, to take the backup role.
Ja’Tavion Sanders returns: The Panthers rookie tight end only missed one game after suffering a scary neck injury two weeks ago.
Tommy Tremble started the game, as he’s done most games this season where he’s been healthy. Both tight ends played three out of five plays on the first drive. The two continued to rotate throughout the game. Sanders generally tended to play in passing situations while Tremble tended to play on rushing situations.
Both players received one target each. Both Tremble and injured blocking tight end Ian Thomas are unrestricted free agents after the season. If Tremble doesn’t re-sign and the Panthers don’t bring in clear competition for Sanders, the rookie could be one of the top waiver options of the offseason. If the Panthers continue this kind of split between the two players, it would be harder for Sanders to have any consistency next season, as he’s had no consistency this year when Tremble has also been healthy.
DeVonta Smith returns: Smith missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury.
Luckily, Smith fully participated in practice all week. Smith returned to his usual role, playing on 100% of the Eagles' passing plays while only taking a few run plays off. He led the team in targets and caught four passes for 37 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles did most of their work on the ground, so they didn’t need much out of their receivers.
The Eagles wide receiver room didn’t fully go back to normal. Typically, when all of the wide receivers have been healthy, Jahan Dotson would be the clear third wide receiver. For example in Week 11, Dotson played 29 snaps to Johnny Wilson’s 13. Dotson still ran more routes than Wilson this week, but this was the first time Wilson played more snaps. Neither player has contributed much to the passing game this season, so it makes sense to give their rookie player an extended look. Neither player is likely to be fantasy-relevant this season, but it’s worth monitoring to see how much the Eagles might prioritize a third wide receiver this offseason.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker was inactive for the third straight week due to a quadriceps injury. We have yet to see Adam Thielen and Coker active in the same game. They both primarily play out of the slot.
- Dallas Goedert was placed on injured reserve due to his knee injury. Grant Calcaterra was the clear top tight end, which was also true when Goedert missed time earlier in the season. He is a fine waiver-wire option in deeper leagues.
- Eagles backup wide receiver Britain Covey was inactive due to a neck injury.
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
- Jerry Jeudy: 5 receptions, 64 yards, 1 touchdown
- David Njoku: 7 receptions, 42 yards, 1 touchdown
Jerome Ford splits carries with Nick Chubb: The two were in a near-even split in carries, but Chubb was the more effective player.
Chubb returned to the Browns lineup in Week 7, but he hasn’t been the same player he was before the injury. He’s averaged less than 3.0 yards per carry over his first six games back. Ford has been the receiving back all season, but he’s also started taking more snaps on early downs to try to add more of a spark in the run game.
This week, Chubb started the game and took all of the early down snaps on the first drive, but both Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. started mixing in on the second drive. Chubb played the clear majority of Cleveland's early down snaps in the first and third quarters, while Ford took them in the second and fourth. With the Browns down by 20 points to start the fourth quarter, Chubb didn’t see a single snap in the final 15 minutes.
The good news for Chubb is he averaged 4.4 yards per carry, making this one of his best games of the season. The bad news is the Browns face the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins over the next three weeks. Those are all teams who could put up a lot of points against the Browns defense, leaving the team using Ford while they catch up regardless of how much they want to get Chubb involved.
The Steelers win without George Pickens: The Steelers star wide receiver was a surprise inactive due to a hamstring injury.
Pickens didn’t show up on the injury report until Friday with a hamstring injury, leading him to be declared questionable. There was optimism he would play leading into the day, but the hamstring wasn’t doing as well as the Steelers expected, so they had him sit out the game.
The Steelers used a two-man rotation of Scott Miller and Mike Williams to replace Pickens, while Van Jefferson rotated out less often than usual. Miller was typically on the field in run situations, while he and Williams split the pass plays. Miller and Williams caught three passes each for 38 and 36 yards, respectively. The team won thanks in part to their defense, leading to several Steelers drives starting in Browns territory.
This game was a good reminder not to trust any of the Steelers' wide receivers outside of Pickens, and it’s becoming more important that the Steelers address the position in the offseason. Even if we find out Pickens will miss more time, there might not be a clear option to pick up off the waiver wire.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Najee Harris averaged 3.3 yards per carry and didn’t have a target, but his fantasy value was saved with a touchdown. The Steelers end the season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. We will likely see less of Harris and more of Jaylen Warren throughout the fantasy playoffs.
- Cedric Tillman missed his second straight game due to a concussion. Michael Woods II took his place in the lineup for a second straight week. He was signed to the 53-man roster, as was backup Kadarius Toney.
- Backup wide receiver Jamari Thrash was also inactive for the Browns due to a shoulder injury.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Jalen McMillan: 4 receptions, 59 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Rachaad White: 17 carries, 90 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 receptions, 19 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Sincere McCormick takes over the Raiders backfield: The former practice squad player has been the Raiders' clear top running back this season.
Both Zamir White and Alexander Mattison were inactive for the third straight week due to injury. This allowed McCormick who has spent most of the last three seasons either injured or on the Raiders practice squad to receive his first regular season opportunities.
Last week, McCormick was the first player for the Raiders with over 60 yards rushing and over 5.0 yards per carry. He played more as the game wore on. This week, he played a higher percentage of the Raiders' offensive snaps than last week and gained over 60 yards with over 5.0 yards per carry for a second straight week.
The playing time split was reminiscent of the very start of the season. McCormick played White’s role while Ameer Abdullah played Mattison’s role. Given how much better McCormick has performed compared to the other Raiders running backs, it’s fair to expect McCormick to stay the clear lead rusher. The only change that might happen is Mattison could regain the passing down role from Abdullah.
McCormick’s strong play should make him one of the top waiver-wire options of the week. The Raiders close out the fantasy season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints. Those are both very favorable matchups against teams where the Raiders shouldn’t abandon the run game.
Raiders rely on two tight end sets: Michael Mayer had his best game of the season with seven receptions for 68 yards.
On the first drive of the first preseason game, Mayer played 12 of 14 snaps while Brock Bowers played 11 of 14. The Raiders offense seemed like it would be very different from past years, focusing heavily on getting their young tight ends involved.
Instead, the two started the season rotating. Mayer missed several weeks due to a personal matter, and he was mostly limited in his return. Last week, the Raiders’ third wide receiver D.J. Turner suffered an injury that landed him on injured reserve. While Terrace Marshall Jr. took over as the third receiver, the main change was a large amount of two tight end sets.
While the defense focused on stopping Bowers, Mayer had a chance to shine. One game won’t be enough for fantasy managers to trust Mayer in the fantasy playoffs, but there is a chance both players continue to play a lot over the rest of this season, which could lead to both players being fantasy-relevant next season.
Monitor Bucky Irving’s health: Irving left the game in the middle of the second quarter due to a back injury and didn’t return.
Irving was listed on the injury report with both a hip and back injury. He didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday and was limited on Friday. The Buccaneers started this game with a clear two-man rotation. Rachaad White played 12 snaps on the first two drives compared to Irving's eight. This included two plays where both running backs were on the field. Irving played his last snaps early in the second quarter on the Buccaneers' third drive.
White played 30 of the 38 snaps over the rest of the game, while Sean Tucker played 11. Tucker played very well the last time a Buccaneers missed time, but it’s clear the Buccaneers have no problem having White play a very high percentage of the Bucs' offensive snaps, as he did all of last season. There is a chance Tucker could get some garbage time work in Weeks 16 or 17, but there are likely better options on the waiver wire. There is also a chance Irving could be good to go next week.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan not only tripled his career touchdown total, but his 63 receiving yards was 28 more than his previous career high for a game.
- Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Desmond Ridder took over and would likely be the quarterback to close out the season if O’Connell misses time.
- Raiders backup tight end Justin Shorter was inactive due to a backup injury.
- Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was questionable for this game due to an ankle injury, but the injury had no impact on his playing time or target share.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
- Brian Thomas Jr.: 8 receptions, 86 yards
- Tony Pollard: 21 carries, 102 yards, 2 receptions, 22 receiving yards
Tank Bigsby dominates the Jaguars in carries: Bigsby ran 18 times, which is a career-high in a game where Travis Etienne Jr. also played.
Etienne and Bigsby's total number of snaps played was similar to last week. D’Ernest Johnson has been a healthy inactive the last two weeks, so the backfield has been a two-man rotation. This week, the difference is that the Jaguars were much more likely to run the ball when Bigsby was on the field than Etienne.
Bigsby only ran 13 or more times in three other games in his career. Etienne was inactive for two of those games and limited in the third. In the two other games where Bigsby had reached double-digit carries, Etienne also reached double-digit carries.
While there have been hints all season that Bigsby was the lead rusher on this team, this game was, by far, the clearest evidence that Bigsby is the team's top runner for, at least, the rest of this season. The Jaguars generally face below-average teams with average run defenses over the rest of the fantasy season, so we should expect Bigsby to have at least double-digit carries in those games. He should be one of the top waiver-wire options on the week.
Titans return to their normal running back rotation: Tyjae Spears was, once again, the clear receiving back.
Spears has spent most of the season as the Titans' receiving back and primary backup on early downs. He missed Weeks 7-9 due to injury and Week 12 due to a concussion. When Spears missed time, the team had no problem with Pollard taking over on passing downs and playing over 80% of the offensive snaps.
Spears returned to action last week but only played in 14 snaps. After touching the ball at least five times in every other game, he ran the ball once and didn’t see a target. It seemed possible the backfield had shifted more in Pollard’s favor.
This week, everything was back to normal. Spears ran six times and caught a pass while playing most of the clear passing situations.
Spears hasn’t had fantasy value all season, but he is one of the top handcuff options. The Titans play the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16 and the Jaguars again in Week 17. If Pollard suffers an injury next week, Spears would likely get used in Pollard’s role, and be a clear fantasy starter in those two matchups.
Miscellaneous Notes
- The Titans signed backup wide receiver Mason Kinsey to the active roster on Saturday. He took over as the team’s punt returner. Sixth-round rookie Jha’Quan Jackson had been the punt returner all season, but he was a healthy inactive.
- Earlier in the week, there were reports that Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks would not return this season.
- The Jaguars claimed wide receiver Josh Reynolds off waivers from the Denver Broncos earlier in the week. Given his short time with the team, the Jaguars made Reynolds inactive. Reynolds has the talent to be a top-three wide receiver on this team during the fantasy playoffs.
- The Jaguars used Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington in two-receiver sets in addition to Devin Duvernay in three-receiver sets for a second-straight week. Duvernay played more in the slot this week than last, leaving the other two out wide more often.
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
- Zach Charbonnet: 22 carries, 134 yards, 2 touchdowns, 7 receptions, 59 receiving yards
- James Conner: 18 carries, 90 yards, 4 receptions, 32 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Zach Charbonnet shines without Kenneth Walker III: The Seahawks' usual starting running back was inactive due to ankle and calf injuries.
Walker had also missed two games early in the season. Charbonnet played at least 84% of Seattle's offensive snaps in both games with at least 17.0 PPR points in both games. Charbonnet similarly dominated snaps this time around. He set career highs in carries (22), rushing yards (134), receptions (seven) and receiving yards (59), making this by far the best fantasy performance of his career.
He didn’t dominate snaps quite as much as in other games, likely due to needing more breaks after so many touches. Kenny McIntosh ran the ball seven times after totaling just four career carries heading into this week. Even George Holani, who is an undrafted rookie and a practice squad call-up, played his first career NFL offensive snaps.
If Walker can’t play next week, Charbonnet is a must-start despite the bad matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. If Walker can play, it could be difficult to start him unless we can be confident about his health. The game script against the Vikings could favor Charbonnet regardless of Walker’s health.
James Conner maintains a strong hold on the backfield: Conner played over 75% of Arizona's offensive snaps despite a game script working against him.
A few weeks ago, it seemed like the Cardinals were willing to mix Trey Benson into the backfield a little more often. Conner was dealing with a finger injury, but Benson has also looked good all season. Benson has averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry in every game he’s run the ball, outside of his garbage time runs in Week 2.
Conner appears to be back to 100% now, and despite Benson’s good play, Conner hasn’t gone anywhere. He dominated snaps, outside of losing the usual third-and-long snaps to Emari Demercado. Benson still ran it twice, including a 15-yard run, but Conner ran for 5.0 yards per carry.
Conner recently signed a contract extension, and at some point, we will probably see more snaps from Benson. Until then, Conner will be a must-start player regardless of the game script or opponent.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba remains on a dominant stretch of games. He’s gained at least 69 receiving yards in six straight, finishing with at least 11.0 PPR points in each of those games. He caught five passes for 82 yards and a touchdown this week.
- Zay Jones recently overtook Greg Dortch in offensive snaps, but this week, Dortch was back in the lead. It was largely a combination of Michael Wilson and Dortch in the slot, while Marvin Harrison Jr. played his fewest slot snaps since Week 6.
Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams
- Puka Nacua: 12 receptions, 162 yards, 1 touchdown
- Kyren Williams: 29 carries, 87 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 receptions, 10 receiving yards
Bills wide receivers shine without Keon Coleman: Coleman missed his fourth-straight game due to a wrist injury.
Coleman's missing time has left the Bills with a four-wide receiver rotation rather than a five-man rotation. This hasn’t always led to a lot of fantasy production in games where the Bills are ahead and can run the ball. This week, they were playing from behind and passing a lot. This gave all four wide receivers significant routes.
Khalil Shakir caught five passes for 106 yards, including a highlight-worthy 51-yard touchdown catch. Amari Cooper was targeted on 14 of his 26 routes for six receptions and 95 yards.
While Cooper’s stat line was the best it’s been since joining the Bills, we shouldn’t necessarily expect this going forward. His playing time really hasn’t increased much since his second game with the team. Once Coleman is back, it will be harder for Cooper to play more. He could have a big game next week against the Detroit Lions, but after that, he has two home games against the New England Patriots and New York Jets. Those are games where both the game script and the weather could lead to Buffalo running early and often.
Cooper could be a big asset to the Bills once they reach the playoffs, but he will be very risky to play in the last two weeks of the fantasy playoffs.
Monitor Demarcus Robinson’s health: Robinson suffered a shoulder injury, limiting his snaps.
Robinson wasn’t able to finish last week due to a hand injury, which left him limited in practice at the start of the week. He was dominating snap early on, playing 38 of a possible 39 snaps in the first half. Both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp were rotated out more often, while Tutu Atwell was the primary backup.
In the third quarter, Robinson only played in six of a possible 19 snaps, while Atwell largely took his place. Robinson played another three snaps, and his last play came in the middle of the fourth quarter.
The Rams have a short week with a game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night. If Robinson misses the game, expect Atwell to take his place. Typically, the Rams don’t throw a lot to their X receiver. Atwell tends to see more production when he’s replacing Kupp or Nacua. He would likely be someone to avoid in fantasy.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid missed his third straight game due to a knee injury. Quintin Morris also didn’t play due to shoulder and groin injuries. This meant Knox played even more than the last two weeks.
- Rams tight end Tyler Higbee has returned to practice but was inactive for this game. He was a full participant in practice all week, which is a good sign he could be ready to play next week.
Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers
- Jauan Jennings: 7 receptions, 90 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Isaac Guerendo: 15 carries, 78 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 receptions, 50 receiving yards
Monitor Isaac Guerendo’s health: Guerendo suffered a foot injury early in the fourth quarter and didn’t return.
The 49ers lost Elijah Mitchell to injured reserve before the season in addition Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason to injured reserve last week. This made Guerendo the 49ers' lead running back today. The 49ers also signed Patrick Taylor from the practice squad, signed Israel Abanikanda off waivers from the New York Jets and added Ke’Shawn Vaughn to the practice squad. Vaughn was with the team during the preseason, so he was a practice squad callup while Abanikanda was inactive this week after just joining the team.
Guerendo played 31 of 45 snaps over the first eight drives, running 12 times while Taylor only ran once. After the injury, Taylor played most of the snaps, although Vaughn took three in the last four minutes with Brandon Allen at quarterback.
If Guerendo is fine, he can likely stay in fantasy starting lineups. If not, Taylor is the likely starter, but Abanikanda would be a complete wildcard. The 49ers have a short week, with a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. Taylor should be a priority waiver-wire pick, as he could be the clear starter a few days from now against a team that typically allows a lot of rushing production.
Monitor Travis Homer’s health: Homer suffered a head injury and didn’t return.
The Bears were already down their usual receiving back in Roschon Johnson, who was inactive due to a concussion. D’Andre Swift also wasn’t practicing at the start of the week due to a quadriceps injury. He was initially questionable but ended up playing.
Homer started the game in Johnson’s role as the receiving back. Homer had this role at times with the Seattle Seahawks and also had it with the Bears at the start of the season. Homer played his last snap late in the second quarter.
Swift played all 32 snaps in the second half in which Caleb Williams was also on the field. The Bears put in some backups at the very end of their blowout loss, which led to Darrynton Evans, who was a practice squad call-up, playing four snaps to close out the game.
The Bears have very tough matchups against the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions coming up. If both Johnson and Homer miss those games, it will be safer to start Swift because he would ideally have more of a role in the passing game. If either one is back, it would probably be better to leave Swift on the bench.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Deebo Samuel only ran the ball once in the last three weeks with Christian McCaffrey in the lineup. Without McCaffrey, Samuel ran the ball five times. It could be even more next week if Isaac Guerendo misses time.
- A tight end has reached over 120 receiving yards seven times this season. George Kittle has now done it twice with a 151-yard performance Sunday. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride have also done it twice, while Dallas Goedert had the best day for a tight end this season with 170 yards in Week 3.
- Bears backup wide receiver and return man DeAndre Carter suffered a hamstring injury early in the game and was eventually ruled out. He is typically the only other Bears wide receiver to play outside of the top three on the depth chart. Collin Johnson took his place as the primary backup this week.
- Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore was questionable for this game due to a quadriceps injury, but he was able to play his usual role in the offense.
Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
- Quentin Johnston: 5 receptions, 48 yards, 1 touchdown
- Joshua Palmer: 6 receptions, 78 yards
Isiah Pacheco starts for the Chiefs: Pacheco was the clear lead back after splitting time with Kareem Hunt last week.
Pacheco returned from injured reserve last week, but Hunt got the start. Both running backs had seven carries, but Pacheco became more involved as the game progressed.
This week, Pacheco started and ran the ball 14 times, compared to just three carries by Hunt. While Hunt still rotated in frequently, it was primarily on passing plays. Samaje Perine continued handling passing-down duties. In this role, Hunt is no longer a viable fantasy starter and can be released in most leagues.
The Chiefs face a challenging schedule for running backs over the next three weeks, with matchups against the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers. Pacheco can likely remain a fantasy starter during this stretch due to his consistent role in the run game and the Chiefs’ tendency to play with a favorable game script. However, it’s unlikely he will be a league winner.
Chargers consolidate backfield: Los Angeles used a two-man backfield with Kimani Vidal and Gus Edwards.
Last week, the Chargers used a three-man rotation, with Hassan Haskins frequently playing in clear passing situations. This week, the backfield was largely limited to Edwards and Vidal. Edwards continued to play more in clear running situations, as he has throughout his career. Vidal served as the primary backup on early downs and played in passing situations.
It will be difficult for Vidal to have fantasy value in this role, as the Chargers have not targeted running backs often this season. Vidal's only path to fantasy relevance is if he cuts into Edwards’ playing time, which has not happened so far.
The Chargers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos over the next two weeks — games that should be relatively competitive. Edwards can potentially be a fantasy starter in those matchups, depending on your other running back options. Vidal’s best chance for value will come in Week 17 against the New England Patriots, where both backs could ideally see double-digit carries.
Joshua Palmer steps up without Ladd McConkey: The Chargers' rookie wide receiver was inactive with knee and shoulder injuries.
McConkey was essentially the Chargers' only source of offense last week, recording nine receptions for 117 yards, while the rest of the team combined for just 33 receiving yards. With McConkey out, Palmer shifted from primarily playing outside receiver to the slot role, resulting in his best game of the season in both receptions and receiving yards.
While Quentin Johnston remained an outside receiver, the Chargers rotated players for the other outside spot. Jalen Reagor, Derius Davis and D.J. Chark Jr. all saw snaps on the Chargers' first offensive drive. Reagor was the clear favorite in the first half, playing 18 of a possible 28 snaps. However, he suffered a finger injury early in the third quarter and did not return, leaving Davis as the primary third receiver in the second half. No wide receiver outside of Palmer and Johnston finished with more than 10 receiving yards.
McConkey is expected back next week and should return to the slot role, which would push Palmer back outside and likely reduce his fantasy production. Palmer is an unrestricted free agent after the season, and his strong showing in the slot could boost his value in the coming months.
Monitor Will Dissly’s health: The Chargers' receiving tight end suffered a shoulder injury at the end of the first half.
Dissly played 24 of a possible 29 snaps in the first half, recording two catches for 19 yards. On the final play of the half, he slid down after making a catch and suffered a shoulder injury. As a result, Stone Smartt, who did not play at all in the first half, became the primary receiving tight end in the second half. He shined in his limited opportunities, catching three passes for 54 yards. This marked just the third time all season that a Chargers tight end finished with more than 50 receiving yards in a game.
Los Angeles has a favorable matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week. Whoever leads the tight end group for the Chargers in that game should be a top waiver wire option for fantasy managers needing a tight end in Week 15.
Miscellaneous Notes
- Mecole Hardman was placed on injured reserve on Saturday with a knee injury. Nikko Remigio signed to take his roster spot. Remigio didn’t play on offense but returned both kickoffs and punts.
- Chiefs backup tight end Noah Gray has caught four passes in each of his last four games.
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.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.