Fantasy Takeaways from Week 7 Usage

Arizona Cardinals

RB snap rates:

Eno Benjamin - 74%

Keaontay Ingram - 29%

Corey Clement - 2%

Route rates:

Eno Benjamin - 75%

Keaontay Ingram - 25%

Corey Clement - 0%

Rondale Moore - 94%

DeAndre Hopkins - 92%

Greg Dortch - 50%

Robbie Anderson - 22%

Zach Ertz - 89%

Trey McBride - 39%

Takeaways:

• Benjamin got RB1-level usage for the 2nd straight week – and this time delivered 113 yards and a score. We’ll see if James Conner (rib) is ready to return for Week 8 – and then if Benjamin has earned himself a bigger role alongside Conner.
• A 92% route rate, 48% target share and 10-103-0 line for Hopkins in his 2022 debut. He looks like a WR1 at least until Marquise Brown returns.
• Good news: Moore played in 2-WR sets. Bad news: He stayed on the outside when Arizona went 3-wide, with Dortch getting most of the slot snaps. Moore has posted 7-68 and 6-49 lines in 2 games primarily in the slot this season vs. 3-11 and 1-31 lines in 2 games primarily on the outside. The hope for Moore owners is that he kicks back inside once Anderson gets up to speed in the offense.
• Another elite route rate for Ertz. But he saw just 14% of Cardinals targets – down from 20% over the first 6 games of the season. Last year, Ertz registered a 22% target share without Hopkins vs. 15% with him. Consider him more of a low-end TE1 going forward.

Atlanta Falcons

RB snap rates:

Tyler Allgeier - 62%

Caleb Huntley - 23%

Avery Williams - 15%

Route rates:

Tyler Allgeier - 38%

Caleb Huntley - 19%

Avery Williams - 19%

Drake London - 90%

Olamide Zaccheaus - 67%

Damiere Byrd - 38%

Bryan Edwards - 10%

Kyle Pitts - 81%

Parker Hesse - 38%

MyCole Pruitt - 14%

Takeaways:

• The Falcons trailed Cincinnati 21-0 very early in the 2nd quarter but still ran on 64% of their snaps. They’re sitting on an absurd 61% run rate over the past 5 weeks.
• It’s impossible for London or Pitts to see good volume with that type of play-calling.

Baltimore Ravens

RB snap rates:

Gus Edwards - 36%

Justice Hill - 31%

Kenyan Drake - 27%

Route rates:

Justice Hill - 32%

Gus Edwards - 18%

Kenyan Drake - 14%

Devin Duvernay - 77%

Rashod Bateman - 73%

James Proche - 23%

Demarcus Robinson - 14%

Mark Andrews - 91%

Josh Oliver - 27%

Isaiah Likely - 23%

Nick Boyle - 9%

Takeaways:

• The Ravens went extremely run-heavy vs. the Browns, posting a 70% run rate (vs. 45% over their first 6 games).
• That play calling helped Edwards to a nice fantasy day. But his usage metrics were underwhelming. He handled just 36% of Baltimore carries and garnered 1 target (6% share). He’s the top Ravens RB at least until J.K. Dobbins returns, but consider Edwards a RB3.
• Bateman’s route run remained a bit lower than we’d like to see. But his 5 targets were a big 31% of the team total.
• Andrews will be just fine as long as the Ravens don’t continue this extreme run-heavy play calling.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills had a Week 7 bye.

Carolina Panthers

RB snap rates:

D’Onta Foreman - 54%

Chuba Hubbard - 46%

Raheem Blackshear - 10%

Route rates:

Chuba Hubbard - 46%

D’Onta Foreman - 42%

Raheem Blackshear - 13%

D.J. Moore - 100%

Terrace Marshall - 96%

Shi Smith - 50%

Laviska Shenault - 4%

Tommy Tremble - 71%

Ian Thomas - 38%

Giovanni Ricci - 13%

Takeaways:

• Hubbard missed the final 12 minutes of this game with what’s supposedly a minor ankle injury. Prior to that, he played 55% of Carolina’s offensive snaps and tallied 9 carries and 3 targets vs. Foreman’s 6 carries and 2 targets.
• Moore hogged 45% of Panthers targets in his 1st game without Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson this season.

Chicago Bears

RB snap rates:

David Montgomery - 56%

Khalil Herbert - 41%

Trestan Ebner - 11%

Route rates:

David Montgomery - 46%

Khalil Herbert - 36%

Trestan Ebner - 7%

Darnell Mooney - 86%

Equanimeous St. Brown - 75%

N’Keal Harry - 46%

Dante Pettis - 43%

Velus Jones - 14%

Cole Kmet - 82%

Trevon Wesco - 11%

Takeaways:

• This was a season-low snap count for Montgomery among his 5 healthy games – and a season-high for Herbert. We’ll see what the backfield looks like in Week 8, but don’t be surprised if this evolves into a near 50/50 committee.

Cincinnati Bengals

RB snap rates:

Joe Mixon - 72%

Samaje Perine - 29%

Route rates:

Joe Mixon - 53%

Samaje Perine - 32%

Ja’Marr Chase - 98%

Tee Higgins - 98%

Tyler Boyd - 89%

Trent Taylor - 11%

Mike Thomas - 4%

Hayden Hurst - 74%

Mitchell Wilcox - 21%

Takeaways:

• The Bengals have posted massive +21% and +23% Pass Rate Over Expected marks the past 2 weeks. For comparison, the Chiefs currently lead the league at +13%.

Cleveland Browns

RB snap rates:

Nick Chubb - 57%

Kareem Hunt - 47%

Route rates:

Kareem Hunt - 47%

Nick Chubb - 42%

Amari Cooper - 100%

Donovan Peoples-Jones - 92%

David Bell - 61%

Michael Woods - 16%

David Njoku - 55% (injured)

Harrison Bryant - 50%

Pharaoh Brown - 5%

Takeaways:

• Hunt has just 9 carries and 3 targets over the past 2 weeks. His snap and route rates haven’t declined, though, so this could be more blip than trend.
• Peoples-Jones has tallied 42 targets on an 18% share through 7 games. He could be a useful spot starter throughout the bye weeks.
• Njoku’s absence leaves behind an 18% target share – and gives Bryant a shot to be a fantasy factor.

Dallas Cowboys

RB snap rates:

Tony Pollard - 65%

Ezekiel Elliott - 49%

Route rates:

Tony Pollard - 55%

Ezekiel Elliott - 35%

CeeDee Lamb - 94%

Noah Brown - 87%

Michael Gallup - 77%

KaVontae Turpin - 10%

Jalen Tolbert - 3%

Dalton Schultz - 55%

Peyton Hendershot - 26%

Jake Ferguson - 19%

Takeaways:

• Pollard out-snapped Elliott for the 1st time this season. It’s worth noting that Elliott tweaked a knee late in the 1st half, which might have played a part in the playing-time shift. We’ll see what the backfield looks like in Week 8.
• WR target shares in QB Dak Prescott’s return:
  • Brown - 28%
  • Lamb - 24%
  • Gallup - 8%
• Schultz aggravated his right knee injury again in this game but was able to return.

Denver Broncos

RB snap rates:

Melvin Gordon - 51%

Latavius Murray - 39%

Mike Boone - 11% (injured)

Route rates:

Melvin Gordon - 56%

Latavius Murray - 32%

Mike Boone - 6% (injured)

Courtland Sutton - 92%

Jerry Jeudy - 90%

K.J. Hamler - 70%

Kendall Hinton - 8%

Montrell Washington - 4%

Greg Dulcich - 72%

Eric Saubert - 16%

Eric Tomlinson - 16%

Andrew Beck - 8%

Takeaways:

• Denver went back to Gordon as committee leader in this one. Boone landed on IR with an ankle injury on Monday. The Broncos added RB Marlon Mack, but this should largely be a 2-man committee with Gordon and Murray for at least the next 4 weeks.
• Dulcich followed an 81% route rate and 11% target share in his debut with a 72% route rate and 20% target share. He can score as a TE1 the rest of the way if Denver’s passing game gets on track.

Detroit Lions

RB snap rates:

Jamaal Williams - 44%

Craig Reynolds - 34%

Justin Jackson - 20%

Route rates:

Craig Reynolds - 36%

Jamaal Williams - 21%

Justin Jackson - 15%

Kalif Raymond - 91%

Josh Reynolds - 88%

Tom Kennedy - 61%

Amon-Ra St. Brown - 12% (injured)

Maurice Alexander - 9%

T.J. Hockenson - 88%

Brock Wright - 33%

James Mitchell - 6%

Takeaways:

• Williams continued to handle the majority of rushing work (60% carry share in this one) but lose passing-down work. Consider him a low-end RB2 if D’Andre Swift remains out.

Green Bay Packers

RB snap rates:

Aaron Jones - 74%

A.J. Dillon - 30%

Route rates:

Aaron Jones - 71%

A.J. Dillon - 27%

Romeo Doubs - 93%

Sammy Watkins - 56%

Allen Lazard - 54% (injured)

Samori Toure - 37%

Amari Rodgers - 32%

Robert Tonyan - 71%

Marcedes Lewis - 20%

Josiah Deguara - 10%

Tyler Davis - 7%

Takeaways:

• Jones controlled the backfield for the 2nd time in the past 3 games. These were season highs in snap and route rate.
• Tonyan underwhelmed in the box score, but the 71% route rate keeps him in the low-end fantasy starter discussion.

Houston Texans

RB snap rates:

Dameon Pierce - 52%

Rex Burkhead - 35%

Dare Ogunbowale - 12%

Route rates:

Rex Burkhead - 45%

Dameon Pierce - 29%

Dare Ogunbowale - 17%

Brandin Cooks - 88%

Chris Moore - 64%

Phillip Dorsett - 62%

Nico Collins - 43% (injured)

Jordan Akins - 55%

Brevin Jordan - 40%

O.J. Howard - 12%

Takeaways:

• All 8 of Ogunbowale’s snaps and all 8 of his opportunities came on a meaningless final drive. He remains off the fantasy radar and isn’t a concern for Pierce.
• That said, Pierce finished well behind Burkhead in routes. Targets were 6 to 4 in Burkhead’s favor.
• After drawing a 29% target share over the season’s first 2 games, Cooks has seen just 19% over the last 4.

Indianapolis Colts

RB snap rates:

Jonathan Taylor - 55%

Nyheim Hines - 38%

Deon Jackson - 8%

Route rates:

Jonathan Taylor - 46%

Nyheim Hines - 38%

Deon Jackson - 6%

Michael Pittman - 100%

Parris Campbell - 98%

Alec Pierce - 96%

Michael Strachan - 4%

Kylen Granson - 38%

Mo Alie-Cox - 31%

Jelani Woods - 29%

Takeaways:

• Taylor’s snap and route rates were down in his return vs. where they were over the first 4 weeks. That might have been gamescript-induced. Or perhaps the Colts wanted to limit him coming off the ankle injury. We’ll see what his usage looks like in Week 8.
• After averaging 3.0 targets on an 8.0% target share over the season’s first 5 games, Campbell has averaged 11.5 targets on a 23% share over the last 2. We’ll see what the move to QB Sam Ehlinger means for Colts target shares.
• This was a season-high route rate for Pierce.

Jacksonville Jaguars

RB snap rates:

Travis Etienne - 80%

James Robinson - 17%

JaMycal Hasty - 6%

Route rates:

Travis Etienne - 45%

James Robinson - 4%

JaMycal Hasty - 4%

Christian Kirk - 100%

Zay Jones - 100%

Marvin Jones - 68%

Tim Jones - 11%

Evan Engram - 74%

Dan Arnold - 13%

Chris Manhertz - 9%

Takeaways:

• The Robinson trade clears the runway for Etienne to join the RB1 ranks. The final missing ingredient is more pass routes. Etienne pass blocked 17 times in Week 7.

Kansas City Chiefs

RB snap rates:

Jerick McKinnon - 44%

Isiah Pacheco - 30%

Clyde Edwards-Helaire - 27%

Route rates:

Jerick McKinnon - 48%

Clyde Edwards-Helaire - 19%

Isiah Pacheco - 17%

Marquez Valdes-Scantling - 71%

JuJu Smith-Schuster - 64%

Mecole Hardman - 57%

Skyy Moore - 29%

Justin Watson - 21%

Marcus Kemp - 5%

Travis Kelce - 79%

Noah Gray - 29%

Jody Fortson - 24%

Takeaways:

• This remained a 3-RB committee, with a shift away from Edwards-Helaire and toward Pacheco. CEH posted a season-low snap rate, while Pacheco tallied a season-high.
• Smith-Schuster has had 2 straight big games, but he’s still seen just 13 targets (17% share) over that span.
• Hardman’s 3-TD outing came on just 6 touches, although this was his highest route rate since Week 3.

Las Vegas Raiders

RB snap rates:

Josh Jacobs - 80%

Ameer Abdullah - 13%

Zamir White - 9%

Route rates:

Josh Jacobs - 59%

Ameer Abdullah - 21%

Zamir White - 3%

Davante Adams - 100%

Mack Hollins - 97%

Hunter Renfrow - 72%

D.J. Turner - 7%

Foster Moreau - 69%

Jesper Horsted - 3%

Takeaways:

• Jacobs has carried or been targeted on 43% of Raiders offensive snaps over the past 3 games.
• Vegas swapped out Brandon Bolden for Abdullah in the change-of-pace role coming out of the bye.
• Renfrow has posted 73% and 72% route rates in 2 games back from injury. By comparison, he ran a route on 79% of pass plays last season.
• Moreau registered a 69% route rate and 18.5% target share with Darren Waller out. He’s looking like a fringy spot-start option for however long Waller is sidelined.

Los Angeles Chargers

RB snap rates:

Austin Ekeler - 77%

Sony Michel - 18%

Isaiah Spiller - 6%

Route rates:

Austin Ekeler - 73%

Sony Michel - 19%

Isaiah Spiller - 5%

DeAndre Carter - 93%

Mike Williams - 73% (injured)

Michael Bandy - 64%

Jason Moore - 29%

Keenan Allen - 24%

Gerald Everett - 56%

Tre McKitty - 25%

Richard Rodgers - 10%

Takeaways:

• This was easily a season-high snap rate for Ekeler. That may or may not have been because Joshua Kelley, who had emerged as the #2 RB, wasn’t available. He’ll miss at least the next 3 games after the Week 8 bye.
• Allen was obviously limited coming off the hamstring injury. He gets a Week 8 bye to hopefully get to 100%.
• With Williams likely to miss multiple weeks, it should be Allen, Josh Palmer and Carter as the Chargers’ top 3 WRs coming off the bye.
• Even with Donald Parham out, Everett’s routes were limited. That’ll be worth monitoring after the bye week.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams had a Week 7 bye.

Miami Dolphins

RB snap rates:

Raheem Mostert - 71%

Chase Edmonds - 29%

Route rates:

Raheem Mostert - 71%

Chase Edmonds - 26%

Tyreek Hill - 92%

Jaylen Waddle - 87%

Trent Sherfield - 68%

River Cracraft - 8%

Cedrick Wilson - 5%

Mike Gesicki - 68%

Durham Smythe - 21%

Hunter Long - 3%

Tanner Conner - 3%

Takeaways:

• Mostert has played 62% of Miami’s offensive snaps in 4 straight, averaging 15.8 carries and 3.3 targets per game over that stretch.
• Gesicki has run a route on 71% of pass plays and totaled 16 targets (14% share) over the last 3 weeks. He registered a 52% route rate and 7% target share over the first 4 games.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings had a Week 7 bye.

New England Patriots

RB snap rates:

Rhamondre Stevenson - 77%

Damien Harris - 17%

Pierre Strong - 6%

Route rates:

Rhamondre Stevenson - 69%

Damien Harris - 14%

Pierre Strong - 3%

Jakobi Meyers - 100%

Tyquan Thornton - 94%

DeVante Parker - 92%

Nelson Agholor - 8%

Hunter Henry - 78%

Jonnu Smith - 17%

Takeaways:

• I think game script was part of the reason Stevenson played so much more than Harris. But Stevenson also drew the start and is clearly the best fantasy play in New England’s backfield right now.
• Thornton was quiet in the box score, but he’s now gone from a 58% snap rate in his debut to 73% in Week 6 and then 94% in this one.

New Orleans Saints

RB snap rates:

Alvin Kamara - 72%

Mark Ingram - 28%

Dwayne Washington - 1%

Route rates:

Alvin Kamara - 55%

Mark Ingram - 25%

Dwayne Washington - 0%

Chris Olave - 94%

Marquez Callaway - 79%

Tre’Quan Smith - 64%

Kevin White - 25%

Rashid Shaheed - 15%

Juwan Johnson - 79%

Taysom Hill - 21%

Nick Vannett - 8%

J.P. Holtz - 8%

Takeaways:

• 17.0 carries and 7.8 targets per game for Kamara over his last 4.
• Olave has averaged 11.8 targets on a 30% target share over his last 4 full games.
• Johnson’s 2 TDs came on just 5 targets (10% share). But the 79% route rate keeps him in spot-start consideration for however long Adam Trautman is out.

New York Giants

RB snap rates:

Saquon Barkley - 80%

Matt Breida - 24%

Route rates:

Saquon Barkley - 49%

Matt Breida - 26%

Marcus Johnson - 98%

Wan’Dale Robinson - 81%

Darius Slayton - 70%

David Sills - 16%

Richie James - 14%

Chris Myarick - 37%

Daniel Bellinger - 33% (injured)

Tanner Hudson - 28%

Takeaways:

• An 81% route rate and 8 targets (27% share) in Robinson’s 2nd game back from injury. He’s in play as a WR3 in PPR leagues.

New York Jets

RB snap rates:

Michael Carter - 73%

Breece Hall - 20% (injured)

Ty Johnson - 17%

Route rates:

Michael Carter - 59%

Breece Hall - 15% (injured)

Ty Johnson - 6%

Garrett Wilson - 88%

Braxton Berrios - 65%

Jeff Smith - 50%

Denzel Mims - 44%

Corey Davis - 29% (injured)

Tyler Conklin - 76%

C.J. Uzomah - 47%

Takeaways:

• With Elijah Moore out and Davis leaving early, Wilson played 65% of his snaps on the outside in this one. He was outside for 39% of his snaps over the first 6 games. Wilson has averaged 1.71 yards per route run from the outside this season vs. 1.42 from the slot.
• Conklin bounced back with a 76% route rate after 35% and 59% marks the previous 2 games. But I still wouldn’t trust him in Week 8 fantasy lineups.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles had a Week 7 bye.

Pittsburgh Steelers

RB snap rates:

Najee Harris - 77%

Jaylen Warren - 23%

Route rates:

Najee Harris - 53%

Jaylen Warren - 21%

Diontae Johnson - 96%

George Pickens - 91%

Chase Claypool - 87%

Gunner Olszewski - 11%

Miles Boykin - 4%

Pat Freiermuth - 75%

Zach Gentry - 23%

Connor Heyward - 8%

Takeaways:

• Harris said 2 weeks ago that he was 100% recovered from that foot injury. In the 2 games since, he’s registered 69% and 77% snap rates and totaled 31 carries and 7 targets vs. Warren’s 4 carries and 2 targets.
• Freiermuth has seen 22.5% of Steelers targets in his 5 healthy games this season.

San Francisco 49ers

RB snap rates:

Jeff Wilson - 33%

Christian McCaffrey - 28%

Ty Davis-Price - 17%

Route rates:

Jeff Wilson - 27%

Christian McCaffrey - 22%

Ty Davis-Price - 20%

Brandon Aiyuk - 93%

Deebo Samuel - 82%

Jauan Jennings - 49%

Ray-Ray McCloud - 31%

Danny Gray - 13%

George Kittle - 84%

Ross Dwelley - 16%

Charlie Woerner - 5%

Takeaways:

• McCaffrey played 22 snaps in his 49ers debut. Expect that number to at least double in Week 8.
• Target shares over the past 5 weeks:
  • Samuel - 23.7%
  • Aiyuk - 22.0%
  • Kittle - 19.7%

Seattle Seahawks

RB snap rates:

Ken Walker - 73%

DeeJay Dallas - 27%

Route rates:

Ken Walker - 62%

DeeJay Dallas - 32%

Tyler Lockett - 84%

Marquise Goodwin - 68%

D’Wayne Eskridge - 41%

D.K. Metcalf - 38% (injured)

Dareke Young - 8%

Will Dissly - 59%

Noah Fant - 57%

Colby Parkinson - 22%

Takeaways:

• Walker’s rushing production has obviously been awesome the past 2 games. But what’s just as exciting is that his route rate climbed from 39% in Week 6 to 62% in this one. If that level of passing-game usage holds, Walker will be a top-10 fantasy RB the rest of the way.
• Goodwin is slated to assume most of Metcalf’s snaps, potentially putting him on the WR4 or flex radar in fantasy leagues of 12+ teams.
• Dissly, Fant and Parkinson have combined for 8.0 targets per game on a 26% target share. That volume should grow as long as Metcalf is out, although the fact that it’s a 3-way split keeps all 3 guys out of TE1 territory.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RB snap rates:

Leonard Fournette - 60%

Rachaad White - 43%

Route rates:

Leonard Fournette - 48%

Rachaad White - 38%

Chris Godwin - 92%

Mike Evans - 90%

Russell Gage - 65% (injured)

Scotty Miller - 15%

Breshad Perriman - 13%

Jaelon Darden - 6%

Cade Otton - 73%

Ko Kieft - 15%

Kyle Rudolph - 13%

Takeaways:

• Otton has registered 13.5% and 10.2% target shares in 2 games without TE Cameron Brate.

Tennessee Titans

RB snap rates:

Derrick Henry - 75%

Dontrell Hilliard - 29%

Hassan Haskins - 7%

Route rates:

Dontrell Hilliard - 48%

Derrick Henry - 43%

Hassan Haskins - 17%

Robert Woods - 87%

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine - 83%

Mason Kinsey - 39%

Cody Hollister - 30%

Austin Hooper - 74%

Chig Okonkwo - 35%

Geoff Swaim - 17%

Takeaways:

• Henry has averaged 4.0 targets on a 17% target share over the past 4 games.

Washington Commanders

RB snap rates:

Brian Robinson - 47%

Antonio Gibson - 39%

J.D. McKissic - 16%

Route rates:

Antonio Gibson - 36%

J.D. McKissic - 28%

Brian Robinson - 22%

Terry McLaurin - 97%

Curtis Samuel - 81%

Cam Sims - 78%

Dax Milne - 28%

Armani Rodgers - 47%

Cole Turner - 42%

John Bates - 14%

Takeaways:

• Robinson went 47% snaps and 22% routes in Week 6 to 47% snaps and 22% routes in this one. He’s handled 37 carries (56% share) and 2 targets (4%) over that span.
• McLaurin and Samuel saw matching 24% target shares in QB Taylor Heinicke’s first start of the season.