Box Score Breakdown: Week 11 Snaps, Routes, Personnel and Usage

One change to note this week before we get started: the final two columns in each team's stat table will show season-long numbers for aDOT (average depth of target) and YPRR (yards per route run) rather than TS (target share) and AYS (air-yard share). I find that the numbers for TS and AYS are less and less helpful as we get deeper into the year, because so many players have missed games (which drives down the numbers), not to mention the impact of teammate injuries or QB changes/

The advanced receiving stats page here on RotoWire displays target and air-yard shares that have been edited to only include the games each player participated in. Those numbers are more helpful than the unadjusted ones, but I still think they can be misleading in many cases in terms of what to expect moving forward. So, instead of showing TS and AYS in the tables below, I'm going to make more effort to discuss those numbers over carefully selected samples for certain teams (e.g. displaying Miami's receiving shares in Tua Tagovailoa's start, Cincinnati's in games Tee Higgins has played, Cleveland's with Jameis Winston, etc. etc.). 

If you object to the change, feel free to let me know in the comments below and I'll consider switching back to the old presentation next week. I'm always tinkering with the format here, trying to stay within the range of 9-10 stat columns while providing the most useful information at a quick glance.

The final five columns of each stat table (written in italics) show numbers for the entire season. Bold lettering denotes especially strong marks (for playing time, targets or air yards) relative to positional standards. Green lettering  for the weekly stats denotes considerable increases in playing time and/or usage relative to past weeks. Red lettering denotes the opposite — a decreased role relative to prior games.

If you're looking for target and air-yard shares that only include active games, you can find those updated every Tuesday on RotoWire's advanced receiving stats page. For the players that have missed games this year, we can still get a good picture of their usage/role from the stat tables below by looking at snaps/routes per game in combination with TPRR (targets per route run).

Commanders (18) at Eagles (26) 

Commanders Personnel: 11 - 59% / 12 - 16% / 21 - 21%

63 Plays — 40 DBs — 3.6 aDOT — 22-of-32 for 191 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 3 sacks, 5 scrambles

• RB Brian Robinson took 54% of snaps and 17 of 32 RB opportunities in his first game back from a hamstring injury, including a one-yard TD run (after Austin Ekeler had three one-yard TDs over the previous two games in Robinson's absence).
  • Jeremy McNichols still had a role, getting 16% of snaps and four touches, but both Ekeler and Robinson topped 50% snap share and got double-digit touches with the Commanders using dual-back sets on about 20 percent of their snaps.
  • McNichols took 40% of snaps in the final quarter. Through three quarters, Ekeler was at 71% snap share and Robinson at 66%, with the Commanders using two-RB sets on over one-third of their plays.
  • Ekeler had a modest 49% route share, running just five more routes than Robinson (34%), but Ekeler drew targets on nine of his 17 routes and thus matched his PPR totals from the game Robinson missed (Ekeler's three best fantasy scores of the season have come in the past three games, with 17.3, 18.1 and 17.6 PPR points).
• QB Jayden Daniels' aDOT dropped to 3.6, his lowest of the year and first time below 6.0 since Week 2. Seven of his 32 attempts were thrown behind the line of scrimmage, with another 18 coming within 10 yards of the line (just seven attempts traveled 10+ yards downfield, with three completions for 36 yards on those plays).
  • There's been some talk about Daniels' decline in production (and specifically rushing volume) being related to the rib injury he suffered Week 7. I'm not sure if it is — coach Dan Quinn says no — but either way, Daniels should be fine with a 10-day break between games now.
• TE Zach Ertz feasted on the final drive, with four catches for 22 yards and a TD on five targets, plus a two-point conversion. He had a 16-yard reception earlier in the fourth quarter, after just one target (a nine-yard catch) through the first 49 minutes of the game.
• WR Terry McLaurin played just 52% of snaps in the fourth quarter, after taking 87% through the first three quarters.
  • WR Noah Brown also got 87% snap share through three quarters, before dropping to 64% in the fourth quarter while Olamide Zaccheaus, Luke McCaffrey and Dyami Brown all picked up extra playing time.
    • McLaurin and Brown weren't benched at any point, they just subbed out far more often throughout the final frame.

Eagles Personnel: 11 - 57% / 12 - 40%

70 Plays — 34 DBs — 5.7 aDOT — 18-of-28 for 191 yards — 0 TD, 0 INT, 2 sacks, 4 scrambles

• RB Saquon Barkley had TD runs of 23 and 39 yards within a 30-second span of game clock in the fourth quarter, stretching Philly's lead from 12-10 to 26-10. He also had a 43-yard reception to set up a field goal in the third quarter, finishing with 135 total yards in the second half even though Kenneth Gainwell subbed in for a stretch of plays early in the fourth quarter and had runs of 14, 13 and 7 yards on consecutive snaps (Barkley then came back in and had a 3-yard run down to the half-yard line to set up a Jalen Hurts tush-push TD).
• Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert all played at least 86% of the snaps on offense, with No. 2 TE Grant Calcaterra and No. 3 WR Jahan Dotson essentially alternating as the fifth skill-position player. This has been Philadelphia's norm in games where each of their Big 4 weapons is healthy (three times this season so far).
  • Those four accounted for all but three of the 25 targets Thursday night. Here are  receiving shares in the three full games they've played together (Weeks 1, 10, 11):
    • Brown: 34% TS, 51% AYS 👀
    • Smith: 23% TS, 23% AYS
    • Goedert: 18% TS, 12% AYS
    • Barkley: 8% TS, 3% AYS
    • Others: 18% TS, 11% AYS

Stock ⬆️:   TE Zach Ertz

Stock ⬇️:   WR DeVonta Smith

  Eagles Injuries 🚑: DT Milton Williams (foot)         

Vikings (23) at Titans (13) 

Vikings Personnel: 11 - 51% / 12 - 25% / 21 - 25%

67 Plays — 37 DBs — 9.9 aDOT — 20-of-32 for 246 yards — 2 TDs, 0 INT, 2 sacks, 3 scrambles

• RB Aaron Jones took nine of 10 snaps in the first quarter but only 48% thereafter, with Cam Akers getting 43% snap share and 12 of the 26 RB opportunities after the opening quarter, including a three-yard TD reception.
  • Jones did have a 3:1 advantage over Akers for snaps inside the 5-yard line, with one of those plays being a carry from the 1-yard line on which Jones was stuffed.
• WR Jordan Addison missed the fourth quarter, but it reportedly was just due to cramping. He played 82% of snaps before the final quarter, tying Justin Jefferson for the team lead in targets (eight) and scoring a 47-yard touchdown.
• TE T.J. Hockenson still wasn't quite back to his pre-injury role, again sharing snaps with Josh Oliver, who curiously has been far more productive since Hockenson's return.
  • Oliver has four straight games with at least 30 yards, after accruing 42 yards total over the first six games of the season. He's unlikely to keep it up, but it does seem increasingly curious that Johnny Mundt ran more routes while Hockenson was out (especially given Oliver's much larger contract).
    • Oliver injured his ankle in the second half and never returned, potentially opening the door for Hockenson to get a big boost in snap/route share Week 12 at Chicago.

Titans Personnel: 11 - 45% / 12 - 42%

55 Plays — 39 DBs — 10.0 aDOT — 17-of-31 for 295 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 5 sacks, 3 scrambles

• RB Tyjae Spears entered concussion protocol early in the fourth quarter. Prior to his final touch with 14:56 remaining, Spears took 58% of snaps (compared to 51% for Tony Pollards and six of the 14 RB opportunities (with Pollard getting the other eight).
  • Pollard was the one who got banged up the previous game; he finished with only 53% snap share, but largely because Spears played a lot in garbage time and when Pollard was being examined by the medical team. In the Week 11 contest, Spears took more playing time from Pollard without extenuating circumstances... only to then suffer an injury that makes him less than 50/50 for Week 13, which could set Pollard up for a huge workload like the ones he handled throughout most of October (and the first week of November).
• WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine tied for the team lead in targets and scored a 98-yard TD, giving him five scores in the past six games. He's averaging 3.0 catches for 59.3 yards and 0.75 TDs on 4.8 targets in four games since becoming a full-time player (after the DeAndre Hopkins trade).
• WR Calvin Ridley continued his hot streak, at least in spirit. He had a 51-yard TD wiped out by an illegal formation penalty.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Stock ⬇️:   RB Aaron Jones

  Vikings Injuries 🚑: TE Josh Oliver (ankle), WR Jordan Addison (cramps)

  Titans Injuries 🚑: RB Tyjae Spears (concussion) 

Jaguars (6) at Lions (52) 

Jaguars Personnel: 11 - 45% / 12 - 51%

47 Plays — 31 DBs — 11.0 aDOT — 17-of-29 for 138 yards — 0 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack, 1 scramble

• WR Gabe Davis suffered a season-ending knee injury.
  • After his departure, Parker Washington took 11 of the final 12 snaps and Devin Duvernay got eight of 12.
• WR Brian Thomas was one of the few Jags to have a decent game, leading the team in targets, air yards and total yards despite having a 33-yard reception overturned on replay in the fourth quarter.
  • The volume outlook for Thomas in Weeks 13-18 is fantastic, but it might not matter much for fantasy if Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) doesn't return. Coach Doug Pederson said last week that he was optimistic about Lawrence coming back after the Week 12 bye, but Pederson's opinions probably don't matter much longer in Jacksonville.
• RB Travis Etienne played 78% of snaps and took 12 of the 13 RB opportunities before the fourth quarter.
  • He also got 64% of snaps in the fourth, with three of the four RB opps., while D'Ernest Johnson didn't play much even though Tank Bigsby (ankle) was inactive.
  • There's a decent chance Bigsby returns after the bye, eliminating any temporary enthusiasm about Etienne's lofty workload shares (not to mention all the other reasons for pessimism concerning the Jags).

Lions Personnel: 11 - 61% / 12 - 38%

76 Plays — 37 DBs — 8.4 aDOT — 27-of-33 for 449 yards — 4 TDs, 0 INT, 0 sacks, 4 scrambles

• The Lions had seven consecutive TD drives of at least 64 yards to start the game, and they didn't pull starters until Amon-Ra St. Brown's second score of the afternoon pushed the score to 49-6 early in the fourth quarter.
• LB Alex Anzalone suffered a broken forearm in the second quarter and probably won't return until the playoffs (out 6-8 weeks, per coach Dan Campbell).
• Snap shares before the final two drives: St. Brown - 100% / Brock Wright - 89% / Jameson Williams - 81% / Tim Patrick - 67% / Jahmyr Gibbs - 52% / David Montgomery - 49% / Shane Zylstra - 25%
  • Gibbs had 11 carries and one target, with Montgomery getting 15 carries and three targets. Gibbs scored a one-yard TD, while Monty hit paydirt from 2 and 6 yards out.
• Running up the score isn't going to trick anybody (intelligent) into voting for Jared Goff for MVP. Any argument one might apply to him is better applied to Josh Allen... and then there's the also-solid case for Lamar Jackson.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Brian Thomas & Parker Washington  /   WR Jameson Williams

Stock ⬇️:   RB D'Ernest Johnson

  Jaguars Injuries 🚑: WR Gabe Davis (knee - OFS), CB Tyson Campbell (arm), C Mitch Morse (eye)

  Lions Injuries 🚑: TE Shane Zylstra (neck), WR Allen Robinson (head), LB Alex Anzalone (arm) 

Raiders (19) at Dolphins (34) 

Raiders Personnel: 11 - 52% / 12 - 32% / 13 - 13%

62 Plays — 48 DBs — 3.7 aDOT — 30-of-43 for 282 yards — 2 TDs, 1 INT, 3 sacks, 2 scrambles

• The Raiders tried to make Zamir White happen again, giving him 83% of snaps and three of four RB opportunities in the first quarter. He gained just five yards on those three carries, then took two more carries for four yards in the second and third quarters while playing 43% of snaps, before missing the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.
  • Alexander Mattison came on strong in the middle of the game with six touches for 49 yards in Q2 and Q3 (50% snap share), but he then suffered an injury of his own early in the fourth quarter, which left Ameer Abdullah to take 88% of snaps and three targets during the final frame (including a receiving TD).
    • If Mattison and White both are unavailable Week 12 against Denver, we could see Abdullah handling his largest role in many years, or perhaps rookie Dylan Laube getting another shot (he lost a fumble on his first NFL touch in October and hasn't been seen since).
• TE Brock Bowers had 126 receiving yards and 16 targets on an afternoon when no other Raiders had more than 29 yards or six targets.
• TE Michael Mayer was back from the NFI list and in his usual in-line role, with 52% snap share, 39% route share and three targets.
• Receiving shares with Jakobi Meyers playing and no Davante Adams (W4-5, 8-9, 11)
  • Bowers: 28% TS, 23% AYS
  • Meyers: 27% TS, 35% AYS
  • Tucker: 15% TS, 25% AYS
  • Mattison: 8% TS, 0% AYS
  • Turner: 8% TS, 13% AYS
  • Abdullah: 7% TS, -1% AYS

Dolphins Personnel: 11 - 38% / 12 - 50% / 13 - 11%

64 Plays — 38 DBs — 5.6 aDOT — 28-of-36 for 288 yards — 3 TDs, 0 INT, 2 sacks, 0 scrambles

• RB De'Von Achane took 63% of snaps and 21 of the 30 RB opportunities.
  • RB Raheem Mostert briefly exited with a hip injury and finished with just three touches on 14% snap share, but all three carries came inside the 10-yard line (one apiece on three different drives). Achane, meanwhile, got two touches from inside the 5-yard line, including a two-yard TD run and short reception on which he was tackled at the 1.
• With FB Alec Ingold (calf) inactive for a second straight game, TE Jonnu Smith had season highs for snap share (81%) and route share (86%) for a second straight game, benefitting from the team using 11 and 12 personnel instead of the usual reliance on 21.
  • Smith took full advantage, putting up 6-101-2 on a team-high-tying eight targets.
• Jaylen Waddle's value seems to dip a little lower with each passing week. He drew three targets on 30 routes in this one, while Tyreek Hill broke out of a slump with 7-61-1 on eight targets.
  • The Dolphins remain overly reliant on short/quick passes, whereas in 2022 and 2023 they mixed a large quantity of those throws with a good number of deep shots and also some intermediate passes to Hill/Waddle. This season, it's been heavily slanted toward the quick stuff.

Stock ⬆️:   TE Brock Bowers  /   TE Jonnu Smith

Stock ⬇️:   WR Jaylen Waddle & RB Raheem Mostert

  Raiders Injuries 🚑: RB Alexander Mattison (ankle), RB Zamir White (quad), CB Jack Jones (back), CB Jakorian Bennett (shoulder)    

Colts (28) at Jets (27) 

Colts Personnel: 11 - 82% / 12 - 15%

67 Plays — 33 DBs — 9.0 aDOT — 20-of-30 for 272 yards — 1 TD, 0 INT, 2 sacks, 1 scramble

• This was QB Anthony Richardson's most encouraging game yet. He completed two-thirds of his passes for 9.1 YPA, with three total TDs (two rushing) and one turnover (a lost fumble).
  • Shane Steichen deserves some of the credit here, even though he's done a poor job this season overall. Giving Richardson more running opportunities helps both the run game and the passing game, not to mention building the young QB's confidence by playing to his strengths rather than accentuating his weaknesses. Maybe it'll also lead to an injury, but there's no point living in fear of that when using him like a regular QB wasn't working anyway.
• RB Jonathan Taylor got 90% of snaps and 26 of the 27 RB opportunities but managed just 7.0 PPR points, with 60 total yards and one catch.
• WR Adonai Mitchell dropped to 18% of snaps and five routes despite his impressive performance the week before when Michael Pittman was unable to play through his back injury. Pittman jumped back into a near-every-down role, leading the team in routes (91%) and targets (eight).
  • One of Mitchell's five routes was a 33-yard gain on a short crossing route. He would've scored if he'd just used his incredible speed to beat the defender to the corner, but he tried to cut back inside and was stopped just shy of the goal line.
• WR Josh Downs had a strong fantasy day but was targeted at a lower than usual rate — five times on 25 routes. That's fine. The biggest thing for his value is Richardson being competent.

Jets Personnel: 11 - 73% / 12 - 24%

51 Plays — 33 DBs — 4.2 aDOT — 22-of-29 for 184 yards — 2 TDs, 0 INT, 3 sacks, 1 scramble

• The miracle playoff run would now truly be a miracle. The current No. 7 seed (Denver) is three games ahead of the Jets and already beat them, and the No. 8 team (Indianapolis) is two games clear of the Jets with a tiebreaker.
• RB Breece Hall got 85% of snaps and 23 of the 25 RB opportunities, i.e., arguably his best game since Week 1 in terms of workload dominance, not to mention the massive production (121 total yards and two TDs).
• Receiving shares since the Davante Adams trade:
  • Adams: 29% TS, 32% AYS
  • Wilson: 26% TS, 43% AYS
  • Hall: 17% TS, -2% AYS
  • Conklin: 9% TS, 6% AYS
  • Ruckert: 5% TS, 1% AYS

Stock ⬆️:   QB Anthony Richardson & WR Josh Downs  /   RB Breece Hall

Stock ⬇️:   QB Aaron Rodgers

Packers (20) at Bears (19) 

Packers Personnel: 11 - 53% / 12 - 40%

43 Plays — 20 DBs — 7.5 aDOT — 13-of-17 for 261 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack, 2 scrambles

• RB Josh Jacobs took 79% of snaps and 23 of the 27 RB opportunities, finishing with 22 touches for 134 yards and a TD in a game that saw the Packers run just 43 plays (in other words, over half of their plays went to Jacobs).
  • Jacobs has 90+ total yards in six straight games, with five TDs in that stretch. 
• WR Christian Watson was far ahead of Dontayvion Wicks for snap/route share for a second time in the past three games, and this time Watson fully took advantage, with gains of 60, 48 and 25 yards.
  • Watson's per-route stats suddenly look excellent, with 150 yards on 14 routes Sunday bumping him up to 2.49 YPRR and 12.4 YPT for the season. The main point, though, is that he's put some distance between himself and Wicks the past month, after the two split snaps early in the season.

Bears Personnel: 11 - 82% / 12 - 10%

68 Plays — 39 DBs — 6.6 aDOT — 23-of-31 for 231 yards — 0 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks, 5 scrambles

• RB Roschon Johnson took more work away from D'Andre Swift in the first game since OC Shane Waldron was fired, with Swift dropping to 54% snap share, 38% route share and 16 of the 27 RB opportunities (59%) — all of which were his lowest shares for either the entire season or since September.
  • Swift saved his fantasy day with a 39-yard TD, but it was Johnson who got both carries inside the 5-yard line, including a one-yard score (the sequence: Swift carry from the 5-yard line for two yards, Johnson carry from the 3-yard line for two yards, Johnson carry from the 1-yard line for a TD).
• Apart from the RBs, playing time was extremely condensed at the skill positions, with nobody besides Kmet/Moore/Allen/Odunze topping 16% snap share or drawing a target.
  • Odunze led the team in targets, air yards and receiving yards, while Moore had the most receptions (seven) but fewest targets (also seven) among the WR trio, with three of his targets coming behind the line of scrimmage and four within 10 yards of the line.
  • WR alignments didn't change relative to the Waldron games. Allen still got the most (40% slot rate), with Odunze not far behind (30%) and Moore rarely venturing inside (11%). All three numbers are close to the season rates for each player.

Stock ⬆️:   RB Josh Jacobs & WR Christian Watson

Stock ⬇️:   RB D'Andre Swift  /   WR Dontayvion Wicks

  Packers Injuries 🚑: CB Jaire Alexander (knee)

  Bears Injuries 🚑: LG Ryan Bates (concussion)

Ravens (16) at Steelers (18) 

Ravens Personnel: 11 - 46% / 12 - 19% / 21 - 19%

54 Plays — 35 DBs — 9.6 aDOT — 16-of-33 for 207 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 sacks, 0 scrambles

• WR Diontae Johnson was still just the No. 4 receiver in terms of snaps/routes, and both of his targets came within the first 10 minutes of the game.
• TE Mark Andrews' snap/route shares plummeted with Isaiah Likely returning from a one-game absence due to a hamstring injury. The two TEs were both around 50% in terms of snap and route share, with Likely enjoying the better fantasy game but also losing a fumble (that handed Pittsburgh a field goal shortly before halftime). 
  • This isn't shocking, but Andrews has played well enough recently that you could make a strong argument for keeping him in his old/W10 role and reducing Likely's snaps/routes relative to what we've seen most of the year. OC Todd Monken doesn't agree.
• RB Derrick Henry took 61% of snaps and 13 of 19 RB opportunities before the fourth quarter, at which point Justice Hill took over with the Ravens playing from behind and relying on the passing game.

Steelers Personnel: 11 - 57% / 12 - 26%

74 Plays — 41 DBs — 5.7 aDOT — 23-of-36 for 205 yards — 0 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks, 1 scramble

• RB Jaylen Warren landed in the range of 11-16 touches for 59-95 yards for a fourth straight game. He's overcome a slow start to the season and looks like the 2022-23 version of himself, after battling hamstring and knee injuries earlier in the year.
  • RB Najee Harris has at least 21 touches and 53 yards in every game during that stretch, and the past five games have provided five of his top six PPR totals of the season.
• TE Darnell Washington got one more snap and two more targets than Pat Freiermuth, but Muth's route share (68%) was right in its normal range, identical to the previous week.
  • That is, however, back-to-back games in which Washington has taken more snaps, and he has seven targets to Freiermuth's five over the past two weeks. The lack of production from Freiermuth recently has been more about a low target rate with Russell Wilson than a lack of playing time, but it's still not a great sign for him that Washington's involvement is increasing.
• Receiving shares in Russell Wilson's four starts:
  • Pickens: 30% TS, 48% AYS
  • Austin: 14% TS, 18% AYS
  • Washington: 11% TS, 6% AYS
  • Warren: 11% TS, 2% AYS
  • Jefferson: 10% TS, 14% AYS
  • Harris: 9% TS, -2% AYS
  • Freiermuth: 9% TS, 4% AYS

Stock ⬆️:   TE Darnell Washington

Stock ⬇️:   TE Pat Freiermuth  /   TE Mark Andrews & WR Diontae Johnson

  Ravens Injuries 🚑: LB Roquan Smith (hamstring)    

  Steelers Injuries 🚑: CB Joey Porter (shin)

Browns (14) at Saints (35) 

Browns Personnel: 11 - 77% / 12 - 10%

70 Plays — 51 DBs — 11.1 aDOT — 30-of-47 for 395 yards — 2 TDs, 0 INT, 3 sacks, 1 scramble

• RB Nick Chubb got 11 of the 16 RB carries before Pierre Strong took two carries at the very end of the game, but Chubb played only 19% of snaps after the first quarter.
  • Chubb took 71% of snaps in the first quarter, getting five of his 11 touches in the opening frame.
  • Negative game script obviously played a big role, but the Browns turned to Jerome Ford and the passing game when they were only down by one score, with more than enough time to run. The offense has simply been extremely pass-heavy this year, and especially since Jameis Winston took over at QB.
• Jerry Jeudy had the splash play with an 89-yard TD in the first quarter, and he was one of four Browns to get at least eight targets.
  • Jeudy, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman and David Njoku each have at least six targets in four consecutive games. 
• Team receiving shares the past four games:
  • Tillman: 22% TS, 31% AYS
  • Njoku: 21% TS, 10% AYS
  • Jeudy: 20% TS, 29% AYS
  • Moore: 19% TS, 25% AYS
  • Akins: 7% TS, 6% AYS
  • RBs: 9% TS, -2% AYS

Saints Personnel: 11 - 7% / 12 - 36% / 21 - 12% / 22 - 12% / 13 - 19%

58 Plays — 31 DBs — 7.7 aDOT — 22-of-29 for 266 yards — 2 TDs, 1 INT, 1 sack, 1 scramble

• TE Taysom Hill had a truly unique stat line, with 10 targets, seven carries, 188 total yards, three TDs, an interception and a lost fumble. That will never be matched.
  • He drew targets on 10 of 18 routes and then carried the ball on seven of his 14 other snaps, including TD runs of 10 (Q1), 33 (Q4) and 75 yards (Q4).
  • Hill got eight of his targets in the first half, and then four of his carries in the fourth quarter. He was heavily involved throughout, just in different ways.
• RB Alvin Kamara got 74% of snaps and 20 of the 22 RB opportunities, barely losing any work to backup Jordan Mims (Hill is the de facto No. 2 back).
• WR Mason Tipton was a healthy scratch after taking 56% of snaps and 60% of routes the week before. Cedrick Wilson returned from a shoulder injury but didn't play much, with Kevin Austin instead stepping in as the No. 2 receiver opposite Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had his third TD and third gain of 40-plus yards in the past two weeks (while leading the team with 87% route share).
  • MVS struck from 71 yards out in the second quarter. He's thriving in Rashid Shaheed's role so far, but realistically, Valdes-Scantling is a far inferior version and unlikely to keep this up. There's a long track record, across multiple organizations, showing that he's not much more than a replacement level player, offering nothing besides pure speed. Kamara and Hill are still the only guys that really matter in this offense.

Stock ⬆️:   TE Taysom Hill  /   WR Jerry Jeudy

Stock ⬇️:   RB Nick Chubb

  Browns Injuries 🚑: CB Denzel Ward (chest), LT Dawand Jones (broken leg)   

  Saints Injuries 🚑: C Eric McCoy (groin) 

Rams (28) at Patriots (22) 

Rams Personnel: 11 - 63% / 12 - 37%

51 Plays — 27 DBs — 11.4 aDOT — 18-of-27 for 295 yards — 4 TDs, 0 INT, 0 sacks, 0 scrambles

• The Rams rotated their starters out more than usual, including RB Kyren Williams, who dropped to 80% snap share (still a very strong number) and 15 of the 21 RB opportunities (71%, not quite as strong).
  • WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua had massive receiving lines despite uncharacteristically being kept off the field for a bunch of pass plays, with Nacua missing out on four potential routes (22 of 27) and Kupp six (21 of 27).
  • Nacua has at least nine targets, seven catches and 98 yards in each of the three full games he's played this season.
• TE Colby Parkinson scored a TD, but Davis Allen ran three times as many routes, albeit without a target. Allen has played more snaps than Parkinson in three straight games.
• Receiving shares in Nacua's three full games (Weeks 8, 10-11):
  • Nacua: 31% TS, 39% AYS
  • Kupp: 24% TS, 25% AYS
  • Kyren: 12% TS, -3% AYS
  • Robinson: 11% TS, 20% AYS
  • TEs: 10% TS, 7% AYS

Patriots Personnel: 11 - 51% / 12 - 38%

73 Plays — 46 DBs — 5.6 aDOT — 30-of-40 for 282 yards — 2 TDs, 1 INT, 3 sacks, 3 scrambles

• WR Kendrick Bourne was unbenched after playing zero snaps the previous week. He caught each of his five targets for 70 yards and a TD, but he nonetheless shared playing time with Ja'Lynn Polk, thus finishing at 49% route share.
  • Kayshon Boutte, meanwhile, was an every-down player again, and DeMario Douglas occupied his usual role as an oft-targeted No. 3 receiver.
  • Boutte, Douglas and Bourne clearly are the team's three best receivers, but they want to keep developing Polk, who looks like a bust of a second-round pick so far.
  • K.J. Osborn was a healthy scratch, and Tyquan Thornton was waived Saturday.
• RB Rhamondre Stevenson topped 70% snap share for a fourth straight week, taking exactly 20 carries for the third time in that stretch (he had 10 carries, five catches and two TDs in the fourth game).
  • He's averaging just 3.8 YPC for the season after five straight games at 3.7 or lower, but the Patriots don't really seem to like Antonio Gibson (4.2) and know JaMycal Hasty (2.8 YPC) is a zero in the run game. They're also presumably aware that the O-line does Stevenson no favors, although he does look a step slower than in the past, IMO.
• Receiving shares in Drake Maye's five full games (Weeks 6-7, 9-11):
  • Henry: 21% TS, 23% AYS
  • Douglas: 20% TS, 16% AYS
  • Boutte: 14% TS, 33% AYS
  • Hooper: 10% TS, 8% AYS
  • Bourne: 9% TS, 11% AYS
  • Stevenson: 8% TS, -2% AYS
  • Polk: 5% TS, 9% AYS
  • Hasty: 5% TS, -1% AYS
  • Gibson: 4% TS, -1% AYS

Stock ⬆️:   TE Hunter Henry

Stock ⬇️:   RB Kyren Williams (kind of)

Falcons (6) at Broncos (38) 

Falcons Personnel: 11 - 79% / 12 - 20%

56 Plays — 35 DBs — 7.6 aDOT — 20-of-31 for 197 yards — 0 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks, 0 scrambles

• The Falcons pulled QB Kirk Cousins and other starters for the final two drives. Prior to that, snap shares were as follows: London - 98%, McCloud - 98%, Robinson - 91%, Pitts - 72%, Allgeier - 9%
  • RB Bijan Robinson was on track for a season high in snap share, while Tyler Allgeier got just four snaps, one target and no carries.
  • Jase McClellan got all of his snaps and touches on the final two drives. Allgeier was still the No. 2 RB, albeit in a much smaller role than usual. The Falcons didn't have any long drives after their first series, and they then went into comeback mode after falling way behind.
• WR Darnell Mooney suffered a hamstring injury and left in the third quarter. He was replaced by KhaDarel Hodge, who has also stepped in as the top backup for Drake London when needed this year.

Broncos Personnel: 11 - 55% / 12 - 12% / 13 - 10%

60 Plays — 35 DBs — 3.6 aDOT — 28-of-33 for 307 yards — 4 TDs, 0 INT, 1 sack, 1 scramble

• RB Javonte Williams returned to the lead role after tacking a backseat in the previous game to Audric Estime, whose increased Week 10 usage is now confirmed to have been a "hot hand" thing rather than a planned/strategic change.
  • BSB readers shouldn't have been surprised. I mentioned last week that Estime didn't play much in the first quarter, but then got most of the playing time after his first couple carries were successful. In Week 11, it was Williams who got the start again, and this time he found early success (while Estime struggled to find room upon entering the game).
  • Williams took 59% of snaps and 10 of 13 RB opportunities in the first half. He then got 55% of snaps but just two opportunities in the third quarter, and played just two snaps in the fourth.
    • Even in the second half, Estime got only 37% of snaps and seven of 14 RB opportunities, with two of those being carries deep in garbage time after both teams had pulled starters.
• QB Bo Nix has thrown for at least 215 yards in four straight games, with nine TDs against one INT during that stretch (which includes the blowout loss at Baltimore). He hasn't been running as much as he did earlier in the year but is more than making up for it with improved passing efficiency. 
  • WR Coutland Sutton has been a huge beneficiary, ripping off four consecutive outings with at least eight targets, six catches and 70 yards. Despite a miserable start to the year, he's on pace for his first 1,000-yard campaign since 2019.
    • The other WRs behind Sutton continue to rotate, with Devaughn Vele's role being the most consistent (four straight games with at least three targets and 25 snaps).
    • Vele is mostly still the slot guy in three-wide formations, but in Sunday's blowout win he also got all six snaps in 13 personnel (three TEs). And he plays in four-wide sets, which the Broncos use a few times per game due to their TEs being pretty much worthless in clear passing situations.

Stock ⬆️:   RB Javonte Williams

Stock ⬇️:   RB Audric Estime

  Falcons Injuries 🚑: WR Darnell Mooney (leg), CB Kevin King (head), DL Zach Harrison (knee)   

Seahawks (20) at 49ers (17) 

Seahawks Personnel: 11 - 76% / 12 - 17%

59 Plays — 38 DBs — 8.2 aDOT — 25-of-32 for 221 yards — 0 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks, 2 scrambles

• RB Kenneth Walker got 75% of snaps and 16 of the 22 RB opportunities, including back-to-back carries inside the 5-yard line (the second of which went for a one-yard TD), but the Seahawks oddly gave the ball to Zach Charbonnet on a crucial 4th-and-1 late in the game.
• TE AJ Barner got 85% of snaps and 83% of routes, handling a near-every-down role for the second straight game with Noah Fant (groin) inactive again.
  • Barner has 11 targets but only 42 yards in the two-game stretch, perhaps looking not quite ready for such a big role.
• WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba picked up where he left off before the bye, with a quartet of receptions on the game-winning drive pushing him to 10-110-0 on a team-high 11 targets.
  • WR DK Metcalf also had a solid game in his first week back from an MCL sprain, playing 90% of snaps and finishing second on the team in targets and receiving yards. Metcalf and JSN were the only Seahawks with more than four targets.

49ers Personnel: 11 - 47% / 12 - 0% / 21 - 32% / 6OL - 21%

57 Plays — 35 DBs — 5.8 aDOT — 21-of-28 for 159 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 sacks, 5 scrambles

• RB Christian McCaffrey ceded a couple carries to Jordan Mason early in the game but then took every remaining RB opportunity, finishing with 93% snap share and 23 touches, i.e., his usual, massive role for a second straight week.
  • McCaffrey's 19% target share over the past two weeks is third on the team, behind Jauan Jennings (36%) and Deebo Samuel (21%).
• TE Eric Saubert played 96% of routes in George Kittle's absence but was targeted on just one of 25 routes.
• Jennings led the team in targets, routes and receiving yards for a second time in two games since returning from his hip injury. He's been an every-down player and well ahead of Samuel in terms of target volume (not to mention rookie No. 3 receiver Ricky Pearsall).
  • Jennings is up to 30% TPRR and 3.00 YPRR for the season, making him one of the most productive receivers in the league on a per-route basis (and not just based on the one huge game against Los Angeles). He can be treated as a strong WR2 for fantasy, and WR1 value isn't out of the question for these final seven weeks.
• QB Brock Purdy is day to day with a sore throwing shoulder, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner.
• TE George Kittle (hamstring) is expected to practice Wednesday, putting him on track for a Week 12 return after missing Sunday's loss.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Jauan Jennings  /   Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Stock ⬇️:   WR Deebo Samuel

  Seahawks Injuries 🚑: RS Laviska Shenault (oblique)   

  49ers Injuries 🚑: DE Nick Bosa (hip), RS Jacob Cowing (head) 

Chiefs (21) at Bills (30) 

Chiefs Personnel: 11 - 33% / 12 - 46% / 13 - 10%

52 Plays — 35 DBs — 6.8 aDOT — 23-of-33 for 196 yards — 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 2 sacks, 0 scrambles

• RB Kareem Hunt had his first fantasy dud in the lead role, with zero targets on 13 routes and no touchdown. He still had strong workload shares, with 69% of snaps and 14 of the 20 RB opportunities.
  • The Chiefs reportedly are optimistic Isiah Pacheco (ankle) will return Week 12 against Carolina. It's unclear what kind of role, if any, Hunt will maintain.
• WR DeAndre Hopkins and TE Travis Kelce both suffered slight reductions in snap and route share relative to the previous few weeks, and they combined for just 37 yards on eight targets.
  • I would've expected the opposite, if anything, given that Buffalo is one of two teams (Pittsburgh) with a realistic chance to overtake KC for the No. 1 seed. JuJu Smith-Schuster's return from a hamstring injury may have been a factor in Hopkins taking fewer snaps. In Kelce's case, Noah Gray certainly benefited from the extra playing time, scoring a pair of TDs, but only after his first target was intercepted (there's not much reason to think it was a hot-hand thing given that Gray didn't catch a pass until midway through the second quarter).
• WR Xavier Worthy caught four passes for 61 yards and a TD on KC's third drive, then saw an incomplete target on the first play of the next series, and then wasn't targeted the rest of the game (despite tying Kelce for the team lead with 74% route share).

Bills Personnel: 11 - 66% / 12 - 3% / 22 - 10% / 13 - 11%

71 Plays — 45 DBs — 6.4 aDOT — 27-of-40 for 262 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 0 sacks, 5 scrambles

• WR Amari Cooper had catches of 30 and 25 yards within the first 20 minutes of the game, but he wasn't targeted thereafter and finished fourth among Buffalo's WRs for snap share (49%) and route share (55%).
  • Curtis Samuel, meanwhile, was second among the group in snaps, routes, targets and yards, trailing only Khalil Shakir. Samuel now has back-to-back games with at least 70% route share and six targets, after spending the first two months of the season as the fourth/fifth receiver.
    • Keon Coleman's absence due to a wrist injury means Samuel's uptick in playing time may be temporary, but it's also possible that improvement with Samuel's ever-lingering toe injury is a big part of why he's been playing more and producing more. Projecting the WR snaps/routes/targets for Buffalo will be difficult, although Shakir at least is locked in as a solid fantasy starter due to his consistently high target rate and strong results (28% TPRR 2.53 YPRR). Whether he's more of a WR2 or WR3 in PPR leagues remains to be seen; I'd guess WR3, but I'm also still optimistic about Cooper, who missed the previous two games with a wrist injury and may not be 100 percent even now that he's back.
• RB James Cook scored two TDs and caught five passes but took just 39% of snaps and 10 of 19 RB carries. 
  • Cook previously had played at least 47% of snaps in each game this year, including seven in a row in the range of 50-59% snap share and five in a row with double-digit carries.
  • Part of the explanation for the reduced workload shares is that hurry-up back Ty Johnson got three carries and a target on an 11-play drive at the end of the first half. Still, Cook's role was a bit less than usual even if we account for that.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Curtis Samuel

Stock ⬇️:   WR Amari Cooper

Bengals (27) at Chargers (34) 

Bengals Personnel: 11 - 67% / 12 - 21%

78 Plays — 55 DBs — 11.6 aDOT — 28-of-50 for 356 yards — 3 TDs, 0 INT, 3 sacks, 2 scrambles

• RB Chase Brown got 82% of snaps and all 29 RB opportunities, with Khalil Herbert taking just four snaps (all on pass plays) in his second game for the Bengals).
  • Brown is a strong RB1, locked in as a near-every-down player in a prolific offense with no sign so far of Herbert being a threat.
• WR Tee Higgins was a full-time player in his first game back from a quad injury, getting 47 routes and 13 targets en route to a 9-148-1 receiving line.
  • He's averaging a career-high 6.3 catches for 81.5 yards, with four TDs in six games. He'll get a huge deal this offseason even if he ends up missing half the games this year and the concerns about his hamstring/soft-tissue injuries remain significant.
• TE Mike Gesicki took 64% of snaps and 79% route share but was targeted on just two of his 42 routes and didn't catch either pass. His value has been entirely dependent on Higgins' availability, with Gesicki handling a 6% target share when Higgins plays and a 19% share when he doesn't.
• CB DJ Turner is expected to miss the rest of the season, awaiting diagnosis on what's likely a fractured clavicle. The Bengals already lost CB Dax Hill, also an early draft pick, to an ACL tear. They're left with Josh Newton and DJ Ivey as the perimeter-CB options opposite third-year starter Cam Taylor-Britt, who has allowed a league-high nine TDs and 620 yards (third most) into his coverage this season, per PFF.
• Receiving shares in games Higgins has played (W3-7, 11):
  • Higgins: 29% TS, 39% AYS
  • Chase: 25% TS, 32% AYS
  • Brown: 11% TS, 1% AYS
  • Moss: 9% TS, -1% AYS
  • Iosivas: 9% TS, 15% AYS
  • All: 7% TS, 1% AYS
  • Gesicki: 6% TS, 7% AYS