Hidden Stat Line: NFL Week 14 Recap

Hidden Stat Line: NFL Week 14 Recap

This article is part of our Hidden Stat Line series.

I can't remember a worse NFL week for injuries to fantasy-relevant players. Before we get to the usual stuff, let's scrape together a list of injuries that could impact our waiver/FAAB/lineup decisions:

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Week 14 Usage Highlights

Here's

I can't remember a worse NFL week for injuries to fantasy-relevant players. Before we get to the usual stuff, let's scrape together a list of injuries that could impact our waiver/FAAB/lineup decisions:

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Week 14 Usage Highlights

Here's a list of highlights to look out for in the game recaps below:

  1. Patrick Laird, Miami's new workhorse?
  2. Big workloads ahead for Isaiah Ford, Allen Hurns and Mike Gesicki?
  3. Aaron Jones makes his case, yet again, for a larger share of the workload.
  4. Minnesota manages Dalvin Cook...kind of.
  5. John Ross limited to a part-time role, despite Auden Tate's knee injury.
  6. Jordan Akins pushing Darren Fells aside.
  7. Raheem Mostert tightens his grip on the 49ers backfield.
  8. Josh Hill and Hayden Hurst enter the streaming conversation at TE.
  9. Mike Evans' injury opening the door for Breshad Perriman...or O.J. Howard...or Justin Watson...or Scott Miller.
  10. Remember Keelan Cole?
  11. Belichick finally benches Sony Michel.
  12. Pats rotating WRs behind Julian Edelman.
  13. DJ reenters the mix alongside Kenyan Drake.
  14. DK>Lockett? Plus, Josh Gordon pushes for the No. 3 spot.
  15. A drastic change in Los Angeles, with Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks getting their playing time slashed.
  16. Boston Scott ends the Miles-Sanders-as-a-workhorse era in Philadelphia.

Week 14 QB Leaders

(stats from NFL Next Gen Stats and ESPN)

 Pass AttemptsDeepest aDOTShallowest aDOTTotal QBR (opponent adjusted)
1Carson Wentz (50)Sam Darnold (11.2)Devlin Hodges (4.2)Drew Lock (98.7)
2Deshaun Watson (50)Josh Allen (10.5)Drew Brees (5.2)Drew Brees (94.1)
3Dak Prescott (49)Russell Wilson (10.4)Gardner Minshew (5.5)Jared Goff (90.3)
4Jameis Winston (45)Ryan Tannehill (10.4)Patrick Mahomes (5.6)Ryan Tannehill (85.6)
5Kyle Allen (41)Dak Prescott (10.4)Kyler Murray (5.8)Derek Carr (84.4)
6Drew Brees (40)Philip Rivers (10.2)Mitchell Trubisky (6.4)Philip Rivers (83.4)
7Patrick Mahomes (40)Jacoby Brissett (10.0)Lamar Jackson (6.5)Matt Ryan (81.4)
8David Blough (40)Dwayne Haskins (9.8)Carson Wentz (6.6)Mitchell Trubisky (80.6)
9Josh Allen (39)Eli Manning (9.7)Drew Lock (6.7)Jameis Winston (78.7)
10Andy Dalton (38)Matt Ryan (9.7)Jimmy Garoppolo (6.9)Jacoby Brissett (72.1)

2019 QB Leaders

(stats from NFL Next Gen Stats and ESPN)

 Pass Attempts per GameDeepest aDOTShallowest aDOTTotal QBR (opponent adjusted)
1Andy Dalton (41.3)Matthew Stafford (10.7)Teddy Bridgewater (6.2)Lamar Jackson (79.8)
2Tom Brady (40.2)Jameis Winston (10.2)Drew Brees (6.3)Patrick Mahomes (75.2)
3Matt Ryan (40.1)Russell Wilson (9.6)Derek Carr (6.5)Dak Prescott (72.4)
4Jameis Winston (39.4)Dak Prescott (9.5)Jimmy Garoppolo (6.7)Russell Wilson (70.8)
5Dak Prescott (38.2)Ryan Tannehill (9.2)Kyler Murray (6.9)Deshaun Watson (70.5)
6Jared Goff (37.2)Josh Allen (9.1)Marcus Mariota (7.4)Drew Brees (69.2)
7Carson Wentz (37.2)Ryan Fitzpatrick (9.1)Jacoby Brissett (7.6)Matthew Stafford (69.1)
8Kyle Allen (37.0)Philip Rivers (9.0)Tom Brady (7.6)Ryan Fitzpatrick (63.4)
9Matthew Stafford (36.4)Patrick Mahomes (8.9)Gardner Minshew (7.7)Carson Wentz (61.0)
10Philip Rivers (35.9)Deshaun Watson (8.8)Andy Dalton (7.7)Kirk Cousins (60.4)

Note: five-game minimum to qualify, excludes players on IR

Week 14 RB Leaders

(stats from RotoWire, PFF and airyards.com)

 Snap ShareTarget ShareRoutesAvoided Tackles
1Ezekiel Elliott (99%)Chris Thompson (30%)Ezekiel Elliott (42)Joe Mixon (7)
2Christian McCaffrey (99%)Christian McCaffrey (29%)Christian McCaffrey (41)Austin Ekeler (6)
3Saquon Barkley (94%)Aaron Jones (25%)Duke Johnson (34)Todd Gurley (6)
4Chris Carson (82%)DeAndre Washington (21%)Leonard Fournette (31)Devin Singletary (6)
5Patrick Laird (82%)Devin Singletary (21%)Chris Carson (30)David Montgomery (5)
6Devin Singletary (81%)Austin Ekeler (19%)Devin Singletary (30)Nick Chubb (5)
7Todd Gurley (80%)Melvin Gordon (19%)Todd Gurley (28)Boston Scott (4)
8Bilal Powell (79%)James White (19%)Alvin Kamara (27)Benny Snell Jr. (4)
9Leonard Fournette (77%)Tarik Cohen (19%)Patrick Laird (27)Patrick Laird (4)
10Alvin Kamara (76%)Duke Johnson (16%)Carlos Hyde (26)Five others (4)

2019 RB Leaders

(stats from RotoWire, PFF and airyards.com)

 Snap ShareTarget ShareRoutesPFF Elusive Rating
1Christian McCaffrey (95%)Christian McCaffrey (22%)Christian McCaffrey (444)Josh Jacobs (103.3)
2Leonard Fournette (88%)Alvin Kamara (21%)Leonard Fournette (420)Nick Chubb (87.2)
3Ezekiel Elliott (85%)Chris Thompson (19%)Ezekiel Elliott (390)Derrick Henry (86.4)
4Le'Veon Bell (76%)Austin Ekeler (18%)Le'Veon Bell (330)Chris Carson (84.4)
5Chris Carson (72%)Leonard Fournette (18%)Todd Gurley (292)Alvin Kamara (78.3)
6Nick Chubb (71%)Tarik Cohen (18%)Duke Johnson (292)Latavius Murray (73.8)
7Todd Gurley (69%)Le'Veon Bell (17%)Alvin Kamara (290)Austin Ekeler (73.6)
8Dalvin Cook (68%)James White (17%)Saquon Barkley (288)Raheem Mostert (73.0)
9Saquon Barkley (63%)Kareem Hunt (17%)Austin Ekeler (288)Devin Singletary (70.8)
10Derrick Henry (62%)Kenyan Drake (16%)James White (281)Damien Williams (66.6)

Note: Target share only includes games the player played in. Excludes players on IR. Minimum of five games played with current team to qualify. Elusive rating only includes qualified rushers (82+ carries).

Week 14 WR Leaders

(Stats from airyards.com and PFF)

 TargetsTarget ShareAir YardsRoutes
1Michael Thomas (15)Diontae Johnson (42%)DeAndre Hopkins (194)DeAndre Hopkins (60)
2DeAndre Hopkins (13)Michael Thomas (37%)Robby Anderson (189)Kenny Stills (57)
3Julian Edelman (12)Julian Edelman (32%)Emmanuel Sanders (138)Chris Godwin (52)
4Robby Anderson (11)Robby Anderson (31%)Stefon Diggs (138)J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (51)
5Michael Gallup (10)Christian Kirk (30%)Darius Slayton (127)Breshad Perriman (50)
6D.J. Chark Jr. (10)Stefon Diggs (30%)Michael Thomas (124)D.J. Moore (50)
7Emmanuel Sanders (9)Jarvis Landry (29%)Tyler Lockett (118)Curtis Samuel (48)
8Robert Woods (9)Robert Woods (28%)Curtis Samuel (117)Greg Ward (47)
9Zach Pascal (9)Darius Slayton (27%)Robert Foster (117)John Brown (46)
10Three others (9)A.J. Brown (26%)Edelman, A.J. Brown (115)Cole Beasley (46)

2019 WR Leaders

(Stats from airyards.com and PFF)

 TargetsTarget ShareAir YardsRoutes
1Michael Thomas (147)Michael Thomas (31%)Mike Evans (1,814)Chris Godwin (603)
2Julian Edelman (135)DeAndre Hopkins (30%)DeAndre Hopkins (1,444)D.J. Moore (558)
3DeAndre Hopkins (133)Davante Adams (28%)John Brown (1,438)Curtis Samuel (556)
4D.J. Moore (121)Julian Edelman (26%)Kenny Golladay (1,431)Tyler Boyd (548)
5Keenan Allen (119)Jarvis Landry (26%)Julio Jones (1,426)D.J. Chark Jr. (539)
6Tyler Boyd (119)Allen Robinson (25%)Curtis Samuel (1,386)Julian Edelman (534)
7Mike Evans (118)Keenan Allen (25%)Odell Beckham (1,358)Marvin Jones (528)
8Allen Robinson (116)Odell Beckham (25%)Julian Edelman (1,316)Calvin Ridley (527)
9Jarvis Landry (115)T.Y. Hilton (25%)D.J. Moore (1,313)DeAndre Hopkins (519)
10Cooper Kupp (114)D.J. Moore (24%)DeVante Parker (1,292)Kenny Golladay (517)

Note: target share and air-yard share only include games the player played in. Excludes players on IR. Minimum of five games played to qualify. 

Week 14 TE Leaders

(Stats from airyards.com and PFF)

 TargetsTarget ShareAir YardsRoutes
1Zach Ertz (13)Tyler Higbee (34%)Tyler Higbee (143)Zach Ertz (49)
2Tyler Higbee (11)Zach Ertz (26%)Ian Thomas (118)Ian Thomas (43)
3Ian Thomas (10)Ian Thomas (24%)Jordan Akins (118)Jordan Akins (42)
4Travis Kelce (9)Travis Kelce (22%)Zach Ertz (117)Travis Kelce (40)
5Jordan Akins (9)George Kittle (22%)Blake Jarwin (85)Mike Gesicki (38)
6George Kittle (8)Darren Waller (18%)Jimmy Graham (75)Jacob Hollister (37)
7Blake Jarwin (7)Jordan Akins (18%)O.J. Howard (70)O.J. Howard (37)
8Jason Witten (7)Jimmy Graham (18%)Mark Andrews (70)George Kittle (34)
9Waller, Goedert (6)Austin Hooper (18%)Hunter Henry (69)Jason Witten (32)
10Hooper, Doyle (6)Jack Doyle (17%)Jack Doyle (69)Darren Waller (32)

2019 TE Leaders

(Stats from airyards.com and PFF)

 TargetsTarget ShareAir YardsRoutes
1Zach Ertz (119)George Kittle (25%)Zach Ertz (1,002)Zach Ertz (474)
2Travis Kelce (109)Zach Ertz (24%)Travis Kelce (1,001)Travis Kelce (472)
3Darren Waller (93)Travis Kelce (23%)Mark Andrews (874)Mike Gesicki (443)
4Mark Andrews (82)Darren Waller (23%)Darren Waller (677)Greg Olsen (411)
5George Kittle (75)Mark Andrews (23%)Hunter Henry (658)Austin Hooper (394)
6Austin Hooper (73)Evan Engram (22%)Greg Olsen (633)Jason Witten (392)
7Jason Witten (71)Hunter Henry (20%)Mike Gesicki (591)Darren Waller (375)
8Greg Olsen (71)Austin Hooper (18%)Jared Cook (539)Vance McDonald (353)
9Evan Engram (68)Greg Olsen (16%)George Kittle (529)Noah Fant (335)
10Mike Gesicki (62)Noah Fant (15%)Austin Hooper (497)Rudolph, Howard (326)

Note: Target share and air-yard share only include games the player played in. Excludes players on IR. Minimum of five games played to qualify. 

I'm happy to discuss anything I missed in the comments below or on Twitter (@RotowireNFL_JD).

Cowboys 24 @ Bears 31

Cowboys

  • Dak Prescott completed a season-low 55.1% of his passes, with 6.8 YPA marking a third straight week at 7.2 or lower. He's had four games this season with a QBR below 60, including each of the past three weeks.
  • Prescott's past six games have yielded 17 carries for 60 yards and no touchdowns. His first seven appearances yielded a 24-163-3 rushing line.
  • Ezekiel Elliott played 99% of snaps, missing just one play with Tony Pollard (ankle) inactive. Fullback Jamize Olawale was the only other running back on the roster Thursday, finishing with one target on 15% of snaps.
  • Randall Cobb and Michael Gallup played 79% of snaps apiece, with Amari Cooper slightly behind at 78%. Each of the three scored the majority of his fantasy points on the final two drives, i.e., garbage time. Cooper had two catches for 28 yards and a touchdown to end the night with 6-83-1 receiving line; Cobb had a 35-yard catch and finished with 2-43-0 on five targets; Gallup caught three balls for 64 yards, finishing at 6-109-0 on 10 targets.
  • Jason Witten played 77% of snaps and caught five of seven targets for 37 yards. He has no fewer than four targets and no more than 58 yards in any game this year.
  • Blake Jarwin added six catches for 50 yards on 30% of snaps (seven targets). It was his smallest snap share since Week 4, while the targets, catches and yards all were season highs. He's played no more than 49% of snaps in any game this year.
  • Gallup had his 10th drop of the season, tying Julian Edelman for most in the NFL, per PFF. Gallup's drop rate (15.4%) is worst in the league among WRs with 40 or more targets.
  • The Dallas defense picked off a pass and recovered a fumble, ending a four-game streak without any turnovers. With just 14 takeaways on the season, Dallas is tied for fourth fewest in the league.
  • Brett Maher missed a 42-yard FGA in the second quarter, his 10th miss of the year.

Bears

  • Mitchell Trubisky matched or set season highs for QBR (80.6), passing touchdowns (three), carries (10) and rushing yards (63). His carries were comprised of five designed runs, four scrambles and one kneel-down, per PFF, giving him season highs for both scrambles and designed runs. Thursday's game accounted for 44% of his season rushing total.
  • The Bears earned 158 of Trubisky's 244 passing yards after the catch. Cordarrelle Patterson, J.P. Holtz, Tarik Cohen and Anthony Miller each contributed 26 or more YAC, per PFF.
  • David Montgomery played 64% of snaps, after 63% and 61% during the first two games of Chicago's ongoing winning streak. He finished with his third-most carries (20) and second-most rushing yards (86) of the season, but he also lost a fumble and finished without a catch on one target.
  • Montgomery saw nine targets over a two-game stretch Weeks 8-9 when his snap share went above 70%, but since that time he's drawn just nine targets in five games, catching five passes for 40 yards.
  • Cohen played 47% of snaps, taking three carries for seven yards and catching each of his six targets for 24 yards. It was his fifth consecutive game with four or more receptions, but he still hasn't reached 40 receiving yards since Week 1 or 75 total yards in any game this year. Last season, he had five games with 50-plus receiving yards and six with 75-plus total yards.
  • Allen Robinson drew a team-high eight targets on 97% of snaps, posting a 5-48-2 line. The touchdowns came from five and eight yards out, giving him five scores (t-1st) on 10 targets inside the 10-yard line  (t-3rd). His 35.7% share of team targets inside the 10 is third largest in the league, and his 28.3% share of red-zone targets also is third largest.
  • Miller lost his three-game streak with at least nine targets and six catches, but he did haul in three of four passes for 42 yards and a touchdown while logging 89% snap share. The TD was his first this year, and he's now averaging 6-78-0.25 on 9.3 targets the past four weeks.
  • The Bears got far more out of their tight ends than anyone reasonably could have expected, with J.P. Holtz catching each of his three targets for 56 yards on 52% of snaps, and Jesper Horsted going 4-for-4 for 36 yards on 47%.
  • Javon Wims replaced Taylor Gabriel (concussion) in three-wide formations again, but Riley Ridley had to take over after Wims suffered a knee sprain. Ridley caught his lone target for five yards, playing 40% of offensive snaps.

Dolphins 21 @ Jets 22

Dolphins

  • Patrick Laird got the start and handled 82% snap share, taking 15 carries for 38 yards and catching four of five targets for 38 yards. For what it's worth, 3.2 YPC is right in line with the 2019 Miami Dolphins team average of 3.3 YPC.
  • Myles Gaskin played 18% of snaps, while Zach Zenner and De'Lance Turner strictly played special teams.
  • DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson both suffered concussions in the first half, finishing with 25% and 24% of snaps, respectively.
  • Allen Hurns led the WRs with 79% of snaps, catching five of eight targets for 68 yards. It was actually his smallest snap share of the past five games, but also his best marks for catches, yards and targets in any game this year.
  • Isaiah Ford logged 76% of snaps and led the team in all major receiving categories: 6-92-0 on nine targets.
  • Mack Hollins played just 14% of snaps, with the Dolphins going TE-heavy after the early injuries. That's the second team this year to decide that using multiple tight ends on nearly every play is better than putting Hollins on the field.
  • Mike Gesicki played 69% of snaps, his smallest share since Week 10. He caught one of five targets for six yards, ending a five-game streak with either six or seven targets (and three or more receptions). He only does well when I'm convinced he won't... what a jerk.
  • Durham Smythe played 57% of snaps, and Clive Walford got 46%. They combined for one target.
  • Jason Sanders converted seven of eight field-goal attempts, with Miami unable to reach the end zone despite putting together five drives that spanned more than 50 yards.

Jets

  • Bilal Powell played 79% of snaps but injured his ankle late in the game. He finished with a 19-74-0 rushing line and 2-14-0 receiving line on three targets. It isn't clear if Powell or Le'Veon Bell (illness) will be ready for a Thursday game in Baltimore this week.
  • Ty Montgomery had a 9-31-0 rushing line and 3-30-0 receiving line on 32% of snaps.
  • Robby Anderson led the WRs with 93% of snaps, continuing his late-season surge with a 7-116-1 receiving line on 11 targets. He's caught 18 passes for 303 yards and two TDs on 26 targets the past three weeks, accounting for nearly half his 2019 fantasy production in that span.
  • Jamison Crowder's slump continued, with the slot man catching three of seven targets for 30 yards. Even Demaryius Thomas (2-28-1 on four targets) had a better day, though he played just 52% of snaps, with Vyncint Smith creeping up to 49%. Crowder played 79%, right in his usual range.
  • Ryan Griffin caught his lone target for an eight-yard gain, exiting with an ankle injury after playing three snaps.
  • Daniel Brown stepped in at tight end with 87% snap share, catching one of two targets for seven yards.

Redskins 15 @ Packers 20

Redskins

  • Dwayne Haskins completed 59.3% percent of his passes for 6.3 YPA... and both of those numbers represents a four-week high. He also took four sacks, pushing his sack rate to a league-worst 14%. He's taken three or more sacks in each of his five starts.
  • Derrius Guice took five carries for 42 yards on nine snaps (14%) before exiting early with a knee injury.
  • Adrian Peterson got the start and ultimately played 43% of snaps, with a 20-76-1 rushing line and no targets. He held an 8-to-5 advantage in carries at the time of Guice's knee injury in the second quarter.
  • Chris Thompson played 40% of snaps and caught seven of eight targets for 43 yards, with 26 of those yards coming on the final drive. (He had two targets and three carries on 36% snap share the previous week in his first game back from a toe injury.)
  • Terry McLaurin led the WRs with 94% snap share, catching four of seven targets for 57 yards and a highlight-reel touchdown late in the fourth quarter. He caught just one pass before the final drive of the game. Struggles with drops (seven) and poor QB play (see: Haskins, Dwayne) have derailed a promising rookie campaign, but F1 can still do stuff like this:
  • With Paul Richardson (hamstring) and Trey Quinn (concussion) both inactive, Kelvin Harmon and Steven Sims joined McLaurin to form an all-rookie wideout trio. Harmon caught one of four targets for 30 yards on 85% snap share, while Sims pulled in four of seven passes for 40 yards on 71% share.
  • Starting tight end Jeremy Sprinkle played 75% of snaps without drawing a target. He has 196 yards from 231 routes run, with 0.85 YRR placing 56th among 69 TEs with 10 or more targets, per PFF.

Packers

  • Aaron Rodgers threw a season-low 28 passes. He hasn't attempted more than 35 in a game since Week 6.
  • Aaron Jones was dominant on 58% snap share, with a 16-134-1 rushing line and 6-58-0 receiving line on seven targets.
  • Jamaal Williams had seven carries for 24 yards and one incomplete target, playing 42% of snaps (his usual range).
  • For the year, Williams is averaging 4.3 yards per carry and 5.4 per target, compared to 4.5 YPC and 7.2 YPT for Jones. The YPC numbers probably understate the disparity in effectiveness, as Jones has seen 12 of his runs cut off by the end zone. Among 44 qualified rushers, Jones ranks No. 11 in PFF's elusive rating (63.0), well ahead of Williams (52.7, 23rd).
  • Davante Adams saw six targets on 84% of snaps, ending a five-game streak with double-digit targets.
  • Geronimo Allison played 58% of snaps, with Allen Lazard getting 55%, Marquez Valdes-Scantling at 16% and Jake Kumerow at 11%. Lazard was the only one with multiple targets, hauling in two of three passes for 19 yards.
  • Jimmy Graham caught three of five targets for 49 yards — his busiest day since Week 8, though he played just 52% of snaps. He hasn't scored a TD since Week 7 and has just one game all season with more than five targets.

Lions 7 @ Vikings 20

Lions

  • David Blough finished with five sacks and two interceptions, completing 60% of his passes for 5.1 YPA and a garbage-time touchdown.
  • Bo Scarbrough led the backfield once again, taking 19 carries for 65 yards and catching one of three targets for five yards. He played 48% of snaps but reportedly hurt his ribs late in the game.
  • Ty Johnson played 30% of snaps to J.D. McKissic's 23%, but the latter had a 5-to-3 advantage in touches. For what it's worth — maybe not much — there's been some chatter about Kerryon Johnson (knee) returning from IR for Week 16 when he's eligible.
  • Kenny Golladay finished at 6-58-1 on eight targets, with 4-36-1 of that coming on the final two drives in garbage time.
  • Danny Amendola tied for the team lead with eight targets, one more than Marvin Jones.
  • Logan Thomas played 56% of snaps and drew four targets, with Jesse James logging 54% and seeing two passes. (T.J. Hockenson is on IR with an ankle injury.)

Vikings

  • The Vikings were semi-cautious with Dalvin Cook, who had an 18-62-1 rushing line and 2-13-0 receiving line on 47% of snaps, his second-lowest share of the season. He played 44% the previous week when he aggravated a chest injury, after playing at least 60% in each of Minnesota's first 11 games.
  • Alexander Mattison put up a 14-46-0 rushing line and 2-18-0 receiving line on 37% of snaps.
  • Stefon Diggs dropped to 74% of snaps, running a route on 26 of Kirk Cousins' 31 dropbacks, per PFF.
  • Irv Smith Jr. also ran 26 routes, followed by Bisi Johnson (22), Kyle Rudolph (19), Cook (12) and Mattison (11). The Vikings had 12 different players draw a target, with only Diggs (nine) and Smith (four) seeing more than three.
  • Johnson's nine-yard TD was his only target of the afternoon, though he played 71% of snaps.
  • No. 3 tight end Tyler Conklin played 48% of snaps, closing the gap on Smith (70%) and Rudolph (64%). Rudolph had played at least 75% in every game this year until Sunday, including 87% and 85% the past two weeks.

Bengals 19 @ Browns 27

Bengals

  • Andy Dalton attempted 38 passes, giving him 36 or more in each of 10 games this year.
  • Joe Mixon rumbled for 23-146-1 and 3-40-0 on four targets, but his snap share dipped to 59% with the Bengals playing from behind for much of the afternoon. His averages in five games since a Week 9 bye: 21 carries for 93.8 yards and 0.6 TDs, plus 2.0 catches for 24 yards on 2.8 targets, i.e., RB1 production... finally! But probably too late for most of his owners.
  • Giovani Bernard played 40% of snaps, with four carries, three targets and 46 total yards.
  • Tyler Boyd played 75% of snaps, his smallest share of the season and down from 83% and 100% the previous two weeks. He caught five of six targets for a team-high 75 receiving yards, reaching double-digit PPR points for a third straight week and ninth time in 13 games this year.
  • Alex Erickson led the team with seven targets, catching five for 45 yards while playing 80% of snaps. Auden Tate left early with a knee injury, catching one of four targets for 16 yards on 39% of snaps.
  • Despite Tate's injury, John Ross had a limited role in his first game back from IR, handling 51% snap share with two catches for 28 yards on three targets.
  • Tyler Eifert played 47% of snaps, his most since Week 8. He caught each of four targets for 49 yards, his second-best receiving total of the year.
  • The Bengals had a 451-333 advantage in total yards and a 2-to-1 advantage in takeaways, yet lost by eight points. How? They were just 3-of-12 on third downs, were called for eight penalties for 99 yards, settled for a quartet of field goals and had an 84-yard drive end on a turnover on downs. Early in the game, Mixon picked up a 15-yard penalty for a headbutt, which was followed by a Denzel Ward pick-six on the next snap (3rd-and-long). Later, Mixon had a long run called back on a holding penalty by Ross.

Browns

  • Nick Chubb played 70% of snaps, up from 57% and 59% the previous two weeks. His 15 carries were a season low, primarily because the Bengals dominated possession. Chubb saved his fantasy day with a 57-yard run early in the third quarter, but he was tired after the play and thus watched Kareem Hunt vulture the three-yard touchdown.
  • Hunt played 62% of snaps, landing between 54-to-67% for a fifth time in as many games. His nine carries were a season high, while his three targets tied a season low. Hunt has landed between 11.8 and 17.5 PPR points in each of his games with Cleveland.
  • Odell Beckham played 88% of snaps but caught just two of five targets for 39 yards.
  • Jarvis Landry led the team across the board with four catches for 76 yards on seven targets.
  • David Njoku returned from IR to catch one of three targets for four yards, playing 38% of snaps. He also was involved in a weird play that probably should've been ruled a catch but instead was called a fumble... then later changed to an interception.

Broncos 38 @ Texans 24

Broncos

  • Drew Lock threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns on 27 attempts, a big step forward from 134 yards and two TDs in his NFL debut the previous week. A 73.7 PFF grade tied for second best among Denver's offensive players.
  • Phillip Lindsay posted a 16-54-1 rushing line and 2-4-0 receiving line on two targets, playing 53% of snaps.
  • Royce Freeman played 46% of snaps, with an 8-24-0 rushing line and 2-8-1 receiving line. The 10 touches were his most since Week 8, which also was the last time he scored a touchdown. Even so, his workload from the first half of the season is a distant memory.
  • Courtland Sutton played 97% of snaps but was held to five catches for 34 yards on a team-high seven targets. Who could've guessed that the Broncos would score 38 points and pull off the upset without Sutton making much of an impact?
  • Noah Fant was the star with a 4-113-1 receiving line on four targets, but a foot injury knocked him out of the game after 29 snaps (49%).

Texans

  • Deshaun Watson had his second-worst completion percentage (56.0) and fourth-worst YPA mark (5.8) of the year, but he made up for it in fantasy terms with 50 pass attempts (for 292 yards, one TD, two INTs) and a 6-44-2 rushing line. Each of his three TDs occurred after the Broncos jumped out to a 38-3 lead.
  • Carlos Hyde played 51% of snaps, a surprisingly large share given the nature of the game. He took 14 carries for 73 yards and caught two of three targets for five yards. It was his largest snap share and largest carry/touch totals in any Houston loss this year.
  • Duke Johnson got 52% of snaps, with one carry for five yards and six catches for 40 yards on eight targets. It was a big step back from his season-high 67% snap share and 90 scrimmage yards the previous week in a win over New England.
  • DeAndre Hopkins played every snap on offense, catching seven of 13 targets for 120 yards and a TD. Most of the production came in garbage time, but he did catch three of four passes for 30 yards in the first quarter. He has no fewer than eight targets or five catches in any game this year, and he's now at four straight weeks averaging at least 11.4 yards per catch. He's up to 11.0 yards per catch for the year, after sitting at 9.8 through nine games. Hopkins has drawn nine targets 20-plus yards downfield over the past four weeks, catching three of them for 109 yards and Sunday's touchdown. The half-season with no big plays will probably end up looking like a small blip in the scheme of his career.
  • With Will Fuller (hamstring) inactive, Kenny Stills played 96% of snaps and caught both of his targets for eight yards. That's been a consistent theme for Stills when Fuller has been inactive this year... lots of playing time but not many targets.
  • Keke Coutee rejoined the offense with 71% of snaps and five catches for 68 yards on eight targets, but his biggest impact was a lost fumble that Denver returned for a touchdown in the first quarter. Coutee's second pro campaign has been brutal... drops, benchings and now a crucial fumble.
  • Darren Fells dropped down to 56% of snaps, his smallest share since Week 1. Jordan Akins went up a tiny bit to 64%, after 56%, 47% and 58% the previous three weeks, but the lost snaps for Fells were more a matter of Houston using its tight ends less. Jordan Thomas played just 7% of snaps — he's been back for three weeks now and still doesn't have a meaningful role.
  • Akins caught four passes for 49 yards on a career-high nine targets. He saw just 10 targets over the previous four games combined. However, he was fourth on the team with 42 routes in Sunday's loss, far ahead of Fells (21), per PFF.

49ers 48 @ Saints 46

49ers

  • Jimmy Garoppolo completed 74.3% of his passes for 10.0 yards per attempt, giving him four straight weeks with at least 70% completions and 7.9 YPA.
  • Raheem Mostert played 60% of snaps, well ahead of both Matt Breida (18%) and Tevin Coleman (16%).
  • Mostert made the most of his lead role with a 10-69-1 rushing line and 2-40-1 receiving line, with the TD catch coming on a throw from Emmanuel Sanders.
  • Breida also looked sharp with six carries for 54 yards and one catch for four yards, while Coleman took three carries for six yards and didn't see a target. Averaging 3.7 YPC in a backfield that's otherwise been highly productive, Coleman doesn't have much of a case to continue getting carries. I won't be shocked if he's a healthy scratch or at least a non-factor come January (or possibly even sooner). Meanwhile, Mostert can be treated as an RB2.
  • Sanders played 94% of snaps and enjoyed arguably his best game since the Peyton Manning era in Denver, hauling in seven of nine targets for 157 yards and a touchdown, plus the 35-yard TD pass to Mostert.
  • Deebo Samuel also had a nice game, catching five of eight targets for 76 yards and taking two carries for 33 yards, playing 79% of snaps.
  • With Sanders back at full strength the past two weeks, he's drawn a team-high 15 targets, followed by Samuel (12) and George Kittle (12).
  • Kendrick Bourne played 57% of snaps and caught three of four targets for 18 yards and two touchdowns. He's scored five times in the past six weeks, solidifying his role as the No. 3 receiver. Of course, he's seen just nine targets over the past three games with both Samuel and Sanders healthy.
  • Kittle played 93% of snaps, down from 100% the previous week, but he bounced back on the stat sheet with 6-67-1 on eight targets. He also made the deciding play in the final minute, with a 39-yard gain that got another 15 yards tacked on with a facemask penalty.

Saints

  • Alvin Kamara played 76% of snaps but didn't have much impact on the game apart from a lost fumble. He finished with 13 carries for 25 yards and four catches for 18 yards on six targets, marking eight straight games with no touchdown and no more than 123 total yards. Kamara's six targets in Sunday's loss were his fewest in any game Drew Brees has started and finished this year.
  • Latavius Murray took seven carries for 69 yards and caught two of three targets for 25 yards, easily out-gaining Kamara despite playing 33% of snaps.
  • Michael Thomas got back on track after his one down week, recovering from a slow start with a blow-up fourth quarter. He had three catches for 76 yards and a TD on a single drive.
  • Tre'Quan Smith played 78% of snaps and caught the go-ahead touchdown, but he saw just four targets among Brees' 40 pass attempts. The four targets were actually a season high, even though he's played at least 61% of snaps in each of five games since he returned from an ankle injury.
  • Ted Ginn played 58% of snaps and brought in four of six targets for 50 yards. He's averaging 3.8 targets the past five games, compared to 2.4 for Smith.
  • Jared Cook finished with a 2-64-2 receiving line on eight snaps, suffering a concussion in the process of making his second TD catch (which didn't really look like a catch).
  • Josh Hill ended up playing 86% of snaps, catching two of three targets for four yards and a touchdown of his own. Hill saw eight targets in two games when Cook was out with an ankle injury earlier this year, playing 67% and 74% of snaps. Hill did share work with Dan Arnold, who has since been waived by the Saints and claimed by the Cardinals. It's thus possible that Hill handles an every-down role if Cook misses time beyond Week 14.

Ravens 24 @ Bills 17

Ravens

  • Lamar Jackson had his worst rushing total (40 yards) since Week 1 and his worst QBR (53.1) since Week 5. His interception hit Willie Snead's hand before a defender caught it, but the pass was thrown far behind the receiver, so the pick was at least partially Jackson's fault. There was also another play where Hayden Hurst made a one-handed catch on an ugly short pass to save Jackson from a potential INT.
  • Mark Ingram played 55% of snaps, the same as the previous week. He took 15 carries for 50 yards and caught each of his three targets for 29 yards. He's caught 92% of his targets (23 of 25) for 8.0 YPT, offering unexpected efficiency as a receiving weapon.
  • Gus Edwards played 33% of snaps but only took four carries for 20 yards. The Ravens have become more comfortable using him on passing downs, though it mostly seems to be for blocking, as he's drawn just five targets all year.
  • Marquise Brown played 72% of snaps, up from 57%, 62% and 54% the previous three games. He was shut down on three targets, catching all three passes but for a loss of two yards. Brown had just one yard on two targets the previous week.
  • Mark Andrews was forced out of the game in the first quarter with a quad/thigh injury, but it didn't lead to much extra playing time for Hayden Hurst (47%) or Nick Boyle (90%). Hurst played 35% the previous week, while Boyle played 92%. Hurst did take advantage in terms of production, finishing with a 3-73-1 receiving line that included a 61-yard TD and the aforementioned one-handed catch.
  • Brown led the Ravens with 21 routes on Jackson's 26 dropbacks, followed by Boyle (18), Willie Snead (16), Hurst (16), Seth Roberts (13) and Ingram (10), per PFF. You could make a case for either Boyle or Hurst as the TE streaming choice if Andrews isn't ready for Thursday's game against the Jets. Boyle will be on the field more often, but Hurst is much faster and could get the work on passing downs.

Bills

  • Josh Allen lost a five-game streak with a QBR of 52.6 or better, finishing Sunday at just 14.8. His 43.6 completion percentage was a season low, and the same goes for his mark of 3.7 YPA. Furthermore, he took a season-high seven sacks.
  • Devin Singletary played a season-high 81% of snaps, taking 17 carries for 89 yards and catching six of eight targets for 29 yards. That gives him four straight weeks with 16 or more touches on 70% or more of snaps.
  • Singletary was even better than his stat line suggests, producing solid numbers while the rest of the Buffalo offense looked overwhelmed. He led the comeback charge in the fourth quarter, with a 38-yard run setting up a touchdown and a 13-yard reception on the final drive. When the Bills were able to move the ball, it was either Singletary or penalties on the Ravens that were responsible.
  • Cole Beasley played a season-high 97% of snaps, his fourth straight game above 80%. He caught four of seven targets for 29 yards and a touchdown, with a drop along the way. Beasley's past four games have seen him average 5.0 catches for 63.3 yards and 0.75 TDs on 6.8 targets. The touchdown frequency isn't sustainable, but he's at least in WR3 range for PPR formats. Beasley is on pace for 73-817-7.
  • John Brown also played 97% of snaps, but he was held under 50 yards for a third straight week, after 10 straight games with 50-plus to start the season. He finished Sunday with three catches for 26 yards on eight targets, good for a season-low 5.6 PPR points.
  • No. 3 receiver Isaiah McKenzie played 72% of snaps, far ahead of Robert Foster (25%). McKenzie caught three of five targets for 25 yards, while Foster finished without a catch on four targets.
  • Dawson Knox played 73% of snaps and caught one of four targets for a 37-yard gain. The lone reception was a spectacular play to spark a comeback effort, but Knox committed his eighth drop of the year earlier in the game. His 23.5% drop rate is easily worst in the league among players with 40 or more targets, with only three other players — Jarius Wright (17.2), Deebo Samuel (16.1) and Michael Gallup (15.4) — even above 14%, per PFF.

Panthers 20 @ Falcons 40

Panthers

  • Kyle Allen added five sacks, two interceptions and a lost fumble to his game log of misery. He's up to 12 fumbles and a league-high 385 sack yards on the year, with the second-worst QBR (37.0) among qualified passers. (Mason Rudolph has the worst - 32.8).
  • Christian McCaffrey played 99% of snaps, adding 26 yards to his total on the final drive deep into garbage time. It's a useful bonus for fantasy owners that the Panthers leave him in games even after the outcome has been decided. I guess his stats are the only thing they have to be proud of this year...
  • D.J. Moore also played 99% of snaps but saw his fewest targets (six) since Week 4. He did catch four of them for 81 yards and took one carry for no gain.
  • Curtis Samuel played 92% of snaps, with two catches for 25 yards on four targets and three carries for 17 yards. He still isn't doing much as a pass catcher, but the Panthers have given him seven carries (for 57 yards) the past three weeks.
  • Ian Thomas replaced Greg Olsen (concussion) with 86% of snaps, posting a 5-57-1 receiving line on 10 targets.

Falcons

  • Devonta Freeman played 67% of snaps, essentially the same as the previous week (66%). He had a 17-84-1 rushing line and 4-10-0 receiving line on four targets.
  • Brian Hill made the most of 19% snap share, with a 9-62-1 rushing line and no targets.
  • Qadree Ollison took four carries for six yards, with all his opportunities coming in the final 20 minutes of the game.
  • Calvin Ridley left the game with an abdominal injury, but not before he caught each of his five targets for 76 yards and a TD. It looks like he'll finish his season with a 63-866-7 line in 13 games, which equates to 78-1,066-9 over a 16-game campaign. Look for a bigger breakout next year.
  • Julio Jones played 81% of snaps, catching five of eight targets for 66 yards. He still hasn't scored since Week 3 and has just two games with triple-digit yardage since that time.
  • Austin Hooper was eased back into action with a season-low 65% of snaps, catching two of six targets for 32 yards. Of course, he's now the clear No. 2 option in the passing game with Ridley likely out for the rest of the year.
  • Russell Gage played 51% of snaps, down from 68% and 73% the previous two weeks. He caught two of four targets for 17 yards, a huge drop off from 5-52-1 and 8-76-0 in the last two games.
  • Olamide Zaccheaus stole the show with his 93-yard touchdown, but he didn't do anything else, finishing with just the one catch and two targets on 31% of snaps.
  • Christian Blake and Justin Hardy played 17% of snaps apiece. It isn't quite clear how the Falcons will divide Ridley's snaps between Blake/Zaccheaus/Hardy over the final three weeks of the year. Gage appears safe in the slot, where he line up on 29 of his 35 plays in Sunday's win, per PFF.

Colts 35 @ Buccaneers 38

Colts

  • Marlon Mack played just 41% of snaps in his first game back from a hand injury, with a 13-38-1 rushing line and no targets.
  • Nyheim Hines handled 56% of snaps, with four carries for one yard and four catches for 24 yards on five targets.
  • Jordan Wilkins played 14% of snaps and had one carry for one yard, while Jonathan Williams strictly played special teams.
  • Zach Pascal played every snap on offense and produced a 5-74-1 receiving line on nine targets. He now has seven consecutive games playing at least 88% of snaps, averaging 3.1 catches for 44 yards and 0.29 TDs on 5.9 targets in that stretch. He's basically had three big games and four total no-shows.
  • Marcus Johnson played 89% of snaps and caught three of seven targets for 105 yards and a TD, but he also had two drops (per PFF). He's played at least 63% of snaps in each of his five games with the Colts, averaging 2.4 catches for 41.4 yards and 0.4 TDs on 4.2 targets.
  • Parris Campbell took 49% of snaps and drew five targets, but he fractured his foot and was placed on IR after the game.
  • Undrafted rookie Ashton Dulin stepped in with 22% of snaps, finishing without a target. Chad Williams got 10% of snaps and one target.
  • Jack Doyle caught two of six targets for 27 yards on 78% snap share. He handled season-high 94% snap share the previous week in Indy's first game without Eric Ebron, exploding for 6-73-1 on 11 targets.
  • Doyle did run a route on 30 of Jacoby Brissett's 40 dropbacks Sunday, per PFF. Doyle has run 0.83 routes per dropback the past two weeks, compared to 0.57 routes/DB over the first 11 games of the season (when Ebron was playing). I'll treat Doyle as a low-end TE1.

Buccaneers

  • Peyton Barber played 38% of snaps, followed closely by Ronald Jones (35%) and Dare Ogunbowale (29%). Jones had an 11-36-0 rushing line and 4-23-0 receiving line on five targets, with Barber putting up an 11-34-0 rushing line and 2-19-0 on two targets.
  • Ogunbowale's season highs for catches (five) and receiving yards (48) were overshadowed by a lost fumble.
  • Mike Evans injured his hamstring on a 61-yard TD catch in the first quarter.
  • Breshad Perriman stepped up with season-high 83% snap share, catching three of five targets for 70 yards and a touchdown. He had 5-87-0 on six targets the previous week, so feel free to give him a shot in deep fantasy leagues if you hate yourself and want to suffer.
  • Chris Godwin played 95% of snaps and caught seven of nine targets for 91 yards. It's hard to fathom a fourth straight game with single-digit targets, considering Evans left early and the Bucs threw the ball 49 times.
  • O.J. Howard played 87% of snaps, after 83% and 78% the past two weeks. He caught four of five targets for 73 yards, giving him nine catches for 134 yards on 11 targets over the past two weeks. He's back in the fantasy mix, even though a benching could come at any time 🙄.
  • Cameron Brate posted a 4-30-1 line on 31% of snaps. He played 36% and 33% of snaps the previous two weeks, following the 14-target, 75% snap share performance Week 11 vs. New Orleans.
  • Justin Watson played a season-high 55% of snaps, with 5-59-1 on eight targets. (Scott Miller was inactive with a hamstring injury, but he'd been working ahead of Watson before the past couple weeks).

Chargers 45 @ Jaguars 10

Chargers

  • Melvin Gordon dropped to 46% of snaps, tied for his smallest share of the season, mostly because the Chargers used Austin Ekeler and then Justin Jackson at the end of the blowout win. Gordon finished with 12-55-1 on the ground and five catches for 29 yards, securing a sixth straight game with double-digit PPR points and a fifth straight game with 17 or more touches.
  • Ekeler went wild on 49% of snaps, with an 8-101-0 rushing line and 4-112-1 receiving line on five targets. The pathetic Jacksonville defense essentially handed him an 84-yard receiving TD to ice the game early in the second half.
  • Keenan Allen hauled in five of six targets for 83 yards, leading the team in targets in a game that saw just 27 pass attempts for the Chargers.
  • Mike Williams finally found the end zone, needing just three targets to get there. He wins at least one jump ball every week.
  • Hunter Henry had a 2-39-1 receiving line on four targets and 60% of snaps. The season-low snap share seems to have just been a product of the blowout, considering he played 76% in both of his previous two games. It is a bit concerning that he has just seven targets the past two weeks, however.

Jaguars

  • Gardner Minshew completed 64.9% of his passes and didn't turn the ball over, but he produced just 162 yards on 37 attempts, good for 4.4 YPA.
  • Leonard Fournette played 77% of snaps and had a 15-50-0 rushing line and 3-13-0 receiving line on six targets. The Jags pulled him from the game in the fourth quarter once they were down by 35 points.
  • D.J. Chark Jr. wasn't so lucky, injuring his ankle deep into garbage time. He finished with nine catches for 75 yards on 10 targets — solid work for PPR owners, but not the type of stat line that bodes well for his team.
  • Chris Conley played 86% of snaps but caught just one pass for seven yards on three targets. He has eight targets the past two weeks, after ripping off five consecutive games with seven or more (Weeks 7-12). Of course, he'd be the obvious beneficiary of a Chark absence.
  • Dede Westbrook played 67% of snaps and caught six of seven targets for 25 yards.
  • Keelan Cole got 52% of snaps and caught one of three targets for 12 yards. He played 50% of snaps the previous week, with one catch for 11 yards on two targets. The Jags have been using some four-wide formations to compensate for their lousy tight ends, and Cole now has a chance at a regular spot in three-wide sets if Chark misses games.
  • TE Nick O'Leary played 68% of snaps, catching four of five targets for 30 yards and a TD. It was his third straight game with at least four targets and 54% of snaps, with averages of 3.0 catches for 24 yards and 0.33 TDs on 4.3 targets in that span. He's on the board as a deep-league streamer for the truly desperate, I guess.

Titans 42 @ Raiders 21

Titans

  • Ryan Tannehill threw a stupid interception on the opening drive but was nearly perfect thereafter. He even finished the day without a sack, after taking 20 in his first six starts. Tannehill has accounted for at least two touchdowns in every start, despite throwing 27 or fewer passes each of the past four games.
  • Derrick Henry put up an 18-103-2 rushing line and caught one pass for six yards on 60% snap share. The 18 carries and 19 touches were actually four-week lows, and he now has nine TDs in his past five games.
  • A.J. Brown played 84% of snaps and exploded for 5-153-2 on a team-high seven targets, even adding a 13-yard carry. He logged 90% of snaps the previous week and tied for the team lead with four targets. No doubt who the No. 1 receiver is in Tennessee these days.
  • Corey Davis played 76% of snaps and caught two of four targets for 34 yards. It was his fifth straight game with single-digit PPR points.
  • With Adam Humphries (ankle) inactive, Tajae Sharpe got 48% of snaps and Kalif Raymond took 19%. Sharpe caught each of his four targets for 25 yards, with Raymond adding an 11-yard gain on two targets.
  • Jonnu Smith caught three of four targets for 29 yards and a touchdown, logging 79% of snaps. The previous two games saw him combine for two targets and zero yards on 94% and 86% snap share. Smith has seven consecutive games playing at least 72% of snaps, averaging 3.0 catches for 31.3 yards and 0.29 TDs on 3.9 targets in that span.

Raiders

  • DeAndre Washington played 63% of snaps with Josh Jacobs (shoulder) sidelined, posting a 14-53-1 rushing line and 6-43-0 receiving line on seven targets.
  • Jalen Richard added seven carries for 28 yards and two catches for 18 yards.
  • Darren Waller caught each of his six targets for 73 yards but lost a fumble along the way. He played 97% of snaps, while fellow tight end Foster Moreau played 41% before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
  • Moreau wasn't a fantasy asset, but he had been poaching red-zone chances, catching five touchdowns on 25 targets this year, including one on Sunday's loss. Tyrell Williams leads the team with five targets inside the 10-yard line, slightly ahead of Moreau and Waller (four apiece). The rookie tight end's injury could free up a couple more scoring chances for Oakland's regular pass-game contributors.
  • Speaking of which, Williams put forth yet another dud, catching three of four targets for 35 yards on 83% of snaps. He's averaging 2.7 catches for 44.0 yards on 4.7 targets in seven game since he returned from a foot injury, with just one TD in that stretch.
  • Zay Jones played 84% of snaps but caught just one of three targets for five yards. That makes six straight games with at least two-thirds of snaps and no more than four targets or 25 yards. The Oakland wide receivers mostly seem to spend their time blocking for the running backs and tight ends.
  • Keelan Doss replaced Hunter Renfrow (ribs) in the slot, catching each of his three targets for 26 yards on 44% snap share. Renfrow could return for Week 15.

Chiefs 23 @ Patriots 16

Chiefs

  • With Darrel Williams (hamstring) on IR and Damien Williams (ribs) inactive again, the Chiefs deployed a three-way timeshare in their backfield.
  • Spencer Ware led the KC backfield with 40% of snaps, taking five carries for 11 yards and catching one of two targets for a nine-yard loss.
  • LeSean McCoy led the team with 11 carries for 39 yards and added one catch for four yards on three targets, but he played just 31% of snaps.
  • Darwin Thompson played 27% of snaps, taking four carries for seven yards and catching four of five targets for 36 yards. He only ran 14 routes, fewer than Ware (16) but more than McCoy (8), per PFF.
  • Travis Kelce played 99% of snaps, caught seven of nine targets for 66 yards and scored a four-yard rushing TD on a direct snap, but he also lost a fumble.
  • Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill handled 91% snap share and eight targets apiece, followed by Demarcus Robinson (79%) and Mecole Hardman (18%).
  • Hardman scored another long touchdown, hitting pay dirt from 48 yards out on his lone target. Robinson, meanwhile, caught one of two targets for 12 yards, marking his 10th straight game with single-digit PPR points (and he's played 57% of snaps or more in nine of those contests).
  • Hardman has forced nine missed tackles after catches, tied for 17th in the league, per PFF. Jonnu Smith is the only player who has dodged more tackles (11) on fewer receptions (27).

Patriots

  • Sony Michel played a season-low 13% of snaps, taking five carries for eight yards and catching his lone target for a one-yard gain. He had four touches on the first five snaps of the game but didn't see the ball at all after the 6:08 mark of the first quarter, i.e., he was benched... finally!
  • Rex Burkhead stepped in with 27% snap share, up from 5% and 21% the previous two weeks. He managed just 15 yards on seven carries and his lone target fell incomplete.
  • James White was the only running back to have a decent game, taking six carries for 33 yards and catching five of seven targets for 27 yards. He also completed a pass for 35 yards to Jakobi Meyers. White has just one game all year below 9.6 PPR points and just two games below 11.9.
  • Brandon Bolden scored a 10-yard TD on one of his two snaps.
  • Julian Edelman played 99% of snaps and put up an eighth consecutive game with double-digit targets, finishing at 8-95-1 on 12 targets. He's on pace for 111-1,243-7, plus he has eight carries for 27 yards and a couple pass completions for 47 yards and a TD.
  • The Patriots' WR group was a committee situation behind Edelman.
  • Mohamed Sanu played 58% of snaps but saw just one target (a 13-yard gain). It's possible his ankle is still a factor, but it's also possible the Patriots simply don't think he's very good.
  • Meyers logged 57% of snaps and caught one of three targets for the aforementioned 35-yard gain.
  • Phillip Dorsett logged 49% of snaps, finishing without a catch on two targets.
  • N'Keal Harry played just two snaps and was robbed of a TD by an officiating mistake. His 12-yard reception should've been a 15-yard score.
  • Matt LaCosse worked ahead of Ben Watson for a second straight week, bringing in two of four targets for 14 yards on 81% snap share. Watson caught one of three targets for seven yards on 48% snap share. It's a classic case of a has-been vs. a never-was.

Steelers 23 @ Cardinals 17

Steelers

  • Devlin Hodges threw for 152 yards on 19 passes and took five carries for 34 yards. He's attempted 20, 21 and 19 passes in his three starts.
  • Benny Snell Jr. led the backfield with 16 carries for 41 yards, but he didn't draw any targets and lost a fumble, ultimately playing 40% of snaps.
  • Jaylen Samuels logged 47% of snaps, with seven carries, two targets and 34 total yards.
  • Kerrith Whyte chipped in five carries for 41 yards and one catch for nine yards on 13% of snaps, including a couple touches on the final drive when Pittsburgh was clinging to a small lead.
  • Diontae Johnson was the star of the game, with a 6-60-1 receiving line on eight targets and an 85-yard punt return touchdown. He played 70% of snaps on offense, up a bit from 64%, 67% and 53% the previous three weeks. He's seen 19 targets the past three weeks with JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) out of the lineup.
  • James Washington played 72% of snaps and caught each of his four targets for 33 yards. He has 15 targets the past three weeks with JuJu inactive.
  • Vance McDonald exited the game with a concussion after catching his lone target for a three-yard gain on 31 snaps (52%). Nick Vannett finished with 63% of snaps but no targets. The Steelers used sixth lineman Zach Banner on 42% of snaps, a season high.

Cardinals

  • Kenyan Drake played 65% of snaps, down from 79% and 90% the previous two weeks. He led the backfield in carries (11), targets (three) and total yards (67), but David Johnson had a 24-yard touchdown reception while playing 37% of snaps.
  • Chase Edmonds logged 18% of snaps, with one carry for nine yards and two incomplete targets.
  • Christian Kirk caught eight passes for 85 yards on a team-high nine targets, playing 97% of snaps. He's played at least 96% of snaps in five straight games, averaging 5.0 catches for 59 yards and 0.6 TDs on 8.0 targets in that span. Granted, most of the fantasy production came in one game against Tampa Bay.
  • Larry Fitzgerald played 92% of snaps and caught three of seven targets for 20 yards. His playing time dipped a bit in October and November, but he's now seen back-to-back games with 92% snap share and seven targets. The production, of course, is still lacking.
  • Damiere Byrd played 43% of snaps, followed by Pharoh Cooper (28%) and Andy Isabella (22%). Each of the three got one target.
  • Kyler Murray threw three interceptions and took five sacks. He had just one completion for more than 10 yards in the first half.

Seahawks 12 @ Rams 28

Seahawks

  • Russell Wilson's 44.1 QBR put him below 50 for a third straight week. He took five sacks, and he finished without a touchdown for the first time all year.
  • With Rashaad Penny suffering an ACL tear on his first snap, Chris Carson ended up handling 82% snap share, with a 15-76-0 rushing line and 3-15-0 receiving line.
  • C.J. Prosise took one carry for two yards, logging 16% of snaps.
  • Jacob Hollister, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett tied for the team lead with six targets apiece.
  • Lockett played 90% of snaps, while Metcalf and Hollister got 79% each. It was Metcalf's first time below 80% since Week 7, but also his eighth consecutive game finishing either first or second on the team in targets.
  • Hollister has played 69% of snaps or more in five straight games, averaging 4.8 catches for 39.8 yards and 0.6 TDs on 6.8 targets in that stretch. Lockett averages 6.6 targets in that same span, with 18 of his 33 coming in the Week 9 shootout vs. Tampa. Lockett has seen just 15 targets in four subsequent games. Metcalf easily leads the team with 7.6 targets and 76.2 yards per game in the same stretch.
  • Josh Gordon bumped up to 55% of snaps, catching two of five targets for 34 yards. He had an 11-yard catch on the opening drive and a 23-yard grab to convert a 4th-and-18 late in the fourth quarter. He worked ahead of Malik Turner (22%), David Moore (21%) and Jaron Brown (13%).

Rams

  • Cooper Kupp played just 29% of snaps, and Brandin Cooks logged 39%. The Rams went with a brand-new game plan, giving more work to Josh Reynolds (66%) and blocking tight end Johnny Mundt (71%) in an effort to jump-start the running game.
  • Todd Gurley finished with a 23-79-1 rushing line and 4-34-0 receiving line on 80% of snaps, his fifth straight week logging at least 68%.
  • Reynolds didn't draw any targets but did take three carries for 29 yards.
  • Robert Woods pitched in two carries for 29 yards on top of a 7-98-1 receiving line on nine targets, logging 99% of snaps.
  • Tyler Higbee played 97% of snaps and led the team with 11 targets, catching seven passes for 116 yards. I never thought we'd see the day when Higbee drew 11 targets in a game with Jared Goff attempting just 31 passes.
  • Kupp caught each of his four targets for 45 yards and a touchdown, perhaps obscuring the troubling lack of playing time. Cooks wasn't so fortunate, finishing without a catch on two targets.
  • Mundt didn't draw any targets despite staying on the field for most of the game.
  • Malcolm Brown had a 5-21-1 rushing line on 20% snap share.

Giants 17 @ Eagles 23

Giants

  • Future Hall of Famer Eli Manning had completions of 55 yards (TD), 42 yards and 35 yards (TD) to Darius Slayton in the first half, yet finished 15-of-30 passing for 203 yards.
  • Saquon Barkley played 94% of snaps, taking 17 carries for 66 yards and catching three of four targets for one yard. It was his third straight game playing at least 94% of snaps, but he's now gone five in a row without a touchdown, averaging 3.0 YPC and 47.4 rushing yards per game in that span.
  • Slayton finished with 5-154-2 on eight targets and 81% of snaps, while Sterling Shepard (92%) and Golden Tate (88%) both had quiet nights despite rarely leaving the field. Shepard at least finished second on the team with four catches for 28 yards on seven targets. Tate managed just one catch for 11 yards on five targets.
  • Kaden Smith caught two of five targets for nine yards, playing 96% of snaps. That's three straight games with five or more targets and 91% or more of snaps.

Eagles

  • Carson Wentz threw 46 passes in regulation and six more in overtime. It was his fifth straight game with 39 or more pass attempts, putting him on pace to reach 596 (but only 3,895 yards) for the year.
  • Miles Sanders played 56% of snaps, down from 85%, 85% and 88% the previous three weeks. He still got plenty of work: 15-45-0 on the ground and 4-24-0 on five targets.
  • Boston Scott picked up the slack with 44% snap share, taking 10 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown while catching each of his six targets for 69 yards. He technically got the start and caught a pass on the first snap of the game, but his second touch didn't occur until there were six minutes remaining in the third quarter. From that point forward, he took 15 touches to Sanders' five, though Sanders did have a pair of key plays on the game-winning drive in OT.
  • Zach Ertz played 89% of snaps and posted a 9-91-2 line on 13 targets. His averages over the past five games are absurd: 8.4 catches for 80.6 yards and 0.8 TDs on 11.0 targets!
  • Alshon Jeffery played just 20 snaps (22%) before exiting with a foot injury. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside ended up playing 90% of snaps, followed by Greg Ward (87%). The Eagles were down to two healthy wide receivers, with Nelson Agholor (knee) inactive for a second time in the past three weeks.
  • Ward finished with 4-34-0 on nine targets, and JJAW had 2-29-0 on three targets.
  • Dallas Goedert was quieter than one would expect given the circumstances: 3-41-0 on six targets and 67% snap share. He'd seen just 57% of snaps the previous week, following four consecutive games at 75% or higher. Regardless, Monday's contest was his sixth in a row with three or more catches and five or more targets.
  • No. 3 tight end Joshua Perkins played 34% of snaps, catching each of his five targets for 37 yards.
  • The Eagles dropped five passes — one apiece for Ertz, Sanders, Goedert, Ward and Jay Ajayi, per PFF.

Earl Thomas was either starting Jeffery or playing against Ertz in his playoff matchup, right?

Bonus Tweets

Editor's Note: Many stats that include a player's rank in a category don't account for the Monday game. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jerry Donabedian
Jerry was a 2018 finalist for the FSWA's Player Notes Writer of the Year and DFS Writer of the Year awards. A Baltimore native, Jerry roots for the Ravens and watches "The Wire" in his spare time.
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