NFL Week 16 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Sunday's games

Chase Brown reaches three touchdowns: The Cincinnati Bengals offense put together a dominant fantasy performance, as four skill players finished with at least 12 PPR points. It was led by Brown, who gained over 100 yards on offense and three scores.
Taysom Hill leads the New Orleans Saints in rushing: Alvin Kamara and Devin Neal were both out for the Saints, leading the team to focus their tight end run game rather than on either of their backup running backs, Audric Estime and Evan Hull.
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Estimated reading time: 40 minutes

PFF's fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2025.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers

Chris Godwin joins the Buccaneers' wide receiver rotation: Godwin played 95.7% of the Buccaneers' offensive snaps last week, while no other receiver was above 64%.

Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan returned for Tampa Bay last week, greatly impacting the Buccaneers' wide receiver rotation. Godwin was the only wide receiver consistently on the field, as Emeka Egbuka, Evans and McMillan all played between 46-64% of the offensive snaps. Tez Johnson was a distant fifth on the depth chart but still part of the rotation, at 21.7% of snaps.

This week, Godwin was no longer given special treatment, leading to less playing time for him and more for almost everyone else. Egbuka was the only other wide receiver to play fewer snaps, but his change was more subtle.

This left the top four wide receivers all playing between 53-66% of the offensive snaps, while Johnson remained fifth at 25%. The only clear trend by personnel grouping was that Egbuka was the most likely wide receiver to be on the field in 12 personnel at 78.6%, but he was the least likely of the four to be on the field in 11 personnel at 52.4%. While the snap rates were similar for the four receivers, the route participation rates were very different. Godwin was on the field fro 90% of the Buccaneers' passing plays, while Evans was on the field for 80%. McMillan was at 63.3%, and Egbuka was only at 50%. That showed in the target totals, as Evans and Godwin had a clear lead on the team in targets.

Tampa Bay has an intriguing matchup against the Miami Dolphins next week. Miami had allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season, but it just allowed 109 receiving yards to Ja’Marr Chase this week. All of the Buccaneers' wide receivers will be risky plays in that matchup, as Tampa Bay could focus heavily on the run game, but Egbuka is particularly risky with the low route participation rates.

Miscellaneous notes

The snap distribution among the Panthers' two running backs was very similar to last week. Rico Dowdle played over 70% of the early-down snaps, while Chuba Hubbard played over 88% of the third downs.
Carolina wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan didn't practice on Wednesday due to foot and ankle injuries.
Panthers slot receiver Jalen Coker played 100% of the 11-personnel snaps for the seventh-straight game. He also notably played three of a possible nine snaps in 12 personnel, making it his first snaps in a two-wide receiver set since Week 11.
Panthers wide receiver David Moore returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was a full participant in practice all week due to an elbow injury and was questionable, but Carolina left him on injured reserve. His return would likely lead to Hunter Renfrow‘s release.
Carolina tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders scored his first touchdown of the season, but he can be left on fantasy waiver wires this week. He hasn’t played over 60% of the offensive snaps or gained over 35 receiving yards in a game since Week 2.
Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker took over 50% of the goal-line snaps for a third consecutive week. He’s taken just as many snaps in goal-line situations as he has during everyday early-down situations during that time.
Tampa Bay's wide receiver Mike Evans was limited on Wednesday due to a collarbone injury.
Buccaneer’s wide receiver Sterling Shepard was a healthy scratch for the first time this season. He spent most of the year as Tampa Bay’s primary slot receiver, but Evans and Jalen McMillan‘s return made him fall down the depth chart, and he doesn’t contribute to special teams.
Tight end Cade Otton returned after missing last week due to a knee injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and upgraded to full participation on Thursday. He was back to playing over 90% of the offensive snaps, like usual.
Tampa Bay tight end Devin Culp was a healthy scratch after having a significant role last week. This left Tampa Bay with only two active tight ends.

Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns

Monitor Quinshon Judkins‘ health: Judkins suffered a gruesome right leg injury and was quickly ruled out. His season is very likely to be over.

Cleveland has spent most of the season with Judkins as its lead running back, Dylan Sampson as the backup and Jerome Ford as the third-down back. Ford suffered a shoulder injury earlier this month, resulting in him landing on injured reserve. Sampson was inactive for a second-straight week due to a hand injury.

The injuries led Judkins to have a dominant role to begin the game, playing 26 of the first 30 snaps. Trayveon Williams took the third-and-long snaps, while Raheim Sanders was Judkins' backup on early downs. Judkins suffered a leg injury right before halftime. Ian Rapoport reported that Judkins had a broken leg but was also being evaluated for a knee injury. There is some question about whether Judkins will be ready for the start of next season, given how the injury looked.

The backfield was split over the second half, as Sanders was the early-down back and Williams was the receiving back. The Browns play the Pittsburgh Steelers next week, which is a below-average matchup for running backs. If Sampson’s hand is healed enough for him to play next week, he will have the opportunity for a big game. If not, then Sanders would be the player to pick up.

The Bills continue to tinker with their wide receiver room: Both Keon Coleman and Gabe Davis were inactive for the first time this season.

Buffalo started their season with Keon Coleman as its X receiver and Khalil Shakir as its slot. Some combination of Joshua Palmer, Tyrell Shavers, Curtis Samuel and Elijah Moore rotated at Z and backed up Coleman, who was a healthy inactive in Weeks 11 and 12 due to disciplinary issues, although his quality of play also hadn’t been as good as earlier in the season. Coleman caught eight passes for 112 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 but was held to under 50 yards in every other game this season. Buffalo signed Davis off the practice squad to help replace Coleman for those weeks.

Coleman was active over the last three weeks, but only played 43.3% of the offensive snaps. The Bills' wide receiver rotation has gone to new extremes, as no one has played over 56% of snaps over these last three games. Recent addition Brandin Cooks began playing more of the X receiver role. Coleman caught four passes for 25 yards over the three games.

This week, Coleman and Davis were inactive, while Mecole Hardman Jr. was active. Hardman returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was able to practice in full on Thursday and Friday and was activated from injured reserve on Saturday. He is primarily a returner, but the Bills made room for him by deactivating other wide receivers.

The Bills stopped having as much rotation as usual, as Palmer and Shavers played 80% and 70% of the offensive snaps, respectively, in two-receiver sets, while Palmer, Shavers and Shakir all played at least 80% in 11 personnel. While Palmer has spent most of the season as a Z receiver, he has experience at all three receiver spots during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers. This week, he was the primary X receiver for the team, so Palmer replaced both Coleman and Davis.

This kind of rotation would make it theoretically possible for either Palmer or Shavers to emerge as a fantasy-relevant option. However, both wide receivers caught one pass each in this game for a combined 23 yards. The Bills play the Philadelphia Eagles next week, which is generally a rough matchup for wide receivers. This means Palmer and Shavers can be left on the waiver wire, but it’s at least a good sign that both could be part of the rotation next season.

Miscellaneous notes

Buffalo tight end Dalton Kincaid didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to a knee injury. He’s been held under 40% of the offensive snaps in each of his last three games after missing two games due to injury. He was held without a reception this week.
Bills kicker Matt Prater was ruled out due to a right quadricep injury. The Bills signed kicker Michael Badgley to the practice squad on Wednesday and activated him on Saturday to temporarily take Prater’s place.
Cleveland starting quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, briefly left the game due to a bloody pinkie finger on his throwing hand, but he was able to return.
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was limited in practice all week due to an Achilles injury. He is unlikely to play this season.
Cleveland’s wide receivers Cedric Tillman and Malachi Corley played with injuries last week, leading both players to play fewer snaps than usual. This week, Isaiah Bond, Tillman and Corley were all in a rotation for the second and third wide receiver spots behind Jerry Jeudy, leading all three to play just under 50% of the offensive snaps. Bond oddly led the wide receiver room with 21 yards, even though he didn’t have a reception. He received a lateral from Corley after Corley made a reception, giving Bond credit for receiving yards.
The Browns re-signed wide receiver Jamari Thrash on Tuesday after recently releasing him, but he was a healthy scratch.
Cleveland's tight end, David Njoku, didn't practice all week due to a knee injury. He was ruled out on Friday. Harold Fannin Jr. has been playing roughly 90% of the offensive snaps in recent weeks, regardless of whether Njoku has been playing or not. He played slightly fewer snaps this week, primarily losing snaps in run situations on early downs.
Cleveland tight end Brenden Bates was limited on Wednesday and Thursday due to an ankle injury.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys

Monitor Kimani Vidal’s health: The Chargers' second running back option suffered a neck injury early in the fourth quarter and didn’t return.

Los Angeles started the season with Omarion Hampton, Najee Harris and Hassan Haskins as its running backs. With all of them injured, Vidal took over as the lead running back for the middle of the season, and he played well enough to earn a split role with Hampton since he returned. Vidal played two-thirds of the snaps over the last two weeks compared to Hampton's one-third. Hampton’s snaps often led to Hampton touching the ball, leading their stat lines to be much closer than the stats suggested.

This week, the team started turning more toward Hampton, even before Vidal’s injury. Hampton played 20 snaps on the first five drives, compared to Vidal's 17. Hampton ran 10 times, while Vidal ran four. Vidal suffered a neck injury on the sixth drive, leading him to miss the rest of the game. He was ruled questionable, but never ruled out.

Hampton’s role increased with Vidal out, playing 12 of the final 19 snaps of the game, while Haskins played six. Hampton ran 16 times for 85 yards and a touchdown and caught a 10-yard pass in this game. Even if Vidal is fine, fantasy managers can more confidently put Hampton in fantasy starting lineups next week. If Vidal misses next week, then Hampton’s opportunity next week will be even better.

Monitor Ryan Flournoy’s health: The Cowboys' up-and-coming wide receiver suffered a knee injury in the first half and didn’t return.

Flournoy has been the Cowboys' third receiver in recent weeks, playing 55.8% of the offensive snaps in their previous three games. He was a big part of the Cowboys' plan over the first two drives of this game, playing 22 of a possible 26 snaps. That was the same amount as CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens played 24 snaps. Dallas ended its first drive with a Flournoy touchdown, his fourth touchdown since the start of November.

He was ruled questionable in the middle of the second quarter and ruled out after halftime. Dallas continued to use 11 personnel at a high rate after Flournoy’s injury. Jonathan Mingo was Flournoy's primary replacement. Mingo played 16 of a possible 27 snaps over the rest of the game while Dak Prescott was still in the game. KaVontae Turpin only played nine snaps in that time.

If Flournoy misses time, we can expect Mingo to be the Cowboys' third wide receiver. Dallas has a solid matchup against the Washington Commanders, so Mingo could be an option in very deep leagues. If we find out that Flournoy is okay and ready to play next week, he could be an even better option in 14-16-team leagues.

Miscellaneous notes

Cowboys running back Javonte Williams was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to a neck injury. He was rotated out a little more frequently than usual, partially due to the injury and partially due to garbage time.
Cowboys seventh-round rookie running back Phil Mafah returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was limited in practice all week due to a shoulder injury, and Dallas opted not to activate Mafah for this game.
Dallas fullback Hunter Luepke didn't practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday due to a concussion. He was deemed questionable on Friday but was ultimately cleared to play.
Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to an illness.
Dallas wide receiver Jalen Tolbert was a healthy scratch, his third straight absence.
The Cowboys took a few starters out at the very end of the game, including quarterback Dak Prescott, but the top wide receivers and tight ends remained in the game.
Los Angeles wide receiver Quentin Johnston was back in the lineup after missing last week due to a groin injury. He was limited all week and was questionable, but he played. He was back to his usual role as the Chargers’ X receiver, totaling his first 100-yard game of the season.
Los Angeles wide receiver Tre Harris was limited on Wednesday and Thursday due to a hip injury.
Wide receiver and returner Derius Davis was ruled out Friday due to an ankle injury, his second straight absence. KeAndre Lambert-Smith was active in his place.
Los Angeles tight end Tyler Conklin was a healthy scratch after playing in their last game. This gave Los Angeles only two active tight ends in Oronde Gadsden and Will Dissly. Gadsden played under 63% of the offensive snaps before garbage time for the third straight week after peaking at 87.5% in Week 11. He caught one pass for seven yards, while Dissly caught three passes for 28 yards.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami Dolphins

Tee Higgins is limited in his return: Higgins only played 62.3% of the Bengals' offensive snaps, which was his lowest rate in a game in the last two seasons.

Cincinnati has a straightforward wide receiver rotation when everyone is healthy, as Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins played a clear majority of snaps, while Andrei Iosivas joined them in three-receiver sets. Higgins played 86% of the offensive snaps over the first 11 weeks of the season, playing 90% in 11 personnel and 80% in 12 personnel.

Higgins left Week 12 due to a concussion, missed Week 13 and had more concussion symptoms after playing in Week 14, leading him to miss Week 15. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and ruled questionable on Friday, but he was ultimately active.

He played 36 of a possible 52 snaps in the first three quarters but 28 of a possible 33 pass plays. This left Iosivas playing more than usual in two-receiver sets and Mitchell Tinsley playing more in three-receiver sets. The Bengals had a dominant lead heading into the fourth quarter. They eventually pulled all of their starters, while Higgins joined the other starters in leaving early.

Higgins had a fine performance as a receiver with three receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown against a Dolphins defense that is typically strong against wide receivers. If Higgins doesn’t show up on the injury report this week, he should be safe to leave in fantasy starting lineups next week.

Monitor Dee Eskridge’s health: Eskridge suffered a toe injury in the first half, causing him to miss the second half.

Miami has spent the second half of the season with Jaylen Waddle as the team's top wide receiver, playing 84.1% of the offensive snaps from Weeks 10-15. Malik Washington was second at 53%, playing 96% of the 11-personnel snaps but only half of the snaps in two-receiver sets. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was the typical third receiver in 11 personnel, while Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Eskridge were the top backups.

That appeared to change prior to this game, as Westbrook-Ikhine was a healthy inactive for the first time this season. He was ahead of Washington in playing time immediately after Tyreek Hill’s season-ending injury, but his role steadily declined throughout the year. Wilson became the new third receiver in three-receiver sets, and he also played significantly in two-receiver sets. Eskridge remained a top backup, but he was joined by undrafted rookie wide receiver Theo Wease Jr., who was activated from the practice squad to make his NFL debut.

After Eskridge’s injury, Wease was the only backup, allowing him to play an expanded role. His role was also amplified due to the blowout. This left all wide receivers other than Waddle playing less than 53% of the offensive snaps. Waddle remains the Dolphins' only wide receiver who can be trusted for fantasy purposes. Expect the team to address the wide receiver position this offseason, potentially with multiple players.

Miscellaneous notes

The Bengals rotated their running backs a little more than in most games, as Samaje Perine played 43.6% of the offensive snaps before garbage time. That was his highest rate before garbage time since Week 6, when Chase Brown was struggling early in the season.
Cincinnati wide receiver and returner Charlie Jones was ruled out Friday due to an ankle injury. He didn't practice all week.
The Pittsburgh Steelers waived wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams on Tuesday, and Cincinnati claimed him off waivers. He was the Bengals' fifth wide receiver for this game.
Bengals tight end Noah Fant was ruled out due to an ankle injury. He didn't practice on Wednesday or Friday and was ruled out on Friday. Drew Sample was Fant's primary replacement, playing 65.6% of the offensive snaps. This was his most in a game since Week 3.
Cincinnati tight end Drew Sample was limited in practice on Wednesday due to a neck injury.
Bengals fifth-string tight end Cam Grandy was the fourth-string tight end today with Fant out, but he suffered a left collarbone injury and was ruled out.
Quinn Ewers was named the Dolphins' starting quarterback earlier in the week, taking over for Tua Tagovailoa, who was inactive and has potentially taken his last snap for Miami. There will be significant salary cap ramifications for Miami to move on from Tagovailoa this offseason.
While Ollie Gordon II has spent most of the season as the Dolphins' backup running back, for the second time in three weeks, Jaylen Wright was the clear backup. Wright played 34 snaps in Week 14 while De’Von Achane dealt with an injury. The backups barely played in Week 15, but Gordon had a slight lead. This week, Wright played six snaps to Gordon's two before garbage time, while Wright had 12 to Gordon’s one during garbage time.
Tight end Darren Waller’s role in the Dolphins offense has been stable since his return from injury, running a route between 54-68% of the Dolphins' pass plays. He had an OK day, taking advantage of the Dolphins coverage, catching three passes for 40 yards. His backup, Greg Dulcich, outshone him with three catches for 46 yards. Both are free agents at the end of the season.
Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was limited all week and wasn’t activated. He has yet to kick for Miami this season.

New York Jets @ New Orleans Saints

The Saints adjust without their top running backs: Alvin Kamara has missed the last month of the season, while Devin Neal landed on injured reserve earlier this week.

Kamara hasn’t practiced in the last month due to knee and ankle injuries. Kendre Miller tore his ACL in Week 7, and Neal suffered a hamstring injury last week, ending his season. The Saints slowly started adding new running backs after each loss. Audric Estime and Evan Hull most recently served as the backups. Last week, once Neal suffered his injury, Estime and Hull split offensive snaps 50-50. Hull was a little more involved in the run game, and Estime was more involved as a receiver.

This week, the team primarily turned to Estime in terms of playing time. He remained the passing-down back like last week but also doubled Hull’s playing time in early-down and short-yardage situations. However, the team primarily turned to Taysom Hill as their primary runner. Hill took 16 snaps lined up at running back, which was tied for his most snaps in his career. He ran the ball nine times while lined up at running back, which was his most runs from a running back position in his career.

Hill also took some snaps at quarterback, leading to 12 carries for 42 yards. Estime and Hull had five carries each. Hill added four carries for 36 yards and threw a 38-yard touchdown. The Saints play the Tennessee Titans next week. Hill would be a risky play because there is a chance the Saints will change strategies for that game. However, there is also a chance he remains equally involved and can add a rushing touchdown or two to his score.

Monitor Foster Moreau’s health: The Saints' run-blocking tight end suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter and didn’t return.

Moreau has spent most of this season as the Saints' second tight end option. He played 37.6% of the offensive snaps over the previous five weeks. This included 25.7% of the 11-personnel snaps on early downs and the majority of the snaps in two-tight-end sets. He is almost always on the field in 13 personnel. Juwan Johnson was playing at least 84% of the offensive snaps in each of the first weeks, and Moreau’s return from injury was a big reason for Johnson playing fewer snaps.

The tight ends' roles were very similar for the first half this week. Johnson played 64.4% of the first-half snaps, which was a tad lower than usual. The Saints were winning for most of this game, which naturally led to a decreased role for their receiving tight end. Moreau only played two snaps in the second half, and Johnson’s snap rate increased to 71.0%, when we would have expected a notable decrease, given their lead.

Johnson had one of his best games of the season with eight receptions for 89 yards. His success had more to do with the depleted depth at wide receiver, but Moreau's injury also helped Johnson’s role.

If Moreau ends up missing next week, then Johnson will deserve more consideration for fantasy starting lineups.

Miscellaneous notes

The Saints placed wide receiver Devaughn Vele on injured reserve on Friday. He had been the team’s second receiver since the team traded Rashid Shaheed and released Brandin Cooks.
Saints' wide receiver Mason Tipton didn't practice on Thursday and Friday due to an illness and was questionable, but he was ultimately active. Tipton seemed in line to be the new starter with Vele out, but the injury likely limited his role. He only played 50% of the offensive snaps.
The Saints signed wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. off their own practice squad on Thursday. Austin took over as the second wide receiver option with Vele out.
New Orleans tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden sat out due to a knee injury, his fourth straight absence. The Saints activated tight end Moliki Matavao from the practice squad for this game on Saturday to take Mitchell-Paden’s place.
The Saints signed kicker Charlie Smyth on Friday after calling him up from the practice squad each of the last three games. He signed a three-year contract with the team, making Smyth one of the bigger recent success stories of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.
New York quarterback Tyrod Taylor was active this week after missing last week with a groin injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and served as the backup to Brady Cook.
Jets quarterback Justin Fields missed his third straight game due to a knee injury. He was limited in practice all week.
Running back Breece Hall was playing notably more snaps in Weeks 13 and 14, but he played 63.6% of the offensive snaps this week, which was slightly lower than his season average. He played 71.2% before garbage time, which was slightly better than his average. His backup, Isaiah Davis, led the team in receiving yards at 52.
The Jets waived wide receiver Allen Lazard on Tuesday. Lazard had hoped to find a playoff contender to sign with, but he remains a free agent.
Jets wide receiver Tyler Johnson was back in the lineup after back-to-back healthy scratches, taking Lazard’s place on the game day roster.
New York tight end Mason Taylor was ruled out Friday due to a neck injury, his second straight absence. He didn't practice all week. Jeremy Ruckert was his primary replacement in terms of playing time, but Stone Smartt led the team in receptions with five, leading to 34 yards. Smartt hadn’t had a reception with New York prior to this game.

Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants

Monitor Jordan Mason’s health: Mason left in the first quarter due to an ankle injury and didn’t return.

The Vikings started the season using Aaron Jones Sr. and Mason in a 50-50 split, but they moved away from that in the second half of the season. Jones has taken 54.1% of snaps compared to Mason's 27.8% over the last five weeks, although Mason’s rushing production has been nearly identical to Jones’, but Jones has been more involved as a receiver.

Jones started the game like usual but left for the blue medical tent after his second snap. Mason took over, playing on early downs while fullback C.J. Ham played on third downs. Mason played four offensive snaps before suffering an ankle injury. He was ruled out in the middle of the second quarter. Third-string running back Zavier Scott took over for the second drive, while Jones was ready to return for the Vikings' third drive early in the second quarter.

Jones played 37 of a possible 46 snaps over the rest of the game, which included 21 runs. Scott only played two snaps after his one drive, while Ham was Jones' primary replacement in passing situations and also played fullback on other plays.

The Vikings have a rough matchup against the Detroit Lions next week. It would be a game to avoid if both running backs are healthy. If Jones is the only healthy running back, then he’s worth at least considering next week.

Miscellaneous notes

Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffered a right-hand injury before halftime. He was ruled out for the second half.
Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison went to the blue medical tent in the third quarter, and he missed roughly one quarter of the game. He was able to return early in the fourth quarter and played his normal workload over the final 10 minutes of the game. This led to a little more playing time for both Jalen Nailor and Tai Felton.
Vikings sixth-round rookie tight end Gavin Bartholomew returned to practice from the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday. He was limited on Wednesday and upgraded to full on Thursday due to a back injury and was questionable, but he wasn’t activated.
The New York Giants made the interesting choice to focus their offense almost entirely on the run game, finishing with 28 carries by running backs and wide receivers compared to 13 passing attempts. They did this despite the Vikings having a better run-defense grade on the season than coverage grade.
Giants wide receivers Darius Slay ton and Isaiah Hodgins had split snaps in 12 personnel in recent weeks. Slayton played 54.9% of the 12-personnel snaps over the last four games compared to Hodgins' 50.7%. In this game, Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson played 100% of the 12-personnel snaps.
New York wide receiver Gunner Olszewski returned after missing last week due to a concussion. He was a full participant in practice all week.
With Olszewski back, Jalin Hyatt was a healthy scratch after playing in the last game.
Giants wide receiver Beaux Collins didn't practice all week due to a concussion and a neck injury. He remains on the injured reserve, designated to return list.
Wide receiver Ryan Miller didn't dress (coach's decision), his second straight absence. He joined New York just over a week ago after being released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Giants waived kicker Younghoe Koo on Tuesday. They activated kicker Ben Sauls from the practice squad for this game on Saturday to take Koo’s place.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Tennessee Titans

Kansas City adjusts without multiple wide receivers: Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton were both inactive after suffering concussions last week.

The Chiefs stayed remarkably healthy at wide receiver over the middle parts of the season, as Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Thornton played each game from Weeks 7-14. Brown missed last week due to an undisclosed personal reason, but he practiced in full this week and was ready to go. However, Rice and Thornton were both inactive, as neither practiced all week.

To no surprise, Smith-Schuster, Worthy and Brown were the top receivers in the game. Kansas City trusted Brown in two-receiver sets early in the season, while Brown played 55.9% of those snaps over the first six weeks when Rice was suspended. He only played 16.1% of those snaps from Weeks 7-14, and that rate was only up to 26.3% this week, leaving Smith-Schuster and Worthy as the two receivers in 12 personnel on most plays.

The team also relied a little more heavily on 12 personnel, something they’ve done several times over the last two seasons when they’ve had problems at wide receiver. Noah Gray played 51.1% of the offensive snaps, which was his most in a game since Week 11. If the score of this game had been closer, Kansas City likely would have used even more 12 personnel.

Kansas City notably only used fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals for three snaps, while return specialist Nikko Remigio played four. This is not a great sign for his role in future seasons.

The Chiefs play again on Christmas against a great Denver Broncos defense. The only wide receiver worth considering is Rice, if he’s able to play, but he might only be a borderline fantasy starter given the quarterback situation and the opponent.

Gunnar Helm reaches a new high in snap rate: The fourth-round rookie has recently become the top tight end on Tennessee’s depth chart.

Helm started the season as the Titans' second tight end, surpassing last year’s second option, Josh Whyle, early in training camp. He’s played over 50% of the offensive snaps on the season, as he’s played 100% of their 12-personnel snaps on the year and over 35% in 11 personnel. Chig Okonkwo has been the starter, playing over 60% of snaps in 11 personnel, but only 60.2% in 12 personnel, as Daid Martin-Robinson took the other 12-personnel snaps.

Okonkwo played over 70% of the offensive snaps in three of the first four games of the season but hasn’t hit 70% in another game this season. The situation was very stable over Weeks 5-13, as their playing time changed by a few percentage points from one week to the next.

Their playing time was notably different in Weeks 14 and this week, as those were the weeks the Titans have recently won games. This left their run-blocking tight end on the field more often. However, last week, Helm played two-thirds of the 11-personnel snaps on third downs, which was a career-high. He played 53.9% of those snaps this week, marking the first time he played over 50% of those snaps in back-to-back weeks.

His receiving production hasn’t been enough to trust him for fantasy purposes this year, but he could be the Titans' lead tight end next season. Okonkwo is an unrestricted free agent. A lot could depend on who the head coach and offensive coordinator will be next season, but Helm will be a name worth monitoring over the next few months.

Miscellaneous notes

The Chiefs placed quarterback Patrick Mahomes on injured reserve on Wednesday with an ACL tear.
Gardner Minshew was expected to be Kansas City’s starting quarterback over the rest of the season, but he suffered a knee injury in the first half and was ruled out before the second half. Per PFWA writer Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest, it is likely a torn ACL, which would also end Minshew’s season.
Chris Oladokun was signed off the practice squad on Saturday to be the new backup, but he took over as the starter after Minshew’s injury. Kansas City doesn’t have any other quarterback on the practice squad or on the roster. Bailey Zappe was on the team during the preseason and is currently on the Cleveland Browns practice squad. He could be the favorite to be the backup. Ian Book spent time with the team in 2024, and he is not currently on a roster.
Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco played 82.1% of the Chiefs' early-down snaps, which was his most in a game this season. He also played 50% of the goal-line snaps. It was his first time with a goal-line snap since Week 6. While this would ordinarily be great for his future fantasy value, the Chiefs play the Denver Broncos‘ run defense next week, which will make it hard to trust him in fantasy lineups.
The Chiefs waived running back Elijah Mitchell on Saturday. He had spent most of the season as a healthy inactive. Kansas City signed former Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce off their practice squad to take Mitchell’s place. Pierce was a healthy inactive for this game.
Travis Kelce was playing 88.5% of the Chiefs' offensive snaps from Weeks 8-15, as Kansas City was fighting to make the playoffs. Now that the Chiefs are out of playoff contention, Kelce only played 77.8% in this game. He was rotated out more frequently throughout the game, not just at the end of the game, due to the game script.
Kansas City tight end Jared Wiley was active this week after being a healthy inactive last week. This gave Kansas City four tight ends, likely to help the Chiefs with their wide receiver injuries.
Chiefs undrafted rookie tight end Jake Briningstool returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was a full participant in practice but wasn’t activated. It’s possible his return is just to allow him to practice, as it’s unlikely he would overtake any of the Chiefs' four tight ends on the depth chart.
Titans rookie wide receiver Chimere Dike played 57.1% of the offensive snaps in 12 personnel. It was his first time playing over 50% since Week 12, primarily taking playing time away from Elic Ayomanor.
Titans' wide receiver Van Jefferson didn't practice on Wednesday, was limited in practice on Thursday and upgraded to full on Friday due to a back injury. He was initially ruled questionable but was active for the game.
Titans wide receiver Bryce Oliver returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was limited all week due to a knee injury but wasn’t activated.

Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals lose another running back: Arizona placed running back Bam Knight on injured reserve on Tuesday.

The Cardinals lost both James Conner and Trey Benson early in the season, leaving Bam Knight as the primary early-down running back for most of the season. He has often shared the early-down role with Michael Carter, while Emari Demercado was the third-down back when healthy. Carter was the third-down back when Demercado was not. Arizona signed Corey Kiner from the Minnesota Vikings‘ practice squad at the start of the month due to the constant running back injuries. He was active this week as Arizona’s third running back.

Carter was the lead back, to no surprise. Demercado played a limited role last week, but he was back to playing in all of the clear passing situations this week. Kiner was Carter’s backup, taking a few snaps throughout the game. All three running backs averaged over 5.0 yards per carry on their attempts, but none of the backs scored a touchdown or had a reception.

Arizona faces the Cincinnati Bengals next week, and the Bengals have allowed the most fantasy points to running backs this season. Carter will be worth at least considering in that game, given his role in the offense and the opponent. However, he is a risky play if the Cardinals fall behind by multiple scores early in the game.

Marvin Harrison Jr. returns to Arizona: Arizona has missed most of its top wide receivers in recent weeks.

The Cardinals started the season with Harrison and Michael Wilson as their top two receivers, Zay Jones and Greg Dortch as the top backups, Xavier Weaver as the fifth wide receiver, and Simi Fehoko as their top practice squad option. Jones, Dortch and Fehoko have spent the last few weeks on injured reserve. Harrison (heel) and Weaver (hamstring) have missed the last two weeks. This left Andre Baccellia as the new second option for Arizona, despite starting the season as their seventh option, but he suffered a neck injury last week, landing him on injured reserve. Jalen Brooks and Trent Sherfield had been practice-squad callups to be their third and fourth receivers the past two weeks.

This week, Harrison and Weaver spent the week limited in practice and were ruled questionable on Friday, but both were active. Brooks was signed to the 53-man roster so he could continue to be part of the wide receiver rotation. Arizona activated Steven Sims from the practice squad instead of Sherfield, likely for his return abilities, as Baccellia was primarily used as a returner before he was needed as a top receiver.

Wilson remained an every-down starter as he’s been all season, only losing a few snaps out of 13 personnel. Harrison was eased back into action, playing just over 50% of the offensive snaps. Xavier Weaver joined them in 11 personnel and was Harrison’s backup in 12 personnel. Sims was Harrison’s backup in 11 personnel, while Brooks fell to fifth on the depth chart, after ending last week as their second receiving option.

Wilson played notably fewer snaps as the Cardinals’ X receiver with Harrison back. Wilson played 18.0% of snaps on the outside and on the line of scrimmage over the first 11 weeks, as he mostly split snaps as a Z receiver and in the slot. That rate jumped up to 53.7% over the last five weeks, as Harrison missed most of that time. He played notably less in the slot, which helped his fantasy production. This week, he played 38.8% of his snaps on the line of scrimmage as an outside receiver, which was directly in between what he did early in the season and what he’s done recently. He caught two passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, which was fine for fantasy purposes, but it will be harder to trust Wilson going forward in this role.

Drake London returns: London was active this week after missing four straight games due to a knee injury.

The Falcons didn’t invest much in their wide receiver room this last offseason, with no free agent additions or draft picks at the position. London and Darnell Mooney have been their starting wide receivers when healthy, like last season. David Sills V emerged as the third option and was second on the depth chart throughout London’s absence.

London was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and downgraded to not practicing on Friday. He was ruled questionable, although his absence on Friday was a concern, but he was ultimately active. He was mostly back to his usual role, playing 92.3% of the snaps in 11 personnel and 74.0% in two-receiver sets. Typically, he would play a higher rate in two-receiver sets, but the difference wasn’t overly significant. Sills was back to being the third receiver in 11 personnel and was London’s backup in two-receiver sets.

London’s overall snap rate was lower than usual because the Falcons have joined the growing trend of teams using one-receiver sets. Atlanta ran 12 plays out of 13 personnel and one play out of 22. Most teams have a specific wide receiver who would play in these personnel groupings, but Atlanta distributed snaps to all three of its top receivers.

London didn’t have a great game in the box score, catching three passes for 27 yards, even though he was heavily targeted. The Falcons have a more favorable matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, in a likely game script where Atlanta will be throwing the ball a lot. London should be in fantasy starting lineups next week.

Miscellaneous notes

Cardinals backup tight end Elijah Higgins caught seven passes for 91 yards, which more than doubled his previous career high in receiving yards. His snap rate has been notably higher over the last three weeks, as the Cardinals have used more 12 personnel due to their wide receiver injuries. His target rate was double his season average.
Trey McBride played more than usual in this game but caught fewer of his targets than usual. Higgins' big game did not impact him.
Falcons halfback Nathan Carter was a healthy inactive after suiting up last week.
The Falcons activated wide receiver Chris Blair from the practice squad for this game on Saturday.
Atlanta wide receiver Malik Heath was a healthy inactive, his second straight absence.
The Falcons placed wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge on injured reserve on Friday due to a shoulder injury.
The Falcons waived wide receiver Jamal Agnew on Saturday.
Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday due to a knee injury.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos

Monitor Pat Bryant’s health: Bryant took a big hit within the last minute of the game, resulting in him getting carted off the field.

Bryant had recently emerged as the second wide receiver on the Broncos' depth chart in terms of playing time. Courtland Sutton was at the top, and Troy Franklin played notably fewer snaps with Bryant emerging. Bryant has recently shown up on the injury report due to a hamstring injury. That led him to miss last week, but he was a full participant in practice this week.

In this game, he and Franklin played the same number of snaps, although Bryant was slightly ahead prior to his injury. Lil’Jordan Humphrey had emerged in recent weeks as Denver's early-down wide receiver, similar to last season, but he was back to being fifth on the depth chart in this game. Bryant also finished second on the team in targets, but all of his receptions were for shorter gains. Both Harvey and Franklin ended up with more receiving yards thanks to big plays.

If Bryant misses next week, we can expect Denver to condense its five-man rotation to four players, similar to last week. The Broncos play on Christmas, making it less likely that Bryant will be able to play. Franklin will be worth considering, although they have a rough matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs‘ secondary.

Travis Etienne takes on expanded role without Bhayshul Tuten: The Jaguars' rookie running back was inactive due to a finger injury.

The Jaguars' backfield had remained remarkably healthy all season, prior to last week. Etienne has been the lead running back, Tuten has been the backup, and LeQuint Allen Jr. has been the third-down back. Etienne played 58.5% of the offensive snaps from Weeks 2-14, including 73.8% of the early-down snaps, 54.1% in short-yardage situations and 56.3% at the goal-line. The Jaguars signed running back DeeJay Dallas from Carolina's practice squad on Tuesday to be the third running back, but he was not involved on offense.

Etienne largely absorbed Tuten’s work. He played 95.3% of the early-down snaps, 100% of the short-yardage snaps, while he and Allen split the goal-line snaps. Etienne ran 16 times for 50 yards and caught four passes for 16 yards and a touchdown. Most running backs have been ineffective against the Broncos' defense, so this was a good game for Etienne, considering the opponent.

The Jaguars' matchup against the Indianapolis Colts is not ideal, but notably better than this week. If Tuten misses another game, Etienne could have one of his best games of the season.

Miscellaneous notes

The Broncos activated quarterback Sam Ehlinger from the practice squad for this game on Saturday but made him inactive.
Broncos running back R.J. Harvey had a strong game with 121 yards on 11 touchdowns and a touchdown. He notably played six of seven two-minute drill snaps. It was his first time all season taking the majority of two-minute drill snaps.
Denver’s third-string tight end, Nate Adkins, suffered a knee injury in the first half, leading him to miss the rest of the game. This allowed Evan Engram to play a larger role against his former team. If Adkins ends up missing time, we should expect Marcedes Lewis to be signed from the practice squad to fill Adkins' role, as he did earlier in the season.
Recently signed running back Cody Schrader was a healthy inactive for this game. He was active in Week 1 for the Los Angeles Rams, went to the Jacksonville Jaguars the following week, landed with the Houston Texans for a few days in early December and was claimed by the Broncos a week ago.
Parker Washington is third on the Jaguars' depth chart in terms of playing time, typically only playing in 11 personnel. However, he was the Jaguars' top wide receiver in terms of receiving production, catching six passes for 145 yards and a touchdown.
Jacksonville tight end Hunter Long was a healthy scratch, his second straight absence.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Detroit Lions

Steelers embrace an interchangeable backfield: Jaylen Warren has played more third downs recently, while Kenneth Gainwell has played more on early downs.

Warren and Gainwell have been the Steelers' top two running backs throughout the season. Warren has played 52.6% of the offensive snaps in games that he’s played, while Gainwell has played 47.3%. For most of the season, Warren has been the early-down back, similar to Najee Harris in recent seasons, while Gainwell has been the passing-down back and backup, similar to Warren in previous seasons.

For the second straight week, the roles of the two running backs have been blurred. Warren’s snap rate has fallen to 53.3% of the early-down snaps after consistently playing over 60%, but his snap rate on third downs has increased to 52.4% after consistently playing less than 25% of snaps in those situations. Gainwell played more this week because he took on the two-minute drill snaps, as he’s done most of the season.

Both running backs had great days. Warren ran 14 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns, while Gainwell caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown and ran for another 50 yards on nine carries.

Gainwell is a free agent after this season, but it wouldn’t be surprising if there is mutual interest in a return. That wouldn’t be great for Warren's fantasy value, or third-stringer Kaleb Johnson, but that could be best for the Steelers.

Monitor Calvin Austin III’s health: The Steelers wide receiver suffered a hamstring injury in the first half, causing him to miss the second half.

The Steelers made two recent additions to their wide receiver room in Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. While Austin started the season playing the majority of 11- and 12 -personnel snaps, his role has been reduced in recent weeks. Pittsburgh has used D.K. Metcalf and Thielen in 12 personnel, and Metcalf, Valdes-Scantling and Austin leading a rotation with Thielen in 11 personnel.

That rotation remained true for the first half of this game, as Austin played 12 of a possible 20 snaps in 11 personnel. After the injury, Thielen was more consistently on the field in 11 personnel. Valdes-Scantling suffered an injury in the middle of the third quarter but was able to return by the end of the quarter. Scotty Miller was getting more involved thanks to Austin’s injury, and his snap rate increased even further with Valdes-Scantling’s injury.

Thielen had his best game as a Steeler, finishing with four receptions for 49 yards. If Austin misses next week, we can expect Thielen to continue playing at a higher snap rate. Unfortunately, the Steelers face the Cleveland Browns next week, and their secondary is a much larger challenge than the Lions.

Miscellaneous notes

Jahmyr Gibbs played a season-high 83.9% of the Lions' offensive snaps. It was his second straight game over 80%. David Montgomery played a season-low 21%.
Detroit third-string running back Sione Vaki was limited on Wednesday due to a thumb injury.
Isaac TeSlaa played ahead of Kalif Raymond as the third wide receiver in three-receiver sets. Both had their best games of the season, as Raymond catching four passes for 62 yards and a touchdown, while TeSlaa had four receptions for 52 yards and a score.
The Lions activated tight end Giovanni Ricci from the practice squad for this game on Saturday.
Pittsburgh halfback Kaleb Johnson was a healthy inactive this week. He had run six times over the last three games for 11 yards.
Pittsburgh wide receiver Ben Skowronek was limited on Wednesday and Thursday due to an illness and a hand injury.
Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson was a healthy inactive, his third straight absence.
The Steelers rotated their tight ends more than usual this week,as Darnell Washington only played 41.7% of the early-down 11-personnel snaps. Friermuth also took 41.7% of those snaps, which was a season-high for him. All three of their tight ends, including Jonnu Smith, had 20-36 yards in this game.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans

The Texans adjust without Woody Marks: Houston’s lead running back was inactive due to an ankle injury.

Marks has been the Texans' lead running back over the second half of the season. He suffered an ankle injury early last week. There were reports he could have returned if Houston needed him, although that is surprising in hindsight, considering he couldn’t play one week later.

Nick Chubb was inactive last week due to a rib injury, so practice-squad callup Jawhar Jordan took over as Houston’s lead running back for the rest of last week’s game. He ran 15 times for 101 yards. He played well enough that Houston signed him to the 53-man roster on Tuesday. Chubb was limited in practice on Wednesday but practiced in full on Thursday and Friday, so he was ready to play this week. Marks didn’t practice on Wednesday and Thursday and was limited on Friday. He didn't play.

Houston turned to a three-man backfield, led by Jordan. He ran 15 times for 53 yards and caught five passes for 17 yards. Chubb was the backup with six carries for 33 yards, and most of his production came from a 30-yard carry. Dare Ogunbowale has been the Texans' third-down back, at times, this season, although not as much over the second half of the year since Marks emerged as the starter. Ogunobwale was the third-down back for this game.

Jordan is worth picking up if he’s available, in case Marks ends up missing another game. Houston will play the Los Angeles Chargers next week, which isn’t an ideal matchup, but any running back capable of 20 or more touches is worth at least considering in an effort to keep him away from your opponent's roster if they might need a running back.

Christian Kirk takes the Texans slot job: Kirk caught three passes for 37 yards and played notably more than rookie Jaylin Noel.

Kirk missed the first two weeks of the season but played 75.5% of the Texans’ 11 personnel snaps in his first three games back from injury. Jayden Higgins had already emerged as Houston’s second option in 12 personnel, so it was going to be hard to trust Kirk in fantasy leagues, given the lack of snaps in two-receiver sets.

Kirk suffered an injury, which cost him Weeks 6-8. In that time, Noel had a game with four receptions for 77 yards and followed that up with a game of five receptions for 63 yards. From Weeks 9-15, Kirk has led a two-man rotation for that slot role, while Kirk played 63.5% of the 11-personnel snaps and Noel took 35.6%. It is usually difficult to trust wide receivers who only play in the slot in 11 personnel, but it is impossible with a split like this.

Kirk was dealing with an illness on Friday and was questionable, so it seemed like we could see more of Noel this week. Instead, Kirk played 85.1% of the offensive snaps, and Noel played the other 14.9%. This isn’t enough to trust Kirk in fantasy championship rounds, but it is notable for next season. Many assumed Kirk would only last one season with the team, while Noel took over as the slot receiver full-time next season. This game shows the team still thinks highly of Kirk, which could make it hard for Noel to have a breakout season next year.

The Raiders return to using 12 personnel as their base offense: Las Vegas had at least two tight ends on the field for 35 of its 54 offensive plays.

Las Vegas seemed like it would be among the league leaders in 12 personnel this season, given the high draft capital spent on Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer. It was difficult for Las Vegas to do this consistently, as Bowers was on the injury report from Weeks 2-10, mostly due to a knee injury. Mayer was on the injury report from Weeks 4-6 due to a concussion and Weeks 13-15 due to an ankle injury.

The Raiders only used two- or three-receiver sets on 26 plays in Week 1. The next time they were both healthy was Weeks 11-12, where they ran 73 plays out of 12 personnel and 25 of out of 13. This week, with both tight ends healthy again, they ran 31 plays out of 12 personnel and four out of 13. This left Bowers playing all but one snap, while Mayer played two-thirds of the snaps.

While a lot of this was likely the health of the tight ends, Tyler Lockett‘s health also potentially contributed. Lockett was limited on Wednesday due to a knee injury. He was also declared questionable to return ot hte game in the second quarter, but he was able to return. He split time with Alex Bachman in 11 personnel in this game.

Miscellaneous notes

Texans wide receiver Justin Watson was a full participant all week due to a calf injury, but he remained on injured reserve for this game.
Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith was active this week after missing last week due to right shoulder and back injuries. He was a full participant in practice all week.
Running back Ashton Jeanty played 92.6% of the Raiders' offensive snaps, the second-highest rate of his career.
Rookie wide receiver Jack Bech has maintained his starting job over Dont'e Thornton Jr. over the last three weeks. He caught two passes for 43 yards this week, tying Tre Tucker for the lead among wide receivers. Thornton only played four offensive snaps.
Raiders' wide receiver Alex Bachman returned after missing the last two games due to a thumb injury. He was a full participant in practice this week.
Las Vegas tight end Ian Thomas was inactive for a second straight week. Last week, he was out due to a calf injury. He was a full participant in practice this week and wasn’t given an injury status, so he may have fallen to fourth on the team’s tight end depth chart.

New England Patriots @ Baltimore Ravens

Monitor TreVeyon Henderson’s health: New England’s rookie running back suffered a head injury in the second quarter and didn’t return.

The Patriots' running back rotation had been in flux for most of the season but seemed to have stabilized since Week 13. In the Patriots' previous two games, Rhamondre Stevenson played 62.4% of the offensive snaps compared to Henderson's 48.7%. Henderson played more in normal early-down situations, while Steven has been the passing-down and short-yardage back. New England also uses more plays with both running backs on the field than most teams.

New England was using the same rotation on the first three drives of this game, as Stevenson played 18 of the first 28 snaps, while Henderson played 14. Henderson was leading the team in rushing attempts at this point, running five times for three yards. After the injury, Stevenson started playing 100% of the Patriots' offensive snaps.

New England had a two-minute drill on their following drive, followed by a three-and-out. New England fell behind after this point and largely abandoned their run game. This meant Stevenson had a relatively quiet day, despite the significant increase in snaps. His one notable play was a 21-yard touchdown run to give New England a lead in the final three minutes.

The Patriots play the New York Jets next week, in a game where New England could be much more focused on the run game. New York has allowed the third-most fantasy points to running backs this season. If Henderson is unable to play next week, Stevenson could be a league winner.

Monitor Kayshon Boutte’s health: Boutte suffered a head injury with three minutes left in the game and didn’t return.

Boutte has been the Patriots' X receiver whenever healthy this season. That continued to be the case in this game. At times, he’s made big touchdown plays, but he was held to one reception for 16 yards. Third-round rookie Kyle Williams has been his backup. He had a 37-yard touchdown earlier in the fourth quarter before his injury.

New England mostly ran kneel-downs after the injury, but presumably, Williams would replace Boutte if Boutte ends up missing next week. Williams played 55.7% of the offensive snaps in Week 10 and 68.2% in Week 11. New England has cut Stefon Diggs’ snaps in 12 personnel in recent weeks, so it’s possible Williams could reach a season-high in offensive snaps next week if Boutte misses time.

The Patriots face the New York Jets next week, and New York has been much better at stopping the pass than stopping the run. Williams would be a risky play in deeper leagues, but he is potentially a top waiver option in 16-team leagues.

Baltimore continues their three-man rotation at running back: Derrick Henry was held under 60% of the early-down snaps for the fourth time in five games.

The Ravens started the season with the same running back rotation as last season, as Henry played on early downs while Justice Hill played in passing situations. Henry played 71.8% of the early-down snaps over the first 10 weeks, playing at least 68% of the offensive snaps in all but one game, where garbage time influenced his snap rate.

Rasheen Ali has taken Hill’s role as the receiving back with Hill on injured reserve, but Keaton Mitchell has cut into Henry’s playing time. Mitchell had averaged 7.6 yards per carry on the season compared to Henry's 4.8. Mitchell ran the ball six times for 76 yards in Week 14 and a season-high eight carries for 66 yards last week. The change was beneficial to Henry’s efficiency last week, as he ran 11 times for 100 yards. His 9.1 yards per carry was his best in a game since Week 1.

This week, Mitchell was even more involved in the run game, finishing with a season-high nine carries. However, Mitchell wasn’t nearly as effective as usual, and he only gained 13 yards on his carries. Henry had his most rushing yards since Week 1 and scored twice on the ground. Mitchell was even receiving playing time in the middle of the fourth quarter in a critical situation, despite his lack of efficiency throughout the game.

The Ravens face the Green Bay Packers next week, who have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season. Henry might have a rough game, given the rotation, the opponent, and the possibility that Lamar Jackson might not be playing, which could lead Green Bay to focus even more on the run game.

Miscellaneous notes

Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a back injury late in the first half and didn’t return. Tyler Huntley took over as the team’s starting quarterback for the rest of the game, as the team focused more on the run game.
Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman was back in the lineup after missing last week due to an ankle injury. He was a full participant in practice this week.
DeAndre Hopkins was playing a notably reduced role the last two weeks, playing only 50% of the offensive snaps in 11 personnel in both games. This week, he was back to his usual role of always being on the field in 11 personnel. He caught four passes in this game, while his previous high in a game this season was two.
Baltimore wide receiver Tylan Wallace was inactive with Bateman back.
Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs had his best game in over a month, catching nine passes for 136 yards. He was held to 26 yards or fewer in each of his three previous games. He was rarely on the field in 12 personnel, which has been true for a month now, but he was rotated out less frequently in 11 personnel. Demario Douglas primarily cut into Mack Hollins’ playing time in 11 personnel rather than Diggs’.
Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III was a healthy inactive, his second straight absence.
Backup tight end Austin Hooper has played under 40% of the offensive snaps in the last three games after playing at least 50% in each of his previous 10 games. Part of this has been game script-related, but part of it is also a change in philosophy to use more 11 personnel.
New England tight end C.J. Dippre was a healthy scratch, his fourth straight absence.

Table notes

Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, including offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats have these plays removed.
Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would be from a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.
Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.