NFL Week 6 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Sunday's games

Evan Engram sees a bigger role in the Denver Broncos offense: Engram received the ball more often in the first half of this game than in any other full game this season, but it was a different Broncos tight end who scored a touchdown.
Josh Reynolds re-emerges as the New York Jets‘ WR2: Reynolds spent most of the day leading the Jets in receiving yards and played his highest percentage of New York's offensive snaps since Week 1.
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Estimated reading time: 10 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.

Denver Broncos @ New York Jets

Broncos running backs struggle despite condensed backfield: The Broncos were closer to a two-man running back rotation, but that didn’t lead to much fantasy production.

J.K. Dobbins has been the Broncos' lead back this season, while R.J. Harvey was the primary backup. Tyler Badie started the year as their passing-down back. He was phased out of the offense and then back in last week. He played 73% of the third-down snaps and 100% of the two snaps during the two-minute drill last week. Badie was limited in practice on Wednesday, upgraded to full on Thursday after a shoulder injury and wasn't given a game status. However, the Broncos decided to make him inactive, allowing Jaleel McLaughlin to be active for the first time this season.

This brought the backfield back to a two-man rotation. McLaughlin mixed in for a few plays, as did fullback Adam Prentice as a rare third-down back. Dobbins primarily played more offensive snaps. He was the clear leader on the team in carries, but didn’t have a run longer than six yards until the last eight minutes of the game. Harvey was barely involved in the run game for a second-straight week, but this was his fourth consecutive game with three or more receptions.

It will be interesting to see if Badie appears on the injury report and is active next week. Dobbins remains a fantasy starter in most matchups regardless, but his ceiling will be a little higher without Badie in the lineups.

Evan Engram becomes more involved in the Broncos' offense: Engram had five touches in the first half after accumulating only four touches at most in his first four games.

Engram had been a disappointment for fantasy managers over the first five weeks. He played under 45% of the Broncos' offensive snaps in each game he played, when you typically want your fantasy tight ends playing at least 70%. He averaged 6.9 fantasy points per game over the first five weeks, which ranked 27th-best among tight ends.

He was playing 36% of the early-down snaps out of single tight end sets, 64% on third down, and 25% in two-tight-end sets in the first five weeks. Those numbers were up across the board for this game. He was Bo Nix‘s favorite target in the first half and had a seven-yard run, which was better than any run by a Broncos running back. However, this game also gave a good example of why Engram’s playing time is a problem. Nate Adkins scored a 16-yard touchdown at the end of the first quarter. If Engram were playing a full-time role like some other tight ends in the league, Engram would have scored the touchdown.

Engram remains someone who can be off fantasy rosters in most leagues, given his low playing time. It’s unlikely the Broncos will have many more games where the wide receivers aren’t much of a factor in the game. Regardless, this game was a step in the right direction for him to potentially have fantasy value this season.

Clarity on the Jets' wide receiver rotation: There have been subtle changes to the wide receiver rotation each week

The Jets' wide receiver usage has been inconsistent over the first six weeks. Garrett Wilson has been the one constant, always playing at least 93% of New York's offensive snaps. Josh Reynolds started the season also playing over 93% but missed Weeks 2 and 3 due to injury. Upon his return, he had more of a rotational role. Rookie Arian Smith has played from 9.4%-78.3% of the offensive snaps, while Tyler Johnson and Allen Lazard have both played at least 40% in some games and have been inactive for others.

Lazard was ruled out early in the week due to an undisclosed personal matter. Hopefully, he and everyone in his family are OK. It’s possible the Jets plan on trading Lazard, and that’s why the team didn’t have him travel. If you had to pick up any Jets wide receiver off the waiver wire, it would be Lazard on the chance he is traded, particularly to the Pittsburgh Steelers to reunite with Aaron Rodgers.

This left Reynolds as the clear second wide receiver for the first time since Week 1, while Smith was the clear third wide receiver. This seems like the most likely rotation for New York going forward when everyone is healthy. The Jets' passing game hasn’t been strong enough to make any other wide receiver fantasy-relevant outside of Wilson. Reynolds would be the player to pick up in very deep leagues.

Miscellaneous Notes

Jets quarterback Justin Fields was a full participant in practice all week after a knee injury and wasn't given a game status.
New York running back and returner Kene Nwangwu returned after missing four straight games due to a hamstring injury.
The Jets signed halfback Khalil Herbert after Braelon Allen was placed on injured reserve. He was active last week but ended up as a healthy scratch.
Garrett Wilson left the first drive of the second half with an apparent injury, missing several plays on the drive. He returned the following drive.
The Jets waived Isaiah Williams on Monday, signed him to the practice squad on Tuesday and activated him from the practice squad for this game on Saturday. Brandon Smith was also a practice squad call-up at wide receiver with Lazard out.
Rookie tight end Mason Taylor already had a large role in the Jets offense, averaging over 80% of the offensive snaps over the first five weeks. However, this week he surpassed 90% for the first time in his NFL career.
Jets tight end Stone Smartt was active this week after being a healthy inactive last week, while Jelani Woods was a healthy inactive, his third straight absence.

Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore Ravens

Monitor Puka Nacua’s health: Nacua suffered a foot injury on an end zone target early in the second quarter. He was initially ruled questionable.

The Rams were already down one of their top wide receivers heading into this week. Tutu Atwell couldn't play due to a hamstring injury. He was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday. He was ruled questionable on Friday. Los Angeles stuck with 11 personnel for nearly every play of the first three drives, as Nacua, Davante Adams, and Jordan Whittington all played at least 20 of a possible 22 snaps.

After the injury, the Rams rotated Xavier Smith and Konata Mumpfield as their third wide receiver. Smith was more trusted as a blocker, while Mumpfield was used in more clear passing situations. Nacua ended up taking six snaps in the second half, playing through the pain. His last snap occurred early in the fourth quarter, but the Rams only ran six more plays in the game after that point, and they were intent on running out the clock.

There is a chance the Rams choose to rest Nacua next week with a game in London before their Week 8 bye. Given that Atwell is also dealing with an injury, Whittington becomes a solid waiver-wire target with a decent matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week.

Isaiah Likely leads the Ravens' tight end room in snaps: Likely’s role was limited for the first two weeks of the season.

Last season, Mark Andrews led a split with Likely in 11 personnel, while the two shared the field in 12 personnel, Charlie Kolar led the way in 21 personnel, and Kolar and Likely split the 22 personnel snaps. The Ravens haven’t had Patrick Ricard all season, preventing them from using 21 or 22 personnel. Likely also missed the first three weeks of the season, so we hadn’t seen anything similar to their 2024 rotation in 2025 prior to Sunday.

In this game, the Ravens made 12 personnel their base offense even though they were losing for most of the game. Mark Andrews and Likely were almost always the two tight ends on the field. This meant Likely was playing much more often than the first two weeks, while Andrews was playing a snap rate similar to the first three weeks of the season. This meant Kolar played notably fewer snaps. The lack of 11 personnel snaps led Rashod Bateman to play less than usual.

What added to the intrigue this week is that Likely was on the field for seven of the 10 plays in 11 personnel on early downs. Andrews had played 68% of those snaps over the first five weeks of the season. This could point to an increased role for Likely going forward.

The Ravens are 1-5, and the 30-year-old Andrews is in the last season of his contract. The further the Ravens fall in the standings, the more likely the team is to move on from Andrews by the trade deadline. This would lead to an expanded role for Likely, making him a potential fantasy starter. It makes sense to pick up Likely off the waiver wire now before this happens rather than wait until more fantasy managers want him.

Miscellaneous Notes

Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson didn't practice all week due to a hamstring injury. He was ruled out on Friday. The Ravens activated Tyler Huntley from the practice squad for this game on Saturday. Huntley was initially the backup to Cooper Rush, but eventually took over as the starter.
Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers was limited in practice all week due to a shoulder injury and was questionable, but he was active Sunday.
Baltimore wide receiver Devontez Walker was ruled out due to an oblique injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but did not practice on Friday.
Baltimore fullback Patrick Ricard was ruled out due to a calf injury, his sixth straight absence. He didn't practice on Wednesday but was limited on Thursday and Friday.
Blake Corum took the third drive as usual for the Rams, but suffered an ankle injury on the drive. He was able to return for three plays in the second half. The Ravens dominated time of possession in the second half, finishing with 38 plays on their final three drives. It’s possible Corum would have played more in the second half had the Rams had the ball more.
Los Angeles' tight end Tyler Higbee didn't practice on Wednesday, was limited in practice on Thursday and upgraded to full on Friday due to a hip injury.
Los Angeles tight end Colby Parkinson was inactive due to a concussion. He was limited in practice all week. He was ruled questionable on Friday.
Second-round rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson played a season-high 17 offensive snaps after playing eight snaps in the first five weeks. Part of that was the injuries to the other tight ends, but Ferguson may be more involved going forward. He most notably played in seven of 11 snaps in single-tight-end sets on third downs.

Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers

The Cowboys adjust without Miles Sanders: The Cowboys placed Sanders on injured reserve on Saturday and will miss the rest of the season. He needs chondral tissue graft surgery on his left knee.

Sanders was Javonte Williams‘ primary backup, while Hunter Luepke as the fullback and emergency halfback, with fifth-round rookie Jaydon Blue typically inactive. With Sanders out, Blue will be the second running back on the depth chart going forward.

The Cowboys similarly didn’t have Sanders last week, and Blue simply took the snaps that would typically go to Sanders. Williams played 76.7% of Dallas' offensive snaps last week, which was slightly up compared to his 71.7% season average over the first four weeks. This week, the Cowboys relied even more on Williams. He played 85.5% of the offensive snaps. He was already playing over 80% in two-minute drill situations in addition to the short-yardage and goal-line snaps, and that remained the case this week. Williams' increase simply came from playing more snaps in normal early down situations. He ran 13 times for 29 yards and caught five passes for five yards.

Blue only played five offensive snaps and gained zero yards on three carries. While this was not a good game for Williams, it was better than Blue’s game. Williams could be a buy-low option, although it might make sense to wait another two weeks to buy low, after the Cowboys play the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. It’s fine to have Blue in fantasy leagues where most handcuffs are rostered, but it doesn’t seem like Blue is close to taking significant playing time away from Williams.

Rico Dowdle shines for Carolina: The Panthers' typical backup ran 30 times for 183 yards and caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Carolina's halfback, Chuba Hubbard, was ruled out due to a calf injury, his second straight absence. He didn't practice all week. He was ruled out on Friday. Hubbard was the clear starter over the first four weeks, playing 64.1% of Carolina's offensive snaps, compared to Dowdle's 35.1%. Dowdle took over as the starter last week, playing 67.1%. He gave up his third-down snaps to DeeJay Dallas, while fourth-round rookie Trevor Etienne became the primary backup.

This week in the revenge game, Dowdle took an even higher percentage of Carolina's offensive snaps. He took his third-down snaps back and played over 90% of the offensive snaps on early downs. This has led Dowdle to become a dominant force from a fantasy perspective. While the Panthers shouldn’t rush to get Hubbard back, Dowdle’s big games don’t necessarily mean he will remain the lead guy once Hubbard returns.

Hubbard was the more effective runner over the first four weeks, averaging more yards per carry, more yards after contact per carry, a better first-down rate and a higher rate of gaining five or more yards. Hubbard was RB15 over the first four weeks, despite facing the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots during that stretch, two top-five teams at preventing fantasy points to running backs. These last two weeks, the Panthers have played two top-six teams at allowing fantasy points to running backs. We can certainly expect the backfield to be closer to a 50-50 split once everyone is healthy, and it’s even possible that Dowdle becomes the lead back, but this should be a heavy two-man rotation. Dowdle is a sell-high option, while Hubbard is a buy-low.

Miscellaneous Notes

Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker returned to practice from injured reserve on Wednesday. He was a full participant in practice all week after his quadriceps injury, but Carolina opted not to activate him for this game.
Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders was inactive due to an ankle injury, his third straight absence. He was limited on Wednesday, upgraded to full on Thursday, limited on Friday and was ruled questionable.
Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (ankle) and KaVontae Turpin (foot) didn't practice all week and missed their third and second games, respectively.
The Cowboys signed Jalen Cropper off their practice squad to the 53-man roster, while Parris Campbell was a practice squad elevation for this game.
Ryan Flournoy remained the third wide receiver, playing behind George Pickens and Jalen Tolbert in one- and two-receiver sets. Flournoy caught three passes for 30 yards, while Tolbert caught one pass for eight yards. Flournoy may pass Tolbert on the depth chart sooner rather than later.
Cowboys wide receiver Jonathan Mingo was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, downgraded to did not practice on Thursday and didn't practice on Friday due to a knee injury. Dallas didn’t activate him from injured reserve for this game.

Arizona Cardinals @ Indianapolis Colts

The Cardinals change running back strategies: Bam Knight and Michael Carter tied for the team lead in rushing yards.

James Conner is out for the season, while Trey Benson is on injured reserve and will miss a minimum of two more games. Last week, Carter was the early-down back, while Knight was the backup, and Emari Demercado was the third-down back. Adam Schefter reported before the game that Knight would start ahead of Carter, leading to a scramble of fantasy managers adding Knight and removing Carter from their lineups.

The report ended up not being true, as Carter played every snap on the first drive. Knight started to mix in on the second drive. After three drives, Carter had 11 offensive snaps and three runs, while Knight and Demercado had three snaps each. Demercado suffered an ankle injury on the third drive and didn’t return to the game.

From this point, Knight played 34 snaps to Carter's 21. This included Knight's 10 runs compared to Carter's four. Carter took over Demercado’s role as the third-down back and two-minute drill back. Knight took all of the goal-line snaps, which led to an early one-yard touchdown and was the difference in Knight being the better fantasy option for the week.

We should expect another heavy two-man rotation next week against the Green Bay Packers. Arizona has its bye week the following week and then has a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Knight should be among the top waiver-wire pickups at running back this week in any league where no one picked him up this morning. He is a good option for anyone desperate for a running back in Week 7, but he could be a great option in Week 9, when Saquon Barkley, Bucky Irving, Breece Hall and Quinshon Judkins all have bye weeks.

Monitor Marvin Harrison Jr.’s health: Harrison suffered a concussion and didn’t return.

The Cardinals started the day close to full strength at wide receiver. Zay Jones was limited all week due to a knee injury and was questionable, but he played seven of the nine snaps on the first two drives. At this point, Wilson suffered an injury, costing him roughly 10 minutes of game time. On the following two drives, Jones and Harrison played every snap, while Greg Dortch joined them in three-receiver sets.

Wilson was able to return on the fifth drive, but that was the drive that Harrison exited. This left Wilson and Jones as the top two receivers over the rest of the game, while Dortch continued to join in three-receiver sets. Jones caught five passes for 79 yards, which was by far his best game with the Cardinals. Jones had 84 yards over 11 games last season and 37 yards on five receptions over four games this year. While part of Jones' success was the other wide receivers' injuries, it is also relatively common for a backup quarterback to have more chemistry with the backup receivers than the starters. Jacoby Brissett is in his first year as the Cardinals' backup and has potentially practiced more with Jones than the other wide receivers.

There is a chance Harrison misses next week due to the concussion, and Arizona has its bye week the week after. Jones would be a fine waiver-wire option if both Kyler Murray and Harrison miss the week, as the Cardinals will likely need to pass the ball a lot against the Packers.

The Colts might not have a clear handcuff: While D.J. Giddens was the clear No. 2 running back heading into this week, he might not have a strong hold on that job.

Jonathan Taylor has been the obvious lead running back over the first five weeks, playing 265 of a possible 328 offensive snaps. Giddens was the clear second at 44, followed by Tyler Goodson at eight, Ameer Abdullah at five and Ulysses Bentley IV at two. Eighteen of Giddens' snaps occurred in Week 1’s blowout victory against the Miami Dolphins. Since then, he was held to five snaps or fewer before garbage time in games, and most of his snaps since that game occurred in garbage time.

Goodson missed his second straight game due to a groin injury, leading Abdullah to get called up from the practice squad both weeks. Giddens played nine snaps in that game compared to Abdullah's five. Abullah played four snaps before garbage time, including scoring a touchdown, compared to Giddens' three, as Giddens took the garbage time work. This wasn’t alarming at the time, as Abdullah was playing his former team, and the Colts potentially wanted to let Abdullah get more work against his old team.

However, in this game, Abdullah took three snaps compared to Giddens' two. Abdullah’s snaps occurred early in the second quarter, while Giddens’ snaps were the kneel-downs to end the game. This suggests Abdullah is the current top backup. None of this matters as long as Taylor stays healthy, but we shouldn’t expect Giddens to simply be the lead running back if Taylor suffers an injury. There is a chance he would start, but there would likely be a big rotation of two or three players. The gap between Giddens and the other running backs on the roster isn’t nearly as large as the year-long snap counts suggest.

Miscellaneous Notes

Arizona's quarterback, Kyler Murray, was inactive due to a foot injury. He didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday but was limited in practice on Friday and was ruled questionable. The Cardinals signed quarterback Kedon Slovis from their own practice squad on Saturday to back up Jacoby Brissett.
The Cardinals placed tight end Tip Reiman on injured reserve on Wednesday. The 2024 third-round pick suffered an ankle injury last week and will be out for the season.
Travis Vokolek moved up to third on the depth chart due to Reiman’s injury, but he suffered a neck injury early in the game on a kickoff. He needed a stretcher to get off the field. This led the team to use more single-tight-end sets.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. suffered an eye injury during pre-game warmups, leading him to be inactive. Riley Leonard, who had been the Colts' emergency third quarterback to start the season, was active and took Richardson’s place.
Indianapolis wide receiver Alec Pierce was back in the lineup after missing back-to-back games due to a concussion. He was a full participant in practice all week.
Adonai Mitchell was a healthy inactive for the first time. He started in Pierce's place two weeks ago and noticeably fumbled the football right before scoring a touchdown and had a penalty that cost Indianapolis a touchdown. Ashton Dulin started in Pierce's place last week.
The Colts placed kicker Spencer Shrader on injured reserve on Tuesday, ending his season. The Colts signed Michael Badgley to take his place.

Seattle Seahawks @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Zach Charbonnet leads the team in carries: Kenneth Walker III had been the leader in carries each of the last three weeks.

The Seahawks have used a heavy two-man rotation at running back all season. Walker had a slight lead in snaps on early downs, while Charbonnet has been the clear two-minute and goal-line back. Also, Charbonnet was often the third-down back. While the exact percentages have fluctuated from one week to another, that has been the general trend that has held this week.

This led Charbonnet to earn more carries than Walker in the first two weeks. However, Walker ran 13 times for 105 yards and a touchdown in Week 2, while Charbonnet ran 15 times for 10 yards. Charbonnet missed Week 3, but even in the last two weeks, Walker has run the ball more and been the better runner. Walker ran 19 times for 81 yards and 10 times for 86 yards over the last two weeks, while Charbonnet ran 12 times for 39 yards and nine times for 36 yards.

If anything, this should have left Seattle leaning more heavily on Walker in the run game. Instead, Charbonnet ran 12 times compared to Walker's 10. Walker, again, averaged more yards per carry at 3.4 compared to 2.0. It was already difficult to start Walker in fantasy football despite being among the highest graded running backs due to his lack of goal-line and receiving work. It will be even harder to start him going forward if there are still games like this where he’s not the lead runner on his team.

Hunter Long replaces Brenton Strange: The Jaguars' breakout tight end was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday due to hip and quad injuries. He’s expected to miss at least five weeks.

The Jaguars used Strange as their clear lead tight end, while Johnny Mundt was the second tight end in two-tight-end sets, and Long was the backup when everyone was healthy. Jacksonville happened to sign Quintin Morris to the 53-man roster last week before Strange’s injury, so Jacksonville didn’t need to sign another tight end once Strange was hurt.

While Mundt had the second-most snaps at tight end this season due to his snaps in two-tight-end sets, Long primarily replaced Strange. However, in single-tight-end sets, there was a little more rotation than usual, so Long’s snap share wasn’t quite as high as Strange's. This meant Morris also played slightly more snaps. The Jaguars also didn’t give their replacement tight ends as many targets as Strange. This meant more targets for the wide receivers. Most notably, Brian Thomas Jr. had his best day of the season, eight receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown.

This will be a tight end situation to avoid, simply because there is too much of a rotation combined with too few targets.

Miscellaneous Notes

Travis Etienne Jr.’s playing time has been incredibly consistent, playing between 54-66% of Jacksonville's offensive snaps every week. He played 61% in this game.
Travis Hunter played a career-high 58 offensive snaps this week. His offensive snaps all occurred in three-receiver sets, but Jacksonville ran more 11 personnel than usual, thanks to some combination of the game script and Brenton Strange’s injury. He played 22 snaps on defense, which was similar to last week.
Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten and wide receiver Dyami Brown were both limited in practice all week due to shoulder injuries but weren't given game statuses.
Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe was a healthy inactive. Milroe has played three offensive snaps this season, finishing with three carries and no first downs. He lost a fumble last week.
The Seahawks released sixth wide receiver Cody White on Thursday and signed him back to the practice squad on Friday. He had missed some time due to a shoulder injury.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Miami Dolphins

Kimani Vidal leads the way without Omarion Hampton: Vidal gained over 100 rushing yards in his first NFL start.

The Chargers placed running back Omarion Hampton on injured reserve on Wednesday, and there was some fear that he will miss more than four games. This comes after the Chargers already lost Najee Harris for the season. In response, Vidal was signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad, while Nyheim Hines was signed to the practice squad and elevated to the 53-man roster for this game. There were also reports that the Chargers have been calling about a running back trade, although they seem less likely to make a trade after this game.

While Hassan Haskins appeared to be the top running back on the depth chart, including reports that Haskins would lead the way today, Vidal started. Regardless of who played the first snap, the Chargers seemed likely to go with the hot hand, considering neither Haskins nor Vidal has been able to establish themselves clearly ahead of the other over the past two seasons. Vidal had three carries on the first two drives compared to two by Haskins, and both players averaged 1.0 yards per carry.

Vidal broke a 38-yard run on the Chargers' third drive, and from then on, the backfield was primarily his. Haskins was the two-minute drill back, which wasn’t surprising. Haskins happened to take the goal-line snap, but Vidal had three goal-line snaps last week, so this doesn’t necessarily mean Haskins will take the goal-line snaps going forward.

While Vidal was picked up off waivers in most 12-team leagues last week, he is still available in plenty of 10-team leagues and should be a top waiver-wire target in those leagues. However, there is still a chance the Chargers make a trade for a running back. There is also a chance that Vidal has a slow start, Haskins gets the hot hand, and the backfield shifts back to Haskins. However, as long as Vidal keeps playing well, the backfield should be his until Hampton is back.

Tre Harris starts his first NFL game: Los Angeles wide receiver Quentin Johnston couldn't play due to a hamstring injury. He was limited in practice all week. He was ruled questionable on Friday.

During the start of the preseason, it seemed like Johnston would be the Chargers' X receiver, while Harris was the Z, and Ladd McConkey was the slot. However, the team added Keenan Allen, which moved Harris to the bench. Fellow rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith got most of his work as an X receiver during the preseason, which suggested he could be Johnston's backup.

Lambert-Smith was higher on the depth chart in Week 1, playing 14 snaps to Harris' five. However, that quickly changed in Week 2. Lambert-Smith became a healthy inactive in Week 3. He’s been active the last three weeks because Derius Davis has missed the last three weeks due to a knee injury. However, Harris completely took Johnston's place as the X receiver. Harris played at least 85% of the offensive snaps in two-, three- and four-receiver sets while also taking the majority of snaps in one-receiver sets. He caught four passes for 27 yards. It’s unlikely he will have much value in redraft this season, unless there is a longer-term injury to one of their receivers.

It was notable that Harris played ahead of Allen in two-receiver sets. Allen played 56.3% of the offensive snaps in this game, catching four passes for 27 yards. If there are games where the Chargers are winning and using a lot of one- and two-receiver sets, Allen might not play much.

The Chargers reach full strength at tight end: Los Angeles' tight end Will Dissly returned after missing three straight games due to a knee injury.

Los Angeles only used Dissly and Tyler Conklin during the first two weeks of the season. Since Dissly’s injury, Oronde Gadsden emerged as the clear receiving tight end. Los Angeles used all four of its tight ends this week, but Gadsden remained the top guy. He played 71.4% of the early-down snaps out of single-tight-end sets, 90% of the snaps on third downs, and 55% of the snaps in two-tight-end sets. He posted the best game of his career, catching seven passes for 68 yards. He is a clear top waiver target at tight end, especially knowing he is keeping his role despite Dissly’s return.

The Chargers used more three-tight-end sets than usual because fullback Scott Matlock couldn't play due to an ankle injury. He was limited on Thursday and Friday. He was ruled questionable on Friday. Tucker Fisk played the second-most snaps at tight end because he took nine snaps in the backfield in Matlock’s role. Once Matlock is healthy, we should expect Dissly to be the No. 2 receiver.

Conklin only played three offensive snaps, two of which occurred in three-tight-end sets. Once Matlock is healthy, it wouldn’t be surprising if Conklin becomes a healthy inactive. It’s also possible the Chargers move on from Conklin, either moving him to the practice squad or potentially allowing some other team to claim him.

Darren Waller’s role continues to expand: Waller’s snap rate continues to rise, even though his target rate was low this week.

Waller made his Dolphins’ debut in Week 4, playing 16 offensive snaps. He played most of the snaps in two-tight-end sets and on third downs, but he only played one of a possible 39 snaps in single-tight-end sets on early downs. His snap total doubled in Week 2, largely from the Dolphins running 15 snaps out of two-tight-end sets compared to seven the week before. His early down snaps in single-tight-end snaps increased to six out of 29.

This week, Waller doubled his snaps in early-down situations from six to 12. The Dolphins also ran more plays out of two-tight-end sets, while Waller took all 21 snaps in those situations. This left Waller with a route rate you would expect from a fantasy starting tight end, which should make it easier to put him in fantasy starting lineups. He was only targeted on 10% of his routes, but that rate should bounce back in future weeks.

It’s also worth noting that Waller didn't practice on Wednesday but was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday due to a hip injury. Once he’s further removed from the hip injury, it’s possible Waller’s ascention can continue. At the peak of his career, Waller was consistently playing over 90% of Miami's offensive snaps. This might be your only opportunity to trade for Waller, given he only caught two passes.

Miscellaneous Notes

De’Von Achane has surpassed 85% of the Dolphins' offensive snaps three times in his career: Week 2 this year, Week 5 this year and this week.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was limited in practice on Wednesday, upgraded to full on Thursday due to hip and left thumb injuries and wasn't given a game status.
Dolphins halfback Jaylen Wright was a healthy scratch, his second straight absence.
Miami wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. couldn't play due to a knee injury, his second straight absence. He was limited on Wednesday and Thursday, and upgraded to full on Friday. He wasn't given a game status, so this suggests he will be a healthy inactive going forward.

New England Patriots @ New Orleans Saints

Rhamondre Stevenson leads the New England two-man backfield: The Patriots placed running back Antonio Gibson on injured reserve on Friday after he tore his ACL, ending his season.

The Patriots had been using a three-man rotation, led by Stevenson, followed by second-round rookie TreVeyon Henderson, and Gibson was third. The backfield rotation had been adjusted in two of the last three games, as Stevenson has fumbled three times in those games. However, after Stevenson fumbled twice in Week 3, his playing time returned to normal in Week 4. Gibson's injury made it likely that Stevenson’s snap share would bounce back from the 39% rate from last week.

Gibson’s injury led the team to use a two-man backfield rather than three. The Patriots activated running back Terrell Jennings from the practice squad for this game on Saturday, but he didn’t play on offense. Not only did Stevenson’s playing time bounce back, but he also absorbed all of Gibson’s snaps. Henderson’s role was very similar to every other game where Stevenson didn’t have a fumbling issue.

However, Henderson was the more effective runner of the two. Stevenson ran seven times for 18 yards in the first half while Henderson ran twice for 11 yards. This led Henderson to get more involved in the run game in the second half. Stevenson ran six more times in the second half for zero yards. The fact that Henderson doubled Stevenson’s yards per carry will ideally lead to more Henderson carries going forward. However, he still shouldn’t be in fantasy starting lineups.

Consistency in the Patriots' wide receiver rotation: Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas posted large stat totals, but their roles in recent weeks have been consistent.

Boutte caught five passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns and should be among the top waiver-wire targets at wide receiver this week. He’s been the Patriots' clear X receiver all season. He’s averaged 70% of the snaps in two-receiver sets all season and has played at least 80% in three-receiver sets in every game. The Patriots' offense is playing well enough to support two fantasy-relevant receivers any given week. In most games, that should be some combination of Boutte, Stefon Diggs and tight end Hunter Henry.

Diggs was somewhat limited in the first few weeks of the season, but his role has solidified over the last three weeks. He’s played between 41-56% of the offensive snaps in two-receiver sets and 83-90% in three-receiver sets. It will be hard to trust him in fantasy starting lineups with this snap share, but he will have some big games over the rest of the season. Because Boutte has been the X receiver, Diggs is often lining up in the slot, which was Douglas’ role. This has left Douglas rotating with Mack Hollins for the third spot in three-receiver sets. It is difficult to trust a receiver who is only playing in the slot in three-receiver sets, and it’s even harder when that player is sharing slot snaps in three-receiver sets.

While Douglas caught three passes for 71 yards and a touchdown, almost all of his production came from a 53-yard touchdown catch. Douglas should be left on the waiver wire in most leagues, including deeper ones.

Juwan Johnson’s role continues to decline: Johnson’s snap rate has taken a hit every week this season since Week 1.

Johnson started the season with a much larger role than usual because Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill started the season on the PUP list. Both tight ends returned to practice before Week 5 and ended up playing. This was surprising, given that it was their first week of practice with a new coaching staff. Johnson’s snap rate took a slight hit last week, but the Saints used a lot more sets with multiple tight ends.

This week, Johnson played notably less in both two-tight-end sets and single-tight-end sets on early downs. Johnson had played at least 77% of the snaps in both situations in every previous game this season. This week, Moreau played 31% in single-tight-end sets, leading Johnson to drop to 63%. The Saints also used a lot of two-tight-end sets with Moreau and Jack Stoll, leading Johnson to play 45.5% of the snaps in two-tight-end sets. This left his snap share much more in line with where it was last season.

It’s worth noting Johnson was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and upgraded to full on Friday after an ankle injury, but he was also limited in practice a week ago due to the same injury.

While the decrease in snaps has hurt Johnson, he was targeted on at least 25% of his routes in each of the first three weeks. Since then, he’s been targeted on 11.7% of his routes. While there is a chance he has a few more good games this season, he can be dropped in most fantasy leagues.

Miscellaneous Notes

New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara was limited in practice all week due to an ankle injury and was questionable, but he was active Sunday. His snap rate remained lower than usual, similar to last week, but he caught five passes for 45 yards, 17 more receiving yards than he's had in any other game this season.
The Saints released Velus Jones Jr. earlier in the week but re-signed him to the practice squad. This led rookie running back Devin Neal to be active after three straight games as a healthy scratch.
Tight end Moliki Matavao was also waived earlier in the week and signed to the practice squad.
Taysom Hill’s snap rate only increased from 9% last week to 12% this week. Last week, six of his snaps occurred at quarterback. This week, he only lined up at quarterback once, playing five snaps at fullback, five in a traditional tight end spot and two in the slot. This led to one touch, but he scored a touchdown on that play.
Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III made his regular-season debut after being a healthy inactive the first five weeks. He was the team’s primary kick returner.

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers adjust without Calvin Austin III: The Steelers' second option at wide receiver didn't practice all week due to a shoulder injury. He was ruled out on Friday.

D.K. Metcalf and Austin have been the clear top two wide receivers on the Steelers’ depth chart all season, with some uncertainty below them. Roman Wilson was the third wide receiver early in the season, and Ben Skowronek took over in recent weeks. When Austin went down due to injury two weeks ago, Scott Miller took over.

This week, Miller, once again, took over as the wide receiver in two- and three-receiver sets. Wilson and Skowronek split snaps in three-receiver sets. Typically, when someone is playing the clear majority of the snaps in both two- and three-wide receiver sets, they are playing at least 70% of the total offensive snaps. That wasn’t the case this week, as the Steelers ran 23 plays in single-receiver sets, 21 in two-receiver sets and 12 in three-receiver sets. Metcalf played 19 of the 23 snaps in the single-wide-receiver sets.

That plan worked this week as Pittsburgh scored on its opening drive and never gave up the lead. However, the schedule will get more difficult, potentially before Austin returns. The Steelers will likely need more out of their wide receivers who are not named Metcalf.

Darnell Washington leads the Steelers in snaps for a second straight week: Washington has played over 45 snaps in each of the last two games after playing 30 or fewer in the first three.

The Steelers’ tight end rotation was already going to be a nightmare for fantasy purposes when it was mostly Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth competing for snaps while Washington was a blocker. Now, Washington has become the primary tight end when the Steelers use 11 personnel on early downs. He has played in 31 of a possible 35 snaps in 11 personnel on early downs over the last two weeks. He has also played the vast majority of two-tight-end snaps over the last two weeks, 40 of a possible 50. He caught three passes for a career-high 62 yards in this game.

This has primarily meant a decrease in snaps for Freiermuth. The Steelers' former lead tight end played all three snaps out of 11 personnel on third downs, but he’s a clear third on the depth chart now. It’s possible the Steelers would be willing to trade him, but it’s a lot easier to come up with a list of tight ends who could get traded than it is a list of teams that could be looking for a tight end.

Because Freiermuth is still taking the most valuable tight end snaps, and Jonnu Smith is still seeing designed targets, Washington should be left on the waiver wire. However, if Washington has another game or two like this, he could be someone worth considering.

Monitor David Njoku’s health: Njoku suffered a knee injury, causing him to miss most of the second half.

The Browns have used more two-tight-end sets this season than most teams with Njoku sharing the field with rookie Harold Fannin Jr. That was the case for the first half of this game, as Fannin played 25 of 35 snaps in the first half, while Njoku played 24. Njoku suffered his injury late in the first half. Njoku returned at the start of the second half and took most of his normal snaps at nine of 12. However, he only played three snaps early in the fourth quarter out of a possible 35. Fannin played 30 of the 35 snaps that quarter, while the Browns continued to use a high rate of 12 personnel, but with Blake Whiteheart.

Fannin caught seven passes for a career-high 81 receiving yards. Fannin was already a borderline fantasy starter, but if Njoku misses time, Fannin will be a clear player worth starting. He should be picked up in any league where he has been dropped.

Isaiah Bond dominates playing time for the first time: Bond has played 100% of the snaps in three-receiver sets each of the last three weeks, but he received a notable increase in two-receiver sets.

Bond began the season in a rotation with Jamari Thrash for the slot receiver role in three-receiver sets. In Week 3, Bond had a clear lead over Thrash and started cutting into Cedric Tillman’s playing time in two-receiver sets. Tillman suffered an injury in Week 4, resulting in his landing on injured reserve. While it seemed like Bond should receive a big increase in snaps in Week 5, the Browns had Bond rotate with Thrash in two-receiver sets last week. Bond played 54% of the snaps in two-receiver sets. The Browns ran a lot of one- and two-receiver sets, so Bond only played 57% of the snaps.

This week, Bond played 82.1% of the snaps in two-receiver sets. He played nearly as many snaps as Jerry Jeudy, while Thrash was the third receiver in three-receiver sets. The Browns ran 82 offensive plays. Typically, that leads teams to rotate more often than usual. Bond only caught two of five targets for nine yards, but this is a promising sign that he could have a larger role in the offense going forward, particularly if Njoku's injury is serious.

Miscellaneous Notes

Pittsburgh running back Jaylen Warren was back in the lineup after missing their last game due to a knee injury. He was a full participant in practice all week. His role wasn’t as big as it was before the injury, but that was potentially because the team eased him back in. He led the team in carries as well as yards per carry.
Kaleb Johnson played 11 snaps for the second straight week. It’s also possible the Steelers' running-back room becomes more of a three-man rotation.
Jerome Ford was tied with Quinshon Judkins in terms of offensive snaps because the Browns had 43 plays in third-down and two-minute drill situations, compared to 31 plays in normal early-down situations. Typically, there are many more plays on early downs than on third downs and in two-minute drills.
Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was active for the first time after Cleveland traded Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Browns wide receiver Malachi Corley was limited on Wednesday and Thursday due to a groin injury, upgraded to full on Friday and wasn't given a game status.

Tennessee Titans @ Las Vegas Raiders

Monitor Calvin Ridley’s health: Ridley suffered a hamstring injury early in the first quarter and didn’t return.

The Titans had a three-and-out on their first drive, which included two plays in single-receiver sets. It was notable that Elic Ayomanor was the receiver on these plays, considering he only played one snap in single-receiver sets over the first five weeks. Ridley took most of the snaps on the second drive as the Titans shifted to 11 personnel, but he didn’t play again after the second drive.

Van Jefferson took over from this point on. Ayomanor had typically been the Titans' X receiver with Ridley at Z, but after Ridley’s injury, Jefferson took over as the X receiver while Ayomanor moved to Z. This was notable because the receivers who put up the best numbers against the Raiders this season have been X receivers. Jefferson caught four passes for 75 yards, which continued that streak.

If Ridley misses time, we can expect the Titans to continue using Jefferson at the X-receiver spot and Ayomanor at Z. While those roles led Jefferson to be the better receiving option in this matchup, Ayomanor would be the better option long term, given his talent and how well Ridley was playing in the role last week.

Tyjae Spears leads the Titans' backfield in snaps: The split between Tony Pollard and Spears was reminiscent of last season.

Spears missed the first four weeks of the season due to injury and returned last week in a limited role. He was the primary running back on third downs but only played five snaps in normal early-down situations and four of the 20 snaps in two-minute drills last week. This week, the big difference was the two-minute drill snaps, where Spears played 23 of 30.

Currently, this backfield resembles last season. Pollard receives more touches and plays more in wins, while Spears plays more in losses. However, it’s worth noting that late last season, Spears started to run the ball more often. Spears ran five times in this game but averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Pollard was held to 3.4 yards per carry. We may see Spears run the ball more often in future weeks to try to give the Titans’ offense a spark. Spears should be on fantasy rosters in case there is more of a shift in the backfield splits.

Jack Bech takes over as the Raiders’ WR3: Bech played 100% of the Raiders' offensive snaps in three-receiver sets.

The Raiders kept their top two wide receivers from last season in Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, who have consistently played over 90% of Las Vegas' offensive snaps each week. To help their wide receiver room, the Raiders spent a second-round pick on Bech and a third-round pick on Dont’e Thornton Jr. While it seemed like Bech should have been the favorite for the third spot, Las Vegas had Thornton ahead for all of training camp and the preseason. Meyers is more of a Z/slot receiver, and Tucker is an undersized player, while Thornton naturally fits the X-receiver role. Bech is a similar receiver to Meyers.

This left Thortnon playing 66% of the Raiders' offensive snaps over the first four weeks, including 90% of the snaps in three-receiver sets. Bech was the clear fourth receiver on the depth chart, playing 12% of the snaps in the same time. That changed last week, as Bech and Thornton split snaps in three-receiver sets.

This week, it was just Bech. He was their X receiver, although the roles haven’t been as set compared to when Thornton was on the field. Jakobi Meyers played at least 60% of the offensive snaps in the slot the first four weeks, and that has fallen to 51-53% each of the last two weeks.

Bech was only targeted once and didn’t catch that pass. For the time being, this only impacts leagues of 16 players or more, where Bech should be rostered instead of Thornton. We could see a much larger role for Bech in terms of target rate if Meyers is traded in the next month, as Bech would be playing the Z/slot role he is more familiar with if that happens.

Miscellaneous Notes

Ashton Jeanty played over 80% of Las Vegas' offensive snaps before garbage time for the third time this season.
Raiders halfback Zamir White didn't dress (coach's decision) after appearing last week.
Third-string running back Dylan Laube suffered a hamstring on a special teams play and was ruled questionable to return.
Raiders' tight end Brock Bowers didn't practice all week due to a knee injury. He was ruled out on Friday.
Raiders tight end Michael Mayer was back in the lineup after missing back-to-back games due to a concussion. He was a full participant in practice all week. He was the Raiders' top tight end and will be a borderline fantasy starter for as long as Bowers is out.
Titans' running back Tyjae Spears was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday due tp an ankle injury, upgraded to full on Friday and wasn't given a game status.
Chimere Dike played notably more snaps than Tyler Lockett as the Titans’ slot receiver for a second straight week.
Titans' wide receiver Van Jefferson didn't practice on Wednesday and was limited in practice on Thursday due to an ankle injury, upgraded to full on Friday and was questionable, but he was active Sunday.
Tennessee wide receiver Bryce Oliver was ruled out Friday due to a knee injury, his fourth straight absence. He was limited in practice all week.
The Titans released former first-round wide receiver Treylon Burks from injured reserve on Tuesday. He has not picked a new team yet.
Tennessee shifted its 12 personnel strategy, consistently using Gunnar Helm and David Martin -Robinson rather than Chig Okonkwo, who caught six passes for 46 yards, but this was the second straight week his playing time notably decreased.
Titans' kicker Joey Slye was ruled out on Friday due to a right calf injury. He didn't practice all week. Matthew Wright was signed to the practice squad on Wednesday and was elevated on Saturday.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Green Bay Packers

Monitor Dontayvion Wicks’ health: Wicks suffered an ankle injury and didn’t finish the game.

The Packers started the season with Romeo Doubs as their X receiver, Wicks and first-round rookie Matthew Golden rotating as their Z receiver, and Jayden Reed playing in the slot. Reed broke his collarbone three weeks ago, which will keep him out for roughly another month. That led Wicks to play more in the slot, allowing Golden to play more out wide. In Week 4, the Packers swapped Wicks and Golden, leading Golden to play more out of the slot. That continued this week after the Packers' Week 5 bye.

Wicks suffered his injury in the second quarter. He tried playing in the first play of the third quarter but didn’t return to the game after that play. This led Malik Heath to take over as the Z receiver for the rest of the game. However, if Wicks misses time, Heath might not take over long term. The Packers opened up the 21-day practice window for wide receiver Christian Watson. He was a limited participant in practice all week, but he wasn’t brought to the 53-man active roster. Last season, Watson and Wicks rotated in the Z spot. We could very well see Watson return to a large role next week, particularly if Wicks misses time.

The Packers have a fine matchup against the Arizona Cardinals next week. However, the Packers have four matchups against teams in the top seven at allowing fantasy points to wide receivers over the rest of the season. Watson would be worth picking up in most 12-team leagues, specifically for those matchups if Wicks misses time.

Monitor Mike Gesicki’s health: The Bengals' receiving tight end suffered a left pectoral injury and didn’t return.

The Bengals have generally used Drew Sample and Noah Fant in two-tight-end sets, Gesicki on 11 personnel on third downs, and either Sample or Gesicki in 11 personnel on early downs, depending on the game script and situation. The three-man rotation and struggling Bengals offense left Gesicki with no fantasy value.

Instead of Sample or Fant receiving an increased role after Gesicki’s injury, Cincinnati simply started using Tanner Hudson in Gesicki’s role. Hudson caught four passes for 10 yards and a touchdown. It will be best to avoid this tight end room unless multiple injuries lead to an increased role for a receiving tight end.

Miscellaneous Notes

The Bengals traded for Joe Flacco on Tuesday, making him their new starting quarterback. Brett Rypien was released in a corresponding move.
Tee Higgins was evaluated for a concussion after taking a hit, leading him to miss a little time, but he was able to return and finish the game.
Cincinnati wide receiver Charlie Jones was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to an Achilles injury, upgraded to full on Friday and wasn't given a game status.
Cincinnati tight end Drew Sample didn't practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury, was limited in practice on Thursday, upgraded to full on Friday and wasn't given a game status.
Packers wide receiver Savion Williams was limited in practice all week due to a groin injury and wasn't given a game status.
Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus couldn't play due to a right quadricep injury. He was limited in practice all week. He was ruled questionable on Friday. The Packers signed Lucas Havrisik to the 53-man roster on Saturday.

San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Monitor Emeka Egbuka’s health: Egbuka suffered a hamstring injury in the third quarter and didn’t return.

The Buccaneers started this week without three of their top four wide receivers. Mike Evans didn't practice all week and missed his third straight game due to a hamstring injury. Chris Godwin Jr. didn't practice all week due to a fibula injury. Both were ruled out on Friday. Jalen McMillan suffered a neck injury in the preseason and is expected to miss at least a few more weeks.

This left Egbuka playing the X-receiver role, as he’s played the last three weeks with Evans out. He rotated in the slot a little more this week than in other recent weeks. Sterling Shepard remained the third receiver in three-receiver sets, while Tez Johnson replaced Godwin as the team’s Z receiver throughout the game. Once Egbuka left the game 2024 undrafted receiver out of Barton, Kameron Johnson, took over. While Johnson is only 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, he was the primary X receiver over the rest of the game.

Kameron Johnson caught four passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. It’s fair to avoid all of the Buccaneers’ wide receivers that are lower on the depth chart, assuming one player can come back next week. However, if none of them do, it will be a toss-up to which Johnson has more fantasy value. It’s more likely that tight end Cade Otton, who led the team in targets, would be the Buccaneers’ receiver to target.

Jauan Jennings returns to the 49ers: Jennings didn't practice on Wednesday but was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday due to ankle and rib injuries and was ruled questionable for Sunday.

The 49ers have dealt with several wide receiver injuries this season. Lead X receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains out with no sign of when he will return. Ricky Pearsall didn't practice all week due to a knee injury. He was ruled out on Friday. Kendrick Bourne was a full participant all week with a rib injury and wasn't given a game status. Jordan Watkins was ruled out due to a calf injury. He didn't practice all week and was also ruled out on Friday.

However, the fact that Jennings was playing left San Francisco healthier than in other recent weeks. Jennings joined Bourne as the two primary receivers in two- and three-receiver sets. Marquez Valdes-Scantling joined them as the slot receiver in three-receiver sets. This was notable considering Jennings and Bourne both have extensive experience in the slot. The 49ers guaranteed $6 million to Robinson this offseason, while Valdes-Scantling was a late addition, added after the Seahawks released him on cut-down day.

Once Pearsall is also healthy, it will be interesting to see which of the three receivers ends up in the slot. Bourne was the star for the 49ers for a second-straight week with five receptions for 142 yards. He is a sell-high option, as he’s benefited from the 49ers’ injuries at wide receiver and having Mac Jones at quarterback. Jones and Bourne played three seasons together with the Patriots. Once any combination of Purdy, Pearsall and tight end George Kittle returns, it’s unlikely Bourne will keep having excellent games.

Miscellaneous Notes

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy didn't practice all week due to a toe injury. He was ruled out on Friday.
49ers' quarterback Mac Jones was limited in practice all week due to knee and oblique injuries and was questionable, but he was active Sunday.
Christian McCaffrey played a season-high 92.8% of the 49ers' offensive snaps.
49ers tight end Jake Tonges also played a season high in snaps, 82.6%. However, there is a chance George Kittle will be back next week, which would lead to Tonges playing significantly less.
Tampa Bay's halfback Bucky Irving didn't practice all week and missed back-to-back games due to foot and shoulder injuries. He was ruled out on Friday.
Rachaad White started again, and the running back rotation with Sean Tucker was identical to last week. White played 70% of the early-down snaps and 100% of the snaps in all third-down, two-minute drill, short-yardage and goal-line situations, while Tucker played the other 30% of the early-down snaps.
Buccaneers halfback Josh Williams was ruled out due to a concussion. He didn't practice on Friday and was ruled out.
Owen Wright was signed to the Buccaneers' practice squad on Tuesday and was activated from the practice squad on Saturday.
Cade Otton was the second tight end to play 100% of his team's offensive snaps in a game this season. Cole Kmet was the first in Week 4.

Detroit Lions @ Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs give Isiah Pacheco the backfield: Pacheco’s playing time has steadily increased over the past two weeks.

Pacheco played exactly 50% of the offensive snaps over the first four weeks of the season, serving as the primary running back on early downs and in two-minute situations. Kareem Hunt wasn’t far behind, functioning as the secondary early-down back and handling third downs, short-yardage and goal-line work. Hunt produced more fantasy value on the ground due to his goal-line touchdowns, while Pacheco offered more value through the air.

Last week, Pacheco recorded a season-high 62.5% snap share, including 76.2% of early-down snaps. However, Kareem Hunt remained the better fantasy performer, thanks to two rushing touchdowns. Game script played a role, as the Chiefs trailed and leaned more on the passing game. This week, Pacheco’s snap rate climbed even higher — and most notably, he played 100% of the snaps in goal-line situations and most of the short-yardage situations. If that usage sticks, it would be a major boost to his fantasy value, as he’d be positioned to handle the team’s touchdown opportunities on the ground.

The Chiefs had the third-most difficult schedule over the first third of the season but have an average schedule over the rest of the season. There should be more games where Kansas City is running in the second half to close out games. If Pacheco is both scoring touchdowns and receiving those late carries — as he did in this game — he can be a borderline fantasy starter again. He is a fine buy-low option to add before he starts scoring touchdowns.

Isaac TeSlaa remains the Lions' third wide receiver: TeSlaa has seen increased playing time over the past two weeks, filling in for the injured Kalif Raymond.

The Lions entered last season with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond as their top four wide receivers. All four were on the roster throughout training camp and, as veterans, rested during the preseason — making it seem unlikely that rookie third-rounder TeSlaa would factor into the rotation early. However, Patrick was traded just before the season began, bumping TeSlaa up to fourth on the depth chart.

TeSlaa played just three snaps in Week 1 but saw a jump to 17 snaps in Week 2. He continued to log limited work in three-receiver sets during Weeks 3 and 4. When Raymond suffered a neck injury in Week 5, TeSlaa’s role expanded significantly, as he played 88.9% of the team’s snaps in three-receiver sets. Though Raymond returned in Week 6 after logging limited practices and was listed as questionable, he served primarily as a backup to Williams in two-wide formations. TeSlaa continued to operate as the third receiver in three-wide looks.

Despite the increased snap share, TeSlaa didn’t record a target. Given Detroit’s high-powered offense, his fantasy value remains limited. However, if another injury hits the wide receiver corps or tight end Sam LaPorta, TeSlaa could be called upon for a more significant role.

Miscellaneous Notes

Rashee Rice has completed his six-game suspension and is expected to rejoin the Chiefs’ starting lineup next week. He should be considered a must-start fantasy option for the rest of the season. JuJu Smith-Schuster is likely to see the biggest drop in snaps, followed by Hollywood Brown.
Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (shoulder, ankle) was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, did not practice Thursday, and returned to full participation Friday. He was not given a game designation.
Chiefs seventh-round rookie running back Brashard Smith played 19 offensive snaps in Week 4, but his role has declined each week.
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (wrist) did not practice Wednesday but was upgraded to full on Thursday and was not listed with a game designation.
Detroit halfback Sione Vaki (groin) did not practice all week and has now missed three straight games. He was ruled out on Friday.

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.