Welcome to Snaps, Pace, & Stats, where we examine trends in snap totals and no-huddle usage. It is meant as a 30,000-foot view of upcoming games, with the goal of identifying which matchups will – and which will not – be played on fertile fantasy soil.

As we gear up for tomorrow night’s kickoff of the 2017 season, it is instructive to look back at last season’s notable themes. While many things will be different, not the least of which is pace-God Chip Kelly’s absence, there will be plenty of carryover.

What we’ll be watching Week 1

At this point, there are more questions than answers. While we would love to take strong pace-based stances on Week 1 matchups, and we’ll take a quick look at some standout games later on, let’s first hit on teams to keep an eye on once the bullets are live. Trends need to solidify before they can be relied upon.

Detroit Lions

The Lions began 2016 at a breakneck pace, going no-huddle on 46 percent of snaps through four weeks (third-highest), before slamming the brakes with a three-percent no-huddle rate until Week 16. Their 31st-graded defense couldn’t hold them in games, and Detroit compensated with a Cowboys-esque brand of keep-away. Cursed with a feeble running game, Matthew Stafford’s 7.9-yard average depth of target (30th-deepest of 36) became a proxy for handoffs. Despite late-season dalliances with the no-huddle, the Lions averaged the fourth-fewest plays (61.3) and allowed the second-fewest (60.3) — their games often fantasy wastelands for both sides.

---

Exclusive content for premium subscribers

WANT TO KEEP READING?

Dominate Fantasy Football & Betting with AI-Powered Data & Tools Trusted By All 32 Teams

Subscribe now

Already have a subscription? Log in