Fantasy Football Week 14 Recap: Immediate takeaways & analysis for every game

Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (25) celebrates with wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Blowout divisional victories highlighted the last week of the fantasy football regular season. The Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons all had double-digit leads by halftime, and while there weren’t as many huge offensive performances as there had been in previous weeks, there were plenty of defensive touchdowns to add some chaos to Week 14.

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Table Notes
  • Snaps include plays called back due to penalties like 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.

DAL @ WFT | JAX @ TEN | LV @ KC | SEA @ HOU | BAL @ CLE | NO @ NYJ | ATL @ CAR | NYG @ LAC | DET @ DEN | BUF @ TB | SF @ CIN | CHI @ GB


Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Football Team

  • Cam Sims: 3 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD, (22.3 aDOT)
  • Amari Cooper: 5 receptions, 51 yards, 1 TD, (13.6% threat rate)
Dallas Cowboys Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Amari Cooper 75 44 7 0
Michael Gallup 70 41 9 0
CeeDee Lamb 57 37 10 2
Cedrick Wilson 9 8 2 0
Malik Turner 7 3 0 0
TE
Dalton Schultz 72 40 3 0
Jeremy Sprinkle 23 2 0 0
Ian Bunting 3 0 0 0
HB
Ezekiel Elliott 54 32 6 12
Corey Clement 31 10 2 13
JaQuan Hardy 2 1 0 1
Total 85 46 39 32

 

Washington Football Team Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Adam Humphries 42 32 7 0
DeAndre Carter 40 22 5 0
Cam Sims 40 26 4 0
Terry McLaurin 33 21 4 0
Dyami Brown 23 12 1 0
Curtis Samuel 14 7 1 0
TE
John Bates 48 27 2 0
Ricky Seals-Jones 31 17 4 0
Sammis Reyes 1 0 0 0
HB
Antonio Gibson 46 28 2 10
Jaret Patterson 12 5 1 4
Jonathan Williams 10 4 1 4
Total 68 42 32 20

Monitor the Terry McLaurin injury: McLaurin suffered a concussion while fighting for a contested catch. He didn’t catch any of the four passes thrown his way today. Washington has been using six wide receivers significantly in recent weeks, and this would mean all of their receivers would see a slight increase in playing time. DeAndre Carter would be the most attractive option of the group if McLaurin misses time, but it’s largely a situation to avoid.

The Cowboys without Tony Pollard: Pollard missed this game with a foot injury. Typically, we would expect Ezekiel Elliott to play 80%-plus of offensive snaps in this situation, but the former All-Pro is also less than 100%. Third-string back Corey Clement ended up seeing significant playing time. This was a 70/30 split in the first half and a 50/50 split in the second due to the Cowboys' large lead. Clement can be left off the waiver wire, as it would take another blow-out as well as Pollard missing more time for him to see significant touches.

Don’t start Ricky Seals-Jones: Washington recently lost Logan Thomas for the season but had Seals-Jones returning from injury to make up for it. Washington’s tight end has seen significant fantasy value since Ron Rivera became the head coach, as the starter typically played over 90% of offensive snaps and received plenty of targets.

Washington changed their strategy for this game. Seals-Jones was in for all two-tight end sets and for most third downs, but rookie John Bates was the tight end on most early downs. Both players ended up with a catch each. Washington plays the Eagles twice in the next three weeks, and Philadelphia has allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends this season. Unfortunately, the split in snaps will make it very difficult to start either player.


Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans

  • D’Onta Foreman: 13 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD, (23.1% first down rate); 2 receptions, 15 receiving yards
  • Marvin Jones Jr.: 6 receptions, 70 yards, (3 first downs)
Jacksonville Jaguars Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Marvin Jones Jr. 54 42 7 0
Laviska Shenault Jr. 45 36 6 0
Laquon Treadwell 44 34 6 0
Tavon Austin 26 23 5 0
Jaydon Mickens 1 1 1 0
TE
James O'Shaughnessy 40 30 6 0
Luke Farrell 8 6 0 0
Chris Manhertz 6 1 0 0
HB
James Robinson 35 21 0 6
Carlos Hyde 12 7 1 1
Dare Ogunbowale 4 4 3 0
Total 55 44 35 7

 

Tennessee Titans Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine 52 33 3 0
Cody Hollister 43 21 1 0
Julio Jones 32 23 5 0
Chester Rogers 16 12 1 0
Racey McMath 10 4 2 0
TE
Geoff Swaim 54 20 4 0
MyCole Pruitt 33 10 3 0
Anthony Firkser 30 18 5 0
HB
Jeremy McNichols 27 6 0 8
Dontrell Hilliard 24 11 2 6
D'Onta Foreman 23 9 2 13
Total 71 38 28 31

Don’t worry about James Robinson: A week on from his Week 13 benching, Robinson returned as the team's starter. He gained only four yards on six carries today, but his next two games are against the Texans and Jets.

The Jaguars fell behind right from the start this week, but the upcoming games scripts should allow them to run more often. The Texans' and Jets' run defenses have allowed significantly more fantasy points to running backs, so Robinson should also find more success in those games.

The Titans' three-man backfield: The Titans had used D’Onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard to much success in recent weeks, but Jeremy McNichols rejoined the backfield to complicate matters. McNichols served as the primary third-down back, which hurt Hilliard's fantasy value. Almost all of McNichols' touches occurred in the fourth quarter while Tennessee had a three-score lead. It’s fine for all three of these backs to be on fantasy rosters, but Foreman is the only one who can be trusted going forward.

The return of Julio Jones: The future Hall of Famer missed the last month of the season with a hamstring injury. He had a relatively quiet return in Week 14, with four catches for 33 yards. They used him as part of a wide receiver rotation and let him sit almost all of the fourth quarter with the victory secured. He should see a higher percentage of playing time next week and could be a factor in the fantasy playoffs. The Titans have the second-easiest schedule for wide receivers over the next three weeks.


Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Hunter Renfrow 59 47 14 0
Zay Jones 53 40 6 0
Bryan Edwards 39 32 3 0
DeSean Jackson 32 25 2 0
Tyron Johnson 1 1 0 0
TE
Foster Moreau 62 41 5 0
Daniel Helm 1 1 0 0
HB
Josh Jacobs 47 30 6 9
Trey Ragas 9 6 2 1
Peyton Barber 7 6 3 1
Total 63 49 41 11

 

Kansas City Chiefs Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Tyreek Hill 45 24 4 0
Byron Pringle 40 21 1 0
Demarcus Robinson 30 16 0 0
Josh Gordon 24 13 3 0
Mecole Hardman 23 10 2 1
Marcus Kemp 4 1 0 0
TE
Travis Kelce 49 24 4 0
Blake Bell 22 3 0 0
Noah Gray 22 3 0 0
HB
Darrel Williams 23 13 3 2
Clyde Edwards-Helaire 23 9 3 10
Derrick Gore 20 6 2 9
Total 66 30 22 27

Sell high on Hunter Renfrow: I mentioned Renfrow as a sell-high candidate in dynasty leagues two weeks ago, as the Raiders will likely upgrade at wide receiver this offseason and it is difficult for slot receivers to maintain high fantasy value. This week presents another good opportunity to get what you can for the Raiders' slot receiver. His performance today makes him an attractive option, but the Raiders have the worst schedule for wide receivers the rest of the season. Each of their next three opponents is in the top half of the league at preventing fantasy points to wide receivers.

Don’t overreact to the Kansas City wide receivers: Josh Gordon and Mecole Hardman had fallen to fourth and fifth on the wide receiver depth chart over the last month. You couldn’t tell that just from watching the highlights of this game, which included a 44-yard catch by Hardman and Gordon’s first touchdown since Sept. 8, 2019. Despite these big plays, they both ran a route on less than half of Kansas City’s pass plays. Receivers who consistently play that little don’t need to be on fantasy rosters.

Don’t overreact to the Kansas City running backs: The Chiefs' backfield has been two-man committee in recent weeks, just as it was in the first quarter of this game. Derrick Gore led the team in rushing yards at 66 and played nearly as many snaps as the two starters. In all, 16 of his snaps came in the last 17 minutes of the game when Kansas City had at least a 29-point lead. It’s unlikely Gore is heavily involved in the game plan again unless Kansas City sees another victory like this.


Seattle Seahawks @ Houston Texans

  • Rashaad Penny: 16 carries, 137 yards, 2 TD, (7.1 yards after contact per carry), 1 reception, 1 receiving yard
  • Tyler Lockett: 5 receptions, 142 yards, 1 TD, (25.9 aDOT)
Seattle Seahawks Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Tyler Lockett 46 24 9 0
D.K. Metcalf 45 25 8 0
D'Wayne Eskridge 28 12 0 1
Freddie Swain 27 15 1 1
Penny Hart 9 3 1 0
TE
Will Dissly 42 13 3 0
Gerald Everett 38 18 2 1
Colby Parkinson 8 2 0 0
HB
Rashaad Penny 35 14 1 16
Alex Collins 14 6 1 7
DeeJay Dallas 11 8 0 2
Total 61 30 27 28

 

Houston Texans Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Brandin Cooks 65 46 11 0
Nico Collins 57 43 9 0
Chris Conley 45 28 2 0
Phillip Dorsett 38 25 3 1
Davion Davis 1 1 1 0
TE
Pharaoh Brown 52 24 0 0
Brevin Jordan 29 24 6 0
Antony Auclair 22 4 1 0
Jordan Akins 11 8 1 0
HB
Royce Freeman 44 28 7 11
Rex Burkhead 35 20 3 12
Total 80 52 44 24

Add Rashaad Penny: The Seahawks had struggled to find a primary rushing back after Chris Carson was lost for the season. Penny seemed like he would be the primary backup early in the season, but injuries prevented him from keeping the job. He was given a chance over Alex Collins today and was impressive. Seattle has a rough matchup next week but plays the Bears and Lions in the fantasy championship weeks. The only concern is Adrian Peterson, who remained on the practice squad this week due to injury. Ideally, Seattle lets Penny keep the job after this performance even with the future Hall of Famer as an option.

Monitor the Rex Burkhead injury: The Texans backfield took a hit before the game even started with David Johnson landing on the Covid-19 list when inactives were announced. Backup Jaylen Samuels was also placed on the list the week before. They took a further hit with Burkhead exiting the game with a groin injury. This left Royce Freeman as the last man standing in the backfield. Freeman had a big game as a receiver with six catches for 51 yards but barely averaged over 1.0 yard per carry.

The Texans play Jacksonville next week, so their starting running back could be worth starting. Freeman is worth a waiver wire pickup for this game alone depending on who all is available.

Don’t add Gerald Everett: Everett will end up among the top scoring fantasy tight ends of the week because he scored a touchdown. He wasn’t used in the offense as much as usual, seeing fewer snaps than Will Dissly and seeing his fewest targets in a game since October. He’s been too unreliable to start in fantasy, so he doesn’t need to be on fantasy rosters.


Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns

Baltimore Ravens Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Marquise Brown 70 50 7 0
Devin Duvernay 49 36 4 1
Rashod Bateman 48 39 7 0
Sammy Watkins 23 13 2 0
James Proche 21 16 0 0
TE
Mark Andrews 65 46 11 0
Eric Tomlinson 14 5 0 0
Josh Oliver 9 6 1 0
HB
Devonta Freeman 49 32 5 13
Latavius Murray 20 12 0 1
Total 74 52 37 17

 

Cleveland Browns Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Donovan Peoples-Jones 60 34 7 0
Jarvis Landry 54 31 9 0
Rashard Higgins 24 16 0 0
Demetric Felton 6 4 0 0
JoJo Natson 1 1 0 0
TE
Austin Hooper 65 28 6 0
Miller Forristall 10 3 0 0
HB
Nick Chubb 43 19 4 17
D'Ernest Johnson 14 7 1 4
Kareem Hunt 13 8 2 2
Total 65 35 30 26

Monitor the Lamar Jackson injury: Jackson suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter and was carted to the locker room. He was ruled out during halftime. Tyler Huntley took over and did his best Jackson impression, gaining 45 yards on the ground on six carries. He would be a waiver wire target depending on the league if Jackson misses time. The rest of the Ravens offense would have their fantasy value downgraded if the injury is serious.

Monitor the Kareem Hunt injury: Hunt went to the locker room late in the 1st quarter with an ankle injury. He eventually returned to the sideline but never returned to the game. D’Ernest Johnson took most of Hunt’s snaps, as we had seen earlier in the season. Cleveland could have kept Hunt out as a precaution since they had a 17-point lead at multiple points in the game. If this is a serious injury, then Johnson can be picked up off the waiver wire.

Monitor the Sammy Watkins injury: The Ravens continued to deploy a heavy rotation at wide receiver. Watkins left the game in the third quarter and didn’t return. No injury was disclosed, but he was on the sideline without his helmet in the fourth quarter. Watkins typically plays in more run situations than pass, but his presence is preventing Rashod Bateman from seeing as much playing time as some would like. Five of Bateman’s seven catches occurred in the fourth quarter after Watkins was out. This makes it unlikely that Bateman can be a fantasy starter this season unless the Watkins injury is serious.


New Orleans Saints @ New York Jets

  • Alvin Kamara: 27 carries, 120 yards, 1 TD, (7 avoided tackles), 4 receptions, 25 receiving yards
  • Braxton Berrios: 6 receptions, 52 receiving yards, (4.0 aDOT)
New Orleans Saints Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Marquez Callaway 50 24 4 0
Tre'Quan Smith 49 21 3 0
Kenny Stills 27 12 0 0
Kevin White 12 4 0 0
Easop Winston Jr. 7 2 1 0
TE
Nick Vannett 51 20 6 0
Juwan Johnson 23 10 1 0
Garrett Griffin 18 2 0 0
Ethan Wolf 8 0 0 0
HB
Alvin Kamara 52 18 5 27
Tony Jones Jr. 20 11 1 6
Total 70 28 21 41

 

New York Jets Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Jamison Crowder 60 46 6 0
Keelan Cole 54 38 5 0
D.J. Montgomery 38 32 6 0
Braxton Berrios 27 23 9 0
Denzel Mims 22 14 1 0
Vyncint Smith 13 11 1 0
TE
Ryan Griffin 45 25 3 0
HB
Ty Johnson 48 36 7 6
La'Mical Perine 17 8 0 7
Total 66 49 38 13

Alvin Kamara‘s Return: Kamara missed the past month of football but returned this week to carry the Saints' offense. He took on a similar role to the one he held at the start of the season, where he was touching the ball the majority of the time when on the field. He’s once again a must-start running back for the rest of the season. The only concern is that Mark Ingram II missed this game while on the COVID-19 list, and he could cut into Kamara’s carries once he’s back.

Jets' banged-up backfield: The Jets still have Michael Carter on injured reserve, and they also didn’t have Tevin Coleman due to a concussion. This left Ty Johnson as the primary back for New York, with La’Mical Perine playing more in rushing situations. Neither back hit 30 yards rushing, although Johnson at least had four catches for 40 yards. Both backs who played today can remain on the waiver wire, as their next matchup against the Dolphins isn’t much better than this one. They have a much better matchup in two weeks against the Jaguars, but ideally, Carter and Coleman will both be able to play in that game.

Jets also hurting at WR: Both Corey Davis and Elijah Moore have recently landed on injured reserve, forcing the Jets to rely on their backups at wide receiver. This game should have been an opportunity for Denzel Mims to boost his value. He didn’t catch his only target in the first quarter, and he was taken out of the game after penalties on back-to-back plays in the second quarter. The former second-round pick only played one snap in the second half in favor of former undrafted receiver D.J. Montgomery. This game made it less likely that Mims will be back in 2022. All of the Jets' healthy wide receivers should be off fantasy radars for the rest of 2021.


Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers

Atlanta Falcons Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Tajae Sharpe 51 25 2 0
Russell Gage 51 25 6 0
Olamide Zaccheaus 28 13 0 0
Christian Blake 2 0 0 0
TE
Hayden Hurst 43 15 1 0
Kyle Pitts 36 23 6 0
Lee Smith 34 1 1 0
HB
Mike Davis 38 15 6 11
Cordarrelle Patterson 34 12 4 16
Qadree Ollison 6 1 0 5
Total 68 29 26 36

 

Carolina Panthers Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Robby Anderson 62 35 12 0
D.J. Moore 57 34 10 0
Brandon Zylstra 36 21 5 0
Terrace Marshall Jr. 30 18 0 0
TE
Ian Thomas 35 10 2 0
Tommy Tremble 34 18 2 0
HB
Ameer Abdullah 38 23 4 4
Chuba Hubbard 25 8 0 10
Total 64 37 35 25

Add Ameer Abdullah: Christian McCaffrey landed on injured reserve after the Panthers' Week 12 matchup, leaving a two-man backfield between Abdullah and Chuba Hubbard for the rest of the season. Hubbard saw the majority of the rushing game work while Abdullah saw a majority of the pass game work, as expected. Hubbard had the much better game today from a fantasy football perspective, but that was partially because Carolina was able to keep the game close for most of the day.

Their remaining games are against the Bills, Buccaneers and Saints. Their division rivals are two of the top three teams at preventing rushing yards by running backs. Combine that with the likely game scripts in these games, and it will be Abdullah who has a better chance at some production.

Don’t add Robby Anderson: Anderson has been one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy football this season. This was his first game over 60 yards this season and first time over 40 yards in over two months. The Panthers will need to pass a lot in their next three games against teams that are that are good at shutting down wide receivers. It’s unlikely you’ll want to trust Anderson in your starting lineups in any of those games, so he doesn’t need to be added.

Kyle Pitts’ decreased role: Pitts played in a career-high 94% of offensive snaps one week ago, which seemed to push him closer to the elite fantasy tight ends of the NFL. This week Hayden Hurst returned from injured reserve, leading to a career-low in percentage of offensive snaps for Pitts. Luckily, most of his missed-snaps were running situations, but this also left Pitts off the field for some pass plays. He caught five passes for 61 yards, which fantasy managers can’t complain too much about, but this hurts his upside the rest of the season.


New York Giants @ Los Angeles Chargers

  • Saquon Barkley: 16 carries, 64 yards, (31.3% first down rate), 3 receptions, 31 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD
  • Austin Ekeler: 12 carries, 67 yards, (3.4 yards after contact per carry), 1 TD, 2 receptions, 17 receiving yards
New York Giants Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Kenny Golladay 61 33 7 0
Sterling Shepard 56 31 4 0
Darius Slayton 46 27 3 0
Pharoh Cooper 13 4 1 0
John Ross 11 9 1 0
TE
Evan Engram 51 29 4 0
Kyle Rudolph 25 10 2 0
Chris Myarick 7 5 1 0
HB
Saquon Barkley 38 19 3 16
Devontae Booker 28 16 5 8
Total 69 39 32 25

 

Los Angeles Chargers Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Josh Palmer 62 33 7 0
Mike Williams 59 33 6 0
Jalen Guyton 42 25 3 0
Jason Moore 8 0 0 0
TE
Tre' McKitty 33 6 0 0
Jared Cook 31 24 5 0
Donald Parham 29 8 2 0
Stephen Anderson 17 3 1 0
HB
Austin Ekeler 33 18 4 12
Justin Jackson 20 9 1 9
Joshua Kelley 19 5 1 10
Total 71 35 30 35

The Chargers without Keenan Allen: Allen missed this game due to COVID-19. Josh Palmer and Jalen Guyton had been splitting snaps in three-receiver sets this past month, and both saw an increased role. Palmer joined Mike Williams in two-receiver sets, and he was the primary slot receiver in three-receiver sets. Guyton typically just played in three-receiver sets on the outside. Both players gained over 60 receiving yards and a touchdown. Palmer would be the more attractive option off the waiver wire if Allen misses more time.

Monitor the Austin Ekeler injury: Ekeler suffered a left ankle injury late in the third quarter. He was able to walk off the field with help and was declared questionable to return. He didn’t return to the game, but even if he felt like he could play, it was the smart thing to leave him out. Los Angeles had a three-score lead and plays again on Thursday night.

If Ekeler misses time, Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley splitting time is the most likely option. The Chargers have changed the order of the backups on the depth chart several times this season, so they could easily go with a different strategy, including using backs who didn’t play today.

Sterling Shepard‘s return: Shepard has missed a month and a half of football with a quad injury. He went right back to the starting lineup and saw only a slight reduction in snaps. When healthy, he was seeing nine or more targets each game, but he was thrown at just four times in this game. Twelve different players had at least one target in this game. Shepard should see even more snaps next week, and he'll get even more targets once Daniel Jones is back at quarterback.


Detroit Lions @ Denver Broncos

  • Melvin Gordon III: 24 carries, 111 yards, 2 TD, (5 explosive runs)
  • Javonte Williams: 15 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD, (6 avoided tackles), 1 reception, 10 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD
Detroit Lions Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Amon-Ra St. Brown 47 37 11 0
Josh Reynolds 44 34 5 0
Kalif Raymond 42 31 5 0
Tom Kennedy 17 11 1 0
KhaDarel Hodge 8 8 1 0
TE
Shane Zylstra 40 24 4 0
Brock Wright 35 15 5 0
HB
Craig Reynolds 29 16 2 11
Godwin Igwebuike 28 18 0 8
Jermar Jefferson 3 3 0 0
Total 63 42 35 21

 

Denver Broncos Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Courtland Sutton 59 25 2 0
Tim Patrick 52 19 5 0
Jerry Jeudy 41 21 6 0
Kendall Hinton 10 4 0 0
Diontae Spencer 3 1 1 0
TE
Noah Fant 50 17 4 0
Albert Okwuegbunam 38 14 4 0
Eric Saubert 17 2 0 0
HB
Melvin Gordon III 34 8 0 24
Javonte Williams 33 14 2 15
Damarea Crockett 1 1 0 0
Total 68 26 24 39

Add Craig Reynolds: The Lions didn’t have D’Andre Swift, as he’s still dealing with a shoulder injury from Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Jamaal Williams landed on the COVID-19 list earlier in the week. There were reports that Adam Schefter was starting Reynolds on his fantasy team, which gave some indication that the practice squad player could jump past Godwin Igwebuike and Jermar Jefferson on the depth chart. Reynolds played in rushing situations, gaining 83 yards on 11 carries, while Igwebuike played in passing situations.

Reynolds is worth picking up in case the top two backs miss more time. The Lions were officially eliminated from playoff contention, so they could opt to shut down Swift for the rest of the season and focus on 2022. This could leave Reynolds with a role in the offense the rest of the season.

Melvin Gordon III‘s return: Javonte Williams took the fantasy community by storm last week, leading all running backs in fantasy points with Gordon out. Gordon was back this week, and it was like the previous week never happened. The two took on a very even split in playing time, with Gordon seeing a few more carries while Williams ran more routes. Both running backs were able to find success. They will both be able to play well the rest of the season thanks to a favorable schedule.

The Lions without T.J. Hockenson: The Lions' star tight end missed this game with a hand injury. His fantasy success so far this season was due to both his talent as well as volume. His offensive snaps were split between Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra. Wright saw more snaps on early downs, whereas Zylstra saw more snaps on late downs. Detroit still passed to these tight ends plenty, but the split role doesn’t help fantasy managers. This is a situation to avoid if Hockenson misses more time.


Buffalo Bills @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Leonard Fournette: 19 carries, 113 yards, (85 yards after contact), 1 TD, 4 receptions, 19 receiving yards
  • Mike Evans: 6 receptions, 91 yards, 1 TD, (3 explosive plays)
Buffalo Bills Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Stefon Diggs 69 56 12 0
Gabriel Davis 65 51 8 0
Cole Beasley 63 55 11 0
Emmanuel Sanders 25 21 1 0
Isaiah McKenzie 11 6 1 0
Jake Kumerow 5 3 0 0
TE
Dawson Knox 75 58 9 0
HB
Devin Singletary 64 43 7 4
Matt Breida 11 7 0 2
Total 78 63 49 13

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Mike Evans 77 47 6 0
Chris Godwin 77 48 15 0
Tyler Johnson 49 28 3 0
Breshad Perriman 25 17 2 0
Jaelon Darden 3 3 0 0
TE
Rob Gronkowski 74 43 9 0
Cameron Brate 18 14 3 0
O.J. Howard 5 2 0 0
HB
Leonard Fournette 66 31 6 19
Giovani Bernard 7 4 0 0
Ronald Jones 7 4 0 3
Total 82 50 44 27

Monitor Emmanuel Sanders injury: Sanders suffered a knee injury that kept him out for the rest of the game. He caught only one pass for 25 yards prior to that. Gabriel Davis already sees more playing time than most fourth wide receivers, and he was elevated to the starting lineup. He caught five passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. If the Sanders injury is serious, then Davis will be the most popular waiver wire target at wide receiver for the week.

Buccaneers changing third wide receiver: The Buccaneers had used Tyler Johnson as their third wide receiver for most of the season since Antonio Brown’s injury and suspension. Things changed last week, as Breshad Perriman took the vast majority of snaps there. This week, the two players split time. Johnson caught three passes for 17 yards, while Perriman didn’t catch a pass until 65 minutes into the contest — the game-winner. The fact that neither player has been able to step up has only allowed the Buccaneers' other skill players to be more consistent from one week to another.

Don’t give up on the Bills running backs: The Bills made Zack Moss inactive, which seemed like it could lead to a good game for Devin Singletary and Matt Breida. Instead, Buffalo didn’t run the ball at all in the first half. The backs combined for seven total carries overall. Singletary at least caught six passes to help his PPR value.

The Bills have two games on the schedule that are much more favorable to the team. They should be running more in those games. Breida shouldn’t be in starting lineups after the past two weeks, but Singletary’s role in the offense seems safe.


San Francisco 49ers @ Cincinnati Bengals

San Francisco 49ers Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Brandon Aiyuk 67 45 11 0
Deebo Samuel 55 38 1 8
Jauan Jennings 47 34 5 0
Trent Sherfield 13 7 0 0
Travis Benjamin 2 2 0 0
TE
George Kittle 68 44 15 0
Charlie Woerner 14 4 0 0
Ross Dwelley 2 1 0 0
HB
Jeff Wilson Jr. 42 17 0 13
JaMycal Hasty 14 12 3 0
Total 71 47 37 22

 

Cincinnati Bengals Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Ja'Marr Chase 65 39 8 1
Tyler Boyd 57 36 4 1
Tee Higgins 50 33 7 0
Stanley Morgan Jr. 13 5 0 0
Mike Thomas 5 3 0 0
TE
C.J. Uzomah 58 34 6 0
Drew Sample 18 6 1 0
HB
Joe Mixon 40 15 2 18
Samaje Perine 28 22 5 4
Total 67 40 33 25

Deebo Samuel‘s return: Samuel suffered a groin injury in Week 12 that kept him out of last week’s game. He returned this week but didn’t see his usual amount of playing time. He typically plays over 80% of the offensive snaps but was taken off the field a little more often than usual on run plays. This was his third straight game of being held to one catch, but also his fourth-straight game with five or more carries and a rushing touchdown.

Samuel can be left in fantasy starting lineups, as he will ideally see more of his usual role in Week 15. He will be a very high-risk, high-reward player with his recent lack of receiving production.

The 49ers' evolving backfield: The 49ers have consistently had one running back for early downs and another back for third downs. Elijah Mitchell has consistently handled the early-down role when healthy, but he missed this game with multiple injuries. Jeff Wilson took over this role as he has in the past and gained 56 yards on 13 carries.

The third down role has typically been JaMycal Hasty’s when healthy. Kyle Juszczyk had taken over in recent weeks when Hasty was out. Hasty returned from injury last week but surprisingly only played one offensive snap. He regained his third down role this week, leaving Juszczyk to only play as a fullback.

The Joe Mixon roller coaster: Mixon had a four-game stretch as a top-four fantasy running back each game. His past two weeks haven’t been as successful due to bad game scripts. He averaged just over three yards per carry and saw Samaje Perine take most of the passing game work. Few running backs have more upside than Mixon when things go right, but he could have more games like this against strong run defenses and if or when the Bengals are playing catch up.


Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers

  • Aaron Jones: 5 carries, 35 yards, 1 TD, (60% first down/touchdown rate); 3 receptions, 30 receiving yards, 1 TD
  • Davante Adams: 10 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TDs (41.0% slot rate on routes)
Chicago Bears Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Darnell Mooney 57 40 5 0
Allen Robinson II 48 32 6 0
Damiere Byrd 36 26 2 0
Jakeem Grant 29 22 3 1
TE
Cole Kmet 46 32 5 0
Jesse James 15 7 0 0
Jimmy Graham 12 11 3 0
J.P. Holtz 2 0 0 0
HB
David Montgomery 52 32 7 10
Damien Williams 7 5 1 2
Khalil Herbert 5 3 0 1
Total 62 43 32 15

 

Green Bay Packers Snaps Routes Run Targets Carries
WR
Davante Adams 58 39 13 0
Allen Lazard 53 30 7 1
Marquez Valdes-Scantling 43 35 5 0
Amari Rodgers 10 1 0 0
Equanimeous St. Brown 5 1 0 0
Malik Taylor 1 0 0 0
TE
Josiah Deguara 37 25 3 0
Marcedes Lewis 36 13 4 0
Tyler Davis 9 4 0 0
Dominique Dafney 7 2 0 0
HB
A.J. Dillon 37 13 0 15
Aaron Jones 29 19 3 5
Total 65 40 35 24

The return of Allen Robinson II: Robinson returned to the Bears' starting lineup after missing the last four weeks. He played his usual role in the starting lineup but only caught two passes for 14 yards. Marquise Goodwin was still out, leaving Damiere Byrd and Jakeem Grant Sr. splitting the third receiver snaps, and both of those players had one catch for touchdowns of over 45 yards. The Bears' ability to find success with receivers at the bottom of the depth chart and not Robinson makes it even more likely Robinson is playing his last games with Chicago.

Monitor the Equanimeous St. Brown injury: The Packers' backup receiver suffered a concussion early in the game. He has been the team's fourth receiver since the Randall Cobb injury, typically playing in four-wide receiver sets. Green Bay ran a higher percentage of plays in 11 personnel tonight, and backup tight end Dominique Dafney suffered a game-ending ankle injury, which meant more routes run for Josiah Deguara. He caught a career-high 44 receiving yards on three catches. These injuries could lead to Deguara having fantasy value over these last few weeks — he could be a solid waiver wire target in deeper leagues at this point.

Marcedes Lewis also saw increased playing time, leading to four catches for 51 yards. The veteran is less likely to repeat this as he saw a higher than usual threat rate.

The Packers running back committee: The Packers have moved even closer to a 50/50 split at running back. Aaron Jones tied his season-low in carries with five. Typically, when he’s run this little, it’s been injury-related or the Packers were passing while playing from behind. Green Bay often had a lead in this game, yet it was A.J. Dillon constantly running with the ball. Jones scored two touchdowns to save his fantasy value, but he’s becoming more and more dependent on scoring touchdowns. He would be a sell-high in dynasty leagues after this game.

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