While Mike Clay is looking at snap counts for the offensive side of the ball , this season I will be looking at the defensive side of the ball. Today I will look at how the teams sub players in and out, and then throughout the season see who has seen an increase or decrease in snaps to see who could lead to better fantasy performances.
Because the top four defensive backs for a team generally play every snap, a focus will be on the defensive linemen and linebackers. While most changes in snap count will be due to an increase or decrease in the need of a nickel or dime defense, we’ll try to look past this and see where the true trends are. For now, a look on how teams rotate players.
Packers 42, Saints 34
The Packers used a 2-4-5 defense for almost the entire game. Other than needing a base, goal line, or dime defense which are all rare, the Packers keep in all of their linebackers and defensive backs for every play. Where the interesting part comes in is B.J. Raji, who is a rare every done linemen. He saw 69 of the 76 defensive snaps, which makes him an attractive linemen option. At the other spot, Ryan Pickett and Jarius Wynn split snaps which will continue for a while with Mike Neal injured.
At linebacker, the only player to see every snap was Jonathan Vilma. The other linebackers Scott Shanle, Jonathan Casillas and Will Herring all split snaps depending on the situation. This was to be expected, as Vilma was the only linebacker originally ranked in the top 60. In a league where you need linebackers, other than Vilma these players are the ones to avoid. On defense, all eight players saw 19 or more snaps. The one with the most snaps to no surprise was Sedrick Ellis with 50 of 67 snaps. What was surprising is the player with the second most snaps was Turk McBride, who wasn’t far behind with 48. Once Will Smith comes back that will change, but Cameron Jordan saw a lot fewer snaps than expected.
Bears 30, Falcons 12
The Bears use linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs in every situation. With a number of 4-3 teams using just one linebacker at most in nickel defenses, this is especially noteworthy. On the line, Israel Idonije and Julius Peppers both saw over 60 snaps out of 73 which make them good options. If you’re in a league where you need defensive tackles, Henry Melton is also a good idea as he was in for 50 snaps, which is high for the typical defensive tackle in a defense who does a lot of rotating in and out.
After rotating in and out based on the situation last year, Sean Weatherspoon was an every down linebacker in this game to go along with Curtis Lofton who also played every play. Stephen Nicholas saw his snaps go down from 67% of plays to 58%. On the line, defensive tackles Peria Jerry and Vance Walker surprisingly led the linemen in terms of snap count. John Abraham on the other hand played a surprisingly few snaps with 34 out of 67 although he still played well. Both of the tackles should get more consideration than before, where Abraham and Ray Edwards will need to have an eye kept on them.
Texans 34, Colts 7
Like most 3-4 defenses, the linebackers played the majority of snaps. Each had 46 or more out of the 57 snaps, although none of them played every down. It will be interesting to see if any of them eventually play every snap or not which would help their stock. On the defensive line, J.J. Watt played every single down and played well. It’s very rare for defensive linemen to play every play, so that is huge for him. Antonio Smith played just 38 snaps, and every other linemen less than 20. If you need a defensive linemen and he is available, I would say you should jump on him now.
The Colts rarely needed extra defensive backs, and when they did it wasn’t at the expensive of the linebackers. Pat Angerer, Gary Brackett and Kavell Conner all saw the majority of snaps. All of that was to be expected, so the opinion on them doesn’t really change. On the defensive line, there were clear starters who saw between 38 and 44 of the 61 snaps, and the backups who saw between 24 and 31. The fact that there is so much rotation makes it more difficult for any to get the tackles they need to be a strong defensive addition to your team.
Eagles 31, Rams 13
At linebacker it was Jamar Chaney who was the every down linebacker like he was late last year. Casey Matthews and Moise Fokou got the start and were in for the base defense. At times Matthews stayed in for the nickel defense, and other times Brian Rolle came in. On defense, all four starters as well as Juqua Parker saw between 37-51 of the 73 snaps. None of that is especially high for defensive linemen, but they are all talented. Nothing was out of the ordinary here.
At linebacker, the only one to look at is James Laurinatis who played every down. Both Brady Poppinga and Ben Leber played 29 of 71 downs, and Chris Chamberlain played 11. The Rams used a lot more dime defenses with Justin King at cornerback, and Darian Stewart at safety. Basically stay away from anyone who isn’t Lauriatis who is guaranteed to be taken already. As for the defensive line, Chris Long and James Hall had the most snaps with 58 and 52 snaps respectively. The six other active linemen saw between 21-37 of the 71 snaps, which is roughly 50% or less.
Jaguars 16, Titans 14
In Jacksonville, Paul Posluszny remains an every down linebacker as he was in Buffalo. Darryl Smith played just over half of the snaps, and Clint Session only saw six. The Jaguars used extra defensive backs on almost every play, so typically I would expect to see more of those two. If you had Session on the team, you wouldn’t want to start him next week until we see if he gets more time. On the defensive line, Tyson Alualu played 50 of 53 snaps which he saw that high of a percentage in the past. Jeremy Mincey saw an equal high number similar to last year. Matt Roth on the other hand just saw 39 snaps, and Terrance Knighton 30.
The new man in the middle for Tennessee is Barrett Ruud, and he played 72 of 74 downs. The other linebackers Will Witherspoon and Akeem Ayers saw a high number as well with 59 and 52 snaps respectively. Of the starters, Dave Ball saw the most snaps with 57. William Hayes and Jurrell Casey weren’t far behind with 53 and 52. This was followed by starter Shaun Smith, and the only backup to see more than 20 snaps Karl Klug who had 36.
Lions 27, Buccaneers 20
The Lions revamped their linebackers, and it was a little surprising how the snaps were distributed. New linebacker Stephen Tulloch saw nearly every down as their new man in the middle, and DeAndre Levy still had 58 of 66 snaps so he is still a big part of the defense. On the other hand, Justin Durant was only used on 21 snaps. The low total for Durant should raise concern for Durant owners. Last year Ndamukong Suh played nearly every snap, but this year he played a much more manageable 45. The other starting linemen were in the same ball park with 43-44. It’s not what we got from Suh last year, but the group is still seeing a higher portion of snaps than most 4-3 defenses.
With Barrett Ruud gone, the Buccaneers used Quincy Black went from played 75% of snaps to 100%, while Geno Hayes also saw an increase by only missing three snaps. On the other hand, Ruud’s replacement in the middle Mason Foster was only in for 23 snaps; almost all run plays. On the line, only Michael Bennett, Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn saw more than 49 snaps. The other starter Brian Price, along with the four backups all saw between 25 and 32. Therefore the first three are the names to look at considering.
Chargers 27, Vikings 17
Because the Chargers dominated time of possession, their defense played just 45 snaps which led to under performance. Seeing every snap was Takeo Spikes and Shaun Phillips. Missing just a few snaps was Donald Butler, and losing even more was Travis LaBoy. Leading the defensive linemen in snaps was Luis Castillo with 31, followed by Antonio Garay with 27 and Corey Liuget with 26. No other linemen saw a significant number of snaps. Due to how much they rotate in the 3-4, none of the linemen options are that attractive.
Like last year, the Vikings do a lot less rotating linebackers and defensive linemen than most teams. Both Chad Greenway and E.J. Henderson saw every snap, while Erin Henderson went out for the nickel defense. Playing 67+ snaps out of the 84 was Jared Allen as expected, as well as Brian Robison and Letroy Guion who are now starters seeing the incredibly high number. We projected Robison to do well, and his high snap count confirms our thoughts. Remi Ayodele, Fred Evans and Christian Ballard all saw time at the other defensive tackle spot. It will be interesting to see if Guion stays at this high of a number once Kevin Williams comes back.
Patriots 38, Dolphins 24
With the Patriots new defense, there was a bit more question with how often certain players would be playing. At linebacker, Jerod Mayo remained an every down player. Rob Ninkovich, Gary Guyton and Dane Fletcher all saw between 35-44 snaps out of 77, which are all low for linebackers. Things will likely change when Brandon Spikes returns. On the defensive line, Vince Wilfork lead the team with 57 snaps, with the next highest being Shaun Ellis with 41. Everyone else on the active roster were in for less than half the plays.
Inside linebackers Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett played every snap, while Cameron Wake missed three, and Koa Misi and Jason Taylor shared time. The low snap count would be a little concerning if you have Misi. On the line, Kendall Langford saw the most snaps with 48, followed by Jared Odrick with 46. Because of the constant rotating, it’s hard to tell who in the group could have a good week.
Bills 41, Chiefs 7
The Bills basically had a dime defense as the base defense, with Leodis McKelvin, Bryan Scott, George Wilson, Jairus Byrd, Drayton Florence and Aaron Williams all playing 45 or more snaps out of the 57. Therefore we saw very little from the linebacker position, with Nick Barnett having 48 snaps, followed by Shawne Merriman with 31 although it was mostly as a lineman. No one else more than 10. On the defensive line, Chris Kelsay had the most snaps with 36. The big cause for concern is Kyle Williams who saw just 45% of snaps, where last year he saw at least 60% in every game, and typically closer to 80%.
To no surprise, Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali played nearly every snap. Justin Houston, Jovan Belcher and Cameron Sheffield all saw between 34 and 37 of the 69 snaps. On the defensive line Glenn Dorsey led the way with 44 snaps, followed by Tyson Jackson’s 37 and Wallace Gilberry with 34. There is nothing that was unexpected here other than Eric Berry’s injury which now leads to Jon McGraw taking his role.
Cardinals 28, Panthers 21
Everyone on the starting lineup saw 56 or more snaps other than Dan Williams. With how well he plays, we would like to see him get more of an opportunity but with just 21 of 75 snaps it doesn’t look like he will until he gets his act together. It’s important to also note that Paris Lenon got the start rather than Stewart Bradley, who originally was thought to do well but as a backup he isn’t worth a roster spot.
Unfortunately for those who picked Jon Beason high, he is out for the year. Thomas Davis ended up with the highest number of snaps, followed by James Anderson with 47. It looks like Dan Connor will get the starting job, but we’ll need to wait a week to know just to what extent he will play. If you have a roster spot, he might be worth an add. On the line, all four starters saw at least 43 or more of the 59 snaps. Greg Hardy saw a surprisingly high 57 snaps. He is definitely worth keeping an eye on simply based on the high percentage of plays.
Bengals 27, Browns 17
While we expected Rey Maualuga to be an every down player, it wasn’t expected of Thomas Howard. That is a pleasant surprise in deep leagues where a lot of the every down linebackers could have been predicted. Manny Lawson got the start, but only played 26 snaps. The Bengals are one of the teams that rotate their defensive linemen more than others, with all eight players getting between 28 and 47 snaps. The top snap getter was Domata Peko with 47. Only 32 snaps by Carlos Dunlap is cause for concern, as he was rated as the top Bengal fantasy prospect on the line coming into the year.
The Browns have completely re-done their defense. At linebacker, the Browns played both D’Qwell Jackson in the middle and Scott Fujita on every play. Chris Gocong got the start, but when a linebacker went off the field it was him. The Browns did less substituting on the defensive line than expected, with all four starters getting 50 or more of the 69 possible snaps. Jayme Mitchell played well in run defense and had 63 snaps, which makes him a better than expected option. Jabaal Sheard also had a high number with 62.
Jets 27, Cowboys 24
The Jets defense went very much as expected. Because of the departure of Jason Taylor, Calvin Pace saw a higher portion of snaps, with 66 of 70 possible snaps in this game. Rookie Muhammad Wilkerson saw just under half the snaps, which is less than the other starting linemen. Backups Marcus Dixon and Ropati Pitoitua both saw more than 25 snaps. Other then that, everything looked very similar to last year.
The major different in the Cowboys defense is what they do at inside linebacker. Sean Lee went from being a backup to getting the most snaps at the position with 55. Bradie James and Keith Brookings each saw less than 30. On the line, Jay Ratliff had by far the most with 52, followed by Jason Hatcher with 42. The number of snaps for Marcus Spears was surprisingly low with 14. The take away message out of this entire article could very well be the time Sean Lee gets at inside linebacker.
Ravens 35, Steelers 7
The Ravens defense in the front seven looks very similar compared to last year. One big thing to note is Jarret Johnson who was an every down linebacker last year only played 60% of snaps in this game. Also expecting an increase in snaps was Cory Redding who played 62% of snaps last year, but only 41% in this game. Getting more snaps than Redding was Pernell McPhee with 32 of 64, who was mostly in as a pass rusher.
The Steelers also have a front seven that looks nearly identical to last year. The big difference was James Farrior who is 36 years old is now sharing time with Larry Foote, with Farrior getting roughly 2/3 of the snaps and Foote the other 1/3. With Aaron Smith back, Ziggy Hood is now a backup and only had 12 snaps. Rookie first round pick Cameron Heyward just saw four snaps, so it will be awhile before he makes much of an impact.
Raiders 23, Broncos 20
At linebacker Rolando McClain was again an every down linebacker. While Kamerion Wimbley played possibly the best game we’ve seen from him, he was taken out a little more frequently with just getting 59 of 75 snaps in this one. On the line, things went as expected with Lamarr Houston, Tommy Kelly and Richard Seymour leading the snap count. Nothing too out of the ordinary here.
The Broncos are another one of those teams that changed their defense, so they have a defense worth examining. Wesley Woodyard saw every snap at linebacker, with other starters Joe Mays and Von Miller not far behind. On the defensive line, it’s important to note that Robert Ayers is another one of the rare linemen to see every single snap. Defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson also saw a surprisingly high amount with 61 snaps. Jason Hunter’s number of 53 was also high, but when they need to rush the passer more that number should go down.
Redskins 28, Giants 14
At linebacker we expected everyone to play every snap, but it’s also noteworthy that rookie Ryan Kerrigan was one of those players. Originally we were unsure if he would get thrown right in, or get taken out more, so this raises his stock. The defensive line has been completely made over, with Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen getting the most snaps with 45 and 44 respectively out of the possible 58, which are both solid numbers. Next was starter Adam Carriker with 35. The backup with the most time was Kedric Goslton with 23, which is a little lower then what we came to expect from him from last year.
The biggest note from the Giants game is Mathias Kiwanuka, who is back and played every snap. In the base defense he played outside linebacker, where in the nickel defense he would move to the line. Michael Boley returned at linebacker and also played every down. Leading the line in snaps was Dave Tollefson and Jason Pierre-Paul with 57 each. While that looks high now; the return of Justin Tuck will likely result in the snap counts of both players decreasing.
49ers 33, Seahawks 17
The 49ers lost a lot of players on defense, which resulted in many players getting more snaps. Of course Patrick Willis saw every snap and Justin Smith most. At outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks went from seeing half the snaps to seeing nearly all of them while inside linebacker Navorro Bowman went to sparingly seeing time to playing almost every snap as well. At the last outside linebacker spot, Parys Haralson actually saw a decrease in snaps, with only getting 40 of a possible 71. Finally Ray McDonald on the defensive line also saw a big boost, with 62 snaps in the game.
This game Aaron Curry saw every down, which is an increase from last year where he was just in on most plays. Fellow starters K.J. Wright and Leroy Hill saw 41 and 42 snaps each out of 57, with Matt McCoy coming in for the nickel defense. The defensive line didn’t leave too many surprises other than Alan Branch and his 50 snaps. He had been playing about half the snaps in Arizona last year, but now looks to be a big part of the Seahawks defensive line.
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