Four weeks is a nice sample size for metrics but it really isn’t for fantasy points. I mean, last year through four weeks Clyde Edwards-Helaire was RB4. Evan Engram was outside the top 20 RBs and he finished top five. The important thing for us is to stay focused on the right details which starts with the usage each week. If you can’t get on the field in the right situations, you can’t make anything happen. And that’s what we cover here. This article is my number one most important one each week as my weekly fantasy rankings.

This article goes best with our snap count tool where you can see all of the raw snap numbers. But I take it a step further letting you know who got the pass snaps, a two-minute drill, who pass blocked, who played slot, who played two WR sets. I do my best to let you know who is getting the work and who isn’t. So, without further ado, here is Week Three.

 

Fantasy Football Week 5 Snap Count Preview

San Francisco 49ers - 55 Snaps

WR: Back to business here - it’s Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk then no one else matters because they use the fullback so much.

RB:  Christian McCaffrey is just too good. They say they want to mix other guys in but then they don’t because why would they?

TE: George Kittle played 53 of 55 snaps, and ran 22 of 25 routes. We warned you this could happen with Kittle in our tight end fades article. They just don’t need to lean on him like they once did.

Chicago Bears - 72 Snaps

WR: With Chase Claypool banished, that opens up another spot here. DJ Moore and Darnell Mooney are probably the best options for redraft leagues but Equanimeous St. Brown played 42 snaps behind the 54 Mooney played which maybe opens him up for a Thursday DFS dart throw.

RB: Big step in the wrong direction if you were rooting for Roschon Johnson. Khalil Herbert played 56 snaps to only 16 for Roschon.

TE: Cole Kmet played 53 of 72 snaps and ran 27 of 42 routes which is far from ideal. But as long as he is getting the looks he’s not the worst option. I wish his usage from Week One would come back where he played 72 of 74 snaps but that doesn’t seem to be on the table.

Cincinnati Bengals - 53 Snaps

WR: “Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd. Only an injury will change this.” That’s what we said in this article last week and maybe we jinxed things because Tee Higgins hurt his ribs. The next man up seems to be Trenton Irwin.

RB:  Joe Mixon continues to get all of the meaningful touches so we just have to roll him out there where we have him. It’s just hard to find much better options.

TE: Irv Smith Jr was hardless relevant so can’t really trust his backup. If you want to throw a DFS dart at someone, it’s Tanner Hudson.

Buffalo Bills - 58 Snaps

WR: No change here - it’s Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis then they use multiple tight ends and a fullback so can’t trust anyone else. Trent Sherfield has consistently been the next best option but he’s yet to play half the games.

RB:  James Cook finally got a goal line carry and scored which should be cause for celebration but Latavius Murray quietly played more pass snaps than Cook (15 to 10). I’m hoping it’s not a pass blocking issue. For now, you still need to start Cook every week but we will continue to monitor.

TE:  Big step this week - Dalton Kincaid played more snaps than Dawson Knox. And Kincaid ran 23 routes to Knox’s 15. Those 23 routes tied Kincaid with Gabe Davis for second behind Stefon Diggs (27).

Cleveland Browns - 69 Snaps

WR: This has been the same every week  - Donovan Peoples-Jones, Elijah Moore, and Amari Cooper all play big snap shares. Those are your three wide receivers. They don’t really use as many two-TE sets as they used to.

RB: Jerome Ford played more snaps in all phases - run and pass. Kareem Hunt only played 15 to his 43.

TE:  David Njoku had great usage this week despite the burns - he ran 35 of 46 routes. He didn’t pass block once and maybe that was BECAUSE of the burns. Either way, a welcome change.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 71 Snaps

WR: The injury to Mike Evans isn’t supposed to be severe but we did get some important intel. Trey Palmer is the next man up if Evans goes down. Now, that doesn’t mean he’s the next man up if Godwin goes down as that could be slot WR Deven Thompkins. But if Evans misses time we know it’s Palmer.

RB: The usage has never been the problem for Rachaad White - it’s the production. But so few guys play 50 of 71 snaps like he did that you have to consider him for RB2 or flex duty.

TE: Cade Otton played every single snap which he often does. If the injury to Evans were more serious then we would be more interested.

Denver Broncos - 48 Snaps

WR: The Marvin Mims watch continues. And once again, he only played 17 snaps. He’s a stash until he plays more. Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy are the only two who play meaningful snaps.

RB: Javonte Williams has yet to practice so we should see Samaje Perine in the pass-down role with Jaleel McLaughlin contributing as he did this week. There was actually some smoke regarding him this offseason so he’s worth a speculative add.

TE: Until Greg Dulcich there is no fantasy-relevant option. Adam Trautman is your best bet for a random DFS dart throw if you must.

Arizona Cardinals - 72 Snaps

WR: Technically Michael Wilson (50) was third in WR snaps behind Marquise Brown (67) and Rondale Moore (54) but he finally flashed this week as the Cardinals split end. Hopefully, that translates to more opportunities.

RB: James Conner is the boss. When healthy, Keontary Ingram is the handcuff but he’s banged up so right now it’s Emari Demercado.

TE: Zach Ertz ran 43 of 49 routes and got 10 targets - might not be super efficient but can’t argue with 10 targets. And the veteran blocked on zero pass plays, per usual.

Dallas Cowboys - 71 Snaps

WR: This was a blowout so the starters came out for a good chunk. But it was Ceedee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Michael Gallup with the starters as expected.

RB:  Tony Pollard is a star but they let the backups run some here. Deuce Vaughn actually played the most with 22 snaps vs. 14 for Hunter Luepke and only 6 for Rico Dowdle.

TE: Even with Peyton Hendershot out, Jake Ferguson did not play a full snap share and that was before garbage time. He played 39 snaps while Luke Schoonmaker played 40. Yet Ferguson still gets his targets. His usage is a mystery and it has us a little concerned about his long-term upside.

Los Angeles Chargers - 65 Snaps

WR: Whelp, we got our answer. Joshua Palmer played 56 snaps to Quentin Johnston’s 33. If he’s going to earn that “Mike Williams role” he needs to overtake Palmer first.

RB:  It’s a bye week this week for the Chargers but we can hopefully expect Austin Ekeler back after that. Thank goodness.

TE: Donald Parham suffered what turned out to be a sprained wrist in this one. Even then, Gerald Everett played 45 snaps and Stone Smartt played 26. They refuse to make Everett a full-time player. And he wasn’t last year either so that’s to be expected.

Kansas City Chiefs - 70 Snaps

WR: Yikes. Justin Watson led with 43 of 70 snaps. Sad. Skyy Moore and Rashee Rice remain the most interesting. Kadarius Toney hardly plays.

RB:  Isaiah Pacheco is clearly the man here with 43 snaps. McKinnon mixes in for sporadic pass work but that’s about it.

TE: Travis Kelce is Travis Kelce. Noah Gray routinely plays 50-60% of the snaps but is a random DFS TD dart throw unless Kelce is out.

Indianapolis Colts - 64 Snaps

WR: Michael Pittman continues to be the snap share champion of the world - 61 of 64 this week. Alec Pierce plays over Josh Downs still which hurts the update for downs. Would love to see that flip but they like Pierce on the outside in 2 WR sets.

RB: Was this the last ride of Zack Moss with Jonathan Taylor coming back? We will see but he’s already back at practice.

TE: Kylen Granson ran 20 of 35 routes but he hasn’t been super reliable. We’re still stashing Jelani Woods in some spots but he wasn’t activated.

Washington Commanders - 78 Snaps

WR: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel. That’s it. Highly consolidated usage.

RB: Brian Robinson essentially gets most of the run work and half of the pass work, relegating Antonio Gibson to a partial role. Antonio Gibson does seem to have the two-minute drill so certain game scripts lean his way.

TE: Logan Thomas continues his promising role - his 62 snaps were right behind Terry McLaurin and ahead of Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel. Worth rostering if you are struggling at tight end.

Miami Dolphins - 73 Snaps

WR: Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Like the 49ers, they use a fullback for half the game which buries the WR3. Technically it’s Braxton Berrios.

RB:  De’Von Achane continues his push to lead this team despite Raheem Moster starting. Achane played 39 snaps while running 29 routes, Mostert 28 with 19 routes. Both got 8 carries.

TE: Durham Smythe is back healthy and doing what he does. He’s out there a lot but he blocked on 8 pass plays which is brutal. He’s a safe but low upside option.

Philadelphia Eagles - 71 Snaps

WR: DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown are the guys with Quez Watkins in the slot though, while he’s out, Olamide Zaccheaus steps in. OZ is a DFS dart throw at the very best but even then - not really.

RB:  D’Andre Swift got the bulk of the run-downs and actually played 27 pass-downs to 19 for Gainwell as well. Maybe Gainwell will get ramped back up or maybe it’s just the Swift Show.

TE: Dallas Goedert played all 71 snaps but he’s the third fiddle behind Brown and Smith. You knew that drafting him.

Atlanta Falcons - 58 Snaps

WR: Drake London and Mack Hollins continue to be the only viable WRs because they use two TE sets. That hasn’t changed.

RB: Bijan Robinson played 44 snaps, and Tyler Allgeier played 15. It’s Bijan time baby.

TE: Arthur Smith says Kyle Pitts still isn’t fully healthy. He ran 30 of 37 routes, and Jonnu Smith ran 24 of 37. I didn’t draft much Pitts but I did add him off waivers where someone dropped him in hopes he gets healthy and they let Taylor Heinicke step in at QB.

New York Giants - 75 Snaps

WR:  This is a mess but at least Jalin Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson saw their biggest snp shares yet. Darius Slayton is your best bet if you HAVE to start someone but those other two are the guys I’m stashing. Drop the rest.

RB: Saquon Barkley is working his way back so Matt Breida goes back on the shelf. If he doesn’t play, Breida is an option. Simple as that.

TE: Darren Waller to me is a buy low target. He played 69 of 75 snaps this week and was wide open on the pick-six Daniel Jones threw. He will have better games.

Jacksonville Jaguars - 66 Snaps

WR: Same as last week - when Zay Jones is out, Tim Jones plays. But he doesn’t command those targets which is good for the rest of the guys.

RB: Travis Etienne played 56 snaps to 8 for Tank Bigsby. Etienne is locked in.

TE: Evan Engram continues to be a focal point. It will be a little thinner when Zay Jones gets back but he’s as trustworthy as it gets right now.

New York Jets - 59 Snaps

WR: Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard play the full snaps outside with Randall Cobb in the slot. Lazard isn’t doing much without the 4 time MVP. It’s Garrett Wilson or nothing and sometimes it feels like nothing.

RB: Not only did Breece Hall play 26 snaps to 18 for Michael Carter and 15 for Dalvin Cook but word is there is no snap count limit for him. But that could also mean there is no limit but they like to distribute the ball still.

TE: Tyler Conklin played 31 pass plays but blocked on 7. That’s not going to cut it.

Detroit Lions - 75 Snaps

WR:  The battle is one. ARSB is obviously a beast but now it’s Josh Reynolds vs. Jameson Williams. Williams will be ramped up so he won’t play a full share right away.

RB: David Montgomery is the power back, and Jahmyr Gibbs is the rookie pass-down specialist. Sometimes the easy answer is the right one.

TE: Sam LaPorta played 60 of 75 snaps but only ran 23 of 32 routes. He’s still must start obviously but would love to see him run 32 of 32 like Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Green Bay Packers - 79 Snaps

WR: Christian Watson is back but was eased back in. Romeo Doubs kept his full snap share, Jayden Reed played a partial snap share (38) out of the slot, and Watson split with Dontayvion Wicks. Expect Watson to take over for Wicks soon.

RB: AJ Dillon simply isn’t as explosive as Aaron Jones so Jones should get his role back in space and on pass downs with Dillon as the power back. Jones only played 20 snaps this week though so it could take some time.

TE: Luke Musgrave left with a concussion but, because it was the Thursday game, he should be cleared in time. Big test this week with Watson back.

Carolina Panthers - 72 Snaps

WR: We still have yet to see a game with all four WRs healthy. Based on what we’ve seen so far, I would be that, when that day comes, Adam Thielen and DJ Chark will play full snap shares with Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall rotating.

RB: Miles Sanders is clearly not healthy with the groin issue so he’s splitting with Chuba Hubbard. At this stage, they should probably just rest him until he is good. If that day comes, Chuba is a viable option.

TE: Hayden Hurst once again didn’t play a snap share even close to full - 37 of 72 snaps. He doesn’t need to be rostered,

New England Patriots - 55 Snaps

WR: DeVante Parker (45) once again led here while everyone else rotated. Kendrick Bourne (29) and Juju Smith-Schuster (26) we next highest but Bourne ran 20 routes to only 13 for JuJu. Baffling. We need Tyquan Thornton back or something. Or maybe Demario “Pop” Douglas needs more snaps.

RB: Rhamondre Steveson (35) gets the lion share over Zeke Elliott (22) even in the “revenge game”. Mondre is still a start with hope for better game scripts.

TE: Hunter Henry ran 26 routes which was second on the team behind DeVante Parker. Mike Gesicki plays wide receiver and his 21 routes were actually third but there just isn’t enough there.

Las Vegas Raiders - 73 Snaps

WR: It’s Davante Adams and Jakobie Meyers, that’s it. They use multiple tight ends and a fullback so Hunter Renfrow doesn’t really play much.

RB:  Josh Jacobs with 51 snaps has the full job so, if you are betting on usage, bet here.

TE:  Neither tight end can separate themselves but, if you had to bet on one, Austin Hooper runs more routes every week.

Los Angeles Rams - 82 Snaps

WR: Puka Nacua played 78 of 82 snaps. When Cooper Kupp is back they will need to figure out a plan but it’s hard to believe Nacua won’t play a ton. I expect the snap hit to come at the expense of Van Jefferson. Unless they simply give Kupp his role back and Nacua goes back to the bench, however, that would be a really tough call to make.

RB:  Kyren Williams is the man here and Ronnie Rivers seems to be the handcuff.

TE: Tyler Higbee was reported to have an Achilles issue but 77 of 72 snaps says he’s fine. He only blocked on two pass plays but just know he is notorious for disappearing for games to block.

Baltimore Ravens - 58 Snaps

WR: Zay Flowers played 57 of 58 while Nelson Agholor and Devin Duvernay filled in for Odell Beckham and Rashod Bateman. Don’t worry about rostering Agholor or Duvernay.

RB:  Gus Edwards got 40 of 58 snaps and actually showed out as the starter. Perhaps the Gus Bus will get his chance to shine. Neither Melvin Gordon nor Justice Hill played more than 11 snaps.

TE: Mark Andrews is a star and Isaiah Likely is one of the few tight end handcuffs we care about at all.

New Orleans Saints - 65 Snaps

WR: Rahid Shaheed continues to pop but his snaps are still limited - 38 of 65 this week. It’s hard to ask Michael Thomas (52) or Chris Olave (53) to play less.

RB: Alvin Kamara is back and it’s clearly his job - 49 snaps first game back.

TE: Juwan Johnson wasn’t really relevant when healthy so we aren’t going to use Jimmy Graham or Taysom Hill. Maybe for a DFS play but you’re just chasing touchdowns.

Seattle Seahawks - 55 Snaps

WR: DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are the guys with Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the WR3 that comes in for 3 WR sets. He needs an injury for that to change.

RB: Kenneth Walker played 39 snaps, and Zach Charbonnet played 13. He’s on the outside looking in.

TE: Don’t be fooled by the big play for Noah Fant - he ran 9 routes. There is no fantasy-relevant tight end here.

Pittsburgh Steelers - 62 Snaps

WR: Same deal - while Diontae Johnson is out, Calvin Austin fills in. They have a bye after this week then Johnson is expected back so it should be back to Pickens, Johnson, and Robinson.

RB: Jaylen Warren continues to battle for more work and it seems he’s earned it on pass downs (19 snaps to 15). But Najee is still the short yardage back which includes the goal line - if there is any.

TE: With Pat Freiermuth out we don’t need to worry about a Steelers tight end for fantasy. Freiermuth wasn’t doing much himself.

Houston Texans - 71 Snaps

WR: Nico Collins, Robert Woods, and Tank Dell are the clear starters with John Metchie on the back burner. Collins has a couple of tough matchups coming up here but he has been red hot.

RB: Dameon Pierce gives up just enough work to Devin Singletary and Mike Boone to be hard to trust but, if this line can get healthy, he could pick it up.

TE: Dalton Schultz has only played 35 of 71 snaps and he’s in the rearview to the wide receivers anyway.

Tennessee Titans - 66 Snaps

WR: Nick Westbrooke-Ikhine quietly has led this team in snaps three weeks in a row making him a sneaky DFS play. Chris Moore is playing for Treylon Burks and DeAndre Hopkins clearly is not healthy, playing only 35 of 66 snaps.

RB: Derrick Henry gets the carries while Tyjae Spears gets the pass work. Pay attention to the game script.

TE: If Chigoziem Okonkwo can’t pop with Treylon Burks out then he’s not likely going to. I like him in dynasty still but we don’t need to hold in redraft.

Minnesota Vikings - 48 Snaps

WR: Justin Jefferson is the best but the story here is about KJ Osbron (40) vs. Jordan Addison (28). Still no flip.

RB: Alexander Mattison (33)  is still the guy but Cam Akers (14) is getting acclimated. We will continue to monitor.

TE: TJ Hockenson played hi full role so don’t worry about the down week - he is still a super high-end option.