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Joey analyzes fantasy football snap counts risers and fallers. Are these fantasy football players emerging, or a risk for starting them in Week 2 lineups?
Fantasy football is all about volume, especially for running backs. You want players on your roster that are always on the field. That’s what made San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey so appealing early in drafts this year. His 85% snap share on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers led all running backs in Week 1.
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On the other end, having players who see limited snaps can be extremely frustrating in fantasy lineups. They often drop in fantasy drafts because of it. A player like Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones has the talent to score 20-plus fantasy points every week. But his upside is capped due to A.J. Dillon’s presence.
Sometimes these snap counts apply to wide receivers or tight ends, as you’ll see below. This weekly article will be released every Wednesday morning and will help you make easier fantasy lineup decisions based on usage.
Surprisingly High Snap Counts from Last Week
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams - 65% snap count
No one really knew how Los Angeles would look on offense in Week 1. Running back Cam Akers was set to open the year as the lead back after head coach Sean McVay praised the young playmaker all offseason. But it seems like Akers is still in McVay’s doghouse because Kyren Williams saw more running back snaps on Sunday (53-28).
Not only did Williams play 65% of the team snaps compared to Akers’ 35%, but the former was much more efficient in the contest. He had 15 carries for 52 yards (3.5 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. Williams also saw two targets, while the latter saw none.
Despite Akers seeing 22 carries, 11 came in the final two drives when the Rams were already up by two-plus scores. Williams also ran 26 routes on Sunday, almost solidifying that he will be the pass-catching back moving forward. He’s worth a pickup in 12-plus team leagues.
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons - 56% snap count
Following the Atlanta Falcons' selection of running back Bijan Robinson eighth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, many people counted out Tyler Allgeier in fantasy football. But his Week 1 performance shows that he can definitely be fantasy-relevant -- even with Robinson in Atlanta.
Allgeier saw a surprising 56% of the Falcons' snaps on Sunday and ran 15 times for 75 yards and two touchdowns. He also added three catches on three targets for 19 yards in the passing game.
The Falcons consistently prove to be one of the top rushing offenses in football behind a solid offensive line. They ran the ball at the second-highest mark in the NFL last year (55.3%), which continued in Week 1. Atlanta passed just 18 times compared to 26 rushes on offense. There is a path for both Robinson and Allgeier to put up weekly solid numbers. But it’ll be interesting to see how much Cordarrelle Patterson -- who was inactive -- eats into Allgeier’s snap share moving forward.
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles - 62% snap count
UPDATE: Gainwell's injury kept him out of the Week 2 matchup against the Vikings on Thursday Night Football. D'Andre Swift started and dominated.
Prior to Week 1, the Philadelphia Eagles listed Kenneth Gainwell, D'Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny, and Boston Scott as the team’s RB1 heading into Week 1. But after Penny was a healthy scratch against the New England Patriots, Gainwell benefited the most.
He saw 62% of the team snaps on Sunday compared to Swift’s 29% and Scott’s 12%. Gainwell has been a favorite of the Eagles’ coaching staff all offseason and seems poised to receive most of the running back duties going forward. The 24-year-old back ran 14 times for 54 yards and brought in four catches for 20 yards in the contest. His four targets were also third-most on the team behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
While the running back touches could change for the Eagles every week, Gainwell showed he could handle most of those duties in Week 1. He’s certainly worth an add in 10-plus team leagues.
Other Players To Note:
- Sam LaPorta (83% snap count)
- Travis Etienne (80% snap count)
Surprisingly Low Snap Counts from Last Week
Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans - 45% snap count
There were rumors the Houston Texans were planning to have a running back-by-committee this season, which appeared to be the case in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. Second-year running back Dameon Pierce saw just 45% of the team snaps and played 35 snaps. Backup running back Mike Boone played 24 snaps, while Devin Singletary saw 16 snaps.
For those who drafted Pierce in the fifth or sixth round in fantasy drafts, this is certainly not good news. He had only 11 carries for 38 yards and caught two passes (three targets) for nine yards in Week 1.
There’s no reason to panic just yet about Pierce’s usage. The Ravens had one of the best run defenses last year, and it was evident the second-year back couldn’t get much going on the ground from the start. His snap share is something to keep an eye on moving forward because if he continues to lose snaps to Singletary and Boone, he might only be a flex play.
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans - 48% snap count
The shock of the week might be the Tennessee Titans only giving running back Derrick Henry 30 snaps on offense. He played just 48% of the team’s offensive snaps, which is certainly low for Henry’s usual usage. Still, the veteran ran 15 times for 63 yards while catching two passes for 56 yards.
Despite the low workload for Henry in Week 1, he still provided fantasy managers with efficiency on the ground and through the air. But it was a surprise to see third-round rookie Tyjae Spears out-snap Henry (34 vs. 30 snaps).
Like Pierce, there’s no reason to panic on Henry’s usage yet. It could actually be a good thing for fantasy managers if Tennessee limits him early in the year to keep him fresh for your fantasy playoffs in December.
Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars - 60% rostered
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk was quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s favorite target in 2022. However, this year could be different for Kirk’s production and his opportunities on offense following Calvin Ridley’s arrival.
Kirk played just 60% of the team snaps in Week 1 and saw 42 snaps on offense. He worked exclusively in the slot and only ran a route on 23 of Lawrence’s dropbacks. The wideout had just one catch on three targets for nine yards to open the season, which is disappointing for fantasy managers who started him in Week 1.
With Kirk playing in the slot, Ridley and Zay Jones were the typical wideouts in Jacksonville’s two wide receiver sets on Sunday. Jones ran 34 routes, while Ridley led the team with 35 routes. It was definitely a surprise to see Kirk play this little, especially since his fewest snap total last year was 47 in Week 18.
Other Players To Note:
- Kyle Pitts (62% snap count)
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