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Typically, this article series takes the recent snap and touch history of skill players into account but given that we are merely one week into the season, there is not much of a sample to work with!
Nevertheless, Week 1 saw a litter of players across the league see curious usage and that is always worthy of a write-up. This piece takes a look at the snaps and touches from each week to break down what is or is not important for fantasy football moving forward.
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Running Back Snaps for Fantasy Football
Darrell Henderson (82%), Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay made very clear who his starting RB was in Week 1. Henderson earned 18 touches to Cam Akers' 3 and produced 73 yards to Akers' 0. Most alarmingly, Henderson started the first two drives! This wasn't a mid-game benching for Akers – the presumed starter – he was not part of the gameplan. There was a concern prior to the week that Akers could be limited due to a preseason soft-tissue injury but he was deemed ready to go days prior.
Treat Henderson like the starter until further notice and keep Akers benched.
Antonio Gibson (64%), Washington Commanders
With Brian Robinson on IR due to his unfortunate mugging injury, Gibson retained his role as full-time RB1 in Washington despite rumors of his fall down the depth chart. Gibson played more snaps than scat-back J.D. McKissic (40%) while touching the ball 21 times, significantly more than McKissic's 6.
Unless the Commanders are down a significant amount over the next few weeks while Robinson is inactive, expect this snap and touch-split to remain similar as Gibson looked the best he has since his rookie season. Most impressively, Gibson ran 23 routes and was targeted 8 times – the second most on the team.
Josh Jacobs (60%), Las Vegas Raiders
Jacobs' lead back snap-share was overlooked due to his modest workload. With just 10 carries and 1 target, Jacobs' week was a fantasy bust but that could be connected to the Raiders' play from a decent deficit throughout the 2nd-half. Jacobs looked good on his touches as he managed 73 yards but did not find the end-zone after slipping around the goal-line.
Presumed backup Zamir White only played on Special Teams while 3rd-Down back Brandon Bolden suffered an injury mid-game. Jacobs could be in line for more work in future weeks if Las Vegas plays with a lead while this snap share in a game they lost is encouraging nonetheless.
Dontrell Hilliard (18%), Tennessee Titans
Hilliard outscored starter Derrick Henry by more than double despite playing 32 fewer snaps! This feat is made much easier when both of the team's touchdowns go Hilliard's way than Henry's. Hilliard is merely just the 3rd-down back for Tennessee while Henry will continue to dominate the groundwork and goal-line rushes.
It is fair to prioritize Hilliard as an add though given that the Titans could expand his role and shrink Hassan Haskins' along with playing him more in games that Tennessee trails. Last season, Henry was utilized on fewer than 70% of his team's snaps in just 2 of the Titans' first 8 games and he wound up suffering a foot fracture that is typically caused by excess exertion. This season, Tennessee should get Henry off the field for breathers more while continuing to use him in the role he is best, the early-down grinder.
Jeff Wilson Jr. (59%), San Francisco 49ers
Jeff Wilson Jr. led the 49ers in snaps this past week after lead RB Elijah Mitchell was sidelined with yet another injury. Wilson played poorly but that has not stopped the 49ers from entrusting him with touches in the past. In 2020, Wilson was utilized as a receiving back and goal-line option during Raheem Mostert's absences. Last year, despite Mostert missing nearly all of the season, Wilson was just occasionally used after his return from meniscus surgery. Wilson clearly was not 100% and it affected his play on the field.
Now, we are still unsure as to whether he is good again or not but the 49ers entrusted him with a bulk of the workload and that should speak volumes. Rookie 3rd Rounder Tyrion Davis-Price was a healthy scratch while undrafted camp breakout Jordan Mason only saw the field on Special Teams. This upcoming week will provide more clarity to the backfield but it is a safe bet even with everyone active that Wilson will remain the lead unless a backup goes off.
Wide Receivers Snaps for Fantasy Football
Curtis Samuel (71%), Washington Commanders
Pretty impressive for Samuel to play just three-fourths of the game yet lead the receiving room in targets (11). This was Curtis Samuel's 2nd start with the Commanders after signing a lucrative 3-year deal the offseason prior. An injury-plagued 2021 prevented Samuel from playing more than 5 games and in those games, he never saw more than 37% of the snaps.
While it is unlikely he consistently plays a full array of snaps per game, Samuel should remain heavily involved in the offense when he is on the field given his versatility as a pass-catcher and rusher. He is worth rostering in nearly every format until an injury strikes.
Julio Jones (52%), Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jones was 2nd on the team in WR snaps in just his first game with the Buccaneers. This may not have been the case if Chris Godwin did not leave with injury but nonetheless impressive considering how much they paid Russell Gage.
Jones displayed his patented ability to get open in the intermediate-to-deep field and recorded 69 yards on 5 targets. He should be rostered across most formats given that Godwin (hamstring) is set to miss games while Jones should play more snaps when they are not blowing teams out. For reference, Mike Evans only played 73% of the snaps.
Hunter Renfrow (83%), Las Vegas Raiders
Renfrow played the 3rd-most snaps at WR while tying for 2nd in team targets with TE Darren Waller. Week 1 was a full-on Carr-Adams love-fest with 17 targets headed Adams' way. A 50% target share for Adams is wholly unsustainable. This will not be the case going forward and those targets will trickle down in coming games.
For those that roster Renfrow, consider him as he was drafted, a fine FLEX option who will have his output more volatile than last season.
DeVonta Smith (96%), Philadelphia Eagles
Smith is in a similar boat to Renfrow as A.J. Brown inhaled 45% of the targets in Week 1. Brown, like Adams, switched teams this offseason and their QBs made it a point to pepper them. Meanwhile, Smith was left for dead with 4 targets (tied for 2nd) and 0 receptions.
Smith's goose egg stings but just like Renfrow, he is a FLEX option that will be volatile on a weekly basis. Rest assured, the trickle-down will come and he should see more than 4 targets on a weekly basis.
Treylon Burks (37%), Tennessee Titans
Burks managed 55 yards on 5 targets while playing just one-third of the game. Seemingly, the concerns of him being "buried in the depth chart" were overblown along with conditioning issues. Had those been significant, Burks likely would not have played at all but seeing what he did, it is hard to not compare him to A.J. Brown who did not crack 50% of the Titans' snaps his rookie year until October.
Burks is absolutely someone worth holding onto and even trading for if you do not roster him. He is the most talented WR on the roster and could be what saves the Titans' offense from crumbling. However, do not start him in fantasy until the snap-share peaks over 60%.
Kadarius Toney (12%), New York Giants
Whether this was a doghouse benching or demotion is unknown but what we do know is that this is extremely odd for a team's first-round pick from the year prior to play so few snaps. Toney is an interesting character who has some odd concerns like allegedly not "loving football."
We on the outside only know as much as the team tells us and the team told us plenty with him getting out-snapped by the likes of Richie James and Sterling Sherpard fresh off of a torn Achilles. To make matters worse, slot WR Wan'Dale Robinson (knee) exited the game due to an injury and Toney still did not play. For the sake of it being Week 1 and the cost to acquire Toney, he is worth rostering for a few more weeks but if his rear end is continually glued to the bench and the calendar reads October, let go and do not look back.
Tight Ends Snaps for Fantasy Football
Austin Hooper (62%), Tennessee Titans
Hooper played fewer snaps than fellow TE Geoff Swaim (69%) and was targeted half as many times (4-to-2). This may have been a fluke game but it is concerning nonetheless. Also, the Titans may not have as talented a WR room as last season but it is certainly healthier and deeper.
The expectation that Hooper would be peppered due to their lack of receiving weapons is quickly proving false. Hooper is fine to drop in most leagues.
Evan Engram (71%), Jacksonville Jaguars
Engram led the Jaguars in TE snaps and nearly doubled backup Chris Manhertz. While Manhertz does play more of a blocking role, it remains encouraging to see Engram lead the way like this. Engram's 4 targets and 28 yards are not much to write home about but the team looks like one that will be forced to pass plenty yet again thanks to their defense and there will be games where Engram's number will be called.
Health has been the biggest factor in Engram's failure thus far in his career. If his body is stable, there is no reason to believe a bounce-back season to the back-end of the top-12 isn't in the cards with upside for more. Trevor Lawrence is the most talented QB he's played with and Engram's size will always make him a red-zone target. Good things are to come if you choose to hold.
Mike Gesicki (42%), Miami Dolphins
Nightmares have become reality for those that drafted Gesicki. His snapshare below 50% is suboptimal, to say the least. Concerns all offseason have been his poor blocking abilities keeping him off the field and it's evident with teammate Durham Smythe playing 63%.
Gesicki is a talented receiver and arguably the most athletic TE in the league but that does not "fit" Mike McDaniel's offense which is predicated on precision passing and complex blocking schemes. Gesicki would be best as a big slot who runs down the seam but there seems to be no need at the moment with such a talented WR duo consolidating the passing offense. Unless an injury strikes or Gesicki gets traded, expect more of the same minimal usage moving forward.
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