Tracking snap counts is a good way to get an indication of how much a player is on the field, and what their future usage outlook could look like. We are going to dive into some of the more interesting situations around the league regarding snap count numbers. You will also see risers and fallers; which is a useful tool for valuing a player’s fantasy stock. The notable snap counts section is based around injuries sustained in the previous week or suspensions.
Dolphins RB
The Dolphins continue to split playing time between their two RB’s and this week Kenyan Drake got the bigger chunk of it, playing 39 snaps. He finished with 9 carries for 20 yards but also added 3 receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown. Damien Williams played 24 snaps and carried the rock 8 times for 38 yards and added in 3 receptions for 14 yards. Williams dislocated his shoulder in the loss to the Patriots and is expected to miss 2-to-3 weeks, opening the door for Drake. Expect Drake to see heavy ownership in DFS for week 13.
Titans RB
Derrick Henry out-snapped DeMarco Murray for just the second time this season; he played 32 snaps to Murray’s 31. Henry has been the better and more efficient player all season, and the Titans are starting to reward him for it. Henry finished with 13 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown. Murray, on the other hand, finished with just 9 yards rushing on 12 carries. Henry is younger and has fresher legs, and a role reversal between the two running backs is coming soon. Both backs will see heavy usage in week 13 against a stout Texans rushing defense.
Giants RB
The Giants used all three of their running backs evenly this week. Wayne Gallman led the way with 22 snaps, followed by Orleans Darkwa with 19, and lastly Shane Vereen with 15.Darkwa had the most carries as he finished with 11 for 30 yards. Gallman had the most rushing yards, finishing with 37 on 9 carries. All three running backs had at least 1 catch. The Giants offense is a complete mess, and they have now decided to make a change at quarterback moving from Eli Manning to Geno Smith. The switch to Smith is unlikely to help any of these running backs produce at the level needed to warrant a start on your fantasy team.
Risers
Joe Mixon played a career high 46 snaps, and it led to his best game. He carried the rock 23 times for 114 yards (5.0 YPC) and a touchdown. He also added in 3 receptions for 51 yards to top off the breakout performance. Mixon has struggled all season, making it hard to trust him after one big game, but this performance gives hope going forward. Backup running back Giovani Bernard had just 4 touches in this contest, as the Bengals are finally going all in with Mixon (a move that fantasy owners love). He has a tough matchup with the Steelers in week 13, making a repeat performance unlikely.
Rex Burkhead led the patriots backfield in snaps for the first time this season; he finished with 28, which was his second highest total on the year. He had a strong game, finishing with 13 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown while also adding in 2 receptions for 3 yards and a touchdown. The big game doesn’t mean very much going forward though, as the Patriots continue to mix up usage rates each and every week. Next week he could see less than 5 touches. That being said, he is still worth a start in fantasy this week, but there is obvious risk attached to starting him.
Eddie Lacy played just 6 snaps in week 11, but that number jumped to 35 in week 12. The Seahawks backfield continues to be a revolving door. This week was a huge head scratcher. J.D. McKissic played well for the Seahawks in week 11, but then didn’t get the chance to repeat in week 12. Instead the Seahawks decided to ride Lacy, who has been a disaster all season, and Sunday was no different. Lacy carried the rock 17 times for a whopping 46 yards (2.7 YPC) and added in 3 receptions for 15 yards. The game brings Lacy’s season total to 68 carries for 176 yards (2.6 YPC). McKissic only received 4 carries this week but managed to turn that into 22 yards. It simply makes no sense to keep giving Lacy the football, so this was puzzling to say the least. Look for McKissic to be more involved within the offense in week 13 against the Eagles for Sunday Night Football.
Marshawn Lynch played a season high 47 snaps this week. He turned that into 26 carries for 67 yards (2.6 YPC) and a touchdown. Lynch, much like Lacy, continues to be dreadful at generating any kind of positive yardage. The Raiders have two more talented and better all-around players behind Lynch in DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard, but refuse to make the move that would make them better, which would be benching Lynch. It is not surprising though, as pro teams stick with bad big name player’s way too long on a frequent basis. Lynch is past his prime and will continue to struggle.
Fallers
Leonard Fournette played a season low 28 snaps and played under 50% of the Jaguars offensive snaps for the first time this year (48%). T.J. Yeldon played 34 snaps and out-snapped Fournette for the first time this season. The Jaguars were playing from behind and have shown more trust in Yeldon as a pass catcher when they are trailing in games. Fournette had a rough game as he finished with just 25 yards on 12 carries. Look for a bounce back week from him and the Jags rushing attack in a home matchup with the Colts in week 13 (a team they pummeled 27-0 in week 7). He should see 20+ carries against a poor Colts run defense.
Notable Snap Counts
Robert Woods (shoulder) was inactive this week, which left a big hole in their offense that needed to be filled. Tavon Austin had his snap count increase from 2 in week 11 to 27 in week 12. The increased playing time didn’t result in much production as he finished with 3 receptions for -1 yard. Rookie Josh Reynolds played just 8 snaps in week 11 but saw that number rise to a season high 61 in week 12. That led to new career highs in receptions (4), targets (6), and yards (37). He also caught his first touchdown. However, the biggest beneficiaries of Woods being out were Sammy Watkins and Cooper Kupp. Both players had monster games, and saw new season highs in targets. Watkins finished with a line of 4-82-1, while Kupp finished with 8-116-0. If Woods has to continue to miss time, Watkins and Kupp can both be started with confidence; while Reynolds makes for a GPP dart throw in DFS.