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.

Jags WR

Allen Hurns was out for the fifth straight week, and Marqise Lee suffered an ankle injury early in the win over the Texans. With Allen Robinson on IR, Hurns out, and Lee going down early, the Jaguars leaned heavily on three rookie receivers this week in Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook, and Jaydon Mickens. Cole became the number one receiver and played 53 snaps and turned that into a monster game with seven receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown. Westbrook played the most snaps (57) but only turned that into two catches for 21 yards. Mickens saw his highest snap total of the season with 30 and broke out for four receptions, 61 yards, and two touchdowns. In week 16 expect a heavy target share for both Cole and Westbrook, while a decrease for Mickens can be expected.

Cowboys RB

In the final week without Ezekiel Elliott, Rod Smith played 35 snaps and Alfred Morris played 27. The two backs continued to operate in their usual roles with Morris being leaned heavily on the ground. He finished with 16 carries for 61 yards and “added” in two receptions for zero yards. Smith had just 13 yards rushing on seven carries but had three receptions for 21 yards. With Zeke returning for week 16, Morris and Smith both become unplayable as Zeke will once again be the ball dominant back out of the Cowboys backfield.

Risers

Elijhaa Penny played a season high 21 snaps. He operated as the lead back in the fourth quarter after Kerwynn Williams went down with a quadriceps injury. Penny finished with 10 carries for 45 yards, setting new career highs in both. If Williams is forced to miss week 16, Penny will be a heavily owned player in DFS at a dirt cheap price. Anytime you can get a featured running back with guaranteed volume at a cheap price, he makes for a strong DFS option.

Duke Johnson played 43 snaps in week 15 after playing just 25 in week 14. He was in for 74% of the Browns offensive snaps (his highest since week one). He had seven carries for 23 yards and a touchdown and added in five receptions for 40 yards. Johnson continues to produce and be a strong PPR fantasy asset despite limited volume. He currently ranks fourth amongst running backs with 61 receptions, matching his career high that he set as a rookie in 2015. He needs just 69 total yards to set a new career high in yards from scrimmage. He will be a solid DFS play in week 16 against the Bears.

Geronimo Allison saw his snap count increase from 19 in week 14 to 46 in week 15. DeVante Adams went down with injury and it opened up playing time for Allison. He finished with five receptions for 33 yards but also lost a fumble. With Aaron Rodgers being shut down for the season, even if Adams is out for week 16, Allison will not be worth playing. The Packers are turning back to Brett Hundley, who averaged just 197 passing yards per game across his seven starts. It will be hard to trust any of the Packers receivers to produce in week 16. Look for the Packers to lean heavily on their ground game.

Fallers

Ameer Abdullah returned to action this week but played a season low eight snaps. He finished with one carry for eight yards and added in three receptions for 13 yards. It is clear that Theo Riddick is the Lions starting running back, and Abdullah may not even be the number two. Abdullah was frustrated by his diminished role Saturday, but given his 3.4 YPC this season there really is not much reason for him to complain. Abdullah has shown flashes of strong play at times, but has been an overall disappointment to this point in his career. He may need a new home to turn his career around.

Notable Snap Counts

Ted Ginn was out this week and the Saints turned to Willie Snead (37 snaps) and TommyLee Lewis (15 snaps) to fill the void. It was a strong increase in playing time for both receivers, but it did not lead to production for either player. The two combined for just one catch for 23 yards. The Saints, as usual, relied heavily on Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and Mark Ingram in the passing game. If Ginn is out again this week, Snead would still be nothing more than a GPP dart throw in DFS, with Lewis being unplayable.

Leonard Fournette was out this week dealing with a quadriceps injury. Chris Ivory played 31 snaps; his highest since week nine. T.J. Yeldon played 29 snaps, just one week after playing four. Lastly, Corey Grant matched a season high with 12 snaps. Each running back had at least seven carries out of the backfield but only Yeldon was used in the passing game. Yeldon had four receptions for 25 yards but had the fewest amount of rush attempts of the three backs. Grant was the most effective back, finishing with 10 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. Despite leading the backfield in carries with 17, Ivory only finished with 42 rushing yards. The games that Fournette has missed have provided little insight into who to use when he is out, and he should be back for week 16.