You can’t score fantasy points if you’re not on the field.

That’s the simplistic but important basis of this new weekly article, where we’ll look at snap and route rates for every team – and what they mean for fantasy values going forward.

If you’re not familiar, snap rate is the percentage of a team’s offensive snaps a player was on the field for. Route rate is the percentage of a team’s drop backs a player was in a pass route.

Let’s get to the Week 1 data and fantasy takeaways.

Arizona Cardinals

RB snap rates:

James Conner - 72%

Eno Benjamin - 34%

Darrel Williams - 34%

Route rates:

James Conner - 63%

Eno Benjamin - 26%

Marquise Brown - 96%

Greg Dortch - 96%

A.J. Green - 72%

Andy Isabella - 33%

Zach Ertz - 63%

Takeaways:

• Conner is the clear #1 RB; Benjamin the #2. Conner’s usage would have been higher if he hadn’t been pulled late in the blowout loss. Williams can be dropped.
• Dortch likely stepped into the role WR Rondale Moore (hamstring) would have played. It’d be a strong role for Moore. Dortch is a desperation PPR option until Moore returns.
• Ertz was likely limited due to his calf injury.

Atlanta Falcons

RB snap rates:

Cordarrelle Patterson - 65%

Avery Williams - 31%

Damien Williams - 13% (injured)

Route rates:

Cordarrelle Patterson - 54%

Avery Williams - 44%

Damien Williams - 13%

Drake London - 82%

Olamide Zaccheaus - 62%

Bryan Edwards - 46%

KhaDarel Hodge - 18%

Kyle Pitts - 72%

Parker Hesse - 31%

Takeaways:

• It’s tough to know what Atlanta’s original plan was at RB because Damien Williams left with an injury in the 1st quarter. Rookie RB Tyler Allgeier was a healthy scratch.
• Encouraging debut for London. On top of the 82% route rate, he registered a 21% target share.
• We’d like to see a higher route rate for Pitts. He pass blocked on 7 plays after never topping 2 pass-blocking snaps in a game last year. Monitoring.

Baltimore Ravens

RB snap rates:

Kenyan Drake - 59%

Justice Hill - 20%

Mike Davis - 13%

Route rates:

Kenyan Drake - 43%

Justice Hill - 26%

Mike Davis - 14%

Rashod Bateman - 71%

Devin Duvernay - 51%

Demarcus Robinson - 51%

James Proche - 9%

Tylan Wallace - 6%

Mark Andrews - 94%

Isaiah Likely - 51%

Takeaways:

• Drake is Baltimore’s clear top RB until J.K. Dobbins is ready.
• Bateman’s route rate and 17% target share were disappointing. We’ll see if those marks improve in Week 2.
• Despite his 2 TDs, Duvernay isn’t a viable fantasy play on that 51% route rate.
• Elite usage for Mark Andrews, with the 94% route rate and a 23% target share.

Buffalo Bills

RB snap rates:

Devin Singletary - 59%

Zack Moss - 38%

James Cook - 5%

Route rates:

Devin Singletary - 47%

Zack Moss - 37%

James Cook - 0%

Gabriel Davis - 100%

Stefon Diggs - 79%

Isaiah McKenzie - 55%

Jamison Crowder - 32%

Dawson Knox - 66%

Takeaways:

• Buffalo’s backfield didn’t supply much Week 1 fantasy production even without Cook really involved. The rookie’s role should grow throughout the season. QB Josh Allen handled both of the Bills’ carries inside the 10 in Week 1.
• Davis saw just 16% of Buffalo’s targets, but the 100% route rate is super encouraging.
• McKenzie and Crowder split #3 WR duties, leaving both guys untrustable in fantasy lineups.
• Not a good start for Knox, with the 66% route rate and a 6.5% target share. He spent 7 snaps pass blocking, a mark he topped just once all last season.

Carolina Panthers

RB snap rates:

Christian McCaffrey - 81%

D’Onta Foreman - 13%

Chuba Hubbard - 6%

Route rates:

Christian McCaffrey - 74%

D’Onta Foreman - 14%

Chuba Hubbard - 3%

D.J. Moore - 100%

Robbie Anderson - 100%

Shi Smith - 83%

Ian Thomas - 60%

Tommy Tremble - 31%

Takeaways:

• McCaffrey’s 10 carries and 4 targets were underwhelming, but a big culprit was the Panthers running just 50 offensive plays. McCaffrey’s underlying usage was strong. No reason to worry.
• Ditto for Moore, who saw a solid 22% target share.
• Moore and Anderson had matching 8.8-yard average depths of targets in this one.
• Continue to ignore Panthers TEs.

Chicago Bears

RB snap rates:

David Montgomery - 66%

Khalil Herbert - 29%

Trestan Ebner - 7%

Route rates:

David Montgomery - 58%

Khalil Herbert - 21%

Trestan Ebner - 0%

Darnell Mooney - 96%

Equanimeous St. Brown - 75%

Dante Pettis - 58%

Byron Pringle - 17%

Cole Kmet - 71%

Ryan Griffin - 42%

Takeaways:

• QB Justin Fields had 7 designed rush attempts – 4th most among QBs on the week.
• Montgomery dominated backfield work but was handily out-performed by Herbert on the ground. We’ll see if the gap in snaps narrows going forward.
• It’s also worth noting that Herbert handled both of Chicago’s carries inside the 5-yard line, turning 1 into a TD.
• Tough to know how much to take from this game because it was played in nasty weather, but you’d like to see better usage for Mooney and Kmet. Mooney’s route rate was strong, but he registered a mediocre 18% target share. Kmet’s route rate was lower than we were expecting, and he was targeted just once.

Cincinnati Bengals

RB snap rates:

Joe Mixon - 73%

Samaje Perine - 26%

Chris Evans - 0%

Route rates:

Joe Mixon - 56%

Samaje Perine - 34%

Ja’Marr Chase - 100%

Tyler Boyd - 82%

Mike Thomas - 72%

Tee Higgins - 24% (injured)

Trent Taylor - 15%

Stanley Morgan - 6%

Hayden Hurst - 80%

Drew Sample - 15%

Takeaways:

• Cincinnati ran 94 plays, so realize that all the Bengals’ box scores are inflated.
• But we still saw strong usage from Mixon, who handled 27 of 28 RB carries (96%) and saw a 17% target share. He also received 3 of the Bengals’ 4 carries inside the 5-yard line (QB Joe Burrow got the other).
• Thomas is the Higgins replacement but nothing more than a DFS flier if Higgins misses Week 2 with his concussion.
• An 80% route rate and 15% target share has Hurst looking like a spot-start option already – especially if Higgins is sidelined.

Cleveland Browns

RB snap rates:

Kareem Hunt - 56%

Nick Chubb - 53%

Route rates:

Kareem Hunt - 58%

Nick Chubb - 28%

Amari Cooper - 91%

Donovan Peoples-Jones - 91%

Anthony Schwartz - 30%

David Bell - 21%

David Njoku - 70%

Harrison Bryant - 42%

Takeaways:

• Chubb and Hunt are gonna finish closer in fantasy points than their summer ADPs suggested. Chubb out-carried Hunt 22 to 11 in Week 1, but Hunt out-targeted Chubb 4 to 1. And Hunt beat Chubb 15.1 to 12.7 in expected PPR points.
• Tough to get excited about any piece of this Browns passing game until QB Deshaun Watson returns. But a 91% route rate and 32% target share is a strong start for Peoples-Jones.
• I wouldn’t want to be starting Njoku in Week 2 after his 1-target opener. But a 70% route rate at least makes him worth stashing on your bench.

Dallas Cowboys

RB snap rates:

Ezekiel Elliott - 58%

Tony Pollard - 55%

Route rates:

Ezekiel Elliott - 38%

Tony Pollard - 32%

CeeDee Lamb - 98%

Noah Brown - 86%

Dennis Houston - 64%

Simi Fehoko - 30%

Dalton Schultz - 94%

Takeaways:

• Both Elliott (8) and Pollard (11) spent more snaps pass blocking than expected – likely due to Dallas’ offensive line issues. That resulted in disappointing route rates for both guys.
• Strong underlying usage for Lamb, with a 98% route rate and 26% target share. The Dak Prescott injury is obviously bad news for Lamb’s fantasy value, but he might be worth trading for if you can get him for a WR3 price. Lamb posted a 6-112 line in QB Cooper Rush’s lone start last year.

Denver Broncos

RB snap rates:

Javonte Williams - 58%

Melvin Gordon - 41%

Mike Boone - 5%

Route rates:

Javonte Williams - 62%

Melvin Gordon - 28%

Mike Boone - 4%

Courtland Sutton - 98%

Jerry Jeudy - 91%

K.J. Hamler - 66%

Albert Okwuegbunam - 74%

Eric Saubert - 19%

Eric Tomlinson - 15%

Andrew Beck - 6%

Takeaways:

• It was a strange game in Denver’s backfield, with Gordon leading Williams 12 to 7 in carries but Williams racking up 12 targets to Gordon’s 2. Both guys lost goal-line fumbles. Williams does look like the clear lead back – and that 62% route rate is exciting.
• Sutton registered a big 17.3-yard average depth of target. Jeudy finished at 10.4.
• A 74% route rate and 14% target share has Okwuegbunam squarely on the spot-start radar going forward.

Detroit Lions

RB snap rates:

D’Andre Swift - 67%

Jamaal Williams - 33%

Route rates:

D’Andre Swift - 66%

Jamaal Williams - 24%

Amon-Ra St. Brown - 93%

D.J. Chark - 90%

Josh Reynolds - 85%

Kalif Raymond - 17%

T.J. Hockenson - 78%

Takeaways:

• Swift was the clear backfield leader in snaps and routes. Williams out-carried Swift 5 to 1 inside the 10-yard line – but it’s worth noting that 3 of those Williams carries came when Swift came off the field after big gains.
• St. Brown picked up where he left off last year, with a 93% route rate and 32% target share.

Green Bay Packers

RB snap rates:

Aaron Jones - 61%

A.J. Dillon - 51%

Route rates:

Aaron Jones - 65%

A.J. Dillon - 37%

Christian Watson - 67%

Sammy Watkins - 65%

Randall Cobb - 63%

Romeo Doubs - 58%

Juwann Winfree - 21%

Robert Tonyan - 44%

Josiah Deguara - 26%

Tyler Davis - 19%

Marcedes Lewis - 14%

Takeaways:

• Dillon beat Jones in carries (10 to 5), carries inside the 5-yard line (2 to 0) and targets (6 to 5). It wouldn’t be a surprise if Dillon finishes with more carries this year. But the route rates suggest that Jones remains the better bet for targets.
• It was a near-even 4-man committee at WR. None of these guys are trustable in fantasy lineups right now – but it’s impressive that rookies Watson and Doubs have already earned significant roles. We’ll see what happens when WR Allen Lazard returns.
• Tonyan saw a decent 13% target share in his 1st game since the torn ACL, but we’ll need to see that route rate climb closer to 70% before we can trust him in fantasy lineups.

Houston Texans

RB snap rates:

Rex Burkhead - 71%

Dameon Pierce - 29%

Route rates:

Rex Burkhead - 60%

Dameon Pierce - 12%

Brandin Cooks - 93%

Nico Collins - 79%

Chris Moore - 53%

Brevin Jordan - 58%

Pharaoh Brown - 35%

O.J. Howard - 14%

Takeaways:

• We expected Burkhead to control passing-down work. But the snap and carry (14 to 11) edge over Pierce was shocking – especially considering Houston played with the lead for much of this game. Pierce should be stashed but isn’t startable right now. Burkhead is an unexciting RB3 or flex.
• Despite his 2 TDs, Howard remains miles from fantasy useability.
• Jordan, stuck in a 3-man committee, is droppable in standard-sized fantasy leagues.

Indianapolis Colts

RB snap rates:

Jonathan Taylor - 76%

Nyheim Hines - 28%

Route rates:

Jonathan Taylor - 64%

Nyheim Hines - 39%

Michael Pittman - 98%

Parris Campbell - 82%

Alec Pierce - 66%

Ashton Dulin - 27%

Kylen Granson - 54%

Mo Alie-Cox - 38%

Jelani Woods - 7%

Takeaways:

• The Colts ran 90 plays in this tie, inflating all the box scores.
• Very encouraging passing-game usage for Taylor, with a 64% route rate and a 14% target share in negative game script.
• On the flip side, a 39% route rate for Hines in this script is worrisome.
• Not a great opener for Campbell or Pierce, but the usage makes them worth stashing in fantasy leagues of 12+ teams.
• Surprising to see Granson run more routes than Alie-Cox. Granson is worth stashing in deeper leagues as we wait to see if his role grows further. Alie-Cox is a drop.

Jacksonville Jaguars

RB snap rates:

Travis Etienne - 51%

James Robinson - 49%

Route rates:

Travis Etienne - 48%

James Robinson - 34%

Christian Kirk - 92%

Zay Jones - 90%

Marvin Jones - 88%

Evan Engram - 80%

WR target shares:

Christian Kirk - 29%

Zay Jones - 21%

Marvin Jones - 14%

WR average depths of targets:

Marvin Jones - 16.8 yards

Christian Kirk - 10.7 yards

Zay Jones - 9.0 yards

Takeaways:

• We’ve got ourselves a committee backfield in Jacksonville, with Robinson looking like the favorite for carries and Etienne the favorite for targets.
• Kirk is looking like at least an every-week WR3, with a chance for WR2 numbers.
• Not a great start for Engram in the box score, but an 80% route rate keeps him in the mix for low-end TE1 production. Hold.

Kansas City Chiefs

RB snap rates:

Clyde Edwards-Helaire - 39%

Jerick McKinnon - 39%

Isiah Pacheco - 23%

Route rates:

Jerick McKinnon - 41%

Clyde Edwards-Helaire - 34%

Isiah Pacheco - 9%

JuJu Smith-Schuster - 80%

Marquez Valdes-Scantling - 80%

Mecole Hardman - 61%

Justin Watson - 20%

Skyy Moore - 16%

Travis Kelce - 77%

Noah Gray - 30%

Joe Fortson - 25%

Takeaways:

• These numbers are a bit out of whack because the Chiefs pulled a lot of their key players late in the blowout win, most notably Edwards-Helaire and Kelce.
• I don’t have snap rates for the first 3 quarters, but here’s what the backfield opportunities looked like:
  • Edwards-Helaire - 7 carries, 3 targets
  • McKinnon - 3 carries, 3 targets
  • Pacheco - 2 carries, 0 targets
• Valdes-Scantling saw a 5.5-yard average depth of target – way down from his marks with the Packers. It’s a small sample size but something to monitor going forward.

Los Angeles Chargers

RB snap rates:

Austin Ekeler - 49%

Joshua Kelley - 27%

Sony Michel - 24%

Route rates:

Austin Ekeler - 37%

Joshua Kelley - 31%

Sony Michel - 26%

Mike Williams - 91%

Josh Palmer - 71%

DeAndre Carter - 40%

Keenan Allen - 37% (injured)

Jalen Guyton - 9%

Gerald Everett - 66%

Tre McKitty - 37%

Takeaways:

• Surprising bordering on worrisome usage for Ekeler in this one. He posted a 58+% snap rate in all 14 of his healthy games last season. And his 13 pass routes in Week 1 were 6 fewer than he ran in any of those 14 games last year. Not panicking yet, but Ekeler’s usage will be worth watching closely in Thursday night’s game vs. the Chiefs.
• Just a strange game for Williams. A 12% target share and 3.5-yard average depth of target. Consider it just a 1-game blip for now.
• Carter had the more productive game, but Palmer was the clear beneficiary of Allen’s injury. He’s in the WR3 mix as long as Allen is out with his hamstring.
• Everett posted a 3-54-1 line, but his usage was just ok: a 66% route rate and 12% target share.

Los Angeles Rams

RB snap rates:

Darrell Henderson - 82%

Cam Akers - 18%

Route rates:

Darrell Henderson - 78%

Cam Akers - 20%

Cooper Kupp - 100%

Allen Robinson - 96%

Ben Skowronek - 88%

Tutu Atwell - 12%

Brandon Powell - 4%

Tyler Higbee - 92%

Brycen Hopkins - 8%

Takeaways:

• HC Sean McVay continued his tendency to lean on a feature back … but it was Henderson rather than Akers. Henderson is a RB2 with RB1 upside if this usage continues. Akers is just a bench stash.
• 2 targets on 49 routes for Robinson. I’m panicking.
• Elite usage for Higbee: a 92% route rate and 27% target share. He should be owned in all fantasy leagues of 10+ teams and has a good shot at a top-12 fantasy finish.

Las Vegas Raiders

RB snap rates:

Josh Jacobs - 60%

Brandon Bolden - 28% (injured)

Ameer Abdullah - 12%

Route rates:

Josh Jacobs - 40%

Brandon Bolden - 24% (injured)

Ameer Abdullah - 13%

Davante Adams - 98%

Mack Hollins - 89%

Hunter Renfrow - 87%

Darren Waller - 80%

Foster Moreau - 22%

Takeaways:

• This was a slightly positive outing for Jacobs. He handled 77% of Vegas’ carries, got the only carry inside the 5-yard line, and RB Zamir White didn’t play a snap. But Jacobs lost passing-down snaps and saw just 1 target.
• As expected, this was a condensed passing game, with Adams (46%), Renfrow (16%) and Waller (16%) accounting for 78% of the Raiders’ targets.

Miami Dolphins

RB snap rates:

Chase Edmonds - 63%

Raheem Mostert - 42%

Route rates:

Chase Edmonds - 57%

Raheem Mostert - 35%

Tyreek Hill - 84%

Jaylen Waddle - 76%

Cedrick Wilson - 46%

Trent Sherfield - 27%

Mike Gesicki - 43%

Durham Smythe - 35%

Takeaways:

• Edmonds handled 12 of 17 RB carries and saw a 12% target share. He’s shaping up as a lower-end RB2 in PPR leagues.
• Cut Mike Gesicki.

Minnesota Vikings

RB snap rates:

Dalvin Cook - 77%

Alexander Mattison - 23%

Route rates:

Dalvin Cook - 71%

Alexander Mattison - 18%

Justin Jefferson - 100%

Adam Thielen - 100%

K.J. Osborn - 85%

Johnny Mundt - 47%

Irv Smith - 44%

Takeaways:

• Cook remains a workhorse in this Kevin O’Connell offense. He handled 20 of 28 carries and drew a 16% target share.
• Jefferson is obviously the focal point of this offense. But Thielen will have some strong games as an every-down player in this passing game.
• The initial assumption was that Smith’s limited Week 1 was a result of his August thumb surgery. But O’Connell suggested that it was simply a product of the game plan. Smith can’t be trusted in fantasy lineups right now.

New England Patriots

RB snap rates:

Damien Harris - 39%

Ty Montgomery - 36%

Rhamondre Stevenson - 25%

Route rates:

Damien Harris - 31%

Ty Montgomery - 31%

Rhamondre Stevenson - 14%

DeVante Parker - 100%

Jakobi Meyers - 94%

Nelson Agholor - 54%

Kendrick Bourne - 6%

Hunter Henry - 83%

Jonnu Smith - 54%

Takeaways:

• That’s an ugly backfield. The good news is it figures to be a 2-man committee for at least the next 4 weeks with Montgomery on IR. We’ll see who assumes his snaps. There was positive buzz on Stevenson’s pass-catching skills this offseason, but he was 3rd in line for those chances in the opener.
• Henry saw just 10% of New England’s targets, but that 83% route rate gives him a chance to score as a top-12 TE this season.

New Orleans Saints

RB snap rates:

Alvin Kamara - 62%

Mark Ingram - 33%

Route rates:

Alvin Kamara - 40%

Mark Ingram - 26%

Michael Thomas - 83%

Chris Olave - 83%

Jarvis Landry - 81%

Deonte Harty - 14%

Marquez Callaway - 14%

Juwan Johnson - 79%

Adam Trautman - 10%

Taysom Hill - 10%

Takeaways:

• This isn’t the usage you paid for if you drafted Kamara. We learned Monday that he was dealing with a rib issue, which might explain the depressed snap and route rates. But let’s keep a close eye on him going forward.
• All 3 Saints WRs saw big average depths of targets from QB Jameis Winston:
  • Landry - 13.7 yards
  • Olave - 12.7 yards
  • Thomas - 11.3 yards
• Johnson might be worth grabbing in TE-premium leagues. He turned that 79% route rate into a 15% target share.
• Hill is still far from a viable option in lineup-setting leagues. He played just 16 offensive snaps in this one and blocked on half of them.

New York Giants

RB snap rates:

Saquon Barkley - 82%

Matt Breida - 21%

Route rates:

Saquon Barkley - 74%

Matt Breida - 10%

Kenny Golladay- 71%

Richie James - 71%

Sterling Shepard - 65%

Davis Mills - 52%

Wan’Dale Robinson - 13% (injured)

Kadarius Toney - 13%

Tanner Hudson - 55%

Daniel Bellinger - 23%

Chris Myarick - 16%

Takeaways:

• Barkley has a legitimate chance to finish as THE RB1 this year. He handled 18 of 23 RB carries and registered a 33% target share.
• Absolute mess at WR. Keep Toney stashed, but he’s obviously not startable until he gets something close to full-time snaps. Shepard is worth owning in leagues of 12+ teams. His role should grow as he puts that Achilles injury further behind him.
• Avoid Giants TEs.

New York Jets

RB snap rates:

Michael Carter - 60%

Breece Hall - 45%

Route rates:

Michael Carter - 42%

Breece Hall - 41%

Elijah Moore - 89%

Corey Davis - 68%

Garrett Wilson - 56%

Braxton Berrios - 47%

Tyler Conklin - 82%

C.J. Uzomah - 17%

Takeaways:

• As expected based on preseason usage, Carter opened the season as the 1A to Hall’s 1B. Both guys had decent fantasy days because they combined for 19 targets (32% share). Don’t expect that to continue. Carter looks like a borderline RB2 for now; Hall a fringe RB3.
• Wilson was the #4 WR in preseason, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him edge Berrios in routes. The rookie also saw a 14% target share. He’s not a fantasy option yet – but he might be soon.
• Conklin is the Jets’ clear lead TE and might be a useful spot starter when the bye weeks start to hit.

Philadelphia Eagles

RB snap rates:

Miles Sanders - 51%

Kenneth Gainwell - 31%

Boston Scott - 19%

Route rates:

Miles Sanders - 43%

Kenneth Gainwell - 23%

Boston Scott - 14%

DeVonta Smith - 98%

A.J. Brown - 95%

Quez Watkins - 64%

Zach Pascal - 23%

Dallas Goedert - 91%

Takeaways:

• We figured Sanders would be in a 3-man committee, but this was a positive result for him. Besides leading Gainwell and Scott in snaps and routes, he also led the RBs with 13 carries and handled 2 of the 6 carries inside the 5-yard line (Jalen Hurts also had 2; Gainwell and Scott 1 apiece).
• It sure looks like Brown will be the focal point of this passing game. But Smith remains a low-end WR3 as a full-time player.
• Goedert’s 91% route rate ranked 4th among TEs on the week.

Pittsburgh Steelers

RB snap rates:

Najee Harris - 59%

Jaylen Warren - 37%

Route rates:

Najee Harris - 40%

Jaylen Warren - 23%

Diontae Johnson - 93%

Chase Claypool - 93%

George Pickens - 91%

Pat Freiermuth - 77%

Takeaways:

• Warren handled every RB snap after Harris left with his foot injury. He’s the clear handcuff and worth stashing in fantasy leagues of 12+ teams.
• Pickens registered a 15.7-yard average depth of target vs. Johnson’s 9.6 and Claypool’s 6.5.
• A 77% route rate and 26% target share has Freiermuth looking like an every-week TE1.

San Francisco 49ers

RB snap rates:

Jeff Wilson - 60%

Elijah Mitchell - 25% (injured)

Route rates:

Jeff Wilson - 50%

Elijah Mitchell - 8%

Brandon Aiyuk - 100%

Deebo Samuel - 94%

Jauan Jennings - 78%

Ray-Ray McCloud - 25%

Ross Dwelley - 42%

Tyler Kroft - 42%

Takeaways:

• Wilson was the only RB to play a snap after Mitchell exited. RB Jordan Mason was active but only played on special teams. RB Ty Davis-Price was a healthy scratch. Expect 1 or both of those guys to be involved in Week 2 and beyond. And, of course, Samuel will help in the running game.
• Samuel and Wilson each saw 1 carry inside the 5-yard line.
• Aiyuk saw just 2 targets (7% share) in this rain-soaked game, but a 100% route rate is what you want to see.

Seattle Seahawks

RB snap rates:

Rashaad Penny - 69%

Travis Homer - 19%

Route rates:

Rashaad Penny - 60%

Travis Homer - 37%

D.K. Metcalf - 94%

Tyler Lockett - 89%

Marquise Goodwin - 51%

D’Wayne Eskridge - 9%

Noah Fant - 57%

Will Dissly - 43%

Colby Parkinson - 31%

Takeaways:

• Penny exceeded expectations with the 60% route rate and an 11% target share. We’ll see how his usage evolves as RB Kenneth Walker gets worked into the mix.
• Metcalf registered a 4.4-yard average depth of target. He’s finished between 12.7 and 13.7 yards in each of his first 3 NFL seasons.
• As we saw in the preseason, it’s a 3-TE committee in Seattle. Fant isn’t a viable fantasy option on this usage.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RB snap rates:

Leonard Fournette - 76%

Rachaad White - 27%

Route rates:

Leonard Fournette - 76%

Rachaad White - 24%

Mike Evans - 79%

Julio Jones - 76%

Russell Gage - 62%

Chris Godwin - 34% (injured)

Breshad Perriman - 34%

Jaelon Darden - 10%

Cameron Brate - 76%

Cade Otton - 14%

Takeaways:

• Confirmation that White is Tampa’s clear #2 RB and a high-upside handcuff behind Fournette.
• Jones looks like a better fantasy play than Gage right now – although both could be startable as WR3s while Godwin is out.
• Brate has a chance to be a low-end spot starter on this usage.

Tennessee Titans

RB snap rates:

Derrick Henry - 68%

Dontrelle Hilliard - 18%

Hassan Haskins - 14%

Route rates:

Derrick Henry - 38%

Dontrelle Hilliard - 18%

Hassan Haskins - 3%

Robert Woods - 77%

Kyle Phillips - 64%

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine - 64%

Treylon Burks - 36%

Austin Hooper - 67%

Geoff Swaim - 38%

Chigo Okonkwo - 13%

Takeaways:

• Outside of O.J. Howard, Hilliard had the flukiest Week 1 with 2 TDs on just 12 snaps and 7 routes. He’s fine to stash as a Henry handcuff, but Hilliard isn’t close to a standalone fantasy option.
• No surprise to see Burks 4th in line at WR. It was at least encouraging to see him draw 5 targets on his 14 routes. He remains an upside bench stash for now.
• Phillips benefitted from negative game script and still needs that route rate to climb to be a bankable fantasy starter. But a 27% target share in his 1st NFL game is certainly worth paying attention to.

Washington Commanders

RB snap rates:

Antonio Gibson - 64%

J.D. McKissic - 40%

Jonathan Williams - 1%

Route rates:

Antonio Gibson - 52%

J.D. McKissic - 37%

Jonathan Williams - 2%

Terry McLaurin - 94%

Jahan Dotson - 90%

Curtis Samuel - 83%

Logan Thomas - 60%

John Bates - 37%

Takeaways:

• This is about as strong an opener you could have hoped for from Gibson. He handled 14 of 17 RB carries and drew a 20% target share. He looks like a strong RB2 at least until Brian Robinson returns.
• McKissic is unstartable on this usage.
• Samuel registered a 27% target share and saw 4 carries. He’s 1 of the top targets on waiver wires.
• It was an encouraging return for Thomas, who saw 15% of Commanders targets. He’s not a reliable fantasy play just yet, but he’s trending in that direction.