Snap Count Observations: Transactions to Make for Week 13 (Fantasy Football)
Chicago Bears
Kyle Monangai 54%; D’Andre Swift 45%
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that Ben Johnson has a bit of a history with D’Andre Swift and might be looking for a reason to replace him. Swift’s fumble in the second quarter may have been it. Kyle Monangai‘s usage in Week 12 against the Steelers was notable, as he out-snapped D’Andre Swift following that fumble and lack of efficiency on the ground.
It appears that, at the very least, Monangai has carved out a short-yardage and red-zone role. While Monangai’s increased snaps highlight his growing trust in critical situations, his overall workload remains situational rather than feature-back level. Moreover, I don’t think the Bears love Monangai. In this game, the Bears threw far more (35 pass attempts to 21 rush attempts), but Chicago was losing for most of the game (basically until the 4th quarter). But, with the game on the line, trying to ice away the game, it was Monangai getting carries.
Conclusion: The Chicago backfield looks like a pure split with mediocre volume and efficiency. Monangai might be the better play with the goal-line opportunities.
New England Patriots
TreVeyon Henderson 65%; Rhamondre Stevenson 31%
TreVeyon Henderson remained New England’s clear lead back in Week 12 despite the return of Rhamondre Stevenson. Henderson finished with a heavier workload and more production (18 carries for 66 yards and three catches for 15 yards) while Stevenson was limited to six carries for five yards; Henderson also played more snaps and nearly scored.
New England’s rushing attack didn’t explode against a weak Bengals defense, but Henderson consistently found positive yardage and was the one the Patriots leaned on in critical moments, including a late drive where he came within inches of a TD. It should be noted that both RBs saw goal-line attempts, which is a really good sign for Henderson that the team is willing to trust him even in those situations.
Conclusion: Henderson will remain a fantastic start even with Rhamondre healthy again.
Green Bay Packers
Luke Musgrave 38%; John FitzPatrick 61%; Josh Whyle 41%
The Luke Musgrave experiment is over, and it probably ended last week against the Giants. Last week, he had a fumble and a drop (which was nearly another fumble) in the first half, and Musgrave only saw two snaps in the second half.
That trend continued in Week 12, and he was outsnapped by John FitzPatrick, a TE with seven career receptions.
Tucker Kraft is truly irreplaceable, and Musgrave has officially lost his opportunity to replicate Kraft.
Conclusion: Drop Luke Musgrave if you are still holding on for some reason. No Green Bay TE is worth rostering.
Atlanta Falcons
Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
David Sills 70%; Darnell Mooney 66%; Dylan Drummond 27%; KhaDarel Hodge 9%
David Sills surprisingly led the Falcons in WR snaps this week, carving out a decent role in the rotation without Drake London playing. KhaDarel Hodge, who was a popular waiver wire stash, meanwhile, was barely on the field, leaving Sills to capitalize on his opportunity with a TD grab. With Kirk Cousins running the offense, Atlanta looked competent and balanced, moving the ball effectively through the air (199 passing yards, 302 total yards). Still, it’s worth noting that this performance came against the Saints, a team struggling to contain opposing passing games, so the context tempers the optimism.
Moreover, the most explosive play of the game came from Darnell Mooney, who ended up leading the team in receiving yards, which essentially followed expectations.
Conclusion: Sills is someone you can grab if you are absolutely desperate, but not a reliable option otherwise.
New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara 14%; Devin Neal 74%
After Alvin Kamara exited with a knee injury in Week 12, rookie Devin Neal stepped into a much larger role for the Saints. Neal was on the field for just about every snap after the Kamara injury.
Neal logged merely seven carries for 18 yards but was heavily involved in the passing game, catching five of seven targets for 43 yards. While his rushing efficiency was modest, Neal’s usage as both a receiver decently replicates Kamara’s current value to the team.
Conclusion: Devin Neal could be a decent option for RB-needy teams in Week 13, as Kamara looks likely to miss some time.
New York Jets
Adonai Mitchell 85%; John Metchie 86%
The Jets are using the back half of the season to evaluate a pair of cast-off wideouts, John Metchie and Adonai Mitchell. Both receivers have seen their snaps climb in recent weeks, giving the coaching staff a chance to assess their fit in the offense. Metchie has shown flashes of reliability on short routes, while Mitchell’s size and athleticism have been tested on the perimeter.
Against a once-again solid Baltimore defense, the Jets put up a respectable 282 yards, which was surprisingly more than the Ravens accumulated despite the Jets’ defense being gutted by trade-deadline deals.
Tyrod Taylor injected life into the Jets’ passing game, throwing for 222 yards, which was 52 yards more than Justin Fields’ last two starts combined.
Metchie and Mitchell both saw seven targets. Metchie caught six of Taylor’s lower aDOT passes for 65 yards, while Mitchell reeled in only two passes for 42 yards.
Conclusion: Metchie might be a decent pick-up with Taylor running the offense.