Snap Count Observations: Transactions to Make for Week 6 (Fantasy Football)
Miami Dolphins
Darren Waller 58%
Waller is a player who needs to be taken seriously, particularly as a TE. Waller saw a big uptick in snaps (from 28% to 58%) and saw five targets, catching all of them for 78 yards. He will probably see even more snaps next week. Waller said that he was ready for a bigger role, but the team is holding him back. Either way, he’s going to start playing more.
You might be a week too late on Waller, but if not, this is a top-10 TE for the rest of the year. The Dolphins offense values this type of TE, just like they did with Jonnu Smith late last year. Waller is getting ramped up after coming out of retirement, and Tyreek Hill is no longer in the picture. He appears to be the second or third option, and a primary red zone option.
Conclusion: Buy Darren Waller
Indianapolis Colts
Michael Pittman 82%; Ashton Dulin 71%; Josh Downs 50%; Adonai Mitchell 9%
Well, at least he didn’t get cut…
Last week, I guessed that the Colts were not going to punish AD Mitchell for his goal-line fumble, arguing it wasn’t really an early celebration and pointing to no evidence of decreased snaps after the fumble in Week 4. Boy, was I wrong. Mitchell found himself squarely in the doghouse against the Raiders, barely playing and only earning one target.
The Colts replaced him with Ashton Dulin, who was nothing special (5/2/55). Josh Downs also saw more targets than his season average, but I am going to blame the opponent for that increase. His snaps did not increase much.
With these fumble punishment situations, you just never know. I have probably spilled more ink on a largely irrelevant fantasy player (Mitchell) than he deserves, but he looked pretty good last week. It seems like the Colts are shooting themselves in the foot by playing an inferior player. The coaches have done their finger wagging by essentially benching Mitchell for a week. Hopefully, they all feel like “big men” now and can resume the practice of putting the best players on the field. I still think there is a path for Mitchell.
Conclusion: If you are holding Mitchell, I would hold for one more week and see if he returns to big snaps after the week-long punishment.
Arizona Cardinals
Michael Wilson 57%; Emari Demercado 28%; Bam Knight 16%
Speaking of TD celebration fumbles…
Emari Demercado definitely did drop the ball early, just before scoring.
Genuinely curious, why do players do this? Emari Demarcado must have seen Adonai Mitchell do this JUST LAST WEEK and yet…. pic.twitter.com/KiBkQwoeSz
— James D Koh (@JamesDKoh) October 5, 2025
I mean, it’s really close, but just touch the back white line before you celebrate… Dude.
Anyway, there is no world where Demercado doesn’t end up in the same doghouse as Adonai Mitchell after this run. Incredibly, this cost them the game, as Tennessee came back from 21-6 in the 4th quarter to win.
The point is, Michael Carter is going to see an increase in snaps. He’s not special, so these are low ceiling projections. But as we saw in Week 5, he can provide you with a TD occasionally, so he is worth rostering. The Cardinals also have Bam Knight, who is a decent player, but he’s largely redundant to Carter. I think Carter sees increased playing time, making him a borderline start for a bad offense.
Conclusion: Pick up Michael Carter if available; consider starting him while Demercado remains in the doghouse.
New York Jets
Mason Taylor 84%
Mason Taylor was a highly touted TE prospect in this past draft. He is a rookie, but the Jets are increasing his role. He looks like a very solid TE for a team without a second passing option. De facto, he has become Justin Fields‘ second-favorite target.
In Week 5, he saw 12 targets as the Jets tried to play catch-up with the Cowboys. However, that part about playing “catch-up”, that basically happens every week. Thus, Taylor is a real option at a position without a lot of good ones.
Conclusion: Mason Taylor looks like a top-12 TE ROS.
Washington Commanders
Jacory Croskey-Merritt 47%; Chris Rodriguez 25%; Jeremy McNichols 25%
Bill has finally arrived.
The snap numbers don’t leap off the page, but the usage does. He had 14 carries, which is eight more than McNichols and Rodriguez combined, and saw two targets, which is the same amount as McNichols and Rodriguez combined.
Moreover, the efficiency was incredible. 111 yards on 14 carries and two TDs, plus 39 yards on two catches. Yes, please. He showed this explosive playmaking in the preseason; there is a huge opportunity in a backfield without any real competition, and the offense as a whole is strong.
The thing that stood out to me the most is that Deebo Samuel didn’t see a single carry. I think the Commanders are about to hand this backfield over to JCM.
Conclusion: Get Bill in those starting lineups.
Los Angeles Chargers
Omarion Hampton 58%; Kimani Vidal 21%; Hassan Haskins 21%
Omarion Hampton hurt his ankle and was spotted in the locker room wearing a walking boot. A stint on IR looks possible, which means someone is going to get increased snaps.
The depth chart says Hassan Haskins, considering that Haskins is the only other RB on the active roster. The Chargers elevated Kimani Vidal from the practice squad before the game, and Haskins and Vidal both played an equal number of snaps and basically had the same usage (five carries for Haskins, four for Vidal).
There isn’t much information to glean from post-injury usage either, as the team used both backs pretty similarly. Jim Harbaugh has familiarity with Haskins (Haskins was the lead RB for Michigan in 2021, and Haskins destroyed Ohio State in his last home game as a Wolverine).
Still, Hassan has never made much of an impact in the pros. He got an opportunity or two when he still played for the Titans, and he did not impress. I would not be surprised if the team used both players or even brought in a veteran (e.g., Zack Moss or someone). Also, keep in mind that the Chargers OL lost both of its impact OTs. This rushing offense is okay, but not great, and now it has lost its best RB.
Conclusion: Haskins is worth a small bid, but he is not replacing Hampton. Temper your expectations.