Snap Count Observations from Week 14 (Fantasy Football)
We’re on to the semifinals! It’s Week 15 and hopefully, you’re coming in fresh off a bye week or a sweet quarterfinals win. For our snap count observations, I will be continuing the method set forth last week. Using the Strength of Schedule Tool, the teams we will be highlighting have the best and worst remaining playoff schedules for RBs, WRs, and TEs. There will be more to say about some situations than others but these are the most interesting teams left in fantasy football right now.
100% Club
Every week, I like to highlight any RBs, WR, and/or TEs that play every snap for their teams. This might be the first time all season that three players make the list in the same week…and they are all WRs. If you’re keeping score, no RB has played 100% of their team’s snaps yet in 2020. This week, Juju Smith-Schuster, Jakobi Meyers, and Breshad Perriman hit the 100% mark in each of their games.
Week 14 Snap Count Observations
Tennessee Titans RBs (Derrick Henry 42, Jeremy McNichols 22)
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Henry was the RB1 in Week 14, rumbling for 215 yards and two TDs. McNichols saw 12 touches but managed just nine yards. The Titans finish the season Detroit and Green Bay, the best schedule any RB could ask for, and Henry-managers are well on their way to a #FootClanTitle.
Baltimore Ravens RBs (J.K. Dobbins 37, Gus Edwards 16, Justice Hill, 6 Mark Ingram 1)
Dobbins is the more high-profile name and is seeing the most snaps but Edwards is worth adding to just about any playoff roster. Edwards led the group in fantasy points on the back of two TDs, while Dobbins added a TD of his own on 13 touches. Both of these RBs will have tremendous value in games against JAX and NYG, the 2nd best schedule for RBs over Weeks 15 and 16. Mark Ingram, however, is now an afterthought and can be safely dropped everywhere.
Minnesota Vikings RBs (Dalvin Cook 54, Ameer Abdullah 15, Mike Boone 4)
Week 14 tells the perfect story of why you just don’t care that Cook has the 2nd worst schedule for RBs. The Buccaneers were a bad matchup and Cook rushed for 102 yards and a TD. Cook is a “set it and forget it” type player and that will not change in the playoffs, no matter who they play. If he were to go down, it is unlikely you’d want to play any of his backups against their tough schedule.
Kansas City Chiefs RBs (Clyde Edwards-Helaire 46, Le’Veon Bell 11)
The Chiefs may have the worst playoff schedule for RBs, with games against New Orleans and Atlanta, but at least they aren’t splitting time. CEH owns the playing time here and Bell is feeling very confused right about now. Bell touched the ball just four times in a close game with Miami while CEH had 21 touches, including five receptions. Bell has no fantasy value left this season and Edwards-Helaire is a risky RB2 over the final two games.
Los Angeles Rams WRs (Robert Woods 49, Cooper Kupp 39, Josh Reynolds 35, Van Jefferson 19)
It was a rough Thursday night for both Rams WRs against New England. They each had five receptions, Kupp had 33 yards, Woods had 32, but Kupp saved his fantasy day with a TD. The Rams have the easiest schedule for WRs in the playoffs and play with the Jets and Seahawks left to play so it’s easy to disregard this game.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WRs (Chris Godwin 44, Mike Evans 39, Antonio Brown 25)
While the schedule may be the 2nd best for fantasy WRs, these Buccaneer pass-catchers cap each other’s value. In a “plus” matchup this week against Minnesota, no WR saw more than five targets and none of the big three finished with more than seven fantasy points. Scotty Miller stole the lone TD on just five snaps played. They will be hard to trust against Atlanta and Detroit, though one of them should have a big day at least, but which one?
Jacksonville Jaguars WRs (DJ Chark 64, Keelan Cole 61, Laviska Shenault 53, Collin Johnson 19, Chris Conley 9)
At various points this season, every WR on this roster had some fantasy relevance. The return of Gardner Minshew and the fact they are almost always playing from behind certainly help their fantasy value but guessing who will score a TD is not the game you want to play in the fantasy playoffs. They have the 2nd toughest schedule for WRs moving forward and they are just too hard to predict.
Seattle Seahawks WRs (Tyler Lockett 47, DK Metcalf 46, David Moore 39, Freddie Swain 33)
As I mentioned with Dalvin Cook, it doesn’t matter how tough the schedule is, you are likely starting DK and Lockett. DK feels just about matchup-proof at this point but struggled against the Rams in Week 10, and Lockett just had a pedestrian game against the Jets. The Seahawks finish the season with the toughest schedule for WRs, playing Washington and a rematch with the LA Rams. You’ll have to temper your expectations for Metcalf and should seriously consider if you have better options than Tyler Lockett.
Los Angeles Rams TEs (Tyler Higbee 55, Gerald Everett 53)
While the Rams do have the best schedule for TEs, the issue, as mentioned before, is that they also have the best schedule for WRs, and their WRs are just more utilized. Higbee and Everett have combined for just five games over 10 fantasy points this entire season. Easy schedule or not, they are a big gamble in the fantasy playoffs.
New York Giants TEs (Evan Engram 42, Kaden Smith 23)
The Giants have the 2nd best schedule for TEs and one of the best TEs in fantasy football…they just have no one to throw him the ball. Daniel Jones did not look right in Week 14 and Colt McCoy is well, Colt McCoy. Engram managed just 18 yards two catches. With games against Cleveland and Baltimore to end the season, the table is set. We just need a QB to show up.
Miami Dolphins TEs (Mike Gesicki 43, Adam Shaheen 37, Durham Smythe 36)
Even with all three TEs seeing the field a lot, Gesicki has stepped up as of late and would have been playable in fantasy, even with the 2nd worst playoff schedule. He just scored two TDs against Kansas City is probably part of the reason you are still alive in the playoffs. However, he was also hurt to end Week 14’s game. An injury, a committee, and a tough schedule might be too much for the young TE to overcome. If he plays, you’re going to play him, but you might end up disappointed.
Buffalo Bills TEs (Dawson Knox 60, Lee Smith 29)
Not a lot of analysis is needed here. Knox sees the field a ton but rarely returns fantasy value. The Bills have the worst schedule for TEs over the last two weeks and there is no way you are playing Dawson Knox in your fantasy playoffs.