Snap Count Observations from Week 15 (Fantasy Football)
Championship. Week. We have all been toiling for four months for just this one week. If you made it, congrats. If not, let’s get you some great info to get you there next year.
Week 15 brought more injuries to guys who are very likely on a lot of championship rosters. Losing a star RB or WR is always tough, but having it happen just before the season’s last, and most important week can be devastating. Using the Week 15 snap counts, I’ll try to help you replace those guys or just fill holes on your roster as you finish with that #FootClanTitle.
100% Club
Every week this season, I have made a point to spotlight any RB/WR/TE that plays 100% of his team’s snaps. Starting at TE, the Giants’ Kaden Smith was forced into 100% snap count as one of the only healthy TEs on New York’s roster. Three WRs make the list, including DeAndre Hopkins for the 2nd straight week. Joining Hopkins were two Robs, Robby Anderson and Robert Woods. Woods had the worst day of the three, despite logging 73 snaps. Only one RB made the list and if you’ve read this article at any point this year, it won’t take you very many guesses to figure out who it was. For the 6th time this year, Christian McCaffrey played every down for the Panthers.
Week 15 Snap Count Observations
Cleveland Browns RBs (Kareem Hunt 43, Nick Chubb 35)
The Browns are a mess but their RBs are excellent fantasy assets. This is the 2nd time since his return that Kareem Hunt has played more snaps than Nick Chubb. Their split has remained basically the same, Chubb runs, Hunt catches. This week Chubb had 20 touches, 17 were carries. Hunt had 12 touches, eight were receptions. Since he returned in Week 10, Hunt has been the overall RB15 and Chubb has been the RB6. If only someone had told you that they could co-exist. (Not so humble brag)
Los Angeles Rams RBs (Todd Gurley 70, Malcolm Brown 3)
2019 has become the polar opposite of 2018 in the Rams backfield. Last year, Todd Gurley was great to start the year but as the fantasy playoffs rolled around, he was persona non grata. This year, McVay’s usage of Gurley early was questionable and now he is feeding the beast. If you held on to Gurley, he may get you the fantasy championship that he cost you last year.
Minnesota Vikings RBs (Dalvin Cook 28, Mike Boone 21, Ameer Abdullah 15)
2018’s Gurley owners may be having deja vu if they drafted Cook. Cook was great all year long but the wear and tear set in and now it looks like he might not be there for you next week. Mike Boone carried the load once Cook got hurt but that was with Alexander Mattison out. If Cook is in, you have to play him but if he is out, even if Mattison can play this week, the Vikings backfield may be untouchable with your championship on the line.
San Francisco 49ers RBs (Raheem Mostert 34, Tevin Coleman 19, Matt Brieda 12)
Sometimes it’s nice when a coach is true to his word. Kyle Shanahan said that Mostert earned the lead-back role and he actually gave it to him. Take note Arizona and Detroit. Mostert dominated snaps and touches and is a great fantasy RB if you need to replace Dalvin Cook.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WRs (Breshad Perriman 67, Chris Godwin 46, Justin Watson 42)
Imagine the ache for owners that rostered Jameis Winston, Mike Evans, and/or Chris Godwin this year. All have been giving you great weeks as of late and in back-to-back weeks, Winston loses Evans and Godwin. Now you have a great scoring fantasy QB with no WRs to throw the ball to…except it might not matter. Perriman was one of the hottest commodities on the fantasy waiver wire last week and turned in a 3-TD performance for owners. Now he is the locked and loaded WR1 for a team that is going to throw the ball a lot.
Philadelphia Eagles WRs (JJ Arecega-Whiteside 71, Greg Ward 58)
71 snaps and 0 fantasy points. Arcega-Whiteside was only targeted on two of his 71 snaps and it’s fair to say that no matter who lines up at WR for the Eagles next week, you cannot start them in the fantasy championship.
Baltimore Ravens WRs (Marquise Brown 47, Willie Snead 41, Seth Roberts 36, Miles Boykin 19)
The going theme this season has been that even though Lamar Jackson is the #1 fantasy QB and has thrown 33 TDs, you can’t trust any of his WRs. Speaking specifically to Brown, he just never played enough snaps. He clawed his way back to the top of the snaps played for the Ravens this week and looks to be an excellent WR3 going into the championship.
Green Bay Packers TEs (Marcedes Lewis 32, Jimmy Graham 25)
This is just a reminder for next year…do not draft a Packers TE. I don’t care what their name is or who the head coach is, Packers TEs are not to be trusted in fantasy football.
Minnesota Vikings TEs (Irv Smith Jr.42, Kyle Rudolph 35)
This is also more of a look ahead to next season. Smith has been cutting into Rudolph’s playing time more and more as the season has progressed and this will be interesting to monitor next preseason. Rudolph is the fantasy TE9 on the season but that says more about the sad state of fantasy TE than it does Kyle Rudolph.
New Orleans Saints TEs (Josh Hill 47, Jared Cook 28)
As Cook recovers from his concussion, Hill is seeing increased snaps. If you survived this long with Cook at TE, you should know that he was still targeted 4 times in those snaps. That means he is still very playable in your championship matchup, even if he doesn’t get a full workload.