Snap counts tell us who is playing but they don’t always paint a clear picture of who is producing for our fantasy football lineups. By digging deep into FullTime Fantasy‘s Advanced NFL Snap Counts Report: Week 7, we are able to pull some interesting takeaways that can help us win moving forward. Subsequently, snap counts are an important tool.
(minimum 10 snaps in Week 7)
SNAPS Total offensive snaps played by player.
SNAP % Percentage of offensive snaps played.
RUSH % Percentage of snaps played where player had a rushing attempt.
TGT % Percentage of snaps played where player was targeted by a pass attempt.
TOUCH % Percentage of snaps played where player touched the football (includes pass attempts, rush attempts and receptions).
FPTS Fantasy points scored by player.
PTS/100 SNAPS Average fantasy points scored by player per 100 snaps
RUNNING BACKS
• We’re curious to see what the impending return of Roschon Johnson will do to Chicago’s backfield. D’Onta Foreman had a breakout performance. However, Foreman was also a healthy scratch for the first month of the season. We expect that Johnson and Foreman will split reps. But Johnson will retain passing-down work, which gives him more upside.
• This is the first game that Javonte Williams took on a featured role for the Broncos. Despite ranking third in fantasy points scored out of Denver’s three backs, Williams’s usage dictates he is the back to target. Last week, Williams commanded a season-high 19 touches. Also, he’s the league leader in touches without a touchdown. Some positive regression is in order.
• Travis Etienne now leads all running backs with 385 snaps played this season. However, Saquon Barkley’s 57 snaps per game is currently the most. Etienne ranks fourth at 55/per game.
• We warned people to slow down the hype on Zach Evans. Sean McVay has repeatedly shown no interest in featuring the sixth-round rookie. And that’s exactly how the situation played out in Week 7. Darrell Henderson was signed off the street and played over half of the Rams’ snaps. Henderson was the only LA back to be targeted and also scored a short-yardage touchdown. Meanwhile, Evans didn’t log a single snap.
• Interesting usage for the Vikings. Cam Akers led the backfield with a 48% rush share and matched Alexander Mattison in targets. Akers also drew a red-zone target. However, Mattison got two red-zone rushes that resulted in (-1) rushing yards. The Vikings may be heading towards a 50/50 committee.
• Najee Harris out-played Jaylen Warren. However, Warren still played nearly half of Pittsburgh’s snaps and sees a higher usage rate. Continue to start both backs as quality RB2/3 options.
TIGHT ENDS
• Trey McBride played just as many snaps as Zach Ertz and continues to see a bigger target share. Now, with Ertz on IR, McBride should be considered a solid waiver wire target for many of the TE-needy fantasy managers out there.
• David Njoku led all tight ends in Week 7 with 72 snaps. Njoku’s 60.5 snaps per game figure ranks fourth among all tight ends in 2023.
• No tight end has played more snaps than Dallas Goedert, who has racked up 466 plays so far in 2023. However, Cade Otton’s 96.6% snap share is the highest in the league. In terms of fantasy scoring, Goedert ranks seventh. Otton, who has just 23 targets, ranks 25th.
• Taysom Hill is classified as a quarterback per our data. However, in leagues where Hill is listed as a tight end, he is a cheat code. Hill played 52 snaps for New Orleans and produced top-10 fantasy numbers last week. However, the pending return of Juwan Johnson could complicate the Saints’ rotation.
WIDE RECEIVERS
• In six career games against New England, Gave Davis has never surpassed 39 receiving yards. Keep this in mind in championship Week 17 when the Patriots travel to Buffalo to take on Davis and the Bills in the adverse upstate weather.
• There were obvious concerns about D.J. Moore’s fantasy viability with Tyson Bagent under center. However, Moore still boasted a solid 32% target share and tied his season-high with eight grabs. Moore remains a locked-in WR1 against a Chargers defense that has surrendered the most fantasy points to wide receivers.
• Despite playing a season-high 33 snaps, Jameson Williams had no catches in a game where the Lions were trailing and threw 53 passes. Williams did command six targets but the goose egg is concerning. Through three games, Williams has just four receptions and 51 yards.
• Rashee Rice has now scored more fantasy points than DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, DeAndre Hopkins, Chris Godwin, and Deebo Samuel. Also, Rice’s usage is on the rise. He’s gone from 30% to 48% to a season-best 59% snap share in the last three games. For the season, Rice is one of only eight NFL receivers being targeted on over 30% of his routes. The other seven are A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, Puka Nacua, DaVante Adams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Stefon Diggs, and Brandon Aiyuk. That’s elite company.
• Alec Pierce and Cooper Kupp were the only two wideouts to play every snap for their respective teams last week. With Gardner Minshew under center, Pierce has caught three passes in back-to-back games. Also, teammate Josh Downs has been the WR11 over the past three games. Minshew mania is indeed back!
• Quentin Johnston played a season-high 54% of LA’s snaps in Kansas City. However, Johnston had little fantasy production. He drew just two targets in a favorable game script and has not surpassed three fantasy points in any game this season.
NFL Snap Counts Frequently Asked Questions
What are NFL snap counts?
Snap counts represent the total number of offensive plays a player participated in during a given week.
Why should I care about NFL snap counts?
First, the number of times a player is on the field for a player can be incredibly useful. Also, it helps track usage, and how players are used and provides fantasy football managers with the ability to look beyond the usual on-field production by adding context to those more traditional statistics.
How are your NFL snap-count numbers compiled?
Secondly, NFL snap counts are tracked by the NFL Game Statistics and Information System (GSIS). For the last two years, each player has had a chip inserted in his shoulder pads so that radio transmitters in stadiums can track his every move on the field. This is how the GSIS compiles snap counts (and other on-field information).
How can I use NFL snap counts to leverage my success in fantasy football?
Finally, understanding playing time can be a key factor in setting your weekly lineup. In particular, understanding and identifying trends that might give you an early jump on acquiring free agents or making trades for players who might quietly be gaining playing time.
What are the possible drawbacks to using NFL snap counts as part of my fantasy football lineup strategy?
Studying snap counts and the percentage of snaps played is one of the easiest ways that we can determine one of the most basic, but important questions for potential fantasy success: Is this player even on the field often enough to make a difference? Also, NFL snap counts only outline playing time, and being on the field is only the first step to fantasy relevance. However, it’s not the only step. Subsequently, don’t emphasize snap counts over production.