Week 15 NFL Usage Report for Fantasy Football

We are down to the last three weeks of the NFL regular season, and the drama continues to build as we transition to the fantasy football playoffs. There are still important decisions that need to be made in your quest for a fantasy football championship, and I’ll try to assist you in the process with this week’s usage report.

Fantasy Football Usage Report Through Week 15

AFC East

Buffalo Bills: Ty Johnson Getting Unleashed in the Receiving Game

Ty Johnson is slowly becoming a huge threat in the Bills passing attack. He singlehandedly dominated the Lions defense in the first half and finished the game with 5 big catches for 114 yards. It could have been a much bigger performance if the game wasn’t so out of reach for the Lions. With that said, Johnson could be an interesting pick up in deeper PPR leagues.

Miami Dolphins: Couldn’t Be More Frustrating to Roster Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle

It’s insane to think that a team that has the weapons that the Miami Dolphins do on offense could get such little production from their elite players. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle finished their Week 15 with just 2 combined catches for 36 yards. In fact, Waddle did not get even one catchable target from Tua Tagovailoa

New England Patriots: Kayshon Boutte Leads Receivers in Snaps Again

Even though Kayshon Boutte continues to see a ridiculous number of snaps, he just isn’t doing anything with them that would justify having him in your fantasy roster. He has seen 82% of the snaps or more in nine consecutive games but hasn’t caught more than 4 balls in any single game. There aren’t really many fantasy-viable options on the Patriots roster, and rightfully so.

New York Jets: Braelon Allen the Odd Man Out in the Backfield Due to Injury

Breece Hall made his return to the lineup in Week 15 and unsurprisingly led the running backs in snaps. The biggest surprise might be that Braelon Allen saw just 17% of the snaps (10) while Isaiah Davis saw 41% (24). This was largely due to Allen suffering a back injury that put him in and out of the game. With the Jets having very little to play for, I wouldn’t be surprised if Allen sits out in Week 16. Davis would become a compelling play and especially due to Hall’s knee injury that really seemed to hold him back against the Jaguars.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Henry Sees Lowest Snap Rate of the Season

Derrick Henry finished Week 15 seeing just 46% of the snaps (27) thanks to the blowout victory against the Giants. There’s absolutely nothing to worry about when it comes to Henry, though. With tough matchups against the Steelers and Texans over the next couple weeks, I expect both games to be competitive, which means Henry will get his usual high volume for the two most important weeks of the fantasy football season.

Cincinnati Bengals: Chase Brown with 20+ Touches in 5 of 6 Games Since Losing Zack Moss

Since Zack Moss went on IR, Chase Brown has been getting the opportunities of a top-20 fantasy pick. He took a whopping 28 touches for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bengals’ win over the Titans. There isn’t much else that needs to be said about this Bengals offense. Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Brown are elite plays every single week, while Tee Higgins is likely a must start depending on how deep your roster is.

Cleveland Browns: Jerome Ford in Position to Lead You to a Championship

Nick Chubb broke his foot in Cleveland’s loss to the Chiefs. Jerome Ford saw plenty of playing time again and was able to put together the best game from a Browns running back this season, taking 9 touches for 104 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. With Dorian Thompson-Robinson taking over as the Browns QB1, it definitely makes Ford a very compelling play for the rest of the season. The Browns offense was always run-heavy when Thompson was under-center for two starts last season, and that means Ford will have a great opportunity to end the season strong.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Najee Harris Sees Season-Low in Snap Rate

Najee Harris saw a season-low 33% of the snaps (14) in Pittsburgh’s loss to the Eagles. Part of that could have been because of his uncharacteristic dropped pass late in the third quarter that led to a big shift in momentum. While Jaylen Warren continues to be a big part of the offense, we still haven’t seen him out-touch Harris regardless of their playing time or gamescript.

AFC South

Houston Texans: Nico Collins a Monster in the Red Zone

Nico Collins caught both of his end zone targets for touchdowns in the Texans’ big win over the Dolphins. Even though he has missed time throughout the year, his 10 end zone targets are more than Stefon Diggs’ and Tank Dell’s end zone targets combined. The Texans offense just hasn’t looked completely right this season. Collins and Joe Mixon might be the only two players in the entire offense that you can play with confidence.

Indianapolis Colts: Neither Alec Pierce Nor Adonai Mitchell Should Be Rostered

Week 15 saw Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell split time on the field. Mitchell saw 49% of the snaps (37) while Pierce saw 46% (35). Somehow, they finished their day with just one combined catchable target. Considering Anthony Richardson has been unable to lift up his receivers throughout the season, I don’t believe there’s any reason Pierce and Mitchell should be on anyone’s fantasy roster unless you’re in a super-deep league.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Brenton Strange Has Massive Performance in Evan Engram’s Absence

With Evan Engram on IR, we got a long look at Brenton Strange, who put together a huge game. He caught all 11 of his catchable targets for 73 yards, which led the team. It’s clear that Mac Jones’ two main options in the passing attack are Strange and Brian Thomas Jr., who had a big game himself. Strange is only rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues, so there’s a reasonable chance he’s still available on your waiver wire.

Tennessee Titans: Tyjae Spears Outsnaps Tony Pollard for the First Time

We waited 15 weeks, but for the first time this season, Tyjae Spears outsnapped Tony Pollard by seeing 56% of the snaps (39). He rewarded his team by taking his 10 touches for 92 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns. With the Titans season all but a lost cause, I would expect to see more of Spears for the rest of the season. If he’s somehow available on your waivers, he’s an immediate must add.

AFC West

Denver Broncos: Jaleel McLaughlin Leads Team in Touches for 2^nd Week in a Row

If you have Javonte Williams on your roster, you probably want to think twice about starting him this week. While he led the Broncos running backs in snaps by seeing 54% of the snaps (34), he was out-touched by Jaleel McLaughlin 10 to 8. With Williams failing to get past 2.5 yards per carry in each of his last 3 games, it’s understandable to see his usage get decreased. I would definitely explore other options in your starting lineup if you have them.

Kansas City Chiefs: Can’t Get Much Uglier for the Chiefs RBs

With Kareem Hunt, Isiah Pacheco and Samaje Perine all getting significant time on the field, it’s starting to look like none of them can be trusted for fantasy football purposes if you’re looking for stability with your playoff lineups. Hunt and Pacheco each saw 37% of the snaps (28), and each got 14 touches. Neither of them was able to get to the 50-yard mark. While it wouldn’t be surprising to see either of them break out for a big touchdown, I just wouldn’t be comfortable having them in my starting lineup in a must win situation.

Las Vegas Raiders: Ameer Abdullah Viable Again Thanks to QB Change and Injuries

Sincere McCormick was knocked out of the Monday night game against the Falcons before the half. With Alexander Mattison a nonfactor and costing the Raiders with an ill-timed fumble, it led to Ameer Abdullah leading the running backs with 46% of the snaps (31). Desmond Ridder ended up utilizing Abdullah a ton in the passing game, which led to Abdullah catching a season-high 7 passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. With the Raiders running back room as banged up as ever, don’t be surprised if Abdullah finishes the season as a worthy flex option in PPR leagues to finish out the season.

Los Angeles Chargers: Kimani Vidal Leads Chargers RBs in Snaps

With the team looking for a spark at the running back position, Kimani Vidal saw his highest snap rate of the season, seeing 67% of the snaps (35). Somehow, even though Gus Edwards only saw 27% (14), Edwards out-touched Vidal with 8 to 5. If the Chargers expect to get their run game going to where it was when J.K. Dobbins was healthy, I would expect there to be a stronger effort to get Vidal a respectable number of touches. He hasn’t had more than 8 touches in any game this season.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys: Rico Dowdle Putting Himself in Position to Be the Clear-Cut RB1 in 2025

Rico Dowdle has seen 19 carries or more in four consecutive games. He has rewarded head coach Mike McCarthy with stability at the RB position and three consecutive 100-yard games. It’s a shame Dowdle didn’t really get this type of usage when Dak Prescott was healthy, but this does put the Cowboys in a position where they might not have to waste another draft pick at the RB position.

New York Giants: Tim Boyle Could Be the Best Fantasy QB Option on the Roster

Tim Boyle has had an underwhelming career, but if anything, he isn’t afraid to throw the ball deep, which is something we definitely cannot say about Tommy DeVito. Boyle attempted four 20-plus-yard passes against the Ravens and completed 2 of them. DeVito didn’t attempt a single 20-yard pass in the 32 snaps he took at QB. You might not want to play Boyle if he does happen to get the start, but it certainly puts someone like Wan’Dale Robinson in a situation where he could be a viable option at your flex spot.

Philadelphia Eagles: You Can Ignore Everyone on the Eagles Roster Outside of the Core 4

Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith were all drafted in the first four rounds in most redraft leagues, and they have all justified their high draft positions. The only problem is that no one else on the Eagles roster is really worthy of taking up one of your fantasy roster spots. Brown and Smith combined for 19 catches for 219 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. No other Eagles WR caught a ball. While Saquon had a bit of an off game, he’s obviously going to be implanted into your starting lineup every single week as the league’s RB1.

Washington Commanders: Dyami Brown WR2 with Noah Brown on IR

With Noah Brown on IR, Dyami Brown stepped in as the WR2 and saw a season-high 78% of the snaps (61). He caught all three of his catchable targets for 30 yards. While Terry McLaurin is the clear No. 1 target for Jayden Daniels, there’s definitely opportunity for Dyami Brown to put up significant numbers as the No. 2. We’ve seen Noah Brown be a more than viable WR2 for the Commanders throughout the season, so Dyami certainly has an opportunity to be a late pickup that takes your team to a Championship.

NFC North

Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze Not Getting Enough Touches

DJ Moore finished with at least 6 catches for the fifth week in a row. The Bears are finally putting in designed plays to get Moore the ball and it has been working. On the other hand, Rome Odunze just isn’t a big part of the game plan. He ended the game with just 2 catches for 39 yards and gave way to both Moore and Keenan Allen yet again. He’s a bigger focal point in the passing attack than any of the Bears tight ends, but I wouldn’t be comfortable playing him in fantasy with my season on the line.

Detroit Lions: Sam LaPorta Sees Highest Snap Rate of the Season

It was a high scoring affair between the Bills and Lions, and I led to a lot of offensive production throughout the Lions offense. Sam LaPorta in particular saw more snaps than any other game this season, playing 97% of the snaps (77) and finishing with 7 catches on 7 catchable targets for 111 yards. With David Montgomery out for the season, I can see the Lions leaning a little more on their passing game, and with LaPorta taking on a bigger role than we’ve seen for most of the season, we can finally feel comfortable having him in our lineups.

Green Bay Packers: Dontayvion Wicks Unplayable with Romeo Doubs in the Lineup

When Romeo Doubs missed Weeks 13 and 14 due to a concussion, Dontayvion Wicks played the second-most snaps among the receivers in each game, 89% (48 snaps) and 78% (39). With Doubs returning Sunday night against the Seahawks, it led to Wicks seeing just 47% of the snaps (30). While Wicks made a lot of sense to have on your roster when he had the increase in snap counts, he’s just not worth stashing with Doubs back in the lineup.

Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones Sr. Going to Be Fine

Many were alarmed when Aaron Jones Sr. finished Week 13 with just 8 touches for 28 yards and a touchdown. As a whole, his snap rates have been much lower than when he started the season, but he’s still getting plenty of opportunities. Monday night against the Bears, Jones led the team with 20 touches and took it for 106 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. Jones is obviously a must play every single week, and that goes the same for his teammates in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson thanks to one of the best offenses in the NFL.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: Even If Michael Penix Jr. Increases Kyle Pitts’ Value, He’s Still Not Playable

Monday night against the Raiders, Kyle Pitts saw a season-low 40% of the snaps (23). But even worse, he saw less snaps at the TE position than both Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley. The game plan was definitely more run-centric than usual, and that led to Pitts seeing far less snaps than he probably should have. While Michael Penix Jr. stepping in at the QB1 gives this situation a lot of hope and intrigue, the problem is that everything leading up to this has given us no trust in Pitts. If you want to give yourself more stability and probably a fighting chance to win your playoff games, you’ll need to find a better alternative than Pitts.

Carolina Panthers: Jalen Coker Leads Receivers in Snaps in His Return

Week 15 brought a huge surprise with Jalen Coker’s return to the lineup. Coker ended up leading all Panthers receivers with his 87% snap rate (48). He ended up having the biggest game of all the wideouts thanks to a huge 83-yard touchdown catch, which helped him get to 4 catches for 110 receiving yards. The most alarming thing about this is Xavier Legette was a nonfactor due to a groin injury. He saw just 42% of the snaps (23), which was less than Coker, Adam Thielen and David Moore, and his status for Week 16 is in doubt.

New Orleans Saints: Kendre Miller Could Be a League Winner

Alvin Kamara’s status for Week 16 is in doubt due to a groin injury, and Kendre Miller has emerged as one of the hot pickups of the week. Miller had a career high 47% snap rate (26) in the Saints’ Week 15 contest against the Commanders. Even though Jamaal Williams was dressed and saw some snaps, he didn’t get any touches at all. Miller has gotten 19 carries over the last two weeks of play and has turned it into 78 yards and a touchdown. If Kamara does end up missing time, Miller has the potential to change the outcomes of many playoff matchups in the coming weeks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cade Otton Not Getting Enough Targets

Once Mike Evans made his return to the lineup, Cade Otton’s days as a reliable fantasy starter came to an end. Otton ended Week 15 with just 2 receptions on 2 catchable targets for 24 yards. The majority of targets went to Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan who caught all 14 of their combined catchable targets and did so for 254 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. If you’ve been lucky enough to make it this far with Otton locked in as your starting tight end, you might want to consider searching the waiver wire for a better alternative to close out the season.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals: Trey McBride Elite Even If He Never Catches a TD

Trey McBride may be making headlines for having fewer touchdown catches than multiple quarterbacks and offensive linemen, but you’re going to have to live with it, considering McBride led his team in catches for the fourth week in a row. At this point, you’re probably hating everything if you have anyone not named James Conner or Trey McBride. Even if you have Marvin Harrison Jr., you probably still need careful consideration of other possible options before you lock him into your starting lineup.

Los Angeles Rams: Poor Weather in San Francisco Leads to Little Production for the WRs

Thursday night was all about Kyren Williams and the Rams offensive line, and that led to very little production from the Rams receivers. If you have Cooper Kupp on your roster, you can expect better days, but the Rams’ passing attack is completely centered on Puka Nacua. While Nacua still isn’t seeing more than 80% of the snaps, he is getting the ball a ton whenever he happens to be on the field. He saw 77% of the snaps against the 49ers (50) and got 9 touches for 108 all-purpose yards, which is huge considering Kupp didn’t even see a catchable target.

San Francisco 49ers: Isaac Guerendo and Deebo Samuel Sr. Getting All the Carries

Week 14’s carries that went to Patrick Taylor Jr. and Ke’Shawn Vaughn couldn’t be more misleading. Even though Isaac Guerendo went into Week 15 with a questionable status, he ended up getting the vast majority of snaps and carries at the RB position. He saw 76% of the snaps (41) and took 17 touches for 128 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns. The only other player who got touches from the RB position was Deebo Samuel Sr., who had another underwhelming game that was marred by yet another dropped pass.

Seattle Seahawks: Jaxon Smith-Njigba Looking Like the Only Playable Seahawks Receiver

With Geno Smith and Sam Howell both playing in Sunday night’s loss to the Packers, we saw an absolutely abysmal performance by the Seahawks offense throughout the night. Only 21 of 33 passing attempts were deemed catchable and 10 of those catchable targets went to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The remaining 11 catchable targets were spread to 6 other pass catchers with no one other than Smith-Njigba getting more than 3 catchable targets. Given the circumstances, it’s going to be really difficult to trust anyone on the Seahawks not named Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the last three weeks of the season.