NFL Box Score Breakdown: Week 1 Snaps, Routes & Personnel Usage

We've got two smaller changes on tap for 2025 here at Box Score Breakdown. First and foremost, the article will be posted earlier Monday (at some point in the afternoon), with fewer of my notes and observations included. I'll then go back Monday evening to add details once I've pored over even more stats and finished watching replays of the games.

The second change will come Tuesday, when I update this article to include MNF and then post a second, follow-up article that goes in depth on some of the more important stuff from BSB (like backfield committees, unexpected starters/benchings, etc.). That second article will replace the Backfield/Target Breakdown article that I did the past couple years, but I'll still include some thoughts on waivers and fantasy-specific stuff.

You'll still find my customized NFL box scores below, showing not only rushing and receiving stats but also snap/route/target/carry shares and air yards. I'm able to show some extra stats for Week 1, because we have some extra space in the box-score table where I'd normally put season-long marks for snaps/routes/targets/aDOT. 

Before we get to the meat and potatoes, I want to briefly discuss how ugly Week 1 was for fantasy. It's not the first time, nor second, that we've seen a hideous start to the season from an offensive standpoint. Things will get better as rust knocks off, and more teams will be aggressive in terms of pushing pace and/or throwing the ball as the season progresses, but it is worth mentioning that Week 1's games were low-scoring in a way that was consistent with recent trends (less passing, especially downfield, and lower offensive volume overall).

NFL teams actually averaged more plays per drive (6.2) and yards per drive (31.7) in Week 1 than they did last season, but nearly all of it was station-to-station play, which meant just 9.9 drives per team (average last year was 10.8) and 20.3 points per team game (22.9 last year). Despite the lack of scoring, we can't necessarily blame sloppy play from offenses, as just 9.4 percent of drives ended in turnovers (after a record low of 11.1 percent last year).

A lack of big plays made it a rough week for fantasy, with the top four PPR scorers through Sunday all being quarterbacks who scored rushing touchdowns. The QB rushing stats were the one area where Week 1 wasn't lacking from a fantasy standpoint, with signal-callers accounting for 20% of total rush attempts, 23% of rushing yards and 38% of rushing TDs (the numbers last year were 16%, 17% and 21%, respectively). It'll be a good year for QB rushing stats, sure, but not that good, nor will the entire season be so devoid of big plays in the passing game.

With so many disappointing scores from big-name WRs and RBs in Week 1, a big part of our goal below is to figure out which situations merit panic and which are deserving of patience. I'll tend to be patient with players where the lack of production isn't accompanied by a lack of playing time or other usage/role concerns, although there are also a few cases where the performance alone raises questions. Now, let's get to it!

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Cowboys (20) at Eagles (24) 

Cowboys Personnel: 11 - 75% / 12 - 5%

56 Plays — 35 DBs — 7.0 aDOT — 21-of-34 for 188 yards — 0 TD, 0 INT, 0 sacks, 1 scrambles

• RB Javonte Williams was the fantasy story of the night, scoring a pair of goal-line touchdowns while taking 77% of snaps and 18 of 24 RB opportunities (75%).
  • Jaydon Blue was a healthy(ish) scratch, leaving only Williams and Miles Sanders, who didn't play at all after a lost fumble in the third quarter.
  • Before Sanders' fumble, Williams took 71% of snaps and 13 of 19 RB opps (68%).
    • After the fumble, Williams got 94% of snaps and all 5 backfield opps.
  • Williams still doesn't have his pre-surgery explosiveness, but it's easy enough to see how he could provide RB2 fantasy production in Dallas, considering Rico Dowdle did it last season. Hopes for RB1 value, like we saw Thursday, are probably misguided, considering Dowdle and Tony Pollard didn't come close while taking huge portions of the Dallas RB workload the preceding two years. Granted, the Cowboys' O-line is getting back to what it once was, at least on the interior, and Pollard/Dowdle both had both luck and/or performance issues at the goal line (something Williams reversed Thursday night).
• Dallas had 3+ WRs on the field for 79% of snaps, third most in the league (pre-MNF).
• WRs CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens both topped 90% snap share, while KaVontae Turpin (46%) and Jalen Tolbert (44%) shared the No. 3 role. (Turpin also got a couple of snaps at RB).
  • Pickens took 92% of his snaps on the perimeter, while Lamb, Turpin, Tolbert and TE Jake Ferguson all had slot rates between 39% and 48%. Pickens doesn't need slot work to be effective, obviously, and it's not like he was stationary, taking more than 20 perimeter snaps on each side.
    • Slot rates in 2024: Turpin (65%), Ferguson (52%), Lamb (47%), Tolbert (31%).
  • Dallas used motion at the snap far more often than last season (see below), with Turpin being the man in motion on nine of those 23 plays.
  • Lamb was only in motion at the snap three times (6%), lower than his rate from last year (10%), but he caught passes on each of those three plays (for 43 yards). That'll be something to watch, considering he had more than 280 total yards on his snaps in motion both of the past two seasons (on just 91 and 76 of those snaps).
    • It was an odd night for Lamb, who had gains of 32, 18 and 26 in the first quarter, but then fell apart down the stretch with a bad third-down drop and two near-misses on the final drive.
  • Pickens had a modest receiving line (3-30-0 on four targets) but also contributed 34 yards on a DPI call against Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell. 
• TE Jake Ferguson ceded a bunch of snaps to Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford early on, but Ferguson ultimately finished with 77% snap share, right in his normal range when healthy in 2023-24.
  • Ferguson played 58% of snaps in the first quarter and 84% thereafter, finishing third on the team in routes and second in targets. He should work as an unexciting platoon TE this year, 

Eagles Personnel: 11 - 48% / 12 - 34% / 13 - 13%

62 Plays — 33 DBs — 4.5 aDOT — 19-of-23 for 152 yards — 0 TD, 0 INT, 1 sacks, 9 scrambles

• The Eagles got off to a poor start, with special teamer Ben VanSumeren suffering a season-ending injury on the opening kickoff and DT Jalen Carter then getting ejected for spitting on Dak Prescott (before the first snap!).
• DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley each played at least 79 percent of snaps, with No. 3 WR Jahan Dotson and No. 2 Grant Calcaterra often rotating in the fifth skill-position spot (although TE Kylen Granson got some work as well).
  • The snap/route shares are a good sign for the offense being narrowly concentrated, as in past years, even though we saw solid Week 1 contributions from the secondary and tertiary guys (but not Brown/Smith).
• Barkley took 79 percent of snaps and 23 of 29 RB opportunities, which is similar to his usage last year, though the numbers might've been slightly lower had Will Shipley (ribs) played after the Eagles' second drive.
  • On the first two drives, Barkley took 77% of snaps and eight of 11 RB opportunities, with Shipley getting three carries (for 26 yards) and Jalen Hurts adding five rush attempts (all scrambles from dropbacks, including two TDs).
  • After the second drive, Barkley took 87% of non-kneel-down snaps and 15 of the 18 RB opportunities (with AJ Dillon getting the other three) but netted just 35 yards from scrimmage.
    • On the first two drives, Barkley was at 77% of snaps and eight of 11 RB opps.
• Brown didn't get a target until the final drive, arguably looking sluggish after missing some time with a hamstring injury this summer. Extra time off before the next game should help him, as he at least seems to have made it through Week 1 without an injury setback.
  • WR DeVonta Smith was also quiet. The NFL's official stats show that Dallas played zone coverage on every single dropback, with just six blitzes, essentially daring Jalen Hurts to scramble (which he did, quite effectively) or throw over the middle of the field (which he didn't do so well).
  • TE Dallas Goedert was a beneficiary of the defensive scheming, at least in terms of volume, catching each of his seven targets for 44 yards on a night when none of the WRs saw more than three looks.
  • WR Jahan Dotson was the only Eagle with a reception of 10-plus yards, with his 51-yard reception being Hurts' lone downfield completion on the night.

Stock ⬆️:   RB Javonte Williams (RB2 for Week 2)

Stock ⬇️:   RB Jaydon Blue (should still be rostered in nearly all leagues)

 Eagles Injuries 🚑: RB Will Shipley (ribs), G Landon Dickerson (back), FB Ben VanSumeren (IR - knee)

Chiefs (21) at Chargers (27) 

Chiefs Personnel: 11 - 71% / 12 - 21%

58 Plays — 47 DBs — 7.0 aDOT — 24-of-39 for 258 yards — 1 TD, 0 INT, 2 sacks, 6 scrambles

• Keep in mind that each team only got eight drives in this game.
• WR Xavier Worthy suffered a shoulder injury on the third play of the game and didn't return, further depleting a Chiefs WR group without Rashee Rice (suspension) and Jalen Royals (knee).
• WR Hollywood Brown put up 10-99-0 on a career-high 16 targets, playing 93% of snaps as the Chiefs used 11 personnel more than 70% of the time (despite losing Worthy immediately).
  • No other Chief saw more than five targets. Brown, meanwhile, got 11 looks within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage (6.7 aDOT). His one deep target went for 49 yards to convert a fourth down late in the fourth quarter; his receiving line before that was 9-50-0 on 14 targets.
    • Brown is a decent player, just not a physical one, nor much of a YAC threat. In other words, he's ill-suited for the role he was thrust into Friday night, although he did solid work given the circumstances. He even took 56% of his snaps from the slot, a higher rate than JuJu Smith-Schuster (30%). Brown's 90 receiving yards from the slot were the most of any player in Week 1.
• JuJu Smith-Schuster (80%) and Tyquan Thornton (72%) dominated the remaining WR snaps, with special-teams guys Jason Brownlee and Nikko Remigio getting just seven snaps total.
  • Smith-Schuster took only 30% of his snaps in the slot, and Thornton just 21%. The Chiefs mostly used Brown (56% slot rate) and Travis Kelce (57%) inside.
• RBs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt rotated throughout, with Brashard Smith mixing in for eight snaps (but no carries/targets). (Elijah Mitchell was a healthy scratch).
  • Pacheco finished with 50% snap share and eight of 16 RB opportunities, with Hunt taking 38% of snaps and the other eight opps.
  • Pacheco took 19 of 25 first-down snaps (76%) and 10 of 18 on second down (56%), but just one of 17 on third/fourth down (6%).
    • Hunt took 15 of 17 snaps on third/fourth down.
    • The box score looks similar to the second half of last season at first glance, but that's partially due to game script and Kansas City not trying to run much... Pacheco's snap share on early downs was at least back toward his pre-injury rates. That's not to say Friday was encouraging for him; it just wasn't quite the disaster a quick glance at the stats might suggest.
• TE Travis Kelce played 84% of snaps, in line with previous years, as was Noah Gray's 41% snap share (a number that might've been higher if the Chiefs hadn't fallen behind and abandoned the run after losing Worthy). Kelce was quiet until a 37-yard TD early in the fourth quarter on a beautiful fake-screen playcall that left him wide open down the sideline.

Chargers Personnel: 11 - 57% / 12 - 5% / 22 - 11%

62 Plays — 41 DBs — 9.6 aDOT — 25-of-34 for 318 yards — 3 TDs, 0 INT, 3 sacks, 4 scrambles

• RB Omarion Hampton took 80% of snaps and 17 of 19 RB opportunities (89%) but finished with just 61 scoreless yards on a night dominated by the Chargers' passing game.
  • Hampton played 79% of snaps on first down, 76% on second down and 86% on third down. Thats about best-case scenario in terms of playing time, although Najee Harris' absence this summer may have been a factor there.
  • Hampton looked better than his stat line suggests. He had some nice runs early, with his YPC then driven down by a few plays in the second half where he had nowhere to go. He also seemed to avoid major mistakes, blown assignments, etc.
• WRs Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey both topped 80% snap share, with Keenan Allen the No. 3 receiver at 62%.
  • McConkey played 42 of the 43 snaps (98%) with three/four WRs on the field, followed by Johnston (93%) and Allen (81%). In heavier formations, it was a mix of McConkey, Johnston and KLS.
  • Rookies KeAndre Lambert-Smith (22%), Derius Davis (12%) and Tre' Harris (8%) also took a few snaps, combining for one catch (Harris) and one carry (Davis).
• Johnston impressed, scoring two TDs while getting more snaps and routes than Allen (who nonetheless had more targets, and a TD... despite dropping two passes).
• Allen, McConkey and Johnston each got at least seven targets, combining for 26, while no other Charger saw more than two (the rest of the team combined for eight targets).
  • The three WRs also finished right in the same range for air yards (89-95).
• McConkey took 52% of his snaps in the slot, with Allen at 32% and Johnston just 18%.
  • McConkey's slot rate last year was 65%, but only 47% in the playoff loss at Houston.
• TEs Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin rotated, rarely taking the field together as the Chargers avoided multi-TE formations (they used FB Scott Matlock a bunch on early downs, and then ran a handful of four-wide snaps in passing situations).
  • Dissly took 57% of snaps and Conklin got 43%.
• The Chargers used 3+ WRs on a league-high 84% of snaps over their first five drives, before mixing in some heavier stuff while playing with a lead.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Quentin Johnston  /   WR Hollywood Brown

Stock ⬇️:   WR Tre' Harris  /   RB Isiah Pacheco

 Chiefs Injuries 🚑: WR Xavier Worthy (shoulder)

 Chargers Injuries 🚑: LB Denzel Perryman (ankle)

Cardinals (20) at Saints (13) 

Cardinals Personnel: 11 - 44% / 12 - 30% / 13 - 23%

61 Plays — 38 DBs — 5.3 aDOT — 21-of-29 for  yards — 2 TDs, 0 INT, 5 sacks, 4 scrambles

• The Cardinals used 3+ WRs on 54% of snaps over their first five drives, the sixth-lowest rate in the league, though right in line with last year's numbers.
• RB James Conner got 65% of snaps and 56% route share, which is similar to last year's numbers, but his share of the RB opportunities dipped to 64% with Trey Benson taking nine touches for 75 yards.
  • Last year, Conner mostly came off the field for snaps where the RB didn't get the ball anyway. In this one, Benson often got the ball when he mixed in, with the highlight being a 52-yard run on Arizona's second play of the second half.
  • Conner's workload shares were strong in the first half, before Benson's big play. Conner got 69% of snaps and nine of 13 RB opportunities (69%) pre-halftime. That said, Benson was mixing in more than last year.
• WR Marvin Harrison put up 5-71-1, but Trey McBride was still the volume king for AZ.
  • Week 1 alignment and usage splits for Arizona's pass catchers looked suspiciously similar to last year's numbers. It is the same coaching staff, and the same players (and probably the same result?).

Saints Personnel: 11 - 74% / 12 - 20%

69 Plays — 49 DBs — 7.1 aDOT — 27-of-46 for 214 yards — 0 TD, 0 INT, 1 sacks, 2 scrambles

• RB Alvin Kamara got just two targets on 33 routes, perhaps reflecting less emphasis there under Kellen Moore, but the usage shares for Kamara were otherwise okay, getting 79% of snaps, 70% routes and 11 of the 18 RB carries.
  • That's not quite the workload dominance we saw much of last year, so Kamara is definitely on watch to disappoint, even if he still looks pretty good in real life. He'll get more check-down targets most weeks, but maybe not as many carries and schemed targets compared to past years.
• TE Juwan Johnson missed just one snap and tied for the team lead with 89% route share, putting up 8-76-0 on 11 targets, although his most memorable play was failing to make a tough catch in the end zone at the end of the game.
  • I mentioned a few times this summer that the Saints' lack of alternatives at TE could push Johnson into a much larger role this year.
• Johnson, Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave each had at least six targets and 76 air yards; Johnson was the only one with a reasonably efficient receiving line.
  • Olave took a huge hit on a designed target behind the line of scrimmage. He was back in on the next drive, but it's still concerning to see him getting so many short targets into tight windows or moving toward linebackers. He's better as a traditional perimeter threat anyway, but the Saints may not have a QB capable of throwing accurately downfield.
• Olave took 43% of his snaps in the slot, compared to 24% in 2024.
  • Olave accounted for eight of the Saints' 18 plays with motion at the snap. Kellen Moore really tried to get him the ball all over the field.
• Shaheed took 35% in the slot, after just 21% in 2024 (but 40% in 2023).

Stock ⬆️:   TE Juwan Johnson

Stock ⬇️:   RB James Conner  /   RB Alvin Kamara

 Cardinals Injuries 🚑: LB Zaven Collins (hand), 

 Saints Injuries 🚑: OT Taliese Fuaga (knee)

Giants (6) at Commanders (21) 

Giants Personnel: 11 - 76% / 12 - 21%

62 Plays — 45 DBs — 5.7 aDOT — 17-of-37 for 168 yards — 0 TD, 0 INT, 2 sacks, 6 scrambles

• This game was worse than the score looks, with Washington rolling up 432 total yards (212 rushing) while New York struggled to move the ball at all and got just 30 rushing yards from running backs (but kind of stayed in the game thanks to Washington wasting a long drive right before halftime).
• The Giants had 3+ WRs on the field for 79% of snaps, second most in the league.
• RB Tyrone Tracy got 74% snap share, 64% route share and 68% of RB opportunities on a hopeless day for the Giants offense.
  • Cam Skattebo and Devin Singletary each subbed in a few times but didn't make much noise.
• TE Theo Johnson had 78% snap share and 74% route share, with just three targets on 29 routes (similar to what he did much of last year). He dropped two of the three targets... oops.
• WR Malik Nabers managed a decent line even in this atrocity. Will Jaxson Dart save him soon?
  • WR Darius Slayton somehow got just one target on 38 routes, even though his route-running profile seemingly aligns with Russell Wilson's preference for deep sideline throws (or check-downs).
  • WR Wan'Dale Robinson, on the other put up 6-55-0 on eight targets, at an aDOT of 3.3. There were reports this offseason about him wanting more downfield work in a contract year... no dice, so far.
• Nabers was in motion at the snap eight times, twice as many as any other Giant. That's a reversal from last year, when Wan'Dale Robinson got 94 plays in motion at the snap (5.3 per game) and Nabers only 64 (4.3).
  • In other words, the effort to get Nabers quick, easy catches is not slowing down in any way. 
  • The slot rates were similar to last year, but with Nabers there a tiny bit more (31%, compared to 23% in 2024) and Robinson a bit less (62%, after 71% in 2024).
• Wilson had a 5.7 aDOT in his first game under Brian Daboll, who oversaw some league-low-type aDOTs from Daniel Jones in recent years.
  • Wilson, for reference, had a 7.9 aDOT in 2024 and 7.1 in 2023, after being at 8.6 or higher every year in Seattle (well above league-average).
    •  Wilson's average time to throw Sunday was 2.69 seconds, compared to 2.86 last season in Pittsburgh and 2.98 in 2023 with Denver. It seems Daboll has him playing a much different style, and the results are terrible through one game. How does Week 4 against the Chargers sound for Dart's first start?

Commanders Personnel: 11 - 62% / 12 - 25%

65 Plays — 37 DBs — 9.4 aDOT — 19-of-30 for 233 yards — 1 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks, 4 scrambles

• RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt got only 33% snap share and 18% route share even in positive game script, but he made the most of his chances with a 10-82-1 rushing line, ultimately getting 11 of Washington's 24 RB opportunities.
  • Chris Rodriguez, meanwhile, was a healthy scratch. Jeremy McNichols was active, but three of his four carries came on the final drive. Granted, JCM padded his stats with a 42-yard scamper on that same last series.
  • The split was a bit more in Ekeler's favor if we don't count the last drive, with Ek getting 53% of snaps and nine of 19 RB opportunities (including six of 15 carries). The vet is still FLEX-startable, as is Croskey-Merritt, who both avoided big mistakes and earned yardage beyond what was blocked in his NFL debut.
• Deebo Samuel running circles around Terry McLaurin in Week 1 is a big win for camp-chemistry narratives. McLaurin will pick it up soon enough, but it is possible we under-estimated Samuel's portion of the Washington passing game, considering he drew 10 targets on an afternoon when nobody else had more than five (TE Zach Ertz, who finished with 3-26-1 and 82% route share after a bad early drop).
  • McLaurin and Samuel both reached the mid-to-high 80s for route share and high 70s for snap share, in line with their numbers from recent years, though perhaps a bit on the low side due to it being Week 1.
  • Samuel's two incomplete targets both were drops. The Commanders had a league-high five drops, which was about the only way the Giants could slow them down.
• Samuel easily led the team in plays with pre-snap motion (17), including 11 with motion at the snap. Those 17 snaps accounted for six of his eight touches, including the rushing TD. 
  • Atlanta's Ray-Ray McCloud was the only player with more snaps (12) in motion at the snap. Samuel's 11 were good for a second-place tie with Titans TE Chig Okonkwo and Ravens WR Zay Flowers. Others with double digits included Falcons TE Kyle Pitts, Rams WR Puka Nacua and 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall. 
• Samuel took 69% of his snaps from the slot, nearly triple his career high of 24% (2020). He's back, and he could get enough volume to negatively impact veteran teammates like McLaurin and Ekeler.
• Noah Brown was the No. 3 receiver, with three targets (2-27-0) on 47% of snaps and 58% of routes.
  • Rookie Jaylin Lane (2 tgts, 30% routes, 1-11-0) and journeyman Chris Moore (27% routes, 34-yard catch) also had roles, making it unlikely Brown gets enough playing time for more than 3-4 targets per game (unless McLaurin or Samuel misses time). Lane could also take the No. 3 job from Brown at some point.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Deebo Samuel + RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Stock ⬇️:   QB Russell Wilson

 Giants Injuries 🚑: LB Micah McFadden (leg)    

Steelers (34) at Jets (32) 

Steelers Personnel: 11 - 37% / 12 - 54%

54 Plays — 34 DBs — 4.3 aDOT — 22-of-30 for 244 yards — 4 TDs, 0 INT, 4 sacks, 0 scrambles

• The Steelers used three WRs on a league-low 31% of snaps over their first five drives, and they also led the league in 12 personnel rate (54%).
• QB Aaron Rodgers threw four TD passes despite his league-low 4.3 aDOT in Week 1.
• Already without first-round pick Derrick Harmon (knee), the Steelers defense lost CB Joey Porter (hamstring) and S DeShon Elliott (knee), plus versatile backup linebacker Malik Harrison (knee).
• The backfield was a shockingly even split between Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, both of whom got at least 40% of the snaps and opportunities while mostly rotating by drive. 
  • Rookie Kaleb Johnson, meanwhile, took just one carry (for a loss) on three snaps.
  • Gainwell's role was big enough that Johnson not being involved didn't really help Warren much. Ultimately, Warren got 45% of snaps and 52% of opportunities, with a receiving TD saving his fantasy day. 
  • Gainwell took 10 of the 11 snaps on third down, but Warren's one snap was a three-yard carry on 3rd-and-1, and Warren also had a carry from the Jets' 3-yard line and a target from their 5-yard line (his TD).
    • Warren is still a clear choice over Gainwell for fantasy, but it'll probably just be similar production to Warren's past seasons if the two continue rotating in a similar fashion (not to mention the probability of Johnson getting more involved at some point).
• TE Jonnu Smith scored a TD on a shovel pass and saw a few other schemed looks, finishing with 5-15-1 on six targets (minus-one air yards) on 18 routes (53%).
  • TE Pat Freiermuth was a bit below Smith in terms of route and snap shares, with three targets.
• WR Calvin Austin put up 4-70-1 while running the second-most routes (85%) on the team and tying for the second-most targets (six).
  • In a major change from last year, Austin played in heavy formations, not just three-wide sets. He took 26 of the 31 snaps in 12 personnel Sunday.
  • Austin took 41% of his snaps in the slot, compared to 52% last year, so that's not a huge change. He still doesn't project for a high target rate, but the Week 1 role suggests he could run more than 30 routes per game, and we've already seen the potential for spike weeks / long TDs.
    • All that said... Austin didn't get a single target on his perimeter routes. He drew five looks from the slot, and his sixth target was the 18-yard TD from a tight alignment on a play-action pass. It remains to be seen if he can actually do something with the perimeter snaps... if not, they may not last long, though Roman Wilson (and Ben Skowronek) barely played Sunday.
• WR DK Metcalf took 94% of his snaps on the perimeter, leading the team in routes, targets and receiving yards, although he surprisingly had a 3.3 aDOT, earning nearly all of his yardage after the catch, with gains of 23, 31, 18 and 11 yards. Add a couple of deep targets to that and you're in business.

Jets Personnel: 11 - 58% / 12 - 32% / 21 - 10%

62 Plays — 26 DBs — 7.8 aDOT — 16-of-22 for 218 yards — 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 sack, 3 scrambles

• RB Breece Hall was fantastic, taking 21 touches for 145 yards while handling 58% snap share and 23 of the 31 RB opportunities (74%). However, he got stopped on his lone carry inside the 5-yard line, while Justin Fields scored twice, and Braelon Allen hit paydirt from six yards out.
  • The Jets used Isaiah Davis some in clear passing situations, but Hall got four targets on just nine routes (he also blocked six times to help with TJ Watt and Pittsburgh's blitzes).
• Justin Fields scrambled only three times on 26 dropbacks but led all QBs in Week 1 with nine designed runs, including a pair of QB sneaks (one for a TD). He ran for another TD on one of his three scrambles, after throwing a touchdown to Garrett Wilson early.
• Wilson and fellow wideout Josh Reynolds both hit 100% route share, with TE Mason Taylor (83% routes) not far behind, and Tyler Johnson (57%) the clear No. 3 receiver. 
  • Wilson had more catches, yards and targets than the rest of them combined.
  • Wilson took 39% of his snaps in the slot (23% last year). Johnson took 56% of his snaps in the slot, while Taylor was at just 22% and Reynolds only 15%.
• This is what the Jets offense was supposed to look like, right? Breece Hall and Justin Fields running all over the place, with all the targets going to either Wilson or Hall. And somehow they lost!

Stock ⬆️:   QB Justin Fields + RB Breece Hall  /   WR Calvin Austin

Stock ⬇️:   RB Braelon Allen  /   RB Kaleb Johnson

 Steelers Injuries 🚑: CB Joey Porter (hamstring), LB Malik Harrison (knee), S DeShon Elliott (knee)    

Dolphins (8) at Colts (33) 

Dolphins Personnel: 11 - 30% / 12 - 0% / 21 - 26% / 10 - 41%

46 Plays — 36 DBs — 6.8 aDOT — 19-of-31 for 146 yards — 1 TD, 2 INTs, 3 sacks, 2 scrambles

• Miami ran a league-low 46 plays in Week 1, getting completely dominated..
  • The personnel data looks funky because the NFL officially lists Tanner Conner as a wide receiver. He was the replacement for Darren Waller (hip).
• RB De'Von Achane saved his fantasy day with a garbage-time TD after game script crushed his rushing volume. Backup Ollie Gordon took just 26% of snaps and three touches, with most of his snaps coming on the final drive in garbage time..
  • Not including FF Alec Ingold's two targets, Achane took 11 of 14 RB opportunities (79%).
    • Achane played 89% of snaps before the final drive, although it helped that there was so much rest time between Miami's series (most of which were short). He probably won't approach 90 percent snap shares when the Dolphins are running 60+ plays.
• WR Malik Washington's 71% route share led the team, slightly ahead of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Dee Eskridge also running double-digit routes.
• Four Miami starters exited with injuries, not including WR Jayden Waddle, who appeared banged up at one point. An already-thin secondary lost CB Storm Duck (ankle), and an already shaky O-line lost both G James Daniels (pec) and T Austin Jackson (toe).
• The Dolphins pulled Hill, Waddle, Achane and Tua Tagovailoa for the final drive.
  • Before the last drive, Achane took 89% of snaps, with Waddle at 78%, Hill at 76%, Conner at 60%, Julian Hill at 60%, Washington at 51%, Ingold at 35%, NWI at 30%, Eskridge at 11% and Gordon at 8%.
    • Apart from the final drive, Hill was on the field for 81% of Miami's pass plays, and Waddle for 77%. Those are their normal rates, just without production.

Colts Personnel: 11 - 57% / 12 - 30% / 13 - 11%

70 Plays — 33 DBs — 6.8 aDOT — 22-of-29 for 272 yards — 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 sack, 3 scrambles

• The national narrative here largely focused on Miami's struggles, but the Colts have a solid collection of veterans throughout the roster, augmented by new addition Charvarius Ward at cornerback. They should be decent if Daniel Jones is decent (big 'if', I know).
  • Jones was good Sunday, at least, and the two rushing TDs are a reminder that he doesn't need to be good in real life to have fantasy value. He's obviously not at the Allen/Hurts/Daniels/Lamar/Fields level of rushing production, but Jones' per-game rushing numbers in recent years aren't that much different from, say, Kyler Murray's.
  • Jones' rushing line was perhaps deceiving, as all four of his "designed" runs were QB sneaks, including both of his TDs on the ground. He added three scrambles for 20 yards.
    • The QB sneaks are a great sign for his fantasy value, but the lack of designed runs otherwise isn't ideal.
• RB Jonathan Taylor played every single snap in the first half, taking 18 touches in the process, before dropping to 56% snap share in the third quarter and 0% in the fourth.
  • DJ Giddens thus finished with 12 carries despite not playing a snap before halftime.
• Other starters also saw reduced workloads in the fourth quarter. Before that, each of Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce and Tyler Warren was at 80+ percent snap share.
  • Pittman looked really good, after fighting through a back injury that impeded him at times last year.
• Warren was on the field for 25 of the Colts' 31 pass plays and saw the ball on nine of those, catching seven passes for 76 yards. He's a fantasy TE1 already.
• WR Josh Downs got only 49% snap share, 47% route share and three targets, and he was on the field for just 13 of 23 pass plays in the first half.
  • Two things happened here. The first was extreme positive game script, which we don't care about for Downs. The second, which matters far more, is that the Colts used a lot more multi-TE looks even early in the game — something they didn't do much of last season. It makes sense that they'd like their TEs more after adding Warren, and Downs could end up losing snaps because of it (the Colts were 11-personnel dominant last year).
  • Another thing to watch: Downs got only 49% of his snaps in the slot (65% last season again). But, again, this was an unusual game for his volume, and he still got 88% of the snaps in 11 personnel, suggesting he'll have spike weeks in shootouts or negative game script if nothing else.

Stock ⬆️:   RB Jonathan Taylor + TE Tyler Warren + WR Michael Pittman

Stock ⬇️:   WR Tyreek Hill  /   WR Josh Downs

 Dolphins Injuries 🚑: G James Daniels (pec), T Austin Jackson (toe), DT Benito Jones (oblique), CB Storm Duck (ankle)    

 Colts Injuries 🚑: CB Jaylon Jones (hamstring)

Raiders (20) at Patriots (13) 

Raiders Personnel: 11 - 60% / 12 - 35%

62 Plays — 39 DBs — 10.6 aDOT — 24-of-34 for 362 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks, 1 scramble

• The Raiders used 3+ WRs on 76% of snaps over their first five drives, the third-highest rate in the league. They used multi-TE looks far more in the second half, with a lead.
• QB Geno Smith's 10.6 aDOT was second-deepest in the league, and his 362 passing yards were second most.
• RB Ashton Jeanty took 86% of snaps and 21 of 24 RB opportunities (88%) but had minimal production apart from a three-yard TD run in the third quarter.
  • He had 25 yards on his first four carries, then 13 yards on his next 15. 
  • Jeanty stayed in to block on more than one-third of his pass snaps. He gave up a couple of pressures, but no sacks, per PFF. It's nonetheless a good sign that the Raiders trust him with the third-down snaps already.
• TE Brock Bowers suffered a knee injury late in the third quarter and didn't play in the fourth quarter, but that didn't stop him from catching five passes for a team-high 103 yards on eight targets (second most).
  • Bowers took 71% of snaps through three quarters, including 81% of the pass plays. Michael Mayer got 56% snap share, including 47% of pass plays, and caught all four of his targets.
• WR Jakobi Meyers played nearly every snap and had himself a day with a team-high 10 targets, enjoying the absence of Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez (inactive due to an injury).
• WR Tre Tucker made a couple of big plays, including a 26-yard TD, but was targeted on just three of his 35 routes, continuing the trend from last year.
  • Rookie Dont'e Thornton played much less (60% snaps, 58% routes) but drew four targets, including a 36-yard gain.
  • Fellow rookie Jack Bech made a nice 23-yard catch on his lone target but ran just one other route, playing 6% of snaps.

Patriots Personnel: 11 - 59% / 12 - 19%

68 Plays — 53 DBs — 6.5 aDOT — 30-of-46 for 287 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks, 3 scrambles

• RB TreVeyon Henderson got just 35% of snaps but had a slightly larger share of the RB opportunities, taking 11 of 23 (including six targets, all of which he caught).
  • Henderson looks good, and Stevenson still doesn't. There's not much chance the Week 1 snap split holds up beyond September, IMO.
• WR Kayshon Boutte led the Patriots in route share (82%), tied for the team lead in targets (eight) and went over 100 yards, despite briefly exiting the game in the first half to be evaluated for an injury after a catch.
  • Boutte had 240 yards and two TDs over the final three weeks of last season, following a two-month stretch of starting without much production. He's neither especially big nor fast, but he's a solid football player who was viewed as a top prospect at LSU before a major ankle injury derailed his college career and dropped him to the sixth round in 2023.
• WR Stefon Diggs put up 6-57-0 on seven targets, with 56% snap share and 70% route share. Not bad for the first game back from ACL surgery, less than 10th months later. That's not far from a full-time role, and he should play a little more in the coming weeks.
• WR DeMario Douglas had impressive usage early and was the only Patriots WR besides Boutte with a route share above 30, but Douglas disappeared after his short TD catch.
  • Drake Maye overthrew Douglas twice early on, with Douglas then dropping another pass. They finally connected, for the short TD, but Douglas caught just one of three targets thereafter (for a four-yard loss).
• TE Hunter Henry tied for the team lead in targets (eight) despite blocking on nine of his pass snaps. He rarely left the field, getting 93% of snaps.
• Maye didn't attempt a single throw 25+ yards downfield, although he did connect with Boutte and Henry on a bunch of intermediate passes.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Kayshon Boutte

Stock ⬇️:   WR Kyle Williams

 Raiders Injuries 🚑: TE Brock Bowers (knee), LB Elandon Roberts (elbow)   

Panthers (10) at Jaguars (26) 

Panthers Personnel: 11 - 75% / 12 - 15%

61 Plays — 40 DBs — 8.5 aDOT — 18-of-35 for 154 yards — 1 TD, 2 INTs, 1 sacks, 4 scrambles

• RB Chuba Hubbard's usage and production looked like last year, with 67% snap share, 21 of 27 RB opportunities (75%), 89 total yards and a TD.
  • It also helps that Dave Canales consistently leaves Hubbard in for late-game situations where other coaches might rest their lead back. He'll pull Hubbard eventually, but usually only at the very end, and the Panthers also tend to mix in some run plays (against soft defensive fronts) in "comeback" mode. There was concern about Rico Dowdle taking more of those passing-down and garbage-time snaps, but that didn't happen Week 1 — Dowdle's role was about the same as Miles Sanders' role in Carolina last year.
• WR Tetairoa McMillan led the Panthers in snaps (83%), routes (86%), targets (eight) and air yards (130) but had a modest 4-56-0 receiving line (no fault of his own).
  • McMillan took 88% of his snaps on the perimeter.
• Xavier Legette and Hunter Renfrow also ran routes on more than three-fourths of Bryce Young's dropbacks, combining for 21 yards on 13 targets.
  • Renfrow took 74% of his snaps in the slot, while McMillan was on the perimeter 88% of the time. Legette was 70/30 perimeter/slot.
• TE Ja'Tavion Sanders got only three targets on 22 routes (61%) and still lost a bunch of work to Tommy Tremble (33% routes).

Jaguars Personnel: 11 - 65% / 12 - 24%

63 Plays — 33 DBs — 7.2 aDOT — 19-of-31 for 178 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 0 sacks, 2 scrambles

• Jacksonville used 3+ WRs on 75% of snaps over the first three drives, tied for the third-highest rate in the league.
• RB Travis Etienne took 62% of snaps and 19 of 29 RB opportunities (66%), putting up a 16-143-0 rushing line behind a 70-yard scamper.
  • Tank Bigsby got 21% of snaps but had no carries in the first half and just two before the fourth quarter. LeQuint Allen got some playing time in clear passing situations. And Bhayshul Tuten subbed in for a few carries.
  • Etienne had even larger workload shares in the first half only, with 71% of snaps and 10 of 14 RB opportunities (71%).
• WR Travis Hunter got slightly less playing time than Dyami Brown but was still above three-fourths route share. The rookie got a team-high eight targets, including some designed looks near the line of scrimmage. He's startable as a WR3 or FLEX for Week 2.
  • Hunter took 59% of his snaps in the slot, 33% on the perimeter and 8% tight to the formation.
• Prior to the fourth quarter, WR Brian Thomas played every snap on offense, followed by WR Dyami Brown (87%), TE Brenton Strange (76%), WR Travis Hunter (71%), RB Travis Etienne (60%), TE Johnny Mundt (42%) and RB Tank Bigsby (22%).
• QB Trevor Lawrence played poorly despite facing pressure on a league-low 13% of dropbacks. He missed a handful of throws, including two pretty easy ones to Thomas. Don't blame Liam Coen (or Thomas) for the lousy passing output.
• The Jaguars traded Bigsby to Philadelphia on Monday, getting fifth- and sixth-round picks in return (rare Howie L?).

Stock ⬆️:   RB Travis Etienne + WR Travis Hunter

Stock ⬇️:   RB Tank Bigsby  /   TE Ja'Tavion Sanders 

 Panthers Injuries 🚑: DT Tershawn Wharton (hamstring), LB Patrick Jones (ankle)    

Jaguars Injuries 🚑: RT Anton Harrison (back)  

Bengals (17) at Browns (16) 

Bengals Personnel: 11 - 51% / 12 - 39%

49 Plays — 28 DBs — 7.0 aDOT — 14-of-23 for 113 yards — 1 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks, 2 scrambles

• RB Chase Brown had eight touches for 30 yards and a TD on the opening drive. Cincinnati did shockingly little thereafter, with Joe Burrow's struggles against the Browns continuing.
• TE Noah Fant scored a TD and tied for the team lead with five targets, but the Bengals were still rotating their TEs, with all below 50% route share.
• Brown got 75% of snaps and 24 of 26 RB opportunities.

Browns Personnel: 11 - 41% / 12 - 51%

71 Plays — 48 DBs — 5.2 aDOT — 31-of-45 for 290 yards — 1 TD, 2 INT, 2 sacks, 1 scramble

• The Browns had multiple TEs on the field for 58% of snaps, second most in the league.
  • Each AFC North team was at 49-61%, as were Arizona, Green Bay and Philadelphia. The rest of the league was at 44% of lower, though San Francisco and Seattle also used a lot of heavy formations (often with a fullback).
    • Unlike those other teams, Cleveland was using multi-TE looks to pass. The Browns ran just 12 times on 38 snaps in 12 personnel.
• Cleveland ran 71 plays, tied for third most in Week 1 (MNF pending).
• Keeping all that in mind.... rookie TE Harold Fannin was still incredibly impressive, putting up 7-63-0 on a team-high nine targets while taking 72% snap share and 64% route share.
  • Veteran TE David Njoku got 84% snap share and 77% route share, but with three fewer targets than Fannin and only a 3-37-0 line.
  • Fannin even took 38% of the snaps in 11 personnel, which is a huge issue for Njoku's fantasy value. This feels a bit like the Andrews/Likely thing in Baltimore last year, but it could always turn out different, as Njoku isn't quite as highly regarded as Andrews (and Fannin might prove to be even better than Likely).
• RB Jerome Ford took 54% snap share but just six carries, and saw only one target on 24 routes. Dylan Sampson, on the other hand, piled up 12 carries and eight catches despite playing just 46% of snaps and running eight fewer routes than Ford.
  • If Ford mostly just takes snaps when the ball isn't supposed to go to the RB anyway, his backfield mate (Sampson, for now) can do the opposite, with lots of touches on mid-range snap shares.
  • Sampson caught all eight of his targets and added value there, but he didn't find any room to run and didn't get the goal-line work. That, combined with Quinshon Judkins likely playing soon, limits my enthusiasm about Sampson even though his receiving work looked good Week 1.
    • The Browns had one goal-line series. Ford took carries from the 4-yard line and then the 2-yard line, getting stuffed the second time, before Raheim Sanders got back-to-back carries from the 1 and converted the second. Presumably, Sanders won't be involved once Judkins is active, which reportedly could be as soon as Week 2 against Baltimore.

Stock ⬆️:   TE Harold Fannin

Stock ⬇️:   TE David Njoku + RB Jerome Ford

 Bengals Injuries 🚑: G Lucas Patrick (calf)    

 Browns Injuries 🚑: T Jack Conklin (eye) 

Buccaneers (23) at Falcons (20) 

Buccaneers Personnel: 11 - 73% / 12 - 20%

56 Plays — 37 DBs — 10.2 aDOT — 17-of-32 for 167 yards — 3 TDs, 0 INT, 1 sacks, 4 scrambles

• RB Bucky Irving took 76% of snaps and 18 of 22 RB opportunities (82%) in a tight game, with a 21-4 advantage over Rachaad White in routes run.
  • White did take seven of nine snaps in 3rd-and-medium/long, but Irving took a whopping 85% of snaps on first and second down.
• WR Emeka Egbuka scored two TDs and led the team in routes (32, 93%) and receiving yards (67) in his debut. Lock him in as a fantasy starter.
  • WR Mike Evans led the team in targets and air yards, with 88% route share. He should also eat this year.
• Sterling Shepard chipped in as the No. 3 receiver, with 64% snap share, 70% route share and 3-39-0 on six targets (tied with Egbuka for second most).
• Cade Otton's goose egg wasn't for a lack of playing time, though 86% snap share is lower than normal by his league-leading standards. He was at 82% route share, but with just three incomplete targets (including a pseudo-throwaway) on the 27 routes.

Falcons Personnel: 11 - 72% / 12 - 18%

71 Plays — 46 DBs — 7.3 aDOT — 27-of-42 for 298 yards — 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 sack, 3 scrambles

• RB Bijan Robinson didn't find any room to run and ceded 10 carries to Tyler Allgeier, but Robinson made his fantasy day (and saved Atlanta's offense) with two huge plays on check-downs, including a 50-yard TD early in the game.
  • Robinson ultimately got 83% of snaps and 19 of 29 RB opportunities (66%).
• WR Drake London suffered a shoulder sprain while almost making a TD catch in the fourth quarter. He missed the last part of the game and was scheduled for more tests.
• WR Casey Washington ran a team-high 42 routes (98%) while filling in for Darnell Mooney (shoulder). Washington drew six targets, catching three for 33 yards.
• TE Kyle Pitts got 78% snap share and 81% route share, a bit higher than his typical numbers last year.

Stock ⬆️:   RB Bucky Irving

Stock ⬇️:   RB Sean Tucker + TE Cade Otton

 Falcons Injuries 🚑: WR Drake London (shoulder), RS Jamal Agnew (groin) 

49ers (17) at Seahawks (13) 

49ers Personnel: 11 - 39% / 12 - 13% / 21 - 36% / 22 - 13%

72 Plays — 38 DBs — 7.5 aDOT — 26-of-35 for 277 yards — 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 1 sack, 2 scrambles

• RB Brian Robinson had a role, with 24% of snaps and 11 opportunities, but San Francisco's offense nonetheless ran through Christian McCaffrey, who handled 76% snap share, 68% route share and 32 of 43 RB opps (74.4%) en route to 142 total yards.
• TE George Kittle suffered a hamstring injury in the first half and missed the rest of the game. He caught four passes on the 49ers' first drive, including a TD.
  • Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell platooned in Kittle's absence. Farrell got more snaps, but Tonges had two more routes, two more targets and a TD catch.
  • Kittle is expected to miss a few weeks and could land on IR.
• WR Jauan Jennings injured his shoulder in the second half and missed the rest of the game, finishing with 16 yards on 23 routes.
  • Marquez Valdes-Scantling took 91% of snaps in the fourth quarter but finished without a target on 15 routes. Russell Gage finished without a target on 17 routes.
• WR Ricky Pearsall easily led the team in routes (84%) and receiving yards (108), with his seven targets being second most to McCaffrey's 10.
• QB Brock Purdy came out of the game with toe and shoulder injuries, putting his Week 2 availability into question.
• It was just one game, but LT Trent Williams definitely struggled, allowing six pressures.

Seahawks Personnel: 11 - 48% / 12 - 14% / 21 - 18% / 22 - 14%

50 Plays — 25 DBs — 8.3 aDOT — 16-of-23 for 150 yards — 0 TD, 0 INT, 1 sack, 1 scramble

• Seattle ran just 50 plays and attempted 23 passes, making it all the more impressive that WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba went over 100 yards (while accounting for over half of Seattle's targets and essentially all of the air yards).
  • JSN took just 26% of his snaps in the slot (down from 74% last year).
    • His 91 yards from the perimeter Sunday were the fifth most of any player in Week 1 and put Smith-Njigba 71% of the way to his 2024 total (128). It seems like he's handling that transition just fine, after averaging only 1.4 yards on his meager 90 perimeter routes last year.
• Meanwhile, WRs Cooper Kupp and Tory Horton combined for three targets on 38 routes, with TEs AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo getting three looks on 25 routes.
  • Barner got 85% of snaps but just 67% route share and two short targets. Arroyo drew one target on 38% route share, gaining seven yards on the play.
• RBs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet alternated drives in the first half before rotating more in-drive during the second half. 
  • The overall numbers favor Charbonnet, but that's mostly because two of his first-half drives were Seattle's two longest drives of the games. It was more akin to a 50-50 split, which is still bad news for Walker drafters.
  • Charbonnet took nine of 11 snaps on third down, including four of six on 3rd-and-4+. He also got both carries inside the 5-yard line, and all three inside the 10, but it was all on a single first-half drive that accounted for seven of Charbonnet's 12 carries.
  • Charbonnet got all seven snaps in the two-minute drill at the end of the first half, but he and Walker split work on Seattle's final drive (down four) at the end of the fourth quarter.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Ricky Pearsall + RB Christian McCaffrey

Stock ⬇️:   RB Kenneth Walker

 49ers Injuries 🚑: TE George Kittle (hamstring), WR Jauan Jennings (shoulder)    

Titans (12) at Broncos (20) 

Titans Personnel: 11 - 71% / 12 - 27%

56 Plays — 35 DBs — 10.8 aDOT — 12-of-29 for 112 yards —  TD,  INT, 6 sacks, 0 scrambles

• QB Cameron Ward had a league-high 10.8 aDOT and league-worst 41.4% completion rate in Week 1, taking six sacks in the process and adding nothing on the ground. The only encouraging part was that he at least tried to get the ball downfield (unsuccessfully). To be fair, not much should've been expected in an NFL debut on the road against that Denver defense..
• RB Tony Pollard lost a fumble but dominated Tennessee's RB workload, taking 89% of snaps and 19 of 21 RB opportunities (90%) with Tyjae Spears (IR - ankle) unavailable.
• TE Chig Okonkwo played a career-high 88% of snaps but had just four targets and 19 yards on 28 routes (80%).
  • Okonkwo led all TEs for Week 1 in snaps in motion (17) and snaps with motion at the snap (11), although he surprisingly didn't get any targets on those plays.
    • Last year, Okonkwo went in motion far less often (20% of snaps) but those plays accounted for 21 of his 70 targets.
• Rookie WR Elic Ayomanor was second on the team in route share (83%) and targets (seven) and first in air yards (129). He went 2-for-3 on short targets, with one drop, and one of his four downfield looks was a highlight-reel grab that was ruled incomplete, on a play where he seemingly got his elbow down in bounds (coach Brian Callahan didn't challenge, unfortunately).
  • Like with Okonkwo, there's promising underlying usage for Ayomanor that could pay dividends if Tennessee's offense is half-decent.
  • Tyler Lockett was the No. 3 receiver but got just one target on 27 routes. Keep in mind that there were a lot of sacks and throwaways driving the numbers down.
    • Lockett's 25 slot routes were third most among all WRs in Week 1.
  • Fourth-round pick Chimere Dike got just one incomplete target on five routes but did have a long kick return.
• WR Calvin Ridley had 2-3 drops, depending how you count them, and finished with 27 yards while leading the team in route share (94%) and targets (eight). The rough day efficiency-wise wasn't exactly surprising against Patrick Surtain and Co.

Broncos Personnel: 11 - 55% / 12 - 15%

71 Plays — 43 DBs — 6.0 aDOT — 25-of-40 for 176 yards — 1 TD, 2 INTs, 1 sack, 2 scrambles

• QB Bo Nix (4.4 YPA) didn't play well and didn't get much help from his pass catchers, apart from Courtland Sutton, who scored a TD and led the team in targets, yards, air yards, routes (100% share), etc.
• RB J.K. Dobbins was the lead back, taking 53% of snaps and 18 of 31 RB opportunities (58%), but he had only two targets and a 32% route share because Tyler Badie got 18% snap share, 27% route share and six targets (four incomplete).
  • The combination of Dobbins leading the way and Badie taking passing-down work isn't good for RJ Harvey, but the rookie at least flashed with a 50-yard gain (plus another 20 yards on his other five runs). And Badie's involvement is far from a given, especially after his six targets yielded 16 yards and one drop. I don't want to start Harvey in Week 2, but I still think he'll have a ton of value by mid-season.
• TE Evan Engram injured his calf in the fourth quarter and missed the end of the game.
  • Engram played 44% of snaps before the fourth quarter, including just 56% of pass snaps. He's unlikely to have much fantasy value if those numbers don't rise once he's healthy again.
• WR Troy Franklins and Marvin Mims both finished in the 50s for snap share and 60s for route share, with Franklin putting up 4-44-0 on six targets (50 AY) and Mims just 3-12-0 on four targets (33 AY).
  • Mims' near-every-down role from the preseason didn't carry over, although the snap and route shares were better than what he got in any regular-season game in 2024.
    • The door may now be open for Franklin to seize the No. 2 WR job, not that he's necessarily any better than Mims (who also muffed and lost a punt Sunday, adding to the poor afternoon).
• Keep in mind that Sean Payton's personnel usage tends to vary more than most other coaches' from game to game; don't be surprised if the Week 2 usage stats look much different from Week 1.

Stock ⬆️:   RB J.K. Dobbins  /   RB Tony Pollard + WR Elic Ayomanor

Stock ⬇️:   RB RJ Harvey + WR Marvin Mims + TE Evan Engram

 Titans Injuries 🚑: RB Kalel Mullings (ankle), T JC Latham (hip)    

 Broncos Injuries 🚑: TE Evan Engram (calf)

Texans (9) at Rams (14) 

Texans Personnel: 11 - 81% / 12 - 9%

57 Plays — 34 DBs — 6.3 aDOT — 19-of-27 for 188 yards — 0 TD, 1 INT, 3 sacks, 4 scrambles

• Houston had at least three WRs on the field for 81% of snaps, the highest rate in the league, despite Christian Kirk (groin) being inactive. New offensive coordinator Nick Caley previously worked under Sean McVay, so this isn't shocking. In fact, we saw the same thing with Zac Robinson in Atlanta in 2024.
• RB Nick Chubb took 51% of snaps and 14 of 25 RB opportunities (including 13 of 21 carries) as part of a four-way committee with Dare Ogunbowale, Woody Marks and Dameon Pierce, none of whom had more than four opportunitie.
  • Ogunbowale's lost fumble was the most noteworthy moment for any of them, although Chubb looks much better than last year at least.
• Veteran WRs Xavier Hutchinson (70% routes) and Justin Watson (57%) got more playing time than rookies Jayden Higgins (37%) and Jaylin Noel (37%), though Higgins had the most targets (three) and yards (32) of the bunch.
  • Higgins shouldn't need long to move ahead of Hutchinson and Watson, although Kirk could be back healthy by then and make it more of a competition.
• TEs Dalton Schultz (54% snaps, 60% routes) and Cade Stover (57% snaps, 33% routes) rotated, seeing 4-5 targets apiece. 
  • Stover suffered a foot fracture, likely knocking him out for much/all of the season and leaving Schultz in a larger role again. Just don't expect any kind of explosiveness or efficiency from Schultz at this point.

Rams Personnel: 11 - 56% / 12 - 42%

57 Plays — 32 DBs — 7.8 aDOT — 21-of-29 for 245 yards — 1 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks, 0 scrambles

• The Rams used 12 personnel on 42% of snaps, a massive increase from 16% last season, but they did have three games last season with 12 personnel rates between 37 and 44 percent, against the 49ers (W3), Vikings (W8) and Patriots (W11) in games the Rams won by a margin of 3-10 points.
  • The Rams used 3+ WRs on 69% of snaps over their first five drives, which was the 10th-highest rate in the league, though still low compared to past McVay numbers. The multi-TE stuff mostly came in the second half. It's something to watch, but I still think we'll see at least a few Rams games this year with 60 snaps in 11 personnel.
• RB Kyren Williams took 82% of snaps and 20 of 22 RB opportunities, doing his usual thing with a short TD.
• WR Tutu Atwell got more playing time than Jordan Whittington when Puka Nacua was in the game, but Whittington padded his snap/route total when Nacua missed a chunk of the first half after a big hit.
  • Atwell got 39% of his snaps in the slot; Whittington was at just 24%. Each had one touch.
• Nacua had 130 yards despite missing some plays after the injury scare, drawing 11 targets on 22 routes after leading the league in targets per route (TPRR) by a mile last year.
  • Nacua took 44% of his snaps in the slot, up from 23% last year. His pre-snap-motion rates were in line with last year, still in league-leading territory (with four catches and a carry on 36 in-motion snaps Sunday).
    • Nacua's 78 yards from the slot were second most of any player in Week 1, with 14 routes yielding seven targets and six catches.
• Davante Adams had a modest stat line but 28.6% target share. He took 75% of his snaps on the perimeter and 24% in the slot.
• TE Tyler Higbee wasn't targeted but he easily led the TEs with 63% route share.
• Both starting guards left the game with ankle injuries, turning a strength into a potential weakness or the Rams.

Stock ⬆️:   WR Puka Nacua  /   RB Nick Chubb + TE Dalton Schultz

Stock ⬇️:   WR Jordan Whittington  /   WR Jaylin Noel + RB Dameon Pierce

 Texans Injuries 🚑: TE Cade Stover (foot)    

 Rams Injuries 🚑: G Kevin Dotson (ankle), Steve Avila (ankle)

Lions (13) at Packers (27) 

Lions Personnel: 11 - % / 12 - %

65 Plays — 43 DBs — 4.5 aDOT — 31-of-39 for 225 yards — 1 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks, 0 scrambles

• RB Jahmyr Gibbs got 65% of snaps and 19 of 34 RB opportunities (56%).
  • That's fine, and he got his cheap PPR points for fantasy, but David Montgomery was still a huge part of the offense in the first game post-Ben Johnson.
• TE Sam LaPorta got 91% snap share and 91% route share, with 6-79-0 on a team-high nine targets. Everyone else was disappointing for fantasy, and even LaPorta had just three catches before the final drive in garbage time.
• Kalif Raymond was the No. 3 receiver, but he got just three targets on 33 routes, while Isaac TeSlaa scored a TD on one of his three routes (after scoring three times in the preseason). 
  • I'd say he's an expert at scoring meaningless TDs but he only had five in 25 games at Arkansas.
• WR Jameson Williams was quiet despite 100% route share, with just five targets and 28 air yards on his 43 routes. Amon-Ra St. Brown didn't fare much better on 42 routes, with six targets. Credit to Green Bay's defense for keeping the ball away from them.
• Dan Campbell left his starters in until the bitter end, allowing LaPorta and Gibbs, in particular, to rack up cheap catches.

Packers Personnel: 11 - 36% / 12 - 47% / 21 - 11%

47 Plays — 23 DBs — 10.1 aDOT — 16-of-22 for 188 yards — 2 TDs, 0 INT, 0 sacks, 1 scramble

• Green Bay's lack of three-wide use wasn't just a game script thing. The Packers used 3+ WRs on just 39% of snaps over their first five drives, the second-lowest rate in the league.
  • WR Jayden Reed playing through a foot injury was likely a factor, though both he and Dontayvion Wicks (calf) did in fact suit up. Reed put up 3-45-1 on a team-high five targets despite running just 12 routes (55%) and playing 38% of snaps.
  • Rookie WR Matthew Golden had just 48% snap share, 59% route share and two targets, so basically a worst-case scenario for his Week 1 usage/role. That should improve, but it's a lower-than-expected starting point, especially after Reed and Wicks missed much of the summer (plus Christian Watson is lurking, or will be, maybe).
• No Packer got more than five targets or 73% route share. Could this be a third straight year with Love/LaFleur in which no Green Bay pass catcher reaches 100 targets?
• RB Josh Jacobs took 88% of snaps and 20 of 23 RB opportunities (87%). The snap share was second-largest of his career, and just his third time at 80-plus percent for Green Bay.
  • Jacobs took 63% of snaps (but a much larger portion of the touches) in his active games last year. I don't think he'll top 80% snap share most weeks, but it's good to see this level of workload dominance is in his range.
• TE Tucker Kraft got 92% of snaps, and he scored a TD despite doing a bit more pass blocking than usual (68% route share).

Stock ⬆️:   RB Josh Jacobs

Stock ⬇️:   WR Matthew Golden

 Lions Injuries 🚑: CB Terrion Arnold (groin)   

 Packers Injuries 🚑: T Zach Tom (hip), CB Bo Melton (shoulder), G Aaron Banks (ankle)

Ravens (40) at Bills (41) 

Ravens Personnel: 11 - 44% / 12 - 36% / 13 - 14%

50 Plays — 22 DBs — 9.1 aDOT — 14-of-19 for 209 yards — 2 TDs, 0 INT, 2 sacks, 1 scramble

• The Ravens ran just 50 plays, tied for fourth fewest in the league
• The Ravens haven't lost many games the past few years, but at least half of those losses looked like this one. And the late-game chokes predate any of the players on the current roster — even Jackson, Ronnie Stanley, etc.
  • John Harbaugh is the constant. 
• WR DeAndre Hopkins had a one-handed TD catch but just one other target, with 35% snap share and 52% target share even though both TE Isaiah Likely (ankle) and FB Patrick Ricard (calf) were out.
  • TE Mark Andrews didn't benefit either, with 75% snap share, 67% route share and a lone target. He'll seemingly need to get it done the same way he did last year, with hyper-efficiency and a lot of end-zone looks.
• WR Zay Flowers dominated Baltimore's passing game with 7-143-1 and nearly half the targets. 
• WR Rashod Bateman, with 86% route share, was the only Raven besides Flowers at even 70% route share.
• RB Keaton Mitchell was a healthy scratch, with Rasheen Ali having more value on special teams, seemingly.

Bills  Personnel: 11 - 69% / 12 - 5% / 22 - 14%

78 Plays — 52 DBs — 9.4 aDOT — 33-of-46 for  yards — 2 TDs, 0 INT, 1 sack, 5 scrambles