Dwain McFarland's Utilization Report For Week 9

Let's follow the data to identify the top waiver wire options, trade targets, upgrades and downgrades based on what we learned in Week 8.

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Comparison tool
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Seasons: 2020 to 2025

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1. Tyrone Tracy Jr. is the new RB1 in New York.

Cam Skattebo suffered a dislocated ankle one snap into the third drive during the Giants' Week 8 game. After his departure, Tracy controlled the backfield over a seven-possession sample.

Snaps: 78%
Attempts: 67%
Routes: 68%
Targets: 16%

Tracy wasn't able to get much going with his opportunities, only scoring 7.3 points, but better days should be ahead. Last season, Tracy took over the starting role from Week 5 through Week 18, averaging 13.2 points per game with a 77 Utilization Score.

The second-year back could outperform last year's numbers with Jaxson Dart stressing defenses in new ways with his rushing ability. Tracy was a WR for his first four seasons at Iowa before transferring to Purdue, where he switched to RB. His pass-catching chops could come in handy on a team without many strong passing game options.

Tracy's historical Utilization Score comparisons averaged 14.9 points per game, with 95% performing as top-24 RBs.

RB1 to RB12 performers: 33%
RB13 to RB24 performers: 62%
RB25 to RB36 performers: 5%

Tracy UPGRADES to low-end RB2 territory and offers low-end RB1 upside. He is available in 51% of Yahoo leagues and is a PRIORITY WAIVER WIRE TARGET.

2. Dylan Sampson and Tank Bigsby should be rostered.

We have two additional RB injury situations to address in Cleveland and Philadelphia, with Quinshon Judkins (shoulder) and Saquon Barkley (groin) exiting their respective games.

Early expectations are that the bye week should give both players a chance to heal and help them avoid missed time. However, we don't always get the best injury reporting heading into a bye week, and the narrative could change quickly as we close in on their next game (e.g., Lamar Jackson).

Dylan Sampson | Browns

Judkins exited the game after playing two snaps on the seventh drive of the game. Over a five-possession sample, Sampson was the clear-cut RB1 over Jerome Ford.

Snaps: 84%
Attempts: 60%
Routes: 80%
Targets: 33%

While it could have been game-script induced, Ford hardly played at all after looking like the RB2 behind Judkins since Week 3. The veteran back only played 8% of the snaps and didn't get a carry.

Sampson has been a priority target out of the backfield all season. He leads all running backs with at least 100 routes with a 30% targets per route run rate (TPRR).

While we could see a closer split should Judkins miss time, Sampson is the priority target due to his ability to rack up points in the passing game. He notched 7.9 points in five drives against the Patriots.

If Judkins misses time, Sampson would be a borderline RB2 that could quickly escalate toward high-end RB2 territory. The Browns are on bye in Week 9, but Sampson is still a PRIORITY WAIVER WIRE TARGET if you have room. He is available in 87% of leagues.

Tank Bigsby | Eagles

Barkley played one snap on the team's seventh drive before exiting the game. The Eagles only totaled nine possessions, so we only have a three-sample drive. However, we saw Bigsby surpass AJ Dillon for the RB2 role in Week 7, and that trend carried over to Week 8. After Barkley's departure, he was the top option with Dillon inactive.

Snaps: 77%
Attempts: 70%
Routes: 75%
Targets: 0%

It is worth noting that this was a leading game script, which is the type of scenario where we would expect Bigsby to flourish. Will Shipley played 18% of the snaps but could get more involved on passing downs—especially in close and trailing game scripts.

Still, the last few weeks point towards Bigsby being the Eagles' back with the most upside should something happen to Barkley. The third-year back has 115 yards on 10 rushing attempts, with a whopping 60% of his attempts going for 10-plus yards.

If Barkley misses time, expect Bigsby to handle the majority of early-down work with an outside chance of handling passing downs. He would be a low-end RB2 in that role, with mid-range RB1 upside in a full-time capacity. The Eagles are on bye in Week 9, but Bigsby is a PRIORITY STASH RB that is available in 83% of Yahoo leagues.

3. Chase Brown is on the rise but needs more opportunities.

Over the first four games of the season, Brown was in an every-down role. Over that period, he reached a 70% snap share or higher in three of four games. Since then, the team has dramatically reduced his playing time. Brown has a 56% snap share since Week 5.

However, Joe Flacco is the tide that lifts all ships. In three contests with the veteran signal caller, Brown has averaged 15.5 points with a 68 Utilization Score.

While overall this is a positive development for Brown, there is some risk. Over the last three games, he has averaged 10.7 attempts and 3.0 targets. That is the type of profile that needs to hit big plays or get high-leverage opportunities inside the five-yard line.

Brown has a 68 Utilization Score over the last three games. His historical comparisons averaged 13.1 points—lower than his 15.5 over that span. Most of his cohort finished as RB2s or RB3s, but a small group reached RB1 status.

RB1 to RB12 performers: 16%
RB13 to RB24 performers: 45%
RB25 to RB36 performers: 39%

We can't predict how coaches will handle Utilization the rest of the way, but Brown is a decent sell-high option assuming his role doesn't expand.

Brown UPGRADES to borderline RB2 status, but needs more opportunities to move into the mid-range RB2 territory that his recent fantasy points per game suggest.

4. RJ Harvey's role didn't change in his Week 8 boom.

I am a big fan of Harvey. However, I can't look you in the eye and say that his Week 8 eruption for 24.1 fantasy points is a sign of things to come. Why? Because we saw a similar performance in Week 4, when he scored 19.8 points, and disappeared into the abyss a week later.

Harvey's Week 8 performance was impressive, but his snap share (28%) was on par with his season, and his 28% rush share was still too low to expect consistent results ... especially without a bump in the passing game, where Tyler Badie continues to work in as the RB3.

You will probably read multiple articles telling you to buy Harvey. However, we have locked in so tightly on late-season rookie upside that we are losing the big picture regarding the Broncos' offense. The bottom line is that J.K. Dobbins is also playing very well, coming off a strong 2024 campaign.

Dobbins vs. Harvey in 2025:

PFF Rush Grade: 79.7 vs. 67.6
Yards per carry: 5.3 vs. 4.5
10-plus yard attempts: 16% vs. 5%
Yards after contact: 3.37 vs. 3.50

While efficiency doesn't guarantee Dobbins will hang onto the job, or that Harvey will take over more for that matter, the bottom line is that both backs are playing well. But Dobbins has been better on a larger sample.

The best path to more work from Harvey would be through Badie, but in the one game where Badie was inactive, Sean Payton utilized Jaleel McLaughlin. If Harvey could seize that role, it would open the door to an Alvin Kamara-like role as a rookie. Just realize, Harvey wasn't nearly as good a collegiate receiving prospect as Kamara. If we are realistic, that role expansion would likely make him a high-end RB3 instead of a borderline RB3.

Harvey undoubtedly offers massive upside, but it is mainly of the contingency variety. He probably needs an injury to Dobbins. In that scenario, he would immediately enter mid-range RB2 territory and offer mid-range RB1 upside. So, we don't want to give Harvey away, but if the hype train gets wild this week, I would be WILLING TO SELL HIGH. Selling high would mean pricing Harvey as an RB2 and getting a taker. If not, he is a hold.

5. Jaylen Warren is a near-every-down RB and a buy-low candidate.

Warren has negotiated a 65% snap share, 70% rush share, and 12% target share on his way to 12.6 fantasy points per game. Over the last four games, he has a 76 Utilization Score.

His historical Utilization Score comparisons averaged 14.7 points, a 2.1-point difference from his average. Since 2020, his 34 comps performed as top-24 RBs 94% of the time. Almost one-third reached the top 12.

RB1 to RB12 performers: 30%
RB13 to RB24 performers: 65%
RB25 to RB36 performers: 6%

I am sure some of you have alarm bells ringing because this is an Arthur Smith offense. And that is fair—Smith is notorious for turning trends on their head. Still, with so many performers reaching RB2 status, we have a decent cushion, and the RB1 ceiling also provides an incentive to take some risk.

Warren is a mid-range RB2 with low-end RB1 upside.

6. Utilization Score Under & Overperformers

The Utilization Score is made up of the fantasy data points that have historically correlated the most strongly with future fantasy success. It is a similar but different concept compared to expected fantasy points. How it differs:

Accounts for snaps and routes in addition to attempts and targets.
Accounts for catchable targets and catchable air yards.
The underlying role accounts for ~75% of a player's Utilization Score.
Uses fantasy points per game (PPG) as a proxy for talent (i.e., has the player done something with their opportunities). Fantasy PPG is worth ~25% of a player's Utilization Score.

Zay Flowers | WR | Ravens

Flowers leads the Ravens with a 31% target share, and we could see Lamar Jackson back under center in Week 9. Flowers scored 28.1, 14.9, and 3.3 fantasy points in Lamar's three full starts.

Flowers has a Utilization Score of 74 on the season. His historical comps averaged 14.7 points, a whole point above his current average of 13.7. Considering Jackson's return leaves room for an even larger gain.

The third-year WR has been TD-challenged so far in his career, which could continue to plague his ability to reach elite fantasy outcomes. When you watch Flowers on film, you see a three-level WR, but the Ravens mostly confine him to the short and intermediate areas of the field. Still, his historical comparisons offer a strong range of outcomes.

WR1 to WR12 performers: 18%
WR13 to WR24 performers: 56%
WR25 to WR36 performers: 24%
WR37 to WR48 performers: 2%

Flowers has the profile of a low-end WR2. He isn't a player to go out of your way to trade for, but he could be priced more like a mid-range WR3, which is a price tag we would profit on the majority of the time.

Note: I nearly included D'Andre Swift here thanks to a much tighter rotation with Kyle Monangai over the last two games. Swift's comps based on that sample have averaged 13.7 points—well below his 20.5. However, the Bears get two choice matchups against the Bengals and Giants over the next two weeks. So, even in a tighter split, Swift should be a strong fantasy asset for at least another two games, and we can revisit his Utilization in Week 11.

7. Utilization Score Trends

Trending Up

Kimani Vidal | RB | Chargers: Vidal has improved his Utilization Score by 44 points over the last four games. His season score now sits at 56, but the real story is his 82 in three games without Omarion Hampton. Over that span, Vidal has averaged 16.7 points with a 69% snap share. Vidal's historical comps have averaged 16.2 points per game—he is a high-end RB2 until Hampton returns.
Ladd McConkey | WR | Chargers: McConkey had a rough start to the season but has improved his Utilization Score by 12 points over the last month. Over that span, he has averaged 18.6 points with a 26% target share and an 85 Utilization Score. While I was a proponent of McConkey before his turnaround, we are now at a different crossroads. Can he keep this up even with the emergence of Oronde Gadsden and an eventual rebound from Quentin Johnston? My gut says the crowded nature of the offense keeps McConkey from sustaining this streak—it is most likely part of the natural ebb and flow of a season. In that case, McConkey's 71 Utilization Score is the best thing to anchor our rest-of-season outlook to. His historical comps have averaged 14 points per game with 57% finishing as top-24 WRs. McConkey is a borderline WR2.
Oronde Gadsden | TE | Chargers: Yeah, this is a Chargers section this week, but I don't make the data—I just follow it, y'all! Gadsden has supercharged his Utilization Score by 32 points over the last four games. Since taking over the starting role in Week 6, he has a sterling 96 Utilization Score and 20 fantasy points per contest. This is a talented player who offers top-six upside at the position the rest of the way. However, that would mean continuing to dial up touchdowns in a crowded offense. Don't get me wrong—I LOVE GADSDEN—but my intuition from doing this over the years tells me he is a low-end TE1 the rest of the way. This is a crowded offense where we will likely go through some ups and downs along the way for each pass catcher. Gadsden is a low-end TE1 with high-end TE1 upside.

Trending Down

Chuba Hubbard | RB | Panthers: Hubbard expanded his role in Week 8, leading the team with a 59% snap share. However, the emergence of Rico Dowdle in his absence has clearly taken a toll on his role, which used to mean 65 to 75% of the snaps and 60 to 80% of the rushing attempts. Hubbard's Utilization Score has dropped by 6 points since returning to the lineup. The Panthers paid Hubbard last year, but Dave Canales has acknowledged that the playing-time latitude is under evaluation. Hubbard's historical comparisons averaged only 10.6 points per game, with only 18% reaching RB2 territory. Hubbard is a low-end RB3.
Quentin Johnston | WR | Chargers: With the rise of Ladd McConkey and Oronde Gadsden, plus a hamstring injury, Johnston has fallen 12 points in the Utilization Score over the last four games. Before his injury, Johnston was the WR1 on the team with an 85 Utilization Score, which now sits at a 66. The question is whether you think Johnston's first four games were a fluke or if this is a part of the natural volatility that occurs in a season. Johnston is the most dependent on the offensive line as the team's leader in adot (12.5), which is likely a factor. His Utilization Score comps have averaged 12.8 points per game. While he may not be the WR1 we saw over the first month, Johnston still has value as a boom-bust WR3.
Hunter Henry | TE | Patriots: Henry's Utilization Score (68) is down 12 points over the last four games. This is an interesting one because the Patriots don't have a ton of target competition, and Drake Maye is playing out of his mind. Ultimately, this comes down to Henry as a middling target earner (16%), which aligns with his career. Henry's historical comparisons have found top-12 fantasy success only 10% of the time. Henry is a mid-range TE2.

8. Waiver Wire Roundup

RELATED: For all of the best Week 9 waiver wire adds, read Kendall's breakdown!

QB

J.J. McCarthy | Vikings: McCarthy was less than impressive in his first two starts, but he offers upside in the rushing department, plays in a great scheme, and has a strong pass-catching unit. Minnesota gets juicy matchups against the Lions, Ravens, and Bears over the next three games. If McCarthy is going to break out, we will know quickly. McCarthy is available in 77% of leagues.

RB

Dylan Sampson | Browns: See No. 2 above (13% rostered, on bye).
Tank Bigsby | Eagles: See No. 2 above (17% rostered, on bye).
Emanuel Wilson | Packers: Wilson continues to assert himself as the clear-cut RB2 behind Josh Jacobs. There is a chance Jacobs' calf is still bothering him. Wilson has reached season-high attempt shares in back-to-back weeks with marks of 32% and 44%. Wilson would offer RB1 upside if Jacobs missed time. Wilson is available in 95% of leagues.
Samaje Perine | Bengals: Perine has carved out a 43% snap share over the last four games. Over that span, he has averaged 7.6 points with a 45 Utilization Score. He has been the primary pass-downs option and handled 37% of the rushing attempts. Perine is an RB4 with RB2 contingent upside. He is available in 97% of leagues.
Isaiah Davis | Jets: Davis can't be used this week due to a bye, but he is the primary pass-catching back since the injury to Braelon Allen. Davis has delivered five or more points in three of the last four games, including a 17.9-point season-high in Week 8 against the Bengals. Davis is an RB4 option in PPR leagues and offers RB2 upside if Hall misses any time. He is available in 91% of Yahoo leagues.
Devin Neal | Saints: Neal took over the RB2 duties in Week 8 against the Buccaneers. He notched a 46% snap share in a blowout loss. He didn't register a rushing attempt, but notched a 35% route participation. Neal is an RB5 stash option in deep leagues and is available 96% of the time.

WR

Troy Franklin | Broncos: Franklin has lost some playing time in recent weeks but remains the WR2 in routes (79%) and target share (20%) behind Courtland Sutton. He was a home run hit in Week 8 against the Cowboys' toothless defense. The second-year WR boomed for 26.9 points with two TDs. Franklin has four top-36 finishes on the season, including WR27 and WR1 outings over the last two games. Franklin is a boom-bust WR4 who is available in 63% of Yahoo leagues.
Chimere Dike | Titans: Dike took over the starting slot role in Weeks 6 and 7, but expanded into a full-time role with a 91% route participation and 23% target share in Week 8. Over the last two games, the fourth-round NFL draft pick has delivered 16.89 and 16.4 fantasy points. Dike could fall back into a rotational role when Calvin Ridley returns, but there is a chance the Titans turn the page on 2025 to get a look at their younger players (Ridley could also get traded). If he keeps a role similar to the last two games, Dike would have a 69 Utilization Score. Historical comps for that score averaged 13.4 points with 41% reaching top-24 status. Dike UPGRADES to WR4 territory and is available in 92% of Yahoo leagues.
Christian Watson | Packers: Watson returned to action in Week 8 against the Steelers. He notched a 65% route participation and 12% target share operating as the WR3 on a night where Dontayvion Wicks didn't play. It didn't take long for Watson to flash his downfield prominence. He finished the night with an 18.0-yard average depth of target (aDOT) and 72 air yards. This is a crowded passing game that will add Jayden Reed to the mix as well in the coming weeks. Still, Watson is a big-play threat, making him a boom-bust WR5 with upside should competition thin out. He is available in 84% of leagues.
Jayden Higgins | Texans: Higgins led the Texans with a 19% target share with Nico Collins and Christian Kirk out. The rookie garnered a season-high 81% route participation, filling in for Collins. He finished the day with a 63 Utilization Score and 13.4 fantasy points. It was nice to see the rookie flash something in with his opportunity, but for now, he remains a stash play only. He needs to push Xavier Hutchinson for the starting WR2 position before we can consider him in fantasy lineups when Collins is back. Higgins is a WR6 stash that is available in 73% of leagues.

TE

Colston Loveland | Bears: Loveland collected a 78% route participation rate and a 15% target share with Cole Kmet (back) out in Week 8. Loveland didn't pop the way fantasy managers hoped for, but his near-full-time role was encouraging. Loveland is a mid-range TE2 with TE1 upside while Kmet is out. He is available in 78% of leagues.

Utilization Bytes

Team Trends

We now have eight weeks of data for most teams, making it a good time to examine team-level trends that affect fantasy production. You can find the data across all 32 NFL teams in the Team Styles tab of the Utilization Report tools.

Redzone Drives: Percentage of drives that reach the red zone versus how often the team is scoring a touchdown on drives in parentheses. Large deltas indicate room for positive or negative regression.
- Chiefs: 49% (34% Pre MNF)
- Colts: 47% (41%)
- Packers: 40% (30%)
- Bills: 38% (34%)
- Chargers: 36% (25%)
  ——
- Steelers 22% (26%)
- Browns: 21% (15%)
- Texans: 21% (19%)
- Jets: 21% (17%)
- Titans: 15% (9%)
Dropback Over Expected (DBOE): How often teams pass the ball compared to their peers when considering the score differential:
- Chiefs: 6% (Pre MNF)
- Cardinals: 5%
- Chargers: 4%
- Jaguars: 3%
- Colts: 3%
  ——
- Seahawks: -6%
- Raiders: -6%
- Ravens: -7%
- Panthers: -7%
- Lions: -7%
- Recent trends:
  - Bears: -6% DBOE in three games since their Week 5 bye.
  - Bengals: 5% DBOE in three games with Joe Flacco.
  - Steelers: -1% DBOE in two games since their Week 5 bye. Slightly less run-heavy.
Neutral Playclock: Teams that are leaving more or less time on the playclock when the score is within three points (neutral situations). The NFL average is 8.3 seconds.
- Cowboys: 11.1
- Rams: 10.6
- 49ers: 10.2
- Broncos: 9.9
- Jets: 9.9
- Saints: 9.8
  ——
- Panthers: 6.9
- Cardinals: 6.9
- Colts: 6.8
- Ravens: 6.7
- Steelers: 6.7
- Eagles: 6.6
Play action pass rate: Teams that are utilizing play action the most, which adds value to WRs and TEs on a per-route basis in fantasy:
- Colts: 34% of dropbacks involved play action
- Rams: 32%
- Bears: 32%
- Lions: 30%
- Broncos: 30%

Running Back

Aaron Jones | Vikings: Jones returned to action and outsnapped Jordan Mason 53% to 34% in a trailing game script. The veteran back bested the offseason free-agent acquisition in attempts with 45% and route participation at 50%. Jones tied for second on the team in target share at 14%. Jones has an average Utilization Score of 61 in his two healthy outings this season. His historical comps averaged 11.4 points, slightly above his 10.4 mark in those two games. Jones is a mid-range RB3.
Breece Hall | Jets: Hall erupted for 32.9 fantasy points in Week 8 against the Bengals. Hall has handled a larger rushing workload since the loss of Braelon Allen, and he finally parlayed it into a big game with a choice matchup against Cincinnati. He now has a Utilization Score of 73 on the season. His historical comps have averaged 14.1 points with 58% finishing as RB2s and 26% reaching RB1 territory. Hall remains a mid-range RB2, whose best runout might be a trade to a better team.
D'Andre Swift & Kyle Monangai | Bears: Swift handled a 65% snap share and 60% attempts share over the first five games. However, over the last two outings, those have dropped to 51% and 51%, respectively. That has led to a 66 Utilization Score. Swift has battled injuries during practice, which could be a contributing factor, but it's also possible the team wants rookie Kyle Monangai more involved. It is worth noting that his historical comps based on the last two games have averaged 13.7 points—well below his 20.5. Swift is a hold for now, thanks to juicy matchups against the Bengals and Giants over the next two games. He will move to sell territory after those games if this Utilization trend continues. Monangai is available in 62% of leagues and should be rostered as an RB5 stash option.
Jordan Mason | Vikings: Mason has averaged a lowly 5.3 points in games with Jones this season. His average Utilization Score with Jones is a 44, which is not good. His historical comps averaged 8.1 points with only 10% securing a top-36 finish. Mason is a one-dimensional player who relies heavily on scoring touchdowns. Mason DOWNGRADES to borderline RB3 territory.
Tyjae Spears | Titans: Spears has averaged 11.1 fantasy points with a 61 Utilization Score over the last three games. On a team that trails often, he is handling 80% of the two-minute offense and looks like the better back than Tony Pollard. Spears' historical comps averaged 11.4 points, closely aligning with his 11.1. Spears UPGRADES to RB3 territory and is available in 69% of leagues.
Woody Marks | Texans: Marks has averaged 13.8 points since the two games since the Week 6 bye. Nick Chubb continues to be involved on the ground with a 47% attempt share, but Marks is on his heels at 45%. The rookie leads the duo with a 42% route participation and 11% target share. His historical comps have averaged 12.7 points per game, with the majority finishing in RB3 territory.

Wide Receiver

Chris Olave | Saints: Olave notched another solid performance in Week 8 with 14 points and a 78 Utilization Score. However, we could see a QB switch. The team benched Spencer Rattler for Tyler Shough against the Buccaneers. Ratter has proven that he can support Olave's fantasy value, which will be an open question with Shough. A Dillon Gabriel-type performance would impact all Saints' pass catchers. Olave remains a mid-range WR2, but we are monitoring this situation.
Emeka Egbuka | Bucs: Egbuka bombed with only 6.5 fantasy points in Week 8 against the Saints. However, the offense was never challenged with the Tampa defense shutting down New Orleans. The underlying data was still strong for the rookie with a team-leading 35% target share and 91 air yards on eight targets. Now is a great time to inquire about Egbuka heading into his bye week. After outings of 4.4, 9.8 and 6.5 points, your local Egbuka manager likely won't be as bullish as two weeks ago. Coming out of the bye, a healthy Egbuka with a questionable Chris Godwin and without Mike Evans offers high-end WR1 upside.
Jaylin Noel | Texans: Noel has played a larger role over the last two games without Christian Kirk in the lineup. He has reached a 25% TPRR or higher in three consecutive games. It's hard to know what Noel's role will look like when Kirk returns, but the team still hasn't turned over a full-time role. Even with Kirk out, Noel split time with Braxton Berrios. The rookie didn't reach a 50% route participation rate in the last two games. Noel is an ascending talent worthy of stashing, but needs more playing time to become a significant factor in fantasy. Noel is a WR5.
Matthew Golden | Packers: Golden has squandered a golden opportunity to start the season. He couldn't have run more pure on the target competition front with Jayden Reed injured and Christian Watson recovering. Over the first eight games, the first-round rookie has a lousy 13% target share and a 15% TPRR. He has a 44 Utilization Score. His historical comps averaged 7.7 fantasy points with only 1% reaching top-36 status. While some argue that we should bet on a late-season breakout because Golden is a rookie, the data over the last 10 years actually says the opposite. Round 1 NFL WRs over that span actually got worse from Week 9 on, with their fantasy points per game dropping 8% despite an 11% increase in playing time. I am not implying that young players can't get better as the season goes on; I am saying we shouldn't make blanket assumptions when the data tells us otherwise. Golden DOWNGRADES to WR5 bench-stash status—he can be dropped in many leagues.

Rome Odunze | Bears: After two duds, Odunze bounced back with 18.4 fantasy points with the Bears forced out of the run-first approach we saw in the first two games after the bye. Odunze has a 76 Utilization Score with 15.5 fantasy points per game. His 78 historical comps averaged 15 points per game, with 26% reaching top-12 status and 55% operating at WR13-WR24. Odunze is a mid-range WR2.
Tetairoa McMillan | Panthers: McMillan reached a season-high 43% target share with Andy Dalton under center, but we could see Bryce Young back next week. McMillan has a 75 Utilization Score on the season. His historical comparisons have averaged 14.8 points, which is above his 12.5-point mark. The cohort produced top-24 results 77% of the time. McMillan is holding steady as a borderline WR2.
Tez Johnson | Buccaneers: The rookie notched season-high marks in route participation (96%) and target share (26%) on his way to 9.3 fantasy points with a 63 Utilization Score in Week 8. Injuries have pushed Johnson into more playing time over the last three games. Over that span, he has a 56 Utilization Score with a 17% target share. He has averaged 12.2 fantasy points. It's a small sample, and Johnson could improve, but his comps have averaged 9.6 points with 9% reaching top-36 territory. Johnson is a boom-bust WR4 to WR5.

Tight End

Harold Fannin Jr. | Browns: Fannin led the team with a 72% route participation rate and 23% target share with David Njoku returning to action. The third-round NFL draft has a 19% target share this season, tied for the team lead. Fannin is a star in the making, but the offensive environment and a timeshare with Njoku are obstacles to a full breakout as a rookie. Still, he has a season Utilization Score of 71. His historical comparisons finished as top-12 options 73% of the time, averaging 10.5 points. Fannin is a borderline TE1 who would morph into a mid-range TE1 if Njoku gets moved in a trade.
Mason Taylor | Jets: Taylor has a 74 Utilization Score since taking over a full-time role in Week 5. Over that span, he has a 21% target share and has averaged 9.9 points per game. His historical comparisons averaged 10.9 points and were top-12 TEs 82% of the time. Taylor has a low-end TE1 profile, but let's call him a high-end TE2 given all the Jets' offensive woes.

Players Mentioned in this Article

TyroneTracy
RBNYG
PPG
5.56
Proj
8.70
DylanSampson
RBCLE
PPG
4.30
Proj
3.02
TankBigsby
RBPHI
PPG
1.87
Proj
1.73
ChaseBrown
RBCIN
PPG
10.96

Fantasy Football Takeaways: Tyrone Tracy and Chase Brown Headline Utilization Report For Week 9

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