The Utilization Report. Everything you need for Fantasy Football in the Wild Card Round
Volume is king in fantasy football, and this report will help you understand which players are due more or less according to their roles. It is a great way to know who is overperforming (sell high) and underperforming (buy low) based on historical data tied to metrics we know drive volume.
- Overall offense: Which teams are enabling winning volume and efficiency across game scripts
- Quarterbacks: How involved is each QB in the running game, and who is unlocking upside for their weapons
- Running backs: Which backs are handling early downs, short-yardage and passing downs
- Tight ends: Who is running enough routes and meeting critical targets per route thresholds
- Receivers: Which receivers are in the most routes and operating broadly within the offense
For this season, Fantasy Life has partnered with PFF to collaborate on the Utilization Report.
Get access to the full Utilization Report, all the data tables, and team-by-team analysis by subscribing to PFF+
Week 18 Takeaways
Upgrades
RB – Kenneth Walker III
Walker tied his season-high snap share (87%) in Week 18 and has a 90% rush share or better in three of his last four games, which led to 12, 26, 23, and 29 rushing attempts. In that same time frame, he has also experienced an increased role in the two-minute offense, handling 53% of snaps.
| Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
| 15 | 75% | 92% | 65% | 13% | 16% | 75% | 0% | 8% | 73% | 11.9 |
| 16 | 53% | 90% | 26% | 6% | 18% | 60% | 0% | 20% | 29% | 12.5 |
| 17 | 57% | 64% | 42% | 4% | 7% | 71% | 100% | 31% | 0% | 15.2 |
| 18 | 87% | 91% | 66% | 4% | 4% | 100% | 100% | 13% | 57% | 13.4 |
| YTD | 53% | 57% | 38% | 6% | 14% | 59% | 100% | 19% | 21% | 13.5 |
We saw Walker briefly expand his passing-down role earlier this season, but it could stick this time around with Travis Homer placed on IR last week. After a surprising start to the 2022 campaign, the rookie’s TPRR has sagged recently and now rests well below historical RB2 levels at 14%.
The Seahawks will face the best run defense in the NFL on Super Wild Card weekend, so it is hard to expect significant immediate returns on Walker with Seattle as 10-point dogs to the 49ers. In Week 15, the second-rounder registered 12 rushing attempts for 47 yards.
Walker’s utilization regains RB1 status and his 2023 outlook is bright. This weekend’s outlook isn’t as rosy, but the matchup could provide a contrarian DFS play with 20-plus touch potential.
RB – Jeff Wilson Jr.
Wilson has regained the lead in the Dolphins’ backfield over the last three games, with a 63% snap share and 52% rush share. The veteran RB has also delivered a 60% route participation or better in three straight games thanks to taking on the lead role in long-down-distance and two-minute situations.
| Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
| 16 | 60% | 43% | 66% | 9% | 12% | 0% | 100% | 71% | 100% | 11.0 |
| 17 | 65% | 63% | 60% | 16% | 23% | 80% | 0% | 59% | 60% | 10.6 |
| 18 | 65% | 52% | 62% | 8% | 10% | 50% | 0% | 67% | 88% | 9.4 |
| YTD | 25% | 22% | 22% | 4% | 14% | 55% | 23% | 21% | 27% | 10.2 |
Miami has oscillated back and forth between Wilson and Raheem Mostert over the last two months, creating a confusing situation to decipher. However, Mostert broke his thumb in Week 18, and his status is in doubt for Super Wild Card Weekend, which could provide additional clarity.
Wilson once again profiles as a low-end RB2 which upgrades to high-end RB2 territory if Mostert doesn’t play against Buffalo.
WR – Keenan Allen
Allen finished as the top WR with 30.2 points in the final week of the season, and he is the WR2 since returning in Week 11. He leads the Chargers with 79 targets (26%) over that time frame and the fantasy production has followed, with WR19, WR21, WR11, WR9, WR19, WR9, WR25, and WR1 finishes.
| Week | Routes | TPRR | Targets | ADOT | Air Yards | EZ Tgts | 3rd/4th Down Targets | PA Targets | PPR |
| 11 | 74% | 29% | 29% | 13.5 | 42% | 33% | 60% | 25% | 14.4 |
| 12 | 93% | 14% | 16% | 8.9 | 33% | 60% | 29% | 29% | 15.9 |
| 13 | 98% | 22% | 29% | 14.8 | 48% | 33% | 42% | 8% | 21.8 |
| 14 | 91% | 25% | 28% | 4.2 | 20% | 25% | 31% | 38% | 21.2 |
| 15 | 98% | 20% | 24% | 8.8 | 25% | 0% | 56% | 22% | 16.6 |
| 16 | 89% | 44% | 48% | 7.1 | 45% | 100% | 50% | 36% | 21.4 |
| 17 | 97% | 16% | 17% | 8.2 | 19% | 0% | 13% | 40% | 11.8 |
| 18 | 85% | 28% | 26% | 8.1 | 34% | 50% | 33% | 9% | 30.2 |
| YTD | 45% | 24% | 13% | 9.0 | 17% | 18% | 17% | 27% | 16.7 |
The 10th-year veteran ranks 12th in PFF receiving grade (84.8), 16th in TPRR (24%), and 14th in YPRR (2.14) versus other WRs with at least 250 routes this season.
Mike Williams suffered a back contusion in Week 18, which puts his status for Saturday’s tilt against the Jaguars in question. We could see additional targets funnel toward Allen in a must-win game if Williams can't go.
Allen’s utilization profiles as a low-end WR1, which makes him a mid-range WR1 in a reduced field for playoff formats.
Downgrades
RB – Joe Mixon
Mixon has come through with RB10 and RB5 finishes in his last two outings, but his role isn’t what it was since returning from injury in Week 14. Before the injury, he averaged 73% of rushing attempts, which has fallen to 57%, and his role in the two-minute offense has disappeared.
| Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
| 1 | 73% | 93% | 56% | 16% | 21% | 86% | 100% | 13% | 73% | 21.5 |
| 2 | 75% | 83% | 52% | 13% | 17% | 100% | 0% | 24% | 71% | 11.3 |
| 3 | 66% | 44% | 63% | 18% | 24% | 60% | 100% | 23% | 100% | 6.8 |
| 4 | 83% | 85% | 59% | 13% | 19% | 100% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 17.4 |
| 5 | 70% | 67% | 52% | 10% | 15% | 75% | 0% | 9% | 30% | 11.8 |
| 6 | 72% | 67% | 58% | 15% | 21% | 67% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 16.8 |
| 7 | 72% | 81% | 53% | 8% | 13% | 63% | 50% | 29% | 0% | 18.1 |
| 8 | 72% | 80% | 63% | 25% | 32% | 67% | 0% | 22% | 78% | 12.9 |
| 9 | 65% | 56% | 40% | 14% | 29% | 83% | 75% | 25% | 60% | 55.1 |
| 11 | 21% | 29% | 17% | 9% | 43% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 9.2 |
| 14 | 58% | 61% | 43% | 7% | 13% | 67% | 0% | 13% | 0% | 12.6 |
| 15 | 64% | 52% | 44% | 16% | 32% | 25% | 100% | 38% | 0% | 10.5 |
| 16 | 58% | 62% | 41% | 18% | 41% | 86% | 0% | 17% | 8% | 17.8 |
| 18 | 55% | 55% | 48% | 13% | 23% | 67% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 17.8 |
| YTD | 56% | 55% | 44% | 12% | 23% | 61% | 61% | 15% | 35% | 17.1 |
Samaje Perine has carved out a significantly larger role after strong performances while Mixon was sidelined.
On a positive note, Mixon averages 6.7 targets since returning, with the Bengals getting him involved in the aerial attack on early downs. Cincinnati is the fourth-best offense at avoiding long-down and distance situations (58%), bolstering Mixon’s early-down role in a way many similar utilization RBs don’t enjoy.
Mixon remains a high-end RB for the fantasy playoffs thanks to the Bengals' offense, but his overall utilization profile mirrors that of an RB2 with the emergence of Perine.
Monitoring
RB – Travis Etienne
In Week 17, we saw Etienne lose snaps to JaMycal Hasty, but it wasn’t alarming in a blowout win over the Texans. However, in a tight must-win contest against the Titans in Week 18, Etienne again saw his role reduced. The former-first rounder played 56% of snaps versus 48% for Hasty.
Since the James Robinson trade, Etienne hasn’t fallen below a 70% snap share excluding the Week 12 injury-shortened outing and Week 17 win over Houston. He has averaged 72% of rushing attempts over that span, but fell to 50% in Week 18.
Trevor Lawrence accounted for a season-high 29% of designed rushing attempts last weekend, which isn’t likely to stick, so there is upside for Etienne to bounce back in the rushing department. However, the days of an every-down role could be over.
RB – Chiefs RBs
The Chiefs returned to a three-way backfield in Week 18, with Ronald Jones garnering a season-high 29% snap share and 38% rush share. The veteran RB’s utilization wasn’t limited to late-game opportunities – he split snaps almost evenly with Isiah Pacheco in the first quarter.
Jerick McKinnon saw his lowest rush share (8%) since Week 12. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is also a threat to return after the Chiefs’ bye, which could limit opportunities for McKinnon and Pacheco.
The Chiefs are an offense capable of supporting high-end fantasy production on seemingly low utilization, so we still want exposure in best-ball playoff formats. However, a three-way committee would undoubtedly be a negative development.
RB – James Cook
Week 18 marks the first time Cook bested Devin Singletary in snaps (56%) and rushing attempts (41%) in a game.
| Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
| 15 | 36% | 19% | 37% | 8% | 20% | 11% | 0% | 30% | 33% | 11.9 |
| 16 | 41% | 39% | 36% | 8% | 17% | 40% | 0% | 22% | 0% | 17.8 |
| 17 | 27% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 |
| 18 | 56% | 41% | 43% | 6% | 13% | 0% | 0% | 38% | 38% | 7.2 |
| YTD | 25% | 23% | 19% | 6% | 26% | 13% | 0% | 19% | 11% | 6.7 |
Singletary still led the way in LDD scenarios (50%) and the two-minute offense (50%).
We don’t know how Buffalo will divide up their backfield in the playoffs, but there is a chance Cook becomes the lead option in a committee approach.
RB – J.K. Dobbins
With Gus Edwards questionable for the first round of the playoffs, Dobbins could see a slight bump in value. Over the last four games, Dobbins averaged 14.3 rushing attempts per game, accounting for 47% of the rushing attempts.
If Edwards is out, we could see that total push closer to 60%, which would be significant in the Ravens’ run-first attack.
Get access to the full Utilization Report, all the data tables, and team-by-team analysis by subscribing to PFF+
Data notes and acronyms:
- 1st/2nd = First and second downs
- LDD = long down and distance (third and fourth down with three or more yards to go)
- SDD = short down and distance (second, third and fourth down with two or fewer yards to go)
- i5 = inside the five-yard line
- 2MIN = two-minute offense (hurry-up offense)
- Close = score within three points
- Lead = leading by four points or more
- Trail = trailing by four points or more
- Plays = penalties included for utilization splits and rates
- Pass Play = all dropbacks (i.e., attempts, sacks and scrambles)
- ADOT = average depth of target
- Air Yards = ADOT multiplied by targets
- TTT = average time to throw
- PA = play action
- PA Targets = percentage of player's targets that came using play action
- Fantasy finishes = through Sunday night game
- YPRR = yards per route run
- TPRR = targets per route run
- EZ = end zone
- TOP = Time of possession
- Pass vs. Run Splits = based on the percentage of time a team throws or passes
- FAB = Free agent budget (based on home leagues; adjust percentages in more competitive formats)
