Fantasy Football Week 5 Usage Report

It's not always about the fantasy points, it's about the usage.

Are you upset that the stud you drafted to be just that, a stud, is not getting the looks or touches he needs to succeed? Or on the flip side, are you wondering why some schmuck or washed up old guy is still getting all the action? In the Usage Report, we take a look at the trends as they turn into realities, and determine whether or not we expect this to end or continue to drive you nuts! Carefully color coordinated to resemble our beloved stop light system: Green means GO GO GO while Red means don’t you dare.

Week 5 saw two of the most exciting players on either side of the ball go down with serious injuries that may put them out for the year in Odell Beckham Jr. and J.J. Watt. Reality sets in that these players are subject to going down at ANY moment, so all the more reason to acquire some depth. No better place than to check out the usage stats for the past week to see how you can rebound from injury!

WIDE RECEIVERS

Keenan Allen

12 targets, 4 receptions, 67 yards

This is a promise. A Keenan Allen monster game is on the horizon. He is obviously healthy, and although he only caught 4 of 12 targets in Week 5, the Giants secondary is their only strength. It’s only a matter of time before he gains the yardage he did two weeks ago but ties on a touchdown or two as well. If you play in a league where people overreact, go get Allen for the overreaction aftermath!

Pierre Garcon / Marquise Goodwin

11 targets, 8 receptions, 94 yards / 11 targets, 5 receptions, 116 yards

In PPR, Garcon is a must-own target hog, but if you’re looking for a big play in daily fantasy or deeper leagues, Goodwin is a sneaky play garnering lots of looks. Washington (likely without Josh Norman), Dallas, and Philadelphia are on the docket for the next three weeks, and have secondaries with lots of holes. Brian Hoyer will look to beat the defense down field more than just a handful of times to Goodwin, and will also mix in intermediate looks to Garcon.

Chris Hogan

11 targets, 8 receptions, 74 yards, 1 touchdown

Hogan is the real deal. We all had a hard time accepting it, but with Julian Edelman out for the year, Hogan is truly looking like his direct replacement and is quickly becoming Brady’s favorite target. The buy-low window has likely closed, but big name players may still get the deal done. 5 touchdowns in 4 weeks, shall we call him Brady’s Mini-Gronk? Also, this was Hogan’s highest reception total of the year so far.

Will Fuller

3 targets, 2 receptions, 57 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns & 1 carry, 5 rushing yards

The fact that Fuller was able to finish as a high end wide receiver in Week 5 is laughable. 6 catches for 4 touchdowns in two games, God bless you if you don’t sell high to one of the over-reactors in your league. Don’t chase points, chase usage. In Week 5, the long touchdown play to Fuller was a direct result of great pocket awareness by Deshaun Watson, who is looking like an absolute stud rookie quarterback.

Robby Anderson

5 targets, 2 receptions, 16 yards

This experiment is likely over. Jermaine Kearse and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins should be the only plays in the Jets receiving core, and even they are bold plays.

Sammy Watkins

4 targets, 0 receptions, 0 yards

It’s just funny now, I’m sorry.

Amari Cooper

2 targets, 1 reception, 8 yards

It’s just funny now, I’m sorry.

TIGHT ENDS

Zach Ertz + Travis Kelce

ZE: 12 targets, 6 receptions, 61 yards, 1 touchdown / TK: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 98 yards

This color is gold if you can’t tell. Get your hands on one of these two, Gronk and Reed are becoming more of the Boom (lace up) Bust (injured) play.

Cameron Brate

9 targets, 5 receptions, 68 yards, 1 touchdown

Brate is Jameis Winston‘s more trusted tight end. 3 straight weeks with a touchdown, and the looks are certainly there for him more so than Howard. At first, it was thought this would be a tight end timeshare so-to-say, but we are seeing this is more likely what can be expected in Tampa Bay.

Eric Ebron

4 targets, 1 reception, 6 yards

Ebron was outsnapped by Darren Fells (sure, go google him). That’s all that needs to be said.

RUNNING BACKS

Javorius “Buck” Allen

21 carries, 73 rushing yards, 1 touchdown & 5 targets, 4 receptions, 12 receiving yards

Know someone who was all in on Alex Collins within the last couple weeks? We hope they didn’t drag you into that trap. What sets Buck apart is his pass-catching ability mixed with good size. Everyone thinks of the third down back as the smaller back, but who took the successful 1 yard goal-line plunge? We hope you acted sooner to snag Buck.

Jay Ajayi

25 carries, 77 rushing yards & 3 targets, 2 receptions, 2 receiving yards

Sometimes it’s better to take notice of running backs after a tough yardage game, because their value ultimately takes a hit. When you look at his total fantasy points (including a fumble lost), you aren’t happy. However, take a look at the score. He was able to gain 79 total yards, and the Miami Offense as a whole mustered only 178 yards and 12 first downs in a 16-10 win. His blow-up game is coming, be patient or be the one to pounce. Also, the Dolphins are somehow 2-2, so they will continue to feed Ajayi as the AFC East is virtually tied.

Andre Ellington

1 carry, -2 rush yards & 10 targets, 9 receptions, 65 receiving yards

PPR alone, Ellington should play a role for the extended time that David Johnson will be out. With all the injuries and inconsistent backs, why not put a consistent receiver in your lineup at the running back spot?

 

Matt Breida Carlos Hyde

MB: 10 carries, 49 rushing yards & 5 targets, 3 receptions, 22 receiving yards / CH: 8 carries, 11 rushing yards & 1 target, 1 reception, 7 receiving yards

Snaps for Breida: 36 total, 5 in overtime. Snaps for Hyde: 34 total, 2 in overtime. Doesn’t provide the job safety you want with one of your top backs. This could be scary moving forward, as every touch Breida gets seems to be an opportunity to turn it loose. Conversely, every touch Hyde gets seems to be an opportunity to limp to the sideline.

Jonathan Stewart / Christian McCaffrey

JS: 18 carries, 21 rushing yards & 3 targets, 3 receptions, 23 receiving yards / CM: 3 carries, 5 rushing yards & 7 targets, 5 receptions, 31 receiving yards, 1 touchdown

Perhaps everyone just assumed Stewart was going to roll over and die, and that McCaffrey would suddenly become a between the tackles stud. What we failed to understand was that Stewart is roughly 40 pounds heavier than the rookie, and with Cam Newton banged up coming into the year, we should’ve realized Stewart would be relied on to be the centrepiece of the run game rather than the prized quarterback. Game script will play a huge role for McCaffrey. If the Panthers are down and charging back, think McCaffrey. If they are in a close game, think Stewart. The potentially illegal touchdown McCaffrey received in Week 5 will fool a lot of owners, so take advantage. However, you are relying on touchdowns for Stewart and a big play from McCaffrey week after week.

Derrick Henry

4 carries, 9 rushing yards

Sell him to the Demarco Murray owner. The stand alone value we thought existed with Henry is starting to sound silly now. Murray and Henry without the other would be awesome, but the duo is driving people nuts.

To leave off…

The “Use It or Lose It” usage stats of the week!

This is not a knock on the Jaguars as they completely dominated the Steelers on the ground, but in Week 5, Blake Bortles threw a grand total of 14 times and completed 8 of these throws. In the same game, Antonio Brown was targeted 19 times and caught 10… Wow.

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