Welcome to the Utilization Report, where Dwain McFarland highlights his top fantasy football usage takeaways heading into Week 5.

The Top 12 Fantasy Football Usage Takeaways for Week 5

Let's follow the data to identify the top waiver wire options, trade targets, upgrades, and downgrades based on what we learned in Week 4.

Priority Waiver Wire Recommendations

1. Dontayvion Wicks offers league-winning upside.

Wicks has reached a 70% route participation rate or higher in only three games in his young career.

  • 2023 Week 15: 15.7 fantasy points
  • 2023 Week 18: 24.1 fantasy points
  • 2024 Week 4: 23.8 fantasy points

Yes, that is a small sample, but other data also suggests Wicks can ball. Over the last two seasons, when Wicks has been on the field (395 routes), he led the team in target share by a healthy margin.

Early reports indicate Christian Watson's injury is a high-ankle sprain that could keep him out two to four games with a chance of landing on IR. 

Wicks will have an opportunity to stake his claim to the starting job while Watson is out with winnable matchups in three of the next four games against the Rams, Cardinals, and Jaguars secondaries. It is also worth noting that Wicks had already stolen routes from Watson in Weeks 2 and 3 before the injury.

While we have no guarantees Wicks won't return to a rotational platoon once Watson is healthy, opportunities to add a player like this off the waiver wire don't come along every day. At the WR position, talent is the No. 1 driver to future success, and there is a *chance* that Wicks is the best WR on the Packers. Yes, there is also a chance his role is short-lived, but this is the type of talent profile we should bet on. When we get it right, we change the destiny of our fantasy team.

Wicks UPGRADES to low-end WR2 status and offers WR1 upside. He is the No. 1 waiver wire priority for Week 5. In small to medium leagues he is a 35%-plus FAAB option and is worth 50%-plus in deeper formats.

2. Xavier Legette stepped up with Adam Thielen on IR.

The Panthers first-round NFL Draft pick posted season-highs in routes (88%) and targets (24%) on his way to 19.6 fantasy points.

Legette doesn't profile as highly as Wicks due to a lower target-earning profile and the risk of Bryce Young returning to the lineup, but he is a significant consolation prize. Legette's season-long 19% targets per route run on (TPRR) is in WR4 territory, but his 8.6 Utilization Score in his first start paints a picture of untapped potential.

Legette UPGRADES to boom-bust WR4 territory and is a HIGH-PRIORITY waiver wire target.

3. Four running backs whose usage is trending upward.

Tank Bigsby | RB | Jaguars

The two healthiest games of the season for Bigsby have been Week 1 and Week 4. In those two contests, he played 32% of snaps and accounted for 39% of the rushing attempts. Perhaps even more importantly, he has looked great, demonstrating an ability to set up defenders and defeat angles with explosive acceleration.

Travis Etienne battled a shoulder injury yesterday, but Bigsby has looked like the better option in 2024. The second-year back looked like a mere handcuff to start the season, but now the door is open for him to steal touches from Etienne.

Bigsby UPGRADES to low-end RB3 territory and is available in 89% of Yahoo leagues. He is my favorite RB waiver wire target this week.

Emanuel Wilson | RB | Packers

Wilson's role has grown over the last two games, posting a 41% snap share and handling 40% of the Packers' rushing attempts. The well-paid Josh Jacobs remains the No. 1 option in Green Bay, but Wilson has tightened the gap.

Historically, Matt LaFleur has deployed a committee backfield even when talent profiles have screamed to do otherwise (Derrick Henry vs. Dion Lewis and Aaron Jones vs. AJ Dillon). Wilson is a great roster add because he can fill in for an injury or bye week and offers high-end upside should something happen to Jacobs.

Wilson UPGRADES to RB4 status and offers contingent RB1 status if Jacobs goes down; he shouldn't be available in 85% of leagues.

Kareem Hunt | RB | Chiefs

Rookie Carson Steele fumbled early in the game, and Hunt pounced into action. The veteran back led the team in snaps (43%) and rushing attempts (58%). However, Samaje Perine stole the high-leverage opportunities, poaching the lone carry inside the five-yard line and dominating 100% of the two-minute offense.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire could also return to the fray in Week 5, and the Chiefs get a bye in Week 5. Those factors and the dusty nature of Hunt's game over the last two seasons should keep us grounded as we consider waiver options this week, but the door is open for Hunt to lead the KC backfield, which can't be dismissed.

Hunt UPGRADES to RB4 territory and is available in 65% of Yahoo leagues. He is a medium-priority option if you need RB help.

Trey Sermon | RB | Colts

Jonathan Taylor suffered a high-ankle sprain that could sideline him for Week 5 and possibly longer. Sermon has bested fellow backup Tyler Goodson in every utilization category thus far in 2024.

  • Snaps: 19% vs. 6%
  • Attempts: 9% vs. 0%
  • Routes: 28% vs. 10%

Sermon is the priority add of these two backs and is available in 99% of Yahoo leagues.

Sermon UPGRADES to low-end RB2 status until Taylor returns.

4. Josh Downs is the WR2 in Indianapolis.

Downs showed out in Week 4, blitzing the fantasy boxscore with 22.2 points. He has a sterling 32% target share since returning to the lineup in Week 3.

It is important to note the low-aDOT nature of Downs's targets. Despite the elite target share, his air yards are at a meager 15%, a critical component of the Utilization Score.

Still, once you put it all together, Downs has a 6.5 Utilization Score after two contests, which puts him in the WR3 to WR4 conversation. If Anthony Richardson misses any time (hip pointer), Downs and the rest of the Colts' pass catchers get an upgrade with Joe Flacco under center. Flacco supported over 20 of Downs's points in yesterday's game, and his completion rate is 11 percentage points higher than Richardson's.

Downs UPGRADES to boom-bust WR3 status but offers WR2 upside next weekend against the Jaguars if Joe Flacco is under center. He is available in 80% of Yahoo leagues.

5. Wan'Dale Robinson is an underneath target magnet.

If Malik Nabers is Batman, Wan'Dale is Robin(son). While the slot WR might not have the same grapple hook to pull your teams to victory single-handily, his collapsable bo-staff can get the dirty work done. Of course, by dirty work, we mean grinding out enough fantasy points to keep one of your WR positions alive.

Don't look now, but Robinson has a 28% target share.

His 4.8-yard aDOT limits his air yards (17%), which holds down his overall upside. However, those are all factors in the Utilization Score, and Robinson sits at 6.9 for the season. Over the past four years, his peers have finished as a WR3 46% of the time, with 38% managing WR4 campaigns and 15% posting a WR2 finish.

Robinson UPGRADES to low-end WR3 territory in PPR formats and should be added in medium and larger leagues. He is available in 74% of Yahoo leagues.

6. Justin Fields: The Konami Code strikes again.

Fields exploded for 34 fantasy points in Week 4 against the Colts. He ranks fourth in designed rush share (20%) and fifth in scramble rate (10%).

Those numbers have fueled the former first-round NFL Draft pick to 9.3 attempts per game, which is an excellent sign for Fields–-even if his Week 4 passing spike (312 yards and a TD) isn't likely to repeat. Since 2011, nine QBs have averaged less than 230 yards passing per game while reaching eight-plus rushing attempts. That group delivered an average finish of QB8 with 20.8 points per game.

Russell Wilson should be ready for Week 5 against the Cowboys, and Mike Tomlin hasn't officially named his starter. However, Fields appeared to have the early inside track before yesterday's loss, according to Ian Rapoport. We can't go all-in on Fields due to the uncertainty, but Week 4 was a reminder of his upside, and history is on the side of rushing QBs, which makes Fields a player we still want to attack on the waiver wire.

Fields gets a Cowboys defensive unit that won't have DeMarcus Lawrence and will likely be without Micah Parsons, followed by a date with the Raiders. Dallas allows the sixth-most rushing yards per game (146), and Las Vegas sanctions the ninth-most (138).

Fields UPGRADES to low-end QB1 status as long as he holds off Russell Wilson. Despite the uncertainty, he is my favorite QB target on the waiver wire for Week 5.

For more waiver wire advice, check the Utilization Bytes in the last section of this article (updated throughout Monday).

Buy-low and Sell-high Trade Targets for Fantasy Football

7. Chase Brown's role is trending up.

The Bengals coaching staff told us all summer that the backfield split would be close. That didn't happen out of the gate, but Brown is gaining steam over the last three games.

  • Snaps: 18%, 23%, 42%
  • Attempts: 20%, 37%, 52%
  • Routes: 12%, 12%, 33%
  • Targets: 0%, 8%, 11%

Brown even handled two out of three attempts inside the five-yard line in Week 4, supercharging his fantasy boxscore with two TDs. We don't know if Brown will overtake Zack Moss for the lead role, but he is an explosive playmaker who looks more and more comfortable, and the Bengals are scheming touches that fit his running style. That means we should be buying his 23.2-point outing.

The second-year RB will see a price surge after this performance, but I am willing to pay up, given the underlying trend and his league-leading 6.3 yards per carry. This type of player can break fantasy if his role continues to improve. Call it a buy-high situation if you need to, just go get the man.

Brown UPGRADES to mid-range RB3 status and offers contingent RB1 upside, making him a BUY LOW despite the incoming price increase.

8. Drake London is a WR1 breakout candidate.

London is a top-24 WR right now, but his underlying utilization screams WR1 upside. Over the last three games, he has an 8.3 Utilization Score thanks to a whopping 32% target share and 41% air yards share.

Over those three games, Kirk Cousins has thrown for 241, 230, and 238 yards. While those numbers are below Cousins' career averages, the veteran QB is still finding his groove coming off of an Achilles injury and adjusting to a new scheme. That means there is still room for growth with this attack.

But what if this is just what the Falcons offense is the rest of the way? Well, I'm glad you asked. Since 2011, nine WRs have posted a target share between 26 and 32% on a passing offense that averaged between 225 and 245 yards. They finished as the WR10, averaging 17 fantasy points per game.

That aligns with London's three-week Utilization score (8.3). Over the last four years, WRs in that range averaged 16.7 points per game and finished as low-end WR1s.

London offers low-end WR1 upside, making him a priority BUY-LOW option.

9. Brandon Aiyuk is too good to be this bad.

I am not going to belabor this one. Brandon Aiyuk is a good football player in his prime. Historically, we rarely see WRs like Aiyuk suddenly turn into bad players.

Can the 49ers offense be frustrating due to all the weapons? Yes.

Does that mean we should give away Aiyuk? No.

However, that is likely to happen in some of your leagues in the coming days, so be sure to HOLD if you are the Aiyuk manager and BUY if you aren't. Here are some of the trades for Aiyuk in the past 24 hours, where I prefer the Aiyuk side for the rest of the season.

I realize this would NEVER happen in your league, but do me a favor and make sure. After all, 100% of the trade offers you never propose will get rejected.

Aiyuk is a WR3 at worst, making him a great BUY-LOW candidate while ranked as the WR54 in fantasy.

10. Trade for Jake Ferguson before it's too late.

A knee injury derailed Ferguson in Week 1, but he still boasts the second-highest target share on the Cowboys at 22%, and his 27% TPRR is elite. Ferguson ranks third overall in TE Utilization Score (7.5) but looks even better when isolated to his two healthy games (8.4).

Over the last four seasons, TEs with a similar Utilization Score averaged 12.6 points per game and finished between TE4 and TE6 55% of the time. However, 27% managed a top-three TE finish.

Ferguson is my preferred option over George Kittle, Dalton Kincaid, Dallas Goedert, Kyle Pitts, and Mark Andrews (duh).

Ferguson UPGRADES to mid-range TE1 territory and is a priority BUY-HIGH target.

For more trade advice, check the Utilization Bytes in the last section of this article (updated throughout Monday).

Upgrades, Downgrades and Emerging Trends

11. What does the loss of Rashee Rice mean for Kansas City?

The fear is that Rice's knee injury against the Chargers in Week 4 is season-ending, but he is still undergoing tests, so we can't say for certain. Hopefully, we get some good news (there isn't a WR I drafted more), but the focus of this section is what we should expect while Rice is out.

Patrick Mahomes

It is hard to imagine a world where Mahomes suddenly reverts to high-end QB1 status after the loss of Marquise Brown and Rice. Mahomes is currently the QB13 on the season, averaging 15.6 points, and unless Xavier Worthy takes a massive step forward or Rice avoids significant injury, that could be his home the rest of the way.

Mahomes DOWNGRADES to mid-range QB1 status. 

Travis Kelce

Kelce posted a season-high route participation rate (97%) and target share (38%) in Week 4. While a one-week sample shouldn't be overstated, the last time we saw the Cheifs "need" Kelce was in the 2023 playoffs, and he went bonkers after a down year:

  • Route participation: 88%
  • Targets: 29%
  • Fantasy points: 21.5 per game
  • Utilization Score: 9.9

Kelce UPGRADES to the TE1 overall with Rice out.

Xavier Worthy

Worthy posted his best Utilization Score of the season (5.9) thanks to a season-high route participation rate (85%). Still, we need the rookie first-rounder to deliver more as a target-earner. His 13% target share is disappointing, and the Chiefs need him to step up just as much as fantasy managers.

Worthy now has fantasy finishes of WR11, WR56, WR63, and WR21, which perfectly summarizes the high volatility that comes along with Worthy.

Worthy remains a boom-bust WR4 option until he proves he can earn more targets.

12. Andy Dalton loves Diontae Johnson, and so should you.

In two games with Dalton as the starter, Johnson averages 23.8 fantasy points. The recently signed free agent has an unbelievable 10.0 Utilization Score over that span thanks to a 36% target share and 61% air yards share.

Johnson has proven to be a high-end target earner for his entire career and already has a WR8 finish on his resume. While flying this high might not be sustainable, we shouldn't dismiss the newfound connection with Dalton.

Johnson UPGRADES to low-end WR2 status as long as Dalton remains under center in Carolina.

More Fantasy Football Usage Takeaways

QB Utilization Bytes

  • Jayden Daniels: Daniels has the best completion rate of any rookie QB over their first four games at 82%. He currently ranks fourth in passing YPA, third in designed rushing attempt share (20%), and first in scramble rate (17%). Daniels UPGRADES to high-end QB1 territory.
     
  • Joe Burrow: Burrow has a 71% completion rate and averages 7.3 yards per attempt. Over the last three games, he has averaged 20.6 fantasy points in a season where other passers have wilted. Burrow UPGRADES to mid-range QB1 status.

RB Utilization Bytes

  • Aaron Jones: The Vikings used Ty Chandler to spell Jones more often in the first two games. However, Jones accounted for 69% of the rushing attempts over the last two outings and a 55% route participation rate. Jones boasts an 8.8 Utilization Score and is HOLDING STEADY as a low-end RB1 with high-end RB1 upside.
     
  • Bijan Robinson: Robinson saw a season-low 47% of the team's rushing attempts after popping up on the injury report with a shoulder issue. The second-year RB still boasts a 77% (4th) snap share, 61% attempt share (5th), and a 15% target share (7th) on the season with an 8.2 Utilization Score (13th). Robinson is HOLDING STEADY as a high-end RB1.
     
  • Breece Hall: Hall managed only 3.8 fantasy points in Week 4. Braelon Allen is stealing some of Hall's touches with a 36% attempt share over the last three games, but Hall still has an 8.6 Utilization Score over that period. That is still in mid-range RB1 territory. If your local Hall manager is panicking, don't be afraid to take him off their hands. Hall is HOLDING STEADY as a high-end RB1.
     
  • Bucky Irving: Irving saw a season-high snap share (41%) and route participation (35%) in Week 4. He also accounted for 60% of the team's attempts inside the five-yard line. Irving popped up on the injury report last week and was questionable, so we still might not know the full extent of his role. Irving is HOLDING STEADY as a high-end RB4.
     
  • Cam Akers: Akers underperformed in the fantasy box score again but handled 59% of the rushing attempts. He isn't getting the passing down work but is the lead option on early downs. Akers is a borderline RB2 while Mixon is out.
     
  • Carson Steele: Steele lost the handle and fumbled early in the contest. It mainly was the Samaje Perine and Kareem Hunt show after that. Steele's attempts plummeted from 61% to 8% on his way to a fantasy boxscore dud (1.6). Steele DOWNGRADES to RB5 status.
     
  • Chuba Hubbard: Hubbard has ripped off 27.8 and 22.1 fantasy points in his last two outings. In those two games, he has a 66% snap share and 67% rush share with a 13% target share. Those are substantial RB1 numbers per his 8.9 Utilization Score. Hubbard UPGRADES to mid-range RB2 status but is also a SELL-HIGH candidate, with Jonathan Brooks returning soon.
     
  • D'Andre Swift: After speculation of a more significant role for Roschon Johnson, Swift delivered an impressive 29.5 fantasy points in Week 4. The utilization has been there all season, but this was the first production evidence. Swift has a 7.4 Utilization Score on the season, historically RB2 territory. The question is, do you trust this Bears offense? Swift UPGRADES to the high-end RB3 conversation but is a great SELL-HIGH candidate.
     
  • Jerome Ford: Ford dominated the Browns backfield for the third time in three games and managed 15.5 fantasy points in Week 3 despite offensive line injuries. However, the Browns have designated Nick Chubb to return off the PUP, meaning the team could activate him within the next 21 days. Ford is a low-end RB2 but will DOWNGRADE to RB3 to RB4 territory once Chubb returns.
     
  • Josh Jacobs: Matt LaFleur has never given a back over 61% of the rushing attempts during his tenure with the Packers. While that looked possible after two games (70%), the last two games (46%) aren't encouraging. It is worth noting that Malik Willis took some of those carries, but the emergence of Emanuel Wilson hurts. Jacobs DOWNGRADES to high-end RB2 status.
     
  • Travis Etienne: Etienne dealt with a shoulder injury during Week 4, registering a season-low 51% snap share. Bigsby looks like the fresher back, and D'Ernest Johnson is siphoning LDD snaps. Etienne DOWNGRADES to mid-range RB2 status with a 7.2 Utilization Score.
     
  • Zack Moss: Moss dominated the Bengals backfield utilization over the first three games, but Chase Brown is trending upward over the last three games. He still scored 17.8 points thanks to a TD reception in Week 4, but he reached season-lows in snaps (58%) and attempts (48%). Knowing how the Bengals will proceed is difficult, but this race is tightening. Brown is the more explosive playmaker, and the coaches could prioritize getting the younger back more touches as the season progresses. Moss DOWNGRADES to low-end RB2 territory and is a SELL-HIGH candidate.

WR Utilization Bytes

  • Darnell Mooney: Mooney is a free agent in 53% of Yahoo leagues despite ranking as the Falcons' No. 2 receiving option with a 21% target share. His 5.7 Utilization Score suggests a borderline WR4 option and outlier WR2 and WR3 finishes in the distribution. Mooney UPGRADES to low-end WR4 status and is available in 53% of Yahoo leagues.
     
  • D.J. Moore: Moore has isolated himself away from the rest of the offense on the bench over the last two games. Honestly, I have no idea what this means, but it doesn't seem good. He is getting his targets (26%), but he and Caleb Williams aren't on the same page yet. Moore still compares strongly to WR2 and WR3 profiles based on his 7.0 Utilization Score, but fantasy managers were hoping for more than 11.9 points per game. Moore is HOLDING STEADY as a mid-range WR3, but we need to see some signs of life soon.
     
  • Jordan Whittington: Whittington delivered 12.2 fantasy points in Week 4, and his underlying utilization was even more impressive. The rookie had a 97% route participation rate and a 30% target share. We won't see Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua until after the team's Week 6 bye. That leaves the door open for Whittington to provide your fantasy team with a spot start against the Packers in Week 5 in deeper leagues. Whittington is available in most fantasy leagues and profiles as a WR3 until Kupp or Nacua returns.
     
  • Ladd McConkey: McConkey leads the Chargers with a 27% target share this season-–that is high-end WR1 stuff. Unfortunately, the run-first mentality of the Chargers reduces that to six targets per game, which keeps his Utilization Score (5.9) in check. Still, the rookie looks talented enough to thrive at the next level, and Justin Herbert is a quality passer, so anything can happen. McConkey UPGRADES to borderline WR3 status and is available in 44% of Yahoo leagues.
     
  • Ja'Lynn Polk: Polk moved into the WR1 position for the Patriots in Week 4 against the 49ers with an 87% route participation and a 24% target share. The Patriots don't have any other talented options standing in the way of the rookie, so we should see this utilization stick in the coming games. This isn't an offense that inspires much excitement, but things could get more interesting if Drake Maye takes over. Polk UPGRADES to stash WR5 status–-he is available in 91% of leagues.
     
  • Jalen Nailor: Nailor's route participation dipped to 36% with the return of Addison. Nailor DOWNGRADES to WR6 status and can be dropped.
     
  • Jordan Addison: Addison returned to the lineup with a bang, posting 22.9 points. He scored on a long passing TD and added another score on an end around inside the ten-yard line. Addison's target share sits at 14% (excluding games missed), which isn't ideal but we still haven't seen him fully healthy, and it is hard not to get excited about the play of Sam Darnold. There is a lot of upside remaining in the Vikings' passing attack. Addison UPGRADES to low-end WR3 territory but will quickly climb to WR2 status if his target share improves.
     
  • Michael Wilson: Wilson has posted 28% and 32% target shares in the last two games, pushing his total to 19% for the season. He now has a 5.2 Utilization Score. Let's see how he fairs when Trey McBride returns. Wilson is HOLDING STEADY as a WR5.
     
  • Nico Collins: Collins has moved to ALPHA territory with the No. 1 Utilization Score at the position (9.8). He boasts a 29% target share and 45% air yards share–both high-end WR1 marks. His comps have averaged over 21 fantasy points per game, with 100% of them finishing as a top-six option. Collins UPGRADES to high-end WR1 status.
     
  • Rashid Shaheed: Shaheed leads the Saints in target share (27%) and air yards (51%) over the first month of play. New Orleans is one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL, with a minus-8% DBOE, which caps the overall upside on those target shares. Shaheed has a 7.0 Utilization Score. Over the last four seasons, over half of his comps have registered a WR2 campaign. Shaheed UPGRADES to low-end WR2 territory.
     
  • Robert Woods: Woods operated as the Texans' WR3 with Tank Dell out. Woods will be hard-pressed to find many targets between Collins and Stefon Diggs, but if you are looking for a DFS punt play or cheap stack, Woods is the WR4 on the team.
     
  • Tee Higgins: Higgins has a 23% target share and a 6.7 Utilization Score in his two games. He is averaging 9.4 fantasy points. Higgins is HOLDING STEADY as a mid-range WR3.
     
  • Terry McLaurin: McLaurin now has a 27% target share and 56% air yards share. Over the last two contests, he has Utilization Scores of 8.0 and 8.7, bringing his season score to 7.0. The Commanders' offense is running red-hot under Jayden Daniels, and McLaurin has back-to-back top-18 WR finishes. McLaurin UPGRADES to low-end WR2 territory.
     
  • Tre Tucker: Tucker has an impressive 23% target share and a 7.5 Utilization Score over the last two contests. That has led to 19 fantasy points per game, and Tucker might provide fantasy managers with some relief as long as Davante Adams (hamstring) is out of the lineup. Tucker is available in over 90% of leagues and UPGRADES to boom-bust WR4 status until Adams returns.

TE Utilization Bytes

  • Dalton Kincaid: The former first-round NFL Draft pick continues to rotate at the position. In Week 4, he had a 63% route participation before Josh Allen left the game. For the season, he is at 66% with Allen. His Utilization Score comps have averaged 7.3 fantasy points, which aligns with his 8.1 on the season. Hopefully, Kincaid's utilization will change in the coming weeks, but for now, he DOWNGRADES to low-end TE1 territory.
     
  • Mark Andrews: It's official. Mark Andrews is in a rotational role. His route participation over the last two games has plummeted to 35% and 45% in leading game scripts. If his TPRR was at least respectable, we could hold out hope for more points in better game scripts, but he is at a career-worst 11%. Andrews DOWNGRADES to TE2 territory and can be dropped in small and medium-sized leagues–we will alert you if things start to turn around.
     
  • Tucker Kraft: Kraft posted a season-high 86% route participation in a come-from-behind game script. His 13% TPRR for the season is still well below TE1 standards, but there is a chance Kraft moves into the high-end TE2 conversation in the coming weeks if his route participation holds. Kraft is a mid-range TE2.