The Utilization Report. Everything you need for Fantasy Football in Week 9
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 8 Takeaways
Waiver Wire
To make the waiver wire section of this column, a player must be rostered less than 50% of the time in typical leagues like Yahoo! or ESPN. If players are trending upwards in utilization or performance and are over that threshold, they will be found under the upgrade or buy-low section.
WR – Rondale Moore
Moore has taken over the No. 2 role in Arizona with a 95% route participation since Week 5. Despite the return of A.J. Green and the arrival of Robbie Anderson, the second-year WR has secured an every-down role and has eight-plus targets in three out of four games.
Marquise Brown will likely return sometime between Week 12 and 16, but that is a wide range of outcomes. Moore will feel the squeeze when Brown returns, but he is a talented young player who can help fantasy managers right now.
- FAB: 15-25%
WR – Terrace Marshall Jr.
Marshall has carved out a significant role over the last three weeks since Robbie Anderson walked off the field on the Panthers. Over the last two games, he operated as an every-down WR.
| Week | Routes | TPRR | Targets | ADOT | Air Yards | EZ Tgts | 3rd/4th Down Targets | PA Targets | PPR |
| 5 | 37% | 21% | 10% | 4.5 | 6% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 7.0 |
| 6 | 65% | 7% | 5% | 4.0 | 15% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 |
| 7 | 96% | 13% | 14% | 21.3 | 36% | 0% | 17% | 33% | 5.1 |
| 8 | 95% | 25% | 26% | 10.7 | 21% | 60% | 30% | 0% | 12.7 |
| YTD | 35% | 18% | 8% | 10.7 | 11% | 30% | 8% | 12% | 5.0 |
The former second-round draft pick was a bust in his rookie season, with only a 10% TPRR and 0.50 yards per route run (YPRR). However, he is showing signs of life in 2022 with an 18% TPRR and a 1.56 YPRR. Those aren’t amazing numbers, but they are signs of life for a WR many were very high on coming out of LSU in 2021.
The Panthers' offense has shown improvement with P.J. Walker under center. With Christian McCaffrey and Anderson gone, there is an opportunity for an extremely condensed target tree between Marshall and D.J. Moore in Carolina.
We don’t often get young high-draft-pick WRs suddenly playing in prominent roles available on the waiver wire. Don’t sleep on Marshall – he could be a huge season-long win off the wire. He is available in 99% of Yahoo! Leagues. If you play in a deeper format – don’t be afraid to be more aggressive than the FAB recommendation below.
- FAB: 5-10%
Sell High
RB – Antonio Gibson
Gibson has three top-24 finishes over the last three games, but his utilization profile remains in no-mans-land. Brian Robinson Jr. is the primary early-down option, and J.D. McKissic snipes over 80% of the passing-down work.
| Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
| 5 | 32% | 19% | 28% | 11% | 33% | 29% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 6.9 |
| 6 | 26% | 17% | 25% | 19% | 57% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 0% | 8.3 |
| 7 | 39% | 26% | 36% | 13% | 33% | 33% | 0% | 38% | 0% | 16.7 |
| 8 | 36% | 32% | 33% | 24% | 54% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 7% | 20.7 |
| YTD | 43% | 40% | 33% | 13% | 32% | 37% | 75% | 12% | 5% | 13.1 |
Gibson is the best back on the Commanders. His 32% TPRR is elite for a running back, but the 37% route participation is poor. The third-year RB averages more yards after contact (2.71) and creates more 10-plus yard runs (9%) than Robinson (2.48 and 4%).
Unless the Commanders move Gibson today or an injury strikes an RB teammate, Gibson is in a tough situation. He isn’t a player we want to give away because the talent profile is there, but his recent success isn’t sustainable with an RB4 utilization profile.
Buy Low (or Buy High)
RB – Dameon Pierce
Pierce has dominated touches on the ground all season (77%), which has been enough to keep his fantasy value in the high-end RB2 range despite a bad offense in Houston. However, something happened in Week 8 that could catapult his rest-of-season value into the top-six: he took over 100% of the two-minute offense.
| Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
| 5 | 79% | 81% | 50% | 22% | 38% | 100% | 100% | 20% | 0% | 20.3 |
| 6 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 |
| 7 | 52% | 87% | 29% | 10% | 33% | 50% | 0% | 9% | 0% | 15.7 |
| 8 | 78% | 88% | 59% | 12% | 16% | 100% | 0% | 23% | 100% | 14.1 |
| YTD | 60% | 77% | 37% | 10% | 24% | 68% | 100% | 10% | 12% | 15.4 |
In Week 7, we saw Rex Burkhead lose that role to Dare Ogunbowale, and it transitioned to Pierce in Week 8.
The change led to a 78% snap rate in a game where the Texans trailed by four-plus points on 61% of plays. We can’t say for sure that Pierce will keep this role, but it is the first time we have seen him in the two-minute offense.
If this is a one-week fluke, you are getting a high-end RB2, thanks to his domination of rushing attempts. The rookie also sees 100% of the work inside the five-yard line on a team that runs the ball the second-most in that situation (71%).
Whoever has Pierce on their roster won’t be willing to sell low, but he probably isn’t untouchable after RB18 and RB21 finishes. And they almost certainly don’t know about the possible role expansion since his fantasy points didn’t go up.
Act now and pay the high-end RB2 price tag – that could be his floor the rest of the way.
WR – Amon-Ra St. Brown
St. Brown finished as a top-24 receiver in his first full game since Week 2. Despite missing part of three games and all of one, he is the WR26 on the season.
He has an elite TPRR of 31% and a 1.86 YPRR. The T.J. Hockenson trade to the Vikings won’t help, but if you can buy at his low-end WR2 price tag, there is much room for upside.
Even if you pay a mid-range WR2 price, there will be plenty of profit remaining – Brown remains a low-end WR1 in the rest-of-season ranks thanks to his elite talent profile.
Upgrades
QB – Justin Fields
Fields already received an upgrade last week thanks to a mouth-watering 10.5 rushing attempts per game over the last four weeks. However, the frightening aspect of Fields' profile was in the passing attack, where he is on pace for only 2,547 yards and 15 TDs.
Now the Bears add Chase Claypool for a second-round pick, giving the young QB another option to go along with Darnell Mooney. Jalen Hurts finished as the QB9 in 2021 with only 3,200 yards through the air – that could be in reach now.
Fields was already a low-end QB1, but now he has a mid-range QB1 upside.
WR – D.J. Moore
Moore moves back into the low-end WR2 conversation after 27.5 and 19.6-point fantasy performances. His underlying data from the first six games is night and day versus the last two:
- First-six games target share: 24%
- Last-two games target share: 38%
- First-six games catchable targets: 57% (-19 vs. NFL average)
- Last-two games catchable targets: 76%
While playing the splits game in small samples can be dangerous, we know Moore is a high-quality talent – he has proven that in every underlying receiving metric over his career – and the departure of Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson leaves a lot of targets up for grabs. Yes, targets are earned; fortunately, Moore is someone we know can earn them.
The Panthers' offense won’t suddenly become a juggernaut, but in a potential funnel offense, all we need is someone to play at an average to below-average level. P.J. Walker is providing that right now – making Moore a low-end WR2 with upside moving forward.
WR – Garrett Wilson
Wilson has hit season-highs in route participation in the last two games with Elijah Moore in the doghouse and Corey Davis sidelined.
| Week | Routes | TPRR | Targets | ADOT | Air Yards | EZ Tgts | 3rd/4th Down Targets | PA Targets | PPR |
| 1 | 56% | 23% | 16% | 8.8 | 24% | 50% | 13% | 13% | 9.2 |
| 2 | 72% | 39% | 34% | 12.9 | 42% | 100% | 42% | 14% | 30.0 |
| 3 | 66% | 19% | 16% | 7.7 | 13% | 0% | 18% | 29% | 12.0 |
| 4 | 86% | 17% | 19% | 7.2 | 16% | 0% | 29% | 0% | 6.1 |
| 5 | 73% | 17% | 17% | 4.3 | 7% | 0% | 20% | 33% | 5.7 |
| 6 | 64% | 38% | 31% | 6.2 | 29% | 0% | 80% | 20% | 1.8 |
| 7 | 88% | 14% | 17% | 1.8 | 6% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 6.5 |
| 8 | 98% | 17% | 21% | 8.4 | 17% | 0% | 18% | 29% | 17.5 |
| YTD | 74% | 22% | 21% | 8.5 | 21% | 33% | 24% | 19% | 11.1 |
Wilson leads the team in TPRR (21%), target share (21%), and YPRR (1.76) – all positive signs for the first-round rookie, who should continue to operate in a lead role even once Davis returns (14% TPRR).
The Jets’ offense has been problematic due to their ability to stick to the run game in leading scripts. However, as bad as Zach Wilson has been at real football, he showed the ability to put up counting numbers (355 yards and 2 TDs passing) when forced in a trailing scenario in Week 8.
He also makes a great buy-low option and is available in 48% of Yahoo! Leagues. Wilson is a low-end WR3 with WR2 upside in games where the Jets trail.
WR – Kadarius Toney
Toney managers will have to practice patience, but the Chiefs don’t have a dominant target option behind Travis Kelce (24%).
- JuJu Smith Schuster: 18%
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling: 15%
- Mecole Hardman: 10%
We don’t know that the former first-round pick can pull things together, but that is a lackluster WR corps begging for someone to take over. Toney only ran 201 routes as a rookie, but he was dominant with a 26% TPRR and 2.06 YPRR.
Toney is available in 42% of Yahoo! Leagues. The upside in a pass-first offense with an elite QB is too high. Toney is a high-priority WR5 with WR1 upside if things go right.
WR – Terry McLaurin
McLaurin registered back-to-back season-highs in target share (26% and 29%) with Taylor Heinicke under center. The veteran receiver also leads the team with a 1.74 YPRR.
McLaurin moves into low-end WR2 territory.
TE – Greg Dulcich
Dulcich saw a season-high 91% route participation in Week 8. He has back-to-back 20%-plus target share games, and his yards per route run (YPRR) sits at 1.96.
Historically, these marks all correlate strongly to mid-range TE1 finishes. However, the Broncos' offense isn’t a high-powered attack, and the target competition is high.
Dulcich moves from high-end TE2 status to low-end TE1 and is available in 58% of Yahoo! Leagues.
Downgrades
RB – Damien Harris
Harris was the lead early-down back before his hamstring injury in Week 5, but since his return has operated behind Rhamondre Stevenson.
| Week | Snaps | Rush Att | Routes | Targets | TPRR | SDD Snaps | i5 Att | LDD Snaps | 2MIN Snaps | PPR |
| 1 | 39% | 43% | 31% | 7% | 20% | 67% | 0% | 9% | 0% | 7.8 |
| 2 | 40% | 54% | 25% | 6% | 22% | 60% | 100% | 43% | 0% | 16.7 |
| 3 | 38% | 46% | 29% | 9% | 27% | 40% | 50% | 40% | 0% | 12.6 |
| 4 | 45% | 55% | 24% | 5% | 17% | 33% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 15.4 |
| 5 | 10% | 12% | 4% | 5% | 100% | 33% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2.2 |
| 6 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.0 |
| 7 | 17% | 19% | 14% | 8% | 40% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2.0 |
| 8 | 42% | 34% | 38% | 7% | 12% | 67% | 0% | 12% | 0% | 7.2 |
| YTD | 29% | 33% | 21% | 6% | 22% | 35% | 29% | 15% | 0% | 9.1 |
Harris is a mid-range RB3 trending towards RB4 territory.
WR – Elijah Moore
Moore (16% route participation) operated behind Denzel Mims, Braxton Berrios, and Jeff Smith in Week 8. He is clearly in Robert Saleh’s doghouse.
He flashed significant talent signals as a rookie, and things could turn around quickly, but the near-term outlook isn’t strong for Moore outside of a trade before the deadline.
Moore is only an upside WR6 stash option moving forward.
TE – Tyler Higbee
Higbee left the game briefly with a neck injury but ended up playing 69% of snaps. His route participation hit a season-low of 37%, with the veteran staying in to block on 24% of passing plays.
Higbee’s routes have been in free fall for three weeks, and the Rams offense is struggling – making him a mid-range TE2 until we see something change.
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)
