The Fantasy 32 analyzes the NFL from a fantasy football perspective, with one capsule for each of the league's 32 teams. Although efficiency will be discussed plenty, the column will lean heavily on usage data, as volume is king in fantasy football. Use these tidbits to make the best waiver wire pickups, trade decisions and lineup sit/start choices for the upcoming week and beyond. Be sure to check back each week of the season for a new version of the Fantasy 32.
You might have noticed that starting with Week 10, the Fantasy 32 has undergone a slight format change and -- more importantly -- is available earlier than usual. Because we want to get you snap and usage information as soon as possible, the Fantasy 32 will now initially be released on Sunday night with analysis of all teams other than those yet to play that week. The clubs playing on Sunday and Monday night will be added once those games conclude. The OFP leaderboards that usually lead this column aren't calculated until the day after each game, so going forward, be sure to check out the complete OFP and OTD charts, which are updated every Tuesday at ESPN+.
Team-by-team rundowns
Scan through all 32 NFL teams alphabetically, or click here to jump ahead to your team:
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAC | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
Arizona Cardinals
Christian Kirk came up short of expectations in a great matchup against Seattle on Thursday, managing a 4-50-0 receiving line on six targets while playing a season-high 91% of the offensive snaps. Kirk has cooled in a big way, with back-to-back duds after he scored five touchdowns in a three-game span. Aside from a trio of top-15 fantasy weeks during that span, Kirk hasn't finished a week better than 29th and has only one other finish better than 44th. Kirk's 5.7 targets per game (17% share) in Arizona's high-scoring offense is enough to keep him on the flex radar, but he shouldn't be considered a must start in anything but the deepest formats.
Atlanta Falcons
In a story that should remind you of 2019's Todd Gurley II, 2020's Gurley has struggled with efficiency but has bailed out his fantasy investors with a whole bunch of touchdowns. At least, he did prior to Sunday. Gurley was held to 29 yards and zero scores on nine touches against the Saints and has now averaged no better than 3.3 yards per carry in five consecutive games. Gurley's eight carries Sunday were his fewest in a game this season, and his 39% snap shape was also a season low. Gurley's 23 snaps trailed Brian Hill's 24, and Ito Smith was on the field for six plays. Gurley will certainly bounce back in the carry department, but he has cleared two targets in only four games this season, and he remains extremely dependent on touchdowns. Consider him a low-ceiling RB2.
Baltimore Ravens
J.K. Dobbins played 40 of 63 offensive snaps in Sunday's loss to the Titans. That 64% rate is his second highest of the season and easily his highest in a game in which Mark Ingram II was active. Ingram played only five snaps in the game, compared to 13 for Gus Edwards and seven for Justice Hill. Dobbins delivered the goods, as usual, with a 15-70-1 rushing line and 15 yards on a pair of targets. The other three backs combined for 8 yards on five carries and weren't targeted. There's reason for optimism that Dobbins has been unleashed, but we need to consider that Baltimore could go right back to a committee, especially after Dobbins was held to five carries on 26 snaps just last week. Dobbins also won't be used much as a receiver (he has had exactly two targets in four straight games). Dobbins and Ingram are unlikely to play against the Steelers after testing positive for COVID-19. The game against the Steelers has been moved from Thanksgiving to Sunday, due to additional virus concerns.
Buffalo Bills
Stefon Diggs entered Buffalo's Week 11 bye atop the wide receiver leaderboard in targets (103), receptions (73), receiving yards (906) and fantasy points (188). Unlike in Minnesota last season, Diggs' production has been fueled by volume -- not off-the-charts efficiency -- which suggests that it is very much sustainable. Diggs' massive 29% target share in Buffalo's pass-heavy scheme has led him to 10.3 targets per game. That includes at least six targets in all 10 games and at least 11 in five games. Diggs has delivered an extremely high floor, with at least 14.9 fantasy points in 90% of his outings. Consider Josh Allen's top weapon a solid weekly WR1 option, even with Buffalo set to face a fairly tough schedule moving forward.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers gave the Mike Davis crowd an early scare on Sunday, turning to undrafted rookie Rodney Smith as the top back to open the game. Smith didn't last long in the role, however, playing only nine snaps and ending up with 29 yards on six carries. Davis played 73% of the snaps and produced a 19-64-1 rushing line while adding 15 yards on a pair of targets. Christian McCaffrey remains week-to-week and very well could return against the Vikings on Sunday, but if not, Davis appears to be back on track and can be viewed as a borderline RB1.
Chicago Bears
David Montgomery entered Chicago's Week 11 bye with two touchdowns and a 5.4 OTD. That 3.4 gap is third highest in the NFL and suggests that Montgomery has been unlucky in the scoring department. Montgomery hasn't been short usage, averaging 14.7 carries and 5.3 targets per game since Tarik Cohen was placed on injured reserve. Bears running backs have combined for nine carries inside the opponent's 7-yard line this season, and Montgomery is responsible for all nine, though only one resulted in a score. Montgomery's feature back role isn't in jeopardy, and he'll face what is statistically the easiest remaining fantasy schedule for a running back. Montgomery remains a viable RB2 with room for more.
Cincinnati Bengals
Giovani Bernard ran for 18 yards on nine carries and added 37 yards on five targets against the Football Team on Sunday. It was Bernard's worst fantasy showing since he replaced Joe Mixon as the starter, though he has now fallen short of 10 points in back-to-back games. Also concerning was Bernard's 56% snaps share, which was his lowest since Week 6. Samaje Perine appears to be closing the gap on Bernard, having played 44% of the snaps, his highest rate since he played 50% while with Washington in Week 16 of the 2017 season. Perine wasn't especially productive on Sunday (21 yards on six touches), but he has handled 22 carries in the Bengals' past three games. Bernard has a good matchup against the Giants in Week 12, but his decline in usage and lack of production, as well as Joe Burrow's season-ending injury, have dinged his fantasy value. Bernard is a borderline RB2 play.
Cleveland Browns
Jarvis Landry was held to 23 yards on two targets against the Eagles on Sunday. It was obviously yet another disappointing effort for a player who hasn't scored a touchdown this season or cleared 52 yards in a game since Week 5. If there's a silver lining, it's that Cleveland's past three games have been in terrible weather conditions, with Sunday's outing derailed by rain (Cleveland attempted only 18 passes) and the prior two by heavy winds (Cleveland combined for 45 pass attempts in those two games). Landry's snap share has dropped to 57% the past two weeks after he played 76% during Weeks 3 through 8, which is a concern, but he has a better matchup against the Jaguars this week and should be assured a pretty generous target share with Odell Beckham Jr. sidelined. Landry remains a flex option.
Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott posted a 21-103-0 rushing line and added 11 yards and one touchdown on two targets against the Vikings on Sunday. Elliott played a healthy 70% of the offensive snaps, and it was easily his best game since Dak Prescott went down for the season in Week 5. Following the strong fantasy showing, Elliott is someone to consider trading prior to Wednesday's deadline. Dallas running backs are set to face the hardest schedule in Weeks 12 through 16. The slate includes Washington, Baltimore, Cincinnati, San Francisco and Philadelphia. All five defenses entered Sunday ranked among the top 13 in fantasy points allowed to running backs. Elliott certainly can hang on for RB1 numbers if he maintains a 20-plus-carry role, but the tough schedule, his minimal pass-catching usage (three or fewer targets in four straight games) and the wild card that is Andy Dalton under center make it a risky proposition. If you can move Elliott for another top-end asset based on name recognition and his Week 11 showing, you should try to get it done.
Denver Broncos
The Denver backfield committee had a good day Sunday, with Melvin Gordon III posting a 15-84-2 rushing line and Phillip Lindsay chipping in with a 16-82-0 line against Miami. Oddly, neither running back was targeted, but at least in Gordon's case, the rushing production was enough for a strong fantasy performance. Gordon out-snapped Lindsay 32-to-27 and has been on the field more than his running mate in all six games they've played together this season. Gordon's big day marks his first weekly finish better than 20th since Week 4, so we don't want to get too excited. The veteran back remains a borderline RB2 and should be downgraded in Week 12 against a very good Saints run defense. Lindsay has managed one top-20 fantasy week this season, and though he's a solid insurance option, he shouldn't be in lineups.
Detroit Lions
D'Andre Swift (concussion) was out on Sunday, which, combined with the Lions' trailing for the entire game, led to Kerryon Johnson playing 69% of Detroit's offensive snaps. That's compared to 31% for Adrian Peterson. Neither back was effective in the shutout loss, with Johnson totaling 17 yards on six carries and 21 yards on five targets. Peterson added 18 yards on seven carries and didn't catch his lone target. Swift certainly has a shot to return on Thanksgiving and, if he does, will be a borderline RB1 play. However, if the rookie remains out, Johnson will be the preferred flex option over Peterson against Houston's poor run defense.
Green Bay Packers
Allen Lazard returned from injury Sunday after a six-game absence. Green Bay's primary slot receiver was held to a 2-18-0 receiving line on four targets while playing only 60% of the snaps. That mark trailed those of Davante Adams (95%) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (86%) and was well below Lazard's 88% rate in Weeks 1 through 3. Lazard was likely limited in his return, and it's reasonable to expect more usage moving forward. That's especially the case when you consider that he was fantasy's No. 9-scoring WR through Week 3 (13-254-2 receiving line). Perhaps the emergences of Valdes-Scantling and Robert Tonyan will keep Lazard off the fantasy radar, but this offense is good enough that he's worth a speculative bench spot. Of course, he isn't a recommended flex against a good Bears pass defense in Week 12.
Houston Texans
Duke Johnson struggled to 15 yards on 10 carries and 20 yards on five targets against the Patriots on Sunday. It was Johnson's second consecutive dud after he was held to 54 yards on 14 carries and one target in heavy winds against Cleveland in Week 10. That's the bad news. The good news is that Johnson played 77% of the offensive snaps and has played more than three-quarters of the snaps in three straight games. Johnson's 43 snaps Sunday put him well ahead of C.J. Prosise (14), whereas Buddy Howell and Scottie Phillips combined to play zero. Johnson is set up with an elite Week 12 matchup against Detroit's horrific run defense, so he remains a viable RB2.
Indianapolis Colts
The headache that is the Colts' backfield threw us another curveball on Sunday, as Jonathan Taylor ran for 90 yards on 22 carries and added 24 yards on four targets. Taylor played 39 snaps (53%), which was his highest total since Week 2 and well ahead of that of both Nyheim Hines (26 snaps) and Jordan Wilkins (nine). Wilkins was productive with his small workload (36 yards on five touches), whereas Hines added 2 yards on six carries and 31 yards on four targets. Taylor's usage and performance suggest that he could provide RB2 numbers going forward, but keep in mind that this was an outlier compared to his usual contributions. Sunday marked only Taylor's second weekly finish better than 19th since Week 3. In fact, he had a grand total of 20 fantasy points in his three games prior to Week 11. Taylor and Hines are both flex options in Week 12, whereas Wilkins belongs on your bench or waivers.
Jacksonville Jaguars
James Robinson played 71% of the Jaguars' offensive snaps and handled 100% of the team's carries on Sunday. In an extremely tough matchup against Pittsburgh, Robinson put up a 17-73-0 rushing line and added 21 yards on a pair of targets. Robinson's 11.4 fantasy points were his third fewest of the season, though he has reached double digits in every game. Robinson has been a bit over his head in the touchdown department and will now face arguably the league's hardest remaining schedule for a running back (CLE, MIN, TEN, BAL, CHI, IND). Robinson's massive workload will keep him cemented into the RB1 discussion, though expectations should be lowered down the stretch, considering the tough slate and the team's quarterback woes.
Kansas City Chiefs
Touchdown regression to the mean was inevitable for Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and it has finally come to fruition over the past month. After finding the end zone on only one of his 128 touches in his first six NFL games, the rookie has scored four touchdowns on his 41 touches in his past four games. The latter was primarily fueled by Edwards-Helaire's most recent outing, which included a 14-69-2 rushing line and 8 yards on a pair of targets against the Raiders. He's now up to 10th at running back in fantasy points and has finished only one week worse than 26th. Edwards-Helaire's playing time is down since the arrival of Le'Veon Bell, but he remains the main man, having played 37 snaps (51%) compared to 19 each for Bell and Darrel Williams on Sunday. Edwards-Helaire is a strong weekly RB2 option, though he'll have his hands full with the Buccaneers' terrific run defense in Week 12.
Las Vegas Raiders
During his breakout 2019 season, Darren Waller ranked no lower than fourth at tight end in snaps, targets, receptions, yardage and fantasy points ... but he scored only three touchdowns. Through 10 games this season, Waller ranks no lower than fourth at tight end in snaps, targets, receptions, yardage and fantasy points ... and he has five touchdowns. Waller's fifth score came Sunday night, as he put a 7-88-1 receiving line on the Chiefs. Fantasy's No. 2-scoring tight end has produced five top-six weeks and has finished only one week worse than 16th. Waller's 8.3 targets per game and newfound ability to reach the end zone in a productive Raiders offense have him locked in as the second-best tight end in fantasy, behind only Travis Kelce.
Los Angeles Chargers
Hunter Henry put up a 4-48-1 receiving line on seven targets in Sunday's win over the Jets. Henry has now found the end zone in back-to-back games after totaling one score in his first eight games of 2020. Henry's improved fantasy production isn't surprising, considering that he has played 89% of the snaps this season, he has handled at least six targets in eight of his 10 games, and he is one of the top three targets for Justin Herbert, who is averaging 294 passing yards and 2.9 passing touchdowns per game since Week 4. Henry is a weekly TE1 play.
Los Angeles Rams
Cooper Kupp posted a 11-145-0 receiving line on 13 targets against the Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. Kupp's roller coaster season continues, as he's reached nine catches and 100 yards in three games, but also has four games with 50 or fewer yards and zero touchdowns. Despite the boom/bust production, Kupp sits 19th at wide receiver in fantasy points and he's averaging a career-high 9.1 targets per game. Kupp's snaps are down as of late, but he was on the field for a respectable 72% of the plays on Monday, which is more than enough to allow solid fantasy contributions. Especially with the Rams having returned to a pass-first offense, Kupp remains a solid weekly WR2.
Miami Dolphins
Matt Breida returned from injury on Sunday, but the Miami backfield still belonged to undrafted rookie Salvon Ahmed. Ahmed played 41 of 61 (67%) snaps, compared to 15 for Patrick Laird and seven for Breida. Ahmed posted a 12-43-0 rushing line and added 31 yards on six targets. Breida was held to 4 yards on two carries and wasn't targeted. Laird had no carries and managed 8 yards on a pair of targets.Myles Gaskin is eligible to return in Week 12, so this is a situation to monitor, but he remains out. Ahmed's secure role as Miami's interim lead back would make him a solid RB2 option against the lowly Jets.
Minnesota Vikings
Every season, there are a few players who break math, specifically as it pertains to touchdowns. Adam Thielen is one of those players in 2020, as the veteran wideout put up 123 yards and two more touchdowns on 11 targets on Sunday. Thielen entered the game with nine touchdowns in as many games, despite a 5.6 OTD. Thielen also entered the week pacing the NFL in end zone targets (13), which obviously helps his cause, but he has nonetheless been on an unsustainable pace. The good news, though, is that Thielen saw 11 targets against Dallas after totaling 21 in his previous four games. Even if Thielen's touchdown rate dips, he's handling nearly 30% of the targets in a high-scoring (albeit run-heavy) Minnesota offense. He remains a borderline WR1.
New England Patriots
Damiere Byrd came out of nowhere to produce a 6-132-1 receiving line on seven targets Sunday in Houston. Byrd was on the field for 60 of a possible 66 offensive snaps, compared to 65 for Jakobi Meyers, 49 for N'Keal Harry and four for Donte Moncrief. Despite the heavy usage and big game, Byrd isn't a viable weekly starter in fantasy. He entered the week having played 92% of New England's snaps, so that part of the equation is nothing new. However, he had finished six of his nine games with four or fewer targets and fell short of 40 yards in five of those outings. Byrd's touchdown Sunday was his first of the season. Especially with Julian Edelman nearing a return, Byrd is no more than a desperation boom/bust flex in deeper leagues.
New Orleans Saints
Taysom Hill made his first NFL start on Sunday and handled 100% of the Saints' quarterback snaps. Hill showed well, completing 18 of 23 passes for 233 yards and adding 10 carries for 51 yards and two scores. Not unlike what we've seen from Cam Newton this season, Hill didn't rack up many pass attempts and didn't throw a touchdown, but he managed a strong fantasy day thanks to his legs. This should be the expectation moving forward, which puts Hill on the QB1 radar against Denver this week. Note that although Hill attempted only 23 passes, he targeted Michael Thomas 12 times. Thomas and Alvin Kamara are the only Saints who should be locked into lineups right now.
New York Giants
If we exclude a Week 2 game earlier this season in which he left injured after seeing four targets on 15 snaps, Sterling Shepard has been targeted at least six times in 21 consecutive games. Seriously. New York's top wide receiver is averaging 8.0 targets per game (23% team share) during the stretch. That includes 7.6 per game (23% share) in 2020. Shepard's career-low 6.9 aDOT hasn't allowed much in terms of yardage (295) or touchdowns (one) but has allowed a healthy 81% catch rate. He sits 21st among wide receivers in fantasy points during his five full games. Shepard is locked in as a PPR WR3 with New York back from its bye this weekend.
New York Jets
Jamison Crowder was limited to one catch for 16 yards on three targets against the Chargers on Sunday. The dud is especially alarming after Crowder was held to 26 yards on two targets in Week 10 (though he did bail out his investors with a touchdown in that one). What's odd about Crowder's "slump" is that he has a total of five targets in his past two games after seeing at least 10 in each of his first four outings. There are two reasons for optimism with Crowder moving forward. First, he played a season-high 93% of the offensive snaps on Sunday. Second, Joe Flacco was the Jets' quarterback during Crowder's two down games, and Sam Darnold is expected back in Week 12. Crowder is suddenly a low-floor WR/flex option, though again, you can feel better about him if Darnold returns.
Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Goedert came through with a 5-77-1 receiving line on six targets Sunday against the Browns. The big day marks Goedert's best fantasy showing since he put an 8-101-1 line on the board in Week 1, but this wasn't difficult to see coming. Since his return in Week 8, Goedert had played 88% of the offensive snaps and racked up 59 air yards on six targets against the Giants in Week 10. Goedert played 100% of the Eagles' offensive snaps on Sunday, which certainly helped fuel the strong day. Zach Ertz is expected back as soon as Week 12, though note that Goedert was targeted 17 times while working alongside Ertz during Weeks 1 and 2. Goedert remains a fringe TE1.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Eric Ebron put up a 4-36-1 receiving line on seven targets against the Jaguars on Sunday. Ebron has now scored in three of his past four games and has handled at least five targets in all but two of his 10 games this season. Ebron's Steelers' career started slowly, with 61 yards in Weeks 1 and 2, but he's a top-10 fantasy tight end since that point. Ebron has played at least 84% of the offensive snaps in five consecutive games, and the 93% he played on Sunday was the third-highest rate of his career. A consistent factor in a high-scoring and pass-first Steelers' offense, Ebron is a borderline TE1 play against the Ravens in Week 12 (and beyond).
San Francisco 49ers
Raheem Mostert is expected back from injury as San Francisco returns from its bye this weekend. Let this serve as your reminder that Mostert has crushed it when healthy this season, ranking sixth among running backs in fantasy points during four active weeks. The most incredible thing is that Mostert played only two full games, leaving Week 2 after 13 snaps and Week 6 early in the third quarter. Mostert has seen an uptick in targets this season (3.0 compared to 1.3 last season), which adds to his appeal. Assuming that he is, in fact, back, Mostert has a tough matchup against the Rams this week, but he's still a solid RB2 and has back-end RB1 upside moving forward.
Seattle Seahawks
Carlos Hyde returned from injury Thursday and posted a 14-79-1 rushing line while adding 16 yards on three targets. That was extremely similar to his production in the first game against Arizona (15-68-1 rushing with 8 yards on three targets). Of course, in both situations, Hyde was filling in for an injured Chris Carson. In three games with both backs healthy, Hyde totaled a 16-57-1 rushing line and added 26 yards on three targets. Hyde played 46 snaps in those three games, compared to 108 for Carson. Carson is expected back against the Eagles in Week 12, so while he'll remain on the RB1 radar, Hyde is no more than an insurance option. Should Carson remain out, Hyde, who played 72% of the snaps Thursday, would be a solid RB2.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Antonio Brown played 42 of a possible 67 snaps (63%) against the Rams on Monday Night Football. That's compared to 66 snaps for Chris Godwin, 59 for Mike Evans, 14 for Scotty Miller and seven for Tyler Johnson. Despite clearly operating as the No. 3 receiver, Brown paced the team in targets (13), receptions (eight) and receiving yards (57). Brown also put up a solid receiving line last week (7-69-0) and has now seen 26 targets in three games since joining the team (8.7 per game). Brown has yet to find the end zone, but his usage in Tampa Bay's high-scoring offense suggests touchdowns are on the horizon. Buccaneers wide receivers have the league's easiest schedule during the fantasy playoffs, so Brown is a player you may want to consider trying to trade for before your deadline.
Tennessee Titans
Corey Davis posted a 5-113-0 receiving line on seven targets Sunday against the Ravens. Davis' breakout season continues, as he has reached 67 yards in five of his eight games while scoring three touchdowns along the way. Davis is a top-20 fantasy wide receiver during his eight active weeks this season, and that level of production is sustainable, considering that he has seen at least six targets in six of those games. Davis isn't a super-appealing WR3 against a very good Colts' pass defense this week, but he'll be on the WR3/flex radar every week moving forward.
Washington Football Team
Cam Sims has worked his way up the Washington depth chart and has been Terry McLaurin's running mate on the perimeter since Week 7. The 2018 UDFA has played at least 72% of the offensive snaps in four consecutive games, but it hasn't translated to fantasy success. Sims had a random 110-yard showing in Week 9 but has been held to fewer than 55 yards in every other game. The only touchdown of his career came against the Giants in Week 6. Sims was held to 20 yards in a great matchup against the Bengals on Sunday and obviously shouldn't be close to lineups.