Snap Counts, Targets, Usage Analysis - Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers for Week 9

It's the beginning of Week 9, which means it's time for another edition of snap count and usage analysis. Every Wednesday morning, I look at the most surprising stats from the prior week to help you for the following week of games. Week 8 might be the craziest edition yet with several unexpected players seeing an increase and decrease in snaps.

It was also a wild fantasy week as several surprising players finishing toward the top. Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell finished as the QB1, Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards finished as the RB3 in PPR formats, and Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins finished as the WR2 in PPR formats.

If you started any of those players, chances are you had yourself a nice fantasy week. Let's look at other players who surprisingly had good or bad weeks based on snap count/usage.

Surprisingly High Snap Count/Usage From Last Week

RB Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks – 59% snap share 

This literally came out of nowhere. After seeing limited snaps all season, Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet played a season-high 59% of the team's offensive snaps in the Week 8 win against the Cleveland Browns. The rookie saw a career-high 34 snaps on Sunday.

Charbonnet's 34 snaps were 10 more than Kenneth Walker III (24) played in the contest. Walker has dominated this backfield all season, but that changed in Week 8.

It is important to note that Walker did land on the injury report earlier in the week with a calf issue. He missed practice both on Wednesday and Thursday before fully practicing on Friday. So, Seattle could have limited him in the contest due to that injury. However, after listening to head coach Pete Carroll talk about the running back situation on Monday, that might not be the case.

Charbonnet only had seven touches in the game (five carries for 53 yards and two catches for 11 yards), though, the increase in snaps is a great sign moving forward. Week 9 will tell us if his Week 8 snap share was just a fluke or a sign of what's to come for the rookie.

RB Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos – 63% snap share 

The training wheels are off, and it appears the Denver Broncos are finally unleashing running back Javonte Williams. After playing 53% of the snaps in Week 7, Williams played a season-high 63% of the team's offensive snaps in Week 8 over the Kansas City Chiefs.

That turned into a career-high 30 touches for the 23-year-old back. He ran 27 times for 85 yards while catching three passes for 13 yards and one touchdown. Williams paced the Broncos backfield in Week 8, playing 45-of-71 snaps. The next closest back was Samaje Perine, who only played 17 snaps.

It's been over one full year since Williams suffered a gruesome ACL and LCL injury in Week 4 of the 2022 season. Now, the running back seems to be regaining his full strength and speed. He has totaled over 95 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back games with at least 18 touches in each game.

WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts – Nine Targets 

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has quickly come onto the scene in his first season. The rookie has quietly been a WR2 in fantasy football over the past four weeks, and that continued in the team's 38-27 loss in Week 8 against the New Orleans Saints.

Downs caught seven of his nine targets for 72 yards in the contest. His 72 receiving yards led the Colts on the day, while his targets and catches ranked second behind WR1 Michael Pittman Jr.

Downs has been one of the biggest surprises in fantasy this season, currently ranking as the WR31. He has seen at least six targets and five receptions in four straight games with Gardner Minshew under center. The rookie has also totaled 70-plus receiving yards in three of the past four games.

The 22-year-old wideout is extremely valuable in PPR formats working in the slot for the Colts. He has scored over 13 PPR fantasy points in four straight games and remains a viable flex play going forward, thanks to his high usage in Indianapolis' offense.

Other Players To Note: 

• Pierre Strong Jr. (31% snap share in a three-way committee)

Surprisingly Low Snap Count/Usage From Last Week

RB Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers – 18% snap share

The Carolina Panthers backfield has taken a wild turn over the past few weeks. After running back Miles Sanders led the way in the first three games – playing over 60% of the team snaps – he finds himself in more of a bench role now.

Sanders played a season-low 18% of the Panthers' offensive snaps in Week 8. The veteran back saw just 12-of-67 snaps in Carolina's win, while third-string running back Raheem Blackshear played 10 snaps, and starter Chuba Hubbard led the way with 45 snaps.

The Panthers paid Sanders a whopping four-year, $25 million this offseason to lead the Panthers backfield. Following a couple of injuries to begin the year, Hubbard has emerged as the team's lead back. In Week 8, the 26-year-old had just two carries for zero yards.

The days of Sanders becoming fantasy-relevant might be over. He has taken a major back seat in Carolina's offense and should not be started in any format in Week 9. Maybe he gets more touches this weekend, but it appears Hubbard is the team's top back moving forward.

WR Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders – One catch for 11 yards

What is going on with the Las Vegas Raiders offense? It's been a struggle to watch, especially when their All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams doesn't get the ball.

Adams was off to a hot start in 2023, seeing at least eight targets in every game from Week 1 to Week 4. In those games, the veteran had at least six catches for 65 yards in every contest. In Week 2, he also caught 13 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Since those first four games, though, Adams has been a huge fantasy disappointment. He hasn't topped over 65 receiving yards in a game in the past four weeks and has only one game over seven targets and five receptions during that span. In Week 8, the 30-year-old caught a season-low one catch for 11 yards.

Adams is one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL. However, he just isn't getting the ball with the Raiders. When your All-Pro playmaker has just 14 catches over the past four games, it's not a great sign. His fantasy value is way down right now, and it might not get better in the coming weeks.

Other Players To Note: 

• Aaron Jones (limited workload following hamstring injury)
• Alvin Kamara (season-low 58% snap share)

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