Week 9 of the NFL brought several offensive explosions, brutal injuries, and unexpected performances. With so many injuries and roles changing, it’s important to keep track of how teams are using players and what roles they have.
This weekly piece will look at those trends and make recommendations for players who might be worth rostering or starting in our fantasy lineups. We will look primarily at how roles changed over the first five games of the season for a player on each team, and if that is signal or noise this early in the year.
If you have interesting usage notes, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter/X (@CableBoxScore) and let me know. Let’s dive into the NFL Week 9 usage!
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NFL Week 9 Usage Trends
ARIZONA CARDINALS
The Arizona Cardinals Were on Bye For Week 9
Jacoby Brissett had 28 pass attempts in the win over Dallas. Of those 28, 22 went to Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, and Michael Wilson. The running backs only received three total targets. With Brissett understanding who his playmakers are, there may be a quarterback controversy in Arizona.
ATLANTA FALCONS
Drake London Hat Trick
Drake London scored a hat trick of touchdowns against the New England Patriots, while catching 118 yards on 14 targets. London led all players in targets on Sunday with 14. Every other Atlanta Falcons player combined had the other 20 targets from Michael Penix Jr.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Derrick Henry Back Where He Belongs
In a game where the Ravens were well ahead all night, Derrick Henry saw a normal workload for the first time since Week 5. He played 65% of snaps and touched the ball 20 times, including 19 rush attempts for 119 yards. He should have a similar workload in any game where the Ravens are favored.
BUFFALO BILLS
Drop Keon Coleman, Buy Dalton Kincaid
Keon Coleman scored 21.2 fantasy points in Week 1 for the Buffalo Bills, and since that time, he has 31.6 fantasy points in seven combined games. He scored just 2.7 fantasy points against the Kansas City Chiefs on two catches for 17 yards. He can safely be dropped.
Dalton Kincaid had six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, despite playing only 35% of snaps. Imagine a world where he got even 70% of snaps in a given week.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Rico Dowdle Leaving Chuba Behind
Rico Dowdle got his starting job back this week and played 72% of snaps. It looks like he won’t be giving it back anytime soon. Dowdle rushed for 130 yards and scored twice on the ground as the Carolina Panthers pulled off the stunning road upset of the Green Bay Packers.
CHICAGO BEARS
Caleb Williams, QB and WR?
Caleb Williams not only threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns, but he also rushed for 52 yards and caught two passes, including a touchdown pass from D.J. Moore. He was the highest scoring fantasy player on the entire day as the Chicago Bears won a wildly entertaining shootout, 47-42.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Record-Breaking Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins was simply dominant against an overmatched Chicago Bears secondary. He caught seven of nine targets for 121 yards and two touchdowns. At the same time, he tied a record for scoring a receiving touchdown in nine straight home games.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
The Cleveland Browns Were on Bye For Week 9
Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is stepping into the role of play-caller
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 3, 2025
DALLAS COWBOYS
Javonte Williams Only
With Miles Sanders out, the Dallas Cowboys still made Jayden Blue a healthy inactive on Monday night. That meant only Malik Davis was available to back up Williams, so Williams played on 58 snaps and Davis was only in on five snaps. Williams also touched the ball 16 times, and it’s more clear than ever that this offense revolves around Williams, CeeDee Lamb, and Jake Ferguson.
DENVER BRONCOS
Running Back Breakdown
Rookie RJ Harvey played 32% of snaps against Houston, his highest number since Week 4. JK Dobbins dropped below 50% for the first time since Week 4. With Harvey scoring in three straight games, there is likely a changing of the guard happening in the red zone.
DETROIT LIONS
Jahmyr Gibbs Outlier
Jahmyr Gibbs had possibly the worst game of his career and could not find any running room against the Minnesota Vikings and finishing the game with just 25 rushing yards and three receiving yards on 12 touches. Like Mahomes, this was Gibbs’ worst game of the season by a wide margin. But he did play on 66% of snaps for the fourth time this season.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Tucker Kraft Fallout
Tucker Kraft has a torn ACL, according to Ian Rapoport. Kraft leads the team with 469 yards and six touchdowns, so it’s a big blow to the offense. In his absence, Luke Musgrave played 46% of snaps while Romeo Doubs (92%) and Christian Watson (66%) led the way at wide receiver.
HOUSTON TEXANS
Wide Receiver Room After Injury Returns
Nico Collins and Christian Kirk both returned from missing last week with various injuries. With their return, the standard three-wide-receiver set was back to normal for the Texans. Coach DeMeco Ryans prefers the veterans, so Collins (79%), Kirk (56%), and Xavier Hutchinson (63%) played the majority of the snaps at the position.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Jonathan Taylor Containment
Jonathan Taylor went from three 30-point fantasy games in his last four to just 6.7 points on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He rushed 14 times for 45 yards and added 12 receiving yards. Most notably, Daniel Jones got a rushing touchdown, and Taylor was held out of the end zone for the first time since Week 4.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Bhayshul Tuten Rising
Bhayshul Tuten now has back-to-back games of over 25% of snaps played, and did this when Travis Etienne couldn’t.
Bhayshul Tuten vultures Travis Etienne
pic.twitter.com/3GGLKyE8t5— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) November 2, 2025
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Patrick Mahomes Finally Duds
Patrick Mahomes could not solve the Buffalo Bills’ defense that pressured him all game. He finished the highly anticipated contest with 250 passing yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. This was the first time this season that Mahomes had under a 50% completion rate in any game. His 11.5 fantasy points were also far and away a season low.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
The Brock Bowers Patience Reward
Brock Bowers finally rewarded fantasy managers who had been waiting for his elite production since his Week 1 injury. He made up for lost time with 12 receptions for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Somehow, that still wasn’t enough to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Bowers is back to being the TE1 option every week. He jumped right back into 81% of snaps.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
McConkey Back on Top
After a slow start to the season, Ladd McConkey is back leading the Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver corps. He has 32 targets over the last three games, eight more than any other player on the roster. That’s led to 19 receptions, and he has scored in three of the last five games.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Blake Corum Still a Small Role
Blake Corum had 13 touches against New Orleans on Sunday, his most of the season. But even though it seemed like he was in all the time, he only played 28% of snaps to Kyren Williams 68%. Williams is still the workhorse here.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
De’Von Achane or Bust
Perhaps because of the Ollie Gordon II injury, but De’Von Achane played 91% of snaps on Thursday, close to a season-high. The Dolphins were getting blown out in this game, but that’s where Achane seems to be at his best: as a pass catcher.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Jordan Addison Stepping Up
In his third year, Jordan Addison’s target rate, first downs, and yards per route run are all up and he is averaging over 15 fantasy points per contest. He only had 64 total yards on Sunday, but had either a touchdown or over 100 yards in his other four contests.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
TreVeyon With no Rhamondre
With no Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson was in on 75% of the snaps for New England, and touches the ball 18 times for 87 yards. However, it was Terrell Jennings who saw three red zone touches and scored the one short touchdown for New England.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Alvin Kamara Cliff
Alvin Kamara has played fewer than 65% of snaps in four of his last five games, and Devin Neal is really starting to get a lot of work. Neal played on almost 40% of snaps this week, and had four touches compared to seven for Kamara.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Running Backs After Skattebo Injury
Devin Singletary actually played more than Tyrone Tracy Jr. on Sunday, leading in snaps (56% to 44%) and touches (10 to eight). Singletary also earned more yards, so the statement that Tyrone Tracy is the next man up may not exactly be true.
NEW YORK JETS
The New York Jets Were on Bye For Week 9
second half on deck pic.twitter.com/WXK3OygROB
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 3, 2025
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The Philadelphia Eagles Were on Bye For Week 9
Sideline shots 📸 pic.twitter.com/IKZ4Ixz8HC
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 1, 2025
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
DK Metcalf Disappearing Act
DK Metcalf disappeared against the Indianapolis Colts on the other side of the Jonathan Taylor game. Metcalf was targeted four times and finished with two receptions for six yards. These types of games are going to happen with Aaron Rodgers and his low average depth of target (aDOT) this year. Calvin Austin ended up being Aaron Rodgers’ favorite target in this game.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
George Kittle Still Can’t Get Going
George Kittle once again could not top more than five targets or 45 receiving yards in a game. He finished the victory over the New York Giants with four catches for 32 yards and was asked to mostly be a blocker for the 30+ touches the 49ers gave Christian McCaffrey in this game. At least after coming back from injury, he is playing 86% of the snaps.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Darnold Smashes on SNF
Sam Darnold completed every single pass he threw in the first half, while also throwing four touchdowns, including two to Tory Horton, who played 73% of snaps with Cooper Kupp out. Darnold wasn’t asked to do much at all in the second half against an overwhelmed Washington Commanders team and finished 21-for-24 with 330 yards and four touchdowns. Darnold is now fourth in the NFL in completion percentage and eighth in touchdown passes.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Were on Bye For Week 9
America's QB has been on one this season 👨🍳
🔜 #NEvsTB 1 p.m. Nov. 9 on CBS pic.twitter.com/bzids3Ux34
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 2, 2025
TENNESSEE TITANS
Chig Okonkwo Being Left Behind
Chigoziem Okonkwo is in a horrific offense and is now not even getting any usage. He caught his only two targets for 10 yards on Sunday, his second game in three weeks with two or fewer targets. He hasn’t scored this season and has over 48 receiving yards twice in nine games.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Clear Running Back Roles
With the Commanders down big this entire game on Sunday Night Football, Jacory Croskey-Merritt played only 46% while Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez combined for 60%. JCM hasn’t scored since Week 5, while Rodriguez has a touchdown in two of his last three games.
Data Sources: Pro Football Focus, NFL Next Gen Stats, Football Guys Snap Summary, FTN Air Yards, Pro Football Reference, Team Rankings, Fantasy Points Data Suite
Make sure to check out all of our Week 10 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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