We’re going to get a lot of stuff wrong, but sifting through usage metrics can help us work through what matters and what doesn’t. That’s the goal of this article: to break down the most actionable takeaways from each week in a concise, numbers-filled format and work through what’s important. Let’s get right to it:
1. Zach Charbonnet returned in Week 4 after missing one game. Kenneth Walker III out-snapped Charbonnet 33-31 and out-carried him 19-12. Both had two targets. PFF’s Nathan Jahnke noted that Charbonnet played eight of 10 third-down snaps and all three snaps in the 2-minute drill. Walker was far more productive on his touches, totaling 81 rushing yards on 4.3 yards per carry vs. 39 yards on 3.3 for Charbonnet. Charbonnet led the backfield in all facets in Weeks 1-2, but perhaps Walker running better so far has earned him the primary early-down role.
2. Trey Benson got eight of 10 RB carries for Arizona but ceded pass-down snaps to Emari Demercado, who played seven of eight third downs and 16 of 17 snaps in the 2-minute drill. Benson still managed five targets (three for Demercado), but it seems like he is mostly just in the James Conner role with Demercado in the role Benson previously held, rather than Benson taking on both roles and becoming a three-down workhorse. He’s still a good fantasy RB2.
3. Zay Jones‘ injury pushed Michael Wilson into a full-time role (97% of snaps), while Greg Dortch predictably filled in as the WR3 with 35 routes on 52 dropbacks.
4. Jordan Addison played 96% of snaps and earned eight targets on 46 team pass attempts for a 17.4% target share in his first game of the season. Jalen Nailor remained ahead of Adam Thielen in Addison’s return, out-routing Thielen 32-12. Thielen can be safely dropped in all formats (if he was rostered at all), while Nailor’s one-catch outing (on four targets) demonstrates how much his role craters with Addison back.
5. With the Vikings in negative game script, former college WR Zavier Scott played 38% of snaps and out-routed Jordan Mason 23-20. Scott caught six balls for 43 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. The Vikings play the Browns next week, so game script shouldn’t be a concern for Mason, but a Week 7 outing against the Eagles could mean a decreased role for Mason again. At the very least, it’s clear he’s not a three-down workhorse without Aaron Jones given that Scott is playing plenty in clear pass situations.
We create the highest-quality NFL content
Our team includes renowned fantasy analysts Evan Silva and Adam Levitan, high-stakes professional DFS players, and specialists who cover niche areas that we believe are important to understand.
We don’t sell lineups or claim to have all of the answers. We do analyze what’s happening in a way that’s digestible and actionable, with a goal of preparing you to make the best decisions possible during the 2025 NFL season.
Read on to learn what’s inside our In-Season NFL subscription.
Full Details! » Already a subscriber? Log In
