Between the Lines: Week 16 Snap Count Analysis
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys - A Team to Avoid
Quarterback: Dak Prescott (100%)
Running Back: Ezekiel Elliott (94%)
Wide Receivers: Amari Cooper (85%), Michael Gallup (79%), Cole Beasley (67%), Noah Brown (19%)
Tight End: Dalton Schultz (63%), Blake Jarwin (52%), Rico Gathers (12%)
Week 17 is always an interesting one for fantasy. Some teams have everything to play for, and some teams have their postseason locked up and have the opportunity to rest players. The Dallas Cowboys fall into the latter category. While Jerry Jones has said the team will go "all-out", it's really hard to see guys like Amari Cooper and Zeke Elliott playing a full workload. They could play a half, a quarter, or two snaps. Who knows? If we somehow get word Zeke will be rested, you could take a flier on Rod Smith, who would likely see the biggest workload in Zeke's absence (he was on the field for just 6% of the team's snaps this week), but the situation as it stands it just too cloudy. This is a team to avoid in fantasy this week.
New York Giants - Shepard and Engram
Quarterback: Eli Manning (100%)
Running Backs: Saquon Barkley (88%), Elijhaa Penny (26%), Wayne Gallman (12%)
Wide Receivers: Sterling Shepard (89%), Bennie Fowler (83%), Cody Latimer (31%), Corey Coleman (23%)
Tight Ends: Evan Engram (65%), Rhett Ellison (38%), Scott Simonson (37%)
Odell Beckham has missed the past three games. We don't yet know his status for this week, but if he's out again, then the two players who once again stand to benefit most are Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard, a duo who combined for 12 catches and 200 yards in Week 16. They normally might have a tough go of it this week against a Dallas Cowboys defense that has given up the ninth-fewest passing yards this year, but the Cowboys have their playoff spot locked up and may ease off the gas pedal a bit. Look for Engram to once again be a TE1 as the Giants close out their underwhelming season.
Philadelphia Eagles - RBBC, Thy Name is Sproles
Quarterback: Nick Foles (99%)
Running Backs: Darren Sproles (46%), Josh Adams (30%), Wendell Smallwood (20%)
Wide Receivers: Nelson Agholor (90%), Alshon Jeffery (74%), Jordan Matthews (40%), Golden Tate (35%)
Tight End: Zach Ertz (89%), Dallas Goedert (59%), Richard Rodgers (16%)
The Philadelphia Eagles can get into the playoffs with a win and a Minnesota Vikings loss. The only reason (well, maybe not only, but just give into the hyperbole!) they are even in position to have a shot at the playoffs is because of their diminutive running back Darren Sproles, who led all rushers by playing 46% of the team's snaps this week. Sproles has been plagued by injuries this year and played just five games. In those five games, however, the Eagles are 4-1, and that one loss came in overtime. He adds a dynamic to the offense that none of the other backs on the team can match, and if they make the playoffs, they'll have the former Kansas State Wildcat to thank.
Washington Redskins - Late Season Crowder
Quarterback: Josh Johnson (100%)
Running Backs: Adrian Peterson (63%), Chris Thompson (35%)
Wide Receivers: Josh Doctson (89%), Jamison Crowder (87%), Michael Floyd (85%)
Tight Ends: Jeremy Sprinkle (74%), Matt Flanagan (45%)
It looked like Jamison Crowder was in a decent position at the beginning of the season to have another decent WR3 type of season in PPR leagues. Injuries and a heavy reliance on the running game in Washington made that impossible, but Crowder is having a bit of a surge at the end of the year. He's caught 11 passes for 211 yards and a score in the past three weeks combined, good for an average of 12.7 PPR points in that span. He's been on the field for 87% of the team's snaps in two of their past three games and will look to end the season on a high note against the Eagles this week.
