NFL

Week 14 Fantasy Football Backfield Report

Joe Mixon saw the biggest workload of his career last week, and he looks like the lone bright spot in the Bengals' offense.

Week 14 was one of the craziest weekend of games in a long time with the absurd Miami Dolphins finish, the Patrick Mahomes comeback and the Chicago Bears holding one of the best offenses to 6 points. You never know what is going to happen in this league, but boy its fun!

Congrats to all the fantasy owners who have moved on in the playoffs, and hopefully this article can you help you with some running back decisions. We are seeing a ton of injuries being a huge factor down the home stretch as well as teams not having much to play for.

As a reminder, this weekly piece is here to help fantasy players sort through all the NFL backfields to understand how coaches are using their backs. The date only breaks down the teams that do not heavily favor one back as a bell-cow.

Let’s dive into the Week 14 data, and as always, snap counts and red zone data come from Pro Football Reference.

Volume Metrics

The table below is sorted by total season touches for each backfield.

Running Back Team W13 Snap % W13 Touches Season Snap % Season Touches Season RB Touch Share %
Tevin Coleman ATL 33/71 (46.5%) 11 490/868 (56.5%) 179 58.7%
Ito Smith ATL 32/71 (45.1%) 14 282/868 (32.5%) 106 34.8%
Gus Edwards BAL 31/71 (43.7%) 16 194/974 (19.9%) 93 26.3%
Kenneth Dixon BAL 23/71 (32.4%) 9 62/974 (6.4%) 31 8.8%
Ty Montgomery BAL 19/71 (26.8%) 3 83/974 (8.5%) 22 6.2%
Javorius Allen BAL DNP DNP 307/974 (33.9%) 76 21.5%
LeSean McCoy BUF 9/76 (11.8%) 2 428/866 (49.4%) 174 51.3%
Chris Ivory BUF 27/76 (35.5%) 12 269/866 (31.1%) 113 33.3%
Marcus Murphy BUF 40/76 (52.6%) 5 177/866 (20.4%) 52 15.3%
Jordan Howard CHI 39/71 (54.9%) 20 509/882 (57.7%) 213 56.6%
Tarik Cohen CHI 30/71 (42.3%) 13 405/882 (45.9%) 146 38.8%
Joe Mixon CIN 47/67 (70.1%) 31 473/818 (57.8%) 218 69.6%
Giovani Bernard CIN 25/67 (37.3%) 5 266/818 (32.6%) 76 24.3%
Nick Chubb CLE 33/52 (63.5%) 17 294/896 (32.8%) 160 46.2%
Duke Johnson CLE 18/52 (34.6%) 2 364/896 (40.6%) 66 19.1%
Phillip Lindsay DEN 48/74 (64.9%) 17 393/854 (46.0%) 197 55.0%
Royce Freeman DEN 9/74 (12.2%) 6 221/854 (25.9%) 107 29.9%
Devontae Booker DEN 17/74 (22.9%) 2 242/854 (28.3%) 54 15.1%
LeGarrette Blount DET 19/60 (31.7%) 14 230/870 (26.4%) 133 34.7%
Theo Riddick DET 25/60 (41.7%) 10 338/870 (38.9%) 80 20.9%
Zach Zenner DET 16/60 (26.7%) 12 28/870 (3.2%) 17 4.4%
Kerryon Johnson DET DNP DNP 346/870 (39.8%) 150 39.2%
Aaron Jones GB 42/65 (64.6%) 20 369/860 (42.9%) 155 52.4%
Jamaal Williams GB 24/65 (36.9%) 4 339/860 (39.4%) 100 33.8%
Lamar Miller HOU 51/72 (70.8%) 19 544/899 (60.5%) 213 59.3%
Alfred Blue HOU 22/72 (30.6%) 6 367/899 (40.8%) 146 40.7%
Marlon Mack IND 40/67 (59.7%) 14 304/918 (33.1%) 143 40.5%
Nyheim Hines IND 28/67 (41.8%) 6 433/918 (47.2%) 130 36.8%
Jordan Wilkins IND DNP DNP 183/918 (19.9%) 71 20.1%
T.J. Yeldon JAC 13/71 (18.3%) 2 489/869 (56.3%) 155 43.9%
Leonard Fournette JAC 55/71 (77.5%) 16 205/869 (23.6%) 120 33.9%
Carlos Hyde JAC 3/71 (4.2%) 1 88/869 (10.1%) 42 11.9%
Spencer Ware KC 41/86 (47.7%) 20 247/870 (28.4%) 71 23.4%
Damien Williams KC 43/86 (50.0%) 12 95/870 (10.9%) 25 8.2%
Austin Ekeler LAC 39/57 (68.4%) 17 333/799 (41.7%) 137 37.4%
Justin Jackson LAC 21/57 (36.8%) 9 60/799 (7.5%) 32 8.7%
Melvin Gordon LAC DNP DNP 450/799 (56.3%) 197 53.8%
Frank Gore MIA 24/48 (50.0%) 13 324/760 (42.6%) 163 51.1%
Kenyan Drake MIA 24/48 (50.0%) 7 436/760 (57.4%) 143 44.8%
Latavius Murray MIN 8/58 (13.8%) 3 415/864 (48.0%) 134 45.7%
Dalvin Cook MIN 49/58 (84.5%) 18 349/864 (40.4%) 119 40.6%
Sony Michel NE 34/82 (41.5%) 20 251/915 (27.4%) 171 38.3%
James White NE 33/82 (40.2%) 6 518/915 (56.6%) 156 34.9%
Cordarrelle Patterson NE 18/82 (21.9%) 2 208/915 (22.7%) 55 12.3%
Rex Burkhead NE 17/82 (20.7%) 5 93/915 (10.2%) 41 9.2%
Alvin Kamara NO 41/64 (64.1%) 17 569/858 (66.3%) 243 59.9%
Mark Ingram NO 29/64 (45.3%) 14 266/858 (31.0%) 126 31.0%
Isaiah Crowell NYJ 5/54 (9.3%) 3 333/811 (41.1%) 164 47.3%
Elijah McGuire NYJ 40/54 (74.1%) 20 168/811 (20.7.9%) 52 14.9%
Trent Cannon NYJ 18/54 (33.3%) 6 124/811 (15.3%) 40 11.5%
Doug Martin OAK 33/67 (49.3%) 16 255/855 (29.8%) 137 37.2%
Jalen Richard OAK 33/67 (49.3%) 9 344/855 (40.2%) 101 27.4%
DeAndre Washington OAK 1/67 (1.5%) 0 56/855 (6.9%) 25 6.8%
Corey Clement PHI 4/52 (7.7%) 1 238/870 (27.4%) 90 27.6%
Josh Adams PHI 21/52 (40.4%) 7 185/870 (21.3%) 87 26.7%
Wendell Smallwood PHI 4/52 (7.7%) 1 262/870 (30.1%) 82 25.2%
Darren Sproles PHI 22/52 (42.3%) 4 60/870 (6.9%) 17 5.2%
Jaylen Samuels PIT 48/60 (80.0%) 18 104/909 (11.4%) 37 11.7%
Stevan Ridley PIT 8/60 (13.3%) 5 50/909 (5.5%) 26 8.2%
James Conner PIT DNP DNP 686/849 (80.9%) 253 80.1%
Chris Carson SEA 35/66 (53.0%) 22 340/851 (39.9%) 192 47.6%
Mike Davis SEA 18/66 (27.3%) 4 298/851 (35.0%) 117 29.0%
Rashaad Penny SEA 14/66 (21.2%) 8 177/851 (20.8%) 90 22.3%
Alfred Morris SF 4/72 (5.6%) 3 206/878 (23.5%) 102 29.1%
Jeff Wilson Jr. SF 62/72 (86.1%) 24 142/878 (16.2%) 55 15.7%
Matt Breida SF DNP DNP 310/878 (35.3%) 153 43.7%
Peyton Barber TB 32/70 (45.7%) 15 502/924 (54.3%) 197 67.5%
Jacquizz Rodgers TB 31/70 (44.3%) 8 297/924 (32.1%) 57 19.5%
Ronald Jones TB 4/70 (5.7%) 0 85/924 (9.2%) 29 9.9%
Dion Lewis TEN 38/60 (63.3%) 15 531/811 (65.5%) 195 53.1%
Derrick Henry TEN 24/60 (40.0%) 17 291/811 (35.9%) 168 45.8%
Adrian Peterson WSH 19/62 (30.6%) 11 394/845 (46.6%) 219 65.2%
Chris Thompson WSH 25/62 (40.3%) 6 228/845 (26.9%) 66 19.6%

Situational Usage

Running BackTeamW13 RZ TouchesW13 RZ TargetsW13 Total TargetsSeason RZ TouchesSeason RZ TargetsSeason Total Targets
Tevin ColemanATL00123941
Ito SmithATL00320228
Gus EdwardsBAL3001001
Kenneth DixonBAL101202
Ty MontgomeryBAL2133213
Javorius AllenBALDNPDNPDNP17643
LeSean McCoyBUF10020138
Chris IvoryBUF1009019
Marcus MurphyBUF1019219
Jordan HowardCHI00126320
Tarik CohenCHI204201181
Joe MixonCIN40628648
Giovani BernardCIN1028139
Nick ChubbCLE20623425
Duke JohnsonCLE0008647
Phillip LindsayDEN30731539
Royce FreemanDEN0011608
Devontae BookerDEN1125436
LeGarrette BlountDET00323010
Theo RiddickDET004151067
Zach ZennerDET200301
Kerryon JohnsonDETDNPDNPDNP19640
Aaron JonesGB00320335
Jamaal WilliamsGB1019324
Lamar MillerHOU20628233
Alfred BlueHOU20114217
Marlon MackIND10123220
Nyheim HinesIND10525765
Jordan WilkinsINDDNPDNPDNP9515
T.J. YeldonJAC00115575
Leonard FournetteJAC50321217
Carlos HydeJAC001514
Spencer WareKC10513225
Damien WilliamsKC4257510
Austin EkelerLAC21519552
Justin JacksonLAC202405
Melvin GordonLACDNPDNPDNP281360
Frank GoreMIA00116314
Kenyan DrakeMIA10114660
Latavius MurrayMIN10016224
Dalvin CookMIN21712239
Sony MichelNE60037111
James WhiteNE1043018107
Cordarrelle PattersonNE00310323
Rex BurkheadNE0122510
Alvin KamaraNO316632490
Mark IngramNO61322121
Isaiah CrowellNYJ00116128
Elijah McGuireNYJ6046120
Trent CannonNYJ2012018
Doug MartinOAK70026119
Jalen RichardOAK41110468
DeAndre WashingtonOAK000701
Corey ClementPHI00018225
Josh AdamsPHI1001508
Wendell SmallwoodPHI10014525
Darren SprolesPHI1135210
Jaylen SamuelsPIT2076316
Stevan RidleyPIT200304
James ConnerPITDNPDNPDNP40768
Chris CarsonSEA40029317
Mike DavisSEA20118132
Rashaad PennySEA00010112
Alfred MorrisSF00121013
Jeff Wilson Jr.SF3127412
Matt BreidaSFDNPDNPDNP25425
Peyton BarberTB20231523
Jacquizz RodgersTB0056436
Ronald JonesTB000527
Dion Lewis TEN42529856
Derrick HenryTEN60029115
Adrian PetersonWSH00129221
Chris ThompsonWSH0056444


Mixon Continues To Be Lone Bright Spot For Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals season has basically been over since their Week 9 bye after losing A.J. Green and Andy Dalton to injuries. The team has played some miserable football over the last five weeks, and probably can’t wait for the seasons' end.

One guy who continues to play hard and put up numbers is Joe Mixon. In a game that didn’t mean much against the Los Angeles Chargers, Mixon handled his biggest workload of the year with 31 touches. That was the first time in his young career he topped 30 touches.

Mixon continues to be heavily involved in the pass game as well, he has seen 14 targets and has ran 28 more routes than Giovani Bernard over the Bengals last three games.

The Bengals find themselves as a small home favorite in Week 15 against the Oakland Raiders, where Mixon should continue to find success.

Vikings Try To Get Running Game Going With Cook

It has been a rough year for Dalvin Cook, battling injuries and competition in the backfield. In Week 14, we saw the Minnesota Vikings try to become more balanced and get the run game going, but it was a tough spot for them at Seattle.

Cook’s usage is very encouraging though going forward. He out snapped (49 to 8) and out touched (18 to 3) Latavius Murray. Over the last two weeks, Cook has seen 35 touches to Murray’s 9.

The biggest impact Cook has had recently has been in the pass game. Over the last two weeks, he has lead the Vikings in both targets (17) and receptions (13).

With the Vikings still fighting for the last NFC wildcard spot, look for them to continue to get Cook heavily involved.

McGuire Used As Feature Back After Crowell Leaves With Injury

At this point in the New York Jets season, they are trying to just get as many reps for the young guys as possible. The injury of Isaiah Crowell allowed them to feed Elijah McGuire the ball on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

McGuire played on roughly 75% of the Jets offensive snaps and accounted for 20 touches, which was more than double his previous highest total this season. The biggest thing that stood out from Week 14 was that he handled 6 red zone touches and was able to cash in for a touchdown.

If Crowell misses anymore time, McGuire should step right into this high-volume role for a uninspired Jets team.

Samuels Dominates Steelers Backfield Without Conner

Heading into Week 14, there were some questions around whether Jaylen Samuels would be a feature back or be more involved in a committee. Although he didn’t have a great game, his usage suggests the Pittsburgh Steelers will use him as a feature back if Conner continues to sit.

Samuels played 40 more snaps than Stevan Ridley and out-touched him 18 to 5. Both backs handled two red zone touches, but Ridley was able to find the end zone and Samuels was not.

Where Samuels value lies is with his receiving skills, he had the same number of targets as Antonio Brown in Week 14, and ran more routes than Vance McDonald. Samuels accounted for all the backfield pass game involvement as Ridley did not log one single pass route.

With Conner looking doubtful for Week 15, Samuels should continue to fulfill the Steelers lead back role against the Patriots.