NFL
Week 12 Fantasy Football Backfield Report
Nick Chubb continues to dominate the backfield work in Cleveland. What other running back usage should you keep an eye on this week?

The last week of the fantasy regular season is upon us, and fantasy owners are fighting for playoff positioning. We had an exciting Week 12 and are now officially done with byes.

This is the crazy part of the season where teams start firing coaches as well giving more run to their younger players.

For Week 12, there were no changes to the data tables besides the removal of the teams that had byes ( Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams).

There was some big news on Monday, that Melvin Gordon is week-to-week with a MCL injury and that Leonard Fournette has been suspended for one game.

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

Let’s dive into the Week 12 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 W12 Snap % W12 Touches Season Snap % Season Touches Season RB Touch Share %
Tevin Coleman ATL 35/70 (50.0%) 11 428/744 (57.5%) 151 59.4%
Ito Smith ATL 26/70 (37.1%) 6 226/744 (30.4%) 84 33.1%
Javorius Allen BAL 1/70 (1.4%) 1 308/822 (37.5%) 76 26.4%
Gus Edwards BAL 43/70 (61.4%) 23 123/822 (14.9%) 56 19.4%
Ty Montgomery BAL 28/70 (40.0%) 11 37/822 (4.5%) 11 3.8
Alex Collins BAL DNP DNP 311/822 (37.8%) 129 44.8%
LeSean McCoy BUF 37/58 (63.8%) 18 365/718 (50.8%) 153 52.0%
Chris Ivory BUF 19/58 (32.8%) 3 230/718 (32.0%) 95 32.3%
Marcus Murphy BUF 2/58 (3.4%) 0 131/718 (18.2%) 46 15.6%
Jordan Howard CHI 35/58 (60.3%) 8 436/729 (59.8%) 176 58.7%
Tarik Cohen CHI 22/58 (37.9%) 10 333/729 (45.7%) 113 37.7%
Joe Mixon CIN 53/74 (71.6%) 21 387/686 (56.4%) 173 68.9%
Giovani Bernard CIN 23/74 (31.1%) 2 213/686 (31.0%) 60 23.9%
Nick Chubb CLE 46/64 (71.9%) 31 234/796 (29.4%) 131 41.9%
Duke Johnson CLE 18/64 (28.1%) 3 309/796 (38.8%) 62 19.8%
Phillip Lindsay DEN 36/57 (63.2%) 14 320/721 (44.4%) 159 53.7%
Royce Freeman DEN 15/57 (26.3%) 6 191/721 (26.5%) 88 29.7%
Devontae Booker DEN 6/57 (10.5%) 1 212/721 (29.4%) 49 16.6%
LeGarrette Blount DET 33/66 (50.0%) 20 181/738 (24.5%) 103 32.3%
Theo Riddick DET 29/66 (43.9% 9 275/738 (37.3%) 59 18.5%
Kerryon Johnson DET DNP DNP 346/738 (46.9%) 150 47.0%
Aaron Jones GB 40/53 (75.5%) 20 288/719 (40.1%) 120 48.8%
Jamaal Williams GB 13/53 (24.5%) 1 277/719 (38.5%) 85 34.6%
Lamar Miller HOU 40/65 (61.5%) 13 452/751(60.2%) 174 57.8%
Alfred Blue HOU 26/65 (40.0%) 14 309/751 (41.1%) 127 42.2%
Marlon Mack IND 36/69 (61.0%) 17 235/775 (30.3%) 120 39.9%
Nyheim Hines IND 26/69 (37.7%) 11 360/775 (46.5%) 111 36.9%
Jordan Wilkins IND 8/69 (11.6%) 3 178/775 (22.9%) 70 23.3%
T.J. Yeldon JAC 24/70 (34.3%) 5 441/744 (59.3%) 138 45.2%
Leonard Fournette JAC 31/70 (44.3%) 21 149/744 (20.0%) 104 34.1%
Carlos Hyde JAC 16/70 (22.9%) 10 58/744 (7.8%) 27 8.9%
Melvin Gordon LAC 27/69 (39.1%) 12 451/679 (66.4%) 197 62.9%
Austin Ekeler LAC 25/69 (36.2%) 15 244/679 (35.9%) 102 32.6%
Justin Jackson LAC 13/69 (18.8%) 7 25/679 (3.7%) 14 4.5%
Frank Gore MIA 29/53 (54.7%) 15 280/657 (42.6%) 141 50.9%
Kenyan Drake MIA 24/53 (45.3%) 13 382/657 (58.1%) 127 45.8%
Latavius Murray MIN 28/70 (40.0%) 11 395/745 (53.0%) 125 50.6%
Dalvin Cook MIN 41/70 (58.6%) 13 253/745 (33.9%) 84 34.0%
James White NE 37/70 (52.9%) 10 452/759 (59.6%) 137 36.9%
Sony Michel NE 30/70 (42.9%) 23 187/759 (24.6%) 133 35.8%
Cordarrelle Patterson NE 22/70 (31.4%) 6 182/759 (23.9%) 50 13.5%
Alvin Kamara NO 37/57 (64.9%) 15 493/742 (66.4%) 207 59.1%
Mark Ingram NO 27/57 (47.4%) 13 216/742 (29.1%) 103 29.4%
Isaiah Crowell NYJ 26/64 (40.6%) 9 284/688 (41.3%) 136 48.4%
Trent Cannon NYJ 9/64 (14.0%) 1 97/688 (14.1%) 29 10.3%
Elijah McGuire NYJ 35/64 (54.7%) 7 103/688 (14.9%) 25 8.9%
Doug Martin OAK 28/58 (48.3%) 14 182/712 (25.6%) 101 32.5%
Jalen Richard OAK 26/58 (44.8%) 3 279/712 (39.2%) 83 26.7%
DeAndre Washington OAK 8/58 (13.8%) 4 49/712 (6.9%) 22 7.1%
Wendell Smallwood PHI 1/65 (1.5%) 0 256/747 (34.3%) 81 28.8%
Corey Clement PHI 24/65 (36.9%) 7 211/747 (28.2%) 81 28.8%
Josh Adams PHI 40/65 (61.5%) 22 123/747 (16.5%) 60 21.4%
Chris Carson SEA 32/62 (51.6%) 18 271/727 (37.3%) 154 45.0%
Mike Davis SEA 18/62 (29.0%) 4 270/727 (37.1%) 109 31.9%
Rashaad Penny SEA 10/62 (16.1%) 4 151/727 (20.8%) 75 21.9%
Matt Breida SF 31/64 (48.4%) 17 300/730 (41.1%) 145 49.7%
Jeff Wilson Jr. SF 25/64 (39.1%) 8 25/730 (3.4%) 8 2.7%
Alfred Morris SF DNP DNP 202/730 (27.7%) 99 33.9%
Peyton Barber TB 36/73 (49.3%) 20 430/789 (54.5%) 166 66.7%
Jacquizz Rodgers TB 34/73 (46.6%) 9 251/789 (31.8%) 49 19.7%
Ronald Jones TB DNP DNP 72/789 (9.1%) 25 10.0%
Dion Lewis TEN 29/55 (52.7%) 14 453/683 (66.3%) 172 56.6%
Derrick Henry TEN 27/55 (49.1%) 10 240/683 (35.1%) 128 42.1%
Adrian Peterson WSH 27/63 (42.9%) 14 359/738 (48.6%) 199 66.3%
Kapri Bibbs WSH 35/63 (55.6%) 6 160/738 (21.7%) 33 11.0%
Chris Thompson WSH DNP DNP 174/738 (23.6%) 54 18.0%


Situational Usage

Running BackTeamW12 RZ TouchesW12 RZ TargetsW12 Total TargetsSeason RZ TouchesSeason RZ TargetsSeason Total Targets
Tevin ColemanATL31423937
Ito SmithATL10220224
Javorius AllenBAL00017643
Gus EdwardsBAL500701
Ty MontgomeryBAL103103
Alex CollinsBALDNPDNPDNP24521
LeSean McCoyBUF30016034
Chris IvoryBUF0007019
Marcus MurphyBUF0008218
Jordan HowardCHI00222318
Tarik CohenCHI11815962
Joe MixonCIN22724640
Giovani BernardCIN0017129
Nick ChubbCLE62320413
Duke JohnsonCLE0128644
Phillip LindsayDEN00027531
Royce FreemanDEN0001407
Devontae BookerDEN0013231
LeGarrette BlountDET6011906
Theo RiddickDET21711859
Kerryon JohnsonDETDNPDNPDNP19640
Aaron JonesGB31518328
Jamaal WilliamsGB0007219
Lamar MillerHOU10125226
Alfred BlueHOU00111216
Marlon MackIND10222217
Nyheim HinesIND30222551
Jordan WilkinsIND0038414
T.J. YeldonJAC00414566
Leonard FournetteJAC40316214
Carlos HydeJAC200212
Melvin GordonLAC312281360
Austin EkelerLAC201116439
Justin JacksonLAC100102
Frank GoreMIA10214212
Kenyan DrakeMIA10611555
Latavius MurrayMIN00015222
Dalvin CookMIN3039022
James WhiteNE122271794
Sony MichelNE40527010
Cordarrelle PattersonNE20210318
Alvin KamaraNO401572173
Mark IngramNO10215015
Isaiah CrowellNYJ00316021
Trent CannonNYJ0010016
Elijah McGuireNYJ0030014
Doug MartinOAK20413116
Jalen RichardOAK1047464
DeAndre WashingtonOAK001601
Wendell SmallwoodPHI00013525
Corey ClementPHI00215122
Josh AdamsPHI6011008
Chris CarsonSEA41221313
Mike DavisSEA30115131
Rashaad PennySEA2009112
Matt BreidaSF20425422
Jeff Wilson Jr.SF001001
Alfred MorrisSFDNPDNPDNP21012
Peyton BarberTB51224420
Jacquizz RodgersTB0056431
Ronald JonesTBDNPDNPDNP527
Dion Lewis TEN32725548
Derrick HenryTEN10320113
Adrian PetersonWSH00224220
Kapri BibbsWSH3037018
Chris ThompsonWSHDNPDNPDNP6434


The Chubb Show Continues for the Browns

When Carlos Hyde was shipped out of town, it was expected that Nick Chubb would replace him and handle the early down work, while Duke Johnson continued to be the primary receiving back moving forward.

While Chubb has absolutely dominated the early down work, averaging 21.2 carries in the five games since the Hyde trade, he has been way more involved in the pass game than expected.

Chubb has scored a receiving touchdown in each of the last two games and has ran more pass routes than Johnson over that span. Chubb has been the RB12 in point-per-reception (PPR) scoring from Week 6 on.

Chubb has become an absolute league-winner across the fantasy industry and should continue to eat for the rest of the season.

Chargers Risk Gordon's Health and now Will Rely on Ekeler and Jackson

Coming into Week 12, Melvin Gordon popped up on the injury report for a hamstring & knee injury. It was reported that Gordon was able to convince coaches that he was ready to roll, and they made him active against the Arizona Cardinals. Gordon was chugging right along until the third quarter where he exited with a knee injury, only to find out on Monday that he suffered an MCL injury that now makes him week-to-week.

With the in-game injury to Gordon, we saw the revival of Austin Ekeler who had been taking a major backseat to Gordon over the last few games. While he didn’t handle many carries (5), Ekeler saw 11 targets and was able to haul in 10 of them.

Justin Jackson also saw some action against Arizona, handling 7 carries and averaging 8.1 yards per carry.

Moving forward without Gordon, Ekeler stands to benefit the most, but there is a case where Jackson could handle some early down work, while Ekeler keeps a similar yet expanded role that features extended work in the passing game.

Patriots Happy to Force-Feed Michel Again

The New England Patriots were happy to get back to some smash mouth football against the New York Jets and so was Sony Michel. He handled 23 touches and found the end zone for his fifth touchdown of the year.

Michel has battled injuries all season long, but in games where he is healthy, and the Patriots have won, he has averaged 22.8 touches, 115.5 yards and 1.3 touchdowns.

He is the definition of a game flow dependent back, and in games in which New England is poised to play with a lead he has been a lock for big games.

Rex Burkhead is being activated off of IR, so it will be interesting to see how that effects Michel going forward, but with Burkhead’s injury history and the way Michel is playing it’s hard to imagine Michel's workload taking much of a hit.

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