Welcome to the Weekly Fantasy Football Usage Report. Volume is paramount in fantasy football, and a player’s usage determines the type of volume they receive. Every week this season, I’ve taken a look at different usage trends throughout the NFL to help us prepare for the rest of the season and beyond.
Now, most fantasy seasons have ended, with championships taking place in Week 17. Still, there are things to be learned from every week of NFL action, and they can help us in Week 18 and into next year. Let’s take a look at the top fantasy football usage trends from finals week.
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Week 17 Fantasy Football Usage Report
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Gets Another Shot
Only looking at his stats, you’d think Jacory Croskey-Merritt‘s season was mostly sunshine and rainbows. On the year he’s run for nearly 800 yards and has eight touchdowns. But under the hood, Croskey-Merritt has been as boom/bust as you can be.
For the season, Croskey-Merritt is averaging 8.6 PPR PPG. But he has just four games over 10 points, with nine games under six points. A big reason for this is that Croskey-Merrit offers nearly nothing as a receiver. The rookie leads the Commanders in rushing attempts and has handled 47.6% of the backfield opportunities, but he has only a 2.9% target share.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt is the Commanders’ best pure runner, but he’s limited to only that. Players like him will always be volatile, and depend on a coaching staff that is committed to using a one-dimensional player. This is a backfield that could see a lot of change in 2026. I’ll be watching to see if Croskey-Merritt can retain a role.
Isaac TeSlaa’s Role Grows
For most of the season, rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa has been a situational contested catch specialist for the Lions. He’s been great at it, too. But now, over the last five games, we’ve seen TeSlaa’s role grow.
During that time, he’s earned a 9.2% target share while running 73.1% of the routes and playing 67.1% of the snaps. It’s not much, but it’s significantly more than before. TeSlaa is averaging 12.7 PPR PPG over that span, as he has become a deadly red zone threat. On 15 catches this season, TeSlaa has six touchdowns.
Anytime a player can earn a role on one of the best offenses in the NFL, I’m going to take notice. We need to remember, though, that this is without Sam LaPorta. Most likely, in 2026, Isaac TeSlaa will be an interesting waiver wire pickup in the event of an injury to any Lions’ pass catcher.
Xavier Worthy’s Disappearing Act
It’s hard to be excited about any aspect of Xavier Worthy‘s sophomore season. He’s averaging only 7.9 PPR PPG on a 16.1% target share. Thursday was more of the same. Worthy played 79.1% of the snaps, ran 72% of the routes, had a 9.1% target share, and scored 0 PPR points. But there are excuses to be made. He separated his shoulder in Week 1 and came back before many thought he would. Is he still suffering the effects of that injury? Patrick Mahomes has also missed the last two games, and that’s not helping.
All things considered, we have to come to grips with Xavier Worthy not being the level of player we hoped he would be. He’s had opportunity, and outside of the end of 2024 with Rashee Rice injured, he’s done little. We need to lower our expectations.
C.J. Stroud’s Tough Season
After a stellar rookie season, C.J. Stroud had an uninspiring sophomore year and another one in year three. This year, Stroud is averaging 16.3 PPG, excluding the game he left early with an injury. He has completed 64.8% of his passes, which is a career high, and is averaging 220.9 passing yards per game, has 18 touchdowns for a 4.5% rate, and 8 interceptions for a 2% rate. It’s an improvement on his sophomore season, but still not the level of production we hoped for after his rookie performance.
The Texans have let C.J. Stroud down with their offensive line and coordinators. Houston’s offense is continuously hampered by poor blocking and schemes. Stroud still shows the flashes of his talent. I believe he can get back to where he was, but I don’t have confidence that it will happen until these areas improve.
Derrick Henry is Ageless
What a game. What a season at nearly 32 years old. Derrick Henry is truly “built different.” In a must-win game for the Ravens, Henry ran for over 200 yards and scored four TDs on his way to 45.6 PPR points. On the season, Henry is averaging 16.7 PPR PPG, has gained over 1,600 total yards, and is averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He is still performing like he always has.
In 2026, Derrick Henry will still be under contract with the Ravens. He will turn 33 by the end of the season, and he has a chance to continue to make history. Every time people doubt Henry, he makes them pay. A few years ago, I let go of trying to apply any historical trends to Henry. I’ll continue to draft him at his ADP in 2026.
Jalen McMillan Muddies the Waters
Returning from a serious neck injury in Week 15, McMillan has picked up where he left off at the end of his rookie season. In his three games, McMillan has played 49.6% of the Buccaneers’ snaps, run 55.7% of the routes, earned a 13.5% target share, and scored 9.3 PPR PPG.
He had an especially great Week 17, scoring 18.4 PPR points by catching seven of his nine targets for 114 yards. With the Buccaneers already having plenty of weapons competing for targets, McMillan’s reemergence has muddied the waters for fantasy.
Cam Ward Settles In
For much of his rookie season, Cam Ward has shown flashes of why he was the number-one overall pick, but has struggled more than not. But over his last four games, he’s started to settle in a bit. During that time, Ward has completed 59.2% of his passes with eight touchdowns to only one interception while averaging 15.5 PPG. The Titans’ running game has improved, allowing the offense to become more balanced and take some weight off of Ward’s shoulders. From where he started, this is a nice improvement.
The next step for Cam Ward is what the Titans do in the offseason. Hopefully, they will do the right thing and use all their resources to support him. They have some good pieces, but they could use improvements across the board. Ward has the skills; he just needs to put them together with a little help from the front office.
AJ Barner Emerges as A Reliable Target
AJ Barner has had a solid season, which has seemingly gone under the radar. On the season, Barner has played 78.9% of the Seahawks’ snaps, run 69.1% of the routes, earned a 14.3% target share, and scored 8.5 PPR PPG. When the Seahawks drafted Elijah Arroyo and gushed about his talents, not many expected Barner to be the one to become a reliable target in the offense. Obviously, we won’t be viewing Barner as a top 10 tight end anytime soon, but he’s proven to be a stream-worthy tight end.
It’s a good season from an unheralded player that warrants attention. The Seattle offense has Jaxon Smith-Njigba as its dominant number-one target, but there’s room for another player to earn a larger role. Maybe that will be AJ Barner.
Ashton Jeanty Finds the Good in the Bad
Ashton Jeanty‘s rookie season has not lived up to the expectations he had as one of the best running back prospects we’ve seen in a while. The Raiders’ offense has been one of the worst in the league. Geno Smith has regressed, the offensive line is terrible, and the system is bad.
There’s reason for optimism, though. Jeanty’s role and ability to handle a large workload are elite. Jeanty is averaging 19.3 opportunities per game, which is 83.5% of the Raiders’ backfield share, and he has a 13.9% target share. For the season, he’s averaging 14.5 PPR PPG.
It’s hard not to be disappointed by Ashton Jeanty‘s rookie season. But considering his situation, you should be inspired. I’m excited to see where his 2026 ADP ends up, because I want to bet on a talent like Jeanty.
Saquon Barkley Come Down
It’s always going to be hard for a player even to come close to duplicating a season like Saquon Barkley had in 2024, but his 2025 season has left a lot to be desired. His role on the Eagles is still great, handling 80.3% of the backfield opportunities and earning a 10.9% target share. The fantasy points haven’t been there, though, as he averaged 14.5 PPR points on the season. The Eagles’ offense as a whole has taken a step back this season, and it hasn’t helped that their offensive line has dealt with plenty of injuries.
Next year, Saquon Barkley will be 29 years old. For a phenomenally athletic player like him, that should still be relatively close to his prime. Barkley can bounce back. If his ADP is cheaper in 2026, I’ll be interested.
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