Welcome to the final 2025 edition of the Fantasy Football Usage Report. Volume is paramount in fantasy football, and a player’s usage determines the type of volume they receive. Throughout the season, I looked every week at different usage trends across the NFL. For this final edition, I’ll be looking at the season as a whole, through Week 17 when it mattered most.
PlayerProfiler is home to award-winning dynasty rankings and tools. Our Dynasty Deluxe package includes complete Dynasty Rankings, Rookie Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Draft Planner, Mock Drafts, and more. Check it out.
Fantasy Football Usage Report: 2025 Recap
Harold Fannin Jr.
It should be no surprise that Harold Fannin Jr. made such an impact as a rookie. In his final collegiate season, he led all players in receptions and receiving yards. But after Fannin was drafted in the third round of the NFL Draft, by the Browns of all teams, not much was expected of him in 2025. Fannin broke through anyway.
Producing immediately, Fannin finished the season with 11.7 PPR PPG while playing 77.2% of Cleveland’s snaps and running 72.2% of the routes. He also led all tight ends with a 25.5% target per route rate and was fifth with a 21.6% target share. Most importantly, he finished in the top seven of all major categories among tight ends.
I will be ranking Harold Fannin Jr. as a top-five fantasy tight end in 2026, regardless of what the Browns do at quarterback. He’s already shown he’s one of the best tight ends in the league, and he’s easily the most talented pass catcher in Cleveland. The Browns’ passing offense is likely to continue to run through him.
Jaxson Dart
Jaxson Dart entered the NFL as an athletic quarterback who played in a college offense that made things easy for him. On most plays, he was required to make only one or two reads. Some questioned if he’d even be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, but he was when the Giants traded back in to take him.
The Giants had him sit and learn for the first three weeks, but once he got his chance, Dart was electric. In the 10 games he started and finished, he averaged 21.5 PPG, largely due to his great rushing ability. In those games, Dart averaged 7.7 carries, 44.8 yards, and 0.9 touchdowns per game on the ground. As a passer, Dart was adequate. He was 13th among quarterbacks in QBR, but ranked only 28th in adjusted yards per attempt, for example.
It’s important to note that Jaxson Dart did all this without the Giants’ dynamic WR1, Malik Nabers. Dart is going to be a popular breakout pick in 2026, and I’ll be one of the people touting him. He has all the physical talent, is a great runner, and will have his number one target. What’s not to like?
Jacoby Brissett
Perhaps no player went from waiver wire to league winner more than Jacoby Brissett in 2025. After taking over for an injured Kyler Murray in Week 6, Brissett was consistently productive. He finished the season with 19.9 PPG in his 12 starts and scored at least 20 fantasy points in over half his outings. Brissett averaged an absurd 41.2 pass attempts per game in his starts, leading to fantasy production for all. As a passer, he was just average in terms of efficiency, but when attempting that many passes, it doesn’t really matter.
Kyler Murray will no longer be a Cardinal after this season. The writing is on the wall. With a subpar quarterback class incoming, the Cardinals may keep Jacoby Brissett around for 2026 to be their starter. He could also find an opportunity as a bridge somewhere else. He’s one to watch this offseason.
Rico Dowdle
Rico Dowdle had a solid 2024 season, gaining nearly 1,200 total yards for the Cowboys. But after the season, the Cowboys let him walk via free agency, and he signed with the Panthers on a cheap, one-year deal. The Panthers had recently signed Chuba Hubbard to an extension, and Dowdle was brought in to be his backup. Dowdle had other ideas. Getting his opportunity with Hubbard injured, Dowdle took over the backfield. For the season, Dowdle played 55.5% of the Panthers’ snaps and handled 59.3% of the backfield opportunities on his way to 13.3 PPR PPG.
Rico Dowdle is an NFL starting-level running back at a minimum. A team should view him as such this offseason and give him a contract that reflects it. It shouldn’t be a surprise when he’s being drafted as an RB2 in 2026.
Chris Olave
From the moment Chris Olave stepped on an NFL field, we knew he was going to be good. But, since his rookie season, he’s had trouble taking the next step up in his play. In 2025, Olave took that step. He earned a 29.4% target share and scored 16.8 PPR PPG in 2025. He’s also now averaged at least 2.0 yards per route run in each season of his career, an incredible feat. Olave really took flight with Tyler Shough at the helm. They clearly already have a great rapport.
Chris Olave can be viewed as a WR1 moving forward. He’s extremely talented and on a team that wants to run a lot of pass plays each week, and he has little competition and a great connection with his quarterback. I want to have a lot of exposure to Olave in 2026.
Seattle Running Backs: Zach Charbonnet vs. Kenneth Walker III
Ever since Zach Charbonnet was drafted, his backfield split with Kenneth Walker has been a situation we’ve monitored nonstop. It’s ebbed and flowed through different coaching staffs, and has been a bit difficult to predict.
In 2025, it was about as even as it can get. Walker played 48.1% of the snaps, handled 51.5% of the backfield opportunities, had a 7.5% target share, and averaged 10.9 PPR PPG. Charbbonet played 47.9% of the snaps, handled 43.9% of the backfield opportunities, had a 4.9% target share, and averaged an identical 10.9 PPR PPG.
Kenneth Walker is a free agent after this season, so there’s a chance he and Zach Charbonnet each get a backfield to themselves. If Seattle brings back Walker, you can expect more of what we got in 2025, which isn’t great. Since neither Walker nor Charbonnet is involved much as a pass catcher, their ceilings are capped and unpredictable week to week.
Javonte Williams
After an uninspiring season with the Broncos in 2024, Javonte Williams signed with the Cowboys on a cheap deal. Dallas also brought in Miles Sanders and drafted Jaydon Blue, leaving Javonte Williams‘ role in question entering the season. But we immediately found out this was Williams’ backfield. He dominated the opportunities and did so throughout the season. On the year, Williams played 68.8% of the snaps, handled 69% of the backfield opportunities, and had an 8.7% target share on his way to 15.2 PPR PPG. Williams also looked more like his former self in terms of efficiency, finishing 12th among running backs in yards created.
Javonte Williams‘ contract is up after this season. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys bring him back. With his resurgence, it would make sense to do so. Either way, Williams is likely to be a starting running back in 2026. His fantasy outlook will depend on where.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a great breakout season in 2024 and became the Seahawks’ number-one target. So much so that they felt comfortable trading away DK Metcalf in the offseason. With the Seahawks changing from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold, and Klint Klubiak coming in as offensive coordinator, we weren’t sure how Smith-Njigba would follow up his breakout.
Well, Smith-Njigba took his game to a new level and is now in conversation for the best wide receiver in the league. For the season, he averaged 21.6 PPR PPG on a league-leading 36.2% target share. He was also first in yards per team pass attempt and second in yards per route run.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is now in the conversation to be the 1.01 in 206 fantasy football drafts; that’s how good his 2025 season usage was. The Seahawks’ passing offense is likely to stay similar to what it was this year, so Smith-Njigba will have consistency heading into the next year. There really are no holes to poke in his profile.
Wan’Dale Robinson
In 2024, Wan’Dale Robinson was one of the least efficient wide receivers ever. He earned 140 targets, but had only 699 receiving yards on them. Needless to say, not much was expected of him in 2025. But with Malik Nabers lost early, Robinson stepped up. He averaged 13.6 PPR PPG on a 29.4% target share, again earning 140 targets, while running 100% of the routes. He was no longer only a near-the-line-of-scrimmage receiver, broadening his game and reaping the rewards.
Wan’Dale Robinson is now a serious fantasy option. Naturally, once Malik Nabers returns, Robinson will see his role diminish somewhat. But with his growth and having Jaxson Dart at the helm, Robinson could be a contributor again in 2026.
Tyler Warren
Tyler Warren had one of the better rookie tight end seasons we’ve seen. The end of his year may hide his success somewhat, but make no mistake, Warren was on pace for greatness and still had a very productive season. For the year, Warren played 100% of the Colts’ snaps, ran 87.6% of the routes, had a 21% target share, and averaged 11.3 PPR PPG. His role was elite. Unfortunately, over his last four games, Warren failed to top 10 PPR points as the Indianapolis passing offense struggled without Daniel Jones.
The Colts need to figure out what they’re doing at quarterback, but that shouldn’t scare you away from Tyler Warren. He’s one of the top tight ends in the league, with an elite role, on an offense that wants to feature him. The only question is how high his 2026 ADP will be.
