Backfield Report: Injured backfields headline Week 3

NOTE: Snaps and route data courtesy of FantasyPoints.com and PFF.com.

Arizona Cardinals

• James Conner (Week 2: 37 snaps, 22 opportunities, 8 routes, 1 target)
• Trey Benson (Week 2: 22 snaps, 12 opportunities, 5 routes, 1 target)
• Emari Demercado (Week 2: 7 snaps, 2 opportunities, 3 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Unsurprisingly, James Conner continues to dominate the majority of the touches in Arizona’s backfield. His 21-122-1 performance in Sunday’s win over the Rams will only further stave off rookie Trey Benson, who did out-snap Emari Demercado in Week 2 after Demercado saw 13 snaps to Benson’s eight in Week 1. Benson wasn’t impressive with his 12 opportunities and rushed 11 times for 10 yards. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising to see his snaps increase in the coming weeks, especially if he continues to play well behind Conner.

Atlanta Falcons

• Bijan Robinson (Week 2: 43 snaps, 19 opportunities, 23 routes, 5 targets)
• Tyler Allgeier (Week 2 13 snaps, 10 opportunities, 4 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Tyler Allgeier saw more opportunities (10) in Week 2 than he did in Week 1 (3) and rushed for a solid 53 yards on nine carries. It was an encouraging outing for Allgeier, but much like Benson’s situation in Arizona, Allgeier is little more than a bench stash as long as Bijan Robinson remains healthy. In Monday night’s win over the Eagles, Robinson totaled 122 yards from scrimmage on 19 opportunities and is averaging 5.7 yards per touch through the first two weeks of the season. Robinson’s 51 percent opportunity share leads all running backs through the first two weeks of the season, as his highly-touted bell cow role appears to be a very real thing under the new regime.

Baltimore Ravens

• Derrick Henry (Week 2: 29 snaps, 19 opportunities, 7 routes, 1 target)
• Justin Hill (Week 2: 34 snaps, 6 opportunities, 15 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: After drawing seven targets in Week 1’s loss to the Chiefs, Justice Hill crashed back to earth in Week 2. Hill totaled just 5.2 fantasy points in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders, while Derrick Henry more than doubled his opportunities. Henry rushed for 18-84-1 in the defeat and has now scored in each of his first two games. The lesson learned here is that Hill will likely have inconsistent usage and can’t be relied on in the passing game despite Week 1’s encouraging output. Fantasy managers should approach Hill with caution or avoid him altogether in Week 3 against the Cowboys.

Buffalo Bills

• James Cook (Week 2: 21 snaps, 12 opportunities, 9 routes, 1 target)
• Ray Davis (Week 2: 14 snaps, 10 opportunities, 2 routes, 1 target)
• Ty Johnson (Week 2: 8 snaps, 3 opportunities, 6 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: On the surface, it looks as if Ray Davis ate into James Cook’s workload in Week 2, but of the 10 opportunities Davis saw in Sunday’s win over the Dolphins, nine came in the fourth quarter with the game well in hand. James Cooks’ snaps/opportunities appear limited, but the Bills took advantage of three interceptions by Tua Tagovailoa and ran just 15 offensive plays on their three touchdown-scoring drives. Even then, Cook still finished the week with an impressive 28.5 fantasy points thanks in part to a 49-yard touchdown run and another one-yard score.

Carolina Panthers

• Chuba Hubbard (Week 2: 27 snaps, 14 opportunities, 13 routes, 4 targets)
• Miles Sanders (Week 2: 19 snaps, 10 opportunities, 8 routes, 3 targets)

Notes: The splits between Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders in Week 2 were similar to what we saw in Week 1, but Hubbard saw his opportunities more than double from the previous week. Hubbard rushed 10 times for 64 scoreless yards in a lopsided loss to the Chargers while catching another four passes for 12 yards. On the 10 opportunities Sanders received, he totaled just 25 yards from scrimmage. With the Panthers benching Bryce Young for Andy Dalton, it’s possible the Panthers are in line for their best game of the season in Week 3 when they take on the Raiders. Hubbard, as a result, could turn in his best fantasy performance of the season after averaging 6.5 fantasy points per game through the first two weeks.

Chicago Bears

• D’Andre Swift (Week 2: 44 snaps, 19 opportunities, 23 routes, 5 targets)
• Travis Homer (Week 2: 18 snaps, 1 opportunity, 10 routes, 0 targets)
• Khalil Herbert (Week 2: 6 snaps, 4 opportunities, 3 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: Through two weeks, the D’Andre Swift experiment has been an absolute dud for the Bears. It doesn’t help that they’ve run into two solid defenses to start the season and that the offense as a whole has struggled out of the gate, but Swift’s numbers are what they are. On 30 opportunities, Swift has totaled 72 scoreless yards from scrimmage (2.6 YPT), but is faring better than Khalil Herbert and the 11 yards he’s gained on six total touches. This is a tough backfield to trust until things show significant improvement. We’ll see if things can turn a corner in Week 3 against an 0-2 Colts team that’s ranked last in rushing yards allowed and 28th in yards per carry allowed.

Cincinnati Bengals

• Zack Moss (Week 2: 41 snaps, 13 opportunities, 24 routes, 1 target)
• Chase Brown (Week 2: 10 snaps, 4 opportunities, 4 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Zack Moss continues to double-up Chase Brown in nearly every aspect of the game. In Week 2’s loss to the Chiefs, Moss totaled 61 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown, while Brown rushed for 31 yards on his four carries. Until he starts to see more work or Moss misses time with an injury, Brown can’t be viewed as anything more than a bench stash in fantasy leagues.

Cleveland Browns

• Jerome Ford (Week 2: 27 snaps, 9 opportunities, 10 routes, 2 targets)
• D’Onta Foreman (Week 2: 25 snaps, 15 opportunities, 4 routes, 1 target)
• Pierre Strong (Week 2: 10 snaps, 3 opportunities, 9 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: Despite leading the Browns’ backfield in offensive snaps in Week 2’s win over the Jaguars, Jerome Ford saw just nine opportunities compared to D’Onta Foreman’s 15. Ford was the more efficient back, totaling 64 yards from scrimmage on eight touches compared to the 51 yards from scrimmage Foreman totaled on his 15 touches. This could be a one-off, but Ford managers are undoubtedly concerned after Ford saw 19 opportunities and a 31 percent opportunity share in Week 1 against the Cowboys. We’ll see how things shape up in Week 3 when they take on the Giants.

Dallas Cowboys

• Rico Dowdle (Week 2: 29 snaps, 12 opportunities, 14 routes, 5 targets)
• Ezekiel Elliott (Week 2: 28 snaps, 9 opportunities, 17 routes, 3 targets)
• Deuce Vaughn (Week 2: 10 snaps, 5 opportunities, 4 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Ezekiel Elliott led the Cowboys’ backfield in snaps and opportunities in Week 1 but played slightly behind Rico Dowdle in Week 2’s loss to the Saints. Dowdle was the better player overall, rushing seven times for 30 yards in the defeat, but this backfield will continue to be a split as long as both Dowdle and Elliott are healthy. On the whole, the Cowboys’ rushing attack has been underwhelming. Their 48.9 percent stuff rate is the fourth-highest in the league per FantasyPoints.com, and they have the fifth-lowest YCO/ATT (1.70) — meaning they aren’t generating many yards after contact. It’s hard to get excited about either of these backs in Week 3 against the Ravens.

Denver Broncos

• Javonte Williams (Week 2: 35 snaps, 16 opportunities, 20 routes, 5 targets)
• Jaleel McLaughlin (Week 2: 17 snaps, 3 opportunities, 11 routes, 0 targets)
• Tyler Badie (Week 2: 3 snaps, 2 opportunities, 2 routes, 1 target)

Notes: It goes without saying that the Broncos’ offense has struggled mightily through the first two weeks. Averaging just 13.0 points per game, the Broncos are also 29th in yards per game and are 31st in EPA/play, trailing only the Panthers. Their 29.7 percent success rate on the ground ranks 30th. Javonte Williams has just 40 rushing yards on 19 carries, and Zero RB hero Jaleel McLaughlin was inexplicably phased out of the passing game in Week 2 against the Steelers despite running 11 routes. Williams remains the clear lead back, but that could change at a moment’s notice. Fantasy managers shouldn’t want any part of this backfield right now.

Detroit Lions

• Jahmyr Gibbs (Week 2: 51 snaps, 20 opportunities, 28 routes, 7 targets)
• David Montgomery (Week 2: 30 snaps, 15 opportunities, 14 routes, 4 targets)

Notes: The Lions’ backfield situation will continue to look like a 50/50 split as long as both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are healthy. Gibbs saw 20 opportunities to Montgomery’s 15, with Gibbs also having a slight lead in opportunities (38) to Montgomery (33) through two games. Both backs continue to be startable in fantasy, as their distribution, thus far, has been exactly what fantasy managers expected when drafting them this summer.

Green Bay Packers

• Josh Jacobs (Week 2: 45 snaps, 32 opportunities, 8 routes, 0 targets)
• Emanuel Wilson (Week 2: 13 snaps, 5 opportunities, 3 routes, 0 targets)
• MarShawn Lloyd (Week 2: 9 snaps, 7 opportunities, 2 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Rookie MarShawn Lloyd made his debut after sitting out in Week 1 but was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday with an ankle injury and will now be required to miss a minimum of four games. Lloyd landing on IR means Emanuel Wilson will continue to operate as the Packers’ RB2, but Josh Jacobs is the only Packers running back worth starting in Week 3 against the Titans. Wilson has totaled 57 yards from scrimmage on 11 touches thus far and doesn’t have any stand-alone value at this time.

Houston Texans

• Joe Mixon (Week 2: 29 snaps, 13 opportunities, 15 routes, 4 targets)
• Dare Ogunbowale (Week 2: 19 snaps, 4 opportunities, 10 routes, 2 targets)
• Cam Akers (Week 2: 13 snaps, 8 opportunities, 6 routes, 1 target)

Notes: A hip drop tackle ended Joe Mixon’s (ankle) Week 2 and will likely sideline him for some time. We’ll know more after the team’s first injury report is released on Wednesday, but if Mixon is unable to go, things could be setting up for Cam Akers to see more of a role in Week 3 against the Vikings. Akers, who is returning from a second season-ending Achilles injury, rushed seven times for 32 yards in Sunday’s win over the Bears and saw six of his carries come in the second half when Mixon was injured. Akers hasn’t been overly efficient since first injuring his Achilles in 2021 and averaged just 3.6 YPC last season. His Week 2 production was encouraging, but fantasy managers shouldn’t view him as anything more than an RB3/RB4 if Mixon is unable to go. We just need to see more from Akers before declaring him “back.”

Indianapolis Colts

• Jonathan Taylor (Week 2: 26 snaps, 16 opportunities, 8 routes, 4 targets)
• Trey Sermon (Week 2: 18 snaps, 3 opportunities, 11 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Jonathan Taylor didn’t have the 95.3 percent snap share in Week 2 that he saw in Week 1, but he still saw a 31 percent opportunity share. Taylor didn’t offer much fantasy production, scoring just 9.2 fantasy points in PPR leagues, but he’s running behind an offensive line that’s generating 3.05 yards before contact — the second-highest mark in the league and continues to monopolize backfield touches.

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Travis Etienne (Week 2: 39 snaps, 17 opportunities, 19 routes, 4 targets)
• D’Ernest Johnson (Week 2: 16 snaps, 5 opportunities, 4 routes, 0 targets)
• Tank Bigsby (Week 2: 0 snaps, 0 opportunities, 0 routes, 0 targets)

Note: A shoulder injury suffered on a punt return knocked Tank Bigsby (shoulder) out of the game early in Week 2’s contest against the Browns, but Bigsby has already said he expects to play in Week 3 against the Bills. His absence didn’t have an impact on Travis Etienne’s workload, but the Jaguars did drop back to pass 10 more times than they did in Week 1’s loss to the Dolphins. Bigsby surprised with 12 opportunities in Week 1. If he’s back in Week 3, his touch distribution will be one to monitor, but we wouldn’t expect him to vulture too many valuable touches from Etienne, if any.

Kansas City Chiefs

• Isiah Pacheco (Week 2: 41 snaps, 24 opportunities, 16 routes, 5 targets)
• Carson Steele (Week 2: 14 snaps, 7 opportunities, 3 routes, 0 targets)
• Samaje Perine (Week 2: 5 snaps, 1 opportunity, 5 routes, 1 target)

Notes: The Chiefs lost Isiah Pacheco to a fractured fibula, as the third-year back is now expected to miss 6-8 weeks to recover. Pacheco was injured in the fourth quarter, leaving us to assume how this touch distribution could shape up over the next two months. Rookie Carson Steele has seen nine opportunities to Samaje Perine’s three, but Perine is the veteran back while Steele is a UDFA. The Chiefs have also brought back Kareem Hunt, who is 29 and coming off back-to-back seasons of averaging less than four yards per carry. Hunt seems unlikely to make much of an impact in Week 3, but he could see more work after the Chiefs get a closer look at him in practice in the coming weeks. Steele feels like the early favorite to get the first crack at touches, and made a name for himself with his physical runs in the preseason. Fantasy managers interested in starting Steele or Perine this week should temper expectations, as a touchdown could be needed for either to hit.

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Las Vegas Raiders

• Zamir White (Week 2: 39 snaps, 13 opportunities, 17 routes, 4 targets)
• Alexander Mattison (Week 2: 13 snaps, 4 opportunities, 8 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Alexander Mattison surprisingly led the Raiders’ backfield in Week 1, but was almost completely phased out in the Raiders’ Week 2 win over the Ravens. Mattison saw just four opportunities last week and didn’t draw a target, while Zamir White totaled a lousy 38 yards from scrimmage on the 12 touches he had. White hasn’t been good this season. After a strong end to the 2023 campaign, the former Georgia Bulldog has just 84 scoreless yards from scrimmage on 27 touches and has forced a missed tackle on just 18.2 percent of his rush attempts. We’ll see how things shape up in Week 3 against the Panthers, but White is the only Raiders back we can start with marginal confidence.

Los Angeles Chargers

• Gus Edwards (Week 2: 32 snaps, 18 opportunities, 5 routes, 0 targets)
• J.K. Dobbins (Week 2: 31 snaps, 18 opportunities, 8 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Like the Lions, the Chargers backfield is another one we have a pretty firm grasp on. Jim Harbaugh’s physical coaching style that leans heavily on the run and a menacing defensive presence has resulted in J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards earning a 27 percent and 26 percent opportunity share — respectively. Dobbins has been the far more productive fantasy back, totaling 43 fantasy points to Edwards’ 9.7, and should be the only Chargers running back being started by fantasy managers.

Los Angeles Rams

• Kyren Williams (Week 2: 41 snaps, 17 opportunities, 19 routes, 5 targets)
• Blake Corum (Week 2: 8 snaps, 8 opportunities, 0 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Kyren Williams continued to be featured in his bell cow role, but rookie Blake Corum finally saw some work after failing to see an offensive snap in Week 1. Corum rushed eight times for 28 yards in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Cardinals, although it’s worth noting all of his field time came in the fourth quarter. The Rams don’t appear overly eager to involve Corum in any meaningful part of the game, but he remains an intriguing stash on the end of fantasy benches.

Miami Dolphins

• De’Von Achane (Week 2: 47 snaps, 29 opportunities, 17 routes, 7 targets)
• Jaylen Wright (Week 2: 17 snaps, 5 opportunities, 10 routes, 0 targets)
• Jeff Wilson (Week 2: 11 snaps, 2 opportunities, 9 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: With Raheem Mostert (chest) ruled out for Week 2 against the Bills, De’Von Achane continued to see an increased role for the Dolphins. Achane saw 80.6 percent of the Dolphins’ backfield opportunities and turned 29 touches into 165 total yards and a touchdown. Rookie Jaylen Wright managed just four yards on his five touches. Injury concerns will continue to follow Achane, who was questionable heading into Week 2 with an ankle injury, but as long as he’s active and the volume is there, he stands to be an elite fantasy running back in Mike McDaniel’s fantasy-friendly offense. The loss of Tua Tagovailoa could create more opportunities and short targets for Achane with Skylar Thompson now under center through at least the next four weeks.

Minnesota Vikings

• Aaron Jones (Week 2: 33 snaps, 15 opportunities, 5 routes, 6 targets)
• Ty Chandler (Week 2: 19 snaps, 10 opportunities, 6 routes, 3 targets)

Notes: Aaron Jones saw more action than Ty Chandler, but Chandler totaled 82 yards from scrimmage to Jones’ 68. Chandler failed to catch any of the three targets thrown his way, but he remains a strong handcuff to Jones. Both Jones and Chandler are averaging an efficient 5.9 YPT, with Jones holding slightly more pass-catching upside. Chandler’s weekly fantasy upside will be lacking as long as Jones is healthy, but an argument could be made to start him in deeper leagues if you’re thin at the position. Through two weeks, Chandler is averaging a solid 10.5 opportunities per game.

New England Patriots

• Rhamondre Stevenson (Week 2: 49 snaps, 26 opportunities, 22 routes, 5 targets)
• Antonio Gibson (Week 2: 16 snaps, 12 opportunities, 4 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Antonio Gibson was an afterthought for the Patriots in Week 1, but surprised in Week 2 when he rushed 11 times for 96 yards while adding one reception for seven yards. Rhamondre Stevenson remains firmly entrenched in his bell cow role, but head coach Jerod Mayo has been emphatic about his desire to establish a strong running game. It’s too early to confidently say Gibson will be a reliable double-digit touch guy in the Patriots offense, but he undoubtedly made a case for more playing time with last week’s performance. Stevenson totaled 81 rushing yards and a touchdown and is averaging 19.3 fantasy points per game thus far.

New Orleans Saints

• Alvin Kamara (Week 2: 34 snaps, 23 opportunities, 7 routes, 3 targets)
• Jamaal Williams (Week 2: 15 snaps, 8 opportunities, 3 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Much like last week, Alvin Kamara dominated the Saints’ backfield snaps and touches, while Jamaal Williams worked primarily in mop-up duty. Kamara has been tremendous through two weeks, averaging 33 fantasy points per game while doing most of his damage on the ground (35-198-4) and averaging 5.7 YPC. Of course, he also has 92 receiving yards and a touchdown on just seven catches. Williams saw six of his eight opportunities come in the fourth quarter and can’t be counted on as long as Kamara is healthy.

New York Giants

• Devin Singletary (Week 2: 42 snaps, 17 opportunities, 9 routes, 1 target)
• Tyrone Tracy (Week 2: 9 snaps, 1 opportunity, 5 routes, 0 targets

Notes: Through two weeks, Devin Singletary has handled 32 of the Giants’ 41 running back opportunities. Singletary lost a costly fumble in Week 2 against the Commanders but rushed for a solid 16-95-1 in the field goal fest. Amongst running backs who have totaled 20 or more carries on the season, Singletary ranks 12th in YCO/ATT (3.50) and has forced a missed tackle on 46.2 percent of his rush attempts. Unless his production starts to fall off, we can safely assume Singletary will continue to be force-fed opportunities in a Giants backfield that’s short on talent.

New York Jets

• Breece Hall (Week 2: 40 snaps, 22 opportunities, 20 routes, 8 targets)
• Braelon Allen (Week 2: 21 snaps, 11 opportunities, 10 routes, 4 targets)

Notes: Breece Hall played in his typical RB1 role but saw rookie Braelon Allen score from 12 and 20 yards out, limiting Hall’s otherwise productive day. Allen didn’t see much work in Week 1 but earned a 21 percent opportunity share last week, which included four targets. If this continues, Hall’s fantasy value will take a hit as the Jets look to get Allen more involved. Allen, who is a bruising 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, could also vulture goal-line opportunities from Hall, although that wasn’t the case in Week 1, as both running backs scored from well outside the green zone.

Philadelphia Eagles

• Saquon Barkley (Week 1: 62 snaps, 27 opportunities, 25 routes, 5 targets)
• Kenneth Gainwell (Week 2: 6 snaps, 2 opportunities, 2 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: It wasn’t quite the three-touchdown performance we saw from Saquon Barkley in Week 1. Facing a stout Falcons defense, Barkley rushed 22 times for 95 scoreless yards in Monday’s prime time loss and added four catches for 21 additional yards. It was a fine fantasy day for Barkley, who is averaging 3.57 YCO/ATT through two weeks and handled all but two of the Eagles’ running back opportunities in Week 2. Kenneth Gainwell is a handcuff and nothing more.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Najee Harris (Week 2: 29 snaps, 19 opportunities, 9 routes, 2 targets)
• Jaylen Warren (Week 2: 26 snaps, 11 opportunities, 10 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: After seeing just four opportunities in Week 1’s win over the Falcons, Jaylen Warren’s opportunities more than doubled in Week 2 against the Broncos. Warren totaled 42 rushing yards on seven carries while averaging 4.7 YPC, while Najee Harris ran for 69 scoreless yards on 17 carries. It was a more traditional role for Warren, who also ran 10 routes while drawing the same number of targets as Harris. With Justin Fields already slated to start Week 3 against the Chargers, Warren’s pass-catching upside will likely remain low. Both Harris and Warren feel like touchdown-dependent options this weekend.

San Francisco 49ers

• Jordan Mason (Week 2: 54 snaps, 21 opportunities, 23 routes, 1 target)

Notes: What’s to say that hasn’t been said already? After playing 57 snaps in Week 1, Mason went on to play 54 snaps in Week 2’s loss to the Vikings, while wide receiver Deebo Samuel had two rush attempts of his own. With Samuel now expected to miss time with a calf injury, rookie Isaac Guerendo, who dominated the NFL Scouting Combine, will likely see more work as the 49ers’ RB2 but expect Mason to continue handling the majority of the work in the 49ers’ backfield. Guerendo rushed one time in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings after failing to see a snap in Week 1. Mason’s fantasy value will take a hit if Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) returns in four games following his stint on IR. However, Mason has already displayed the most league-winning upside of any backup drafted in the double-digit rounds, and is making fantasy managers who drafted him look very smart early on.

Seattle Seahawks

• Zach Charbonnet (Week 2: 64 snaps, 19 opportunities, 30 routes, 5 targets)

Notes: Kenneth Walker was unable to go in Week 2 after suffering an oblique injury in Week 1. He didn’t log a practice last week, putting his Week 3 status somewhat in doubt until he logs even a limited session. We’ll see how things look on Wednesday when the Seahawks’ first injury report drops. With Walker out, second-year back Zach Charbonnet was poised for a busy day and churned out 69 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown against the Patriots. Charbonnet averaged an underwhelming 3.6 YPT in the victory but another high-volume day in Week 3 against the Dolphins, who have allowed three rushing touchdowns in two games, could spell another big day for Charbonnet. If Walker can go, we’d expect him to handle the majority of the touches as he did in Week 1 when he rushed for 20-103-1 against the Broncos.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Rachaad White (Week 2: 34 snaps, 11 opportunities, 15 routes, 1 target)
• Bucky Irving (Week 2: 16 snaps, 7 opportunities, 5 routes, 0 targets

Notes: It’s fair to say that not many fantasy analysts and/or managers projected Rachaad White for a one-target day against the Lions. It was just the fourth time in his career that White saw one target or less, but it led to a bad fantasy day, as White rushed 10 times for a lousy 18 yards while adding one reception for five yards. Rookie Bucky Irving, who surprised with nine carries for 62 yards in Week 1, rushed for 22 scoreless yards in Sunday’s win over the Lions, as the Buccaneers prioritized the passing game to upset Dan Campbell’s squad on the road. White’s bread and butter is in the passing game. He totaled 75 receiving yards on six receptions in Week 1 against the Commanders and will likely be in line for more passing work this coming week against the Broncos.

Tennessee Titans

• Tony Pollard (Week 2: 41 snaps, 23 opportunities, 19 routes, 6 targets)
• Tyjae Spears (Week 2: 19 snaps, 8 opportunities, 10 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: An ankle injury to Tyjae Spears in the third quarter resulted in a busier day than expected for Tony Pollard, who rushed 17 times for 62 scoreless yards in the loss to the Jets. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that Spears’ injury was “nothing major,” so we’ll see how things look when their first injury report drops on Tuesday. During the first half of Sunday’s Week 2 defeat, Pollard played on 13 snaps to Spears’ 17 while narrowly edging him out in opportunities at 10-8. If he’s healthy and ready to go, it’s fair to expect this will continue to be a backfield that’s split close to 50-50. Spears’ Week 3 availability will be something to monitor throughout the week.

Washington Commanders

• Brian Robinson (Week 2: 43 snaps, 19 opportunities, 12 routes, 3 targets)
• Austin Ekeler (Week 2: 28 snaps, 11 opportunities, 13 routes, 3 targets)

Notes: Brian Robinson enjoyed a breakout game in Sunday’s field goal fest against the Giants. Robinson rushed for a career-high 133 yards on 17 carries in the victory and has now seen 36 opportunities to Austin Ekeler’s 17 through the first two weeks of the season. Ekeler’s seven targets on the year are tied with Robinson, although Ekeler’s 8.6 yards per touch are a slightly more impressive mark than the 6.8 YPT Robinson is averaging — which, by all accounts, is still a good number. Both backs have been solid in their first two weeks playing in Kliff Kingsbury’s horizontal raid system, but Robinson’s 31 percent opportunity share is more than double the 14 percent opportunity share Ekeler has seen thus far. Until Ekeler sees more consistent work in the passing game — which may not come playing alongside a run-heavy quarterback — he’ll be hard to trust as anything more than a dart throw RB3 in PPR leagues.