It’s championship week! Hopefully you’re chasing down rings and plenty of dough to pay for presents during the holidays.
Here are all the stats you need to know ahead of finals week:
Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray’s shoulder is definitely back to 100%. After running just 15 times in Week 11-13, Murray has 21 carries for 76 yards and a score over the last two weeks.
Murray has now finished as a QB1 (top-12) in 11-of-14 games this season, with his only three non-QB1 finishes coming in that Week 11-13 stretch where he wasn’t running.
DeAndre Hopkins’ target share over the Cardinals last three games: 33% > 31% > 30%.
Atlanta Falcons
In now six games that Julio Jones has missed over the last two years, Calvin Ridley has gone off for 8/91, 5/110, 8/136, 6/50/1, 8/124/1, and 10/163/1.
Falcons RB touches over the last three weeks: Ito Smith (29), Todd Gurley (20), and Brian Hill (14).
Baltimore Ravens
J.K. Dobbins has out-snapped Gus Edwards 93 to 61 over the last three weeks.
Among the 53 RBs that have 100 or more touches on the season, Dobbins ranks 15th-best in missed tackles forced per touch while Edwards ranks 44th (per PFF).
After failing to finish as a TE1 (top-12) in five of his first 8 games, Mark Andrews has rattled off four-straight TE1 finishes and is averaging 16.0 fantasy points per game in this span.
Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen has now scored 15 or more fantasy points in 27 of his last 30 starts over the last two years (includes playoffs).
Two of the 3 times Allen has been held under 15 fantasy points came against the Patriots (Week 8 this year; Week 4 last year).
Over his last three starts against the Patriots, Allen has been held to a 51% completion rate, 171.7 passing yards per game, and a 2:4 TD-to-INT ratio.
However, Allen has been able to get loose on some scrambles against the man-heavy Pats. He’s gone for 7/43, 10/23/1, and 5/26/1 on the ground.
Carolina Panthers
Panthers WR targets over the last six weeks (not including the game D.J. Moore missed): Moore (35), Curtis Samuel (29), Robby Anderson (27).
Moore now ranks second among WRs in yards per reception (18.8) ahead of Will Fuller (16.6) and D.K. Metcalf (16.5).
Chicago Bears
Over the last month, David Montgomery is the RB2 in fantasy points per game (26.5) behind only Derrick Henry (26.7).
In this span, Montgomery has faced the Packers (6th-most Rushing EPA allowed per carry), Lions (5th-most), Texans (most), and Vikings (3rd-most).
This coming week, Montgomery gets the Jaguars (9th-most).
Over the last four weeks, the Jags’ have given up 26.6 fantasy points to Nick Chubb, 23.9 to Dalvin Cook, 36.2 to Derrick Henry, and 24.9 to Ravens RBs.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Since 2000, there have been 150 games where a team has been an underdog by 14 or more points and the Bengals (as 14.5 underdogs against the Steelers) just became the 15th team to win in this span.
Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb has out-scored Kareem Hunt in 5-of-6 games since returning from injury in Week 10.
In fact, Chubb is the RB6 in fantasy points per game (18.8) since returning.
In Week 1-11, Jarvis Landry averaged just 8.5 fantasy points per game and didn’t score a single touchdown. Over his last four games, he’s gone off for 19.7 FPG and 3 TDs.
Dallas Cowboys
Among the 53 RBs that have 100 or more touches on the season, Tony Pollard ranks 3rd-best in missed tackles forced per touch while Ezekiel Elliott ranks 42nd (per PFF).
Pollard also ranks 3rd-best in yards after contact (3.83) while Zeke is 34th (2.65).
Denver Broncos
Since the start of the 2019 season, Drew Lock ranks 38th-of-41 qualified QBs in passer rating (79.8). Only Sam Darnold (78.8), Cam Newton (77.8), and Dwayne Haskins (76.9) have been worse.
Lock has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the league when pressured this season. Per SIS, Lock’s passer rating is 40.6 when he’s under duress (second-worst) and he’s completed just 43% of his throws (third-worst).
Detroit Lions
D’Andre Swift’s last four weekly finishes (Week 9, 10, 14, 15) are RB18 > RB5 > RB17 > RB7.
Swift is averaging 94.5 scrimmage yards per game in this span after averaging 51.5 in his previous seven games.
Swift out-snapped Adrian Peterson 65% to 25% this past week and out-touched him 19 to 6.
Swift has handled 6 of the Lions 10 carries inside of the 10-yard line over the last two weeks.
Marvin Jones is averaging 15.6 fantasy points per game without Kenny Golladay in the lineup, which would make him the WR17 just behind Tyler Lockett (16.1).
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers had finished as a QB1 (top-12) in eight-straight games before finishing as the QB15 (with 18.3 fantasy points) last week.
Aaron Jones is actually averaging more scrimmage yards per game this season (105.5) compared to last (97.4), but touchdown regression has hit him hard — as expected.
Last year, Jones 10 TDs on 33 red-zone carries but he’s scored 5 times on 32 RZ carries this season.
Houston Texans
Deshaun Watson has finished as a QB1 (top-12) in eight of his last 10 games.
With 11/106 receiving, last week marked the first time in 15 games that David Johnson topped 45 receiving yards.
Watson’s target distribution last week was: Johnson (11), Brandin Cooks (7), Keke Coutee (7), Jordan Akins (6), and Chad Hansen (3).
Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor’s last four weekly finishes: RB12 > RB5 > RB2 > RB15.
Taylor is tied for fourth with David Montgomery in touches per game (21) in this span.
Taylor played on 70% of the Colts snaps this past week, a season-high.
Jacksonville Jaguars
If James Robinson’s season is over because of a high ankle sprain, he’ll end the year as the RB6 in fantasy points per game (17.9).
Robinson’s 1,070 rushing yards would go down as second-most all-time by an undrafted rookie behind Dominic Rhodes (1,104) in 2001.
Robinson’s 49 receptions are the most all-time by an undrafted rookie back.
Kansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce needs just 59 yards to break George Kittle’s receiving record set in 2018 (1,377 yards).
Kelce has put up 20.7 fantasy points per game this season, which would place him as the WR3 ahead of Stefon Diggs (19.5) among wide receivers.
Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Waller has scored more fantasy points over the last three weeks (89.5) than Austin Hooper has on the entire season (85.7 in 11 games).
Marcus Mariota targeted Waller 12 times on 26 attempts in relief of Derek Carr last week. The next closest Raider in targets was Nelson Agholor (6).
Los Angeles Chargers
Even though they were both “active” — Mike Williams only ran 19 routes while Keenan Allen ran just 15 on TNF. Justin Herbert dropped back to pass 38 times.
If we remove the game he got hurt, Austin Ekeler is averaging 118.8 scrimmage yards per game in six full starts with Herbert.
Ekeler is averaging 8.8 targets per game with Herbert, which would be most among running backs in a landslide (Alvin Kamara is at 7.3 targets/game).
Los Angeles Rams
Cooper Kupp has finished outside of the top-24 scoring wide receivers in eight of his last 10 games.
Meanwhile, over their last five games, Robert Woods has out-targeted Kupp 54 to 37.
Miami Dolphins
With DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, Myles Gaskin, and Jakeem Grant all out, Lynn Bowden led the team in targets (7) this past week.
Overall, Miami has been pretty conservative on offense with Tua Tagovailoa in his starts. They’ve gone 53% pass-heavy on early downs in his seven starts compared to 57% with Ryan Fitzpatrick in his seven starts.
Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook has finished as a top-24 scorer in every single game this season and he’s finished as a top-12 scorer (RB1) in 10-of-13.
Cook’s 24.7 fantasy points per game ranks 20th-best all-time by a running back.
Justin Jefferson’s 1,182 yards currently ranks fifth all-time by a rookie wide receiver.
Jefferson needs 196 yards over his next two games to break Anquan Boldin’s rookie record (1,377).
New England Patriots
- Cam Newton has only 5 passing TDs on 328 attempts, which is fourth-fewest all-time for any quarterback with more than 300 attempts in a single season.
New Orleans Saints
In Drew Brees’ nine full starts, Alvin Kamara has averaged 25.6 fantasy points per game. This would rank him ahead of the RB1 Dalvin Cook (24.7) and place him 16th all-time.
Kamara is averaging 16.4 receiving fantasy points per game with Brees as the starter, which would make him the WR14 compared to wide receivers.
In his last four games without Michael Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders has gone for 4/56/1, 6/93, 12/122, and 4/76.
Sanders has 33 targets in these four games, which is second-most behind Kamara (34).
New York Giants
- Over the last two weeks, the Giants have gained just 22.5 yards per drive (second-worst) and scored on just 16% of their drives (worst).
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts’ 37.8 fantasy points last week are the fifth-most ever in a game by a rookie QB.
Next up, Hurts gets to face the Cowboys. Lamar Jackson (13/94/1) and Kyler Murray (10/74/1) both ripped Dallas to shreds on the ground in this matchup.
The Cowboys have allowed multiple passing scores in 10-of-14 games and the only QBs to fail to do so are Jared Goff, Daniel Jones, Alex Smith, and Brandon Allen.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Over the last three weeks, the Steelers offense is third-worst in yards gained per play (3.5). Only Washington and the Bengals (3.4) are worse.
The Steelers have generated a first down on 17% of their plays in this span, the worst rate in the league.
Since scoring 25 fantasy points against the Cowboys in Week 9 and 29.3 against the Bengals in Week 10, Ben Roethlisberger has averaged 5.3 YPA, a 77.5 passer rating, and an 8:6 TD-to-INT ratio.
Since being held to 1 catch for six yards by the Ravens in Week 8, Diontae Johnson is averaging 11.7 targets, 7.4 receptions, and 74.3 yards per game.
San Francisco 49ers
Since Week 7, only Tyreek Hill (27.5) and Davante Adams (26.6) have scored more fantasy points per game than Brandon Aiyuk (20.8).
These are Brandon Aiyuk’s weekly finishes in this span: WR19 > WR6 > WR13 > WR12 > WR10 > WR6.
Aiyuk’s 31% target share in this span is tied with Stefon Diggs for the second-highest rate behind only Davante Adams (34%).
Seattle Seahawks
In their first seven games, the Seahawks went 60% pass-heavy on early downs (1st and 2nd) when the game was within a score. That was the second-highest pass rate and they averaged 34.2 points scored per game in this span.
Over their last seven games, the Seahawks have gone just 52% pass-heavy on early downs when the game was within a score. That ranks just 14th and they are only putting up 24.7 points per game in this span.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
For the first time since adding Antonio Brown, their trio of wideouts all had good games as Mike Evans had 6/110, AB had 5/93/1, and Chris Godwin went for 4/36/1.
Can that continue this week? Over their last five games, the Lions have allowed 49.2 fantasy points per game (second-most) and a league-high 1,103 yards to wide receivers.
Tennessee Titans
- Over the last two combined seasons, Ryan Tannehill is 1st in passer rating (113.3), 1st in YPA (8.7), 2nd in TD rate (7.4%), and 10th in fantasy points per game (20.1).
Washington
Honestly, I’m impressed that Dwayne Haskins still had the arm strength to make it rain after throwing it 55 times against Seattle.
Terry McLaurin struggled in the box score with Haskins under center last season, but the split has been much more even this year. McLaurin is averaging 15.0 fantasy points per game with Haskins and 14.8 with Alex Smith or Kyle Allen.
Over the last three weeks with Antonio Gibson (toe) out, J.D. McKissic has played on 75% of Washington’s snaps — which is the third-highest rate among RBs in this span.
