Backfield Usage Trends After Week 5

Quick summary

• David Montgomery (groin) left in the second quarter after 5 carries. Woody Marks took 75% of Houston's RB carries and 85% of snaps.
• Will Shipley (foot) went down in London, so Dameon Pierce, called up from the practice squad, played 77% of snaps and ran 11 times for 14 yards.
• TreVeyon Henderson (high ankle) is expected to miss multiple weeks, and Rhamondre Stevenson played 71% of snaps with the goal-line TD.
• Samaje Perine out-carried Chase Brown 14 to 13 after Brown's red-zone fumble, and Brown's carry share fell to 48% from 82% in Weeks 1–4.
• Kyle Monangai (turf toe) is in a boot. D'Andre Swift had 64% of a 14-carry backfield, and Roschon Johnson drew 7 targets.
• J.K. Dobbins had 78% of Denver's carries, both goal-line carries and his first TD of the season, and RJ Harvey drew 1 target.
• Kendre Miller led New Orleans with 10 carries and both goal-line carries, and a limited Alvin Kamara ran 3 times.
• Braelon Allen (92%, 116 yards) and Bhayshul Tuten (92%, a season-high 68% of snaps) both had near-total control of their backfields.

Spotlight teams

Bears: Swift's backfield while Monangai is in a boot

Kyle Monangai's turf toe kept him out at Green Bay, so D'Andre Swift was the lead back again. There was little to lead: 14 RB carries in a 31-7 loss.

• Week 1: Swift 18 carries (64%), Monangai 10 (36%). Swift's season carry share is 53%, and Monangai's is 41%.
• Ben Johnson: "the toe is a bigger deal than we initially anticipated." Monangai is week-to-week, in a boot, and was not placed on IR.
• Swift ran 9 times for 43 yards and scored on one of his 2 goal-line carries. He caught 4 of 5 targets for 30 yards.
• Roschon Johnson ran 5 times for 6 yards but caught 5 of 7 targets for 34 yards and had 4 of 7 two-minute snaps.

Verdict: Swift is a volume flex while Monangai is out, and the script will set his ceiling. Roschon Johnson is the passing-down back.

Bengals: Perine gains ground after a Brown fumble

Chase Brown is still the snap leader, but Samaje Perine had more carries for the first time this season after Brown lost a red-zone fumble.

• Week 1: Brown 16 carries (76%) and 72% of snaps. His season carry share is 72%, down from 82% through Week 4.
• Brown ran for 39 yards (3.0 per carry), and he's at 3.5 for the season. Perine ran for 68 yards (4.9 per carry) and caught a TD pass.
• After Brown's second-quarter fumble, Perine got more short-yardage and red-zone work. Each back had 4 red-zone carries, and Brown had the only goal-line carry.
• Perine had all 3 third-down touches. FOX19 reports Brown "will still have a role."

Verdict: Brown is still the lead back on snaps and season volume, but Perine has a real role near the goal line. Watch whether the split holds in Week 6.

Broncos: Dobbins on early downs, Harvey quiet

J.K. Dobbins took 78% of the carries and both goal-line carries. RJ Harvey, who isn't on the injury report, had 3 carries and 1 target.

• Weeks 1–2: Dobbins had 8 of 11 carries (73%) in Week 1 and split 10–10 with Jonah Coleman in Week 2. Dobbins's season carry share is 67%.
• Dobbins ran for a season-high 68 yards and scored his first TD. He had all 5 of Denver's RB red-zone carries.
• Harvey had 17 targets in Weeks 3–4 and 1 in Week 5, in Sean Payton's first game back calling plays.
• Coleman (high ankle) is on IR and can't return before Week 7 vs. Arizona.

Verdict: Dobbins is a touchdown-dependent RB2 with the early-down and goal-line work. Harvey is a PPR flex only in pass-heavy scripts, and Coleman is the name to watch in Week 7.

Texans: Marks takes over with Montgomery hurt

David Montgomery hurt his groin in the second quarter, and Woody Marks finished with 15 carries and 85% of snaps.

• Week 1: Montgomery 20 carries (69%), Marks 9 (31%). Montgomery's season carry share is 55%, and he's averaging 2.7 yards per carry; Marks is at 3.5.
• Montgomery was ruled out after 5 carries for 11 yards. DeMeco Ryans called him week-to-week on Monday, per the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander.
• Marks ran for 62 yards and caught 4 of 4 targets for 23. He had 1 goal-line carry and 2 third-down touches, and Dare Ogunbowale was the only other back available.
• C.J. Stroud ran 6 times, including a goal-line TD.

Verdict: Marks is a volume RB2 while Montgomery is out, though the run game has been inefficient all season.

Chargers: Hampton gets the carries, Vidal gets the snaps

Omarion Hampton led in carries again, but his 30% snap share was a season low. Kimani Vidal led the backs in snaps for the first time.

• Week 1: Hampton 12 carries (75%) and 58% of snaps. His season carry share is 61%.
• Hampton ran for 33 yards (2.4 per carry) and had no third-down or two-minute snaps. The Chargers had 1 RB red-zone carry and no goal-line carries.
• Vidal ran for 57 yards and a TD, including a 42-yard run right after a forced fumble. Keaton Mitchell had 4 targets.
• Jim Harbaugh, before the game: "three different backs that are playing really well and rotating carries." No back was on Monday's injury update.

Verdict: Hampton is a low-ceiling flex with most of the early-down carries. Vidal is the back whose role is growing.

Patriots: Stevenson's backfield with Henderson hurt

TreVeyon Henderson left in the second quarter with a high-ankle sprain. Rhamondre Stevenson played 71% of snaps and scored the goal-line TD.

• Week 1: Stevenson had 18 carries (75%) and 85% of snaps while Henderson missed the opener with an earlier ankle injury.
• ESPN's Mike Reiss expects Henderson to miss multiple weeks. Mike Vrabel: "We'll evaluate here and see how it looks."
• Stevenson ran for 64 yards and scored on his only goal-line carry, with 3 targets.
• Corey Kiner ran 6 times for 52 yards but lost a fumble. CBS projects him as the No. 2 back vs. the Jets, with Lan Larison a possible call-up.

Verdict: Stevenson is a volume RB2 while Henderson is out. Kiner is a deep stash.

Saints: Miller leads, Kamara fades

Kendre Miller led New Orleans with 10 carries and both goal-line carries. Alvin Kamara, questionable with a back issue, had 5 touches.

• Weeks 1–3: Travis Etienne led the room (45%, 44%, 48%). He went on IR Oct. 1 with a hamstring injury, and Kellen Moore says he "will miss time."
• Miller scored on one of his 2 goal-line carries and had all 4 RB red-zone carries, but ran for just 30 yards.
• Kamara was limited in practice with the back issue after a Week 4 knee scare. He ran 3 times for 12 yards.
• Rookie CJ Donaldson led the backs in snaps. New Orleans ran just 45 offensive plays in a 23-13 loss.

Verdict: Miller is a goal-line flex with little yardage upside. Kamara is hard to start until his back improves, and Donaldson's snaps are worth watching.

Eagles: Pierce by default, Barkley hopeful for Week 6

With Saquon Barkley out, Will Shipley started and then hurt his foot in the second quarter. Dameon Pierce, just promoted from the practice squad, played 77% of snaps.

• Week 1: Barkley 15 of 18 carries (83%). Tank Bigsby (54% in Week 2, 64% in Week 4) is on IR after core-muscle surgery.
• Shipley scored on one of his 2 goal-line carries before leaving. Adam Schefter reports a partial plantar fascia tear that could cost him multiple weeks.
• Pierce ran for 14 yards on 11 carries and caught 2 of 5 targets for -2 yards. Carson Steele was the only other back.
• Nick Sirianni said Monday he's "hopeful" Barkley will be cleared for Week 6 vs. Carolina.

Verdict: If Barkley is cleared, he takes on a heavy load in a thin room. If not, Pierce is a volume-only fallback.

Other backfields that moved

Cardinals: Love's share is up, his production isn't

Jeremiyah Love had 75% of carries (12 of 16), up from 64% in Week 4, but ran for 22 yards in a 45-21 loss.

• Love played 49% of snaps to Tyler Allgeier's 44%. Love had 1 target, and Allgeier had 3 carries.
• Before the game, Arizona said Love's ankle was a new injury that "shouldn't impact" him, and he played without a designation.
• Love's season carry share is 64%. Arizona had no RB goal-line carries.

Falcons: Bijan's snaps back up

Bijan Robinson had 71% of carries (17 of 24) and 81% of snaps, up from 58% and 60% in Week 4.

• He ran for 86 yards and had 7 targets (4 catches, 32 yards), but his TD streak ended in the overtime loss to Baltimore.
• Brian Robinson Jr. had 7 carries for 16 yards on 22% of snaps.

Packers: Brooks on IR, Lloyd scores twice

Chris Brooks (ankle) went on IR Oct. 10. MarShawn Lloyd led with 10 of 22 RB carries (45%) and scored twice in a 31-7 win.

• Lloyd ran for 31 yards on 44% of snaps and scored on Green Bay's only goal-line carry.
• Kaleb Johnson had 7 carries for 26 yards on 9 snaps. Pierre Strong Jr., elevated from the practice squad, had 5 carries and 3 catches.
• Brooks will miss at least four games, and Josh Jacobs is still on the Commissioner Exempt List.

Jaguars: Tuten takes nearly all of it

Bhayshul Tuten had 92% of carries (22 of 24) and a season-high 68% of snaps in the 19-17 London win over Philadelphia.

• He ran for 72 yards, caught 2 of 3 targets for 24, and had 5 of 6 two-minute snaps and 3 of 5 third-down touches.
• Chris Rodriguez Jr. had 2 carries on 9 snaps. Tuten's season carry share is 68%.

Raiders: Jeanty played through it, on fewer snaps

Ashton Jeanty had 67% of carries (10 of 15), but his snap share fell to 53% from 67% in Week 4.

• He was questionable with ankle and foot injuries, missed Friday's practice and was active after a pregame workout.
• He ran for 27 yards and caught 3 of 6 targets for 50. Mike Washington Jr. had 1 carry on 5 snaps.
• Jeanty's season carry share is 73%.

Dolphins: Gordon is the lead back and the goal-line back

Ollie Gordon II had 75% of carries (18 of 24) and 4 of the team's 6 goal-line carries, with a TD.

• He ran for 88 yards on 65% of snaps with no targets. Jaylen Wright had 6 carries on 9 snaps.
• De'Von Achane is out for the season with a torn ACL from Week 3, which is why Gordon's season share is just 49%.
• Malik Willis took the other 2 goal-line carries and scored once.

Jets: Allen's first 100-yard game

Braelon Allen had 92% of carries (24 of 26) and 86% of snaps, and ran for 116 yards and the go-ahead TD vs. Cleveland.

• Breece Hall (quad) missed his second straight game and is week-to-week. His earliest return is Week 6 vs. New England.
• Allen had 4 targets and 3 third-down touches. Isaiah Davis had 2 carries.

Seahawks: Wilson's 83%, Charbonnet not yet

Emanuel Wilson had 83% of carries (20 of 24) and scored on Seattle's only goal-line carry.

• He ran for 61 yards and lost a fumble. George Holani played 41% of snaps and had 4 of 5 third-down touches.
• Zach Charbonnet won't be activated off PUP for Thursday at Denver. Mike Macdonald: "As of right now, the answer is no, subject to change."
• Jadarian Price (chest, IR) is eligible in Week 8.

Titans: Spears is the passing-down back

Tony Pollard kept 82% of carries, but Tyjae Spears played more snaps (54% to 48%) and caught 9 of 9 targets.

• Spears had 28 receiving yards, 7 of 9 two-minute snaps and 4 of 6 third-down touches. He also lost a fumble.
• Pollard ran 14 times for 52 yards with 1 target in the 26-3 loss.

Commanders: White is back, JCM still leads in carries

Jacory Croskey-Merritt had 52% of carries (11 of 21) for 82 yards and a TD, but Rachaad White played 60% of snaps in his return.

• Croskey-Merritt opened the game with a 33-yard TD run, on 35% of snaps and no targets.
• White ran 7 times for 18 yards and had 3 two-minute snaps. Austin Ekeler had 3 carries.
• Jayden Daniels returned and ran 9 times for 103 yards and 2 TDs.

Stable backfields, quick hits