Ian Hartitz uncovers 32 facts from 32 teams to help fantasy football managers with their roster decisions.

One fact for every NFL team. Some might say it's truly a great day to be great.

Special thanks to TruMedia, PFF, Pro Football Reference, and Next-Gen Stats for all referenced metrics.

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Arizona Cardinals

• Question: Has Marvin Harrison Jr. been Kyler Murray's least-efficient pass catcher?

In terms of Kyler's passer rating to WRs and TEs with a minimum of 10 targets: Yes.

Cardinals WRs and TEs passer rating when targeted:

1. Elijah Higgins (133.3)
2. Trey McBride (102.5)
3. Michael Wilson (100.7)
4. Greg Dortch (97.1)
5. Marvin Harrison Jr. (92.1)

This is hardly all the rookie's fault, but either way it's clear that QB1 and WR1 have some work to do this offseason before we *best Dennis Green impression* crown their ass as the next great combo.

Atlanta Falcons

• Question: How bad has Kirk Cousins been in recent weeks?

Rather horrific. That's him in the bottom left quadrant in the blow chart, only confirmed better in EPA per dropback and completion percentage over expected than Cooper Rush and Drew Lock.

The biggest ongoing problem is the failure to take care of the football: Nobody has more turnover-worthy plays than Cousins (23) this season. Not great!

Baltimore Ravens

• Question: How tough is it to tackle Lamar Jackson?

Very! In fact, only Kenneth Walker (40%) has a higher rate of forcing missed tackles than Jackson (31.5%). Among all players with at least 50 rush attempts. This is very unique at the QB position: Caleb Williams (22.2%) is a distant second in terms of tackles avoided rate, while Jackson's 35 raw tackles avoided are 13 more than second-place QB Jayden Daniels (22).

This is actually a trend across the entire Ravens offense: Only the Steelers (104) have evaded more tackles than the Ravens (98) this season, and intriguingly the Ravens defense has missed the fewest tackles in run support of any defense this season (44).

Up next: A Giants defense that has missed the seventh-most tackles on rush attempts (73) on carries this season. Good luck!

Buffalo Bills

• Question: Is Khalil Shakir one of the league's best YAC beasts?

He is! Especially in terms of raw yards after the catch and missed tackles forced.

Shakir's house call last week was absolutely electric and showcased his blend of strength and speed with the ball in his hands. Kings stay kings, and Shakir has been awfully royal all season long on his way to easily leading the Bills in receptions (65) and receiving yards (735).

Carolina Panthers

• Question: How does Bryce Young's supporting cast stack up compared to the rest of the league?

Not too shabby for once! To get an idea of this, I averaged every team's PFF rushing, receiving-pass blocking, and run0blocking grades (everything except passing) to create a "Supporting Cast Rating."

The Panthers' ranks over the last six years:

• 2024: 14th
• 2023: 28th
• 2022: 19th
• 2021: 29th
• 2020: 20th
• 2019: 26th

So Bryce Young is playing considerably better now that he actually has a halfway decent offense to work with? Funny how that works.

Chicago Bears

• Question: Is the Bears pressure problem REALLY on Caleb Williams?

Kind of, yeah. The following chart denotes every team's pressure rate AND the percentage of pressures that PFF deemed to be the QB's fault specifically.

Overall, no QB has allowed a higher percentage of their pressures to be converted into sacks than Williams this season. It's reasonable to suggest the play-calling hasn't helped matters here, but either way: Williams' 2.99 second average time to throw (8th highest) also hasn't exactly helped matters.

Cincinnati Bengals

• Question: What sort of company will Ja'Marr Chase join if he manages to win the triple crown?

Chase currently leads the NFL in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,319), and receiving TDs (15) this season. The only other players to accomplish this over the last 50 years:

• 1990: Jerry Rice
• 1992: Sterling Sharpe
• 2005: Steve Smith
• 2021: Cooper Kupp

As a biased Tee Higgins fantasy manager, it'd be a lot cooler if Joe Burrow saves at least a few of those targets for Higgins this week, but either way: Chase has made himself a LOT of money this season.

Cleveland Browns

• Question: What backup RB has most outperformed their team's starter this season?

In terms of raw difference in yards per carry (min. 50 carries each)—the answer is Jerome Ford! Overall, just three backups have outperformed their team's starter by at least one full yard:

• Jerome Ford (4.6) vs. Nick Chubb (3.1)
• Jahmyr Gibbs (5.7) vs. David Montgomery (4.3)
• Antonio Gibson (4.7) vs. Rhamondre Stevenson (3.7)

Now, those numbers do need some context: Ford has faced eight-plus defenders in the box on a league-low 3.8% of his carries this season—far lower than Chubb (22.6%, 16th). A similar sentiment is true for Gibbs (15.2% vs. 26.1%) and Gibson (15.2% vs. 23.9%).

Dallas Cowboys

• Question: Just how good has Rico Dowdle been this season?

Very! In fact, his ability to rack up missed tackles and pick up yards after contact is on par with none other than Saquon Barkley!

The associated volume difference matters, but still: Kudos to Dowdle for making the most out of his opportunities as the Cowboys' lead back, and he's accordingly locked in as a top-16 option at the position ahead of Sunday's smash spot against the Panthers.

Denver Broncos

• Question: How productive has Courtland Sutton been since his infamous TNF goose-egg?

One of the best WRs in the league levels of productivity!

Sutton among all WRs in Weeks 8-14:

• Utilization Score: 9.5 (No. 2)
• PPR points per game: 20.4 (No. 5)
• Target share: 29% (No. 8)
• Air-yard share: 44% (No. 5)

While it'd behoove the Broncos to add a few more skill-position weapons to the offense for Bo Nix in 2025 and beyond, kudos to Sutton for proving to be more than capable of providing WR1-level production as the focal point of this passing attack.

Detroit Lions

• Question: Do the refs LOVE the Lions?

Not really, especially when it comes to defensive pass interference penalties. Overall, the Lions have drawn just *one* DPI all season long … for 5 yards. Only the Eagles (1-for-12) and 49ers (3-for-43) have under 50 yards drawn on these penalties this season.

Meanwhile, the Vikings (12-for-273) and Rams (15-for-228) are the only two teams to have drawn over 200 yards on DPI flags. There's certainly a lot to be said about the caliber of WRs and play-style associated with these offenses, but yeah: Five yards on DPI calls for the Lions! All season! Nuts!

Green Bay Packers

• Question: How great has Josh Jacobs' TD turnaround been?

Pretty, pretty, pretty great.

• Weeks 1-6: 1 TD on 119 touches
• Weeks 7-14: 11 TD on 147 touches

The only other guys with double-digit TDs since Week 7: Jalen Hurts (11) and Ja'Marr Chase (10). Not too shabby of a debut campaign for the Packers' high-priced free agent addition—up next is a Seahawks defense that has allowed the seventh-most rushing yards to opposing RBs this season.

Houston Texans

• Question: How impressive is Nico Collins' 104 yards per game mark?

Very! Here are all the instances of a WR averaging triple-digit yards per game over the past five seasons:

• 2021: Cooper Kupp (114.5)
• 2023: Tyreek Hill (112.4)
• 2023: Justin Jefferson (107.4)
• 2022: Jefferson (106.4)
• 2024: Nico Collins (104)
• 2023: CeeDee Lamb (102.9)
• 2024: Ja'Marr Chase (101.5)
• 2022: Hill (100.6)

And that's with NFL refs seemingly going out of their way to nullify every other big play that Collins manages to make. Here's to hoping Texans-Dolphins turns into the sort of fantasy-friendly shootout that will make all fantasy managers happy to be alive.

Indianapolis Colts

• Question: Is the Anthony Richardson experience the helluva drug?

Sure is.

The Colts' second-year talent ranks first in PFF's big-time throw rate (7.4%). That's good!

However, Richardson also ranks first in PFF's turnover-worthy play rate (4.7%). That's bad!

Maybe not EXACTLY what Colts fans want to see, but for better or worse: Richardson is a lot of fun to watch.

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Question: Does Tank Bigsby deserve a lot of credit for what he's done this season?

Sure does!

Bigsby among 33 RBs with 100-plus carries:

• Yards per carry: 5 (No. 6)
• Yards after contact per carry: 4.1 (No. 1)
• Missed tackles forced per carry: 30% (No. 2)
• Explosive run play rate: 13.3% (No. 7)

There haven't been many bright spots on the 2024 Jaguars, but at least their second-year RB (and stud rookie WR BrIan Thomas Jr.) look like potential centerpieces for the 2025 offense and beyond.

Kansas City Chiefs

• Question: Has this Chiefs offense REALLY started to air the ball out?

They have. It's probably not a coincidence that this started right around the time the team acquired DeAndre Hopkins.

Patrick Mahomes is accordingly sixth in passing yards (1,800) and passing TDs (14) since Week 8. Not exactly partying like it's 2018 again, but hey, it's something!

Las Vegas Raiders

• Question: Is Brock Bowers already the best receiving TE in the league?

You can certainly make that argument.

Bowers already broke the NFL rookie TE record for receptions (87) and his 933 yards are well within shouting distance of Kyle Pitts (1,026) and Mike Ditka (1,076). Maybe with a new and improved QB in 2025 we'll see a TD total north of 5.

Los Angeles Chargers

• Question: Is Stone Smartt going to be a thing?

The Chargers TE caught all 3 of his targets for 54 yards last week and now seems primed to work as the team's starter with Will Dissly (shoulder) tentatively expected to join Hayden Hurst (hip, IR) on the sideline.

The pros for Smartt:

• His Relative Athletic Score coming out of Old Dominion was pretty damn good … for a WR!
• Small sample size be damned: Justin Herbert's highest passer rating to a TE this season goes to … Smartt (115.6).
• His middle name is Cole—which is REALLY close to Cold—meaning we can probably get away with calling him "Stone Cold Smartt." That is just fantastic.

Now, does this all mean you should absolutely line up to start Smartt against the Bucs this week? No. It's not a given he'll even command a full-time role, and I'd still trust guys like Kyle Pitts and Cole Kmet ahead of him.

That said: Let's go Stone Cold Smartt!!!

Los Angeles Rams

• Question: Does this passing game fall apart under pressure?

Kinda, sorta. Overall, Matthew Stafford and the Rams are the league's fourth-most efficient passing attack in terms of EPA per dropback when kept clean, but they fall to 30th when pressured (pre-TNF).

First in both? The Ravens. Turns out that Lamar Jackson guy is pretty good.

Miami Dolphins

• Question: Is De'Von Achane the league's best RB on screens?

Pretty much. He leads the position in pretty much any counting stat associated with screens: Receptions (30), yards (238), and especially TDs (6–nobody else has more than 3). While Achane's average of 7.9 yards per reception on screens doesn't top the league (shoutout D'Andre Swift at 13.5), this is a weapon that the Dolphins have clearly leaned into with plenty of success this season.

It's been this receiving work that has largely saved the day for Achane in fantasy land: No top-36 RB has had a higher percentage of their PPR points come from receiving than Achane (64%) this season.

Minnesota Vikings

• Question: Are the Vikings the league's best downfield passing offense?

Yes and it's not particularly close.

Overall, Sam Darnold has league-high marks in pass yards (1,030) and TDs (7) on downfield passes. Kudos to everyone involved in this high-flying offense!

New England Patriots

• Question: How does Drake Maye's fantasy rushing production compare to other QBs?

Maye has earned 28% of his total fantasy points from rushing—the seventh-highest mark among 32 qualified QBs. In fact, only Jalen Hurts (381) has more rushing yards than Maye (333) since he took over under center in Week 6. That's right: Maye has more rushing yards than Lamar Jackson (315) in their last eight games!

New Orleans Saints

• Question: Is Marquez Valdes-Scantling randomly playing the best ball of his career?

Yup. Apparently Derek Carr is more capable of getting greatness out of MVS than all the other mediocre QBs the veteran WR has played with (I joke!).

MVS yards per target by team:

• Packers (2018-2021): 8.7
• Chiefs (2022-2023): 8.1
• Bills (Weeks 1-6, 2024): 2.9
• Saints (Weeks 9-14, 2024): 16

New York Giants

• Question: How much worse is the Giants offense than everyone else?

Well, nobody has been worse in terms of offensive points per game, and only the worst of the worst have managed to rank lower in EPA per play.

Note that the Giants easily slide to dead last in EPA per play when looking at things since moving away from Daniel Jones. Here's to hoping the franchise manages to fix that pesky QB problem sooner once and for all this offseason.

New York Jets

• Question: Is this BY FAR the worst version of Aaron Rodgers we've ever seen?

Actually not really—we're seeing essentially the same guy who struggled during his final season in Green Bay.

Of course, Rodgers didn't have Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams to throw the football to back in 2022, so the dropoff is a bit tougher to blame on the surrounding environment. Either way: It seems unlikely another 2016-21 bounceback is on the way for the 41-year-old veteran. 

Philadelphia Eagles

• Question: Has A.J. Brown still been balling out this year when given the chance?

He sure has! Sadly, the Eagles operate the NFL's most run-heavy offense, but make no mistake about it: AJB is still very much one of the game's best WRs.

Side note: Shoutout Puka Nacua.

Maybe the Steelers' ability to stop the run actually forces Philly's hand and causes Jalen Hurts to air the ball out more than usual.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Question: How much has Arthur Smith improved this passing game relative to past editions?

Quite a bit!

The numbers are slightly better when just looking at Weeks 7-14 with Russell Wilson under center (+0.152, 13th). Either way: Hell yeah, Arthur!

San Francisco 49ers

• Question: How bad has Deebo Samuel fallen off as a rusher?

Drastically save for an injury-riddled 2020 campaign. Perennially one of the NFL's most efficient rushers, Samuel has worked as anyone's idea of a substandard runner of the ball.

• 2019: 11.4 yards per carry (1st among 118 qualified RB and WR)
• 2020: 3.3 (120/136)
• 2021: 6.2 (3/79)
• 2022: 5.5 (8/76)
• 2023: 6.1 (4/86)
• 2024: 2.8 (75/76)

Seattle Seahawks

• Question: Is Zach Charbonnet better than Kenneth Walker?

Not necessarily better … just different.

• Yards per carry: Charbonnet (4.1), Walker (3.7)
• Yards after contact per carry: Charbonnet (3.6), Walker (3.1)
• Missed tackles forced per carry: Charbonnet (26.8%), Walker (40%)
• Explosive run rate: Charbonnet (8.2%), Walker (5.5%)
• Stuff rate: Charbonnet (26.8%), Walker (22.1%)
• PFF rush grade: Charbonnet (72.2), Walker (91.1)

Charbonnet has more consistently picked up raw rushing yards, yards after contact, and explosive runs, but Walker has been the better tackle breaker (best in the league!) while doing a better job at avoiding negative plays.

Here's to hoping the Seahawks make life easier on both of their RBs in the future: The offense ranks just 28th in yards before contact per carry (1.12) this season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Question: How much better is this Bucs rushing attack relative to past editions?

Considerably!

• 2024: +0.006 EPA per rush (6th), 5.1 yards per carry (4th)
• 2023: -0.166 (27th), 3.4 (32nd)
• 2022: -0.208 (32nd), 3.4 (32nd)

Losing Bucky Irving (back/hip) wouldn't help matters, although to Sean Tucker's credit: The second-year talent leads all RBs in yards per carry (7.2) … with a minimum of 30 carries.

Tennessee Titans

• Question: What's different about the post-injury version of Will Levis?

Levis has maintained his downfield mindset, but the second-year talent deserves credit for reducing some of his meme-worthy turnover moments in recent weeks.

The Titans have hardly resembled the Greatest Show on Turf during this stretch, but the big-time throw rate (4th highest at the position!) reflects the reality that Levis has made a habit of putting multiple impressive throws on tape in recent weeks. However, the biggest issue continues to be that elevated pressure-to-sack rate—only Caleb Williams (31.6%) has been worse than Levis (31%) on the season.

Washington Commanders

• Question: How impressive has Terry McLaurin been this year?

It's been the fantasy breakout many of us have been waiting YEARS for.

McLaurin PPR points per game and rank by year:

• 2019: 13.7 PPR points per game (PPR WR29)
• 2020: 14.9 (WR20)
• 2021: 12.6 (WR30)
• 2022: 13.5 (WR23)
• 2023: 12.3 (WR36)
• 2024: 15.6 (WR10)

Up next is a Saints defense that has allowed the fifth-most receiving yards to opposing WRs this season. Giddyup!

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