Fantasy Takeaways from Every Preseason Game – Week 1

Football is back! It always seems like an eternity from the time a Super Bowl victor is crowned to the first slate of preseason games kickoff, but we made it. Because of that long anticipation, we tend to view those games, from a fantasy football perspective, as truth for those teams. However, we should be careful extrapolating too much. Most teams don’t even play their starters, let alone their superstars. Nevertheless, there are some nuggets of fantasy knowledge to take away from preseason football, and I’m here to do just that.

Over the next few weeks, I will be attempting to glean whatever relevant fantasy tidbits I can from the practice football we are given. Remember, many key players on both sides of the ball aren’t even playing, so these takeaways are not wholly prescriptive of what we can expect when the regular season gets underway. But there are a few things we can pick up on and project how it may play out when it matters. Without further ado, here are Preseason Week 1’s fantasy takeaways:

Houston Texans vs New England Patriots

• C.J. Stroud’s mobility looks like it could be an effective part of the Texans’ offense, which is good because their offensive line was a sieve.
• Nathaniel “Tank” Dell looks like the real deal. His quickness and route-running will award him plenty of targets.
• The Patriots’ best quarterback might be third-string Malik Cunningham. It was actually fun watching him play compared to Mac Jones from last year.
• New England’s run game will need to be prioritized for this offense to move the ball. Subpar quarterback play will not get it done.

Minnesota Vikings vs Seattle Seahawks

• If Ty Chandler’s production is a sign of things to come, Alexander Mattison should have a huge year.
• Jordan Addison is a needed playmaker for Minnesota to line up opposite Justin Jefferson. He got both feet down in my opinion.
• Zach Charbonnet is a bruiser. He should have the goal-line role over Kenneth Walker III.
• Pete Carroll is going to have fun moving Jackson Smith-Njigba around the formations to create mismatches.

New York Giants vs Detroit Lions

• Jahmyr Gibbs will be a playmaker, but his pass-blocking leaves a lot to be desired. He could come off the field in important situations like two-minute drills or obvious passing situations.
• Jameson Williams‘ hype is not matching his on-the-field play—possible fade.
• Either the Giants’ offensive line is bad, or the Lions’ defensive line is good. Saquon Barkley could struggle in yards per carry if the former is true.
• The Giants’ wide receiver room is full of talent — Jamison Crowder and Cole Beasley looked good. There may never be a clear-cut, preferred fantasy WR option.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Kenny Pickett looked poised and in command of the offense. He should take that sophomore leap that good quarterbacks do.
• Jaylen Warren ran hard and should carve out a nice role in this offense.
• George Pickens flashed his playmaking ability and will continue to be a weapon for the Steelers.
• Baker Mayfield showed out much better than Kyle Trask. If things continue like this, he should win the starting quarterback job.
• Chase Edmonds showed juice. He could have a relevant role behind Rashaad White.

Green Bay Packers vs Cincinnati Bengals

• Jordan Love’s arm strength was clearly on display; he showed nice touch on the TD pass to Romeo Doubs. He looks legit.
• GB rookie Jayden Reed flashed. He could be the WR3 behind Christian Watson and Doubs.
• The Bengals didn’t play any relevant fantasy starters. Evan McPherson is good. He is still a top-tier kicker.
• CIN RB Chris Evans got a lot of work and looked quick. He could be Joe Mixon’s backup.
• Dynasty Alert: GB RB Emanuel Wilson put on a show with two TDs. He could make the team behind Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.

Atlanta Falcons vs Miami Dolphins

• The Falcons picked up right where they left off last year being very run-heavy. Bijan Robinson should eat!
• The Dolphins have one of the deepest RB rooms in the NFL. Miles Gaskin showed he is very capable.
• Atlanta’s offensive line was dominant. Robinson’s first-round draft cost is warranted.
• Devon Achane’s vision and speed were on display. If not for a crowded backfield, he’d be a high draft pick.

Washington Commanders vs Cleveland Browns

• Deshaun Watson looks to be back to his scrambling ways. He could be a late quarterback option if you wait on the position in drafts.
• The Browns look like they could use Elijah Moore in various roles to get him involved frequently. He has playmaking ability.
• Sam Howell was inconsistent. Good mobility, but was inaccurate. Jahan Dotson bailed him out on his TD catch.
• Jacoby Brissett was better with his time leading the offense despite a few errant throws. He could and should win the job if he continues to play well.
•  The Commanders’ backfield roles are clear: Brian Robinson is the early down back and should have the goal line role. Antonio Gibson is the third-down, pass-catcher.

Denver Broncos vs Arizona Cardinals

• Russell Wilson was most effective in play action. Look for Denver to make the run game a focal point to move the offense.
• Colt McCoy likes the check down. Clayton Tune was inaccurate but actually pushed the ball downfield. Who the Cardinals choose to start the season will be telling for the potential value of the Cardinals’ offensive pieces.
• Jerry Jeudy looks like Wilson’s first read; he just needs to sort out the drops.
• Samaje Perine runs hard. He’ll probably be involved even after Javonte Williams returns.

Los Angeles Chargers vs Los Angeles Rams

• Quentin Johnston had a problem with drops in college, and he continued that in his first NFL action. Possible fade if he can’t clean that up.
• The Chargers’ offensive line looked strong, with Isaiah Spiller, Joshua Kelley, and Elijah Dotson racking up yards before contact. Austin Ekeler will thrive!
• Conversely, The Rams’ offensive line struggled. Brett Rypien and Stetson Bennett faced a lot of pressure. Matt Stafford could be limited in his time to go through his progressions if his ones play at this level.
• It seemed that only when The Rams ran a zone-blocking scheme did they produce in the running game. Cam Akers must create his own yards if they run a gap-blocking scheme.
• Puka Nacua and Ben Skowronek look to be next in line behind Cooper Kupp in the wide receiver pecking order.

Tennessee Titans vs Chicago Bears

• Roschon Johnson ran hard! He’ll look to make the most of his opportunities, but it’s unclear what his role will be. He’s probably still buried behind Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman, but he is a great dynasty add.
• Malik Willis and Will Levis were very inconsistent. They made a few plays but missed some obvious throws and struggled with decision-making. Neither are fantasy relevant without more development and a Ryan Tannehill injury.
• Titans’ 3rd-round rookie RB Tyjae Spears looked good running with the backups. He’s Derrick Henry’s incumbent should he miss time (*knock on wood*).
• The Bears, for fantasy, is nice and consolidated. It’s all about Justin Fields, DJ Moore, and Khalil Herbert. Draft them and checkout.

Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills

• Anthony Richardson will certainly have some growing pains as he works through his decision-making and finesse on throws, but he is going to be fun to watch! He should rack up the rushing yards and have a solid floor.
• The Colts look like they’ll run a ton of option plays which is challenging for defenses to defend. Additionally, Richardson could check it down frequently, making Jonathan Taylor’s receiving role stable. Concerns over Taylor’s value as an RB1 are fading, as long as he can resolve his dispute with Jim Irsay and the Colts.
• James Cook looks like he’ll be used all over the field and have a vital role in this offense. He should, at minimum, be a solid flex play, with high-end RB2 upside.
• Latavius Murray ran well. He should mix in with Cook and Damian Harris, but he may not have a large role to make him a viable fantasy option.

New York Jets vs Carolina Panthers

• Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight were in a pretty even split. If that’s how Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook are rotated, both will have relevance, but they certainly cap each other’s upside.
• Bryce Young looked poised and went through his progressions well. He will be able to move this offense but is probably only fantasy relevant in Superflex leagues.
• Israel Abanikanda looked solid and could be dangerous in space. Unfortunately, he’s buried on the depth chart and probably won’t have fantasy relevance in year one without multiple injuries in front of him.
• No Panthers’ wide receivers made much of an impact to establish themselves as a leader of the pack. Stay tuned for next week’s game to see if that changes.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Dallas Cowboys

• Despite his poor interception throw, Trevor Lawrence looked good. He’ll lead a prolific offense this season and will be a reliable, fantasy quarterback option.
• Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, and Zay Jones were all notably involved. Each will hold fantasy value. I think Lawrence can probably sustain two of the three each week. My money is on Ridley and Kirk being more consistent on the year.
• If Cooper Rush can make Jake Ferguson look good, then Dak Prescott will certainly make Ferguson fantasy-relevant.
• DAL 3rd-round rookie Jalen Tolbert certainly made a name for himself in this game. He could be the Cowboys’ WR3 behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks.
• Tank Bigsby showed vision, strength, and speed. He has a stranglehold on the Jags’ RB2 behind Travis Etienne.

Philadelphia Eagles vs Baltimore Ravens

• It’s good to see Gus Edwards running and cutting on his surgically-repaired knee. He’ll have a role mixing in with JK Dobbins, but won’t be more than a flex option without an injury in front of him.
• Justin Tucker is still the man! He makes 60-yard field goals look easy. He should be the #1 kicker off the board.
• D’Andre Swift looked spry on his one run. He’s still got juice, but we’ll need to see more to determine his role alongside Rashaad Penny.
• Speaking of Penny, he played a lot more in this game than Swift. This could be an indication that, in the coaches’ eyes, he’s second on the depth chart behind Swift.

Kansas City Chiefs vs New Orleans Saints

• He may be suspended for the first three games of the regular season, but Alvin Kamara’s still got it. He looks as quick and shifty as ever.
• Clyde Edwards-Helaire got run with the ones while Isiah Pacheco nursed a hand and shoulder injury.  CEH wasn’t very effective. More games like this, and Pacheco should easily return to his lead-back role when healthy.
• Juwan Johnson caught two of Derek Carr’s six completions with the starters on the field. This is how confidence and rapport are built, and how fantasy players become relevant.
• There wasn’t much to sort out the Chiefs’ crowded wide receiver room. Richie James, Justyn Ross, and Rashee Rice were all effective with their limited opportunities. We’ll need to see them with Patrick Mahomes to gauge who he prefers.

San Francisco 49ers vs Las Vegas Raiders

• Trey Lance continues to make his name synonymous with a solemn head shake. Poor decisions, inaccurate throws, and lack of pocket presence are why the 49ers are starting Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy.
• Zamir White gained chunk yards after chunk yards. If Josh Jacobs doesn’t report, this is White’s backfield.
• Raiders’ TE Cole Fotheringham balled out. It won’t be him when the starters play, but this attention to the TE position should make Austin Hooper and Michael Mayer smile.
• Raiders’ rookie QB Aidan O’Connell played well in his first NFL action. Should he continue to develop, Las Vegas’ future looks bright.
• Sam Darnold wasn’t terrible, and that’s enough to secure his QB2 role over Lance. His toss to Ronnie Bell showed what he is capable of. He’s still not relevant for fantasy, even if Purdy goes down.

For the latest free agent news, check out the Fantasy Football News Tracker.

Trending Now

2023 Fantasy Football Rankings

Drafting From the 1.01

Best Ways to Determine Your Fantasy Football Draft Order

2024 NFL Draft

Fantasy Football Team Names