Ameer Abdullah has put together an impressive preseason
With just over two weeks until the NFL regular season begins, countless things have already happened on the field that have altered the landscape for this coming fantasy campaign. Let’s take a look at five things we learned through Weeks 1 and 2 of preseason games and their ongoing fantasy football impact.
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1) Injuries strike early and often
The number of critical injuries to top players around the league is the biggest story coming out of the preseason so far. The worst news has come from Green Bay and Carolina, where the team’s top receivers Jordy Nelson and Kelvin Benjamin will miss the entire season with torn ACLs. In addition, a groin injury to Texans’ RB Arian Foster will keep him out of the lineup for the start of the season and possibly up to three months. Also, Bears’ rookie WR Kevin White will start the season on the PUP list due to a shin injury while fellow Miami rookie WR DeVante Parker is currently questionable for the start of the season with a foot injury. Beyond these skill position players, there have been injuries across offensive lines (Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Iupati, etc.) that will carry fantasy football impact. With new injuries popping up on a daily basis, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them prior to your draft.
2) Top two rookie quarterbacks look raw
Another hot item going into this year’s preseason games was the performance of the top two picks in the NFL Draft, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. So far in Tampa Bay, Winston produced mixed results in his first preseason game. He finished the first contest 9-of-19 for 131 yards, including a bad interception. However, he did show off his rushing abilities, gaining 18 yards on four carries and a touchdown. In his second game, he looked much more confident and poised. He finished his second game going 8-of-13 for 90 yards while also adding another rushing touchdown on a nearly flawless first drive of the game.
Meanwhile in Tennessee, Mariota started rough, going 7-of-8 with 94 yards to go along with an interception and a fumble returned for a touchdown in his first game. Similar to Winston, he looked a lot more comfortable in his second game, but still finished the game going only 5-of-8 for 59 yards. At this point, neither Winston nor Mariota have much fantasy value and, with two games under their belts, both look like raw quarterbacks needing a few more games to get conformable in their new systems.
3) Ameer Abdullah – potential fantasy stud?
Abdullah was the owner of the biggest highlight from Week 1 of the preseason. The rookie finished his first preseason game with 67 yards on just 7 carries (plus a 25-yard kick return). While his second game was not as impressive (two rushes for seven yards), Abdullah may be worth keeping an eye on for your fantasy draft. At this point in the preseason, Joique Bell is still on the PUP list and his status for the start of the season is uncertain (yet another injury to note). While the Lions coaching staff has confirmed Bell will be the starter once he’s healthy, Abdullah has provided enough of a spark in his first few games to earn carries once the regular season begins. With that, the rookie may be a worthy addition to your fantasy team (his current ADP is 71 in standard leagues), especially if Bell’s offseason injuries continue to linger.
4) Brandin Cooks looks ready for the regular season
After the Saints first preseason game, it was hard to get excited about the receiving options for Drew Brees going into the season, especially after New Orleans traded Kenny Stills and Jimmy Graham this offseason. However, in Week 2 of the preseason, Brandin Cooks burst onto the scene. The most likely of the remaining Saints’ receivers to have a breakout year, Cooks finished Week 2 with four catches for 117 yards and a touchdown (his TD was a 45-yard catch) while also adding one rush for seven yards. With a season shortened by injury in 2014, it’s easy to forget that Cooks was one of the more productive rookie receivers last year. With a roster full of aging or unproven receivers, it looks like Cooks is primed for a breakout year and to become Brees’ top target in New Orleans.
5) Chemistry building in Minnesota
A more under the radar fantasy option going into 2015 may be Vikings’ WR Charles Johnson. While a lot of the offseason buzz in Minnesota has been around the return of Adrian Peterson and the acquisition of WR Mike Wallace, Johnson has quietly been building a solid relationship with second-year QB Teddy Bridgewater. Going back to last season, after WR Cordarrelle Patterson fell out of favor, Johnson became Bridgewater’s top target for the second half of the season. The two have continued their connection this preseason, as Johnson finished Week 2 versus Oakland with four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. Currently, Johnson is flying under the radar with an ADP of 99 in standard leagues (to compare, Mike Wallace has an ADP of 80). That could climb if Johnson remains the top target in the Vikings’ final preseason games. So, if you haven’t had your fantasy draft yet, Johnson could be a sneaky late-round addition for your team.
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Brad Behrens is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Brad, check out his archive or follow him @_BradBehrens.
