Sarah Bojarski of RotoExperts.com examines the key position battles around the NFL heading into week 3 of preseason play.
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After two weeks of preseason games, some teams are slowly making progress on position battles. There are more injuries that affect other players and positions. More starters – and Fantasy relevant players are playing, and now Fantasy owners are paying attention because draft day is right around the corner. Let’s look at what we’ve learned from preseason games in Week 2.
With Calvin Johnson still not playing, Reggie Bush led the team in targets (seven). He caught five of those for 44 yards, both highs for the team. He also had eight rushes for 15 yards. While Fantasy owners may have been disappointed by his performance at times last year, he is looking like a PPR monster for Fantasy owners this year. He may exceed 75 receptions. Joique Bell will be Bush’s handcuff, but Bush will get the majority of work. Bush is a RB1, especially in PPR leagues. Bell isn’t worth drafting unless you are a Bush owner.
In many Fantasy circles, Jordan Cameron was a tight end sleeper. However, after the second preseason game, he may not be a sleeper for much longer. On three targets, he had three receptions for 42 yards and two touchdowns. He was clearly the best performer on the field, and both touchdowns were from Brandon Weeden. Keep an eye on him as a possible target after the very elite TEs are off the board. Josh Gordon, who is suspended for two games, had four targets, of which he converted three of them for72 yards. He’s a WR2 with upside that is undervalued in drafts. Avoid the mess created at running back after Dion Lewis fractured his left fibula. Trent Richardson is the starter and there is no clear backup.
Not only did the Chicago D/ST look good, but the running backs looked strong as well. Matt Forte had eight carries for 74 yards and a touchdown. That included a 58 yard-run and a red zone score. He actually had all three red zone carries, which is promising news for Fantasy owners that are used to Forte watching from the sidelines when it comes to the goal line. Michael Bush did come in and have 11 carries for 37 yards and a touchdown (in the third quarter). Bush is still a handcuff, but Forte’s value may be increasing if he’ll get some work around the goal line. Also note that he did not have any receptions in this game. See how that plays out next week as well.
Vincent Brown was the starter (along with Eddie Royal), but he didn’t do much with his reps. He caught one pass for nine yards on two targets. Royal didn’t catch a pass. Malcolm Floyd will miss the rest of the preseason and may miss the Week 1 game as well. Brown is a WR3 target. In the running game, Ryan Mathews had nine carries for 45 yards. He didn’t catch the ball, but he did look strong running the ball. While many Fantasy owners are down on Mathews after last season, he does look strong this preseason.
While Nick Foles is trying to earn the role of starting QB, it’s not going to help his cause that he had a bad interception in the red zone. Michael Vick had 105 yards and an interception as well, but it does appear the job will be his. Vick will be a QB2 this year. Don’t expect a ton of yards on the ground like years past, but he will provide some Fantasy value. As for the receivers, DeSean Jackson and Jason Avant each had four targets. Look for Jackson to have a good year in Chip Kelly’s offense. He’s a WR2 with upside. Avant may end up having Fantasy value at some point. Riley Cooper is still lining up in the two-wide sets and will likely be the No. 2 receiver in Philly to start the season.
Carolina’s offense struggled. They scored nine points on three field goals. The top receiver was David Gettis, who will likely be the No. 3 receiver for the Panthers. He had nine targets, of which he caught five for 82 yards. Ignore him for Fantasy purposes at this point. Brandon LaFell only had one catch for 16 yards. He is worth drafting in the late rounds for depth in leagues that start three receivers. DeAngelo Williams had 12 carries for 39 yards and one catch for three yards. He’ll be the lead back while Jonathan Stewart is still sidelined, but he’s still only being drafted in the mid-to-late rounds.
The Matt Ryan to Julio Jones hookup came back as the pair connected for a touchdown in the first quarter. Jones had three receptions for 55 yards on four targets. Steven Jackson had eight carries for 42 yards and added a 13-yard reception. He isn’t quite living up to the preseason hype just yet, but he’ll be a serviceable RB2. Watch the next preseason game as well to get a feel for how well he’ll fit into Atlanta’s offense.
Torrey Smith is further cementing his role as the deep threat in Baltimore, with two receptions for 85 yards in the second preseason game. One of those receptions went for a 77-yard touchdown. There really wasn’t a lot else to learn from this preseason game as Bernard Pierce will still be Ray Rice’s handcuff. No other receivers are stepping up, so besides Smith, there isn’t a clear WR worth drafting just yet.
EJ. Manuel looked better than Kevin Kolb, which may mean that he would have earned the job as the Week 1 starter. He had 92 yards on 10 completions and a touchdown. Kolb had an interception. Manuel didn’t rush the ball, and that will likely be a factor for Fantasy owners. If he will get some yards on the ground, he’ll become Fantasy relevant. However, he did have a swelling in his knee after the game and it has been revealed he will need a minor procedure. He’ll miss the rest of the preseason and potentially Week 1. Fantasy owners in two-quarterback leagues still might want to grab him in the later rounds, as he will be an asset to your team as the season goes on.
Because the tight end position is so thin this year, Kyle Rudolph is a TE1. In the second preseason game, he had three receptions for 39 yards, and was the leading receiver on the Vikings. Rudolph is the beneficiary of Christian Ponder at quarterback. Ponder checks down to Rudolph on a regular basis. While it is uncertain that Ponder plays the full season as Minnesota’s starting QB, Rudolph will have considerable Fantasy value.
After tight end Vance McDonald lead the team in receptions in the first preseason game, he missed the second game with an undisclosed injury. At this point, he is off the Fantasy radar. Most of the other starters didn’t play or didn’t play enough to get a feel for how they will produce this season. One receiver to continue to keep an eye on is Austin Collie. He only had one reception for 11 yards, but if he can stay healthy, he’ll be an asset to the 49ers – and potentially your Fantasy team. In deep leagues, he’s worth drafting as a late round flier.
With Jamaal Charles sidelined with a sprained foot, Knile Davis stepped up as the No. 1 running back. He had 10 carries for 37 yards and added three receptions for 31 yards. No one else stepped up in Charles’ absence. Look for Davis to be the handcuff for Charles.. At quarterback, Alex Smith will be the starter, but he’s not going to help your Fantasy team that much. The receiving corps in Kansas City is mediocre (especially with Dwayne Bowe not playing) and Smith isn’t talented enough to carry the team himself. What we did learn from the preseason game, however, is that whoever is in at running back will get receptions.
While Tom Brady gave Fantasy owners a scare when he left practice with a knee injury, all fears were put to rest when he played without issue in the second preseason game. There are no worries about the star quarterback, but there are questions on who will step up at receiver. Danny Amendola played and looked good, catching a touchdown pass from Brady. After Amendola, Shane Vereen had the second-most receptions and yards for the Patriots with four receptions for 46 yards. He added 29 yards on the ground. Zach Sudfeld had two receptions including a highlight-reel touchdown catch between defenders. He appeared to have no problem stepping up in the red zone while he gets to play the No. 1 tight end role. If he keeps playing as well as he is this preseason, he’s not only going to be the (likely) Week 1 starter, but he will no longer be a Fantasy sleeper. For receivers behind Amendola, Aaron Dobson had two receptions for 30 yards and Julian Edelman had four receptions for 26 yards. Last week’s sleeper standout, Kenbrell Thompkins, only managed one reception for three yards. In just looking at the box score, this might seem like he took a step backward. However, in watching the game, he was starting in two-receiver sets with Amendola. Also, he played for 21 snaps with Brady (compared to two for Dobson). Thompkins is still the second receiver to own in New England and is worth grabbing in the late rounds of your draft.
The biggest headline from Tampa Bay was when Doug Martin went off the field with a head injury. Reports showed that it was not a concussion and he was fine, but Fantasy owners were certainly worried when their stud player was injured. Don’t worry about Martin. If you are looking for a handcuff, however, it appears that Mike James is the leading candidate for that job. He had 15 carries for 81 yards and added three receptions for 23 yards in the second preseason game. Mike Glennon saw a lot of playing time, but Josh Freeman’s job isn’t in jeopardy.
The biggest battle to watch for the Cowboys is the one at running back. While DeMarco Murray is clearly the top option, he is an injury risk. If you do draft Murray, you should make sure he is handcuffed. The battle for the job was between Phillip Tanner and Lance Dunbar, although it appears now that Dunbar has won the role. Dunbar did only have one rush for two yards, but he added two receptions for 61 yards. Joseph Randle was the leading rusher with eight attempts for 16 yards. Clearly, rushing the ball wasn’t the focus for the Cowboys. Ignore Randle and Tanner at this point and take Dunbar as your Murray handcuff.
While it doesn’t seem to be a question that Carson Palmer, Rashard Mendenhall and Larry Fitzgerald are the main starters at their respective positions, there are other position battles. Ryan Williams is the backup running back on the depth chart, but he hasn’t played in a preseason game yet. Andre Ellington had 10 carries for 24 yards and will battle Stepfan Taylor for the backup job if Williams can’t get on the field for the third preseason game. At this point, Mendenhall is a RB2, and the other running backs can be avoided. Look at Michael Floyd to be a Fantasy sleeper this year. His preseason stats haven’t shown it, but he’s the likely candidate to stop up aside Fitzgerald.
While Pierre Thomas rested, Mark Ingram showed that he’s capable of filling the running back role. He was given the ball at the goal line, and ran it in for a two-yard touchdown. He had nine carries for 30 yards and one reception for 11 yards in the second preseason game. Darren Sproles will fill the pass-catching running back role, as evidenced by his numbers. He had five carries for nine yards, but added five receptions for 35 yards. Nick Toon and Kenny Stills have passed Steve Breaston on the depth chart. For the moment, neither have value in standard redraft leagues, however, if you are in a deep league that starts three receivers, keep their names on your radar in the late rounds.
Matt Flynn didn’t do anything to lend notice to Fantasy owners. His numbers look decent if you just look at the stats (124 yards and a touchdown in a half), however, the box score doesn’t show that he was sacked five times and he is going to have a hard time staying upright as the season goes on. Flynn looked to Denarius Moore for the touchdown, although that combination may not be there all season. Moore is a deep threat more than a check down receiver and Flynn isn’t capable of slinging the ball downfield that often. He’s still the No. 1 receiver in Oakland, but he isn’t more than a WR3 for Fantasy purposes.
Nate Washington had four receptions for 44 yards. Washington has never missed a game in his seven seasons in the NFL. It’s not a flashy or exciting Fantasy pick, but he’s good for 45 receptions, 600 yards and five touchdowns on the year. Kendall Wright went down with a knee injury, but it appears he avoid an ACL tear. He won’t play again in the preseason and Fantasy owners will likely leave him on waivers unless it’s a very deep league. He’ll likely play in Week 1, but until the other receivers get hurt or falter, Wright is just a deep league option.
The biggest guy to make an impact this week for the Bengals was Giovani Bernard. He had seven receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown. He also had one reception for 22 yards. While BenJarvus Green-Ellis will still be the starter, look for Bernard to cut into his workload. Neither back is a top RB Fantasy option, but Green-Ellis is a RB3 and Bernard is a flex flier. A.J. Green didn’t play, so No. 2 receiver Mohamed Sanu stepped up for three receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown. While he is playing behind Green and may lose some red-zone targets to the tight ends, he’s still on the Fantasy radar as a WR3/4. Keep an eye on Tyler Eifert as a current TE2 that may end up putting up TE1 numbers. Jermaine Gresham’s Fantasy arrow is pointing downward and Eifert’s is pointing upward.
The standout here for Seattle wasn’t Russell Wilson or Robert Turbin, but rather the Seattle D/ST. There was one kickoff return for a touchdown and four forced fumbles (one going for a touchdown). Sure, Wilson also threw for two touchdowns, but the question wasn’t how good Wilson would be this year. Continue to look at the Seattle D/ST as a top option. Turbin played after dealing with a foot injury and had nine carries for 35 yards. The battle is still on for the handcuff to Marshawn Lynch.
The Peyton Manning–Wes Welker connection showed up this week as Manning’s only TD was to Welker. There’s no questioning either of their Fantasy value. As for the running backs, Ronnie Hillman started the game and had 13 carries for 34 yards. He also had a fumble at the goal line. Montee Ball came in and had six carries for 28 yards. Hillman is going to have to control the fumbling (he was charged with a second fumble that wasn’t lost as well) if he is going to earn the starting job. Ball’s blocking is what is preventing him from getting the job. This battle will carry on to Week 3 of the preseason.
While Johnathan Franklin got the start, Eddie Lacy appeared to sew up the regular season starting job with his performance in the second preseason game. Lacy had eight carries for 40 yards and added a reception for 11 yards. Franklin had three rushes for nine yards. Lacy is the more explosive runner, but don’t draft him thinking you’ve found the next Doug Martin. He’ll be the starter, but Franklin and even DeJuan Harris will likely be in the mix, hurting the Fantasy value of any one running back. Lacy is a RB3 at the moment. While Jermichael Finley was the leading receiver in the game with four receptions for 78 yards, but keep in mind Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson didn’t play. Don’t read into this too much. Finley will be drafted as someone’s tight end, but he’s not going to be the Top Five tight end he once was.
Isaiah Pead was given the start and didn’t exactly earn the starting job with his performance. He had 11 carries for 21 yards and one reception for 10 yards. Daryl Richardson only had one reception for 24 yards in the game, but the starting gig will likely be his. He was targeted seven times, the most on the team. Pead has a two-game suspension and that will give Richardson time to fully nail down the job. Richardson is a RB3, while Pead is simply a late-round flier. After not catching a pass in the first preseason game, Tavon Austin had four catches for 28 yards in the second game. Keep watching to see how he does next week as well. Chris Givens was Sam Bradford’s deep threat again, with a single reception – for 57 yards. He’ll have WR3 value in Fantasy leagues, but expect some weeks where he puts up very few or no Fantasy points.
Mark Sanchez started the game, as Geno Smith was still nursing an ankle injury, although it appears a gimpy Smith might have been better than Sanchez. It will be amazing if Sanchez starts any games in the second half of the season (barring injury to Smith). Chris Ivory played, but didn’t do anything to cement his starting job. Bilal Powell outshined him with seven carries for 68 yards (compared to Ivory’s six carries for 13 yards). As Ivory gets back into the flow (he’s missed a lot of time due to a hamstring injury), he’ll likely be the starter, but in this offense it’s hard to really recommend anyone for Fantasy purposes.
Fantasy owners of Maurice Jones-Drew should be relieved to see him back on the field and looking a bit like himself again. He had three rushes for 10 yards and added a 20-yard reception. While the numbers aren’t great, he still was able to get out and play. He’s a high risk/high reward RB2. In an offense where he is the offense, MJD will get plenty of work. He is getting older (he’s 28) and he is injury-prone. While Justin Blackmon is suspended for the first four games, he did play in his first preseason game and looked good. He had four receptions for 46 yards. While quarterback play will bring down his value, he should be a WR3 once he’s back. Look for him in the late rounds of drafts.
The starters for Miami played and gave Fantasy owners a preview of what the year might look like. Ryan Tannehill found Mike Wallace in the end zone and Lamar Miller ran in a touchdown from four yards out. The Dolphins did lose Dustin Keller, however, with a knee injury. It’s already been said that he will be done for the season. In the running back battle, it is looking like the job will belong to Miller, although his stats weren’t terrific from the second preseason game. He had five carries for 10 yards and added two receptions for three yards on three targets. Daniel Thomas had four carries for 25 yards and one reception for 27 yards. Look at Miller as a RB2.
Rookie DeAndre Hopkins suffered a concussion in the game and will likely be held out from the third preseason game. He’s still a WR4 with upside as the concussion won’t affect him for the regular season. Before he left the game, he had two receptions for 22 yards on three targets. Arian Foster still hasn’t played, dealing with calf/back issues. Fantasy owners should monitor if he starts practicing this week as it may be time to start getting concerned. in his absence, Ben Tate had four carries for 12 yards and caught both of his targets for nine yards. He’s still the back to own and as Foster is still sidelined, may be worth drafting.
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