We are almost there, everyone! The NFL preseason is in full swing, and the regular season is less than three weeks away. Several players have seen their fantasy value change over the past few weeks, some for the better and some for the worse. Let’s look at which players are trending up and down over the past few weeks.
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Players Trending Up & Down (2023 Fantasy Football)
Trending Up
The rookie quarterback was one of the most exciting players in college football last season. Richardson’s home run rushing ability has made him a popular sleeper candidate this year. Yet, there was always the question of when he would start this season. The Colts named the rookie quarterback their Week 1 starter after the first preseason game. The fact that the team was confident enough to name him the starter only one week into the preseason means Richardson should be better than expected. He will shoot up draft rankings over the next few weeks.
Alexander Mattison is the new starting running back in Minnesota. However, there is an open competition for the No. 2 role. Chandler was outstanding in the team’s Week 1 preseason matchup, totaling 11 rushing attempts for 41 yards against the Seattle Seahawks. Furthermore, he looked explosive in the receiving game, catching all four targets for 29 receiving yards. More importantly, the second-year running back consistently made defenders miss. Meanwhile, DeWayne McBride averaged only 2.5 yards per rushing attempt and struggled on special teams. The competition for the RB2 role in Minnesota might be over.
While many believe Rashid Shaheed will be the team’s No. 3 wide receiver, Perry is coming for that job. Shaheed missed the Week 1 preseason matchup with an injury. Meanwhile, Perry was outstanding, leading the team in receptions (six), targets (six), receiving yards (70), and touchdowns (one). While he didn’t play with the first-team offense, that likely changes before the preseason concludes. More importantly, the rookie has significant upside if he wins the WR3 role. Michael Thomas has missed 80% of the games the past three years, potentially opening up a starting role at some point for Perry.
Jameis Winston to A.T. Perry for a 29-yard TD strike! 💪
#Saints 📺: FOX / NFL+ pic.twitter.com/Ki0Ya9tdA8
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 13, 2023
Last year Ertz suffered a season-ending torn ACL. Many believed the veteran would start the 2023 season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Instead, the Cardinals recently removed the former Stanford star from the PUP list and believe he will be ready to play come Week 1. Ertz was productive before getting hurt last year. He was the TE3, averaging 10 half-point points per reception (PPR) fantasy points and 7.6 targets per game over the first nine weeks. If the veteran is 100% come opening weekend, Ertz is worth drafting in most fantasy leagues.
Trending Down
Kyle Shanahan has all but bet his life that Brock Purdy will be the starting quarterback this season. However, the 49ers have an open competition for the No. 2 job. Unfortunately, Lance struggled in the Week 1 preseason matchup. The former No. 3 overall pick had 112 passing yards and a touchdown in the game, but the touchdown was more luck than skill. Unless he plays significantly plays in the final two preseason games, Lance will be the QB3 every game this season.
Niners score a wild TD 😮
📺: #SFvsLV on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/bBFpXevVUR pic.twitter.com/uZuqaz2Kbt— NFL (@NFL) August 13, 2023
New England has done their homework on the free agent running back market since they released James Robinson in June. Unfortunately, the Patriots signed Ezekiel Elliott to a one-year contract worth up to $6 million. While the veteran won’t severely impact Stevenson’s fantasy value, he will limit his fantasy upside. Zeke will take over as the goal line, crushing any significant touchdown upside for the former Oklahoma star. Stevenson still should get drafted as a top-10 running back, but now lacks the upside to end the year as the overall RB1.
Hall was outstanding last season until a torn ACL ended his rookie year. Unfortunately, the torn ACL forced the former Iowa State star to start training camp on the PUP list. While Hall recently came off the list, that doesn’t mean he will play Week 1. More importantly, the Jets recently signed Dalvin Cook to a one-year contract worth up to $8.6 million. The team didn’t sign Cook for that amount of money for him to be Hall’s backup. The second-year back went from a likely featured role to a near 50-50 split backfield.
The former UCLA star has been a popular sophomore-year breakout candidate. Dulcich started his rookie season playing well, averaging 10.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game over his first three career contests. More importantly, many had high hopes for the tight end after the Broncos hired Sean Payton. However, Dulcich primarily played only on third downs and in two tight end sets during Denver’s first preseason game. Meanwhile, Trautman played five more snaps and was the starting tight end. While one disappointing preseason game doesn’t mean Dulcich will be bust, it’s far from ideal for fantasy players.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
