The first week of the 2023 preseason is in the books. It’s time to overreact!
No, no, no. Only calm, rational reactions coming in this recap of Preseason Week 1. Swear. Here are all of my fantasy football takeaways. And check out a few of my notes below.
- Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
- Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Preseason Week 1 Takeaways
Here are a few position-by-position fantasy takeaways from the first week of exhibition games:
Wide Receivers
- Diontae Johnson played nine snaps for the Steelers, was targeted three times and had three catches for 32 yards. It was probably a good reminder that an ADP of WR33 is too harsh a punishment for his zero-TD season in 2022. Diontae’s ability to get himself open and draw targets is still extraordinary.
- It was Zay Jones, not Christian Kirk, who played with Calvin Ridley when the Jaguars’ starters lined up with two wide receivers. Kirk played in the slot in three-receiver sets. That doesn’t bode well for Kirk’s fantasy value, and it might be a sign that we shouldn’t be completely fading Jones.
- Fun reminder of how much D.J. Moore is going to help Bears QB Justin Fields: Moore’s 62-yard TD catch in the Bears’ preseason opener came on a poor throw to which Moore made a nice adjustment before turning upfield and racing through the Titans’ defense.
- It’s not yet time to make Tank Dell one of your draft targets, but keep an eye on him in the run-up to your drafts. Dell started in the Texans’ preseason opener and had five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. The Texans sat veteran WRs Robert Woods and Noah Brown, so Dell’s start might not mean much, but it was interesting that he played ahead of John Metchie in two-receiver sets along with Nico Collins. FantasyPros college football and NFL Draft analyst Thor Nystrom likes to remind me how hard Dell is for cornerbacks to cover.
- Deonte Harty was the Bills’ primary slot receiver in their season opener – not Khalil Shakir or Trent Sherfeld.
- It was a bad sign for second-year Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton that he played behind rookies Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas in a game where veterans JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne were held out.
More of Fitz’s Fantasy Football Draft Advice
- Pat Fitzmaurice: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Fitz’s Perfect Draft
- Fitz’s Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
- Fitz’s Quarterback Primer
- Fitz’s Running Back Primer
- Fitz’s Wide Receiver Primer
- Fitz’s Tight End Primer
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