The NFL Preseason is often an unsightly mess, but it always yields a handful of actionable nuggets that fantasy football managers should process when setting their fantasy football rankings and crafting a draft strategy.
The keyword here is actionable. Travis Hunter played with the first-team offense in the Jaguars’ debut and took some snaps on defense, too. I’m not sure how actionable any of that is. It was interesting that Hunter played some slot snaps, but I’m not sure anything we saw with Hunter’s usage should change his average draft position (ADP), which is typically somewhere in the WR3 range.
Let’s stick to the stuff that moves the needle for fantasy football. Here we go.
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football ADP
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Fantasy Football Takeaways: NFL Preseason Week 1
Etienne Still in the Mix
The Jaguars’ backfield is going to be messy, but things are looking a little brighter for Travis Etienne after Jacksonville’s first preseason game.
Etienne started for the Jaguars and played every snap on the team’s first drive. He also ran routes on seven out of 12 snaps, which seemingly bodes well for his usage on passing downs.
Training-camp buzz had suggested Tank Bigsby might sit atop the Jaguars’ running back pecking order, but that might not be the case. Bigsby played zero snaps with Jags starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Bits and Pieces
- Over the Broncos’ last seven regular-season games of 2024, Marvin Mims Jr. scored six touchdowns and averaged 62 receiving yards per game, even though he played fewer than half of the Broncos’ offensive snaps in all seven of those games. In Denver’s preseason opener, Mims was on the field for 16 of the 19 snaps that Bo Nix played and left the game with the other starters. Mims could be a sleeper if he gets something close to a full-time role.
- Will Shipley looks like the clear handcuff to Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia. A lot of fantasy managers were probably making that assumption anyway, but there’s been some speculation that ex-Packer A.J. Dillon might be pushing Shipley for second-string status. But the more athletic, more versatile Shipley played the Eagles’ first 14 offensive snaps. He had a 38-yard run and appears to be Philly’s No. 2 RB.
- Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is draftable in Superflex leagues. He was sharp in his debut, completing 12-of-19 passes for 154 yards with one touchdown and zero interceptions, along with three carries for 24 yards. Dart’s touchdown was a pretty 28-yard dime to Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Dart will almost certainly get a regular-season audition, and it could come early if the Giants’ rough early-season schedule leads to a poor start.
- Jack Bech is undraftable in redraft leagues despite being a second-round pick in April. Fourth-round rookie Dont’e Thornton has reportedly outplayed Bech in training camp, and Thornton played with the first team ahead of Bech in the Raiders’ first exhibition game. With a 6-foot-5 frame and 4.3 speed, Thornton might be worth a late-round flier, but Bech is not.
- Shedeur Sanders probably isn’t draftable, even in Superflex leagues, but his sporty debut (14-of-23 for 138 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions) suggests he’s a good bet to make the Browns’ roster and get a regular-season audition at some point.
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