The first major slate of the NFL preseason kicks off today at 7:00 p.m. ET. While we’re unlikely to see established veterans play more than a couple of series, in Week 1 of the preseason we should get the opportunity to see rookies and some young up-and-comers for an extended time, perhaps for up to two quarters. In general, the second- and third-stringers are the players to roster this week. If we want to win, we need to go depth-chart diving.
If you haven’t played preseason daily fantasy before, check out my five DFS guidelines for dominating the NFL preseason as well as the recent episode of “The Daily Fantasy Flex” in which I break down the secrets of the preseason schedule.
For more preseason guidance, see our industry-leading Models, which contain preseason player projections for subscribers. If you’re a redraft player or sports bettor, check out our FREE standard and point-per-reception rankings or favorite Week 1 NFL preseason picks.
It’s just the preseason, but football is finally back. Be sure to keep an eye out for late-breaking news on player availability shortly before lineups lock.
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Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield (Browns): Heading into the preseason opener, Mayfield is scheduled to play at least a half against the Giants. There will most likely not be another quarterback on the slate with more confirmed playing time. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 pick in the draft, Mayfield was the top quarterback in college over the past few seasons (11.9 adjusted yards per attempt at Oklahoma) and has the position’s highest ceiling projections in our Models.
Lamar Jackson (Ravens): Jackson has one preseason game under his belt, so he might be theoretically ahead of some of the other rookie quarterbacks. Although he wasn’t great in the Hall of Fame Game, completing 4-of-10 passes for just 33 yards, but we were able to see flashes of his skill. Although we may not get confirmation on Jackson’s playing time before the game, it’s likely the Ravens will want to get him as much preseason playing time as possible. Even with Joe Flacco playing this week, Jackson is likely to see as much action as he did last week. A prolific runner in college (4,132 yards in 38 games), Jackson has the highest floor projection in our Models thanks to his rushing ability: In the HOF Game he bolstered his mediocre passing stats with eight rushes, which is a massive number for a quarterback.
Running Backs
Boston Scott (Saints): There has been talk that the sixth-rounder out of Louisiana Tech could be the Saints’ next Darren Sproles, given his size (5-foot-7, 195 pounds), athleticism (4.40-second 40 time, 6.67-second three-cone) and college production (1,228 yards and nine touchdowns from scrimmage in 2017). Scott is low on the depth chart, but he’s likely to see some playing time later in the game and provide some nice production against subpar defenders. A no-name player, he’s likely to have almost no ownership in guaranteed prize pools.
Taquan Mizzell (Bears): Mizzell exploded last preseason with the Ravens, averaging 10 carries and three receptions per game, both of which are big numbers. I expected similar usage in the HOF Game as a member of the Bears, but he was required to pass protect on 6-of-18 snaps (Pro Football Focus). Against the Bengals he should get more than the five carries he saw last game, especially since starting running back Jordan Howard (knee) is expected to sit and the team already knows what it has in second-stringer Tarik Cohen, giving the Bears a reduced rotation of backs to use. Undrafted rookie Ryan Nall, a bulldozing back with 49 receptions in his two collegiate seasons as a starter, also got some extended action at the end of the HOF Game. If you’re looking to go deeper than Mizzell, Nall is an option.
Joel Bouagnon (Packers): The Packers are currently thin at the position. Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery are known assets and unlikely to play much, and after them Aaron Jones (hamstring), Devante Mays (hamstring) and Joe Kerridge (ankle) all have missed some practice time this week and could be limited. Bouagnon isn’t a dynamic athlete (4.66-second 40 time), but he could see the most backfield snaps, is big (6-feet-1, 230 pounds) and was productive at Northern Illinois (2,459 yards and 27 touchdowns from scrimmage in 2015-16). Given that quarterback Aaron Rodgers has not played in recent preseasons, Green Bay could look to run extensively.
Justin Davis (Rams): Davis had a productive preseason last year for the Rams with 36 rushes for 147 yards, specifically having nine carries and one reception for 77 yards in Week 1. Although the Rams have Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown, they have few backs at the bottom of the depth chart. With Gurley unlikely to play much if at all, Davis could get some extra opportunities.
Akrum Wadley (Titans): The Titans already have the top of their depth chart settled with Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis, neither of whom needs much preseason playing time. After them, the depth chart is thin, and third-stringer David Fluellen is a known commodity as a veteran entering his fifth season. An undrafted rookie out of Iowa, Wadley is small (5-feet-10, 194 pounds), but he was productive in two seasons as a starter (2,190 yards and 20 touchdowns rushing) and is a good pass-catching contributor (64-668-6 as a receiver in 2016-17). With little competition for touches, Wadley could get over a quarter of action as a three-down back.
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Wide Receivers
D.J. Chark (Jaguars): Yet another in a long line LSU wide receivers to underwhelm in college, Chark has the potential to break out in the NFL thanks to his size (6-feet-3, 199 pounds) and athleticism (4.34-second 40 time). Chark has been the talk of Jaguars camp thus far, opening with the second team but now running some with the first unit. As a rookie, Chark has the opportunity to get extending playing time with the first- and second-teamers in his debut.
Javon Wims (Bears): Wims was the most impressive player in the HOF Game, playing a skill-position high 52 snaps and turning his massive 10 targets into seven receptions for 89 yards. Blessed with great size (6-feet-3, 215 pounds), Wims is a physical receiver who fights for the ball in the air, and he’s competing for one of the last roster spots. He displayed great chemistry with quarterback Tyler Bray last week, and they could get some extended playing time together again this week.
Aldrick Robinson (49ers): It wouldn’t be right not to mention the perennial preseason standout Lord Aldrick. A longtime veteran and favorite of head coach Kyle Shanahan, Aldrick once again finds himself down on the depth chart and needing to impress in the preseason to make the roster. A deep-ball specialist with 17.3 yards per reception for his career, the original A-Rob has been relatively quiet in camp, but he’s a preseason gamer: Last year in Week 1 of the preseason he had two receptions for 83 yards. He should have opportunity to produce with the second team behind veterans Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin.
John Ross (Bengals): The No. 9 overall pick last year, Ross was abysmal as a rookie, scoring literally -0.8 fantasy points on the season, but with the release of Brandon LaFell he’s slated to play in three-wide sets this year. The Bengals could give him extra playing time with the second-teamers so he can get more experience and they can get a closer look at him. Given his NFL-record speed (4.22-second 40 time) and productive history (1,252 yards and 19 all-purpose touchdowns in final college season), he has the potential to turn a few touches into a lot of fantasy points.
Riley McCarron and Braxton Berrios (Patriots): I am lumping these two together, because they both have a chance of being productive, but they could also cannibalize each other. McCarron is a second-year roster hopeful who in his final collegiate season was Iowa’s leading receiver, but Berrios (a sixth-rounder) has reportedly exhibited great chemistry in practice with third-string quarterback Danny Etling, who is likely to see lots of action. The Patriots are thin at wide receiver due to injuries, so both make good plays (but not in the same lineup).
Tight Ends
Hayden Hurst (Ravens): In the HOF Game, Hurst led all Ravens receivers with 33 snaps played, and he stayed in to pass block only once. A first-round pass-catching tight end, Hurst has a chance to contribute immediately as a rookie, so the Ravens could continue to give him lots of preseason experience. With a team-high four targets last week, he had a 3-14-1 receiving line and converted a red-zone target into a touchdown. Given how barren the position normally is in the preseason, Hurst could be a gift.
Dallas Goedert (Eagles): A pass-catching machine at South Dakota State (164 receptions in 2016-17), the second-round rookie is likely to see extended playing time, given that starter Zach Ertz (undisclosed) has missed practice recently and is unlikely to play much if at all. Based on how much the Eagles used 12 personnel sets last year (244 snaps, fifth in league), they could funnel the ball to Goedert, who has a position-high median projection in our Models.
Defenses
Baltimore: In the HOF Game, Baltimore brought the pressure. Most teams run a simple scheme in the preseason, but the Ravens apparently aren’t most teams. Quarterback Jared Goff is tentatively expected not to play, so the Ravens will spend most of the game facing the underwhelming trio of Sean Mannion, Brandon Allen and Luis Perez.
Steelers: The Steelers led the league last year with a 9.8% adjusted sack rate, and they get to face an Eagles offense expected to be without quarterbacks Carson Wentz (knee) and Nick Foles (neck). With Nate Sudfeld and Joe Callahan taking snaps for the entire game, the Steelers could accumulate a lot of points via sacks and turnovers.
Photo credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Pictured above: Baker Mayfield
