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NFL Preseason Fantasy Breakdown (Thu. 8/30): Bears QB Tyler Bray to Play Four Quarters

The 2018 preseason wraps up with a 16-game mega slate today starting at 7:00 pm ET. We should expect to see almost purely backups for four quarters.

If you haven’t played preseason daily fantasy before, check out the five DFS guidelines for dominating the NFL preseason as well as the “Daily Fantasy Flex” episode describing the secrets of the preseason schedule.

For more guidance, see our industry-leading Models, which contain preseason player projections for subscribers. If you’re a redraft player, check out our FREE standard and point-per-reception rankings as well as in-house oddsmaker Sean Koerner’s season-long player projections.

Be sure to keep an eye out for late-breaking news on player availability before lineups lock.



Quarterbacks

Tyler Bray (Bears): This one is simple. Head coach Matt Nagy has revealed that Bray will play the whole game against the Bills. This means Bray will see at least double the playing time of almost every other quarterback on the slate. He’s the first FanDuel player with a positive Projected Plus/Minus this entire preseason, which means his static $6,000 salary is actually a bit low in this ever-uncertain format. The Bears-Bills 36.5-point total is presently tied for the second-highest mark on the slate. Bray’s potential stacking partners include Bennie Fowler, Javon Wims and (don’t laugh) Kevin White.

Chad Kelly (Broncos): ‘Swag’ Kelly has earned the No. 2 job after largely functioning as the team’s best quarterback during the preseason. Overall, he’s averaged a strong 8.3 yards per attempt with a sterling 68.3% completion rate and 3/1 TD/INT ratio. Kelly is yet to tap into his rushing upside, as the 2017 Mr. Irrelevant racked up 841 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing in his last 22 games at Mississippi. Kelly’s mobility and gunslinger mentality offer a fantasy-friendly combination in a slate lacking in pure talent.

Joe Webb (Texans): The dual-threat backup quarterback presently boasts the third-highest projection in our Models. Week 4 of the preseason has been Webb’s time to shine in recent years.

  • 2017: 8/12, 88 pass yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
  • 2016: 17/29, 200 pass yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
  • 2015: 17/22, 193 pass yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
  • 2014: 8/11, 116 pass yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Webb has racked up 67 rushing yards on nine carries this preseason and is always a threat to go the distance thanks to his speed (4.4-second 40 time). His matchup against a banged-up Cowboys secondary lacking in depth certainly doesn’t hurt.

More Fantasy Football Content from The Action Network

Running Backs

Jeremy McNichols (49ers): Jerick McKinnon (knee), Matt Brieda (shoulder) and Joe Williams (ribs) are expected not to suit up tonight. Head coach Kyle Shanahan also revealed that Alfred Morris isn’t expected to receive much if any work after racking up 17 carries in Week 3, and special-teams ace Raheem Mostert also is unlikely to play. This leaves the offense with McNichols, undrafted Jeff Wilson, and Ja’Quan Gardner, who was signed off the street this week. McNichols offers a potentially large workload in addition to fantasy-friendly traits.

  • The former fifth-round pick posted a 103-1,089-11 receiving line in three seasons at Boise State.
  • McNichols has both short-area quickness (6.93-second three-cone) and breakaway speed (4.49-second 40 time).

And of course Shanahan is still calling the plays.

Josh Adams (Eagles): Doug Pederson has made it known that he wants to get Adams involved “early and often” tonight. The Eagles head coach also noted that the rookie has been a “bright spot” this training camp. The former Notre Dame standout offers theoretical three-down ability and has converted 14 preseason touches into 73 total yards. Opportunity is about all we can ask for in Week 4 of the preseason, but early signs indicate that Adams also might just be #good at football.

Darius Jackson (Cowboys): Rod Smith is the Ezekiel Elliott handcuff in Dallas, but there’s still an open competition for the No. 3 spot. The monstrous Bo Scarbrough has battled a groin injury and general ineffectiveness throughout the preseason, as he’s averaged a pedestrian 2.6 yards per carry on 20 rushes. Meanwhile, Jackson has posted 16-71-0 and 9-64-0 rushing and receiving lines. The former sixth-rounder has the size (6-feet and 220 pounds) and athleticism (86th-percentile SPARQ score) of a lead back, and he could get double-digit touches against the Texans.

>> Sign up for The Action Network’s daily newsletter to get the smartest NFL conversation delivered into your inbox each morning.

Wide Receivers

Taywan Taylor (Titans): Taylor has sandwiched an electrifying 4-92-2 line between two disappointing nine-yard efforts this preseason. More troubling has been the second-year receiver’s usage, as Tajae Sharpe earned more snaps with the first-team offense throughout the preseason. While his status as the No. 4 receiver might not benefit Taylor’s fantasy investors in Week 1, it could result in a leading role tonight. A strong athlete, the 2017 third-rounder posted elite game speed when traveling distances of at least 25 yards last season (AirYards.com).

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Packers): The fifth-round pick flashed his tantalizing upside in Week 1 of the preseason, reeling in five receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. Valdes-Scantling might possess the most upside among Green Bay’s three rookie receivers.

  • 6-feet-4 and 206 pounds
  • 4.37-second 40-yard dash (second-fastest time among combine wide receivers)
  • 17.3 yards per reception and 11 TDs in 23 games at South Florida

Perhaps even more importantly, MVS has developed a preseason rapport with backup gunslinger Tim Boyle. The Packers cemented DeShone Kizer as their backup quarterback after Brett Hundley was traded to the Seahawks, so Boyle could wind up seeing plenty of snaps, which would be good for MVS: 41% of Boyle’s preseason attempts have traveled at least 20 yards in the air (per Evan Silva).

DJ Chark (Jaguars): Happy Chark week! After Marqise Lee (knee) suffered a season-ending injury last week, Chark is the No. 4 receiver behind Donte Moncrief, Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook. This might mean a featured role tonight is in store for the explosive second-rounder, who clocked the 2018 combine’s fastest 40-yard dash with a blistering 4.34-second time. He averaged an absurd 20.5 yards per reception at Louisiana State, and the 6-foot-3, 199-pound receiver reportedly demonstrated a more well-rounded game than the Jaguars expected during training camp.

Tight Ends

Ian Thomas (Panthers): The sixth tight end selected in the 2018 draft, Thomas posted a 25-376-5 line as a senior while dealing with injuries. Thomas is one Greg Olsen injury away from gaining fantasy relevance, and his size/speed combo (6-feet-4, 259 pounds and 4.74-second 40 time) could make him a valuable threat down the seam sooner rather than later. Thomas has the highest median projection among all tight ends in our Models.

Erik Swoope (Colts): The tight end depth chart in Indianapolis is rather stacked with Jack Doyle, Eric Ebron, and Swoope. The third-stringer could have a hard time finding consistent snaps during the season, but tonight the athletic fourth-year tight end should have plenty of opportunity. Along with Dallas Goedert and Thomas, Swoope has one of the slate’s top-three tight end projections.

Defense

Raiders: Jon Gruden and company quietly captured two steals in the 2018 NFL draft: Louisiana State defensive end Arden Key and Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. The continued absence of Khalil Mack will probably be too much for the young Raiders defense to overcome in the regular season, but their defensive line should at least have a talent advantage tonight against the backups of the Seahawks’ 25th-ranked offensive line in adjusted sack rate last year.

Bears: The Bills’ patch-work offensive line has allowed 11 sacks in three preseason games. Some of the better linemen will likely play Thursday night so whoever plays at quarterback isn’t totally exposed, but the unit remains an issue and should be targeted in fantasy formats. The Bears presently boast the highest median projection in our Models.



Photo credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Pictured above: Tyler Bray

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NFL Breakdown: Week 1 Quarterbacks NFL Breakdown: Week 6 Wide Receivers NFL Breakdown: Week 9 Quarterbacks 2024 fantasy football rankingsWeek 11 TE Breakdown: Travis Kelce’s Dream Matchup

The 2018 preseason wraps up with a 16-game mega slate today starting at 7:00 pm ET. We should expect to see almost purely backups for four quarters.

If you haven’t played preseason daily fantasy before, check out the five DFS guidelines for dominating the NFL preseason as well as the “Daily Fantasy Flex” episode describing the secrets of the preseason schedule.

For more guidance, see our industry-leading Models, which contain preseason player projections for subscribers. If you’re a redraft player, check out our FREE standard and point-per-reception rankings as well as in-house oddsmaker Sean Koerner’s season-long player projections.

Be sure to keep an eye out for late-breaking news on player availability before lineups lock.



Quarterbacks

Tyler Bray (Bears): This one is simple. Head coach Matt Nagy has revealed that Bray will play the whole game against the Bills. This means Bray will see at least double the playing time of almost every other quarterback on the slate. He’s the first FanDuel player with a positive Projected Plus/Minus this entire preseason, which means his static $6,000 salary is actually a bit low in this ever-uncertain format. The Bears-Bills 36.5-point total is presently tied for the second-highest mark on the slate. Bray’s potential stacking partners include Bennie Fowler, Javon Wims and (don’t laugh) Kevin White.

Chad Kelly (Broncos): ‘Swag’ Kelly has earned the No. 2 job after largely functioning as the team’s best quarterback during the preseason. Overall, he’s averaged a strong 8.3 yards per attempt with a sterling 68.3% completion rate and 3/1 TD/INT ratio. Kelly is yet to tap into his rushing upside, as the 2017 Mr. Irrelevant racked up 841 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing in his last 22 games at Mississippi. Kelly’s mobility and gunslinger mentality offer a fantasy-friendly combination in a slate lacking in pure talent.

Joe Webb (Texans): The dual-threat backup quarterback presently boasts the third-highest projection in our Models. Week 4 of the preseason has been Webb’s time to shine in recent years.

  • 2017: 8/12, 88 pass yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
  • 2016: 17/29, 200 pass yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
  • 2015: 17/22, 193 pass yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
  • 2014: 8/11, 116 pass yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Webb has racked up 67 rushing yards on nine carries this preseason and is always a threat to go the distance thanks to his speed (4.4-second 40 time). His matchup against a banged-up Cowboys secondary lacking in depth certainly doesn’t hurt.

More Fantasy Football Content from The Action Network

Running Backs

Jeremy McNichols (49ers): Jerick McKinnon (knee), Matt Brieda (shoulder) and Joe Williams (ribs) are expected not to suit up tonight. Head coach Kyle Shanahan also revealed that Alfred Morris isn’t expected to receive much if any work after racking up 17 carries in Week 3, and special-teams ace Raheem Mostert also is unlikely to play. This leaves the offense with McNichols, undrafted Jeff Wilson, and Ja’Quan Gardner, who was signed off the street this week. McNichols offers a potentially large workload in addition to fantasy-friendly traits.

  • The former fifth-round pick posted a 103-1,089-11 receiving line in three seasons at Boise State.
  • McNichols has both short-area quickness (6.93-second three-cone) and breakaway speed (4.49-second 40 time).

And of course Shanahan is still calling the plays.

Josh Adams (Eagles): Doug Pederson has made it known that he wants to get Adams involved “early and often” tonight. The Eagles head coach also noted that the rookie has been a “bright spot” this training camp. The former Notre Dame standout offers theoretical three-down ability and has converted 14 preseason touches into 73 total yards. Opportunity is about all we can ask for in Week 4 of the preseason, but early signs indicate that Adams also might just be #good at football.

Darius Jackson (Cowboys): Rod Smith is the Ezekiel Elliott handcuff in Dallas, but there’s still an open competition for the No. 3 spot. The monstrous Bo Scarbrough has battled a groin injury and general ineffectiveness throughout the preseason, as he’s averaged a pedestrian 2.6 yards per carry on 20 rushes. Meanwhile, Jackson has posted 16-71-0 and 9-64-0 rushing and receiving lines. The former sixth-rounder has the size (6-feet and 220 pounds) and athleticism (86th-percentile SPARQ score) of a lead back, and he could get double-digit touches against the Texans.

>> Sign up for The Action Network’s daily newsletter to get the smartest NFL conversation delivered into your inbox each morning.

Wide Receivers

Taywan Taylor (Titans): Taylor has sandwiched an electrifying 4-92-2 line between two disappointing nine-yard efforts this preseason. More troubling has been the second-year receiver’s usage, as Tajae Sharpe earned more snaps with the first-team offense throughout the preseason. While his status as the No. 4 receiver might not benefit Taylor’s fantasy investors in Week 1, it could result in a leading role tonight. A strong athlete, the 2017 third-rounder posted elite game speed when traveling distances of at least 25 yards last season (AirYards.com).

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Packers): The fifth-round pick flashed his tantalizing upside in Week 1 of the preseason, reeling in five receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. Valdes-Scantling might possess the most upside among Green Bay’s three rookie receivers.

  • 6-feet-4 and 206 pounds
  • 4.37-second 40-yard dash (second-fastest time among combine wide receivers)
  • 17.3 yards per reception and 11 TDs in 23 games at South Florida

Perhaps even more importantly, MVS has developed a preseason rapport with backup gunslinger Tim Boyle. The Packers cemented DeShone Kizer as their backup quarterback after Brett Hundley was traded to the Seahawks, so Boyle could wind up seeing plenty of snaps, which would be good for MVS: 41% of Boyle’s preseason attempts have traveled at least 20 yards in the air (per Evan Silva).

DJ Chark (Jaguars): Happy Chark week! After Marqise Lee (knee) suffered a season-ending injury last week, Chark is the No. 4 receiver behind Donte Moncrief, Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook. This might mean a featured role tonight is in store for the explosive second-rounder, who clocked the 2018 combine’s fastest 40-yard dash with a blistering 4.34-second time. He averaged an absurd 20.5 yards per reception at Louisiana State, and the 6-foot-3, 199-pound receiver reportedly demonstrated a more well-rounded game than the Jaguars expected during training camp.

Tight Ends

Ian Thomas (Panthers): The sixth tight end selected in the 2018 draft, Thomas posted a 25-376-5 line as a senior while dealing with injuries. Thomas is one Greg Olsen injury away from gaining fantasy relevance, and his size/speed combo (6-feet-4, 259 pounds and 4.74-second 40 time) could make him a valuable threat down the seam sooner rather than later. Thomas has the highest median projection among all tight ends in our Models.

Erik Swoope (Colts): The tight end depth chart in Indianapolis is rather stacked with Jack Doyle, Eric Ebron, and Swoope. The third-stringer could have a hard time finding consistent snaps during the season, but tonight the athletic fourth-year tight end should have plenty of opportunity. Along with Dallas Goedert and Thomas, Swoope has one of the slate’s top-three tight end projections.

Defense

Raiders: Jon Gruden and company quietly captured two steals in the 2018 NFL draft: Louisiana State defensive end Arden Key and Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. The continued absence of Khalil Mack will probably be too much for the young Raiders defense to overcome in the regular season, but their defensive line should at least have a talent advantage tonight against the backups of the Seahawks’ 25th-ranked offensive line in adjusted sack rate last year.

Bears: The Bills’ patch-work offensive line has allowed 11 sacks in three preseason games. Some of the better linemen will likely play Thursday night so whoever plays at quarterback isn’t totally exposed, but the unit remains an issue and should be targeted in fantasy formats. The Bears presently boast the highest median projection in our Models.



Photo credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Pictured above: Tyler Bray

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

NFL Breakdown: Week 1 Quarterbacks NFL Breakdown: Week 6 Wide Receivers NFL Breakdown: Week 9 Quarterbacks 2024 fantasy football rankingsWeek 11 TE Breakdown: Travis Kelce’s Dream Matchup