X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

NFL Preseason Week 2 Review - Fantasy Impact

As teams have now played two exhibition games, things are starting to get more clear. You'll hear a lot of overreaction from other sites, but we're here to tell you what really matters this early in the exhibition season.

There are two things that really matter this early in the preseason: injuries and player roles. Ignore noise like big-splash plays, or long runs against third stringers, and look deeper to see how the coaching staff appears to view players in accordance with the depth chart.

In case you missed the games, we are here to give you a rundown on the big news that affects fantasy owners and take note of whose stock rose or fell.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

Injuries

A.J. McCarron fractures shoulder, then doesn’t

Initial reports after the Bills second preseason game was that A.J. McCarron had a hairline fracture in his throwing shoulder. However, after a second opinion, it was deemed that there was no fracture. Still, it appears the Bills are ready to give their seventh overall pick Josh Allen the reigns regardless if McCarron is healthy or not.

Rex Burkhead tears knee

Bill Belichick always keeps injuries as under-reported as he can, but apparently, Rex Burkhead has a “slight” tear in his knee. Allegedly he could have played in the team’s second preseason game if it mattered, but considering he was gaining steam with rookie Sony Michel’s own knee injury, drafters have to be a bit worried. For now, everything seems to be OK, but Burkhead is likely not one you want to reach for without more clarity.

Adrian Peterson signs with Washington

While not technically an injury, injuries led to this signing. First Derrius Guice tore his ACL, then Samaje Perine limped off the field after his opening carry with an ankle injury. If that wasn’t enough, Byron Marshall also got hurt. So Washington went out and signed future Hall-of-Famer Adrian Peterson. Unfortunately, it’s not 2012, and this is not a hall of fame caliber player anymore. Rob Kelley was clearly the preferred option over Perine, but now we have to wonder what Peterson’s role will be. As I said last week, I either want Chris Thompson or no one in this backfield.

 

Stock Up, Stock Down

Christian McCaffrey - Stock Even Higher?

Ignore the 71-yard touchdown run that almost broke Twitter, Christian McCaffrey appears to be locked in as a workhorse back in Carolina. After playing all 15 snaps with the starters in the first preseason game, he played the first 17 in the second before giving way to C.J. Anderson for the night. McCaffrey had 117 carries a year ago, and Jonathan Stewart vacated roughly 200 more. If McCaffrey gets half of those and pushes over 200 carries, he will be an easy top-10 RB in PPR formats.

Trey Burton - Stock Up

Yes, Adam Shaheen hurt his ankle (not serious thankfully) but even before that Trey Burton was lighting it up. Through the first two preseason games, Burton has played 92% of snaps with starters, has been targeted on 33% of Mitch Trubisky’s throws, and has run 47% of his routes from the slot. Much like Travis Kelce who ran 50% of his routes from the slot a year ago under coach Matt Nagy, Burton looks like he will be a focal point of this offense.

Carlos Hyde Stock Up, Nick Chubb Stock Down

If it wasn’t obvious in the first preseason game that Carlos Hyde is the Browns starter, it is now. The starters played four series and Hyde was in on all of them. In total, he played 17 of 23 snaps with the starters, with Duke Johnson getting the other six. As for rookie Nick Chubb, it does not look good. Thus far the Browns starters have played 32 snaps and he has been in for zero of them. It doesn’t seem likely that Chubb will contribute early.

Royce Freeman - Stock Down

This one pains me, as I am one of the biggest Royce Freeman supporters out there. There is a lot of hype around Freeman right now, and I don't totally understand it. Through the first two preseason games, he and Devontae Booker have split the starter snaps dead evenly. In fact, Booker has started both games. Yet fantasy drafters are treating Freeman like he is locked into a starting role. Do I think it will happen eventually? Yes. But it may not be right away. Even if he does eventually get the starter gig, Booker and Phillip Lindsay will negatively impact his receiving ceiling. While I like Freeman to contribute this year, it may be time to slow down a bit.

John Brown - Stock Up

John Brown has been getting a lot of positive talk in Ravens camp this year, and he did not disappoint Monday night. Playing just about every snap with Joe Flacco, Brown was targeted twice on nine throws, including a red-zone target that resulted in a seven-yard touchdown. Brown appears to be the clear number two receiver and could become more of a 1B to Michael Crabtree's 1A. Still basically free in most drafts, Brown is becoming a must-draft late round pick.

Phillip Dorsett - Stock Up

For the second straight week, Phillip Dorsett started for the Patriots. Tom Brady and the starters played 35 snaps, and Dorsett was on the field for 27 of them - the same number as Julian Edelman and just two less than Chris Hogan. With Edelman suspended four games, Dorsett could have sneaky early season value. And if Edelman or Hogan go down, he can become a waiver wire hero.

Keelan Cole - Stock Up

After missing the first preseason game, Keelan Cole showed that he is the other wide receiver to own in Jacksonville along with Marqise Lee. Cole led all receivers with 22 starter snaps. Reports out of camp is that Cole and Lee have been receiving the majority of starter reps, and this usage confirmed it.

Ricky Seals-Jones - Stock Up

A popular “sleeper” pick at tight end, Ricky Seals-Jones has played 18-of-22 snaps with starter Sam Bradford. This is great news for Seals-Jones owners, as Bradford has historically targeted his tight end plenty. Seals-Jones was very good in limited playing time a year ago, and could be in for a nice season if he is going to be on the field this much.

Michael Gallup - Stock Up

Rookie Michael Gallup has been on the field for 33-of -39 snaps with Dak Prescott, and appears to be in Dez Bryant’s old X-receiver role. Gallup has six targets through the first two games, and had three of them on Prescott’s 15 throws in game two. Gallup has a chance to make an immediate impact as a rookie on a team that is relatively weak at wide receiver.

Courtland Sutton - Stock Up

When Courtland Sutton was drafted by Denver, many had him pegged as a Demaryius Thomas replacement down the road. But his role in this offense may already be here. He has primarily been the outside receiver opposite Thomas in three-receiver sets, with Emmanuel Sanders moving into the slot. If Thomas misses any time, Sutton will likely see an increased role. For dynasty owners, it’s nice to see that Sutton has already earned a role.

 

More Draft Prep and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Kevin Huerter23 mins ago

Out Versus Toronto
Stephen Curry51 mins ago

Spotted At Shootaround
Lauri Markkanen1 hour ago

Out Again On Saturday
Puka Nacua1 hour ago

Expected To Play
JuJu Smith-Schuster1 hour ago

Juju Smith-Schuster Ruled Out For Week 9
Bryce Young1 hour ago

Panthers Not Considering Moving Bryce Young
Cooper Kupp2 hours ago

Rams Not Expected To Move Cooper Kupp
Davante Adams2 hours ago

Jets Not Expected To Move Garrett Wilson, Davante Adams
Drake Maye2 hours ago

Clears Concussion Protocol, Will Play In Week 9
Robbie Ray2 hours ago

Doesn't Opt Out Of Contract, Stays With Giants
Tee Higgins2 hours ago

Bengals Not Looking To Trade Tee Higgins
2 hours ago

Yankees Could Make Play For Pete Alonso This Offseason
Jaylen Brown2 hours ago

Won't Play On Saturday Night
Sean Manaea3 hours ago

Opts Out Of Contract, Becomes Free Agent
Cody Bellinger3 hours ago

Picks Up $27.5 Million Player Option With Cubs
Gerrit Cole3 hours ago

Opts Out Of Contract With Yankees
Roddery Muñoz5 hours ago

Roddery Munoz Claimed By St. Louis
Ryan Noda5 hours ago

Claimed By The Angels
Rhys Hoskins5 hours ago

Staying In Milwaukee
6 hours ago

Seattle Declines Club Option On Jorge Polanco
Luke Weaver6 hours ago

Returning To New York
Josh Downs6 hours ago

Cleared To Play In Week 9
Eugenio Suárez6 hours ago

Arizona Picks Up Club Option On Eugenio Suarez
Michael Pittman Jr.6 hours ago

Will Play In Week 9
DK Metcalf6 hours ago

Has Strong Chance To Return In Week 11
Nikolaj Ehlers8 hours ago

Totals Four Points Versus Blue Jackets
Igor Shesterkin8 hours ago

Stops 40 Shots Versus Senators
Aleksander Barkov8 hours ago

Amasses Four Points In Finland
Dan Vladar8 hours ago

Shuts Out Devils Friday Night
Adam Pelech8 hours ago

Makes Early Exit Versus Sabres
Mike Reilly8 hours ago

Exits Friday's Action With Injury
NHL8 hours ago

Nathan Bastian Suffers Jaw Injury On Friday
Jordan Clarkson16 hours ago

Out At Least A Week
Kyle Kuzma16 hours ago

Out Again On Saturday
Jamal Murray16 hours ago

Won't Return On Friday Night
Giannis Antetokounmpo16 hours ago

Anticipated To Play Versus Cleveland
Puka Nacua18 hours ago

Has A Shot To Play In Week 9
Jordan Love18 hours ago

Tracking To Play In Week 9
Stephen Curry21 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Yves Missi21 hours ago

Expected To Take The Court Friday
Karl-Anthony Towns21 hours ago

Available On Friday
Eric Comrie21 hours ago

Faces Blue Jackets Friday
Daniel Theis21 hours ago

Likely To Suit Up Friday
David Savard21 hours ago

Sits Out Practice For Maintenance Purposes
De'Anthony Melton21 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Jordan Hawkins21 hours ago

Expected To Play Friday
Alexander Romanov21 hours ago

Ready To Play Friday
Al Horford21 hours ago

Resting Against Charlotte
Evgeni Malkin21 hours ago

Takes Maintenance Day On Friday
Andrew Wiggins21 hours ago

Probable For Saturday's Matchup With Houston
Rose Namajunas21 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
D'Angelo Russell21 hours ago

Will Suit Up Versus Toronto
Devon Levi21 hours ago

Returns To Sabres Crease
Clayton Kershaw21 hours ago

To Undergo Two Surgeries
Anthony Davis21 hours ago

Available Against Toronto
Erin Blanchfield21 hours ago

Returns At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Lowe21 hours ago

Rays Pick Up Club Option On Brandon Lowe
Ryan Hartman21 hours ago

Rejoins Wild Lineup Friday
Zach LaVine21 hours ago

Will Play Against Brooklyn
21 hours ago

Nick Martinez Headed To Free Agency
Erik Cernak21 hours ago

Available On Friday
Marc-Andre Barriault21 hours ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Set To Face Marc-Andre Barriault At UFC Edmonton
Brent Suter22 hours ago

Inks Extension With Cincinnati
Immanuel Quickley22 hours ago

Out Again On Friday Night
CJ McCollum22 hours ago

Out At Least Two Weeks
22 hours ago

Yankees, Mets Among Teams In Battle For Juan Soto
Scott Kingery22 hours ago

Traded To Los Angeles
Marc-Andre Barriault22 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Edmonton
Blake Snell22 hours ago

Opts Out Of Deal With San Francisco
Josh Jacobs23 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Drake Maye23 hours ago

Questionable For Week 9
Tyler Boyd23 hours ago

Tony Pollard, Tyler Boyd Listed As Questionable
Tyjae Spears23 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Calvin Ridley23 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
Trevin Giles23 hours ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Noah Fant23 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Brian Robinson Jr.23 hours ago

Questionable For Week 9
Mike Malott23 hours ago

Opens Up UFC Edmonton Main Card
Dallas Goedert23 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
DK Metcalf24 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Zach Benson24 hours ago

Could Play Next Week
Jani Hakanpaa24 hours ago

And Connor Dewar Sent On Conditioning Stint
Dmitri Voronkov24 hours ago

Ready For Season Debut Friday
Mathew Barzal1 day ago

Getting Tests Done For Upper-Body Injury
Vladimir Tarasenko1 day ago

Ready To Go For Saturday
Mark Stone1 day ago

Misses Practice Due To Birth Of Child
Tomás Nosek1 day ago

Tomas Nosek Ready For Panthers Debut On Friday
1 day ago

Royals Decline Option On Adam Frazier
1 day ago

Manuel Margot, Kyle Farmer Headed To Free Agency
1 day ago

Milwaukee Declines Option On Wade Miley
Brendson Ribeiro2 days ago

Searching For 1st UFC Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado2 days ago

Drops Down To Light Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Jhonata Diniz2 days ago

Gets Big Step-Up At UFC Edmonton
Derrick Lewis2 days ago

Faces An Unranked Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Amir Albazi2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno2 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Edmonton
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Comes Up Short at Homestead
William Byron5 days ago

Rallies to Sixth at Homestead
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Tire Issue at Homestead Could Doom Kyle Larson's Championship Hopes
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Charges To A Thrilling Victory At Homestead
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Loses At Homestead On The Final Corner To Tyler Reddick
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Quietly Nabs A Top-5 Finish At Homestead
Khamzat Chimaev5 days ago

Remains Undefeated
Robert Whittaker5 days ago

Gets Submitted At UFC 308
Aleksandar Rakic5 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC 308
Armen Petrosyan5 days ago

Knocked Out At UFC 308
Shara Magomedov5 days ago

Gets Highlight-Reel Knockout Win At UFC 308
Joey Logano5 days ago

Intentionally Sleepwalked Through Homestead to Focus on Phoenix
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Advances to Championship 4 as Owner but Not as Driver
Dan Ige6 days ago

Loses Second-Straight Fight At UFC 308
Lerone Murphy6 days ago

Remains Undefeated At UFC 308
Magomed Ankalaev6 days ago

Wins Lackluster Decision Win At UFC 308
Max Holloway6 days ago

Gets Knocked Out For First Time At UFC 308

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Keon Coleman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 9 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Ladd McConkey, Keon Coleman, Joe Flacco

Scott Engel’s Lineup Spotlights are an essential weekly feature on RotoBaller.com for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, he focuses on players to choose as starting options when you are dealing with tight lineup decisions. The lineup picks included in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller […]


Ladd McConkey - Fantasy Football Rankings, Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 9 - Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave, Ladd McConkey, Jakobi Meyers

Welcome to WR Matchups to Target for Week 9. Last week’s picks yielded one “in the money” pick (3x multiplier on DraftKings salary) in Keon Coleman, giving us 11 such picks over the first eight weeks of the season. Each week, we will use matchup data from PFF to determine which wide receivers to target […]


Brian Thomas Jr - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Who Should I Start? Sunday Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions for Week 9 (2024) - Diontae Johnson, Keon Coleman, Jalen Tolbert, Brian Thomas, Jakobi Myers, Brian Robinson, Keenan Allen, Tee Higgins, Bo Nix

It's almost time for Sunday football. Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Sunday football and Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell […]


Bryce Young - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

High-Upside Bench Stashes: Weekend Waiver Wire Adds for Week 9 Includes Jalen Coker, Troy Franklin, Jaylen Wright, Erick All Jr., Kimani Vidal, Blake Corum

Mastering the waiver wire is a crucial skill that can lead you to a fantasy football championship. It's not just about strategically placing your FAAB budget on specific players but also about knowing when to stash players. This dual strategy keeps you engaged and focused on your ultimate goal of winning a fantasy championship. As […]


Video: Week 9 Booms, Sleepers, and Streamers - 2024 Fantasy Football Start 'Em Analysis

Let's go, RotoBallers! We are back and dropping fire content for the weekend ahead with our top Week 9 booms, sleepers, and streamers! NFL Network and RotoBaller contributor LaQuan Jones gives in-depth fantasy football advice, breaking down some of his high-upside, sleeper, and value plays as we head into Week 9 of the new fantasy […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Buy Low, Sell High Week 9 Fantasy Football Trade Value Recommendations - Josh Downs, Chris Olave, Cedric Tillman, more

Welcome to Week 9 of the NFL season! We’re deep into the grind where every decision counts more than ever. With injuries piling up and bye weeks affecting lineups, knowing when to buy low or sell high can be the key to revitalizing your team. Whether riding high after a win or looking to bounce […]


Jameis Winston - NFL DFS Picks, Waiver Wire, Fantasy Football Rankings

Week 9 Superflex 2QB Rankings for Fantasy Football: Updates for Jameis Winston, Joe Flacco, Matthew Stafford, Daniel Jones, Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye

With quarterbacks beginning to get benched or banged up, some backup quarterbacks are entering lineups and have become viable in Superflex and two-QB leagues. Our Week 9 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for 2024 are here to help you close start-or-sit calls between comparable options. Below, you can see where RotoBaller has key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings (2024) - Week 9 Updates Include Rhamondre Stevenson, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Bucky Irving

Incredibly, Week 9 has already kicked off, and Thursday's game is already in the books. It's time to start reviewing your dynasty leagues to decide whether to make a run for the championship or sell off for next year. There were some big trades in the NFL recently, with DeAndre Hopkins heading to Kansas City […]


Chris Olave - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 9 PPR Rankings for Fantasy Football: Overall Updates Include Marvin Harrison, Chris Olave, Amari Cooper, Jayden Reed, Rachaad White, Nick Chubb

The Week 9 slate brings a must-win situation to many fantasy managers, so it's time to lock in and set optimal fantasy football lineups. Below, you'll see our NFL team's updated Week 9 fantasy football PPR rankings for 2024. Let's see where key players like Cooper Kupp, T.J. Hockenson, Jaylen Waddle, Tank Bigsby, Jalen McMillan, […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 9 FLEX Rankings for Fantasy Football (RB, WR, TE) - Updates Include Jalen McMillan, Xavier Worthy, Calvin Ridley, Josh Downs, Kareem Hunt, DJ Moore

The fantasy football playoffs will be here before we know it, so if you need a few wins to secure your spot and are looking for lineup advice, you have come to the right place. We're here to help with our NFL team's updated Week 9 fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Comparing two flex […]


Chase Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Week 9 Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football: RB Updates Include Tank Bigsby, Chuba Hubbard, Tyrone Tracy, Chase Brown, Rico Dowdle, JK Dobbins

The running back position has seemingly been the most consistent in fantasy football this season, but things can change in a hurry, so it's important to set optimal lineups each week. Let's get to crucial start-or-sit decisions with help from our updated Week 9 fantasy football running back rankings for 2024. Where do key RBs […]


Cedric Tillman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 9 Wide Receiver Rankings for Fantasy Football: WR Updates Include Cedric Tillman, Darnell Mooney, Khalil Shakir, Romeo Doubs, Jaylen Waddle, more

Ahead of the Week 9 NFL slate, the wide receiver position is the deepest in fantasy football, but that can lead to troubling start-or-sit decisions, especially when comparing two flex-level WR options. We're here to assist with our NFL team's updated Week 9 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive into the rankings […]


Cole Kmet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Week 9 Tight End Rankings for Fantasy Football: TE Updates Include Cade Otton, Cole Kmet, Kyle Pitts, Evan Engram, David Njoku, Tucker Kraft, Sam LaPorta

Tight ends showed out last week on National Tight End Day, so hopefully, the momentum continues for the tough position to analyze and navigate. Below, you'll see our NFL team's updated Week 9 fantasy football tight end rankings for 2024 to help you make tough start-or-sit decisions. Let's dig into the rankings to find out […]