RADIO
Although NFL training camp and preseason activities may seem like a low-action time period, they are the nitpicking fuel for fantasy football analysis. Training camp battles are monitored closely to see who has a firm grip on their role and who could swoop in and become a fantasy-relevant asset. As a result, we sometimes hype up certain players beyond what they will be in September and even make brazen predictions about who will end up breaking out.
This article is less about projecting who will be the most successful on their team and more so about looking at a few intriguing preseason position battles that could alter the fantasy football landscape for the 2017 season.
I’ll be taking a look across the entire NFL and choosing a competition between players at the same position that would be worthwhile for fantasy owners to monitor. Such knowledge can be incredibly useful when considering which players on each team are worth a roster spot and who to take with the late picks in your draft. Let’s dive in.
Quarterbacks
Mike Glennon vs. Mitchell Trubisky – Chicago Bears
This seemed like a pretty clear-cut battle heading into the Bears’ first preseason game against the Denver Broncos. Mike Glennon entered training camp as the obvious no. 1 quarterback, boasting a fresh three-year, $45 million contract that all but guaranteed he would start at the top of the depth chart. Several reports even stated that he would likely be the starter all through the 2017 season.
Of course, what ended up happening in his first preseason game was a horror show for the fourth year quarterback. He completed 2-of-8 passes for 20 yards with no touchdowns and a lone interception that was returned for a pick-six. Although Denver’s defense is notably one of the most suffocating in the league, Glennon had quite a few erratic throws that would have been completions if he had led his receivers properly. Although he proceeded to have a solid outing against the Arizona Cardinals in the next game, it’s fair to conclude that he might be losing his grip on the starting quarterback job.
The Bear’s second overall pick Mitchell Trubisky, on the other hand, performed at a very high level against mediocre competition. He completed 18-of-25 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown against Denver while displaying incredibly accuracy while throwing on the run. The one thing that Trubisky clearly has going for him is his mobility in running bootleg plays, which could serve as a benefit to running back Jordan Howard.
It’s highly doubtful that Trubisky earns the starting job before Week 1, but there is a good chance he sees playing time in 2017. Although both him and Glennon won’t dazzle with consistent 300-plus yard performances, it’s interesting to wonder how their different skillsets will impact the players around them.
Tom Savage vs. Deshaun Watson – Houston Texans
Speaking of quarterbacks who were up and down in the preseason, Texans’ quarterback Tom Savage had two fairly mediocre outings in his preseason matchups against the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots. Savage hasn’t ever really been handed the keys to the Texans’ offense, though the fact that he is performing at a below average level would seem to continue the trend from 2016 when he averaged 154 yards per game in three starts. Even though he may not be the most exciting quarterback, Houston Chronicle reporter John McClain has reported that Savage is "clearly" ahead of rookie Deshaun Watson and should remain the team’s starter for Week 1.
Much like Trubisky, Watson also had a solid preseason opener in which he completed 15-of-25 passes for 179 yards and ran three times for 24 yards, scoring a single rushing touchdown. Watson’s mobility also adds a dimension to the Texans’ offense that Savage simply doesn’t bring to the table, though it’s fairly obvious that he has plenty of room to improve as a pocket passer.
I would expect Savage to open the season as the team’s starter, but Watson will constantly be nipping at his heels as a guy with a winning pedigree in college and exceptional playmaking ability. Head coach Bill O’Brien loves to run the football, as evidenced by his offenses always finishing in the top-10 for rushing attempts. Watson brings that extra spark to the table that could push him over the edge and make all the players around him better, if he gets the opportunity.
Running Backs
Latavius Murray vs. Dalvin Cook – Minnesota Vikings
The starting running back job might be the most prestigious in fantasy football, and there is an extremely interesting battle going on in Minnesota. Inked to a three-year, $15 million contract, Latavius Murray was supposed to be the solid runner that could help improve the team’s league-worst ground game from 2016. Of course, that was all before Florida State phenom Dalvin Cook slipped into the second round of this year’s NFL Draft, making for an easy pick.
As running back production can be difficult to come across, many fantasy owners were licking their lips at the chance for one player to really take a hold on the starting job. Cook was given the edge after Murray was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury early in camp, leaving a huge window of opportunity in the wake. To no surprise, Cook took advantage of his increased workload with the first-string offense and looked spectacular as a runner and receiver in preseason action. He ended up averaging 5 yards per touch and displayed the pass-blocking skills expected from an every down player, suggesting his fantasy outlook is trending into RB2 territory.
I would be remiss to not discuss how Murray has been cleared to practice and brings with him exceptional red-zone efficiency, having scored 12 rushing touchdowns last season with the Oakland Raiders. A more tempered expectation for the Minnesota backfield heading into the 2017 season is a committee approach with Cook as the headliner and Murray as the short yardage back, but the ankle injury that hobbled Murray is pretty concerning for his future. Cook has much more upside, but it will remain to be seen if he can hold off a healthy Murray from stealing touches in 16 games.
Mike Gillislee vs. Rex Burkhead – New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are going to score, that much is certain. Many fantasy owners were shocked to see the once incredibly unpredictable running back by committee shift towards a league-leading 18-touchdown performance in 2016 from a single running back: LeGarrette Blount. The power back role in that particular offense has produced 10-plus rushing touchdowns in four of the last five seasons, with New England never ranking lower than fourth in offensive snaps inside the 10-yard line.
With the Blount’s departure from the team and the upside of being a New England power back abundantly clear, the battle between former Buffalo Bill Mike Gillislee and former Cincinnati Bengal Rex Burkhead is one to watch closely. Both were acquired this last offseason as potential no. 1 options that could be fed the rock as bell-cow backs. To summarize the battle so far, Gillislee was initially the front-runner after showing plenty of ability in training camp. However, a lingering hamstring injury has so far kept him sidelined with Burkhead taking over lead-back duties in his stead. What’s more, Burkhead looked amazing in the team’s preseason tilt with the Houston Texans, rushing seven times for 20 yards and catching 3-of-3 targets for 50 yards and a single touchdown.
A word of caution, it’s still a good idea to not reach on New England Patriots’ running backs should they end up converting to a full-blown running back by committee. Dion Lewis and James White will be consistent threats to the power back’s workload and there is no guarantee that Gillislee and Burkhead don’t split reps themselves. Still, the upside is enough reason to nab one of those two in fantasy drafts.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Kenny Golladay vs. T.J. Jones – Detroit Lions
I’ll keep this one short. The Detroit Lions selected the 6’4, physical freak Kenny Golladay with a third round pick in the NFL Draft, adding to their already loaded wide receiver group. T.J. Jones is a shifty slot receiver who is in his third year with the Lions. Both have been receiving time with the first-stringers and one will undoubtedly fill the no. 3 receiver role on a team that ranked eleventh in the league in passing attempts.
However, with T.J. Jones suffering a hamstring injury in the team’s preseason matchup with the New England Patriots, Golladay is being given a chance to run away with the job. He has already displayed his red-zone capability after garnering two touchdown catches running with the ones in the preseason already and should make for an exceptional playmaking threat if Golden Tate or Marvin Jones were to miss time. He’s worth a late round flier in most fantasy formats.
Tyler Higbee vs. Gerald Everett – Los Angeles Rams
While it’s pretty typical for tight end competitions to not be worth too much in fantasy football, this one is going under the radar in my mind. New Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is notorious for feeding his tight end group the football and squeezing every ounce of talent out of them. Consider his work with Jordan Reed as the Washington Redskins’ tight end coach in 2013, where Reed averaged 6.6 targets per game. Second round rookie tight end Gerald Everett was the team’s first draft selection and has already drawn comparisons to Reed as a receiving threat all over the field. Sophomore Tyler Higbee shouldn’t be overlooked either, as he has been touted as having exciting athleticism and speed in the open field that can create separation on intermediate and deep routes.
Given that the Rams have a wide open competition for targets and McVay has tended to hand plenty to tight ends in the past, it’s a real possibility that Higbee or Everett will be a prosperous fantasy asset in 2017.
