🦸🏻 Preseason Heroes

Preseason Takeaways and NFL News

Author

Jen of Deep Dive Fantasy
August 22, 2023

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With the preseason in as full of a swing as it gets, I thought it would be fun to look back on some of the most outstanding snippets in the history of preseason matchups. These non-regular season contests may not be as exciting or jaw-dropping as far as plays made, but they have brought us some wacky moments.

  • Gadgetry at its Finest: We often see trick plays and plenty of throw-anything-out-there-to-see-what-works during the preseason, but this fake punt by the Titans back in 2009 (in throwback Oilers uniforms) was really something. Tennesse punter A.J. Trappaso took the snap, faked the pitch, and ran the ball himself untouched to the house. Sadly, Trapasso ended his NFL career as a one-play wonder and didn’t make the Titans roster that season, never to play a regular-season snap in the league.  

  • Hit by Friendly Fire: Jacksonville trailed 13-9 late into the fourth quarter in a 2000 preseason matchup between the Jaguars and Giants. With just 13 seconds left in the contest, Jags QB Jonathan Quinn was intercepted by NY CB Fred Lewis at the goal line. Perhaps confused by what had just happened, Lewis’ teammate LB Jack Golden threw his own man down to the turf, causing a fumble that was then recovered by Jacksonville's Brandon Christenson for the touchdown and win. You can’t make this up.

  • The Breakout of Preseason Breakouts: Before August 16, 2010, few football fans knew the name Victor Cruz outside of the University of Massachusetts. Cruz went undrafted and signed with the Giants after impressing the front office enough to give the WR a shot.

    Preseason is when unknowns need to take advantage and show out to get a roster spot, and Cruz sure basked in the chance to earn that jersey. In his first NFL contest against the Jets, Cruz showcased everything he had, ending the night with 145 yards and three touchdowns on six receptions, and even more remarkable, his first catch didn’t come until the 2:40 mark of the third quarter.

Here are some fantasy-relevant takeaways from the second week of the preseason as we get ready for upcoming drafts.

  • Desmond Ridder likes to share: With so many question marks surrounding Ridder and his young arsenal, it was nice to see him lead an impressive (yet penalty-filled) drive in his preseason debut. The sophomore QB completed 7-of-9 passes for 80 yards along with a 7-yard run, which included two balls to Drake London for 33 yards, one toss to rookie Bijan Robinson for six, and a one-handed 9-yard grab from TE Kyle Pitts.

  • Maybe we should lighten up about Jimmy Garoppolo: In one series as the starter, Jimmy Garoppolo led an efficient 68-yard touchdown drive lasting nine minutes. He was 4-for-4 for 39 yards, throwing to four different receivers. It was his first action since December 4th, and he appeared healthy and comfortable with the scheme. Right now Garoppolo is leaving draft boards as the fantasy QB26 in the 15th round.

  • Rookie Bijan Robinson appears as advertised: He was limited to just one series, but Robinson made guys miss and showed elite quickness on his four carries which gained 20 yards. You’ll have to pay for the 21-year-old if you want to roster him though, as Robinson is currently the RB3 at pick 1.08 across multiple fantasy sites.

  • Tank Bigsby keeps rolling on: The Jags' rookie RB ran for 70 yards on 13 carries in the first half against the Lions and now has 122 yards on 22 carries in six preseason quarters. Currently the RB50, Bigsby makes for a really nice late-round draft pick with plenty of upside.

  • Rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba showcased his talent early: Smith-Njigba caught three balls for 58 yards, which included a nice over-the-shoulder haul for a 48-yard gain that set up a short touchdown. He’s likely third in the target pecking order in a run-heavy offense so it may take him some time for true fantasy relevancy, but as the current WR37, Smith-Njigba makes for quality depth as a WR3/4.

  • New year, the same WR murk in Kansas City: It’s great if you’re a Chiefs fan, but not so much for fantasy football purposes. Five of Kansas City's top six WRs caught passes before the starters were pulled on Saturday night, with rookie Rashee Rice catching eight balls for 96 yards as the leading receiver.

  • Add more rows of seats to the Darren Waller hype bus: We’ve figured Waller could be the target leader in New York this season and so far so good. The TE saw four of nine attempts from Daniel Jones on Friday night, which he nabbed three of for 30 yards. Waller is being drafted as TE5 in the fifth round.

🐯 Bengals QB Joe Burrow appears to be on track in his recovery after suffering a calf strain during early training camp days. According to HC Zac Taylor, he’s “progressing as he should” so a return by Week 1 seems realistic barring any setbacks.

🐈‍⬛ RB Miles Sanders was back at practice on Monday after missing a large chunk of camp due to a groin injury. Projected to see 200+ touches in Carolina in 2023, Sanders is 4for4’s RB21 and is also RB21 in Yahoo ADP as a fourth-rounder.

🎲 Las Vegas RB Josh Jacobs is expected to be back with the team before their season opener in three weeks according to multiple sources. Let’s hope this actually happens and he’s up to speed quickly.

🧲 The Jonathan Taylor saga continues….

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