Preseason News and Notes: Week 1

Mon Aug 11 11:39am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Henderson shows big play ability

We are going to do this every week going forward, giving you a quick recap of all the pertinent news and notes from the preseason games that took place. We will talk about injuries, position battles, depth charts and anything else that could impact the fantasy world.

Here is all the news from Week 1 of the preseason. . . .

Ravens rookie receiver LaJohntay Wester made a strong case to get some consistent touches during the regular season. He returned a punt for a touchdown and had two receptions for 41 yards on three targets. He showed off his great speed and big-play ability. He is battling for the fourth receiver job and could have a leg up over Devontez Walker and Tylan Wallace right now.

Running back Keaton Mitchell continues to make plays for the Ravens. He is having a strong camp and that carried over to his first preseason game. He had nine carries for 68 yards (7.6 yards per carry) and one touchdown. Derrick Henry is clearly the starter but Mitchell is going to be in the mix for carries and looks to be the handcuff to Henry. Mitchell could end up getting six to eight touches per game even if Henry is healthy and playing, giving him some standalone fantasy value.

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson did not have the start he hoped, leaving the game early after getting sacked. He suffered a dislocated finger but avoided the worst and should be fine going forward. He did not suffer a break. He needs to be on the field to win the starting job, though, so missing preseason action is not a positive for him. The good news for Richardson is Daniel Jones was pretty ho-hum after taking over for Richardson. Jones was just 10-of-21 for 144 yards. He did not seize his opportunity.

Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders got his chance to start and took advantage of the opportunity, going 14-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns, adding 19 rushing yards on four carries. Sanders made some great throws and showed off his big-time arm in the game. Joe Flacco still seems likely to open the season as the starter for Cleveland and Sanders was fourth on the depth chart going into this game, so he still has a lot of work to do to make the roster and make an impact for the team his rookie season. This game was certainly a step in the right direction for that to happen, though.

Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson is another rookie that showed well in his preseason debut. He ran once for 18 yards and caught three passes for 12 yards. He also returned the opening kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown. Henderson showed off his big-time speed and playmaking ability in the open field. He is going to be a problem for opposing defenses and looks to be a big part of this Patriots offense his rookie season. This game should really get fantasy owners excited about his prospects for this coming season.

We stick with the rookie theme and look at Panthers rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan. He got five targets in his preseason debut and caught two for 43 yards. McMillan has a chance to rack up a ton of catches his rookie season in this offense. Bryce Young looked his way early and often.

And speaking of the Panthers, quarterback Bryce Young was efficient in his first preseason game, going 4-of-6 for 58 yards and a touchdown. He had a great finish to last season and looks to carry that momentum into this year. Things are looking up for the third-year signal caller. This Panthers offense could take a big step forward.

The Giants have to be excited about rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. He was 12-of-19 for 154 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in New York's preseason opener. Russell Wilson is the starter this year but he is keeping the seat warm for Dart. He is the future at the position and could be starting sooner than later if he keeps progressing like he has to start his career. New York might have finally found their franchise quarterback in Dart.

The Vikings got their first look at quarterback JJ McCarthy. He wasn’t in there long but showed pretty well, finishing 4-of-7 for 30 yards. McCarthy certainly looked like he belonged and can handle the starting quarterback duties for the Vikings. He also was without Justin Jefferson, who might be the best receiver in football. McCarthy has a chance to make some noise in his first season as a full-time starter in the NFL.

It looked pretty bad at the time but it seems Titans running back Tyjae Spears avoided the worst with his injury in the preseason. He suffered a high-ankle sprain and will miss some time. But he had to be carted off the field because of the injury, so many thought he suffered a possible season-ending injury. The good news is he will be back but the bad news is he could be slowed early in the regular season. Tony Pollard might have to carry the load a little more to start the year.

There were a lot of bad reports out of Jets camp in recent days, saying Justin Fields is struggling. He got to play in their preseason opener and did well, which was encouraging. Fields was 3-of-4 for 42 yards and ran for 14 yards and a touchdown. His work on the ground is what makes him so intriguing to fantasy owners. Fields can do some big-time damage with his legs.

The Titans have to be happy with what they saw from rookie quarterback Cam Ward. He got his feet wet and played a few series, looking pretty solid. Ward finished 5-of-8 for 67 yards. He looked Calvin Ridley’s way often. Ridley had three receptions for 50 yards. This connection could be a great one for fantasy owners.

Many fantasy owners want to see how the Jaguars are going to use rookie Travis Hunter. If the first preseason game is any indication, it sure looks like he will be used a lot more offensively than defensively. He ran with the first-time offense to start the game and caught two passes for nine yards. He did not play defense at all until his day as a receiver was over. It sure seems like Hunter will be used more as a receiver to start his career, getting some situational work as a cornerback defensively. This is good news for his fantasy value going forward if this remains the pattern for his usage.

The Vikings seem likely to be without receiver Rondale Moore for the rest of the season. He suffered a knee injury in their preseason game and it didn’t look good. Head coach Kevin O’Connell stated after the game that the injury was pretty significant. Moore was set to serve as the No. 4 receiver and possible return man for the Vikings.

Dolphins running back Alexander Mattison is looking to grab the No. 2 running back job but left their first preseason game early because of neck and shoulder soreness. He is going to need to be on the field and performing if he hopes to be the top backup in the Dolphins high-powered rushing attack. This injury is one to watch going forward. It could hurt his chances for playing time early in the year.

The Saints have a quarterback battle on their hands between Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough. Rattler has been outperforming him in camp but Shough was the better of the two in their first preseason game. This battle seems wide open right now. Shough was 15-of-22 for 165 yards and a touchdown with an interception. Rattler threw for just 53 yards and ran for 22 but lost a fumble. Who knows how this quarterback battle plays out?

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

Preseason News and Notes: Week 1

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