A Trap Pick? (Avoid This RB)
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Winners Circle Proxy, we dive into a fade at the RB position, the Utilization Report from Week 2 of the preseason, and more.
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Winners Circle Proxy:
As much as the preseason can help us unearth sleepers, it can be even more valuable in steering us away from potential landmines.
After sifting through Dwain’s takeaways from Week 2, it became obvious that we need to be extra cautious with how we approach the Raiders backfield in drafts.
There are always risks when selecting an RB on a bad team who doesn’t catch a lot of passes, but the bull case for Zamir White looks much shakier after two preseason games.
As Dwain noted here, White and Alexander Mattison have been in nearly dead-even splits from both a snaps and attempts perspective. We simply can’t afford an early-down timeshare for a team projected to win 6.5 games.
The Raiders also played White into the third quarter over the weekend, which is largely unheard of for non-rookie RBs. This doesn’t seem like a list you want to end up on.
While his price isn’t outrageous, I think White is a pretty tough click right now relative to the other RBs he’s going around.
Give me guys like James Conner, Najee Harris, Raheem Mostert, and Tony Pollard instead.
Oh, and a small favor: please don’t let Mr. White see this post, please.
What else is in today’s newsletter?
- Dwain McFarland’s Preseason Week 2 Utilization Report.
- WATERCOOLER: A Bills WR has turf toe.
UTILIZATION REPORT: Preseason Week 2 Takeaways
The preseason is just the tip of the iceberg when trying to figure out what will happen in the upcoming fantasy football season. It is a portion of a much larger picture that isn't visible to us that we can see, so we tend to overanalyze—yes, I am looking in the mirror.
Because of that, we want to be careful with how much emphasis we place on preseason play, but when paired with other clues—i.e., draft capital, mini-camp and training camp reports, coaching interviews, etc.—it can be helpful in the right cases.
With all that in mind, below are the biggest storylines of Week 2 in preseason and what they mean for fantasy football.
If you want the full breakdown of every takeaway from the weekend beyond my top 10 below—check them out here.
1. Xavier Worthy might be this year's Tank Dell
Worthy has a 25% target share with Mahomes in two preseason games. The rookie speedster is working the opposite areas of the field from Rice with a 20.8 aDOT, leading the team with a 68% air-yard share.
Worthy's 89% route participation might be slightly inflated with Hollywood Brown out of the lineup, but the rookie is making the most of his opportunities. We may get a Tank Dell-type of rookie season out of Worthy even in a crowded offense.
Worthy's ADP will likely climb after this performance, but likely not enough to keep us from drafting him. He is priced outside the top 100 on ESPN and Yahoo, and goes in the 90s on high-stakes sites like the FFPC and RealTime Fantasy Sports.
Worthy ranks as the No. 81 player in our consensus rankings. He is a WR3 with WR2 upside.
2. Malik Nabers: ALPHA DOG ASS-KICKING MACHINE
Nabers led the receiving corps with an 89% route participation rate and a 33% target share with Daniel Jones in Week 2.
The first-round NFL draft pick made two incredible grabs, and Jones looked comfortable forcing the ball to his new No. 1 in tight spaces. Nabers had Derek Stingley Jr. easily beat on another potential long-gainer but couldn't hang on.
The QB play caps Nabers' ceiling, but don't be surprised if he still challenges for a WR1 finish as a rookie—he is an absolute steal in fantasy drafts.
Just how early should you be willing to target Nabers in fantasy drafts?
EIGHT MORE UTILIZATION TAKEAWAYS
RELATED CONTENT:
- Every takeaway you need to know from Week 2 of the preseason.
- Dwain also walks you through his WR draft strategy for 2024.
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The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness, and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds:
😎 You’ve waited all offseason for this. Dwain and Ian’s must-draft players for 2024.
✍️ Preseason Week 2 overreactions. Adjustments to make for fantasy football.
🚀 Dynasty takeaways after Week 2 of the preseason. Rookies on the rise.
🏆️ Matthew’s Top 24 overall players. Who got snubbed?
📣 The Commanders name their starting QB. About time.
🦶 Uh oh, this Bills WR has turf toe. Not ideal.
📉 Want a fun betting angle for preseason? Start here.