Preseason Week 3 Fantasy Football Takeaways: What's Real and What's Overhyped?

Preseason Matters.

Anyone who says otherwise simply isn’t trying hard enough to win at fantasy football.

Yes, the preseason will sometimes steer us wrong. But if you focus on usage over production, there’s a lot to gain.

That’s what we’re doing here. Digging into a lot of usage and a little tape to sharpen our fantasy football rankings heading into peak draft season.

Here are the most important takeaways from the third week of preseason action.

Note: All snap and route rates are from Pro Football Focus.

NFL Preseason Takeaways: Week 3

More Clues On The Giants Backfield

The Giants' backfield has become one of fantasy football's more intriguing preseason stories.

• Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy, and Devin Singletary split first-team work in Week 1.
• Tracy missed a blitz pickup in the opener and then fumbled in Week 2.
• Then New York added Najee Harris to the mix.

Skattebo and Singletary did not play in Week 3. That could mean that Singletary's roster spot is safe. Or maybe the team had already seen enough of the veteran.

More interestingly, Harris and Tracy rotated series with the first-team offense vs. the Jets. Harris wound up winning the snap battle 11 to 9.

Harris didn't wow in his first game action since last September's Achilles tear, but he looked capable. He carried 11 times for 39 yards and caught his lone target for a 20-yard gain. 33 of his 39 rushing yards came after contact, per Pro Football Focus.

Tracy ripped off 37 yards and a score on 4 carries and is clearly the more explosive back. But pass protection and ball security matter. Tracy's shortcomings there seemingly have the Giants' No. 2 RB job up for grabs.

The Giants kept all four RBs on their initial 53-man roster. There's no clear-cut Skattebo handcuff right now.

Emmett Johnson's Preseason Puts Him One Injury From Fantasy Relevance

Kansas City's RB depth chart behind Kenneth Walker looked murky heading into training camp. It's clear now.

Johnson started the preseason finale and had another strong outing, carrying 7 times for 39 yards and catching both of his targets for 15 more.

He finished the preseason with 4.7 yards per carry on 26 totes. His 149.8 Elusive Rating, a Pro Football Focus metric that measures what a RB does behind the blocking he receives, ranked sixth among 103 RBs with 10+ carries.

He was one of the best runners I saw this preseason. Here's a cutup of all of his touches from preseason Week 3:

The Chiefs cut RB Emari Demercado on Sunday, leaving Johnson and RB Brashard Smith behind Walker. Smith could take some passing-down snaps, but a Walker injury would leave Johnson as the lead back and an exciting fantasy option.

Makai Lemon Looks Rusty

The rookie made his preseason debut on Friday and looked like a guy who missed much of the offseason.

Lemon played 17 snaps and ran 14 routes, catching 3 of 5 targets for 3 yards. One incompletion came on a corner route where he failed to separate. The other bounced off his hands for a Bengals INT.

The good news: Lemon ran 10 of his 14 routes from the outside. Although he figures to start his career as a primary slot receiver, his usage in this game confirms that the Eagles see him eventually playing out wide in 2-WR sets.

Lemon won't be an early-season fantasy starter but remains an upside bench stash.

Charlie Kolar Looks Like Chargers' TE1

We're dealing with a tiny sample size here: 5 preseason dropbacks from QB Justin Herbert. But Kolar sure looks like the best fantasy bet among Chargers TEs entering the season.

Kolar has run a route on 4 of Herbert's 5 dropbacks and played 6 of 7 first-team snaps. Njoku has just 2 routes with Herbert; Gadsden has 1.

I'm still skeptical Kolar emerges as a real fantasy asset in a deep Chargers pass-catching corps. And Gadsden or Njoku could still earn a bigger role as the season goes on.

But if you're looking to dabble in the Chargers' TE room in fantasy drafts, Kolar should be your target.

Kyle Williams Flashes Again, But Still Has Work To Do

Williams torched his defender deep for a 45-yard TD in Thursday's game vs. the Browns.

He turned just 6 routes vs. Cleveland into 2 catches, 55 yards, and that score. Williams has posted a huge preseason, tallying 6 grabs for 166 yards and 3 TDs while flashing impressive route running, deep speed, and ball tracking.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that Williams played on Thursday, while WRs A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Demario Douglas, and Mack Hollins sat. So Williams is still no higher than fifth on the depth chart.

He's not worth rostering in most redraft leagues. But an injury to Brown or Doubs could change that. And Williams remains worth stashing on dynasty benches.

Kaelon Black Is The Christian McCaffrey Handcuff

Black got the start Thursday night vs. the Raiders and played all 12 snaps over San Francisco's first three possessions. RB Jordan James then entered on the fourth drive.

The rookie looks set to open the season as the 49ers' No. 2 RB after a good preseason. He carried 4 times for 28 yards against Vegas and has averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 12 total attempts.

Black won't have standalone fantasy value behind a healthy Christian McCaffrey, but he'd be the 49ers RB to own if CMC misses time.

Preseason Takeaways Matter: Updated Rankings

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NFL Preseason Takeaways: Week 2

Thank Goodness De'Zhaun Stribling Dropped It

Turns out Stribling is mortal. The much-ballyhooed rookie dropped a likely 33-yard TD in the second quarter of Thursday night's game vs. the Chargers. If he catches that, his ADP shoots up another multiple rounds.

So thank you, De'Zhaun.

He was flawless otherwise, catching his other 4 targets for 46 yards. Stribling drew targets on three of QB Brock Purdy's six passes and then made this tough grab from QB Mac Jones for 21 yards.

It's worth noting that Stribling ran a route on just three of Purdy's seven dropbacks, trailing Deebo Samuel's and Demarcus Robinson's five routes apiece. (Mike Evans didn't play.)

The 49ers might slow-play their rookie out of the gate. But it's going to be tough to keep him from a full-time role for long based on what we've seen and heard this summer.

Stribling has become a top target in the double-digit rounds of fantasy drafts. I'd even be willing to chase him into Round 9 alongside WRs such as Makai Lemon and Josh Downs.

From Bad To Worse For Tyrone Tracy

Tracy's blown blitz pickup in the preseason opener sent QB Jaxson Dart to the medical tent. The Giants signed RB Najee Harris three days later (which supposedly had nothing to do with Tracy's gaffe, but it makes you wonder ...).

Preseason Week 2 went worse for Tracy. Harris and RB Cam Skattebo sat, but RB Devin Singletary got the start over Tracy and played all 8 snaps on the opening possession before the two rotated for the rest of the first half.

Singletary turned 8 carries into 40 yards and a score. Tracy had 26 yards on 6 carries and lost a red-zone fumble.

Ball security was a big issue for Tracy as a rookie, when he fumbled 5 times. He cleaned that up last year, fumbling just once.

The Giants' backfield is in flux at the moment. But Tracy has gone from what we thought was the clear No. 2 RB and an enticing fantasy bench stash to a potential cut or trade candidate as the team's No. 4 RB.

He's only worth considering at the very end of fantasy drafts until the news gets better.

Mike Washington Shines Again

Washington ripped off his second big run in as many games on Thursday night. He followed his 53-yard burst in the opener with another big run vs. the Texans, keeping his feet moving in the hole before breaking free for 33 yards.

Washington is at 7.9 yards per carry across 15 preseason attempts. He's forced six missed tackles and averaged 7.1 yards after contact, per Pro Football Focus. Elite numbers.

I'm still not expecting Washington to see enough work behind a healthy Ashton Jeanty to be a reliable fantasy play. But Jeanty is already dealing with an ankle injury that could threaten his Week 1 availability. That makes Washington one of the top RB handcuffs on the board.

The Packers' Handcuff Picture Gets Clearer

With RB Josh Jacobs sitting, Lloyd led the split with Brooks on the first-team offense's lone 14-play drive Friday night.

Both RBs also played two more drives together, with Lloyd finishing ahead 16 snaps to 7.

That suggests Lloyd wouldn't immediately step into a workhorse role if Jacobs misses time this season. But he'd still be the clear fantasy bet and could widen the gap on Brooks.

Neither Lloyd (2.8 yards per carry) nor Brooks (2.4) found room on the ground vs. Denver on Friday. But Lloyd had this 11-yard TD from Love on a crisp Texas route:

Lloyd remains one of the best handcuff picks on the board.

Omar Cooper Set for Jets' No. 3 WR Job, But Not Your Fantasy Lineup

After getting zero snaps with the first-team offense in the preseason opener, Cooper worked as the primary slot receiver with QB Geno Smith and Co. this week.

It was a step forward, but he still ran a route on just 4 of 7 pass plays and stayed in with the backups, finishing with 1 catch for 9 yards on his lone target. Cooper now has 4 targets, 3 catches, and 40 yards across 27 preseason routes.

Two things look true at this point:

1. Cooper will open the season as New York's No. 3 WR.
2. Cooper will not be a viable fantasy starter early on.

Dallas' No. 2 RB is ... Malik Davis?!?

Davis was a fantasy afterthought as recently as a week ago. He was rarely mentioned in the Cowboys' No. 2 RB competition and played behind Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah in the preseason opener.

That changed in Saturday's second exhibition against the Cardinals, when Davis got the start and finished with 5 carries for 29 yards plus this 8-yard receiving score:

Blue rotated in on the first drive and split work with Davis throughout the first half, so this battle is far from decided. But The Athletic's Jon Machota believes Davis will at least open the season as the No. 2 RB.

Blue remains the more exciting late-round fantasy pick thanks to his pass-catching and big-play ability. But there's no clear handcuff to Javonte Williams at this point.

Is Darnell Washington TE1 In Pittsburgh?

The Steelers have deployed a TE committee through two preseason games. Darnell Washington has edged Pat Freiermuth in both snaps and routes with the first-team offense:

Freiermuth is the more accomplished pass catcher. But Washington improved his targets per game, catches per game, yards per game, and yards per route each of the past two seasons. And he got a four-year, $42 million extension from Pittsburgh in June.

This is ultimately a situation to avoid in redraft leagues. But Washington is an intriguing dynasty stash and could become a waiver-wire target if he pulls away from Freiermuth at some point this season.

NFL Preseason Takeaways - Week 1

Should We Worry About Cam Skattebo's Role?

Skattebo got workhorse usage when healthy last year. But that was under the old coaching staff.

In his first game under HC John Harbaugh and OC Matt Nagy, Skattebo worked in a 3-RB committee. He got the start, but Tracy replaced him on the third snap. Singletary started the second drive before Skattebo and Tracy mixed back in.

Singletary's first-team run makes this look more like preseason tinkering from the Giants. I'd be shocked if he played a significant role when the real games start.

But Tracy's role could be legit, especially in the passing game. The converted WR has caught 74 balls across his first two NFL seasons, although it's worth noting that he got QB Jaxson Dart lit up by blowing a block on Saturday.

We'll see how that impacts playing time going forward. But Skattebo's fantasy value depends heavily on volume, particularly in the passing game and at the goal line.

We shifted some targets from Skattebo to Tracy following this game.

Chase Brown Still Has a Samaje Perine Problem

The Bengals deployed a backfield rotation in the preseason opener very similar to what we saw when Perine was healthy last year. Brown controlled early-down work but ceded most of the obvious passing downs to Perine.

Brown was still busy and productive in 14 games with Perine last year, ranking seventh among RBs in expected PPR points per game (15.6) and ninth in actual points per game (16.3).

But it was the three outings without Perine when Brown really teed off, averaging 17.6 points per game on 21.6 expected.

That upside is exciting, but it looks like we’ll need another Perine injury for Brown to realize it. It’s why we’re behind the market on Brown, ranking him 21st overall vs. an ADP of 14th.

Condensed Packers WR Corps Presents Upside

Playing time has been a nagging problem for Packers WRs, with HC Matt LaFleur rotating four and even five guys. That doesn’t look like it'll be the case this year.

Green Bay looks ready to use a more traditional WR group featuring Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed, now that Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are gone.

All three ran a route on all five Jordan Love dropbacks in the preseason opener. Reed still notably came off the field for both 2-WR snaps (both runs), as he has throughout his career.

Reed still figures to rank third among this trio in routes, but a more condensed group could still push him to a career high in that category.

Reed and Watson check in as values according to our ADP Market Index. Golden has yet to show strong target-earning ability and looks a bit overvalued.

De’Zhaun Stribling Pops Off the Tape

The 49ers rookie was one of the most impressive players I saw in Thursday night’s action. He caught 7 of 8 targets for 63 yards, lining up in the slot (14 snaps) and out wide (eight), working all levels of the field, and even getting a jet sweep.

Stribling made an impressive contested grab for 32 yards and had a bulldozing 11-yard catch and run to convert a third-and-6.

Here are all of his targets:

Stribling still needs work as a route runner, but his ball skills and after-catch ability might be enough for a productive rookie season in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

Thursday night was enough to bump Stribling up our WR rankings. He’s an exciting target late in fantasy drafts.

Titans Heading for a Split Backfield?

Pollard and Spears worked in a near-even timeshare in Thursday night’s preseason opener vs. the 49ers. Pollard got the start and scored from 5 yards out on the opening possession. But Spears worked in early, saw the only target among the two, and got a carry from San Francisco’s 12-yard line.

Spears also had this impressive run for 25 yards:

We’ll see if we get any more clues on this backfield over the final two preseason games, but it would certainly make sense for the Titans to lighten the 29-year-old Pollard’s load in favor of the explosive Spears.

In an offense that won’t be very good, a split backfield would leave both guys without much fantasy value.

Omar Cooper is WR4 For Now

ESPN's Rich Cimini said earlier this week that Cooper could be falling behind Isaiah Williams for the No. 3 WR job. After the preseason opener, we can say that Cooper has fallen behind Williams.

Williams operated as the slot receiver with the first-team offense on Friday night, while Cooper didn't play a single snap with the starters. He wound up playing 21 snaps with the backups, splitting his time between wide (13) and slot (eight).

It's common for a rookie to be buried on the depth chart in August, and we'd still bet on Cooper playing more snaps and scoring more fantasy points than Williams this season. But he's far from fantasy relevance at this point and should be left on the waiver wire to open the season in most redraft leagues.

Cooper's slow start is also good news for Adonai Mitchell's chances of early-season fantasy value.

If You're Interested in Dolphins WRs, Draft Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington

Douglas and Washington have been the buzziest WRs at Dolphins camp and ran the clear top two WRs in Friday night's preseason opener.

Douglas played every snap on the first-team offense's long, lone drive. He made this impressive one-handed catch (although he lazily stepped out of bounds on his other target, turning a would-be big gain into an incompletion).

Washington caught all 3 of his targets for 15 yards. More importantly, he played all the 2-WR snaps. That'd be a big change from last year, when Washington ran a route on just 50.0% of 2-WR sets.

I'm still skeptical that there will be enough passing volume or production in Miami to create fantasy value in this WR corps. But a condensed group featuring just two guys would at least give Douglas and Washington a chance.

Of course, they will both need to contend with the return of rookie WR Chris Bell at some point.

Good News/Bad News From D.J. Moore's Bills Debut

Moore played well in Saturday afternoon's preseason opener vs. the Panthers, turning four Josh Allen targets into 3 catches and 61 yards. He gained 32 of those yards on a blown coverage in Carolina's secondary, but Moore also made a strong grab down the left sideline for 18 yards.

That's the good news. The bad news is that he was part of a 4-WR rotation with Allen and the first-team offense, running a route on 6 of Allen's 9 dropbacks.

That's been the M.O. in Buffalo recently. "Everybody eats," as HC Joe Brady coined and Allen popularized.

We're not yet moving our 85% route rate projection for Moore. But I'll be watching his usage closely if we get any more first-team reps from the Bills offense this preseason.

Moore continues to look like one of the bigger risk/reward picks in fantasy drafts.

Frequently Asked Questions About NFL Preseason

When does NFL preseason start?

The 2026 NFL preseason started on August 6 with the Hall of Fame game between the Cardinals and Panthers. The first full week of preseason started on August 13.

How many preseason games are in the NFL in 2026?

The majority of teams will play three preseason games in 2025. The Cardinals and Panthers, who played in the Hall of Fame Game, will have four preseason games.

Are any NFL preseason games televised?

Many preseason games are televised on local channels. NFL Network also shows preseason games, both live and taped.