{"id":119673,"date":"2021-08-19T07:00:27","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T11:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=119673"},"modified":"2021-08-19T17:42:05","modified_gmt":"2021-08-19T21:42:05","slug":"nfl-preseason-afc-fantasy-football-preseason-week-1-observations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/08\/19\/nfl-preseason-afc-fantasy-football-preseason-week-1-observations\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Preseason: AFC Fantasy Football Preseason Week 1 Observations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Week 1 of the NFL preseason is now complete. The week revealed more information to help with fantasy football projections. Teams tip their intentions by their actions, especially with almost every team now only having three preseason games. This article will analyze each team and identify the key insights to help seasonal league projections. Below is a closer look at the AFC teams, after Week 1 of the preseason. Fantasy Football Preseason Week 1<\/p>\n<h2>NFL Preseason Week 1: Fantasy Football Observations for the AFC<\/h2>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/ravens\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Baltimore Ravens<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Major offensive concerns;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Devin Duvernay is ready<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jeff Zrebiac of the Athletic <a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/2770798\/2021\/08\/15\/the-ravens-offensive-line-played-saturday-how-its-practiced-and-thats-not-a-good-thing\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">outlined why Ravens<\/a> fans should already be concerned about their offensive line. Starting center<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Bradley Bozeman<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> left the game with an ankle injury and left tackle<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ronnie Stanley<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has yet to join team workouts while still recovering from ankle surgery last November. Veteran<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kevin Zeitler<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and third-round rookie Ben Cleveland both missed practice last week with injuries. Rookie wideout Rashod Bateman is out several weeks after groin surgery, putting the dynamic rookie even further behind schedule. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throw in<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lamar Jackson<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8216;s second round of COVID, and there are real concerns in Baltimore. The lone bright spot was 4.39 speedster Devin Duvernay, who had four catches in their 17-14 win over the Saints. For a team with a shaky WR1 in<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marquise Brown<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and a shallow wide receiver depth chart, Duvernay could find an early season path to opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/bills\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Buffalo Bills<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Devin Singletary<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> takes advantage;<\/span>\u00a0Matt Breida<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lurking;<\/span>\u00a0Jake Kumerow<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> fighting<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After very strong early reports,<\/span> Zack Moss<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> missed Buffalo&#8217;s first preseason game with a hamstring injury. The third-year running back gained 42 yards on eight carries and caught one pass for Buffalo&#8217;s only touchdown of the game. Veteran <\/span>Matt Breida<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> still showed explosiveness and caught two passes. This is still Moss&#8217; backfield, but Buffalo&#8217;s has ample depth at the running back position. At wide receiver, 29-year old Jake Kumerow<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/2769992\/2021\/08\/14\/bills-preseason-opener-eight-observations-as-tyler-bass-and-marquez-stevenson-help-buffalo-edge-the-lions\/?source=emp_shared_article\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">appears to have moved ahead<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Isaiah Hodgins and Marquez Stevenson. With 34-year old <\/span>Emmanuel Sander<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s listed as a starter, Kumerow is a deep league waiver watch in case of an injury.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Made it look too easy. \ud83d\ude0e <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BUFvsDET?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#BUFvsDET<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcfa: WIVB + <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nflnetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@NFLNetwork<\/a> + The Bills App <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/z0xnZOkLfH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/z0xnZOkLfH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BuffaloBills\/status\/1426334421376983049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 14, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/bengals\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Cincinnati Bengals<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Observations<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open battle behind<\/span> Joe Mixon;<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>Ja&#8217;Marr Chase<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8216;s speed on display<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting running back Joe Mixon is projected for a massive workload. However, there is jostling for the backup rusher for the Bengals. Veteran<\/span> Samaje Perine<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rushed just three times for five yards and lost a fumble. Sixth-round pick <\/span>Chris Evan<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s earned the respect of his teammates with 25 tough yards on the ground and a touchdown. Evans added four receptions for 33 receiving yards, showcasing his strong pass-catching skills. Mixon missed ten games last year due to a foot injury. Perine has just 36 receptions in 38 career NFL games. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If Evans can beat out Williams and discard 2019 UDFA <\/span>Jacques Patrick<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, he is one Mixon injury away from 2021 fantasy relevance. Ja&#8217;Marr Chase caught his only target for 16 yards, but displayed the elite speed that should serve as a perfect compliment to Mixon&#8217;s ground attack.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ja\u2019Marr Chase displayed no problems with separation on his first catch. <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dCXVRQXOde\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/dCXVRQXOde<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jeff Bell (@4WhomJBellTolls) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/4WhomJBellTolls\/status\/1426899678398980100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/browns\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Cleveland Browns<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Browns relentless defense; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Donovan Peoples-Jones<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and Demetric Felton impress<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cleveland&#8217;s second-team defense put pressure on Jacksonville throughout the night. Second-round pick LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah landed one sack <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and almost blocked a punt. Donovan Peoples-Jones showed the potential of a 6-foot-2, 212 lb wide receiver with 4.48 speed, with this impressive one-handed catch along the sidelines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/BillyHeyen\/status\/1426687505013768197?s=20<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both Peoples-Jones and sixth-round wideout Demetric Felton (4 receptions, 44 yards) have a long way to be fantasy relevant, but got off to a solid start against Jacksonvile.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/broncos\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Denver Broncos<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Drew Lock-KJ Hamler connection; Javonte Williams is an issue; Broncos Defense a huge AFC West advantage<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both Drew Lock and<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teddy Bridgewater<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> played well, but the highlight was this 80-yard bomb to speedster K.J. Hamler. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Drew Lock is GUNNING for QB1 \ud83d\ude80<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mV0BeHXXG8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/mV0BeHXXG8<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; PFF (@PFF) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PFF\/status\/1426642650191511554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 14, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a strong offensive line and elite defense, Lock&#8217;s play could elevate this team to be a wild card contender. Rookie running back Javonte Williams rushed five times for 29 yards and had a touchdown wiped out by a<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jerry Jeudy<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> holding penalty. Williams is clearly going to earn playing time regardless of<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Melvin Gordon<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8216;s role. First-round pick<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patrick Surtain<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> returned a 30-yard interception for a touchdown, giving head coach Vic Fangio another chess piece for an incredibly strong defense.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/texans\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Houston Texans<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Observations<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Davis Mills provides hope; Scottie Phillips fighting to make the roster<\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/news\/attorney-fbi-probing-allegations-tied-to-texans-qb-deshaun-watson\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Deshaun Watson&#8217;s career<\/a> in Houston in limbo, the Texans are hoping they hit on third-round pick Davis Mills. In Houston&#8217;s 26-7 win at Green Bay, Mills impressed by going 11 of 22 for 122 yards.\u00a0 The rookie did have an interception and a fumble on a direct snap, but played well overall in his first NFL action. The Texans backfield is full with veterans Phillip Lindsay, David Johnson, and Mark Ingram. However, the stat of the first preseason game was 2020 UDFA Scottie Phillips, who had 89 total yards, four receptions, and a rushing touchdown. While not likely to make a fantasy impact in 2021, Philips shined in his first opportunity of the preseason.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/colts\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Indianapolis Colts<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Offensive Line Concerns<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quarterback Carson Wentz and starting guard Quenton Nelson are both recovering from surgery. Pro Bowl tackle Eric Fisher will not be ready for the start of the season. If the Colts display against the Panthers is any indication, that could mean big trouble for their offensive line. Indianapolis&#8217; offense allowed three sacks, one interceptions, and two lost fumbles in their 21-18 comeback win over Carolina. Assessing anything else is bereft of purpose given the lack of playing time for the starters, but the Colts need to tighten up their pass protection in a hurry.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/jaguars\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Jacksonville Jaguars<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trevor Lawrence taking control; RB Roulette<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trevor Lawrence earned the surprise start against Cleveland, finishing 6 of 9 for 71 yards. He was under pressure constantly, getting sacked twice. Fantasy players gained no clarity on the Jacksonville backfield after a muddle usage distribution.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Trevor Lawrence played 15 snaps Saturday. RB snaps:<\/p>\n<p>James Robinson 7<br \/>Travis Etienne 5<br \/>Carlos Hyde 3<\/p>\n<p>Third-down RB snaps:<br \/>James Robinson 2<br \/>Travis Etienne 1<br \/>Carlos Hyde 1<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adamlevitan\/status\/1427062805191020546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 16, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Etienne&#8217;s draft capital and connection with Lawrence should help his floor, but Robinson impressive rookie season will certainly earn his opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/chiefs\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Kansas City Chiefs<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Observation <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buy Byron Pringle<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce garner all the attention from fantasy drafters. But the sneaky beneficiary of Sammy Watkins departure is Byron Pringle. Kansas City signed the 27-year old Pringle to a one-year $2.1 million contract, and the former UDFA from Kansas State responded with two receptions and a touchdown from quarterback Chad Henne in the Chiefs 19-16 win over San Francisco. Pringle is a fan and team favorite, and could be one of the best late-round seasonal picks if Mecole Hardman fails to keep the team&#8217;s WR2 position.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/raiders\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Las Vegas Raiders<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John Brown WR4, Running back depth<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Raiders did not play Henry Ruggs, Bryan Edwards, or Hunter Renfrow in their 20-7 win over Seattle. Who did play? Veteran wide receiver John Brown, who failed to catch his only target. Brown is not draftable in seasonal leagues unless an injury occurs. UDFA Trey Ragas shined with 82 total yards, three receptions, and a touchdown, with B.J. Emmons chipping in 45 yards and a score.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/chargers\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Los Angeles Chargers<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hello, Josh Palmer;<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Donald Parham<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> truthers unite<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Chargers third-round pick from Tennessee has<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/2771896\/2021\/08\/15\/chargers-stock-report-who-is-trending-up-who-is-trending-down\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">drawn rave reviews throughout the preseason<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. He is a strong route-runner that has consistently found openings in the defense. As a result?\u00a0 Palmer is getting heavily targeted.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Players that have been targeted on over half of their routes run in the first half of preseason games so far:<\/p>\n<p>RB Antonio Gibson<br \/>RB James White<br \/>WR Corey Davis<br \/>WR Josh Palmer<br \/>TE Zach Ertz<\/p>\n<p>You could easily draft all 5 for your fantasy football team<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PFF_NateJahnke\/status\/1426895514457493506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Donald Parham has long been a fantasy favorite with a 19.1 (93rd percentile) Breakout Age at Stetson<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.playerprofiler.com\/nfl\/donald-parham\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (PlayerProfiler<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). If the 6-foot-8, 240 lb athletic marvel can limit his drops, he is looking like a nice late-round TE target in seasonal leagues.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/dolphins\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Miami Dolphins<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Malcolm Brown RB1?; Tua Tagovailoa impresses<\/p>\n<p>Fantasy drafters that felt Myles Gaskin was a great late-round RB1 value, should consider the statement from head coach Brian Flores.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Brian Flores: We are going to try to use our backs (three of them) situationally. For fantasy folks. Brown could be goal line vulture. Gaskin figures to lead in touches but don\u2019t sleep on Ahmed.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Joe Schad (@schadjoe) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/schadjoe\/status\/1427629717121867792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 17, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Malcolm Brown was a surprise start over Gaskin, and played on first <em>and<\/em> third down on the opening series. Brown (16 snaps) had more than double the opportunity than Gaskin (seven snaps). To make matters even worse, Salvon Ahmed finished with 71 yards, two receptions, and a touchdown. While there is still doubt as to the regular season touch distribution, it is clear Gaskin in currently overvalued by fantasy drafters. With the exception of one errant throw, Tua Tagovailoa impressed with an efficient 8 of 11 for 99 yards. Miami&#8217;s second preseason game against Atlanta on Saturday could solidify Tagovailoa as a legitimate option as a redraft QB1.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/patriots\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>New England Patriots<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mac Jones is coming,<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Damien Harris<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> RB1; Starting WRs set<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There&#8217;s a limited amount of time before the 22-year old\u00a0 and accurate Mac Jones overtakes the inaccurate and aging<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cam Newton<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The Alabama rookie finished 13 of 19 for 87 yards. Running backs Damien Harris and<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sony Michel<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> both looked impressive. Yet, it was Michel who remained in the game late until the third quarter. This opens the door for the more versatile Harris (22 receptions as an Alabama senior), to earn the majority of touches. Death, taxes, and<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">James White<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as the preferred passing down option. Newly-acquired wideout<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kendrick Bourne<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is rumored to have revealed the Patriots top three wide receivers, to no one&#8217;s surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Kendrick Bourne said it sounds like the plan is to have him, Nelson Agholor and Jakobi Meyers as the Patriots\u2019 top three WRs in Week 1. Not surprising, but notable.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Zack Cox (@zm_cox) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zm_cox\/status\/1426935368864108556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/jets\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>New York Jets<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Zach Wilson Impresses, Rushing Volume;<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tyler Kroft<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> TE1?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wilson was very impressive against the Giants, going 6 of 9 for 63 yards. He targeted wide receiver<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Corey Davis<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> four times, connecting twice. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur made it clear he wants to establish the run to provide balance for his rookie quarterback. Veteran<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tevin Coleman<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the presumed RB1, but<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jetswire.usatoday.com\/2021\/08\/14\/new-york-jets-new-york-giants-preseason-tevin-coleman-elijah-moore\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">missed this game for personal reasons. <\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/J\/JohnTy02.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ty Johnson<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, La&#8217;Michael Perine, and<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Michael Carter<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> all split carries. Johnson and Perine combined for 12 carries with Wilson on the field. The<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chris Herndon<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> experiment appears to have ended, with just one catch for nine yards. Tyler Kroft was the best of a bad bunch.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/steelers\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Pittsburgh Steelers<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Observations<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Najee Harris<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> massive volume;<\/span>\u00a0Anthony McFarland<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> RB2; <\/span>Pat Freiermuth<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> TE1?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Head coach <\/span>Mike Tomlin<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has always preferred to give one running back the majority of touches. Over his 14 seasons as head coach, Tomlin&#8217;s lead running back has received 56.1 percent of the rushing attempts. Excluding the three seasons where the leading rusher was hurt (2012, 2019, 2020), that number balloons to 61 percent. This is all good news for rookie Najee Harris, who was the only running back used with the starters in the opening Hall of Fame game.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Steelers starters played 18 snaps last night. RB snaps:<\/p>\n<p>Najee Harris 18<br \/>Everyone else 0<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adamlevitan\/status\/1423692255349547008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 6, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Second-year Maryland product Anthony McFarland has locked up the RB2 role, scoring on a tough one-year run against the Eagles.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">If at first you don&#39;t succeed&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Anthony McFarland Jr. finds daylight for the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/steelers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@steelers<\/a>! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PITvsPHI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#PITvsPHI<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JsnOCQYUrv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/JsnOCQYUrv<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFL\/status\/1425982891037663235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 13, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His ability to get outside on runs has separated him from <\/span>Bennie Snell<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span> Jaylen Samuels<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth has excelled as a blocker, a critical skill to playing time in the Pittsburgh system. A dominant player at Penn State, Freiermuth accumulated 15 touchdowns in his first two collegiate seasons.<\/span> Eric Ebron<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is officially on notice.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/titans\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Tennessee Titans<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Backups shine<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Titans earned an easy 23-3 win at Atlanta, limiting fantasy football takeaways. There was quality play from both backup quarterbacks, Logan Woodside and Matt Barkley. They combined to go 15 of 23 for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Was that just a result of a bad Atlanta defense? Tennessee should feel confident about their depth at running back, as Darrynton Evans produced 6.5 yards per carry before leaving with a knee injury. Veteran Brian Hill (43 rushing yards) and UDFA Mekhi Sargent (58 rushing yards) also impressed.<\/p>\n<p>Main Image:<br \/>\n<a id=\"jinTSsudS0t-VJxDKIuQjA\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.ca\/detail\/1332713723\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'jinTSsudS0t-VJxDKIuQjA',sig:'cS3VAK4c8bAyRMeadZOwlpHF0QqpXy8tGj1Oyyj5_E0=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1332713723',caption: true ,tld:'ca',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fantasy Football Preseason: Week 1 of the  preseason is complete, here is a closer look at the fantasy implications from the AFC teams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1103,"featured_media":119739,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[8272,6287,4784,4069,4262,2967,89,81,6249],"class_list":["post-119673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fantasy","tag-byron-pringle","tag-devin-duvernay","tag-devin-singletary","tag-drew-lock","tag-jake-kumerow","tag-kendrick-bourne","tag-miami-dolphins","tag-pittsburgh-steelers","tag-trevor-lawrence"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1103"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119673\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}