Player Updates through Preseason Week 2

We are now two weeks into the preseason and have a lot of news coming in every day. Let’s try to sift through it and see what we can take away for fantasy.

Summary

Stock Up - Nico Collins, Chris Olave, Dalton Schultz, De’Zhaun Stribling, Mike Washington

Unmoved - Puka Nacua, Breece Hall, CMC, Chuba Hubbard, Kyle Monangai, Cyrus Allen, Rachaad White, Egbuka

Stock Down - Jayden Higgins (out for year), Jordyn Tyson, Jeremiyah Love (slightly), Alec Pierce, Jakobi Meyers (slightly), Tyrone Tracy, Kaytron Allen

Injury Updates

Jayden Higgins (HOU) out for the season with a torn ACL. Unfortunate news because I thought he looked good last year and was one of my later round targets this year. This means more targets for Nico Collins and more work for Jaylin Noel, Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, and Dalton Schultz. Tank Dell is a bit of a mystery coming off the injury a couple years ago. But it sounds like he’ll be back early in the season and has looked quick in videos. Dell, Noel, and Schultz are high upside late round dart throws. I prefer Schultz over other TEs that go in the same range, like Chig Okonkwo, Hunter Henry, and Brenton Strange.

Jordyn Tyson (NO) out for a while with a hamstring injury. He’s had hamstring issues in the past, which makes this injury more concerning. The concern is for recurring hamstring issues like what happened before Christian Watson had extensive testing done and worked on reducing muscle imbalances. I’d expect Tyson back after the Saints bye in week 8. The question is how effective he’ll be when he gets back. In the meantime, this means more work for Olave, Juwan Johnson, Devaughn Vele, and Bryce Lance. Lance is now one of my last round boom or bust dart throws in best ball. All I know is that he is big and fast. Sounds like somebody who could have a few long TDs. And it sounds like he is getting first team reps in camp.

Breece Hall (NYJ) mild groin strain, expected back for week 1. This injury doesn’t concern me and I don’t think he should be falling in drafts as a result of this injury, like he has been.

Jeremiyah Love (ARI) question mark with a (high?) ankle sprain. High ankle sprains are notorious for lingering. I’ve bumped him down a bit in rankings and think there’s a higher chance of slowly phasing him into the offense for the first few weeks.

Christian McCaffrey (SF) out with “tightness” for the past week. The panic meter is slowly rising the longer he stays out of practice and there’s no news. He has been one of my plans for my first RB in auction drafts and at pick 5/6 in snake drafts, but now I’m not so sure. 8/23 afternoon edit: CMC is back at practice and says the plan was always to take some time off and then ramp back up.

Puka Nacua (LAR) recovering from psoas injury. This one doesn’t seem too concerning . I think he’s back for week one at full strength.

Jakobi Meyers (JAX) jammed hand and was seen wearing a light brace at the preseason game. This doesn’t sound overly concerning, but maybe Travis Hunter gets more reps on offense until he gets back.

Chuba Hubbard (CAR) week-to-week with a hamstring injury. Sounds like he’ll be back week one. I think he is a nice later round option with the discount he has gotten lately. Jonathan Brooks hype has gotten a little overboard, in my opinion.

Kyle Monangai (CHI) has a knee injury. Sounds like a bone bruise and he’ll be back for the start of the season. Not concerned, but maybe Swift gets more touches early in the year.

Emeka Egbuka (TB) has a toe injury. Sounds like turf toe, which can linger. He was battling hamstring injuries for the second half of last season and I was excited to see him (and Baker Mayfield) back fully healthy. This injury concerns me a bit, but sounds like he’ll be back for week one.

Alec Pierce (IND) the lack of solid updates is concerning. At one point it was reported he had another PRP injection in his ankle, but that was swiftly refuted and claimed he didn’t have another injection. I don’t know what to make of this. He was one of my top WR targets due to the departure of Pittman and Pierce getting paid. I’m now concerned how healthy he’ll be at the start of the season. I don’t know whether the Keenan Allen signing had anything to do with Pierce’s injury taking longer than expected. I’m thinking it probably does.

Rachaad White (WAS) tweaked his hamstring and has been out recently. Doesn’t sound overly concerning and should be back for the start of the season.

Preseason Risers

Cyrus Allen (KC) has been getting rave reviews out of camp. But I personally think it’s getting out of hand. The Chiefs still have Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, and Travis Kelce. Plus Kenneth Walker will likely receive more targets out of the backfield than other Chiefs back in recent years. That’s a lot of target competition. He went 149 in my best ball draft last night. Ahead of Tre Tucker, Tre Harris, AD Mitchell, and Dontayvion Wicks. All 4 of those guys are going to be in the top 3 or 4 in terms of targets on their team. I’m skeptical that Cyrus Allen will fill that role for the Chiefs, but I understand people trying to find the next Puka.

De’Zhaun Stribling (SF) may be the last man standing in the 49ers offense. With Mike Evans, CMC, and Christian Kirk all dealing with injuries and George Kittle ramping up off the Achilles injury, Stribling has a clear path to early involvement in the offense. Although Stribling did pop up on the injury report with a shoulder injury. Sounds day to day and not a big deal. Solid later round (although moving up each day) upside target.

Mike Washington (LV) has looked good in preseason, breaking off some long runs. I think he mixes in as the RB2 in Vegas behind Jeanty. He had been a late round target of mind all summer, but now he’s going even earlier. He went at pick 170 last night when I was planning to take him at 171. He was going in the 190s or 200s a couple weeks ago. I think 170 is about right because he has both standalone and contingent value.

MarShawn Lloyd (GB) seems to finally be fully healthy and locked in as the RB2 behind Josh Jacobs. With injury and legal concerns for Jacobs, Lloyd looks to be the biggest beneficiary. He is now going much earlier in drafts. He went 121 in my draft last night. He’s another guy I have shares of in the 190s and I don’t think I’ll be picking him in the 120s. I’d prefer other guys in that range, like Chris Rodriguez or Rachaad White, because Lloyd still seems more like a contingent value bet than having standalone value in a timeshare with Jacobs.

Preseason Fallers

Tyrone Tracy (NYG) missed a pass block that ended up with Jaxson Dart getting crushed in the first preseason game. And then fumbled in the second one. He has always had fumbling and pass protection issues. So the Giants brought in Najee Harris to provide some extra RB competition. Sounds like the Giants like Harris and are down on Tracy. Personally, I’m avoiding Tracy at all cost at this point.

Kaytron Allen (WAS) was getting hype earlier in training camp in the ambiguous backfield in Washington. But he’s been playing solidly behind White and Bill in preseason. Hype has cooled. He’s now going in the last round or two, which feels about right.