Week 1 of the preseason has come and gone. None of the final scores "matter" for anything, but that doesn't mean we didn't learn a few things from each team's 60 minutes of action — particularly about incoming rookies who had never played a single snap of football against professional competition this time last week.

Don't get it twisted: The most important preseason takeaways revolve around usage more than anything – something that Fantasy Life's Dwain McFarland covered in his excellent Utilization and Usage Takeaways article. Check it out!

However, interpreting that usage with just a splash of performance-related goodness is how we cook up a fantasy-friendly recipe to adjust the ole ranks. This brings us to today's goal: Breaking down something cool I learned about 21 different rookies and what that could mean for their respective 2024 fantasy value.

As always: It's a great day to be great.

Bears QB Caleb Williams

  • What we learned: The man's nickname is "Superman" for a reason

When Pro Football Reference says something is your nickname: It's your nickname.

Whether it was the 30-yard dart on the run or the Mahomes-esque flip to D'Andre Swift: The 2024 NFL Draft's No. 1 overall pick already proved that his ridiculous playmaking ability has gone nowhere at the NFL level.

The only real concern with Williams' performance was that his penchant for holding the football persisted. Overall, Williams' 3.56-second average time to throw was a decent bit higher than Justin Fields' NFL-high 3.39-second mark from last season. Now, it was obviously a small sample, and the reality that Caleb didn't take a single sack demonstrates that this metric can be more of descriptive than predictive — certified ballers like Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts also tend to hold the ball longer than usual after all.

Still, this facet of the game will be something to monitor as Williams gets into the regular season and begins to face more complex defenses, even if the Bills already tried to make things tough on the rookie last Saturday. 

Commaners QB Jayden Daniels

  • What we learned: The rushing upside here is tantalizingly high

High-volume rushing QBs simply don't make a habit of busting in fantasy land. Of the 27 QBs with 100-plus carries in a season over the past 10 years:

  • 11 (41%) finished as top-three fantasy QBs on a per-game basis
  • 16 (59%) finished as top-six fantasy QBs
  • Only 3 (11%) finished outside fantasy's top-12 QBs (2014 Kaep, 2018 Lamar, 2020 Cam)

Reminder: Truly terrible passers like Tim Tebow (QB8 in Weeks 7-17, 2011) and Taysom Hill (QB6 Weeks 11-14, 2020, and QB7 in Weeks 13-15, 2021) still put up more than solid fantasy numbers back in the day.

This brings us to Daniels, who showed off his patented b-e-a-utiful deep ball and angle-erasing speed during just one drive of action. Fantasy Life Projections currently have Daniels amassing 122 carries this season — it'll be an upset if the rookie does NOT post top-eight numbers should he stay healthy enough to reap the rewards of that fantasy-friendly volume.

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

  • What we learned: We might have underestimated the passing upside of the 2024 Vikings

This goes hand-in-hand with McCarthy *and* Sam Darnold. The former made more than a few throws that showed off some legit high-end arm talent, while the latter made arguably the single-best throw of the week on a beautifully layered intermediate dart

Historically, rookie QBs haven't helped produce top-end WRs in fantasy land, and Sam Darnold has been, well, Darnold. This has been the central explanation for why Justin Jefferson — a more than reasonable choice as the single-best WR in the NFL — is ranked as the No. 5 player at the position by some.

Reminder: Jefferson went for 30 receptions, 476 yards and two scores in four full games with Kirk Cousins sidelined last season — good for a 17-game 128-2,023-8 pace. Head coach Kevin O'Connell deserves some respect as one of the league's better play-callers; I'm personally not afraid of selecting JJettas with a top-six fantasy pick in drafts of most shapes and sizes.

Broncos QB Bo Nix

  • What we learned: There might be a fantasy-friendly rushing floor here

It wasn't like we didn't know Nix could move. After all, his 7.3 fantasy points per game from purely rushing production over the past two seasons stacked up favorably with Caleb Williams (8.6), and one doesn't score 38 rushing TDs in 61 college games by accident.

Still, it was refreshing to see Nix not only pick up first downs on a scramble but ALSO via a designed read option. Nobody is exactly expecting this Broncos passing game to resemble the 1999 Rams in aerial potency, so any level of extra goodness on the ground will go a long way towards Nix potentially earning some streamer appeal down the line.

Cardinals RB Trey Benson

  • What we learned: This is not someone ready to steal James Conner's job

The rookie's 21 yards on eight carries weren't great, and the film actually somehow looked worse. Overall, PFF didn't attribute Benson with a single missed tackle forced last Saturday.

That said: The Cardinals didn't play any of their starting offensive linemen, and Benson's usage still suggested he's at least the direct early-down handcuff to James Conner. The rookie is one of the more freaky athletes at the position in the entire NFL.

I wouldn't write him off after one meh performance, even if offseason speculation that Benson was coming for the No. 1 RB spot continues to look a bit premature.

Dolphins RB Jaylen Wright

  • What we learned: The Dolphins might have found another quality late-ish round RB

The flashes were flashy and demonstrated why Miami went ahead and traded a 2025 third-rounder for the Tennessee product. While Wright's advanced numbers in college were admittedly solid, it was tough to know just how real they were considering he had just *four* carries against eight-plus defenders in the box during his final season (PFF).

Nobody is expecting Wright to leap either of the Dolphins' incumbent starting RBs on the depth chart anytime soon, although neither Raheem Mostert (32 years young) nor De'Von Achane (188 pounds) is exactly a poster child for being more injury-proof than the usual NFL RB. The rookie remains a quality late-round handcuff option in deeper fantasy leagues. 

Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving

  • What we learned: Tampa Bay doesn't seem overly concerned about Irving's size

Similar to Tracy: The reality that Tampa Bay was willing to simply give Irving carries up the middle was quite good news for his potential to work as the clear-cut No. 2 RB behind Rachaad White. Of course, veteran Chase Edmonds also rested alongside White; just realize Edmonds saw more than five carries in just two regular season games in 2023 and might be pigeonholed as more of a true scat back in this offense.

Don't get too carried away with Irving: Todd Bowles has never been a big fan of enabling a pint-sized RB to many carries over the years. Still, he averaged more PPR points per game from purely receiving production (7) over the past two seasons than basically every other prominent RB recruit in the 2024 class — it's a good sign that Tampa Bay seemingly views him as more than just a pass-down option.

Jets RB Braelon Allen

  • What we learned: This might be one of fantasy's single-best handcuffs at cost

Regardless of what fantasy provider you fancy: The frontrunner for Jets RB2 duties is dirt cheap at the moment.

Allen average draft position (ADP):

  • ESPN: Not ranked
  • Sleeper: RB58 (179.5)
  • Yahoo: Not ranked
  • Underdog: RB56 (185.9)
  • NFFC: RB60 (184.7)
  • FFPC: RB61 (188.5)
  • RT: RB59 (189.7)

Don't expect Allen to inherit the same sort of pass-game role as Breece Hall should the consensus top-three fantasy RB miss any time; just realize the gigantic rookie RB is far too cheap considering the potential for him to be one injury away from gracing the cover of waiver wire articles of all shapes and sizes.

Bills RB Ray Davis

  • What we learned: There looks to be legit three-down ability here

Neither James Cook nor Davis got much going on the ground, but the latter back deserves credit for looking comfortable picking up the blitz and for showing off some solid receiving ability on this sideline catch. The rookie possesses the sort of size (5-foot-8, 211 pounds, 88th percentile BMI) to feasibly be the team's short-yardage replacement to Latavius Murray, while the pass-catching prowess is something that many reporters have noted throughout training camp.

No, Davis isn't about to snatch away Cook's starting job. That said: Ty Johnson's (hamstring) absence has continued to yield the fourth-round pick extra opportunities, and he certainly seemed to make the most out of them as a pass-catcher on Saturday. I continue to be more than fine spending late-round picks on the potential primary handcuff in Buffalo.

Giants RB Tyrone Tracy

  • What we learned: The Giants don't view the converted WR as a scat back

Tracy dominated "starter" usage with Drew Lock under center last Thursday even though Eric Gray wound up putting forward the more productive performance. Still, it was encouraging to see the Giants willing to play Tracy across all three downs despite his mere 146 career collegiate carries.

Devin Singletary remains locked in as RB1 in New York, but Tracy possesses the sort of explosiveness and theoretical three-down ability to be a priority LATE round handcuff should his present usage persist.

Bears WR Rome Odunze

  • What we learned: Odunze might be the odd man out in two-WR formations

Yes, it was just one preseason game.

Also yes, Odunze will struggle to put up big-time numbers should he consistently work behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen in two-WR sets. This wouldn't exactly be the first time that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron declined to feature talented WRs in favor of more two-TE formations: The Seahawks ranked just 24th (58%) in 11 personnel usage over the past two seasons.

While the difference of a handful of routes per game might not seem like all that big of a deal, Tyler Lockett (32.7 routes per game) and DK Metcalf (34.1) wound up playing the equivalent of two-plus extra games than Jaxon Smith-Njigba (28) when it was all said and done. A talent like Odunze should still be able to make the most out of his opportunities, but prospective fantasy managers would certainly prefer to have a full-time role on the table.

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr.

While it wasn't T-Law who connected with the Jaguars' first-round rookie for his first career catch, Thomas' scary blend of size (6-foot-3, 209 pounds) and speed (4.33-second 40-yard dash) was still fully on display.

This remains a somewhat crowded passing game with guys like Christian Kirk, Evan Engram and, yes, even Gabe Davis also expected to be plenty involved; just realize Thomas is expected to start out of the gate and could emerge as the frontrunner for Calvin Ridley's 136 vacated targets.

Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy

  • What we learned: The deep ball is coming back to Kansas City

The fastest man alive (at least in the NFL) was put into motion on two of his three snaps, which helps eliminate the potential for press coverage to mess things up in a hurry. More intriguing was the reality that Worthy ran two deep routes, indicating the "deep ball is back" word out of Chiefs camp is far from a rumor.

Don't be surprised if Patrick Mahomes and company's lack of downfield shot plays in 2023 wind up being an anomaly as opposed to a sign of things to come. It hasn't been THAT long since Mahomes was pushing the ball deep as often as anyone in the league.

Mahomes average target depth by year:

  • 2018: 9.5-yard aDOT (6th among 31 qualified QBs)
  • 2019: 8.7 (14/30)
  • 2020: 8.9 (12/32)
  • 2021: 7.6 (26/31)
  • 2022: 7.7 (21/31)
  • 2023: 6.8 (30/30)

Bills WR Keon Coleman

  • What we learned: The rookie isn't quite in the clear just yet

It was good to see Coleman working alongside Josh Allen and the starters, although the usage did come with Mack Hollins on the sideline. I understand it sounds a bit ridiculous to think Hollins will keep the Bills' first-round pick off the field for any extended period of time, but then again Bills coaches haven't shied away from praising the veteran, and the skill sets between the two are at least more similar than locked-in starters Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir.

The Bills look poised to deploy a similar committee approach at WR as the Chiefs have in their post-Tyreek Hill era; it's certainly possible, if not likely, Coleman leads the way, although his chunk of the pie could be a bit smaller than managers would prefer if things are split up between four-to-five parties instead of two-to-three.

Jets WR Malachi Corley

  • What we learned: Corely runs like he's pissed off at the world

And I appreciate it! It remains to be seen if Corley beats out Xavier Gipson for the No. 3 WR job with the Jets, but the rookie at least looked the part of a beast with the football in his hands on Saturday. While this doesn't change the fact that pre-draft Deebo Samuel comps were ridiculous, at a minimum the Jets look like they have a fun new option to get involved as a low-aDOT YAC-ster and/or returning maestro.

Bengals WR Jermaine Burton

  • What we learned: Depth chart be damned, Burton can ball

I don't care who was playing corner: These are some dope plays! Now, I admit they would have been a lot cooler in the first quarter than in the fourth; just realize the Bengals used a third-rounder on Burton for a reason, and it'd make sense if his quality performance leads to more reps alongside incumbent options like Andrei Iosivas and Trenton Irwin.

Buccaneers WR Jalen McMillan

  • What we learned: The Buccaneers don't view McMillan as a slot-only player

There was some concern regarding whether the Buccaneers viewed McMillan as someone incapable of working on the outside. He did spend 67% of his snaps during his final three collegiate seasons out of the slot, after all.

Good news: McMillan spent just three of his 10 snaps in the slot in Week 1, indicating the expected presence of Chris Godwin as the full-time inside WR won't necessarily lead to Trey Palmer earning the third starting job. The third-round rookie isn't quite in the clear just yet, but it's at least good news the Bucs are seemingly OK with him lining up pretty much wherever — confirming what they said throughout the offseason.

Dolphins WR Malik Washington

  • What we learned: This looks like a legit dark horse candidate for the WR3 job

Presumed No. 3 WR Odell Beckham Jr. won't come off the PUP list this week and is considered week-to-week. Reminder: OBJ's deal with the Dolphins is essentially just a one-year, $3 million contract, meaning he's not exactly making the sort of money to ensure a full-time starting spot like last year.

Enter Washington, who flashed some nice YAC ability and blocking during his preseason debut. Even earning the WR3 job itself wouldn't exactly make Washington someone for fantasy managers to overly rely on, but it would produce some solid "handcuff" upside should either of the team's big-two WRs miss time. Not the worst potential outcome for someone virtually free in any given fantasy draft.

Rams WR Jordan Whittington

  • What we learned: Sean McVay found another late-round WR he loves

I recently spoke to Greg Brainos AKA @CoachSpeakIndex on The Fantasy Life Show about various position battles to monitor this preseason. While Greg was great the whole episode, I was particularly interested in his note about how Sean McVay is one of the very few coaches who have earned extremely reliable coach speak ratings across the board over the years.

Well, McVay had the following to say about Whittington after the sixth-round rookie caught six passes for 74 yards against the Cowboys on Sunday:

“He’s just a mature rookie… He’s a grown man and he played like a grown man with the ball in his hands. Did a great job without it. I just really like him, he’s gonna be a factor for us and I thought today was a good start for him. … Really stood out to me. You can see, he’s got a great look in his eye, great game day demeanor.”

Does this mean Whittington is poised to displace any of Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua or even Demarcus Robinson from three-WR sets anytime soon? No, but fantasy managers certainly know by now not to fully write off any day-three rookie WRs out of Los Angeles, so be sure to keep an eye on the Rams' latest potential late-round gem.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers

  • What we learned: Las Vegas didn't forget about their other good TE

Both Bowers (79% snaps, 50% routes) and Michael Mayer (86%, 50%) were essentially full-time starters for the Raiders. This did come with Davante Adams sidelined, but it'd make sense if the 2024 NFL Draft's No. 13 overall pick works well ahead of expected No. 3 WR Tre Tucker.

This usage doesn't change the reality that all parties involved will likely deal with mediocre QB performance inside of a passing game still fully expected to flow first and foremost through Adams; just realize the willingness to use multiple TEs as the base offense is encouraging and a far better outcome than if Bowers and Mayer were forced to rotate in one spot instead.

Commanders TE Ben Sinnott

  • What we learned: Washington views Sinnott as a true TE, not FB

Sinnott produced a solid highlight during his 26 snaps on Saturday, but the real positive was the fact that Washington seemed more than comfortable simply deploying their shiny new second-round pick as a traditional TE:

  • Inline: 16 snaps
  • Slot: 7
  • Wide: 2
  • Backfield: 1

This is the same man who won the "prestigious" Lowman Award presented to the nation's best collegiate fullback; there was at least some concern regarding his primary professional position. We can't exactly pencil Sinnott in as the starter just yet — old man Zach Ertz didn't play and should still be plenty involved — but at a minimum fantasy managers can get back to throwing late-round darts at the freaky athletic TE fresh off an encouraging 49-676-6 collegiate campaign.