Week 1 of the preseason is officially in the books, and we finally have some real on-field information to sink our teeth into. A handful of starters suited up, with some seeing nearly a full quarter.
It’s still not quite the same excitement as the NFL regular season, but it’s a nice second course after the Hall of Fame Game appetizer. Let’s dive into some of the most noteworthy fantasy takeaways from preseason Week 1.
Kenny Pickett and Sam Howell impressed
It seems like there are a bunch of teams who are handing the reins of their franchises over to young QBs this season. There were three rookies drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft - Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Anthony Richardson - But there are also a number of other young players who will be taking over as starting QBs.
That includes a pair of second-year players in Pickett and Howell. It’s not surprising that both Pittsburgh and Washington wanted to see them at the start of the preseason, and both quarterbacks passed with flying colors.
Pickett did see a handful of starts for the Steelers last season, but he’s the uncontested QB1 in Pittsburgh heading into 2023. He only played one drive in the Steelers’ first preseason contest, but he could not have played much better.
Aug 11, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) throws against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
Pickett completed six of seven passes for 70 yards, and he led the team to a score on their only drive. He delivered a beautiful slant to George Pickens for the TD with Pickens displaying some impressive after-the-catch ability.
As far as targets go, three of Pickett’s attempts went to Diontae Johnson, and Johnson caught all three for 32 yards. It was only one drive, but overall, it was a very promising outing for all of the Steelers’ fantasy prospects.
Howell wasn’t quite as impressive as Pickett, but he led the Commanders to a TD on the second of his two drives. He completed nine of his 12 passes for 77 yards, including a score to Jahan Dotson.
Howell ultimately spread the ball around with Antonio Gibson and Cole Turner both seeing three targets. Among the WRs, Dotson and Curtis Samuel saw two apiece while Terry McLaurin logged one target.
Pickett and Howell still aren’t really strong starting fantasy options in standard 1QB leagues, but they at least provided some optimism about their pass-catchers in fantasy drafts and could be usable as streaming options or for bye weeks.
Tank Dell has a chance in Houston
Houston signed veteran Robert Woods this offseason to complement Nico Collins and John Metchie, but the No. 1 WR role is still wide open. Woods is clearly on the decline, while Collins and Metchie have yet to accomplish much at the NFL level.
Dell was the Texans' third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he's already garnered some serious buzz during training camp with the coaching staff raving about his route-running ability:
Dell did nothing to quell the buzz in his first preseason game. He saw time with Stroud and backup QB Davis Mills, and Dell was productive with both. He garnered a whopping eight targets, which he converted into five catches, 65 yards, and a TD. Only one of those targets came from Stroud, but he threw just five passes in that contest.
Add it all up, and Dell is making a case to be the Texans’ top WR this coming season, even as a rookie. How much fantasy value that role will provide remains to be seen, but Dell is currently going outside the top 200 overall picks in Underdog drafts. His ADP is closer to 300th overall in high-stakes contests, and while he’ll likely see a bump in ADP following a strong debut, Dell could still be a value.
Trouble in Denver?
The Broncos were another squad that gave their starters some burn during the first preseason game. If you only looked at the starter’s numbers, you’d assume that things went pretty well.
Russell Wilson racked up 93 yards and threw a TD to Jerry Jeudy, and Courtland Sutton saw five targets. That said, I still came away nervous about the Broncos’ prospects heading into 2023.
The main reason is their offensive line.
The Cardinals were one of the worst pass-rushing squads in football last season, ranking 25th in Football Outsiders adjusted sack rate. Even so, their starters wreaked havoc against the Broncos’ offensive line in this preseason contest.
Arizona's defense had a batted pass, a sack, and three QB hurries all before the starters exited the field. Denver's starters were able to capitalize with a TD on their final offensive drive, but that was against the Cardinals’ backups.
Ultimately, I’m not particularly confident that things are going to get much better for the Broncos in the regular season, especially against opponents with more potent pass rushes.
Jeudy is the only member of the Broncos with a significant cost, coming off the board with an ADP of 38.3 on Underdog. That puts him in the same ballpark as guys like Keenan Allen and Christian Watson, and I’d be more confident drafting Allen or Watson in that ADP range at this point.
Deshaun Watson looked crisp
One of the biggest question marks heading into 2023 is how Watson will look in his first full season as the Browns’ starting QB. He was previously one of the best young QBs in football, having led the league in passing yards while throwing a career-high 33 TDs in his final year in Houston in 2020.
Watson returned to the field last season with the Browns but didn’t look like the same player. He threw five INTs in his six starts, and his 6.0 average adjusted yards per attempt was easily the worst mark of his career. After missing more than a year and a half due to suspension, it was fair to wonder if he’d ever be the same player again.
Aug 11, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) scrambles during the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
With that in mind, it’s not surprising that the Browns gave Watson a bit of run in their first preseason game. It was only one drive, but the Browns and fantasy drafters alike can breathe a small sigh of relief.
He looked sharp on his lone drive, completing all three of his passes for 12 yards while adding 20 yards on the ground. Watson even led the team to a goal-to-go situation, although they failed to punch it in on their four attempts.
If Watson is able to return to his previous Texans form, he has the potential to be one of the top values in fantasy this season. Ian Hartitz has been banging the drum on Watson all offseason, and you can consider me officially on board after preseason Week 1.
Ty Chandler is the RB2 in Minnesota (for now)
There's a bit of uncertainty about who the No. 2 RB in Minnesota will be this season. Alexander Mattison will handle the starting duties, but the rest of the depth chart is pretty green behind him.
After the first preseason contest, Chandler seems to be the clear leader in the clubhouse.
He was extremely busy against the Seahawks with Kene Nwangwu banged up, seeing 15 total touches. Chandler turned his 11 carries into 41 yards and caught all four of his targets for 29 yards. The other Vikings’ RBs, DeWayne McBride and Abram Smith, combined for just 33 yards on 13 carries, and neither had a reception.
At this point, if Mattison were to miss time with an injury, Chandler seems like the clear option to lead the way in the Vikings’ backfield.
That makes him an interesting stash at the end of drafts. Chandler is currently being drafted outside of the top 200 overall picks in all formats, and he’s the RB64 on Underdog. With only Mattison in front of him on the depth chart, Chandler is a solid value. Not much needs to break right for him to potentially be a league-winner.
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