Preseason News for Fantasy Football: Tyler Warren and Utilization Takeaways From The First Week
Below is a summary for each team from Week 1 of the NFL preseason. The primary focus is on player utilization and usage with the starting offense.
Typically, starters are determined by drives played with the starting QB. Some instances differ depending on who started, as outlined in each team's position section. You can find definitions for all the table abbreviations at the bottom of this article.
Updates will occur throughout the weekend as data from each game becomes available.
Thursday Preseason Week 1 Games
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
- Anthony Richardson started the game but only attempted three passes on six snaps before injuring his finger on a sack. This injury is the latest of many setbacks for the third-year QB. He is day-to-day.
- Daniel Jones played the rest of the first half (24 snaps) after Richardson left the game. He passed for 144 yards and zero TDs.
Running Back
- Jonathan Taylor rested.
- Tyler Goodson played the first drive, matching recent camp reports of No. 2 reps behind Taylor. He then rested until handling the two-minute offense on the final drive of the half. For now, Goodson is the RB2 behind Taylor.
- DJ Giddens worked behind Goodson. It might still be a tandem approach if Taylor misses time, but Giddens isn't the clear-cut No. 2 we hoped for after the NFL Draft.
Wide Receiver and Tight End
- Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce rested.
- Tyler Warren played the first four drives, posting a 71% route participation. He split the two-WR sets with Drew Ogletree. Warren posted a 25% target share, which was 31% but a screen play didn't count due to a penalty. The Colts' Round 1 draft pick finished the night with three catches for 40 yards. We didn't have Pittman and Downs, but expect Warren to be HIGHLY involved in this passing attack. He is a low-end TE1 with upside.
- Adonai Mitchell took advantage of the playing time, delivering a 33% target share. He hauled in two of four targets for 37 yards. The 2024 second-rounder is stuck below Pierce on the depth chart for the moment.
Offensive Line
- Starters Rested: Bernhard Raimann (T), Quenton Nelson (LG), Braden Smith (RT)
- Starters Played: Tanor Bortolini (C) and Matt Goncalves (RG) played the first half with the starting QBs.
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
- Lamar Jackson rested.
- Cooper Rush started and played 12 snaps on three drives.
Running Back
- Derrick Henry and Justice Hill rested.
- Keaton Mitchell returned to his first action since 2023. He handled 67% of the snaps, 71% of attempts, and posted a 60% route participation in the drives with Rush. The third-year speedster gobbled up 68 yards on nine attempts. Two of his totes went for 20-plus yards, one of which was a 22-yard TD. Mitchell was effective on limited opportunities as a rookie, averaging 11.3 PPG on a 32% snap share in six contests. Hill is the pass-down back, but Mitchell likely carries more value if Henry misses time. Mitchell is an RB6 stash option in deep leagues.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
- Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, DeAndre Hopkins, and Mark Andrews rested.
- Isaiah Likely did not play due to injury.
- LaJohntay Wester returned a punt for a sweet touchdown and added two receptions for 41 yards. He didn't enter the game until the second quarter on the fifth drive.
Offensive Line
- Starters Rested: Ronnie Stanley (T), Tyler Linderbaum (C)
- Starters Played: Andrew Vorhees (LG), Daniel Faalele (RG), and Roger Rosengarten (RT) played all 13 snaps with Rush.
Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback
- Joe Burrow played 15 snaps over the first two drives. Burrow tossed the rock around the yard for 123 yards and two TDs.
Running Back
- Chase Brown played 73% of snaps and accounted for 100% of the attempts in two drives with Burrow. His route participation was 60%, but he rotated off for the lone long-down-distance (LDD) snap. It's important to note that teams often don't rotate their RB2 into the game until the third drive in the regular season. That can inflate these types of scenarios. Still, this looks a lot like what we saw from Brown to finish the 2024 campaign, which made him an RB1.
- Samaje Perine was the No. 2 back with the starters. He had a 27% snap share and 40% route participation. Perine handled the LDD role. The veteran continued to work on third downs with the second team. He didn't get a carry.
- Tahj Brooks entered the game with the second-string offense. He gave way to Perine for most of the third-down work. Despite Perine's first-team reps, Brooks is still my preferred handcuff to Brown. But it isn't a guarantee that he is the guy.
Wide Receiver and Tight End
- Ja'Marr Chase is still good at football. He caught all four targets for 77 yards and a TD. Please put this man in bubble wrap, Zac Taylor.
- Andrei Iosivas was the WR3. He had a 70% route participation with Burrow.
- Mike Gesicki did not play.
- Drew Sample played 80% of snaps but only ran a route on 40% of pass plays.
Offensive Line
- Starters Rested: None.
- Starters Played: The entire starting o-line played all 15 snaps with Burrow.
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback
- Jalen Hurts rested.
- Tanner McKee started and played 59% of the snaps. He played well with 252 yards and two passing TDs.
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson played late.
Running Back
- Saquon Barkley rested.
- Will Shipley played the first two drives. He compiled 48 rushing yards on seven totes, including a 38-yard touchdown. After some buzz around A.J. Dillon as the No. 2 from camp, this is a nice data point for Shipley. Sometimes teams rotate starters in the preseason. We could still have a timeshare if Barkley misses time, but Shipley is the name worth drafting late.
- A.J. Dillon entered the game on the third drive after Shipley's night was over. He played through the second quarter. Early camp reports indicated Dillon might have an edge on Shipley, but that wasn't the case in this game.
Wide Receiver and Tight End
- A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert rested.
- Johnny Wilson started and played a full complement of snaps early. He garnered a 21% target share, catching all three of his targets for 73 yards. That's my ball, punk!
Offensive Line
- Starters Rested: Jordan Mailata (LT), Landon Dickerson (LG), Cam Jurgens (C), Lane Johnson (RT)
- Starters Played: Tyler Steen (RG) played nine snaps.
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback
- Geno Smith played four snaps on one drive.
- Aidan O'Connell played into the fourth quarter as the QB2.
Running Back
- Ashton Jeanty played 100% of the snaps on the first two drives. He wasn't able to get much going with -1 yard rushing on three attempts. Chill, people.
- Raheem Mostert was the No. 2 back.
Wide Receiver and Tight End
- Jakobi Meyers played the first drive with Smith, primarily operating from the slot (75%)
- Tre Tucker started with Meyers and left the game after one series with Meyers and Smith. Tucker looks like the early favorite for the WR2 role.
- Dont'e Thornton Jr. also started but played through the third drive. Thornton is leading the way for the WR3 spot. I still prefer him over Tucker late in drafts, given Tucker's struggles as a target earner in a full-time role in 2024.
- Jack Bech didn't enter the game until the second drive and played until halftime. He was targeted one time (7% TPRR).
- Brock Bowers rested.
- Michael Mayer started and played two series.
Offensive Line
- Starters Rested: None.
- Starters Played: Kolton Miller (LT) and Dylan Parham (LG) played the first drive with Smith. DJ Glaze (RT) played two drives. Jordan Meredith (RG) and Jackson Powers-Johnson (C) played into the third quarter.
Seattle Seahawks
Quarterback
- Sam Darnold rested.
- Drew Lock started and played 59% of the snaps.
- Jalen Milroe was the QB3. He notched 27 designed rush yards and 11 scramble yards. If this man ever gets on the field, he offers the dual-threat goodness fantasy managers covet.
Running Back
- Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet didn't play.
- George Holani worked ahead of Damien Martinez. Holani handled 78% of the first-quarter snaps versus 11% for Martinez.
Wide Receiver and Tight End
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling rested.
- Tory Horton, who has earned recent first-team reps at practice, started and posted a 95% route participation on the first four drives before retiring for the night. On those four drives, Horton led the team with a 41% target share, snaring three passes for 31 yards and a TD. Horton is a late-round sleeper in deep leagues. He could bypass MVS for the WR3 spot.
Offensive Line
- Starters Rested: Charles Cross (LT)
- Starters Played: Grey Zabel (LG), Abraham Lucas (RT)
- TBD: Jalen Sundell started at center over Olu Oluwatimi; Anthony Bradford started over Christian Haynes at right guard.
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