Preseason Week 1 Winners and Losers

Brock Bowers is established as the primary target in the Raiders' offense, with the team likely funneling targets his way.

Jackson Dart expresses concern over Cam Ward's decision-making, noting a propensity to do "really stupid shit" on the field. Dart is hesitant to draft any Titans players until Ward demonstrates better performance in the second week of the preseason.

Cam Ward's preseason performance was worrisome, characterized by inaccuracy, forcing balls into coverage, and a league-low 2.6 air yards per attempt. While Jackson Dart notes it is only preseason, Ward's mechanics and decision-making made the game look difficult compared to other young quarterbacks.

Carnell Tate is seeing his draft stock dip after a quiet preseason debut where he recorded zero catches on two targets. Despite being a high draft pick, the analysts are hesitant to draft him, with some admitting they actively avoid him in mock drafts in favor of other options.

Chuba Hubbard is dealing with a hamstring injury, which creates an immediate opportunity for Jonathan Brooks to take over the Panthers' backfield.

DJ Moore looked excellent in preseason action, showing elite connection and playmaking ability, but he suffered an ankle injury that is feared to be a high ankle sprain. Despite coaching staff optimism, the injury creates significant uncertainty.

DJ Moore is considered one of the most underrated players in fantasy; he is a proven WR1 capable of 1,200-yard, 9-touchdown seasons. Despite two years of perceived disappointment, he is the clear WR1 for the Bills and is being drafted at a reasonable cost. The analysts prefer him over rookie prospects like Rome Odunze, Jameson Williams, and Luther Burden.

Deshaun Watson is described as indecisive, discombobulated, and lacking juice, with a "weird" arm. His poor performance is negatively impacting the fantasy outlook for all Browns skill players, leading to a recommendation to avoid drafting them.

Drake London is being moved down in rankings, potentially outside the top 20, due to concerns about Tua Tagovailoa's inability to push the ball downfield or to the sidelines. While Michael Penix starting could potentially help London, the current quarterback situation makes him a risky fantasy asset.

Drew Aller displayed impressive physical tools and accuracy in his preseason outing, though he remains a developmental project who needs to be rebuilt to handle NFL-level reads.

George Holani is a strong candidate to lead the Seahawks in snaps and touches in Week 1 due to injuries to Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet, and his familiarity with the offense.

Harold Fannin is considered a good player, but his fantasy value is negatively impacted by the Browns' quarterback situation.

Jack Betch is identified as a potential breakout candidate for the Raiders. After a disappointing rookie year where he was used incorrectly as an X receiver, he is now being utilized in the slot and Z positions, which better suits his skill set as a big-bodied receiver who beats zone coverage.

Jadarian Price is dealing with lower body soreness, which puts his Week 1 availability and workload in jeopardy, potentially allowing George Holani to seize the starting role.

Jalen Naylor is currently operating as the X receiver for the Raiders, which creates a domino effect that pushes Jack Bash into the slot role.

Jackson Dart is more excited about James Cook than ever before after watching the Bills' offense during the preseason game.

Jeremiah Love suffered a high ankle sprain in preseason week one. Despite his explosive, Adrian Peterson-like talent, the injury and the Cardinals' poor team outlook make him a player to avoid in drafts. High ankle sprains are notoriously difficult for running backs to recover from in the same season.

Jonathan Brooks is a high-upside target in late rounds; despite ACL recovery concerns, he is a talented prospect in a Panthers offense that historically funnels touches to a single running back.

Jordan Tyson is dealing with a recurring right hamstring injury that has no clear recovery timetable. Given his history of re-injury and the team's 'collection mode' status, the analysts are moving him down their boards significantly, with some suggesting he is a 'do not draft' candidate due to the high risk of re-injury.

Khalil Shakir is identified as a strong sleeper candidate to target later in fantasy drafts.

Kyle Pitts is highlighted as a potential fantasy standout because he is the only player on the Falcons offense capable of getting open quickly, which is necessary given the team's quarterback limitations.

Malachi Fields is highlighted as a strong complement to Malik Neighbors. He showed promise with an impressive off-script touchdown catch from Jackson Dart during the preseason.

Michael Penix is viewed as a potential threat to take the starting job from Tua Tagovailoa sooner than expected due to Tua's physical limitations and poor decision-making. Penix appears to be feeling physically good and could potentially make Drake London a more viable fantasy asset if he starts.

Mike Washington Jr. is a big, fast running back who showed explosive potential in the preseason. He is considered a deep flyer for fantasy rosters.

Mike Washington is a deep-league flyer who could see increased usage if Gente's role is limited by a rotation-heavy scheme similar to the one Kubiak used for Kenneth Walker and Charbonnet.

Quinchon Judkins is noted as a good player on the Browns, though his fantasy outlook is bleak due to the team's quarterback play.

Tony Pollard looked like he had juice again during the preseason opener, showing the form that previously led to jokes about him being the best player in the NFL. He and Tajay Spears both looked good, and the Titans' offense scored on their first drive.

Tua Tagovailoa is viewed as a major loser of the preseason after a poor performance where he fumbled a snap and missed a check-down. He is described as immobile, helpless against interior pressure, and lacking the processing ability of veteran quarterbacks, leading to concerns that Michael Penix could take the starting job.

Ty Simpson looked competent and efficient in his preseason performance, but his production was heavily reliant on play-action bootlegs and short, wide-open check-downs rather than elite arm talent.

Tyron Tracy struggled with pass protection in preseason week one, missing a basic block that led to Jackson Dart getting hit. He is viewed as lacking the size for goal-line work and the reliability for pass-down work.

Jackson Dart prefers drafting Wan'Dale Robinson late over targeting Carnell Tate in the current draft environment.