Pre-season 2021: Weeks 1-3 discussion

[Patsfan86]

I try to evaluate on how players are used more so than any stats in the preseason. For example i believe Terrace Marshall Jr received two endzone targets, he didnt come up with them but its very encouraging to see him targeted there. IMO thats more important than his 60 yard catch highlight, even if he did do a good job finding the weak spot in a blown coverage. Antonio Gibson being targeted a few times is also good to see even if his final stat line was not great. All of this is more important than preseason stats.

[Lord_Varys]

I still think this is one of the weakest RB classes I've ever seen. Najee and Williams looked OK, but they aren't special players at all. Still waiting to see ETN, as he only had one carry, but beyond those 3, it's a graveyard for talent. Tough to gauge pre-season, when guys aren't going vs starters, for the most part, too. I remember Abdullah, and then Royce a few years back, had a pre-season that people were hyped about, and, well........

I think this class is average or above average. You have 4 guys I'm comfortable saying should be contributing to fantasy on a weekly basis, which is fine.

Najee is a Mixon kind of talent. Javonte I have in a Jacobs Sanders tier. Etienne is a wild card but if he's used properly in space he can rip big plays - I don't trust Urban to use him right. I like Sermon a lot, certainly not in the grave yard. His contact balance and short area burst can win in the NFL and he is polished on passing downs blocking and catching. Curious why you don't like him.

[StripesOfKC]

I still think this is one of the weakest RB classes I've ever seen. Najee and Williams looked OK, but they aren't special players at all. Still waiting to see ETN, as he only had one carry, but beyond those 3, it's a graveyard for talent. Tough to gauge pre-season, when guys aren't going vs starters, for the most part, too. I remember Abdullah, and then Royce a few years back, had a pre-season that people were hyped about, and, well........

I think this class is average or above average. You have 4 guys I'm comfortable saying should be contributing to fantasy on a weekly basis, which is fine.

Najee is a Mixon kind of talent. Javonte I have in a Jacobs Sanders tier. Etienne is a wild card but if he's used properly in space he can rip big plays - I don't trust Urban to use him right. I like Sermon a lot, certainly not in the grave yard. His contact balance and short area burst can win in the NFL and he is polished on passing downs blocking and catching. Curious why you don't like him.

Senior with no production, a 4.6+ forty, a sub 100 speed score, poor receiving market share and barely acceptable draft capital

Things that have a clear correlation with NFL success for RBs--unlike subjective tape assessments

Najee would be a Mixon level prospect (maybe even better actually due to 1st round draft cap) if he had plus athleticism/straight line speed or if his production looked like Mixon's instead of a 22 year old grown man running over college kids behind the best OL in CFB

[FantasyFreak]

I still think this is one of the weakest RB classes I've ever seen. Najee and Williams looked OK, but they aren't special players at all. Still waiting to see ETN, as he only had one carry, but beyond those 3, it's a graveyard for talent. Tough to gauge pre-season, when guys aren't going vs starters, for the most part, too. I remember Abdullah, and then Royce a few years back, had a pre-season that people were hyped about, and, well........

I think this class is average or above average. You have 4 guys I'm comfortable saying should be contributing to fantasy on a weekly basis, which is fine.

Najee is a Mixon kind of talent. Javonte I have in a Jacobs Sanders tier. Etienne is a wild card but if he's used properly in space he can rip big plays - I don't trust Urban to use him right. I like Sermon a lot, certainly not in the grave yard. His contact balance and short area burst can win in the NFL and he is polished on passing downs blocking and catching. Curious why you don't like him.

It's not that I don't like Harris. It's that I don't like him at the cost. Also, I can't put guys who are 23 in the same sentence as prospects who entered the league at 21. I think Harris is a solid player in all areas of the game, but I just am not enamoured with an old RB prospect that doesn't have any great traits. I had Jacobs rated higher than Najee, quite easily. That was before he went to the Raiders, too. Raiders sadly haven't utilized Jacobs in the passing game that much, but that isn't due to lack of ability in that area.

[AussieMate]

I don't watch too much until week 3 of preseason since everything is so basic.

That said I did watch the QB's.
1) Jones: Felt like Jones actually played the best by a fair margin. The offense looked completely different when he was in the game with multiple reads and solid air yards. He seemed very much at ease.

2) Wilson: Wilson also looked way better than expected especially since his camp news hasn't been great. Great release with exceptional velocity. Obvious upside.

3) Lawrence: He will be great but this team better shore up both tackle positions play or ouch. Effortless release.

4 & 5 ) Lance and Fields made a few wow plays and made a few head scratch plays but both do have that it factor that made it easy to see why they were drafted so high. Both have a ways to go before they will get to be starters. I could see Fields winning that job by week 5.

Love while not a rookie and with no chance to start looked pretty good in his own right and should be grabbed as a future stash if not already roster even in 1 QB leagues if room is available.

Just a week and while things can change all these QB's were pretty much as advertised which is very good.

2-Wilson has a ton of zip in his ball, quick release and decision making, if he continues to develop it's gonna be something!

3-My only negative so far on lawrence, he seems to be holding the ball for a long time, but it's only 1st preseason game so nothing to worry too much

these 2 comments are exactly how I saw it, I'm a huge Wilson fan so I won't say much (his arm and confidence ).

Lawrence definitely held on too long, he won't get as many open guys as he had in college but I I felt like he settled the more he played.
Lance showed exactly what we all thought, needs time to develop but you can see the upside, same with Fields except I still can't bring myself to trust the Bears (sorry Bears fans)
Mac looked great and should take that starting job by mid season I'd hope but for fantasy he's still last of the 5 unfortunately.

[Rondalebaby]

I still think this is one of the weakest RB classes I've ever seen. Najee and Williams looked OK, but they aren't special players at all. Still waiting to see ETN, as he only had one carry, but beyond those 3, it's a graveyard for talent. Tough to gauge pre-season, when guys aren't going vs starters, for the most part, too. I remember Abdullah, and then Royce a few years back, had a pre-season that people were hyped about, and, well........

I think this class is average or above average. You have 4 guys I'm comfortable saying should be contributing to fantasy on a weekly basis, which is fine.

Najee is a Mixon kind of talent. Javonte I have in a Jacobs Sanders tier. Etienne is a wild card but if he's used properly in space he can rip big plays - I don't trust Urban to use him right. I like Sermon a lot, certainly not in the grave yard. His contact balance and short area burst can win in the NFL and he is polished on passing downs blocking and catching. Curious why you don't like him.

Senior with no production, a 4.6+ forty, a sub 100 speed score, poor receiving market share and barely acceptable draft capital

Things that have a clear correlation with NFL success for RBs--unlike subjective tape assessments

Najee would be a Mixon level prospect (maybe even better actually due to 1st round draft cap) if he had plus athleticism/straight line speed or if his production looked like Mixon's instead of a 22 year old grown man running over college kids behind the best OL in CFB

Couldn’t have said it better myself

[jenkins.math]

I still think this is one of the weakest RB classes I've ever seen. Najee and Williams looked OK, but they aren't special players at all. Still waiting to see ETN, as he only had one carry, but beyond those 3, it's a graveyard for talent. Tough to gauge pre-season, when guys aren't going vs starters, for the most part, too. I remember Abdullah, and then Royce a few years back, had a pre-season that people were hyped about, and, well........

I think this class is average or above average. You have 4 guys I'm comfortable saying should be contributing to fantasy on a weekly basis, which is fine.

Najee is a Mixon kind of talent. Javonte I have in a Jacobs Sanders tier. Etienne is a wild card but if he's used properly in space he can rip big plays - I don't trust Urban to use him right. I like Sermon a lot, certainly not in the grave yard. His contact balance and short area burst can win in the NFL and he is polished on passing downs blocking and catching. Curious why you don't like him.

Senior with no production, a 4.6+ forty, a sub 100 speed score, poor receiving market share and barely acceptable draft capital

Things that have a clear correlation with NFL success for RBs--unlike subjective tape assessments

Najee would be a Mixon level prospect (maybe even better actually due to 1st round draft cap) if he had plus athleticism/straight line speed or if his production looked like Mixon's instead of a 22 year old grown man running over college kids behind the best OL in CFB

I don't think Najee is a special prospect by any stretch of the imagination, but the bolded is just part of some group think that keeps getting repeated by people yet isn't exactly accurate.

He had 1500 total yards and 20TDs as a junior and as a sophomore had over 700 yards and averaged 6.7/carry. That's hardly "no
production" before his senior year.

Nobody knows what his 40 time is in an official capacity. It got thrown around by Alabama folks that he ran a 4.45 in 2020. I don't believe that, but this 4.6 is just pure speculation that like a lot of crap people spew on the internet is taken as fact. He may actually run a 4.6, but nobody can attest to anything factual other than his HS time.

70 receptions, 11 rec TDs, over 700 yards receiving his last 2 seasons combined. That's more than acceptable for a RB in that offense considering they have had 4 first round wideouts taken the last 2 seasons.

Not sure when a first rounder became "barely acceptable draft capital" for a RB but whatever.

I think we have been spoiled by RB prospects the last few years which is driving this Najee narrative. There isn't anything sexy or exciting about him as a prospect. He seems to be pretty good at everything, but not elite at anything.

[Rondalebaby]

The bolded is about Sermon.

[StripesOfKC]

I think this class is average or above average. You have 4 guys I'm comfortable saying should be contributing to fantasy on a weekly basis, which is fine.

Najee is a Mixon kind of talent. Javonte I have in a Jacobs Sanders tier. Etienne is a wild card but if he's used properly in space he can rip big plays - I don't trust Urban to use him right. I like Sermon a lot, certainly not in the grave yard. His contact balance and short area burst can win in the NFL and he is polished on passing downs blocking and catching. Curious why you don't like him.

Senior with no production, a 4.6+ forty, a sub 100 speed score, poor receiving market share and barely acceptable draft capital

Things that have a clear correlation with NFL success for RBs--unlike subjective tape assessments

Najee would be a Mixon level prospect (maybe even better actually due to 1st round draft cap) if he had plus athleticism/straight line speed or if his production looked like Mixon's instead of a 22 year old grown man running over college kids behind the best OL in CFB

I don't think Najee is a special prospect by any stretch of the imagination, but the bolded is just part of some group think that keeps getting repeated by people yet isn't exactly accurate.

He had 1500 total yards and 20TDs as a junior and as a sophomore had over 700 yards and averaged 6.7/carry. That's hardly "no
production" before his senior year.

Nobody knows what his 40 time is in an official capacity. It got thrown around by Alabama folks that he ran a 4.45 in 2020. I don't believe that, but this 4.6 is just pure speculation that like a lot of crap people spew on the internet is taken as fact. He may actually run a 4.6, but nobody can attest to anything factual other than his HS time.

70 receptions, 11 rec TDs, over 700 yards receiving his last 2 seasons combined. That's more than acceptable for a RB in that offense considering they have had 4 first round wideouts taken the last 2 seasons.

Not sure when a first rounder became "barely acceptable draft capital" for a RB but whatever.

I think we have been spoiled by RB prospects the last few years which is driving this Najee narrative. There isn't anything sexy or exciting about him as a prospect. He seems to be pretty good at everything, but not elite at anything.

The bolded was about Sermon. The second part is about Najee. I agree with you on Najee. He's a good prospect and all--but to me this is essentially a repeat of the 2019 RB class

Najee is Jacobs, Javonte is Monty, Etienne is Sanders and Carter/Sermon are like Damien Harris/Henderson/Singletary/etc

[FiremanEd]

I think this class is average or above average. You have 4 guys I'm comfortable saying should be contributing to fantasy on a weekly basis, which is fine.

Najee is a Mixon kind of talent. Javonte I have in a Jacobs Sanders tier. Etienne is a wild card but if he's used properly in space he can rip big plays - I don't trust Urban to use him right. I like Sermon a lot, certainly not in the grave yard. His contact balance and short area burst can win in the NFL and he is polished on passing downs blocking and catching. Curious why you don't like him.

Senior with no production, a 4.6+ forty, a sub 100 speed score, poor receiving market share and barely acceptable draft capital

Things that have a clear correlation with NFL success for RBs--unlike subjective tape assessments

Najee would be a Mixon level prospect (maybe even better actually due to 1st round draft cap) if he had plus athleticism/straight line speed or if his production looked like Mixon's instead of a 22 year old grown man running over college kids behind the best OL in CFB

I don't think Najee is a special prospect by any stretch of the imagination, but the bolded is just part of some group think that keeps getting repeated by people yet isn't exactly accurate.

He had 1500 total yards and 20TDs as a junior and as a sophomore had over 700 yards and averaged 6.7/carry. That's hardly "no
production" before his senior year.

Nobody knows what his 40 time is in an official capacity. It got thrown around by Alabama folks that he ran a 4.45 in 2020. I don't believe that, but this 4.6 is just pure speculation that like a lot of crap people spew on the internet is taken as fact. He may actually run a 4.6, but nobody can attest to anything factual other than his HS time.

70 receptions, 11 rec TDs, over 700 yards receiving his last 2 seasons combined. That's more than acceptable for a RB in that offense considering they have had 4 first round wideouts taken the last 2 seasons.

Not sure when a first rounder became "barely acceptable draft capital" for a RB but whatever.

I think we have been spoiled by RB prospects the last few years which is driving this Najee narrative. There isn't anything sexy or exciting about him as a prospect. He seems to be pretty good at everything, but not elite at anything.

I can only imagine your state of confusion going through some of these items while thinking it was stated for Najee rather than Sermon.

[CGW]

Senior with no production, a 4.6+ forty, a sub 100 speed score, poor receiving market share and barely acceptable draft capital

Things that have a clear correlation with NFL success for RBs--unlike subjective tape assessments

Najee would be a Mixon level prospect (maybe even better actually due to 1st round draft cap) if he had plus athleticism/straight line speed or if his production looked like Mixon's instead of a 22 year old grown man running over college kids behind the best OL in CFB

I don't think Najee is a special prospect by any stretch of the imagination, but the bolded is just part of some group think that keeps getting repeated by people yet isn't exactly accurate.

He had 1500 total yards and 20TDs as a junior and as a sophomore had over 700 yards and averaged 6.7/carry. That's hardly "no
production" before his senior year.

Nobody knows what his 40 time is in an official capacity. It got thrown around by Alabama folks that he ran a 4.45 in 2020. I don't believe that, but this 4.6 is just pure speculation that like a lot of crap people spew on the internet is taken as fact. He may actually run a 4.6, but nobody can attest to anything factual other than his HS time.

70 receptions, 11 rec TDs, over 700 yards receiving his last 2 seasons combined. That's more than acceptable for a RB in that offense considering they have had 4 first round wideouts taken the last 2 seasons.

Not sure when a first rounder became "barely acceptable draft capital" for a RB but whatever.

I think we have been spoiled by RB prospects the last few years which is driving this Najee narrative. There isn't anything sexy or exciting about him as a prospect. He seems to be pretty good at everything, but not elite at anything.

The bolded was about Sermon. The second part is about Najee. I agree with you on Najee. He's a good prospect and all--but to me this is essentially a repeat of the 2019 RB class

Najee is Jacobs, Javonte is Monty, Etienne is Sanders and Carter/Sermon are like Damien Harris/Henderson/Singletary/etc

This is a very good comparison. 2019 was thought of poorly as a RB class (and in general). We got several RB1 seasons from that class to date, but nothing the fantasy world considers elite. This class seems very similar to that class, with maybe a hair more potential from Harris and ETN.

[FantasyFreak]

I was looking forward to seeing if Funchess could continue flashing. Carted off with an injury last practice. I think it's officially over for him.

Looking forward to seeing Lance in action again, to see if he shook some of the rust off, and can improve on his reads and accuracy.

[Patsfan86]

So is this week going to be the week most of the starters play? Or are those days done forever in the preseason? Im gonna say done forever, starters dont need to play these games at all. Needs to be rookies and backups. Will still be fun for all of our rookies and young guys.

[DLF3000]

Preseason games have never been that compelling to watch or go to except for a very small portion of the game and very small # of players (like the rookies ofc), and it's only getting more unwatchable. Bring on the real games!

[dynastyninja]

I'll either watch a preseason game because I really want to watch a specific player or because I want to have football on. The best part of preseason, though, is the youtube cutups afterwards. Makes it easy to watch almost any player that would be of interest.