The weekly segment of the dynasty rookie stock market will take a deep dive into performances by the 2024 rookie class. There will be highs and lows, good and bad, and the ugly. A consistent performer in fantasy football week in and week out isn’t possible. Let alone for a rookie, regardless of the position they play. This week, I want to take a deep dive into the quarterbacks. There were a lot of positives to report from the first week of preseason football. Let’s dive in!
Caleb Williams (QB-CHI)
The highly anticipated debut of the first overall pick happened in grand fashion on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills. Caleb Williams amassed 152 total yards in two series played. He was 4 of 7 passing for 95 yards, which resulted in 7 first downs on 20 total plays. My only knock was that both drives stalled in the red zone, which only led to six points. The best play of the night in my eyes was the half-back screen, which led to D’Andre Swift breaking open on a 42-yard gain. The pocket broke down rather quickly, but Caleb Williams did not panic. He stepped up under pressure and delivered a no-look shovel pass to Swift. Williams showed off the elite traits that he displayed in college. He can improvise and make a play, extend plays with his legs, throw on the run, place the ball into tight windows, and has a cannon for an arm. So far, so good for Caleb Williams.
Jayden Daniels (QB-WAS)
While Jayden Daniels only played one series, that lone series led to a three-yard touchdown run by the highly touted quarterback. Jayden Daniels was 2 of 3 passing for 45 yards. The most impressive play of the night occurred on a hot route when Dyami Brown ran a go, and Jayden Daniels dropped the ball in the basket for a 42-yard gain. The best part of Jayden Daniels’ game was always his ability to throw the deep ball, which was on display against the Jets. It only took one series, and I’m excited for this kid.
J.J. McCarthy (QB-MIN)
The question surrounding J.J. McCarthy was, “There’s not much tape on him. Can he lead an offense where he has to throw the ball 35-40 times a game?” I must say I asked the same question in the evaluation process. Is J.J. McCarthy just a game manager? Or can he turn into a franchise quarterback? In his first preseason game, he got some extended runs and put together a nice performance. My only knock was the interception thrown across the middle of the field early in the game. After that, he rebounded nicely in six possessions. The rookie was 11 for 17 for 188 yards and two touchdown passes. The most impressive was a 45-yard strike to Trishton Jackson. It’s always a good sign when your franchise wide receiver is jumping and cheering for his rookie QB’s success. Things are looking good in Minnesota.
Drake Maye (QB-NE)
This was a harder evaluation for me. I must say, I was hoping for Drake Maye to play more than one series, but that didn’t happen. Maye only played six total snaps on one drive. This led to him going 2 for 3 for 19 yards passing. With this conservative approach in the first week of the preseason, we can only hope for more snaps and playing time in week two.
Bo Nix (QB-DEN)
While Bo Nix didn’t draw the start in the first week of the preseason, he was the most impressive of the Denver quarterbacks by far, playing five drives, of which four led to points. Nix completed 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. His lone touchdown came on a pass to Marvin Mims. A 3rd and goal play where Nix faked the handoff and found Marvin Mims for the one-yard completion. While Nix looked good in his debut, there were a few moments in the game where he looked rushed and couldn’t get his feet planted. This led to a few throws where he looked off-balance. Other than that, it was a promising debut for the Broncos rookie.
Michael Penix Jr (QB-ATL)
This was the preseason debut I was most anxious to see. We all remember the NFL draft when the Atlanta Falcons took Michael Penix Jr with the 8th overall pick, shocking the world. Every analyst was surprised, to say the least. Why use that high of draft capital on a quarterback when you just paid Kirk Cousins? Penix drew the start against the Miami Dolphins and didn’t disappoint. He completed 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards. While this isn’t something to drop out of your seat for, you could see some of his traits that stood out. Penix looked very poised in the face of pressure, got the ball out of his hands quickly, and showed some accuracy and zip on the football. Playing time is a concern for Penix. He is the backup for Kirk Cousins, but he could be on the field sooner rather than later.
Thank you for taking time to read this article. I look forward to producing the dynasty rookie stock market weekly. If you have any questions, follow me on Twitter/X @FFChalmers. My DMs are always open.
