Another week of preseason means another week of preseason overreactions. Twitter was full of highlights and discussions about who ran with which group during the games and who had the night off. Amongst all this, we must figure out what is an overreaction and what is real. We could go through many more players than the ones here. However, in the interest of not writing a book, I have cut down to the 12 I found most interesting to talk about. If I don’t get to your boy specifically, I do apologize. I am also not getting to talk about Nathan Rourke potentially having the play of the year while we are still in preseason. Without further ado, let’s break down these overreactions from the weekend.
Quentin Johnston
3/6-10-1 Receiving
Overreaction:
He’s a bust. Not only did Josh Palmer sit with the other starters, but he also had a terrible drop. He did score a touchdown but only made catches on half of his targets. That is not good enough for your big-bodied possession receiver. His only receptions were on short routes, nothing over the top. Time to trade him for whatever you can get back.
Actual Takeaway:
The easy and lazy response here is that Ja’Marr Chase also had a few drops in his rookie preseason. As it turns out, he ended up just fine. Many people did panic sell that preseason resulting in huge swings for people that acquired him. If someone is panicked about Quentin Johnston, I will happily take him off their hands.
Eagles RBs
(inactive)
2-24-0 Rushing
9-34-0 Rushing
0/1 Receiving
(inactive)
Overreaction:
Kenny Gainwell is the starter. He has already been running with the first team in practice. Rashaad Penny and D’Andre Swift might be behind Boston Scott as well. Sell those two and buy Gainwell and Scott shares ASAP.
Actual Takeaway:
The Eagles know what they have in Gainwell and Scott. They do need additional reps learning the offense. Swift and Penny could gain a lot by getting more reps. Gainwell running with the first team during practice is a concern for them. I don’t think it’s a time to panic sell Penny or Swift but perhaps just lower expectations. Gainwell could be a playable asset, but if he is primarily used in a pass-catching facility only, not interested. Mobile quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts are more likely to run than check the ball down.
C.J. Stroud
2/4, 13 yards, INT
2-6-0 Rushing
Overreaction:
This dude ain’t gonna make it. First possession, he throws the ball right at a safety. Oof! If you can trade him now, you should. He also had a near tumble when doing a rollout. Nothing was super exciting about his performance in this game.
Actual Takeaway:
A rookie quarterback is going to sometimes look like a rookie quarterback. We have been spoiled by guys like Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow, who immediately look the part right away, but a lot of guys that end up successful struggle a bit. He showed off his legs a bit which is something we are highly interested in for fantasy purposes. He is also on a bad team and may have a rough season, but you shouldn’t be going into a season with him as your starting QB as a contender anyways.
Jordan Addison
1/3-22-0 Receiving
Overreaction:
The boy can ball. His numbers would look better if they challenged that reception on the sideline. He is going to play more on the outside than we thought.
Actual Takeaway:
I like Addison as a prospect, so I’m not here to blast him. He showed some stuff in the game, but at the end of the day, he is lining up opposite one of the biggest targets hogs in football in Justin Jefferson. That will always put a limit on his ceiling. He did not line up in the slot during this game; that could change when he’s on the field when the starters. Kevin O’Connell likes to move his receivers around a lot to create mismatches.
Titans QBs
16/25, 189 yards, INT
3-22-1 Rushing
9/14, 85 yards, INT
1-6-0 Rushing
Overreaction:
Will Levis is garbage. He fell in the draft for a reason. Malik Willis is going to beat him out for the backup job.
Actual Takeaway:
Malik Willis has been outplaying Will Levis in camp from all the reports, but the investment from the organization is different. This is also a different GM from the one that drafted Malik Willis, so they may not have an emotional tie to him, and he could be a tradeable piece for them. Will Levis was always going to be a bit of a project to get ready for the NFL game. Willis may win the backup job if Tannehill gets hurt. However, if the Titans are eliminated, expect to see Will Levis finish up the season.
Bryce Young
4/6, 21 yards
Overreaction:
Bryce Young did not look good in this game. He took multiple sacks and just looked out of sorts. The Panthers are going to be in for a long season.
Actual Takeaway:
If you had a chance to watch this game, you might have noticed his offensive line was atrocious. Bryce Young did not have any chance to figure it out. That will be the case for him all season, though. Like C.J. Stroud, you shouldn’t be counting on these guys to impact your fantasy team this year. If you did draft him, though, I would not panic yet.
Zach Charbonnet
4-14-0 Rushing
2/2-14-0 Receiving
Overreaction:
His stat line is not as impressive as his putting Lewis Cline (MIN – S) in a highlight reel not once but twice! He was even used in the passing game, which we weren’t sure we would see coming out of college.
Actual Takeaway:
Kenneth Walker still exists, y’all. While I think Charbonnet eventually becomes the starter for the Seahawks, we do not know how long that will take or if this will be a committee situation. Regarding passing down work, we must look deeper at how the Seahawks approached the RB rotation for this game. They let a back begin a possession and did not rotate for downs and distances. They want to give all their backs experience in different situations. During the regular season, the Seahawks have usually used a 3rd down back. DeeJay Dallas or Kenny McIntosh is better suited to fill the role than either Walker or Charbonnet.
Tyjae Spears
6-32-0 Rushing
1/1-4-0 Receiving
Overreaction:
This is the handcuff to own in Tennessee. He may even have value as a 3rd down back this season if the Titans don’t want to overuse Derrick Henry. After this year, Henry will be a free agent, and the job will belong to Spears. He looked excellent in this game and was on the field with the “starters” during the opening possession.
Actual Takeaway:
I don’t honestly think it is a massive overreaction at all. I was very impressed with Spears in this football game. I do think that his usage this year with Henry healthy will not be enough to warrant a spot in the starting lineup of your fantasy team. He looks to be looking up the backup job pretty cleanly, though. For his long-term prospects, we still have to worry about the Titans resigning Henry, drafting another RB, or even signing someone in free agency.
Deuce Vaughn
8-50-1 Rushing
3/3-3-0 Receiving
Overreaction:
He was the most fun player to watch the entire weekend. How can you not get excited about “smol rb.” Maybe it is the jersey number in the low 40s and the fact that he played at Kansas State, but when I squint my eyes a little, I see Darren Sproles in a Cowboys jersey. The Cowboys have found themselves a gem.
Actual Takeaway:
Possibly the most fun player to watch all weekend. I have to be critical here, but I cannot emphasize how much I was smiling watching him make Jaguars defenders look silly. The Darren Sproles comparisons are ones that we should not throw around lightly. Most guys with that physical profile do not make it in the league. Darren Sproles did so because he was the single best iteration of that build of RB of all time. It is the same thing we hear every offseason of “the next Deebo Samuel” or “a Josh Allen type.” We like comps because they give us an easy visual, but when you start comparing every player to these one-of-a-kind talents, we are being a little silly. I am rooting for Deuce Vaughn, I love watching him play, and I have shares. However, he was doing this to some dudes that may not end up playing professional football in a couple of weeks.
Anthony Richardson
7/12, 67 yards, INT
2-7-0 Rushing
Overreaction:
Another rookie quarterback throws an interception on his first possession of the game. He was turnover prone in college, which has already translated to the next level. He has a lot to overcome if he wants to become a long-term starter in this league.
Actual Takeaway:
I feel like a broken record with these rookie quarterbacks, but this is to be expected. Not all these guys can be Aidan O’Connell and tear it up in his first preseason game. Anthony Richardson, like Will Levis, will be more of a project. I would expect some hiccups along the way. I cannot guarantee that he will not be a bust, but we also shouldn’t label him as one after one preseason game. Give him a chance to work through his mistakes and learn.
Russell Wilson
7/13, 93 yards, TD
Overreaction:
Russ is cooked, and Sean Payton can’t fix him. Not for lack of effort, keeping the Broncos starters out there until they could finally get one in the endzone. This will be his last season as a starter, and then the Broncos will have to figure out a rebuild with all his guarantees still on their books.
Actual Takeaway:
As a Broncos fan, I fear this will be another long season. I do not think it is all Russell Wilson’s fault, though. The offensive line was bad last year and awful in this preseason game. Wilson was pressured on 63% of his dropbacks. His number one option in the passing game, Jerry Jeudy, has been known to have some concentration drops in the past. He also had one in this game in a critical down and distance. The issue is that he will be behind that offensive line all season and throwing to that same Jerry Jeudy. So maybe we don’t have to blame Russ for everything with the Broncos, but I am not sure how he will overcome these things.
Justin Fields
3/3, 129 yards, 2 TDs
Overreaction:
The year three jump is here. Like Jalen Hurts last year and Josh Allen a few years ago, you give the young QB a new WR1 in year three, add some water and salt to taste, and BAM! Top three dynasty quarterback value. The big long touchdown to DJ Moore confirms that he will be the thing to put Justin Fields over the top.
Actual Takeaway:
I am very high on Justin Fields this season. He has a better arm than people give him credit for. Go back and look at the college tape. As much as I want to do victory laps and gloat on Twitter, I am doing neither of those things. All three passes were completed behind the line of scrimmage, and the pass catcher did most of the work. Having a guy like D.J. Moore that can take a scrimmage pass 62 yards is a welcome addition to his upside, but let’s pump the brakes a little.
I have so many players I still want to talk about, but I had to draw the line somewhere, or I will be typing until the Chiefs and Lions kick off the NFL season on September 7th. In the meantime, enjoy the preseason but avoid falling victim to these preseason overreactions. Also, don’t forget to check out Chris Museezer’s Training Camp Buzz articles. What is happening in the preseason is not just the games but also what the coaches see in practice. The most recent article here: Training Camp Buzz 3.0
Thanks so much for reading. If you want to discuss more, reach out to me on Twitter @DougHarrelson. Thanks also for your membership to DFF! For those signed up for an annual membership, you can always reach the rest of the DFF team and me on our Discord server! Exclusively for annual memberships only. Sign up today!
