Two preseason games down and now you’ll get a chance to really see which players you’ll want to take in your upcoming fantasy football draft. (And if you’ve already held your draft, that’s OK but next year wait until after the third preseason game.) The third game traditionally is where the regular starters play nearly the entire game before playing just a series or two in the final game. The third game gives you an idea of whether a player coming off of an injury is fully healthy or if a player on a new team is fitting in or if a player with a new supporting cast should be jumped on or treated like a live wire on the ground. Say you are targeting a wide receiver, but he has a rookie quarterback (Bengals receivers) or is on a new team (Braylon Edwards) or has a veteran import (Larry Fitzgerald). Or perhaps you are targeting a quarterback but that QB is on a new team or has a new coach or offensive coordinator. In my opinion you’d want to wait to see how the new situation works out and the third game is that perfect chance.
So who are guys to keep an eye on in these games? Braylon Edwards comes to mind. He goes from the Jets, where he had Santonio Holmes on the other side to the San Francisco 49ers with a new coach, perhaps a rookie quarterback or a guy that may be pressing in order to keep his spot in the league.
How about Kevin Kolb? The Arizona Cardinals targeted him in the offseason and traded for him after the end of the lockout. Now the team will give him Larry Fitzgerald and Early Doucet to work with in the NFC West. As much as Kolb was sought after though, his career numbers aren’t eye-popping and that is what fantasy football is all about.
As for running backs, will the quarterback controversy in Minnesota (rookie vs. recently-acquired vet playing under a newly installed system) ruin Adrian Peterson’s season? Will Chris Johnson’s holdout affect his ability to learn a brand new system? Will Arian Foster be able to duplicate his performance from last year? Will he fall off like most every other returning rushing champion has done the following year.
And one last interesting dilemma is what Falcons fans should do in regards to their wide receivers. Roddy White is one of the best receivers in the league however rookie Julio Jones has looked impressive in camp drills and the Falcons seemed to force the ball to him in the first preseason game. The size and speed combination that Jones possesses could present a middle-round second receiver option for fantasy players. While he probably won’t rack up yards and catches, he could very well score more touchdowns than White could this year. The Falcons have a stable coaching staff with a strong returning quarterback so Falcons receivers and tight ends are a very attractive fantasy option this year.
The third preseason game is the key and you should be paying attention to that slate with the drafts quickly approaching.
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