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With the 2024 NFL regular season right around the corner, Quincy Milton breaks down a few interesting trends on depth charts. Which battles still need to be decided?
Every preseason, there are a few interesting trends and surprises across the NFL. Teams switch up their depth charts regularly based on player performance.
With the regular season less than two weeks away, depth charts will solidify any day. Soon, fantasy managers will be able to make fully informed draft decisions.
Let's take a look at three interesting trends from this preseason.
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Interesting Quarterback Battles
UPDATE: Russell Wilson has been named the Week 1 starter.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have yet to officially announce starting quarterbacks. They are the only two teams with clear quarterback battles that remain unsettled.
Justin Fields vs. Russell Wilson
The Steelers brought in both Fields and Wilson this offseason via trade and free agency, respectively. Wilson was told he was QB1 upon signing with the team. However, his performance this preseason and injury during training camp cracked the door for Fields.
Fields has not played anywhere close to lights out. His fumble issues are still glaring and he continues to be inconsistent as a passer. Despite those shortcomings, he has clearly shown enough to cause the Steelers to consider him as their potential starter.
Wilson is a solid veteran who should be able to run a decently efficient and turnover-averse offense. This is not the same Russell Wilson from his Seattle days, though, as the offense has shown a clear lack of explosiveness with Wilson under center during the preseason.
Fields presents the Steelers with a lot of risk and a lot of upside. His rushing ability alone gives the offense much-needed firepower. Additionally, Fields demonstrated in 2023 that he can support a No. 1 wide receiver. The Steelers desperately need someone who can get wide receiver George Pickens the ball.
I would love nothing more than for Justin Fields to be the next great Steeler QB.
However, last week showed us that Justin is still struggling with the same issues that have plagued his entire NFL career.
Shout-out @theqbschool for the excellent analysis 💯#HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/Pb70aqBBoE
— Jack Sperry (@jack_sperry) August 22, 2024
What is more, there is no denying that Fields led a fantastic rushing attack with the Bears. The Steelers want to run the ball effectively and let their defense help them win games. Fields can provide them with the offense necessary to do so.
No matter what happens, the Steelers pass-catchers will be better off than they were in 2023. However, it remains to be seen how the Steelers themselves will fare in a loaded AFC.
Drake Maye vs. Jacoby Brissett
UPDATE: Brissett has been named the Week 1 starter.
Another young player vs. veteran situation. The Patriots drafted Drake Maye third overall in April's draft. They also brought journeyman Jacoby Brissett back to New England to serve as the bridge quarterback.
Brissett has been a solid spot starter his entire career. He is not a game-breaker but he can get the job done. Maye is an up-and-coming rookie. He was considered to be a project when he was coming out of the draft.
The Patriots have made it clear all offseason that they would like to give Maye as much time as he needs to prepare for the No. 1 QB job. Maye's performance during the preseason has sped up that timeline.
If Maye wins the job, then that will mark the Patriots' commitment to him as the starter for the entire season. It is easy to go from the veteran to the rookie. However, you cannot go from the rookie to the veteran and crush the rookie's confidence.
In fantasy, Brissett is much better for the Patriots skill players. He would likely support at least one fantasy-relevant wide receiver, and running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson would be in better shape. However, if Maye continues to play like he has over the last couple of weeks, then this job is going to be up for grabs.
People really forget this happened when Mac Jones was a rookie for the #Patriots and people really think Drake Maye can’t win more than a couple games with similar weapons pic.twitter.com/jSFzJ4S9bo
— DomThePatsFan (@domthepatsfan) August 23, 2024
Browns RB1
Nick Chubb's devastating knee injury in Week 2 of 2023 left his career in doubt. It looks as though Chubb will be able to return to the field in 2024. However, how soon and in what capacity remain the question.
Me the first time Nick Chubb checks into a game this year
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) August 23, 2024
Chubb is going to start the season on the PUP list, which will cost him the first four games. Jerome Ford is in line to lead the Browns backfield as long as Chubb is out.
In relief of Chubb in 2023, Ford ran for 813 yards and four touchdowns and caught 44 passes for 319 yards and five touchdowns. You can expect that kind of production from Ford once again behind the No. 4 PFF-ranked O-line. Ford is only 24 years old and could continue to improve.
Once Chubb returns, Ford should still be heavily involved. The Browns also have Pierre Strong Jr. and D'Onta Foreman on the depth chart but neither of them seems primed to eat into Ford's workload.
Ford is an afterthought in fantasy drafts as managers are hoping for a solid return from Chubb. Chubb is likely going to be very limited to start. He may not regain his old form this season given his age and how catastrophic his injury was. Draft Ford with confidence in the double-digit rounds of your fantasy draft.
Chargers Wide Receivers
The Los Angeles Chargers currently list Joshua Palmer atop their wide receiver depth chart. All reports from training camp suggest that rookie Ladd McConkey is developing a No. 1 rapport with Justin Herbert and the other QBs, so it may only be a matter of time before he officially takes the mantle as the No. 1.
Most interestingly, second-year wide receiver Quentin Johnston is currently listed as the Chargers' No. 4 wide receiver. This is very disappointing news for anyone who was hoping for a second-year leap from the former first-round pick.
Johnston struggled with drops and separation during his rookie season in 2023. He finished with 38 receptions for 431 yards and two touchdowns. His catch rate of 56.7% was abysmal.
Johnston enters 2024 with a new coaching staff that has no loyalty to him. While the coach talk may indicate otherwise, the depth chart indicates that he has not been able to separate himself from the rest of the wide receivers on the team. He was an exciting sleeper candidate earlier in the draft season but now he is a "wait and see" candidate.
Biggest issue with Quentin Johnston is that he can win on the outside…. But he can’t “finish” on the outside.
You saw that at TCU - most productive games were when he was deployed primarily in the slot.
— AngeloFF (@angelo_fantasy) July 29, 2024
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