Preseason NFL Depth Charts Analysis: Interesting Trends for Fantasy Football

August 14, 2022

NFL depth charts analysis for fantasy football. Justin Carter analyzes interesting preseason trends for initial 2022 NFL depth charts now that they're released.

Now that we've reached the point in the year where NFL teams are playing preseason games, we've also reached the point where teams are putting out their unofficial preseason depth charts.

On one hand, these are unofficial. But on the other hand, it can be fun to read into things.

So, let's do examine some preseason NFL depth charts and note some of the interesting things that are showing up on them.

AFC East - NFL Depth Charts Analysis

New England Patriots

The Patriots are listing DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne as their starting wide receivers. But with how much teams use three-receiver sets, I wouldn't read much into Jakobi Meyers being listed as Bourne's backup.

Meyers will be on the field and has more value than Bourne does by a mile. Tyquan Thornton being listed third behind Parker and Nelson Agholor does feel like a notable thing though since we knew coming into the draft that Thornton was raw.

New York Jets

The Jets list Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, and Braxton Berrios as starters, with Garrett Wilson as Moore's backup. I'd bet that at least early in the season, we see Davis and Moore on the field more than Wilson.

The team lists Breece Hall third behind Michael Carter and Tevin Coleman at running back, but I don't believe that. Hall should start as the No. 2 back.

Keep an eye on Zach Wilson and his knee injury from the Friday night game. This could be a big injury situation to monitor.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills list James Cook behind Zack Moss for some reason. The rest of their depth chart makes sense, including putting Isaiah McKenzie ahead of Jamison Crowder for the slot receiver role.

Miami Dolphins

Miami lists Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert both as starters at running back, then Sony Michael and Myles Gaskin as the second team, and Gerrid Doaks and Salvon Ahmed third. Things will likely look a lot like that in the regular season.

AFC North - NFL Depth Charts Analysis

Cleveland Browns

There's nothing weird about the Browns' depth chart, though I will note that Josh Rosen is listed as QB4 behind Joshua Dobbs.

Cincinnati Bengals

There's not really anything weird with the Bengals either.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens list Devin Duvernay as the second starting wide receiver. Not sure the No. 2 receiver there has much fantasy value, but it's at least worth noting.

Justice Hill and Tyler Badie are buried in the running back depth chart behind Mike Davis and Nate McCrary. For Hill, I believe it. For Badie, I don't really.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers currently list Kenny Pickett as third string at QB behind Mason Rudolph. While Mitch Trubisky should have the starting role locked in, I don't believe Pickett is worse than Rudolph.

AFC South - NFL Depth Charts Analysis

Houston Texans

The Texans list both Marlon Mack and Rex Burkhead as the starting running back, then we get Dameon Pierce third. Pierce has garnered a lot of hype, so this feels fluid.

The team only lists two starting wide receivers, Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins, and currently has Brevin Jordan behind Pharaoh Brown at tight end. This team's in a weird space, so consider this all in flux.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans list Nick Westbrook-Ikhine ahead of Treylon Burks, and Logan Woodside ahead of Malik Willis. Again, not sure I want to read into any of that.

But what I will read into is Kyle Philips listed as second string at receiver, ahead of Dez Fitzpatrick already. Philips is a name to keep an eye on.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are listing Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson both as tight end starters. Granson is a great fantasy sleeper pick. At running back, Ty'Son Williams and D'Vonte Price are both ahead of Phillip Lindsay, so if Lindsay is your "Jonathan Taylor insurance stash," you might want to pivot.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags list Evan Engram and Chris Manhertz ahead of Dan Arnold at tight end. Little concerned by that as someone who likes Arnold in best ball. They also list James Robinson ahead of Travis Etienne, but who knows there.

AFC West - NFL Depth Charts Analysis

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs list JuJu Smith-Schuster as the starter at one WR spot with Skyy Moore behind him, but the team only lists two starting receivers. Moore should play plenty in three-wide sets.

Jerick McKinnon being listed ahead of Ronald Jones II is the only thing that really concerns me here. Isiah Pacheco is buried some on the chart, but I think that's likely just because he's a rookie.

Las Vegas Raiders

Vegas lists Brandon Bolden and Zamir White both ahead of Kenyan Drake. That's a curious one that's worth monitoring.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos lost Javonte Williams as the starting running back. Not a surprise.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers have Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree III both ahead of Isaiah Spiller at running back. This is another one worth monitoring. Is it just because Spiller is a rookie? Or could he actually lose work to those two?

NFC East - NFL Depth Charts Analysis

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys list rookie Jalen Tolbert as a starting receiver right now. He has some appeal in deeper leagues since Michael Gallup will miss time early.

Washington Commanders

The Commanders have a depth chart with no surprises at the skill positions.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles list Quez Watkins as the third starting receiver, ahead of Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward, and Zach Pascal, though I'd still rather take a chance on Pascal if I'm looking for fantasy value. Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott are listed as co-No. 2 running backs.

New York Giants

The Giants list Wan'Dale Robinson and Kadarius Toney as starting receivers, joined by Kenny Golladay. Darius Slayton is the backup at two of the receiver spots.

Rookie Daniel Bellinger is the starter at tight end, which seems realistic just based on who the other names on this roster are.

NFC North - NFL Depth Charts Analysis

Green Bay Packers

The Packers list who you'd expect. With Robert Tonyan hurt, Marcedes Lewis is listed above Josiah Deguara at tight end, but that likely won't matter.

The one surprise is Tyler Goodson is listed with A.J. Dillon as co-No. 2 running backs, but we all know Dillon will get significantly more work.

Chicago Bears

The Bears list just two starting receivers in Darnell Mooney and Equanimeous St. Brown. The only real surprise is probably that after trading for N'Keal Harry, he's not even listed as the main backup for either spot.

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota has no surprises.

Detroit Lions

Detroit also has no surprises, unless you thought Devin Funchess in his conversion to tight end would be listed higher than the No. 5 tight end role.

NFC South - NFL Depth Charts Analysis

Atlanta Falcons

Alright, here we go. The Falcons. Drake London is listed as the No. 5 wide receiver (at one of the positions, so really more like the No. 9 receiver) and Tyler Allgeier is listed as the No. 8 running back.

Clearly, the team is being dodgy for no reason with how they list rookies. KhaDarel Hodge and Olamide Zaccheaus are the listed starters, but London is still going to outperform both of them.

Carolina Panthers

Carolina lists Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold as co-starters, which...stop. Baker is the starter. We don't need to play this game.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints have a nice, normal preseason depth chart. Taysom Hill being listed as the co-starter at tight end with Adam Trautman is the only thing that really feels notable.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa lists Julio Jones as a backup, but we know they'll likely rotate the top four receivers in and out enough for that to not really matter.

They also list Cameron Brate over Kyle Rudolph and Cade Otton at tight end. I might take some late best ball shots at Brate and Otton because I believe Rudolph isn't the starter but also believe Otton can still rise up past both players.

NFC West - NFL Depth Charts Analysis

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams currently list Ben Skowronek as a starting wide receiver. This will change when Van Jefferson is healthy.

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona's preseason depth chart is actually a preseason game depth chart, as it lists Andy Isabella, Greg Dortch, and Andre Baccellia as the starting receivers, Colt McCoy as the starting QB, and Eno Benjamin as the starting RB.

Not helpful for regular season projection, but at least we know which players will play in the first preseason game for preseason DFS purposes!

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers list Elijah Mitchell as the starter at running back, with Jeff Wilson Jr., Trey Sermon, JaMycal Hasty, and then Tyrion Davis-Price.

TDP is really low there, but I doubt it remains that way. Jimmy Garoppolo is the No. 4 quarterback, another sign that his time in San Fraciscon is over.

Seattle Seahawks

Finally, the Seahawks have a depth chart that is light on surprises outside of quarterback. Geno Smith is listed as the starting QB over Drew Lock.

I'm not sure the starting QB job there really matters much for fantasy. Still, I think people expected Lock to get the first crack at this role, so keep an eye on how things progress.

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