X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Preseason Depth Chart Risers and Fallers

Over the course of the offseason, training camp, and the preseason, many names will be floated around as potentially having fantasy value. The preseason is typically when all that gets cleared up as depth charts are finalized, roster cuts are made, and we get some clarity on who is positioned where on each team.

The roller coast ride that we refer to as average draft position, or ADP, can fluctuate wildly over the course of a few weeks. Now that the regular season is almost upon us, it's time to see where some notable names have landed come September.

Here are a few fantasy-relevant players that were either far more or far less valuable about a month ago.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

NFL Preseason Risers - 2017

Carlos Hyde (RB, SF)

This one is kind of cheating. I only put Hyde here because early in the offseason, there were talks that the absolutely horrendous Joe Williams was somehow a threat to Carlos Hyde's job. I dismissed this quite publicly on various forums, but nevertheless, there were reputable sites actually reporting this information as plausible. It was never plausible. It was never possible. It was never something you should have ever considered. Hyde has more talent in one foot than Joe Williams has in his entire body. Words cannot express how really not close this is. Hyde was never losing his job. Hyde was never losing his roster spot. He is the best player on the 49ers and has all the makings of a three-down workhorse back. He was even spotted catching passes in his third preseason game. Hyde is undervalued yet again this year and is someone to target in the third/fourth round under Kyle Shanahan's dynamic offense.

Kareem Hunt (RB, KC)

Kareem Hunt was never overtaking Spencer Ware. The third preseason game was the final indicator of this fact. Ware dominated first team snaps until he unfortunately tore his PCL and LCL, which I believe are potentially career-ending injuries for a guy who is not a mega talent and may end up missing two seasons. He will come back to the NFL, but he will never have a prominent role again. Hunt immediately steps in as the lead back and while I don't foresee him seeing any bigger of a workload than Ware was going to see, the fact remains that Hunt is in an RB-friendly system with Andy Reid and should safely return at least fourth round value.

Jamaal Charles (RB, DEN)

The reports on Jamaal Charles not a lock to make the roster were true. We really hadn't seen Charles be Charles in almost two years. He had to prove that he's still got it. It took all of one touch for me to conclude that yes, Jamaal Charles can still do the damn thing. With Devontae Booker's injury and De'angelo Henderson's fumbling problems (and also he's a rookie), Charles is going to enter the season second on the depth chart. And let's be honest here, if Charles is still Charles, he's going to take snaps away from the very average CJ Anderson. All Charles needs are 10-12 touches per game to be an RB2. I think he will get it.

Tarik Cohen (RB, CHI)

Tarik Cohen has had an excellent preseason playing behind Jordan Howard and has even gotten work with the starters. He quickly surpassed Ka'Deem Carey and the awful Jeremy Langford to assume the number two role in Chicago. Given Howard's inability to catch passes, Cohen could find his way into standalone RB3 value in PPR leagues as the pass catching/satellite back.

Chris Hogan (WR, NE)

This is another unfortunate one. Chris Hogan is now the de facto number two WR behind Brandin Cooks as a result of Julian Edelman's ACL tear. Hogan lit it up in the third preseason game and has flashed explosiveness before. He is the most likely beneficiary from the Edelman injury, but these are the Patriots, so watch out of any of Danny Amendola, Rex Burkhead, or James White to benefit as well.

Kendall Wright (WR, CHI)

More unfortunate injuries resulting in lesser players climbing the depth chart. Kendall Wright projects to start alongside Kevin White due to Cameron Meredith's gruesome ACL and MCL tear that, apparently, he is lucky was only that bad as it could've been career threatening. Wright has been a WR3 before, but has spent the last couple seasons mired in obscurity due largely to injury. Now, Wright gets another chance and could be a surprise WR3 on volume alone. Victor Cruz is simply done - you just can't return from a patellar injury when you're a guy who relies on agility and quick cuts - and Markus Wheaton is always injured/not good at football. Wright is a great last player on your bench type pick.

 

NFL Preseason Fallers - 2017

Joe Mixon (RB, CIN)

When the Bengals drafted Joe Mixon, it was presumed he would become the starter because Giovani Bernard is not built to be a feature back and Jeremy Hill is terrible. Through three preseason games, Hill has started every one of them and played clearly ahead of Mixon. After Hill, Bernard was the next man in. Marvin Lewis has sent a clear message that Mixon is third on the depth chart. I would still bank on Mixon as the back to own here and the one with the most fantasy value when it is all said and done, but you're probably going to have to wait a few weeks to realize it. Mixon is overvalued anywhere before round five.

Mike Gillislee (RB, NE)

Mike Gillislee was presumed to be the starter and the between the tackles/goal line back. The Patriots instead have elected to not release a depth chart at RB. That's a downgrade for Gillislee. Rex Burkhead is the better all around player and James White is the better pass catcher. Gillislee will still be involved, but this has all the looks of a weekly guessing game at what Bill Belichick is going to do. Gillislee is overvalued for no other reason than he's going multiple rounds ahead of Burkhead and White. They should all be going around the same area because they all have the same shot at being useful.

Eddie Lacy (RB, SEA)

When the Seahawks signed Eddie Lacy, it was presumed he was to be the starter. Nothing the Seahawks have done indicates that to be true. Thomas Rawls ran ahead of Lacy back when Rawls was healthy and CJ Prosise operated as the passing down back. With both of them nursing injuries in the third preseason game, Chris Carson outsnapped Lacy with the starters. It's pretty obvious that the Seahawks do not intend to feature Lacy. He could still be the goal line back, but the involvement of Carson and the desire to push Rawls indicates that Lacy is far lower on the totem pole than previously thought. Lacy is a big avoid for me.

LeGarrette Blount (RB, PHI)

LeGarrette Blount has no talent. He is awful at football. He was purely a product of the Patriots' prolific offense. All offseason, I have been telling anyone I can that Blount is legitimately not worth a pick in any round - not even the last round - not even for $1 in an auction. I wouldn't even allow you to pay me to roster him. Then he shows up in the preseason and looks even worse than even I could've imagined. He's been outplayed by Wendell Smallwood and was already likely to be outsnapped by Darren Sproles. Multiple times we've heard reports of the Eagles possibly cutting Blount or looking for something else at RB. Blount should not even be on your draft board. Do not rank him. He's 31 years old and has never done anything productive in his career outside of New England, save for a few games in Tampa back when he was young.

 

More 2017 Fantasy Football & ADP Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Malik Nabers

Dealing With Back Injury
Khamzat Chimaev

Is The New UFC Middleweight Champion
Dricus Du Plessis

Gets Dominated At UFC 319
Aaron Pico

Suffers Knockout Loss In His UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Scores Stunning First-Round Knockout
Leodalis De Vries

Earns Promotion to Double-A
Nathaniel Lowe

Finalizing Deal with Boston
Geoff Neal

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Ketel Marte

Arizona Could Trade Ketel Marte in the Offseason
Carlos Prates

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Page

Dominates At UFC 319
Jared Cannonier

Gets Outclassed
Tim Elliott

Gets Submission Win
Kai Asakura

Still Winless In The UFC
Austin Cindric

has Arguably his Best Run of the Season at Richmond
Ryan Blaney

Contends for First Richmond Win but Comes Up Short
Alex Bowman

Finishes Second but Loses Ground in Playoffs
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Sets Personal Laps-Led Record at Richmond
Chris Buescher

Falls Out of Playoffs After Miserable Richmond Run
Coby White

Bulls Not Interested in Trading Coby White
Dereck Lively II

Expected to be Ready for Camp
Brian Robinson Jr.

Commanders "Shopping" Brian Robinson Jr.
John Metchie III

Texans Trade John Metchie III to Eagles
Victor Scott II

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Listening to Trade Offers for Trey Hendrickson
Marcelo Mayer

to Have Season-Ending Wrist Surgery
Samuel Basallo

Called Up From Triple-A Norfolk
J.K. Dobbins

Expected to Win Starting RB Job?
Quentin Johnston

Suffers Concussion in Preseason Loss
Jaxson Dart

Plays Well on Saturday Night
Marcus Semien

Avoids Serious Injury
Kyle Stowers

Heads to Injured List With Left-Side Strain
Zack Wheeler

Placed on Injured List With Blood Clot in Shoulder
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Optimistic Terry McLaurin Deal Can Get Done Soon
De'Von Achane

De’Von Achane Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Likely Avoids Serious Injury
Josh Hader

Unlikely to Return During Regular Season
Denny Hamlin

the Heavy Favorite to Win at Richmond
Christopher Bell

Has Been Great at Richmond
Kyle Stowers

Out Saturday With Left-Side Tightness
Tyrese Haliburton

No Longer Using a Scooter, Crutches
Ryan Blaney

Can Ryan Blaney Finally Break Through at Richmond?
Joey Logano

Will Start Last at Richmond After Practice Trouble
Chase Elliott

Lack of Top-Line Speed Hurts his DFS Potential
Kyle Larson

Recent String of Crashes Make Him a Big Risk at Richmond
William Byron

Probably Slightly Too Inconsistent at Richmond to Start for DFS
Ryan Preece

on Pole at Richmond as Playoff Deadline Looms Closer
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best RFK Racing DFS Option at Richmond
Chase Briscoe

Still Figuring Out Richmond
Chris Buescher

a Solid Choice for DFS Play, but Teammates Look Faster
Ty Gibbs

is Mediocre at a Track Where his Grandfather's Team Won 19 Times
Ross Chastain

Despite Qualifying 33rd, Ross Chastain Not As Strong a DFS Option As Usual
Carson Hocevar

Will Carson Hocevar's Speed Overcome His Lack of Racecraft?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Not Enough Attrition at Richmond for Shane Van Gisbergen to Be Viable
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looking for Another Solid Richmond Race
Jhoan Duran

Feels "100%"
Marcus Semien

Out on Saturday, Going for X-Rays on his Wrist
George Springer

Activated and Starting on Saturday
Dylan Beavers

Called Up by Orioles
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Activate Terry McLaurin From PUP List
Jhoan Duran

Takes Comebacker Off Foot, X-Rays Negative
Rashee Rice

NFL Could Reach Settlement Before Hearing
Matt Chapman

Goes to Injured List
George Springer

Likely Returning on Saturday
Max Muncy

Lands on 10-Day Injured List
Joe Mixon

Not a Lock to be Ready For Week 1
Rashee Rice

Receives Clearance to Travel to Brazil for Week 1
Haywood Highsmith

Dealt to Brooklyn on Friday
Amir Coffey

Signs One-Year Deal With Bucks
Jacob Misiorowski

Activated and Starting on Friday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Back From the Injured List
Khamzat Chimaev

A Favorite At UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis

Set For His Third Title Defense
Aaron Pico

Set For UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Geoff Neal

Looks For His Second Win In A Row
Travis Hunter

Dealing With Upper-Body Injury, Could be Held Out of Preseason Game
Michael Page

Set For His Second Middleweight Bout
Jared Cannonier

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kai Asakura

Looks For His First UFC Win
Tim Elliott

Set To Open Up UFC 309 Main Card
CBJ

Mikael Pyyhtia Re-Signs With Blue Jackets for One Year
UTA

Caleb Desnoyers Expected to Miss 12 Weeks After Wrist Procedure
Tyson Foerster

on Track to Be Healthy for Season Opener
NHL

Olivier Rodrigue Signs KHL Deal
NHL

Emil Bemstrom to Join Swiss Team
Payton Pritchard

Reportedly Moving Into Starting Lineup
Quinshon Judkins

Won't Face Formal Charges
Sam LaPorta

To "Miss a Little Bit of Time"
Rashee Rice

Disciplinary Hearing Scheduled For Late September
Chris Godwin

Likely to Start the Season on PUP List?
Kevin Durant

Rockets Not Interested in Keeping Kevin Durant with Max Extension
NBA

Isaiah Mobley Joins Turkish Team
NBA

Cole Swider Links Up with EuroLeague Powerhouse
Ethan Thompson

Joins Heat for Training Camp
Los Angeles Clippers

Clippers Add Jason Preston for Training Camp
Stefon Diggs

Unsure About Availability for Week 1
Justin Jefferson

Won't Practice This Week, Will be Re-Evaluated Next Week
Akshay Bhatia

a High-Upside Play at BMW Championship
Robert MacIntyre

a Safe Play at BMW Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im a Risky Play at BMW Championship
Xander Schauffele

Chases Big Week at BMW Championship
Shane Lowry

Aims to Rebound at BMW Championship
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Build Momentum at BMW Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looking to Rebound at BMW Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Eyeing Another BMW Championship Victory
Neemias Queta

Wants to Raise His Free-Throw Attempts
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Stuggling to Trade Anfernee Simons
James Cook

Bills Agree on Four-Year Extension
Cole Anthony

Focuses on Winning with Bucks
NBA

Jesse Edwards Moves to Australia
Kessler Edwards

Joins Nuggets
Bradley Beal

Feeling Rejuvenated in Los Angeles
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Looking "Incredible"
PIT

Chad Ruhwedel Retires From NHL
MIN

Jack Johnson Signs Tryout Deal with Wild
Ryker Evans

Kraken Extend Ryker Evans with Two-Year Deal
Bud Cauley

Needs a Big Result in Maryland
Harris English

Confident for BMW Championship
Jason Day

Faces Uphill Battle at BMW Championship

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP