Rankings Update 8/22

QB

Up

Bo Nix +5 spots

Bo Nix has looked great, I’ve underestimated the impact Nix would have with Payton running this offense. He is going to be accurate with a lower average depth of target and run the ball more than the average QB, I’m in.

Justin Fields 

I didn’t have Fields ranked for seasonal but he has crept up into the rankings. It’s hard to ignore the drumbeat at this point and there is a legit chance he wins this job. If he does? He is a QB1. In leagues where QBs are important you need to stash him. I’m following this situation closely.

Down

Russell Wilson -4 spots

See above with Fields. I’m lowering Russell Wilson’s floor which is why I had him as a backend QB2 to begin with.

RB

Up

Jaleel McLaughlin +9 spots

I went from someone who was first on McLaughlin to being behind market. He is a fine player but he is nothing more than a FLEX play to get you through in a Zero or Hero RB build. I’d rather the top tier handcuffs to him but the move here is bump him above some of those other handcuffs as he’ll get some early down work and is still explosive.

Cam Akers +20 spots

I’d be shocked at this point if Akers isn’t the true bell cow backup to Joe Mixon in Houston. Dameon Pierce doesn’t fit this offense, they need to let him go.

Down

Dameon Pierce -12 spots

Pierce goes down to where Akers was in the last rankings. Need him out of Houston for him to be a fantasy producer.

Note:

Check the bottom half of these rankings from RB50 and up. I made some changes to the bottom half of here to adjust for handcuffs throughout this preseason and last week from what we saw. Nothing significant but that is the main portion that was tightened up with this update.

WR

Up

Khalil Shakir +16 spots

Samuel is banged up and the beat is getting louder and louder Shakir will be the top target earner for this Bills WR group as he has taken strides forward this off season. Kincaid will still lead this group in targets in a low pass volume situation but Shakir gets a bump with Samuel taking a slight hit.

Rashee Rice +9 spots

I was under market, I’m still under market, but due to the Hollywood Brown injury I’ve been forced to jump him up to that area. There is a very, very real chance that all four of these guys (Kelce, Rice, Worthy, Brown) just eat into each other and none of them top a 20% target share. Rice and Kelce underneath while Worthy and Brown spread the field. Offense will be lethal but unpredictable who will produce week in and week out.

Andrei Isoivas

I was slow to get there on Isoivas which is mainly due to me not trusting the reports and thinking Burton was just being brought along slowly as a rookie. Well, the snap shares in meaningful pre season games are demonstrating that Isoivas will be the Week 1 slot WR for the Bengals. This spot should offer some FLEX appeal during Bye weeks and depth help.

Down

Jahan Dotson -20 spots

Lol. I remember getting crucified when I said he was unlikely to hit as a pro and now he is fighting for playing time behind Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus and Luke McCaffrey. Don’t waste your time on Dotson this year, he will be lucky to have some waiver wire value as the season continues.

Note:

As above with RBs, check out the WR50 and above. This is where the majority of changes occurred. Again, just updating for depth charges as the preseason progresses through.

TE

Up

Greg Dulcich +7 spots

I mentioned in the divisional breakdown I am putting out how high I will be on this offense as opposed to the market. I want to be ahead of the curve here and with Nix emerging and Payton being in his bag, Dulcich and Javonte will benefit the most. I think he can finish as a backend TE1.

Jonnu Smith +8 spots

Theme throughout all of this is being convinced on reports and showings in the preseason. Jonnu is just too athletic and in such a highly efficient offense to not have some productive weeks. If he is worked into the offense and earns a 60% snap share on the passing downs with some early down snaps worked in, he can be a productive TE2 streamer/depth piece.

Theo Johnson +18 spots

It seems Theo Johnson has taken over the TE1 spot in New York from Bellinger. I don’t have high expectations as Theo is still a rookie but this target tree is thin. Solid dart in leagues that are TE premium or you need a ceiling play late in drafts.

Down

Cole Kmet -7 spots

He is splitting snaps with Gerald Everett and the Bears new Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron loves Everett. With this TE room already falling to 4th at best in the target tree, I don’t see a clear path at all for Kmet to earn targets in this offense.