RADIO
There is still a lot to be determined over the course of the preseason. There are several position battles to be played out that will affect fantasy relevant players.
I don’t believe anything we saw in Week 1 of the preseason put an end to any battle, but we can certainly glean some information from what we saw. Here are three battles where I saw one player gain an edge in the first preseason games.
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Lions RB1: Ameer Abdullah vs Joique Bell
I've already speculated that Abdullah would be the lead back by the midway point of the regular season in a previous article. It’s now looking like Abdullah could be the starting back a lot sooner than that, perhaps even in the first regular season game. Ameer Abdullah has been the focus of many positive reviews early in the preseason, and that continued against the Jets. Abdullah broke free for a big 45-yard gain and finished with seven carries for 67 yards. Overall it was an excellent first game for the rookie, who played 15 snaps total.
Ameer Abdullah showcases his agility, burst, and vision.
In fact, new Jets HC Todd Bowles was so impressed he was quoted saying that Abdullah was “about as quick as Barry Sanders." Bowles went on to make it clear that Abdullah was not Barry Sanders, but that is still a huge compliment from an opposing head coach. Meanwhile incumbent Joique Bell, who just turned 29 earlier this month, sat out as he recovers from offseason surgery.
It’s possible he plays this week, but he will need to be both healthy and effective if he wants to stay on top of the depth chart. If there is one negative takeaway from Abdullah’s performance it is that he didn’t get a single target in the passing game. Bell has been an above-average receiver in his career, so if Abdullah isn’t getting work in the passing game that may keep him from taking the starting job right away. Right now though, it seems like only a matter of time before Abdullah is the lead back in Detroit.
Eagles WR2: Riley Cooper vs Josh Huff vs Nelson Agholor
Riley Cooper shined in Chip Kelly's first season but then saw Jordan Matthews outproduce him last year. Despite that, Cooper managed to maintain his WR2 role all season long. Now in 2015 he once again will have to defend his starting spot against rookie Nelson Agholor. The Eagles know what they have in Cooper, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that he only played eight snaps in the first preseason game against the Colts. He didn’t get any targets but did have one rush for nine yards.
Josh Huff has always been a long-shot candidate for the WR2 spot but he did get the start alongside Cooper in this first preseason game. He played just 15 snaps which surprised me, as I figured Kelly would want to see more of Huff in action. Huff received only one target which he did not catch.
Cooper’s preseason performance will likely have little bearing on whether he is the WR2 or WR3--Agholor’s performance will be the biggest factor in that. He supposedly looked a little disappointing early on during training camp but he helped his cause in Week 1 of the preseason. On 23 snaps he saw five targets and ended with a 3-57-1 stat line. The touchdown came from Mark Sanchez, which is important to note because Sanchez was running the first team offense with Sam Bradford sitting out. It was about a five-yard pass that Agholor turned into a 34-yard score through outrunning the defense. If he can make a few more plays like that he will be a big part of the Philly offense. He did have a drop, which was one of the only issues. I’d say for right now Cooper remains the starter, but regardless of the outcome I’d expect Agholor to be the fantasy-relevant WR2 on this team much like Matthews was last year.
Nelson Agholor turns an overthrown pass into a long touchdown.
Patriots Third-Down RB: James White vs Brandon Bolden vs Travaris Cadet
I recently wrote an article about the Patriots third-down role and how Bolden appeared to be the lead candidate. I had basically dismissed White after reading reports that he was once again disappointing in training camp, but a lot has changed in the last few days. In the opening preseason game against the Packers, Bolden sat out for an unknown reason. If it was an injury, it was a minor one, because he practiced in full just two days after the game. On Twitter it was suggested that he was sitting out as a veteran while younger guys played, but I don’t fully buy that given that Tom Brady played and Bolden is in competition for a major role in the offense.
Either way, Bolden did not suit up for the game and James White was afforded the opportunity to shine, which he took advantage of. White was targeted five times and caught four passes for an impressive 52 yards. Those 52 yards led the team on a day where the offense was unimpressive overall. Furthermore, Bill Belichick was praising White for having a good training camp the day after the game. That surprised me given I had read opposing views from New England beat reporters prior to that. At this point I’m reconsidering my dismissal of White.
This battle is still far from over--Travaris Cadet is still dealing with a hamstring injury and did not play at all. It is not yet clear whether he will play in the second game, but he needs to get healthy quick or he’ll be on the outside looking in. Right now I don’t think there is a clear favorite at all for the third down role in New England, but I’d have to give White a small edge after his impressive performance in Week 1.
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