After six long months, we finally have actual football. Sure, we had the Hall of Fame game last week, but Thursday night was the real start of the NFL Preseason.
While we need to be careful not to overreact to games that don’t count, there are still valuable fantasy takeaways to be gleaned from these games. Here are the most important ones from the first three preseason games.
Don’t Overthink It: Ja’Marr Chase Is the No. 1 Overall Pick
The most valuable asset in fantasy football has always been the elite running back. You can and should chase that…but not if you have the first overall pick.
Ja’Marr Chase is the best player in fantasy. He has been the consensus No. 1 overall pick in Best Ball drafts all year. Seasonal leagues should be no different.
Joe Burrow. Ja’Marr Chase. Easy Bengals TD.
Stream CINvsPHI on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/y0K6WqUbPP
— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2025
Of course, the Bengals torching the Eagles’ second team doesn’t tell us anything. We know Joe Burrow is elite. We know Chase is elite. What struck me most was not what the Bengals did on offense. It was what they did…or didn’t do, on defense.
The Eagles did not play starters. Yet, Tanner McKee and the second team marched right down the field. The Bengals’ starting defense couldn’t stop Jahan Dotson.
Tanner McKee connects with Jahan Dotson on the speed out pic.twitter.com/rMoG3qrQWm
— Shane Haff (@ShaneHaffNFL) August 7, 2025
The argument against Burrow and Chase being as good as they were last year is the Bengals can’t possibly be as bad on defense, which was the catalyst behind their nuclear games. Chase would still be elite regardless, but a better Bengals defense would limit the games from pushing 200 yards. Well, they looked just as bad as ever.
If you want to take Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Saquon Barkley over Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, by all means, go for it. But if you pick first, don’t get cute. It’s Chase. It’s not a debate.
Will Shipley Is Your Saquon Barkley Handcuff
As a rookie, Will Shipley didn’t do much. There’s no room for any backup to produce behind Barkley, but with Kenneth Gainwell as the backup, Shipley couldn’t get on the field. He carried the ball 30 times for 82 yards all season.
This year, Gainwell is in Pittsburgh, and the Eagles replaced him with the plodding AJ Dillon, who hasn’t played football since 2023.
Shipley got the start with the Eagles’ second team and dominated carries. He looked good, but what matters isn’t his performance; it’s that he was the guy in the game. After Thursday night, I feel more confident that Shipley is the handcuff who will see the majority of work and be startable every week if Barkley misses time.
Keaton Mitchell Will Matter if Derrick Henry Gets Hurt
Derrick Henry is built differently. His size and power running style make him less conducive to injury than your average running back. But freak injuries happen. It happened to Henry in 2021 when he broke his foot halfway through the season. He may be one of a kind, but he’s still nearly 31 years old. It could happen.
Justice Hill is the Ravens’ primary passing-down back. He is the RB2, and he has more fantasy value than Keaton Mitchell. Hill will have weeks. They won’t be predictable, but they will happen.
If Henry goes down, though, I do not believe Hill’s role will change at all. He will remain the satellite back, and Mitchell will step into Henry’s role as the primary back. Of course, Mitchell will pale in comparison to Henry. But he will be worth rostering in fantasy.
I don’t think you can draft Mitchell, as there is no chance he’s startable with Henry and Hill healthy, but if Henry (or Hill, for that matter) gets hurt, Mitchell should be at the top of your waiver claims.
Tyler Warren Will Continue the Rookie Tight End Surge
For decades, rookie tight ends were radioactive in fantasy. They did not matter. However, in recent years, we’ve seen guys like Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers post record numbers as rookies. Tyler Warren looks to pick up where they left off.
The rookie caught three passes for 40 yards and was featured heavily. Now, as a caveat, it’s important to note that no starters played outside of rookies and the quarterbacks. Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr. were not out there, and the Ravens did not play starters.
With that said, both Anthony Richardson Sr. and Daniel Jones were noticeably looking for Warren. He would be better served with Jones, but I think he can still post TE1 numbers with Richardson. Warren deserves to be taken inside the top 12 tight ends.
