Fantasy: Takeaways from Saturday's preseason games

Every game night during the preseason, theScore's NFL editors will provide their fantasy observations from around the league.

Spreading His Wings

So much for getting Sam Bradford in the 10th round of fantasy drafts.

Playing in his second preseason game with the Eagles, Bradford was flawless on Saturday, finishing 10-of-10 for 121 yards and three touchdowns. He showed nice touch on his passes, including a perfectly-placed ball to Darren Sproles which he dropped in over a defender.

Bradford is currently the 14th quarterback off the board in fantasy drafts based on ADP, but that may change after this performance. While some worry about his injury history, the Eagles have done an excellent job of keeping their players on the field since Chip Kelly took over. If Bradford remains healthy, he'll be a QB1 in fantasy and should be drafted accordingly.

Helping Bradford's cause is the emergence of Jordan Matthews. The second-year receiver caught three passes for 51 yards in the game, raising his preseason line to seven receptions and 115 yards. Matthews is definitely capable of flirting with low-end WR1 numbers.

Say It Ain't So

That sound you hear is Aaron Rodgers breaking things in the corner. A week after losing Jordy Nelson for the season to a torn ACL, the Packers watched two more offensive stars go down with injuries.

Randall Cobb was expected to take over as the team's No. 1 receiver in Nelson's absence, but that plan might need to change after he landed hard on his right shoulder and was taken to the locker room to be evaluated. News after the game was slightly more positive as head coach Mike McCarthy said he didn't think the injury was serious.

Cobb's availability for Week 1 could still be in doubt. If he misses time, Davante Adams may go from a fantasy bench player to a high-end WR2 in the span of a week, while Ty Montgomery and Jeff Janis could be potential WR3's.

Starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga was also forced from the game after he suffered an ankle injury when a player fell on the back of his leg. Fortunately for the Packers, McCarthy suggested it was a sprain and not something more severe.

Notable Performances

Martavis Bryant, WR, Steelers
3 receptions, 138 yards, TD
When he's on the field, Bryant looks like everything fantasy owners hoped he would be in 2015. Unfortunately, he failed to beat out Markus Wheaton as the Steelers' second receiver and will be suspended for the first four games due to a substance abuse violation. If his price tag drops due to the suspension, don't hesitate to draft him as a high-upside WR3.

Steve Smith Sr., WR, Ravens
4 receptions, 95 yards, TD
It was an eventful night for Smith.The veteran wideout caught a pass near the sidelines and looped around, causing the defender to run by him, leading to a 63-yard score. Later in the game, he was ejected during a fight, which allowed him to watch with his kids in the stands. Clearly there is plenty of fight left in the 36-year-old and good thing, since the Ravens need him to remain their No. 1 option this year.

Stevie Johnson, WR, Chargers
4 receptions, 63 yards
Johnson looks like he'll have a chance to return to the form he showed before joining the 49ers. The former 1,000-yard receiver is showing a rapport with Philip Rivers. Johnson will be an excellent pickup for whoever drafts him in the later rounds.

Leonard Hankerson, WR, Falcons
3 receptions, 50 yards
The Falcons need someone to step up as a reliable option behind Julio Jones and Roddy White. So far, Hankerson appears to be up to the task. If Jones or White were to go down, Hankerson would vault into low-end WR2 consideration. theScore's Dan Wilkins is eying Hankerson as a deep sleeper and you should be as well.

Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals
11 carries, 46 yards, TD
Hill will be the focal point of the Bengals' attack. You can expect Giovani Bernard to siphon a small percentage of touches, but the vast majority of the workload will fall on Hill's shoulders. He's going to carry the Bengals and his fantasy owners to the playoffs this season. It's a mistake if he's not selected in the first round of your draft.

Chris Ivory, RB, Jets
6 carries, 38 yards
The Jets starting back has been rising up draft boards thanks to a strong preseason. There isn't much competition to worry about, so Ivory should be the lead back on an offense that could be more effective than people realize. Ivory can be drafted as a low-end RB2.

Doug Martin, RB, Buccaneers
9 carries, 40 yards, TD
The revival of Martin's fantasy value continues. It wasn't easy to buy into the reports of Martin having an offseason rejuvenation, but he looks faster and has played well in the preseason. If he can overcome a weak offensive line, he'll find his way into fantasy starting lineups. Not sure he's worth a fourth-round pick though.

Joseph Randle, RB, Cowboys
6 carries, 15 yards, 1 reception, 8 yards
Darren McFadden had better numbers on the night (4 carries, 37 yards, 1 reception, 6 yards), but Randle started the game and saw most of the early work. It's Randle's job to lose, so keep the faith. Draft him as an RB2 and reap the rewards.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers
14 carries, 34 yards, 2 receptions, 7 yards
It's important to remember that rookies are still learning their way. The preseason for a first-year player can be a very difficult time and we shouldn't overreact. No one needs to mention Ron Dayne, another first-round running back out of Wisconsin who struggled in the pros... not yet anyway. Gordon is going to have a big role in the Chargers' offense, but he won't be on any of my fantasy teams, unless his price drops.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Giants
9 carries, 28 yards, TD
Jennings was far more involved in the offense than Andre Williams, which is hopefully a sign of things to come. Jennings also saw a goal-line carry and converted for a touchdown. If the Giants backfield were to become a three-headed monster, it would be a clear situation to avoid. For now, it seems Jennings will mainly share the load with Shane Vereen, something that will limit his value, but won't sink it completely.

Martellus Bennett, TE, Bears
7 receptions, 45 yards
With all the receiver injuries the Bears are dealing with, Bennett is going to see an abundance of targets. Seven catches for a tight end in a preseason game is ridiculous. It's going to be a busy year for the Black Unicorn.

Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys
5-of-8, 88 yards, 2 TDs
Romo threw his first touchdown of the preseason on Saturday, connecting with Terrance Williams on a 60-yard trip to the end zone. As long as you don't overpay for his name, Romo will be a quality fantasy starter.

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Vikings
7-of-7, 76 yards
Sam Bradford wasn't the only perfect quarterback on the night. Bridgewater may not have posted a touchdown, but he completed every pass he threw, including a beautiful 39-yard strike to Mike Wallace down the sidelines. Bradford has more upside, but Bridgewater could join him in the QB1 ranks this year.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Bills
12-of-13, 122 yards, 1 carry, 20 yards, TD
Let's hope Rex Ryan makes the right call and starts Taylor, both for the Bills' sake and for the potential fantasy value he could provide. Taylor has moved Buffalo's offense, even when the star skill position players aren't in the lineup, and his rushing ability makes him intriguing as a bye-week replacement or a daily fantasy play.

Injury Ward

Randall Cobb, WR, Packers
It appears Cobb avoided a serious shoulder injury, but it's a situation to monitor in the coming days.

Bryan Bulaga, RT, Packers
Bulaga is dealing with a sprained ankle and is day to day.

Tre Mason, RB, Rams
Mason left the game with a mild hamstring injury. Assuming he doesn't suffer a setback, he should be available for Week 1, as he keeps the Rams starting spot warm for Todd Gurley.

Duke Johnson, RB, Browns
The rookie suffered a concussion on Saturday. The Browns want him to be a big part of their rushing attack, but he needs to stay on the field for that to happen. Steering clear of the Cleveland running game is the safest approach.

Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals
Dalton left the game with a neck injury. The team later said it was merely a precautionary move. He'll be under center Week 1.

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Sunday, Aug. 30