Fantasy: Takeaways from Friday's preseason action
Get ready for your season with theScore's 2017 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.
Every game night during the preseason, theScore gets you caught up on the most important fantasy performances from around the league.
Flying together
Doug Baldwin and Russell Wilson have combined for some excellent fantasy campaigns in recent years, and it appears 2017 will be more of the same from the Seahawks' duo.
Wilson connected with Baldwin four times on Friday night, tallying 69 yards in less than a half of action. The veteran receiver made plays all over the field, including a quick strike over the middle that he turned upfield for a 37-yard gain. Wilson was also in midseason form, completing 13-of-18 passes for 206 yards and a pair of scores.
After an off-year spent battling injuries, Wilson has the look of a top-five fantasy quarterback once again - a feat he accomplished in each of the previous two seasons. Meanwhile, the annually underrated Baldwin deserves to be drafted as a low-end WR1 in the second round.
Running away with it
When Latavius Murray signed with the Vikings in the offseason, he must have expected a starting role would be in his future. The team didn't see it that way, however, instead trading up to draft Dalvin Cook in the second round.
Cook got a head start in the offseason while Murray was sidelined with an ankle injury, and after two stellar preseason performances, it's safe to crown him as the unquestioned lead back in Minnesota.
Cook rattled off 40 rushing yards on seven carries Friday, adding another 10 yards on a reception. That brought his two-game preseason totals to 17 touches for 93 yards.
The Vikings' offensive line has played well in August and there's nowhere to go but up after a disappointing 2016 season marred by injuries.
Cook has been able to capitalize on the creases his line is opening and consistently get to the second level of defenses. His ADP has been skyrocketing over the past couple weeks - and for good reason. The third and fourth rounds can be a dead zone in drafts this year and Cook is an excellent player to target in that range.
Instant Impressions
- Stefon Diggs is on the verge of a breakout season. Sam Bradford was locked on to his top receiver Friday, resulting in four receptions for 65 yards. Diggs' propensity to soak up targets was proven last year with an 84-catch campaign over just 13 games. If he can stay healthy for a whole season, he has high-end WR2 upside and can be had for a sixth-round pick in fantasy drafts. The Vikings' offense is better than most people realize.
- On a night filled with positive performances, it's unfortunate that we have to close things out with a negative one. Eddie Lacy doesn't look fast enough to produce behind a subpar offensive line in Seattle - an already weak unit that may have lost left tackle George Fant for an extended stretch after he was carted off in an air cast on Friday. Lacy, who had a chance to make his mark with Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise sidelined, averaged just 3.3 yards per carry on six runs. Lacy wasn't even featured with the first-team offense, as he shared carries with rookie Chris Carson. The former Packers back should be avoided in all drafts this year.