Fantasy: 12 biggest risers, fallers during NFL preseason

Marcus Stanois / theScore

Week 3 of the NFL preseason is underway and training camps are nearing an end. Meaningful football is close, and it's time to see whose stock has increased and decreased the most since the start of August.

Risers

Olave will benefit the most from teammate Jordyn Tyson's hamstring injury, which is expected to keep the rookie out at least until mid-October. Olave, who ranked fifth in the league in targets last season, now has Tyler Shough's full attention in the passing attack. He's going as the WR12 in drafts, putting him in a tier with Nico Collins and Malik Nabers and ahead of the likes of Rashee Rice, Tee Higgins, and Zay Flowers.

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Speaking of Nabers, he has also flown up draft boards after showing he's back to full strength. The July video of Nabers hobbling around a celebrity softball game is a distant memory, as the third-year receiver who set records as a rookie now looks fantastic in training camp. He's currently being taken as the WR11 in drafts after going in the late 20s before camp ramped up. The only remaining concern for Nabers' seasonlong outlook is whether he can overcome Matt Nagy as his offensive coordinator.

Stribling may have won the preseason. The 49ers rookie has been fed in his two appearances, recording 11 catches for 109 yards while being targeted on 62% of his routes. He's flown up draft boards as a result; Stribling is going as the WR39 and has shot up nearly 30 spots overall in the past week. The hype is real, and given that the rest of San Francisco's pass-catchers are older and injury-prone, Stribling's draft position may not be high enough.

Washington went from undrafted in fantasy to the 41st running back off the board for two reasons. First, he's flashed in the preseason, especially on his two massive rushes of 53 and 33 yards. In three games, he's totaled 208 yards on 26 touches between rushes, receptions, and a kick return. Second, Ashton Jeanty's injury scare caused Washington's ADP to soar. Jeanty appears to have avoided a serious injury, but Washington has done enough to warrant being drafted as one of the best handcuffs while potentially carrying some standalone value.

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Concepcion's preseason usage has settled any concerns about him being limited in the Browns' offense. In his lone preseason game, the first-round rookie lined up all over the field, caught three passes for 27 yards, and ran in a touchdown on a jet sweep. If Cleveland is willing to find creative ways to get the ball into Concepcion's hands, it really doesn't matter who the quarterback is. He's moved up nearly 13 slots on draft boards and is now being picked as the WR47.

The buzz around Allen has quieted a bit, but he's still being considered one of the stars of Chiefs training camp. The fifth-round rookie is getting plenty of reps with Patrick Mahomes, which signals that he should be involved in the offense once the season starts. Rashee Rice has question marks, Xavier Worthy hasn't yet proven to be a reliable downfield threat, and Tyquan Thornton is, well, Tyquan Thornton. Allen has tremendous upside as a late-round pick.

Fallers

Jeanty avoided a season-ending injury, which seems like a miracle considering how the early reports sounded. Regardless, the injury scare has taken its toll on his draft stock. Jeanty has fallen out of the first round and is clinging to a second-round projection. There isn't yet a timetable for his return, and the longer the unknown drags on, the further down the board he'll fall. If Jeanty starts to slip into the third round, the value may be too good to pass up.

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Love's situation is similar to Jeanty's. He looked great in his preseason debut but wound up sustaining a high ankle sprain, an injury that tends to linger. Love is now being taken in the middle of the third round, behind Kyren Williams. An update on Love's recovery could send his ADP in either direction, but for now, RB14 feels a tad rich for a back who could miss games on a bad team.

Tyson's biggest red flag throughout the draft process was his health, and it didn't take long for the eighth overall pick to succumb to another injury. He's expected to miss a good portion of the season and may not return until after the Saints' Week 8 bye. Tyson went from being a fringe top-30 wideout to the WR50. He's only worth drafting if you have an IR spot to stash him in.

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After having a breakout 2025 season, Pierce signed a substantial deal in free agency to remain with the Colts. However, offseason ankle surgery has kept him out of training camp, and he just came off the physically unable to perform list Thursday. Meanwhile, Josh Downs is garnering love in fantasy circles, and Indianapolis signed Keenan Allen to add depth. Pierce's draft stock has fallen to WR39 with his Week 1 status in doubt.

Tracy carried the bulk of the Giants' rushing load after Cam Skattebo went down last October. Entering training camp, many considered him to be Skattebo's backup with a chance to earn standalone value, but recent reports have suggested that Tracy could be cut by New York, especially after its signing of Najee Harris. Tracy's path to fantasy relevance may come in a different uniform.

Putting WR beside Hunter's name feels incorrect. Last year's second overall pick is only taking roughly 25% of his training camp reps at wide receiver, suggesting he will barely see the field on offense. Still, Hunter is being taken as the WR69, ahead of players who will make an impact in fantasy. Let someone else in your league select Hunter on name value and waste a spot on their bench.

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