Fantasy: Takeaways from Friday's preseason games

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / Getty

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

Rising Raiders

The Raiders made it clear Friday that the first receiver taken in this year's draft is going to get the ball often.

Amari Cooper may not have had an Ameer Abdullah moment, but he caught three passes for 22 yards and added three yards on an end around. He will be a major upgrade for Oakland's passing game, and should help the Raiders' offense take a step forward in 2015.

The rookie won't have to carry the load by himself either. Running back Latavius Murray also fared well against the Rams, rushing for 35 yards on six carries. Both players have significant upside in the fourth round of fantasy drafts.

Flying High

Matt Ryan and Julio Jones were in mid-season form Friday. The pair lit up the Titans' secondary, connecting three times on the opening drive for 61 yards and a score.

Ryan completed all six of his pass attempts en route to the touchdown and then traded in his helmet for a ball cap. The Falcons franchise quarterback has never finished better than seventh in fantasy at his position, but is a reliable option in the mid-rounds.

The focus here should be Jones, who has a legitimate chance to end the year as the top fantasy receiver. Kyle Shanahan's offense tends to a create a target monster and Jones will happily serve that role.

Coming off career-highs of 104 catches and 1,593 yards, Jones has vowed to improve on those numbers and there's little reason to doubt him.

Notable Performances

Martavis Bryant, WR, Steelers
3 receptions, 55 yards, TD
Bryant and Ben Roethlisberger made the deep ball look easy on a 44-yard touchdown against the Jaguars. This was just a small sample of what the 6-foot-4, 211-pound wideout can do. Bryant has the potential to put up over 1,000 yards and double digit scores if this offense hits its stride this season. Hopefully the worries about his usage will persist, allowing savvy fantasy owners to scoop him up at a discount.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans
7-of-8, 94 yards, INT
The glowing reports that came out of training camp may have jinxed the Titans' rookie quarterback. Mariota had an interception and a fumble in his first preseason game. It's still early, but Mariota will likely only be useful as a spot starter in fantasy this season.

David Cobb, RB, Titans
11 carries, 53 yards
The fifth-round pick wasn't going against the first-string defense, but he ran much better than incumbent Bishop Sankey, who had just 15 yards on eight carries. After the game, head coach Ken Whisenhunt said the coaching staff is excited about Cobb. The rookie is a sneaky target at his current ADP in the ninth round.

Eli Manning, QB, Giants
4-of-8, 22 yards
Those numbers wouldn't look so bad if Manning had only played one drive, but the Giants left their franchise quarterback in for over a quarter. It's not a promising start for Manning, who claims to be more comfortable in his second season in this offensive system. The veteran will get on track before the real games begin.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Bills
5-of-8, 49 yards, 6 carries, 47 yards
The Bills' quarterback situation isn't going to be a consistent source of fantasy production, but Taylor's rushing ability at least makes him intriguing. Entering the game after Matt Cassel, Taylor led the Bills to touchdowns on his first two drives. We will get to evaluate him further when he gets the start in their second preseason game.

Injury Ward

Julius Thomas, TE, Jaguars
The Jaguars' big-ticket free agent suffered a fractured middle finger in his first game action with his new team. Initial reports downplayed the injury, but Thomas will be reexamined on Saturday. Not the best news for a player who already had red flags on his fantasy value.

C.J. Anderson, RB, Broncos
Anderson limped off the field with an ankle injury. The trainers took a look at him, but quickly moved on, hopefully signaling that the injury isn't serious.

Antone Smith, RB, Falcons
The Falcons' backfield is growing thin in a hurry. Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman are supposed to be engaged in a battle for the No. 1 job, but both players are sidelined with hamstring injuries. It opened the door slightly for Smith, but he was hurt in Friday's contest. The injury? You guessed it, a hamstring.