Fantasy: Takeaways from Thursday's preseason games

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

The Lion's Share

Matthew Stafford continued an extremely efficient August, going 6-of-8 for 78 yards against the Redskins on Thursday.

Stafford completed 4-of-5 attempts for 51 yards on the team's opening drive and after just two series Jim Caldwell gave him the rest of the night off.

Stafford has now completed 8-of-10 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown through two preseason games, despite not having Calvin Johnson in the lineup, as the star receiver rests up for the regular season.

Stafford is a low-end QB1 with a chance to creep into the top 10 if his weapons stay healthy.

Down Goes Griffin

The Redskins' line was missing Trent Williams, but that's no excuse for the beating Robert Griffin III took on Thursday night against the Lions.

After absorbing hits on six of his eight dropbacks, RG3 was forced from the game with a concussion.

Prior to the injury, Griffin was under fire all night, completing just 2-of-5 passes for 8 yards. He also fumbled twice, losing one of them.

The story just seems to get sadder with each passing chapter for the former rookie sensation. Head coach Jay Gruden didn't have a timetable for Griffin's return, but fantasy owners can safely stay away.

Notable Performances

Ameer Abdullah, RB, Lions
2 carries, 7 yards
Perhaps the hype train will stay on cruise control this week after a very brief appearance by Abdullah. Theo Riddick and Abdullah both saw action with the first-team offense, but it was another rookie - Zach Zenner - who stole the show on Thursday. Zenner rushed for 22 yards on four carries and hauled in five receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Abdullah remains an exciting fantasy prospect, but Joique Bell's return will likely limit his usage.

Matt Jones, RB, Redskins
8 carries, 44 yards, TD
Jones is Washington's answer to Abdullah, but the Redskins rookie is receiving far less hype. The third-round pick is already set to serve as the team's third-down back, and his strong preseason could threaten Alfred Morris' early-down work. Fantasy owners need to take notice.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Bills
7-of-10, 65 yards, 4 carries, 41 yards
The Bills' hopes at quarterback rest squarely on the shoulders of Taylor, and through two preseason games, he looks like the team's best option at the position. With Matt Cassel sitting out, Taylor moved the offense, but was only able to generate a field goal in two quarters of work. Taylor is a long shot to be fantasy-relevant, but his rushing ability is intriguing.

Terrance West, RB, Browns
11 carries, 42 yards
West got the nod over Isaiah Crowell and produced a decent amount of yardage, but looked unimpressive in the process. Crowell wasn't any better, rushing five times for 14 yards. Rookie Duke Johnson remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, but fantasy value may be hard to come by in a Cleveland backfield that won't be making many trips to the red zone.

Bills DST
The Bills' defense was responsible for the Browns' futility in the first half Thursday. Buffalo's line hounded Alex Mack and company all night, with Marcel Dareus winning battle after battle inside. The Seahawks remain the premier fantasy defense, but the Bills will be in the conversation, as long as their offense doesn't consistently put them in bad field position.

Injury Ward

Robert Griffin III, QB, Redskins
There was no timetable provided for Griffin's concussion, but Gruden did suggest that RG3 will remain the starter when he's healthy.

Larry Warford, G, Lions
Warford limped off in the first quarter and was taken to the locker room with an ankle injury. There was no update on his status after the game. If he misses time, it will hurt the Lions' offense, particularly the run game. However, the team is better prepared for an injury than it has been in years past, after drafting Laken Tomlinson in the first round and trading for veteran Manny Ramirez.

Josh McCown, QB, Browns
McCown jammed his ring finger against the Bills, but X-rays came back negative. An injury could open the door for Johnny Manziel, but McCown said he's fine after the game and head coach Mike Pettine confirmed that the veteran remains the Browns' starter.

Upcoming Games

Friday, Aug. 21

Saturday, Aug. 22

Sunday, Aug. 23

Monday, Aug. 24