How to Win the Preseason: 10 Rookies Ready to Rise

The preseason officially kicks off tonight with the Hall of Fame Game between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers. This showdown will give us a much need appetizer, with the main course of preseason action coming over the following three weeks.

The preseason is a great opportunity to gauge and adjust rookie value. We may not learn a ton about established starters like Travis Hunter or Ashton Jeanty but there is plenty to gain from closely watching rookies who came off the board later in drafts.

First let's establish about what I am looking for then I will breakdown who I am most excited to watch.

Training Your Eyes for Preseason Action

It is so exciting to finally get football back, but the preseason can be a dangerous time for your fantasy football roster.

It is so easy to get lost in the preseason hype. Articles will start flying into your inbox, your podcast queue is going to get flooded and if you check your twitter feed you will primarily see analysts retweeting quick clips that confirm their prior takes on a player.

It is important to stick to good process, remember what you liked about a rookie when you drafted them and make calculated adjustments once you are able to identify a clear shift in a player's value.

Here are a few key things to look for when deciding if I am going to adjust my rating on a rookie during the preseason.

• Opportunity. Pay attention to who is running with the first team. If we don't see much of a rookie past the first quarter, that is a nod of confidence from the coaching staff.
• Health. If a rookie's nagging injury is lingering into preseason action, it is officially time to panic. It is hard for them to carve out a role when they are missing out on snaps this close to the season. We call this "the Roman Wilson".
• Usage. You learn a lot when the second and third team offenses are out there. Pay attention to where a wide receiver is lining up and cross reference that when the starter ahead of them struggles or is injured later in the season.
• Scheme Fit. I use preseason to match how I wanted to see a rookie used, based on my scouting evaluation, with how they are actually being used. If a running back with good hands is not getting any targets, I may have to tweak down their projection.
• Beat Reports. Don't brush off the beat when the credible sources start to align. I still remember how excited I was watching Puka Nacua and hearing the subsequent beat reports throughout the 2023 preseason.

The 10 Rookies Ready to Rise

Luther Burden's evaluation has been filled with questions from the start. Senior year production, scheme fit with the Bears and an offseason of nagging injuries has overshadowed his immense talent profile.

Just this week, it appears that the Bears beat has come around on Burden. He has been on the practice field and looks to be at/near full health. I am very excited to see Burden's usage on August 10 when the Bears take on the Dolphins.

How he is used will tell me more than how much he is used. Don't get scared if he is running with the second team to start the preseason-that would make sense based on the time he has missed this offseason. I do want to see where he lines up, if his targets are away from the line of scrimmage and which routes he is running.

I have a lot of credibility invested into Jaylin Noel. His ranking of WR7 and 21 overall is higher than industry consensus and his name has come out of my mouth just about every time someone has asked me for a sleeper.

I will be looking for where both Noel and fellow rookie Jayden Higgins are deployed. I am curious to see if we actually see more of Higgins in the slot and Noel on the outside. I will also be watching veteran Christian Kirk closely. If Kirk is not running with the first team to start the preseason, it is stock up for Noel.

Tuten was a big riser from NFL Draft weekend. He secured very early Day 3 draft capital off the momentum of a head turning Combine performance. I initially projected Tuten for a team-leading 38% of Jacksonville's rushing market. Travis Etienne, though, appears to be in a stronger position than expected with the new coaching staff. I have adjusted both Tuten and Etienne's projections to 30% of the rushing market share.

This should be a three week experience. I want to see if Tuten passes the eye test over time, with either the first or second team offense. I am very confident we will get a big-play that creates a viral clip but I am more interested in his feel for space behind this offensive line. I will also be locked in on which running back is getting the targets-that is the key to unlocking the value in this backfield.

I was a big fan of Royals during the draft process. His great hands, ability to win off the release and consistency over the middle of the field should translate well to the Kansas City offense.

Jalen Royals' projection got a bump with the recent Rashee Rice news. His impending suspension provides a clear opportunity for Royals, who I now project for 79 targets-third most on the team. Rice should see his typical preseason workload but that won't hinder Royals ability to impress us with either the first or second team offense.

Dillon Gabriel averaged a later draft position than Sheduer Sanders throughout rookie drafts this offseason despite being ranked higher on the Rookie Big Board since draft weekend. Early beat reports suggest that Gabriel has been the standout rookie during training camps. He should be competing with veteran Joe Flacco for the starting job.

I expect Cleveland will prioritize their young quarterbacks in preseason action, rather than Flacco. Pickett may start with the first team on August 8 when the Browns take on the Panthers, but Gabriel should get plenty of time with them over the month of August. It would be premature to rule out Sheduer Sanders at this point but I am much more interested in Gabriel.

Marks was one of my top targets in the third round or later of rookie drafts this offseason. He is explosive, has good vision and is a dynamic pass-catcher. I initially projected him as a perfect compliment for Joe Mixon with a clear path to be RB1 going into 2026. Mixon's recent injury has opened the door for Marks to get RB1 touches even earlier.

Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale and Jawhar Jordan are the other running backs who we could see this preseason. I doubt we will see much Nick Chubb so it should be the Woody Marks show. If he passes the eye test, watch for his fantasy value to skyrocket.

Clearly the Seahawks liked what they have seen so far this offseason from Arroyo. With Noah Fant off to Cincinnati, it is much easier to project Arroyo as a top 24 tight end this season.

I am hoping to see Arroyo with the second team offense no later than Seattle's second game against Kansas City on August 15. His chemistry with new quarterback Sam Darnold will impact my seasonal projection for him. Usage will also be key-Arroyo's strengths come from his pass catching ability and athleticism so I do not want to see him left in to block too often.

WR14, 34 overall might not sound high but my ranking of Thornton is miles above industry consensus. He popped in my projections when I plugged him in during NFL Draft weekend. Thornton's field-stretching skillset and large, athletic frame bring a unique element to the Raiders offense. That is is sharp contrast to Jack Bech, whose usage can easily conflict with Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers.

Thornton has received a steady flow of positive reports from the Vegas beat this offseason. I am hoping to see him connect downfield with Geno Smith as a featured piece of the first-team offense. It will only take a couple of big plays over the next few weeks for Thornton to go from deep sleeper to the center of discussion.

Tahj Brooks has a clear path to the RB2 role in the Bengals offense. When I discuss late round rookie draft sleepers I always emphasize players with a clear path to volume if an injury happens just above them on the depth chart. You have to match that opportunity with talent. Brooks' Texas Tech tape showed a physical runner with shifty feet and the ability to burst through the first level of the field. I am excited to see if his explosive, shifty run style translates against NFL defenders.

Brooks is not the only rookie running back who finds himself in this situation. DJ Giddens can secure the RB2 spot behind Jonathan Taylor. Jaydon Blue has a shot to secure a complimentary role behind Miles Sanders. Jordan James could seal down the very juicy RB2 role in the 49ers offense. I am also watching to see if Kyle Monangai can finally end the seemingly endless run of baseless Roschon Johnson hype.

You probably have a lot of feelings already about Quinn Ewers. The former top devy quarterback slide from the pinnacle of fantasy hype to seventh round rookie pick. Despite the consensus disappointment, Ewers still remains fantasy relevant.

He is competing with Zach Wilson to back up Tua Tagovailoa, who often misses time. If Ewers is able to beat out Wilson there is a realistic possibility that Ewers will see meaningful snaps this season. The Miami offense compliments the best of what we have seen from Ewers. The quick, short passing game that leans into the skillset of fast receivers is exactly what Ewers needs to be fantasy relevant if he finds himself at the helm of the Dolphins offense.

I want to see Ewers command the second team offense, be able to properly execute the short-passing game concepts that are a foundation to the offense and take some deep shots downfield.