10 Fantasy Football Risers (And 10 Fallers) After the 2024 NFL Preseason

Michael Fabiano | Aug 26, 2024

Bengals Chase Brown catches a pass during the second day of Bengals training camp on Thursday July 25, 2024. / Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The NFL preseason is over (thankfully – sorry I’m not a fan), but I was able to pick out a few things that caught my eye either during the actual games or in terms of ADP data that could affect your upcoming drafts. With the regular season coming next week, this information is more important than ever, so take heed and alter your player rankings accordingly.

I know I will!

Riser: Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Rice’s rise is about anything he did in the preseason, but more about the fact that news of his suspension has been radio silent. In fact, he’s pushed back into the top 25 fantasy wide receivers over the last two weeks on the NFFC website.

Riser: Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders

The trade that sent Jahan Dotson to the Eagles added to McLaurin’s value, as he could see even more targets in the Commanders pass attack. If you can get him as a WR3 or flex starter in fantasy drafts, it could be an absolute steal.

Riser: Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

With Hollywood Brown out several weeks, Worthy’s fantasy stock is on the rise. It rose further after he played most of the snaps with Patrick Mahomes running the offense, in preseason Week 2. He’s now a top 80 pick based on NFFC data.

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Riser: Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Brown’s ADP is skyrocketing, so much so that he’s now being picked ahead of Zack Moss on the NFFC website. I’m not sure it’s warranted, as this looks like a true committee situation, but Brown is going in the flex starter range in drafts.

Riser: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

To the surprise of no one, Daniels won the starting job for the Commanders. One of my favorite breakout candidates, the rookie out of LSU has a chance to be a tremendous draft bargain based on his current average draft position.

Riser: Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns

The Browns have announced that Nick Chubb will remain on the PUP list, which will keep him out of action for at least the first four weeks. In his absence, Ford looks like the best bet for fantasy production in the Cleveland backfield.

Riser: Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos

Nix is another rookie quarterback who earned the top spot on his team’s depth chart, winning the role for the Broncos and head coach Sean Payton. He had a solid preseason, making Nix a viable low-end QB2 or high-end QB3 in fantasy drafts.

Riser: Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings lost rookie J.J. McCarthy for the season to a bum knee, leaving Darnold to be the unquestioned starter. This is the best chance he’s ever had to be fantasy relevant, so the veteran out of USC is well worth a late-round selection.

Riser: Gardner Minshew, QB, Las Vegas Raiders

Minshew won the starting quarterback job in Las Vegas, ahead of incumbent Aidan O’Connell. That makes the journeyman worth a late round look in larger fantasy redrafts, especially in leagues that allow multiple starting quarterbacks.  

Faller: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Aiyuk is still holding out over a contract, and there’s been more action in the headlines about his name being mentioned in potential trades. Most holdouts don’t go into the regular season, but the noise surrounding Aiyuk has dropped his ADP slightly.

Faller: Zamir White, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

White is going to be the Raiders starting running back, and he’ll easily lead this team in carries. However, based on the preseason, it appears he’s going to lose third-down work and passing situations to Alexander Mattison. That hurts his ceiling.

Faller: Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Warren had been getting drafted higher than his teammate, Najee Harris, in early August drafts. Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury during preseason Week 2. It’s not considered serious, but hamstrings can be troublesome.

Faller: Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers

Brooks didn’t play in the preseason and remains a PUP possibility into the regular season. The rookie will eventually take over the starting role in Carolina, but for now it looks like we’ll see Chuba Hubbard as the team’s lead runner.   

Faller: Hollywood Brown, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Brown was the highest-drafted Chiefs wideout, but then he suffered a shoulder injury. He won’t be back in time for Week 1, and the fact that a Rice suspension isn’t imminent has pushed Brown to more or a late-round pick in drafts.

Faller: Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

Chubb will start the season on the PUP list, and chances are we won’t see the veteran back at full bore until some point in mid-October (at best). While he is still worth a late-round pick in drafts, Chubb won’t be a useful fantasy option soon.

Faller: Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears

We all knew Kmet’s stock was falling when the Bears added Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze, and the preseason showed he’s likely to share snaps and targets with Gerald Everett. At best, he’s a late-round, backup fantasy option in drafts. 

Faller: Jahan Dotson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

The trade that sent Doston to the Eagles made him less likely to make a fantasy impact. After all, he’s now no better than the third-best wide receiver on a team that boasts A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith. Dotson is now barely draftable.

Faller: Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

The former first-round pick has been a disappointment to the point that he’s not even a lock to start despite the loss of Allen, Williams, Everett and Austin Ekeler. At this point, he’s not even draftable in a 10-and some 12-teamers.