The NFL preseason can oftentimes give us a window into depth chart movement, not to mention rising and falling player values as we enter fantasy football draft season. That’s been the case again this summer, as we’ve seen new names pop while others could be suddenly battling for a roster spot. With that in mind, here’s a list of players who should be moving down your fantasy rank lists or be on your bust radar in drafts.
Antonio Gibson, RB, Commanders: Gibson’s stock has fallen from that of a high RB2 to more of a flex option in the last few weeks. That’s due in large part to what’s been an unspectacular preseason – working on special teams while rookie Brian Robinson started ahead of him against the Chiefs. I still believe Gibson leads this backfield in touches, but a committee with Robinson and J.D. McKissic seems inevitable.
Ken Walker, RB, Seahawks: I'm a big fan of Walker’s long-term fantasy value, but his short-term stock has taken a hit. He’s dealing with a hernia injury, and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has said there is no timetable for his return. While I fully expect him to play a big role in this offense once he's back at 100%, Walker's absence will allow Rashaad Penny to take hold of the top spot on the depth chart early in the season.
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Miles Sanders, RB, Eagles: Sanders has missed time in camp and the preseason with a bum hamstring, which has opened the door for Kenneth Gainwell to make a move up the depth chart. While I still expect Sanders to be the Week 1 starter if healthy, we now could see more of Gainwell and Boston Scott in an offense that won’t use the running game as much as last season with the addition of A.J. Brown. Sanders is a flex at best.
Treylon Burks, WR, Titans: Burks appeared to land in a great spot in the NFL draft, as the Titans traded Brown to the Eagles and seemed poised to make him their new No. 1 wideout. Unfortunately for Burks, his offseason, camp and preseason have left much to be desired. He played with the second- and third-team offenses against the Buccaneers, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is now the favorite to start. Move Burks down your ranks.
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Noah Fant, TE, Seahawks: Fant was a borderline No. 1 fantasy tight end last season, but he could struggle to reach that level in 2022. It appears the Iowa product will be in a tight end committee of sorts in Seattle, sharing time at the position with Will Dissly. That's an unattractive scenario in an offense that already has major question marks at the quarterback position, leaving Fant as more of a late-round backup tight end.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Dolphins: Gesicki was one of the top 10 tight ends in fantasy a year ago, but things have changed drastically since then. The Dolphins added superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill to an offense that also boasts fellow speedster Jaylen Waddle. In addition, reports suggest Gesicki will be used less as a receiver and more as a blocker in new coach Mike McDaniel’s offense. That’s bad news for his fantasy outlook in 2022.
Kenny Golladay, WR, Giants: It seems like forever ago that Golladay was an actual fantasy star on the rise, right? His first season in the Big Apple was a disaster, and Year 2 might not be much better. The Giants have used draft capitol on Kadarius Toney and Wan’Dale Robinson in the last two seasons, and new coach Brian Daboll has had a lot of positive things to say about fellow wideout David Sills. I’d fade Golladay again.
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Ronald Jones, RB, Chiefs: When the Chiefs signed Jones in the offseason, I thought he could be a worthwhile late-round pick in drafts. It looks like I was wrong. The team loves rookie Isiah Pacheco out of Rutgers, which could leave RoJo on the roster bubble. Clyde Edwards-Helaire projects as the starter and veteran Jerick McKinnon looks to be ahead of Jones in the pecking order. At this point, RoJo isn’t even a draftable asset.
Christian Watson, WR, Packers: Watson is back to work for the Packers after missing part of camp with a bum knee, but he appears to already be buried on the depth chart. In fact, Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb and fellow rookie Romeo Doubs all seem to be securely ahead of him as we enter the third week of the preseason. The No. 34 overall pick in the draft, Watson looks better in dynasty than in redraft leagues.
Jamison Crowder, WR, Bills: Crowder looked like a potential late-round bargain when he signed with the Bills, but the emergence of Isaiah McKenzie has thrown cold water on that idea. McKenzie appears to be the favorite to start in the slot, with star Stefon Diggs and breakout candidate Gabe Davis on the outside. That sort of scenario won’t leave many targets for Crowder, who is barely worth a flier in the deepest of leagues.
Other notables: Daniel Jones, QB, Giants; Skyy Moore, WR, Chiefs; Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Broncos; Isaiah Spiller, RB, Chargers
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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!
