The preseason is over. Soon we’ll be watching NFL games that count.

As we enter the final days of fantasy draft season, FantasyPros analysts Derek Brown, Andrew Erickson and Pat Fitzmaurice continue a series of preseason roundtables by discussing players in whom they’ve gained or lost confidence over the last month, favorite late-round targets, fantasy draft strategy, and more.

Fantasy Football Roundtable

Which player have you gained the most confidence in based on training camp and the preseason? Who are you much more comfortable drafting now than you did a month ago?

Javonte Williams (RB – DEN)

Derek Brown: With all of the positive camp buzz and a strong showing in the preseason, Javonte Williams has steadily climbed in my RB ranks. I know it’s a small sample size, but his 3.43 yards after contact per attempt (per PFF) has been impressive among 124 qualifying backs, ranking as the 23rd-best mark. I loved Williams as a player before his devastating knee injury, and now I’m back in.

Andrew Erickson: Javonte Williams looks slimmed down and poised to be the 1A in the Broncos’ backfield. Given how RB-heavy this Broncos offense under the combination of Sean Payton/Bo Nix projects to be, I think there’s a chance both Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin will more than pay off their ADPs.

Malik Nabers (WR – NYG)

Pat Fitzmaurice: The Javonte Williams selection is a great call; he’s my runner-up. I’m going with Malik Nabers. We knew he was a terrific WR prospect, but Nabers has been fabulous in training camp and oozes the “it” factor. Giants head coach and playcaller Brian Daboll seems hell-bent on making Nabers *the* focal point of the Giants’ offense. I’ve taken Nabers in several drafts already and now feel disappointed whenever I leave a draft without him.

Which player have you lost the most confidence in based on training camp and the preseason? Who are you much more comfortable drafting now than you were a month ago?

Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – DET)

Andrew Erickson: I’ve lost a bit of faith in Jahmyr Gibbs as a locked-and-loaded late first-round pick. He has missed much of training camp with various injuries, the latest being a hamstring. He’s not expected to miss any games, but I’m unsure how big his role will be to start the season as a result.

Even if Gibbs is back for Week 1, so much time missed makes me believe we might see him eased back into action more than fantasy managers would like. We’ve seen the Lions heavily lean on David Montgomery in the past, and I think we will see that same start again.

An early August report from ESPN’s Dan Graziano was the first to raise this potential concern before Gibbs’ latest hammy injury. “The Lions want Gibbs to work on improving in a traditional running back role before evolving into the “unique” role they envisioned for him this season. My takeaway: If you’re drafting Gibbs in fantasy, you might have to be patient with him as a result of the limited offseason work.”

Deshaun Watson (QB – CLE)

Pat Fitzmaurice: It’s not as if I was counting on a rebound season for Deshaun Watson, but I was still open to drafting him in superflex leagues and in 14- or 16-team 1QB leagues. I still had faint hope that we might see glimpses of the Watson who took the NFL by storm early in his career.

But Watson has reportedly had a mediocre training camp, and after dealing with a shoulder injury last year, he’s now experiencing soreness in his throwing arm. My hope is gone; I won’t consider drafting Watson.

Jermaine Burton (WR – CIN)

Derek Brown: Unfortunately, I’ve had to drop Jermaine Burton in my ranks this preseason. This has nothing to do with his preseason showing, as he has been fantastic, but he is likely to open the season as the team’s fourth wide receiver.

My hope was that he would break camp as the undisputed WR3 and full-time starter. While that doesn’t look to the be case to start the season, Burton could still earn that role during the season, but it has led me to reverse course with him and be open to the possibility that Andrei Iosivas makes some noise and holds off Burton for part of the season.

Who’s your favorite late-round target in fantasy drafts?

Jaleel McLaughlin (RB – DEN)

Pat Fitzmaurice: Jaleel McLaughlin showed us last year that there’s sizzle to his game, and Broncos head coach Sean Payton raves about McLaughlin’s work ethic. Payton’s offenses always heavily use running backs in the passing game. Denver had a league-high 153 RB targets last year. McLaughlin has substantial pass-catching upside.

Demarcus Robinson (WR – LAR)

Derek Brown: I know the Jordan Whittington love is hot and heavy right now, but Robinson and not Whittington will be the team’s starting WR3 this year. Robinson was uber-productive to close last season, and he could immediately pick up where he left off.

Rico Dowdle (RB – DAL)

Andrew Erickson: Rico Dowdle is going far too late in home leagues despite the chance he could be the Dallas RB1 after Week 1. The Cowboys are looking for someone to usurp Ezekiel Elliott.

What is the one piece of fantasy draft strategy that you’ve been most intent on executing during this year’s drafts?

Draft Tips

Pat Fitzmaurice: Be patient at quarterback. Leverage the depth at the position and fill your shopping cart with RBs and WRs in the early rounds.

Derek Brown: Draft an elite tight end.

Andrew Erickson: Draft Breece Hall.

Here’s a chance to offer some final words to fantasy managers who have drafts in the coming days. Which one player do you most want to urge them to draft, and why? Which one player do you most want to urge them NOT to draft, and why?

Jayden Daniels (QB – WAS)/Zack Moss (RB – CIN)

Derek Brown: Talented rookie Jayden Daniels has looked like a difference-making quarterback all preseason. We know about his rushing upside, but he should have effectively silenced some of his doubters with his quick processing and arm talent as a passer.

Zack Moss is an absolute stay-away this draft season. Chase Brown has eaten away at his time with the first team since the beginning of camp and could easily usurp him. Moss is this year’s Miles Sanders/Alexander Mattison. I will happily avoid him in every draft while circling Brown in the later rounds.

Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)/Cooper Kupp (WR – LAR)

Andrew Erickson: Jaylen Waddle has three 1,000-yard seasons and two top-13 WR finishes on his resume. He’s coming off a “bad” season with four TDs. The yards suggest the scores will bounce back. Buy the dip.

Cooper Kupp faced injury challenges in 2023, impacting his performance, particularly with a career-low yards per route run. Despite maintaining a 26% target share, he finished as WR27 in points per game despite TD-boosted production. In the games that Kupp was healthy alongside Puka Nacua, Kupp averaged 11.9 fantasy points per game with five receiving TDs. He went over 100 yards four times but was held under 55 receiving yards in his eight other games.

At 31 years old in 2024, concerns linger regarding Kupp’s ability to return to peak form. In addition to poor yards per route run, Kupp posted the worst YAC/reception of his career (5.3). Get out before things get worse for an aging Kupp. He’s missed an average of six games over the last two seasons. Many are forgiving Kupp now that he seems healthy for this upcoming season. We’ve been down this road with Michael Thomas for years. Once the milk is spoiled, it doesn’t unspoil. Kupp’s ADP is 35th overall (WR17), four spots ahead of Waddle’s ADP at 39th overall (WR19). Stop.

Chase Brown (RB – CIN)/Nico Collins (WR – HOU)

Pat Fitzmaurice: Draft Chase Brown. I think he’s better than teammate Zack Moss. Brown is faster and a better pass catcher. He was also a workhorse at the University of Illinois, so if the Bengals concluded that Brown is superior to Moss, they could conceivably use Brown as a three-down back a la Joe Mixon. A lead RB role for Cincinnati would make Brown a valuable fantasy asset, since Bengals backs are unlikely to see many heavy boxes when opposing defenses have to worry about Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Don’t draft Nico Collins at his current cost. Collins’ 2023 efficiency (11.9 yards per target, 3.11 yards per route run) was so sky-high in 2023 that it might be unsustainable. Collins also has to compete for targets with Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. Collins shouldn’t be a top-30 draft pick.

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