Fantasy Football 2016: Matt Camp's Post-Preseason Week 3 Notebook

Meaningful football is still over a week away. The third preseason game is supposed to be the closest thing we get to that, but coaches use it in various ways. If that means resting some of their best players, like the Raiders did with Latavius Murray and the Jets did with Brandon Marshall, then I'm all for it.

Teams are narrowing their focus to cut down their rosters, so I'll be doing the same in my game reviews. Instead of looking at each on a game-by-game basis, I've broken down my analysis by position by highlighting the players with the most fantasy impact. For each player, I made a notation to indicate if his fantasy value is going in the right or wrong direction heading into the season.

For instance, you'll get my thoughts on the preseason debuts of running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Ameer Abdullah and quarterback Joe Flacco. Elliott's performance was important enough on its own as his debut on an NFL field, but it might give fans and fantasy players a little more confidence knowing the Cowboys will be without Tony Romo for a long time.

As part of this final notebook, I'll also provide one last tip of the week that I followed in a recent industry draft. Hopefully, it provides proper insight on how to draft with your head on a swivel.

Game Reviews

I've broken these down by position with my current positional rank for each and an indication to which direction the player is moving in terms of maximum fantasy value. Also, while the reviews have some focus on the third week of the preseason, this is more of a review of each player's entire preseason performance.

Quarterbacks 

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2. Andrew Luck, IND (wrong direction)

If you only look at the numbers, Luck's had a strong preseason that appears to put last season's train wreck in the rearview mirror. After sitting out the opener, Luck has completed 21 of 26 attempts (80.8 percent) for 205 yards (7.9 yards per attempt) without a touchdown or turnover in his two preseason games.

Watching Luck in action is a different story, mostly because Indianapolis' offensive line is a major issue. Already a work in progress, the Colts allowed Luck to get sacked three times by the Eagles on Saturday night and lost left guard Jack Mewhort for two to four weeks to a knee injury, according to owner Jim Irsay.

It looks like the Colts will be smart enough to work around their protection issues by using more three-wide receiver sets and quicker passes, although that could mean more blocking for tight end Dwayne Allen. I'm concerned enough about Luck's well-being behind that shaky line to consider moving him down a spot in my next big board.

13. Joe Flacco, BAL (right direction)

Flacco's return to the field in the third preseason game wasn't about statistics. It was about his looking comfortable, taking hits, staying strong in the pocket and erasing any concerns that his knee injury would hold him back. He achieved all of that, and that's all that matters. Although he's known for his big arm, just about all of Flacco's throws were in the short and intermediate area, and he made more than a few good ones into some tight windows.

27. Dak Prescott, DAL (right direction)

Prescott's performance in the preseason has been surprisingly good, and that's become much more important following the injury to Tony Romo. Romo attempted just one pass before checking out for the day and giving way to Prescott. Almost all of Prescott's 17 completions (23 attempts) were in the short and intermediate area, which is what you'd expect, although he did take some inaccurate shots down the field.

Because he possesses athleticism that Romo doesn't, Prescott did run some read-option with success (two carries, 12 yards), and the Cowboys should integrate more of that into their offense since they know he'll be starting for a while.

I don't expect Prescott to have much of an impact on Ezekiel Elliott's fantasy value, but the Cowboys could rely on the ground game even more to slow things down. That could take away from Dez Bryant's targets, so his fantasy stock takes a hit.

Running Backs 

3. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (right direction)

Our first look at Elliott in game action was a great display of everything he's capable of—other than pass catching (zero targets). Elliott ran inside with power and outside with speed, beat defenders and picked up extra yards after contact. While it doesn't show up in his fantasy stats, Elliott proved he's a willing and strong blocker in his pass protection. That's a facet of the game that young backs tend to struggle with, which can keep them off the field. That isn't a problem for Elliott and only boosts his value.

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

18. Jeremy Hill, CIN (right direction)

Last year was a nightmare for Hill, so if he burned your fantasy team last year, I'm sure it's easy to hold a grudge. I'm here to tell you that’s a bad idea.

Hill's fumbling problems seemed to shake his confidence, and other than 12 TDs, he wasn't a reliable player for the Bengals or fantasy. From what I've seen from him in the preseason, including Sunday night against the Jaguars, Hill looks like a different player. He's quicker, healthier and is running with confidence once again.

If not for the presence of Giovani Bernard to steal touches as a runner and a receiver, I'd rank Hill higher. He'll be very important to Cincinnati's offense, especially with concerns in their receiving corps after A.J. Green.

24. DeMarco Murray/39. Derrick Henry, TEN (right direction)

I didn't expect to be this interested in the Titans. Yet after three preseason games, I find their backfield to be one of the most intriguing fantasy storylines heading into the regular season.

While I'm not a big Murray fan, I recognize that with his volume and role in the passing game, he can be a solid RB2. He had yet another solid performance in the third preseason game in Oakland with eight carries for 40 yards, including a one-yard TD. His starting role isn't in question. But how big will that role be?

Look no further than the play of Henry to see why Murray might not dominate the carries in Tennessee. As I've mentioned many times this month, Henry is a better all-around back than I expected, and he continued that in the third preseason game. From a power standpoint, I fully expected him to break tackles, which he's done. What I wasn't expecting was his ability to make defenders miss with his cutting and vision to change direction. The Titans have a dangerous combo in Murray and Henry.

27. Ameer Abdullah, DET (wrong direction)

In his first game action since returning from a shoulder injury, Abdullah started against the Ravens, but he didn't get many chances to produce when running inside. His first run was stuffed at the line of scrimmage with nowhere to go, and his first target was a drop on what looked like a well set up screen.

Detroit's offensive line issues showed up yet again. Because he's not a power back, Abdullah struggled to push piles forward when he was swarmed. When he got to the outside, Abdullah showed off his quickness turning upfield. He had a 15-yard touchdown run called back by a hold that helped spring him free.

33. Arian Foster, MIA (no movement)

The Dolphins took a long look at Foster in their game against the Falcons, and fantasy owners need to take note of what they saw. He's clearly not the player who was once on top of the fantasy world, as was evident in his five-carry, 10-yard performance on the ground. He looks slow and not the type of back who will run away from defenders. Instead, Foster's biggest contributions will likely come as a receiver (he had a 16-yard catch-and-run) and in the red zone (evaded defenders for a two-yard TD).

He may not have the physical ability that helped him dominate the league, but he still knows how to play the position, and that will be enough to keep him on the field.

48. Christine Michael, SEA (right direction)

Another week off for Thomas Rawls meant another extended look at Michael. For the third straight game, Michael performed well, racking up seven carries for 58 yards. Michael's quickness through the hole and away from tacklers was on full display. He could give the Seahawks a nice change of pace to pair with Rawls.

Michael has gone from fantasy afterthought to legitimate handcuff in a matter of weeks. This is not a case of overrating preseason play, but more recognizing a clear difference in how Michael is running compared how he looked in his first three seasons.

Wide Receivers

27. Kelvin Benjamin/43. Devin Funchess, CAR (no movement)

Benjamin is coming off a lost season and Funchess underwhelmed as a rookie, so the Panthers hope to see a step forward from both players to boost their passing attack. Benjamin hasn't done much to separate himself from the pack, while Funchess has had a solid preseason. That's made both tough to figure out for fantasy, especially in Carolina's run-first offense.

Benjamin was called for pass interference on his first catchable target of the game and had other targets sail high or wide, which was more about the inaccuracy of Cam Newton. Newton was picked off on a target that had no chance of getting to Funchess. The second-year WR picked up his numbers when QB Derek Anderson entering the game, as they connected three times on Anderson's first drive.

Through three games of the preseason, not much has been learned about Benjamin and Funchess, other than Benjamin looks completely recovered from his torn ACL.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

35. Josh Gordon, CLE (right direction)

Gordon's first game action in almost two years was limited but exciting. His first target went for 44 yards on a nice double move that Buccaneers cornerback Brent Grimes bit on badly, allowing Gordon to get free for an easy catch. His next and only other target was a great example of what makes Gordon so special. Robert Griffin III launched a pass down the right sideline that was slightly underthrown, but Gordon showed excellent body control to come back to the ball, make the catch around a defender, stay in bounds and end up in the end zone for a 43-yard TD.

We won't see Gordon in the regular season until Week 5, but he should be a big addition for the Browns and fantasy teams in Cleveland's vertical passing attack.

74. Will Fuller, HOU (right direction)

Over the last week, I've been asked about the No. 2 WR for the Texans on multiple occasions and if he'd be worth drafting. Because Brock Osweiler has a small sample size as a starter and didn't show much to get excited about, I've shied away from any Texans other than DeAndre Hopkins and Lamar Miller. However, it's hard to miss what Fuller has done in the preseason. Following Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Fuller had eight receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns, including a 26-yard TD from Osweiler against Arizona.

Fuller's big-play ability is evident. While his hands could be better, he has shown enough to warrant a starting role for Houston and is worth a late-round flier in your drafts.

Tight Ends

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21. Jared Cook, GB (right direction)

I know, I know. We've been here before with Cook during his stops in Tennessee and St. Louis. The hype has never translated into fantasy production, and you probably never want to see his name anywhere near your roster. Humor me for just a minute. Cook lands in Green Bay with none of the high expectations he had on previous teams. It almost feels like anything he contributes this season is a bonus to a team that has great talent at the top of its receiving corps in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.

Even though Cook has underwhelmed for most of his career, it's an indisputable fact that he's never had a QB close to the level of Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay is searching for a third option in the passing game behind Nelson and Cobb, and it might have it in Cook.

Because he's more of a receiver than a blocker, the Packers lined Cook up in the slot multiple times. They let him work down the seam, where he can take advantage of size mismatches against slot corners and linebackers, who can't keep up with him. In the third preseason game, he snagged four of his five targets for 54 yards, working almost exclusively as the team's top TE. If you have an open mind, Cook is worth grabbing in the late rounds of your draft or off the waiver wire.

5 ADPs to Watch from Last Week

Let's take a look at how the ADPs (average draft positions) changed for the featured players.

5. TE Martellus Bennett, NE

Last Week's ADP: 117.8, TE13

This Week's ADP: 113.5, TE12

Bennett's rise continued for yet another week, and he's now settled into a fair value as the 12th TE off the board, which is exactly where I have him ranked. He could be the third option in New England's passing game, especially with RB Dion Lewis out for an extended period.

4. RB Thomas Rawls, SEA

Last Week's ADP: 39.8, RB14

This Week's ADP: 41.5, RB14

Rawls didn't move from his RB ranking, but he does take a slight dip overall. Actually, I expected this number to drop even more considering how well Christine Michael has played in Rawls' absence.

3. RB Matt Forte, NYJ

Last Week's ADP: 40.8, RB15

This Week's ADP: 42.8, RB16

Another week means another fall for Forte. There's been almost nothing positive about Forte's preseason, and he wasn't impressive in the third game. Expect to see the Jets mix in Bilal Powell regardless of Forte's health.

2. WR Kelvin Benjamin, CAR

Last Week's ADP: 37.3, WR22

This Week's ADP: 38.3, WR23

It's not a big move, but the direction of Benjamin's change in ranking is noteworthy. While it might just be a matter of players who've shown more in the preseason moving over him, there's a feeling of uncertainty surrounding Benjamin for fantasy. Because the position is so deep, fantasy players seem to be looking elsewhere for more stable options, which is understandable. I don't have Benjamin on any teams.

1. RB Eddie Lacy, GB

Last Week's ADP: 26.8, RB10

This Week's ADP: 26.8, RB10

As I said last week, I didn't expect Lacy to move from this spot even with his strong showing in the preseason. Considering how he let down fantasy players last year, Lacy's return to the low-end RB1 tier is surprising enough. It shows many have an open mind when it comes to his bouncing back this season.

Tip of the Week: Write Your Draft Plan in Pencil

I give out advice all the time because, well, it's my job. But it's one thing to give out advice and another to follow it. That goes for draft strategy and drafting by my own rankings.

Over the weekend, I hosted and participated in the latest SiriusXM Radio Hosts' League Draft, which was a 12-team, non-PPR (points per reception) format with a starting lineup consisting of a QB, two RBs, three WRs, a TE, one flex, a defense and a kicker.

I picked in the fourth spot and was prepared to take A.J. Green assuming the top three consensus WRs—Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr.—would be off the board. Instead, I wound up with Jones when Todd Gurley went second. That's an easy pivot and one I was thrilled to make.

This draft started less than an hour after the Tony Romo news came out, so we didn't have much time to react. The general reaction was that of worry. While Ezekiel Elliott still went sixth overall, Dez Bryant slipped and slipped and slipped.

After starting my draft with Jones, I had a chance to take Bryant in the second round but opted to go a little safer with Keenan Allen. When my turn came back around in the third, I didn't expect Bryant to still be there, but he was, so I took him. The risk didn't bother me as a third-round pick and my WR3. I followed that up with Golden Tate to open my draft with four straight WRs.

Typically, I expect to come out of the first four rounds with three WRs and one RB, but I had to adjust based on what the board looked like, specifically the fall of Bryant. While I didn't expect that to happen, I adjusted accordingly and tried to use it to my advantage. You must be willing to do the same in your drafts.

Special thanks to our friends at FantasyPros for providing stats. ADPs accurate heading into Monday, Aug. 29.

Do you have a fantasy football question? Follow @TheMattCamp