Live NFL Preseason Week 2 Fantasy Football Takeaways and Advice from Friday's Games

That the Las Vegas Raiders have one of the shakier wide receiver rooms in the NFL is not a surprise. But given the comments of Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak after Thursday's preseason game, um...yeah.

Kubiak did not exactly provide a glowing review of the position group while addressing the media.

 "I learned a lot, that we have to get a lot better very fast," Kubiak said. "We took a step backwards. That doesn't mean we can't go forward, but right now we are trying to find someone that is accountable and can help us on Sunday. Still looking."

That Tre Tucker got the night off appears a good sign for his role in the offense. But the late-round "sleeper" appeal of Jalen Nailor just took a hit.

Probably because I liked him.

Sigh.

Not too long ago, this analyst wasn't a big fan of drafting New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne at cost—despite a top-10 fantasy finish in PPR points a year ago with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Part of the reason for that was the New Orleans Saints bringing back veteran running back Alvin Kamara.

The fear was that Kamara would at the very least eat into Etienne's passing game work. But now, the 31-year-old Kamara will be out at least a month after spraining his knee in practice.

With Kamara, who missed six games last year, looking iffy at best for Week 1, Etienne is going to have a chance to show what he can do with a featured back's role.

And Etienne's RB18 ADP is looking a lot more palatable.

One drive in the preseason does not a season make.

But watching New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith go a perfect 7-for-7 on his first drive with 65 yards and throw a 13-yard touchdown to tight end Jelani Woods was still a welcome sight for fantasy managers who have invested an early pick in Jets receiver Garrett Wilson this year.

Fantasy managers who are big on New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo may want to skip this post.

The Giants added some depth in the backfield this week with the addition of Najee Harris, and while speaking to reporters Harris said that he sees an opportunity to be a real part of the offense for Big Blue.

"I want opportunity. I think this is a good opportunity here," he said. "The style of play that they're heading toward is the style of play that aligns with me. Harbaugh coming from the AFC North, me playing against him a lot of times, I know the type of style of football he wants. I think that just coming here is a good opportunity, and I'm willing to just put my foot in there and help out in any way I can."

It isn't panic time—Harris is coming off a lost season due to an Achilles tear. But before that he eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in four straight seasons and is a physical, downhill runner just like Skattebo.

The signing doesn't kill Skattebo's value. But he's gone from arguably a top-15 back to more of a low-end fantasy RB2.

The injury bug has been chomping its way through the fantasy landscape, and the Houston Texans were hit especially hard—No. 2 wide receiver Jayden Higgins went down with a season-ending ACL tear.

On Friday, the Texans tried to address that brutal injury, bringing in a pair of veteran wideouts in Zay Jones and Sterling Shepard.

In and of itself, the signings don't move the fantasy needle much—Jones caught just 12 passes last year in Arizona, while Shepard posted a 39/371/1 line with the Buccaneers a year ago.

But the Texans needed bodies—and there's a chance Shepard could do some damage for Houston out of the slot in 2026.

Fantasy managers who have already drafted who selected Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs thinking they were getting a value with Alec Pierce nicked up were left apoplectic when the Colts signed veteran wideout Keenan Allen this week. Allen was targeted 122 times last year with the Chargers, and many of those targets came at Ladd McConkey's expense.

But put the tequila away.

Is Allen's arrival a huge boost for Downs? Probably not. But Allen is a 34-year-old receiver who languished on the open market for months. The list of 34-year-old wideouts who have had big years is—short.

Downs is going to be a part of the Indy offense—especially if the Pierce injury continues to linger.

And with his ADP falling, Allen's arrival could wind up a blessing in disguise after all.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling entered the preseason with more than a little fantasy momentum. Ricky Pearsall is out for the season. Mike Evans is ouchie. Deebo Samuel didn't have a team until August. George Kittle is rehabbing a torn Achilles.

That momentum has grown exponentially—and after Thursday's second preseason game the Stribling hype train would give the Shanghai Maglev a run for its money.

Stribling played the first quarter of Sunday's blowout win over the Los Angeles Chargers, hauling in four of five targets for 46 yards. The performance put the rookie second-rounder in some rarefied preseason air.

The odds that Stribling opens Week 1 as the "Z" receiver for the Niners are increasing by the day. And given the age and injury histories of the pass-catchers around him, his asking price in drafts will as well.

But for now, there's still value to be had in the double-digit rounds.