Jayden Daniels, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and other NFL preseason Week 2 takeaways

Welcome to the season of overreaction. Every pass, every catch, every juke and every mistake is magnified. Hey, fantasy football draft interests are top of mind. Whose stock is rising? Whose stock is falling? Attempting to decipher the meaningful from the meaningless, Brad Evans examines his top standout performances from NFL preseason Week 2. 

• Position rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Cheat Sheet
• Position top targets: QB | RB | WR | TE | Bijan No. 1?

1. Jayden Daniels, Commanders, QB (ADP: 93.08, QB12)

Questions about Daniels’ short-to-intermediate arm were answered on Saturday. Though primarily coming against Dolphins backups, he tossed a number of strikes within the critical 0-15 yards range — whether on quick outs, slants, screens or seam routes. For the game, he was 10-for-12 for 78 yards (6.5 YPA) while adding 13 rushing yards.

As preached this summer, Daniels’ duality is the sales pitch. Many believe his slender build (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) sounds the alarm, but his RPO success at LSU and expected run implementation with Washington can’t be denied. He’s a fabulous OVER wager on 525.5 rushing yards (-110, BetMGM) and fantasy selection at his QB12 ADP.

Equipped with a ridiculously effective downfield arm and supported by a projected lousy defense, Daniels’ peak potential is Robert Griffin III in 2012, and that’s not hyperbole.

As some drafters continue to salivate over Anthony Richardson (ADP: 57.37, QB6), lap up Daniels some 3-4 rounds later. Come year’s end, their production could be comparable.

2. Russell Wilson, Steelers, QB (ADP: 199.78, QB29) and Justin Fields, Steelers, QB (ADP: 180.00, QB28)

Diva Dangerwhich didn’t exactly invigorate the senses in his first preseason action. Against a mixture of Bills starters and backups, Wilson did complete a perceived impressive 8-of-10 passes, but only for 47 yards. As his 4.7 YPA indicates, it was conservatism to the extreme. He did receive the start, but grabbing the upper hand from Fields wasn’t achieved.

As for the perceived No. 2 QB, Fields, as usual, proved erratic. He occasionally sailed passes, finishing 11-of-17 for 92 yards. However, he chewed up real estate repeatedly on the ground, totaling 42 yards on eight carries. Interestingly, Fields played the entire second half but didn’t dominate Buffalo players who’ll soon sell cars for a living.

Trying to get inside the mind of Mike Tomlin, I think Wilson is the likely starter for Week 1 at Atlanta, but the leash is sure to be short. This often-inaccurate forecaster believes dark clouds will descend on Wilson in short order.

If the Steelers enter their Week 6 matchup at the Raiders below .500, a change could be made. With a daunting slate from Weeks 11-18, a switch could also occur after the Steelers’ Week 9 bye.

Throughout this draft season, this steadfast believer continues to sink shares into Fields — especially in SuperFlex formats. The maneuver could blow up in this hideous face, but if he's inserted under center at some point this season, QB1 returns are inevitable. Last year among QBs with at least eight starts, Fields finished QB10 in fantasy points per game.

Crank the ZZ Top. He’s got legs, and he knows how to use them. Stash.

3. Malik Nabers, Giants, WR (ADP: 37.06, WR21)

The uber-talented rookie from LSU is sure to be targeted approximately 130-140 times this season. Half-jokingly, however, he’ll be fortunate to haul in 10 of those looks due to the Giants’ atrocious QB play.

As witnessed Saturday against the Texans, Daniel Jones is simply abominable. Two errant miscues — completions to the other team — cast a beaming bright light on his ineptitude. Last year in six games, he finished QB19 in adjusted completion percentage, connecting on a hilariously bad 15.4% of passes beyond 20 yards.

[ Gamer's Guide to the Gridiron: Fantasy football forecasts and NFL betting picks ]

Whether against man or zone schemes, it won’t matter. Jones’ blatant shortcomings are bound to keep Nabers’ enormous potential stunted.

Yes, this observer fully realizes Nabers finished with a solid 6-4-54-0 line in limited action against Houston. Again, my harsh stance isn’t an indictment on his talent. We all know where the finger points.

As it currently stands, the young wideout remains one of the most overvalued players in the fantasy game. In drafts conducted this month, DeVonta Smith, Michael Pittman and DK Metcalf are significantly better buys available in Nabers’ ADP tier.

QUICK HITTERS: The gun didn’t smoke for Caleb Williams on his first three series against Bengals backups, but the fourth only raised the hype. His downfield bomb to Rome Odunze and eye-popping scramble for a TD had the Soldier Field crowd in a frenzy. As stated ad nauseam at this point (read more here and here), the No. 1 overall pick is going to be a windfall for gamers who steal him at his QB16 ADP. … Pray for Davante Adams. Raiders QBs Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell exchanged series against Cowboys backups, performances that were supposed to determine Las Vegas’ Week 1 starter against the Chargers. Neither pedestrian passer stood out. In terms of baseline talent, Adams is top-10, but the unattractive environment implies his WR10 ADP is a tad inflated. Empty volume may best summarize his 2024 season. … Xavier Worthy's juice is as advertised. On a 22-yard TD reception from Carson Wentz, he dusted his Detroit assignment for an easy six. On the day, he was targeted six times, hauling in three passes for 62 yards. Marquise Brown’s early season absence due to a sternoclavicular setback opens the door of opportunity for the fleet-footed rookie. Kansas City’s version of Christian Watson likely won’t be a catch accumulator, but bank on a splashy play or three off the blocks. Patrick Mahomes shockingly finished QB33 in deep-ball completion percentage in 2023. Worthy alone will starkly improve that standing this season. Don’t overpay, but he’s highly investable at his current WR43 ADP (93.57 overall). ... Bo Nix may be way better than advertised. For the second straight contest, this time working with the ones, he again displayed command and control within Sean Payton's scheme. His highlight drive in the first half featured a 23-yard strike to Courtland Sutton and ended with a 2-yard TD in-traffic thread to Tim Patrick. His final tally -- 8-for-9, 80 yards, 1 TD, three carries and 12 rush yards. Given Denver's presumed friendly defense and Nix's scoring duality, he could graduate from the streaming ranks in deeper leagues. ... Projections Taysom Hill will be the Saints' second-leading rusher are entirely conceivable. On Sunday night versus San Francisco, the jack-of-all-trades "QB" slammed for 21 yards and a score on five carries. If you're in a league where Hill has more than just QB eligibility, he's a deep flier not to forget.